[If he wanted to kill us, there's no need to poison us. He's either a sadistic fiend who gets off on doing long cons or a good human. A coin flip. I like the odds. Compared to the risks we take every day, this is much fairer. Wouldn't you agree, Agra? Those were my exact words,] Igrun said in response to Xyn's question.

  [I see,] said Xyn, rubbing the head of Monda, who had fallen asleep on his lap after entering a food coma.

  She wasn't the only one - rather, Igrun and three others were the exception. In the darkness, the fires illuminated the sights of goblin bodies lying sprawled on the ground, with a few huddled up to form green hills. The Void Prince watched the sight, and a smile crept onto his face.

  Igrun shared the same smile as he sipped from the silver goblet. [You're a good one, Xyn. Tonight will be a memory we'll cherish long into the future. Till we return to the earth. Are all the humans from where you come from the same as you?]

  Xyn's face tightened at the comparison. [No, they're not.] Realising the sharpness of his tone, he took a breath and continued. [They are not like me, in most ways. However, that's not what you're asking. Would you be able to get along with other humans from my realm? This is a tricky question with a nuanced answer. Believe it or not, I'm actually the black sheep over there. The worst criminal in centuries. Other humans are far more friendly and peaceful, disgustingly so. ]

  Igrun raised a brow he didn't have and paused his sipping motion. [I don't believe you. You, the worst of the bunch? No stranger claim than that.]

  Rose Union's number one terrorist shrugged with a wry look. [Well, it's true. Even so, despite their peaceful nature, I'm uncertain whether humans would welcome your kind as warmly as I did. The Rose Union was founded on a pro-human/anti-alien policy, and you,] Xyn, gestured with his cup, [would count as an alien.]

  [Strange word,] Igrun rubbed his hairless beard. [Please explain.]

  Xyn did and recounted some of his home universe's vast history.

  [So, humans conquered their home planet and spread out to other planets and stars, those twinkling things in the sky,] Igrun pointed up, and Xyn nodded. [They encounter other races, aliens, two of whom were engaged in a great war for centuries, in space, and humans were forced to participate. Then, the super-strong human is born. Her name again?]

  [Rose Ipsen, the Void Empress.]

  [Yes, wielder of the Void. Like you, but stronger. She is an unstoppable force and ends the space war herself by killing all aliens. Down to their last member.]

  [Yes,] Xyn said with a sigh. He respected and loathed the historical figure in equal measure. [Following that, the Rose Union political party, run by her family, took over everything and became mankind's sole ruler. All dissent was crushed, and their reforms became the universal standard. Her bloodshed led to a sublime peace, but at the cost of ever interacting with another intelligent lifeform. I thought I'd never get to trade words with an alien, but here I am.]

  Xyn flashed a fan of pearly whites at the goblin opposite him, who revealed a set of sharp yellow ones as he communicated his next words.

  [Alternate worlds hold alternate possibilities. An interesting, but sad story. Glad you came here, Xyn.]

  [Me too, Igrun.]

  [To an unlikely friendship,] Igrun said as he raised his mug.

  Xyn smiled, raised his cup and repeated the words as the two clacked drinks. The two downed the juice in one spurt, before rattling the table with their subsequent slams.

  The conversation resumed, and the fires continued to lap up the wooden logs fed into them. Questions and answers, statements and wordplay, smiles and laughs, for hours on end.

  [Seems the dream is nearing its end,] Igrun said, a melancholic expression appearing as dawn broke and the morning rays passed through the gaps to illuminate the goblin village. [You said you go to meet another like you, an otherworlder, yes? This forest is deadly. She may be capable, but being alone is never good.]

  [I agree...but a few more days alone won't hurt.]

  [You mean...] Igrun asked cautiously.

  [I'll linger here for a few more days -if you'll have me.]

  [Of course. You're welcome to stay as long as you'd like.] His announcement was a sound grenade to the surrounding goblins. Monda's eyelids snapped open. Her tiny form crawled up him, wrapped around his head and asked the same question.

  [Really, she asks.] Igrun provided.

  [Yes, really, Monda.] He nodded and inadvertently acted as a seesaw. [I can't leave you guys like this. Friends help each other, and that's what I'll do.]

  [Friend,] Igrun repeated, the term like a magic spell to him and the other goblins.

  [Yes, friend. We toasted to it earlier, didn't we?]

  [We...did.]

  Xyn nodded again and stood up. Through the 'greater than' and 'less than' gaps, he observed the village. Shabby was putting it lightly. Carcasses were the villagers' bread and butter. Every structure was a variation of a tent. Bones of large mundane and magical creatures made up the skeleton, while several layers of fur and scales covered its exterior and kept the harsh elements at bay. It was practical, but unsightly, and more noticeably, it reeked.

  Not helping this was the proximity of everything. Most of the structures were smooshed together on the northern end of the circular space, leaving more than 70% empty.

  The goblins were used to roughhousing, but seeing these conditions, Xyn couldn't help but speak up.

  [Hey, I have a proposal to offer. I wonder if you'll hear me out.]

  [Speak, friend Xyn.]

  The Void Prince became Black and White.

  The latter appeared fifteen metres away. Then, with a thought, Black engulfed Monda with his Soul Shroud and translocated her to White's Soul Shroud, before dismissing the duplicate. Ignoring her startled noise, he continued.

  [I propose renovating this village. To make it better.]

  While he was different from the humans of his home universe, he was still a resident of the Rose Union. Those nineteen years had left their mark on him. The galactic empire was a place of luxury and comfort, so seeing the goblins' squalor bothered him greatly. He could accept a difference in aesthetics, but it wasn't that.

  The goblins took to the symmetry, neatness and tidiness of the items he had summoned from his storage ring. Agra even seemed embarrassed when Xyn was touring the place. The goblins valued and appreciated the same things humans did. The only reason the village didn't look better was that they lacked the know-how and materials to accomplish the task.

  [Goblins are tough and can survive anything. But just because you can, doesn't mean you should. You guys deserve better than this,] Xyn welcomed Monda as she sprang toward him. He embraced the small figure in a tight hug. She certainly does. [So, what do you say?]

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Tears struck dirt as the words resounded through the minds of the goblins. The string of words was something they never knew they wanted to hear, spoken to them. Moved in no small way, the green creatures broke down. The harshness of daily realities had prepped them for revilement, but they had developed no resistance to sincerity from a non-goblin. Joy overflowed from their bleeding hearts.

  The Void Prince watched the scene with a subtle smile on his face, which was quickly distorted by an impatient Monda. The little goblin grabbed at the necklace bearing the communication stone. Xyn withdrew his mana, and her voice sounded from it.

  [Again again again. Do it again!]

  Xyn sighed and sent her through the Void again. He watched her race back, but this time he didn't stand idle and ran away. He couldn't afford to do that all day. Luckily for him, a swift Agra put an end to the chase. She scooped up the goblin youth and turned her docile with a few words. The female goblin sent a look to another goblin, and the communication stone was brought to her.

  [Human Xyn. I was at first sceptical of your intentions and character. I am that no more. Goblins are weak. We need all the help we can get. Any from you will be appreciated.]

  She bowed her head, and the rest of the goblins mimicked her.

  Xyn accepted the gesture of respect without any fuss. He was on the clock.

  [Excellent. Then, let's get started.]

  ***

  When doing anything, Xyn always gave it 200%...and it showed in the results.

  The transformation wasn't a one-man show, but a collaborative effort between man and goblins. It started with a brainstorming session, where anyone could make suggestions.

  They were tallied, and the popular ones were incorporated. Xyn made a miniature version of the upgraded village with bone constructs. It took an hour to settle on the designs of the buildings, with each goblin adding a personal touch. Done, the grounds were primed for construction. Then, Xyn headed out to collect building materials.

  Stone and wood were plentiful in the area and were stored in mass in his storage ring. Xyn was a laser. Precise and swift, his Void Cuts and Endera shaped the wood and stone to his desired dimensions.

  The goblins watched him work in awe, thanking the heavens that he was a friend and not a foe. They did more than gawk in amazement, though. Xyn had made tools, passed them around, and given demonstrations before assigning jobs to everyone. He directed them as a foreman would, and the goblins were only too happy to be part of the process. It was fulfilling work.

  Xyn saw their smiles and smiled himself. They were quick on the uptake, and with their superhuman capabilities, things moved along swiftly. The Void Prince left the grunt work to the goblins and handled the specialised projects.

  Building an underground network of tunnels that would serve as a sewage system and connect the nearby lake to the village wasn't difficult, but it took an entire day due to the mana cost.

  Before long, sturdy structures in the style of Xyn's lodges, composed of wood, stone and bone, filled the area. Not randomly like before. From an aerial view, it looked like a spider, the design courtesy of Anthia .

  All houses were single-story, except for Mandola, the marksman, who insisted on a second story. Xyn granted the request - as he did a dozen others. He was tugged in all directions. All four of the young psionic's hands were kept full by the goblins.

  Construction and crafting took up most of his time. The rest of his time was split between playing with the kids, joining the warriors during their hunts, and learning the goblin tongue. Agra volunteered to help him.

  [You need only hear the word once?]

  [Yes. Please. Every word you can think of. Say it out loud and repeat it via mental communication. No need to worry about any order,] said Xyn, hooked up to X-8.

  Agra was sceptical but performed her task. An hour later, the Void Prince understood the language. Speaking it, though, was next to impossible with human vocal cords. This limitation was no hindrance to Xyn. He made the necessary alterations and, before long, was communicating like a goblin.

  The goblins were beyond impressed, and then further wowed when Xyn assumed their Adult Form. He lingered like this for an hour before, to the disappointment of all, reverted.

  Shapeshifting was one of his most useful abilities, having allowed him to fly under the Rose Union's radar, sneak into facilities and borrow things he shouldn't. That said, Xyn preferred to stay as close to his natural form as possible, only shapeshifting for utility's sake.

  By day three, the bone model of the village had been fully materialized, quirks and all. It was glorious. Xyn wasn't content. He spent the next two days crafting fun things for the villagers to pass the time. They had their games and hobbies, but more couldn't hurt, and so he introduced several board games and sports.

  Croquet, soccer, and darts. Die, dominoes and cards made from bone led to dozens of different games, which the goblins became quickly obsessed with.

  Yet, even after all that, Xyn had a few more gifts to give.

  "You can't...this is too much. Please, we can't repa-"

  "Enough," Xyn replied, waving his hand. " You're like a broken record, old man. I won't repeat myself. Friends do not speak in give and take. Accept it. I won't accept your refusal."

  Igrun smiled wryly. "Very well. If you insist."

  "Good," Xyn's black sights returned to his gifts.

  Seven hundred monster cores formed a neat pyramid. It was roughly half of Xyn's current wealth. Crates filled with food, drink and delicacies stood to the side along with a handful of magical tools.

  The Void Prince looked at the pile and felt not an iota of loss. They were better with the goblins, who formed a giant ring around him.

  "My worry is...that I return to find one or all of you dead. I would be heartbroken, and much blood would be spilt as a result. Humans. I've only met three since I've come to this world, and while varied in strength, any one of them could easily wipe out his village. You can't fight humans. Not as you are. But avoiding them forever isn't possible. Or good for the heart."

  Xyn saw the nods and looked around.

  "Goblins are people, not beasts. Most people probably don't see that. A veil of ignorance covers their eyes. You must do your best to rip it off. Not with force. I'll leave you a communication stone. It has a range of a hundred metres. When encountering humans, you must speak and state friendly intentions. The magic cores can be traded for items. Food and other essentials."

  "Adventurers are not good humans. What if they want to steal? Or just kill us all and take everything anyway?" Agra asked, getting the communication stone from Igrun.

  "If it looks to be heading that way, reveal this item," Xyn said as he summoned the cumbersome Radiant Sword. The goblins recoiled in shock as they felt the intense mana the objects gave off.

  "W-What is that?"

  "This blade, I assume, is proof of a Radiant Knight's identity, an elite from Radae. This sword belonged to Alison of House Aegis, also known as Impenetrable Shield."

  Xyn saw the confusion playing on the goblins' faces and wasn't surprised. Talking to them over the last few days made clear their ignorance about the world beyond the local region.

  "He was one of the humans I mentioned earlier, and the previous owner of the ring I now wear. He was on a mission to enslave Otherworlders and tried...and failed to chain me. In short, I killed him, a powerful and noteworthy figure in the greater world. Should Adventurers or anyone be adamant about causing you harm, mention this sword and his name or title with the following warning. The killer of Alison Aegis is a friend of the Thick Thicket Tribe. Should any harm come to it, Xyn the Void Prince will exact revenge."

  The goblins gulped as a sliver of killing intent slipped from Xyn as he imagined the dreaded scenario. Reining himself in after noting their reactions, he blinked and adjusted his emotions.

  "This will be a powerful deterrent to those in the know, but it should only be used as a last resort, as it is a double-edged sword. Use it wisely. I'll trust your judgement. I've got your back. A friend today is a friend forever- ah, not again, Igrun-"

  Goblins were a touch-feely sort. Xyn experienced his latest evidence of this tendency as he was buried under a hill of small green bodies. The smothering affection made breathing next to impossible. Luckily, Xyn had a workaround. Under the bodies, he was as comfortable as a baby in the womb.

  It took nearly two minutes for Agra to peel off the children, and when she did, Xyn met with the gleaming eyes of the adults. Agra approached with a stained smile.

  "You stretch yourself thin for us. We don't deserve your kindness, but we'll greedily take it anyway. Like splendid goblins. Thank you, Xyn."

  The Void Prince embraced her words and body. A round of hugs followed, ending with Igrun.

  "Are you sure you don't want to part with a feast? It would be fitting, no?"

  "No, I've stayed too long already. If the otherworlder has any rabbit in her, she might die of loneliness any day now. I must go, pronto."

  "Can't you stay?" asked Monda as he clung to his leg. "You can make two yous. Have one stay behind to play. I'll let you score a goal when I'm a goalie."

  Xyn's hand dropped onto her head and began rubbing. "I'll be back before you know it, Monda. A few long blinks will do it. Until then, I must go. Both of my selves. Without one, I'm too weak. Understand?"

  Monda shook her head at first, refusing to understand, and tightened her grip around his leg. But after a few seconds, the green-skinned kid finally accepted the words. She unwrapped herself from Xyn and stepped back before looking up to him.

  "A few long blinks? That's all?"

  "More or less."

  "Okay. Will be a good girl and wait."

  "Good. I'll bring back more fun stuff when I return."

  "Really?"

  "Yeah. The longer I'm away, the more stuff I'll bring. Promise."

  Xyn's heart melted before her innocent look of joy. He wondered if he had ever made a similar expression growing up. I doubt it. Putting his bitter childhood memories out of his mind, he swept his gaze over the villagers huddled in a crescent and addressed them one last time.

  "Well, folks, it's been a swell few days. Stay safe and have fun out here. I'll return in time-"

  "In a few long blinks."

  "Yes, what Monda says. Till then, farewell."

  Xyn did a last wave and vanished, leaving a void like no other in the hearts of the goblins of the Thick Thicket Tribe.