The three were carried for a long while through the woods with no way to keep themselves warm. Their bodies swayed back and forth with each step of their captors and parts of their clothing. Ray's long, braided hair, Nimer's coat, and Jex's cloak dragged along the muddy ground. They were soiled completely within a few hours. Along the way, each struggle to escape was met with a stone spear being jabbed harshly into their side or the bickerings of goblins muttering scoldings in their ears. The goblins paraded with Jex, Ray, and Nimer's weapons above their heads, for it took several goblins to carry just a single one at a time.
Ray had given up on struggling against her bindings, her muscles weakened through her efforts. Her head hung backward toward the ground and she tried more carefully to take note of their surroundings. The further they were carried, the more their surroundings looked more like a mass of endless wood and snow.
She called out to Jex and Nimer, "Where do you think they are taking us?"
"Probably back to their camp," Nimer replied, rather disgruntled by the situation. He was groping around with his fingers trying to loosen the knot that held his hands together in means to escape. It remained just out of reach of his fingers, but he insisted on getting a hold of it.
"I wonder how far out that is," Jex said with a sigh and watched the goblins around them. Being his first time seeing the small creatures, he was more curious about them and their nature. "Do you think any of them understand us?"
"Probably not. Goblins aren't a very intelligent species. Most of them only speak their own language," Nimer grunted and he grabbed a small end piece, a gleam of victory meeting his blue eyes.
"Why didn't you tell us there were goblins in these woods, Nimer?" Ray asked.
Nimer let out an exasperated sigh. "You act like I'm supposed to know everything," he answered bitterly.
"You do know a lot," Jex commented, making a point.
"Too much, apparently," Nimer said sarcastically. He used all the strength in his fingertips to push the small piece of rope through the loop it was weaved through. He continued trying to untie himself while they were carried, stopping ever so often when a goblin glanced in his direction.
It wasn't till the sun started to disappear behind the large, deep blue peaks that Jex, Ray, and Nimer saw signs of a goblin camp. A wall that stood no taller than Nimer with carved, pointed tops lined a large area. Large, cemented torches were mounted to either side of a large wooden gate. Bones and skeletons of animals adorned the base and tops of the walls, decorating them with lavish displays of goblin kills. The sound of chatter, song, grunts, and roaring fires came from the other side.
Two goblin guards dressed in studded leather lined in rabbit fur stood on either side of the door holding long, crude javelins in their hands. The goblins squealed and rampaged in their language. They sounded like an army of squeaking mice and rats as they chattered with the guards. They earned nods in response, and the guards opened the doors which opened with a long loud whine to let in their brethren along with the prisoners.
They carried the three toward the middle of the camp where large logs stood in a large cone. Using torches and dry fibers, the goblins lit the cones and the logs were soon smothered in cosmic flames. Large, hairy ogres lodged the ends of their poles into the crevices of large trees near the growing bonfire. The warmth emitted thawed the prisoner's bodies but they had a feeling they could not enjoy it for long.
Hobgoblin guards with leather and metal helmets nearly covering their squinty eyes marched to their posts nearby and muttered amongst themselves in a series of deeper, whiny voices acknowledging the goblins around them. Whatever conversation they were having with each other seemed intense.
With a loud hollar from one of the guards, the low rumble of drums began to play along with the rattle and chimes of other toneless percussion instruments. The goblins stomped the ground with their tiny feet making small prints in the mud while hitting the bases of their spears against the earth in sync. They chanted in unison and sang a war song in their exotic language.
A long line of goblins passed off large logs of wood to each other, dumping them into the fire. Each crash of fuel being added sent sparks and ash flying into the air and the bonfire became even more smoldering. Sweat drenched the faces of all three prisoners and their need to escape grew with the rising flames in the dying light.
Ray peered around, trying to figure out what was happening, her eyes widening with fear. "You better have a plan," Ray warned, glaring at Nimer.
"I always have a plan," Nimer grumbled back. "Be patient. I'll get us out of this." He could feel the restraints loosening the more he fiddled with them.
"I'd hurry," Jex chimed in. "I think we may be goblin chow if we don't."
The veins on the side of Nimer's head bulged as his frustrations grew. "Maybe you two should be looking for a way to escape! Why does it always have to be me?" he barked back in a harsh whisper.
The ropes fell away from his wrists at that moment. He used his far hand closest to the tree to start undoing his feet bindings. The goblins were occupied by their song, and he used it as an adequate distraction to elude further from his restraints. His head swiveled back and forth as he sought out the location of their weapons. His eyes widened as he saw them coming down the lines of goblins along with the piles of wood soon to be destroyed.
"Oh no they don't," he grumbled and used both his hands and wrists to swing up and over the log he was on. He crouched on it, keeping hold of its rigid surface before nimbly swinging up into the tree. While doing so, Nimer kept an eye on the goblins, for none of them had noticed yet that he was free of his restraints.
He moved to the next tree, trying to keep his grip on the branches with his hands and boots. He held his arms out to the side trying to keep his balance, then leapt like a large cat, clinging to the branch of the tree next to him where Jex was tied up.
Jex watched Nimer with an amused smile then turned to Ray and commented, "I told you he was like a cat." Ray rolled her eyes.
Nimer stood on a branch above him and glowered down at Jex. "Don't say such nonsense. Now hold still," Nimer scorned him. He crouched down and started pulling at Jex's bindings and loosening them.
Nimer then heard one of the goblins from the crowd screech and point one of their boney fingers at him. Soon several black beady eyes were locked on him and the hoard of goblin's started to rush in his direction. The guide immediately had to think fast before they hurt his companions.
"I've loosened them enough. Try and get yourself out of your restraints," he said quickly then stood quickly and leapt off the tree onto the ground.
Nimer threw his fist into the ground and a shock wave erupted and rippled through the ground like an earthquake. The solid ground fractured under his punch, the ground gaving way from underneath the goblins. Each one tumbled and fell like several dominos all over the ground, screams of fear and pain overcoming the chanting and sounds of the beating drums.
Nimer slowly stood holding up his fist, a menacing glint in his eyes. "Maintain your distance!" Nimer commanded loudly and stood his ground. Some of the goblins did not heed his warning and Nimer threw his hands out toward the fire. Instantly, it came alive and the combustion raged, growing larger.
The goblins hissed and scowled, running away from the flames, their many eyes on Nimer with less fear and more curiosity. They began to mumble amongst themselves taking small strides backward as Nimer walked forward.
"Fi fi," one goblen muttered to the other and they all began mimicking the word to each other. One even began clapping his hands and the others erupted into applause.
A smug smile twinged Nimer's lips and he made a full circle with his hands. The flames followed, swirling in mid air and dancing with the movements of his hands. Small gasps of amusement echoed from the goblins in return.
Ray was bewildered at how easily Nimer had captured the goblins' attention. But she knew Nimer's weaknesses. Turning to Jex she whispered harshly, "Hurry, Jex! He can't keep this up for long. His powers drain him."
"I'm trying as hard as I can, Ray. You know how I am with knots!" he whispered back. With a forced tug on his bindings, they fell loose. He then started untying his feet shortly after.
Nimer reached his hands up toward the heavens, the flames still following his hands motions. Taking in a deep breath, he inhaled the flames as if they were air filling his lungs. Trying not to cough in response, he breathed the flames back out and they conjoined with the bonfire.
The crowd of goblins were putty in his hands, easily manipulated and fully captivated by his show. All the while, Nimer had started taking subtle steps toward where the goblins kept their weapons. He had to retrieve their weapons before they were tossed into the fire and destroyed, especially Ray's bow.
Jex had finally freed himself from the bindings and with slow movements he started untying Ray's and helped her to her feet. Jex met eyes with Nimer and the guide raised his eyebrows in return with a small nod.
Jex and Ray both started to slink away into the trees, doing their best to hide from the goblins. Nimer had one single shot at grabbing their weapons from the goblins. He was about to make his move when a loud roar from the sky overhead turned all heads to the sky.