Gube.
By the time Gube had reached the forest, she was nearly vibrating with elation!
She was so strong!
So fast and tall, graceful like a panther, and dangerous like a pack of hungry wolves.
Who cared if the Blacktree tribe had special powers that let them ignore pain and fear?
Gube felt as though she could put an entire raiding party down with nothing more than her two hands!
O-okay, maybe a whole raiding group was a stretch, but goblin for goblin? She'd mop the floor with anything but a hob! Though, even then—
Hmm…
Swift-spear had always claimed to be able to best a young hob-goblin and even square off with an old and salted one, all on his own, despite the size and brutal difference in strength. And if he was nervous around her, what did that say about Gube?
She halted her progress within the woods shortly after disappearing from sight, tossing the cooling body from her grasp before finally giving the odd 'insistence' at the back of her mind its time of day.
The prodding and curious and scratchy sensation that crawled at the back of her mind had doggedly been annoying her like a gnat ever since she'd first noticed it.
But when she tried to focus? Gube found herself yipping in surprise!
Before her appeared a magic box.
Dark-green in hue, slightly transparent, and backlit by a curiously ominous glow.
Squiggles and lines that would otherwise be incomprehensible to her were scrawled across the ghostly image, though rather than remaining illegible, they revealed their arcane meaning as though being read to her within her own mind, the soft and dare she say 'proud' tone leaving her with a sense of bizarre joy…
Gube listened as the soothing voice within her own mind that wasn't at all the same as her own, listed off her name and age, her species, an 'eldritch goblin', whatever that was…
Along with something called a 'reputation', again whatever the heck that was supposed to mean, yet it claimed the odd accolade to be both chaotic and evil…
The voice went on to delve into things called skills, feats and gifts, as though they were things to be acquired and held with one's hands…
After, it shifted towards something called 'corruption', a supposed 'gift' that was directly linked to her new god…
System interface.
This dark power allows the bearer to make predetermined alterations to their physical form by way of increasing their core personal attributes and by manifesting new skills, feats, or gifts. All of which can be viewed at any time via this window.
Go forth and level ye corrupted of the void… Slaughter and claim the souls of your victims to grow in power and might!
Progress to the next level: thirty-three percent!
"Thirty—three?" Gube asked, brows knitting as she tried to work through the number given.
Gube could count to ten readily enough, but she admittedly struggled while entering the double digits.
Three—three meant… what? Three tens? And also, one, three? Well, she could recall elder Rattles explaining to her, weirdly enough, given her memories had never felt this clear and accessible, that there were ten, tens in a hundred. The most that any respectable goblin of intelligence could be reasonably expected to know.
So, if she was at three tens and one three, then she had… seven? No, six more tens and one seven before she levelled.
Again, whatever that was supposed to be…
However, thinking about it further, the voice had already explained what would happen. She'd get 'stronger' than she already was.
Absently, Gube eyed the corpse at her feet, staring at the slightly mutilated and now, after her hike, rather dishevelled Sharp-knee with a curious bent to her thoughts.
She'd gotten something from his death, hadn't she?
Something more than just the spear and her intention to use his body as bait, but was 'what' that strange thing was, truly his soul?
And had he alone gotten her an entire third of the way to a new level?
So, did that mean if she killed more things with souls, she'd, in turn, get even more power from her god?
That couldn't be right…
She was already so strong that it didn't seem possible, let alone reasonable.
Yet, there it was, the explanation and 'proof' sitting before her. Gube's brain somehow able to comprehend the odd markings as though they were spoken words in her mind.
The woman shifted her attention, focusing on a small tab that read 'Gube', her own name in written form as she understood it. Curiously nudging the small box within a box until she was confronted by a complete alien staring back at her!
A hypnotic stranger that made Gube flinch away and shrink with a modicum of fear... Though, the girl blinked wearily a moment later, slowly comprehending the situation as the sublime picture of radiant beauty acted and reacted just as she did.
She raised an arm, noting how the outsider did the same.
Then, she spat, thinking there was no way anyone so elegant and, in truth, breath-catching could ever do something so crass. Yet, to her surprise, the odd not-goblin in the window snorted some nose goo, hucked back and discharged a watery ball of nasty just like she did, the globule of spittle zooming out of frame, disappearing from sight, only for Gube to hear a wet thunk as it contacted a nearby tree.
She peered around the slightly translucent obstruction, the odd box seeming to dissipate with her desires, glancing at the weirdly pink and gently fluorescent substance as it stretched and slowly descended to the ground...
A single and long tendril of almost gelatinous fluid connecting the point of impact and the descending substance for several surprising inches before snapping away.
Did she have glowing bodily fluids now?
How fun!
Well, there was only one way to further test such a thing!
Grinning stupidly like an excited child waiting for treats, Gube stepped over Sharp-knee and aimed herself at her dead ex-lover, positioning her hips and widening her stance in expectation to relieve herself, but realized a moment later that she didn't really have anything in the tank.
Water had been sort of scarce as of late…
Oh well, it was the thought that counted, after all.
Though, in truth, for leaving her behind and running as he had, being killed by her then, soon devoured by a beast she intended to snare, was still, in her eyes, too good for the dead goblin.
Just for good measure, she wadded up a second ball of spit and aimed at Sharp-knee's face, feeling a tightening thrill that tingled in her core with the satisfying thwack her efforts earned.
Right, so, back to her god's gift to her.
Once more, Gube summoned her—ugh, well, her window, quickly growing fond of how readily available it was, the strange phenomenon reacting in a manner that was seemingly entirely at her convenience.
She eyed the stunning creature for a time longer, observing how beautiful she truly was… taking a handful of her waving curls and just luxuriating in their silken embrace.
Never had she felt anything so supple and soft… so—dare she say—divine.
It was tough to reconcile that this image of perfection was herself, but even harder to deny what she was seeing with her own two eyes.
Every action was mirrored to her own, mimicked to perfection. And while she couldn't directly see her face, her breasts were just as perky and full as the doppelganger's, her hair just as bouncy as the image's own.
Her body was lithe and sculpted, muscles defined and powerful with expectant and eager strength!
Even her sex was smooth and of so sensitive to the touch, delicate looking… Supple fatty lips the same shade as her new skin concealed the entrance in twin mounds of jiggly—lovely flesh that…
Oh boy, Gube was blushing! She had to pull her attention away, clenching her fists to try and rediscover her balance.
Without question, the image in her window certainly appeared to share enough in common with her new self that Gube considered any concerns beyond that rather pointless.
For a time, she just ogled herself, unable not to return to a place of vanity, drinking in each contour and line of her face. So fetching and artfully framed by curls that she began to wonder if 'art' was the best way to describe it all…
Not goblin art, nothing so crude, but, hmm, maybe from some of the scarier and stronger species that walked the world? Had her god—used her like a canvas to craft something utterly bewitching to so much as gaze upon?
Was that what she was? A god's very own work of art?
Had she been crafted in her goddess's own image?
Was Gube special beyond what she thought she already was?
For sure, she'd never heard of a goblin being given such power, and for it to be capable of growing… Hmph! Well, needless to say, another tingle welled within her as she stared at her copy, tongue sliding across her lips as two fingers raised to pinch at the engorging nipple of a breast…
She was artwork!
She was extraordinary!
Beyond what others could even comprehend!
She was the personification of her dark lord's own designs…
It had to be; it just had to! Why else would she be bestowed with such favour? Such dedication! B-but, what did that mean for her?
Gube was positive she hadn't received any sort of divine mandate! No instructions or goals to which she could better serve her beloved goddess, who had so selflessly given her everything while asking nothing in return!
How could she ever repay such kindness? Such trust and power?
Before she knew it, Gube was crying!
Fluorescent pink tears flowed from her bright and radiant eyes…
She couldn't help it!
Didn't care if they made her look weak.
She needed something, some way to repay her god for the gifts, some—way…
Gube hesitated, shifting her screen back to the other window, rereading a single line of text that suddenly exploded with meaning within her mind! The serene voice of her goddess rang in her ears as the text flowed through her every thought.
"Go forth and level ye corrupted of the void… slaughter and claim the souls of your victims to grow in power and might…"
That was it! That was what her goddess wanted.
Sacrifices.
More power.
Souls…
It was so clear—
So perfectly blatant she couldn't believe she'd ever missed it!
Her goddess wanted souls.
And Gube grinned at the revelation, the girl ignoring the remainder of the window's secrets as her expression twisted towards a frighteningly enthusiastic zeal.
Souls.
Gube could do souls...
She'd gather them for her dark mistress, growing stronger herself as her patron shared in the harvest!
She had a reason; she had a purpose! And, if she could become strong enough to massacre the entirety of the Blacktree clan and claim her revenge, could she 'take' their god's own immortal spark and offer it to her shadowy lady?
Gube's body writhed with the sheer thought of such a thing!
How pleased her goddess would be…
How—rewarding?
The woman thought back to that first meeting, when she'd been tied down and taken, the feel of being used so roughly and desperately, of her goddess filling her with her divine powers as though they were partners sharing a night of blissful passion..
It hadn't been tender or loving, but desperate and barbaric.
Her goddess had needed Gube, needed her for her release, and she had been rewarded for her sufferance!
For her devotion!
Granted a new form born of her patron's desires. Why else would she look as she did? Why else would she have been changed so thoroughly?
Gube felt her face burn with the embarrassment of it all, sensing that familiar 'stirring' within herself as she bit at her bottom lip, uncaring of the small beads of blood that welled as she shivered with delight.
Perhaps, she would visit Gube again if she did well, and possibly, she'd show her just how pleased she was with her—and… and…
Gushing, Gube did her best to shake herself of the intruding thoughts, forcibly pulling her slick and syrupy fingers away from her lower lips as she warred to refocus her mind.
There would be time for that later. Time for it when there wasn't so much to do!
Gube needed better shelter.
Needed fresh water to keep herself pure for her lady.
She needed weapons and an army!
Food as well… and souls!
Oh, so very many souls…
Grinning to herself, face taking on a sadistic glee for what was to come, Gube found herself laughing with the premise of it all. Reaching down to take the dead goblin by the ankle and feeling his bone fracture and crack beneath her flexing hand.
Oh, yes, Gube could do souls…