Earth-52227

Once upon a time, there was a Little Goblin. When the Little Goblin was very young, she became lost in the woods and couldn't find her way home. She spent so much time wandering the in the forest that she forgot what home even looked like. All the while, she was chased by a large, frightening Shadow. No matter how fast or far she ran, the shadow kept pace, whispering terrible things in her ear. After a long while, the Little Goblin realized that to escape, she would need help. Through her trials and tribulations, the Little Goblin came to know others who would fight against the darkness in the world--others who were strange, like her. In the Little Goblin's quest to free herself, three companions made themselves known: The Wolf, a compassionate spiritual warrior with a pure heart; the Queen of Echoes, a powerful sorceress touched by madness; and the Moon Whisperer, a huntress and fierce protector of the innocent. There three saw the truth of the Little Goblin, and agreed to stand at her side. There had been others who had fallen, a Wind Walker who was like a mother, another Shadow who was her closest friend, a titan of steel who was her brother, but the Little Goblin could not herself remember them now--not if she was to be free. Many of the obstacles the Companions encountered were as unexpected as they were treacherous. Hopelessness, desperation, and anger bubbled to the surface, seeming to consume their spirit. The harder they struggled, the more they seemed to succumb. But the Little Goblin knew they had to press on. Sometimes when it seems as if all hope is lost, that is when things become more clear. All the possibilities and paths lay in front of the Little Goblin, and it was up to her to choose.^[2]

Long ago, the Goblin Exile lost a great battle against the Demon Usurper. She and her few companions were forced to flee into the shadows of the kingdom she once ruled. One by one, the small band of rebels were hunted down by the horde of Demons, until only the Goblin Exile remained. Then, something both new and ancient found its way into the forsaken land--an infection that twisted the Demons into a mechanical hive, intent on consuming everything living in its path. The Goblin Exile's powers somehow kept the hive trapped in the kingdom. Now, at the end of things in a cold, desolate outpost, the Goblin Exile holds the line. After hearing of the Goblin Exile's journey, the Little Goblin saw the strength and determination that she thought had been lost in herself. The Exile may have swung the blow on the leader of the demon horde, but it was the Little Goblin who gained a boon: hope.^[3]

The Little Goblin and the Mad Hatter did not expect to find themselves face-to-face with the tall Steel Knight, but the spell they cast was a funny one. It sent who the casters believed they needed. The Knight, the Little Goblin felt in her heart of hearts, was the greatest hero in all the land-- a dragon slayer. He was everything she wished she could be. The Mad Hatter was less enthusiastic. Though she would not say, the Little Goblin could tell there was a history of pain between the two adults. Gently, the Little Goblin took the Mad Hatter aside and smiled her best smile. "Don't be jealous," she said, voice full of conviction. "You can do anything! Just look, you brought him here!" The road they traveled was not long, but it was treacherous. The entire journey, neither adult spoke to the other, though they glanced at each other often, playing a game of cat and mouse with their gazes. The Mad Hatter's expression was one of hurt and anger, the Steel Knight's one of deep sorrow and regret. Though he wears a different face, the Mad Hatter knows her greatest enemy anywhere. As she raises the Vorpal Blade high, how she wishes she could destroy him here and now. But she knows that isn't her burden to bear, and that if she were to strike a killing blow, she would irreparably harm all that is to come. With a look of grim determination on her face, half hidden by the brim of her hat, the Mad Hatter steels herself. She does what she can here, using her sword to cleave the spell and the memories from the fiend's mind. Hopefully, she will be able to create subtle cracks in his defenses, which the Little Goblin can use to finally defeat him when the time comes...^[4]

After the long, arduous journey through countless lands untold, the Little Goblin and her companions at last faced the Shadow... whatever happened next, she was resolute in her convictions: She was ready, the Shadow would not know what was coming, and she was not alone.^[1]

• Events in Limbo were modified and adapted by Little Goblin for this story. Notably, in Books One, Two, and Four the character of the Little Goblin represents the present-day Magik, but in Book Three the Little Goblin is the young Illyana from the past, while present-day Magik is the Mad Hatter.