78 Lost Underground (1/2)
Flute slowly opened her eyes, waking up on a shaking floor. Only that floor were two shields attached to one other and carried by two goblins. One of these goblins was Dawn, who looked down to check Flute's condition. ”Ah! You're awake.” Dawn gasped.
The goblins stopped and lowered her to the ground. Dawn told the legion to call for Rock while she stayed to examine Flute. ”Are you ok? Does anywhere hurt?” She asked.
”My leg aches a bit.” Flute pushed herself upright and grabbed her leg. It had bandages wrapped around the shin.
”The peryton's antlers got stuck on your shin while the fire consumed you. So when you transformed into a conqueror, the wound couldn't heal because the antler was in the way.”
”I see,” Then suddenly, Flute realized her skin was red, and her body felt longer. ”Did you just say, I transformed and became a conqueror?”
”Yeah,” Dawn said. ”And the way you punched that peryton was amazing! You caved that animal's skull inside out!”
”Flute!” Tie ran towards Flute and lunged at her. The two fell to the ground. Tie pushed herself and cried her heart out, ”Flute. Tie sorry, please, no leave.”
”I'm not going anywhere.” Flute's cheeks turned redder than peryton's bright antlers, ”And stop saying sorry! You have nothing to apologize.” Flute got up and hugged Tie, ”So stop apologizing, ok.”
Flute released Tie from her arms and looked at her. Tie nodded while wiping away her tears and snot. The two of them stood up. Flute was shocked when she noticed the height difference between her and Tie and felt overwhelmed by her stature towering over the rest of the group which gathered around her. She felt like a tree overshadowing the shrubs beneath it, protecting it from the elements that could harm them. She was a conqueror now—a goblin with a power greater than any goblin before her.
It felt daunting, but her stiff shoulders were the only ones carrying this power and responsibility. Rock touched her shoulder gently and asked, ”Are you ok? If you still need to rest, Dawn and I can carry you.” The weight of the world was lifted off her. If it was any other conqueror, they would soon grow colder to her and maybe even plot for her demise. But the brothers were not like those other goblins.
”No, me carry Flute,” Tie suggested. She placed Flutes shoulder on her shoulder and held on to her hand. ”Tie carry Flute.”
Flute could not find herself rejecting the offer. But she also finds it awkward to talk to Tie without giving her a proper answer to her confession. She decided to change the subject to give her time to think, ”Where are the other, um, perytons? Did we beat them.”
”Yup!” Rock said with his puffed-out chest. ”The legions are carrying two carcasses to smoke later once we get out of here. Honestly, I thought it was going to be a tough fight since they could fly and all. But once they saw you kill their friend with one punch, they retreated with their tails between their legs.”