BEYOND THE RED SKY

10. ARLEN'S ANGER

10. ARLEN'S ANGER

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"I remember who pushed me into that cellar."

Even though the prophecy was running around in the back of my mind, I had something else to think about right now, Arlen's anger. When I gave him Leeme's name, his eyes darkened with rage and suddenly his jet-black wings appeared in front of me like a deep pit. I tried to control myself not to fall into it.

Leonas was nowhere to be seen. I could see Arlen for a few seconds before he left me with his huge black wings. And then, when he spread his wings wide, I saw the sky darken and Arlen soared into the sky. Of course, I couldn't reach the castle faster than him. I tried anyway and started running. But after a few steps, the little guests appeared in front of me. I wanted to beg them that now was not the time, but they continued to stand in front of me with their angry little bodies and spears in their hands.

Goblins were small, green, ear-splitting creatures with high-pitched voices. I didn't want to mess with them, I had enough trouble as it was.

"Do you know what we do with intruders in the forest, human?"

I couldn't ask. I reminded myself to run to the castle, to get them out from under my feet, but their anger made me unable to take a step. They were the ones who found me in that forest and locked me in the cellar. No matter how small they were, I knew they were dangerous. I tried to intimidate them with a defiant expression, but their small bodies would not bend. I had to change tactics.

"Let me go, I have to go after Arlen," I said in a pleading voice. I kept an eye on the tiny castle behind me. One of them stepped in front of me. He looked relatively old and wise.

"Leave the King alone. He doesn't need you," and then he mumbled something. I couldn't understand him because he was speaking in a low voice. And then when he backed away, someone else appeared in front of me.

"I'm Arlen, leave him alone, human." When he went backwards, the other one came forwards and stood right in front of me. This time it was he who spoke, spittle flying.

"No, that's me."

And when that one was withdrawn, another one came in front of me. The only common point of these successive changes was that sentence they said.

"No, that's mine." Just as I was about to give up, put my head in my hands and wish for silence, the last Goblin to arrive said something different.

"We'll spare your life if you promise to stay away from him."

I didn't even hesitate. "I promise."

Suddenly I realised that they were laughing at me. If they wanted to kill me, they would have done it at the very beginning, when they first saw me. When they surrounded me, I had to walk after them. We did not go in the direction of the castle, but went towards the forest. When we crossed the meadow grass and went deeper into the forest, a large crowd greeted us again. I should have been invited to the Goblins' dinner. Dozens of Goblins jumped with joy and shook hands with each other at the huge round table made of weathered tree trunks and small chairs around it. I couldn't help laughing at their behaviour. I was surprised that they were so attached to each other. I wondered if they didn't see each other all the time in the forest.

When they were set around the table, they called me to join them. When I sat down on a bigger chair that I thought they had prepared for me, the voices stopped and whispers began to be heard. When a few of them put their plates on the table, I realised that a feast of greens was about to begin. I didn't think I was hungry at all, and as rude as it would be to refuse the invitation, I was going to do it. But when a carving on the table caught my attention, I started to put the plates aside and looked at the carving. It looked like the map I had seen in Arlen's room. I had tried to memorise it today. Now it was in front of me again.