Chapter 3: Moon’s Vision (Part 1)

  “What? I never said you’re the weakest,” Stryg took a step back, his voice rang hollow.

  Gathi began pacing around him, “Everyone knows you’re not a great fighter, even you know it. The other girls and I guessed you’d try to pick the weakest of us to challenge.”

  Stryg frowned, what did she expect, he’d challenge Srixa?!

  “You’re a coward, Stryg. I could expect nothing less from a freak,” Gathi mocked.

  “I’m not a coward!” Stryg shouted angrily.

  He wasn’t afraid to fight, he simply had enough intelligence to know when a fight would be lost.

  Stryg remembered all the backhanded comments other goblins had said to him through the years. He shook his head. He wasn’t a coward, he just needed to bide his time, waiting for the right chance.

  Gathi laughed, “Then why do you keep backing away from me?”

  Stryg knew she was taunting him. He was simply matching her pacing, making sure she wouldn’t get the jump on him.

  When he didn’t answer, she snarled, “I knew you’d try and challenge someone easy. You thought that was me, huh? I’ll show you who’s the weakest!”

  She lunged at him, her claws raked the air as Stryg rolled out of the way. He quickly stood back up. She turned and swiped at his face. He ducked and took a step back.

  Gathi screamed and swung with her other fist. Stryg knew he wouldn’t be able to dodge in time. He raised his right arm to block. The fist collided with his bicep, sending a shock of pain through his arm. But she had overextended. He gritted his teeth, and jabbed with his left hand. Stryg felt the satisfying punch connect with her cheek. Gathi yelled in pain and jumped back.

  He smiled, he could do this, he just had to focus. Gathi put a hand to her lips and held it up. Red blood smeared her fingers.

  “Oh, you are so dead!” She shrieked and lunged at him.

  Stryg rolled away, but she kept running at him with full force. He backed up as she charged him again.

  “Stop running, you coward!” She shouted.

  Stryg ignored her words and kept back pedalling, trying to look for an opening. His back was close to the crowd. There was nowhere left to go. Gathi rushed at him with a tackle. He needed to finish this fast. Stryg raised his leg in anticipation, he’d aim for her temple, and knock her down in one go.

  “Get in there!” Someone in the crowd shouted and pushed him from behind.

  Stryg stumbled forward as Gathi tackled him to the ground. She jumped on his chest and flung a flurry of punches at him. He covered his face to little effect.

  Stryg tried pushing her off, but the force of the blows was too much.

  “Is this too weak for you!” Gathi yelled and kept pelting him with her fists.

  Stryg could barely hear her over the punches. He tried rolling out from underneath but she simply locked him down with her legs. He didn’t know what to do.

  “Am I too weak now!” Gathi screamed.

  The crowd cheered at the thrashing. The blows didn’t stop, Stryg was beginning to lose consciousness. While killing was usually forbidden in a night challenge, beating your opponent to a bloody pulp was not. At this rate he’d be too wounded to recover. He could actually die. He couldn’t stop her.

  “I give up,” Stryg shouted with the little energy he had left. “I give up!”

  The crowd's cheers drowned out his voice.

  “Stop the fight!” yelled the chief.

  Gathi didn’t stop. The chief came over and whacked the butt-end of his spear across her face. She fell over, out cold. The crowd suddenly grew quiet.

  “I give up,” Stryg managed to gasp out.

  The chief looked down at him and sighed, “I hoped for more, but expected as much.” He turned away, “Your weak blood is not wanted in our tribe.”

  The crowd gave Stryg looks of disgust.

  “Freak!” he heard someone shout.

  Stryg struggled to get up, but someone kicked him back down. He heard laughter around him. Tears began welling up in his eyes. This was the end for him. He had failed.

  “What is going on here!?” First Mother shouted.

  The crowd parted for her as she came through. She looked at Stryg, his body covered in injuries.

  Her yellow eyes practically glowed with anger in the firelight, “You lost?”

  Stryg didn’t have the nerve to answer. He looked away.

  “I was pushed,” he mumbled.

  First Mother laughed as she held her head.

  Her shoulders shook in fury, “You… You little shit, you shame me with this sorry excuse of a challenge. Someone give me their spear. I will take this boy to the log house and carve him up right now. He’ll at least be able to serve as a meal for the tribe.”

  Shouts of agreement resounded through the tribe. A goblin ran up and passed First Mother his spear.

  Stryg looked at First Mother’s eyes and only found cold hatred. To think she was calling him her child just moments earlier. Of course she didn’t mean it. She was strong, capable, intelligent, and he... he wasn’t any of those things.

  Stryg smiled bitterly. How ridiculous, he couldn't even beat Gathi. So much for his dreams of greatness.

  “I have returned!” Someone shouted.

  The crowd stopped and turned to look at the source. An older goblin appeared from the edge of the crowd.

  Crovor, shaman of the tribe, had finally arrived. He smiled, “I have returned to you all with a great revelation.”