White lights, white curtains, white sheets, white walls, white cabinets… just nothing but white other than the door and window outside, plus some metal appliances. In a hospital bed would rest Sam, sighing with several others in the room, her team. In the corner, Damerick.
“-and so that turned up no leads other than a supernatural force controlling ghosts is in the town protecting it from… something.”
“Well that’s not very helpful… Derrick, it isn’t your fault. If the whole team was there then who knows what could’ve happened, we all could have been taken out. Stop beating yourself up over it.”
“But still… I promised to lead this team during coronation, that we would stick together to stop evil. I dropped the ball.”
“It’s just as well that you didn’t Derrick. If this is who we think it is then you wouldn’t have stood a chance.”
“Right, about that, you still haven’t said who this Goblin King guy is.”
“...”
“Care to spill the beans so we know what we might walk into? If he’s anything like the goons we’ve faced then-”
“He’s nothing like anyone you’ve faced before,” came to mutter reply of Damerick, looking up, “You kids… just aren’t ready.”
“I think we can handle the news… plus if you tell us now, it’ll save us from going in blind should this guy ever appear.”
“… alright… what I am about to say you must take with the utmost caution in the future.”
“The Goblin King… is a Nightmarish Warlord nearly on par with an Edgelord. In the past, he worked under them as a top general, right now likely serving as Zaraka’s most powerful minion.”
“Is he really all that?”
Damerick glanced down, sighing, “The Goblin King is one of the most powerful… because he is the most powerful. He’s known as The Hunter by some for hunting past DreamScapers and those of higher rank, even myself and our leader. The Goblin King is a true warrior who can control all of the major elements… he has super strength, super speed, can fly, can grow multiple heads, shapeshift, and so much more. He can even take control of a person through the darkness in their hearts such as fear, anger, sadness. The stronger the emotion, the more power he has over them.”
“Whoa.”
“Yeah, that’s just the start. The Goblin King also isn’t able to be harmed by normal means, only one with the power of a Nightmare would have any chance at stopping him one on one. He can tank so many hits, likely having the most stamina of any of Zaraka’s people. In the past, it took ever leader of ONUS just to seal him, let alone stop him. He and his Goblin Horde raised the lands, burned forests, leveled towns, and caused some seriously bad luck for anyone near.”
Amber looking down, shaking, “How are we supposed to fight something like that?”
“You don’t. You people are not authorized to take on, to not even APPROACH the Goblin King.”
“But how do we do our job with him-”
“Calm down, we’re readying all of our people to deal with this matter. You are not yet prepared for such a task. He plays with his opponents minds to put some form of doubt into their heart, some form of fear… if he puts any of that into a person, they’ve lost the battle. He can subtly influence what they do, such as missing him by an inch with an attack, amplify their fear… or worse case, completely take control of them.”
“That’s too much for us right now.”
“That’s why I don’t want you getting any funny ideas.”
“Alright Damerick, we understand. I won’t risk our team on something as petty as revenge… so what about the Gillman?”
“We’re still working on that one actually. We think now, that it isn’t tied to Zaraka though we still want you to investigate this weekend, after Sam recovers enough of course. From what you described the target doesn’t appear to be afflicted by physical attacks, though, her telekinesis might be the key to beat that thing you encountered.”
“How long could that take?”
“The doctors say I can leave tomorrow actually… after all, it was just a mild concision.”
“Then it’s settled. Wait till the weekend to be sure of her recovery. She uses her mind for her powers so I’m not certain what an unhealed concussion might cause… it could blow back at her or worse.”
“Right… thank you Damerick. Well, I guess we better get going, class tomorrow and all.”
Opening the door, Derrick would blink, sitting in a chair across the hall, Stark, reading a book who in turn would also look forward as the door opened, a sack of paper next to him.
“Oh, Stark right?”
“Er… yeah. I just came by to drop off Sam’s homework for the week.”
“Oh, well, we were just leaving.”
Walking left down the hall: Derrick, Monte, Dilan, Amber… and Damerick, Stark standing with the bag, entering the room.
“Oh, hey Stark. It’s good to see you.”
“Yeah I uh, I heard about the accident. I figured I’d stop in and see how you were uh, oh and the school wanted me to give you your schoolwork for you.”
“Ack, no thanks, haha.”
“Heh heh, right… so, when do you think you’ll be good to go again?”
“The doctors say I can go home tomorrow, relax over the weekend, and then return to school on Monday.”
“Oh, that’s great to hear! Oh and uh, hold on, here,” he’d say reaching into the bag pulling out a book.
“The next volume of Midnight!? Oh Stark, thank you my dude!”
Giving him a hug, he’d laugh a little uneasy, “I wish I could stay longer but I’m needed back home… oh uh, think you’ll be up for that movie this Saturday night yet? I mean, if they’re letting you out and all.”
“Oh… sorry, something came up after the concussion and… I won’t be home this weekend actually.”
“Oh… well, maybe next time then. Anyways, I’ll uh, see you around. Have a good night Sam.”
His head hanging a little low, he’d then exit the room, Sam turning her head to the window to look out, sighing, “Sorry Stark...”
-
The waves splashing, splashing upon the shores, storm clouds overhead, rain far off the shore, ahead the town of before without a person in sight. Sam walking forward, scanning the horizon as the vessel would come to a dock and stop, the team stepping off quickly.
“We were attacked not long after arriving.”
“Like, more like we got into it not long after arriving… the people here are still hiding.”
“Mmm… yeah.”
“Split up for now and start asking… no… we’ve seen it enough, the townspeople won’t likely help… alright, that means we need to explore the lake for a Gillman.”
Turning left and down the shoreline, they’d walk… and walk… and walk…
-
Walking along, looking out on the lake, Amber sighing, “Man, we’re not going to find anything.”
“Just give it time.”
Walking, and walking, and walking…
“We’ll find something eventually, we just have to!”
“Sam, can’t you detect anything? I mean, I know you use telekinesis, surely you have some sort of sensory ability, right?”
“Mmmmmmm… wait, I’ve got something now that you mention it, hold on...”
Her eyes glowing yellow, her body still, seconds passing with the ground turning towards her, until her step left, eyes flashing blue, “Got something!” A splashing of water, a shriek, water spraying everywhere. Flailing in the air, a human girl with long blond hair and a fish tail.
“A mermaid?”
“For real?”
“No please, don’t eat me!” she’d shout afraid.
“No no no no no, it’s alright,” Sam replied back immediately stepping forward, “I uh, I thought you were someone else. By chance… do you know where we can find the Gillman?”
“Gillman? A cave, down by the rock shore, please just let me go!”
“Alright, thank you.”
The glow fading and a splash, the girl being released back into the water, the group then nodding to Sam and bolting off towards the not too far off rock shore.
ns 15.158.61.21da2
