Dawn- An age of Darkness

"Alright, then how about a truce? To my knowledge, goblins and men always fought. When let's say a human got lost or injured, why didn't you offer your assistance and try to sort this out? Assuming you could help one guy maybe once a month all across the world, wouldn't that have-"

Even if things went bad once, it was always possible to patch things up, given that both sides tried. But I guess, it wasn't that simple. 

The goblin king shook his head. "It's pointless. We have lost countless that way. We have lost…" He glared straight at me. "I've answered your questions. Now, what other purpose do you have here?" I guess I stepped on a nerve there. 

I had a feeling they were ready to attack me. 

Though the room was seemingly empty, there were probably goblins here and there, hidden. 

But the only reason they weren't, was because they thought I had the power to destroy this settlement too. Which was why they were trying to avoid a conflict no matter what. But I guess they weren't aware that last time I had my comrades with me… This time, I didn't. 

"Nothing much." I stood up. "I just came here to deliver her get some answers and I'm done."

I could have killed them, I could have killed them all. That would have made human lives or demon lives to be more specific, a bit easy.

But why?

I didn't see any reason. In the end, everyone was just trying to survive. It wasn't like I was totally believing them or anything but- for the time being, they didn't seem like my enemies. 

He visibly paled. "You're not here to destroy us? You believe us?" The king actually didn't think I'd believe them. He was sweating the whole time but for once, he looked even worse.

From his perspective, I guess that was a valid reason to be worried. 

"No, not really. I don't plan to destroy you and I don't believe you either. I just don't care, anymore." 

But now, now the king almost sighed in relief. It was commendable how much he could hold in, despite being a goblin. I guess he wasn't a king for nothing. 

"We-we're done?" The girl in robe kind of fidgeted. She was awfully confused as the conversation we just had was in goblin tongue. 

"We're leaving."

I figured it'd be better if I didn't leave her here. It'd be much faster if I were to get directions from her once we got out. Besides, I couldn't just leave this girl in a goblin minefield either, after all, I knew how terrible goblins were to women.

"That's it? What about-" Did she seriously want me to destroy this whole colony or something?

Because she was awfully disappointed if nothing. 

"Later." I raised a hand and gave a side glance to Gryole. 

We were done here.

But Gryole ran to me. "Wait-"

"What?"

"Will- will I see you again?" She slightly fidgeted. 

"Why would you want to see me again?" Why on earth would a goblin really want to see me?

For revenge?

"I-" She averted her eyes.

"I don't have all day."

"I want to travel."

"You? Well, then go travel. What does it have to do with me?"

Because I for sure didn't want to get involved with her.

She inhaled and looked sharp. "I want to travel with you."

"Sorry but- I'm marching onto death itself. And even if I were to survive-" I was still going to be dead. 

And I didn't know how long this curse would last either. Alisa said something about me living for about a hundred days of which I had like eighty-something remaining. I didn't know if the clock was still ticking but- I couldn't just discard the possibility either. 

Besides, I for one didn't want to travel with a goblin even if it was feasible. 

"Who cares what you think-" She almost screamed. "I'm coming with you the next time, whether you like it or not!"

Actually, this goblin really liked to speak its mind, didn't it? At times I thought it was annoying and a nuisance, but at other times, I got this fake strong vibe. Was she trying too hard or something?

"Your holiness- you-" The goblin king tried but- yeah, things weren't working. 

I'd probably never see this goblin again anyway. "Sure, whatever."

I kept walking. 

Goblins were trouble. They were everywhere. 

They were my fear, my distress. 

But now, everything felt fake. 

Everything just collapsed; all my belief, all my dreams, and all my being.

I truth I believed all along, weren't true anymore. 

And to my deepest sorrow, regret, and surprise, it was a goblin of all things that reminded me, that perhaps- perhaps even now, 'I might still have a bit of humanity left in me…'

Sigh.

In the end of the day, I didn't know what to believe. 

"Wait!"… "Hey, you forgot this!" Just as I was about to get out of the room, the goblin, Gryole threw me something. 

I caught it in sheer reflex. It was covered in slime- a piece of rolled parchment. "EW! You did eat it!"

I thought she was joking at the time. But seriously?

I almost wanted to gag but- "Thanks." 

"You're welcome." She almost sang. 

I proceeded to leave. 

Well, maybe-

Just maybe- things could change. 

This slimy thing didn't really invoke anything other than disgust though.

***

Once we were almost out, the goblins opened the exit. They all just let us go.

The girl with me was worried and she was very wary but- but nothing happened. 

The smaller ones just stayed the same as they saw us out. The large hobgoblins had their head down as they saw us off. It was almost like they were bowing or something. Like they were respecting us?

Yeah, probably not. 

We were out and the exit closed. No sign of goblins anywhere but undead were here. 

And once we were out, the girl with me breathed a sigh of relief and bowed. "Thank you for saving my life. Not once, but twice. I shall be forever indebted you, or lord-" She paused and raised her head. "Your name?"

It was surprising how she didn't question me about the goblins or how I didn't kill them and just went to my name instead?

Suspicious. 

"Daarc as I said before." 

She could at least remember my name, right?

I kept walking. 

She seemed a bit hesitant. "Surely you jest my lord. Daarc Green is the lord of the elves and is said to be a human." She followed me. 

'Oh, right, I'm not human anymore…'

But to think my name was popular even in the demon lands.

This woman- she was a demi-human. When I first met her, she was in full plate armor but now I'd seen even stuff that were not supposed to be seen. Anyway- she seemed to have leopard ears and a tail, that was it. Meaning, she was probably a local- a demon. 

And since when was I the lord of elves?