Jeff Inlo - Chain of Bargains

Holli reached out and held the monster in place. Her stare bore into the creature as she made certain it understood its position.

"A fall from this height will kill you, but not instantly."

She then let go and the goblin began to tremble as it slowly lurched to one side. It could not right itself and shrieked for help. Holli took hold of the creature again and turned it to make sure it faced her directly.

"Where does it all go-the silver and diamonds you are stealing-where?"

The goblin understood the circumstances of the interrogation and the consequences if it failed to answer.

"All over," the monster hissed.

"Names."

"Don't know," the goblin offered in a muffled cry.

"Nonsense. You know something."

"Some to captain right here," the goblin offered.

"I already knew that. Who else?"

"Don't know names, just places."

"Tell me."

The goblin listed several nearby towns and cities. The number was somewhat surprising, but not the name of the last city.

"And Ashlan," was the final name on the goblin's oral list.

"What is it for?"

"Don't understand."

"What are you paying for?"

"Everything. Weapons, food, access."

"Access to what?"

"Everything."

"You already said that."

"We get into towns. We take farms. We go into stores. We get everywhere."

"What are you after?"

The goblin believed it had been cooperative enough based on the circumstances. It decided it was time to risk a negotiation.

"If I tell, will you release me?"

"I will release you if you do not tell me." Holli then nodded to the ground far below.

The goblin remained determined to bargain.

"No! Will you free me?"

"No, I will just make sure you reach the ground safely. I will promise nothing beyond that."

The goblin sneered, but then it smiled, a sick and twisted smile. It even broke into a laugh.

"We are after it all! All the towns, all the farms, all the stores. We will get it all, we just have to wait."

None of the goblin's admission was a surprise, except for the last.

"Why wait? Why not just take it? Why not attack?"

"Easier," the goblin snickered.

"Why is it easier?"

"Don't have to die to get it."

Holli couldn't argue. It was easier, and the goblin part of the puzzle began to fit into place. They were offered the farms and the towns of the valleys, and they were intent on taking it all. There were, however, certain rules they had to follow. Some of the creatures were required to steal precious minerals from dwarf mines, but beyond that, they simply needed to stay out of trouble. They had to control their devious nature and avoid stealing, fighting, and killing. In return, they were allowed to enter cities and given farmland. The influx of goblins into the region probably started as a slow trickle, but eventually it formed a flood throughout the valleys. As some of the humans chose to flee, more of the monsters filled into the void.

Normally, such a situation could not hold for long. The goblins themselves would have run amok-growing instability would have turned to pure chaos-but the conniving little monsters were persuaded to curtail, even bury their devious desires. Instead of battling with the humans and suffering casualties, they permeated the valleys like a never ending drizzle of light mist that eventually saturated the entire area.

A more sinister plot remained hidden in the weeds of the goblin infiltration. Certainly, funds in the form of precious metals and diamonds stolen from a dwarf mine were being utilized to assist the plot. A captain of the guard could be purchased with such wealth, as could a town council, but what of the regional steward? Holli decided to invoke his name and observe the response.

"What do you know of Prilgrat?"

"Some stupid human. Doesn't live here."

"Are you sending silver, diamonds or anything else to him?"

"Don't know names."

"But you've heard of Prilgrat."

"Heard of many, but don't know names of humans that get money, only places where it goes."

"But Prilgrat is important. What is his part in all this?"

"Don't know, don't care. Stupid human."

Holli didn't think the creature was lying. It insulted the steward with casual disregard. If Prilgrat held direct sway over the goblin's superiors, it would have shown greater respect. She knew, however, that someone had to be directing the goblin activity.

"You have made a bargain with someone. Who?"

"Don't know. They don't tell me."

Holli also had to accept that as the truth. A goblin forced to mine was probably very low in the pecking order, but even a peon would know the ultimate goal. The lowliest foot soldier knows the final planned objective. They might not know how the war would be won, but they are aware of what enemy had to be defeated. Holli quickly focused on what she saw as the inevitable.

"Eventually you are all going to rise up, are you not? You have no intention of living with the humans. You are going to kill them all."

The goblin smiled again, a wider more wicked smile. It made no attempt to argue. The truth was clear.

Holli looked back toward Huntston. The horde might have remained in the warehouse, but that fortune would not last, not for the people within the town. One day the goblins would rush from the mine and break through every door and window of that warehouse in the distance. They would charge across every street, break down the door to every home and every shop. They would pour into every corner of the town.

They would fight, and the savagery that they had buried would bubble to the surface in rapturous glee. The soldiers would not have a shred of hope. The guard captain's head would end up on the end of a spike and placed upon the roof of the town jail. The soldiers that guarded the bridge would probably be drowned in the rivers and left to be eaten by the fish.

The killing would not end with the town guard. Goblins wouldn't differentiate between soldiers and civilians. Men, women and children… all would be slaughtered. Huntston would become a nightmare… and it wouldn't be alone.

"I know all I need from you," Holli informed the goblin, punctuated with disgust.

"You won't let me fall now," the goblin stated confidently, knowing that the elf would hold true to her word. It could probably jump on purpose and it knew the elf would endeavor to save it. What it could not be sure of was its ultimate fortune. "Will you release me?"

Holli made her decision on that matter painfully clear.

"No. I never made that bargain. You are going with us to Sterling."

The goblin hissed and spit, but then grew quiet as if it accepted its fate. Perhaps it was not sure what waited for it in the dwarf caves.

Holli carried the still bound goblin roughly down the tree and left it leaning against the trunk. She nodded for Ryson to follow her out of earshot of the creature, but before leaving it behind, she spelled out obvious details.

"You could try to hop away, but you will not get far. Even if you were untied, you could not outrun either of us. Best not to anger me further."

She then walked away from the monster, deeper into the forest, and advised Ryson of her plans.

"As I said, we are going to Sterling. We have no idea of how far that dwarf mine travels out to the west. It probably connects with some underground dwarf passage that leads directly to Sterling. They need to be warned of this activity. They will not be pleased to hear that goblins have infiltrated their mines, even if the shaft has been abandoned. I also hope they can assist us in other matters."

"Such as?" Ryson asked.

"The goblins are taking treasure from dwarf mines. That is wealth that can be traced, not easily, but it is possible, especially with the assistance of dwarves."