Steem Monsters Common Card Fantasy Story Contest! // Week 18 // The Goblin Sorcerer

Here goes my entry to this week's card: the goblin sorcerer! It was fun writing this one!

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Flavour text:

We may be small... but our magic makes us giants! A flick of the wrist, a snap of the fingers... and you will find out how terrible we can be!

The awakening

"What are you doing?? Watch the sh...."

But it was too late: as I tripped and tried the get my balance back, I hitted the shelf, and with a loud crack, the vials crashed into the ground, filling the room with smoke in a multitude of colours.

"You fool!" Said the Sorcerer. “It´s been ages since I've seen someone so clumsly! Clean up this mess!”

He snapped his fingers, and I felt a powerful slap, even thow I was several meters away, and as his wands waved in stranged movements, the smoke started to vanish.

I was used to being slapped at a distance by now. And I often wondered, as I grabbed the mop... why was I even an apprentice? True, all goblins have a little bit of magic in themselves... but the tribe was full of young goblins; my family was very modest, and none of of my parents or grandparents excelled in any sort of magic. And yet, I still remember that day, 6 months ago, when the elder sorcerer knocked at my parents door, and asked to take me as his apprentice. No one could refuse such honor... but still, why me??

After six months, I got proficient in wrongfully mixing simple formulas, breaking freshly made potions, and brilliantly failing at casting any kind of spell, except for creating a faint glow in my hand whenever I tried to cast a lighting spell... and that was it. Some of these things amused the sorceror, some others (especially the broken potions) immediatly originated two quick finger snaps and two corresponding slaps, as his thundering voice reminded me of my clumsiness.

In the next day, the Sorceror had left already. I had a note on the kitchen table, next to a small package: “Take this package to Thorasin; he is expecting it. And don't mess this one!”

I frowned. Thorasin was the elder sorcerer of a near tribe; It wasn´t very far, a three/four hour walk maybe, but I had to cross the Mossy Woods, and that place gave me the creeps! Oh well, but no point in complaining, so I grabbed the packaged, made a small lunch pack, and I left.

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The weather was lovely that day: it was early spring, the flowers were blooming, and the sun was warmer than in most days, with a rare white clould here and there. I kept being distracted by the butterflies, and the small birds, and the cute little rabbits running like crazy. How I loved being out in the nature! And now I was stuck indoors most of the time, being distance slapped... and couldn't even cast spells yet!
But my mood immediatly changed as I approached the Woods. Why I disliked them, I couldn´t say. Maybe the moss covered trees reminded me of the horror stories my brothers used to tell me, maybe it was the cooler air, but something made me feel uneasy.

And only a few minutes after entering, following the beaten path between the high trees, I started to hear a chirping sound... but from the ground, a few dozen meters off the path. There were a few high bushes on the area, so I couldn't see who was making the noises.

Strange, I though... never heard this species here... but the bird seems in trouble. I had to see what was going on; maybe a baby bird fell off the nest, or was injured!

I left the path and walked in the direction of the sound, curious to see what whas happening; and as I parted the bushes, there it was! A young bird... glued to a stick? Who could have done that mischief?

I cared about all living creatures, and seeing the poor animal in trouble just made me furious! I wish I was a powerful sorceror so I could punish the evildoers that find this funny, I thought, as I rushed to free the animal. And as I was trying to set the little bird free, I heard a voice:

"Seems we found ourselves a little goblin! I wonder what is he doing in the woods?"

Thieves!

I looked up, as a big, broaded shoulder man jumped from the bushes, a dagger in his hand, looking at me with a grin on his face.

How could I have been so stupid! It was a trap... and I fell right into it!

I darted back but it was too late; a second thief had already appeared in my back, and grabbed my arm and neck before I could try to escape.

"Let me go", I said, as I kicked and tryed to free myself "I'm a powerful sorcerer! Leave before I have to hurt you!"

"Ahahahahahah" they laughed. "You? A powerful sorcerer? Hum... maybe we can find out if you bleed different from mere creatures!" Said the big one, as he stepped in my direction.

I had to free myself quick, or it would be too late. And as the first thief was getting closer, the grip loosened for a split second, and the hand grabbing my arm got closer to my mouth.
It was my only hope. I bited as hard as I could with my pointy teeth, and kicked back at the same instante. The thief was caught by surprise and he let go, with a loud scream.

"You little...!! Grab him!"

But as soon as my feet touched the ground, I sprinted to the bushes. And I ran like the wind. Couldn't even dare to look back, but I heard the steps; they were chasing me... and I knew what would happen if I was caught.

I sprinted passed bushes, trees, trying to gain some distance, but it wasn't enough to lose them yet. I couldn't say if I ran 2 minutes or 20, the adrenalin rush was so intense; I could only think in escaping. And finally the steps started to fade, until I could no longer hear them. At that point I was running downhill, in a part of the woods that were unknown to me. I tried to look back, but didn't dared to stop or even slow down...and bam! Tripped on an elevated root, and continued my way downhill, but rolling on the ground without being able to stop.

Ended up in a a small clearing, with a huge, moss covered tree in the middle. I looked around, no sign of the thieves. Had they given up? I dragged myself to the tree, trying to catch my breath, and think about my next move.

And then the strangest thing happened: as I layed my back against the tree, my hands clenched to the roots.... a tingling sensation warmed my body. It was as the forest was breathing with me, helping me calm down; it was as I could feel the energy of the tree, and the air...

"There you are! "

Immerse in the sensations, I had lowered my guard... and there they were, in the clearing. I looked around... but there was no place to run this time. The two thieves, both with their daggers, staring angrily at me, the shorter one with his left hand covered in blood; and he was the first to move forward.

“Meet you fate, filthy goblin” The said, as he raised his dagger.

By mere instinct, I yelled and raised my arms, trying to avoid what seemed unavoidable... and my hands glowed, as a bolt of green light jolted against the thieve's chest, making him fly into the air several meters, where he felt motionless.

The other thieve stared at him, then at me. Then his eyes widened, and when I thought he was going to finish what his companion started... he turned around and ran uphill.

I just stood there, looking at my hands. What happened?? How have I done this??
I didn't knew what it was... but it saved my life.

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I arrived at the sorcerer's house late in the evening, tired and nervous. I hadn't delivered the package as requested , and I was sure he wouldn't believe my story! Yet, as I entered, he was standing in the hallway, as if he was expecting me, with the most peaceful look I had ever seen on him.

“Master, I... I” I started, but he interrupted me:

“Have you ever wondered why, from all the goblins in the village, you were chosen?”

“I did”, I replied.

“Magic manifests itself in different ways in each one of us... and sometimes it's buried so deep within that we don't even realize how powerful we actually are, until something makes that magic flow. You felt it today.”

“But h-how do you...”

“How I know is not of importance. But you are a different goblin than the one who left this morning. Your awakening has come. And now your real training begins.”

The words started to sink... was it true? Could I really become a real sorcerer?

And as he turned his back, moving into his chambers, i could swear he was smiling, as I heard him say “And you haven't delivered the package!”... and then, he snaped his fingers. Twice.