The goblins gathered around me, each eagerly waiting to receive their new tasks. In their eyes, there was not only curiosity but also a sense of purpose and duty. This was one of the most important lessons I had taught them so far: Each of them had to have a role. If I gave them the right tasks, I could train each of them in the most efficient way possible.

  1.  Gob

  Gob was the most curious and fastest of the group. It had a short but very agile body. With a small and thin physique, its movements were almost human-like in their grace. Its face was slightly freckled, and it had a greenish skin tone. Its large, round eyes were carefully examining everything around it. Its ears were pointed and a bit long, giving the impression that it was constantly listening for sounds in its surroundings. There were small feathers on its head, almost like they had been blown away by a light cough, which gave it a peculiar look. Its body was quite frail and weak, but its constant movement gave it great agility. It was always very excited and often drew attention by moving quickly.

  2.  Grob

  Grob was the strong and calm member of the group. It had a larger build than the other goblins, its body covered in thick muscles, and with every movement, it displayed a heavy but solid stance. Its head was large and round, with strong jawlines. Its face was almost always adorned with a serious expression, with wide, bony nostrils. Its skin was a darker shade of green, almost brownish. Its veins were prominent, and its muscle structure appeared much larger compared to the other goblins. Its arms were wide, each one composed of massive muscles. No matter what task it worked on, it did so with a determined attitude, often accompanied by a strange silence. When it was working, it paid little attention to its surroundings and focused solely on its task.

  3.  Zip

  Zip was the most energetic and agile goblin in the group. Short in stature, its body was constantly in motion, as if it were always running somewhere. Its eyes were large and bright, constantly gleaming with curiosity, looking at everything around it. Its head was quite small, but it had a great deal of energy from its high level of activity. It had fast-moving hands, always trying to touch something, which kept it constantly active. Its body was thin but agile, and its long, slender legs were incredibly fast. Its face was youthful and always smiling with a bewildered expression. Its small, pointed ears often got caught on things, but this didn’t slow it down.

  4.  Brug

  Brug was the largest and strongest goblin in the group. Its body was highly muscular, with broad shoulders and very large legs. It carried itself with a tall and strong posture, and each step it took made a solid impact on the ground. Its face was generally filled with a stern expression, and its teeth were large and strong. Its high-arched eyebrows gave it a somewhat wild look. Its skin was a dark green tone, smooth and even. Its ears were more rounded compared to the other goblins, but still pointed. Brug was usually calm and worked with seriousness. Since it was the strongest and most durable, it typically handled the heaviest tasks.

  5.  Krag

  Krag was the smartest and most attentive member of the group. He was known for carefully examining and analyzing everything around him. His eyes were sharp and very observant, always focused on noticing every detail in his surroundings. His face was generally serious, and his skin gradually turned from a dark green to a lighter, more faded shade of green. His head was somewhat round, but upon closer inspection, it radiated an air of intelligence. He had finely groomed, short hair on his head, which made him appear older. He gave the impression of being older than the other goblins. His body was thin, but his intelligence allowed him to solve even the most difficult tasks.

  6.  Tuk

  Tuk was the youngest and most energetic member of the group. Constantly running around, bumping into things, and trying to be part of everything. His body was thin and wiry, and he could move quickly with his long legs. His face was always cheerful, looking with a perpetual smile. His small, round eyes were constantly sparkling and shining. His skin was a much lighter green tone than the other goblins. His head was round, and his ears were slightly smaller but still pointed. Tuk often acted as if he were playing with those around him, but when he sensed danger, he could instinctively make quick decisions. His body was always a bit unstable but fast.

  Each goblin had its own unique traits, but together they formed a very strong team.

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  I took a deep breath and turned to Gob first. His curious gaze reflected his constant desire to learn new things. I had to make the most of his ability to learn quickly. "Gob," I said, "You are agile and fast. That's why I’m giving you the task of collecting firewood. There’s plenty of wood deep in the forest, but it takes a patient worker to carry it. You will do this task the best. Go and collect the wood that needs to be cut. Come back to me when you’re done."

  When Gob heard his name, he immediately jumped up with excitement. "Gob! Gob!" he shouted, quickly running towards the other goblins. His joy left no doubt that he would carry out his task with enthusiasm.

  I turned my eyes to the other goblins. Grob was always serious and silent. Given his strength, endurance, and patience, it would make sense to assign him a more challenging task. "Grob," I said, "You are strong and durable. As a worker, I’m sending you to a more difficult job. Go to the corner of the forest and clear the stones. You’ll be the one to lift the stones and lay the first foundation to open the exit inside the mine. I don’t need you to be fast, but I expect you to be careful. Remember, the stones can be heavy."

  Grob gave a short nod and slowly but steadily walked into the depths of the forest.

  Zip’s energy always electrified the air around him. His agility showed just how skilled he was at moving quickly and completing tasks. "Zip," I said, "Your speed will be useful to us. Go over there and carry wood over short distances. But be careful, if you tend to bump into things, you need to move the fastest to avoid it. Go ahead and show me what you can do."

  When Zip heard my name, his eyes lit up. He immediately began flailing his arms and moved quickly forward. Within a few steps, he was already gone, leaving only his speed and movement behind.

  Brug stood out with his strong build and patient demeanor. I needed him for carrying heavy loads. "Brug," I said, "There are heavy tasks for you. Things like carrying stones and preparing the foundational structures for construction. Go ahead and make sure everything is solid."

  Brug raised his head and gave a brief affirmative sound. He moved quickly and determinedly towards the stones.

  Krag stood out for his intelligence and careful gaze. I could use him to examine the stones and uncover the riches of the mine. "Krag," I said, "You should use your intelligence and attention to detail for this task. Go to the rocky areas near the forest and examine the small stones and minerals, then report back to me. Observe which stones might be valuable for mining."

  Krag nodded and began moving forward. There was a sharp focus in his eyes. He carefully leaned over each stone.

  Finally, Tuk, fast but unsteady, was up next. With his energy, he could learn everything around him quickly. But I couldn’t send him on a large task until he found his balance. "Tuk," I said, "Your speed is excellent. But you’re a little unsteady, so I’m giving you the job of carrying stones over short distances. At first, you’ll be carrying small and simple stones, but over time, you’ll work with heavier loads."

  Tuk immediately nodded and quickly began to move, though he left a somewhat disorganized trail behind him.

  Now, it was time to take the most important steps to prepare them for mining. After a moment of looking at them all, I entered the workshop inside the cave. Here, I would create the foundation for the equipment I needed.

  My first task would be to make pickaxes. I carefully selected the metal materials I had. Using high-quality iron and a few pieces of stone, I would shape the head and handle of the pickaxe. I knew I had to be careful when shaping the pickaxe head. The way the metal was processed directly affected how effective the mining would be.

  First, I stoked the fire in the forge to soften the iron. The heat would make the metal easier to shape. Once it was hot, I took the iron out of the fire and began shaping it with the tongs. Each strike was a moment where the metal began to take shape. The sound of the hammer striking the metal echoed through the cave. Every layer of metal had to be carefully shaped to ensure the pickaxe was strong enough.

  While making the pickaxe head, I chose a sturdy piece of wood for the handle. After carefully cutting it, I drilled holes at the end of the handle to securely attach the pickaxe head. I used hot steel to hammer the head into place, making sure everything fit perfectly.

  Once I finished making the pickaxe heads, I carefully carried them and handed them to each worker. I gave the pickaxes to Gob, Grob, Zip, Brug, Krag, and Tuk, one by one.

  "After you finish the tasks I gave you, you’ll use these pickaxes for mining. Be very careful while doing your work," I said, reflecting the determination in my eyes. "Together, let’s start doing our job in the best way possible."

  The workers nodded, each holding their pickaxe, signaling that they understood what they had to do. Zip immediately began moving forward, quickly running toward the mine. The others, carefully gripping their pickaxes, seemed ready to begin their tasks.

  As I watched them, I realized how important the first steps I had taken were. Everything was getting one step closer. Now, I could get more efficiency from each of my workers. Watching the work begin brought me great satisfaction.