Call of the Shadow Heart

Chapter 5

The head goblin, sat hunched on his crude throne of twisted bones and iron scraps, his bloated body draped in mismatched furs and tarnished jewelry. His skin was a sickly green, rough and scarred from countless battles, while his eyes glowed a fierce yellow, full of malice and cunning. His grotesque face, with jagged teeth protruding from his wide mouth, twisted into a sneer as he sniffed out a human nearby, two of them—hiding in the shadows.

He was larger than the other goblins, towering over them, with gnarled hands gripping a massive ironed club stained with blood and rust. His voice was a guttural growl, dripping with arrogance as he snarled, irritated by those who tried to enter his domain. As confident in his power and the loyalty of his minions, he exuded an air of dominance, the embodiment of cruelty and greed, ruling the goblins through fear and brute strength.

"Hiding.. won't help. I can sniff your stench from here.." the goblin announced, waiting for the fool who entered his kingdom.

Kael stepped into the dim light, his face was void of emotion, no satisfaction given to the goblin, no hint of fear or concern, only cold indifference.

"Hand over what I want, and I'll let you live." His icy voice echoed in the chamber.

"You fool.. did you really think.. you're gonna get out of here alive? Your foolishness.. will be the death of you," the head goblin growled, irritation seeping into his voice. "I can sense darkness.. in you."

"Talking won't save you, stop blabbering nonsense or I would make you see darkness—in the afterlife."

The head goblin cackled, his laughter reverberating off the walls, shaking the air around them. To him, the notion of a single human standing against his power was laughable, ridiculous.

"Foolish human.. your impurity I can sense it.. it will die with you."

Kael’s patience was wearing thin. His voice dropped lower, dangerous. "Alright, then. Let’s see how impure my dagger is after I thrust it into your impure body."

The head goblin roared like a wild beast, his voice reverberating through the cavern. From the shadows, a group of goblins emerged, circling Kael with their clubs and spears raised, eager for blood.

"Kill this boy!" the head goblin snarled, his eyes gleaming with malice. "I'll sell his guts.. and make a fortune in gold."

The goblins hissed in response, their eyes gleaming with hunger as they sized up the intruder who dared enter their den.

Kael unsheathed his dagger in one fluid motion, his blade slicing clean through the neck of the nearest goblin. Without missing a beat, he kicked another goblin square in the chest, sending it staggering backward. A third goblin charged at him, swinging its club with a vicious intent.

Kael ducked just in time, his movements swift and precise. With a sharp pivot, he swept the goblin’s legs from under it, causing the creature to crash to the ground. Before it could recover, Kael plunged his dagger into its heart, silencing it instantly.

After a few moments, the stone floor was littered with goblin bodies, their green blood pooling in thick rivulets across the uneven ground. The air was thick with the scent of iron and death, and Kael stood amidst the carnage, his breathing steady and controlled.

The head goblin felt a sudden chill crawl up his spine. In the blink of an eye, his underlings—his pawns—lay lifeless at the intruder's feet, their blood staining the cold stone. His eyes widened in disbelief, his earlier arrogance replaced by an unsettling fear.

"Are you gonna hand over what I want? Or do you want to sleep forever like your minions? I'll spare you, just hand over the necklace." Kael's eyes glinted with malice, with the intent to kill.