Chapter 1: Introduction
The smell of pine needles mixed with the peculiar scent of earth made Johan's nose tickle. He rubbed it with his sleeve. The sleeve of his coat felt damp, and not only because of the runny snot. Ever since the first thing this morning, he'd been caught in a damnable drizzle. And every road he'd taken had led him deeper into this horribly unfamiliar forest.
"Shit," he breathed in frustration, and pushed back a strand of sandy blonde hair that had fallen over his forehead.
He looked around. The trees seemed to close tighter around him. It wasn't just his imagination - even the air itself seemed to have a foreboding, oppressive quality.
He couldn't stay there. Not for long, at least. He didn't fancy being the next greasy spot some random animal would leave its droppings on. Johan had not ever been lost before, but this forest was unfamiliar to him and the weather didn't help.
Still, his self-assurance did not falter. He knew how to take care of himself in nature and had enough survival skills to make it through the night.
Making a decision, he trudged ahead. He had to find shelter before the night fell, he didn't want to camp in this weird forest. Suddenly, through the thick foliage, he saw a clearing up ahead. A tiny glimmer of hope filled Johan's heart.
The clearing, punctuated by the silhouettes of strange figures, seemed surreal. Yet, he desperately hoped it could be the goblin village he'd heard stories about. It was safer than camping in the terrifying forest and the company of creatures seemed oddly less menacing than being alone in the treacherously dense foliage.
Rolling his shoulders back, Johan moved forward, leaving the suffocating enclosure of trees behind. The moment his feet hit the edge of the clearing, the air shifted. Hushed murmurs replaced the ever-present hum of insects.
As Johan crossed the threshold of the woodland, it was as if an invisible, insulating bubble had been popped. His boots crunched against a soft carpet of moss covering the ground. He was now in the open and there was no way he could miss the tiny village, if it could be called one. Johan hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether he should proceed. But the chill in the air, a harbinger of the coming dusk, hastened his decision.
Johan moved further into the clearing, a troupe of watchful goblin eyes tracking his progress. The lanky human seemed a beast of singular strength, muscles bulging from his taut skin under the fleeting dusk's light.
The village appeared to have sprung from the very ground up, each low-lying building seamlessly blending with the surrounding forest. And despite the peculiar architecture, Johan couldn't help but feel as if the village, like him, had strayed from its proper domain.
They were so cute and sexy. Small as children, but with very adult sexual attributes.
They were utterly magnetic, their tiny humanoid forms covered in earthy hues of green. Their ammunition-like teeth, pointy ears, and exaggeratedly mischievous expressions tickled a primal, untamed fascination within him.
An especially tall goblin moved forward, the other small creatures parting ways like an ocean for a ship. An overpowering presence of masculinity clung to the muscular figure. His tightly bound, powerful arms appeared custom-made for harsh battles - for dominance.
A primal, profoundly male magnetism rolled off him in waves. Others within the village treated him with deference, a cautious reverence in their watchful eyes, voices hushed.
"Who dares tread upon our turf?" demanded the imposing figure, his voice vibrating unlike anything Johan had ever heard."No need for the hostility." Johan said firmly.
He held his hands up, palms facing the Goblin Leader in a universally recognized symbol of peace.
The Goblin Male Leader crossed his arms, scrutinizing Johan with an intensity that would've made most men squirm under their gaze. But Johan would not be so easily intimidated. He met the Leader's gaze evenly, with a strong dose of confidence and determination.
"You are a bold one," the Goblin Male Leader said after a moment of tension-filled silence.
Johan flashed a disarming smile. He was not particularly intimidated, being way taller and almost twice the weight of the Goblin male.
The playful challenge in Johan's eyes was impossible to miss. A ripple of amusement coursed through the crowd of goblins. The strange human's boldness seemed to have momentarily shifted their focus from fear to curiosity.
"I've wandered here by accident," Johan admitted, not seeing the harm in being honest. "I got lost and need to find my way back home."
The Goblin Leader studied the human's rugged but honest face. His traditions forced him to challenge any other male to the breeding rights of the females, he had previously defeated all other Goblin males and would not want to let go of his priced harem.
This ritual was ancient and upheld the balance of power in his village. Though he could see this man wasn't entirely an enemy.
"Aye, humans often stray in our territory. We don't see many of your kind here," replied the Goblin Male Leader in his gruff, yet sonorous voice. "But in order to let you pass through our village, you must prove your worth."
"Oh?" Johan raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the Goblin King's proposition.
"Yes. I challenge you to a fight.