'I'm the only one with this ability.' Mark realized, and his lips curved to a smile, it felt good knowing that he had a certain positive uniqueness.
"Ohh, it's that time already. We didn't think you'd depart so soon. We have barely spent a day together." Meg explained.
"And you've shown me great kindness." Mark interjected and got on his feet, rubbing off the little grains of sand on him.
"I have to rely on that kindness once more if you'll let me."
"Lord Lemini asks us to be kind, whatever we can to help." Meg answered.
Yudar walked forward and placed his hand on her shoulder. Mark expected a rebuke or at the very least, a jibe.
"You'll need food to make it out there don't you?"
"Hmmm!" He nodded alongside.
The group went back to the hut, and soon, Mark had food for this journey, he was given a belt that had wooden balls tied around it, they held dried food and were about a dozen.
He wore it across his chest to his shoulder.
"They should last you for seven days if you don't eat meticulously. And if you still remain in the forest after you've exhausted them, then you might want to pick up hunting."
Yudar's words had a linger of coldness in them, but Mark understood him better now, it was just who he was.
Seeing him stand in front of him with a poker face made Mark remember his father. He too was cold in a way, yet kind.
'Father, I hope you're alright.'
Meg interrupted his earthly thoughts and pushed a wooden jar to him.
He collected it staring at it confused,
"What's in it?" he asked.
His hand was on the cover about to turn it open when Meg's hands came atop his.
"Don't, it's water. It'll spill if you open it now."
"Ohhh. I'll need that. Thank you."
Once he was done with the preparations. He got below and began his journey, he walked through the village and once again, eyes were glued at him. The people could tell what was happening, he was leaving.
Someone had told the elders that he was leaving, as they all gathered outside with their caretaker, all watching him go.
He got to the path just before the rows of trees and looked back.
"Meg! Yudar!" He cried their names and waved.
The goblins were momentarily confused but they reciprocated the action, and then he turned away, having the forest swallow him.
Mark walked through the path that connected to the village, it looked to be long deserted with creeping vines and grass growing along it, but it was still walkable, he only had to be careful not to trip over the vines. The sun began to shy itself away, going below the horizon.
The clouds began to lose their orange hue to the emptiness that was black, the air felt tenser, and less gentle, it whistled and Mark felt a chill on his face when the breeze swept by him.
The trees weren't pretty anymore, they didn't seem to be a safe abode for the many creatures of the forest, but rather a veil hiding wicked things behind them as carpets of black stole their color.
The rustling of leaves grew stronger, louder, only comparable to the whistle of the wind.
"Ouch." Mark blurted and stopped in his steps.
He shifted to the side and sat by a tree raising a foot.
"Fuck… I should have worn boots to sleep."
The goblins didn't wear shoes either, the concept was alien to them. Their tough skin and calloused feet and hands protected them from many pricklings and stabs.
But Mark was no goblin, he sat by the tree with a thorn embedded in his right feet.
He squeezed his face in discomfort, luckily it wasn't too large of a thorn and he pulled it out. It was half the length of his pinky finger and Mark could feel his blood dripping off it.
He slightly slammed his body on the tree, he was exhausted and it was time to resign.
Before he knew it, his eyes closed and darkness was all there was.
Then his ears twitched, a stabbing sound–multiple stabbing sounds alerted them.
His red eyes shot up and he looked up–where his senses pointed to.
Red glowing circles hovered in the darkness, among the leaves.
Mark jotted up, and jumped ahead.
Whatever those things were, he knew they weren't good.
A red sign in the dark meant the same thing always –danger.
The stabbing sounds continued and there was a rattle of leaves and they stopped.
Mark swallowed. It was much too dark to see, only the dim moonlight caused little vision and it was far from enough, especially with what he was dealing with.
He stood on his feet but then winced from the pain of his foot.
"Oh Jesus…"
He scuttled, forcing his wounded foot to move.
Red!
The red orbs appeared in front of him once more, hanging below tree branches, rather abruptly and swiftly.
He had heard nothing, and when they glared at him, his heart felt like it was going to break through his rib cage and he fell from fear.
He backed away on his bum, his eyes fixed on the menacing creature.
Then it moved forward and a stream of moonlight fell on it, revealing to Mark the creature that was responsible for his state.