It was a long time before the goblin once more regained its senses. The cave had quieted down, the guards were gone, and silence once more shrouded the stalactite-filled cave.
The goblin opened its ocean blue eyes to stare at its surroundings, frantically, one might add. It was looking for something... That voice, that whisper of a name that put him to sleep. But he only found darkness and silence.
He once more thought of that pitch black blade, making it appear in his palm. As if it were always there, but his brain could not register its existence. He stood silent, staring at the blade, his thoughts blooming, racing.
After an unknown amount of time, he closed his eyes, and a heavy sigh left his mouth. As if he hoped all those turbid thoughts and heavy notions would ride along with the air, leaving his lungs and disappear.
Memories were a funny thing. You can live a full life, and only remember a few dozen things consciously. Most needed a stimulus to resurface, maybe a scent or a sound, something to prick the part of the brain where the memory is stored. So, although he remembered, he really didn't remember much.
The smell of the moss on the walls, the damp walls of the cave, even the sound of dripping water. They reminded him of this place, even though he was there himself. It all felt so... surreal.
"Reincarnation, huh? Would not believe it in a million years. Well, not really, since I remember my past life. Most would start capitalizing on this chance, but what do I even have to fight for? I can say without a doubt, I tried my hardest last time, and I miserably failed... Now that I think about it, what was I even trying so hard for? For the life of me, I can not seem to remember...Well, second life. Haha...
I can't believe I can joke right now... But, I mean, what else can I do? Nothing about this makes sense. And I'm no genius, but I can tell it was this blade that made this all happen. Who knows what the hell I picked up from that damn temple. I thought it would be my chance to get rich! Who knew it was a ticket to the afterlife! No, literally!
And those damn ghouls! I should get back there and kick their asses to the moon! To think they would dare chase me through that f*cking ruin! Those a**holes! I will-"
He continued to colorfully describe his previous experience. He didn't know when exactly his mood got so sour, whether it was because of his currently unknown situation, or the fact that he died miserably, or a thousand more reasons.
But in the midst of all the swearing and whining, he caught a glimpse of the dagger, and his inner voice stopped. He remained silently staring at it for a few seconds.
"I should at least figure out what the hell this is... right? It gave me a name... What was it again? I believe it was something like...
Kyomu."
The moment he thought of the name, something inside him clicked.
Suddenly, silent and propagating waves were released from both him and the blade, their origins unknown. They clashed and amplified each other, reverberating throughout the cave. If one zoomed out, they would see them spread over the entire forest region; if one zoomed out even further, one would see them reverberate over the entire planet, and if one, once again, zoomed out even further, they would see a silent ripple travel through space and time reaching the ends of the cosmos.
***
At an unknown place, at an unknown time, with nature so picturesque, it would put Eden to shame. Mountains of glorious fauna and flowers of all kinds of colours and shapes garnered the place, and the only thing standing out was a red and golden gazebo. It was inscribed with glorious scenes of battle, between one man with features fierce and primal, fighting against an army of demons straight from the ends of hell. One could faintly hear a war drum beat to glorious sounds of never-ending battle, but it was tuned out by the tranquillity of the surrounding nature. Inside that gazebo was a man, lazily sprawled over a lavish hammock, munching on peaches so pink and juicy, they would make any mortal salivate. What made this man stand out was the ape-like features that adorned his body, making him seem like a cross between a man and an ape. As he was wistfully enjoying another one of those delicious, stolen peaches, his ears perked up; they moved as if picking up on something. He forcefully swallowed and lifted himself to an upright position. His expression, which was just a second ago lazy and nonchalant, became unbelievably solemn. Suddenly, he lifted himself off the hammock and walked hastily towards a cave that was carved out in a nearby mountain.
"I have to tell Master...", he thought, a feeling of budding excitement and expectation rising in his chest...
***
At an unknown place, at an unknown time, darkness governed the world. The only source of light was a palace so majestic and glorious, no legend would do it justice. It was entirely made of an unknown metal that shone with prismarine colour, spheres of puffy light falling from an unknown place like rain, providing visibility. Suddenly, that palace of extraordinary quality experienced a small tremor. When that tremor ended, just behind that palace of glorious proportions, whose lavish decoration would put any other to shame, a gargantuan, ginormous, colossal, boundless eye sprang open, unleashing a wave that spread through the ocean floor due to its casual movement. The eye was so gigantic, it dwarfed the already big palace as if it were a person staring at an ant on his finger. The eye was grey in colour and explosively majestic, while the black of the sclera was overwhelming. That same sclera was now constricted to its limits as if coming to a dreadful realisation, but it returned to normal rather quickly. Then it closed abruptly, once more creating a propagating wave through the ocean floor, due to its sheer size...
***
Back to the cave,
"WOAH! What was THAT!?" The goblin questioned in disbelief as it felt its whole body vibrate in unison, as if every cell shuddered at the same time, giving him a euphoric and at the same time stimulating sensation. He shivered as he felt every hair on his body prickle.
When that unknown wave was released, the goblin felt his body shudder, and an overwhelming sensation overcame him. It was difficult to describe.
"So... Kyomu, huh? Weird name, but who am I to judge? I forgot mine a long time ago... Well, I guess in a long time from now? Uh, this reincarnation garbage is confusing! Wait! Didn't the chief yell my name just before?
What was it? Uh... Ah, right, Kote!
Wait... Seriously? Kote? You couldn't come up with something better, you old bastard!?
Now that I think about the chief, I feel like I'm forgetting something important. Everything's hazy anyway, my memories are a mess.
Also, I'm so freaking hungry! Where's the food you dumbasses!? Hurry up!
Wait a second..."
When Kote thought about the food, he remembered something he had buried deep, deep down in his mind. Something that haunted his nightmares, but his mind deemed too painful to remember.
"That's right! Before they bring the food they-... they-...!"
Suddenly, all colour drained from his face, all nonchalance left his expression, replaced by a feeling of horror; of utter disbelief.
Just when his memories resurfaced, footsteps echoed through the cave. The chief of the tribe was here...