Chapter 20

Only a short time had passed before James awakened and decided there was no point in faking not being awake so he opened his eyes. He could feel hot air blowing into his ears from the mice that bit at the cloth on his shoulders dragging him along. Some of the mice around him noticed James was now awake but seemed to want to do nothing as long as he did not. The group that was following him to wherever he was going was growing larger by the minute soon there seemed to be at least dozens.

So this is it, most likely dying from the weakest creature there is and there is no way a fight would go my way either

Since the only directions James could see were straight up directly in front there was no way to know what was coming up next. The air got slightly warmer when the group started to go down a long spiral walkway large enough for a full adult party with room to spare. What came as a huge surprise was what seemed to be carved sections had come out of the wall in the shape of windows from what he could gather from the seconds viewing at a time was a cavern lit up by those same rocks he saw earlier.

All around there was thousands of rats that just seemed to be waiting there and creating a great deal of nose that echoed off the walls. Every so often he could smell flesh burning coming from the directions of one of the massive fires that dotted the area around him expect from directly ahead.

When they finally reached the bottom after a few minutes What James saw was beyond belief when the let go and he was allowed to stand on his own. In this massive cavern stood in its center some sort of massive wide gateway that had to be twice as large as his house in both height and width. Bones of clearly many species and other materials made this up. At the top center in pure black with a bright white jewel in its center shaped in a circle with seven symbols around it.

On the left and right sides seemed to be carved totems with similar gems but much smaller and directed sideways directly point at the large one up above. The entire gateway was raised require a good deal amount of stairs and yet none of that was the worst part. Dozens of babies cried out while they were chained down to symbols that matched the ones on the gateway on top. While most of them were human babies like him there were elf and Beastmen tribe. Before the line of babies there was a raised platform where a figure in a hood as dark as the gateway its back was facing him.

My god… what is about to happen to all of us?!

James was so scared he did not even move and he did not even notice at first as one of the rats closest to him started to go up the staircase where the figure stood. The rat stood up on its back legs and seemed to be talking to the figure, this had been the first person besides himself to be able to originally speak to rat.

I guess it’s not a surprise if this was the one that set all these things into motion and whatever its plans are for the gateway

The figure seemed to motion causing the rat to quickly move away and back down the stairs then the figure ever so slowly descended as well. His footsteps seemed to be weary and leaning on the staff, it was a dark wood with a bright red diamond on top. All around him the mice backed away as the figure approached closer but his hood remained up and James could only see darkness where a face would be. The figure got so close he was almost directly over James when he decided to pull down his hood and from the soft glove of the rocks around revealed a face of a goblin.

Its head was bald and all of its skin was a dark green, scares lined his body but seemed unnatural given the magic he sure must have to heal. His eyes are what stood out to James the most, red and black iris like a cut. He had to stand just under five feet and while knowing for little about goblins seemed to be not too old.

“You don’t know how long I have waited to meet someone like you, my name is Sloodar” Sloodar said with a grin

You know I can speak?

Sloodar just laughed when James finished thinking out his response

“Well were you really trying to hide it? And yes I can read the thoughts you are sending out so don’t worry about trying to speak but if you wish to humor me by all means try”

James knew that if he was not more scared then he had ever been in his life right now then he would have been annoyed but it did not matter. It was clear Sloodar controlled everything and everyone here.

“You must think I am a horrible person for taking all these babies”

Of course you are! What are you going to do with them?

“Not just them, you will be joining them on the final spot needed. Also you’re right about the first thing, I am horrible person and the gods made me this way”

There was no emotion in Sloodar’s force as he spoke now, it was as if he was simply stating facts.

“Let me ask you something: How has your life been since you have been reincarnated here, of course besides for the rats”

James was shocked Sloodar figured out he use to have a previous life and did not know what to say.

“You seem at a loss for words, the thing is you don’t have a choice in answering me”

Sloodar glare was crushing James as he stood below him looking up into his black eyes.

No it has been good

Throwing out his hands as if expected Sloodar looked annoyed

“Of course it was for me I mean look outside, you must have had a loving family but not everyone gets a new life like that like myself for example”

What happened to you?

James felt compelled to ask to which Sloodar quickly lowered his staff and gave the lightest of taps to James head.

“I am so glad you asked, see when I died that women in all her painting wisdom decided I was not good enough of a person to be reborn here so thirty years ago I was reborn as a goblin and have been hurt in more ways I thought possible. At any time my pain could have been taken away by her or the other one with the boat but help never came!”

By the end he shouted the last words before quickly relaxing himself and taking a deep breath. The rats that were around them quickly increased the distance between them and Sloodar who now seemed amused again.

“It seems I have been rude and never asked what your name is”

… My name is James

“Well James would you like to know what all this behind me is about, I mean if I was you I would be”

Seemly motioning with his hand it was clear what James was supposed to do next so he nodded to Sloodar.

“All those people that hurt me over the years I eventually found and killed them but for some reason my anger did not go away and it confused me. A good amount of time passed until I figured out and it was because there were still others left I needed to hurt like they hurt me: the Gods themselves”

You can’t hurt gods it’s impossible even you should know that

James offered, time and time again the only stories he heard is of people talking to or in rare cases me and gaining a gods boon but never slaying.

“Your most likely right, after all they are gods would I could to hurt them but you’re thinking about it in the wrong way James. I am going to hurt them by making them wish they could die. There are very few sources of divine energy besides for gods and one of those sources is people like us and if harnessed allow you to do truly great things”

Sloodar leaned down and put his face directly in front of James, now James could see that in those eyes peering into his seemed liked a person who had been broken somewhat.

“What I figured out what to do was to free myself from the torment world and come here using my divine energy made a gateway that only lasted for moments and could only get me through. Weeks went by before I was ready to leave this cave and found myself on this paradise world but even here goblins were killed”

Pointing into the crowed of rats then motioning at James a group of rats suddenly grabbed James and hauled him away in the direction of the other babies. He tried to struggle and free himself but it was useless.

“One of the other sources of Divine energy to my surprise is babies. It seems that the gods give them some so that the world every so slightly kept them safe, of course it goes away by the time they become even small children. So after finding out the rats share a similar view of the gods and humans there was now a way to collect enough divine energy to create a more stable gateway”

James was held down and chained by the rats who after they were done backed away from him and the other children. The symbol under him looked like if a U was placed over a Z.

“I intend to bring my people through the gateway and with their help and a number of other races who I am sure would support me burn this world to the ground and make it a hellscape like the one I was born in. So when it is all over I intend to ask them once again: why they would let someone live again just to be reborn in hell!”

From atop the steps where James originally saw him Sloodar started to begin his chants in a completely alien language drowning out all the crying babies and rats. The symbol he sat under began to glow along with all the others making it forty nine in total, seven babies for each symbol. Then they all started to produce a golden aura that was then slowly being pulled away into the crystals on either side of the gateway which then directed a beam of the same energy into the larger gem at the top.

It’s getting hard to think, my bodies looks like its aging and drying out

As the Divine energy drained out the top gem grew brighter and brighter until it directly all the light it had been taking in into the gate itself. A red whirlpool started to form then seemly grow more solid like it was slowly connecting.

“Something is wrong, why can’t it connect”

Sloodar quickly said in worry then began chanting again in amore rushed voice causing the energy to drain even faster from the babies. It was at this point James noticed he seemed to be less effected.

For some reason it looks like I have more Divine energy then I should

Sure enough Sloodar also saw that James was still holding out while the other bodies became rocks.

“James your screwing everything up, the energy coming from your side is too much and unbalancing the gateway!”

Good asshole you’re too crazy to let things go your way!

“You rats quickly start pulling babies from his side of course we will all die but don’t take James, the amount of energy he is channeling would explode and destroy the rune below him”

Striking his Staff forward Sloodar channeled energy into the top Gem in order to stem things while the rats started to pull babies away. The gate started to make a howling sound then began push burning air out of it for a few seconds then try to suck everything in. Switching between the two modes making them worse each time until with the latest push of burning air it shot James into the air, once his body left the rune it did explodes freeing him of the chains.

Flying high into the air he saw Sloodar running up to the gateway and shoot a massive amount of energy into it before landing on the ground.

[5 Damage]

Groaning on his pain James forced himself up and started to run up the spiral he saw down from and saw rats burning and other flying into the portal. Another pull started to pull the spiral walls down but James refused to look back. Rats raced past him and as the sight of the entrance came into view an explosion so large came forward and the instant the shockwave hit him his mind went blank.