"What? I never said you're the weakest," I took a step back, my voice sounding empty.
Pluta started pacing around me. "Everyone knows you're not a great fighter. Even you know that. The other girls and I figured you'd try to pick the weakest of us to challenge."
I furrowed my brow. What did she expect, that I would challenge Lindel?!
"You're a coward, Ertil. I couldn't expect anything less from a freak," Pluta lunged forward.
"I'm not a coward!" I shouted. I wasn't afraid of fighting, I just knew enough to understand when a fight was unwinnable. I remembered all the indirect comments the other goblins had made over the years. I shook my head. No, I wasn't a coward, I just needed to wait for the right moment, the right chance.
She laughed. "Then why do you keep backing away from me?"
I knew she was trying to provoke me. I was just matching her pace, making sure she wouldn't catch me off guard.
When I didn't respond, she continued: "I knew you'd try to challenge someone easily." She growled. "I'll show you who's the weakest!"
She lunged at me, her claws slicing through the air as I rolled to the side to avoid the blow. I quickly got back on my feet. She turned and attacked with a punch to my face. I ducked, stepping back. Pluta screamed and swung her fist again. I knew I wouldn't have time to dodge in time. I raised my right arm to block.
The impact of her punch against my bicep was strong, sending a shock of pain through my arm. But she had overextended. I gritted my teeth and, with my left hand, struck her cheek. I felt the satisfying connection of the punch. Pluta screamed in pain and jumped back. I smiled; I could do this, I just needed to focus.
Pluta brought a hand to her lips and lifted it. Red blood stained her fingers. "Oh, you're so dead!" she shouted as she charged at me.
I rolled away, but she kept running toward me full force. I backed away as she attacked again.
"Stop running, you coward!" she yelled.
I continued retreating, trying to find an opening. My back was close to the crowd, and I could no longer move backward. Pluta started running toward me, preparing for a tackle. I needed to finish this quickly. I lifted my leg, aiming for her temple, planning to knock her down once and for all.
"Get in there!" someone in the crowd shouted as they pushed me from behind.
I staggered forward, and Pluta tackled me to the ground. She started pounding my face. I covered my head as she collapsed on top of me. I tried to push her off, but the force of her punches was too strong.
"This is too weak for you!" Pluta shouted as she attacked me with her fists.
I could barely hear her words, the punches were dazing me. I tried to roll underneath, but she trapped me with her legs. I didn't know what to do.
"I'm so weak now!" Pluta screamed.
The crowd applauded as I tried to defend myself. The blows kept coming, and I started losing consciousness. Killing was prohibited in a challenge, but beating your opponent into a bloody pulp was not. At this rate, I'd be too injured to recover. I could really die here. There was nothing I could do to stop her.
"I give up!" I shouted with the little energy I had left. "I give up!"
But the crowd's applause drowned out my voice.
"Stop the fight!" the chief said. But Pluta didn't stop. The chief approached and struck her face with the tip of his spear. She collapsed, unconscious. The crowd suddenly fell silent.
"I give up," I managed to sigh, relieved that I could finally rest.
The chief looked at me and sighed. "I expected more, but I didn't expect this much," he said, turning away. "Your weak blood is not wanted in our tribe."
The crowd gave me disgusted looks. "Freak!" I heard someone shout. I struggled to get up, but someone kicked me back to the ground. Laughter began to echo around me. Tears started to form in my eyes. This was the end. I had failed.
"What's going on here!?" shouted the First Mother as she stepped out of the tent. The crowd parted for her. She looked at me, my body covered in injuries.
Her eyes glowed under the dim light. "You lost?"
I didn't have the courage to answer. I looked away. "I was pushed," I murmured, my voice almost inaudible.
The First Mother laughed as she held her head. Her shoulders shook with fury. "You... You little shit, you embarrass me with this pathetic excuse for a challenge. Someone, give me their spear. I'm taking this boy to my tent and cutting him into pieces right now. At least he can serve as a meal for the tribe."
Shouts of agreement echoed through the tribe. A goblin ran and handed her the spear. I looked into the First Mother's eyes and saw only cold hatred. And to think she had called me her son just moments ago. Of course, I wasn't. She was strong, capable, and I... wasn't. How ridiculous. I couldn't even defeat Pluta. So much for my dreams of greatness.
"I'm back!" someone shouted.
The crowd stopped and turned, looking towards the source of the sound. An older goblin appeared on the other side of me and the First Mother.
Pril, the tribe's shaman, emerged. He smiled. "I return to you all with a great revelation."
"I, First Mother, daughter of the Blood teeth Tribe, greet Pril, the great shaman," she bowed.
Pril licked his lips. "Ah, yes. It's great to see you too."
She was as beautiful as ever. Pril desired her, and although he had to respect her, not even he could get what he wanted from the First Mother. If he had more power, everything would change. And it would change soon.
The First Mother raised an eyebrow. He realized he had been staring at her too long and looked away. His eyes fell on Pluta, unconscious on the ground, and then on me, injured. He cleared his throat. "Ah, yes, um, very well, Ertil."
"What do you mean by 'well done'? He lost the challenge. I was about to kill this little shit before you showed up, Pril," the First Mother pointed her spear at me, still silent.
Pril awkwardly chuckled. "Of course." He cleared his throat again. "What I mean is, I just returned from a spiritual journey, where Sunary, the Mother Moon, observer of all, showed me a vision."
The First Mother lowered her spear. "What?" Her voice softened. "Please, tell us what she said."
Like all goblin tribes, the Blood teeth goblins revered the Mother Moon, especially the Mothers, whose role in life was shaped by the moon.
Pril's lips curled into a smile. "Well, of course. That's why I returned so hastily." He turned to the crowd, which was now silent, eagerly waiting for some wisdom from their shaman.
"What's happening here?" the chief asked.
"Quiet! Our great shaman has just returned with a revelation from the Mother Moon," the First Mother hissed.
My eyes widened. People didn't speak to the chief like that.
"Ah, yes, of course." The chief looked down, clearly chastened.
Well, I guess so, I thought.
The First Mother turned to Pril. "Please, continue, great shaman."
Pril smiled and raised his head a little higher. "Ahem. As I was saying, while I was away for my daily meditation, the moon called to me. She told me that the failure of this one," he pointed to me, "has cost the tribe enough.
And so, she decided to bless us. She showed me a cave where a fallen treasure lies. A treasure that will elevate our Blood teeth tribe to be the greatest tribe in all of Vulture Woods."
I shuddered, wishing the ground would swallow me whole. I had always known I was a bad omen sent by the moon, but for it to be this serious, she would intervene directly. It's no wonder the First Mother wanted to kill me. I felt the tears burning down my cheeks. I truly was a failure.
"Then we should go there immediately," the chief said.
Pril raised his hand. "Let me finish. The moon also showed me who should go on this journey, as it will be fraught with great dangers. One wrong choice could lead to total disaster."
The First Mother looked up at the bright moon in the sky and whispered a prayer. She then turned to Pril. "Thank you for sending us this message, great shaman. Who will be sent on this mission?"
Pril smiled. "It was my pleasure." He placed a hand on his heart. "And though this quest may be a heavy burden, the moon has deemed me the only one strong enough among the tribe to lead us on this journey."
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