Luke walked straight toward the chief's hut, his mind still racing with thoughts of Solus, the dragon, and the mage tower. He pushed aside the heavy pelt curtain that served as a door and stepped inside. The chief was seated on his wooden throne—a crude but imposing structure made of branches and bones. In his hands, he held Selina's staff, turning it over thoughtfully as if trying to decipher its secrets.
The chief looked up as Luke entered, his yellow eyes sharp and inquisitive. "Lok," he grunted, his voice deep and gravelly. "Human. What say?"
Luke crossed his arms, his expression serious. "The human's party got lost. They were supposed to go north, to the Virmhan Dire Forest. They were gathering with other adventurers to slay a dragon. Lermu… something. I don't remember the full name."
The chief's eyes widened for a moment, then he threw his head back and laughed—a deep, rumbling sound that echoed through the hut. "Humans dangerous, yes. But stupid too. Lermullo, they try kill? Ha!"
Luke frowned. "You know this dragon?"
The chief nodded, still chuckling. "Lermullo. Dark dragon. Second strongest. Across all lands. Goblin ancestors say so. Humans lucky you catch them. If not, dragon eat them. Bones and all."
Luke raised an eyebrow. "How do you know about this dragon?"
The chief's laughter faded, and he sighed heavily. He stood up from his throne, his movements slow and deliberate, and walked to the back of the hut. After a moment, he returned carrying an old, weathered scroll and a bone staff that radiated an eerie, unsettling energy. The staff was carved with intricate runes, and the air around it seemed to hum faintly.
"Old chief," the goblin said, his voice tinged with reverence. "Dark shaman. Live long, long time. Too long to count. Me… elite warrior. Serve shaman chief." He tugged at his pelt cape, pulling it aside to reveal the tribal tattoo on his back. The markings pulsed faintly, as if alive with some hidden power. "This mark. Gift from shaman chief. Make strong. Make leader."
Luke stared at the tattoo, his curiosity piqued. "And the scroll? What's that?"
The chief unrolled the scroll carefully, revealing faded symbols and drawings that looked ancient. "Shaman chief say prophecy. One day, king come. Protect goblins. End slaughter by higher species. But…" He frowned, his brow furrowing. "Prophecy… vague. Hard to understand."
Luke nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "So, you think this king is supposed to save the goblins?"
The chief shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. But humans… they not so scary. Not if goblins believe."
Luke hesitated, then decided to bring up the other pressing matter. "The human, Solus… he's a disciple of a high-ranking mage. A magister named Solmund, from the Holmuia Mages Tower. If we kill him, the mages might come looking for him. And if they find this place…"
The chief interrupted with another laugh, his sharp teeth glinting in the dim light. "Humans outside not know. Think dragon eat them. Lermullo take blame. Not us." He paused, his expression turning serious. "But… no kill human yet. Goblins need see humans not so scary. Need believe."
Luke nodded, understanding the chief's reasoning. "So, we keep him alive. For now."
"Yes," the chief said, sitting back down on his throne.
Luke nodded, understanding the chief's reasoning. "So, we keep him alive. For now."
"Yes," the chief said, sitting back down on his throne. He leaned back, his clawed fingers drumming against the armrest made of bone. His gaze lingered on Selina's staff, still clutched in his hand, as if weighing its value—or its danger.
Luke hesitated for a moment, then spoke up. "How about we make the human useful? A healer."
The chief's brow furrowed, his sharp teeth bared in a confused grimace. "Healer?"
"Yes," Luke explained, switching to the goblin tongue so Solus wouldn't understand. "Someone who can heal injuries. Like the wound you got from the alpha wolf. It still looks fresh. Why not let the human heal it? If he tries anything funny, you can just kill him."
The chief's eyes narrowed as he considered the idea. He glanced down at the jagged scar running across his chest, a reminder of the alpha wolf's ferocity. The wound had mostly closed, but it was still raw and inflamed. He grunted, his expression thoughtful.
"Human heal?" the chief asked, his voice skeptical but curious. "You trust?"
"Not trust," Luke said quickly, still speaking in the goblin language. "But we can control him. If he heals you, it proves he's useful. If he doesn't… well, we get rid of him. Either way, we win."
The chief leaned forward, his yellow eyes gleaming with interest. After a long moment, he nodded. "Bring human here. We see if worth keeping alive."
Luke didn't waste any time. He turned and left the hut, making his way back to the guarded hut where Solus was being held. The goblins standing watch nodded at him, stepping aside as he pushed open the door.
Solus looked up, his face pale and sweaty. "What… what's happening? Are you going to kill me?"
"Not yet," Luke said, his tone blunt. He switched to the human's language, Diomanum, to ensure Solus understood. "You're coming with me. The chief wants to see you."
Solus's eyes widened in panic. "The chief? What does he want with me?"
"You'll see," Luke said, grabbing the human by the arm and pulling him to his feet. "Just do what you're told, and you might live through this."
Solus stumbled as Luke led him out of the hut, his bound hands making it difficult to keep his balance. The goblins watching snickered, their sharp teeth glinting in the firelight. Luke ignored them, focusing on the task at hand.
When they reached the chief's hut, Luke pushed Solus inside. The human froze, his eyes darting around the dimly lit space before landing on the chief. The goblin leader sat on his throne, his imposing figure casting a long shadow. Selina's staff was still in his hand, and his gaze was sharp and calculating.
The chief spoke first, his voice low and gravelly. "Human. Lok say you heal. True?"
Luke translated, keeping his tone neutral. "The chief wants to know if you can heal. Can you?"
Solus blinked, clearly caught off guard. "I… I'm a support adventurer. I know some healing magic, yes."
Luke relayed the response to the chief in the goblin tongue. "He says he can heal."
The chief leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Heal me. Or die."
Luke turned back to Solus, his expression stern. "He wants you to heal him. If you don't, or if you try anything funny, he'll kill you."
Solus swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. "I-I'll try. But I need my hands free."
Luke translated for the chief. "He needs his hands free to heal."
The chief glanced at Luke, then nodded. "Untie him. But if he tries anything…"
Luke didn't need to translate the threat. The chief's grin, sharp teeth glinting in the dim light, was enough. He stepped forward and cut the vines binding Solus's hands. The human rubbed his wrists, his eyes darting nervously between Luke and the chief.
"What… what do you need me to heal?" Solus asked.
Luke relayed the question to the chief, who stood up and pulled aside his pelt cape to reveal the jagged wound on his chest. The scar was still raw, the skin around it red and inflamed.
"This. Heal," the chief said, his voice a low growl.
Luke turned to Solus. "He wants you to heal his wound. Do it."
Solus hesitated, then nodded. He raised his hands, muttering under his breath as a faint glow began to emanate from his fingertips. The air around them seemed to hum with energy as the healing magic took effect. Slowly, the redness around the wound faded, and the scar began to close.
The chief watched intently, his expression unreadable. When the healing was done, he poked at the scar, testing it. The skin was smooth and whole, as if the wound had never been there.
"Hmph," the chief grunted, sitting back down. "Human useful. For now."
Luke translated for Solus, his tone neutral. "The chief says you're useful. For now."
Solus let out a shaky breath, his shoulders slumping in relief. Luke, meanwhile, felt a flicker of satisfaction. The human had proven his worth, at least for the moment. But he knew this was only the beginning. Solus was still a risk, and the village's survival depended on how they handled him.
"Take him back," the chief said, waving a hand dismissively. "But watch close. No trust."
Luke nodded, grabbing Solus by the arm again. "Come on. You're not out of the woods yet."
As they left the hut, Luke couldn't help but feel the weight of the chief's words. The human was useful, but he was also a potential threat. And in a world as dangerous as this, trust was a luxury they couldn't afford.
After leaving the chief's hut, Luke made his way back to the guarded hut where Solus was being held. The human was sitting on the ground, his hands now free but his expression still tense. He looked up as Luke entered, his eyes filled with a mix of fear and hope.
"Am I… am I going to live?" Solus asked, his voice trembling.
Luke crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "Yes. For now. But only if you keep serving as a healer. If you try anything stupid, or if you stop being useful, that changes. Understand?"
Solus nodded quickly, his shoulders slumping in relief. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I won't let you down, I swear."
Luke waved a hand dismissively, annoyed by the human's gratitude. "Don't thank me. Just do your job."
He turned to leave, but as he stepped out of the hut, a thought struck him. Solus wasn't just a healer—he was a disciple of a magister. That meant he had knowledge. Knowledge that could be useful.
Luke paused, a wide creepy smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. If he's a disciple of a magister, maybe he can teach me the fundamentals about magic. The idea was tempting. Magic was a powerful tool, and if he could learn even a fraction of what Solus knew, it could give the village a significant advantage and if he teach it to the goblins, who knows what kind of force he's playing with.