Greensteel; Rise of the Monster Hero Ch. 02 - Teaser (Patreon)

“GO!” Kael shouted. Mira ran five steps, six, seven, then planted her foot on the edge and launched herself outward. For an instant, she seemed suspended against the mist, then gravity claimed her.

“MIRA!”

Grathk’s voice erupted behind Kael as she disappeared downward. Kael rushed to the edge and saw her body strike the center of the pool with a booming splash. Water exploded upward, and Kael waited for several seconds before he saw Mira’s head break the surface farther downstream. She gasped for air, alive and kicking.

“YES!” Kael exulted, but his celebration lasted exactly half a second before Grathk spoke again.

“Kaelrik.”

He turned and saw that the hunting party of goblins had arrived. They spread across the rocky shelf behind Grathk, blocking every route except the waterfall. More than twenty of them stood there, all armed with spears, axes, and clubs. Several wore expressions of satisfaction, as they had him at their mercy now. Grathk stood at their front, his face almost trembling with rage.

“You.”

“Me,” Kael smirked as he slowly straightened, switching back to the goblin tongue.

“You steal chief’s woman,” Grathk accused.

“She looked happier leaving,” Kael shrugged and several goblins exchanged looks.

“You shame tribe,” Grathk growled, stepping forward.

“No, you did,” Kael replied, his voice hardening as the humor disappeared. Grathk stopped as Kael pointed toward him. “You couldn’t beat me.”

“You weak,” Grathk snarled.

“Then why didn’t you fight me?”

Silence answered him, and the goblins behind Grathk became noticeably quieter.

“You hit me from behind and left me for the wolves,” Kael continued. Grathk’s face tightened at the accusation, and several goblins looked toward their leader. Kael found that interesting, as the looks they were shooting at the fat goblin were those of disbelief. It looked like Grathk hadn’t told them that part about what had happened.

“You remember what you said? Because I do,” Kael smiled coldly, tapping the side of his head. “‘Let wolves eat problem.’”

Someone behind Grathk muttered something, and he rounded on them, screaming.

“Quiet!”

“You call yourself strong?” Kael laughed. Grathk growled deeper, sounding angrier by the moment as he turned back to face Kael. “You call yourself a warrior? You couldn’t beat one goblin fairly, so you clubbed him from behind and let animals do the rest. And now you bring twenty friends to catch him.”

Kael’s gaze swept across the hunting party and a few goblins shifted uncomfortably while Grathk’s hand tightened around his club.

“I chief-son!”

“Congratulations. You want a medal?” Kael asked, his grin returning. Grathk clearly had no idea what that meant, and it somehow made him angrier anyway.

“YOU DIE!”

He charged one step forward, but Kael drew his shortsword and swung at Grathk. The polished blade flashed in the morning sunlight as it hit the club close to Grathk’s hand and knocked it out of the fat goblin’s grip. Grathk stopped, and so did the goblins behind him, clearly unnerved by what had just happened. Kael looked at the twenty warriors, then at Grathk as he sheathed his sword.

“And what does this make me?” he asked.

“Coward,” Grathk sneered.

“Me?” Kael chuckled as he slowly backed toward the waterfall. “Nah. I’m pragmatic.”

Grathk’s eyes widened as Kael turned, ran and jumped. The goblins reached the edge seconds later. They crowded forward in a confused mass of leather, bone, crude weapons, and heaving breath, several nearly colliding with one another as they skidded to a stop. For a moment, none of them saw anything but mist, white water, and the endless roar of the falls.