*CRACK*
The door slowly opened as a dark-skinned sheep beast woman emerged, tears streaming down her face, cradling a small female goblin in her arms. The goblin squirmed and waved her arms around, trying to appear intimidating despite her petite stature. "Let me go! I didn't do anything wrong; they were the ones who started it!" the small goblin girl squeaked, attempting to break free from the beast woman's grip.
"Nix, can you please take this little one?" the beast woman asked.
Nix smirked as she replied, "No problem, May. Hey, kid, grab that midget!"
Markus slowly turned to look at Nix, as if to say he didn't know she spoke like that. "Absolutely not," he replied, just as the goblin shouted, "Hey, who are you calling a midget?"
The beast woman threw the goblin towards Markus while shouting, "She's your problem now, kid! Don't blame me, blame Nix!"
Markus shouted, "Wait!" as he caught the tiny goblin, holding her in the air by her waist. "You know, for someone with an image of doom and gloom, you're quite strong," Nix said as she sipped her potion.
The little goblin glared at Markus with rage blazing in her eyes. "Put me down!" she demanded. Markus looked confused and replied, "Wait, what?"
"Put me down!!" she cried, flailing her arms around.
Markus placed her down on the bed and stepped back. She dusted herself off, jumped down, and walked towards Nix, ready to confront her.
Markus took a good look at her, realizing more about her with each passing moment as he scanned her figure. Her short, spiky hair, tousled and vibrant, exuded a confident tomboyish charm that set her apart. The unique silhouette of her body resembled a pear, with wide, strong hips that spoke of power, contrasted by a flat chest that hinted at her athleticism. Her legs were robust and muscular, suggesting she could kick through solid steel and sprint at incredible speeds.
Dressed in a plush fur jacket that wrapped around her like a protective embrace, she wore a snug black compression shirt that accentuated her toned physique. The white pants she had on were tailored to fit perfectly, allowing for freedom of movement while highlighting her strong legs. Completing her striking ensemble were long, sleek leather boots that not only added height but also emphasized her readiness for action, making her look like someone prepared to take on any challenge that came her way. At least, that last part would be true if she wasn't 5 foot tall in heels.
She scolded Nix for calling her short, her Napoleon complex becoming more evident with each word. Markus walked toward the door, trying to escape without being noticed when a scalpel suddenly flew past his face, embedding itself in the door. "Where do you think you're going?" Nix asked as she grabbed Markus's arm.
Nix threw Markus and the goblin onto one of the beds, Markus landing first and the goblin landing snugly on his lap. The goblin was surprised at Nix's boldness. She got ready to continue scolding her when she fell a blade at her neck. Nix held the scalpel at her neck and then whispered in her ear, "Shhhh, little one, you don't want me to take some disciplinary actions, right, trust me, you wouldn't be the first kid I made disappear."
Her words were unsettling, sending a wave of uneasiness through her. The goblin settled back in Markus's lap, clutching his shirt with a frightened expression. She glanced at Markus and warned, "If you tell anyone about what happened today, you're dead meat."
Markus looked away, muttering to himself, "I was just minding my own business."
Nix stomped twice to grab their attention. "Okay, introductions are in order. My name is Nix. Now, exchange names and the usual pleasantries."
The two complied. The goblin introduced herself as Ariana Grindstone, stating that her rank was Kinrock and that she was a kin goblin.
Info dump:
Kin goblins are a sub-species of elves (green-skinned elves) that were mixed with dwarves. They don't have any relation to actual goblins and were given the name in a Time of War as a racist remark.
Kinrock:
Was the second lowest noble rank just one rank higher there Markus's families current rank.
Noble ranks :
royal family
Roselin
Duke
Marquess
Earl
Viscount
Kinrock
Baron
Markus was intrigued by Ariana; he could instantly tell what her goals were in this school. She was trying to rise in the ranks and avoid the marriage route.
Ariana, on the other hand, was surprised to learn that Markus had once been a commoner. This made her feel a bit more at ease around him, as he wouldn't look down on her like the other nobles. She extended her hand to shake his and, looking down, apologized for her previous attitude. "Sorry for all the attitude back there; I assumed you were going to be one of those stuck-up types." Markus shook her hand, telling her that after what had happened that day, he understood.
Suddenly, Nix popped into their conversation, her voice teasing while the others remained completely unamused. "Aww, you two seem to be getting along nicely. Now, little one, where's my apology?"
Ariana grabbed hold of Markus's shirt again and whispered, "She scares me." Markus looked at Nix and replied, "Understandable."
Nix shouted, "You know I can hear you, right?"
Nix blew out a puff of smoke as she placed the bottle into a cabinet. "So you two want to sneak out and watch the orientation ceremony?"
Markus and Ariana exchanged mischievous glances, a playful idea brewing between them. Markus asked, "Wait, won't someone find out if they come to check on us?"
Nix took off her hat and placed it on the ground. She slowly lifted it, and a clone of herself emerged from the hat. She repeated this three times, creating clones of Markus and Ariana as well. Nix smirked and replied smugly, "They won't suspect a thing."
With that, Markus, Ariana, and Nix bolted out the door. Markus jumped from wall to wall as he made his way to the ceiling supports of the building. Meanwhile, Ariana and Nix took a big leap, grasping onto the supports and flipping around before landing on top. The trio was ready to witness the ceremony for themselves against the head Masters wishes.