Grag’s POV

  Grag looked up at the moonless sky. The stars were plentiful, each a spirit. On moonless nights, he was always surprised at the number of spirits. Some said they needed the moon to survive.

  The night was quiet. Grag looked at the skeletons that followed him everywhere since Rukk’s attack. It made him even more paranoid than before. Walking towards the Master’s hut, he left the guards. He hoped he wouldn’t need them where he was going.

  Outside the village, near the river, was a spot the goblins gathered each moonless night. As Grag made his way to the ritual site he wondered if he would be welcome. The newly made goblin chief hadn’t been to a ritual since the Master had come and elevated him.

  The old gods had never really served him well. Shiiraviia hadn’t yet either. If anything, the Master was his new god. The vampire wanted him to at least try and worship Shiiraviia, so he did, but he wondered what that meant for the old gods.

  The gathering at the ritual site could be heard, before seen. It didn’t take long to reach. The small clearing held about 100 goblins. The site was a simple clearing with a great rock at the front.

  To the left of the was a great sword, point up in the ground, signifying Zugnorak the Conqueror, head of the goblin pantheon. To the right of it was a deer belly with a small fern sticking out of it. The symbol of Aruai the Great Lady, wife of Zugnorak and mother of the spirits of the forest.

  Behind the rock were the symbols of the other goblin gods. Each totem to be invoked as that god was called. Grag was late and had missed the invocations. As he walked into the clearing, Krelgr saw him from his place on the great rock and pause for a moment before giving Grag a nod.

  After a pause Grag nodded back.

  “This is the tale of the Sky-God and Earth-Mother.” Krelgr said in a loud voice. Everyone gathered hushed. The little ones were eager for a good story.

  “Long ago, before the world was full, before the forests and caves were claimed, there was only the Sky-God, a great, laughing force that stretched across the heavens, and the Earth-Mother, a massive being of stone and soil who stretched beneath the sky. The Sky-God and Earth-Mother, though vast, were lonely, and they bickered over how the world would be shaped.

  “The Sky-God wanted to create a world of air and wind, where only the strong and fast could survive. He dreamt of beasts with wings and mountains that could fly. The Earth-Mother, on the other hand, wanted a world of dark caves and dense forests, where roots could go deep and moss grow thick.

  “For ages, they argued, creating storms and earthquakes as they fought. Finally, they realized they needed to work together to shape the world, or else there would be nothing.

  “The Earth-Mother gave birth to the first moss-covered stones, ancient trees, and the caves, but the Sky-God needed something clever to balance the earth’s weight. He summoned the Wind-Spirits, tiny, buzzing creatures who danced in the air and brought with them the seeds of life. The Wind-Spirits carried seeds of both the earth and the sky and dropped the into the dark caves of the world.

  “These seeds grew into the first goblins, small, green-skinned with dark fur, born from both earth and air. The goblins were born with sharp teeth, quick reflexes, and a love for trickery. They lived in the dark places, hidden beneath the roots and boulders. Their sharp minds could unravel the knots of nature, and their nimbleness allowed them to steal from the strong and outwit the beasts.

  “The first goblins were neither strong nor large, but they were many, and their smallness became their strength. They could hide where the mighty could not, they could sneak past dangers, and adapt to any environment. The Earth-Mother and Sky-God watched the goblins grow, and though they had not planned them to be clever and sneaky, they respected them.

  “To honor the goblins for their cleverness, the Sky-God and Earth-Mother gave them a gift: the power of survival. This meant that the goblins could multiply quickly, change with the seasons, and survive even in the harshest of conditions. They were given the fire of the Earth, which would keep them warm, and the light of the stars, which would guide them at night. They were not destined to rule, but to survive, thrive, and outlast all others.

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  “The goblins built hidden lairs in the dark forests and caves, and they came to worship the Sky-God and Earth-Mother in their own way. The goblins saw the Sky-God as a trickster, ever changing and playful, while they saw the Earth-Mother as their mother, a being who gave them both life and protection.

  “After a long time, the goblins grew in number and ambition. They began to claim lands, to fight and steal from other creatures of the world. The Sky-God and Earth-Mother watched with mixed feelings. On one hand, they admired the goblins’ strength and cunning, but on the other hand, they feared their ambition.

  “In response, the gods sent terrible beasts, creatures of the wild who were strong and fierce. There creatures were sent to test the goblins, to see if they could truly survive.

  “At first, the goblins were overwhelmed by the beasts. But they learned that it was not through brute force that they could triumph, it was through guile and deception. The goblins outsmarted the beasts, lured them into traps, and used the environment to their advantage.

  “As a reward, the Sky-Father and Earth-Mother gave the goblins a new gift: the ability to master fire, the power to craft tools, and the skill to build great traps and fortresses. With these gifts the goblins were no longer just survivors, they became builders, warriors, and conquerors.

  “As goblins grew in strength and in numbers, the began to fight each other for dominance over land and resources. The first great war among the goblins began. The gods, watching from above, were amused by the goblins’ endless fighting, but also concerned. They created creatures who could think, fight, and adapt, but they could never predict what would come of such ambition.”

  With that the story of creation was over. Each word etched itself in Grag’s mind. When he was younger, he wanted to be a shaman. To know and tell all the stories. Throk, however, didn’t like Grag, so crushed his dreams where they stood.

  Grag stared at the great rock, heart heavy. Once, he’d dreamed of standing there, telling stories. Now he was chief. Was that better? He wasn’t sure. But the tale stayed with him, the goblins had survived because they were clever. Maybe that was enough.

  Until Paul, Grag was a lowly shepherd. He wasn’t even allowed to go on raids. In the past he was certain Throk was going to sell him to the slavers that came through every now and then. It was all different now. Grag was a chief and magical apprentice.

  He wasn’t sure what he was doing here. The old gods had never done anything for him. Shiiraviia was distant, unknowable. And the Master… The master had saved him, raised him. Was it heresy to think of the vampire as a god?

  Krelgr climbed down from the great rock. He spoke quietly with a small group of goblin elders for a few moments before looking up at Grag.

  “Hello, Chief.” Krelgr said.

  “That was a nice telling, Krelgr.” Grag smiled. “I was a little late and missed the totem rituals, but caught the telling.”

  “Yes, I saw you come in.” Krelgr looked back at the great rock. “A lot of younglings in our village now.”

  Grag looked to the great rock where all the little ones had listened to the telling. Mothers gathered their children as they spoke. There must have been twenty of them.

  “So, there are.”

  Krelgr rolled his eyes. “I’m getting old Grag.”

  Looking back at the shaman, Grag could see the subtle sign of age, wrinkles and missing tuffs of fur. “Ok.”

  “I need to take on an apprentice, boy.” Krelgr nearly yelled.

  “So, take one.” Grag said.

  “As chief you need to select a good candidate.” Krelgr brought a hand to his brow.

  “All these younglings are new. Plus, I don’t have time to examine them.” Grag looked back at where the mothers were gathering their little ones. “Why can’t you just pick one?”

  Krelgr sighed and rubbed his chin. “I’ll talk to the other elders and bring a couple for you to talk to. Would that be fine.”

  Grag didn’t want to choose a shaman apprentice. So far as chief he didn’t do much. This, this was a real decision, though. A shaman would shape the youth of tomorrow.

  “What should I look for?” Grag asked.

  “They will likely be shaman for a majority of your tenure as chief, so someone you think you’ll like for a long time.” Krelgr chuckled. “Plus, they will need to remember all the tellings and offer you advice. Someone clever like the gods intended.”

  “Maybe we should wait for the Master.” Grag looked down.

  “Why do you think the Master made you chief?” Krelgr asked.

  “I don’t know. I was the only goblin he knew.”

  “Maybe, but also so he didn’t have to make chief decisions. He wanted you to make these calls, that is why he gave you the power to do so.” Krelgr moved closer and whispered, “You’ll do fine.” Then he walked off.

  Grag swallowed and watched the old shaman walk off. He stood in the moonless dark, the stars above silent. One day, they might tell stories about him too. But first, he had to make the right decisions.