Tír-nan-cnocc’s Sin

Tyffeon seems confused. He stares at me without uttering a word. Of course, for him, considering goblins as monsters has always been a natural reflex. They are taught so since childhood.

“Our kingdom’s sin..?”

    One of the goblins, taller, takes a step closer. Sensing his approach, I turn away from Tyffeon. The goblin eyes me cautiously. He would have been half of my size if not for his hunched back. Around his neck, a distinctive collar made of multiple bones tied to a sort of thread. I guess it’s the chief.

    Making small steps to avoid frightening him, I end up kneeling not far away from the goblin chief.

“The Daoine Sidhe are proud warriors, they never could forget the golden age. Peace brought them many things. They were welcomed in the other kingdoms, the dwarfs agreed to sell them the weapons they forged. But what were these weapons for, now that the wars were behind them? Their weapons still called for blood, and so they chased the monsters inhabiting the nearby forests and valleys.”

    As I speak, I lean forward to release the tiny goblin. Hesitant, he glances back at me, as if afraid I would kick him. Since I don’t, he clumsily steps forward.

“But where they called for bravery was only bloodlust. All goblins aren’t that bad. Some just want to live. And yet, your kind used to kill them on sight. So that they ended up fleeing to the outskirts of Tír-nan-cnocc, hoping to find some respite.”

    The tiny goblin manages to reach the chief’s side, hiding behind him. I glance back at Tyffeon.

“As you can see, though, there’s nothing more than agony for them here.”

“You say it like we are the monsters here, but goblins are far from pacific creatures. I had the occasion to fight some wandering around the village. If you had seen their demonic smiles whenever they managed to hurt one of us…”

“Back then, for how long have the Daoine Sidhes already been chasing them? If you had the opportunity to wound an enemy whose kind spent so much ardour attacking them, would you resist being engulfed by a twisted envy to retaliate?” I pause. “Goblins are territory creatures, that is true. They don’t share the same values as you do. Some may sound barbaric to you. To me as well. That is a fact. But,” I calmly state, “does this deny them the right to live?” I extend my hand towards the goblins around us. “Do you think any of them is strong enough to pick up a fight? When they try to reach out to the valley to get something to eat, they get killed if a Daoine Sidhe finds them. Look around you. What do you see apart from misery?”

    He finds nothing to retort.

“Your King’s, your warriors’ vanity is Tír-nan-cnocc’s sin.”

    Silence falls. None of us find anything to add, and the goblins can only stare at us. They can’t speak our language. They can’t tell us their truth.

“I don’t know what to think about it.” Tyffeon finally says.

“At least, keep this in mind.” I turn to face him fully. “Now, can you show me how to use my benediction?”

    He raises an eyebrow to my sudden request.

“Is this truly an appropriate moment?”

“It is more than you think. Oh well, unless you don’t feel so confident about being able to teach me this any more, mmm?”

    Most likely pissed off by my smirk, Tyffeon steps closer. There’s no denying he’s still unsettled by the goblins surrounding us, but he tries not to pay attention to them.

“Usually, its use is instinctive more than else. It comes naturally, just like breathing.”

“Dang, that’ll help.”

“Unable to listen to the end, aren’t you?” He retorts. “Like I said, usually it is so because that’s something you learn to use since childhood. So, in your case, it might take some time to come to that point.”

    Extending his hand, he shows me his palm and – just like back then on the ramparts – Tyffeon makes the air twirl in his palm, even forming what resembles in shape a tiny tornado.

“The first time, it might help you to close your eyes. Focus on what you feel. The wind upon your skin, the odour, the sounds. You need to be in osmosis with the world around you.”

“You’re not trying to make a fool out of me, right?”

    Better to be sure. In the game you obviously just need to use a command to activate the spell, so I never needed to elaborate such learning theory.

“You don’t need anyone for that.”

    I close my eyes on these sweet words.

“I focus on the world.” My tone being overly meditative. “I can’t see you frowning. I can’t hear the rage baiting.”

“Tssk.”

    A triumphal smile.

“What am I supposed to do then?”

“Think of your name. Of its meaning.” He pauses, letting me the opportunity to do so.

    It really feels a bit cringe to do so… Oh, well.

    Amako. Amako… Child of the rain.

    After a moment of silence, Tyffeon continues in a lower voice.

“Now, add it to the world around you.”

    I slightly frown at the words. Add it… to the world? What does it exactly mean?

    Confused by his indications, I try nonetheless to focus on what I feel. The vitiated air, the wind against my skin dissipating as Tyffeon dispels it,… what if rain was added to all of this?

    Rain.

    The ground would be less dry, the air more bearable to breathe. The droplets… Their sound would cover the unease brought by the silence.

    Fresh stings upon my skin.

    Before I can think of it any further, I open my eyes as I realise it’s raining. Or, at least…

    Ah.

    Tyffeon’s shoulders are shaking as he obviously holds back from laughing.

“Ughhh…” I mid-close my eyes.

    I mean, that’s not a complete failure. There is… kind of a result. Even if the rain is located precisely over my head, where a little grey cloud has formed.

    Arms crossed, I tap a finger against my arm.

“Very funny.”

    Stepping aside, I let the rain damp the ground beneath. It needs it more than I do.

    As Tyffeon soon schools his features back to normal, he observes me as I walk around.

“What are you searching for?”

“Something that could contain that water, so that they can keep it.”

    I still try to figure out something when I take sight of the goblin chief. He’s pulling a kind of cauldron, though it would be more fair to describe it as a piece of metal shaped more or less as a half-sphere. A crack here and there along the edges.

    Walking over to him, I help the goblin chief pulling it under the pouring water.

    As it fills up, the other goblins gather around us little by little. Seemingly having judged that we are no threat. They keep gazing at us, at the water, with a curious, envious glint in their eyes.

    Tyffeon stiffens as they surround us, remaining cautious. That said, he doesn’t try anything against them. That brings a smile to my face.

“Do you need me to hold your hand?” I suggest with mischief.

    He widens his eyes, flustered. Of course it’s brief as he soon shoots me a dirty look.

“Shameless woman. Can’t you think of anything serious?”

“Sure I can.” I begin, tilting my head to the side. “But do you think it is what you need right now?”

“You…” He trails off, seeming a bit conflicted. “Why are you doing this? Even if this will ease them for a short while, don’t you think they’ll just feel even more the lack of water after that?”

    I gaze back at the goblins occupied by getting some clean water.

“Well… It may be egoist of me. But I couldn’t bear to leave without giving them something, even if it’s just an ephemeral respite. And maybe, someday…” I trail off, shaking my head.

“‘Careful, Amako… Don’t start to hope. Don’t… It’s too dangerous.”

***

    We need to head to the frontier. Fortunately, we just need to go along the outskirts. In a few hours, we should be able to reach the place where the rulers are used to gather. I need to warn them. I can at least do that.

    As we are about to leave, the goblin chief walks in our path. Approaching me, he halts a few steps away. Is there something he wants from me?

    He reaches out his hand towards me.

    For a while, I contemplate it. I don’t like extended hands, that’s a gesture that confuses me. In the end, people always end up taking them back.

    But…

    I guess he simply wants to thank me. Trying not to overthink it, I lean forward, giving him my hand in return. Instead of taking it, though, he grabs my wrist. Not forcefully, but tugging it a bit closer, enough for him to put something in my palm with his free hand.

    When he releases me, I take a look at what he has given me.

    A few bones joined by a thread. It pretty much resembles his own collar.

    Standing up to my feet, I tie it around my wrist and show it to him, along with a smile.