The Red Roof

The eastern wall's bell rang loud enough to capture the attention of goblins in the outskirts of town. Goblins in the eastern side of the town fled to the town square seeking shelter from the troll. While they were there, the Chief and retainers immediately left to face the dangerous troll. Some of the goblins seeking refuge followed the Chief to aid him in the battle. Little did they know that their head would be blown to bits with just one swing.

The brothers were waiting outside by the remains of their former home. Their mothers wore long veils to hide their faces. It didn't take lone before some goblins coming from the town square were running towards the western forest. The women hid behind the rubble as the goblins pass by one by one.

"What's going on? Why are you guys running so fast for?" Sun asked out of curiosity.

"Troll attacked wall!" The goblin panted. "We go warn goblins west town."

"What!" The brothers cried in unison. Just then, a goblin far away called out Sun's name. It was Flute and her group of followers running from the town. "We go to barn, women, or you no there."

"I'm sorry, Flute. Our mothers our with us right now. We thought it would be safer for them if they were away from the troll attack." Sun lied. He walked her towards the women hiding behind the rubble.

"Is ok. Flute understand. We go to west forest. Safe there." She ordered her followers to help get them up their feet. They were surprised to see the women stand so quickly. "Flute, see you walk now. No time to check, we go now. Come Sun, Smoke,"

"Wait, we can't leave." Smoke said, "Rock is still somewhere in the town, we have to go find him."

"We have no time looking Rock. We go now."

"No Flute, Stick is right," Sun said. "We'll go look for him, Stick you stay with our mothers."

Flute grabbed Sun by the arm and pulled him closer to her. "Why you do this. Troll coming and killing goblins. You no afraid of troll?" Her voice sounded frustrated but with a hint of concern for the brothers' safety. "Rock dies or not die from troll, but you live if avoid troll."

"I know its safer for us to go, but Rock is our brother, my brother. And I'm not leaving him behind." Sun pushed Flute's hand off him. "Come on Smoke, let's go."

"Wait, take Stick too. You need all help you got."

"What? No Stick will go with you to, um. Help with taking care of them. Right Stick?"

"Yeah!" Stick nodded.

Flute looked at the brothers back and forth until finally settling on Sun's face. "Do Sun not trust Flute?" She asked in a sobber tone.

The brothers were caught off guard by the question, but after some hesitation, Sun answered her. "I trust you, Flute."

"Well Flute, no trust you. Last time Sun leave almost die from wolf. Sum helped, but he no fight troll before. Go take Stick too." She walked up to Stick and nudged him to Sun. "He strong now. He help look for Rock. And please come back safe."

Sun looked at his mother one last time before leaving. She gestured to him to go and look for his brother. Sun clenched his fist, then turned around and ran towards the town with his brothers close behind him. "Stick you have any bombs we could use?" He asked while running.

"I got one on me that should be able to make someone blind."

"Sounds good to me."

The town square was full of goblins running around in a state of panic. Many of them rushed to the Chief's building, banging on the doors and windows, begging to be let in. The brothers tried to get the crowd's attention, but none of them seem to care about their surroundings. They only have one thought occupying their mind, and that's to get inside under the Chief's protection.

The brothers tried to get the crowd's attention, but they lost their senses and reasoning in their hysteria. Smoke noticed a bell on top of the building. It's most likely an alarm bell to warn the town and the surrounding outskirts of danger. Smoke climbed up the over the goblins to the top of the building. Meanwhile, Sun and Stick confronted the troll in the main pathway.

Once Smoke reached the top, he rushed towards the large iron bell, pushing aside the goblins in his way. He grabbed the rope and pulled it with all his strength, rocking the bell back and forth. The massive bell tolled in the dark, catching the attention of the goblins down below and outside the town. The crowd fell silent as they look up to Smoke, waiting for him to speak.

Then the silent shattered when the troll behind them roared in anger. The crowd quickly ran in all directions. They pushed and shoved other goblins out of their way, trampled over those that fell on the ground. Smoke yelled at the top of his lungs, nearly as loud as the troll's roar, "Follow me!" The mass of goblins looked back at Smoke, who was now climbing down the building. "I know a safe place you can hide. Just follow me." The goblins did not hesitate and followed Smoke as he leads the mob.

Inside the building, Cala and his followers and retainers hid under the basement. The sound from the bell penetrated through the many floors of the building until it reached the basement. But the loud bell was overcome by Salacity's mad screams. "Cala! Cancer die, and you run!" Dolce tried to calm him down as best as he could, but Salacity pushed him to the wall.

"Shut up, you imbecile!" Cala's back was facing Salacity because he could bring himself to look at anyone. Not a single goblin in the tribe ever fought a troll before. "We avoid conflict with those animals because we can't fight them! You'll only get yourself killed, avenging your brother. You're lucky your followers knew better than let you fight that thing."

"At least Salacity not coward like you."

The goblins inside the basement let out a gasp. Salacity's words caught everyone by surprise, and the goblins knew his audacity to call the Chief a coward will lead to his death. Cala grabbed his sword and leaped towards Salacity.

He pulled his sword over his shoulder and slashed the floor and bags of powder sitting against the wall, but when the dust settled, Salacity was nowhere to be found in front of him. Cala shook off the powder covering his face, thinking it was obscuring his vision. But he was not in front of him.

He glanced to his left to see Salacity on the floor, and on top of him was Cloud. He pushed himself up on his feet and confronted Cala at a distance. "How many more should die tonight!" He yelled while his legs vibrate like a brittle pillar. "We can't afford to lose any more lives. Our tribe will only get weaker if we fight among ourselves.

"What are you saying? That I am wrong for killing this traitor. I am the Chief, and I suggest you get out of my way."

"No! I will not you kill him!" Everyone laughed at Cloud for his futile resistance.

"So that's how it is? Sum got to live because you wanted him to live. You were the one that was conspiring against me. I should have known from the very beginning." Cala raised his sword over his head and leaned forward on his right leg. "And now you die."

Cala ran to Cloud, who stood still like a statue. Fear had its hands on Cloud's legs and feet and tried to move Cloud out of the way, but Cloud did not budge. He stood his ground while his legs vibrate in anticipation of Cala's sword.

Time slowed down for Cloud. He could see Cala's figure move closer to him, and the sword motion downward. Fear, in one last attempt, urged Cloud to retreat, but instead, he charged forward.

Light burst out of Cloud's nape, and fire came out and began to envelop his body. His body looked like an arrow on fire flying to its targets. The goblins were at awe at the sight of the blue flame dancing in front of them. They witnessed this fire before. They all knew what will come out of it, a redskin.

A red fist burst out of the flame and punched Cala's scrotum. The pain shocked Cala still, but the pain did not stop his sword's descent. The sword's crossguard penetrated Cloud's shoulder, causing him to scream in agony. He pushed Cala away from him and pulled the sword out. The blood on the crossguard dripped on the hilt. He got on one knee, exhausted and in great pain. He covered his wound and threw away the sword.

The flames slowly dissipate, revealing to the room the sorry state Cloud was experiencing. Meanwhile, Cala got up as quickly as he fell. The veins in his head nearly popped out of his skin due to the intense anger he felt. No other emotions or thoughts occupied his mind; the only thing in his mind was rage. The goblins felt Cala's wrath, and they ran up the stairs, scared for their lives.

Cala screamed while running towards Cloud, and roundhouse kicked his chest. Cloud's blood-stained helmet launched into the air while he crashed on the floor. Cala got on top of him and punched him numerous times. Cloud managed to grab one of his arms and bit on it. "You mother fucker!" Cala spatted at him. Cloud's jagged teeth dug deep inside Cala's flesh. He continued to punch the side of his head until Cloud released his grip. Cala covered his bleeding wrist and wailed from the sheering pain.

Cloud's mind scrambled for a way out of Cala's hold, and the blood accumulating in his mouth gave him an idea. He spat blood on Cala's eyes.

Cala fell on his back and rolled away while rubbing his eyes clean. Cloud got on all four and crawled towards a shelf. The blood coming out from the open wounds on his face obscured his vision. He tried to pull himself up with the help of the shelf, but his blurry vision caused him to grab a spherical object. His hands slipped off and fell on the ground. He sat there, motionless.

Cala stood up after wiping off the blood from his face. He saw his sword next to him. He grabbed it and slowly walked towards Cloud. "You bastard. I let you live, let you have power in our tribe. And now look at you." He placed the tip of his sword on Cloud's forehead. "Your face and coat are covered in blood. You have a hole on your shoulder and a few missing teeth." Cala moved Cloud's lips with the tip of his sword, revealing his broken teeth. "You should have never fought me — any last words?"

Cloud looked at his hand and saw the spherical object sitting on top of it. The object was no small thing, but the bomb he used to blow up the brother's cottage, their cottage. "I wished I listened to Tama more." He raised his hand and showed Cala the bomb.

"What the-" Cloud removed the pin, and a bright yellow glow exploded out of the ball, followed by thunder. The explosion ignited the powder on Cala's coat and inside the basement, creating a ball of fire that quickly expanded upward. The goblins on the first floor heard the explosion coming from the basement. Fire followed the thunder.

The goblins were cooked alive inside their impenetrable fortress. As the flames climb higher, bags full of powder on the higher floors were ignited, causing a chain reaction until a massive explosion blew off the red roof.

Cala's sword was launched out of the flames by the explosion. The red glow from the metal sword shined bright on the night sky. It spun around as it falls to the earth, eventually landing in front of Sun.