Grin Rustfang's Arc

Chapter 3 of 6

Grin stepped out of the ancient library, arms loaded with three heavy books about blast patterns and structural mathematics. The morning sun warmed his face as he carried his prizes back through the forest path. His workshop waited at the training ground, cluttered but ready. He cleared a space on his workbench and stacked the books beside his journal. Each page held secrets the old masters had figured out through decades of careful explosions. He opened the first book and began copying diagrams into his journal, his charcoal stick scratching across the paper. The ancient goblin art wasn't just about lighting fuses and running away. It was science, math, and timing all mixed together. Greenhaven had everything he needed—the library's knowledge, the training ground's space, and the wobbling tower waiting to test him. He grinned and turned another page. Every answer was here, written down and waiting for someone brave enough to learn. By afternoon, an idea struck him. Knowledge was one thing, but he needed work to pay for more powder and better equipment. He grabbed a piece of canvas and spread it across his workbench. His charcoal stick moved quickly, drawing flames and blast symbols in bold strokes. He painted the warning signs in red and orange, making them impossible to miss. The banner read "CONTROLLED BLAST DANGER" with symbols that showed exactly what he did. Any adventurer passing through the forest would see it and know a demolition expert worked here. He climbed a sturdy tree at the edge of the training ground and tied the banner between two thick branches. It hung there, bright and clear, announcing his skills to anyone who traveled this path. The forest had given him everything—the library, the training ground, even the wobbling tower. Now it would bring him students and clients too. He climbed down and looked up at his work. The banner swayed in the breeze, waiting to catch the right pair of eyes. The library called him back the next day. Deep in its dusty corners, he found something that made his yellow eyes go wide. A massive canvas hung on the back wall, covered in dust and spider webs. He pulled it down carefully and carried it outside into the light. The painting showed goblins at work in a forest clearing, placing charges with careful hands and measuring distances with string and stakes. Their faces were serious, focused. These weren't wild bombers throwing powder around for laughs. These were masters. He cleaned the canvas and studied every detail—the tools they carried, the way they positioned themselves, the respect shown in every brushstroke. Someone had painted this to remember them, to show what true demolition mastery looked like. Grin carried the canvas back to his training ground and leaned it against a tree where he could see it while he worked. The old masters watched him now, reminding him why he studied and practiced. Greenhaven held more than just knowledge and space. It held proof that goblins had walked this path before and reached greatness. He would join them. That evening, Grin walked deeper into the forest until he heard voices and laughter. A building stood in a clearing, rough-hewn logs forming walls around a warm interior. The smell of fresh grog drifted through the open door. He stepped inside the brewery and found goblins gathered around wooden tables, mugs raised and stories flowing. This was where the locals came after hard work, where they shared their victories and learned from each other. Grin sat at the bar and ordered a drink. The goblin next to him asked about the banner at the training ground. Grin explained his work, his studies, his goal to master controlled demolition. The other goblin nodded and mentioned a merchant who needed rocks cleared from a road. Another chimed in about a stuck well that needed careful blasting. By the time Grin finished his grog, three potential jobs waited for him. Greenhaven wasn't just giving him knowledge and space anymore. It was giving him a community, work, and a path forward. He walked back through the dark forest, his journal full of notes and his mind full of plans.