ARC 5 - Oblivions Edge Part 2: Break of Dawn

Chapter 10

Jerza and Nasri had laden themselves with golden coins and jewels to the extent that they clinked as they walked. 

Koldar quickly took it as an annoyance and a safety issue, forcing them to walk a few paces behind the group.

They came to a stairway leading upward with a bridge leading left from where they stood back across the lava. 

As they looked up, they could see dozens of bridges spanning the area of what must have been near the core of the mountain.

Sharna put a finger to her lips, and motioned up the stairs. 

"That's where the goblin king is. That's where you'll find the boy. If he hasn't been eaten."

Clavis felt his heart weigh heavy. He knew Krewing wanted them dead by the end of this trip, but he had hoped that if the group failed to stop the enforcers, they'd at least give Gathen and himself quick deaths.

They heard chatter from above them and crept up till they could just peek over the edge. 

Seated on a throne that appeared to be made of human bone and crystal, was the fattest goblin Koldar had ever seen. 

His skin wasn't dark red like the others, but was almost white in color, with pink splotches throughout. 

It wore only a small covering at its waist and had a crown of black thorns on its head. 

In one hand he held a chain, tugging on it as he laughed with his goblin horde, jerking the other end connected to Gathens neck.

In the other hand, he held Sumav by the top of the head, sweat still pouring from him, his skin now almost all black, and taunt against his skeletal frame.

"This fool thought he could rush us and save the boy!" The horde chattered loudly amongst themselves.

"There is a silver lining though." He paused for a moment, thoughtfully looking into the distance.

Suddenly his gaze fell and he locked eyes with Koldar. 

"Seems he brought us more guests."

The horde turned and Koldar started to turn back down the stairs, only to find more goblins already blocking their path, spears at the ready.

"Come, come, join us here in front!"

The goblins corralled them up to the front near the king.

"Bunch of fools you are." He said, pulling Gathens chain so that he was forced to sit right next to him. 

"Figures we pull in the whelp and the rest of ya come in after him. So just why was a bunch a city folk wanderin' through my land?" 

Sharna elbowed Mrax and quietly motioned upward. Up to the left side lead a rough set of stairs, believing to return to the outside.

"We're headed to the old crash site." Koldar replied. 

"Which one?" The goblin king inquired.

"THE crash site. The dark one."

"Aaah." The king leaned back in his throne.

"Why in the world would ya want to go there?" The goblins tone had changed drastically from a playful 'I may eat you' to very serious.

"We need what they had. The power to harness a star."

"You know it's a fool's errand, right? No one's been able to get into the wreckage since it was found. There's a darkness that watches over it. One what watches over everyone on the planet. That is why we are in the planet."