Patina felt more alone than ever before.

            And that was saying something.  Being a goblin amongst the “civilized” humans, elves, and dwarves came with a specific kind of loneliness.  She became accustomed to the hushed voices and stolen glances.  Now, she longed for one of those friendless rooms.

            Instead, the short, green goblin stood at the threshold of a crumbling temple.  A silver plaque glittered in the dim light with the symbol of a wing and a shield.  The crest of the goddess Turvarya.  It was meant to be a sign of protection and confidence, but Patina only felt dread.

            The last light of twilight cast deep shadows on the architecture.  Circular windows watched her like great, black eyes.  Chiseled stone masterfully crafted to resemble vines and leaves now gave the illusion of sharpened teeth and claws.  Massive double doors hung open creating a dark maw waiting to swallow her. 

            A frigid wind blew through her thin, blonde hair.  It tickled her neck, but she didn’t need any help mustering up goosebumps.  That same gust swept through the structure, a deep moaning reaching her ears, “Patina...”

            Patina froze.  Fighting back an instinctive fear, she strained to listen.  Her heart hammered in her chest, the blood rushing past her ears and making it nearly impossible to discern any tone or familiarities in the voice.  Was it her mind playing tricks on her or was it a cry for help?

            “Come on, you’re Dr. Patina Puzzle for gods’ sake.  Get yourself together.  You can do this.  You have to do this,” she muttered to herself.  The goblin shivered and hazarded a step closer.  Yes, she was a famed explorer and hero of Canterog, but she had never done any of it alone.  Her friends always backed her up, made her feel appreciated and worthwhile.  And backing her up had landed them all in this mess.

            Swallowing hard, Patina crossed through the open doorway and into the gloomy room beyond.  Her goblin eyes adjusted quickly to the dark, scanning the room.  A small foyer littered with broken stone gave way to the holy center of the structure.

            A cathedral with tall, curved walls of white stone rose above her, leading to a massive hole in the ceiling.  Moonlight filtered in, revealing row after row of dusty pews.  Multicolored shadows danced across the floor as light passed through stained-glass.  Patina crept in, the many figures and faces on those windows watching and judging her.

            “Ranth?  Amrys?”  She squeaked.  The once impressive room took the small sound and magnified it tenfold.  Their names echoed all around her and conjured up images of the last moments she’d seen her friends.

            They were on a mission to uncover a hidden cult.  A slender, beautiful blond elf clutched his portable harp, a cheeky grin on his face.  Ranth.  He was joking with Amrys, she couldn’t recall what.  Amrys was taller, which was strange for a human, and stockier but smiled that shy smile of his and laughed.  Patina led the way, looking back at them with a disapproving smirk.

            In an instant, they were gone.  A whoosh of wind, a dark sparkle of magic, and she was alone.

            Their names reverberated through the temple and began to fade, but one final echo made her hair stand on end.

            “Patina…”

            A warm breath shifted her hair and caressed her ear.  The goblin spun with alarm, a cold shiver running down her spine.  In an instant, her rapier was in her hand, but there was no one to point it at.  The goblin searched, checking the closest pews.

            “Pa-Patina?”  A familiar voice, weak and rough.

            “Ranth!”  Patina called, swinging around and sprinting toward the sound.  Running toward the altar, the goblin left a fog of dust in her wake.  Climbing the torn, velvet stairs, she noticed movement in the dark.  A tree shifted in the wind outside, sending little sparks of green, blue, and yellow light dancing across two figures.  Drawing nearer, her breath caught in her throat.

            Her friends leaned against the back wall, sinister vines wrapping around them and binding them in place.  Ranth’s eyes lit up at the sight of her and he struggled against the restraints but they only dug in deeper.  The vines twisted of their own accord, ripping a pained groan from each of them.

            “No!”  She cried and took another step.  Icy hands grabbed her shoulders and held her in place.

            “Dr. Patina Puzzle.  Took you long enough,” a smooth voice whispered beside her ear.  Patina jolted and pulled away, spinning and raising her weapon.  A callous laugh echoed around them.

            At first, the goblin didn’t believe what she was seeing.  An elf, blue and transparent, hovered in the dark temple.  Her long, white hair and silver dress floated around her and a pendant bearing the crest of Turvarya glittered at her throat.  Patina knew undead like ghosts existed, but to see one in front of her was more than alarming.  It made her blood run cold.  Her fingers tingled with the shock, but she held tight to her rapier.  A lot of good that would do her.

            “I’ve been waiting for you,” the ghost murmured.  The sound was like the wind outside, bitter and bleak.  Patina did her best to ignore the goosebumps on her arms and the panic in her stomach.

            “What do you want?  Who are you?”  The goblin managed to say.

            “Cursed in death by an enemy of my lady, I must now feed on those we once protected.”

            Her words were matter-of-fact, but they were sad.  Almost… tormented.  It surprised Patina and gave her an idea.  She felt the grip of dread lessen just enough to think.

            “Wh-why me?  You have my friends.  Why wait for me?”

            The ghost gazed at her with hopeless eyes, “The confidence of your friends is their protector.  The human is dumb as a newborn fawn.  Too naïve to dwell on his own misfortunes.”

            “Hey, now, come on,” Amrys called before the vines tightened, silencing him.

            “The elf carries some darkness and doubt in his soul, but nothing compared to you.  Your uncertainty, diffidence, and regret are like a beacon,” she explained.  The words shook Patina to the core.

            “In life, my lady and I would have given you aid, built you up, but now, I am sorry.”  With a shake of her head, the spirit disappeared.  Patina’s swift eyes darted around the room, hunting for any sign of her.  Taking a step back toward her friends, she felt fingers dig into her torso.  Ice cold pain made her gasp.

            “I am sorry…”

            The goblin dropped her rapier and clutched at her chest but there was nothing she could grasp.  Ghostly hands pushed deeper, reaching for her heart.  Patina’s lungs seized and she stumbled.

            “Dr. Puzzle!”  The sound of Amrys’ voice only made everything worse.  She had gotten them into this mess.  Her doubts.  Her insecurities.  They hindered her before but now they were her doom.

            She had fought so hard to build herself up.  Patina made herself a scholar, an adventurer, and a hero but for what?  She was still that anxious little goblin girl, beaten down by the expectations of her monstrous family, beaten down by the rejection of “normal” society.

            It’s not as if you even helped save Canterog.  What did you even do?  Stab a few villains?  Haven’t strayed far from that goblin cruelty, have we?  The thought screamed in her mind.

            No, I did help, if I hadn’t found-  Patina tried to silence the negative voice but it only grew louder, filling her head until it hurt.

            You think they wanted you there?  You were a burden.  They would’ve been better off without you.  Patina felt dizzy.  Her chest was so cold.

            Ranth was never truly your friend.  You were charity.  A way for him to look good.  Patina felt numb, the cutting words blending into her own inner voice.  Her head swam.

            And Amrys, he regrets ever encountering you.  The day you met, you ruined his life.  As black licked the edges of her vision, Patina felt something bright and sincere punch through the darkness.

            That’s not true!  The statement rang out loudly in her mind.  She could see Amrys’ face.  A memory of the day they first met.  Patina only hired him to carry some wine.  He was a bit shy, quiet like herself.  Through their travels, they grew together in their own ways.  He looked up to her, called her “Dr. Puzzle” even though he didn’t have to.  Amrys shared his dreams with her, fought alongside her, asked her for advice, offered his own, and became dear to her.

            Bah-dum.

            A warmth blossomed in her chest, chasing the bitter cold away a little.

            “I don’t think that!  Dr. Puzzle don’t listen to her!  You changed my life that day!”  Amrys yelled and added in a hurry, “In a good way!  I meant, in a good way!”

            Another burst of warmth, but also a flash of heat on her face.  Had Ranth and Amrys heard all those horrible thoughts?  Embarrassment and shame spread through Patina’s body.  As it did, freezing hands pushed deeper once again.  Gasping for breath, the goblin realized what was happening.

            The ghost talked of Patina’s lack of confidence.  Said she fed on it.  If the goblin could keep those negative feelings at bay, the spirit would have nothing to eat.  But for a terrifying moment, her mind went blank.

            “Don’t believe her, Patina!  You are my dearest friend!  Without you, I would be dead!”  Ranth’s words rang clear and powerful.  Patina felt the impact of them.  The cold fingers slid a little farther away from her heart.

            Patina steeled herself, forcing herself to speak out loud.  “I am wanted.  I am needed.  I am more than just a goblin.  I may not remember it all the time.  In my heart, I do know it!”  The statements made her burn up with mortification, but she needed to say them.  With each word, her chest lightened, but the spirit was still there.  She needed one final push.  Reflecting on herself, Patina uttered three more words.

            “I am enough!”  Patina coughed, the force of the words hurling the spirit away.  The ghost spun a few times before gliding to a stop.  The goblin gasped for air, sliding down to her knees.  She clutched her chest.  Her heart beat so fast, she could feel it beneath her fingertips.

            “Whoa!”  Amrys’ voice echoed from behind her, but Patina dared not look away from the ghost.  In seconds, the two men were at her side.

            “Are you alright?”  Ranth asked, worry clear in his eyes.  Patina nodded.  Amrys stood in front of them, sword drawn.

            “Get the hell away from our Dr. Puzzle, stupid ghost!”  He threatened in the most serious tone Patina had ever heard from him.

            The ghost smiled and shook her head.  Moonlight swept over her and her form gradually faded away.

            “Thank… you…”

            A tense minute passed before anyone spoke.

            “What just happened?”  Amrys asked, looking over his broad shoulder.

            “I don’t know,” Patina answered honestly.  Had she somehow broken the curse on the ghost?  How?  Why?  Before she could puzzle it out, Ranth gently punched her in the shoulder.

            “Hey, you didn’t say you were feeling… any of that,” he chided, waving his arm around awkwardly.

            “It’s not easy to talk about,” Patina replied with a frown.

            “Well, try next time.  You can tell me anything.  Uh… us anything,” Ranth added quickly, smiling all the same.

            “Yeah, don’t keep that all bottled up!  It might explode like all that wine I left in your bag.  That was a mess!  And we don’t want the… uh… feelings version of that,” Amrys rambled.  “I mean… what else are friends for?”

            Patina nodded.  She glanced at the pair of them, feeling another swell of warmth.  These two dummies were so dear to her and now, they saved her life.

            “Exactly.  What else are friends for?”