The Open Sky: Eternal Forest Saga - Book 3

Chapter 9

 Atok had a great deal in common with the creatures from the Lands of Order. His command of their language was stellar, scholarly even. He possessed a level of intelligence never before seen amongst the goblin race. He was capable of critical thinking, impulse control, and careful planning. But of all the things he shared with the 'civilized' races, one commonality stood out the strongest: their mutual disgust for goblins.

Since he was a child, Atok felt his very existence was a curse. He could see his kind as the greater races did. They were disgusting, wild animals, and he had to live amongst them. His obvious superiority saw him rapidly ascend to power within his pack. They could never understand what he did, but what he managed to teach them brought the pack some semblance of order and focus. As crude as the discipline was, it was far more than the nearby packs possessed, and it didn't take long for more and more packs to come under his rule; by force when necessary.

He was more than a leader to them. Atok was like a god, able to contemplate things other goblins couldn't even conceive of. It gave him everything a goblin of lesser abilities could ever want, but it only made him hate his kind even more. Power could not bring comfort. It couldn't not bring companionship. He learned the language of the civilized tribes by finding their discarded letters and old texts. The goblin tongue was rudimentary and clumsy, capable only of conveying the simplest of thoughts. It had no nuance or flourish. Poetry was a thing that could never exist in the goblin world, and after he learned what poetry was, every word of goblin-speak that ever came from his mouth made him want to vomit.

The sun was nearly set, and the trees north of Tranquility were bathed in shadow. Against the darkness, torchlight from the fledgling city of Keysakah dance across the trunks. Atok sat atop a low branch, peering through the foliage at the blighted lizard-people as they went about their business; their scally feet desecrating the land he once called home. His collection of packs had claimed these trees for nearly a decade. It was all he had, all he could ever hope to lay claim to as a king among mindless beasts. But then they took it from him to give it to the very balisekts that had waged war on them. It was disgusting.

He was a good distance away, but still close enough to hear them talking and laughing. They used to be like the goblins: cast out to the Savage Lands to fend for themselves. Now they got to live with the civilized races as equals, and on goblin land?! Atok had come alone because he couldn't trust any other goblin to sit quietly and just watch. The goblin way was to act without thought, and any action would give away his position and ensure his demise. Atok sighed. He deserved so much more in life than this.

Noting the position of the shadows, Atok climbed down and made his way south. It was almost time for his meeting with the Seryans. Though he knew it was a gamble, Atok had decided to go alone. He wasn't sure how well he could control his anger at the situation, and his soldiers could act upon his reactions. He'd kept his poise days ago, and it took a great deal of willpower. This time he'd rather have no backup than the extra worry of holding off his dogs.

When he made it to the meeting spot, Moonbeam and Galdaren had already arrived. He groaned under his breath when he saw their expressions, knowing full well he was about to be chastised for making them wait even though they were early. The Seryans had a large, burlap sack sitting on the ground between them. Galdaren hugged herself with her hands cupped on her elbows. The human shivered like the autumn leaves. Moonbeam stood stoic, leaning on her cane with both hands.

"Seryans," he said upon arrival.

"About time you showed up," Moonbeam snapped.

Atok rolled his eyes, but held his tongue. "As a token of good faith, I have come alone," he said, gesturing to the lack of goblins all around him. "You've only me to deal with, and we both know my reasoning is on par with your own. So, may I please request I not be talked down to this time?"