The Goblin stared at me expectantly, the rumbling noise filling the room like I was staring down a territorial lion. I glanced over to Flux’s crumpled form.
There was a compulsion inside me not to make any sudden moves, lest I set him off somehow. I wet my lips and spoke, “I’ve never met you, Goblin. I don’t know why you would be looking for me.”
“Hmm.” His voice was deep and rough. He walked over to one of the scattered chairs and set it back on its legs, then sat down. The chair screeched under his weight, the legs bent outwards and the rubber stoppers skidded for a moment on the floor before finding their grip.
“What do you feel when you see me?” he asked.
“I don’t know you.”
“That is irrelevant. Tell me.”
The giant, muscular man looked a bit ridiculous with how small the chair was beneath him, yet the prevailing feeling was danger. The Goblin’s body felt like it emanated violence. There was little cloth in the way of viewing it, the Goblin was only wearing a pair of tight shorts that were blackened like he’d pulled them out of a fire. From the red skin to the muscles that seemed to have minds of their own, bulging and moving beneath his skin, it all broadcasted a design, an intent to pounce on and wring the life out of its prey.
One of the Goblin’s feet rested uncomfortably close to Spike’s head. Spike met my eyes, then squeezed his own shut, laying very still. He’d seen what had happened to Flux.
I needed to respond.
“Power,” I said. “Strength.”
The Goblin tapped a finger on his knee. It felt like every motion he made was methodical, intentional, like he deliberately picked which muscles to use at any one time. “A boring answer, but not untrue. I am strong. Strong enough that most people quake in my presence. I dislike the tales they tell, it discourages others from engaging with me. Have you heard of me?”
“Just your name. And that you are a Wolf.”
“As are you.”
My heart skipped a beat. “What?”
The Goblin leaned forward and the chair creaked. “You shouldn’t be surprised that I know. I watched you fight. I could feel your excitement, your satisfaction at drawing blood. The moniker of Wolf was not acquired frivolously. Our instinct for conflict is undeniable.”
I shook my head. “I’m not here to fight. We came to talk. The Red Ring are the reason we’re fighting.”
“Use whatever excuse you want, it doesn’t matter. I know you.” The Goblin’s gaze was unrelenting. “I know what you feel. Because I feel the same thing. And when our eyes met, you cannot deny that your heart quickened, perhaps you imagined what it would be like to face me. To push your body to its limit and then surpass it.”
I felt my anger stir in my belly. The Goblin’s words were getting to me. “I’m not going to fight you.”
He stood suddenly, beckoning with an open palm. “You don’t need to lie to me. Your enemies see you how I do. A weapon that changes form to suit the task as easily as they breathe. It feels good to be feared.”
“Fuck that!” I shouted, letting my anger slip. “You don’t know me. I don’t hurt people for fun.” I realized my hands were shaking and I gripped the wall to steady them. That wasn’t true. Bad memories were bubbling up. Chase would have agreed with the Goblin. Before I had known how much of a monster he was, I might have found his words convincing and I hated that.
“Spike?” a young voice said.
I froze. My eyes dropped to the ground level of the play structure. A little girl had emerged from one of the tunnels. She clutched her shirt between her hands. There was something strange going on with her face but I couldn’t see it from where I was.
Spike broke his silence. “Run Fia!” he screamed.
The second he did, the Goblin lunged at him, pinning him to the ground with his foot.
The girl looked like she was close to tears. “But… Spike.”
“Run!” Spike struggled under the Goblin’s weight. “It’s not safe! Warn the others!”
I planted my foot on the wall and leapt down. The Goblin looked up as I landed in front of him.
“Let them go,” I said, readying Locust Legs.
“Perhaps I’ve been going about this in the wrong manner,” the Goblin contemplated as he held Spike down. “Have you heard the tale of Gawain and the Green Knight?”
How could I draw him away from Spike? “No.”
“How about you?” he asked, looking at the girl. She shook her head. Her face was drawn out into a long snout with white whiskers at the end. My heart lurched. A Cast. And at such a young age.
“I know it.”
My shaking quelled itself. Fierce anger flooded through my limbs with solid warmth.
Nell stood at the entrance of the hallway. She held a clump of plants in each fist and the green matter was moving up her arms, like she was holding a bundle of snakes. “Blow for blow,” she said.
The rumbling that emanated from the Goblin’s chest grew louder. “Mmm. Yes. We trade blow for blow. And other things you think you want. I could lift my foot. I could tell you things you wish to know. I’ve been a Wolf for a long time after all.”
“Fine,” I said. I didn’t trust that he would hold true to his word. But if I could knock him over, then Spike could get away. I’d already been building up pressure in my legs, so I leaned forward into a runner’s stance, placing my hands on the ground.
The Goblin spread his arms to the sides and tilted back his head, awaiting the attack. It’s nice to have such a big target.
I released the mechanism and shot forward at incredible speed. The air whistled through my antlers. I whipped my knee forward. A sharp crack sounded out into the empty mall and I spun in the air from the impact. I’d expected this and by tucking myself into a ball I completed the rotation and landed on my feet. My legs shook from the impact. That was the hardest I’d ever gone and I’d hit him square in the head. I turned around, worried that he might have been seriously injured.
A hand wrapped around my head, blocking out the light. My neck was wrenched violently. Then I was airborne once more, the light blinding me for a second as I realized I was facing the skylight. I twisted, orienting myself to the ground and shot out branches to break my fall. They broke on the ground, slowing me so that I could land awkwardly amidst the broken hollow pieces. I stood back up and briefly met Nell’s eyes.
Do you think I enjoy this?
The Goblin hadn’t moved. His smile had grown larger and he sported a large bruise around his right eye that was already starting to swell.
“Not even going to let me prepare, huh,” I said. Even though I was wearing a helmet, I felt the need to check that I wasn’t smiling back.
The Goblin licked his lips. “That was a mistake on my part. I will try to restrain myself more. Here, let me uphold the other part of the bargain.” He raised his foot and Spike rolled out from under it and darted over to the girl. Spike scooped her up in his arms and moved towards an exit to the room.
He paused briefly and met my gaze with his glare. “Don’t go dying, Nick.”
I blinked, unsure how to interpret that between his monotone voice and the expression of dislike. “Uh, sure.”
He turned and left.
The Goblin was watching Nell, his smile fading from his face. “You’re his Witch.”
Nell moved over to my side. I could feel her anger burning red hot. She was indignant about being knocked out. “He’s my Wolf. Where’s your counterpart? Don’t you think it’s rude to start conflict without all parties it involves being present?”
The vines from what she was holding began to wrap around me, tangling into my armour. I wasn’t sure what her intent was, but I didn’t question it.
“Ah,” the Goblin looked thoughtful. “Perhaps it was imprudent. I let my excitement of finding an equal get the better of me. Here, as an apology, you may strike me next.”
Nell raised her hand, fingers spread like she was going to crush him in her palm. “I’m not playing your game, Goblin. I’m just here to teach you a lesson. Threaten what’s mine and I’ll hurt you.”
The Goblin’s flesh rippled and his arm began to contort. He looked down at it in surprise, then took a step back as if he’d been pushed. Slivers of bark began to erupt from underneath his fingernails and the fingers audibly began to break one by one. The Goblin snarled and the muscles in his arm moved like eels, shifting positions, travelling up his arm making it swell in size. The Goblin reasserted his form, somehow fighting back the changes Nell was making.
Nell frowned and dropped her hand.
“A good attempt. But somewhat dissatisfying,” the Goblin said, experimentally flexing his fingers. “I seek something more visceral. I want to hear the blood pumping in your veins, the muscles straining against their neighbours. I want to test the sharpness of your teeth.”
I couldn’t prepare before he grabbed me. His speed was too great, his vice-like grip crunched the armour around my leg.
Huh?
I was airborne again. The skylight grew larger and larger in my vision. Am I still speeding up? Was my thought before I crashed through. Bone mingled with blood and glass in the air.
The warm roof slammed into me and it felt like the Goblin had thrown the whole building with how it spun around me nauseatingly.
I heard him land on the roof with a crunch.
“Now that we’re out of earshot,” he said slowly. “You can ask what you’ve been wondering about. I can tell you what happens when a Wolf’s Witch dies.”