Grobble
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POM - POM - POM
The war drums beat as the goblins marched toward the bridge.
Grobble's heart was in his mouth.
POM - POM - POM
Only two days ago he was serving Krashu as his advisor; counting, reading and writing for him. It was a good life. A safe life. Grobble had strived to make himself useful to avoid being "in the ranks".
That all came to a brutal end however. Grobble had angered Krashu, and now he was marching toward certain death. He wasn't even sure how he had angered Krashu. It didn't seem to matter now.
POM - POM - POM
He could smell the other goblins around him. Some had evacuated their bowls. Others simply stank of sweat and fear.
"BREAK RANKS AND I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF!" Barked To'Og, the bugbear driving them.
POM - POM - POM
The bridge came into sight. The defenders stood ready. Now that the sun had almost set the glow of their magical gear could be seen clearly in the darkness.
"ATTAAAAAAACK!!"
With a surge the mass of goblins moved forward, arrows flying now in both directions. Grobble ducked and weaved, using other goblins for cover as he moved through the ranks. He knew To'Og would cut him down if he fled the battle. They all knew that. For the goblins it was win or die - and goblins very rarely won. But grobble had determined that he wasn't going to die. He would live. He had a plan.
POMPOMPOMPOMPOMPOM
Taking an opportunity, he ducked behind a tree. The tree covered him from To'Og's sight, but not from the humans defending the bridge. For now that didn't seem to matter. The defenders were concentrating their archery against the front rank of goblins.
POMPOM- the drumming stopped suddenly, the drummer having been pierced through with an arrow.
Quickly taking out his dagger, Grobble cut the string of his bow. Taking the sheet he had stolen off a clothes line in Norwick, he tied one end to the sheet to the bow with the loose string. he Then tied the other end of the sheet to the other end of the bow. He looked up quickly from his handy work. A pile of dead goblins now lay on the bridge, most cut down by cruel arrows, but some by the swords of humans who had rushed out to meet them in close combat. Most were dead now. Grobble watched and waited for his moment. Just as the last goblin was dying he made his move. Dropping his dagger, Grobble ran from his hiding spot. "YOO NOT KILLS MEEE!" he called as he scurried forward waving the white banner. "I DOES THE SURRENDER TO YOO!" The humans stood their ground as grobble ran forward. "I DOES THE SURRENDER TO YOO! YOO NOT DOES THE KILL TO ME!"
One human responded to grobble's exclamation. Grobble understood about half of what he said. The words "Unarmed" and "Mercy" registered.
"MERCY!" Grobble cried. "YES! GROBBLE DOES THE SURRENDER AND GETS FROM YOO THE MERCY!" He waved the flag even more vigorously "MERCY! GROBBLE GETS THE MERCY!". With a rush the fear that that was setting him ablaze with adrenaline and bile was washed away by total joy.
A joy that was shattered as quickly as it had come.
With his bastard sword held high, To'Og charged. "I KILL YOO TRAITOR!". Grobble froze, totally paralysed with fear. The humans on the bridge were quick to rush in to defend Grobble, Blocking the bugbears blow and engaging it in fierce combat. All Grobble could do was sit and watch as the humans defended him.
Him?
Grobble was at a loss. All his life he was treated as little more than worthless, expendable asset. At best he was tolerated or ignored. But to have someone defend him - to risk their lives to save his…
"It's a goblin," argued a female hin voice behind him. "It doesn't deserve to live!"
Grobble quickly turned around. "Oh yes yes yes ... Grobble does the surrendering to yoo and now gets the mercy!"
The halfling woman in the fancy had said some other words. Some of which Grobble understood but most of which were lost. He understood the spear thrust though! Grobble squealed and ran for his life as the furious hin chased him off the bridge. Grobble ran to the other humans for help. "MERCY! The grobble gets MERCY!"
The halfing shouted something else in hin. Grobble may have been able to translate it if the halfling woman hadn't caught up with him and thrust him through the back with her spear. Grobble stood, looking down at the spear head that was now protruding through the front of his chest. With a sharp yank the hin withdrew the spear. Grobble dropped to his knees, and then fell on his face.
"I ... had .. the mer ... see ..." Just as his life was slipping away, a veil of light and positive magical energy cascaded over him as one of the defenders cast a healing spell. Almost instantly Grobble felt this mortal wound close itself and his energy return to him. "Why she does that? WHY SHE DOES THAT! I had the MERCY from the doing of SURRENDER!". At that moment a human female stepped forward. She was clad in fine armour, but her features were difficult to make out as a magical spell had given her the visage of a ghost.
"This creature has surrendered.." the ghostly woman began. She continued to speak but most of what she said was lost to Grobble. She turned to Grobble with a kind look on her face. "Come with me goblin." Grobble followed the Ghost woman. There were words exchanged that he would never remember. He only understood part of what she said and he was speaking randomly out of excitement. Eventually they came through the wood to a large clearing. The middle of the clearing was dominated by a huge stone tower.
Grobble looked up at the tower in awe. "Is this your tower ghost lady?"
"Yepyep." she said as she climbed the short flight of steps to the tower door. She unlocked the tower and took Grobble inside. Grobble was in awe at what he saw inside. A grand table with huge stone chairs, Soldiers, banners, weapons and ale kegs as big as houses! The ghost lady took Grobble down stairs into a dark storage area, and then down more stairs to the dungeon. "This is for your protection." she said as she handed Grobble over to the prison guard. The dwarven soldier eyed the goblin with a malicious gaze. "He is to be cared for" She said. "If he is mistreated I shall know about it."
Grobble was taken to his cell, the iron door slamming shut behind him. And suddenly he was alone, in the darkness, dampness and silence. Silent except for the dipping water and the scratching of a rat.
Grobble was safe.
_- Grobble
- St Albion_
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Reviewed, XP Pending!
