Alvin walked around.. placing a finger over his chin, scanning the area.

  the morning light was still pale.. the kind that hasn't decided what kind of day it wants to be yet. the dew on the grass hadn't dried. everything still smelled like last night. the shadows between the huts were long.. the sun barely clearing the treeline.

  it's a small village I see.. he thought. back home a place like this wouldn't even show up on a map. hmm.. I'd seen bigger areas in tutorial zones.

  and the houses seem to be very close together.. hmm.

  close enough that you could hear your neighbor breathing. or snoring. or whatever goblins did at night.

  If one caught fire they'd all go. Alvin stared at the campfire. Then back at the huts. Then at the campfire again.

  He let out a pfft laugh.

  but the problem is..

  it really needs fixing..

  he didn't know where that thought came from. he'd never fixed anything in his life.

  I think I might need to find an architect.. Alvin said, nudging a cracked bowl with his green foot.

  Then he turned around.. eyes narrowing.

  he half expected a road. a light. anything. the kind of thing you spot from a hill in games and start walking toward.

  Scanning outside the village.. but what was there?

  Only trees. And mountains after that.

  the far mountains didn't look like a destination. they looked like a wall.

  Nothing else.

  no road. no smoke on the horizon. no tower. nothing that said , something is out there. just trees folding into more trees until the mountains swallowed them.

  I see..

  A small goblin passed by holding a branch like a toy.. stopped and stared at Alvin, smiling.

  Alvin stared back.

  I don't think leaving these innocent creatures behind is a good idea after all..

  The small goblin smiled wider.

  A worm slid out from between his teeth.

  the worm moved slowly. unbothered. Alvin took one small step back.

  ..heheh.

  A goblin mom came by, holding two baby goblins in her arms.

  "what's wrong Girk..? you seem upset." she said, her voice motherly.

  He turned with a small tremble.. then steadied himself.

  "a.. ah, nothing.. I'm just observing.."

  "observing? I see." she said.

  A baby goblin threw up on her.

  She laughed.

  "lot of energy today Gigo!"

  Then she turned to the other one.

  "what — Gaga, already pooping?!"

  She laughed again.

  While she walked away.. Alvin called out.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "a.. ah, may I ask something — ma'am.. I mean.. mother?"

  She turned.. eyebrows tilted up.

  "mother.. heh.."

  Alvin stepped two steps closer before asking.

  Two goblins nearby were holding a giant branch, discussing something about yesterday's mushroom dinner.

  Alvin stepped even closer.. his palm covering his mouth like he was about to share a secret.

  "can I know how to exit this place?.." he asked.

  huh..

  "there's no way out Girk.." she said, her voice a bit serious.

  the easy laugh was gone. what replaced it was quieter. older.

  "Goblins.. almost the weakest beasts.. well, after slimes at least.." she adjusted the baby who was about to fall.

  she said it the way you say something everyone already knows. Alvin did not already know.

  She leaned closer to Alvin.. her head almost touching his forehead.. then whispered.

  "imagine the goblins losing their strongest hero?.."

  Alvin looked at the cracked bowl on the ground. the leaking bucket. the huts that swayed when the wind pushed. this is what he was protecting.

  Then he swallowed hard.

  She laughed again, slapping her knees. "like that will ever happen!!"

  Alvin didn't laugh. the gap between them in that moment was wider than the whole village.

  Then the baby goblin fell from her hand.

  Gaga sat in the dirt. blinked once. then smiled.

  "oh Gaga I'm so sorry.." she scooped him up quickly then rushed toward her hut.

  "see you later Girk!"

  so I can't leave the village huh.. Alvin thought, staring at the ground.

  well.. they depend on me..

  He tightened his knuckles.. a determined look crossing his face.

  I should hold the responsibility then!

  the words surprised him. he sat with them for a second. when was the last time he said something like that and meant it.

  When evening came..

  the village emptied of goblins.

  it felt like a stage with no one on it.

  where are they? Alvin thought.

  He had napped briefly after the exhausting night before.. then woke up to silence.

  no dreams. or if there were he didn't bring them back. just darkness and then the sound of nothing..

  He started walking, looking for them.

  Once he reached a certain point.. he found them gathered around a place filled with wooden planks.

  huh? he thought, walking slowly.. pretending he was supposed to be there.

  he kept his steps light.. the way you walk into a room mid-conversation hoping no one looks up.

  Then he saw it.

  A big graveyard..

  covering almost half the village.

  he counted the markers without meaning to. stopped when the number got too uncomfortable. the graveyard didn't feel like the edge of the village. it felt like the center of it.

  what's going on?..

  Alvin started sweating.

  what's going on here.. really..

  Alvin's jaw dropped without him realizing.

  Some of the goblins were crying.. some comforting the others..

  some just sitting there.

  the giant was one of them. sitting with his axe across his knees, staring at the ground. Alvin had never seen him still before. the goblin mom was holding Gigo and Gaga tight. not adjusting them. just holding. they weren't making a sound. the small goblin with the bucket was there too. no bucket this time. just his small hands in his lap.

  The elder was behind him.. scratching his beard.

  it was the first time the elder looked like someone carrying something.

  He wasn't smiling at all.

  The elder patted his shoulder.

  "Already done the speech Girk?.."

  speech..?

  somewhere in this graveyard the real Girk had stood and given them something to hold onto. Alvin had nothing. not even the right words in the right language.

  I get it..

  Girk was their only hope..

  The elder sighed.

  "I know it's a big burden for you Girk..." the elder stopped scratching the back of his neck.. then continued.

  "the Wolfrex group.. they are getting stronger.. every day.."

  wolf..?

  he remembered the way the wolf had said it ... hero of the tribe..

  "sorry for giving you this responsibility.. Girk."

  A tear ran down the elder's face.

  Alvin had nowhere to look. everywhere he turned someone was carrying something too heavy.

  Then his shoulders trembled.

  "T.. that's too much.." Alvin's fist tightened.. he bit his lip.

  "too..?" the elder asked.

  Then Alvin walked away.. leaving the elder confused.

  his feet just moved. the camp passed around him like scenery. he didn't stop until the noise faded behind him.

  When the night came.. Alvin was sitting at a hut's entrance, scratching words into the dirt with his spear.

  questions. just questions. scratched in a dirt floor in a language he wasn't sure he was even writing correctly.

  what strange words.. what kind of skill is this? he thought.

  The visuals came to his mind suddenly.

  "please activate again.. system.. you may tell me about this madness.."

  the camp was dead quiet around him. the kind of quiet that makes you aware of your own breathing.

  "Beast Language.." he whispered.

  Then the sound snapped into his head—

  "AWOO.. a awooo!!!"

  Once it hit.. Alvin clutched his head.

  what's going on?! my head hurts..

  it was like a signal cutting in and out.. clarity then static.. clarity then static.

  "AWOO.. our fight didn't end.. a wooo.. we will get back stronger.."

  Alvin straightened.. staring toward the end of the village with a frown.

  "don't sleep.. don't sleep Alvin.. the wolf may come again.."

  the spear slipped slightly in his grip. he tightened it. then forgot he had.

  "he may.. he might.. he.."

  Alvin's eyes closed.

  It felt like a short moment to him.. but it had been much longer than he realized.

  When he opened them again..

  he wasn't sure if he'd actually slept or just stopped being awake for a while.

  silence first. the kind that doesn't feel empty , it feels full. like something is in it.

  Many yellow eyes were staring at him.