Negotiations Begin

Flinch felt more and more comfortable with the **** pressing him down. If he angled his body in the right way, it became easier to move. He managed to get all the way up to his knees before he replied to her, “I apologize for my attack. I wanted to take precautions as my kind is usually killed on sight. My tribe and I are peaceful, but the portal will bring many more humans… many more eyes. It is a threat to our existence.”. Flinch thought his argumentation was believable enough, though it all rested on Fortuna’s willingness to believe in such a thing as a peaceful goblin tribe.

“Hmmm.”, she scratched her chin, then flicked her wand, sending Flinch crashing into the ground with even greater ****, “I don’t buy it! You goblins do nothing but raid our towns, kill the men and turn the most beautiful women into sex-slaves against their will! And they DON’T enjoy it!”, she put a lot of emphasis on the “DON’T”, a little too much maybe. From the corner of his eyes Flinch watched the woman rubbing her legs together again, mumbling something unintelligible. ‘Defeated by a pervert…’, Flinch would kick himself, were he able to move.

Fortuna awoke from the musings of her mind and focused on Flinch, “Sorry but you and your tribe will be history soon. Negotiation over, die now.”. She raised a finger, and Flinch watched a massive blade materialize twenty feet in the air, right above his neck. No, he couldn’t accept this, dying here was NOT an option! He released all the energy from his core and put it all into one final attempt. Against the even stronger spell, he pushed himself off the ground and made it to his feet, then he took a slow step towards Fortuna.

The woman looked absolutely stunned. Her eyes were wide as if she had seen a ghost, “H-how are you… what are you?”. Flinch took a step towards Fortuna, “My name is Flinch.”, another step, “I am a goblin, a father and a grandfather.”, another step, “I am the one standing up for my tribe.”, another step, “I am the one, who will rule the world!”.

Fortuna now was positively panicking, “NO! STAY AWAY!”, she shrieked, seemingly forgetting she could just float away. Her panic was quickly soothed however, when Flinch’s second wind ended and he fell back to his knees. The arch-mage took a few breaths to compose herself, then raised her chin and did her best to appear composed, “I don’t know what you are, but I know you are dangerous. However much I’d like to study that gorgeous-“, she cleared her throat, “-I mean… magi-scientifically interesting body of yours, I must kill you here and now.”.

Flinch was spent. He had very little internal energy left, nowhere near enough for another attempt at resisting. ‘I’m sorry, everyone. I failed you.’, he thought as the gigantic blade rushed towards his neck, aiming to decapitate him in one brutal blow.

“STOP RIGHT THERE, BITCH!”, a voice echoed across the town-square. Flinch, Fortuna, and luckily also the blade froze, then turned around. There stood Valery. The beautiful cleric was breathing heavily, her golden hair was stuck to her forehead by the sweat, and she clutched her staff with both hands, “Get away from my husband.”, she growled.