"Kyros, is that you?"
A quiet voice, but sharp enough to cut through the marketplace chatter.
Everything stops. Heads turn toward the source. A smaller goblin stands there with lighter skin, almost grey rather than the usual deep black. Thin frame. A basket of food shaking in their hands.
"Yes, it is me."
Kyros answers slowly, as if the words need time to settle.
"I thought you had been exiled. Dead, even…"
Uryos steps closer. The basket falls to the ground and their hands tremble as they reach out. At that moment, tension spikes. Sable Veil shifts slightly, hands drifting to their weapons, ready for anything.
The goblin moves in and then—
Uryos clasps Kyros's hand and lifts it.
"I really thought you had died!"
In a moment, the tension is dispelled.
The entire group exhales at once. A quiet wave of relief flows as the air relaxes around them.
"Yes. I have returned to free our village from that tyrant."
"I assumed as much," Uryos's voice softens. "There would be no other reason for you to come back."
A beat of time passes. Their hand slowly slides away from his, and judging by the movements of their head, they have finally taken notice of the others.
"Who are these?"
"Ah, these are members of Sa—"
"Binded Oath. That is the name of our organization."
Kors cuts in before Kyros can finish.
"My name is Vilheim."
"Sarah." Arivia adds, giving a small wave.
"I am known as Garth." Asakawa says, her voice flat.
"Name's Livia." Navi concludes with a nod.
For a moment, Kyros freezes mid-stride, like his body forgot how to move. Then he blinks, snaps back into motion, and turns toward Uryos.
Their teeth are slightly bared. Upon further inspection, their shoulders seemed to be tensed as well, as if an animal had taken over for a moment.
After a few seconds, it melts away like nothing happened.
"Greetings to you all," she says. "A warm welcome."
This did not go unnoticed.
"....Apologies, Uryos. I hate to be so blunt, but do you know of anything that can help us in our plan against Tyrox?" Kors asks.
"Ah, I see. You have brought company." Uryos turns to Kyros. "These ones look particularly skilled as well."
The goblin, studying the mask, then shifts their eyes toward the goblins moving outside. Their expression barely changes, but their voice lowers.
"We cannot speak here. It is far too dangerous. Please. Follow me to my home."
Suspicion runs through the group like a cold draft. A shared, silent look. Following someone straight into a house is usually the kind of decision that kills you in stories.
Kyros steps forward.
"I understand how this may look. But you can trust Uryos. She has helped me many times with the restoration of our people. Even before the Tyrant arrived."
Uryos pauses at the doorway of a small hut, glancing back with the basket in her hands. It seems she did not hear any of that, or she pretends she did not.
"Eh, what could go wrong, really?" Ariva mutters. "There are four of us. And Kyros hasn't really been wrong about anything so far. I doubt he would lead us into a trap."
A breeze slips through the gaps in the walls. The sounds of goblins talking outside drift in like a reminder of the world continuing without them.
"…There is only one choice." Kors finally says. He stands, the legs of the chair scraping loud against the floor. Time sits still.
One by one the others rise, their movements steady and ready.
The table squeaks as the last bit of weight leaves it.
"Let us go," Uryos says, and steps outside.
____________________________________________________________________________
The house itself had a strangely comfortable atmosphere. Light pours through the windows, and dust drifts through the beams like tiny drifting spirits. A sofa sat in the middle of the entrance, stuffed with some kind of cotton-like material that looked a little too soft to trust.
To the left was the kitchen, particularly easy to spot because of the cluster of pans and cutlery.
And to the far right had been a large bedroom, evident by the mattress in the corner.
"Welcome," Uryos says as she steps in and drops her basket onto the floor. "The space may be slightly inadequate, especially for sapients, but I am sure it will work."
A small scuffle flares at the entrance as Asakawa and Arivia bump into each other, each trying to shove through first.
It is resolved instantly when Navi plants a hand on Arivia's back and shoves her inside.
Arivia stumbles forward.
"Kya-!"
She steadies herself, nearly tripping. Quickly turning around, she shoots a glare back at her attacker, but Navi is completely uninterested, already walking in.
Asakawa pays none of it any mind either, slipping through afterward.
Kors stands at the back, head shaking slowly. He had clearly forgotten that half his group was made of teenagers.
"Please, sit," Uryos says. "I will bring tea. Then we may talk."
She practically sprints to the kitchen, leaving a brief puff of dust in her wake. A barrage of clattering metal follows.
The group settles onto the sofa, the structure bending with each weight being shifted onto it. Asakawa sits first.
Navi takes the spot beside her.
Arivia groans at the lack of space, then decides to sit directly on Asakawa's lap, earning instant disdain from the black haired girl.
A smug grin spreads across Arivia's face behind the mask.
"If you move even a single muscle, I will launch you," Asakawa warns.
Arivia raises a hand and mimics her tone mockingly, only for her ride pulling down on her ponytail.
Kors chooses to stay standing, deciding he would rather not sit in a pile of chaos; the chaos in question being the crowded couch.
Kyros stands beside him for the same reason.
They sit in uneasy silence. The urge to speak on the current situation seems enticing; however, talking about anything sensitive with a stranger so close would prove to be risky.
The airs of suspicion still remained.
If she tried to betray them, Sable Veil could deal with her easily. That calculation had actually been the sole reason Kors agreed to follow her. It was five versus one, and such a ratio would certainly result in her downfall.
"...Kyros. How did you meet Uryos?" Asakawa asks. She angles her head around Arivia, attempting to get a view of the goblin. A question to begin any sort of conversation.
Kyros lowers his gaze before he answers.
"...As you know, goblins are usually seen as savage, mindless creatures. That is what this place was for a very long time."
"But I wanted to change that. I wanted a society that protects rather than ravages. Uryos was the most important part of that mission."
"Kh. Asa, your sheath is poking my waist!"
A sharp elbow silences Arivia immediately.
"It took years for me to make any progress," Kyros continues. "For a long while, no one listened to seminars. No one cared to reform. Why would they? Why change the way they had been living for so long? Their lives were in their own hands. Why would rules bind them?"
"...But one faithful day, a young goblin around my age approached me, asking what it was I stood for."
He pauses.
"We talked for a long time. Longer than I expected. And she listened. To go against a creature's instincts, to reshape what we are born with, is nearly impossible. That is why I was shocked by Uryos. She was my first success, something that kindled my passion. I had never seen someone listen to me so tentatively."
He pauses, seemingly in admiration.
"Shortly after her conversion, we worked with the previous elder of the village and preached the word to the older and the younger ones, trying to instill ideas of love and companionship."
He exhales, shoulders stiff.
"Though, I would be simply lying if I said that there weren't days when the sky felt black. A goblin injuring another, or worse. It felt like falling back into the abyss. Sometimes I questioned if any of it mattered. If it could ever work."
His hand curls into a fist.
"Her words kept me going. 'We will do it. ' A mantra. Every time I fell into doubt, she dragged me out. 'We will do it.' 'We will do it.' After a few years, she was even appointed the role of chief officer of Reformation Corps."
"....I remember those long speeches, ones that would had some kind of spell that forced everyone's heart into the blazing heat of passion. She had quite the ability to charm individuals, a sort of 'spell' that everyone simultaneously agreed was there."
"Eventually, we succeeded in our mission. To civilize our people. No more did we kill each other for the smallest reasons."
"...But then the Tyrant came and destroyed everything."
"That's quite the turn," Arivia notes.
He lowers his head.
"The rest, you know. But in short, I am deeply grateful to Uryos."
The group watches him quietly, not noticing Uryos standing behind them, carrying six cups of tea on a tray. Her hands shake.
"T-Thank you," she says, voice trembling. "...I never thought my words meant so much."
She places the cups down. They clink faintly. "But without you, Kyros, there would be no reformation at all."
Navi leans forward to inspect a cup. The liquid is a deep green, with tiny specks of dust floating lazily on the surface. Thin trails of steam curl up into the air, disappearing with little resistance.
"No, Uryos. You deserve the credit." Kyros responds, shaking his head.
"Please. You flatter me." Uryos presses her palms to her cheeks, clutching the tray to her chest with her forearms.
"...Although.." She places her palms back down, grasping at the tray. "Despite our efforts, it seems our work has come to an end."
Silence settles.
"No," Kyros says, firm. "I will change this."
Uryos lets out a long, tired breath.
"–It is not like you to give up so easily, Uryos," Kyros comments, noting on her emotional exterior."
"I never gave up. I simply knew that tackling your task alone was almost impossible. A small part of me has just been waiting, to be honest."
"I see."
The sound of tapping erupts around the room. Said sound belongs to Uryos, her fingers patting against the wooden board, the board hugged close to her chest. Despite the lack of eyes, it can be concluded that she had been staring into the distance.
"I know it has not been a very long time. But it still feels like such a long…"
"Uryos, you have held down for a while, and I will not betray your trust," Kyros says, resolute. He places a hand on her shoulder.
"And if you wish me to change things, you must make some potentially risky decisions."
She nods.
"Now. Please. Tell us what we need to know."
"…"
"Kyros."
"?"
"You know, after you left, a group of soldiers came into the house."
A slight stir in Kyros's movements served as a puzzled look.
"If I recall, they were Uyos, Huyos, and Zylos. You know how they are, right? How those three brothers always used to laze around, always gloomy. Whenever we'd use to send them out for community duties, they'd always complain."
She chuckles lightly, as if remembering ghosts.
"I used to think they all had the same mind. That they were triplets."
She exhales slowly.
"They came in one day. I had thought they just arrived for some kind of advice, a word to improve themselves. But this time, they came with weapons. And for some odd reason…"
She pauses.
"I could not understand why then. But…"
Her head lifts, her teeth shining as she smiles.
"They were happy. I had never seen them so happy."
Kyros had frozen.
"They always moaned, always groaned."
"Uryos…?"
Silence. The wind outside whispers along the walls, the only sound left in the house.
"They were ecstatic, Kyros. When I asked them what had happened, they said they had been freed. That they were no longer bound by chains."
Kyros' breathing halts.
"You are probably wondering. How? Why? What is she talking about?"
"Well. They took me to their leader. An orc named Tyrox. Honestly, seeing him in person was terrifying. He towered above me. His eyes only shot a deep red glare toward me. It felt like an endless pit had formed in my stomach."
"Uryos…"
"No. Please. Let me finish." She squeezes her fingers tight around the board. "He asked me something that shook my entire core. Honestly, I did not think he was capable of such deep thoughts."
Kyros reaches out. "Uryos—"
"I thought he was nothing more than a giant brute. One who let his fists dictate every decision. That is what I believed, before he asked me that question."
"It was a question that rocked my entire worldview."
"Uryos, please, stop."
"Yes. He asked me—"
"Uryos!"
Hands move to weapons. Navi's gaze sharpens. Asakawa tenses. Arivia stops breathing entirely. Kyros' own hands dig into his head, refusing to hear her. The only person who stayed beside him through every failure.
And that same person—
Her face contorts into a wide smile, fangs glinting.
"Why do you limit yourself from being truly free!"
The scream tears through the house. She presses her palms together tight, raising her face to the ceiling.
"All along, that is why it felt like something was tearing my insides open!"
"Uryos! Please!"
Kyros' voice breaks into something raw. Something ruined. His glass heart shattering, the last layers of tape giving way. "You are not like this! You are just confused!"
"That is why it hurt, Kyros!" Uryos cries, her voice cracking into laughter and agony. "That is why whenever I held myself back from killing someone who disagreed with me, it felt like I was ripping my nails off!"
"What are you saying!?"
"I am saying I finally realized. Placing rules on people like us, monsters like us…"
Her head snaps toward Kyros. The tray slips from her hands and clatters on the floor.
"It is impossible."
"Kyros, get behind me," Navi mutters, stepping forward, saber drawn.
"No! Stop! She is being controlled! That bastard has—"
"Kyros." Uryos speaks sharply. Clearly. Too clearly. "I am sane. I am in perfect senses right now."
"No. No! You are only saying that because of the control!"
"Every goblin here has finally understood our purpose."
She spreads her arms.
"To murder. To steal. To pillage. That is the reason we were placed onto this world. There is no deeper meaning to our existence."
Asakawa's grip on Arivia tightens. Kors steps forward, fury palpable in his posture.
Kyros staggers backward.
"Tell me, Kyros," Uryos says softly. "Is the root behind your motivation to appear 'civilized', the fact that you are a goblin?"
Her gaze sharpens.
"It is because you despise yourself, is it not?"
"I—!"
"There is no defense. Because I am right." She points at him, her hand trembling. "You hate your kind. You hate your teeth. Your eyes. Your skin. You hate that you cannot be seen as 'normal'. You want to be one of them."
"No! I am proud of—"
"You liar." Her voice stings like a blade. "Why do you hate your race? Why do you cling to their morality?"
"Their values are not ours. We kill because we are aberrations. We are no different from predators with minds, and that is okay."
"..."
"To chain a predator's mouth is to deny its purpose."
Her expression softens.
Almost tender. Almost loving.
"You must choose to be free, Kyros."
Morality.
It is a fundamental thing that almost every sapient follows. A series of unspoken rules and regulations that are instilled at birth. If these rules are broken, the individual is labeled as bankrupt. Morally reprehensible. A monster.
But what is the line between an actual Aberration and Sapient?
Some might say, 'teeth, etc' But some Sapient races share those exact features.
The two sometimes seem much closer than they should. The former may appear as 'human' as possible, but will lack that exact humanity.
Yes, most Aberrations are simply mindless abominations, but what about the intelligent ones?
Are sapients who lack morality considered aberrations?
This has been a topic for scholarly debate for a long time. To define evil. To assign it a shape. To draw a boundary and say, this here, this is where a person becomes a monster.
Is a psychopath an Aberration?
However, it is universally agreed that despite all the exceptions listed above, Aberrations tend to appear more monstrous in comparison, reflecting their monstrous inside.
But what about an Aberration moving toward being a Sapient?
Some argue that only evolution can allow such a change. That the creature must shift slowly, painfully, over thousands of years. But what of an instantaneous transformation? What of a being rewritten in a moment?
Is science linked to the soul?
The hole will forever dig down. Philosophers have drowned in it. Entire volumes written on the nature of a mind.
But the point is this:
If a monster, in mentality and form, is given a mind that can think, can it learn to love? Can it learn to cherish, to protect, to hope, despite holding a different moral framework?
What had sparked in Kyros's brain that resulted in such a drastic change in his mentality? Why had he abandoned his way of thinking and chosen the way of knowledge, of kindness? What had caused that spark?
However, the same could not be said for his companions. They were, in essence, no more than violent beasts with minds attributed to them. That is something that cannot change.
"...For a long time, I had been wondering. Why was I putting on a false persona? Pretending to be something I was not? Was I wrong for thinking this way?"
"Kyros, is it my fault? Am I wrong in your eyes for thinking this way? Am I wrong for following my instincts?"
"No… Uryos."
"I had given it serious thought, despite how I seem right now. What could be the reason why Kyros wanted to change so badly? For a while, I assumed it was because you watched your siblings die in front of your eyes, but we were constantly surrounded by bloodshed. We do not get traumatized the same way those creatures do."
"And it could not be the Elder…"
"No! That is simply not true!"
"You are aware that the Elder, the same one who supposedly put you on this path, did not expect you to take it that far? Even he himself was shocked. He was merely regurgitating what he saw. Some even said he was joking with—"
"No. What are you implying?! That is simply a lie! He objectively supported my endeavors no matter what!"
"Then why was he never around?"
"Hkh!"
At this point, the goblin has his hands on the ground, his body trembling without control.
"…"
"Please stand, Kyros. I am aware that having such a truth presented to yourself, after devoting yourself to a cause for so long, is damaging to the mind."
"No. No. You cannot tell me that. The reconstruction of our village! The laughs! The camaraderie! It could not have been…"
"It was all an act, Kyros."
"..."
"You seem to have something special that we do not have, Kyros. A warped sense of self."
"But I will not discriminate against you, Kyros. You must learn to free yourself from those shackles holding you back from true strength, which Tyrox names freedom."
At this point, the goblin is on the ground, sounds of anguish gasping out of his mouth. Asakawa attempts to lift him up, her hands crossing to his back.
"Okay. All this philosophical stuff is making my brain hurt," Arivia exclaims, her hands clasping together.
Kors nods his head.
"I can understand what you are saying, Uryos, but you cannot force him to join something that he clearly does not want to be a part of."
Kors keeps his shooting arm raised.
"Now, please step out of the house. You are causing our companion pain."
"Kh."
"Kyros! What I am saying to you might seem outlandish because you have been surrounding yourself with those creatures! What I am saying is objectively right!"
"I can't… Why. Why. Uryos. Why? You helped me! You—!!"
"Kyros, I know it hurts. I know. But if you want to be a true goblin, you must kill them. That is the only way. The only way to accept strength. Reject those shackles!"
"No… You must kill me then…! I will not..!"
"I will not kill you, I will simply change your way of thinking!"
She extends her hands.
"I want us to think the same!"
"I want you to change because I lo—"
The sound of glass shatters. The sound tears through the house despite the silence moments before. A blur moves, shooting toward Uryos.
The sound of flesh being crushed reverberates through the air.
For a moment, the world holds its breath as her corpse crumples to the ground. No different than a puppet with its strings cut.
Shock follows next. The air of tension is gone, replaced with something hollow.
Blood pools around the corpse, light reflecting in its surface. The goblin's head is almost crushed from the sheer velocity of the object, revealed to be a simple crude spear.
"Uryos!!"
The scream erupts immediately. The goblin scatters toward his companion, frantically checking her body, hoping she had survived the impact. However, to his dismay, her dislocated jaw and exposed brain offered the opposite answer.
Kors turns to the door, both revolvers drawn, to attack this supposed murderer.
"Wait! Do not shoot!" a voice calls out. Male.
All heads turn to the door as another goblin steps in, his skin darker, his hands raised. He seems slightly taller than Kyros, with more of a what seems to be a muscular form.
"Chill out. I ain't the enemy."
"Uyos?" The goblin weakly calls out, clutching the corpse in his hands.
"Yep. That is me." He grins, walking toward Uryos's corpse. He bends down and places a hand on the spear. Kyros can do nothing but simply watch. All of his strength had been utterly sapped out.
"Damned thing is in there tight," he chuckles, twisting his hand, prompting little spurts of blood to erupt.
Sable Veil simply remains, watching. This was not something that was new to them, unfortunately.
"You… You killed her."
"Hmm. What about it?" Uyos asks, continuously twisting the spear.
"Uryos. She was like a sister to you. She gave you advice. She nurtured you. She sacrificed so much for you."
The goblin pulls the spear free with a grunt, blood spurting from the wound onto his face. Chuckling, he wipes his face.
He swiftly arises and shrugs.
"Man, isn't that whole trend over? Are you still on that? You gotta wake up, dude."
Another shock slams into Kyros's body. A shock so heavy he nearly vomits from disgust.
"Sheesh, drama queen—"
"Uyos. What happened to your brothers…?"
A grin stretches across Uyos's face as he raises a necklace. Like a child showing a trophy to it's parent.
"They were being really annoying."
It's almost unimportant at first glance. However, if one were to see the contents attached to it…
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"
Everything had been an act.
He was alone.
Utterly alone.
Not a goblin or human.