I leaned back, the wooden chair creaking under my small, goblin frame. "I don't understand a single word of what you just said," I admitted, my voice cold. "But it sounds like you want me to conquer the world. You want me to turn a pack of cave-dwelling scavengers into an empire."
"Precisely," Varkas said, leaning his chin on his obsidian knuckles. "Goblins have been the footstool of this world for eons. I am tired of being a 'low' god. I want to be the deity of a dominion. And you," he looked at me with those burning eyes, "are the perfect architect for my throne."
I stared at him, my blood cooling as the weight of the task settled on me. "And what about her?"
Varkas tilted his head, his mocking smile fading into something more clinical. "Her?"
"My daughter," I snarled, slamming my hand onto the table. The sound echoed unnaturally in the white void. "I didn't ask for a crown or to be your champion. I don't give a damn about your pride or your power. Before we discuss these objectives, I want to know one thing, if I wade through an ocean of blood for you, will she be waiting for me on the other side? Can you actually send me back? Or are you just a scavenger yourself, picking through the souls of dead fathers?"
The atmosphere in the white space shifted instantly. The light dimmed, and a heavy, suffocating pressure settled over the table. Varkas didn't look angry; he looked amused.
"Such fire... I like it," he mocked. With a flick of his wrist, the air above the table shimmered like heat rising from asphalt. An image began to form, a window into another world.
I gasped. It was my apartment. The lighting was dim, exactly as I remembered it from the day before. There she was, tucked under her pink duvet, her chest rising and falling in a peaceful, rhythmic sleep. She looked so small, so fragile. The sight of her pierced through the numbing trauma of the last few hours, bringing a sharp, agonizing pain to my chest.
"She is safe," Varkas said, his voice unusually soft. "For now. Time moves differently between worlds, but it does not stand still. If you refuse me, you die in that cave. Your body will rot, and she will grow up wondering why her father never woke up to make her breakfast. She will grow up alone."
I reached out to touch the image, but my clawed, green finger passed right through the mist. The contrast between my monstrous hand and her soft face was a cruel reminder of what I had become.
"If you succeed," Varkas continued, the image vanishing as quickly as it had appeared, "I will use my power to tear open the veil. I will put your soul back in that bed as if you had never left. You have my word as a god."
"Don't take this the wrong way, but it seems you've kidnapped my soul for your own purposes, so understand me if I have trust issues" I said slowly, my eyes narrowing. "I need more than your word. How do I know you will keep your end of the deal?"
Varkas laughed, a loud, booming sound that shook the very foundation of the spirit plane. "Only someone who has never interacted with gods would dare to doubt the word of one. You really are a funny creature. Very well." He leaned in closer. "Your world is still too immature to be incorporated into the rest of the universe, but I think you have already tasted the feeling of being 'blessed' by the System."
"The System," I repeated. "I've seen the messages in my head. What is it, exactly?"
"The System just is," Varkas said casually. "Don't think too much about it. It is the law that binds all things. We will make a deal bonded by the System, we will add the conditions, and I will be obligated to fulfill my part. Of course, the price for failure is death."
"Will I die if I don't accomplish what you want?" I asked, a chill running down my spine.
He laughed again, a dark, melodic sound. "How amusing. Of course you will die, but not because I kill you. If you die in that world, it means you have failed, and I will be under no obligation to fulfill my part. Do you understand?"
I nodded slowly. The stakes were clear. Survival was no longer just an instinct, it was a requirement.
"Great, then let's make it official." He raised his hand, and a scroll of parchment appeared, glowing with a faint, sickly green light. It wasn't made of paper; it looked like dried skin, inscribed with shimmering runes that made my eyes ache.
"This is a Soul Binding," Varkas explained. "Perform the tasks, and the path home opens. Fail, and you will never see your daughter again."
He held out the scroll, the green light reflecting in his predatory eyes.
"Wait!" I barked, raising my hand to stop him.
Varkas paused, arching an eyebrow in amusement. "What now?"
"I need more information about this deal. You're asking me to do things I know nothing about, and this whole thing seems far too one-sided," I said, my voice tight with suspicion.
He chuckled, the sound deep and mocking. "Of course it's one-sided. I'm offering this deal to motivate you; I'm being nice here. Remember, I could just order you around, and if you refused… well, you could spend the rest of your miserable goblin life rotting in that cave. With this, I'm giving you an opportunity. A way out."
I sighed. It was clear I had no room to bargain, but I had to try. "Fine. But what are these objectives? I don't know how you expect me to accomplish anything without a shred of information."
"It's easier if you see it for yourself. Touch the scroll."
I hesitated. How could I not? Every instinct told me this was a trap, but the thought of my daughter pushed my hand forward. I reached out and pressed my finger onto the cold parchment. Instantly, a translucent blue screen flared to life in my vision, floating in the white void.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: SOUL-BINDING CONTRACT DETECTED]
Host: [Unnamed]
Patron Deity: Varkas, The Goblin God
[MISSION OBJECTIVES: PHASE 1] 1. ASCENSION: Advance the "Black Hand Tribe" Civilization Core to Level 5.
CONQUEST: Seize and secure the Four Ancestral Temples (Progress: 0/4).RECOVERY: Retrieve the Five Relics of the First God to restore Varkas's Prime Authority (Progress: 0/5).
[THE DIVINE REWARD] Upon the successful completion of all objectives, Varkas shall exercise his Absolute Sovereignty to tear open the veil between worlds. Your soul will be extracted from this vessel and returned to your original human body at the precise moment of your departure.
[NOTICE] By accepting, your fate is bound to the Patron. The System will track all progress toward the Divine Reward.
Do you wish to accept the binding? [YES] / [NO]
The text looked official, almost like a legal document, but my doubts remained. I looked at the requirements, Civilization Cores? Ancestral Temples? What were those things? How was I supposed to accomplish any of this starting from a damp cave full of idiots?
"What do you think? This way, you do your part and I do mine. No tricks," Varkas said, his smile widening as he watched me read.
I shook my head. I needed more.
"I'd like to review a few things before I accept," I said. "First... why can't I remember my name?" I started with something simple, something personal.
Varkas shrugged dismissively. "That must be a side effect of the soul transfer. Honestly, I don't really care."
"Then what is my name?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. "You took my soul; surely you must know it?"
He shook his head again. "Not really. Like I said, it doesn't matter to me. You choose your own name. I could just call you 'Champion' or 'Overlord.' Most of my previous subjects chose the title: The Goblin Overlord."
That wasn't a real name, but it was clear he wasn't going to give me anything more. I moved on to the next point.
"About these objectives... what exactly is a Civilization Core? What are Ancestral Temples, and what are these relics?"
He chuckled again, a dry, rasping sound. "Where is your sense of adventure? Those are things you'll have to discover for yourself. Besides, some of those names should be self-explanatory."
"Come on, I need something, an advantage," I pressed. "Otherwise, you've just made a deal with a goblin whose life span might only be another hour."
Varkas raised a hand to his chin, considering my words. "You might be right... what kind of advantage are you thinking of?"
This was my window of opportunity. "I need a way to gather information. I can't exactly ask my 'goblin colleagues' for help, and I doubt any other race will be willing to answer my questions—at least not without a sword at their throat."
Varkas chuckled, leaning back. "I'm not a tutor, and I don't have the patience for your constant 'Why?' and 'How?'. Fine. I will grant you the skill: [NEURAL ARCHIVE (RANK: E)]. That skill will answer your questions so you don't have to bother me. Use it wisely; it's a heavy load on a small goblin brain. One question a day. No more."
He waved a hand, and a new screen appeared.
[VARKS BLESSING SKILL: NEURAL ARCHIVE (RANK: E)]
Description: A passive-active interface linked to the World's Akashic Records. This skill allows the Host to query the System regarding the laws, geography, and inhabitants of this world.
Function: Ask one (1) question to receive a concise, factual summary.Constraint: Knowledge is limited to your current Rank. It cannot predict the future or reveal the secrets of high-tier deities.Cooldown: 24 Hours. (The Host's brain requires a full sleep cycle to process the raw data transfer).
I stared at the blinking icon. A search engine. He was giving me a search engine with a twenty-four-hour limit.
"So, as part of the deal, I get this skill?" I asked, trying to mask my excitement. This skill was exactly what I needed to survive.
He nodded. "So, are you ready to accept?"
"Wait." I was feeling more confident now, so I decided to push my luck one last time.
"I'm currently dying back in that cave," I reminded him, my voice steady despite the pain I knew was waiting for me. "Can you do something about that?"
Varkas's face darkened, his eyes glowing like dying embers. "You are pushing your luck, you little smart-ass," he growled. "This is the last thing you will get from me." He leaned in, his shadow swallowing the table. "Don't be cocky. For you, this is your only chance to go back. For me? I can bring more souls and try my luck again. Eventually, one will succeed."
He waved a hand dismissively, and another window flickered into existence.
[VARKAS'S BLESSING: NATURE HOLDING (RANK: E)]
Description: An ancient goblin survival technique that allows the user to siphon and store residual life force from their surroundings.
Function: By remaining in a state of high physical activity or proximity to organic life, the user accumulates "Vital Essence." Once full, a Life Mark appears on the user's skin.
Activation: Consuming the Life Mark instantly seals wounds and restores health.
Limit: Only one (1) Life Mark can be held at a time at Rank E.
"Now accept, or die already!" Varkas barked.
I didn't hesitate this time. I slammed my hand onto the glowing scroll.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: SOUL-BINDING CONTRACT DETECTED]
Host: [Overlord]
Patron Deity: Varkas, The Goblin God
[MISSION OBJECTIVES: PHASE 1]
ASCENSION: Advance the "Black Hand Tribe" Civilization Core to Level 5.CONQUEST: Seize and secure the Four Ancestral Temples (Progress: 0/4).RECOVERY: Retrieve the Five Relics of the First God to restore Varkas's Prime Authority (Progress: 0/5).
[PROVISION OF POWER] Acceptance of this contract immediately grants the Host the following starter skills:
SKILL: [NEURAL ARCHIVE (RANK: E)]
SKILL: [NATURE HOLDING (RANK: E)]
[THE DIVINE REWARD] Upon the successful completion of all objectives, Varkas shall exercise his Absolute Sovereignty to tear open the veil between worlds. Your soul will be returned to your original human body at the precise moment of your departure.
[NOTICE] By accepting, your fate is bound to the Patron. The System will track all progress. Failure results in permanent soul forfeiture.
Do you wish to accept the binding? [YES] / [NO]
I looked at the empty space where the image of my daughter had been just moments ago. I would burn every kingdom in this world to ash if it meant seeing her smile one more time.
"I accept," I said, my voice as hard as flint.
I reached out and mentally struck the [YES] icon.
A searing, white-hot heat surged through my arm, far worse than the agony of the King's club. It felt like liquid lead pouring into my veins. I felt the magic branding itself onto my very soul—a heavy, invisible chain linking my fate to this dark deity.
[NEW SKILL OBTAINED: NEURAL ARCHIVE (RANK: E)]
[NEW SKILL OBTAINED: NATURE HOLDING (RANK: E)]
[NEW MISSION OBTAINED: THE WAY HOME]
"The deal is struck, Overlord," Varkas said, his massive form beginning to dissolve into a thick, white mist. "Now wake up. Your subjects are waiting... and the world is hungry."
The white void shattered like glass.