It Echoes Onward 6


    The sound of mad hobgoblinughter cascaded through the rocky clearing. cknail was full of exhration now that his ns were finallying to fruition. Theughter was just bubbling out of him. Nothing could stop him from getting his terrible revenge!


    What in all the hells is cknail up to? Did he get hit in the head? Khita asked as she scowled and walked over. She had a finger deep in one of her ears and was twisting it around.


    I wouldnt get to close. He might scratch you or something. He seems really wound up, Elyias replied dryly. He was walking beside her.


    cknail stoppedughing and turned to re at the two humans. They were ruining this for him. Well, whatever. He would get them backter, Elyias especially. cknail had ns for him.


    Smiling smugly to himself, cknail ignored the humans and immediately went to work preparing for the next phase of his scheme. Now that he had built up his base enough to start producing hobgoblins, it was time to introduce a bit of chaos and excitement into the system. Chaos created opportunity, and cknail excelled at taking advantage of opportunities.


    The hobgoblin chieftain grabbed a sack from off the ground as he walked. He had no idea where it came from, but that didnt matter. Some goblin had probably stolen it from Shelter.


    The next thing he needed was light, so the hobgoblin built a primitive torch from a branch and some dry rope and cloth. He wandered over to the y firing pit to set it ame, but his first few attempts failed to produce a useable amount of fire. The end of the torch just ckened and smoked.


    Imp has light, Ferrar said from nearby. The goblin had been working but he had stopped to watch cknails efforts. As usual, his eyes shone with perceptive intelligence.


    I know that, cknail muttered as he futilely poked the fire onest time. He didnt like failing in front of his minions. Stupid torch.


    The hobgoblin then threw his failed torch on the fire and headed for Imps hut. It wouldnt surprise cknail if there was a torch or something among all the junk Imp had piled up there. He seemed to have everything else.


    There was a shuffling sound from inside as cknail walked up to the door. Imp was inside. He was walking around his home as he picked up and put down a plethora of small items. Every once in a while he would stop and stare intently into one of tworge y pots.


    cknail coughed to get his attention, and when Imp looked over he spoke up. Your leader  me - is looking for a light so I can go into a dark cave. Give me light.


    Ah, I have that, Imp replied.


    He nodded enthusiastically and then walked over to a shelf. He picked something up off of it and then turned to show it to cknail. In the center of the hobgoblins hand was a small transparent crystal.


    Oh, right, magic, cknail replied. He remembered those crystals; Mahedium had used to make them. Good job acquiring something so useful, Imp. I thought your bag was full of useless trash.


    No, I made this, Imp exined. You just need a pot, special dirt, and blood.


    Huh, its not going to blow up, is it? cknail asked warily as he took a step back. He then nced nervously at the contents of all the nearby shelves. Mahediums workshop had tended to explode every now and then.


    No, light stones dont go boom, only the more interesting and harder to make stones do that. Im just growing light makers. The worse they do is cut your fingers with their sharp edges, or burn your eyes out and blind you. Just dont look directly at them for too long.


    Ah, that doesnt sound too bad, cknail mused aloud. Even the sun could blind you, and some of cknails favorite possessions were designed to cut people.


    Imp quickly agreed to follow his glorious chieftain, and the pair headed over to the deepest cave in the camp. Since cknail wasnt a mage he couldnt use the light stone, and thus Imp had toe along.


    Cautiously, cknail jumped down the ledge that led to the cavern. He walked through the cave entrance and looked around. It was too dark for him to see anything inside, even though the sun was still shining brightly outside. He could barely make out the rock studded walls of the dark tunnel, and the way forward was nothing but a murky ck void.


    As Imp stepped up behind cknail, light flooded out to fill the tunnel. Suddenly, the cracks and crags in the grey stone walls werepletely visible. cknail could see down into the cave until the way forward curved out of sight. The floor was dirty and uneven. Short spiky stctites hung from the ceiling. cknail nced back over his shoulder and saw Imp holding one hand up above his head. The light was pouring out from between the hobgoblins fingers.


    Follow me, cknail ordered Imp as he turned back around and began walking deeper into the cavern. He was in no way afraid of the light going out and being stranded all alone in the dark. He was just going to keep very close to Imp.


    The two hobgoblins carefully made their way deeper into the cave. After only a few moments of scrambling over rocks and cracks in the floor, they reached their destination. The cave abruptly ended at a wall of loose rock. It looked like the ceiling had copsed, but that wasnt why they were here. The light pouring out from Imps stone was thrown back by something embedded in the cave wall. It sparkled with a yellowish tint.


    Ah, yellow shiny rocks, Imp observed as he leaned closer.


    Its called gold! cknail exined proudly. He still knew a lot of things that Imp didnt. The other hobgoblin wasnt as smart as he liked to pretend he was.


    Its pretty, but what is it for? Imp asked. He seemed sure they werent here just to admire the view or get a new shiny trinket to y with.


    You use it to trick humans. They go all crazy when they see gold. All their favorite coins are made from it, cknail replied confidently. He didnt have aplete understanding of how currency worked, but he knew that was one of the most important parts.


    You want to trick some humans?


    No, I want to trick all of them, cknail exined as he spread his arms apart as if he was trying to grab something gigantic. There was a fierce smile on his face.


    Ah, that sounds like fun, Imp replied cheerfully as he studied the gold. He wasnt looking at cknail.


    You dont sound like you believe me, cknail observed crossly. Impsck of enthusiasm was a little insulting. When we leave I will show you how it works with Elyias. Youll see; hes easy.


    cknail and Imp then spent a few minutes gathering up any loose yellow rocks they could find. The sack cknail had brought was just starting to get ufortably heavy, when he heard a wet sloshing sound from behind him. It was quickly followed by the thud of a falling rock.


    Both of the hobgoblins turned and looked at each other. Upon seeing that the other was just as confused as them, they both nced over their shoulders. The noise hade from the barrier of fallen rock behind them. As they watched, there was another sshing sound from somewhere out of sight.


    You should check it out. In fact, I order you to, as the leader, cknail told Imp.


    If I die then we lose the light, and youre a much tougher fighter, Imp quickly countered.


    Those were good points. This was why cknail hated smart minions. He should have brought someone expandable, like a goblin.


    Ugh, fine, he muttered as he tiptoed over towards the source of the sound. It was probably a rat or something.


    The rocks in front of him were piled up on each other to form a steep slope. The light from the mana stone didnt light it all up because its surface was so uneven. Instead, the uneven rocks were covered in slowly shifting shadows. There were several dark gaps in the rock that looked disconcertedly deep. Some of them might even prate right through the rocks and lead to a chamber on the other side of the copse.


    A sh of movement and another wet sound drew cknails attention. Something was moving on the other side of a tall grey rock. The hobgoblin leaned sideways to get a better look, just as something stepped into sight. The empty eye sockets of a human skull stared at cknail, and he stared back.


    Um, what? cknail eximed in surprise. Below the skull, a frame of bones formed aplete standing skeleton.


    Did you know that human bones could walk around? cknail asked Imp as he stared at the sight before him and slowly reached down to draw his sword.


    Human remains didnt scare the hobgoblin all that much. Even living humans werent typically that dangerous, and they were usually in much better shape than corpses, but it was better to be safe than sorry.


    I didnt know that. It seems a little weird. None of the other dead humans Ive seen could walk, and goblin bones dont do that, Imp replied as he gazed past cknail. He sounded a little surprised. Maybe we both ate a bad mushroom?


    Before cknail could reply, the skeleton took a shambling step forward and cknail was forced to take a wary step back from it. The moving corpse was still mostly in the shadows, and he was in no hurry to fight it. How did you kill a pile of bones anyway?


    Here, let me help, Imp said. I dont think were seeing it right.


    A secondter, Imp held his hand out and the light he was holding grew much brighter. The white glow of the stone suddenly illuminated the skeleton as it stepped forward again, and cknail got a good look at it.


    Oh, its covered in slime, he observed as he suddenly had a realization.


    The human bones were wrapped in transparent goo, and it was very familiar looking to cknail. Before he could finish his thought though, the skeleton suddenly lurched forward and swung an arm at him. cknail dodged under the blow and stabbed the attacking monster in the stomach. The de sank into the slime and bounced harmlessly off of bone.


    The skeleton didnt appear to have been harmed. It ignored the blow and swung at him again. cknail was forced to throw himself back out of the way. His de came free with a wet sucking sound. After stumbling, he caught his bnce and raised his sword up into a guard.


    You could help, cknail hissed at Imp.


    How? I have no sword and Im not touching that. It looks icky, he replied.


    Magic?


    Were standing a little close. The boom is big, Imp answered skeptically.


    Fine, Ill do it myself, cknail told him as he stepped in and took another swing the shambling pile of bones and ooze. The attack hit, but once again it aplished next to nothing. The thick slime slowed the blow enough that the bones were barely damaged by the strike.


    This wasnt the first ooze monster cknail had ever fought, but this one was noticeably tougher than thest. Oozes usually had vulnerable organs, but this ones were protected by the skeletons ribcage. The stolen human bones also allowed to it to walk instead of rolling around, and its arms gave it some reach. Every time the skeleton iled at cknail tendrils rose off the monsters arms and reached for him.


    Again and again, cknail sliced and swung his sword but the ooze remained unfazed. The hobgoblin was forced to retreat as the skeleton lurched towards him with outstretched arms. If the slime got a hold of him it would be difficult to get free and the monster would quickly squeeze the life from him.


    This fight wasnt going anywhere. The skeleton was too slow to hit cknail, but he couldnt hurt it either. He needed to change things up. Imp certainly wasnt helping. He was just standing back and watching the fight. That wasnt what minions were for!


    Youre going to make me do this, arent you? cknail muttered at Imp as he readied himself.


    A secondter, he lunged towards the slime. He was holding his sword down low, and as he charged he thrust it towards the skeletons chest with all his might. He needed to break some bones.


    Before the slime could react, cknails sword mmed into its chest. The tip of the de cut through the slime and hit a pair of ribs. For a moment, the bones seemed to stop the attack, but then they shattered. The de slipped right through the skeletons chest.


    Unfortunately for cknail, he couldnt stop his charge. He had built up way too much momentum. It carried him right into his opponent, and they both fell over in a tangle.


    Ugh, this feels icky! cknail cried after hitting the ground. The slime had already begun enveloping him. It had firm hold on him now, and that wasnt good.


    Suppressing his disgust, cknail let go of his sword and fought to keep one hand free. As the slime spread towards his face and pulled him down, the hobgoblin plunged his hand through the skeletons broken ribs and began feeling around. The thick slime moved around his fingers and made it hard to tell if he was hitting anything. He needed to destroy the things organs.


    The ooze bubbled up and covered cknails mouth. The hobgoblin couldnt get free now and he had only a few seconds left to find his opponents weak spot. Where was the damned thing? He should have already grabbed it. This wasnt the first time cknail had stuck his hand inside a human chest cavity, it wasnt thatrge!


    A burning sensation red to life within cknails lungs. He couldnt breathe, or even get his hands loose so he could try to pry his mouth open. Where in all the hells was that organ! What did humans even mean when the talked about the hells? It was all so confusing. He was getting too weak


    A loud cracking noise splintered the quiet, right next to cknails head. He flinched and nced in that direction. The sight of a shattered skull filled his vision. Arge rock had smashed open the dome of the slimes stolen skull, and a pair of green hands was holding the rock. As cknail watched, ck fluid began to leak out of the cracked remains of the skulls eye sockets, and the slime holding him went limp. The organ had been in the skull, not the chest.


    That was my n all along. I set that up for you, cknail told Imp as he sat up and began coughing. There was slime in his throat. It did not taste great.


    Of course, boss. Your mighty struggle was amazing, Imp replied tly.


    cknail wasnt sure if he was being sincere, but he was too tired  and slimy - to care right now. He stood up and began wiping himself off. The fallen skeleton was at his feet and the now inactive ooze was sloughing off of its bones.


    Before he was anywhere near clean, there was a scuttling sound from where the slime hade from. Both hobgoblins looked over to see a pale crab-like creature emerge from the rocks and stare back at them. It was the size of arge dog.


    Lets get out of here, cknail told Imp.


    The other hobgoblin didnt argue. cknail grabbed the sack of gold and they scrambled out of the cave. They had gotten what they hade for anyway, so there was no point in sticking around.


    The first thing cknail did after leaving the cave was to jump in a deep pool of water and change his clothes. Once all the slime had been washed away, cknail and Imp went to talk to Elyias. They found the man sitting atop one of the hills at the edge of the camp. He was looking outward towards the forest, and his slouching posture made him seem tired and depressed. What a whiner.


    What do you want? Elyias asked when he spotted the hobgoblins approaching.


    What do you want? cknail countered cheerfully.


    To leave and get back to civilization, Elyias replied. He didnt sound amused.


    Alright, Ill take you there.


    Are are you being serious?


    Why would I lie?


    Because you find it amusing?


    cknail fought to keep the serious look on his face. Elyias had him there, but that wasnt the case now. No, I want to take you back to humannds. Do you want to go?


    Like all the demons in all the hells are chasing me, Elyias replied. His eyes had gone wide with surprise and hope. It was sort of cute, in a kickable way.


    Good, we leave tomorrow, cknail told the young man. The hobgoblins lips had twisted into an amused grin. There are just two things you have to do for me?


    Oh?


    First, Imand you to tell everyone about Shelter. You need to convince people toe here.


    Ha, whatever floats your boat. Get me out of the wilds and Ill do anything you say.


    cknail grinned knowingly to himself. Elyias thought he was being clever. cknail knew the man nned on running at the first chance he got. Why did humans always underestimate him? Yes, you will. You wont run or forget my orders because of the second thing I need from you.


    Whats that? Elyias asked cautiously.


    I need you to take this with you, cknail exined as he reached into the sac and pulled out a lump of yellow rock. When youve done as youve been told, I will give you more.


    Thats highly suspicious, Elyias observed as he stared at the gold. But I really cant say no.


    No. No, you cant, cknail replied as he winked at an impressed looking Imp.