The Goblin Nation - 77 Religh

The perytons flew in the dark, leaving no sound for the goblins to hear, but trails of crimson hinted their place in the dark. Rock, Tie, and the legions ran after these ghostly creatures, following their trail towards the end of the cavern where Dawn and Flute stood.

Dawn took her baby off her and placed the child next to Mabel. She then ran forward and placed her arm in front of Flute, “Get behind me!” She yelled. The lowing orbs flew closer towards them, and the perytons’ light began to flicker with great intensity due to their excitement.

One of the perytons charged at Dawn. She caught the monster’s antlers and made the beast submit to the ground. Dawn twisted its head backward, breaking the peryton’s neck in half. But just as she killed one, another one took its place and attacked Dawn while she was busy. The peryton stabbed her on the leg while another grabbed one of her arms with its mouth. “Aaaah! Get off me!” Dawn screamed as blood began to squirt out from her forearm. Dawn used her superior strength to pull the peryton from the air and slammed it against the one that stabbed her leg.

The perytons antlers shattered into pieces, and their wings have broken in half. But they were relentless. The peryton that attacked her first got on its hooves and lunged forward to impale Dawn, but the animal was stopped mid-flight. Rock grabbed the peryton in its hind legs and threw it against the wall. Another peryton descended from the darkness above, but one of the legions carrying Mabel shield bashed it away from the two. The legions surrounded them to protect the couple. “Are you ok?” Rock rushed to Dawn’s side and gently examined her arm. “Fuck, I shouldn’t have left you in the back. I should,” A torrent of tears were running down his cheeks.

“Shh, it’s not your fault,” Dawn reassured while struggling to hold back her own tears. “And there’s no time to talk.”

“You’re right,” Rock regained his composure and called out to his legions, “Everyone, get those flying bastards down here so I can pummel them. And you!” He pointed to one of them, “Help mend Dawn’s wounds now!”

“Yes, Sir Rock!” The legion saluted and immediately attended Dawn’s wounds.

The flock of perytons circled the legions in the air while avoiding the rocks they threw at them. Realizing that one of their prey were safely guarded, they changed their eyes on the other light. Once they saw Flute was all along with no visible threat near her, one of the perytons swiftly dived to Flute. “One of them is dropping!” Rock yelled.

Dawn followed the beast’s trajectory and realized it was heading towards Mabel, Flute, and the children, “It’s heading towards the children!” Dawn ran, with the bandages barely attached on her arm flying away. Seeing one of the light leave the circle, another peryton dived towards Dawn. It managed to land on her shoulder, but Rock was tailing close behind Dawn. He grabbed the monster’s legs and squeezed his hands, popping the monster’s leg open. Blood gushed out and showered Dawn’s shoulders.

“Flute, watch out!” While the two were busy, the peryton that dived first managed to reach Flute and was about to impale her if not for Tie shoving Flute out of the way. “Flute ok!”

“Tie!” Flute woke from her shock and saw Tie in front of her crying. “What you doing? Tie might die if here!”

“I’m sorry.” Tie cried out, “Tie not mean lie, and Tie sacrifice so Flute forgive.”

“What!”

Tie got on her feet and faced the peryton with arms extended wide open. The peryton lowered its head, preparing to charge through Tie. The children watched in suspense as they wait for the peryton to make its move. And in a snap of a finger, the peryton charged forward with its red glowing antlers growing brighter as it gets closer to Tie. Using its extreme agility, the peryton shifted its weight and made it’s head antlers parallel to the floor with one end reaching for the ceiling and the other barely grazing the floor.

Flute could feel fear taking hold of her body as the red light blankets them, but she pushed herself up and grabbed one of Tie’s arm, and pulled her behind. Facing death, Flute jumped in front of the peryton, and the children watched in horror after witnessing Flute’s left leg impaled by the peryton’s antler and nearly breaking her shin. Fortunately, Flute caught the other end of the peryton’s horn before it could make contact with its face.

Despite the blood spewing out of Flute’s leg, she did not falter. She still stands with both feet firmly on the ground. The children cheered for Flute to win after watching her unbreakable mettle. Tie sat on the floor and stared at Flute and the beast, “Flute?”

“Flute sorry. Flute coward. Flute scared love again.” The peryton pushed against Flute, but she was not letting go and backing down. “And Flute mad. Flute very jealous of Tie. Tie no need say sorry.” Suddenly, Flute felt like the weight of her body was disappearing despite her injured leg barely holding on.

“Flute! Help please!” Tie turned to the legions, Rock, and Dawn whole were also preoccupied with the hordes of perytons attacking them from the sky. Behind them were the widows, caretakers, and elders. They were too weak and too scared to help.

“No worry Tie, Flute scared, but Flute want give Tie answer too. Flute not die yet!” She yelled with great confidence. The peryton flapped its wings and released a strong gust of wind at Flute to no avail. Then it tried to fly while carrying the Flute, but the orphans cheering her on decided to join the fight by throwing rocks at the monster. The peryton was forced to use its wings’ thick feather to block its body from getting hit by the rocks.

“Flute strong! Flute win it!” One of the children yelled, and the rest followed, chanting those words, giving Flute the encouragement she needed. She looked at the children that surrounded Mabel lying on the floor, wondering to herself if this is what it feels like to have children. She thought to herself that may it not be so bad to come back to the surface and take off the orphans as if they were hers with Tie on her side. Does she deserve it, that happiness that her father took from her? She doesn’t know. And she was afraid to find out.

But she does know that it will never happen if she dies here and now. Suddenly, a spark blew out inside her heart. The light the peryton saw inside her was overtaken by blue light. Looking up, the peryton saw a dazzling display of blue fire dancing around Flute’s chest. The children and Tie watched in awe as blue flames cover her body from neck to toe.

The perytons, the legions, Rock, and Dawn saw the sudden explosion of blue fire light up the tunnel. The fire grew and grew in intensity before finally revealing a tall red goblin with cherry blonde hair flowing in the wind and goat eyes in a light shade of blue. Her leg was still injured, but it was no longer in a dire situation.

Flute lets went of one hand and revved it all the way behind her before launching her fist and smashing it directly on the animal’s skull. Without any proper training, Flute shattered her fist, but in return, blood rushed out like a geyser on the animal’s forehead. And its skull shattered inward, leaving a bevel in the middle of its head. The animal fell on the floor and Flute’s exhausted body followed.