the ones chosen by Jafari

The goblin town

The Goblins walked for at least an hour in a hypnosis like state. Their goal that was instinctually ingrained to them was simple one from which they did not waver: go north! And so they did, in a completely straight line. It did not matter what was in their path, be it a tree, be it a river, or even a creature. There was only one way to past it and that was by either killing it, or moving it.

So they went till noon came, were they arrived at a great flight of stairs. Jaren stopped his group, because up to now he had not seen something this advanced in a while. Stone stairs that were clearly not cleaned, as out of the cracks sprites of grass grew.

'Pipin, Gooba, tell everyone that they must be cautious when they go up.' Jaren said to them.

He took his first step on the tread, then slowly his second, still careful for traps. Before he knew it, he was up a few dozen steps. When he looked back at at his team, to know how far they were. He saw his strong, reliable and clumsy group struggle to get up the stairs.

Pipin, got one the stairs first with a boldness to mimick the leader. Only he stubbed his toe and fell after taking two steps. He calmly dusted himself up, laughed out his nervousness and this time ran all the way up the steps. They lead all the way to the sky, were he could take a bite out of the clouds, they tasted sweet like fruit.

He felt a couple of slaps to his face and woke up surrounded by his fellow goblins. Gooba -who was leaning on a sturdy stick- stood over him , chuckling at him with a few glances.

'I'd like to see you try skinny.' Pipin said.

'I would gladly show you how it's done, but my leg is now too injured right now.' Gooba shrunk his body in order too look weaker 'Are you going to force poor me to do that.' he almost fel over trying to hold in his laugh.

'If you can't walk over the stairs, then drop on all fours and get too crawling!' Jaren commanded. His message reached the whole group, and with a dust cloud they did the deed.

Pipin chuckled at Gooba 'oh poor you,I hope you can do that with your broken leg.' And with that said, also went up.

Gooba was the last one standing in a dust cloud. He couched a few times, looked up and when he saw jaren staring at him he tried to go up the stairs too.

He didn't get a step higher. After a long struggle Jaren stopped him, and showed Gooba his back 'Get on, it is obvious you can't do it yourself.' After all, carrying him won't be that long, jaren thought.

He proceeded to carry Gooba for a bajilion steps.

After a while, Jaren, who could not even feel his legs anymore, told Gooba he was proud of him.

Surprised and stuttering, Gooba asked why. 'I heard how you fought, surviving even though you broke your foot. I can barely believe I have a actual hero on my back.'

'T-thank you boss!' Gooba did not expect such a comment out of his fierce leader, he had to say something back.

'I saw you fight, the way you finished off the beast, you made it look easy.'

'That's only because you guys softened it up, I only profited of your good work.'

'That's not true! well it is true that you arrived a bit late.'

Jaren's had sagged a little.

Gooba continued 'You trained us all, you made us hunt and train all day long, you gave me a chance to prove myself. It would be a lot harder if you weren't there boss. To make us stronger.' Those words did make Jaren a little a little happier, though he couldn't get over his situation.

After a while they came at the top, to what seemed like a entrance; It was surrounded by dark vines peppered with purple luminous lights. It was not as if they climbed on a mountain, more like they got out of a hole. Because when Jaren looked behind him, the vines encircled the forest the were just in.

He took his step past the entrance, and the others followed. The first thing they saw were houses, wooden ones, with stone tiles for roofs, some where one floor high, the others where multiple. They didn't have windows, only paper thin enough to be seen through. The ground was also paved with marble, that didn't stop the grass from growing in some spots, or also some trees.

What was also confusing were the old goblins walking on the streets. They were covered in colored robes, that hung on their body's like loose skin. They all smiled at Jaren and the others with what looked like sincere kindness. One of them, casually walked to them, and made it clear he wanted them to follow him.