Chapter 29: You See a Pair of Goblins

"Well, don't just leave me in suspense. What happened next?"

Daretti, for what he knew must have been the seventh time in the last hour or so, momentarily paused his work. The rustic glow of welding magic dimmed from his fingertips as he looked up from the thoroughly dissected thopter that lay across his portable workbench. Still hunching forward in his chair, the goblin looked to his side, where Krenko was alternatingly staring at Daretti and a ring with a large inlaid ruby that he held up to the light.

"Well," Daretti continued, taking a moment to remember where he had left off before being sucked back into his work, "after me and Grenzo did what we could to the Academy itself, we had to go after all those highfalutin assholes who worked there, y'know? So, we got as many goblins as we could from all over the city and we started lookin' for 'em. I'm tellin' ya, we filled the fuckin' streets. I think we ended up burnin' down at least five blocks."

"Sounds like my kinda party!" Krenko cackled, rows of jagged teeth slipping into view from beneath his oversized nose. "I like the sound of this Grenzo guy."

Daretti idly scratched at his heavy black beard. "You do remind me of him. Shame you two'll never meet."

"Hey, never say never, pal. If you found a way here from wherever you're from, no reason I can't. I already run the streets here, but if there's other territories for the takin', well, I ain't just gonna sit around!"

While Krenko made his grandiose proclamation, his attention slowly shifted away from Daretti and back to the impressive ring clutched between his stumpy fingers. He turned it over a few times, allowing crimson patterns of light to dance across his green skin. After a moment, however, his face pulled into a disapproving scowl, and he absentmindedly tossed the ring over his shoulder. It softly clattered to the wooden floor, and within a second of the sound echoing out, several goblins leapt on the spot, snarling and clawing at one another as they vied for the discarded piece of jewelry.

Looking past Krenko to the ferocious scene behind him, Daretti could not help but grimace. Ugh, why is it always like this? No matter where in the multiverse I go, the only goblins I ever meet are just so uncivilized. They just wanna smash around, causin' all sorts of chaos, with no appreciation for inquiry or ingenuity or, gods forbid, subtlety. A hefty sigh flew from his squat nostrils. I guess I can't complain too much.

Daretti's eyes slowly glided away from the scrabbling brawl that was breaking out on the ground and out towards the destructive scene that was playing out all around him. Despite seeing firsthand the devastation that the blue-shelled zombies outside could wreak, it paled in comparison to what Krenko's gang had done to the interior of what Daretti assumed had once been a well-kept jewelry store. Glass displays were totally smashed, windows broken for no discernable reason, shelving units toppled, and all manner of bauble haphazardly scattered along the floorboards. Throughout the littered storefront, goblins dressed in ratty red cloaks and worn leather belts ran wild, either busy collecting whatever trinkets they could hold, whether in their hands, mouths, or even more unsavory receptacles, or squabbling with other members over possession of particularly shiny pieces. Sitting beside him, Krenko occupied the eye of the storm, sifting through a massive pile of accumulated wealth and thoroughly inspecting which pieces were worth the extra weight.

These sights were not something that Daretti particularly enjoyed. It reminded him far too much of his youth in Fiora, the other young goblins content to roll around in the dirt and fight one another while he dug through the scrap heaps, searching for tinkering supplies. He did have to admit that he respected Krenko, more for his ambition that his ability. Seeing all these goblins, agents of anarchy and unbeholden to the presumed pompousness of the city's elite, banding together under a common goal, he could acknowledge the nobility of the endeavor even while being turned off by the execution.

His eyes having circled the destroyed interior, Daretti saw that Krenko's attention had waned from their conversation and returned to rummaging through his spoils for the day. From what Krenko had told him earlier, this was not the first abandoned building his horde had ransacked, and it would not be the last. Daretti took no offense at the goblin boss's shifting focus, as it gave him a chance to return to his own work. Turning back to the thopter on the workbench that folded out from his chair, Daretti's fingertips glowed with umber energy as he rechanneled his artifice manipulation. He found the spot within the mechanic creature where he had left off, and he went back to work.

Squinting, both to hone his vision on the intricate details of the small device and to block out as much of the surrounding commotion as he could, Daretti began delicately rooting through the thopter's innards, peeling and prying to try and make sense of the device. It was not the technical intricacy that gave Daretti pause, this thopter actually mimicking designs he had plenty of experience with. Instead, it was the machine's origin that left him confounded. Of all the things he had expected to find when he was sucked to this mysterious plane, familiar technology was not on his list.

With a flick of his nail, Daretti deftly removed a slice of metal casing, revealing a row of what looked like batteries. Alright, let's see what makes this thing tick, he thought as he plucked one of the fuel cells from the thopter's belly and held it up to his face. Bright blue liquid swirled within, and to his surprise, no matter what direction he turned or sloshed it, the contents always fell in curling fractals before pooling. Aether energy. Well, that confirms it, these are definitely from Kaladesh. I'd recognize the design anywhere.

He had suspected as such since he first saw the thopters buzzing about overhead, seemingly tracking his movements through the streets. Their designs were far too similar to what he had seen in his short time on Kaladesh. He had wanted a closer look, but they stayed far out of reach, pulling away whenever his chair got close. It was only by chance that he had managed to snag one that was not utterly destroyed, scooping it from the rubble of a partially collapsed building where he had sought temporary shelter. He suspected it must have been pinned by a sudden, unexpected impact, but his excitement at finding such a prime specimen left his mind too crowded to question it much further.

Daretti had been eager to start tinkering, hoping to find some answers to the many mysteries of the day's events that plagued his brain. Unfortunately, before he could find a place to work, he was beset by a detachment of the militaristic zombies he had seen patrolling the streets. Though their numbers were relatively small, they fell upon him swiftly, empty eyes and outstretched palms filled with dank magics. He did his best to fend them off, but his spells plunked off the zombie's shells. They clawed their way to him, even managing to rip out one of the spiderlike legs at the front of his chair. In that moment, Daretti suspected his life was about to end, as he felt the deathly pull of the zombie's arcana beginning to siphon his strength away. Had it not been for Krenko and his mob's timely intervention, Daretti had little doubt that he would not be sitting here right now.

Despite the difference in power, the horde of goblins managed to overwhelm the zombies in an instant, their sheer numbers outweighing the substantial disadvantage. In a matter of seconds, the goblins hacked the zombies apart, finding whatever gaps in their armor they could and dismembering them in grotesque fashion. Brown blood coated their faces as they howled in victory, leaving Daretti dumbfounded. His astonishment did not last long, as Krenko approached him as soon as the coast was clear. Initially, Daretti was taken aback by the goblin leader, unsure how to process the clearly pilfered armor on his chest, dripping dagger clenched between his bony fingers, and rusted crown perched atop his prominent brow. Krenko's introduction of himself and his gang did not soften Daretti's wariness, who simply wanted to thank him and scuttle away. Upon offering his gratitude, however, Krenko gave a response that caught Daretti completely off guard.

"Ain't gotta thank me. Us goblins, we look after each other. I can tell you ain't from around here, but as long as you're in this city, you're one of us. We take care of our own, no matter who we gotta tear apart in the process. Ain't that right?!"

This final sentiment brought out a chorus of guttural cheers from the blood-soaked horde, but despite the cacophony erupting around him, Daretti felt an almost warm sense of understanding. He would never admit to being scared upon his unexpected arrival, but there was something about Krenko's vicious charisma that drew him in and lifted a heretofore unnoticed tension from his stout shoulders. To Daretti, it felt as though the two goblins had known each other all their lives.

So, when Krenko asked if Daretti wanted to join up with them until he could find a way home, there was no hesitation in his acceptance. Seemingly overjoyed, Krenko barked out the directions to the others, and they began scrambling down the street, forming an unruly river of olive skin and red cloth. Fortunately, Daretti's chair could keep up, even with its missing leg. Rather than lead the charge, Krenko hung back with Daretti, choosing to talk with him in between guiding the unstoppable tide of goblins. The two chatted at length, with Krenko informing him about the city and its goings-on, and Daretti detailing at length his adventures at home in Fiora and abroad in the multiverse. Though it was hard to hear, Daretti's attention was steadfast. Usually, it buzzed with inventive energy, itching to delve into whatever mechanical marvel may next lay before him, but for the first time in a long time, this sensation was absent.

It was during this time that they arrived at the jewelry store where they now lay siege, bringing Daretti's memories back to the present. The aether battery in his hand came sharply into focus as his vision returned from his mind. Slowly, he lowered it back onto his workbench, gingerly setting it down to avoid any unnecessary damage. He paused as he placed it, gazing over the tabletop to the arachnoid legs of his wheelchair. Most of the legs were dull grey, cast from the strongest Trestian steel, but now, a single limb of smelted gold and jewels garishly joined them. It had been a pain to gather up enough raw material to forge a new leg, as Krenko had decreed the store's looting a free-for-all upon arrival, but Daretti managed to scrounge up enough jewelry from the hands of the lesser minds. He knew he would have to replace it as soon as he got back home, but for the time being, he could not help but enjoy the incongruous look of it.

Maybe this old thing's due for a paint job after all. Eh, gotta get back home first.

Pulling himself away from these idle thoughts, Daretti once again homed into the dissected thopter. Focusing his planeswalker power into the furthest tips of his sharpened fingernails, he began delicately removing piece after piece, searching for something that he knew must be there.

If these thopters are flyin' all over the city and watchin' everybody, then whoever's controlling them must be real powerful. Takin' that with the Kaladeshian design, there must be a planeswalker on the other end of these things. And if they're watchin', there must be some kinda relay device set up. If I can figure out how they're communicating with all these thopters at the same time, I should be able to trace it back to 'em. If anybody knows anything about gettin' outta here, it's them.

The complex machinery of the thopter's insides slowly subsumed Daretti's attention, his pointed fingers conscientiously digging through the enigmatic maze of its construction, prying and inspecting every odd wire or cog for possible clues. While he worked, he kept an ear open to the sounds of madness still unfolding around him, just in case Krenko had any more questions about his extraplanar exploits. Though the boss himself was quiet, the sounds of shrieking goblins, clattering jewelry, and snapping furniture showed no signs of stopping. The entire frame of the store seemed to shake with their carousing, and it was putting Daretti's patience through the wringer.

Ech. You'd think they'd get tired of runnin' around and scratchin' at each other after a while. Krenko said they'd been at it all day already, gettin' away from all these zombies. Hmm, maybe I could do a cogwork goblin, find a way to harness all that stamina. Though I'd have to figure out how to get a construct to eat its own…

His mind paused, shelving that possible idea for the moment so he could fully focus on what he had just uncovered. After peeling back a particularly secured panel just beneath the machine's proboscis, Daretti plucked a small, clear crystal from within its walls. Bringing it close to his eye, Daretti watched as the red magic at his fingertips leeched into the unassuming bauble, causing it to glow in tandem.

Ah, we got a clever one on our hands, Daretti smiled self-satisfactorily to himself. Mana-respondent crystals embedded along the interior. This one filtered through that front lens, so that would let whoever's controlling 'em see what they see. They could even project their presence through it, with the right attunement spell. Fascinatin'. And I'll bet there's crystals for the wings too, if they wanted to control the flight path.

Delicately placing the crystal beside the pile of previously removed parts, Daretti dug his fingers into its yawning chest cavity, eagerly loosening the plating by its wing joint. A toothy grin spread over his face as he refused to keep his pride in check.

This'll teach 'em for abductin' me! Whoever made these is smart, but I bet they didn't expect someone as smart as me to show 'em up. You mess with Daretti, you gonna r-

Daretti's thought cut off halfway as he felt his fingers suddenly slip, disrupting his precise welding and accidentally carving a scorched path into the thopter's hull. He managed to turn his magic off as soon as he felt himself veer off course, leaving only a minimal, smoking scar through the filigree. Seeing the damage, Daretti cursed under his breath.

Dammit! I really hope that crystal ain't shot. I think I felt something shake my chair. These fuckin' goblins, I swear. Ain't they gonna listen when Krenko said to leave me alone? This is delicate work!

Pushing away from the attached workbench, Daretti whipped his head around his immediate vicinity, prepared to chastise whichever of Krenko's gang had bumped into him and caused this issue. Looking up, however, Daretti saw that, though goblins still tore around the room in a frenzy, the space where he sat was unoccupied. There was no sign that any goblin had entered his bubble. He looked over at Krenko, who was currently attempting to hang a string of pearls between the jagged spikes of his makeshift crown, seemingly oblivious to whatever was happening around them.

Huh, that's weird, Daretti puzzled. It'd be pretty obvious if any of these goblins hit my chair hard enough for me to feel it. The gyroscopics weren't damaged by the zombies earlier, so anything here'd get at least a nasty bump running into it.

Casting another quick glance around, Daretti inspected every goblin, searching for any potential injuries. Unfortunately, after surveilling the full interior of the jewelry store, he did not see anything.

Nothin'. Hmm, that don't make sense. I've never slipped up when welding. So, if none of these little grubbers knocked into me, then what caused it?

Daretti reached up to his chin and began scratching beneath his thick, black beard. His eyes fell back to his workbench, the light stream of smoke emanating from the thopter's wing joint having now dissipated, leaving just a faint reddish glow. His eyes narrowed, hoping that the pile of scrap before him could provide some type of insight. He did not need to wait long, however, before an answer arrived. A faint tremor suddenly rippled throughout the building, jostling Daretti and causing his carefully organized thopter pieces to slide around the tabletop. He quickly dove forward in his chair, his arms blocking any of the bits from falling to the ground. The shaking only lasted a moment, but even after it passed, Daretti stayed frozen, gripping the sides of his workbench.

"What the hell was that?" he muttered, unintentionally speaking aloud. He waited, muscles tensed, in case the unknown force returned. After a few seconds of stillness, he cautiously let go of his desk and sat back in his chair, bewildered. His eyes darted back and forth across the room, searching for other signs of this sudden disturbance. Besides a few spilled piles of gold across the floor, none of the goblins showed any recognition or concern. Even Krenko seemed too engrossed with his haul to notice what had happened.

Confused, Daretti maneuvered his chair to face Krenko. "Hey, did you feel that just now?"

"Hmm?" Krenko grunted, peering out from the corner of his eye. "Feel what?"

"Just now, there was some kinda, I don't know, earthquake or something. I think it shook the whole building for a second. Is…is that normal around here?"

Hearing the warbling worry in the planeswalker's voice, Krenko stopped futzing with his messily bejeweled crown, turned to Daretti, and shrugged. "Yeah, that kinda stuff happens sometimes. We got sewer creatures, we got big worms livin' underground, we got Izzet blast zones. All sortsa things that can shake up the streets. I wouldn't worry too much about it, 'slong as you keep your head low."

Despite Krenko's nonchalance, Daretti drew a sharp, hesitant breath in through his teeth. "You sure? Last time I felt something like that back home, a giant lizard tore up a whole marketplace. They was pickin' corpses outta the rubble for weeks."

Krenko opened his mouth to respond, but before any more reassurances came out, another tremor broke out. Daretti's fingernails dug into his armrests as the entire building violently shook. The wooden supports angrily creaked, faint pockets of dislodged dust fell to the ground, and the tinkling of scattered jewelry could barely be heard over the continued noise from the goblin horde. Without time to prepare, the loose pieces of the thopter began to vibrate and fall to the floor beneath his seat. Though the previous quake escaped Krenko's attention, Daretti could tell from the scrutinous look on his face that this one did not.

Just like the first one, this tremor lasted only a moment before the storefront returned to normal. Once everything settled, Daretti warily unclenched his grip on the chair. Before anything else could happen, Daretti procured the secure lid for his workbench from the pocket between his wheel and his chair. Snapping it into place, Daretti shunted the workbench back into its compartment, hopefully keeping its contents safe from future spillage. Now unburdened by his work, Daretti's eyes, filled with veiled concern, shot to Krenko, who was looking around at the other goblins with an inspective eye.

Daretti pointed to Krenko, pulling his attention. "Ok, I know you felt that one. I saw it in your eyes."

"Yeah," Krenko mildly responded, shoulders rising and falling in languid time, "but that's no biggie. Building's still upright, nobody hurt. Nothin' to worry about."

Daretti's nose wrinkled with doubt. "I'm not so sure about that. You didn't feel the last one, but you felt this one. I don't know what's causin' 'em, but they're gettin' stronger."

"Eh, they do that sometimes. Like I said, probably just a streetbreaker diggin' around beneath us. They don't usually break overground unless there's a real ruckus in one spot, and I think the rest of the city's got that covered for us."

"But what about all that shit?" Daretti threw his arms in the general direction of the door in an exasperated gesture. "What if this is those zombies stompin' around or bustin' down buildings. I know that Jace guy said to take shelter, but maybe that ain't enough anymore."

Krenko cast a quizzical gaze at Daretti. "I'm not sure what you're talkin' about, but I wouldn't worry too much about all that. We've been travellin' all over the city today, and these thing's haven't chased us inside once. I don't know why, but they ain't comin' in. This is the safest place we can be."

"I don't know, Krenko. Maybe it'd be safer to find a different place. Y'know, somewhere away from all the shakin'."

"Aw, no way!" Krenko exclaimed, sweeping away Daretti's suggestion with a wide swipe of his claw. "We ain't done here yet. I think Bax and Zug are almost done blowin' down the safe in the back. Gotta see what stuff they was keepin' locked up. Maybe something that could help you fix up that little glass bug of yours."

Daretti raised a nervous hand behind his head, running his pointed nails along the back of his scalp. "I guess that would be nice. And you do know this place better than I do."

A wide grin of filthy teeth spread across Krenko's face. "Don't sell yourself too short there, buddy. The concern is appreciated. But take it from me, ain't nothin' to worry about as long as you're rollin' with the baddest goblin crew in all o-"

Daretti never got to hear the end of Krenko's statement. His voice, the chattering of goblins, the clinking of metal, all of it disappeared in an instant, drowned out by the sound of straining wood coming from the ceiling. It held for a second, just enough time for Daretti to look up and see as the corner of jewelry store's roof completely gave way. He raised a hand to his face in time to shield his eyes as a torrent of crushed stone and splintered boards flew in all directions. Dust filled the enclosed space, blinding Daretti and leaving him unable to navigate away from the destruction. High-pitched shrieks pierced through the sounds of clattering rubble, either wailing in continued agony or cut deathly short. All around him, Daretti could hear the panicked rummaging of the other goblins gathering their loot or running to whatever exit they could find.

Daretti was utterly still for a few moments, too scared of what just happened and what might be coming to move even an inch. Once the dust settled, however, and the jewelry store air held for a moment of placidity, Daretti's eye cautiously creaked open. Without daring to move his arm from in front of his face, he peered between his fingers to the collapsed corner. The color flushed from his cheeks at the sight before him. A massive tree trunk, far taller and thicker than any he had ever seen before, sat steadfast amidst the ruins. Its surface was mostly a lustrous brown, but he could see sprigs of greenery poking out between the bark. It had torn entirely through the wall of the building, and he could only assume that the other stores on the block had not fared as well as this one.

Stunned by the unexpected sight, Daretti called out beside him. "So, uh, Krenko, is this kinda thing normal around here?"

Daretti's question quickly gave way to an uncomfortable silence. Not expecting this, the goblin turned his head to where Krenko had been standing just a moment before. The pile of jewelry he had been sorting through now lay unaccompanied, its contents spilled across the floor with no one to pick it up.

"What the…?" Daretti's voice trailed off as he slowly lowered his arm and took in the full view of the store. The scene was somehow more chaotic than it had been before the tree's intrusion, with goblins scurrying frenetically about, jumping clear of the building or trying to dig their way out of the wreckage. It was in the middle of this melee that Daretti finally found Krenko, yelling animatedly at the goblins as he leaned halfway out of a blown-out window.

"Krenko!" Daretti yelled over the chaotic shambling. "What the fuck's going on?"

The boss's ears picked up at this, and he gave Daretti a friendly wave with one hand while the other clutched a heavily laden sack. "Hey, Daretti, we're clearing out! Grab whatever you want. If you need any more help, you come find me, alright?"

Daretti opened his mouth to question Krenko's orders, but before any objections could be raised, Krenko brought two fingers to his lips and let out an earsplitting whistle. Instantly, all the goblins rushed for the nearest escape route, scuttling past the tree trunk and flooding out into the streets. From the window, Krenko offered Daretti a quick salute before leaping from his perch and rushing off into the awaiting alleyway.

Just like that, Daretti was alone in the jewelry store, with only the leftover loot and the intimidating tree accompanying him. The room, which had been so full of noise for so long, fell worryingly quiet. Daretti blinked, brain still catching up to the current events. All he could do was stare, simply confounded, at the inexplicable trunk looming before him.

His words came out low and breathless, as if he feared disturbing it. "Just what the hell is this thing?"

Daretti carefully leaned forward, trying to get a better look without approaching. As if provoked by his disruption, the massive plant began to rumble. Daretti gasped, falling back in his seat as the tree shook itself loose from the debris and slowly extricated itself from the jewelry store. Once it was fully clear, Daretti moved his chair closer to the enormous gap it had left in its wake. Staring out to the darkened street, his mouth fell open as he beheld the source of the destruction. The tree, it seemed, was simply one part of a larger creature, the leg of a towering behemoth constructed of green plant and white stone. He watched, slack-jawed, as it lumbered away from his position, miniature shockwaves emanating from each step it took.

What…in the fuck…is that?

Confusion clouding over his thoughts, Daretti's eyes gradually lowered to the street level, casting a furtive glance up and down the roadway. A moment of fear seized him as he realized he was exposed to the zombies once more, but this swiftly diminished as he saw flattened blue carcasses strewn about in the colossus's footprint.

A low grunt escaped between his teeth. Whatever that thing is, I sure hope it's on my side. With the coast clear, Daretti tightly grasped his wheelchair's controls and started off down the newly emptied street, wanting nothing more than to put as much distance between himself and that monster as he could.