[Vol.3] Ch.13 A New Village (Patreon)

I watch as Zeb fights Kurg as I regain my senses slowly.  While we were flying backwards, it looks like Zeb managed to stab through one of Kurg's legs with an earth spike.  Kurg winds up a throw with a rock that Zeb barely manages to dodge.  Just as it's looking grim, from underneath me, Zaka manages to get a fireball off, distracting Kurg for just long enough for Zeb to get a second earth spike off.

I'm still struggling to catch my breath after that center of mass hit, but it looks like the fight is over.  With both of his legs incapacitated, Kurg can't realistically fight back.  Zeb doesn't stop though.  He's breathing quickly, and seems like he's a little panicked as Kurg haphazardly throws a rock backwards at him.  I still can't catch my breath enough to tell Zeb to stop as I watch him stab into Kurg's back over and over, well after he's clearly dead.

Finally, I start to regain my strength, and get up, freeing Zaka from under me.  By now, all the fighting has stopped, and everyone is quietly watching Zeb, who is now staring at Kurg's lifeless body, partially supported by the two earth spikes going through his legs.  Zaka clears his throat, and says something loudly in the demon language, to which the remaining goblins all drop their weapons.

Zeb is motionless just looking at Kurg's body as the goblins slowly head back towards the path.  Zaka begins following the goblins on his crutches, and as he gets further away, he turns back towards us, and says something in demon language, and motions for us to follow him.  This seems to break Zeb from his stupor, and we start following Zaka and the goblins down the path back towards the goblin village.

Along the way, we take breaks at every stop, and even sometimes less than that, so that Zaka can catch his breath.  During the whole trip Zeb remains quite quiet and withdrawn.  Considering everything, I think it should be fine to give him some space.  Of course, that also means that I'm basically back at the stage where I can't understand anything that everyone else is saying.

When we finally make it back to the village quite a commotion is made at the gate, but after Zaka eventually raises his voice, the guards on the wall let us in.  I can't help but notice that many of the goblins around still look quite angry the fact Zeb and I are walking around the village.  A second thing I notice is just how many of the goblins appear to be new.  Although I recognize around half of them, the other half all appear to be new.

By the time we make it to the pavilion, we've already gathered quite a crowd.  Zaka takes the opportunity to yell out very loudly, to which a large number more of goblins join the crowd.  I can see a lot of different emotions among the goblins.  Some seem happy, others seem shocked, and around a third are clearly upset.

After Zaka looks over the crowd, he begins speaking loudly, projecting his voice.  The goblins in the crowd all grow silent.  As he speaks, many ranges of emotion are seen on the goblins, and each of the groups react differently to most of the news.  At one point though, a cheer breaks out from all the goblins for a short while, followed by silence after Zaka resumes speaking.  Finally, near the end of Zaka's speech, most of the crowd looks about at each other with concern before splitting up.

After this, Zaka slowly makes his way back to his house, and motions for Zeb and I to follow him.  When we get to his house, he begins speaking, then looks at Zeb expectantly.  After Zeb doesn't do anything for a moment, Zaka raises his arm and puts it on Zeb's shoulder, and says something briefly.  After a pause, he repeats what he said a moment before, and Zeb translates it for me.

"Given everything that's happened, I've decided to rescind your expulsion from the village."  Zaka said.  He paused for a moment, waiting for Zeb to translate before continuing, "However, I want your input on something.  I believe many of the new goblins will find it very difficult to adapt to this, and given what happened last time, I would like to try to come up with a way to prevent a repeat of what happened with Kurg.  Do you have any ideas?"

I think for a little while.  Part of the issue is likely the turnover rate of new goblins in the village.  I say that because the older goblins seem to form a large part of the faction that supports Zeb and I.  It's not exactly all of them, but most do.  The newer goblins, though, form the other faction generally.

As I think on why that might be, I come to realize that the older goblins all probably remember how life in the village was before I arrived.  They all used to live in dirt huts, and were hunting with their bare hands.  Despite the lizard siege, before I arrived, the lizards were a menace to the goblins anyway, so the older goblins probably don't see the siege as that much of a disruption from how their lives were a few years prior.  To the new goblins though, life was always in the protected village, with all the amenities and technology I built, and they didn't even realize it.  To them, I brought the bad times only.

On earth, a good history education is usually how you would teach younger generations about the struggles and successes of older generations.  In theory, I'd love to start a school for the goblins, but practically speaking, that isn't feasible given how primitive a lot of their society is, and how the village is structured.  Instead, I really only have one option to offer to Zaka.

"What about letting some of the goblins form a second village?  There is a second valley on this island that could easily support an entire second village.  You could still trade and interact between your villages, but let them have some autonomy.  If they want help building or doing anything in the village, they're free to ask for help.  I think part of the issue is that many of the goblins don't have perspective on the differences between where this village is now, and where it was only a few years ago."  I say.

Zaka nods along, seemingly in thought, and doesn't say anything for a little while.  I interject with another comment while he's thinking, "Of course, a lot of that is on me.  After building out the basics of the village, everything else I worked on didn't improve most of the goblin's lives, only a handful, so I can't say that I'm not also to blame somewhat."

Zaka finally replies, "To help a few, or to help many, both are still help.  It's a shame that so many of the young ones don't recognize that.  On the other hand, I'm concerned that forming a second village may be seen as banishment, which I don't want."

I respond, "Then let them know they're free to come and go from this village as they see fit, but they should know that Zeb and I could be here at any given time.  I'm not trying to say they should be banished.  I'm just recommending that they be aware that this is a settled manner in this village, so they need to make their choice moving forward."

Zaka sits in thought for a few minutes before giving his reply, "Then tomorrow morning I shall let the goblins know that a second village will be formed.  I've stayed in your house for a while now, and I'm afraid you'll be staying in mine for a little while now.  After this last winter, some goblins had moved into your houses in the village, and although it's a bit rude, I can't bring myself to evict them.  So please, make yourselves at home here for the time being."

After our conversation ended, and the night began to drag on, some goblins that I recognized as the shop owners for the shell store and clothes weaver brought food for the three of us to Zaka's house.  We each ate our fill, and Zeb was the first to fall sleep, leaning forward in his chair, his upper body resting on the table we were seated at.  Zaka stood up and looked at Zeb's sleeping form for a little while before going to his own bed to sleep.  After which I myself sat in the chair for a while before sprawling forward over the table to sleep.  Honestly, it wasn't actually all that uncomfortable.