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Chapter 39 - Chaos in Goblin Alley

After helping the trio return to their destination, the goblin returns to wandering the alley until he finds himself in an open space. A small pond that connects to the waterways flows in through the entries and back under the roads. He can tell they connect to the wells that are distributed throughout the city. This wasn't only one of the central sources he's seen since his recent arrival to Manchester. The goblin hears other younglings in the distance arguing for some reason and goes to have a look out of curiosity.

The younglings were beating a smaller one of their own who was curled up against the wall. The goblin walks over to them and stares, not knowing what to do. The younglings notice his presence and they instantly run away from him as if they saw a demon. The goblin simply watches them leave until they vanish behind a building. The goblin looks at the beaten youngling and decides to carry the child back out to the opening when he sees more goblins heading into one of the buildings. He follows after them hoping to get the child some help. Once he enters, he sees lots of goblins inside sitting at tables and at the bar in the back. He also saw hobgoblins, orges, trolls, even weaker types of beastmen. All of them seemed low in spirit as if something was draining their lives. All of them had scars from battles that came with their failed travels.

The halfling bargirl in the back behind the bar was chatting with an ogre when she suddenly sees him and screams as if death had entered the door with him. Every being in the room looks to him and suddenly the room is filled to the ceiling with hostility. He could tell the Halfling was the leader of the alley with how the room responded to her cries. Before he could show that he meant no harm to them one of the goblins attacks him and strikes his head and shoulder, forcing him to drop the youngling. The poor thing hits the ground with a crack. He picks the child back up and rushes out of the room and runs for his life. He is chased through the maze of the alley until he finally loses his pursuers.

He continues through the maze again trying to find someone to help the child only to return to the bar that chased him out earlier. He decides to take his chance again and lays the child at the door and knocks then runs away again. He hides behind one of the buildings to make sure the youngling was taken care of. The door opens and the halfling sees the child at the door. She checks the child's pulse and drags the body away to a different place near the side entrance of the wall that surrounded the alley. She knocks on the door where another female goblin answers the door and panics with tears in her eyes as she holds the limp body of the youngling. He realized that the child didn't live after all he did to save her. Then again, this wasn't the first time he was chastised for helping someone. The thought made his chest hurt as he listened to the two females argue for some reason. They were talking about how the child ended up that way. Had the leader allowed him to speak, he would have explained to them what was happening in her alley. But he now knows they won't listen, so he returns to his wandering in the alley.