Chapter 2: Goblins
In the body of a ten-year-old beggar boy, I walk down the country road, sturdy branch in hand as a walking stick. The major moon is waning, so I need to leave this country trail and find a proper town before the night darkens. The mothers of Kayside Province often use stories of goblins and weir-creatures to scare their children into obedience. These creatures do exist, but weir creatures live in far-off lands and goblins only move in the darkness when the major moon is dim and the Urnal moon rises.
Thankfully, there's no Urnal moon for another month yet.
To my chagrin, a short figure with stick-like limbs and a football-shaped head strolls in my direction— a goblin.
Is my recollection of time wrong?
The forest around me blocks my ability to see the horizon. This sprawling stand of Ashe trees must hide the Ural moon.
I lower my stance and dart toward a scalable oak tree.
"Scree!" The goblin's shouts and runs in my direction. As he comes, he lifts a goblin whistle carved from bone to his mouth and blows.
Phiiiii phii phi!
I toss the walking stick into the crook of the tree and scale the tree.
This body's endurance and fighting prowess likely aren't high enough to outrun these little abominations. So, I opt to find a defensible position.
Hopefully, the local lord isn't neglecting his monster clearing duties...
A Lord's primary duty to the commoners is to cull the monsters on his land. If neglected, the fast-breeding goblins could form a raid large enough to break the local families' sanctuary spells.
The goblin scout arrives cackling and leaps onto the tree trunk, clawing toward my position. The other goblins have yet to arrive, but their horns and screeching echo through the surrounding forest.
Time to test out this body!
I use my knowledge of the spear and strike at the climbing goblin with my branch. The thrust is inaccurate and glances weakly off the goblin's head. To my dismay, this body is too weak and untrained. My techniques cannot succeed without muscle memory.
This is terrible! Without martial skills, how can I defend my position? I'll have to run.
This goblin is only a scout. Its comrades will be stronger. I decide on a less skillful approach. Using the branch as a crowbar, I pry the goblin from the tree. However, the goblin latches onto the end of my branch and bites down with large, sharp teeth. Leaping from the tree, I put all my weight on the branch.
Crunch! Snap!
My branch smashes into the goblin's chest, but it snaps in the process. Dropping the branch, I sprint away without looking back.
Please be dead or at least pinned down!
There's still a possibility for escape if the goblin horde hasn't spotted me. Dodging behind another tree, I confirm the goblin scout isn't moving.
Now I need to stay hidden and minimize my trail.
I carefully use a basic footwork technique from my childhood. However, after a few hundred paces, my bare toe slams into a rock.
Ouch! I'm cursing this untrained child's body internally, but my disciplined mind keeps it from my mouth.
When I arrived in this body, no shoes covered these small, callused feet. The child probably hadn't worn shoes in a long time. Calluses are both a positive and a negative. They prevent bleeding, which would leave a trail, but they also supply less tactile feedback for complicated maneuvers.
Did I lose them?
I need to find something like mud or wet leaves to hide my scent. Without something to mask my scent, the goblins keen sense of smell will enable them to find me easily. I passed a patch of marsh on the way here, so I double back in that direction.
From the crest of a small hill, I spot the moon reflecting off the surface of the marsh. Unfortunately, as I descend, I spot movement. It's a goblin riding a wolf. It's facing my direction like it's expecting me. I slowly back up.
"Kekeke!" The goblin pulls a bone horn from his waist, slowly bringing it to his lips.
No. No! No!!
I edge backward while trying to remember any exploitable landscape I passed on the way here.
The horn meets the goblin's lips. The creature leans back, puffing up its chest as it takes a deep, exaggerated breath.
Crouching, eyes fix on the goblin, I grope up a rock and dash away.
Blooooooooooo! The sound of the horn resounds through the forest.
I can only run a hundred paces before the goblin rider is close enough to sling rocks whizzing by my ear and his wolf is about to bite my ankles. I scramble up a boulder, taking a rock to my back in the process. Gritting my teeth, I scrunch down to avoid the flying rocks and examine my surroundings.
There are a dozen goblins on the right and two dozen on the left. What wouldn't I give for a sanctuary spell instead of this useless rock?
I find no opening to escape as the goblins encircle my boulder. They throw rocks, jeer, and blow their horns. They enjoy taunting me instead of climbing up because they know I cannot escape.
Stealth is now pointless, so I try every technique I can remember, but nothing works. I resort to calling upon the power of my soul, but it likewise fails.
It's like even my soul has reverted to a child's.
Over two hundred goblins encircle my rock.
Curse you and your family— irresponsible lord! You too, Ural moon!
The Ural moon's eerie green ring was finally visible, cresting the trees to the east.
"Leave me alone!" I yell in desperation. There's nothing I can do. I'm trapped by a goblin horde on a boulder in the wilderness. I used to be so powerful. Never in my past life had I feared goblins. I certainly never guessed I would die to them.
To my surprise, the goblin horde stops moving and screeching. It's common knowledge that goblins aren't capable of language. Yet, I feel like they can understand me.
"Kaba?"
Is the goblin rider asking me a question? But I don't understand.
"What?"
This time all the goblins together scream, "Skree Kawala?"
...
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone