Brothers Goblin - Chapter 10

Chapter 9 - Change of Faith

Chapter 10
Stand Your Ground

As the pirates returned to their camp with their prisoner, a little goblin remained hidden in the bushes. He quietly peered out, taking note of the defenses, then creped off into the wood. Meanwhile, the goblin pirates and their halfling friends celebrated their victory as well as the capture of their first prisoner. "Oooh lets torture hims! We gets him ta talk!", exclaimed Frazzle as he hopped up and down excitedly. The other goblins agreed. They tied the man down to their newly built stretch rack. They removed his gag and began to question him. "Who sent yous?", Frazzle asked. The man spat in his face. "I wont tell you nuthin!", he shouted. Frazzle turned a large wooden wheel, pulling the ropes tighter. The prisoner groaned. "Who sent yous!", Frazzle yelled. "I'll rip out yer heart an eat it raw ya little green snot ball!", the man taunted. Frazzle snorted and turned the wheel again. "Arrgg!", the man groaned. "Tell me or dies!", Frazzle commanded. "Ok ok! A knight the Duke hired. He said you were up to no good in Kerns. The goblin king thought you both ran off with the food you stole from Kerns instead of giving it to him and agreed to help. We made a deal with him to hunt you down. That's all I know, honest!", the man cried as he burst into tears. "That little...", Frazzle grumbled as he began to curse. Not realizing it, he leaned upon the wooden wheel and slipped as it turned, falling onto the ground. The man screamed in horror as his limbs were torn from his body. Frazzle stood up, blinked, then whispered, "Ooops.." "What we do now", asked Frizzle. "We prepare for war.", Slazzle commanded cooly. Everyone agreed with their leader and began to fortify the camp. Traps were set in front of the cave as well as around the guard houses. Catapults were built on the far end of camp, near the sea to fire upon oncoming invaders. Trees were felled to make quarrels for their crossbows.

As they were finishing up their work, the wind suddenly shifted. The sounds of clanging metal could be heard. Everyone stopped their work to listen. "What that?", Frizzle whispered. "The enemy has found us it seems. Battle stations!", Slazzle barked. Everyone took up position. Advanced scounts scurried off into the trees to weaken the invaders. Soon curses and shouts could be heard from the forest. Unseen goblins rained a deadly fire of quarrels from treetops, and from underneeth bushes. A few soldiers were wounded and were carried to the back of the invading army to be cared for. However, they marched closer. "For honor and glory! For the Duke!", some shouted. "For gold and riches!", others cried. They charged ahead. The first wave were shredded to bits by spiked pits dug around the guard posts. As the second wave approached, a group of goblin pirates met them in a flurry of dagger slashes. The fighting was intense. Goblin and soldier both fell. However, at the end of the small skirmish, there were still a few soldiers standing. A second wave ran forth with stout guards in front, and prepared mages behind them. They began to hurl death upon the goblins as they ran to meet the soldiers. Fireballs errupted. Frazzle stepped up and began casting upon the enemy. Ice daggers shot forth from his little green hands, searing the soldiers and crippling them. Quickly, the mages let loose with magic missles upon Frizzle. The magical energy crackled hot to Frazle's horror. "Ahhh!", he cried as he ducked behind a bush. Slazzle ducked around the other side of the guard post to avoid certain death. Frazzle stood there bravely with his chest held high as the searing magic engulfed him, blinding anyone gazing directly at him. As the energies faded, Frazzle peered out to see his brother still standing, with a determined look upon his face. Frizzle had finally cast a spell properly, shielding him from magic missles.

Frizzle defiantly shouted his next spell. The invaders fell over laughing hystericly. "Ah well, can't expect hims ta get um all right...", Frazzle sighed, not realizing his brother's plan. As the soldiers lay wounded and the mages rendered helpless, Frazzle shouted, "Charge!" Three goblins rushed out with small daggers, driving them deeply into the invaders hearts. Slazzle shouted, "Good thinking!" They all looked around for a moment, noticing an eerie calmness that settled over the battlefield. "We wons!", exclaimed Frazzle. Suddenly, an arrow flew out from the tree line, directly into Slazzle's heart. His eyes widened in horror as he collapsed. "Now! Strike Swiftly!", was shouted from the forest as more arrows began to rain down upon the goblins, killing many. Slowly and steadily, militia archers marched from the wood towards the goblins, fireing arrows in rapid succession. Frizzle and Frazzle ducked, cowering over Slazzles body. "Slazzle...", they sniffled.

Just then, an loud voice boomed out in the midst of the battle. "NO! I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS!" From the sea, a huge column of water rose up, taking on the shape of a giant head. Both sides stopped and gawked at the sight. The water began to crackle brightly with divine energy. "I will not allow one of my faithful to be felled by a simple arrow!", it screamed. Everyone covered their ears and cringed. The column of water rose higher and higher, looming over them like a giant tidal wave. The energies grew more intense. The invading army broke into chaos and began to scramble in all directions, not really sure what direction to run to for safety. Suddenly, CRASH! The water hit the battle field, lighting up everything in white hot magics. The cave entrance collapsed under the stress. The invading army screamed as they were being burned alive by the magical electricity coursing through them while they drown helplessly. Frizzle, Frazzle, and Slazzle's body were covered in water, the same energies wrapping around them as well, blinding the two goblin brothers.

The ground shook as storm clouds overhead gathered. Huge bolts of lightning struck the water-laden lands. Okeah's anger was mighty indeed, as the storm lasted for hours. Finally, the clouds dissapated and the waters receeded. Frizzle and Frazzle stood up and rubbed their eyes. Somehow, they survied. What was more unbelieveable was the fact that they were able to breath underwater. They looked around to survey the scene. Dead bodies littered the land, both goblin as well as human. Slazzle's halfling friends weren't even spared, as a few of them were impaled upon spears. They looked at each other curiously, then down at the spot where Slazzle had fallen. "Where body?", Frazzle asked. Frizzle just shrugged. "Priestess!?!?", they both called out. However, she was nowhere to be found. "Well they gota be here sumwheres, or at least a body. Yous dun just die an dissapear!", declared Frazzle. Frizzle just scratched his head. "So wut we do now?", asked Frazzle. "Guess start all over an get nuther crew. Maybes Slazzle an holy lady show up sumtime... or at least bodies anyways...", Frizzle whispered quietly, still shaken by the whole ordeal. The two goblin brothers gathered up a few weapons and water logged supplies, and set out upon Arkon to search for their friends, as well as to find a new pirate crew...


The End... or is it?