Hours later, screams rang through the forest once again. Cleo sighed and teleported over.

Hugo commented sarcastically, “I guess if you’re bothering to teleport to us, you must actually intend to help.”

Cleo responded, “I do intend to help. I intend to help whatever peaceful creature is being disturbed. What did you guys do this time?”

They were now near a small village of goblins, another mob that only became aggressive when antagonized. Each house was about as tall as the humans were, and the goblins themselves were half their height. Tim and Hugo observed the village from a distance through some foliage.

Tim answered: “Ben saw a valuable item in their village and stole it. He killed a few of them on his way out, but they caught him and he’s out of mana. It looks like they’re planning to have him for dinner. They’ve got the pot over the fire and everything. Me n’ Hugo are discussing how to rescue him now. You can help if you’d like.”

“I’ll stay out of this one,” said Cleo, “They’re nice folk if you aren’t stupid. Don’t kill any.”

Hugo opened his mouth to say something, but Tim cut in, “Fine by me.”

Hugo glared at him.

Cleo left them to plan their plan in private and walked into the village. Some of the goblins greeted her. They were short, green skinned, and their faces held kindness.

“Cleo!” called the chief. He was distinguished from the other goblins with colorful robes and an ornate wooden staff. “A tragedy! A human tried to steal the golden statue we were gifted by the Amber Forest goblin tribe. He killed Gora and Gob too. It’s horrible!”

“That’s awful,” Cleo agreed.

The chief held his fist up angrily. “We caught him, that dastard. We’re gonna boil him alive for what he did.”

“He deserves it,” Cleo agreed.

The chief sighed. “Well, come join us tonight. We’ll have some festivities in order for when we torment him. Why don’t you come into my home and we can chat?”

“Alright old pal.” She grinned and shook his small hand. She had to crawl into the small wooden house, but it was spacious enough inside that she could sit cross-legged and fit just fine, after some minor rearranging of furniture.

“So what have you been up to Cleo?” The goblin put a kettle on the stove and turned the flames up, before pulling out a chair to sit in front of her.

“Oh, just the usual. Slay a few monsters, doze off. Walk around the forest and look at things.”

“What are your plans for the future, darling?”

She frowned. She hadn’t thought much about that. “I’m not sure. Slay more monsters, doze off, walk around the forest and look at things, I guess.”

“That’s no good. I’m worried about you. You’ve been here for so many seasons, and I’m sure you’re getting lonely.” The goblin tutted parentally. “You are welcome to come live in our village at any time, know that.”

“Thanks a bunch Grimmy, but I don’t really fit in well here.” Cleo smiled sadly, her neck craned downwards to avoid hitting the light fixture.

“Don’t worry about that, Cleo. We all think of you as family. You’ve helped immensely in keeping the monster population down, and we’d love it if you moved into the village with us.” Then the chief teased, “My son said he might court you.”

Cleo laughed, “I know he didn’t really say that. I hate to break it to you, but I don’t exactly plan on marrying anytime soon.” The chief laughed at this too.

The kettle whistled, and the goblin poured the tea into cups. It was about two sips for Cleo, but she accepted it, gently blowing the steam away. She allowed the jovial mood to naturally settle before saying in a more solemn tone. “I’m sorry about Gora and Gob. I know they were both young warriors. It’s a real shame.”

The chief shook his head and sipped his tea. “Yes. It’s a shame not all humans are like you. They see goblins and think instantly that we are inferior and evil beings. I understand why so many of our cousins attack them on sight.”

Cleo nodded. It was beginning to sink in now that two sentient individuals were now gone, courtesy of Ben. What little sympathy she had for him evaporated. Hell, she should have just let the tortoise eat him from the beginning.

Outside, Tim and Hugo were talking to the goblins. Cleo crawled out of the house after the chief.

“We come in peace,” said Tim. He held up his hands.

“You guys were with that evil human, weren’t you?” shouted the chief.

“Well, um. Ben? Yes,” said Tim nervously. “We want him back, please. We’ll make sure he doesn’t cause any more harm.”

“Cleo, help us out,” said Hugo.

Cleo just shrugged. “I told you you’re on your own.”

“You know these people?” asked the chief.

“I helped them out earlier, but clearly they didn’t learn their lesson,” answered Cleo. She addressed Tim and Hugo, “Listen guys. Ben killed two of their people. Why would they just give him back to you?”

Tim pulled out a pouch from his bag and shook it. Coins jingled audibly. Cleo frowned.

“Leave,” said the chief. “We are only enemies of the evil human. We aren’t giving him to you, but we will let you two go without issue.”

“I thought goblins loved gold,” said Hugo.

“Not more than they loved the goblins Ben killed,” Cleo suggested.

“Can we just do this the easy way?” Hugo asked Tim.

Tim made eye contact with Cleo. “I said we wouldn’t attack them.”

“You said you wouldn’t attack them,” Hugo argued.

Tim winced and looked away. “I won’t stop you, but I won’t join in.”

Hugo grinned and began to charge a spell. Green energy collected in his hands. The chief gaped his mouth open in horror. Cleo pulled out a knife and slashed Hugo’s throat with the speed of a snake. His spell canceled and he fell to his knees, gurgling. Cleo finished him off swiftly. She looked at Tim. His face was pale.

“I don’t suppose you’ll do that to me?” he asked.

“I’ve not seen you do anything bad yet.” Cleo tried her best to smile comfortingly.

Tim put his hands on his knees weakly. His eyes were wide. “Hugo was my friend, Ben too.”

“Ben killed two of my friends, and Hugo probably would have killed more,” Cleo reasoned.

Tim smiled wanly and wandered out of the village, dropping the bag of coins on the ground behind him. It seemed he had given up on Ben, and possibly himself too. It was a shame. He was a decent man in a rotten bunch. Hopefully the maze would choose to give him an exit without much conflict.

“Thanks Cleo,” said the chief. “We can always trust you to do the right thing.”

She smiled, “Of course Grimmy. I think I’ll skip the dinner tonight, though. I’m feeling a bit squeamish.”

He took her hands and smiled kindly. “I understand, dear. Get some rest.”

She used her last teleport of the day to get home, now drained of mana. She sat on her cot and opened her menu, hovering her finger over the character tab. Could she ever become that again? She tapped it, viewing her characters. 

Lvl 100 - Civilian - Cleo

Lvl 277 - Mage - Silent Observer

(NEW!) Lvl 1 - Support - Unnamed

A new character slot? She gasped as she realized she had reached level 100. Hugo must have been the kill that pushed her over the threshold. She tapped the new character.

Please choose a name: |

She exited the screen, and thought about it for a while as the forest around her darkened. A support class. What could she do with this? Schemes raced through her mind. Everything that she would not allow Silent Observer to do could be done by this empty vessel.

Cleo fell asleep to the chirping of crickets, but even unconsciousness could not silence the rage that reignited in her heart.