The Goblin Nation

Dawn exited through the back and ran down the hill towards the wall. Sum was waiting by the gate. He was going to hunt alone because his brothers were busy. Tama was training to challenge the Chief while Cala and Cloud were together making new potions of some sort. Dawn took this chance to hang out with Sum and to deepen their relationship hopefully.

"Dawn here!" Dawn yelled once she reached the gate. She bent down, trying to catch her breath.

"Let"s go." Sum turned around walked ahead.

"Wait," Dawn chased after him. The gate they went through no longer looked the same. Now, the doors were shattered open while the walls were on fire. Years have now pa.s.sed, and the wall will soon collapse.

Nearly two-thirds of the tribe left the town. None of them expected a troll attack during the day, but this may have been a blessing in disguise. Just one tear of the troll"s clothing, and they will turn in to stone.

And yet, the trolls were decimating the town. Dawn and the rest of the mothers taking care of their babies sat by the western fence. They watched as smoke rise behind the buildings. Goblins ran out of the town, holding their precious belongings. They told them of trolls attacking the tribe. The Chief and his brothers were fighting them near the wall while they evacuated.

Dawn"s arms and legs were shaking. She looked at her baby while tightening her embrace. She closed her eyes saw visions of Rock talking to her and saving her from Sum. A teardrop dripped down her cheek. But when she opened her eyes, it was not filled with sorrow or hopelessness. Instead, her eyes had conviction and anger. "Mabel!"

"What wrong?"

Dawn gave her baby to Mabel, "Take care baby for Dawn."

"What!" Mabel cried, "What Dawn mean?" But it was too late. Dawn sprinted towards the town. "Rock be ok! Come back!" Mabel screamed from the top of her lungs, but Dawn ignored her call.

Dawn had to get through a wave of goblins trying to leave the town. They were pushing and shoving one another out of the way. The elderly got left behind by the stronger and younger goblins, and the stampede nearly trampled children that lost sight of their parents. Some tried to climb up the roof to avoid the crowd. Those carrying their stuff had to carry them over their heads. The wave was slowly turning into a tsunami.

Dawn almost lost her against the wave, but then a loud horn stopped the goblins. Above them was a goblin blowing a horn. Once she had their undivided attention, followers of Rock appeared before them. They organized the crowd, had the children, and the elderly leave first. Those carrying luggage were forced to leave their stuff behind; only the most essential item are to be carried—lines formed with Rock"s followers ensuring peace and order.

Dawn managed to enter the town while they were organizing the restless mob. "You!" She walked up to one of the followers, "Where Rock?"

"Sir Rock wall with Chief!" Suddenly a large explosion blew up near the wall. The goblins began to panic again. The follower left Dawn despite her asking more questions to deal with the unruly mob.

Realizing there is nothing for her to do here, she left for the town square. On the way, she saw Flute and her followers guiding the Chief"s slaves. The Chief"s mother looked back at the rising smoke while walking. She looked scared, but not because the troll could attack them, but because her son was in danger. And what can she do about the situation? She can only run away and pray for the Chief"s safety.

But what about Dawn? What can she do? She asked herself these questions in her mind repeatedly. Rock was strong, but also far too dangerous for his own good. She needs to help him, or more accurately, she wants to help him. Once she reached the town square, she saw Stick"s followers carrying large boxes filled with stone. They were panicking more so than the ones trying to leave the town.

She pulled one of them towards her, "Hey, where Rock?"

"Rock with Stick and Smoke fight troll!" The goblin pulled himself out from Dawn"s grip and rushed back to work. Dawn looked around for any weapon to use. She managed to find a spear leaning against a wall, most likely left behind by a guard, and a stone knife around. Dawn hunted with Sum, so she isn"t foreign when it comes to using these weapons. But the most dangerous animal she ever killed was a goat. Fighting a troll is a new territory for her.

But she is tired of running away, being in the sideline, and never have the agency to do anything. It"s time to be her own like she used to be when she was young. She slipped her knife in her coat pocket and carried the spear on her shoulder. It"s time to hunt.

She ran towards the wall, and it did not take long for her to witness the visage of the troll. The three brothers ran away from the troll. Stick whistled for the archers to slingshot large rocks at the troll, but its metal helmet deflected the attacks, and its thick coat softened the blow. They did, however, annoy the troll. It smashed through the fire and into the buildings. "s.h.i.t!" Smoke yelled.

"I"m on it!" Rock leaped into action. He grabbed a piece of wood and lit it on fire. He threw the torch on the troll. The small fire was enough to ignite the little cottage into flame. The troll ran out before the fire burned away its clothes.

Some of the wooden debris flew out as the troll ran through back in the open, hitting Rock in the face. It was not enough to damage Rock, but it did stun him for a split second.

"Rock, watch out!" Stick yelled. The troll took this chance to reach for him. But before he could Rock"s head on his giant palm, a spear struck its helmet. The spear managed to pierce through the helmet enough to get stuck, but not deep enough to leave a noticeable hole. Rock took this chance to run away.

Once he got out of harm"s way, he looked at his brothers and was ready to thank him, but Smoke and Stick were busy staring at Dawn. The brothers were stunned to see Dawn throw that spear. They did not expect her to be so strong.

"Wait, did you threw that?" Rock asked.

"Yes." She answered while puffing out her chest.

"I"m starting to understand why you like her," Stick remarked.

"Guys. We"re not done yet." Smoke reminded them.

The troll pulled spear of its helmet then fixed its eyes on Dawn. The troll ran after them once more, and this time, it aimed its focus on Dawn. While running to the town square, Stick noticed a goblin running ahead of them on the roof. The goblin was holding a large blanket. That"s when Stick got a brilliant idea. "Smoke, you"re good with the bow, right?" Stick asked.

"No, we barely practiced with it."

Then suddenly, the goblin stopped and threw the blanket. The troll was so fixated on Dawn that it did not notice the blanket in its way. The brothers turned around and saw the goblin take a bow and quiver full of arrows from one of Stick"s followers. Then she jumped off the roof and onto a mountain of snow.

The brothers recognized the mysterious goblin. It was Shuja. She ran to the wall of fire and lit her arrow. Then she shot it at the blanket covering the troll. Sadly, the fire could not consume the troll fast enough before it got the sheet off it. "Well, Shuja tried." She said.