The Summer I Met The Goblin King (ONC 2023)

Chapter Four: The Goblin King

The goblins multiplied like ants and tied up everyone in sight before dragging them down the tunnels.

"Unhand me you foul swine!" Sir Godly cried, twisting and turning. He attempted to get to his sword but the goblins took it away swiftly.

The wizard seemed unbothered and floated over the top of the goblins like a rock star over the crowd. Perhaps this wasn't the first time he'd been kidnapped.

Casey didn't know what to do. Sir Godly had made the goblin king out to be some villain but maybe, like the dragon, there was more to them than what the knight said.

Everything was lit by glowing rocks that looked similar to what had been in JJ's cave. They followed along the sides of the seemingly unending tunnel. Would this tunnel lead all the way back to wherever the goblin kings abode was?

"If you do not let me go, I will personally turn you into a hat and mount your head on my wall as a trophy!" Sir Godly declared. "Release me you fools!"

The rest of the travel time consisted of Sir Godly's loud complaints and threats, but he was unable to escape to do anything about it. Poor Meme was muzzled and unable to raise a word in protest.

What would the goblin king do to them? Throw them in prison to rot forever? Make them into stew? Casey shuddered at the thought of being someone's dinner. All she wanted was to be in this fantasy land a little longer, not die in it.

The lights got dimmer as they transferred to stone walls from dirt walls. It was lit very poorly by scattered torches. Prison cell's became visible up ahead. Sir Godly and Meme were thrown into one of them.

"I will not be held by this weak steel!" Sir Godly cried as he slammed his body into the bars, hopping on tied feet and hands.

The noise of him throwing his body against it echoed up the stairs as Jack and Casey were taken to a long hallway decorated in anime posters. Casey didn't realize they had anime here. . . Unless the goblin king wasn't from this world either.

Jack looked panicked and frozen as they approached large doors that swung open.

The goblins threw them across the floor. Casey skidded to a stop at the foot of a throne with a loud squeaking noise.

"Welcome travelers from another realm! It is a with great pleasure I welcome you into my— holy crap, Casey? Is that you!" Someone asked from in front of them.

Casey knew that voice. It was familiar but—it couldn't be, could it?

When she looked up she saw none other than her brother sitting sideways on a throne with a crown too tiny for his fluffy brown hair. He wore a long purple cloak that touched the floor, a forest green shirt, and no shoes. He had never been a fan of shoes when they were growing up, resulting in him getting kicked out of multiple places for not fitting their standards.

"Is this where you've been all this time? Five years Calvin! Five years!" Casey cried, wiggling her way into a sitting up position. "I outta punch you in the face, you jerk!"

The goblins gasped and looked at their king. It was as if they were waiting for him to exact some horrible punishment for her word choice.

Calvin got off the throne and walked towards her, swishing his cape. "It would be best if you watched your tongue and gave me the respect I deserve. I am a king after all."

"King of goblins my ass. More like king of walking boogers." Casey stuck out her tongue in defiance.

"Wow, so mature, let's just taunt the person we're at the mercy of I'm sure that won't lead to bad consequences," Jack grumbled. "I'm not looking to get bit by one of these things too." He cocked his head to one of the goblins that was picking its nose.

It paused and looked at him in disgust. "I would never bite a person, much too salty." The little hat it wore almost fell off its head as it shook it. "Stupid big people."

"I demand you let Meme and Sir Godly go, they didn't do anything to deserve being put in prison," Casey stated as she scooted closer to the throne despite the ropes around her. "They've been helping us."

"Sir Godly is my enemy, if I let him go, what kind of an example would I be setting? And Meme? The dragon? That's a dangerous pet, I can't let that thing roam around, it would scare my subjects. I'm not a stupid king, and I don't want the goblins thinking otherwise," Calvin said, walking around the room with his hands behind his back. "But. . . If you want to earn their freedom, there is a quest you can do for me, if you're up for the task."

Casey rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me, you want us to go shopping for you like the wizard."

"Hey, that was a legitimate quest," the wizard said as he walked into the room untied. "I'm not the sort to send you to your doom against some beast just to grab a diamond I could hire a knight or mercenary for."

"Why does he get to walk around free while me, your own sister, is tied up?" Casey demanded.

The wizard shrugged, displaying just how too big his coat was as it hung over the edges of his hands. "We're friends, I work for his royal highness."

"As you can see, I am the goblin king, I can't really show my face in the world out there or the opposing side will find out just how defeatable I am." Calvin continued to pace around as he talked, his bare feet tapping the floor. "The stories make me out as a big goblin with a war hammer and a scar across my eye, undefeated in battle. I don't want anyone to think otherwise."

"And?" Casey sighed. "Get to the point."

"There's this toy maker in the main kingdom that comes around once a year, rumored to have magical items in his possession. I—" Calvin moonwalked across the floor and spun around. "Want you to buy some."

"Only if you let me take Meme and Sir Godly with me. We'll get lost otherwise," Casey said. "That's the only way we'll make a deal."

"Sir Godly would never agree to help you in a quest to serve me."

"That's why we'll tell him it's an enchanted toy meant to defeat you."