The Wandering Spire

"Why the secrets? I don't understand why you would keep that information from me. We want the same thing, and that is to stop the Fiendish Lord," Jeze said.

Ziplocke looked up with his ears pulled back and replied, "I was afraid if you knew the truth you would break the pact with me."

Mikal laughed out loud. "That is rich! I say break the pact, and let's be done with this foul Demon."

Ziplocke ducked and hid behind Jeze's legs like a scared kitten. Helga's face softened.

"Be nice, Micky!" She scolded.

Mikal scoffed, "This is unbelievable, he's a Demon!" The Healer turned to Dunar and Rolfe, "Surely, you two agree with me."

The Leader's face remained stoic. Rolfe shrugged his broad shoulders and replied, "He served us well. We all have secrets, Mikal."

"What? No, we don't! Not like that!" The Healer cried.

Ziplocke snickered and tried to stop, but he couldn't help himself.

"See? He mocks us even now!" Mikal pointed out.

"It's his nature. He enjoys seeing this type of human emotion," Jeze replied.

Mikal balled his hands into fists, and he asked, "Dunar, you must see the rational choice here."

"I do, and the Goblin has and can continue to be a great asset for us," the Leader replied.

Mikal's eyes went wide, and his mouth opened and closed. He was unable to find words.

"You made Micky speechless," Helga chuckled.

"This is not funny," the Healer snapped in a low voice.

"We are taking this seriously, Mikal," Dunar said and turned toward Jeze, "What are the terms of your pact?"

She answered, "We can not harm each other or perform any action that will lead to harm. Ziplocke must serve me and perform all actions within his ability that would not lead to harm, and in exchange, I must provide him with something sour and spicy."

"Those are good terms," Dunar stated. Rolfe and Helga nodded in agreement.

"Have you not heard what the Demon said?" The Healer asked. He was no longer shouting.

"We did, Mikal," Helga answered.

The dark-haired Healer shook his head and continued, "He said he made this Stronghold. Let us assume that we make it to the tenth floor and Seal away this Fiendish Lord. Then what? Will Ziplocke take control of the Spire? What's to stop him from conquering our Realm? What if we end up trading the Fiendish Lord for a Goblin Lord?"

"He can not cause any action that will harm me," Jeze answered.

Mikal turned to Jeze with wide eyes and pointed. "Exactly, that is you! But what about the rest of us?"

"I didn't think about that," Rolfe stated.

Helga nodded, and Dunar crossed his thick arms to contemplate what was being said. Ziplocke scampered up to Jeze's shoulder.

"Your Realm is in danger, Mortal. I know you know that," the Demon said. Jeze was not used to the Goblin speaking calmly without a shriek or snicker.

Mikal narrowed his eyes and snapped, "Do not presume to speak on what I know."

Ziplocke continued anyway, "You know the true purpose of what you call the Wandering Spire. You see the signs, even in the Frozen North. More monster attacks and a sense of inexplicit unease. Tell me I am wrong."

Helga, Dunar, and Rolfe nodded in agreement. What the Goblin said was what pushed them to take on the Adventurer life. To protect against the fierce and dark dangers of the world. Mikal scowled but did not object.

Ziplocke continued, "The tales from your Frozen All-Father speak of this, except you have a different name for the Ones from Before."

"The First Kings," Mikal said quietly.

Ziplocke's lips pulled back into a grin that showed sharp teeth. "Yes! Your tales speak of this very struggle that you are now taking on. I worked with your First Kings. They did not banish me, and nor should you."

Mikal's lip quivered, and he shook his head. "I serve the Frozen All Father and do what is good for the world. The Goblin is still a Demon, and by his very nature, he is evil."

"That is the problem with you mortals. You make everything into two sides. Good and evil, right and wrong. Reality does not work that way. It is twisted and tied like a knot full of agendas. Celestials, Demons, Dragons, and even you mortals all have self-interests. I see it with your Kings and Emperors. Are any of them good or evil? Or both?" Ziplocke answered.

"What will you do if we succeed?" Dunar asked flatly.

Ziplocke looked at each of them and placed his small hand on his chest. "I will confess. I have my own agenda. But I am not alone. So does your Frozen All-Father. He is a Celestial Lord who has been at war for centuries with the Fiends. They are fighting over this Realm, the Material Plane of existence. It is rich with delicious soul energy that is necessary for our survival."

"Soul energy?" Jeze asked.

Mikal explained, "It is what powers our mortal bodies. The Gods require our faith, and in return, they serve us." The Healer placed a hand over his heart.

Ziplocke nodded and continued, "The Healer speaks true. The Fiends feed off of fear and misery, whereas the Celestials feed off of faith and love, but it is feeding nevertheless."

"Do not place the Frozen All Father in the same category as the Devils," Mikal snapped.

Ziplocke bowed his small head.

"What of you, Goblin? What do you feed on?" Dunar asked.

"You know what I enjoy," Ziplocke answered with a snicker. "The look of shock on mortals due to misfortune."

"That's better than misery and fear," Rolfe observed.

"Ya," Helga agreed.

Mikal shook his head and appeared unconvinced. Even Jeze appeared to side with the Healer and had her doubts.

"I don't know. Your lies have given me so many more questions," Jeze admitted.

"I never lied," Ziplocke stated.

"Holding information is a form of lying," Mikal explained.

The Goblin scowled at the Healer. The Demon looked at Jeze, and his face softened.

"Ask me anything, and I will do my best to answer."

"Did you serve my brother?" The teenager asked.

"No, he refused the pact," Ziplocke answered.

"He Summoned you?" Jeze asked, her eyes wide.

"I will speak truthfully to show my sincerity. I do like you, Jeze. You have tremendous potential. All of you do."

"Flattery will not help you, Demon," Mikal growled.

"Speak for yourself, Micky. I want to know more about my potential," Helga said.

"Let the Goblin speak," Dunar interjected.

"When I aided the Ones from Before with conquering the Stronghold, I believed we had won, only to discover that the Fiends still controlled my home realm, the Abyssal plane. The Celestials had taken control over the mortal Realm, so the Ones from Before would not help me. But, even though the Fiends were still in control, without the Fiendish Lord, their power was severely weakened. So things for us Goblins were not as bad. I decided the fight was over," Ziplocke said and hopped off Jeze's shoulder to move to stand before the others.

"It was not what I wanted, but it was something better. Until the Seals started to weaken and the Stronghold was able to travel between Realms. The Fiends were able to gain power, and I knew it would only be a matter of time before the Fiendish Lord was set free. So I came back to this Realm and was reminded of the short lives and memories of you mortals. The Ones from Before were long forgotten and the people here viewed the appearance of the Stronghold as a lucrative economic opportunity, not an invasion force." Ziplocke sighed.

"You have helped other teams?" Dunar asked.

Ziplocke glanced at Jeze before answering, "Yes, and that is no secret. I told that to Jeze already."

"What happened to the other teams?" Mikal asked.

Ziplocke snickered from the memories of their fates.

"They died," Jeze answered.

"What?" Helga and Rolfe asked at the same time.

"But they were not like you! This team is much more balanced. You have a Striker, a Protector, a Leader, a Healer, and a Scout! Not a very good Scout, but your team is adequate," the Goblin quickly replied.

"How did you meet my brother?" Jeze asked, bringing the conversation back to the main topic.

"I have to make a correction. The Ones from Before were mostly forgotten, but not completely. There are those that still remember, such as Mikal and his religion," Ziplocke answered.

"The Old Crones," Jeze stated.

"Yes, they remembered the Summoning rituals I instructed the Ones from Before on. Few mortals know it, and that was how I was able to join teams," the Goblin replied.

"Do you know why Daverious refused your pact?" Jeze asked.

Ziplocke scratched his small green head and said, "Your brother was very independent and driven. He had his own plans."

"What of the Golden Empire? What is their role in all of this?" Jeze asked.

The Goblin shrugged his small shoulders and replied, "There are many moving parts in this game, and I do not even know all the players."

Rolfe perked up and asked, "You mentioned Dragons earlier. Are Dragons involved?"

"Yes, you saw the bones above this Dungeon. Ancient Dragons rival the strongest Celestials and Fiends. They also desire conquest. Mainly, they want treasure," Ziplocke answered.

"I told you! The tales from Mount Dragon were true," Rolfe teased Mikal.

"That is irrelevant!" The Healer snapped and he turned to the others, "Time is running out and we need to make a decision. I vote that Jeze break the pact and let us be done with this evil."

Ziplocke's ears pulled back on his head as he sulked. To Jeze, the Goblin looked tired. It was odd to see that look on the mischievous Demon. She almost felt sorry for him, but she also had her doubts. Jeze may not have agreed with Mikal, but she was still not certain if she could trust Ziplocke.

"I still do not know what to do," Dunar stated.

"Ya, same here. This is a pickle, no?" Helga added.

"I don't mind the little guy joining us. He has useful information," Rolfe stated.

Ziplocke looked at Jeze, and she shook her head.

"I don't know," the teenager replied softly.

Ziplocke's lips quivered, and he shook his small head in dismay. The Demon had another thought, and he scrambled up Rolfe's shoulder to address the others.

"I propose another reason for us to work together aside from saving your realm," he said.

"Saving our Realm? Like I said earlier, even if we succeed against the Fiendish Lord, there is nothing stopping you from seizing power for yourself," Mikal reminded everyone.

"I have no desire for conquest," Ziplocke replied with a shake of his small head.

"No? Don't think that we have forgotten what you said earlier. You designed the Stronghold," Mikal stated.

The others had forgotten that earlier statement. Further doubt showed clearly on their faces, even for Rolfe.

Mikal continued, "Why did you create this machine for conquest if not for anything else but to conquer?"

Ziplocke sighed and replied, "I admit, that was my original purpose. But I have learned much since then. I have experienced being conquered and have no desire to do that to others."

"We are supposed to believe you, then?" Mikal asked.

"You don't need to. But allow me to appeal to you in another way. You all seek Glory, right?" The Demon asked.

Mikal shook his head when he saw his colleagues perk up.

"Go on," Helga said, and Rolfe nodded enthusiastically.

"I can guide you through the Spire. With me, you have the means to survive the dangers ahead of you, and you can achieve Adept rank in no time. Even more, I know the ways Mortals can break into the Elite rank. Maybe even Hero rank," Ziplocke offered.

Rolfe and Helga nodded their heads enthusiastically. They were in agreement with Ziplocke. Even Jeze and Dunar lowered their arms. They appeared interested.

"More tricks," Mikal snorted.

"No tricks, a promise," Ziplocke said.

Jeze and Dunar glanced at each other. "I can work with that," Jeze said.

Mikal scoffed. The Healer was speechless again.

Dunar added, "I agree with Jeze. We can work with that. Remember, Mikal, we are only on level 3. We have plenty of time to revisit this partnership. For now, it is mutually beneficial for all of us."

The internal conflict was apparent on Mikal's face. Ziplocke grinned and asked, "Are we in agreement then?"

"Aye," Helga and Rolfe answered. The idea of breaking into Adept rank and beyond appealed to them.

A little later, Dunar and Jeze joined in agreement. Mikal was the last one still. Finally, the Healer sighed.

"I am in," he said.

"Excellent!" Ziplocke cried.

"We are fools, and I'm tired of talking about this," Mikal added.