Stubby Chronicles

Manifest Drakon - The Goblin Dungeon

I begin to regain consciousness and the first thing I notice is a throbbing pain in my head. I must've been knocked out. I then notice a sort of stinging pain in my wrists. I follow my arms up to see that my wrists have been shackled to the ceiling; the only thing holding my weight as my toes barely graze the floor

I hear the sound of metal clanging across the floor and look over to see a giant door opening. A goblin walks in, wheeling a cart in front of him. He stops in front of me and I can see the cart contains multiple sharp and blunt objects. I have no idea what they are but I have a feeling the goblin is going to use them on me. And it won't be fun...

"So, Changeling, what were you doing in our woods?" he asks me, picking up a small knife.

"I was just passing through," I say slowly, having to think about how the words translated.

"Lies!" he yells, slashing the knife, leaving a small cut on my cheek.

"I'm telling the truth! I'm from Camnewk! I'm looking for a new home!" I protest.

"Stories!" Another slash, another cut.

"What do you want from me?!"

"I know you're from the Tuxic Clan! someone sent you to spy on us!"

"I swear, I don't know what that is! I'm just a traveler!"

"Why did they send you!?" the goblin demanded, slicing open my tunic.

"No one sent me!" a slash to my stomach.

"The Tuxic Clan have been after us for years. They're a group of Changelings. You're a Changeling!"

"I'm not part of them!"

"Who is your leader?"

"I don't know!"

"You do! You lie!"

The goblin picks up a small stick, strikes it against the cart and flame comes from the tip. He presses in against my chest. I stare at him, not feeling anything but a little pressure. He looks up, bewildered that I didn't react.

"Dragon-blood?" he questions.

I nod.

"Well, this won't do any good," he grumbles and picks up a larger knife, slicing my chest.

I scream out in agony, blood dripping down my body and onto the floor. It's now that I notice a drain on the floor, bloodstains around it.

'I could die here. I'd fail my parents.'

~~~

I don't know how long I've been in the goblin dungeon. My blood stains the floor, along with others. My pants are soiled, my wrists bloodied, and I've lost a lot of body mass. The goblins still don't believe me. They think I've been sent from the Tuxic Clan to spy on them. I've never even heard of the Tuxic Clan. When I tell them I'm just looking for a safe place to live, they think it's a "story" I've been told to recite. They'll never believe me...

I've been here long enough to learn that they always come at around the same time every day. When the sun hits that one crack in the floor. It's almost there now.

'Right on time.' I think as I hear the metal door scraping the floor.