Make a choice

Even if it wasn’t outright stated, it was what Marks wished in his heart for the goblins to do.

Succeeding a one-year old goblin’s final ethics exam came freedom, liberation out of mundanity of learning how a goblin must be a model goblin citizen. So sudden it was that this freedom earned of choosing their futures transpired into sheer fear paralyzing all sense of enthusiasm.

Stunned they were, as they stared at the bluish screen floating mid-air. Foreign and not so foreign, for the past whole year this screen would appear whenever a goblin wondered how strong they were or what their characteristics was.

“No one really bothered telling you bunch how the system works. And honestly its just simple I can explain it in a few sentences.” Mark ruffled his grey hair with a sigh, voice loudening in calling forth the goblins back to reality. Oftentimes these goblins would just halfheartedly listen and skim through Mark’s words and lectures. This time the boring teacher named Marks seemed more interesting.

“Let’s talk attributes first. Strength is the measure of how much strength a person could muster. Dexterity is how fast one could act and react. Constitution determines how much durability and vitality the body possesses. Spirit is mental strength and lastly, MI stands for Magic Intensity that augments a spell’s power.” The teacher stopped, letting the goblins having gears turning in their heads process the information first.

Grant fell into thought as he focused on ruminating over the new information given. Back then he didn’t really care about everything else except just doing what he needed to live day by day. Now that he had a goal he wouldn’t pass up any opportunity for growth.

“Skills on the other hand. Are special.” Marks smirked. Black eyes shining an unfathomable aura burst forth from his entire being. Room temperature plummeted and coldness started seeping into the bones of all present in the room. Thus fear etched itself on their minds, numbing senses and throwing the students back to memories of their painful beatings.

The goblins shivered. Grant furrowed his brows at Marks and the teacher narrowed his eyes at him.

The coldness bearing down on the room focused on Grant, making the goblin frown deeper. Being on the receiving end of another person’s killing intent wasn’t pleasing in the slightest bit. It felt as if a pair of predatory eyes were staring at the back of his head and he felt helpless.

Part of Grant wished to run off, but he reigned it in, keeping himself calm and collected albeit sweating profusely.

The pressure kept on climbing and climbing until three minutes later Grant blinked in surprise.

[Long term exposure to vast amounts of killing intent without crumbling from fear has tempered your will.]

[Spirit was raised from 6.8 to 7]

Marks retracted his killing intent and the room finally returned to normal. To Grant’s side, Uno held a palm to his chest, gasping for air. “A-Amazing…” The goblin mumbled.

“That was a skill. Skills are strange things that can only be learned on your own, taught by others or granted by the System if you do something special. Unfortunately, the last method of attaining skills is rare as a blood moon rising.”

“Passive skills involve inherent abilities associated with the body or soul. Such as having special eyes would grant a skill called night vision or something related to eyes. While active skills are skills that require effort to execute on the user’s part. The former is hard to level up, requiring root essence expenditure in most cases for even one level. And the latter can be strengthened by training and learning. Repeating the skill usage and improving bit by bit on it which causes it to level up in the end.”

Marks paused and thought about it then shook his head. “That’s all I’m going to tell for now. Spells and Arts would be further discussed when all of you have chosen your desired path by other teachers. I’m just an ethics teacher and I’ve done my best in disciplining all of you rowdy bunch.” At the end of his words was a proud smile on Mark’s part.

The teacher stared at the goblins who then stared at him with embarrassed smiles. When they were younger they were a liability and uncultured creatures ignorant of the greater picture. All they wanted was breeding and violence, thankfully the older generation moved their hands and taught the goblins other important aspects in life.

There was more to life than just pleasure and pride.

“Thank you teacher.” The goblins bowed their heads on their seats and even Grant followed.

Marks felt a tug at his heartstrings and he felt reluctant. These children he had taught would leave his class after today and move on with their lives. And it is here that he would await the next batch to discipline.

“Shut up all of you…” Marks clicked his tongue. He crossed his arms and grimaced under the simple brown shirt, pants and boots he wore.

Parting was always a bittersweet sorrow.

Although it was painful, Marks was happy. This was the choice he made years ago, he made the choice of being one who guides and teaches.

Everyone had a role in Ortus Village. The amazons and goblins. All of them took up posts contributing to the functioning of the village.

“Have you thought about it yet? If so then choose between Utility and Combat classes. Once you do I’ll write your names on this blackboard along with your choice.” Marks grabbed a piece of coal and pressed it against the grey stone rectangle serving as a blackboard.

The goblins clenched their fists and cried out.

“Chulbeerk! Utility Classes! I want to be a magical crop farmer and make the best crops for Ortus!”

“Wrorx! Combat Classes! My body desires the heat of combat and to lay my life for my brethren using an axe!”

“Uno! Combat Classes! I will tear all of our enemies bit by bit and limb by limb!”

Bang! Out of passion, Uno slammed his palm on the desk and demolished it.

Mark’s eye twitched though he didn’t rain on the enthusiastic future society pillar’s parade. ‘There goes a bit of my salary.’ The teacher lamented.

One by one the class of thirty goblins made their choices and Marks nodded. When a goblin makes a choice on what they want to be, they would stick by that choice and passionately indulge in it for the rest of their lives. Content and happy with what they are even if they were just a mere librarian guarding the books of a local library.

Marks wrote all of their desired professions and turned to the last silent goblin staring calmly in the air.

All eyes were on Grant again and he felt annoyed. ‘Training… This is training to be resistant to being uncomfortable at having people’s attention.’ He sighed inwardly as his new goal would cast attention on him if he were to succeed in reaching it.

This goal of his was just one step of his plan. Grant thought back to the snake and thought back to his past life. Closing his eyes he buried the past in a special chest inside the annals of his mind and instead focused on the present.

‘The past can wait but the present cannot.’ Grant steeled himself.

He wanted to see this world, he wanted to explore all of it and find meaning to his life but he can’t do it on his own. That much Grant was aware of.

No man was an island, and in a world where magical beasts and heroes lived, unless one was the reincarnation of a supreme god having a mountain of myriad treasures, then no one could walk through the world unhindered.

“Grant. Leadership Classes. I will learn everything needed and I will excel then take up the mantle of Village Chief once our great leader feels that I’m ready enough.” His words were like a powerful silencing spell. The room lost all its enthusiasm, warmth and noise.

All that remained was a still silence a pin drop could be heard if one were to fall right now.

Mark’s mood plummeted into the negatives. His stern gaze never left the small silent gob’s green pupils as if he was trying to peer into Grant’s soul.

“Its been twenty years since our great chief has founded our home, having led the fewest of the bravest goblins and amazons to BlackRock mountain.”

Each word came out with great weight that turned Mark’s words respectful but serious.

“Ortus village was once a nest of Magical Beast spiders and it was our great chief who banished them to the dark spots and cut away the webs surrounding the sunstones which embroiled the cavern in darkness. He brought light and he brought hope.”

Marks left his spot behind the table at the very front of the class and stood by Grant’s side. His more than five feet tall stature loomed over the reincarnator like a ticking timebomb. The slightest wrong answer seeming to be the last spark that was needed to blow up the bomb.

“Grant look me in the eye and tell me.”

“Do you have what it takes to become as good as our leader.”

“Do you have the qualifications of leading the last remaining goblin settlement in all of Shard to prosperity?”

Grant stared back at Marks, their pupils locked on each other, one looked down and one looked up. None willing in backing down as their talk concerns the possible fate of Ortus village itself.

“I do. And I will trample anything that does not submit or ally themselves to our home. And I will exploit what can be abused for our gain.”

When Grant made a decision, he would see it through until the very end. And when he had a goal, he will reach it no matter what.

“I see… Then can you answer this.”

“The weight of everyone’s lives will fall on your back if you succeed as the village head. The lives of your brethren and the smiles of everyone living in this place. All of it will vanish if you mess up the slightest bit.”

“Knowing of the consequences, do you still wish walking this path?”

“Failure isn’t an option Grant.”

Mark’s words were law that pressed down on Grant. Grant weighed it all, he looked around and saw the hopeful looks present on the goblin’s faces.

All of these goblins were different. They weren’t just the goblins found in fiction bound by savagery. Although that aspect still stuck in their blood it has been suppressed and weakened so much by education and discipline.

The amazons…. The goblins…

All of these creatures only existing in fantasy were alive. They were real living beings who had hopes and dreams.

To become village chief was to be responsible for all of that.

Grant could never go back. For this world was his reality now and he knew it.

Even with that much responsibility Grant still didn’t falter. Instead of shying away he would take that burden and wear it on his back with dignity. Becoming village chief and leading the goblins and amazons to explore the whole world was his goal.

No… It wasn’t only his goal.

Grant’s eyes flickered between life and death. Dullness and Sharpness.

He fought back against one fear which he suppressed firmly.

He resisted the sense of lifeless hollowness that wanted to consume him whole.

‘This is my only option.’ It was either reach his goals or die.

Because what was he supposed to do in this world if he had no goal?

He needed a high goal as a distraction and reason to live because he knew.

Grant knew that if he had no reason to live then he will end up succumbing to that hollowness and kill himself.

“I will prove myself worthy of everyone’s trust.”