chapter 35 suprise

Kaelith slowly shifted the box, the weight of it feeling oddly off as he cautiously raised the lid once more

Kaelith knelt down slowly, his brow furrowed in confusion as he stared at the small, green goblin inside the box. The creature was bound tightly, its limbs twisted in awkward angles due to the constraining ropes. Its small, pointed ears were pressed flat against its head, and its beady eyes were wide with panic, but its gaze was unfocused—clearly disoriented, perhaps even on the brink of unconsciousness.

The goblin's mouth was gagged with a ragged piece of cloth, its breaths shallow and labored. It was a pitiful sight, a far cry from the usual rowdy, vicious creatures Kaelith was used to encountering.

He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing in both suspicion and intrigue. The box had been heavy, and yet, it wasn't filled with anything valuable or normal—just this helpless goblin. It didn't make sense.

Kaelith paused, studying the goblin closely. It had thin, green skin, covered in patches of dirt and grime. Its hands were small but clawed, and its body, though small in stature, was surprisingly muscular for a creature its size. But there was something about the way it lay there, half-conscious and bound up, that suggested this wasn't just any goblin. The ropes were tied with precision—whoever had captured it had done so deliberately and carefully.

Kaelith's fingers flexed in irritation. His plans had just been interrupted by this… creature. His original mission had been to gather information, infiltrate the bandit camp, and deal with a few matters of his own. But now, here he was, staring at this goblin.

The creature's small chest heaved with each shallow breath, its eyes flickering with both fear and confusion. It seemed to recognize Kaelith's presence, its head jerking slightly as if trying to focus, but its energy was too low for any serious movement.

Kaelith's lips curled into a smirk, though it was a smirk tinged with a mix of amusement and annoyance. Who in the world would want to trap a goblin and hide it like this?

His eyes drifted over the goblin's bound form, and then, with a sigh, Kaelith moved toward the crate's edge. He wasn't about to leave this strange find to fate. He needed to investigate.

With a flick of his wrist, Kaelith produced a small, sharp blade—something he used for more delicate tasks—and began cutting the ropes that held the goblin in place. The first cut was smooth, but the ropes had been tied tightly, making the process slow and meticulous. He worked carefully, ensuring not to injure the goblin with his blade, his movements practiced, professional.

As the ropes loosened, the goblin made a weak noise, a desperate whimper. Its wide, frightened eyes tracked Kaelith's every motion, but it didn't try to escape or fight back. It was too weak. Too dazed.

Kaelith paused for a moment, glancing at the creature's face. There was fear there, but no malice, no aggression. It didn't look like a prisoner trying to break free—it looked more like a creature caught in a web, unsure of how to respond.

He cut through the final strands of rope, and the goblin's limbs fell limp, finally freed from its bonds. It didn't move immediately, its body still curled inside the crate, breathing heavily.

Kaelith reached forward slowly, gently lifting the goblin by the shoulders, careful not to hurt it in its fragile state. He tilted the creature's head to get a better look at its face. Its eyes were wide with fear but seemed to recognize that Kaelith was no immediate threat. Still, it didn't attempt to speak—likely unable to with the gag still tied tightly in its mouth.

He moved to remove the cloth from the goblin's mouth, his fingers brushing against its damp skin. The goblin flinched at the touch, but there was no violent reaction—just the weak tremble of a creature who had been through something terrifying.

As Kaelith pulled the cloth free, the goblin's mouth opened, gasping for air. It blinked rapidly, trying to clear its blurred vision, but it remained quiet, perhaps too exhausted to speak.

The goblin's breathing slowed as it became more aware of its surroundings, its eyes darting nervously between Kaelith and the dimly lit alley around them. Kaelith's expression remained neutral, though his mind was racing. What was he supposed to do with this goblin?

He stepped back, his eyes scanning the small creature. It wasn't the typical goblin he was used to encountering—this one seemed… different. It seemed to be more intelligent, its fear more instinctual than the usual goblin aggression he would expect.

"Well, well," Kaelith muttered softly to himself, crouching beside the box, his gaze never leaving the goblin. "Looks like you're the real prize here, huh?"

The goblin flinched again, its eyes glinting with a hint of terror, but it remained silent, as if waiting for Kaelith to make the next move.

Kaelith's fingers twitched, unsure what to do. Part of him considered leaving the creature here, but something told him this goblin was worth more than just being discarded. It could be useful. Or it could be a liability. Either way, he couldn't just walk away without understanding what was going on.

He let out a small sigh and straightened, taking a final look at the goblin before his fingers lightly brushed against its chest. There was something about it—a strange sense of importance. Kaelith didn't know if it was the goblin itself or the circumstances of how it came to be in this crate, but it piqued his interest.

"Don't make this more complicated than it needs to be," Kaelith muttered under his breath, though the goblin was too weak to understand him.

The goblin's eyes flickered, its head tilting slightly as it watched Kaelith. For the briefest moment, it almost seemed… resigned to its fate.

Kaelith stood up, his thoughts running wild. This encounter had opened up more questions than answers. And he wasn't sure yet whether he was going to regret getting involved with this goblin—or whether this creature would be the key to something far bigger.

"Let's get you out of here, I suppose," Kaelith said quietly, though it was unclear if he was speaking to the goblin or just himself.

He turned to leave, but the mysterious goblin stayed with him, an enigma that Kaelith was unwilling to let go.

And so, as he walked away, the box closed once again, but the answers within it remained buried for now, waiting for Kaelith to uncover them.

Note: what will he kakeith do to the goblin in comments help / gift to nobles/ gift to bandits

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