The sun leaned westward as Sylveras and Elara followed the stream flowing toward the mountain's base. They had already spent three hours passing through the misty forest and one more hour tracing the river. The sun had shifted in the sky it was past two in the afternoon.
"Look, there's the cave entrance!" Elara shouted, pointing at a large gap in the rocky wall. A thin mist still hung in the air, though it was no longer as thick as before.
Sylveras squinted. "I guess this is what Gorion meant. The home of the mischievous goblins?"
Elara nodded and reminded him, "Remember what Gorion said. They're not evil… just very annoying. Don't take the bait."
"You talk like they're naughty kids from the village," Sylveras grumbled, tightening the straps on his bag.
As they stepped inside, the cave air felt damp, filled with the scent of wet earth and mold. Suddenly, something darted out from the shadows.
Smack!
A tiny hand slapped the back of Sylveras's head before vanishing back into the darkness. Elara tried to hold back her laughter.
"What was that?!" Sylveras shouted, clutching his head.
"Welcome to the lair of the mischievous goblins," Elara said flatly as she walked on.
The cave was much larger than it looked, with winding tunnels and open chambers decorated with strange items: upside-down pots, dangling ropes, and primitive paintings made from mud.
Just as they entered the central hall, a group of goblins jumped out from behind the rocks. Their bodies were small, their skin a dull green, with large eyes and long ears. Some wore torn rags as clothes. They looked thrilled.
"Visitors! Visitors!" one of them cried while spinning in circles.
"What can we take? What can we tie? Hair! Shoes! Their love!" another shouted.
Elara raised her hand, trying to speak peacefully. "We're just passing through. No food. No trouble."
"But you stepped into our play zone! Must play before you pass!" said one goblin who seemed to be the leader. He wore a crooked spoon as a crown.
Sylveras sighed. "What do they mean by play?"
Suddenly, a net dropped from the ceiling and snared Elara.
"Wha HEY! What is this?!" Elara yelled, dangling a few inches above the ground.
The goblins burst into laughter and danced around her. Sylveras rushed to help, but slipped on a banana peel that appeared out of nowhere.
"BY THE GODS! These things are like children on a sugar high!" Sylveras groaned.
After fifteen exhausting minutes of chasing, tripping, and ridiculous pranks (including being pursued by a chicken from who-knows-where), Sylveras managed to negotiate.
"Alright! We'll play one of your games. Just one. Then you let us pass."
The goblins looked at each other. "Riddles!" they cried in unison.
"One riddle! If you get it right, you may pass. If you get it wrong… you become dolls!"
"What do you mean, dolls?!" Sylveras protested.
"Just playing! Paper dolls! Nothing scary!" they giggled.
The goblin leader stepped forward. "Riddle: I have two eyes but cannot see. I have a hat but no head. I stand in the rain and fall when it's windy. What am I?"
Sylveras froze. Elara was still hanging in the net, thinking hard.
"An umbrella?" Elara muttered.
"But… umbrellas can't see? I guess that fits. Try it."
"UMBRELLA!" Sylveras shouted.
The goblins fell silent. Then… they erupted into cheers.
"Correct! Correct! They are clever! They are funny! They may pass!"
Elara was freed from the net. The goblins even handed them a small bag of forest fruit as a gift.
As they walked away from the cave, Elara brushed dust from her clothes. "That was… bizarre."
Sylveras laughed. "At least they didn't try to kill us. That's progress."
They continued onward to the final destination Gorion had marked, while behind them, laughter and goblin songs still echoed through the cave.
⸻
The base of Gorion's mountain was indeed free from deadly threats. No demons. No murderers. But as Gorion had once said: danger doesn't always come with killing intent. Sometimes, the thing that exhausts you the most… is just a creature that wants to play.
And that, they had just learned today.