"Perfect! It's perfect!" A familiar goblin said while observing a purple plant. Behind him, a group of goblins followed, carefully stocking the plants on a cart. "We'll take all of this! It will make us a fortune. These are truly gold mines!" He laughed, looking at the ruins of a modern city around him. "It will replace the second wasteland well!"
His interlocutor, a hooded goblin with his face covered, remained silent. Deep, red star-shaped dots made up his cold eyes, lighting up the hood's darkness.
"Don't worry!" he said, fixing at the eyes that frightened the other goblins. He pounded his fist on his heart and chuckled, saying, "I, Strength-Nature, never dissatisfy a client, whoever they may be."
***
"No, that's out of the question. It would cost us too much," said Heze.
"Did you see his condition?" asked Sengrar.
"No, and to be honest, I don't really care."
"But still, he's your -"
Heze shook his head. "I'm not going to judge a tree by its roots, but by the fruits it bears, not to mention that he came after me." He raised his hand. "Honestly, if he wants to get better, he should just stop. You have to stop being so sensitive at some point - you see my foundations? He had the same, but this crybaby cracked in what? Three years? Half a year since his memory was erased? I held out more than thirty times that half-year. I'm telling you: if you let him have his tantrums, he'll keep going!"
"You wouldn't care if he killed himself?" Sengrar looked at him with wide eyes.
Heze clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. "Do what you want; go see the military psychologist. Great idea! And you'll also reveal to the commander that his wife from the previous life is still alive and has knowledge that could kill us. Besides, if it's the military psychologist, isn't she supposed to exist in this world too?"
"There were... some problems, let's say. She wanted to help the token researcher group and died."
"Died from what exactly?"
"A plant that appeared out of nowhere and moves."
"Ah... we really shouldn't stay in those worlds," he said with a small smile, thinking of Heszer. "Well, worst case, you choose another one. There are still some around."
"She's the best."
"But in any case, it's bullshit. If we're solid enough, we don't need it. I've never needed it. If we're the same, he won't even want to see her."
"He's had worrying physical symptoms."
"Yes, and? It's his fault if he can't control himself after a while."
***
Rargnes woke up in his room, his body trembling. Yurs and the commander were sitting next to him in what seemed to be a hospital room.
"Are you okay?" the commander asked him but was answered with silence. "You know, it's normal to go through difficult phases. It's in those moments that you have to remember why we're doing this, the number of lives of our people that we're saving. You're already doing very well, don't put pressure on yourself."
'He just wants to use you,' his voice told him. 'Remember that he's the one who can analyze you, see the progression of your power.'
His eyes fell on his hand, and a memory of horror made him see it cut off, the pain lingering.
"I'm okay," Rargnes let out after a while as he tried to speak to avoid thinking or feeling what he had experienced.
The presence of Yurs, although he remained silent, occasionally reading his book while sitting in his chair, pleased him.
'But only Roaes and Redstar helped you when you were sick. He just wants to keep the commander in case you go crazy again because the commander of this life is much weaker than you. And did you see what he imposed on you? Don't believe their manipulation.'
They soon left him, and the visions returned.