Chapter 2: That’s It?
Arthur was still crouching under the vendor stall when the goblin decided that his shoulder was the safest location it had found since hatching.
It pulled itself up using his collar, settled in behind his neck, and pressed both hands flat against the back of his head. It peered out at the square from this position with the expression of something that had found a reasonable fortification and intended to defend it.
Arthur chuckled before focusing on the screen. He knew these screens came with becoming a Beast Tamer, it was the world helping Tamers.
It was visible to no one but him.
Arthur focused on the first evolution.
Goblin Warrior.
The screen flickered after he touched it, and then new information appeared.
[Evolution: Goblin Warrior]
[Condition:]
[Defeat 10 Enemies]
[Progress: 0/10]
He held his chin. "That’s it?"
No ancient ritual, rare treasure, or some impossible requirement. All the goblin had to do was defeat ten enemies.
Defeat ten enemies.
Arthur couldn’t help smiling. "That’s actually pretty reasonable."
He glanced at the tiny goblin hiding behind his neck. "So... We just need to defeat ten enemies."
The goblin blinked. "Gii?"
Arthur nodded confidently.
"Yep."
The goblin looked around and then pointed at itself. "Gi?"
Arthur smiled. "You’re the only one here."
The goblin froze.
It slowly pointed at Arthur. "Gii?"
Arthur nodded again.
"Also yes."
The goblin looked back toward the town and then toward the road leading out. Then at Arthur again. It looked like it was genuinely wondering if there was still time to find another master.
Arthur burst into laughter. "You can’t trade me in."
The goblin stiffened. "Gii?"
"Yep. Congratulations." Arthur smiled. "We’re partners for life."
The goblin stared at him with complete horror.
Very slowly...
It buried its face behind Arthur’s neck.
Arthur laughed even harder. "Oh, come on. We’ll only fight weak monsters."
The goblin peeked over his shoulder. "Gi?"
Arthur scratched his cheek. "Probably."
The goblin immediately buried itself again.
Arthur smiled. "It’ll be fine. We don’t need to fight ten at once. Just..." He counted on his fingers. "One. Then another and another. Before you know it... He grinned. "You’ll become really strong."
The goblin slowly peeked out again. "Gii?"
Arthur looked at him. "You don’t believe me?"
The goblin immediately shook its head.
Arthur laughed.
"But I believe in you." He gently poked the goblin’s forehead.
The goblin blinked.
Arthur’s grin softened. "I think you’re a lot more amazing than everyone out there believes."
The goblin’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief.
"So... I’m going to prove them wrong."
The goblin stared at him, and its ears slowly lifted.
Arthur noticed immediately. "There it is."
"Gi?"
"That face."
"You want to know if it’s true."
The goblin quickly looked away. "Gii."
Arthur smiled. "I’ll take that as a yes." He held out his hand. "Partner?"
The goblin looked at the hand for several long seconds.
Then...
Very slowly...
It placed its tiny green hand in Arthur’s.
Arthur smiled. "We’ll become ridiculous together."
The goblin tilted its head. "Gii?"
Arthur chuckled. "You’ll understand later."
They made their way back to the square and saw the crowd was already talking with the newly awakened Beast Tamers.
...
Students were spread across the square in groups. Some of them were comparing their beasts, others were doing mock battles, and the rest were staying to themselves.
Arthur moved through the outer edge. But people gradually noticed him and started pointing him out. Someone noticed the goblin, then another person, and then another. Soon people were whispering and laughing again.
The goblin heard it.
Its ears folded back flat against its head. Then it began making itself as small as possible against the back of Arthur’s neck. He frowned at how unfair things were. The goblin had existed for ten minutes, and people already hated it.
He gently scratched behind one ear.
The goblin froze. Then slowly looked up to see Arthur smiling.
"Ignore them." He chuckled. "They’ll regret laughing someday."
Goblin blinks.
Arthur nods. "Probably sooner than they think."
"Gii."
Good enough.
A voice interrupted. "You... Why are you smiling?"
Arthur looked up.
Leon Draken appeared beside him with the Golden Dragon in his arms. His expression was as blank as ever while the Golden Dragon was staring at the goblin.
Arthur blinked. "What?"
"You got an F-Rank Talent." Leon then glanced at the goblin. "A Goblin... You got the worst hands, but you don’t seem frustrated or angry. Why?"
Arthur slowly nodded before grinning. "I think I accidentally found the beginning of an amazing story."
Leon looked at the goblin. "With a Goblin?"
Arthur nodded. "I hope so. If impossible things never happened, the world would be a lot less interesting."
Leon quietly stared at him. "I see."
Arthur had no idea what that meant. Before he could ask, Leon had already walked away with the Golden Dragon yawning. And soon he saw merchants and some representatives crowding him.
"Well, I will ask another time." He muttered before he continued walking near the edge of the crowd that was open enough to stand without being surrounded, and he stopped there and let the noise flow around him.
The goblin pressed itself tighter against Arthur’s shoulder with a look of horror on its face. Then a bell rang out, leading everyone to turn their head to the center of the square. The Academy instructors were back on the platform.
"All Bronze Tamers. Gather immediately."
The conversations died in pieces as students moved toward the stage. Arthur walked with them, adjusting the goblin on his shoulder again as it tightened its grip at the increased movement of people around it.
...
Once the crowd had settled into something resembling order. "Your Awakening Ceremony is complete. What comes next is the Entrance Evaluation."
The energy in the crowd shifted. This was the part everyone had heard about in pieces, in rumors and older siblings’ accounts and things half-remembered from older students who had been through it.
One of the instructors snapped her fingers and rows of weapon racks emerged from her inventory.
Swords.
Spears.
Axes.
Daggers.
Bows.
"Choose one."
Students immediately surged forward. Arthur selected a simple spear. He didn’t know how to use one, but he figured the longer reach would help.
The instructor continued by waving her hand, and soon a warm light rushed over all of them. "The uniforms you received are enchanted."
Several students looked down, and then they gasped. Arthur did the same before his eyes widened at the dark navy fabric with silver trim he was wearing now. Pathfinder Academy’s emblem stitched over the chest.
’Beast Tamers can do this? It would have been so helpful in the morning.’
"The defensive magic woven into the cloth can absorb damage." The instructor’s voice became colder. "When that protection breaks, you are responsible for your own survival."
The crowd instantly became quieter.
The instructor seemed to enjoy this before she raised her hand and a crystal sphere appeared with three glowing symbols floating inside.
"Your objective is simple." The symbols rotated. "Collect three Evolution Marks."
Murmurs spread, and a student raised a hand. "How do we obtain them?"
The instructor smiled. "Figure it out."
Groans erupted.
The instructor ignored them. "The Entrance Realm rewards cooperation." Her gaze swept across the students. "It is strongly recommended that you form teams."
Immediately the crowd began rearranging itself, friendships clustering together, strong awakenings drawing people toward them by gravity.
Arthur watched quietly.
Nobody approached him.
Not surprising with his F-Rank Talent and having a Goblin. It wasn’t exactly screaming A-grade teammates.
Arthur wasn’t paying attention anymore and bounced lightly on his heels. "I wonder what the Entrance Realm looks like."
The goblin blinked.
Arthur kept going. "Do you think there are ancient ruins?"
"Gii?"
"What about waterfalls?"
"Gii?"
"What if there are floating islands?"
The goblin stared at him.
Arthur’s grin somehow became even wider. "What if there are dragons or walking giants?"
The goblin slowly covered its own face.
His eyes shined. "What if they don’t want visitors?"
The goblin immediately covered Arthur’s mouth.
Arthur laughed. "I knew you’d be excited too."
The goblin looked like it had accepted its fate.
After three minutes, the instructor slowly raised both hands.
Space trembled.
A crack appeared in the empty air, and students immediately stepped backward. The crack widened again and again like glass was being shattered.
A deep sound echoed across the square.
Reality folded inward and then exploded outward as a massive portal appeared.
The crowd gasped.
Beyond it...
An endless forest stretched beneath an emerald sky. Trees taller than castles swayed gently with mountains floating in the distance behind them. Waterfalls poured upward into the clouds and birds larger than houses crossed the sky.
And then flashes of something enormous moved beneath the trees.
Nobody spoke.
Arthur took one step forward.
The goblin immediately grabbed his hair. "Gii?!"
Arthur’s eyes sparkled. "...Wow."
Arthur stared. "Think about it." The goblin blinked. "If there are ruins, someone had to build them. And depending on how long it’s been, someone else explored them." His grin grew. "I wonder what they found."
The goblin slowly looked at the portal again.
Then immediately looked away and rapidly shook its head.
Arthur’s smile grew before stepping close.
Several students looked at him, but he couldn’t stop smiling.
"Can we go in early?"
Silence.
The instructor looked directly at him. "...No."
Arthur sighed. "Shame."
The goblin slowly looked between Arthur and the portal. Then buried its face in Arthur’s shoulder. "Gii..."
One nearby student whispered, "Your beast looks terrified."
Arthur nodded. "So am I."
The student blinked. "Really?"
Arthur’s grin somehow became even brighter. "I’ve just always wanted to be terrified by something amazing."
The student had absolutely no response.
He looked at the goblin on his shoulder who was staring in shock.
"You ready?"
"Gii?"
"That’s where we’re going," Arthur said. "And that’s where we will grow even stronger."
The goblin looked at the forest for a long moment and then gave him an absurd look. But after seeing Arthur smile, it could only sigh and nod, knowing resistance was futile.
Arthur grinned.
That was good enough.
"Good luck to you all."
The portal continued to shimmer.
Most students tightened their grips on their weapons.
Some were whispering.
Others looked pale.
Arthur leaned forward, and he looked ready to sprint through. The goblin wrapped both arms around its head. "Giiiiii..."
Arthur laughed. "I know. It looks incredible."
The goblin slowly shook its head. "Gi!"
Arthur looked at the impossible forest. "Let’s go find something nobody’s ever seen."
The goblin stared at him. "...Gii."
It wasn’t an agreement.
It was a resignation.
White light swallowed them both.
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