"But the Goddess never said I couldn't use physical force to make it shut up!"
Before the words had left her mouth, she spun around, snatched up the thickest piece of ebony staff material from the pile beside her, and took two running steps,
then her petite body sprang into the air. She poured all her strength into the swing and brought the staff down hard on the head of the Goblin, who was still cackling away!
"Ka—guh-yow!"
A dull thud was followed by a short, pained yelp.
The Goblin's head lolled to one side. Its tongue flopped out, and its eyes rolled back. He couldn't tell whether it had fainted or died.
Only after all that did the female halfling turn around. She rested the thick ebony staff material on her shoulder and fixed He Xi, standing in the doorway, with a furious glare.
"You'd better have a perfect reason for interrupting me. Otherwise, you'll end up just like that Goblin!"
He Xi had witnessed the entire process of the female halfling trying to "communicate" with the Goblin. He'd nearly burst out laughing.
But he couldn't laugh now. Especially since she was less than a meter tall, yet carried a thick ebony staff that was nearly twice her height. The stark contrast put him under considerable pressure.
He composed himself and spoke politely:
"Greetings, madam. My name is Galen, and I'm an Apprentice Mage. I came here hoping to buy a magic staff. When I knocked just now, I realized the door was open. I'm truly sorry to interrupt your... experiment?"
At the sound of his fairly courteous reply, Fivik's gaze fell on his face. His eyes were warm and clear, and seemed to hold a strange, soothing power. The blaze of anger in her chest faltered, and the