8 Flashback I

Space portal was an extraordinary opening in space or time that could connect goblins to distant realms beyond their native plane. The Goblin Union was a very fast growing surface civilization. As reported by the union times news channel, the oldest and the most celebrated goblin scientist, Issac Einstein, was already very close to mastering the art of space portals.

According to the prevalent theories and concepts of Issac Newton floating around on the Gitranet, the goblin public had a clear consensus that mathematically, and in accordance with relativity, space and time were in some sense interchangeable.

All goblin scientists agreed on the point that space and time formed co-equal parts of a larger law regarding 'planes'.

It was only through the power of Planar Will, that the goblins had the most complete understanding of motion and properties of natural objects and other phenomena which could be rigorously understood by goblin scholars and scientists.

Space and time are to the 'plane' what arms and legs were to goblins.

In some sense, they were interchangeable, but you could never understand the thousands of years of goblin history without including both arms and legs as part of the basic goblin condition. It was impossible for the goblins or any higher beings to understand the will of the plane.

That is why, there would always be Plane Wonders, a phenomena which could not be explained or understood.

When Ragnar stepped into the space portal to advance to the next scene, a transfer of matter and energy from one scene to another without traversing the physical space of the plane was initiated which was only possible if it was tacitly allowed by the Planar Will.

Inexplicably, as Ragnar was teleported to the next scene through the space portal, he felt the recently merged Ether in his body starting to stir in panic. His whole body started to heat up by the constant circulation of Ether inside his bloody veins.

Ragnar was forcefully sent into a series of flashbacks by the Planar Will.

***

4 months ago,

Two large travelling bags were slung on Ragnar Kalwar's shoulders, with a grip sack in his right hand and a luggage filled with monster skins in his left hand. A black double door with a purplish blue Iris flower painted on top of it was kicked open by him.

Ragnar looked like a big, clumsy and fat panda as he stumbled and struggled to squeeze himself through the doorway which was wide enough to let two bulky and muscular Goblin Dukes go through it at the same time.

It was five in the morning. This was the time when the Iris Hotel was at its quietest. There were only two goblins in the game room right beside the reception. Near the pool table stood Seth, a retired soldier, 197cm tall, Goblin Duke, and Peter, a 175cm tall HobGoblin, police officer. Both of them totally immersed in their round of billiards, glared at Ragnar who had just barged in with so much noise.

Ragnar nodded at Seth and Peter as he laid his travelling bags, grip sack and luggage on the floor in front of the counter and stacked them up into a pile. He shed his black leather jacket and subsequently removed two swords of fine quality that were slung on his waist and laid them on the table.

"Manjesh bhaiya! I am back!" He shouted at the top of his lungs to inform his big cousin brother of his return.

"Holy mother of gold! It is Ragna..." said Peter as he finally recognized the newly evolved HobGoblin, Ragnar Kalwar.

"Dafuq Ragnar!? It's been half a f*cking year? We thought you died out in the wild trying vainly to evolve into a HobGoblin through the ancient method. Though, did you bring back some black panther skins that I wanted?" said Seth right after Peter's exclamation.

Your guess is right on the mark! Bingo. The original Ragnar Kalwar died during his evolution to a HobGoblin through the ancient method. The original was a banished goblin nobility who had not been evolved by his family on purpose and if he were to have any chance to make a comeback to inherit his fief, he had to evolve into a Goblin Lord to challenge the current heir to a sacred duel.

As Ragnar from Earth took this goblin body after his death, he was absolutely shocked. But during this long journey back, he had completely accepted his current situation and he had already merged with all of the original's memories. Ragnar had resolved himself to live this life according to the original's wishes and snatch back his fief from the current heir.

"I got a dozen of them wrapped up inside. Go check it out yourself." Ragnar said as he pointed towards the luggage filled with monster skins on the floor.

A thin and short, middle aged goblin emerged from the door behind the counter. Seeing Ragnar, his face lighted up with a hint of smile.

This middle aged goblin was the owner of the Iris Hotel, Manjesh Kalwar. Don't underestimate him because of his short height; nobody could have even conjectured that this kind looking, quiet goblin behind the counter was actually a Goblin Lord level powerhouse. He was a Goblin Shaman. Most of the patrons of the Iris Hotel never had a clue because of his height, 173cm.

"Bhaiya, get me the oldest goblin vodka bottle from our collection. Oh, and ask the chefs over there to cook me a big meal. For the past six months, I've been having meager rations... I miss the food here so much!" said Ragnar without a shred of hesitation as he stole the original's identity without any sense of guilt. His motto in life was 'Go with the flow and remain happy-go-lucky!'.

"Roger that." Manjesh threw at Ragnar an expensive looking bottle of vodka. "Go drink some of this first. I'll go wake the chefs up."

"Oh, and, could you check the goods out for me? I brought a bunch of things back from this trip. I wonder if it's enough for my daily expenses of the next couple months." Ragnar said as he caught the bottle and pointed at Seth and Peter fumbling through the beast skins.

Manjesh nodded and disappeared behind the door.