γ€ŠThe Goblin Nation》


 Its Time for a Restart

    Hello my readers, both past, present, future. I have an important announcement to make in regards to this series and the future. When I wrote this series back in October 2019, I planned it to be a long epic, full of twists and turns, with a proper ending in mind. And just as I planned, I did just that, but without reaching the ending. And because of this, I come bearing news so heavy that it has been weighing down my heart during my vacation. I have decided to restart from scratch.


    But before I discontinue this series, I just want to be clear, I am going to reenvision this series. I am not abandoning my characters but rather, resurrecting them into a new narrative. Over the past two weeks, I''ve reread parts of my story, feedback from readers, and I learned that The Goblin Nation was far too flawed to continue as a story. There were too many inconsistencies, redundancy, and plot holes. Too many to simply compile in a list and present here. No, I rather pick the most glaring issues I found in this series and what I hope to fix moving forward.


    Let us first start off with the goblins themselves. I planned from the start to start the goblins as these stereotypical D&D monsters. Fueled by greed and lust for power, there were chaotic evil incarnate, only for it to be revealed that they were the victims of larger conflict spanning generations ago. A conflict between a god and its creation. As our heroes evolve, so does their humanity until they regained their true form. This aspect of the story was actually well received, at least from what I perceived in the comments. It created a mystery to be solved and made the goblin''s evolution closer to their original form, a milestone in the story. But there''s one problem. This felt slow and, at worst, out of nowhere. Despite the many hints I''ve sowed in the story, it still felt jarring that Sun just drastically changed physically, from the short goblin to a taller human-like goblin with feathers. It felt weird, in all honesty. I think for the new series, I would rather have a mixture of the animalized goblins and the civilized goblins living together throughout the world. And to fabricate a unique culture and history revolving around that concept. Instead of relying on magic to explain their history being wiped away, I want it to be a tragedy commonly known by the goblins but widely ignored by the rest of the world. Magic could still play a significant role, as a tool for propaganda but not to the extent of the previous world spell.


    The next issue was the mothers in the series and their connections with their children. As I reread the series, I realize how little the mothers (except for Mari) impacted the story. I had a grand vision of the twin beastkin mothers to reunite and be the driving force of the next plot. But they had very little time devoted to them and their relationship with their sons. I don''t want to distract everyone from the story by writing chapters of mother and son relationships, so I plan to incorporate their relationship as an integral plotline.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Another problem I had with the series was the tonal shifts. Stories can become darker or lighter as the narrative progresses. But the change should never break the immersion of the reader, and unfortunately, I had those breaks whenever we go from jolly old crew joking around to Sun trying to kill a troll. The change felt too abrupt in most cases. But the true problem I had was that lack of a baseline. There was no foundational setting when it came to how dark or light the series could become. It started very dark, then very light, then dark again. There was no in-between, no rest stop, no normal, just constant changes. I''d like to set the groundwork for how the series should normally feel before moving forward on the story.


    And finally, my biggest problem with the series, the isekai aspect. The transfer to a new world cliche. Originally, I planned it to connect with the high concept of gods versus mortals (goblins mostly). And that Sun''s specialness comes from the memories he had from his previous life. But we can all agree that I have yet to really reach the full potential of that trope. He never really used his previous life''s knowledge and there''s no incentive too when there were more fantastical concepts like magic in the stove for me to cook. And so I plan to treat the concept of transferring into another world as another mystery to be solved rather than being the norm off the bat. I want to have Sun remember certain parts of his previous life to help him in his adventures or to warn him of danger. This was something tried to do with the house burning scene, but with little emotional effect.


    The ability to remember should have a greater narrative effect, both for Sun''s growth and the advancement in the story, with the past life''s influence over Sun''s decision grow stronger as he grows stronger. And with that being said, I want King to remain the same to contrast the difference between them. It seemed to have worked in the original story well, and I will do it again, but with greater emphasis with Sun and King as rivals of some sort, seeking the same goal. I don''t want a Naruto and Sasuke dynamic, though. I want them to have their own story with as little to no connection with each other as possible. Or at least make them seem distant from each other.


    These are just the three I had the most problems with as I continued to write the story. And I hope to resolve these issues with my rewrite, which will become an entirely different reading experience. I want this story to feel like an adventure first, and then kingdom builds second. I want to expand the world alongside the characters rather than learning about it through other character''s backstory. And after three years of writing, I have confidence in the things I''ve learned throughout this experience. I''m going to transition into a one-week chapter update, with each chapter having twice the average word count than my previous average (1200 word count). I''m also going to refine my methods when it comes to planning the road map of my story to avoid name confusion and so on.


    This new rewrite is going to be a completely different story. I will take elements from my previous work as inspiration, and certain elements in the story will return. I want this series to stand on its own and continue past where I left off‘ͺa grand story with greater mysteries to be found. I hope you can join me on that journey once we get there. For the old readers, don''t think of this as a goodbye, but the transition to something better. And for newer readers, I welcome you to read this series and find the ending that you feel has satisfied your craving. And to myself, this isn''t an end. I still have so much to write and the rest of my life to write them. So let''s start all over again.


    I will return soon enough.

 Vol 1 Chapter 1: Newborn

    The night was cold as I walked through the valley of tents and boxes. I look up at the sky, there wasn''t a single star that dotted the night. There was only the moon lighting the sky. But the moonlight is not strong enough to light the streets I walk in.


    As I turn the corner, I saw an old friend sitting on a stool in front of what, I presume to be his tent. He sits there, drinking away his sorrow with a bottle of beer. "Shouldn''t you be asleep?" I told him. "Shouldn''t you be taking care of your mother?" He answered back. We stared at each other like cowboys getting ready for a shootout. I waited, hoping he would be the one to break the tension when finally my friend bellowed out a massive burp. We both laughed.


    I took a crate and sat beside him. I became friends with this man when he helped me fight against these two thieves trying to steal my bag. He was a huge man, standing six feet tall and have muscles that could match a buffalo. You would think he was an ogre when you meet him. Compared to him, I looked like a stick insect. He was a good man and a good friend. His name was... his name... what was his name? What the fuck, I can''t seem to remember. While I lost myself in thought, he decides to interrupt it. "How''s your mom?" He said


    "She''s doing fine. She caught a fever, though, probably after what happened."


    "Well, as long as you''re by her side, she will do fine. Sure, she''s a strong woman, but she also needs a caring son too."


    "Well, I do my best for her. Just like any son would."


    "Yup. Hey, what''s that inside your bag anyway?" He said, pointing at my plastic bag. "Is that the extra food you cooked for dinner to give me?"


    "No. We don''t have a kitchen anymore."


    "Fuck. I forgot we all got evicted. Fuck those settlers!" He yells. He placed his left hand on his forehead. He was hiding his eyes, not wanting me to seeing him cry. I don''t blame him. Out in these streets, he was known as the Catholic Bear. He was the only other kid who was a Catholic in the tenant. The other one being me. Because of that, we used to get bullied when we were kids. We grew to become friends by sticking with each other and trying to act tough against anyone that dared mess with them. We can''t afford to show any weakness, especially now when we got kicked from our home. Wait... I thought I became friends with him because he saved me from some thugs. Also, where did this bag come from?


    I looked inside my bag and saw a pair of gloves, a spray can, and a bottle of water. I wonder what these are for? While I was looking at these items, my friends decide to fake a cough to grab my attention. "Sorry. How about I get you a bottle." He says as he reached into his cooler. I held my hand up, ready to reject his offer when suddenly...


    *BANG*


    A sound of gunshot filtered the air. I looked at the direction of the sound. That''s where my tent is and where my mom is sleeping. I ran without saying a single word to my friend. I hear him yell something, but all I could think about is getting to my mom and making sure she was safe. The lights from the street lamps guided me through my path. Every stride I make, the light shines on me, every breath I take, the light shines on me, but when I think about my mother and the danger she could be in, the light wasn''t there to comfort me. Finally, after running for what seemed to be forever, I saw it, my tent.


    It was small and grey with red highlights and a few holes patched up with duct tape by me. There was also something there, standing in front of my tent ‘ͺ a naked child with a huge nose, pointed ears, and strange greenish skin. Its belly was large, and its legs could barely hold him upright. That child was so fucking ugly. I was so distracted by that disgusting child that I trip over nothing.


    I landed on the cold hard ground. I try to stand up, but my arms and legs had no energy. But I can''t give up now! My mom is in there alone and possibly scared. Some crazy guy is out here with a gun I have to get up. My arms and legs can''t push me up. "Why can''t I get up!?" I cried at the empty sky... No, there was no sky. It''s gone, replaced by a roof. "Stop crying, newborn!" Someone said, or maybe something. The child I saw was looking down on me. Its head was huge, his eyes looked like a goat''s eye, it had dirty blonde hair, and his mouth was lined up with sharp jagged teeth. The child used a dirty white shirt to wrap my body. While it wrapped me, I noticed the child having large breast compared to its body that''s hunched over. That child was no he; it was a she.


    She lifted me and walked toward the place my tent should have been. But instead of a tent laying there, it was a woman. She had brown hair, blue eyes, and fair skin; some blue linen covered the lower half of her body while lying on the blood-covered floor. The goblin placed me on top of the half-naked woman. "Feed your baby, human!" She yelled at the woman. Your baby? So I am her child. Our eyes met and what I saw surprised me. Those eyes - those dead eyes were filled with so many emotions; sadness, fear, despair flooded her eyes. But there was one emotion that penetrated my heart. Her eyes stared at me with so much hate and malice. Why does she hate me? "Feed her human. You are baby''s mother now!" She yelled while grabbing her hair. Let go of my mother, you bitch! I tried to yell at her that, but all I did was cry.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    She leaned in closer to her. "You are now mother of goblin. Be happy." She whispered at her. I stopped crying. Goblin, what is that? Is that me? I looked around the room, and I saw other naked women ‘ͺ all being forced to breastfeed their goblin child. I am one of those goblins. I wriggled my tongue across my teeth; they were sharp and jagged, just like the goblin woman. The goblin woman looked at me and decided to grab my head and shoved it onto my mother''s breast. "Feed on milk already, you dumb baby." She said impatiently. She took her hand and forced my mouth open, her claws touching my inner cheeks. She then pulled my mother''s nipple and placed it onto my mouth. "Grow up, strong, and fast halfling."


    I struggle to breathe from getting shoved into my new mother''s breast. I looked up and saw a tear running down her cheek as she closes her eyes I was evicted from my home because the settlers claimed it through the government, and now suddenly, I woke up here. This is my life now. Oh, I hope this is just a nightmare. Please let this be a nightmare. I want to wake up and be with my real mother again. "Stop crying, newborn!" The goblin lady said. She was a small creature compared to my, well, mother. From what I can tell, she reaches just about the height of my mother''s hip, give or take a few inches.


    After I finished feeding off of her, I was carried out of the room and into the outside world. The sun was shining down on me. I looked back and saw the building they were housing my mother. It looked like an old barn. As she walks through this abounded town, I witness others goblins, all running towards what looked like a courtyard. All of them were wearing thick fur coats. Now that I think about it, it''s freezing, and the trees that we pass by every now and then had nearly lost all of their leaves. It must be the Fall season. Then, the goblin lady that was carrying me formed a line extending into the courtyard with the other goblins that were carrying a baby.


    At the middle of the courtyard was a red goblin wearing crude armor surrounded by a clique of green goblins, all of which were wearing helmets of varying shapes and sizes. The red goblin stands nearly twice the height of the other goblins. The smaller goblins began to strip off the red one''s armor and replaced them with a large fur coat. The red one was pantsless, and his penis was dangling openly to the public. I would like for him to cover that.


    After getting ''dressed,'' he lifted his hands and addressed the public. ."My fellow Goblins! We succeeded in our raid and brought many foods and treasures. We also brought back new slaves, man, and woman, and have chained them in the barn." The goblins cheered with great vigor at the mention of new slaves. "Silence! I have more to say. Today the women slave my most loyal followers, and I had sex with have just given birth to more goblins! Our tribe now grows even stronger!" The goblins cheered even louder. "Silence!" He screamed, the goblins continued to cheer louder and louder, until finally, the red goblin had enough and took his long sword and charged at the crowd. One swing of the blade and a goblin head flew high in the sky. After the head fell onto the ground, the red goblin pointed the tip of the sword back to the crowd. The goblins shut their mouths.


    "Our newborns require names. Today, I shall give them that. Come, caretakers, present me the babies so that I can name them!" All of the lady goblins began to approach the red one. He places his hand on the babies'' forehead and yells out their names. The crowd cheers after a name are given. The sound of cheers and names all blended, forming a buzzing sound. My ears went numb from the overwhelming noise. I closed my eyes as I bear the pain.


    "This one is Rock!" The crowd cheered louder.


    "This one is Stick!" The crowd cheered louder. The red goblin''s voice got louder.


    "This one is Smoke!" The crowd cheered louder. My ears began to ring. The red goblin''s voice got even more thunderous.


    "This one is Sun!" The crowd cheered. I opened my eyes. I looked up and saw the red one lifting his hand off my forehead. The lady hurried back into another line. The noises tuned mute as I tell myself my new name. Sun. I am now Sun and no longer will I go by... Oh, I don''t remember my original name.


    "Now that all newborns have their names, we wait until they are 14 days old before they could join our tribe."


    14 days! That''s crazy! How is that even possible.


    "But for now, they must feed on their slave mothers. Caretakers, it is your task to ensure that these newborns do not kill their mothers. Those women slaves should still be able to give birth to many more goblins! And many of you are just dying to have your way with am I right!" Pointed at the crowd, which at this point has now gone ballistic over this announcement. Meanwhile, I''m still trying to grasp the reality of my situation. 14 days. That''s how long will it take for me to grow.


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the speech ended. The crowd of goblins disbanded and went on with their business. The goblin woman carried me back into the barn. There my mother laid helpless on the floor. In 14 days and I will be a grown goblin. And then what. Live my new life as this thing. I would instead end my life here if it means getting a better one.


    But what about her, my current mother. Should I let her stay here, tortured by those mob of goblins. Should I kill her and end her misery. I feel like that''s too easy. Or maybe I''m too selfish. I don''t want her to die. I want her to be alive.


    That''s it. They robbed her life, and I will bring her back that life. It is my duty as her son.

 Vol 1 Chapter 2:Hunger Strikes

    I woke up to the warm embrace of my mother. My body trapped in by one arm while my head pressed in between two soft bosoms. The caretakers removed me of my rag last night, exposing me to the elements. I would have died in the cold night if not for the embrace of my mother. Sadly, she was forced to hold me close to her chest. This close embrace had no love, but I wasn''t too bothered by it. She was raped and tortured by those goblins, and so it makes sense for her to have no love for the beast child she gave birth to and forced to care for.


    "Good, you awake." My goblin caretaker said. "Feed now, newborn. Grow big and strong."


    Excuse me? I have a name, you know. Well, even if she does know, she has no reason to try and use it since for all she knows, I could be dead by tonight. And no, that''s no exaggeration. I looked at the center of the room and saw three dead goblin babies piled on top of one another. It seemed that they died overnight from the excruciating pain of their sudden growth spurt. I overhear one of the goblin caretakers with the curly red hair reprimanding the other caretakers for not removing the cloth that wrapped around the baby goblins. Because of the restricted space swaddling provides, those baby goblins couldn''t stretch out their limbs to alleviate the pain.


    The goblin caretaker stopped lecturing the other three and turned her attention to the rest of the room. "Listen, caretakers!" She told the room. "By high noon, the babies will grow strong. So strong, they will crawl. And they will be hungry. Protect slaves from them. Don''t let them eat breast. Restrain them! They can suckle, but no biting, clinging, digging!"


    Digging? What exactly is she talking about? Are those goblin babies going to ''dig'' on their mother''s chest for milk or something? How will they even be able to do that. We are barely the size of a human baby. At least, from what I remember from my past life. In fact, am I even human. I think I was, and a strong one at that. I was used to be called the Catholic Bear by the neighborhood kids. No, that doesn''t sound right.


    Time passes by as I continue to suckle on my mother''s breast. Goblin caretakers would come now and then to feed the women. Over time, breast milk stopped coming out of my mother, but I continued to suckle as if it was a pacifier. The room was nearly silent if not for the sound babies sucking on their mother''s breast. I closed my eyes and began to sleep.


    "Mama, can I have some of those!"


    "If God wills it."


    "Mama, please."


    "Do you want me to repeat it again?" She says, looking back at me. I couldn''t see her face properly because the sun was casting down on her. "We have food at the house, and your papa sent you snacks from ¨€¨€¨€¨€. We have plenty of food from home."


    "But mama, I don''t like those snacks from papa''s work. I want snacks from here."Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    "No means no."


    Please, who wants food from ¨€¨€¨€¨€. It doesn''t even sound like a real country. I click my tongue. "Did you just!" She said, with an intense tone. All I could think about at this moment was, oh oh.


    Mama raises her hand over her hand and ready to smack me. "Sorry, sorry. I didn''t mean it." I pleaded to her while shielding my face with my hands. She slowly put her hand down and kneeled to face me at an equal eye level. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of brown.


    "Listen." She said with a soft tone. I can see her expression now. She looked calm and serene. Her smile was gentle and her complexion so flawless, with not a single blemish in sight. "It''s ok to be greedy sometimes. I know I have. But not everything can be handed to you on a plate. You must work hard to get what you want. And work even harder to keep them. Sure, maybe there''s a genie somewhere that can grant your wish. But a genie is a fire demon, and it won''t give you your wish if you can''t stand its flames. Now let''s..."


    *SMACK*


    I opened my eyes from the sheer shock of the impact. I was on the floor, face down. I try to push myself up with my arms, and miraculously, I pushed my body up. Oh, wait, that caretaker did say we''ll be able to crawl soon.


    *GRRRR*


    What was that? I looked down and saw that my stomach was rumbling. I''m hungry, and I need food. "Feed me! Feed me!" All of the baby goblins cried. We were all piled together in the center of the room. In front of us were our mothers. "Want to feed. Then crawl. Crawl to your slave mother''s breast. Feed off them!" Commanded the red hair caretaker.


    "I must feed! Ahhh!" I screamed as I struggle to pull myself closer to my mother. My stomach burns as it continued to growl at me. My arms stretched and pulled me closer and closer to my food. The light passing through the cracks on the ceiling acted as a spotlight. My mother was blanketed with light. She was beautiful, serene, and delicious.


    "Feed me!" I yelled. My claws dug through the ground. My legs ached with pain as it tries to push further. But it did not matter. All that was in my mind was that I was hungry. I need to breast milk, or I will starve. My stomach begins to contract. I can''t waste a single minute; I have to get to my mother. I need to feed.


    Finally, I reached my prize. I climbed up her belly and crawled my way to her breast. I grabbed her breast and was about a bite onto her nipples when I saw her face. Her eyes were filled with fear and disgust, but her face had no expression. She looked like a corpse. Her cheekbones were poking out, the eyes were sunken in, and her lips were dry and brittle. Dirt, dried mucus and blood, and soot dotted her face. That smile I saw in my dream. The memory of my past mother. Will I ever witness that gentle smile again.


    My stomach continued to growl. I felt a stinging, burning pain in my abdomen. I need her breast milk now, but I have to have to be gentle. I Let go of her breast. Some marks were left where my claws dug into the fat.


    "Rock stop! Let go!" I turned around. Just across to my mother and me was a goblin baby fighting off three caretakers. His teeth cut deep into his mother''s breast. Rock, huh. For someone that''s barely two days old, his hell of a monster.


    Rock began to claw through his mother''s breast in search of breast milk. Blood splattered across the walls and the floor. Rock screamed out of frustration while 2 of the caretakers reached out to grab his arms. He started to look around the room. He noticed that all the other goblins were already suckling but me. He looked like he was in pain, but that didn''t stop him from pushing the caretakers away from him. He got off his mother''s lifeless body and began to run in all four towards me.


    Fuck.

 Vol 1 Chapter 3: The Bear

    "Come on ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€, I saw him around here," I said to my friend ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ as we run through the streets. I left my mother''s grocery bag by the local fruit vendor for just a few minutes to talk to some friends, and when suddenly, it was gone. It''s been two hours since then, and I have been searching around the market, asking the clerks if they''ve seen a light blue shoulder bag with the logo PINK around. I also started asking my friends if they have seen it. Luckily, ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ saw someone carrying that bag by the basketball court.


    While we were at the court, asking the people there for my missing bag, I caught a glimpse of a man carrying the exact bag I was looking for. I chased after him. ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ followed close by me. We kept running after him until he turned a corner. As we make the same turn, we were met with an empty street. We stopped running, trying to catch our breath. "Are you sure that... that was your bag he was carrying?" He said to me.


    "Yeah. It was light blue and had the brand name PINK on it."


    "There''s like, a bunch of bags with the name PINK on it."


    "Yeah, but that one is special. The side where the pocket is has a hole. A hole that I fixed with duct tape."


    "I don''t think that fixed it." I turned around to look at him. He crouched down to pick up something. It was a piece of duct tape. I looked at the ground and noticed a trail of coins heading straight to an alleyway. We followed it.


    As we enter, a sudden gust of wind blew my face. Then a sight of a fist headed straight to my face. I dodged the punch by weaving to the left side while ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ started backing up. I tried to counter with a front kick to the stomach, but the man caught it with his left hand. He lifted my leg high up in the air, and I fell crashing down to the ground.


    My friend tried to tackle him, but instead, he ran straight to a pile of garbage bags as the man dodge the tackle by seemingly gliding in the air. I grabbed a two by four next to me and stood up. "Fucker! Give me back my bag!" I yelled as I charge at the man. I tried to hit him with a downward swing, but he blocks it with his right arm. Then he slammed into me with his right shoulder, causing me to lose my balance. My butt hit the floor. "Your bag? What makes you think this is yours?" He said, taking the bag off his shoulder and lifting it with his hand. "If it was yours, then your name should be on it? I don''t see it anywhere here."


    "it''s because you''re looking at the wrong places." I noticed ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ sneaking up behind him. "I wrote my name on the straps."


    "Really now. And what''s the name exactly?"


    "Doesn''t matter!"


    "Huh?" ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ grabs him by the waist. That''s my queue. I got up as fast as I could and sprinted towards him. I reached out to grab my bag, but it disappeared. Instead, the bottom of the man''s foot was there.


    *SMACK*


    My face went numb from the kick. My butt also went numb after hitting the ground for the 3rd time. Before I realized it, ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ was lying on the floor. "Nice try kids, but you''re not stealing this bag from me. I found it fair and square."


    "Just because I lost that bag, and you found it doesn''t make it yours!"


    "Hey! You''re the one that lost it! I... Hahaha!" He started laughing. "I just remembered, back in the old days. That''s what our enemies would tell us."This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "What?"


    "Just because we left and you came and lived here doesn''t make it your home." He said, using a very sarcastic tone.


    "What are you talking about? Were you were part of the war."


    "Well yes, but actually no. I was part of a militia, meant to guard our people. So with all due respect, I protected you and your home. So show some courtesy to me, boy. To think I came back home, only to be jump by two kids in tracksuits. But I digress." He looks back at the bag. "Tell you what, I''ll teach, no... discipline you two like what they did in the militia, and by the end of the day we will have a sparring match. If you can take this bag from me, you can have it; if not, then it''s mine." He turned around and helped my friend stand up. "Oh, and by the way. Don''t think this will be easy. It''s going to be hell. My unit didn''t call me the Catholic Bear for nothing."


    ___________________________________________________________


    "Stop them! Go stop them!" The caretakers yell at one another. None of them moved to put themselves between Rock and me. I don''t blame them, Rock is one strong baby. I don''t even think you can call him a baby anymore.


    Our hands were locked with one another as we were trying to push and pull each other. But I was losing to this wrestling match. My legs were giving in, my arms shaking, and my belly continued to growl. I can''t concentrate; I''m so hungry. Suddenly, my vision started getting blurry. I can no longer feel my legs. Finally, Rock pushes me to the ground. He got up and was ready to run towards my mother. Oh no, you don''t. I grabbed his leg and tried to pull him towards me.


    He turned around with anger was written across his face as he lounges at me. I mustered every strength I got on my legs and stood up. I could hear all the caretakers gasp at sight me standing upright, or at least as upright a goblin could stand. I caught him in my arms. He retaliated by biting my right shoulder. I screamed agony; I have to grit my teeth and bear the pain. I lost my balance and fell on the floor.


    I tried to push him off, but he won''t he budge. His bite just keeps getting deeper the more I try to push him off me. I gave up pushing him. I clenched my fists and began punching him on the sides. I don''t know where the liver is for these goblin fuckers, but if my guess was correct, it should the same place where the liver would be in a man. Rock let go off my shoulder and rolled to the side with his hands holding his left side.


    I got up on my two legs, ready to strike. Rock did the same. "I hungry. I need to feed!" He screamed and ran towards me. He swings his right arm, but I bend my knees and bend down backward, barely dodging his claw. Then I took my right fist and punched him on the chin. Rock staggered to his feet, swaying ever so slightly until he finally fell. My vision finally went dark, and I could feel my knee hit the hardwood floor


    "Impressive," The bear said. "That arching uppercut is hard to pull off, but you did it."


    "Thank you," I said. We were in the middle of the basketball court practicing different styles of fighting. The sun was slowly setting down. "It''s almost night time, which means it''s time to spar."


    "That''s true. Hey, big guy, you ready?"


    ___________________________________________________________


    ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ turned around. "Hell yeah, I am!" He answered back. This time, for sure, I''ll get my bag back.


    My vision returned, and I could see clearly now. My right shoulder was covered in blood and felt numb. I looked back in the direction of my mother. She sits there, motionless. My caretaker walked towards me and carried me to my mother. I was laid there on top of her, and I began to suckle on her breast.


    The room was filled with murmurs from the caretakers and crying from the baby goblins. There was a goblin crying on top of his mother. His body covered in blood. It didn''t looked hungry, but it did sound sad, regretful even. "Ma! Ma! Feed, ma!" It cried. The woman seemed to have died from blood loss. I guess this one killed its mother too, but why is it crying. Does it actually care? I hear another one crying.


    Across from me was Rock, being detained by the caretakers. I can hear him. "Ma, just hungry... no kill you." He whimpers. I see. It wasn''t just me who lost control. We were all pushed by our instinct to feed. But I am surprised. I didn''t expect the other goblins to care about their mothers, love them even. "Quit crying baby. We have other slave women. You feed on them." Said the caretaker with the curly red hair.


    I guess that old saying was right; no baby is born to hate, only to love. I took my mother''s hand and held it tightly. I closed my eyes and fell asleep, hoping to dream about my past life again. Back when I was human.

 Vol 1 Chapter 4: The Strong Ones

    Its been 5 days since my scuffle with Rock. I''ve been growing rapidly these days, and my hunger has only been getting stronger. One of the goblin babies died this morning, its mother ran out of breast milk the night before but the goblin refused to suckle on the other women. It continued to stay with its mother, hugging her tightly.


    Ever since then, the goblin caretaker with the curly red hair, whose probably the head caretaker, began telling the remaining children to stop relying on the slave women for breast milk because soon they will all run out.


    There were only 4 of us left. Rock and Smoke, the other goblin that killed their mother, had been getting their milk from the other slave women whose goblin babies died. Then there''s Stick, what you would call the runt of the litter. He was just as vicious as the other 2 during their hunger pain but he was so small and meek that the most he could do were scratch his mother''s breast. I''m surprised he even made it.


    Every night we would experience this growth spurt. Letting as grow at an incredible rate, but for a cost. If it happens while you''re awake, you will experience the most painful body shock you would ever experience. Just about 2 days ago, a goblin child died for the pain of the sudden growth spurt. Poor bastard was awake when it was happening. The amount of body mass we grow into is proportionate to the number of calories we intake.


    Rock grew the most out of us 4. Despite being more gentle, still, consume the most breast milk in one sitting. Whether it is due to his appetite or because the women he feed off of have large breast, only god would know.


    Stick on the hand, is doing everything he can to get as much milk as possible. His mother was very thin. She was probably malnourished and couldn''t produce high-fat milk.


    Then there is Smoke. He isn''t as big as Rock but I can safely say his more aggressive than Rock. But then again, Rock has been very mellow ever since he realized he killed his mother. It helps that the scene was so gruesome. Rock''s mother had an open rib cage. Her heart and lungs were exposed and her breast were barely attached to her body. I wondered whether or not she was slowly regaining her mental stability or if the other women were not moving because they were just asleep.


    Finally, there was me. I drank as much as I could. But during these past days, I noticed something astonishing. Sometimes, I would lose to my hunger pains and bite my mother''s nipples as if it will produce more milk. When I do this my mother would move her body slightly and groan. This would snap me back in control of my urges. Meanwhile the other women would sit there without making a single movement, even if the goblins bite them.


    While sucking on my mother''s tit, the caretakers were making a ruckus. "My baby, big strong! Your baby only lucky!" Rock''s caretaker yelled at my caretaker close to her face.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "No! No luck!" My caretaker answered back while pushing the other one. "He strong. Sun is strong! Rock weak."


    "Rock is strong. He kill his ma. Rip woman apart! Your just suck. Like baby pup."


    "You just mad Rock beat by Sun! Cala give me favor, you not!"


    "Sun is scared of sun. That''s why he name sun, eyes close all time, but Rock just stared! He Hard like rock."


    "No, Rock just stupid! No head like rock."


    "You bitch!"


    Rock''s caretaker tried to lunge at my caretaker but was stopped by the head caretaker. "Stop we have work!" She pushes both of them away from each other. "Everyone, come. We must carry food to feed them." All of the caretakers left following the head.


    The caretakers came back carrying some sort of baby deer. It looked like any other deers besides its red crescent shape antlers. "Babies, get over here!" All four of us stood up and walked over to her. "This is food, you going to eat it. We will go away with the slaves. Time to clean them. When we come back. Food better be gone." It would be our first time trying to eat solid food.


    "You four are strong ones. Live because you strong." She told us before left with the human women. All four of us sat there. We had no idea how to begin eating the deer.


    "So, how about we split in half and divide among ourselves?" I said to the group. No one responded. Finally after a long awkward silence, Stick of all goblins decided to take a piece of the deer. He grabbed the hind leg and tried to pull it out, but to no avail.


    Smoke and I attempted the tore the deer apart, but we ended up pulling our muscles instead. We''re only half the size of adult goblins. How do they expect us to tear it apart? Stick looked at Rock, who just sitting there, looking down at the floor.


    "Rock, Why not help?" Stick asked with frustration. "You strong, help us!"


    "No. Kill ma with strong. No do it again."


    Us 3 stared at each other. Bewildered from what we heard. "Um, this one is already dead Rock. Plus we need to learn to eat solid food." I said.


    "No! No want be strong. Strong is bad. Kill ma with strong."


    "Shut up.You us die so you no help." Stick retorts back.


    "No, no kill!"


    Smoke joined in at taunting Rock calling him out for starving us by not helping with the carcass. It seemed it didn''t dawn to the other 2 that we could just eat it as it is, skin and all, without dividing it. They all assumed the food is inside like how our mother''s breastmilk is inside.


    I decided to intervene. "Smoke, Stick. Let me talk to Rock for a bit." I turn to face Rock who by this point was squatting down on the floor holding his head. "Rock are you ok?"


    "No. Rock see ma. Ma die cause Rock strong." Rock said while his body was trembling. I don''t much about goblins. I never watched Lord of the Rings and any other western fantasy movies. If I remember correctly, its because I was too busy helping my mom with our expenses. But despite not watching those movies and what have you, I''m pretty confident that goblins are meant to be terrifying and not this, well... pitiful.


    "You''re strong kid. But you''re weak where it counts." That statement echoed on my mind. That bear told that to me. I remember that at least. "Rock. You are strong but you''re also weak."


    Rock looked up at me with a puzzled face. "Weak? What? Cause you beat Rock, I weak..."


    "No that''s not what I meant. You are strong. You can pretty much beat me more than I can beat you. But you are weak in the heart." I told him while poking his chest. Rock, Smoke, and Stick looked at me like I was crazy. Well, maybe I am crazy. But I think its time for me to impart my ''wisdom'' that my past mentor taught me.

 Vol 1 Chapter 5: The Mother

    I was told to sit next to a large water basin. The Goblin washed our bodies with old clothing. All the women bathing with me were my companions. To the right of me was Natasha. She has black hair, green eyes, and the most massive pair of breasts I have ever seen. The other two women were twins from some faraway country. If I remember correctly one of them is called Sam, and the other one should be Isis or Cyrus. They had light brown hair and brown eyes, and they were both petite. Their most eye-catching feature was their cat-like ears and tails ‘ͺ the staple feature of the beastkins. Just about a month or so, we four were heading to the forest to make a living for ourselves. Who would''ve thought we would end up here. The goblin poured water on me. It was cold.


    Goblins. No one knows where they came from, but we do know that they appeared near desolate cities ‘ͺ cities filled with treasures. I joined a raiding party as one of their camp maids to support my family - and curiosity of the outside world. We were paid to maintain their equipment, cook food, and wash their linens.


    The pay was excellent, and the days pass by rather quickly. We stayed in the Raiden Forest for four weeks. The adventures would come back every day with several bags of loot they found in the city ruins. Sometimes they would bring an injured adventurer or two, but we had a camp doctor around to help get the injured get back up on their feet for the next days looting.


    Overall, my time in the camp was uneventful. Until that faithful day, that is. The adventurers assigned to guard the camp decided to drink while they were on duty. A goblin scouting party took noticed and informed their tribe. The head camp maid tried to get us all to organize to evacuate, but it was too late.


    They broke our walls, slain the drunk guards, and captured 10 of us, nine women and one man. They dragged us back to their tribe. This red goblin and his ''clique'' brought us to this rundown barn and gang-raped us on the cold, hardwood floor. Over and over again, they would defile us, for what seems like weeks, months even, until finally, they stopped.


    I realized after seven days ago, why. We were pregnant and have now given birth to those monsters.


    That goblin woman. I detest her. She taunts me, calling me a goblin mother every time she feeds me this purple sludge. The goblin I spawned was hideous. It had a large arched nose, short pointed ears, and its eyes were just like that of a goat. It had short black hair and long protruding canines.


    I was forced to carry it on my arms and let it feed off of me. If I could move, I would have thrown this spawnling to the side and run away, but I lost the ability to move. It was due to that purple sludge they feed us.


    From what I can tell, whatever was in that purple sludge, it had two effects on our body. The first is that it heals us from our wounds. For instance, Sam''s chest should be covered in scars, but only a few small scratches were there. Because she had an aggressive spawn attacking her repeatedly, she was fed the most to heal her wounds faster.


    The other effect is paralysis. We can''t move no matter how hard we try to lift our muscles. They started feeding this to us right before spawning the goblins. We felt the pain of childbirth, but our muscles remained relaxed throughout the process.


    They had us hold the spawns. Forced us to cradle these things as if they were babies. At first, they were harmless. Most of their time was spent feeding off. Occasionally they would muscle spasms. This was due to their unnatural growth rate. But it''s not just unnatural; it''s most definitely caused by magic. During the first spasm attack, the wriggling spawnling in my arms turned its head on me. Its head twisted like an owl. Meanwhile, the limbs twisted and contorted as if possessed by some fiend. But no, it was magic.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Behind the goblin''s head was an elaborate magic inscription most definitely of the highest order. As the spawnling groaned in pain, the inscription manifested and glowed. The inscription is contained within an enclosed circle. Inside the ring were some letters from a language I have never seen - not like I''ve seen many - and written together to form an ''X'' shape. This inscription tattooed on them was probably the cause of the rapid growth of goblins. Understanding these symbols could help us learn about the origins of goblins. Oh, how I would like to know more about it, but I don''t even think I will be able to survive.


    Across from me was another woman. I rarely talk, so I don''t remember her name, but I do remember that scene I saw. The goblin she spawned ravaged her. Her rib cage was torn apart. Flesh and bones fly across the room, and her blood splattered across the wall. She died without struggling because she can''t. Then suddenly, I felt small hands climbing up my body. The goblin I spawned has reached its prize and bit on my nipple. My heart raced in anticipation. My fate was sealed. Or so I thought.


    The spawnling let go of me. The cries of the other spawnling must have caught its attention. They both looked at each other and then suddenly, the one across the room charged at us. But the spawnling on top of me did not yield. It stood its ground despite being smaller.


    Eventually, the smaller one lost and fell to the ground. But it didn''t give up. The bigger spawnling tripped when the small one grabbed its leg. Then the small one stood up, upright. I was as surprised as the other goblins were. It should take only a day or so since it spawned, and yet it could stand up like an adult goblin.


    The big one jumped on the small one and sunk its teeth into the shoulder. The small one fell on the ground for the second time while its attacker remained on top of it, biting deeper. It retaliated back by punching its sides, and it worked. Both parties stood up. The bigger one lounges at him, but the smaller goblin countered by dropping down and then swayed his hip forward, whipping his hand into an uppercut. The larger one fell, and the smaller one was carried on its shoulder and brought to me. The goblin rested on my chest and began to suckle on my breast. It went to sleep, looking calm and content, gently sucking on my nipple.


    That was five days ago. "Raised arms slave." The goblin demanded. I raised my arms as high as I can. The other goblins had to raise the other women''s arms themselves. The goblin taking care of me stopped feeding me those purple sludge because the spawnling was rather gentle with me. It bit me a few times, but they were never strong enough to scratch. It felt more like it was just teething.


    Water poured on me, and the goblin woman began washing my hair. This one can learn from my... that spawnling. With that style of hair care, I''ll probably lose my hair before my sanity. Or maybe I will die from the cold bath these goblins are providing us.


    After a few minutes of bathing, she took my blue linen and wrapped me around it. It barely protected me from the cold. My body shivered as we make our way back to the barn. The goblin made me walk. It couldn''t be bothered putting me on the sleds that the other women were riding on.


    "Walk faster!" It yelled at me. Its voice attracted the attention of the other goblins, forming a crowd around us. The goblin men whistled at us, calling out to us.


    "Hey, Me give fun time!"


    "Me love good!"


    "Shut up. No touching, chief orders!" The goblin with the curly red hair yelled at them. The crowd immediately dispersed after hearing the word ''chief.'' We arrived at the barn. In the middle of the room was a deer carcass. It was torn apart into four pieces. Most of its flesh is gone. Those spawnlings managed to eat it nearly cleanly.


    The goblins prepared some haystacks for us to rest. I was placed back on my spot. The goblin I spawned limped towards me. It rested its head on my chest while keeping an eye on the goblin women. Its head followed their every movement until finally, they disappeared. The spawnling raised its head and leaned close to face.


    "Mama," It whispered. "I made a pact with the other children. We are going to grow stronger as quickly as possible and get all of you out here. We will free you, ok."


    What?

 Vol 1 Chapter 6: Winter is Coming

    Its been 13 days since my birth. The other goblin children and I still breastfeed, but only when we sleep. We are about the same size as our caretakers. We also lost our babylike features by the 9th day. Not like we were cute, but our babyfaces were millions of times better than the grown-up face we have now. Our bodies have changed, as well. Before we walked with a hunchback by the 7th day, our backs have straightened out. Our knees are still bent slightly, though.


    Today was just like any regular day for us. We sit around talking about trivial things. I began teaching them to speak in a more civilized manner. Hopefully, I can start teaching them how to read, but I doubt that the letters in this world are the same as my language''s. The caretakers have brought in another baby deer for us to eat. However, this time, it was only half of what we usually get.


    Out of curiosity, I walked up to my caretaker to ask about today''s meal. "Excuse me, why is today''s meal so small?"


    "Cause cold. Not lot deer left."


    "Cold?"


    "Yes. Cold. Snowfall soon. Need to save meat. Go eat now." She told, motioning to the carcass. I walked over to it with my friends already surrounding it and dividing the portions. I don''t recall deers migrating based on seasons. Sure they would make a journey as long as 300 miles away, but from what I remembered from my past life, this was more of a rarity. Herds would usually ''migrate'' 15 to 20 miles, going down in elevation as far as they need to. Maybe it''s different in this world, or at least this part of the world.


    Speaking of which, I have also been dreaming about my past life. I still can''t recount names, and certain events are still blurry, and some are just straight up a messy. The most accurate information I can remember were usually trivial stuff or a particular portion of my memories. But I can piece enough information to know what type of person I was.


    I was a human male that grew up in a modestly sized city. I had a friend who was huge and intimidating but was an honest and gentle person. I had a mentor who had a peculiar name, the Catholic Bear. He got that name because he was Catholic. I was also Catholic, so there was a connection there. He was a hero, but he wasn''t. My father was in another foreign country working as a taxi driver so that ''bear'' was the closest thing I have to a father.


    My mother was a gentlewoman, but she was in no way a pushover. Every time some kids outside my neighborhood come to bully, my mom would not hesitate to get her broomstick and chase those kids away. She may not be a hero, but she was my hero. But I can''t have her protect me forever, so I started to learn how to fight. First, I did boxing with my giant friend. Then I did Brazilian jujitsu. The bear helped me with honing my fighting abilities. He hoped I would join the militia, though, but I was only doing this for self-defense.


    But now, it''s a different story. My current mother isn''t exactly kind or lively, nor was my birth something she was looking forward to having. I dreamed once my past mother would tell me stories of how she fought her family for her to be with my father and give life to me.


    My new friends are also very different. Rock would be the only one here that resembles my old friend. They''re both giants in their own right, but while the old one is gentle by nature, Rock is in a constant focus when it comes to controlling his strength. My others are... Now that I think about it, I don''t remember my other friends. Did I even have more than one?Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "Hey, are you ok?" Smoke said, looking at me. "You have that weird face on you again."


    Did he say I have a weird face? "Sorry, I was just thinking about something."


    "What were you thinking about? Is it important?" He said as he shoves down meat in his mouth.


    Smoke is a very caring guy. Stick and Rock probably see us as the big brothers of the group. One is the teacher, teaching the little one while the other is the dependable one, always looking out for you. "Nothing important. My mind just... you know... it went somewhere else."


    "Somewhere else?"


    "Well, don''t get distracted from the food. Flute mentioned to the other caretakers that this would be our last meal." Flute was the head caretaker in the barn.


    "Don''t worry. I''m still eating."


    "Good. Tomorrow, we go out for our first hunt. We need to eat well tonight."


    "And eat well, we will. Also, I taught some plans for our first..." I looked down at my portion of the meal. I noticed that I was missing at least a quarter of it "What the? Who took my food... Stick!"


    "What? You were not eating. Like its better to eat it myself than to let it rot." Stick said as he gobbles down more food. Despite his size, Stick has a near bottomless appetite. It may be due to lax disciplinary action towards him since he was small, he couldn''t really harm anyone even if he tries.


    Now he is as large as us, just a bit thinner. He is also quicker and have a great deal of athleticism. Combine that with his cleverness and bravery, and you''ll get an old classic goblin.


    "That''s true," Rock said while nodding in agreement. "You always tell us to be resourceful."


    I couldn''t help but laugh. These goblins grew up to be somewhat human-like. They do not give in to their instinct or desires as quickly as other goblins, nor do they act based on their emotions ‘ͺ most of the time. Stick continues to gobble down the food that he stole from me. But I am the better man, and I would never attempt to avenge this injustice with foul play ‘ͺ wink wink.


    The days have been getting colder now, and if what my caretaker said was true, then tomorrow will be our harshest trial yet. How would we find our first deer? What will happen if we do catch it? So we gave some away to the tribe as a form of payment, or is goblin society more like communism? Everyone has equal ownership of our kill. I tilt my head towards Smoke. Smoke was about to open his mouth to say something. I interrupted. "I''m making that face again, aren''t I?


    "Yes." He said while grinning. "If you''re worried about tomorrow, just stop thinking about it. We''ll find a way through this. We got through our hunger pains; we are growing stronger every day. Hunting a deer will be easy. Stick is fast enough to catch a deer, probably."


    "Probably?" I sneered back.


    He laughed. "Yup! And then there is Rock, who can wrestle a big one for us. And then there''s us two. We may not as fast as Stick or strong as Rock. But I doubt a deer can escape us.


    "Yeah, that''s true."


    We returned to our mothers after the meal. They can move their bodies now, but barely. The best they could do was move their limbs slightly. I sat next to my mother. I put my hand on her hand, and she held them tightly. I don''t know what she''s thinking, but her eyes are gentler now. I began to tell her about my day. How I started to teach my friends how to box and told her about deers and how close winter is coming closer. She closes her eyes while listening to my stories. Suddenly, I heard a loud banging sound coming from the front doors of the barn.


    Flute opens a crack on the door. "What is it?" She asked.


    "Can mate women now?" The goblin outside answered.


    When I heard the goblin say that, reality hit me like a truck. Once we grow up, what will happen to my mother? Will they rape her again? No, I can''t let that happen.

 Vol 1 Chapter 7: Jet Engines

    The goblin outside was growing impatient. He demanded them to let him in so he could at least see the women. The caretaker won''t budge. However, more and more goblins joined the one outside, shouting in unison. "Give us women! Give us women!" Flute did not cave in under pressure. In response, the goblins outside began to push the door.


    "Stop it! No mating with women!" Flute yelled, but there was no sign of the goblin males stopping. If anything, they began to push harder. "All of you help me! Now!" There were at least 11 caretakers, including Flute, in the barn. Three on each door while five are on stand by.


    One of the goblins managed to squeeze into the gap, but the moment he got in, four of the caretakers piled jump on him and beat him. Stick stood up and approached the center of the room, looking back and forth at the door and to us. "Sit Stick! Go, sit!" Stick''s caretaker yelled at him.


    I looked at my mother, which by this point, has just woken up. Despite her limited facial expression, it was clear to me that she was in distress. I decided to stand up and join Stick. Rock and Smoke joined him as well, and the four of us stood in front of the door. "All of you go back to your corners!" This time it was Flute that yelled at us. She let go of the door and made two other caretakers hold it as she approaches us. "I said go back to your corners now!"


    "They outnumber you. We can help!" I answered.


    "Yeah, we are strong!" Stick said in support.


    "No!" She yelled while raising her hand. "You strong to survive the pain of growing. But you are not strong like them."


    "What are you talking about? We are practically grown up. We can fight them with you!" Smoke said.


    "You can''t beat them. You''re just half breeds!" We all looked at each other, confused by this statement. We can''t beat them because we are half breeds? We looked back at her expecting to get an answer but was interrupted by the sudden appearance of three male goblins. Some of the caretakers tried to fight them off, but they got knocked down instead. Flute immediately rushed towards the three. Smoke and I followed her, ready to aid in the fight. The three goblins did not notice her as they were too busy running for the women.


    Flute grabbed one of them by the wrist and bit their forearm. The goblin screamed in agony from the pain. "Dust, Lint got bit!" One of the goblin''s with missing earlobes yelled. The other goblin with curly black hair stopped to help, but Smoke tackled him. "Dust, I''m coming!" The goblin yelled after watching his friend get tackled.


    "Cut, watch out!" Dust yelled, but it was too late. I sprinted towards him and jumped. Before he could even turn, I landed a flying knee kick.


    I landed on my feet and looked up, ready to run up to him as he lay in the ground to hit him with my punches. He is still standing. He rubbed the side of his head. "That fucking hurt. You dead child!" He charged at me.


    He threw a left punch at me. I dodged and stepped outside his right. My legs spread wide, placing my right foot outside Cut''s open stance. Afterward, I extended my right arm, hitting his chin with a jab.


    SMACK*


    His legs nearly gave in, but it wasn''t enough. I followed up by pivoting my entire body on my lead foot, swinging with my left arm.


    Cut held his hands up, catching my arm mid-swing. "Nice try. But you just half breed." He takes my arm over his shoulder as he turns his back towards me. He then bent over and threw me over his shoulder to the ground. The pain coursed through my body.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Now, time to mate with women." Cut said. He turned around only to be met by a flying Stick. "What the?"


    Stick landed on his chest, leaned backward, then bashed his head onto Cut. After taking a headbutt, Cut staggered back. Noticing my opportunity, I leg swept him, causing him to fall to the ground. Stick was about to get on top of him when Lint suddenly appeared to his right, throwing a backhand. Stick flew in the air and land on the ground.


    I ran up to Lint and attempted to tackle him, but instead, it felt like I was pushing a brick wall. He grabbed me by the waist and raised me. He placed my back on his shoulder and then threw me to the wall. The impact caused the wall to break.


    BANG*


    I landed on the floor. These goblins, despite our similar sizes, are far stronger than us. I push myself off the ground while coughing up blood. Lint turned his attention to Stick. While on all fours, I bend my right knee to my chest and extend my left leg as far in the back as possible. My knuckles touching the floor, I look up, aiming at Lint as he turns his attention to Stick and his mother.


    "Halfling! Move away." Lint said to Stick. "Time Lint mate with woman."


    "Fuck off!" Stick looks at me. I nod back.


    "You watch tongue, halfling"


    "What will you do to her if I do move away?"


    "Everything." Lint licks his upper lip. When I saw that, I reacted as if it was a gunshot used when starting a 100m dash.


    My right leg exploded with energy as I propel myself towards Lint. I swing my right arm backward, my fist clenched. I ready to punch him when suddenly, I felt something grabbing my leg, and I fell face-first to the floor. I feel blood flowing out of my nose. I turned to my back and saw Cut grabbing my left leg.


    "You think Cut finish! I kill you!" Cut said as he pulls me towards him. He raises his hand, ready to hammer strike me. I raised my legs, trying to create distance between us.


    "Let Cut in!" He tries to grab my leg. He was impatient. Using his clouded judgment, I pull my legs closer to me, letting myself in his striking range.


    "Time to kill you!" As he gets closer, I poured all my energy on my legs to kick him off me. He climbed on top of me, letting my feet on his hip. He pressed his weight on me, attempting to control me, but I knew the moment he tries to hit me, he would loosen up his control over me. He raised his hand, ready to strike, allowing me to extend my legs and kicking him off me.


    I kick myself up to my feet. I stood up, facing my opponent, who was standing there, smiling. "You halfling. You weak. Why can''t you stay down?" He asked me. "


    "Sorry, but I will always get back up."


    "Cut ends this now." He said.


    His head is strong, but not that strong. As long I can keep up the pressure, he will eventually fall. But I also have to be careful. If I''m too slow, he would grab my arm and throw me to the floor. I need to be as fast as lightning to win.


    I ran toward him. He puts his hands up, ready to catch my hands. Once I got in front of him, I extended my right arm, hitting a jab on Cut''s face. He tried to grab my arms but misses. As I bring back my fist, a trail of blood appeared. Right in the middle of Cut''s forehead was a cut. Most likely from Stick''s headbutt. If I can get more blood to flow down his face, I could blind him. I hit him again with my right fist. He puts his hands back up.


    I turn my rear hand. Cut sees this and moves his right hand to catch my left arm again. "Not this time," I tell him as I shuffle my foot and stop my left fist mid-swing. I then exited to my left, guiding my right hook to hit his chin.


    His head shake backed and forth. He turns to me, his eyes covered in his blood. "Where you go? Cut can''t see!" He yelled.


    "I''m right in front of you."


    "What?" I lead with my left hook, hitting his chin. I followed up with my right, hitting him on the left cheek. He tried to counter by swiping at my head. I avoided them entirely by bopping and weaving. By doing a figure 8 motion on my dodges, I can avoid his claw strikes while loading more momentum on my punches. I continued to hit him in between his attacks.


    Finally, I stretched my left arm as far as it can go and then whipped back at Cut''s face. The impact created a short burst of wind and a loud thud noise. Cut''s face shook back and forth his skin formed a visible wave traveling across his face. Cut fell to the ground, unconscious. The victor was me.


    My knee collapsed to the ground. I was running out of breath, my arms were aching, and my legs were numb. I faced the ceiling, close my eyes, ready to fall asleep, when suddenly.


    SWOOSH*


    "AAAHHH"


    What was that? I opened my eyes after hearing a slashing sound and a scream. What I saw next shocked me. There was a dismembered arm flying in the air.

 Vol 1 Chapter 8: Close Call [Stick POV]

    I rolled on my back and got up on my feet. Brother Sun is getting back up on his feet as well. He looked like he was aiming for... What''s his name? Lint right.


    "Halfling! Move away." Lint said as he slowly walks away. As he walks to me, I soon realized that these guys are slightly bigger than my brothers. All of them are. And if they''re than my brothers, then what chances do I have to fight them off my mom? "Time Lint mate with woman."


    I looked over to Sun, who was preparing to attack Lint. "Fuck off!" I yelled at him with confidence, even though my whole is sweating like a sponge being squeeze out of water.


    "You watch tongue, halfling."


    "What will you do to her if I do move away?"


    "Everything." Lint licked his lips. Then Sun dashed towards him. Unfortunately, Cut grabbed his leg, and he fell to the floor. I looked around, hoping for Smoke and Rock to come and help. Both of them are fighting off their intruder. Fuck! It seems like I''m all alone on this one.


    Lint looked behind him after hearing Sun''s face hitting the floor. I took this chance to dash towards him, hitting him in the back of the hand. I expected him to fall to the floor, but he remained there standing, unfazed by my fist.


    He turns his body to me. "Did you just hit me?" He said while his face is visibly red.


    GULP*


    He swings his right hand on me. I duck to dodge, but he followed with an uppercut. His knuckles carried me to the air. I could feel the air blow through my face. The lights penetrating the holes on the ceiling shines down on my eyes, blinding me. Time slowed down for me. It felt like I''ve been floating in the air for an hour until finally, I hit the floor.


    BAM*


    I tried to scream from the pain, but nothing came out ‘ͺ just small whizzing. Lint jumped on top of me. "You anger Lint. Lint kill you now." He said as he raises his right hand. He placed his left forearm on my upper chest, pinning me down to the ground.


    BANG*


    He punched my head. My mouth tasted like iron. At least 2 of my teeth are gone. I grabbed Lint''s legs, trying to push him off me to no avail.


    BANG*


    I can''t breathe. The weight on my chest prevents me from taking in air.


    BANG*


    My mouth is full of blood.


    BANG*


    The light from penetrating the holes of the ceiling is casting down on my eyes, preventing me from seeing clearly. My mouth is filled to brim with blood and saliva. I squint my eyes to look at Lint. I see him putting his arms as far back as possible. His eyes were opened wide, filled with the intent to kill. The light continued to shine down on my eye.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Eyes.


    Light.


    Blind.


    I think I have an idea. I gathered up all of the blood and saliva in my mouth, pushing them back on my throat. I launched spit on Lint''s eyes. "Ah! Lint can''t see!" He screams as he rubs his eyes. I took my left hand and punched him right on his crotch. What followed was the loudest scream I have ever heard in my entire life. That scream got my blood pumping. I stood back up again, while Lint was on his knees, grabbing on his crotch.


    I charged at Lint, who was too busy coping with that agonizing pain. I extended my arm, ready to punch him, just like how Sun does it. As soon as I land a hit on him, I felt a shocking sensation spread travel along my arm. It was so painful that I couldn''t help but let out a yelp from the sudden shock of pain. I staggered back and ended up slipping on a pool of my blood and sweat.


    I looked at Lint, who was bewildered from my punch but was otherwise unaffected by it. He shakes his head, placed his thumb on one side of his nose, and blew out blood on the other. I get up my ass and stand with my fist up. My legs are still shaking from the pain, and my feet feel heavier than Rock. Oh yeah, maybe Rock can help me. I look over to him, but he was to busy taking on the other goblin the caretakers piled on earlier.


    Meanwhile, my caretaker, Pin, was looking at me, showing weird hand signals. She pointed at a wooden broom and made a motion of swings. She then pointed herself, then to me. The door she was holding was still being pushed by the goblins outside. If I can get to that, I can use it to fight Lint. But legs could barely move. I need to distract or the very least have something to stall him with.


    "That was hard. You got good arm. You become good warrior." He grabs his right arm as he flexes it. He smiles at me. "Lint got gooder arms. Lint kill you with this."


    I glanced down at my feet to look at the wet floor. Maybe I can make him slip? Then once he looses his balance, I can make a run for the broomstick. I back away slowly, creating distance between us. "I don''t know about that? I may be small, but I can take a hit."


    "True. Lint make you fly and fall, but still, stand up."


    "Maybe you''re just not that strong."


    "Hahaha," He laughed. "You halfling. So funny."


    "Hey, I''m just saying. I''m still here standing, ready to fight. Meanwhile, you''re there busy talking. I feel like you were just scared that I''ll hit your ball sack again."


    I expected a reply, but no, Lint went straight into fight mode. I had to react fast; I ran towards to broomstick. Behind me, Lint tried to readjust his body to make the turn but ended up slipping on the wet floor, just as I planned.


    I got to the broomstick. I turned around and saw Lint an arm''s length from me. He shoulder-bashed me to the wall. I fell to the floor as he steps back, ready to hit me with his knee. Pin tackles him before he could beat me. Lint struggled to get Pin off of him. Pin grabbed him from the back, then she rolls over, exposing Lint.


    "Hit him Stick!" Pin yelled.


    I took the opportunity and attacked Lint with the broom. He blocks most of my strikes with his arms. I switched from a downward swinging to thrusting to get in between the spaces of his guard. I hit him in his chest. He gritted his teeth from the pain. I pulled back, ready to hit him again, but he grabbed the broom.


    Pin removed her arms off his chest and placed it on his neck. I started to kick him so he would let go of the broom, but he still won''t let go.


    I swayed back and forth, trying to get the broom back again. Pin tightens her chokehold, but he still won''t let go.


    His hands continued to climb up the broomstick as he pulls it closer to him. I struggle to pull it back, but instead, I was pulled even closer to him. Finally, his hands reached my left arm, and he squeezed them. I can feel my muscles going numb from the pressure. If he kept his hand on me, he could have easily broken my bones, but something else distracted our attention.


    SWOOSH*


    Finally, Lint lets go. I tripped and fell to the ground from using all my energy to pull the broom. I stood back up. Meanwhile, Pin released Lint from her grab, and both parties looked terrified. We looked at the direction of the sound. As we watch, a dismembered arm fell from the air and onto the floor.

 Vol 1 Chapter 9: The Dilemma [Smoke POV]

    Sun and Stick are busy fighting off the other goblins. Sun should be able to handle himself, after all, he taught us how to fight, and he can tank a shot or two from Rock. Stick, on the other hand, isn''t the type of person that can take hit. I''ll be surprised if he could stand up from a punch. I was hoping Rock could help me here, but it seems like he''s busy helping Flute. I''m on my own for this one.


    Being on top of Dust gave me a clear advantage. I started punching him in the head. His attempts at blocking my punches were futile. However, his skull was far stronger than I thought. Every hit sends vibrations across my arms to my shoulder. I can feel my arms getting weaker from each punch, and my breath continued to get heavier. I stopped hitting him to rest for a bit. He looks unconscious, so I must have won. I got up to help my brothers. Sun just got tripped by Cut and Stick looks like he''s in danger. Better help him.


    Before I ran toward Stick, I heard a loud creaking noise. I turned around and saw Dust crawling toward my mother. That motherfucker.


    "Let Dust mate." He said as he grabbed my mother''s legs. She tried to kick him off, but she barely had the strength to do so. "Dust make... What the?"


    I grabbed on Dust''s legs and pulled him towards me. "I''m going to fucking kill you!" I yelled at him. He turned on his back and kicked my hands off of him. I tried to jump on top of him, but he quickly stood up. We both stood there, looking at each other, trying to read one another''s thoughts. After a long starring contest, Dust decided to break the silence. "You know, halfling, you said you kill Dust. Why you only stand there?" He opens his arms. "Come, kill Dust."


    I don''t know what he is planning, but I know his invitation is a mask hiding his ulterior motives. But then again, Sun mentioned once that the best way to confront an opponent is when they drop their guard due to overconfidence. I have to take this chance, knock him out and help out, my brothers. I enter my fighting stance. "Since you insist, I''ll accept that invite."


    I dashed towards him, keeping my upper body low to on the ground to avoid getting grabbed by his arms. After getting close to him, I leaped and kicked his head, or at least I thought I did. He leaned back just in time to avoid getting hit. I landed beside, crouch down on the floor, and got ready to do a low spinning sweep kick. Because he was leaning backward, he quickly lost his balance from the kick.


    CRACK*


    He fell on his back. I got on top of him as quick as possible, ready to pummel him once again. But right when I was about to start hitting, he swings his hands. Next thing I know, I felt a burning sensation in my eyes, preventing me from seeing anything. He must have thrown something on my eyes.


    As my vision became dark, I thought to myself whether I should lower my guard and rub my eyes and risk getting attacked or if I should continue to punch the living the daylights out of him. Just then, I felt something touch my penis.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "AAAAHHHH!" I couldn''t help but scream from the pain. This bastard was squeezing on my crotch.


    "HAHAHA," He laughed. I got up trying to get away from him, but he kept his hands on my balls. "What wrong halfling? Not see well?"


    "You slimy bastard!" I tried to swing at him, but nothing to connected. "Fuck!" He kept squeezing on my balls, teasing me. I could feel his claws digging on my skin. Any more and my balls could explode. I grab on his arms, trying to pull it off me.


    "You think you strong. Hit Dust, think you win. Dust follow Master Tama. Master Tama so strong, he kill troll. We strong to follow Master Tama." I could feel his breath brushing the tip of my ear as he whispers. It''s my chance. I tried to do uppercut, but no contact. His grip got even tighter.


    "You have guts. Master Tama likes guts." He said. My legs are shaking from the pain. "Once Dust mate with woman, Dust show you to Master Tama."


    I mustered all of my strength and told him. "Fuck your Master Tama, and fuck you!" I began to claw my way through his arm.


    "That hurts!" He yells as he tightens his grip. The shocking pain made me lose control of my hands. I don''t I''ll ever escape.


    Finally, my suffering ended. A fist made contact with my nose, and I flew backward. I landed on the cold, hardwood floor. I rubbed my eyes, now filled with tears. I was ready to give up, but then I heard my mother''s whimper. I can''t give up now. Sun told us what we did, how weak of us to give in to our ''demons.'' We needed to take responsibility for our actions, must never waver, and always headstrong. I stood back up and opened my eyes. The tears pushed out whatever Dust threw at it. Dust was slowly making his way to my mother, making chirping noises, teasing her. I closed my eyes once again.


    "Hey! I''m not done with you!"


    "What? You want more. Dust make you blind. Dust let you keep balls. You still want more."


    "Yeah, I can still fight. Unless you''re too scared to fight me."


    "Dust not find that funny."


    I heard his legs pushing against the floor. As the creaking sound got louder and louder, I opened my eyes. It took Dust by surprise, slowing down his momentum. I lowered my body and caught his hand before it can get to my crotch. Then I pulled him down to my forehead, headbutting him. Dust put his hand on his eyes and stepped back.


    "I can''t see! I''m blind!" He yelled. I closed my distance between us. I took out two fingers on my right hand and my right arm back. Dust took his hands off his eyes. "Surprise! Dust still sees!" He says while grinning.


    He wraps his hands around my body. I launched fingers toward his eyes, penetrating his eye socket. He screamed in agony as he lets go of me. He placed his hand on his eyes once more, this time it wasn''t for show. "What''s wrong? Can''t see very well?"


    "Why you?" He began swinging his arms around, trying to hit me. I dodged every single strike he made.


    "If you were going to blind me, might as well go all the way. You can''t achieve anything if you half-ass it."


    "Shut up!" He yells while trying to follow the sound of my voice.


    "Sorry Dust, but it ends here. If it makes you feel any better, you can''t have sex with anyone if you can''t even see them." I took a deep breath, then gave his groin the strongest kick I can ever do. He stopped moving and fell on the floor. He was foaming from the mouth and his legs shaking from the pain. I''m not used to fighting, let alone fighting dirty. I hoped that in the future, I wouldn''t have to resort to this tactic. I turn around to see if any of my brothers need help. But as I turn, something fell on the floor close to me. It looked like an arm, but it didn''t have the green skin we had. The arm was red.

 Vol 1 Chapter 10: What It Means To Be Strong [Rock POV]

    I am Rock, and I am the strongest amongst my brothers. And yet I was the last one to act when the caretakers needed us the most. Sun and Smoke attacked right away, while Stick followed close behind. I just stood there, frozen in front of the waves of cries from the goblin mob outside. Then something caught my attention. The goblin that was being held down by the caretakers stood up. Flute also saw it happen and immediately went after the goblin. Flute jumped on the goblin''s chest and bit his shoulder. The goblin didn''t even flinch, grabbed her by the neck, and threw her to a supporting beam. She fell face-first to the floor. The caretakers stood up again and grabbed him by the legs. "Rock! Help Flute." My caretaker, Pose, told me while she was holding the door.


    I went to Flute to help her get up. "Are you ok?"


    "No, Flute not ok!" She said while pushing me away from her. "This not good. What Tama doing here?"


    "Tama? You mean that, goblin?" I pointed at the goblin. While I was looking, I noticed something strange. The goblin was much bigger than the caretakers, and his face and hands were red. "Why is his face red?"


    "Tama killed a troll. He became stronger, turned red." Flute grabs the collar of my fur coat. "Listen, you stop him, I go get help."


    "Me!"


    "Yes you! You the strongest one here. Flute sees you play fight with your brothers. You strong."


    I looked over at Tama. His hands were nearly as big as the caretakers'' head. He is a goblin and a half taller than the caretakes. And his giant fur coat made any attacks negligible. The caretakers'' claws and Flute''s jaw couldn''t even leave a mark on it. But then again, my brothers sprang into action without hesitation. "Well, if you think I''m strong enough to fight him, then I''ll do it." I turned around to Flute for a response, but she was gone. I looked up and saw her climbing to the second floor, possibly to jump off the second-story window. "Alright, Rock, you got this."


    "Hey, you!" I yelled as I run up to him. He turned his head to look at me. As he turned, my fist met his cheeks. He stumbled back a few steps. "How about you pick on someone your own size."


    I expected him to fall. I knocked down all of my brothers with that punch. "My size? That punch felt like bird shit." He said as he turns to face me. What does he mean by bird shit? His eyes started to examine me. "You know, you look strong. If you worked under me, you could get even stronger. Maybe even get to be my right hand."


    "Yeah, I don''t give a shit."


    "Too bad." He sprints towards me. I put my hands up to guard, but it was too late. He swung his right fist and slammed it across my face. For a few seconds, Tama looked liked he split into two. My whole body tensed up from the pain, but miraculously, I remained on my feet. "What''s wrong? Can''t take a punch from Tama."


    My vision returned to normal, allowing me to see his smug face. "Punch? that felt more like a love tap." I clenched my right fist and planted my left foot on the ground. "This is a punch!" I threw a straight jab towards his nose. He was so tall that I had to pivot my entire body on my left foot, raising my right leg and extending my right arm. Tama took a step back from the punch.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Haha! That was like a bite from an ant!" He yells. He rotated his hips, with his fist following the rotation. I tightened my muscles, preparing myself for the impact.


    SMACK*


    His fist made contact with my chin. The floor felt like it was shaking, but I know this feeling very well. While I was going berserk from hunger, Sun punched me so hard that the whole world felt like it was tilting on the side. Later on, Sun told me that when you get hit on the chin, your head wobbles, causing your brain to rock back in forth. It makes you lose your balance.


    I landed on my knees as the world shakes around me. I need to regain my balance. If my brain is swaying from side to side, then maybe I just have to punch my head to regain my sense of balance.


    SMACK*


    I think it worked. The world seemed to have stayed still. I stood back up, expecting to see Tama gone, making his to our mothers. But he was still there, standing tall and smiling. "Why are you still standing there?" I said after spitting out blood.


    "Why? Because Tama is impressed. You took a strong right."


    "Strong? That punch barely got me."


    "Oh, then why did you get on your knees."


    "Because that punch took me by surprise. So I stumbled and lost my balance. But if you want, I can show you a punch that can knock down that grinning ass of yours."


    "Bring it on!" He yells as he raises his hand, hiding his chin behind them. I won''t be able to break through that guard, but I can bypass it with an uppercut. I only need to make that uppercut count. I crouched low on the ground and had my left fist resting on the floor. Then, using my legs, I sprang my whole body towards Tama. I swing my fist upward, turning it into an uppercut, and hitting him right on his lower chin.


    His head, no, his body was so fucking heavy. It felt like I was uppercutting ten goblins at once. But I managed to punch him so hard, that I lifted his feet off the ground. But that moment of victory didn''t last long. Tama landed on his feet and was smiling again. "HAHA!" he laughed while blood from his mouth sprayed all over the place. "I can tell you are going to be strong. That''s good. The world outside that barn is unforgiving." He said as he points at the door. "When you get out there for your first hunt, I''ll help you. I''ll teach you how to hunt."


    "I don''t need your help. I don''t need you to teach me anything."


    "What?"


    "I have my brothers with me."


    "Bullshit! Brothers, you say! You know nothing. Everyone is just using each other out there. The moment you are useless to them, they discard you." He frowned. "The moment you get stronger than them, they try to strangle you! He was supposed to be happy, but when he learned about me! Our blood meant nothing."


    "Well, it''s different for us. We''ve been together since we were born. We went through hunger and pain of losing people we cared about. Even now, we are fighting to protect our mothers and us." He looked around the room, watching as my brothers fight their battles. "I don''t need your help because I have my brothers with me. And together, we will grow stronger."


    "I see. If I were your brothers, I would have taken the chance to kill you to get rid of a potentially strong rival. But I guess that wouldn''t be very brotherly." He smiles. "But enough talking. Better grit your teeth, because I''m not holding back anymore!"


    Tama charged at me. He drew his left elbow back with his fist horizontal and his elbow bent. He rotates his body, launching his fist across and eventually landed on my cheek. My right foot left the ground as my whole body tilted to the left. I nearly lost my balance as I skip on my left foot to prevent myself from falling. "That''s all you got! Now it''s my turn." I yelled at him.


    But right before I throw my jab, the doors to the barn were busted open. Another large goblin appeared in the room, and on his shoulder was a long sword. Tama turned around. Fear and hatred filled his eyes.


    The goblin with the sword disappeared as suddenly as he appeared. The next thing I saw was Tama standing there screaming, while his arm sliced in half.


    "You snake!" The goblin with the sword yelled. "I should have killed you the moment you turned into a conqueror."


    "Is that how you see me now. No longer a comrade."

 Vol 1 Chapter 11: Lust [Cala POV]

    I am Cala, the chief of this tribe, and the strongest. I command all the goblins, for I am the one and only conqueror, until that faithful day. As I sit on my wooden throne, reminiscing about it, I hear goblin behind the curtained doors ask for my permission to enter. "You may enter," I answered.


    A goblin enters my chambers. "My chief," It''s one of my retainers. His name was Cloud. "Our scouts have returned."


    "I see." I put my hand on top of the goblin woman that was servicing me. She took her mouth off my penis and looked up to me. "You may go now, Dawn. I shall call you if I need anything."


    "Yes, chief." She walked to her clothes and put them back on. I caught Cloud staring as Dawn bends over to pull her pants up. This horny bastard, staring at my woman. I should cut his head off if not for the fact he is the smartest goblin in this tribe that can''t challenge my power. Tama, on the other hand, is different. He used to be the dumb muscle head. But when he turned into a conqueror after killing that troll, he became smarter and stronger. I turn to my sword, which was leaning on the left side of my throne. As long as I have this weapon, nothing can challenge me.


    Dawn finally got her things in order and promptly left the room. I turn to face Cloud, who was still looking at the door with his disgusting stare. "Cloud!"


    His body shook from getting startled. "Yes, my chief!?" He turned around to face me.


    "The scouts have returned, yes?"


    "Oh, yes, they have returned. The scouts found some tracks from the trolls. It seems the trolls are still looking for their brother." Ever since that incident involving Tama happened, the trolls stepped out of their cave in search of their brother that Tama killed. And because of the trolls'' presence, the deers we once hunted are now leaving our territory. It''s bad enough that winter is here, limiting our options to the deers. But now the trolls are pushing out our only source of meat. "My chief. Master Tama has urged us to tell the tribe. Having them hunt during this time..."


    "Silence! How dare you follow the orders of another goblin than the chief." I stood up and grabbed my long sword.


    "No, no, my chief. I am merely telling you what Master Tama has told me. Please have mercy."


    "Tama has no power. I am the chief, and my words are law. Those goblins are to hunt deers until they collapse from the cold or killed by those trolls."


    "But my chief, the goblins, they are getting weary."


    "Those dumbasses suspect nothing. Tell Olhos to maintain the scouting. And tell them to not speak about the trolls to any other goblins." How dare Tama to challenge my power. If the rest of the tribe realizes that more trolls are lurking around, they will doubt my ability to defeat them and look for Tama for strength. I can not allow that to happen.


    I sat back down my throne and rubbed my temple. How strong was Tama to beat a troll barehanded? Tama was always strong when we were children. Luckily, he was stupid, which made it easier to control him. Just promise him food and women, and he will comply. "My chief?"


    "What?"


    "Some of our tribesmen wanted to know when they can mate with the slave women. They wish to have children, and many of our women are unable to conceive."Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    "No! We can''t even hunt enough deers to feed my belly. Having more mouths to feed will make it harder for our tribe to survive the winter. The goblin women''s infertility rising should be a blessing for our tribesmen. They can fuck with them without fucking my dinner over." I leaned back on my chair. It''s getting challenging to give birth to pure breeds. Having our tribe be replaced with only halflings will make us weaker than the other goblin tribes. But then again, halflings are easier to control because they are dumber and weaker than pure breeds. "Is that all? Then go and leave me be. I call Dawn back on your way out."


    Suddenly, a woman enters through the Curtains. It was the head caretaker, Flute. "My chief, Master Tama," She paused to catch her breath. "Master Tame, he..."


    "He what?"


    "He went in barn. He rapes slaves."


    "That motherfucker did what?!" I can not believe what I just heard. I should have killed Tama the moment he became a conqueror. I grabbed my sword and walked out of my room.


    "Wait for me my chief, what about your armor?"


    "I don''t need it." I hurried my way to the barn. Flute and Cloud followed closely behind. The goblins outside noticed us, and they too began to follow. Cloud tried to get them to stop following us so as not to cause a scene. Unfortunately, Cloud my least threatening retainer, so the crowd ignored him.


    Tama''s followers blocked the front wooden doors of the barn. I bellowed out for the crowd to move out of my way, or face the edge of my sword. The goblins walked away from the door and cowered in fear from my presence. I opened the door to see Tama murdering, one of the halflings children. I dashed towards him and severed his arm.


    "You snake! I should have killed you the moment you turned into a conqueror!"


    Tama looked back at me and screamed. "Is that how you see me now. No longer comrades! We used to dine together, fight together; we were bro..." My anger couldn''t take it any longer. I swung blade again to cut his head, but he ducked down. He then tackles, carrying outside the barn. He must be attempting to show his followers what is happening. I planted my feet on the ground, stopping his momentum. I raised my sword, with the tip facing Tama''s back, and thrust it downward. Tama dodged the attack in the nick of time.


    "Dammit. I''m losing too much blood." Tama placed his hand on his gaping hole. Blood continued to pour out like a waterfall.


    "It''s over, Tama. It was over the moment you became rival to my power. Whatever bond we had, you have shattered it the moment you acted against my will!"


    "We were supposed to share. When you finally reached the top instead of giving us a hand, you threw down rocks at us. You were the one that changed!" I was the one that changed? How dare he? They only wanted my throne the moment I got it. I can see it in his eyes, how hungry he is and how desperate he is for the power that I wield.


    "Don''t dare lecture me!" I yelled back at him. But I doubt he could hear me now for he collapsed right in front of me. His blood flowed along the floor like a river. If he knew how to use magic as I do, he could have blocked the blood from leaving his body. "You," I pointed at Flute. "Take care of that body. Have it be brought to the square."


    "Yes, my chief. As you wish."


    "Cloud."


    "Yes, my chief."


    "Tell the crowd what just happened. And tell my goblins to gather all of Tama''s followers and bring them to the square by sunset. I will host a beheading."


    "As you command."


    "Your greatness, I have ordered the caretakers to carry the body to the square."


    "Good. Now how many of the children." As I am about to finish my sentence, an astonishing sight lay before me. I looked around the room. All four of the remaining children were alive. Not only that, but two of Tama''s followers were lying on the ground, unconscious. These four halflings were standing victoriously over the bodies of purebred goblins. While mesmerized from the sight, a piercing gaze penetrated my body. I turned my head and saw a goblin staring at me with hungry eyes. No, they were all staring at me with hungry eyes. Hungry for my throne.


    "Come on, children; we must get you rest." Some caretakers said to the children.


    "Looks like they must wait till they can hunt," Cloud told me. "Perhaps a week of healing, and they will be good as new."


    "No, they hunt tomorrow."


    Cloud looked at me with concerning eyes. "But my chief, they could die from the cold if they do not heal properly."


    I glared back at Cloud for questioning my orders. "I will not repeat myself. They hunt tomorrow," Cloud left right after I finished my sentence. These halflings are strong, just like Tama. I would kill them now if not for the goblins around us. But they are weak right now. They should die on their hunt, and if not, I''ll kill them myself.

 Vol 1 Chapter 12: Recovery

    All the goblins that were followers of Tama were lined up facing the crowd. My brothers and I were standing on the back. We could barely see the front. Cala, the chief of the tribe, raised his sword and pointed at us. "A grievous crime against me was unearthed today! A traitor would dare bare his fangs towards me!" The goblins began to jeer at Tama''s followers. The chief was more eloquent in his speech than the previous time I witness it. But that could have been because I was a baby. While I was watching, something tugged on my coat. Behind me was Flute. "Come on. You hurt, must heal." She told my brothers and me.


    We left the square following Flute. I turn my head to look at the crowd one last time. I saw a head tossed up in the air. It looked like Cut, but I could be wrong. The crowd cheered even louder, but I did see some goblins leave after the first execution. I guess they got bored. You see one execution, and you''ve seen them all. Cala is a strong chief, and if we are to free are mothers from their cage, then a fight against Cala will be inevitable.


    We reached a small cottage. The caretakers were outside, bringing in linens and buckets of water. The inside looked like a small kitchen, and there was a pile of leaves, hay, and some sort of foamy material in the middle of the room. Flute held my hands and lead to a chair. "Sit here." She said. I sat down. The rest of my brothers were situated on their chairs. Flute left to get something up the cupboards. "Do you need any help reaching up there?" I asked


    "No. You stay and wait."


    She came back with a bowl of purple mush. She rolled up my sleeves and placed my hands on her lap. "What is that stuff?" I asked.


    "Horny Toad blood."


    Did she say horny toad? I was going to ask what kind of animal is that, but then a sudden, painful sensation came out from my hands. "Stay still." Flute began to massage my hands and my forearm, hitting every aching muscle. My arms started sweating like a geyser despite how cold it was in the cottage. I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes as I try to bear the pain. After the massage, my arms felt lighter and my hands felt numb, but I can still move them. "Next back. Take off coat." I put my hands on the back collar and pulled my coat over my head. Before taking off my sleeves, Flute splashed the purple mush all over my back. My back trembled from the cold.


    She rubbed the stuff all over my back. Then she used her elbow to apply pressure around my spine. I could hear clicking noises almost every time she moves her elbow up and down. Some goblin women entered the cottage while holding baby goblins. They came there to wash their babies. That explains the buckets and linens. "Um, Flute, is it alright if I ask you a few questions?"


    "Ok." She answered back.


    "Why did those goblins that attack us told us that we were weak? Because we were halflings? And what''s the difference between purebreds and halflings anyways?"


    "Purebred born from goblin woman and man. They grow very slow. But always strong. Halflings born from goblin and other race. They grow fast. But always weak. Well, not always. Not anymore. You four strong. Beat them, you did. When four halflings live, Flute scared. Thought no one live to hunt. Six halflings live after growing, and only three live after first hunt. But you four so strong. Rock so big, you and Smoke hard fighters, and Stick, well, he live too. Flute wish you no hunt tomorrow, though. Need time to heal."The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Maybe the chief wants us to hunt before the deers disappear."


    "Maybe. But deer always here. First winter so many deer leaving."


    Maybe they''re disappearing due to overhunting. From what I can tell, this tribe is pretty big. "Flute, another question. How did Tama turned red and big like the chief?"


    "Flute, don''t know. Tama kill troll attacking hunting party." She paused, then, after a few seconds continued to talk and massage my back. I yelp a little from the pain. "Flute no answer that question no more. Chief say keep secret. Sorry child"


    "It''s ok. I understand that its a sensitive topic." Across to my right, I saw Rock talking to one of the goblin mothers. She seemed very annoyed with Rock, but that dense meathead couldn''t tell. He kept going on and on about his battle with Tama, exaggerating every punch he landed on Tama. I started to get embarrassed for him. I can''t believe Rock is interested enough with that woman that he would socialize with her and attempt to impress her.


    Across from me was Smoke. The caretaker covered Smoke''s eyes with a blanket. His eyes were so red after the fight because his opponent used underhanded tactics during the fight. Luckily, his opponent was to busy torturing him rather than trying to win and ended up having his balls pop. I would say Smoke''s opponent was cheating asshole, but this wasn''t exactly a boxing match in the ring. And besides, Stick had to use similar tactics to win against his foe.


    Still, something else was bugging my mind about Tama. One more question shouldn''t hurt. "Flute, was Tama alone when he fought that troll?"


    It took a while for Flute to answer that question. Finally, she removed her elbow off my back and turned my body around. She placed her hand on my shoulder and looked at me with concern. "You thinking of killing troll to become conqueror?"


    "No. I was just curious about Tama, and his strength is all."


    "Hunt party of twelve goblins. That many goblins fight troll. Only one live. Tama."


    It took twelve goblins to win a fight against a troll! And from what I witness in the barn, the chief isn''t happy about Tama becoming a ''conqueror.'' I also wanted to ask how the chief managed to get close enough to Tama and slashed his arm off. The distance between the door and Tama was at least 20 feet. Not only that but, Rock told me he moved so fast that when you blink, it seemed like he teleported to Tama. I doubt Flute knows, so I didn''t bother her about the question.


    Stick sat on top of the counter across to my left. The caretakers were wrapping his hands up. From what I can tell, he tore a couple of layers off his skin. He also shattered his left knuckle. It should take two weeks for him to recover fully. It happened to me as well. One time in my past life, I started punching the punching bag without any gloves. I ended up breaking my fist. Stick also had a few missing teeth and a swollen right eye. But those were just baby teeth, and a pack of ice is enough to for the swollen right eye.


    After the caretakers finish taking care of our injuries, they started cleaning up. The goblin mothers also finished bathing their babies. Rock''s crush left along with the other mothers. Flute told us we would be sleeping here tonight while they move our mothers to a safer location. We decided to help them clean up, despite their protest. Rock carried the buckets out off the room, Smoke dried the floor with a cloth, and Stick carried a few garments out the back. I noticed Stick had a painful expression. Using your hand could stretch and pull the skin around the knuckles, causing a stinging pain. I hope he''ll be ok.


    I carried jars full of purple mush up the counter. Flute opened three drawers where I would place the jars. After the second drawer, I had no more jars to put inside. I went over the third drawer to close it, but before closing it, I noticed something peculiar. Inside the drawer was a hardcover book.

 Vol 2 Chapter 1: Revelation

    Sun took the book out of the drawer and turn to Flute. He asked if he could keep the book, and she said yes. Sun couldn''t contain himself and opened the book right away. Sun feared that the book would be written in an unknown language to him. But lo and behold, it was in English.


    The caretakers finally left the cottage, leaving Sun and his brothers alone. Sun asked his brothers to sit in front of the counter to listen to him reading the book. "Sorry, Sun, but I''ll head out for a bit," Stick said as Smoke and Rock sat down.


    "Are you sure? This is the first time we ever get to see a book. I want to share the experience with you guys, and teach you all how to read it."


    "It''s ok. I just want to go for a short walk. Look around the village. You guys can start without me." He said with a gloomy expression.


    "Well alright then,"


    Before Stick could pass through the door, Smoke got up. "Wait up. I''ll walk with you." He said as he followed Stick out the door. It seemed that something was occupying Stick''s mind, and knowing Smoke, he will not stop until he uncovers what it is.


    While waiting for the two to come back, Sun decided to skim through the book for a bit to check if there are any pictures. Sadly nothing. The content of the book itself was very little. Only 13 pages had writing on, and all of them had reddish stains on the top right and left corners of the page. Rock watches as Sun flips through the pages at lightning speed. The only thing that Sun could find besides words were a few red stains. Ominous red stains. After what seemed to be hours of waiting, Rock decided to ask a question. "Sun, what''s the book about, and how do we read it?"


    Sun decided to read the first page of the book. It said My Secret Diary with what seemed to be drawings of flowers decorating the sides of the page. "It seemed to be a diary. A type of book people writes on to share their most secret emotions and problems."


    "Share to who?"


    "To the diary, of course."


    "What? Why would they share their secrets to a book? I can''t think of anything that would help them if they write about their feelings. Wouldn''t talking about it be better and easier?"


    "Oh, really," Sun smiled. He remembered Rock and his recent ''exploit'' with the opposite gender. And a mother no less. "Then you wouldn''t mind sharing your deepest emotions regarding that woman you were flirting with earlier."


    Rock faced turned red. How Sun knew about the woman was a mystery to Rock. He checked if his brothers were watching him. All of them were too busy trying not to squeal from the pain of the massage, but it seemed Sun managed to sneak a peek or two on his actions. Rock tries to divert the topic. "Um, you know Stick and Smoke have been gone for a long time. Maybe we should go and see where they went." Sun jumps off the counter, closed the door, and blocked it with his arms. "You''re not going anywhere until you tell me about the girl." Rock started sweating. It was apparent that he was embarrassed, and Sun would not pass this chance to see a flustered Rock.


    While Sun was interrogating Rock about the mysterious woman he had a crush on, Stick and Smoke walked through the village. Smoke asked about Stick''s injuries. Stick shrugged it off, telling him he was fine. That wasn''t enough to convince Smoke, but he knew better to continue pressuring him. Eventually, they reached the edge of the village. In front of them was a large field with a shed and a small bonfire in the middle. A group of goblins gathered around the fire. "Let''s go see what they''re doing." Smoke said. Stick nodded in response, and the two walked to the shed. Smoke waved his hands and greeted the group. "Hello, the name is Smoke and this Stick. Would it be alright if we ask you guys what you''re doing?"


    One of the goblins sitting beside the fire stood up. Smoke and Stick saw this goblin before. It was Cloud. He also recognized the two and was delighted to see them once again. "You were those halflings at the barn? How are you two, and weren''t there more of you?"


    "Our brothers are at the cottage the caretakers brought us to. Stick, and I decided to take a walk."


    "Ah. A walk is no harm. ln fact, a walk outside could heal you faster." Cloud walks back to his seat. He motions to the two young goblins to follow him. "Come, sit with us. Since you''re here, we can show you how to make tools for tomorrow''s hunt."


    The two sat down and listened to Cloud and his followers about how to make an arrowhead. Both goblins wondered if they also need to learn how to make a bow, but Cloud already had their bows made in advance to be used for their first hunt. Afterward, they began making some strange concoction on a pot. They mixed in the blood of Horny Toads, some bizarre blue worm, and two cups of water. They placed the pot over the fore and covered the lid. Stick was intrigued. "What is that for?" Stick asked Cloud.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "It''s a Stinkbomb. We are making them for Sum and his warriors down at Bona." Smoke couldn''t help but interrupt. "What''s Bona?"


    "Bona is an outpost Cala made at the border between our tribe and the tribe of Razin. Oh, and I assume you, children don''t know the name of our tribe." Smoke and Stick nodded. "Our tribe is called Lev. Razin are our rivals, and to make sure our tribe is safe, Cala placed Sum at Bona to stop any Razin warring parties. These bombs will help them defend our lands. The scent of the bombs are so foul that Timber Wolves would sometimes faint from the smell. It also causes blindness because the smell forces you to cry."


    "How do you know how to make that?"


    "I had to know how to make this. If I didn''t, Cala would have abandoned me long ago." He glanced at Stick for a brief second then back at Smoke. "I am not as strong as other goblins. Even normal halflings are stronger than me. So I had to learn new things that can help my tribe so that I wouldn''t be a burden."


    Stick looked to Clouds with admiration, but Smoke can still see that his brother is still unease. It was clear that the problem clouding his mind was answered, but the future is still uncertain. They continue to listen to Cloud and his stories, how they raided an adventure camp, how they fought an army of little men to capture this town, and how Cala dueled the Razin chief last spring. As the hour goes by, the sky continued to darken, and the two bid farewell to Cloud. When they got home, they witnessed Sun and giggling as Rock sat there with his cheeks red. Clearly, something happened while the two were gone. Smoke coughs to get Sun''s attention. "Oh, you guys are back! Listen, you have to hear this."


    Rock stood up and went to the counter, grabbing the book and shoving it in front of Stick and Smoke. "Yeah, this book is amazing. You have to hear what it says." Rock turns to Sun placed a finger over his mouth. Stick grabbed the book and began to examine it. He hopes that it will have recipes for those stinkbombs or something similar. Sadly, he could not read. "What does this book say?" He asked.


    "Its a diary. A book that people write on to share their thoughts and feelings to, usually, their future self to reflect on. Book is meant to be private, but only if they could hide it. Anyway, let''s read this. Maybe we can learn what happened to this town. I doubt our tribe was the one that built this place." Rock, Stick, and Smoke sat on the makeshift bed facing Sun, who was sitting on top of the counter with a book in hand.


    "Dear diary. Today daddy bought me you at the farmer''s market. I was so excited that once I got home, I took my pencil and started writing this," Stick quickly raised his hands to ask about the pencil and what''s its purpose. "A pencil is a tool you use to write with."


    "Like the deer''s blood, we used to write our names," Rock interjected.


    "I mean, yeah, pretty much." Sun was about to continue reading when he suddenly remembered something. "Oh, that''s right none of you know how to read words other than your name. After this, I''ll be teaching you guys how to read. By the end of it, you should be able to read this book in front of us."


    "What!" Stick, and Rock yelled.


    "Now, back to the book." Sun continued to read the book, ignoring Rock and Stick groaning out of frustration. Learning to write and read their names was hard enough, but now they have to read an entire book. Sun couldn''t help shaking his head while grinning.


    The book itself was fairly dull-looking, and the child that wrote the diary had the name Yoana. The diary mostly contains Yoana''s everyday life, but there was something that caught Sun''s attention. On nearly every page, Yoana writes about his father and mother arguing about the father''s decision to join the army. An army that was being raised to fight something called the Drons. Sun reached the 11th page.


    "Dear diary. Daddy left today. Mommy din''t fight this time. Daddy said the nation needs em to help fight the drons. He said they move together like bees, like a swarm. I hear daddy tell mommy that the drons are getting close to here. He is going to fight them to protect me and mommy. Mommy pack his bag n lunch before he go to the army. He said he goin to come back in 3 days."


    "Dear diary. Mommy and er friends came over to talk. I left and played with my friends. Gorgy had us play ladder." The wind started to blow through the holes on the wall, making a whistling sound. "While we wer playin, Gorgy said that his dad was goin back home soon. The drons lost bcuase the dwarves joined us in fightin the drons. They was going back a day earlier. I was so happy I left and run back to the house. When I got ther, Aunty Milly was cryin. Mommy told me to go upstairs right away, and to pack my stuff. I dont get it. Daddy was going back sooner than he says he was. I told mommy and she just hugged me. She says tomorrow we packing our stuff so we can go and surprise daddy halfway. I hope I get sum sleep bcuase I am so excited."


    "Dear diary. Good morning! Me and mommy are getting ready to go. I am going to brring ma stuff bunny and my drawins to show daddy. I also got mom." Sun finished reading. The cottage was filled with the sound of the wind.


    Rock and Stick looked at each other confused. Stick asked, "Mom, what? Aren''t you going to finish reading?"


    "I did finish. That was it." Rock and Stick were at lost for words. They asked if they met the dad. They wanted to know how to play the game called ladder. And more importantly, if they can divide the pages, they have to read among themselves. Sun ignored their questions because he had one of his own. What are the drons? He felt goosebumps from the wind. He hoped the people evacuated on time, but considering the diary wasn''t finished and the reddish stains on the book, there was a chance they never made it. Where are the bodies? Maybe they around here somewhere? Then another, more ominous question came to his mind. What if the goblins were the ''drons''? They swarmed this town, killing all of its inhabitants, or enslaving them. Sun thought about his mom and wondered, what if his mom lived in this town when the goblins attacked? Turned into a slave because whatever country this was failed to protect them.

 Vol 2 Chapter 2: The Tutors

    In the cold, foggy morning, Sun and Smoke were discussing strategies for their first hunt. Due to their injuries, they were strategizing ways to prevent themselves from getting more injured. Stick could barely hold anything with his broken hands, Sun''s back still aches from getting thrown around, and Smoke''s eyes still irritates, making it hard to see. Rock was the only that left the fight unscathed despite facing a ''conqueror.''


    One of their ideas was to dig up a ditch and place pointy sticks facing upward. They would chase the deer, guiding it to the ditch. Once the deer falls, they then begin to attack it from above. The deer won''t be able to run away or fight back, keeping the brothers from harm, but getting the deer to the ditch may be impossible. There are only four of them. Depending on how fast the deer is compared to them, it could easily get through between the gaps of their formation. They''ll need to find something to aid them on their hunt. Something that could give them control over a large area, forcing the deer to follow a set path to the hole.


    Rock and Stick were getting ready to leave. The two put on their coat, fur hat, gloves, and shoes. They were about to leave when they noticed Sun and Smoke still sitting on the floor, lost in thought. "Sun, Smoke, shouldn''t we be heading out now?" Rock asked.


    "Oh, right." Both responded at the same time.


    "Didn''t you two wake up earlier than us? Don''t tell me you spend all that time just sitting there thinking about the hunt."


    "We have to make sure this hunt will be successful," Sun said while clapping his hands together. "We can''t just wrestle a deer to the ground." Smoke hands him his coat.


    "Why not?"


    Sun paused before grabbing his coat. "Well first, we have to catch it before you could wrestle the deer. Second, most of us are injured. And third, we need to kill our prey as quickly as possible."


    "Alright, good enough reason, I guess."


    Before leaving, brothers blocked their doors with wooden planks leaning against the door and piles of broken crates and barrels. The brothers left for the building their mothers are being held at. They were held in a cottage with a tent hoist up above it, acting as a roof because the building''s original roof was gone. There was a hole in the middle to let the smoke out from the fireplace. The barn was being reinforced to prevent another group of rogue goblins from breaking in and raping the women without the chief''s permission. The brothers wanted to talk to their mothers before heading out.


    Sun''s mother was in the back, inside a makeshift room with tables as walls. She was far from the fireplace, which concerned Sun. He walked to Flute to ask her. "Excuse me, Flute. Why is my mom in the back?"


    "She want to be in back. Don''t know why."


    Sun was suspicious, but Flute has never done anything that would lead him to believe that she would harm his mother. He took her words and didn''t ask any further. Sun entered the room and saw her mother leaning against the wall with her hands behind her back. She looked wary at first, but when she noticed it was only Sun, her body relax for just a tiny bit. "Hey, mom. How are you doing?" She grunted and nodded her head. The side effects have yet to disappear; her throat remains still hurts when she attempts to talk.


    Her so-called room was small and cramped. Sun could barely fit himself inside despite his short stature. The walls of the room were filled with strange symbols. Sun wondered if this was her people''s written language, or if her sanity has crumbled to the point of writing odd shapes and letters for comfort. He hopes it is the former. However, that will be unideal for Sun. "Mom, look what I found at the house we were staying." Sun took out the diary his brothers were reading last night from his bag. He brought the bag with him to carry supplies for the hunt. He hopes that reading it may help her condition. Of course, he plans to make a happy ending at the end.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    He sat close to her to show her the pages. She tilted her head as she stared at the content. Sun began to read the diary, and her mother listened intently. "Dear diary. Today daddy bought me you at the farmer''s market. I was so excited that once I got home, I took my pencil and start," Suddenly, Sun''s mother grabbed the book off his hands and put it closer to her face. Her eyes rocked back and forth as she read the page. She looked at the symbols on the wall in a daze. Sun slowly reached for the book, but she noticed and placed it on her chest in a defensive post. "Sorry, mom. I just. Are you ok?"


    She nodded back, and her body relaxed again. She pointed at the book and then on to her. Sun realized what she meant. "You want to keep the book?" She nodded while hugging the book. Her eyes fixated on Sun and had a glossy reflection. She looked like a puppy begging for a treat. "Well, ok. Just don''t do anything crazy ok? And if anything happens, ask Flute. The boys and I are going hunting. I''ll see if I can come back before the sun sets, but if not. We''ll come back tomorrow."


    The brothers left after talking to their mothers. The caretakers were still feeding them that purple stuff, just in low doses. The brothers reached the small hill north of the village. There was a small temple ruin where the chief and his retainers were. Once at the top, the brothers looked at the scenery of the village. Straight to the south lies the field and the shed where Stick and Smoke met Cloud and his men. To the east was their cottage far from any other buildings. Close by their cottage was the building that is housing the slaves and their mothers. And to the west, a wall made of sticks, planks, and logs that separates the tribe and the forest. A gate with a small tower allowed goblins to enter and exit to and from the forest.


    "Are you children ready?" Behind was Cloud.


    "Ready as we''ll ever be!" The brothers said in unison.


    "Good! Come, I have a lot to talk about." They followed Cloud inside. The hall was filled to brim with weapons in all manner. Spears, clubs, arrows, and bows decorated the floor and on the walls. Cloud turned around and opened his arms. "All of these weapons you see here are free to use by the hunters of our tribe! Every able goblin must hunt at least once a week. You can take anything here."


    Rock raised his hands. "Can we keep the weapons."


    "No. After hunting, you give back the weapon you took from here to the goblins guarding the western gate along with your game."


    "So, we don''t keep what we hunted?" Smoke said.


    "No, you can keep ''em. But you must give a big portion of your game to the guards. Those portions will be smoked and kept in the building with the red roof. Goblins will go there to get their ration for the winter." Cloud then guided the goblins to a small table at the end of the hall. On the table were four spears, two bows, two quivers filled with four arrows each, and four water pouches. "These will be your weapons for the hunt, newly made by me."


    "Do they need new weapons? New weapons waste on halflings." Leaning at the front door was another goblin wearing a pointy helmet painted red at the very tip.


    "Halflings that Tama and his followers," Cloud responded with a cold tone.


    "So? Salacity knows they lucky. Tama too horny. Tama can''t fight right." He walked towards them while tilting his head every word he says. "Salacity see them no strong. Salacity see them as halflings." Stick reached over the table slowly to the spear. As Salacity gets closer, his body started to look bigger and bigger to the brothers, as if towering over them despite having the same height as them.


    Cloud stepped in front of the goblins. "Enough, Salacity. Leave them alone." He says while his legs were shaking. No, his whole body was shaking. Fear has overtaken Cloud''s body. But Cloud knows that Salacity can''t do anything against him. Chief finds him too valuable to lose. Salacity knows this as well. Salacity''s face was a finger away from Cloud''s face. His eyes seemed to have petrified Cloud in place. Stick was about to lunge at Salacity, but Smoke blocked him with his arm. The brothers can''t risk getting into a fight right now.


    Salacity backed off and giggled to himself then turned to the brothers. "Well, halflings. Time to hunt. Salacity guide you to gate. There Salacity show how use the bow. And no worry, Cloud." He placed his hands on top of Cloud shoulder. "Salacity will no do nothing bad."


    Salacity leads the front as Cloud, and the brothers followed. Stick looked at Cloud with pity in his eyes.

 Vol 2 Chapter 3: A Stinky Solution

    Salacity brought the brothers to the western gate. There they saw a line of bags hanging on the wall. The sandbags acted as targets for goblins practicing in archery. Five goblins were already there, shooting at the bags; four men and one woman. Salacity called to one of them to introduce us. "Come meet halflings. They newborns out to first hunt."


    "Only four? Hope you all no die." Said one of the goblins with the spikey hair. "I Lite. I hunt many times. I know forest like my mama. And you?"


    "I''m Sun, and these are my brothers, Rock,"


    "Hi." Rock waved at them.


    "Stick,"


    Stick noded.


    "And Smoke."


    "Hello, nice to meet you." Smoke walked up to him and extended his arm. Lite was confused as to why he did that. He decided to reach for it, and the two shook hands.


    "You four no last long." The woman of the group said. She walked towards them during their introduction. She had light brown eyes and hair and fair skin for a goblin. She wrapped her arms around Lite''s arms. "I Shuja. Lite and I are strong. We hunt always good. You halflings no nothing of hunt. Shuja bet four ran away when see hare." She giggles. Smoke and Stick did not find that amusing, while Rock was deeply insulted. Being called weak is one thing, but a coward is another. He stood up against Tama, learned to embrace his strength and flaws, and to forgive himself. But Sun was interested in something else, her name. Shuja sounded very familiar to him.


    "Ok, enough. Halflings, come here." Salacity said. He led the brothers to the bags. He grabbed the bag and showed it to us. "Before you hunt. Salacity want see you hit bags with arrows. Go put bag over there." He pointed over to the table Cloud was sitting on. There was also another goblin wearing a helmet with red hanging chainmail on the back. Cloud was having a conversation with him, but the two stopped once the two brothers got to the table.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Children, I want you to meet Olhos." Cloud gestured to Olhos. "He is one of the chief''s loyal and strongest retainers. You can tell if a goblin is a retainer if they wear helmets that have red paint on them. These goblins carry out the chief''s orders. You must always listen to them. I also have one, but I forgot it at my shed. I guess I was so busy with making your bows and spears that when I finished, I rushed back to the ruins and had them prepared on the table."


    The four brothers were speechless. They did not know Cloud worked so hard on these weapons. "Thank you, Cloud. You didn''t have to make us new weapons. We will be fine with the ones,"


    "No! I had to make you new one. It''s the least I can do."


    "Cloud, you know new weapons waste time on them. They halflings. Chance, they all die."


    "Trust me, Olhos, they will not die that quickly." Olhos looked doubtful over Cloud''s statement. Usually, only half of a party made of halflings come back alive. That''s because they are weaker compared to the other goblins. The more Olhos thinks about it, the more frustrated he was about Cloud''s comment. He left slightly bitter. "By the way children. Do you see that goblin on top with the squarish red helmet? That''s Dolce. He is in charge of this gate. He will be the one to take a portion of your game."


    Sun examined the tower and the goblin on top of it. He was chubby but muscular, like a sumo wrestler but shorter. "I see. Is he strong?"


    "Of course he is strong. He is one of the retainers." Cloud looked over at Salacity and noticed that he finished hanging the rest of the bags. "I shouldn''t take too much of your time. I better get going." Before Cloud could leave, Stick walked to Cloud and asked, "Do you still have that stinky stuff?"


    "Stinky stuff?" Sun asked.


    Cloud was astonished by this question. "Do you mean the stink bombs."


    "Yes, do you have some to spare?"


    Cloud looked over his should then back to Stick. He pondered whether it will be a good idea to give them some, but Olhos'' statement came to mind. They weren''t weak, Cloud knows this well, but hunting is far different than fighting another goblin. The deers they hunt are aggressive and will headbutt you, even the baby ones. Giving them those bombs could help, but how they will use it is beyond Cloud''s imagination. He could not think of any way they could use it to capture those deers since the sound and smell of those bombs would scare them away. But maybe they can.


    "Ok, I have five left to give. Just be careful. The smell will linger for a week."


    Sun got in between the two. "I''m sorry, but what are these bombs?"


    Stick looked at Sun with glee in his eyes. "Those bombs are the answer to our problem."

 Vol 2 Chapter 4: Brains And Fawn

    The four brothers aim at the bags. They draw their bow as far to the back as possible, the bow bending to its absolute limits, and the arrow sit steadily on their thumb. The wind was quiet. And then, they let go. The arrows pierced the air, making a swift swoosh sound. Some of the feathers fell off, leaving a beautiful tail as the arrows travel in an arch. In a split second, the arrows fell headfirst to the ground, three meters away from the bag.


    "Pfft! Jajajaja!" Shuja laughed and pointed at the brothers. This was their sixth attempt, and the only progress they made was to get closer to the bags. The brothers were bothered by her laughter, but not because she was laughing at them but because she had a weird laugh. "Shuja stop laughing at the halflings," Lite whispered to Shuja, but she instead fell on her knees, laughing.


    "Alright, stop! Salacity have enough! You bad at bow. Use spear." Salacity yelled at the brothers. He was quite amused by the brothers'' lack of archery skill, but eventually, that amusement turned into annoyance. He tried to teach the proper forms, but his ability to teach was just as absent as the brothers'' ability to shoot. "Go out now. Time you hunt! Clean place. Salacity see you at Gate."


    Rock and Smoke went to the table while Sun and Stick gathered their arrows scattered on the ground. "So, how exactly do those stink bombs work?" Sun asked.


    "When you throw the bombs, it releases this nasty smell. Hence the name stink bomb."


    "I see." Sun brainstormed the possible utility of these bombs. Creating a zone of control was an obvious option. They can use the stink bomb to sway the deer running the opposite direction. They can also use it on predators if encountered, so they could escape unharmed. But the viability of those bombs is relatively unknown to Sun. He wants to test it first to determine an actual use for it by examining the strength of the smell, the duration of it, and the radius of the bomb. "I''m going to test the bomb first. We can probably do it while making our trap. Do you, by chance, know how strong the smell is?"


    "Cloud told me it was strong enough to make a Timber Wolf feint."


    "And what the heck is a Timber Wold?"


    "Apparently, it''s a large wolf. One of the goblins that were working with Cloud said that they are big enough to carry a slave or two, and still have room for a goblin to ride on it."


    "What? Are you saying we can ride on those things? That sounds amazing."


    "Oh, I wish. Cloud said Timber Wolves couldn''t be tamed because they are part of Trolls."


    "Trolls, and what do you mean ''part'' of?"


    "I don''t know. He was pretty vague about it." Stick and Sun walked to the table and divided the arrows evenly among themselves. While they were organizing their stuff, Cloud came back with seven stinkbombs. "Luckily for you, I found two more in the shed." Cloud gave them all to Stink. "Now, please be careful. These bombs are dangerous, and the smell is just the worse." Cloud warned them as he pointed his fingers at them.


    "Its ok, Cloud. We''ll be careful, and thank you." Stick assured him. The brothers left Cloud at the tables. They were heading to the gate. Other hunting parties were entering and exiting the gate. Dolce''s followers were cutting off large chunks of meat from the hunter''s prize. Mothers were waving at their children. Some of which were as inexperienced as the brothers. Lite, Shuja, and the rest of their party were also leaving. Lite''s mother was shouting at him, telling him to return with a lot of meat. This embarrassed Lite, so he started to walk faster into the forest.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Halflings! Over here!" Salacity yelled, waving at them. The brothers walked to him. "You hunt that way." Salacity pointed south. "No die, ok." He said while smirking.


    The brothers started walking in the direction Salacity pointed at. They continued walking past countless trees, occasionally stopping to take a break. Eventually, they reached a stream. Cloud told them some tips for hunting a deer. Deers congregate where there is a large body of water. Mother deers also travel in small herds to better protect their young. Male deers are solitary and will only join a herd during the spring and summer. They also have sensitive, easily breakable antlers during winter, so they avoid fighting altogether and resort to fleeing. Their solitary nature and weak defenses make them perfect prey. Sadly, male deers migrate to higher elevations during winter to avoid predators. That doesn''t mean it''s impossible to encounter one. There is barely any food for them up in the mountains, so they would occasionally come down.


    The brothers walk a little further passed the stream. They began digging a ditch and filling the bottom with pointy sticks. Afterward, they tested the bombs. Sun and Rock walked away from the ditch to a new testing area. Sun used the flint tip of his spear to scratch an x on a tree. "Ok, Rock, you get to throw two stinkbombs. The first one you''ll throw at the tree I marked. Then we''ll walk to that direction, stopping once we smell the bomb."


    "Ok." Rock and Sun walked four meters away from the tree. "Here I go!" Rock threw the bomb as hard as he could. The shell shattered, and a yellowish liquid splattered on the tree. The foul stench of the bomb barely reached them.


    "Well, at least we know how far it can reach," Sun remarked while pinching his nose.


    While Sun and Rock were testing the bombs, Stick and Smoke were checking signs for recent deer activities. "Stick, you really like Cloud don''t you?" Smoke remarked. "He knows a lot of things. Have you been thinking of joining him and his group."


    Stick was puzzled. "No, not really. I like Cloud. He seems pretty cool. I want to learn more from him, but I don''t know if Sun would let me hang around with their group."


    "I think Sun would be fine with it. If we learn more ways to help us fight, we might be able to free our mothers quicker. Besides, I can tell that you enjoy learning about his exploits. I don''t it hurts if you join them. If anything, I''ll convince Sun for you."


    "Thanks, Smoke, I''ll think about it."


    "Just remember. We are brothers, and we always care for each other." Smoke continued to scan the area for signs of recent deer activities. On the other hand, Stick was distracted by Smoke''s comments. He wants to learn more from Cloud, but he is also afraid. Afraid that he would miss crucial fighting lessons from Sun. He was weak, but he saw how his three brothers fought using Sun''s techniques. They won their fight without any help. Then there was him, barely alive from his battle.


    Cloud knows things like stink bombs that can help them, but if he falls behind from his brothers, he might lose the confidence to face them. He would be just like Cloud, shaking from fear. There is a thin line between brains and brawn that Stink must balance on to stay relevant in his brothers'' eyes.


    "Stick I found something," Stick snapped out of his thoughts and walked to Smoke. "Fur, probably shed by a deer. Stick, get Rock and Sun. Tell them we found some deer to hunt."


    Smoke ran to Rock and Sun''s testing ground. The place smells like a bucket of feces their caretakers would collect from their mothers. Stick covered his mouth and nose to block the smell to no avail. Sun''s eyesight was blurry due to his tears. It took him a while to realized Stick was there. "Oh, its Stick. What''s up?"


    "Smoc font sum dir phur."


    Rock and Sun stared at each other, puzzled. "What?"

 Vol 2 Chapter 5: Goat Me By Surprise

    The brothers examined the fur. It was gray, soft, and somewhat warm. There must have been a deer in the area recently. The brothers continued to look around for more clues. Rock found some feces near the stream. Along it was footprints traveling downstream. They tracked it down for about twelve minutes until it disappeared near a fallen log clogging the creek. "Now what?" Stick asked the group." Sun decided to travel to the other side, and sure enough, the track reappeared. This time it was heading upstream. The brothers let out a heavy sigh in unison. They traveled back upstream until the footprints diverge away from the stream.


    The brothers continued to follow the footprints through the bushes and up a small hill. The tracks ended on top of the hill in front of a rocky steep. They slowly climbed down. At the bottom was a trail of broken branches with gray fur stuck on them. There were also furs stuck on the barks of trees. "The deer must be in the middle of shedding and was using the trees and branches to brush off its fur." Sun examined them. Sun saw this type of fur in his past life. He could not recall what animal has these type of fur, but it''s certainly not a deer. "These things look strange."


    "What do you mean?" Smoke asked.


    "Well, these furs are so long and fluffy."


    "Wouldn''t that make sense? It''s cold, after all."


    "That''s the thing, though. Look at our coats, for example." The three checked their coats and pants. "The things we''re wearing are made out of deer. Notice how the fur is short and stubby."


    "Oh yeah!" Stick remarked.


    "These fur feel different from the ones we are wearing has. I don''t think this is a deer, but even if it was, it''s strange. Why is it shedding when its the beginning of winter? It just doesn''t make any sense."


    "Does it matter? We have to kill it to eat regardless, anyway." Rock said.


    "I guess so. Stick climb up those trees and look around the area for any sign of movement."


    "Alright." Stick climbed up the tallest tree he could find.


    "Smoke, Rock, I need to tell you the hunting strategy. We are going to hunt in a skirmish line. I''ll tail behind the deer while both of you form a line the opposite of the direction we want the deer to go to. Rock, I need you to be ahead of the deer. We want it to run toward the creek and into our ditch. There''s a lot of trees here which limits the deer''s movement. But once it gets close to the stream, our chances of chasing it to our trap become slim. There are no trees to hinder its movement, so Rock, you need to throw those stink bombs when the deer steers away from our desired path."


    Stick climbs down the tree. "I spotted the deer. It had those antlers, so it must be alone."


    "Perfect!" Sun exclaimed. "Alright, get into formation. Once I give chase, the hunt starts."


    The brothers got on their given position. Smoke and Stick formed a line to the opposite side of the direction of the creek. Rock was stationed up ahead, ready to move forward as the deer runs. And Sun was behind it crouching closer to it. The deer was busy eating. As Sun got closer, he unintentionally entered the deer''s flight zone. The moment Sun entered it, he accidentally stepped on a pile of sticks, which made a sound alarming the deer heard. It raised its head, scanning the area for any predators.


    The element of surprise wasn''t Sun''s intention, so it didn''t matter too much that the deer noticed him. What was the problem was the deer itself. The deer''s antlers were just two long protruding horns that curve backward. It was three times the size of an adult goblin. It had a long goatee on its chin, and its eyes looked like goblin eyes. That''s no deer, that''s a goat. The goat noticed Sun behind the trees, and it darted right to him. All Sun could do to avoid the attack was to climb up the tree as fast as possible. The tree vibrated from the headbutt.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Smoke and Stick were the first to notice and ran to help Sun. The two saw Sun hanging on the side of a tree with the goat bashing his head on it. "You guys get out of here now!" Sun yelled at the two. The goat turned around and charged at the two. Both of them jumped to the side and avoided the attack. Smoke grabbed his spear, and countered attacked, but the spear could not reach it. The goat made a u-turn around a tree and charged toward Smoke. "Get up the tree now!" Smoke scrabbled back up and climbed the tree behind him.


    Stick climbed up the tree and started throwing rocks at the goat. The rocks did not sway the goat from stopping his attacks. The goat stood up on his two hind legs, and then his head came crashing down on the tree trunk, shaking the tree violently. Smoke looked down at the goat while holding on the tree for dear life. Then suddenly, out from the bushes came Rock. "Rock, quick run away!" But Rock didn''t hear Sun. The only thing in Rock''s mind was an image of his birth mother''s lifeless body lying on the floor. His strength was the reason his mother died by his hands. And its the only thing he can use to make up for his past. Now his brother is telling him to leave them behind. Rock has the strength to stop this deer and to rescue his brothers. He chose to stay and fight. He chared at the goat, which was preoccupied and body-slammed on its side. The goat rolled over its back from the impact, but it quickly stood back up.


    "Rock! Be careful, that''s not a deer! That''s a goat. They''re far more aggressive, and their headbutt can rival a bull." Sun yelled at Rock.


    "I don''t even know what a bull is. Come at me, you damn goat!" The goat lifted his head and stood on his hind legs once more. It started to move forward as its head descended down to Rock.


    "Rock dodge it!" Sun warned him, but it was too late. Rock crossed his arms, blocking his and upper chest from the attack. The headbutt sent Rock flying to a tree. He landed back on his feet, standing tall, but the damage was already done. His right forearm was blue and swelling. The goat stood up on its hind legs again, getting ready for another attack.


    "Rock grab hold of its antlers!" Stick yelled. Rock bit his lower to distract himself from the pain he feels on his arms. He forced his hands up in front of his face. He ready himself to catch the goat.


    "Stick good idea!" Sun exclaimed. This boosted Stick''s confidence. "Smoke! You and I are going down there and attack it behind once Rock wrestles with it." Sun and Smoke jumped down their respective trees and armed themselves with their spears.


    "I''m coming down too," Stick said.


    Sun turned to him and yelled, "No, stay there! You''ll only get hurt." Stick felt his heart sink. He tightened his grip, frustrated that he couldn''t help.


    The goat rams its head towards Rock. The horns landed right on Rock''s hand. The impact forced Rock on his knees, but he tightened his grip nonetheless. The goat, realizing what happened, started to kick with its hind leg to create space between it and the two goblins behind it. However, its legs were too short compared to the reach of their spear. Sun and Smoke thrust their spear on its butt.


    The goat rocked its head back and forth to shake off Rock. Meanwhile, it''s back was repeatedly attacked by Sun and Smoke. Eventually, the goat fell on its knees, slowly losing consciousness from blood loss. It still tried to shake free from Rock''s grasp, but it barely had any energy left in it and finally closed its eyes. With the lifeless state of the goat, the brothers knew they won.


    The hunt was a success, more or less. They only had one casualty, Rock and his broken forearm. "Rock, are you alright?" Smoke asked.


    "Yeah, I''m good."


    "Good, but since your arm is still broken, I''ll carry the goat."


    "I''ll help," Sun said. The brothers carried the goat on opposite sides. Sun noticed something strange underneath the blood. It looked like scratch marks. "It looks like it was already injured when we got to it," Sun remarked.


    "Maybe it fell off that cliff. Could explain why there were so many furs on the bottom of the hill. Must have fallen down, and its fur just got rip off the rocks and gently floated down to the ground or blew by the wind towards the trees." Rock explained.


    Stick climbed down the tree; he wanted to help by carrying their spears. As he was gathering the spears, he heard rustling behind the bushes. Stick walked to his brothers to warn them, "Guys, I think they''re something else here with us." The brothers turned around and looked at the bushes. They felt something eery coming out of the bushes as goosebumps travel down their spine. They can hear its snarls, its heavy steps, and its overwhelming presence.


    Out from the bushes came a giant black wolf, two meters tall. Sun recalled the Stick mentioning a giant wolf before. That must be it, the Timber Wolf. It towers over the goblins. To them, it was as big as the trees they climbed on. On its head and mouth were bundles of grey fur similar to the goat''s wool they killed. That''s when Sun realized that the goat did not fall from the cliff, but must have been fighting for its life against that wolf.


    But the most frightening thing of all was that they were not the first goblins it encountered. Between the wolf''s teeth was the body of a dead goblin with spikey hair. That same goblin they met at the wall, Lite.

 Vol 2 Chapter 6: Helping Hand

    "Run!" Sun yelled at the top of his lungs. Sun and Smoke dropped the goat, and the brothers ran in the opposite direction of the wolf. Stick slipped from the puddle of blood. He got on all four and watched his brothers run, leaving him behind. The wolf noticed the weakling of the group and prepared to charge at it. It spat out the body it was carrying and proceeded to run to Stick. He turned to meet the wolf, holding a spear in front of him. No rescue was coming, Stick thought. Cloud was right; the weak ones are always left behind. His hands could barely grab hold of a spear.


    Stick closed his eyes as the impending doom approaches. He heard the wolf whimper and the sound of its footsteps backing away. He opened his eyes and saw Sun grabbing his arm, "Get up! We gotta run!"


    Sun managed to lodge a spear into the wolf''s throat giving the two ample time to get up and run. But the wolf is must faster. It spat out the spear and charged at the brothers once more. It only needed to make two strides to reach them. Sun knows this, but luckily they have a trump card they could use. "Rock throw the bomb at it!" Rock turned around and stopped. He reached inside his bag to get out the bomb. Rock stretched his right arm back, aimed, but he couldn''t throw because his right arm split from the pressure. Rock released his grip from the shock. Smoke quickly dive to catch the bomb that fell from Rock''s hand.


    The wolf caught up to Sun and managed to bit its left shoulder with its frontal canine. Sun screamed from the pain. "Sun!" Stick turned around and put his hand in the wolf''s mouth, trying to pry it open. Smoke got on one knee and threw the stinkbomb. It nearly missed, but Stick saw the bomb flying to the side of the wolf. He caught the bomb with his right hand. "Fuck off, you beast!" Stick yelled as he shattered the stinkbomb on the wolf''s head. The liquid inside the bomb splash and covered the wolf''s face. The smell drove the wolf to release Sun and run back the direction it came. It was sneezing along the way.


    Sun collapsed face-first to the ground. Smoke and Rock rushed to aid him. The wolf bit his shoulder and half of his left chest. Blood poured out from his wounds. Smoke quickly took off Sun''s coat and whipped out some linen from his bag. He started to wrap around the shoulder and struggled to do so with his arms continuing to shake. Sun''s face was pale. "Sun, everything is going to be fine." Smoke said with his shaking voice. Tears ran down his cheeks, caused both by the stinkbomb and by the stressful event.


    "I''m sorry if I hadn''t trip I," Smoke interrupts Stick.


    "No, its no one''s fault." He pulled Sun up and placed him on his back. The brothers began to cough as their lungs start to inflate slowly. Smoke stood up, with Sun''s arms wrapped around Smoke''s neck. "We need to get out here."


    "Wait, we can''t leave the goat and Lite''s body behind." Sun said, "Stick, put Lite on top of the goat, and both you and Rock pull the goat by its horns."


    "Why? We barely know him."


    "That''s true. But I saw his mother at the gate. She must be still waiting for her. The least we can do is bring son home." Sun struggled to speak as the throat burn from the bomb''s chemicals. The two did what they were told. "Smoke, get me near that tree." He coughed as he talks.


    "Ok." Smoke walked to the tree, where he climbed to avoid the goat''s attacks. Sun wrote on the tree with his blood a large cross. "What''s that for?" Smoke asked Sun.


    "This should warn other goblins." He said. Stick put Sun''s coat on his back, and the brothers walked back to the gate as swiftly as possible. Smoke''s eyes flooded with tears, and one of his eyes had a popped blood vessel. He could barely see. Sun remained conscious, fighting the urge to close his eyes. He guided Smoke through the trees and bushes. Eventually, they reached a clearing, and across the field was the wall and the gate. Goblins armed with spears and shields were running into the forest. One of them noticed the brothers coming out of the trees. "Hey, stop! You see, wolf."


    "Yeah," Rock responded.


    "Go. Talk with Salacity. Tell Salacity see wolf at hunt." The goblin glanced over at the goat and the body on top of it. She noticed the goblin was one of her kin. "Lite. That Lite!"Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    "Um, yeah. We found him with the wolf. We managed to get his body out of there. Also, whats going on. Why are there so many goblins entering the forest."


    "To save goblins from wolf." She said with a burning passion in her eyes as she swallowed her spit. "Go!" She yelled at the brothers as she ran to the forest. The brothers noticed her wiping a tear off her cheek.


    When brothers got to the gate, they saw a mob of goblins forming a circle. Some of the goblins smell a foul odor emanating from the brothers, and so they disperse. In the center were two goblin women fighting. One of them was pulling the other goblin''s hair, screaming at her. "I sorry! I sorry!" The goblin, whose hair was getting yanked, yelled. Smoke recognized the goblin. It was Shuja, and the one pulling her hair was most likely Lite''s mother. Salacity entered the fray, separating the two.


    "You coward!" The mother screamed while trying to get through Salacity. Other goblins joined in holding the mother back. Salacity kept his hands stretched out, creating distance between the two. "You left Lite. My boy." She was crying out hysterically. Cloud walked up to the brothers to tell them to come to the gate. He noticed the body on top of the goat and realized that it was Lite''s corpse. He quickly went to the mother and informed her that her son''s corpse was brought here.


    She followed Cloud, and when she saw the body, she did not hesitate and ran to him. She hugged it while wailing. Tears and snot covered the lower half of her face. Shuja tried to get close to her and Lite, but she would push her away. "Please, Shuja, love Lite. I sorry."


    "Leave him!" The mother yelled back. Shuja collapsed on her knees, crawling to Lite and his mother, begging forgiveness. Stick asked Cloud what happened. "A Timber Wolf showed up while they were hunting some mountain goat. Lite tripped while running away and got left behind. All the others could only watch in horror as their friend got mauled to death." Stick''s body felt a cold breeze coming up its spine. "Also, I wanted to ask what happened to you? How did you get Lite''s corpse body and that goat."


    "We found the goat while hunting. After killing it, that wolf showed up holding Lite''s body in its mouth."


    Salacity walked to the brothers after getting his man to move Shuja away. "The wolf. Shuja said wolf had pink collar on neck. You see, pink collar." He asked the brothers. Now that Stick recalled the experience, there was a strange pink collar with spikes around it.


    "Yeah, there was one. Why?" Cloud and Salacity looked at each other. Both seemed worried and even afraid. "If you guys are going to look for it, Sun left a red cross to mark the place we met the wolf. The cross was that direction over there. Before getting to the small stream, you should find a steep, rocky cliff. There we left the red cross."


    "Salacity, see. Go to Dolce. He takes meat, then you go."


    "Sun, you hear that? Once we get the meat all sorted out, we can get home." Smoke told Sun. He did not respond. "Sun?" Smoke asked again and again. He dropped on the floor and turned around, examining him. Cloud and Stick joined in. They checked Sun''s chest if he was breathing. Thankfully it was. Sun''s body was covered in cold sweat, and he had bags under his eyes.


    "Go take him to Flute. She should know what to do. Salacity, and I will handle the goat." Cloud told Smoke.


    "And take a shower too. Smell bad." Salacity added.


    "Thank you." Smoke carried Sun on his back once again, and the brothers ran to the slave quarters. Cloud and Salacity stayed behind. Salacity ordered his men to take the goat to Docle along with the other games.


    Sun''s breathing was getting heavier. Smoke''s eyes were still cloudy from the stinkbomb, so Stick and Rock took the lead. They ran as fast they could until they finally reached the building with the tent roof. Stick opened the door for Smoke. They rushed to the center and placed Sun by the fireplace. "Flute, we need you!" Rock yelled, walking around the room. The women slaves and the caretakers stared at Rock, walking around in a panic. Pin, Stick''s former caretaker, walked up to Sun and told them to step back to give him some air.


    Flute eventually came through the back door. "What? Flute busy cleaning bucket!" She yelled.


    "Flute, we need your help," Rock said as he grabs Flute''s hand and pulls her to Sun.


    "What happened to your arm?" Flute remark after seeing Rock''s arm.


    "That doesn''t matter. Right now, our attention should be on Sun."


    Flute reached Sun lying on the floor. The caretakers in the room were waiting for Flute to give out the orders. She pointed at three goblins and ordered them to get a bucket of warm water. She then ordered another goblin to bring her ointments and a bowl of purple mush. Finally, she organized the remaining goblins into two groups; one was to get linens and any form of alcohol to her, and the other was to stay hand help her. The caretakers scattered to their duties. Flute ripped the coat opened. She was about to take the bandage off when she noticed the brothers were still in the room. Pin was ordered to get the brothers out while they operate on Sun.


    Smoke, Stick, and Rock sat outside. All of them exhausted from today''s event and anxious for the rest of it. Smoke covered his eyes. The pain caused by the stinkbomb was gone, but he cried nonetheless. "I should have gone back for you. I should have helped Sun." He sobbed.


    "Come on, Smoke, it''s not your fault. You said it yourself, its no one''s fault." Rock said.


    "I know. It''s just so frustrating not being able to do anything."


    Stick got up, "That''s not true. You helped cover Sun''s wounds, and carried him all the way here."


    "Stick is right. We all did the best we can." Rock added.


    Smoke took a deep breath. "Thank you." Smoke looks at Rock and his broken arm. He worries that it will be unfixable if it was left untreated. "Rock, we should probably get..." Pin suddenly slammed the door open. The brothers jumped out of their seat, surprised. She looked a bit delirious. "Come quick!" She yelled. The brothers entered the building. Right beside their brother was Sun''s mother. She was on her knees. Her hand hovered over Sun''s naked body, and from it came out soft shimmering light. It showered Sun''s wounds, and over time they slowly healed, leaving a scar in its place. Some color was brought back to Sun''s skin. The goblins and the women were shocked at what they saw. Sun''s mother knew how to use healing spells.

 Vol 2 Chapter 7: Today A Reader, Tomorrow A Healer

    Despite the cold, dry winter weather, the building was warm and cozy. The fireplace was large enough to keep the entire room warm. It was a more pleasant place to stay compared to the cold barn. The slave women were far from content, but they had to make do with they have.


    Most of the women could barely move, except for one, Sun''s mother. While the others had to rely on the goblins for help to move around, she could crawl to the place she desires. She was independent, but not free. She was confined inside the building with no hope of leaving. The caretakers not only care for them, but they watch their every movement. There was no privacy. All she could do was move far away from them, hiding in the corner of the room.


    There she observed the goblins and the slaves. She took note of their working schedule and the materials they would bring in. Maybe she could sneak away when no one is looking, she thought. But where would she go? She was in the middle of the Desolate Forest. She could try and hide in one of the abandoned cities if she could even get to them.


    She pushed these thoughts behind her mind. There was nothing she can do about her situation. The only hope she has was that goblin spawn she had. She could barely remember his, but she remembers the incredible feats he has done. He managed to wrestle against a larger spawnling, and fight an adult goblin. He was her only hope of getting out of here alive.


    She also wondered if her spawnling would come with her to the outside world. Although goblin slaves are not unheard of, she could still get in trouble if they were in countries that prohibited slaves. The dwarf kingdom of Loreyn, for example, is the nearest kingdom from here, located in the mountains east of the forest. It doesn''t allow slavery in its borders, which makes it challenging to bring her spawnling.


    While she was busy thinking in the corner, a goblin was walking in her direction, carrying a box. The goblin went to the shelf next to her, climbed to the very top, and placed the box. There the goblin stumbled upon a book. "Oh, food for fire." The goblin said. When she climbed back down, a hand tugged at her pants. She looked at the woman, grabbing her. "What want slave?" She asked.


    She pointed at the book the goblin was holding. "You want?" The goblin looked at the book. It wasn''t anything special, it was just fuel for the fire, and it''s not like they needed more. "Ok." The goblin tossed the book to the slave and went on her merry way.


    The book contained illustrations of various plants and animals native to the continent. But the text was in an alien language. The only language used in this world was Titan, the language the Queen of Slaves, Titania, blessed the different races in the world. The only times one can encounter different languages were from slab artifacts from long ago or aliens visiting from other worlds. Since these goblins appeared alongside these abandoned cities, many scholars hypothesized that those cities, towns, and the goblins were not native to our world. But if that''s the case. How does this book contain diagrams of native fauna and flora?


    Since she can''t escape and the goblins lost interest in raping them due to winter, this was the perfect time to uncover the secrets of goblins. Her curiosity was at the level of a scholar. If not for her family being serfs, she could have entered academies studying arts and sciences. She carried the book closed to her chest and crawled to the other side of the room where there were empty shelves and cabinets she could use to make a secluded area for her.


    Flute saw her moving the furniture around. She walked up to her to ask what she was doing only to remember she can''t speak due to the medicine. Flute decides to help her instead. Flute sees this slave as an integral part of Sun''s growth. Not once did she witness a halfling experience such a level of growth, not just physically but mentally and socially as well. Blasphemous as it may sound, but Flute believes that Sun has the potential of becoming chief, with his ability to rally his fellow halflings and ability to fight. After helping Sun''s mother, she returned to her duties.


    The mother isolated herself in her hiding place. She took some of the purple mush and wrote on the walls the symbols she found behind the spawnling''s head. The symbols looked like the letters in the book. This wasn''t enough to satisfy her questions, though. There should be more books in the town, probably hiding in plain sight.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Suddenly she heard a noise outside her makeshift room. She hid her book behind instinctively. When she realized it just her spawnling, her body relaxes in relief. "Hey, mom. How are you doing?" She responded by nodding her head. "That''s good. Oh. Mom, look what I found at the house we were staying." He pulled out a book, and that took her by surprise. She crawled closer, staring at the book. It''s written in the same alien language as the book she has.


    "Dear diary. Today daddy bought me you at the farmer''s market. I was so excited that once I got home, I took my pencil and start," While he was reading, the symbols started to morph in place. They began to transform into letters and then words. She snatched the book off his hand and began to flip over the pages. The alien language was translating into Titan. She looked up at the inscription she wrote on the wall. It did not change. That means only one thing. Those letters were not from an alien language; it was some world level illusion spell that turns Titan writing into indecipherable code and symbols.


    "Sorry, mom. I just. Are you ok?" The spawling asked. She assured him that she was okay. Eventually, the spawnlings left the room for their hunt.


    She spent the rest of her day reading the books. The one her spawnling brought with him was a diary of a little girl. It must have been the former residents of this town before those Drons attacked it. Whether or not those Drons were goblins were irrelevant. She has enough questions to deal with. Why use a world level illusionary spell to change the perceived appearance of a universal language? How come that spawling bypassed the illusion and read it in Titan? And how did the spawnling know how to read Titan? So many questions with no signs of an answer.


    The second book was about medicinal herbs and spells. It contains various information about plants and their effects on a person''s body. There were also instructions on basic healing spells. Although she did not have an in-depth understanding of magic, she at least knows that she has enough mana to cast the healing spells found in the book. Mana can be found in every being. To increase one''s mana, they have to undergo rigorous training or to just be a serf forced to work in the field every day of your life. It''s quite easy to increase mana; the problem is using it. Only those who can afford scholars and experienced warriors can learn how to use mana.


    But she needs neither of those things. She has a book with detailed instructions on how to perform the spells, its functions, and her former life as a serf has given her plenty of hardships to increase her mana. She spent the rest of her day practicing the healing spells on herself. After trying out all of them, she started reading a chapter titled, The Anatomy of the Races. It featured detailed illustrations of human, orc, and many other races'' physical characteristics. One race, in particular, stood out to her. An unknown race, possibly the former inhabitants of the cities and towns found in the forest.


    Before she could study the anatomy of this race, the door of the building was kicked opened. She could hear goblins looking for Flute. She peeked out her secluded room and saw the halflings panicking. Lying on the floor was her spawnling.


    Flute kneeled next to Sun and ordered the goblins around. She washed the body with warm water. A goblin came back with some purple liquid. It was the potion mixed in with the mush. The woman thought that the medicine would only harm her spawnling. She wanted to step in and heal him, but that could endanger her. Flute begins to panic as well. Sun stopped breathing, and none of the goblins knew how to respond. Flute tries to resuscitate him to no avail. They were about to give up.


    She couldn''t let him die. He promised her freedom. If he dies, then her hope for that escape dies with it. But, exposing herself could also ruin her chances of escaping. She faces a dilemma. Then she heard the silent voice, a faint whisper blown by the wind. "Mama, I''m sorry,"


    She took a deep breath and crawled out of her secluded place. She got on one knee, and slowly she stood up. The goblins noticed her standing tall over them. She walked to Sun''s body, the goblins moving out of the way. She kneeled next to him, rubbed her hands together, then placed them on top of Sun''s chest, and start to pumping. At the same time, her hands glowed bright yellow. Sun''s heart began to beat once more. She then raised her hand, and out of it came small gold specks of dust. The raining dust covered most of Sun''s body.


    His wounds slowly healed, and his skin has regained its life once more. Her hands dropped by her waist, and her body was covered in sweat. The goblins in the room began to cheer, the slaves glared at her, and the goblin spawns were stuck in place, speechless. "You strong slave. Me care good. Hahaha." One of the goblin laughed. It was the one in charge of caring for her son, the one that tormented her during her pregnancy and child-rearing, and the one she despised the most. She glared back at her. "I have a name. The name is Mari."

 Vol 2 Chapter 8: Storm Is Brewing

    The goblin continued to cheer for Mari. But after the ecstatic moment of relief, the room became eerily quiet. The goblins suddenly realized the importance of Mari''s ability. They looked at each other, looking to see who can make the first move. Who will be the first one to tell the chief of a slave healer?


    "Um, excuse me. Sun''s mom. Can I be next?" Rock asked as he walk forward. The goblins watched Rock get closer to Mari until he was finally an arm''s length away from her. They launched themselves off their feet, sprinting to the front door knocking down Stick and Rock along the way. Smoke reacted by blocking the door, holding a spear in hand. "Stand back!" He yelled. If not for the fact these caretakers saw him defeating an adult one on one, they would have the confidence to push him to the side.


    "And what you do, halfling?" One them said. "You just one. We many! So get out way!" She yelled. "Get out way! Get out way!" The caretakers yelled in unison as they slowly move closer to the door.


    "All of you, stop!" A loud screeching voice echoed from the center of the room. It was Flute holding a stone club in her hand. "You all sit now!" The caretakers sat down on the floor with their heads bowed down. "Smoke, Flute say sit down!"


    "Yes, ma''am." Smoke sat down facing all the caretakers.


    "Now, why you all run to door. You have jobs, no?" The room was silent. Mari was sitting next to Rock and Sun. She started to rub her hands until it glowed and placed it on Rock''s injury. "Well no answer Flute. No eat!"


    The caretakers gave each other worried glances. Finally, one of them spoke up. "Tell chief Cala of slave healer. Get reward." The goblins voice was visibly shaken.


    "Reward? You here following me, because you useless. You no give baby goblin to tribe. You think chief reward you." She walked around the group while hiting her club on her open hand. "You like rats. Chief not believe you. Chief go ''oh you only want meat,'' then chief kick you out room. You tell no one of Sun''s mother. If you do, Flute, come and kill you." She pointed the club at the goblin that spoke. "We clear!"


    "Yes, Flute!" They yelled in unison.


    Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Flute opens it. It was meek goblin with curly hair. "What, child? Flute busy."


    "Chief ask me to get all re... re... um?" He put his finger on his lower lip, trying to remember what the word was.


    "Flute gets it. Go. Flute meet chief now." The little goblin skipped away to his next destination. "Tie! Go get Flute''s helm!" The goblin Flute pointed at, stood up. She went to the backroom and came back with a flat top helmet with red feathers protruding out the right side. "Go back and sit, chief calling all retainers. You sit here. No move. Smoke, kill anyone the gets up." Smoke nodded at Flute and turned his attention to the caretakers. The caretakers were visibly frightened.


    Flute put on her think white coat and exited the building. Along the way, she passed a well where children and their mothers were gathering water. The children would wave at her, and she would wave back. She glanced at the sky and noticed the thick clouds overhead ‘ͺ an ominous sign.


    After a few minutes of walking, she reached the building with red roof tiles. The guards outside bowed to her and opened the door. Wooden planks blocked the curtains leading to Cala''s room. It was a sign not to disturb him. She walked in and met Olhos sitting down by the window. He was cleaning his helmet with a wet rag. His face was covered in blood and his once beautiful cherry, blonde hair now dyed red. Flute asked what had happened that would have him covered in blood.


    "Wolves seen at hunt. Many parties die. Olhos count twelve dead. Olhos and followers carry bodies back." Olhos said. Flute saw the awful bite mark on Sun. To think that same wolf killed so many goblins. "Scary part is wolves have collar. That means wolf masters are trolls." Flute was shocked to hear this. But that does make sense. Trolls turn into stone when under the sunlight. Sending out their wolves to scout during the day will be much safer than covering their skin and scout themselves.


    "Now what we do? How we make sure wolves not find tribe?" Flute asked.


    "Salacity want Sum back."


    "What! Salacity knows Sum protect tribe from Razin tribe."


    "True, but Sum and followers hunt wolves before. Only Sum knows ways to kill wolves."


    Flute wants to object again, but Olhos has a point. No one but Sum and his followers knows about wolves. The front door opens, revealing Dolce covered in three layers of coat, followed by Salacity, Cloud, and Cancer. They sat next to Olhos and Flute. Cancer removes his spikey helmet, letting out his long black hair. He whips it back and forth, hitting Salacity in the face. "Why you!" Salacity jumps on top of Cancer. They fell on the floor and wrestled with one another. "Stop it, you two!" Dolce yelled. Salacity and Cancer are twins. They get in each other''s throat like cats and dogs. Dolce, Sum, and the chief are the only ones that can stop the two from fighting.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Just when the two brothers calmed down, a female goblin walked out of the curtains and removed the planks. It was Dawn, Cala''s favorite toy. She told the group that Cala is free now, and they can enter.


    The retainers entered the room. Cala was sitting on his throne, his right hand resting on the pommel of his sword. They kneeled before the chief. Afterward, they stood up, and Olhos gave his report. "The trolls'' wolves terrorizing our goblins that are out hunting. Then stop sending goblins out to hunt. We''ll wait until the wolves move somewhere else."


    "But your greatness, wolves might find tribe. Need kill them before they find us." Cancer said.


    "And need meat too. Winter is here. Soon snow fall." Dolce added.


    "Salacity thinks Sum should come back and kill," A knife flew by Salacity''s head before he could finish his sentence.


    Cala stood up and thrust his sword to the floor, piercing through it. "No one should dare mention that name. Sum is to remain in the south. If you want to kill the wolves, do it yourself. If you want meat, hunt it yourself. But don''t you ever mention Sum in front of me. If I find out any of you send a message to him, I will not only kill you but fuck you in front of the tribe to make an example of you." The retainers shiver in fear, and Salacity fell to the floor. He went in all four, begging for forgiveness. He immediately got up when he heard footsteps coming behind the curtain.


    A guard reveals his head through the curtains, informing the chief and his retainers that snow started to fall. Winter has begun. Cala laughed while his retainers gave one another worried looks. "Snow is here. Which means hunting is near impossible with the wolves and snow combined. And snow will only impede Sum''s way back here. It''s best for him to stay where he is now. Don''t you agree with me Salacity?"


    "Yes, chief. Better Sum stays at Bona." Salacity said on a low voice.


    "Good, now leave. Gaurd, call Dawn back here for me." The guard nodded. He guided the retainers out of the building and then left to look for Dawn. The retainers walked down the square, looking at the snow falling.


    "Dammit!" Salacity yelled. "If no snow, Salacity could get follower to tell Sum come back."


    "Why does chief not want Sum here to kill wolves?" Olhos asked.


    "Why you mean why? We all know why. Flute know why, Cloud know why, everyone know! Chief scared of Sum."


    "Salacity, that''s blasphemy." Cloud said.


    "Shut up. Brother right." Cancer said to support Salacity. "Chief not want Sum here because Dawn loves Sum. Dawn and Sum even have baby together. If Sum here, Dawn no fucks chief. But chief only wants Dawn for chief only." The snowfall started to get heavier.


    "If only Sum weak like you Cloud, chief kill Dawn''s baby already," Flute added. "But Sum strong. Almost strong as Tama, and smart as Cloud too. Now snow here. Make it hard to go to Bona."


    "And hard to hunt too," Dolce said sadly.


    The retainers eventually disperse from their clique to return to respective duties. Flute walked back to the building. Goblin children were running around with their tounges out, trying to catch the snow. Once she entered, she delegated new jobs to the caretakers, who remained still all this time under Smoke''s watchful eye. Mari went back to her little secluded room while Stick sat next to Sun. Flute noticed that Rock was missing. Flute asked where Rock could have been. "Rock went out to get warm water." Smoke answered.


    Rock was outside, walking to one of the wells with his wooden bucket on hand. There was a place next to the well where some goblin mothers were chatting. One of them just got to the well with her bucket. She sat next to the other mothers; one of them gave her a baby. Rock recognized that woman and that baby. It was the mother and son duo he met at the cottage when they were being treated. She went to the well while carrying her baby so Rock ran to meet up with her.


    "Hey, how are you doing?" Rock asked.


    "I ok, but you look no ok." She pointed at Rock''s bandaged arm. It was sandwiched between two sticks, straightening the arm in place.


    "Oh, this. I got it after fighting a goat and a wolf." He said with enthusiasm.


    "A wolf!" She said in amazement. "Wow. No many goblins fight wolves. I no fight wolves. But you know, my baby will fight wolves. You know why I know?"


    "Let me guess. Because this strong, handsome goblin, his mother is talking to fought wolves."


    She laughed. "No. Not right. My baby''s dad killed wolf before. That why I know."


    Rock got flustered and was looking for the right words to impress her. "Well, I killed a goat and a wolf at the same time. And I bet I could beat him too."


    "Oh, really now," She was not impressed. "Well, good luck because he strong." She left after filling her water. Rock followed shortly after. They continued to chat as they wait for their water to heat up from the fire. Despite the snow accumulating around them, the two goblins felt warm sitting close to the fire and each other. After what seemed to be hours, Rock finally realizes, he doesn''t know her name. "I sorry but I forgot to ask. What''s your name?" She looked at him with a gentle smile. "Secret" She said as she put her finger over her mouth.


    Right behind, they heard the sound of snow being pressed down. The two turned around to see the guard Cala sent to fetch Dawn. "Excuse me, Dawn, chief wants you back to room." The two looked the guard with annoyed.


    Rock turns to face Dawn. "Well, looks like its not a secret to me anymore."


    Dawn giggled. "No secret no more." She got up and handed her baby to one of the other mothers. "I can help watch him for you," Rock said. She looked at him with surprise. "No it ok." She tells the other mother to take care of him in her absence. Dawn looked at Rock before leaving. "No come close to my baby." This surprised Rock.


    "Why not?" He asked.


    "Just no come close." She said as walked away with the guard. Rock looked at Dawn''s baby in the embrace of another woman. The mother turned the baby away from Rock as she looked at him with suspicion. It got colder when Dawn left. The snow was one inch deep now.

 Vol 2 Chapter 9: The Three Beast

    "Shuja! Come back before dinner." A woman with a blue veil over her head said to a child running outside. She was leaning on the door frame, waiting for the child to respond.


    "Yes, mama!" The child yelled back. That child was Shuja, and he was five years of age. He was outside playing on the road with the neighborhood children. The woman went back inside the house after watching once the children gathered around in a circle. A tall girl presented them with a bundle of straws. She tells them to pick one straw. The one with the shortest straw is the seeker, and everyone else hides.


    Shuja pulled the last straw and presented it to the group. It was the longest one, while ¨€¨€¨€, Shuja''s best friend, got the shortest straw. The children ran to their hiding spots once ¨€¨€¨€ started counting down from twenty with his face against the wall. Shuja ran to the basket court. He planned to climb and hide behind the backboard of the basketball ring. The ring was held high up by a series of steel pipes stuck together, forming an ''a'' form ladder. Sadly, another kid already beat him to it. His second plan was to hide behind the pile of garbage bags, but when he got close to it, the repulsive smell pushed him away.


    Shuja only has ten seconds left before ¨€¨€¨€ looks for them. He looked around the neighborhood, finding an alleyway with a small canal traveling along the right side. Across it was a crack on the wall big enough for Shuja to fit in. Shuja ran down the alley to the small wooden bridge crossing the canal.


    He walked on the wooden bridge, slowly and carefully. The bridge rocked back and forth for every step Shuja take. A gust of wind blew by Shuja, making him nearly lose his balance. After readjusting his posture by leaning forward and bending his knees, he continued to walk until he reached the other side. He then ran to the crack opening. The small opening leads to an open desert field.


    He squeezed in the tight opening facing the outside. He could barely fit inside, with his arms against the wall and legs standing straight. It was an uncomfortable position to be in. Across the canal were two children running away from ¨€¨€¨€. Shuja knows that he was the fastest kid on the block and that those two stand no chance at beating him. ¨€¨€¨€ managed to tag the two on the head, which comes as no surprise for Shuja.


    Watching the two go back gave Shuja a sudden realization. He can''t run away unless he squeezes himself further down until he exits behind the wall. While he was busy contemplating, ¨€¨€¨€''s face jumped out, scaring Shuja. "Found you!" He yelled.


    Shuja moved further down the hole as ¨€¨€¨€''s hand try to reach him. Inch by inch, the space around got him grew smaller until he finally he trips and falls to the sandy ground. He gets up to see a frustrated hand flail around trying to catch him. Shuja laughed proudly with tears of joy. But behind him was an even greater danger.


    On top of the opening was a warning sign. Shuja looked up while wiping his tears and noticed the sign. It read ''beware of dog.'' The sound of chains brushing the sand could be heard. Shuja turned around and saw an old run-down house. In front of it were three dogs with chain collars on. The dogs charged at him while barking. Shuja turned around to climb back in the crack, but it was sealed shut. One of the dogs jumped on Shuja''s back. Shuja covered his neck to prevent it from getting bitten. The other dogs bit down on his shoes and pants, holding on to him, dragging him back to the old house.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Shuja tried to punch the dogs biting his pants and shoes. The dog on top of him bit his arm after noticing him punching one of the dog''s snout. Shuja screamed from the pain, which took the dogs by surprise. The dogs got off Shuja, allowing him to stand back up. He ran to the wall, trying to climb the wall. "Wait for me!" ¨€¨€¨€ yelled.


    Shuja turned around to see him getting attacked by the dogs. Shuja continued to scale the wall. "Shuja help!" He yelled again. Shuja reached the top. He pulled himself up with his arms. "Shuja!" His hands shake from the weight of his body and his conscious. He placed his legs on top of the wall and got up on his feet. He stared down at the dogs and ¨€¨€¨€. One of the dogs was grabbing onto ¨€¨€¨€''s sleeves, pinning him in place as the other dogs bite on his shoes and leg. "Hey, dogs!" Shuja yelled. "Let go of him!" Shuja leaps off the wall, landing on top of the dog that was grabbing his sleeve.


    The ground liquifies after landing on the dog. The sandy ground turned into a shallow puddle of water. Shuja drank some of the water after landing. It tasted salty. The house, ¨€¨€¨€, and the two other dogs disappeared, leaving only him and the dog he landed on. The dog''s skin started to peel off, revealing a body made out of cogs, pipes, and pumps. Shuja got off and crawled away from the dog. It turned to him with its bright red eyes. "Who are you?" The dog asked with a low, static voice.


    "What? Who are you? Wait, no. What are you?"


    "Irrelevant! You had trespassed. You must be terminated." The dog''s mouth opened wide. In place of its canines were small balls of fire. The water around him reverberated.


    "Son, where have you been." Shuja turned around to see his mother walking to him. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" A load beeping sound was coming out of the dog''s mouth. Shuja ran to her.


    "Mama, get down." A beam of light blasted out of the dog''s mouth, hitting both Shuja and his mom. Shuja''s vision turned black, but a voice calls out to him, telling him to wake up. "Sun, wake up now."


    Sun opens his eyes to see a goblin woman washing his arm with a wet rag. She carefully raised his arm out of the way to wipe his side. She continued to wash him down to his waist, making her way from his hip down the inner thigh. Her hand strokes were getting close to his crotch. "Excuse me, I think I can do that myself," Sun said. The lady looked at Sun with a flustered look on her face.


    "You wake." She said.


    She handed him the rag and scurried to the back room. Sun looked around the room. He was inside the slave women''s quarters. His black hair grew longer, reaching his shoulders. He took the bucket full of water next to him, carried it to the front door. He grabbed his coat and hat and opened the door. He was met with a half-foot of snow surrounding the entrance. "What the hell?" Sun said out loud. He turned around and walked back inside.


    The goblin lady came back with Stick. "Sun, you''re awake." Stick hugged Sun.


    "Yeah, I''m awake."


    Stick let go of Sun. "I''ll get the others." Stick turned around and headed to the backroom. Sun grabbed his wrist.


    "Wait, just wanted to ask when it started snowing?"


    "It started to snow four days ago. Cloud predicted that another snowstorm would come tomorrow."


    "Four days! Don''t tell me I was out for four days." Sun yelled. He touched his shoulder and felt a scar. "How did this heal so fast?"


    "Your mom healed you. She knows how to use a healing spell. No idea how it works, but it sure did look amazing."


    "She can do what? Where is she?" Sun raised head looking for her.


    "She''s sleeping at her usual place." Sun headed to his mom''s hiding place. He looked through the small opening and saw his mother sleeping peacefully under the blanket. Stick reached out to Sun. He turned around to look at Stick. "Does Flute know?"


    "Yeah, she told everyone that knows about your mom''s ability to keep quiet. Or she''ll kill them."


    Sun looked relieved. He sat down on the floor, staring at the fireplace. He reflected on his dream, wondering what it meant. The name Shuja filled his mind. It was his name before he was a goblin.

 Vol 2 Chapter 10: Starving Tribe

    Rock and Smoke were busy cleaning the outside of their cottage of snow. Smoke would scrape off snow and pile them on a sleigh. Rock carries that sleigh to the wall where the goblins stationed there would create a wall of snow in front of the existing wall. Sun and Stick made their way down the street to their cottage to meet the two.


    The two met Rock on the way; he was pulling the sleigh to the wall. "Sun, you''re awake!" Rock yelled. He let go of the reins and hugged Sun. Sun noticed his forearm was covered in bandages. "Is your still not ok?" Sun asked.


    "Sadly, no. Even though your mom used a healing spell, it still takes a long for the bones to heal properly. I guess that goat''s headbutt was that strong."


    "I told you not to wrestle with it. Anyway, where are you going with that snow."


    "I''m going to bring it to the wall. The guys working there are using it to make a taller wall of snow. Probably because of the wolves."


    "The Timber Wolves are a major problem for the tribe. Olhos'' scouts found three of them. No one is allowed to leave because of the risk of getting attacked." Stick said.


    "Those same wolves that attacked us. There''s three of them now." Sun said as he wondered if his dream had a connection to the number of wolves present in the forest. If it was, it doesn''t explain that dog''s mechanical appearance. There was also his past life''s name, Shuja, and the fact that a goblin from this world had the same name. "How''s Shuja and the other goblins that went hunting the same day we did?"


    "Most of them are fine. Our group and Lite''s group were the only that were outright attacked by those wolves." Stick said.


    "I see. Well, we should go and help Smoke clear the snow. I''ll see you once you get back Rock."


    "I''ll get back as fast as possible then." Rock proclaimed.


    The brothers went on their separate ways. At the cottage, a bunch of goblins was moving snow around. One of them was Smoke. Sun formed a cone with his hands and yelled out to him. "Hey! Leave some for the rest of us!"


    Smoke raised his head to see who was yelling. When he saw Sun, he dropped his wooden shovel and ran to him. The two brothers hugged each other as tight as they could. "You''re awake!"


    "Hell yeah, I''m awake. Also, can you let go now, this hug is starting to hurt." Smoke let go, and the two brothers share a laugh with one another.


    "So, where can I get a pair of shovels for Stick and me?"


    "What? You just woke up. I can''t just let you plow the snow,"


    "It''s fine. Rock is working despite his injuries. It will be fine."


    "Well," Smoke scratch his head. "Fine. There''s a couple of shovels over there by that wagon." He pointed over a small wagon with a pile of shovels on top of it. Sun and Stick fetched their shovels and started to plow the snow off the road. Stick showed Sun the proper way to use the shovel.


    "Now, put your right foot on top of the shovel''s head and press down," Stick said. "Then push the shovel forward while pressing the handle down. After moving the shovel a few inches forward, you raise it. You can use your knee as support if it''s too heavy."


    Sun was having a great time working, not because he enjoys plowing but because it was the first he has seen the snow. If it were not for the fact they needed to get to work, he would have fallen on the ground and made those snow angels. None of the dreams of his past life depict snow, only the coarse sand.


    Rock came back after an hour and helped with shoveling the snow. The brothers continued to work till sundown. After finishing the work, they returned the shovels and proceeded to walk to the town square. "Where are we going?" Sun asked.


    "To the house with the red roof. That''s where the rations are being handed out." Smoke said.


    "They better give more this time. I''m starting to lose my muscles." Rock complained.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    "I doubt that. Even if it stopped snowing, those wolves would stop us from hunting."


    The sky was getting darker as they walk. It was time for dinner, and the square was filled with hungry goblins. Sun looked at the large crowd forming a long, compact line. He counted the heads he saw. There were at least a hundred or more goblins in front of him alone. The line moved terribly slow. Most of them huddled together for warmth, the brothers included. Some of the goblins that got their portion would walk pass the ones waiting in line and eat it in front of them. They laughed while the other goblins stared with envy as their belly make rumbling noises. "Fuck those guys," Rock whispered. "They only get to eat first because they''re the chief''s direct followers. Meanwhile, those with babies to feed have to wait in line. Doesn''t the chief know their babies could get sick from the cold."


    Sun looked at Rock in astonishment. He would never have thought Rock cared about the well being of other goblins besides his brothers, let alone those with children to care for. He turned to Smoke for an answer. "Rock befriended this mother. That''s probably why he has such strong opinions about this." Smoke whispered. Sun quickly recalled the moment Rock was flirting with a goblin woman. His affection for her made him have these outlooks in their goblin society. He felt proud of Rock.


    Behind the brothers were another group of goblins gossiping about the wolves and a goblin named Sum. Sun couldn''t help but eavesdrop in their conversation. Based on their words, Sum is an expert in killing Timber Wolves.


    "If I rememberrrr corrrrectly, he killed nine Timberrrrr Wolves in the paaaaast." One of them said. Sun can hear his teeth chattering.


    "I heard he killed four all by himself." One added.


    "I heard he and Tama had a contest to see who can kill a Timber Wolf faster with just their bare hands." Another one said.


    "Woah!"


    Woah, indeed, Sun thought. Those wolves were impressive beasts. If not for those stink bombs they got from Cloud, they would have been all dead by now. If Sum was here, Sun could ask him how he managed to kill those wolves, and what secret technique he used.


    Over time, the line got shorter and shorter until Dolce got up on a towering pile of crates and shouted to the line that there was no more food. Goblins yelled at Dolce, and many of them tried to get in the building, but Dolce''s followers kept them at bay. The riot got even worse when one of the goblins that got their ration mocked the ones that didn''t. A punch was thrown at one of the mocking goblins, and it escalated into a brawl.


    Goblin mothers and their children try to escape from the violence engulfing the square. One child got separated from his mother. He was shoved down on the ground by other fleeing goblins. Two fighters were beating each other close to the child. They eventually got so close that one of them almost punch the child. Luckily, Rock was there to block the punch. Rock threw a punch back at the two, and the rest of the brothers stepped in to help.


    The riot spilled over to the streets. Windows shattered, doors broken, and walls torn down. Dolce and his followers tried to calm the fire but to no avail. Finally, out from the tall red-roofed building came the chief. The blood veins on Cala''s legs popped out, and a bluish mist rose from the ground. Then in a blink of an eye, he charged at the goblins in the middle of the square, thrust his sword through a goblin''s skull and to the earth, and roared.


    The goblins stood in place, shocked by the sudden appearance of the chief. "What''s going on here? Why the hell are you rioting?" He yelled at the crowd.


    Dolce ran to him. The rest of the chief''s retainers followed. "My great chief. We have no food left. They hungry. What we do?" Dolce was rubbing his hands together while his body was shaking.


    Cala pointed at Flute and Salacity. "Both of you bring the slaves to Dolce. We''ll butcher and feed them to the rest of the tribe."


    Flute and Salacity''s eyes widened in surprise. "But chief, slaves taste no good. Good for fucking, not eating!" Salacity yelled.


    "Shut up, Salacity!" The chief yelled, but it was too late. The goblins at the square heard Salacity and began to murmur dissatisfaction. "Shut up, all of you! We can''t hunt with those wolves out. You''ll have to go do with the slaves or starve to death."


    "Or get Sum!" A voice in the back yelled out.


    "Who said that!" Cala was visibly angry. His head was redder than before, and he lifted his sword, pointing at the crowd. Salacity winked at the rest of the retainers.


    "Sum kill wolf! Sum bring wolf!" The goblins started yelling and eventually yelling the phrases in unison.


    "Enough!" Cala slams his sword to the ground causing a massive explosion that sent snow flying at the goblins, silencing them. "Sum can''t come back! All you can eat now are the slaves we have."


    "What if I hunt those wolves and bring them here!" Sun stepped out of the crowd. "And in return, you''ll leave the slaves alone."


    Cala was dumbfounded. In front of him was one of the halflings that fought Tama and his followers. He survived the hunt that involved Timber Wolves roaming their usual hunting grounds. And now he stands before him, demanding him to spare the slaves in return for killing wolves.


    Cloud shuffled closer to the chief. "I think that''s good. Tribe gets food to eat, we keep the slaves, and no more wolves to stop us from hunting."


    "And no need for Sum!" Salacity quickly reckoned.


    Cala calmed down and agreed that letting them hunt those wolves will be the smart choice. And if they failed to come back, they are likely already dead, which saves Cala the eyesore."If you want to hunt those wolves, by all means, go. But if you fail to bring back any wolf meat, might as well not come back at all!"

 Vol 2 Chapter 11: Over The Garden Wall

    Rock, Stick, and Smoke walked up to Sun after the chief left and the retainers. Sun''s actions baffled them, and they wanted answers. "Why did you say that to the chief? You know full well that we can''t hunt those wolves at our current state?" Smoke told Sun profusely. "You just woke from your long sleep, and Rock is still recovering from his injuries."


    "Did you not hear what the chief said! He was going to kill the slaves and use their remains to feed us. Our mothers are slaves, Smoke. I had to do it to keep our mothers safe. What else could I do?"


    "Anything but hunt the wolves! We could''ve just escaped with them,"


    "And where will you go? We barely know the outside world, and most of them could barely walk. This is the only way."


    Smoke knows escaping is futile with the weather, but hunting those wolves pose an equally impossible task. But Sun did so much for them. He taught them how to fight, to read, and to learn to appreciate their mothers and the life they gave them. He took a deep breath and asked Sun, "What''s the plan then?"


    "Stick,"


    "Yes," Stick answered.


    "Do you still have those stinkbombs."


    "Yeah, I do."


    "Give us one of each, and you will take the rest. You will stay here and keep our mothers safe. Use your portion of the stinkbombs in any way you see fit, as long as they are safe."


    "Wait, what about you guys? Don''t tell me you guys are going to hunt without me?"


    "I need someone to stay here to protect in case the chief doesn''t stand by his words. I need you here."


    Stick found it difficult to answer, but he agreed regardless. "Ok, I''ll stay here."


    "And how will Stick protect slaves?" Flute walked up to the brothers. "Also, who gave stinkbomb? Cloud give that?"


    "No," Stick and Sun answered.


    "Yes," Rock replied by mistake. The brothers looked at Rock with an infuriated expression. "Did I say something I shouldn''t have?"


    Flute laughed it off and told the brothers not to worry. She was willing to help the brothers protect their mothers and the other slaves. No one likes to eat them, not because of the taste but because it felt wrong. This surprised Sun since he witnessed Rock and Smoke kill and essentially ate some flesh of their mother during their rage-inducing hunger not so long ago. However, both of them feel guilty for it, which meant the act of eating slaves could be considered taboo. Though not as severely looked down upon, especially now.


    Sun yelled out to the crowd hoping to garner support for their hunt knowing they hate to eat the slaves. Sadly, no one replied to the call. The tribe''s fear of dying between the wolves'' teeth were far greater than their disgust of human flesh.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    The brothers climbed up the hill to gather supplies. Salacity and his followers were also there preparing for their knives. Salacity saw the four of them and called out to them. "Halflings, come here! Take this." He handed Sun a red buckler shield. "Sum kill wolf with shield. Sum use shield keep open wolf''s mouth, then jabbed spear inside. Use it."


    Sun couldn''t believe what is happening, Salacity is helping them. "Thank you. I won''t fail."


    Sun walked back to his brothers. Rock was busy brushing off snow from his short, black hair. Sun realized his hair has grown so long that it could distract him during the hunt. He took out a stone knife and cut hair. Though not as short as Rock''s, it was a much bearable style.


    The brothers left and made their way back to the slave quarters. Flute was there preparing to barricade the front door. Sun contemplated Flute''s willingness to help them. There wasn''t any benefit. If anything, she risks losing her status and even her head. One of the caretakers noticed us coming. "Childs, you back."


    "We are not children anymore, Pin," Stick said.


    "Ok, ok. Pin, remember you so small when Pin carries you little Stick." Pin patted Stick''s head. He swatted her hand away.


    "Pin Shut up. No one wants to hear that!"


    "Ok. Anyway, we keep woman safe. But chief scary, come back quick, ok." Pin giggled.


    "Don''t worry; I''m staying here. If the chief does anything, I''ll make sure no one gets hurt." Stick said with his chest held high.


    "Ok big boy."


    Sun and Smoke felt slightly uncomfortable during their flirtatious conversation. Maybe it was because Pin was Stick''s caretaker when he was a baby? Or maybe it was because the two doesn''t realize they are flirting? Meanwhile, Rock couldn''t help but remember Dawn during their conversation.


    Pin looked at the rest of the brothers and asked, "So you want say hi to slaves moms?" She wraps her arm around Stick''s neck, rubbing his brown hair.


    "Actually, we''re just about to leave. We''ll see you guys later, once we take down those wolves." Sun took Smoke and Rock''s arm and pulled them away. Pin and Stick waved goodbye.


    As they walk, Sun discussed the plan against the wolves. "Once the wolves get close and open its mouth to attack us, we throw the bomb right on their throat."


    "And what if we miss," Rock asked.


    "Then, we thrust our spear down its throat. I just hope they don''t eat our spears whole." Smoke said, raising his spear. The brothers forced out a laugh to ease the tension. The atmosphere returned to silence with only the sound of snow getting stepped filling the silent void.


    At the wall, most of the tribe were there to witness the brothers leave for the hunt. The goblins gossiped with each other as the brothers walk past them. Some of them looked at them with hopefulness, while others look at them with pity. But they all had one thing in common; they were hungry.


    The chief, Cala, stands on top of the tower staring down at the brothers. To his left was Cloud, he wanted to yell at them and cheer for them, but that would defy Cala. All he could do was to pray silently for their safe return. To his right was a goblin woman. She waved at the brothers with a sad look on her face. Rock beats his chest while looking at the woman.


    Shuja jumps out of the crowd right before the brothers reached the gate. She wanted to tell them good luck, but the words did not find itself out. Sun turned around to look at the crowd one last time before entering the forest. He noticed Shuja stand there. He waved at her, and she waved back. She ran back in the crowd, and Sun went on his way. He doesn''t know why her name is Shuja, but he remembers why his name was Shuja from his previous life. The words from his mother echoed in his head. "Shuja, it means bravery. And you are my brave little one." Her mother once said to him.


    The three brothers entered the forest. The grew darker as the clouds gather. Rock asks, "So, how are we going to find those wolves?"


    "We''re going back to the place we met one and looked for the tree that has the red cross." Sun leads the hunting party. They don''t know if they''ll kill those wolves, but they do know that there is no turning back.

 Vol 2 Chapter 12: Back At The Barnyard

    Flute had her followers carry the women back to the barn. Stick carried his mother on a sleigh. "Don''t worry, mom; I''ll keep you safe from them." He tells her in an attempt to comfort her. The town was nearly empty. Most of the goblins were waiting at the gate for the wolf meat. The barn''s reinforcement was left unfinished due to the snow, but it makes for a better fortress than the tent roof building the slaves stayed in. "Flute, are there any two by fours we can use to block the windows?"


    "You mean wood planks. Yes, we have many." She responded. Flute calls on two of her followers to get nails and hammers from the armory. "Wood can block windows for short time, but chief and followers are strong. chief break window and door easy."


    "I know, which is why I have these," Stick pulls out three stinkbombs from his coat. "I''m going to lay down traps with these bombs. This should deter most of the attackers. My only concern now is the chief. Flute, how strong is he?"


    Flute looked at Stick with eyes filled with excitement. "Flute knows chief super strong. I see chief fight many times. Flute remembers when chief and Flute were small. Chief protect me." Flute''s excitement suddenly turned solemn. "Flute liked Cala to be chief. Then, then that!" Flute''s story was suddenly interrupted.


    "Excuse me? Flute, Meek found wood back of barn." Said a goblin carrying an armful of wooden planks.


    "Good."


    They just passed the brothers'' cottage on their way to the barn when Stick thought of an idea, " Meek, can you also get some ropes? And shovels too. Oh, and do you guys have flowers or anything that smells good by any chance. I have a plan."


    "Whatever plan is, Flute will help you." She turned to Meek, "Gather all caretakers. Flute and Stick have orders.


    Flute ordered some of her followers to block all doors and windows with wooden planks. Meanwhile, Stick and other goblins built a two-meter wall made out of snow surrounding the barn. After creating the wall, a two-meter moat was dug up behind the walls. In the bottom of the ditch, Stick rigged his traps. Stick tied a rope around the top of the stinkbomb. He tied the end of the same rope on a wooden pole he struck to the ground. The end with the bomb connects to another wooden pole placed three meters away from the other pole. The rope was hanging off the ground for at least one meter high, and the trap itself is in front of the barn''s entrance. Stick built three more on the sides of the barn, while the back was left untouched because there were no exits or entrance.


    It took an hour and a half for the goblins to finish their preparations. Flute ordered her caretakers to form a defensive formation outside the barn, but Stick insisted they remain inside. He didn''t want to involve them anymore in this fight. Pin gave him the perfume he requested. He poured the ointment on a rag and tied it around his face to mask his nose. Finally, he threw a wooden sickle with a rope attached over the roof. He tugged on the rope to see if it hooked onto something. He was going to use the rope to climb up and down. After his preparations, Stick did some stretches before climbing up the barn to stand guard on the roof.


    Cloud limbed up the snow wall, calling out to Stick while he was doing his stretches. Stick quickly rushed to Cloud''s direction when he noticed Could was getting ready to jump down, "Cloud doesn''t jump down, I rigged a trap in the ditch." Cloud falls on his back before jumping off the wall.


    "Whew, that was close." Cloud sighed. He climbed back up the wall and stayed there to talk to Stick. "Where is Flute?"


    "She''s inside. Did the chief send you here, Cloud?"This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "Yeah, he wanted to tell you that he will give your brothers ten more minutes before coming here."


    "Ok," Stick looked back at the barn. He clenched his fist and took a deep breath. He was ready as he can be.


    "Stick, may I ask you a question?" Stick nodded back at Cloud, "Why are you doing this? The chief is the strongest goblin there is. These snow walls will do nothing against him. He would just slash through it or leap over it."


    "I have to try, for my brothers and mothers'' sake. Besides, the situation is not that hopeless. Those stink bombs you gave me, that all I need."


    "I don''t think my stinkbombs are that strong. I was only exaggerating its powers when I told you it could make a Timber Wolf feint. The chief would only see it as a minor inconven..."


    "Cloud!" Stick yelled, "I know how strong your stinkbombs are. I''ve seen, smelled, and used it on a Timber Wolf. I know exactly how strong they are, and I can tell you right now, they are not weak. And don''t you ever say those things again! Cala wanted you to be his retainers because of how strong your weapons are. So don''t forget that." Cloud smiled back at Stick. "And besides, I did some reading and experimenting while watching over Sun. Seeing you work got me thinking of ideas."


    Cloud did not know what reading meant, but he did understand that Stick is determined to protect the slaves and his mother against anyone, including Cala. Could only pray for the brothers'' safety. He returned to his post after chatting.


    It has been three hours since the brothers left. The clouds got darker since then. It means snowfall is coming, and the tribe has grown tired of waiting. Even if the brothers kill a wolf, it will not suffice as food for the entire tribe. Cala smiled while staring at the forest on top of his wooden tower. He believes those nuisances are dead, and that its time to kill the slaves and feed the tribe.


    Dawn climbed down the tower an hour ago. She waited for Rock''s return. She didn''t understand why she was concerned about his safety, but she waited regardless. But as the seconds turned to minutes and minutes turned to hours, Dawn began to lose hope. Rock was not coming back for her, just like Sum. Only this time, she thought Rock is not coming back for good.


    Stick sat on top of the roof. He watched as Cala and his retainers march towards the barn. Olhos stopped the march in front of the snow wall. "What''s the meaning of this?" Cala yelled. "You there! You must be the runt of the halflings. Did you make this wall?"


    "What do you mean? That wall was there when we got here!" Stick answered back. "The ones in charge of fixing and improving the barn must have built.


    "Where the hell is Flute? She needs to come out of here and give me the slave."


    "Flute is inside with the slaves. She said she''d only give the slaves if one of you come inside and take them."


    "Olhos, tell your followers to get in there and get my slaves out!" Cala snarled as he gave out his command.


    Olhos motion his hand to the barn, "All heard chief. Move!" Olhos yelled.


    A massive swarm of goblins climbed over the wall. The first goblins that arrived on top of the wall stood still after looking down at the ditch. It was a big drop, but what worried the goblins were the long rope traveling through the moat. They sense a trap. One of the goblins tried to climb back the other way and warn the others, "Guys, Peele see,"


    "Shut up. Key needs get top of wall!" Key pushed Peele out of the way. Peele stumbles backward until finally, he fell down the ditch. The rest of the goblins followed once they saw Peele stand back up unharmed. Stick smiled as the goblins jumped down one after the other. None of them saw the stinkbomb fly into the air.


    The bomb landed on top of one of the goblin''s head, shattering into pieces. The goblin was covered in the foul stench, and the smell quickly expanded to the rest of the ditch, engulfing the goblins inside. The goblins were crying, coughing, and some of them could not see. They screamed in agony as they stumble to and on each other inside the trench. Stick stood on top of his barn with a smile behind his mask.


    Olhos'' face was burning red from embarrassment. He could believe what was happening. He ordered his followers to go around to sides, but those two were rigged with traps. The goblins that got over the wall were in no condition to fight. Meanwhile, Cala''s face was red because of anger.


    He had enough of the screaming goblins. He raised his sword towards the sky. Blue came out of his forearm and traveled up the beveled groove of the sword. After a few seconds, the sword was covered in a blueish aura. He struck down to the ground, creating a blue gust of wind that traveled to the wall of snow. The wind slashed through the wall, creating an opening. Cala entered through it. Stick slide down and stood in front of the barn doors. He, his club, and wooden sickle are the only thing that stands between Cala and his mother.

 Vol 2 Chapter 13: Bomber Man

    Before moving the slaves in their new temporary home, Stick entered his cottage to retrieve two bottles of blue liquid from the drawer. Flute saw him holding the bottles. She couldn''t help but ask, "What those bottles are? Cloud gives new bombs?"


    "Not exactly. I''ve been watching him make stink bombs these past four days. I wrote down the ingredients he used on this piece of paper." Stick pulled out the paper from the drawer and gave it to Flute. She looked at the paper, which for her just had random circles, squares, and other geometric shapes drawn in a line. She thought it would be filled with drawings of the ingredients, not random shapes. "I tested some of them on my own and learned what they are capable of. For instance, the Cold Flower''s smell causes sneezing, and while its petals create a burning sensation to the eye when pounded into powder and mixed with Horny Toad''s poison. After testing them, I wrote my own recipe for two new bombs. One blinds the target for a longer duration, and the second is a much more potent smelling bomb. Now I haven''t used these two yet, so I don''t know if my bombs actually work. But I find that today is the perfect day to test them out. I just need to make I can survive until my brothers come back."


    Flute handed back Stick''s paper, "Flute don''t know how bomb work, but Flute know Stick can do it." She said with a smile.


    Stick took out a leather belt and tied it around his waist. It had five small compartments that can fit small objects such as the bottles that Stick has. Flute and Stick walked towards the front door of the cottage. They were met with a large group of goblins waiting for them. Flute called out to one of them, "Tie, come back yet?"


    "No, Flute." The woman answered.


    "Stick," Flute turns to him with a solemn look. "Your brothers need to survive long too." She returned to the group and gave out orders. Stick stood there bewildered by her comment. But it mattered no more. Now he faces the strongest enemy of his life so far. Cala stood on the opposite side of the ditch. He stared down at the goblins suffocating from the foul stench. His face showed no sign of remorse, only anger. Olhos and a few other goblins climbed up the hill to witness the carnage that is about to unfold.


    He points the tip of his sword at Stick, "You dare stand between me and my slaves! Do I need to remind what I did to Tama, or do you just want to die."


    "I''m just here helping Flute take care of the women. I didn''t know anything about those traps, believe me!" Stick yelled. His club was resting on his shoulder, and he stood there with such confidence and debonair. He tucked his wooden sickle between his belt and pants and pulled out a bomb similar to Cloud''s bombs, but instead of a ball shape, it had a cylinder form. He juggled it in his hand, "Besides, does it really matter if I stand here. Oh, don''t tell me you''re afraid of me, chief. There''s no reason to on guard, because you did say I was the runt."


    A blue mist begins to emanate from Cala''s body. They travel down to his legs, wrapping around it. Eventually, blue mist settles on Cala''s boots, turning into a glistering bluish paint. Cala leaned forward, with his right leg extending behind him. He pulled his long sword off his shoulder and held it horizontally on his side with his palm facing the sky. "I fear no goblin." He whispered.


    His left leg propelled him forward. In a blink of an eye, he crossed over the ditch, and behind him, a cloud of snow blew out from where he used to stand. Stick tosed one of his bombs in front of him before immediately ducking. Cala swung his sword across, slicing the bomb in half. Blue liquid came out and splattered on Cala''s coat and face. He stopped in his track, confused about what just happened. The smell of the liquid was horrible, and it irritated his eyes. However, the smell wasn''t as bad as Cloud''s stinkbomb. "What is this?" He said with an irritated voice. He wiped off the liquid from his face.


    Stick rolled off to the side. He looked at Cala, and nervously asked, "Can you still see?" Cala glared at him. "I guess that one doesn''t work."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "You little shit!" Cala yelled. He swung his sword at Stick. The tip glided on the snow, and a blue mist covered the sword. Stick pivoted backward with his club blocking the impact. The tip of the sword did not even graze Stick, but the shockwave that followed sent Stick and his club flying in the air. He crashed on the snow wall and then landed inside the trench.


    The goblins inside the trench were coughing and sneezing. The ones that were close to the center of the smell feinted. Stick pushed himself off the ground, but the toxic smell prevented him from getting on his feet. He crawled his way through the trench.


    "You!" A goblin yelled. He was on top of the snow wall. "Dun kill you!" He jumped off with a stone ax over his head. He landed behind Stick and struck his ax on the ground, barely missing Stick, who had to open his legs to dodge his attack. However, Dun quickly succumbed to the smell and dropped his weapon to cover his nose. He started to cough out blood. Stick got up and took the stone ax. Dun got on all four, then he fell on his side and struggled to breathe as the smell begins to cause inflammation and congestion in the throat.


    Stick was slowly succumbing from the stench as well. He coughed out blood when he picked up the stone ax. Stick rushed to the wall and climbed up. Once he got back up, he saw Cala standing in front of the barn with its door wide open. Stick got one knee and pushed himself up on his feet. He bent backward, and the loud sound of bones cracking caught Cala''s attention.


    "Where are they?" Cala turned his head to look at Stick. "Where are the slaves?" He was visibly confused and angry.


    Stick removed his wooden sickle off his belt as calmly as he could. He drops the sickle hanging by the rope on his right side and began swinging the sickle in a circle. His arms moved in tandem with the motion of the sickle. The speed of which it traveled made the sickle seem invisible. Stick practiced doing this for three days. Those three days, he expended blood, sweat, and tears to perfect it. He hoped that this technique would help him against stronger foes, but he lacked the experience to utilize it effectively.


    Cala charged at Stick. His sword rested on the left shoulder, and he slowly lifted the sword to strike. Stick waved his rotating sickle in the air while letting the rope slide off his palm. Then he swiped his hand across, sending his sickle flying towards Cala at high speed.


    The goblins watching could not see the sickle fly towards Cala. They thought the sickle would hit Cala on the head, but Cala surprised them. Cala stopped and swung his sword down in the direction of the incoming sickle. He cut through it like butter. Blue liquid splattered all over the snow.


    While Cala was preoccupied, Stick took the initiative and charged at him. He raised his ax over his head as he leaped into the air. Despite Cala''s height dwarfing Stick, he managed to reach and smashed Cala''s head. But Cala did not fall.


    Cala grabbed Stick on the ankle and carried him up in the air like a newborn baby. "You thought you could bring me down with that?" Cala laughed, "You are nothing but a pathetic, runt of the halfling liter." He threw Stick on the ground, and blood erupted from Stick''s mouth, staining his staining the rag over his mouth red. Stick screamed in agony.


    Cala raised his sword and hanged it over Stick''s body. "Farewell, and say hi to your brothers for me." But before he could stick his sword through Stick''s body, he was overcome by the vilest smell he has ever experienced. The smell was similar to a rotting corpsed that was peed on while ants bite your nose repeatedly. He covered his mouth and nose, but he could still smell it. The smell of blood pouring from his nose mixed with the foul smell made the whole experience worse.


    Stick crawled away and giggling to himself. He tied the second bomb on his sickle, so when it hits Cala, the smell will cover him. Stick planned to run away if the bomb didn''t work, but he could smell it from where he stands. He took a chance and ran up to Cala and hit him on the face, but the smell had a delay effect on Cala.


    After getting used to the smell, Cala saw Stick crawl away. He was about to walk towards him and kill him when Olhos and his followers yelled out to him, "Chief, chief! Halflings come back. They bring wolf meat!"


    "What? They survived." Cala whispered. He turns attention away from Stick and walked back to the hole on the wall. Olhos walked up to him with a concerned look. "I''m fine. I''ll just take a shower first. Once we get the wolf meat, I want you to kill them."


    Suddenly, one of Olhos'' followers yelled, "Sum back with halflings and meat!" They ran towards the square where they brought the meat.


    Cala was stunned. He could not believe what he just heard. He looked at Olhos and asked, "What the goblin said, was it true? Answer me!" He grabbed Olhos by the neck.


    "Yes. Sum back."

 Vol 2 Chapter 14: Red Cross

    After an hour of walking in the deep snow, the brothers finally reach their destination the tree with the red cross. "Alright, let''s scout the area," Sun said, "Smoke, go up the trees and watch for any signs of wolves. Rock, you and I will walk around the perimeter and look for any footprints, hair, and even blood. We have to find them as quickly as possible before they find us. We only use our bombs when they are so close that we can see their uvula. Our spears and clubs are the only means of defending against them, so be careful. That means no wrestling involve Rock."


    "Oh, man," Rock said.


    The brothers got to work. Smoke climbed the highest tree, and Rock and Sun scouted the area looking for signs of the wolves. Unfortunately, the two brothers were unsuccessful. Luckily, Smoke caught a glimpse of birds flying away from the direction of the stream.


    The brothers regrouped at the red cross after half an hour of looking. They decided to pack up and head to the creek. In case of an ambush, the brothers had the club out and ready to fight. They walked as quiet as possible to avoid the wolves'' attention.


    Once they got to the creek, they spotted two wolves near the frozen stream. They were grooming one another. The three brothers hid behind the bushes, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. "Ok, we need to get one of their attention." Sun whispered, "Once we get one to come to us, we attack all at once."


    "And how do we do that?" Rock asked.


    "We could try to make some noise to attract one of them." Smoke suggested.


    "I think that''s a good idea. Let''s make a trap first. Afterward, we try to lure one of the wolves into our trap. I''m thinking of tripwire as our best option. What do you guys think?" Sun said.


    Smoke was about to say something when a rock fell on top of him, "Ow! What the?" The brothers looked up and saw two squirrels fighting. They were making a ruckus, and the wolves noticed. They walked towards the sound.


    "Oh shit," Sun said, "Time to go." The brothers ran the opposite direction. The wolves followed closely behind, but the trees hindered the Timber Wolves'' movement due to their size.


    "What do we do? I can practically feel them breathing down my neck!" Rock yelled.


    "Give me a minute. I''m thinking!" Sun yelled back. "Come on, Sun. Think, think, think." He whispered to himself. The brothers jumped over logs and cut their way through shrubs. Obstacles that the two wolves passed through with just brute force.


    Rock witnessed the wolves destroy nearly everything in their path. "Holy shit! There strong. I wonder if I can wrestle against one?"


    "Don''t even think about wrestling one of those!" Smoke yelled back at Rock. "You barely won against that goat, what makes you think you can wrestle one of those wolves?"


    "I''ve been training. Stick, and I have been muscle training and,"


    "I got it!" Sun cries out, interrupting Rock. The two brothers looked at him and asked in unison, "What is it?"


    "Do you guys remember the cliff?"


    "Yeah!" The two responded.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    The brothers kept running until they reached the cliffside. They stopped and turned around to face the two wolves chasing them. The brothers took out their spears just in case. The wolves saw the brothers stand their ground, but that did not matter for them. Goblins were easy prey for them. And if they bring one dead to their masters, they get a treat. There''s three goblins, one for each of the wolves.


    The wolves picked up the pace, charging at the goblins with incredible speed. They expected their target to stay still and fight them with their spears, but instead, they jumped to the sides. The wolves tried to turn around and attack the goblins, but when pivoting their bodies, they continued to slide forward. Then the ground beneath them disappeared, and they fell down the rock cliff. They rolled as they fall, hitting the sharp, jagged rocks along the way.


    A cloud of snow exploding upwards as the giant wolves crashed to the ground. The wolves pushed themselves up, their body was covered with cuts, deep and small, and blood poured out of them. Their bodies shivered from the pain. One of them looked at the top of the cliff and saw the brothers beginning their descend. The wolf howled to the sky, calling out for help. A distant howl responded.


    "What the hell was that?" Rock asked.


    "It must have called for help." Sun said, "How many are they?"


    "I don''t know." Sun answered, "None of the retainers or the chief gave any information about those wolves. All we know is that they are here, and they are dangerous."


    "Well, it doesn''t matter now. We have to kill those wolves now before whatever it called for comes."


    The brothers rushed down to the wolves. Spears in hand, they took a battle stance. The end of their spears aimed at the wolves. The wolves snarled while the brothers walked closer with caution. A standoff begins as both parties examine the other. None of them can afford to show any weaknesses, make any mistakes, and take any lethal hits. The wolves only need to survive until their help comes, but the brothers need to end this quickly.


    One of the wolves lowered their bodies to the ground, raising its butt and readied itself to pounce on the nearest goblin. The other one got in front. After a few grueling seconds of silence and tension, the wolf in front charged at Sun and Smoke.


    It opened its mouth to bite Sun on its shoulder. Instead, Sun lodged a spear down its throat. Smoke followed with spear thrust to its chest. The wolf spun rapidly, shaking off Smoke and Sun. Then it bit the spear in half and coughed out the remaining pieces. The wolf''s movement was incoherent and sluggish. It looked around for the two brothers, but its blood got on its eyes, blinding it.


    The two brothers took heavy damage themselves. Smoke got thrown off, hitting a tree face first, breaking his nose. Sun''s head landed on a rock when he was thrown off. His head began to swell, but it was hidden under his long hair. But the brothers did not stop. Smoke and Sun took out their clubs and smashed the wolf''s head. The wolf tried to defend itself by charging forward and spinning around, but the more it moved, the more tired it became.


    The wolf pranced around in hopes of crushing one of the goblins with its giant paws. Sun was about to yell to Smoke to be careful, but Smoke had already taken the initiative. Smoke slid under the wolf. He got on one knee, aimed his club on the wolf''s hind leg, and swung it. He slid his hands up from the knob end of the club to give him more control and power in his swing. The wolf rolled over its side and growling in pain.


    Rock, on the other hand, got closer to the wolf on the ground. After getting two meters close to it, the wolf pounced on Rock. Rock raised his spear right on time. The spear went inside the wolf''s mouth, and its weight pushed the spear further down its throat. The wolf tries to shake off the spear and Rock, but it couldn''t.


    Rock pulled out its club, pulled it back over his head, and then smash it on the wolf''s snot. Blood splattered out of the wolf''s nose. After a few more hits to the head, the wolf collapsed on the ground.


    Sun watched as his two brothers kill their wolves. Rock grew stronger than he could have ever imagined, and Smoke''s fearlessness caught Sun by surprise. A burning sensation swelled inside of Sun. He grinned from ear to ear. His brothers have surpassed him, and he could not but smile with pride.


    "That was amazing!" He yelled at his brothers. They laughed after defeating the two wolves. At that moment, they were the happiest goblins. They succeeded against all the odds and saved their mothers.


    But this moment of happiness did not last long. As the brothers gather their material and move the wolves together, out from the bushes came another Timber Wolf.


    "What the hell?" Rock heard snow being pressed behind them. He turned around and saw the wolf charged at them. "Watch out!"

 Vol 2 Chapter 15: Sun Eater

    Sun turned around and saw a large Timber Wolf charging to them. Sun leaped out of the way and rolled on his knee. The wolf continued running to the corpses of its fellow wolves. It stopped right next to the bodies. Its eyes, filled with anger and sadness, glared at Sun. The two''s eyes met, and a connection sparked between them. The foul stench of rot and decay permeated from the wolf. The scar on Sun''s chest burned when looking at the wolf and its jaw. It was the same wolf that attacked them days ago.


    Sun took out his buckle and spear and armed himself. Meanwhile, Rock and Smoke hid on the other side of the pile of bodies. Both of them readied out their knives and climbed up the pile. The wolf snarled at Sun, and its body began to gear up. It was ready to attack him.


    While staring at its target, Rock and Smoke managed to get up and took the wolf by surprise. They jumped on its back, and with stone knives on their hands, they started stabbing the wolf on his hind legs. The wolf spun around.


    The wolf turned to his butt to attack the brothers clinging behind it. Smoke lets go, and he flew and rolled towards a shrubbery. Rock was stubborn and would not let go. Sun shouted at him, "Let go, Rock! You''re going to get yourself killed!"


    The wolf turned to the other side to bite Rock. Sun ran closer to the wolf and threw his spear at the wolf, hitting it on the paw. The wolf jumped from the pain. The sudden jump caused Rock to hit his head on the wolf''s pelvis, knocking him out. "Oh shit! Rock!" Sun yelled.


    The wolf bit the spear off his paw and threw it to the side then looked at Sun. The wolf charges towards him with its eyes filled with killing intent. Sun ran back to his bag and pulled out his club. He raised his buckle in front of him, and he braised for impact.


    The wolf bit on the buckle and shoved Sun to the ground. The snow softened the blow for Sun. The wolf held the buckle in its mouth and started to shake violently. Sun was dragged back and forth, his body flailing like a doll. Sun had to hold on to the buckle with two hands or risk losing his only means to defend himself. A cloud of snow rose from the wolf''s violent thrashing.


    The wolf raised its head with the buckle still in its mouth. Sun was up in the air, keeping tightening his grip. Then the wolf swung its head, smashing Sun to the ground. The pain from the impact released Sun''s grip on his buckle. The wolf threw the old shield off to the side.


    Sun got on his four and crawled to his bag. The wolf followed him, seemingly enjoying the scene of the goblin panic and struggle. The scene reminded the wolf about another goblin it killed the same day it encountered Sun and his brothers. That goblin was Lite.


    The wolf found Lite amusing as he desperately calls for his friends to help him. But none came to help. The wolves were told to find as many goblins as possible and torture and kill them, just like what they did to one of their masters. And the wolf did as they were told to do.


    But the wolf''s enjoyment disappeared. Sun did not cry out for help, nor was he in despair. The wolf thought the goblin was stronger and braver than it initially believed. The wolf looked at its two fallen brethren. They were not weak, and it takes more than three goblins to kill them. Then the wolf came to a realization. The goblins'' weapons caused the foul stench stuck to its fur. The wolf looked back at its prey only to see a small bomb growing larger and larger, until exploding between the eyes.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The disgusting smell came back, and it closed its eyes to shield itself from the debris and liquid. Sun took out a club from the bag and swung it at the wolf, but it managed to dodge the attack. The wolf retaliated by slamming its head against Sun, launching him up in the air.


    Sun landed on the snowy ground. His right arm was in pain after receiving a headbutt. The wolf rubbed its eyes while Sun remains motionless on the ground. After a few seconds of groaning, Sun gets back up on his feet. Next to him was his club and spear. He grabbed the club with his left hand and the spear on his right hand, took a deep breathe, and said to himself, "You got this Sun. Your brothers'' life depends on you."


    He charged at the distracted wolf. The wolf''s keen hearing heard Sun''s footsteps, and it immediately rushed towards him. With its jaws wide open, Sun pointed the spear in front of him and aimed it at the wolf.


    However, the wolf learned its lesson. It opened its eyes and saw the end of the spear facing him. The wolf shifted his balance to side, dodging the spear. Now the spear was parallel with the wolf''s head.


    The wolf tilted its head and bit the spear in half. Both the wolf and Sun turned around after passing each other. Sun threw the broken spear, held his club with both hands, and entered a guarding stance. Once again, both parties charged at one another. The wolf opened its jaw, ready to bite down on Sun''s shoulder. But Sun learned his lesson.


    Right before closes its mouth to take a bite of Sun''s shoulder, Sun got down to his knee. The wolf missed its target. Underneath the wolf, Sun smashed his club on the wolf''s front legs. The wolf tripped and rolled over.


    The wolf got back up its feet as quickly as it tripped over. Its left leg was bleeding, but that did not stop the wolf from attacking Sun for the third time. Sun turned around while on one knee. He saw the wolf charging towards him. He raised his club only to notice it has broken in half.


    The wolf got excited when it saw Sun''s weapon broken beyond repair. Sun felt the wolf''s bloodlust. But just as the wolf opened its mouth, a flying disk crashed into its jaws. It was Sun''s buckle; he turned around and saw Rock. But it wasn''t Rock.


    The goblin man was as musclier as Rock but slightly shorter than him. It had on its hand the other half of Sun''s spear. He wears a pointy helmet with a brim around it and a red bushy tail on the top. Besides him was a goblin woman that looked awfully familiar.


    The goblin man charged at the wolf. On his waist was a club. He took and threw it at the wolf. The wolf was busy spitting out the buckle to notice the club flying towards it. The club landed on the wolf''s left eye.


    "Get down!" The goblin yelled at Sun. He ducked down as the goblin leaped over him.


    The wolf howled from the pain coming from its left eye. Despite its blindness, it could still hear. Its ears scanned for any noise, but it could not hear any footsteps. It stood still trying to figure out where the attack was possibly coming from.


    Suddenly, the spear penetrated the wolf''s skull. The goblin managed to land right on top of the wolf''s head. The wolf fell to the ground, its lifeless body laid on the snowy ground. Its red blood poured out on the snow, forming a pool around the wolf.


    The goblin woman ran up to Sun and asked, "You ok, Sun?"


    "Yeah, I am fine." Sun looked at the male goblin standing in front of him. "Whose that?"


    "That Sum."


    Sun collapse on the ground. He rested for a while. He recalled wlthe rumors he heard and thought that Sum would be bigger than Tama.

 Vol 2 Chapter 16: Moving Forward

    Sum walked towards Sun. "Are you ok, halfling?" He asked with a stone-cold tone.


    "Yeah, I''m fine," Sun said. The female goblin helped him up on his feet. Sun looked at her and said, "Thank you."


    "You welcome," She answered.


    "Tie? What are you doing here? And where have you''ve been?" Smoke asked. Two goblins were carrying Smoke by placing his arms over their shoulders. A tree branch pierced Smoke''s right leg.


    "Let me help you with that." Sun rushed to Smoke''s right side and took over the duty of carrying him, "Looks like it''s my turn to carry you."


    "Looks like it." Both of them laughed. "Ow," Smoke yelled when he attempted to use his right leg.


    "Halfling," Sum said, "What you did during this hunt was heroic, worthy of praise. Most goblins would have run away, leaving their fallen comrades behind. But you stood your ground and fought the wolf. With that, you have earned my respect."


    "Thank you." Sun was blushing from the cold and Sum''s praises.


    "No wonder Chief Cala sent you to slow down the wolves for us. The chief must have known of your great potential." Sun and Smoke''s eyebrows twitched slightly. "Cala will surely reward you for your service. I would not be surprised if he awarded you the honor of becoming his loyal retainers. But enough small talk, we must get the wolf meat to our chief and tribe."


    Sun and Smoke turned to one another. Sum looked to Cala in high regard. They doubt Cala agreed to the brothers'' request if not for the other retainers'' protest. But what surprised was Sum''s choice of words. From what they heard, it sounded like Cala summoned Sum here to hunt the wolves. Smoke gave Tie a glance. Tie adverted her eyes from Smoke.


    Sum ordered the goblins to bring the sleds and carry the wolves on them. Rock was sitting on the ground next to the pile of dead wolves. A goblin woman wrapped linen around his head. After wrapping him, the goblin patted Rock''s head and said, "Good job!" Then she went to her next assignment. Rock''s head still hurt, but Sun punched him harder before. He saw his brothers conversing with the red helmet wearing goblin. He stood up and walked to them to introduce himself.


    "Hey, Tie, it''s been days since the last time we''ve seen you. And bro, what happened with your leg."


    "What do you think?" Sun said sarcastically.


    Rock turned to Sum; his tone shifted from a relief to a slightly hostile tone, "Hello, you must be Sum. I''m Rock nice to meet you."


    "Likewise," Sum said.


    A goblin walked up to Sum and said, "Master Sum, wolf ready move to tribe."


    "Then let''s get moving before it snows."


    Sum and his followers carried the wolves on sleds. The sleds nearly sunk in the snow from the weight of the wolves. It took five goblins to pull one sleigh. Smoke''s wound was patched up and was given a stick to hold on to, but Sun and Rock insisted on carrying him.


    They arrived outside the walls not long after. Dawn and Dolce and his followers saw them walking towards the gate with the wolf meat. Dolce rang the bell alerting the tribe that the brothers are back with food. Dawn climbed down the wall with her baby in her arms. She ran to Sum and gave him a hug. "You''re back. Dawn and baby miss you." She said sobbing. Rock adverted his eyes from the couple. He could not bear seeing his first love show affection to someone else.


    "I understand Dawn, but we need to transport the wolf meat to the chief to distribute it to the rest of the tribe." Dawn hesitantly released Sum from her embrace.


    "Ok. Dawn knows work important." She watched as the goblins walk to the town square. She saw Rock carrying his brother. She walked up to him and said, "You back. That''s good."


    "Of course I will," Rock said. They both gave each other an awkward smile. Rock struggle to find the words to tell her how he killed a wolf by himself. "Um, you know, I, um."


    Dawn waited for Rock to finish his sentence. Smoke and Sun could not bear the embarrassing interaction between them. Smoke decided to intervene, "Rock killed one of the wolves by himself. You should have been. He smashed that wolf over there with the broken skull right on its face."


    "Really," Dawn said.


    Rock blushed, "Yeah I did. That wolf was nothing compared to me."Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    A crowd of goblin arrived at the gate and saw the wolves and Sum. They began to praise Sum for killing the wolves and saving them from starvation. Sum waved at them to stop. He climbed up one of the wolves and told them about the brother''s achievement, "My tribesmen. I only killed one of these wolves. The ones that did all the work were none other than these brave brothers that sent out to hunt these furious beasts. They are the ones that deserved your praise."


    The goblins clapped and cheered the brothers. They also praised Sum''s humbleness. From the crowd came Pin. She ran up to the brothers who were getting embarrassed from loud cheering. "Halflings alive. Thank goodness. Where Tie? Pin not see her."


    Tie raised her hand and waved at Pin. She ran to her and the brothers. Seeing the arrival of Flute''s caretakers decided it was best for her to leave. She bid farewell to Rock and his brothers then joined Sum as they walk towards the square.


    Pin and Tie gave each other a huge hug. "Tie, Flute worry, you not get Sum on time."


    "Tie get Sum on time, and save halflings from wolf. Now Flute, no mad at Tie."


    "So that''s why you were missing!" Rock and Smoke yelled in unison. Since Sun was in a coma, he had no recollection of who Tie was, and he felt a little left out.


    "Tie, halflings. We go now. get to Flute and Stick." Tie, and the brothers followed Pin across town until they reached the barn. There was a wall of snow surrounding the building. Flute and her followers were dragging goblins out the wall. They didn''t have any fatal injuries, but they smell horrendous. Flute and the caretakers had a mask over their face to alleviate the smell.


    There were large buckets where the caretakers bring the goblins and wash them. Pin and Tie ran up to Flute, who was washing a goblin. Flute saw the brothers behind the two girls. She smiled, knowing the brothers came back safely. Before Tie and Pin could say anything, Flute got up and hugged both of them. "Thank you," She said.


    The two frozen in shock. Flute was never this happy before. Tie swallowed her saliva and asked Flute, "No mad at Tie."


    "No." Tie hugged Flute back.


    After hugging Tie and Pin, Flute turned her attention to the brothers. "Flute know you come back. Tie and Pin wash this goblin. I get brothers to Stick." Tie and Pin got to work. Flute took the boys'' hands and told them, "Come, we go."


    The brothers followed Flute back to their cottage. Inside was a group of caretakers tending to Stick''s injuries and caring for the slave women. The brothers ran and hugged each other. Some tears flowed down their cheeks. "I just saw all of your victims, Stick! You showed them." Sun said proudly.


    "I did my best," Stick said while laughing.


    "Why are you guys here anyway. I thought you would be at the other building."


    "Well, Flute thought it might be better to have them in the barn. The goblins could just climb the wall and tear the tent roof to get in. But then I realized that since we were moving so many of them to the barn, Cala''s followers would have known and told him where they would be. So,"


    "You hid them in our cottage in the last minute just in case you couldn''t stop Cala from entering the barn."


    "Exactly!"


    Sun''s mom stood up and walked towards the brothers. "Mom?" Sun said when he saw her moving. She got on one knee and examined Smoke''s legs. She placed her hand on Smoke''s bandages. The blue light came out from her hands, and the light slowly turned into gold. The gold light then turned into mist enveloping the leg.


    Smoke took off his hand from Rock''s shoulder and put pressure on his right leg, and the pain was gone. He took off the bandage and saw the wound turned into a scar. "Thank you, ma''am." Smoke said.


    "Woah. So you really can use magic mom." Sun said in bewilderment.


    Mari stood back up and looked down on Sun. She raised her hand and placed it on Sun''s head. She rubbed his hair and told him in a soft, raspy voice, "You didn''t say goodbye. You should always tell your mother if you''re leaving." She took her hand off Sun''s head. "But, you did a good job."


    Sun was surprised she could speak. Sun couldn''t help but embraced his mother tightly in his arms. He cried on her mother''s blue garment. Sun''s hug caught Mari by surprise, and she nearly toppled over. She looked at the ugly crying goblin hugging her waist. She always had mix feelings for him. He is a monster she conceived after getting raped by the red goblin and his men. But he was also the only goblin that treated her kindly.


    Now another strange feeling emerged from within her. A feeling she could not explain. Maybe because the goblin was crying like a child, but a newfound emotion swelled inside of Mari that she could only describe as caring. She put her hands over Sun and smiled unconsciously.


    At the same time, the square was filled with goblins waiting for the wolf meat to be carved out and passed out to them. Cala arrived at the scene. Sum saw Cala and he ordered his followers to make room for the chief. The sea of goblins was split in half for Cala. The goblins stared at their chief as he walked towards the platform where the bodies of the wolves lay. Sum, Dawn, and Dolce bowed at the present of the chief.


    Cala climbed the stairs. He looked at Sum and asked in a stone-cold voice, "Why is that here?"


    "I apologize to you, my chief. I came here to present to you the wolves that have been haunting our hunters. I know I must store the wolf meat inside your home before presenting it to the tribe, but the crowd grew restless. I am sorry if I impeded your policies."


    Cala wanted to tell him that he was referring to his presence in the tribe, but he could not dare utter it. Sum is a loyal follower and a popular retainer amongst the tribe. He was as strong as Tama and smart as Cloud. His only fault was his unyielding loyalty towards Cala. A loyalty he can exploit.


    But there is one thing Cala can not take from Sum. And that is Dawn''s love. Cala could order Sum to give Dawn to him at any time of the day, but he will never be able to capture Dawn''s heart. Not when Sum is around. He had a solution, and that was to station Sum in Bona after defeating the Razin tribe''s chief, a decision that was unpopular in the tribe. Now that he is here, another rival has arrived, but this time its not power but for love.


    Dawn would occasionally glance at Sum; her eyes were filled with passion every time. Cala could not help but notice her looking at Sum. A burning sensation swelled inside of Cala. It was a feeling he knows too well. Dawn''s heart is occupied by Sum, and he could not help but frown from jealousy and hate.

 Vol 3 Chapter 1: Does The Black Moon Howl?

    In a hole in a mountainside, there reside two dwarves. Not a cold, wet hole filled with the waste of bats and the stench of rotting carcasses: it was a dwarven hole, and that means it is a military outpost. The hole connects to a balcony overseeing the Raiden Forest.


    The two dwarves sat on the balcony, looking out at the sun setting down the horizon. Their outpost lay on the border between the Raiden Forest and the Bolsca Kingdom, a mountain kingdom inhabited by mostly dwarves. The king assigned garrisons in the border of the Radien Forest to watch over the goblins and stop any looters or large armies from entering the forest.


    The Dwarves garrisoned in the outposts are known as rangers. Each outpost has seven to eleven dwarves, five to eight of these rangers would patrol the forest while the rest stay at the outpost. The two rangers sitting on the balcony were waiting for the patrolling party to come back. One of the dwarves has a long and curly black beard. He has a scar on the left eye, a short stubby nose, and wrinkles around his eyes; he wears a white wig to hide his bald head. The other dwarf had a younger complexion. He had a goatee, bushy eyebrows, and a bowl cut.


    "Aleksy, can I ask you a question?" The young dwarf asked.


    "What is it, Damari?" The old one answered.


    "Why are we doing this?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Well, as rangers, we have to protect the forest and the goblins that live in the forest. It doesn''t really make sense to me. So what if a bunch of adventurers enters the forest to loot and kill goblins. Why should we care? Goblins are a nuisance to our kingdom. Why protect them?"


    Aleksy pondered for a few seconds before giving his answer, "I don''t really know why, but I do know its because of a promise."


    "You mean that promise."


    "Yeah, the promise our king made to the people of the forest. You know those abandoned towns and cities?"


    "Yeah, I know about those."


    "The people that lived there once made a contract with the king. The king promised to protect the forest and the goblins from outside countries."


    "But why, though? It doesn''t make any sense. Sure no one knows who the people that lived in those towns and cities were. In fact, we have no records about the country that lived in the forest besides that contract the king made with them. But we do know that those goblins must be the cause for the countries downfall. Wouldn''t it make more sense if we promised to avenge them rather than protecting the very enemy that destroyed them."


    "You make a good point, new blood!" An old dwarf said down the plight of stairs. It was the patrolling party returning after a day of scouting. They climbed up the stairs connected to the balcony. They looked tired and hungry from their expedition.


    "It seemed like you guys had a long day, Farzin," Aleksy said.


    "A long day indeed," Farzin responded. He had a short brown beard and curly brown hair. He sat down next to Aleksy and Damari on the balcony while the rest of the party entered the hole. "You would not believe what we saw today."


    Damari leaned in closer, "What did you see?"


    "We saw a troll statue."


    "What?" Damari exclaimed.


    "What is a troll doing outside during the day?" Aleksy asked.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    "I may have some idea." A female dwarf walked to the three after putting away her heavy coat. "You see, we saw the troll looking down a cliff. We climbed down to investigate, and we saw this." She pulled out a lump of fur.


    "What''s that, Peigi? Damari asked.


    "Its fur from Timber Wolves," Peigi answered, "Timber Wolves can be found all over the north, and they come in packs of seven. But some wolves were tamed by trolls and other semi-intelligent animals. We also found a broken spear and a pool of blood. It''s very likely that goblins killed a Timber Wolf or two that belonged to a troll family. And a member of that troll family didn''t retreat to their cave until she found their wolves."


    "Never knew goblins could kill a Timber Wolf."


    "Hahaha," Aleksy laughed, "You''d be surprised new blood! During my twenty years as a ranger, I''ve witnessed goblins take on much bigger prey just by using their wits. Never underestimate the weak."


    "We also know at least three goblins that could kill a Timber Wolf on a one on one confrontation," Farzin said while walking towards a cabinet. He pulled out a bottle of vodka and took a sip. "There is Tama, who is so strong he can overpower a wolf with sheer strength. Then there is Sum, a clever goblin and equally strong as Tama. Finally, the chief of the Lev tribe, a hobgoblin called Cala, has the power to use the mana in his body to strengthen himself. He could kill a wolf with one swing of his sword."


    "And which one killed the troll''s wolf," Damari asked.


    "Not Cala, I could tell you that," Farzin said with confidence, "He is strong but paranoid. Cala is too busy worrying about losing his power to go out and hunt a Timber Wolf."


    "And Sum is guarding the tribe''s southern border," Peigi added.


    "Which only leaves Tama as the culprit behind the wolves'' death. It makes sense, though. We have reports from the outpost north of us that they saw Tama and his men killing a young troll. Those wolves were probably sent to kill Tama." Farzin took out four small cups from the cabinet and walked to the other dwarves. He gave each of them a cup and poured vodka in them. The four cheered then gulped down the vodka.


    "Now, that''s good stuff!" Farzin and Aleksy yelled. Both of them looked at each other with astonishment then laughed. "We are too much alike!" Yelled Aleksy.


    After a few more drinks, the sun disappeared from the sky and replaced by the sparkling stars and gentle light of the moon. The night was silent, but Damari''s mind did not quiet down. His question was still unanswered. He turned to Peigi, hoping for an answer he could be happy with. "Peigi, do you know any other reason besides the promise as to why we are protecting the forest and the goblins?"


    Peigi looked up to the sky, thinking about a possible answer to give Damari. While searching for an answer, she recalled a memory when she was a child. A story her mother told her. "You should know about the legend of the Slave Queen Titania. How she united the races of the world to defeat the Sky People, an invading empire coming from the sky?"


    "Yeah, I know about her. Everyone knows." Damari said.


    "Well, there are thirteen goblin tribes in the forest. The tribe we watch over has about two hundred goblins. Let''s say that''s the average for all the other tribes except for three. Three tribes live inside large, ruined cities, so their population is much larger. Let''s say about four thousand each. Altogether, the goblin population numbers in fourteen thousand. Now, I know you''re new, but you should already know that everyone in their tribe, excluding children, are soldiers ready for war. With such a large number of goblins, do you think our kingdom can win against them."


    Damari began to sweat, "No, that sounds like an unstoppable horde."


    "Exactly, but individually, they are weak. Our army of two thousand men strong could wipe out two tribes easily. But if we do that, what do you think would happen."


    "The other goblin tribes would unite against us!" Damari yelled as if he had a eureka moment.


    "The thirteen tribes are busy fighting amongst themselves, but the moment we give them a reason to unite, then we have a horde goblins ready for battle. Worst of all, goblins can breed with the other races, and their hybrid spawns, for some reason, can grow into an adult in fourteen days. They can become an unstoppable war machine." Peigi burped, "That''s why we protect them and the forest. If one of those independent counts, dukes, or kingdoms decides to exterminate the goblins, they could end up waking the beast that destroyed whatever country or kingdom that once resided in that forest."


    "I never thought of it like that," Damari said with a bewildered expression.


    Just as the four dwarves continued to drink the night away, a tremendous roar came out from the forest. The dwarves looked out the balcony. The troll the patrol team saw turned back into flesh.


    In the dark forest, the stone casket crumbled as the troll moves. Its muscles flexed and loosened as the troll cry to the moon. Her wolves are gone, killed by the very same goblins that killed her brother. Hate and vengeance clouded her mind. Only the death of the goblins would satiate her thirst for blood.

 Vol 3 Chapter 2: Tip of the Sword

    It''s been three days since the wolf incident. Sun and Smoke walked around town, searching for more books to read. They asked the goblins if they could look around their homes for any books. Most agreed to their request since they see Sun and his brothers as heroes. But others, particularly supporters of Cala and Sum, gave the two cold shoulders. Cala''s followers despised the brothers for challenging Cala, and Sum''s supporters believe the brothers are ungrateful to the true hero, Sum.


    Rock and Stick were at the meadow, training, and learning about new weapons from Cloud, who was there to supervise the brothers. He was surprised to see Rock and Stick have such a strong brotherly bond. Most goblins who were strong belittled their weaker peers. Cloud knows from experience that the brothers'' relationship is unique.


    Rock and Stick ran in place as part of their training routine. Cloud was mesmerized by the brothers'' intense workout. He wondered how the brothers beat Tama''s men, and now he got his answer, but now he has a new question occupying his mind. "Could I get stronger too?" He whispered to himself.


    Suddenly, a hand slapped Cloud''s shoulder. Due to Cloud''s thick, heavy coat, he nearly rolled away. Cloud stopped himself just in time. He looked at the goblin that appeared next to him; it was Salacity and his brother Cancer. "How these halflings doing? Get stronger. Good, yes?" Salacity rubbed his chin.


    "They''re doing fine. I just don''t understand some of these so-called training they''re doing. Hard to believe they got stronger because of it."


    "Maybe brother train with halflings grow stronger." Cancer said with a mischievous tone.


    "Shut up!" Salacity smacked the back of Cancer''s head. "Well, I and Cancer go tend with slaves. So many women want sex with the man slave. Bye, Cloud." Salacity and Cancer left waving at Stick and Rock.


    Just as they leave, Sun and Smoke returned after searching for books. The two only managed to get three. One of them was a catalog showcasing varying types of items, the second one seemed like a collection of religious scriptures, and the last one and the most valuable one for the brothers was a guide book in swordsmanship.


    Books like these are only owned by the wealthy. Sun could not believe they found such an important book among the broken-down buildings. "Rock! Stick! We got something to show you."


    Sun presented the book to his brothers. He held high up in the air, blocking the sun and casting a shadow over his brothers. "This book is our bible. With this, we will,"


    "What''s a bible?" Rock interrupted.


    Sun looked at him in disbelief, "Look, that''s not important." He shook his head and waved his hand, "What''s important is the contents of this book. Here guys, take a look." Sun opened the book and showed it to his brothers. The first thing they noticed was not the words but the images accompanying it.


    The pages had illustrations of humanoid silhouettes holding various swords in different fighting stances. Next to the pictures were the paragraphs detailing the use of the stand. Some of the images were easy to understand, while others felt more like a joke rather than actual fighting techniques. One page showed how to parry over the shoulder attacks while another page told the reader ''to end your opponent rightly, you have to throw the pommel at them.'' The book also had strange pictures of green knights fighting snails. Sun read books like these from his past life; they are written and drawn by monks to spread Christianity across the world. They had similarly bizarre images as this book.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The brothers asked Cloud if there were any wooden swords used for training. Unfortunately, the tribe had none. The brothers made do with sticks that were near twice the length of their arms.


    They started the exercise drills found inside the book with an even stance. They cut with the sticks vertically while maintaining a constant speed around the shoulder axis. Next, they straightened their arms in front of them and the height of their shoulders and began cutting straight with some slight diagonal swings. Cloud eventually left during the brother''s training because Cala called for him.


    They continued to follow the exercise drill until sunset. Then the brothers packed up their belongings and made their way to the town square to get their rations. While waiting on line, the brothers talked about the book and the training they did for the day. "I mean, I understand that learning to use a sword is great, but I honestly love to use my fist more." Rock held his fist high. "That peek a boo strategy you showed me looked awesome. I want to learn more ways to box since I already learned to peek a boo."


    "But how exactly are you going to use boxing against a fully armed goblin? You couldn''t even handle a goat." Smoke commented


    "Hey, goats are way tougher than you think."


    "Rock is right. A goat''s skull has a weird property. The head absorbs and then dispel the damage. It allows the goat to headbutt its target with force greater than what its size should permit. Which means you can''t judge a goat based on its size, because it will hit you with more strength than you can anticipate." Smoke said


    "Exactly,"


    "But," Sun abruptly said with a short pause, "Smoke has a point. Spending your time exclusively for boxing will only harm you in the long run. It''s called a sunk cost fallacy, the desire to pursue one narrow path just because you already walked that path. It''s ok to change your fighting style, learn new techniques, and experience new things as long as those things promote your growth. It will lead to your benefit to learn a few sword techniques than solely focusing on boxing because in a far distant future, you could be fighting a swordsman, but because you don''t know any sword technique, you won''t know how to counter them."


    "Now that I think about it," Stick scratched the back of his ear and glanced at the sky then to his brothers. "If I learned how to use an ax, I might not be in this situation. The sickle I was practicing with for days just got sliced in half, and that was the only weapon I could use well. Now look at me!" Stick opened his buttoned coat and pointed at his scar.


    "Bro, that''s barely bigger than my finger." Rock said unamused.


    "Well, not everyone here has muscles as hard as a rock."


    Sun giggled at the two. The two reminded him of his past. Recently, Sun''s dreams started to get more precise. Although names and dates are still a blur, scenes in his dream no longer jump in and out and mix with other memories. His past life was a strange and different world. But it was also similar to his new life. He once had to fight in the street, just like how he has to fight a goblin. And there was a foolish goal his past self had when he was a child, a goal that is quite similar to his current one. He wanted to rule the country and make his mother the queen of everything.


    Time passed by as the brothers continued to chat. At the front of the line, goblins under the watchful eyes of Olhos passed out the rations from today''s hunt. As the brothers got closer, Rock got on his tiptoes, looking for Dawn. She was always at the front of the line, but ever since Sum arrived, Rock could barely find the time to talk to Dawn. Sum had the qualities Rock had and much more. He was strong, but instead of using brute force, he plans out his attack to ensure a victory. All Rock could do was hit back harder. And Rock doubts learning about the sword could help him.


    Finally, the brothers reached the red house, and Olho''s goblins handed them their ration. Rock continued to look around for Dawn. The setting sun made it darker to find her, and he ultimately gave up.


    It was a cold night. The brothers headed to the slave quarters before going back to their cottage. Once there, Sun handed his mom the books he found for today. His mother now had a collection of seven books. The two other books the brothers found yesterday were a collection of short fairytales. Before leaving, the brothers said their goodbyes and goodnights and went home. The tribe of Lev regained its peaceful days, but this peace is tenuous.

 Vol 3 Chapter 3: Appeal to Authority

    Cala sits on his throne, biting his nails. Sum''s presence made it difficult for him to ask for Dawn''s services. He had to make do with other goblins. But the other goblins could not compare to Dawn''s beauty and skill.


    If only he courted Dawn first, he thought. Then Dawn would be his and his alone. But the chance to seize the throne presented itself to Cala in the form of Flute. Cala remembered it well; he closed his eyes and returned to that hot summer day. The tribe''s former chief returned after hunting. They returned with the largest deer the tribe has ever seen, nearly twice the height of their human slaves. Its antlers were four feet long and weighed as heavy as a fat adult deer. The chief penetrated the ground with his sword and declared a feast to celebrate their hunt, surprising the tribe.


    But what astonished the tribe the most was chief''s declaration during the feasting ceremony. The chief jumped on top of the table and challenged the entire tribe on a Tina B?kh Fight. "The one that could beat me will win the grand prize, the deer''s antlers!" He yelled at the goblins. "And those who lose, forfeit their lives!" The declaration shook all the goblins. "In seven days, I will have the battle circle prepared in the middle of the square. There I will be waiting inside of the ring ready to accept any challengers brave enough to fight me! No weapons, only your nails, teeth, and muscles are allowed."


    Cala''s body was shaking from fear and excitement. He was an ambitious goblin, and this Tina B?kh Fight just lit that ambitious side of him. There is only one problem. The chief has never lost a fight in his entire life. Luckily, Cala had a brilliant idea.


    A few months ago, one of the daughters of the chief stole an elixir from a rivaling tribe that cures most injuries in a matter of days. There was only one side effect, and that was paralysis. Cala''s friend, Cloud, wanted to learn how to make them, but the chief''s daughter kept it to herself. That daughter was none other than Flute.


    Flute may not speak as intelligently as Cloud and her father, but she was curious and observant. She learned from observing Cloud experimenting with blue worms and other queer ingredients. She began to use Cloud''s method and experimented with different combinations and recipes until she perfectly replicated the elixir. No one knew why she went through the trouble of recreating it. The tribe could have just easily raided the enemy and stole the potions.


    Regardless, the elixirs proved to be a successful drug for the goblin''s slaves. It healed them from their injuries and prevented them from fighting back. Cala needs to obtain a high concentration of that elixir from Flute.


    As the chief''s ''loyal'' retainer, Cala had access to nearly every place in the tribe. This includes the red barn acting as the slave quarters. Flute can be found there, feeding the slaves mush mixed with the drug. Cala''s plan was simple, woe Flue until he gained enough of her trust to give him the elixir.


    Cala entered the barn. He looked around for Flute. Once he found her, he walked with a swagger in a shoulder. "Flute, what doing today?" He leaned against the wall with his arms across. He had a gentle but mischevious smile.


    "What want?" Flute was annoyed by Cala''s presence. She was busy folding freshly washed linens.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Cala thought Flute need company." Cala opened his arms, revealing his chest and chiseled abs. Flute glanced for a bit before retreating to her work.


    "Flute busy." She replied. Flute rarely talked to any of the men in the tribe. She avoids them like a sickness. The only time Cala has seen her speak to another man was her father.


    "Cala, help Flute not be busy." Cala sat next to Flute and began to fold the linens alongside her. The two continued to folding. Occasionally, Cala would strike up a conversation with Flute, and she would respond half-heartedly.


    As the two worked, the caretakers around began to gossip. Flute would sometimes overhear their comments. She would turn around and snarl at them to get back to work. Cala noticed Flute''s flustered expression. By the end of the chore, he purposefully touched Flute''s hand as they the same linen. She retracted her hand the moment they touched, and both of them looked at each other. Flute''s cheek was blushing.


    "Flute finish. Late now, go home." Before Cala could say anything, Flute stood up and took the pile of folded linens. Cala looked around and saw the goblins whispering about Cala and Flute. Cala smiled, for everything was going according to plan.


    Cala left the barn and returned to the shed he shares with Sum, Tama, and Cloud. Outside the hut, Cala could see Tama impressing a bunch of young goblin girls. Tama may not be the brightest among them, but he knows that muscle is enough to get the women''s attention. But not all of them. Flute is a much harder woman to impress.


    Before walking inside the shed, a voice caught Cala''s attention. He looked at the group of ladies watching Tama flex. There was one goblin that took his eyes and forced it to only look at her. She had short gold braided hair, a smile that could melt lake made of ice, and a voice more captivating than a bird''s love song. Before Cala knew it, he fell in love.


    Cala opened his eyes. That memory was nothing more than a distraction to his current predicament. He called for Cloud to brainstorm a way for Sum to disappear from his present.


    Cloud finally arrived. His coat was so thick that he looked like a shorter version of Dolce. "What the hell are you wearing?"


    "It''s freezing outside, so I decided to wear a bigger coat." Cloud struggled to take off the first layer. When he took out his arm from one of the sleeves, he lost his center of balance and fell on the floor.


    "I see," Cala could not help but frown at the pathetic scene in front of him. "While you''re trying to get out of that coat, I have something we need to discuss. It''s about Sum."


    Cloud stopped and looked at Cala with an anxious expression, "What do you mean?"


    "Do I have to tell? I need him out of here! Tama is finally gone! Nothing could threaten my rule, that is until Sum returned. We need to find a way to get rid of him before the end of the month."


    "B-b-but your greatness; Sum is your most loyal follower. I doubt he will ever rebel a..."


    "Our chief thought the same thing, and did you remember what happened to him. I killed him: me, his most loyal servant. I will not make the same mistake as he did!" The building shook from the sound of Cala''s voice.


    Cold sweat covered Cloud''s face, "But Sum will never betray. If any-anything it''s those who-who wa-wa-want Sum to become the new chief that should we, we should get rid of." Cloud stuttered and stumbled on his words trying to think fast to save Sum''s life.


    "How dare you say that!" Cala''s voice reached an unprecedented volume. "I am the chief. The tribe''s chief. Even if they want a god to replace me, I will never allow!" He grabs Cloud by the neck.


    "Then let''s have Sum kill them to prove his loyalty." Cloud quickly choked out. Cala released him. He finds the idea to be brilliant. Sum can kill those that are not loyal to him, or even better, Cala can kill them all.


    "Cloud! I want a new bomb ‘ͺ not a stinkbomb but those bombs that those little men use in the mountains. Those that can blow up a cave. Those strong enough to blow up a cottage!"

 Vol 3 Chapter 4: Illuminated Manuscript

    Mari sat in her corner reading intensively. Her son brought her new books to read, and they seem to offer much more content than the fairytales he found earlier. It was the dead of night, but the holes of the barn allowed the moonlight to shine on the pages. Occasionally, clouds would cover the light, so Mari had to rely on her glowing healing spell to illuminate the pages.


    The book she was reading was the Banal, the holy book of Titania that Sky Tower City circulated throughout the world. The book can be found anywhere, and its the very reason why even serfs were taught how to read. Mari never finished the twelve thousand eight-page book, but now she can finish it here. However, it was difficult for Mari to concentrate because she was constantly thinking about Sun and his brothers.


    Before the Sun left, he told her that he and his brothers would be exploring the outskirts of the tribe the next day. They were going to make a map of the surrounding area, so they know where to go once they free her and the other women from their chains. Mari doubts the brothers'' ability to draw a map. It takes years of apprenticeship to accurately survey the land properly and more years to draw an accurate map. Mari imagined the best map Sun could draw was that of a child drawing.


    The brothers getting injured once again was also a possible outcome, but she understands that her survival and freedom rest in their hands. She leaned back against the wall, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. After calming her mind for a few seconds, she continued to read the Banal.


    The book was at least a hundred years old. The illustrations and decorations around the texts looked outdated compared to the ones the Sky Tower City distributes. Another indicator of its age was the text itself. There was an entire passage written on Dragon''s Call that they removed in the current version and edits in the text that doesn''t exist in the newer ones. This confirms Mari''s initial thoughts about the cities found in the forest. The civilization residing here was not alien because they speak the same language and of the same religion.


    Mari wanted to learn more. She knows freedom was far from her reach, but the knowledge found here was priceless. And she still has many questions left unanswered. She now knows the country was not foreign, but what about the goblins. They must be the Drons written in the diary, so in that case, where did they come from?


    Over to her right was Natasha, who was looking at her reading. After some time, she decided to crawl to her. Her legs could move, but they could barely carry her heavy body to walk, so she crawled on all four.


    Mari noticed Natasha crawl towards her. Mari walked to her and helped her up. They walked back to Mari''s corner and sat there together. "Thank you," Natasha said.


    Natasha''s thank you caught Mari by surprise. She didn''t know Natasha can talk now, and from the clarity of her voice, Mari could tell that side effects have worn off days earlier for her. "Your voice. You must have been able to speak a long time ago." Mari said.


    "Yeah, I just didn''t want to catch unwanted attention." Natasha looked at the book Mari was reading earlier. The front cover had a crown with thorns. That''s the symbol used in the front cover of Banal. "Is that Banal. That brings back memories."The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "Yes, it is. Sun found it in some goblin''s attic. Would you like to read it?"


    "Oh no, I don''t know how to read."


    Mari''s eyes widened, "What do you mean you can''t read!" The women sleeping around shifted their bodies from Mari''s yelling. Mari lowered her voice, "Didn''t your local wizards taught you how to read."


    "Yeah, they did, but you see. I didn''t like reading. The words sometimes jumble together and whatnot. It feels like I''m regularly reading something affected by an illusionary spell. I got through those reading classes by memorizing what the wizards would read out loud. So when it came time for the reading test. I just said what I memorized."


    "Wow," Mari opened the book, "I can''t believe you managed to do that. I had to stay an extra week during the winter because I couldn''t roll my r." The two laughed, "But it was fascinating. I couldn''t help but stay after class, asking the witch that was teaching about, well, everything."


    "I just needed to get out of the classroom and get back to work."


    The two quietly sat down under the moonlight. A gentle cold breeze blew through the holes and cracks from the walls. Natasha hugged herself under her thicket blanket. Mari glanced at her; she did not see a single scratch on Natasha''s face. But she looked exhausted; she had sunken eyes, pale lips, and dry drool and snot traveling down her face. "Did your son not clean your face?"


    Natasha''s eyes glistened from the light, "Son?" She asked.


    "I-I meant the spawnling you feed," Mari corrected herself. "Did it not clean your face?"


    "I didn''t want it to touch me."


    "I see."


    Natasha took a deep breathe, "That spawnling told me they would free us. You think they will do it."


    Mari opened the book and skimmed through the pages until she found the verse she needed. She read the first passage of the Letter of Emancipation to Natasha. "The alms can not be given if they are slaves, nor can the poor that whips them can receive them, but through the sword and the shield, a slave can be free, and the poor be enriched, and the cause for freedom and abundance is prostration to the Queen, and the Queen''s duty will be achieved." Mari closed the book. "Do you know what that meant?"


    "No, not really."


    "For us to be free, our spawnlings have two options. Fight or submit. Fighting the leader of these goblins will be risky, but submitting to their leader doesn''t guarantee our freedom. But of course, that''s just my thought."


    They remained silent for a while as they think about the passage through. Then there was a sudden howling coming from the outside that broke the silence. It sounded distant and yet so close. Natasha asked, "That goblin, you spawned. It seems like the leader of the caretakers caring for us favors him. So much so that she was willing to kill the other goblins to protect you. Maybe the spawnling doesn''t need to submit to the one that raped us. That other goblin seems to have a strong standing."


    "Yeah, that''s true."


    "We are going to need that female goblin too. Maybe those spawnlings could persuade them not to let the male goblins rape us next week."


    "What?" Mari was confused.


    "I overheard some of the goblin caretakers. They said that ''the salves open for men next week.'' Their words, not mine."


    "Are you sure? Maybe you heard it wrong." Mari began to panic.


    "Didn''t I tell you I memorized the entire book just from listening. My memory never lied to me."


    Mari clutched on her book and pressed it on her chest. Awful memories began to resurface from the deepest corner of her mind. She closed her eyes as tears flow down her cheek. Natasha noticed the despair she caused to Mari and began to comfort her in return. "Its ok Mari. Everything is going to be ok." She reassured. "We''ll get out of here. Those spawnlings will get us out."


    Natasha rubbed Mari''s shoulder. She was like a big sister to everyone during their time at the camp. Her voice was calm and soothing, but this did not stop Mari''s body from shaking with fear.

 Vol 3 Chapter 5: House of the Rising Sun

    In the city of B¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€, Shuja looked out of the window of his church''s attic. The stone buildings nearly covered the land. The growing expanse of buildings was stopped by the eight-meter wall that surrounds the city, separating the city from the rest of the world. Shuja dreamt of a way out from this cage. Maybe a giant sledgehammer would do the trick?


    A sudden loud thud woke Shuja from his daydreaming. He turned around and saw a tall man in a black coat with thirty-three buttons and a gold cross hanging down by the neck. It was the priest of the church, Father Hilarion. He bent backward, and a crackling sound came out. "Ah, that felt good," The father sighed in relief, "Thank you again, Shuja. These boxes are hard to carry. Good thing God had you travel along my path. Hahaha." He laughed.


    "Don''t mention it, Father. Glad I could help. I should probably get going, do you need me for anything else because I''d like to get going."


    "Nothing that I can think of, my boy. You''re free to go then."


    Shuja ran down the stairs while waving and yelling goodbye to the priest. Father Hilarion watched as the young man he once knew as the rebellious thug goes down the flight of stairs as an excellent, responsible adult. Shuja was a child that only acts before thinking ‘ͺ always fighting against the other boys in the streets. But Father Hilarion knows he fights with good intention. He would not be surprised if Shuja picked a fight with a pack of wolves to save someone.


    Shuja finally reached the front lobby. He dashed out of the church and ran back home and a smile on his face. The reason for his excitement, Shuja''s mother, was preparing his favorite Qatayef. His mom only makes them during Ram¨€¨€an for her close Muslim friends.


    Shuja found it odd at first why his mom was making them today. It was not Ram¨€¨€an, nor is his father coming back from the ¨€¨€t¨€¨€. But he hasn''t been home since Friday. After getting the permit to work outside the city, he has been staying with a friend. It made sense that his mother will make him his favorite food for his return.


    Shuja finally arrived at their apartment. Outside was their landlord, ¨€¨€¨€ loitering at the entrance. Next to him were a pile of boxes and bags. The two exchanged greetings. ¨€¨€¨€ seemed nervous, but Shuja did not pay much attention. He ran up the stairs, opened the door to their apartment, and sniffed the sweet aroma filling the apartment.


    The living room had old sofas with old Persian rugs lying on the seats. An old coffee table sat in the middle of the living room. On it was a Chinese vase filled with different kinds of flowers and underneath seats a round placemat with a lotus flower design. Picture frames and old paintings were hanging on the walls. Below an old large picture frame containing Shuja''s baby pictures were carvings with a number next to each incised line. They measured Shuja''s height, starting from the age of six to the age of twelve. A giant, blue Persian carpet was covering most of the hardwood floor. Its blue colors complement the Chinese vase and the navy blue curtains that were hanging in front of the gated windows. Another blue curtain was hanging from the top of the kitchen entrance, separating the room from the kitchen. The living room is empty now.


    Shuja''s excitement turned to confusion. He walked to the kitchen and saw his mother holding a plate of Qatayef. Instead of a kitchen table, they were boxes with ''fragile'' written on its side. "Mama, what''s going on?" He asked.


    "What?" Shuja''s question took her by surprise, "Shuja, didn''t I tell you over the phone?"


    "Told me what?" Shuja raised his voice unintentionally. He knows what''s happening, but he doesn''t want to admit the worst-case scenario just happened.


    "I told you already. The ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ is taking over the building. They think terrorists are living..."


    "Well, they''re fucking ain''t one!" Shuja yelled. While Shuja was yelling, someone knocked on the door. "Who the fuck is it now?"


    Shuja walked towards the door and opened it, revealing a ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ soldier. "Get out of here. This entire building is being evacuated." The soldier entered the apartment. He grabbed on Shuja''s collar.


    "Get the fuck off of me!" Shuja grabbed on the soldier''s arm. He turned around, pointed his butt upward, and back kicked the soldier''s left leg. He pulled the soldier over his shoulder, slamming him to the floor.


    "Shuja, stop!" His mother ran toward him, throwing the plate away.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Mom, get back," Shuja gets tackled right by another soldier after finishing his sentence. The soldier wrestled him to ground, wrapping his arm around Shuja''s neck. The soldier Shuja threw to the ground got up, went to Shuja, and punched him on the liver. Shuja''s body entered a state of shock from the pain.


    More soldiers entered the room. Shuja''s mother got in between her son and the soldiers. She pleaded with them to let her son go. The soldiers guided her out of the building while carrying her son.


    They threw him on the curb then entered back inside. Shuja got up and tried to follow them into the building, but he was pulled back by his mom. "Mom, get off!"


    "No, I will not have you go fight those ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ and get yourself killed." His mom started crying. Her tears flowed down her cheeks and fell on his back. "Don''t do anything stupid."


    Shuja turned around and embraced his mom. "I''m sorry. It''s just that, what now?"


    "Are you alright?" His landlord asked. Neighbors and other tenants approached them. Most of them were evicted, along with Shuja and his mom. The soldiers would come throwing out boxes, luggage, and garbage bags filled with personal belongings that the people didn''t have time to take with them.


    The neighbors helped the evicted tenants move their luggage. Everyone was all heading to the basketball court. There they set temporary tents to spend the night. While pulling a cart full of their kitchen wares, Shuja asked his mom where they will.


    "I''m going to ask Father Hilarion if he has any room for us."


    "I don''t know mama. Their apartments are already so full. I doubt they have room for us. How about we move in with aunty?"


    "I will not leave this city. Our city." She burst out. "This city was full of Christians, but ever since those ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ came, our numbers have dwindled, forced out of their houses. They moved to the other side, leaving the city where it all started for an easier life. But I am not one them, Shuja. This city is our home. I''m not crossing the other side."


    "But mom,"


    "Don''t ''but me,'' Shuja!" She hissed back, "They can force us out of our apartments, or houses. But never give our land, our home. Because if you do, that means they won."


    Her hateful and determined eyes pierced through Shuja''s heart. She was a gentle and loving woman unless she is angry. Then that image of a hardened, determined mother disappeared. Darkness surrounded Shuja. The only thing present was a mirror and its reflection, a goblin.


    Sun opened his eyes. There were dried up tears on his tear duct and cheeks. It was a nightmare Sun did not expect to remember. So much information and emotion.


    It was early in the morning, but it was still dark outside. Sun tidied up his bed then walked out to get water. It was a cold and dry morning. Very few goblins were at the well. Most of them were goblin men. Next to some of these men were goblin women holding their babies close to their chest. Among them was Dawn, who was chatting with another mother. "Dawn, good morning."


    "Oh, Sun. Good morning."


    "How have you been? Rock has been looking for you."


    "Oh, um," Dawn was trying to search for the proper words. Suddenly her child cried. "Oh, baby cry. Need go change, baby."


    "Alright, see you later." Dawn got up and hurried out. Sun walked up to the well and got his water. He boiled them by the fireplace and then walked to their cottage. The water splashed out from the bucket now and then. Sunrise has yet to come.


    When Sun returned, Smoke and Stick started already woke up and was preparing their bed. Rock was still sleeping. Sun dipped his hand on the bucket, then flicked his wrist over Rock''s face. "Wake up. We got work to do."


    Rock slowly opened his eyes and pushed himself up. He looked out the opened window, "The sun isn''t even out yet."


    "Don''t matter," Sun said sarcastically.


    The brothers started preparing their bags. "Alright guys, make you have everything," Sun said. "We need a bundle of paper, four bags of water, some beef jerky, and that purple stuff Flute gave us. We are going to use that stuff as a replacement for ink. We have one object today, and that is to make a map - a map that can guide us out of here. Now let''s go!" Sun cheered.


    The brothers got to work, making sure they have everything they needed. By the time they finished, the sun finally appeared out of the western horizon. Sun looked at the rising sun and wondered why the sun rose from the west horizon. He knows that the North and South are dependent on the earth''s rotation and so the Sun can''t just rise along those axes or it wouldn''t be North and South anymore. The four left the cottage. Before heading to the gate, the brothers went to the slave quarters to say goodbye.


    Then they went to the eastern wall. The eastern wall was not as heavily guarded as the western one. There wasn''t even a wall, to begin with. The most they had was a long wooden fence separating the town and the wilderness. Goblins under the orders of Cancer guards this gate. Few goblins go through this side since most of the games are found by the mountains.


    The goblins asked the brothers where they are going. "We are going for a hunt." Smoke told the guards.


    "Didn''t brothers killed wolves days ago." One of the brothers said.


    "Yeah, but we want to hunt some more. Doing nothing all day is pretty boring."


    "Cinder see point. Go on hunt, but still careful." Cinder said.


    The brother crossed the fence and entered the forest.

 Vol 3 Chapter 6: The Sun Stands Still

    Stick climbed the tallest tree he could find and began to survey the area. The cold wind blew against his neck and the tree. Most of the trees in the forest were Oak trees, but far up northeast were Pine trees. While looking at that direction, a large explosion appeared on the face of a mountain. A large flock of blackbirds flew around the snowy cloud. The east had a group of tall buildings covered with vines and shrubs. Cloud mentioned these ruins once. A large goblin tribe, ten times larger than their tribe, lives in one of them. Southeast had more trees. No special landmarks could be discerned. However, smoke trails were coming from that direction. The smoke may be coming to their rival tribe Razin, or another tribe altogether. Stick took out his small notebook and wrote down his observation.


    Stick climbed back down and met up with his brothers. Smoke was the first one to arrive at their meeting spot. He was eating his beef jerky while drawing what he observed. Stick snuck behind Smoke to watch him draw. Smoke was struggling to draw the landscape he saw. The mountains were too curvy, and the cloud had strange swirls on them. Meanwhile, his trees looked like stakes growing out of the ground. Stick couldn''t help but giggle.


    Smoke turned around with a surprised look on his face. "What? You try drawing then!" He yelled at Stick.


    "Sorry, it''s just that your drawings are so weird. I just wrote down what I saw."


    "How the hell are we so supposed to draw a map if we don''t have the image of what you saw."


    "That Sun''s problem, not mine. Why does he want to make a map anyway? Does he even know how to make a map?"


    "Maybe?" Smoke was concerned. They''ve seen maps before from Cloud and Salacity, but most of them never understood how to read them. Sun taught them the concept of the Cardinal Directions, but that''s about it.


    While they were talking, Stick spots Sun arriving. He was already eating his beef jerky. The brothers sat down, discussing what they saw. Each of them was given one direction to observe. Stick observed the east, Smoke the north, Rock the west, and Sun the south. Sun took out the largest paper they had and marked the corner with the Cardinal Directions. Smoke and Stick watch him draw a cross and writing the initials of the four directions.


    Smoke noticed that the east and west were on the wrong sides of the cross. He pointed this out to Sun. "Shouldn''t the west be on the right and east on the left of the cross?"


    Sun gave Smoke an odd look, "What are you talking about? West goes here and east goes," Sun paused, he realized his mistake. He taught his brothers the wrong directions. This entire time, they''ve been using the word east for what is supposed to be west, and the word west for what is supposed to be east. Luckily, he didn''t need to change the definition of the North and South because they simply had their words mixed up. Sun smacked his face. "I''m so sorry, guys. These are the right directions. No wonder the sun rose from the west. It wasn''t west, that was east!" Sun yelled.


    Stick laughed hysterically. He couldn''t believe his all-knowing brother made an error. Smoke giggles as well, but quickly calmed himself. "Well, not everyone is perfect." Smoke said after a coughed.


    "Yeah, even I can make a mistake," Sun claimed.


    "Hold on." Stick said after crying from laughter, "I was observing the west then."


    "Yes, and Rock''s direction was the east. Speaking of which, where is Rock? He should be here by now."


    Rock appeared just as Sun mentioned his name. Rock had a sad expression. "I ran out of beef jerky, and I''m still hungry." He said with tears coming down his cheek. His stomach made a gurgling sound.


    The brothers looked at each other and then back at Rock. "You serious?" They said in unison. Rock nodded his head in response.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Before returning home, the brothers went on a hunt to satisfy Rock''s hunger. After twenty minutes of searching, they managed to find a herd of deer. Stick went ahead of the herd. He hid behind the bushes waiting for the deers to come. The rest of the brothers walked behind and next to the herd. They were visible to the deers, but because they did not show any sign of aggression, the deers walked away from them.


    Little do the deers know that the goblins were walking them to a trap. The largest deer on the herd stopped. It surveyed the area behind it. The deer began to suspect a possible trap. However, it did not warn the rest of the herd. It merely stood there watching as its fellow deers walk forward and as Rock close in behind.


    Finally, one of the deers stepped on Stick''s attack range. Stick jumped out and stabbed his spear through the deer''s neck. The rest of the deers scattered, running in different directions. The largest one ran straight through the other deers and passed Stick. Before leaving the scene, it turned around and looked at the dead deer and the four goblins cutting his belly open. Some of the deers it pushed while running got back up and pranced away. He waited until those deers reached it, and then it too ran off.


    After draining the deer of its blood, the brothers tied on a large stick they found and carried it back. The guards on the western fences examined the deer. The cut off the hind legs and gave it to the brothers.


    The brothers walked while discussing the things they saw. Rock kept staring at the leg. His mouth was watery. Stick and Smoke argued about the origin of the explosion from the north. Smoke thinks it''s from a volcano, while Stick believes its a bomb similar to his and Cloud''s bombs. As the brothers got closer to their cottage, Sun noticed something odd. There were bags piled up outside, and Cloud was standing outside. Some of Cloud''s followers were going in and out of the cottage, throwing out the brothers'' belongings. Before the others could see what was happening, Sun ran up to Cloud and grabbed his coat. "What the fuck is going on?" He yelled.


    "Calm down Sun, let me explain," Cloud was shaken up by Sun''s sudden appearance. Sun let go of Cloud''s coat and walked up to the other goblins. "Sun, please, I need you to listen."


    "Get your hands off our stuff!" Sun yelled over Cloud''s voice.


    The brothers got to the cottage. "What''s going on?" Smoke asked.


    "The chief needs this cottage. He is planning to use this as the meeting place for an important talk."


    "Needs this place, my ass," Sun yelled. He yanked the bags off one of the goblin''s hands. The bag was filled with the brother''s clothes. "Rock! Quit staring at your leg and help me." Rock panicked and rushed to aid Sun.


    "Wait, so you''re just kicking us out!" Stick yelled at Cloud.


    "I''m sorry, but I couldn''t do anything."


    "Couldn''t do anything," Sun said sarcastically. He dropped the bag he was holding and ran up to Cloud. He raised his fist, ready to punch Cloud, but Stick and Smoke held him back. "Don''t come at me saying you couldn''t jack shit. My brothers and I fought back those leeches, my brothers and I killed those wolves. We did everything we could while you, Cala, and the rest of them do nothing."


    Smoke got in front of Sun, "Sun, calm down. You''re not like this. It''s just a cottage we could find another one." Sun calmed down. Smoke motioned for Stick to help Rock gather their belongings. Smoke turned Sun around.


    The experience shook Cloud''s body, but he still raised his hand and spoke. "I''ll look for a cottage for,"


    Smoke raised his hand, "Its fine Cloud. We''ll stay with our mothers."


    "Yeah, we don''t need your help," Sun said. He picked up his bag. Rock and Stick waited for the two. "Fucking coward," Cloud heard Sun whisper to himself. Stick turned to look at Cloud before leaving. He saw Cloud hiding his face with his hands.


    At the barn, a group of goblin mothers taunted the caretakers. The caretakers wanted to fight back, but harming a goblin mother was a crime punishable by death. One of the caretakers rushed back inside the barn. "Bringing out Flute. What Flute do?" One of the mothers snickered. "She no give life. She worthless too. What she do to us?" Right before Flute come out of the barn, the goblin that made a comment got smacked behind her head. "Who hit me?" She turned around, ready to fight. But instead of raising her hand, she lowered her head. The person that smacked her was Dawn.


    The mothers lowered their heads and stopped their bullying. Dawn was the chief''s favorite and because of this, no one can harm her. "Stop teasing caretakers. Not caretakers'' fault not become mother." She said to the others. "Come, we go now. Time wash babies." The mothers left for the well.


    Flute watched the whole scene unfold through a small crack between the doors. She continued to watch the mothers leave until they were gone from her vision. She was about to return to work when she heard someone call her name. It came from a voice she was familiar with. She opened the barn door. The four brothers were right in front of her. They told her what happened and asked if they could stay in the barn with their mothers. Flute accepted the brothers and let them rest for the night

 Vol 3 Chapter 7: Old Words New Faces

    Sum walked with his six followers patrolling the town. The Chief told him to find any dissidents and gather them to the old cottage.


    They climbed over snow mounds, duck under broken signs and walls, and pass through the snow mazes. The clouds over them grew darker and heavier. Snowfall will arrive soon.


    During their walk, Sum and his followers will talk random tribesman. They asked them their opinions on the chief and what they hope will happen in their tribe in the near future. Many responded with the usual appreciation, but some criticize the chief. What surprised Sum during his patrol was that some goblins had the gal to suggest to Sum that he should challenge the Chief.


    Sum found this disturbing. Sum told the goblins that showed signs of rebellion to head over to the cottage. Sum made sure to play along with the idea of betraying the Chief to persuade the goblins, despite finding the idea repulsive. Most of the goblins were skeptical about the meeting at first, but Sum assured them that this meeting has nothing to do with the Chief. He even alluded to the idea of challenging the Chief.


    Most of the goblins were convinced while the rest opted to stay out of the way. The meeting would begin at midnight. Sum instructed those that are willing to come in secret. Sum''s followers wondered why Cala ordered them to find these goblins. Sum''s loyalty can never be bent no matter what wrongdoing Cala could do. But this loyalty did not come for free.


    A long time ago, deep in the forest, Cala, Sum, Cloud, and Tama went on their first hunt. They had the standard weapons the first time hunters get and had a superficial knowledge of their prey. But worse of all, they were overly confident.


    Goblins that died an early age lost their lives during their hunt. Some died due to inexperience, but most died due to overconfidence. They were no exception. The only one cautious in their midst was Cloud, but his physical weakness caused his wary attitude. He was still confident that the other three would protect him.


    After hiking for three hours, the four of them managed to find hoof prints on the snow. And they looked fresh. "Hahaha. Tama found foot!" Tama laughed out.


    "Off Tama, Cala want see!" Cala pushed Tama out of the way. "Four foots! And look," Cala followed the direction of the hoof prints and saw the prints heading to the bushes. "Foot make line."


    "Tama got good eyes."


    "Follow foot already, Tama!" Cala ordered in frustration.


    Tama dropped his weapons and ran to the bushes. "Idiot! Why did you drop the spears!" Sum screamed, but Tama was too focused on the task at hand to hear. Sum and Cala followed Tama while Cloud stayed behind keeping an eye on their stuff.


    It wasn''t long until they reached Tama. Cala and Sum were about to hit Tama for leaving his weapons behind when suddenly, a large mountain goat charged at them. The three managed to dodge the goat. "What that?" Cala yelled. "Eyes look like our eyes." The goat turned around. It kicked the ground behind it and lowered his head, pointing his horns towards Tama.


    "That is deer, that is food!" Tama yelled.


    "That no deer!"


    "Idiot get out of the way. We don''t know what that thing can do." Sum yelled, but Tama did not listen. He leaned forward, held his arms in front of him, and opened his palm. He relaxed his muscles and waited for the goat to get closer. In a split second, the goat''s horns made contact with Tama''s hands. His hands closed at the moment of impact. The goat''s strength was enough to push Tama back. At first, Tama slowly slid backward, then finally, he took a few steps back. Cala and Sum ran as far back as possible.


    "Let go of the goat!" Sum told him. Tama nearly tripped but managed to regain his balance after releasing his grip.


    The goat raised its body and stood on its hind legs. It aimed directly at Tama, who just stood there, paralyzed. The anticipation of the attack prevented Tama from moving his legs. Fear took over his body like hands grabbing hold of him. "Wake up, you damn idiot!" Sum shouted. Sum''s loud voice was enough to ignite Tama''s brain and wake up from the trance state. Sum warned him just on time as the goat''s horns descend. Tama leaped to the side, dodging the goat''s attack.


    The goat landed on its front hooves, but its head remained low. It dug into the snow and kicked the snow and dirt back. Its eyes rotated, keeping its line of sight of the goblins despite facing the ground. The goat checked its targets. Tama had no weapons, but getting grabbed by him would prove to be too risky. Cala and Sum have spears on them, but after witnessing the goat''s power, they are now hesitant.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The goat charged at the nearest goblin, Sum. The speed of which it traveled was faster than Sum''s reaction. By the time he raised his spear, the goat was already three steps in front of him. But the goat did hit Sum. Instead, it fell over with a spear attached to its neck. Sum looked at the person who threw, Cala. He stood there, frozen in shock. His right arm extended out in front of him.


    Cala saved Sum''s life, and ever since that day, he swore loyalty to him. The four returned home with their kill. Their Chief, impressed by the hunt, allowed Cala to keep half of the kill. They returned to their little cottage west of the town and near the building with the tent roof.


    Now, Cala is the chief of the Lev tribe. Sum, Cloud, and Tama became his first retainers. Cloud gave Cala his knowledge of the stinkbombs, Tama gave his strength, and Sum gave his allegiance. Together, the four of them ruled over the tribe with absolute.


    But everything changed. Some of the goblins began questioning the Chief''s rule. Sum can not allow such rebellious thoughts to persist. His followers still could not see the problem. What could normal goblins do to the chief, a powerful and experienced redskin? Even Tama failed in his rebellion despite turning into a redskin.


    Sum could tell that his followers had doubts, but he knows they do not have the same forethought as he and his Chief does. Eventually, the sun left the sky, and darkness took over. Sum sent his followers to the cottage to take care of the goblins coming. He wanted to go to Flute first. He suspects she must be behind all this.


    He arrived at the barn. Flute was outside drinking by the fireplace. Sum approached and sat on the opposite side of the fire. Snow started to fall gently to the earth. "Snow tonight." Flute said while blowing her warm tea.


    "Yeah," Sum looked at her. The fire danced in front of her as snow landed and melted on her coat. "Flute, I wanted to ask you something since this morning. Why did you call for me?"


    "You know Flute called you?"


    "Yeah. The goblins I talked to said that Cala only sent those brothers to die trying to kill those wolves. They said I was a hero for saving them and the tribe.


    "You want know?" Flute looked at Sum. "Tribe need help. Flute got Tie call you over."


    "But it goes against the Chief''s wishes. The fact that I unknowingly broke his law torments me." The fire slowly shrunk as the snow rain down on it. "Now, there are goblins that want me to be the Chief. He ordered me to gather them in one place so that we can kill them all. You would not believe how many goblins wanted for the Chief to die. So many goblins desire to backstab our Chief!" Sum stood up, looking down at Flute. "The tribe will tear itself apart. You have compromised the stability of our tribe. Was this your plan all along? Did you want this to happen? Do you hate him that much."


    Flute glared at Sum. She took her cup and poured its contents on the fire, killing it. "Flute no hate Cala. Flute hates Flute for getting tricked. Flute call you to help tribe. Nothing more, nothing less." She said in a gentle voice.


    "The former Chief told Cala about you. About the dream he had. The dream where you will give birth to the child that will overthrow the,"


    Flute jumped up her seat, "Shut up! No nothing. Sum no nothing of Flute." Flute took her cup stormed back to the barn.


    Sum sat back down and calmed himself. He could deal with Flute later because, for now, he has a mission to do. He stood back up and turned around to walk back to the cottage. On his way was Cloud.


    He stood there, flustered. He walked to the barn because he wanted to talk to Sun, but he couldn''t bring himself to enter the barn with Flute and Sum arguing outside. "Um, is everything ok?" He asked.


    "Yeah, it''s fine. We should get going." The two of them walked together.


    "Oh, I forgot to tell you something," Cloud said. He was rubbing his knuckles. "About the plan to kill those traitors."


    The two discussed the plan while walking. After a few minutes, they arrived at the old cottage. "This was our old home, remember," Cloud said.


    "Yeah."


    Cloud handed him a small ball with a pin on top of it. Their followers were throwing powder around the building, and they filled the holes and cracks with dry leaves and hay. Cloud was scared the snow would make the building wet, but his followers assured him that the building is dry enough.


    Sum entered the building. The room was filled with small bags containing the white powder Cloud''s followers were spreading around the building. About forty goblins sat inside, waiting for his arrival. Some of them raised concerns about Cloud and his followers present. They questioned if Cloud''s presence was necessary to overthrow Cala. Such discussions made Sum sick to his stomach.


    Before the goblins could continue talking about their plans, Sum called out for one of them to come forward. "Me, Yes, me coming." One of the goblins said. He ran up to the front with an eager face. He thinks that Sum will reward him the position of being one of his retainers. He had his hands together, ready to accept the hat with the red, symbolizing his power over others. Instead, he got a small ball with a pin on top.


    "Hold on to this," Sum told the goblin. He tied a thin thread around the pin. "Ok, I need you to hold onto this while I go out and get something." Before leaving, one of the goblins in the audience asked what the purpose of the small ball is. "It''s our secret weapon," Sum replied.


    He left the cottage and closed the door. In his fist was the other end of the thread. He continued to walk away from the cottage until the thread was no longer loose. Cloud and the followers stood behind. At the count of three, Sum pulled the thread, and the cottage exploded and burst in flame. The bomb''s explosion could be heard around the town and passed the eastern wall. But the sound of goblins screaming in agony was louder for Sum and Cloud. They watched as their old home burn to the ground, and the fire slowly die from the falling snow.

 Vol 3 Chapter 8: Burning Love

    The brothers stood in front of the remains of their former home. Flute told them what happened last night. Sun was angry at Cala for using their home to trap and kill some rebels. He could have done elsewhere, he could have killed them in the wilderness, or better yet execute them in the public square. He had no problems beheading Tama''s followers in front of the public.


    "Sun, let''s go." Smoke nudged Sun.


    "Yeah, let''s go."


    The brothers walked away. They left for the western forest to continue drawing their map. They got a general idea of the surrounding area, but they are still don''t know the direction they should be heading to find human civilization and the easiest path to get there. It''s a foggy morning making it more difficult for the brothers to map the area.


    Meanwhile, inside the building with the red roof, Cala sits on his throne. Over his head is a set of antlers pinned to the wall. A goblin is cleaning the skull of the dead deer of dust. Cala''s veins were popping out of his forehead, his nails were clawing into his armrest, and he gritted his teeth. He heard from his followers that Sum survive the night. And he knows precisely why he survives.


    A goblin came in bringing with her Cloud. Cala told his goblins to leave the two of them alone. Once the goblins leave the room, Cala lunges at Cloud. He grabbed his neck and lifted him in the air. "You motherfucker!" He yelled.


    Cloud''s legs flail in the air as he struggled to bring himself up. "Chief I can''t,"


    "You told Sum about the bomb."


    "I thought he needs," Cloud tries his best to gurgle out his words. "To know how to do the plan."


    Cala throws Cloud to the floor, "The plan was that he dies with them, you dumbass!" Cala paced back in forth. "He was supposed to die. You were supposed to have him stay with those cretins, throw the bomb through a window, and then they all die from the explosion and fire. That''s the fucking plan. And you fucking ruined it!" Cala grabbed his sword and struck the ground near Cloud''s lying body.


    "Please, your greatness, I don''t understand. Sum is a very loyal and strong follower. What will you gain from killing him."


    "So, I can have her."


    "Pardon."


    "So, I can have Dawn." Cala lets go of his sword and stumbled back to his seat.


    Cloud knew this was Cala''s plan all along. Cala doesn''t like confrontation unless he knows he can win or if his emotions overcome his better judgment. He plans out his actions with great care and consideration. Because of that, Cloud believed that Cala''s schemes are due to his methodical personality, but in truth, its because Cala is a coward. But he has overcome his cowardice nature before. During the Tina B?kh Fight against the former chief, many challengers died frightening the remaining challengers into quitting, but Tama and Cala did not waiver.


    The Chief''s power could not be underestimated. The goblins watching the massacre always betted on the chief. They were sure that the challenger entering the ring would lose and die. Then Tama stood in the circle, and everyone''s opinion changed. Unlike the other challengers, Tama''s body was built like a bull. He had a strong upper body, and he was a ferocious fighter.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Cloud watched in amazement as Tama traded blows with the Chief. Meanwhile, Cala was biting his teeth. Unbeknownst to Cloud, Cala drugged the Chief with a toxic elixir that he convinced Flute to make. He promised her the highest authority among the caretakers by placing her as part of his entourage. She fell for him ever since and believed in Cala''s promises.


    But the elixir was not showing any signs that it''s working. Cala was growing anxious, but as long as Tama dies, he would at least gain something from the Tina B?kh Fight. Tama is the only rival Cala has to win the heart of Dawn.


    Cala watched as Tama begins to struggle against the Chief. He was a muscular goblin, but he can never compete against a redskin. After a bloody round, Tama fell on the floor, granting the Chief victory. Then he shocked the crowd when he decided to spare Tama and make his new retainer.


    Cala''s was enraged by the decision. He ran into the ring and sucker-punched the Chief, and the spectators gasp after witnessing Cala disrespect the Chief. Cloud and Sum ran after him. When they got to the scene, they noticed Tama was still lying on the dirt unconscious, so they grabbed him and dragged him out of the way.


    Cloud looked out at the ring and saw the Chief anger boiling the air around him. Fear took hold of Cloud, like little hands grabbing on his legs, preventing him from running. Cala had a similar experience after hitting the Chief but in reverse. Instead of little hands planting him on the ground, those same hands were trying to pull him out of the ring.


    Retreat was the only appropriate response. But despite fear''s insistence to retreat, Cala remained in the ring. His fear be damned; he must kill the Chief to win Dawn''s heart. He dashed back at the Chief and punched him on the stomach. The Chief tried to dodge it, but he couldn''t move his legs. He barfed out blood, fell on his knee, and cried out in pain. The elixir was beginning to work, but the Chief still had some fight in himself.


    The Chief slammed his head on Cala''s head. Both parties'' sense of balance got destroyed. But the Chief regained his balance much faster than Tama because he was on his knees. He stood up slowly and took a deep breath. Then he roared at Cala, "You''re dead!" Cala shivered in response.


    He ran to Cala with his hands open, ready to grab him and tear him apart. Cala fell on his back as his fear grab hold of him, pulling him out of the ring. But instead of following the hands - his fear, he pulled his legs close to his face. Cala''s neck began to glow blue light while waiting for the Chief to come closer. When the Chief got close enough, like a spring, he kicked legs up, hitting the Chief on the jaw. The glowing blue light ignited into flame. The blue fire engulfed Cala as his foot push the Chief up in the air.


    The Chief fell on his butt, dazed and confused. He would have gotten back up and continued the fight, but the elixir finally took his ability to move. He sat there watching as Cala''s body quickly disappear into the fire. The Chief saw this before, and he knows what''s happening. The crowd watched in astonishment. Inside the flame, Cala''s body contorts and stretched, his muscles grew more prominent, and his height grew taller.


    Finally, the fire subsided and revealed to the world Cala''s new body. He turned into a redskin. That was far as Cloud''s memory could go. He passed out the moment Cala turned into a redskin. When he woke up, Cala was already the Chief.


    The silence in the room was broken when Salicity entered. Cala stood up but before he could, Salacity spoke. "Why not order Sum give Dawn?" He grinned from ear to ear, "Since Sum so loyal to Chief, he will do what chief ask."


    "So? How will that capture Dawn''s heart? She will hate me."


    "Easy, Chief make it Sum''s idea."


    Cloud stared at Salacity and asked, "What do you mean?"


    "Salacity spread rumor so Dawn hear rumor. Rumor is Sum ''selling'' her to Chief to gain back favor. Not secret to tribe that explosion last night is to kill Sum''s followers." Salacity giggled a little, "Salacity know Dawn will hate Sum for ''selling'' her and Chief take chance to comfort her. Good plan, yes?"


    "That''s not a very good idea. Dawn isn''t stupid, she will find out about this plan."


    "Cloud," Cala gently said. "Shut up." Cloud was shocked that the Chief was telling him to be quiet and is actually taking Salacity''s plan. "Guards, call for Sum. I need something from him."

 Vol 3 Chapter 9: Cloud Nine

    Flute ordered her followers to remain in the barn. She did not want them to get swept away by the current gossip circulating in the tribe. Last night''s explosion caused an uproar among the goblins. Some thought a lightning strike caused it. Others pointed at the firekeepers, the goblins in charge of lighting the fireplaces next to the wells and the torches that light up the night, for causing the explosion. Lightning is rare, and lightning in winter has never been seen before. Firekeepers accidentally creating the fire makes some sense, but Flute knows who caused the explosion.


    Flute suspects Cala and Sum to be behind the attack. There were goblin remains found among the burnt rubbles. A family of one of the goblins overheard their father saying blasphemous things to Sum. But this rumor was quickly dismissed by many due to fear.


    She left Pin in charge of the barn while she was gone. She wanted to talk to Cloud. He''s probably the one that got the house to explode by using a modified stinkbomb. She helped Stick make his version of those bombs before, so its possible Cloud made more types of bombs as well; bombs that are strong enough to destroy a cottage.


    Flute found Cloud at the western fences, sitting on a log beside the gate. There were no guards in sight. She sat next to him and asked, "What Cloud doing here?"


    Cloud got startled, "Oh, Flute it''s you. I''m just waiting here for those halflings. I wanted to apologize for the cottage."


    "Cloud saying sorry. That''s good," Flute looked around. None of the guards were present. Cancer is in charge of the western border, but Salacity''s plan of spreading the rumors around town might have needed the Cancer''s assistance. She was alone with Cloud. "but Flute thinks apology late now. And Cloud, why you save Sum?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Sum supposed die from bomb, right? You tell Sum of plan, and Sum survives."


    "I just thought that," Cloud head blanked out. He couldn''t find the right words to say. He thought of Tama and how he warned he urged him to tell the Chief about the dangers outside. He thought of Sum when he returned with the halflings and the wolves. He thought of Cala and how he dismissed everything and everyone just for Dawn. He took a quick glance at Flute. Cala threw her away after finding out she was infertile. Flute cried and begged to be killed instead, but Cala just made her the leader of the infertile goblins. Cala made that decision because he told the new Chief to spare her. "Flute, I''m sorry."


    "For what?"


    "I told the Chief not to kill you. I just thought you suffered enough. But I guess dying can be another form of escape."


    "Is ok. Flute knows that only way Cloud fight back Chief."


    "Fight back? No, no, I wasn''t fighting back," Cloud tries to deny feverously. "I just thought you had the right to live."


    "And what about Tama and Sum. Flute knows you listened to Tama''s advice. Give advice to Cala for Tama. And there is Sum. Cala wanted Sum dead, but you spare Sum''s life. Flute knows Cloud not agree with Chief." Flute stood up and walked away. "If only Cloud braver and stand up to Cala." She whispered loudly.


    Cloud sat still facing the forest. He was lost for words. He never intended to defy Cala; he merely thought that killing Sum and Flute was a waste of talent. But then Sun''s words from yesterday rang in his mind, "Fucking coward."


    The sky was getting darker, and the sun was beginning to set. Cloud left his log and entered the town. On his way to the square, he met Dawn running in the opposite direction. On her person was a goblin baby, wrapped up and pressed on her chest. She was crying. It seems like Salacity''s plan was set into motion. The only thing left to do was for Sum to confront Dawn and tell her to provide service to the Chief.Stolen story; please report.


    He wanted to greet her but couldn''t put it his intentions into words. His conversation with Flute and Sun''s brutal honesty stuck with him. Why did he let Cala use the halfling''s cottage? Was it because he was weak, a coward? Cloud wanted to do something to ease his mind. He walked to the meadow and entered his small shed. He had another bomb sitting on his shelf.


    A goblin knocked on the door. Cloud panicked, and the bomb slipped off his hand. Luckily it landed inside his pocket. Cloud rushed to the door, opened it, and asked what she needed. "The powder. Chief want take it back. Chief said, bring powder to treasure room."


    "Get the other goblins." Sum stood up and took a bag of powder off the shelf. "Let''s go."


    "Cloud coming too? Cloud no wait for halflings?"


    Cloud didn''t answer. He walked to his followers and ordered them to gather the powder bags. While he and his followers gather the materials, the brothers finally entered through the western gate. The brothers were exhausted after their expedition. They carried with them another deer and bags full of berries they thought their mothers would like. The sky is a dark shade of blue. The night will arrive soon.


    There were no guards present at the gate. It didn''t surprise the brothers since they were the only goblins that exited through. The guards must have forgotten about them and left to do other things. Lucky for them because they get to keep the whole deer. Before heading to the barn, they returned their equipment at the armory.


    When they got to the barn, the room was full of caretakers resting on the floor. They were tired after working themselves to the bone. When they noticed the brothers have returned, they jumped up on their feet. They took this chance to leave the barn, telling the brothers to take care of the slaves for them. Finally, they can take a break.


    The brothers sighed in frustration, but there''s nothing they can do. Flute and her followers let them stay here, and they can kick them out. Once the caretakers leave, Mari quickly walked up to Sun and his brothers. "Sun, I need to tell you something." She said. "Natasha overheard the caretakers talk about the chief''s plan for us."


    After hearing about Cala''s plan, Sun''s face turned red from anger. He grabbed the map they were making out of the bag. They found a path heading south. Where it leads is unknown, but that is their best bet. Sun turned to his brothers and their slave mothers. "Guys, next week, Cala will open the doors for those horny assholes. We have only one option, and that is to escape from here. And I think its the best time to leave."


    "Wait, you mean tonight!" Stick was surprised. "Can our mothers even walk."


    "Yes they can," Mari turned to the other women and nodded. They all stood up."


    The brothers'' jaws dropped. "But shouldn''t we prepare first."


    "We have a map." Sun said, "That''s one thing down.


    "Can I see that map." Mari reached out her hands. Sun placed the map on her hand. Mari was amazed at what she saw. "Wow, this looks great. How did you make this?"


    Sun had to use a device to search up maps in his past life to avoid roadblocks. Although he had no proper training in drawing things such as changes in elevations, he had some idea of map-making. "We just did our best."


    "But what happens once we passed our map''s boundary?" Stick asked.


    "I''ll step in," Mari said confidently. "Looters, I mean, adventurers entering the forest must have used the path you found. Once we travel down that path, we should be fine."


    "Well, that settles it then." Smoke proclaimed. "We an entire deer and bags of berries. We should be fine when it comes to food."


    "We just need clothes and weapons," Sun added.


    "I''ll go them. Rock, you come with me." Smoke motioned at Rock, who didn''t respond. "Rock?"


    Rock stood still for a few seconds, then finally he said, "Do we have to go tonight?"


    "Well, yeah, its the best time to do so." Sun said, "Why did you ask? Do you need to do something first?" Sun knows why Rock is hesitant to leave the tribe. He''s fallen in love with a woman.


    "Well, there''s this thing I wanted to do before,"


    "Rock!" Sun interrupted. He placed his hand on Rock''s shoulder. "Go tell her how you feel. We''ll wait for you at our burnt cottage."


    Rock looked at Sun and his brothers. He clenched his fist and raised his chest. "I won''t take long!" He said. He rushed out the door with a tear running down his cheek. But his sadness was visible under the cover darkness.

 Vol 3 Chapter 10: Attack on Troll

    While walking in the death of night, the young troll saw a burst of light coming from the east accompanied by a roar. The troll followed the direction of the sound and saw a wall guarded by goblins. She finally found it, the tribe that killed her younger brother and her wolves. She returned to her cave before sunrise and prepared for an attack.


    When the sun finally set, she left her cave, leaving without her parent''s permission. It''s time to begin her act of vendetta. She walked on the snow with her unusually large snowshoe, barely sinking despite her weight. The hilt of her hammer drags on the snow, and her knives kept clattering against her bronze chest plate.


    She reached the wall that protects the tribe. Goblins stood on top, talking among themselves. They were too busy socializing to notice the giant troll standing at the edge of the forest. She slowly walked to the wall. When she got nearer, her chest-plate began to reflect the light from torches on top of the wall. She reached for her cloak to cover her chest, then suddenly her knives loud clacking noises. One of the goblins heard the clinking sound, so it looked out at the forest and saw nothing. It returned to its fellow goblins. The troll froze still, hiding her chest plate behind her cloak.


    She took a few more steps, then she stopped. The light coming from the torches on top of the wall blanketed the snow in front of her. Tall shadows of goblins would come and go on the curtain of light. The troll took a deep breath and calmed her nerves. She glared at the torch above the wall. Light will not stop her.


    She took out her hammer and ran to the wall. She swung her hammer against the wall. The impact was strong enough to shake the very foundation of the wall. The goblins fell on their feet from the wall trembling. The wall in front of the troll collapse after one hit, opening the way towards her target.


    The goblins rang the bell raising the alarm. They jumped off the wall with their weapons ready to combat the intruder. One of the goblins with a spikey helmet commanded the goblins to form a defensive line. The troll stood mighty and tall on the other side of the wall. The torch on top of the wall fell on the rubble, lighting it on fire. The light from the flames pushed revealed the troll''s massive body to the goblins. Their bodies trembled in fear and awe at the troll in front of them. "Ma-master Ca-Ca-Cancer, what we do?" A goblin asked.


    "Run!" Cancer yelled back. The goblins ran back to the town with tails between their legs. "Get Chief here now!"


    The troll laughed at the sight of goblins running. She chased after the goblins while swinging her hammer. The first goblin she hit flew across the field and into a shed. The second one had its head blown off from the sheer strength of her swing. Watching the bodies of the fleeing goblins fly and blown to pieces brought a cathartic release to the troll.


    The cries of her victims filled the atmosphere, accompanying her sadistic laughter. But her laughter was rudely interrupted by an arrow penetrating her thigh shot by a goblin with a bow. It had a helmet with red painted chainmail dangling in behind the helmet. "Olhos, keep shooting at it!" A goblin yelled.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    She turned her head towards the voice and saw what she was looking for, the redskin. She howled at the moon and then dashed towards her prey. The troll raised her hammer over her shoulder, then leaped to the redskin. The redskin jumped away as she swung down to the earth, barely dodging the attack. A cloud of snow and dirt erupted up in the air. She quickly lifted her hammer and turned her body to face the redskin. Without any hesitation, she swung her hammer across her chest. The redskin blocked the attack with a round shield, but the strength behind the swing destroyed it in half and sent the redskin flying. "Chief!" Another goblin with a red painted helmet ran to its chief.


    "Cloud, I need to get out of here." The Chief said.


    "What are you talking about, Chief? We need to,"


    "I need to go!" The Chief yelled as he pushed Cloud away.


    The troll watched as the Chief ran past his followers. She ran after him; her heavy footsteps rocked the earth. Cancer ran with the Chief, "Where we going?"


    The Chief grabbed Cancer on the collar and threw him at the troll, "Slow her down!" He yelled. Cancer rolled on the snow, dazed and confused. He stood up to see the head of the hammer fly towards him. The troll smashed Cancer''s head open.


    "Cancer!" A goblin yelled out. The goblin had a red-tinted helmet on its head. Other goblins pulled him back as they retreated back to the town.


    Goblins scattered as they retreat. Their flimsy line of defense was cut through like butter as the troll walk over the dead bodies. The Chief looked back at his followers fleeing for their lives. One of them had their head squeezed with just her bare hand. Fear continued to fester inside the Chief''s mind. Finally, he reached the square. His people were running back to their homes or out to the meadow. The Chief ordered his followers to take large planks with them to his home to board the doors and windows.


    The troll continued to wreak havoc, destroying every building she came across. Goblins tried to throw rocks and wood at the troll, but it did not phase her. When she tears down a cottage, goblins would spring out of the rubble and bite her ankle. She punches these stranglers, planting their face to the ground.


    Finally reached the square, and in front of her was a tall building with a red roof. In front of her was goblin, pointing a spear at her. Behind him were goblins knocking on the doors and windows, begging to be let in. "Cheif, let in! Troll outside!" They yelled. The troll grinned from ear to ear. Her prey was cornered. All she had to do was smash the goblin''s head in front of her.


    "Stick, throw it now!" The goblin yelled. A small glass bottle shattered behind the troll''s head. The gas inside the bottle brought her to tears. Her vision got blurry, and her nose congested.


    The goblin ran to her and stabbed her thigh. She yelled so loud the glass windows shattered around her. She slammed the goblin away with her forearm. The goblin landed in a pile of snow. "Sun!" Stick yelled out. She turned around and glared at Stick. Her gaze scared Stick; he stumbled back and fell on his butt.


    After wiping her eyes clean, she began to walk over to the shaking the goblin. She rested her hammer on her shoulder. As she walks, she imagined the many ways she could kill the goblins of this tribe.


    She stopped when Sun threw snow at her. "I''m not down with you yet!" He yelled at her. She turned to face the goblin. His feet were shaking in fear. She laughed at the goblin''s fee

 Vol 3 Chapter 11: Lover Boy

    Rock ran out of the barn and into the town square. He was spinning around looking for Dawn, or at the very least someone that knows where Dawn could be in the town. It was dark outside, with only a few torches lighting the night. He managed to find the mother that babysits for Dawn. Rock often finds her sitting next to the well with her child and Dawn''s baby. Her name was Mabel.


    Mabel was sitting outside her porch while a small pit of fire, keeping the darkness away. Her home was a large boarding house that houses thirty families. She watched her child swinging on a wooden plank hanging on the porch roof. Dawn''s baby was not with her, which means Cala is not with Dawn. That could also mean that Sum is with Dawn.


    Regardless, Rock wants to confess his feelings to Dawn before its too late. He walked up to Mabel and asked, "Hey Mabel. Have you seen Dawn by any chance?"


    "Sorry, but no. Dawn runs away. Rumor says Sum give Dawn to Cala to play."


    "What!" Rock yelled out loud, startling Mabel.


    "Mabel sorry. No mean to anger Rock." She said, shielding her face with her arms.


    Mabel''s son got off to the swing and ran up to Rock. He started to kick Rock on the leg. "No, hurt Mama. I kill who hurt Mama." The kid continued to kick and punch on Rock.


    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to yell. I just got surprised." Rock tried to calm down Mabel, but the closer he got, the more defensive she gets. While shifting her arms around, Rock noticed she had bruises under her left eye. "Woah, what happened to your eye? Ouch!" Rock looked down at the kid hitting his leg. He raised his hand and placed it on the kid''s head.


    "Wait, no hurt!" Mabel cried.


    "You''re a strong boy, aren''t you." Rock giggled while petting the boy''s head. "Bet you''ll grow stronger than me."


    "I grow stronger ''cause I pure blood!" The boy boasted. He stopped hitting Rock''s leg and started showing off his muscles.


    Rock turned to Mabel, who finally lowered her guard and calmed down. "Mabel, are you calm now?"


    "Yeah," She whispered.


    "Good. I need to know where I could find Dawn. Do you know where she could be?"


    "Dawn run to meadows. Down south, there is tree. Mabel play with Dawn there."


    "Thanks!" Rock jumped off the porch and ran.


    "Wait!" Rock stopped and turned around. "Sum ask Mabel earlier where Dawn is, so Rock needs careful." She said while hiding her bruises.


    "I''ll be careful!" Rock yelled while running into the dark of night. While traversing the town, Rock overheard goblins gossiping about Dawn and Sum. The more he heard, the more he got angry. But he knows well that anger alone will blind him. He has another emotion that he needs to convey.


    Dawn was leaning on the tree in the middle of the meadow. The moon and stars painted the sky over her head. She held her baby close to her chest and wiped her tears with the baby''s clothes. A warm orange glow could be spotted from a distance. It got closer and closer to Dawn and her son. The light was warm and inviting, but Dawn knows that the cold is the safest place for her. The goblin carrying the torch was Sum. His face looked colder than the winter breeze passing by Dawn.


    Dawn turned her back, hiding her son between her body and tree. The baby began to squirm around her embrace as it tries to break free. His tiny hands wiggled through the binding and out into the cold. Dawn pressed her baby closer to keep it from getting exposed to the cold. "What Sum want?" She said while facing the tree, "Sell Dawn to Cala? That what Sum want?"


    "The Chief wants you to service him to the night." Sum''s voice was cold and metallic. "And address him with his title. I had enough rebels calling him by his name." Not a single hint of emotion but frustration in his voice. Dawn glanced at him only to see the face she wants love looking like a mindless slave, only following orders. The slaves that gave birth to Rock and his ''brothers'' had more life in them.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "Dawn give love only to Sum," Dawn turned and faced Sum. "Dawn forced to service Cala. But now you here! Sum protect Dawn and Sum''s son," Dawn''s rocked to the left. The baby started to cry.


    "I told you to show some respect, didn''t I!" He yelled, "That Mabel girl you hanging out with has been a bad influence on you. Cala is our Chief. He knows what''s right for the tribe, he works his ass off for the tribe, and he is willing to die for our tribe. Now come with me! The Chief is waiting!"


    "I don''t want to go!" Sum grabbed Dawn by the hand and pulled her. She pleaded and begged to Sum, but he did not answer. "Do Sum love Dawn at all?" Still no answer.


    Suddenly, the alarm bell from the town square was rung. The two gazed at the horizon and saw the wall shake. An intruder breached the wall. Sum released Dawn and ran towards danger, but from the dark came out a fist hitting Sum''s left cheek, and he fell to the ground. The torch he was holding fell on the snow.


    Dawn quickly picked it up before the fire got extinguish. She shined the light at the aggressor, and she was shocked to see Rock come out of the dark. "I told Sun that will never sucker punch someone," He said while looking down at Sum. "But for you, I''ll make an exception."


    Sum bounced back up. His cold expression turned into anger. "Stay out of this halfling!" Sum''s arms were shorter than Rock, so to get close, he took a step inside Rock''s legs and threw a straight jab. Rock took the punch straight to the chest. The sound of a rib breaking was audible.


    Sum pulled his fist back, storing his punch''s potential energy. Meanwhile, Rock stumbled back after getting pushed by the force of the blow. Sum sidestepped closer to Rock and launched another jab. Rock planted his lead foot in the snow and countered with an equally devastating jab.


    Rock''s punch was the last one to hit between in the engagement, but it had the most strength. Because Sum was moving forward, his momentum was used by Rock to deliver a much stronger punch. Sum''s head rocked back, and his whole body followed. He fell on his back, but he recovered immediately afterward by rolling back on his feet. "Was that it? Tama was far stronger than that!" Rock yelled. Sum wiped off the blood coming out of his nose.


    "Stop fighting!" Dawn yelled. The baby''s cries got louder.


    Sum ran through the snow, keeping his body low. "Bring it on!" He screamed out. Sum stopped with the left foot outside Rock''s stance. He swung his left arm and delivered a strong liver punch. Rock retaliated by punching him across the chin.


    The ground Sum was standing on began to shake uncontrollably. He was losing his sense of balance. But before falling to the ground, he delivered another straight jab to his chest. He used his fall to extend his punch further and with more energy.


    Rock tripped and fell on his butt. He got on his hand, trying to push himself back up. The pain from his liver continued to fester inside. The snow he was facing turned pink from the blood he coughed out, trying to get back up. Rock''s pain was nothing compared to the damage he dealt to Sum. He got up first, but his legs were still shaking. Sum''s body struggled to keep its balance as he sways back and forth like a drunkard. Rock took his time getting up. He got on his left knee and pushed himself with the right leg.


    Sum lowered his body and charged at Rock. He pulled his right arm back while keeping his fist parallel to his shoulder. Rock instinctively moved his left guard to his liver. "Rock dodge it!" Dawn yelled out, but it was too late. Rock got hit with a clean shot to the face. Rock was too busy looking at Sum''s left arm, allowing Sum''s right fist to travel in an upward arch, flying over Rock''s blindspot and hitting him. The baby wailed at the sound of impact.


    Blood and a tooth flew out of Rock''s mouth after getting blasted by Sum''s downward swing. Rock''s head flew back and his body followed it falling to the ground and sank deep in the snow. Sum turned to Dawn. His cold gaze penetrated through Dawn''s coat and into her chest. She got her answer.


    Before Sum could take another step, Rock rolled on his belly and grabbed Sum''s foot. He looked at Dawn and said, "I love you, Dawn. But it''s okay if you don''t love me back. Just don''t love someone like him." Blood was leaking out of his nose and mouth.


    Sum kicked Rock''s hands off his ankle, "And I thought you could be of use for our Chief." He walked over to Dawn, "Let''s go."


    "No," Dawn said, but Sum did not hear her because of a large explosion erupting in the middle of the town. Fire rise to the sky. The light and heat from the flames lit the night and brought warmth to the cold night.


    The warm orange light blanketed Dawn''s face. Sum looked at the explosion with a panicked expression. "No, no, no!" He cried. He tried to run back to the town, but he was held back by Dawn. She held his right hand and pulled him towards her. She ducked her head and raised her fist parallel to her head. She closed her eyes as her fist connected to Sum''s jaw. A thunderous sound boomed out from the impact.


    Some of Sum''s teeth embedded themselves in Dawn''s knuckle. Blood splattered on Dawn''s face and coat. He fell on the snow after Dawn''s fist completed its arch. He lost his conscious and his jaw dislocated. The baby stopped crying.

 Vol 3 Chapter 12: The Red Roof

    The eastern wall''s bell rang loud enough to capture the attention of goblins in the outskirts of town. Goblins in the eastern side of the town fled to the town square seeking shelter from the troll. While they were there, the Chief and retainers immediately left to face the dangerous troll. Some of the goblins seeking refuge followed the Chief to aid him in the battle. Little did they know that their head would be blown to bits with just one swing.


    The brothers were waiting outside by the remains of their former home. Their mothers wore long veils to hide their faces. It didn''t take lone before some goblins coming from the town square were running towards the western forest. The women hid behind the rubble as the goblins pass by one by one.


    "What''s going on? Why are you guys running so fast for?" Sun asked out of curiosity.


    "Troll attacked wall!" The goblin panted. "We go warn goblins west town."


    "What!" The brothers cried in unison. Just then, a goblin far away called out Sun''s name. It was Flute and her group of followers running from the town. "We go to barn, women, or you no there."


    "I''m sorry, Flute. Our mothers our with us right now. We thought it would be safer for them if they were away from the troll attack." Sun lied. He walked her towards the women hiding behind the rubble.


    "Is ok. Flute understand. We go to west forest. Safe there." She ordered her followers to help get them up their feet. They were surprised to see the women stand so quickly. "Flute, see you walk now. No time to check, we go now. Come Sun, Smoke,"


    "Wait, we can''t leave." Smoke said, "Rock is still somewhere in the town, we have to go find him."


    "We have no time looking Rock. We go now."


    "No Flute, Stick is right," Sun said. "We''ll go look for him, Stick you stay with our mothers."


    Flute grabbed Sun by the arm and pulled him closer to her. "Why you do this. Troll coming and killing goblins. You no afraid of troll?" Her voice sounded frustrated but with a hint of concern for the brothers'' safety. "Rock dies or not die from troll, but you live if avoid troll."


    "I know its safer for us to go, but Rock is our brother, my brother. And I''m not leaving him behind." Sun pushed Flute''s hand off him. "Come on Smoke, let''s go."


    "Wait, take Stick too. You need all help you got."


    "What? No Stick will go with you to, um. Help with taking care of them. Right Stick?"


    "Yeah!" Stick nodded.


    Flute looked at the brothers back and forth until finally settling on Sun''s face. "Do Sun not trust Flute?" She asked in a sobber tone.


    The brothers were caught off guard by the question, but after some hesitation, Sun answered her. "I trust you, Flute."


    "Well Flute, no trust you. Last time Sun leave almost die from wolf. Sum helped, but he no fight troll before. Go take Stick too." She walked up to Stick and nudged him to Sun. "He strong now. He help look for Rock. And please come back safe."


    Sun looked at his mother one last time before leaving. She gestured to him to go and look for his brother. Sun clenched his fist, then turned around and ran towards the town with his brothers close behind him. "Stick you have any bombs we could use?" He asked while running.


    "I got one on me that should be able to make someone blind."


    "Sounds good to me."


    The town square was full of goblins running around in a state of panic. Many of them rushed to the Chief''s building, banging on the doors and windows, begging to be let in. The brothers tried to get the crowd''s attention, but none of them seem to care about their surroundings. They only have one thought occupying their mind, and that''s to get inside under the Chief''s protection.


    The brothers tried to get the crowd''s attention, but they lost their senses and reasoning in their hysteria. Smoke noticed a bell on top of the building. It''s most likely an alarm bell to warn the town and the surrounding outskirts of danger. Smoke climbed up the over the goblins to the top of the building. Meanwhile, Sun and Stick confronted the troll in the main pathway.


    Once Smoke reached the top, he rushed towards the large iron bell, pushing aside the goblins in his way. He grabbed the rope and pulled it with all his strength, rocking the bell back and forth. The massive bell tolled in the dark, catching the attention of the goblins down below and outside the town. The crowd fell silent as they look up to Smoke, waiting for him to speak.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Then the silent shattered when the troll behind them roared in anger. The crowd quickly ran in all directions. They pushed and shoved other goblins out of their way, trampled over those that fell on the ground. Smoke yelled at the top of his lungs, nearly as loud as the troll''s roar, "Follow me!" The mass of goblins looked back at Smoke, who was now climbing down the building. "I know a safe place you can hide. Just follow me." The goblins did not hesitate and followed Smoke as he leads the mob.


    Inside the building, Cala and his followers and retainers hid under the basement. The sound from the bell penetrated through the many floors of the building until it reached the basement. But the loud bell was overcome by Salacity''s mad screams. "Cala! Cancer die, and you run!" Dolce tried to calm him down as best as he could, but Salacity pushed him to the wall.


    "Shut up, you imbecile!" Cala''s back was facing Salacity because he could bring himself to look at anyone. Not a single goblin in the tribe ever fought a troll before. "We avoid conflict with those animals because we can''t fight them! You''ll only get yourself killed, avenging your brother. You''re lucky your followers knew better than let you fight that thing."


    "At least Salacity not coward like you."


    The goblins inside the basement let out a gasp. Salacity''s words caught everyone by surprise, and the goblins knew his audacity to call the Chief a coward will lead to his death. Cala grabbed his sword and leaped towards Salacity.


    He pulled his sword over his shoulder and slashed the floor and bags of powder sitting against the wall, but when the dust settled, Salacity was nowhere to be found in front of him. Cala shook off the powder covering his face, thinking it was obscuring his vision. But he was not in front of him.


    He glanced to his left to see Salacity on the floor, and on top of him was Cloud. He pushed himself up on his feet and confronted Cala at a distance. "How many more should die tonight!" He yelled while his legs vibrate like a brittle pillar. "We can''t afford to lose any more lives. Our tribe will only get weaker if we fight among ourselves.


    "What are you saying? That I am wrong for killing this traitor. I am the Chief, and I suggest you get out of my way."


    "No! I will not you kill him!" Everyone laughed at Cloud for his futile resistance.


    "So that''s how it is? Sum got to live because you wanted him to live. You were the one that was conspiring against me. I should have known from the very beginning." Cala raised his sword over his head and leaned forward on his right leg. "And now you die."


    Cala ran to Cloud, who stood still like a statue. Fear had its hands on Cloud''s legs and feet and tried to move Cloud out of the way, but Cloud did not budge. He stood his ground while his legs vibrate in anticipation of Cala''s sword.


    Time slowed down for Cloud. He could see Cala''s figure move closer to him, and the sword motion downward. Fear, in one last attempt, urged Cloud to retreat, but instead, he charged forward.


    Light burst out of Cloud''s nape, and fire came out and began to envelop his body. His body looked like an arrow on fire flying to its targets. The goblins were at awe at the sight of the blue flame dancing in front of them. They witnessed this fire before. They all knew what will come out of it, a redskin.


    A red fist burst out of the flame and punched Cala''s scrotum. The pain shocked Cala still, but the pain did not stop his sword''s descent. The sword''s crossguard penetrated Cloud''s shoulder, causing him to scream in agony. He pushed Cala away from him and pulled the sword out. The blood on the crossguard dripped on the hilt. He got on one knee, exhausted and in great pain. He covered his wound and threw away the sword.


    The flames slowly dissipate, revealing to the room the sorry state Cloud was experiencing. Meanwhile, Cala got up as quickly as he fell. The veins in his head nearly popped out of his skin due to the intense anger he felt. No other emotions or thoughts occupied his mind; the only thing in his mind was rage. The goblins felt Cala''s wrath, and they ran up the stairs, scared for their lives.


    Cala screamed while running towards Cloud, and roundhouse kicked his chest. Cloud''s blood-stained helmet launched into the air while he crashed on the floor. Cala got on top of him and punched him numerous times. Cloud managed to grab one of his arms and bit on it. "You mother fucker!" Cala spatted at him. Cloud''s jagged teeth dug deep inside Cala''s flesh. He continued to punch the side of his head until Cloud released his grip. Cala covered his bleeding wrist and wailed from the sheering pain.


    Cloud''s mind scrambled for a way out of Cala''s hold, and the blood accumulating in his mouth gave him an idea. He spat blood on Cala''s eyes.


    Cala fell on his back and rolled away while rubbing his eyes clean. Cloud got on all four and crawled towards a shelf. The blood coming out from the open wounds on his face obscured his vision. He tried to pull himself up with the help of the shelf, but his blurry vision caused him to grab a spherical object. His hands slipped off and fell on the ground. He sat there, motionless.


    Cala stood up after wiping off the blood from his face. He saw his sword next to him. He grabbed it and slowly walked towards Cloud. "You bastard. I let you live, let you have power in our tribe. And now look at you." He placed the tip of his sword on Cloud''s forehead. "Your face and coat are covered in blood. You have a hole on your shoulder and a few missing teeth." Cala moved Cloud''s lips with the tip of his sword, revealing his broken teeth. "You should have never fought me ‘ͺ any last words?"


    Cloud looked at his hand and saw the spherical object sitting on top of it. The object was no small thing, but the bomb he used to blow up the brother''s cottage, their cottage. "I wished I listened to Tama more." He raised his hand and showed Cala the bomb.


    "What the-" Cloud removed the pin, and a bright yellow glow exploded out of the ball, followed by thunder. The explosion ignited the powder on Cala''s coat and inside the basement, creating a ball of fire that quickly expanded upward. The goblins on the first floor heard the explosion coming from the basement. Fire followed the thunder.


    The goblins were cooked alive inside their impenetrable fortress. As the flames climb higher, bags full of powder on the higher floors were ignited, causing a chain reaction until a massive explosion blew off the red roof.


    Cala''s sword was launched out of the flames by the explosion. The red glow from the metal sword shined bright on the night sky. It spun around as it falls to the earth, eventually landing in front of Sun.

 Vol 3 Chapter 13: Only To Startle The Sun

    The troll''s laughter echoed inside Sun''s heart. He grips his chest as it''s ribcage slowly squeeze his lungs. Cold sweat flowed down his nose and fell to the snow. Fear was slowly wrapping Sun with its evil tendrils. Only one phrase occupy his mind, ''shit.''


    The troll began to slowly walked while it giggled at the sight of Sun''s shaking body. She dragged her hammer on snow, leaving a deep trail. Behind her, in the distance, a silhouette of a goblin standing in front of a lit torch. In front of the goblin was a small ball of fire. The goblin raised the fireball and pulled his right arm. Sun realized the goblin behind the troll was aiming at the troll with its bow.


    Sun used all of his will power to move his legs and walked slowly back. He reached behind for his club. The troll picked up the pace and raised her hammer over her shoulder. Then the bell on top of the red roof rang for the entire tribe to hear. The bell caught the troll''s attention, and while she was distracted, Sun yelled at the unknown goblin, "Shoot her now!"


    The goblin shot its arrow, which left a glowing trail behind it. It reached its target, the troll''s left thigh. The shot took the troll by surprise, and the fire quickly engulfed the troll''s thigh. Sun tried to run and follow up with another attack, but then he heard the troll roar in pain and anger. The deep, loud roar caught everyone off guard. All of them looked at the source of that great sound and saw a troll standing tall with its left leg on fire. The light from the fire shined a spotlight on the troll''s angry visage.


    The goblins entered a state of intense fear from the horrid sight of the troll. They pushed and shoved one another, trying to get away from the troll. Luckily, Smoke''s voice managed to reach everyone''s ear, and he calmly led the mob to safety.


    Sun was frozen in place. He saw the troll''s hellish look up close, and its roar popped his eardrums. All he could hear was static. Stick saw Sun''s state and ran to his aid. Meanwhile, the goblin behind the troll sent a volley of arrows at her ‘ͺ all of them on fire. But none of the arrows reached their target. The troll waved her hammer like a giant fan, and a cloud of snow erupted, deflecting the arrows to the ground.


    Stick grabbed Sun''s face and shook his head. "Sun, we got to go now!" Sun hearing slowly returned. He looked at Stick, dazed and confused. "Come on. We have to leave. Rock probably heard the bell and is heading to the forest."


    "Yeah, you right. Let''s go."


    The brothers ran towards the crowd fleeing. The troll heard the brother''s feet digging deep in the snow. Before turning to chase her prey, she examined the goblin with the bow. The quiver on its waist had no more arrows. She removed the arrow stuck on her thigh and beat the fire out. Then the she slammed her hammer on the snow as a sign of power and vitality. Her violent display was enough for the goblin to stumble and fall on his butt.


    The troll turned her attention to the fleeing goblins. She swung her hammer across the snow, launching a wave of snow at the brothers, burying them. Sun managed to dig himself out before the troll could reach him, Stick was still stuck. "Oh fuck, my leg is stuck!" Stick tried to dig it out. As he digs through the snow, he noticed slowly turning red around his leg. After a few grueling seconds, he finally got his leg out only to see it punctured by a stray arrow. "Sun, I need help. Sun?"


    Sun stood there, motionless. The troll''s large body threw Sun off his resolve. "What''s the matter, kid?" A voice rang inside Sun''s head. He recalled a fragmented memory ‘ͺ a time where he was sparring with his past life''s teacher. "Why are you not moving? Are you scared?"Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "I''m not scared. I''m just analyzing my next move."


    "Oh? I didn''t know a smart fighter would just stand there with his legs shaking from fear."


    "Shaking?" He looked down his legs. When he saw that his teacher was wrong, he looked up to refute his statement, but instead, he got punched in the face. He fell on the concrete and was crying in pain.


    "See what standing still gets you. You can''t do anything if you stand there like a statue. Even if you''re scared, you got to move. Your name is Shuja. Then be brave and face your fear."


    Sun''s momentary dream was cut short when a sword suddenly dropped from the sky. The blade was glowing bright orange, and the snow around it melted into water and steam. The hilt''s leather strap was burnt black, and a tinge of smoke rose from the pommel. Looking at the sword calmed Sun''s mind. He took out a pair of gloves out of his pocket and put them on.


    Fear still resided in his body, but Sun knew well to fight it and not be consumed. "Stick, I''m coming!" He yelled. He charged forward at the troll while grabbing the sword on the way.


    The troll and Stick gazed at the burning building in front of them. The loud explosion caught everyone''s attention. Smoke anxiously rushed back to the town square. Some of the goblins following him ran back with him. They were like moths to a flame, curious to see the cause of the Chief''s fortress to explode.


    After some time, the troll regained her composure and continued on her path. But before she could reach Stick lying on the floor, she saw Sun running towards her with a glowing sword in hand. The troll pulled her hammer back, readying herself to swing.


    Sun''s silhouette grew larger as he got closer to the troll. The red fire raging behind was slowly changing its color to blue. The troll found the shifting of color was strange. Then she realized the color was not changing.


    Blue fire burst out of Sun''s upper body, overpowering the light coming from the burning building behind him. The blue flame shined brighter in contrast to the red glow. Fear''s grip of Sun''s body was burned away by the fire. Eventually, his body was consumed, leaving only a ball of blue flame charging at the troll.


    The troll panicked and swung her hammer too early, missing Sun. The most her weapon did was blowing the majority of the fire out, revealing a giant redskin. The troll pulled her hammer close to her chest.


    Sun swung his sword from the right. The troll shifted her hammer perpendicular to the ground and parried the sword. She quickly spun her hammer with both hands until the head was parallel to her head. Then she swung it downward. Sun rotated his body away from the attack, causing her to slam on the snowy earth.


    Sun punished her with a swift slashing cut, severing her right hand from the wrist. The troll did not hesitate and shifted her body to face Sun. She hid her handless arm behind her waist and swung her hammer towards Sun, catching him by surprise. Sun barely parried the hammer with his sword. The sword vibrated from the impact, and the vibration traveled all the way up to Sun''s arm.


    His arms tensed from the pain and his whole body was stunned. The troll threw her hammer and grabbed the bottom handle. She placed the hammer on her right shoulder. "Sun watch out!" Stick yelled.


    The troll took a deep breath and began the process of smashing Sun''s head clean off. But right when she was about to swing her hammer, and an arrow flew between her arm and hammer and into her eye. Her hammer missed Sun.


    Sun finally regained control of his body. He leaned forward and pointed the tip of his sword, the troll''s chest. "Go to hell!" He thrust the sword through her thick leather coat and into her chest. The tip of the penetrated through the troll''s back. She did not scream from the pain. She just closed her eyes and fell on her side.


    By the time Sun realized he had won, a crowd of goblin had surrounded him and began cheering. He looked at them. He saw Smoke carrying Stick and walking towards them. The brothers embraced each other. Behind him was the mysterious archer shooting at the troll. It was Olhos. He watched as the brothers hug and the mob proclaims him to be the new chief. He took off his helmet, placed it on the ground, turned around, and walked away.

 Vol 4 Chapter 1: Better Days

    "Are you sure you want to leave?" Sun asked


    "Yes," Olhos answered, "Olhos failed protect tribe."


    "What do you mean? We beat the troll.


    "But Chief dead, Cloud dead, Dolce dead, Cancer dead, and Salacity dead. Olhos can''t stay. Must exile because Olhos fail." Olhos tightened his bag around his shoulder. He turned to Sum, who was sitting on a log and looking down at the floor. "Sum, you coming?" Sum nodded while keeping his eyes away from the rest of the goblins. "We go now. Sun, you new Chief now. Good luck."


    Olhos and Sum left the morning after the troll attack. Some of their followers followed them to the woods. They headed to the large city the brothers saw when they were scouting the western side.


    The goblins that saw Sun defeat the troll venerated him, treating him like a god. The rest of the tribe was skeptical. Sun was not as strong as Tama, but the massive explosion that killed the former Chief and most of his retainers meant that no one in the tribe is strong enough to challenge Sun''s claim to the throne.


    Sun rejected the title of Chief at first, but the goblins that revered him pressured the title on him. He eventually accepted the title after some convincing from Smoke. As the Chief, he has the highest authority goblin in the tribe, and as a redskin, he is the strongest goblin in the tribe. He towers over Stick, nearly twice the size of Smoke, and surpassed Rock''s height. And paired with his past life''s experiences, not a single goblin could challenge him.


    Three days had passed after the troll attack. The goblins were rebuilding the eastern wall under the vision of Smoke. Stick was left in charge of Cloud''s followers and took the duty of maintaining and creating new weapons. Meanwhile, Rock and Sun were training the goblins at the meadow.


    The two sat under the tree, discussing their plans for the tribe while watching their goblins do light sparring against one another. The goblins wore helmets made out of felt and leather stuffed with soft fur and hair. Sun and Rock taught them some boxing and wrestling. Watching them spar reminded Rock the times when they learned martial arts inside the cold, dark barn. "Rock you listening?" Sun asked.


    The question took Rock out of his daydreaming, "I''m sorry what?"


    "Bro, pay attention." Sun took his pen, dipped it in ink, and circled the list he wrote on a piece of parchment. "Tomorrow, all these goblins will be joining us on our daily exercise routine. And this list of exercises should be easy enough for them to do."


    "But what is this for, though? They''re plenty strong already. They just need to know better-fighting techniques."


    "It''s not about their ability to fight. I''m planning on organizing our followers into a unit and fight as one. This list is supposed to help them get the discipline needed to work as a cohesive group."


    "Shouldn''t we punish them too? That should help discipline them. Hit a goblin flying here and there to keep them in line."


    "Cala did that a lot, and he died." He took out another piece of paper. "Killed by Cloud no less. But maybe we should also reward them for good behavior along with punishing them for any misdemeanor." He wrote down a list of infractions and the different consequences of the crime. After writing everything down, Sun placed the papers inside a makeshift envelope.


    "That looks like a pain in the ass to explain to them."


    "Unfortunately, yes, it is." Sun stood up and stretched his arms. In the distance, he saw Dawn walking towards them. "Looks like your knight in shining armor is here."This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Hey, she only knocked out him out because of me," Rock said while pointing at himself. Sun started laughing hysterically.


    "Dawn see Rock doing well." Dawn said, "How are you, Chief?"


    Sun waved his hands, "You can just call Sun. No need for formalities between us. After all, you saved my dear little brother. You are practically a sister to me. Better yet do you want to be my sister in law, I can get this guy to.."


    "Shut the fuck up!" Rock shoved Sun to the side. "Don''t listen to him. He''s just stressed from work."


    Sun laughed, "Ok, ok, I''ll leave you alone. I need to get back to the soldiers. Take care, and Dawn, please be gentle to him."


    "Dude, get out of here!" Rock yelled while kicking the air in front of Sun. Dawn giggled at the brother, acting silly. "Sorry about that."


    "No is good," Dawn said while shaking her head. "Seeing brothers not hate each other is good. Dawn sees brothers fight for women before. Dawn likes brothers not fight. Also here," Dawn handed a basket of berries and steamed mushrooms to Rock. "Dawn make this. Rock eat well, ok."


    "Thank you!" Rock sniffed the basket. "Mmm. This smells delicious."


    Sun left the two together and stopped the goblin''s sparring. He ordered one half to help with the construction on the wall and the other half to patrol the tribe. These goblins were the ones that witness Sun kill the troll. Their loyalty can are second only to his brothers.


    After the training, Sun made his way to the barn. Sun reinforced the barn and redesigned the interior to make life easier for the slaves living inside. When their mothers saw Sun after his transformation, they panicked, thinking that the former Chief found out about their plans to escape. Most of them were on the ground in a fetal position and crying on their knees. Sun''s mother was the only one that was composed. She remembered what Cala looked like and his mannerisms. The redskin in front of them was not like him.


    She looked past the colors and saw her son in front of her. His long hair and his soft but commanding voice were distinct for Mari, although it was not hard to recognize. Mari just took the time to know her son and the goblins around her. Was it because she cared for them? Not necessarily. Her fear of the possibility of getting rape again pushed her to befriend the goblins around her if it could protect her. She hated her caretaker, but luckily, she doesn''t need her. What she needed were Flute and her influence.


    But then there is her son. Mari had mixed feelings for him. At first, she found her son''s promise to protect and rescue were stupid, funny even. Then he did just that. He fought one of the goblins attempting to rape her, and he won. Her heart opened little by little for the young goblin. When he returned, broken and unconscious, after a dangerous hunt, she hesitated to heal him. But when she faintly heard Sun''s apology, her heart burst open.


    She risked her life, revealing the healing spells she learned and healed Sun. Luckily, her cordial and obedient attitude towards Flute paid off.


    Her life was taken away from her when she finally freed herself from the land forced upon her family and friends. But she is slowly regaining that freedom again, through her son. Does she love him? It''s hard to say. The trauma and scars on her body are fresh, but she knows she will move on. For now, she distracts herself with the books Sun found lying around the town.


    She read many stories and learned many things. The other slaves would listen to her read at night the stories inside these books by the fireplace. It helped them regain some semblance of peace.


    The barn turned from a cold, dreary place to their only sanctum. Mari sat next to a bookshelf. She sat on a short stool in front of a crude coffee table. She would spend hours sitting there reading and analyzing her books. "Could you read to me the book about the fairies again?" A timid voice said.


    Mari looked behind her and saw Cyrus with her cat ears pointing to the ceiling. "Of course." Cyrus did not know how to read because the country she lived in did not teach their serfs to read. But she is clever just like her child Stick. "Let me get up and get the book first." Mari stood up and reached to the top of the shelf. Once she got the book, she turned around and saw the barn door open.


    At the door was Sun, "Do you mind if I listen too, mom?" He asked.


    "Not at all. How about you, Cyrus? Is it alright if he joins us."


    Cyrus looked at Mari then at Sun. She nodded with hesitation.


    Only the women slaves were left after the attack. The male slaves escaped during the chaos. Salacity''s followers were too busy defending the tribe to notice the slaves escaping their warehouse.


    Sun viewed that as a blessing. He doesn''t know how the men would react if they were suddenly with his mom and the other women. Maybe they will work together to escape or use them to release their stress. But he doesn''t need to worry about that. They''re gone now, and nothing but better days are ahead.

 Vol 4 Chapter 2: Run Boy Run

    Under the dark cover of night, seven men ran for the mountains. Behind them was a giant troll, standing ten feet tall.


    Three days ago, these men were slaves used by the goblins to satisfy their sexual cravings. The female goblins sucked and bit on their scrotum, fingered cavities, and covered their body with their spit before they had their way with them. The male goblins standing guard would laugh and mock the men while the females assaulted them. Occasionally, a male goblin would come and have their way with them. Their time as slaves were hell.


    One of the men tripped while running. He called for the other men for help, but his plea was ignored. Only one of the men noticed. "Eric, shouldn''t we go back and help?" He yelled at the blond, leading the group.


    "There''s no time," Eric yelled back.


    The troll squashed the fallen man''s head With its foot while running after the group. Blood splattered on the snowy ground. "Ivan, you said it would be sunrise soon! That was an hour ago! Where the fuck is the sun?"


    "I don''t fucking know!" Ivan yelled back. He had long, silky black hair and pointy ears. He was the only elf of the group while the remaining men were humans. However, describing them as men would be inaccurate. They were all teenage boys that left their homes at roughly the same time looking for work. All but one of them lied about their age to work with the adventurers entering the forest. Ivan was the oldest one at the age of fourteen, which allowed him to work without faking his age, followed by Eric at the age of twelve.


    "Oh, god, watch out!" One of them yelled, after watching the troll behind them, throw its ax towards their group. The boys scattered, trying to dodge the ax.


    The ax managed to hit a target, a young boy with red hair. "Jack, help me!" He yelled out to the nearest boy to him. Jack was a fat boy until the goblins captured them. His thick fat disappeared as he starved every night. His chubby cheeks could no longer hide his bony interior.


    "I''m sorry," Jack whispered while turning around and running back with the boys. He struggled to catch up with them. "This isn''t right. Why is that troll chasing us?"


    "Who cares?" A young boy, by the name of Peter, answered back. "We just need to survive until sunrise. Then that thing will turn back into stone. Just stick close to me!" Peter reached out his hand. "Here! Hold my hand," Peter and Jack shared the same age. Both were eleven years old, and they quickly became close friends because of their similarities. Besides their age, they were opposite in every aspect, especially their physique. Peter was tall and skinny while Jack was short and chubby.


    "Guys! Look, there''s a thick grove of trees up ahead. That should slow it down." Eric yelled out.


    The boys continued to run for their lives. They ran through the grove, pushing and shoving the branches and leaves out of their way. When they got out on the opposite side, the boys looked behind and saw large chunks of wood fly out the grove. The troll used its ax to hack and slash its way through the trees. The troll got closer and closer to the boys. It can smell its child on them.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    "We have to go now!" Eric yelled. The boys followed him. The troll finally reached the other side and ran up to the boys. The troll''s heavy step shook the earth causing the boys to lose their balance and fall to the ground.


    The troll stood in front of them, raising its ax, ready to strike them down. But it didn''t attack. A warm orange light slowly crept itself up the troll''s legs, eventually reaching the top of its head. The skin the light touched turned to stone. Before turning fully into stone, the troll roared at the sky, in defiance to its stone prison.


    Eric slowly stood back up. His body was shaking after their near-death experience. The sun rose just in time to save their lives, but this was no time to rest. They must continue their travel if they want to get away from the troll. Peter helped Jack stand up while the other two waited. "Anytime now?" Eric said impatiently.


    "We''re coming," Peter answered back.


    "Seriously, how are you guys not dead?"


    "Eric, please watch your tongue!" Ivan bellowed out.


    "What? I was just wondering how they managed to make it this far. Come on. We can''t afford to lose any more time. The dwarf kingdom is that way," Eric pointed at the mountains. "If we''re lucky, we could get there before sundown."


    "Should we rest first?" Jack asked. "I''m so hungry."


    "And that troll is probably hungry too. Let''s go before that thing wakes up and hunt us again. Or we can leave you behind."


    Peter and Jack reluctantly followed the two older boys. They can''t survive on their own, and they know that as a fact. The boys growled while walking. They haven''t eaten anything since yesterday. Jack''s hunger was beginning to affect his ability to move. Peter tries his best to carry Jack, but Eric and Ivan agreed that he was slowing them down.


    Jack laid down on the soft cold snow. He does his best to fight the urge to close his eyes because if he does, he might not open them anymore. The boys sat far away to discuss their next course of action. Ivan and Eric wanted to leave Jack behind, but Peter insisted they take him with them. Luckily, none of the boys had to abandon Jack because a small team of dwarves on horseback found them under a pine tree.


    "We''re saved! We''re saved!" The boys yelled together.


    One of the dwarfs got off his horse and walked to Jack lying on the ground. He examined Jack while the other dwarfs confront the remaining boys. "Well, well, well," The dwarf with the short brown beard said, "What do we have here?"


    "Looks like a bunch of runaways, Farzin." A dwarf with a curly black beard and an eye patch got off his horse and walked to the boys. "My name is Aleksy, and we are from the Mericku Kingdom."


    "Hello, my name is Eric, and this is Ivan and Peter, and over there is Jack."


    "It seems like you guys had a long journey to get here." Aleksy turned his attention at Jack. "Damari, is he going to be fine?"


    "Yeah, he looks good. Just need a warm bowl porridge, and he should be back on his feet."


    "Well, that''s some good news. But before we can get you accommodations, I just need to ask, what are you kids doing in the forest?"


    Farzin leaned forward and grinned, "Maybe they were looting the cities and towns inside. Do you know that''s a violation of the law? We might have to detain you in prison, boys." The children''s eyes opened wide from the mention of prison. They had no idea working for the adventures would be considered against the law.


    "Sir, we didn''t know about that. If we did," Eric struggled to find the right words to say.


    "Farzin, please don''t scare the kids." Aleksy patted Eric''s should to calm him down. "It''s going to be alright, kid, we ain''t going to hurt you. We do need to know why you guys were in the forest, and what happened that got you," Aleksy stepped back and pointed at their dirty clothes. "In this mess."

 Vol 4 Chapter 3: No Better Feeling

    Mari''s hand emitted a soft glowing light. Flute watched as the light turned into bright glitter, floating down like snow. She smiled when the glitter touched her hands. After a few seconds, they disappeared into her hand. Flute could not but gasp at the sight of it. "So, what do you think? Do you think you can do that?" Mari asked.


    "Flute, don''t know. Spell hard, right?"


    "It''s fairly easy. A lot of people become wet nurses because it''s so easy to learn. Once you learn how to use this healing spell, the goblins don''t have to use those nasty purple potions."


    "Ok. Flute, try now." Flute held her hand in front of her and forced herself to release the same blue light Mari produces. But alas, nothing but sweat poured out of her palms. Flute let out a sigh of frustration.


    Learning how to use this healing spell could help Flute and the tribe immensely. Flute''s caretakers would no longer have to spend their time on making more of the purple elixir, allowing them to use that time to take care of the new Chief and his mother. Unfortunately, the more Flute failed, the more likely she would never learn the magic spell.


    Mari was slightly disappointed with the outcome. After four days of teaching, Flute was still unable to use the healing spell. Mari expected Flute to fail, but for failure to actually happen again disappoints.


    The use of magic by small green goblins was never documented. Rumors were circulating in the surrounding kingdoms of the forest that they could use magical spells, but the scholarly community has never seen any tangible evidence. The larger red goblins, on the other hand, are known to use some form of magic, whether it is the ability to envelop themselves with mana turning it into a sort of armor, to basic cognitive spells like illusions.


    Mari once saw the former chief fight with mana and witness it use a rudimentary form of blink, a spell that moves the user in short distances within a small-time frame in any direction they so desire.


    Red goblins are considered to be highly dangerous because of their ability to use mana. Merchant guilds, mercenary guilds, and state officials consider the death of a red goblin as a top priority during expeditions into the forest. Hunters would venture at the forest''s borders hunting red goblins. Because of this policy, goblins tribes residing at the edge of the forest have no red goblins as their Chief, diminishing their strength significantly.


    The existence of red goblins also posed a problem to scholars and religious figures. Only those that are sapient could use mana, and goblins are not considered sapient creatures. When they were discovered a hundred years ago, they were more like chimps and monkeys with aggressive tendencies. Now, they have an organized tribal system and can mutate into another form that can use mana. Goblins break the conventional knowledge of the time, but even they have rules. She just needs to find them.


    Mari hoped that she could learn more about goblins and their relationship with mana by teaching Flute, but the results were against her. At the very least, her relationship with Flute has improved dramatically during their time together. Their close relationship allowed Mari to ask for anything, as long as it''s within her ability to achieve.


    But it was not just her relationship with Flute that gave her the freedom to do as she pleases. Flute also wants to maintain her standing within the tribe. Her relationship with Cala was mixed. He rescued her from her abusive father and former Chief, but Cala also broke her heart when she chose Dawn over her.


    Sun was different. Flute was not his caretaker, but he did rely on her more than he did with his caretaker. He was a strong baby able to wrestle against Rock, the favored halfling among them. He can be very bright, speaking at the same level as a redskin. And more importantly, he was not deceitful nor ambitious, but he wasn''t content or craven.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Sun also had affection for his slave mother. By maintaining a friendly relationship with Mari, Flute retains her position as an influential member of the tribe. It''s usually difficult to gain a slave''s trust, but Mari and Flute shared the same curious attitude towards life. Flute learned a lot about magic, and she shared her recipes of the purple elixir and its effects much to the surprise of Mari.


    Flute reached over the counter and got her a pitcher filled with distilled spirit. Hard liquor is one of the best ways to warm the body. Despite the lack of snowfall these past two days, the temperature continued to decline. The leaves on the trees were replaced with white ice that formed from the morning fog, and the water from the wells no longer flow.


    The only good thing to come from the extreme cold was the deers and mountain goats leaving the mountain entering lowlands.


    "Flute no good spell. But Flute no give up. But Flute do need break." Flute poured the liquor into two cups, one for her and the other for Mari.


    "Oh, no, thank you. You can have it."


    "No, too cold. Need this for hot body." Flute pushed Mari''s cup to her. "Drink is good."


    "Well, if you insist." Both women downed their liquor and sighed relief after drinking them. Flute poured more for her and Mari for another shot. This time, Mari extended her cup to Flute for a refill.


    While the two were drinking, a pair of goblins entered the barn gossiping. "Rock still stronger." One of them said.


    "So, Sun is chief. Me good caretaker." The other answered back.


    "Rock only not kill troll and not be,"


    "No one cares. Sun is chief, not Rock."


    "Why you." The goblin pushed the other one to the ground and got on top of her. She grabbed the other goblin''s blond hair and began to pull them.


    Flute jumped off her stool and ran towards them. "Stop! You no fight here!" She yelled at them while pushing them apart. "No fight here. Chief orders" The caretakers already inside the building ran to Flute to assist her.


    The goblin on the floor got up and pointed at the other, "She mad Rock not Chief. She think Chief weak, she traitor!"


    "Me no traitor" She yelled back at him.


    "Stop! Flute no care!" Flute smacked the two on the head while the other caretakers securing them in place. "Stop nonsense. Go back work for good of tribe and Chief. Understand?"


    "Yes." They said while bowing their heads.


    The caretakers returned to their post afterward. Once free, the goblin that was on the floor dashed out of the barn before anyone could notice. Mari saw the caretaker rush out the door and told Flute about it. Flute didn''t care too much about Sun''s caretaker. She just wanted to go back and drink with Mari and to learn more about mana and magic spells. "Why does she care so much about Sun?" Mari asked. "I was the one that gave birth to him. She even called me a ''mother of goblin''."


    Flute poured more liquor on their cup. "Caretakers no give babies to world. Caretaker take pride of halfling they care. They care for halfling like own child."


    Mari stared at Flute drinking. "Flute, do you have any halflings you consider your child?"


    "No," Flute giggled. "Flute no deserve that."


    "Well, I don''t know if I''m right but," Mari downed her shot. "You''re a better mother to Sun than that bitch that ran off or me."


    Meanwhile, outside the caretaker ran through the thick snow and on slippery ice to her destination, the Chief. As her former caretaker, she was compelled to warn him about Rock and his former caretaker. She finally reached the wall. It''s been five days since the troll attack, and the tribe managed to finish the wall on the fifth day. The workers were getting ready to move to the next construction sites. Leading them was Smoke and Sun. "I think it is better to prioritize the residential buildings over that warehouse." Smoke said. "What do you think?"


    "I don''t know. That warehouse was the least destroyed building out of the other buildings. Maybe we could use it as a temporary shelter for the homeless?" Sun answered back


    "I might be able to finish the warehouse today and squeeze in some time to start getting the houses ready for building. Plus, the others are getting used to construction now."


    "Yeah, let''s try to get that done."


    While walking down the beaten path, the brothers heard someone call out for Sun. They looked around and saw a female goblin skipping to them while waving her hand.


    "Sun! Good thing me here before Sun go." She said while trying to catch her breath. "Me here, warn Sun. Careful of Rock, he no good."


    "Um, ok," Sun whispered.


    "Good. Me protect you. Rock and Rock''s caretaker no get you. Me go now." The woman left as quickly as she appeared to them. Sun and Smoke looked at each other, confused at what they just heard.


    "Smoke," Sun said.


    "Yeah."


    "Who was that?" Sun whispered while pointing at the female goblin.

 Vol 4 Chapter 4: Cradle to the Grave

    Stick was inside his shed, tinkering with the different ingredients Cloud collected over the years when he suddenly heard a knock coming from the door. He stopped what he was doing and walked over to see who it was. A group of goblins was standing in front of the shed. They were Cloud''s former followers, but they follow him. "Sir Stick, Meek found this Cala''s home." An old bearded goblin handed him a burnt helmet. "Cloud''s helmet."


    "Thank you," Stick said in amazement. He never saw Cloud''s helmet before. He thought the first time he would see it would be when Could was wearing it. Cloud can''t wear it now. And the helmet was barely recognizable.


    "Sir Stick, wear it. It good fit."


    "Um. Maybe next time, I still have some important stuff to do. You may leave" Stick placed the helmet on the counter. He turned around and saw the goblins waiting outside in the cold. "What''s wrong? Is there anything else you need from me?"


    The old goblins stepped forward, "Sir Stick, troll grave smell bad. Tribe complains."


    "How bad, exactly?"


    The goblins lead Stick to the burial mount where the troll''s corpse was buried. A foul stench permeated from the dirt, through the snow, making its way to the air. The goblins could smell the body from twenty meters away. "What the hell?" Stick yelled, "Why does it smell so awful? Did you guys bury it six feet under?"


    "Yes, Sir Stick." The old goblin said.


    "What six feet?" A short, bald goblin asked. The older goblin smacked the bald one''s head because of the question.


    "What do you mean, what? Do you guys not know how deep it that is?" Stick placed his hand on his forehead. "This is going to be a long day. Ok, everyone, I need all of you to follow my instructions" Stick clapped his hands to get everyone''s attention. "I need half of you to dig out the corpse while another half digs out a new grave. For the ones digging the new grave, I will show you how deep six feet is, ok?"


    "Yes, Sir Stick." They said.


    "Good, now get to work!"


    Ten goblins were digging out the troll''s body while Stick showed the other half how far deep six feet go. He used a long that had a banner on one end to demonstrate the measurement to them. "During our studies, Sun would teach us mathematics."


    A goblin raised her hand, "What made a ma ticks?"


    "It''s numbers and such. Sun found a ruler when we were looking for books, and with that ruler, we began to measure everything around us. Well, not everything, but a lot of things. Look, all you need to know is that nearly all the poles in the tribe that holds banners or torches are eight feet. And do you see that banner on hanging on top?" The group nodded. "That banner is about two feet in length. By subtracting eight and two, we get six feet." Stick took out a knife and marked the spot where the banner ends. "From this mark going all the way down to the earth is six feet. But you might ask, ''are we going to take this pole with us to measure the hole?'' And I''ll answer back with a no."


    "A no?" The same goblin asked.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "That''s right. All we need is someone to stand next to the pole for measurements. Since you asked, you''ll be our living ruler. Come on up here." The goblin got up and stood next to the pole. Stick adjusted her posture, straightened her legs, and rest her head against the pole to attain the most accurate measurement. "Alright, girl, what''s your name?"


    "Me, I Mist, Sir Stick." She whispered


    Stick took off the banner, then climbed down and measured the space between her head and the marking he made. "Well, Mist, it looks like you are four feet tall. We are going to use this banner to measure the hole. Once we passed two feet, we will be relying on Mist''s height to measure our progress. We will not stop digging until Mist''s braided hair touch the banner. Do you guys understand?"


    "Yes, Sir Stick!" The goblins yelled in unison.


    "Then let''s get digging!"


    Stick, and his followers started digging twelve meters away from the former burial mount. It took them two hours to reach the two feet mark, and another hour to reach the goal of six feet. The goblins tasked on unearthing the troll''s corpse joined them after finishing their duty, making the task easier.


    While they were digging, curios spectators watched Stick dig with his followers. Some of them made fun of Stick, calling him weak for working with his fellow goblins, while the ones that worshipped Sun saw this as a sign of loyalty and humility.


    They saw Stick as a weakling like the others, but his commitment to work and lack of arrogance made him a reliable leader just like Cloud. But Stick has one striking quality that separates him from his predecessor; he was no coward. The goblins that saw Stick fight alongside Sun against the troll respected him greatly. It also helps that Olhos''s former followers witness Stick fight against the former Chief. Where most would cower in fear, Stick ran straight to danger without hesitation.


    Stick was weak, but the goblins that respected him believed that he is stronger than any of the gossipers talking behind his back. Eventually, the crowd of spectators left because of the smell getting stronger by the minute.


    After reaching six feet, Stick and his followers climbed from their new hole and walked back to the troll. What Stick saw shocked him. "What the hell happened to the body?"


    "What Sir Stick mean?" The old goblin asked.


    "What do I mean?" Stick pointed at the troll''s corpse. "Look at this, um. What''s your name? I don''t think I heard it?"


    "Me Cast, Sir Stick."


    "Look at this, Cast." Stick climbed up the chest of the troll and began to stomp at it, creating a hard thumping sound. "It stone! How did it turn into stone?"


    "Sir Stick, maybe sun reason body stoned?"


    Stick stared at Cast, puzzled at the sentence he just heard. "But it''s dead. How did it turn into stone? No, you know what, it doesn''t matter. It was hard enough to move this body when it was just flesh and bones, but now it''s just a giant rock."


    Stick sat down on the troll''s chest and rested his chin on his right knuckle while trying to think of a solution. While he was thinking, Sun and Smoke called out to him as they pass by on their way to the demolished warehouse. "Yo, what''s that smell? Was that you Smoke?" Sun asked.


    "Screw you. I don''t smell that bad." Smoke responded. "Maybe it''s your long dread that you haven''t washed for weeks."


    "I''ll wash it when I have the time."


    "Hey, guys!" Stick noticed their follower''s hammers. "Say, are you using those?" He pointed at the goblins holding the hammers.


    "What?" Sun turned around and looked at the object Stick was pointing at. "You mean those hammers. What are you going to use it for?"


    Stick pointed down on his feet.


    "Did that just turn into stone?"


    "Yup."


    The brothers had their followers chisel apart the body. Arms and legs were broken in half, and the torso was split into four pieces. It took an hour to break the stone corpse into manageable pieces without leaving large crumbs on the ground. The goblins wrapped the remains in a loincloth and dragged them toward the new hole except for the head.


    The troll''s head was hideous. The nose pointed upward toward its forehead; its tusk penetrated out the lower lip. It had no hair to hide its giant rat-like ears. Smoke rolled the head to its destination. They buried the body in less than an hour. Sun and Smoke left afterward to start their own work.


    The smell remained on the surface for two days until a heavy snowfall finally buried the stench.

 Vol 4 Chapter 5: I Am a Wayfaring Stranger

    Snow continued to fall for weeks with no end in sight, burying the town and its inhabitants. But the goblins continued living between the grey sky and pure white ground. Smoke and his followers struggled to finish their reconstruction, but they kept doing their work while hip-deep in snow.


    After one month, the snow finally seized its assault against the tribe, and Smoke finished rebuilding the town. They left the buildings to its tenants and returned to their post, guarding the tribe against the threats looming to the east. Once they reached the wall, Smoke divided them into two groups, those that stand guard on the wall and those that will venture into the forest.


    Smoke stood on top of the wall and looked at the forest. He could see hunting parties return with rabbits, foxes, muskrats, and deers, and some with nothing. The snow made it harder for them to hunt, but because of it, more deers were migrating from the mountains to the valley. The hunting became difficult, but there was room for mistakes.


    The goblins surrounding the gate took the animals and cut the bellies and removed the internal organs. They collected the blood in buckets and passed it around. Goblins took turns drinking the warm iron riched blood.


    One of the goblins filled a cup with rabbit blood and climbed up the wall. He offered the cup to Smoke, who was standing vigilantly on wall. "Thank you Spat," Smoke accepted the offering and drank it with satisfaction.


    "Master Smoke, me ask chief thing but me scared. Me ask Master Smoke ok?" Spat twirled his long blond hair on his pinky.


    "What is it you want to ask?"


    "Me want know why Chief make goblins run?"


    "Run?" Smoke put his fingers on his chin, "well its to train your endurance and stamina. The longer you can run the higher your stamina gets."


    "Really? Me think goblins born strong, that it."


    Smoke saw in the distance Stick and Rock running ahead of their followers. "Look over there Spat. Do you see Stick?"


    "Yes, me see Master Stick."


    "He was the runt of the litter. He was so weak that when he tried to claw his way on our first deer, his nails bent and broke. You will probably be much stronger than he was if both of you were at the same age. Now look at him and watch how he is ahead of the pack, second only to Rock. "


    Spat stared at the two at awe. He could not believe Master Stick, the one who held back the Former Chief and stood up against the troll along with the current Chief, was born a weakling. "Master Smoke, you think Spat gets strong too."


    "Of course." Smoke smiled.


    "Master Smoke!" A goblin yelled at the bottom of the wall. Smoke walked over and looked down at the goblin.


    "What is it?"


    "Hunters come back. Say found boy slave."You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Smoke climbed down the wall and walked to the gate to meet up with the hunting party. The leader of the party was Shuja. She was standing at the concession arguing with a guard. Smoke had the two separated and asked them why they were making a commotion.


    "Master Smoke, she no bring boy slave. Maybe she lie."


    "Shuja, no lie. Shuja saw slave boy. But Shuja can''t bring slave boy because slave boy dead."


    "Where did you find him?" Smoke asked.


    "By creek with red cross on tree. Shuja trip slave boy hand. It buried by snow, Shuja can''t dig out." Shuja looked down, "Shuja, sorry."


    Smoke raised his hands, "That''s more than enough." Smoke turned to Spat and asked him to relay a message to Sun. After Spat left, Smoke ordered four guards to follow him into the forest. They brought a sleigh to carry their shovels and clubs and to use it to bring the body back.


    Smoke and his scouting party walked for hours until they finally reached the red cross Sun drew on the tree. Protruding out the snow on the base of the tree was a small human hand. Smoke and his followers started digging the corpse out from its grave.


    After successfully taking the corpse out, they placed it on the base of the tree, leaning on its left shoulder. The corpse''s head was missing. They believed the head was nearby, so they started to dig around the body, but no skull was found. Instead, the goblins found bits and pieces of fractured bones and strands of brown hair.


    Besides the head, there weren''t any other ways for the goblins to identify the body. But they knew it was their slave. One of the goblins in the party recognized the scars on its backs. They looked like the scars the female goblins left after having their way with the slaves.


    Some of the trees in the surrounding area were broken in half as if someone cut them down with one swing. Whatever destroyed the trees must have been huge. Smoke didn''t want to believe it, but there is a possibility that the creature that wrecked the place must have been a troll. Smoke brought a small notebook with him and wrote down what they saw.


    They wrapped the body and carried it on the sleigh. When they got back, the sun was beginning to set. Goblins were waiting on the gate to see the rumored escaped slave. Many of them were female goblins that used the slaves to release their stress. When they saw the body, their hope quickly faded because they expected it to be alive. They mourned for the loss of their toy.


    Sun was among the crowd waiting for the scouting party. Smoke ordered his followers to bring the body the meadow and to look for Salacity''s former followers to identify the body. "How was the trip?" Sun asked.


    "Pretty uneventful. I wrote down what we saw." Smoke took out his notebook and handed it to Sun. "Not sure what killed the slave, but looking at the scene, I can''t help but think a troll killed him."


    "Another troll, huh? You think it might be related to the one that attacked us?"


    "Maybe? Should we halt our hunting?"


    "It''s been more than a month since the troll attacked us. I doubt another troll will show up. But just in case, we might need to upgrade our defenses. A moat around in front of the wall could help."


    "But digging one deep enough to slow down a troll may take some time. Plus, we don''t know if it is a troll, could be adventures that killed the slave to end its misery. It could be another monster we had never met before that followed the deers from the mountain."


    Sun looked at the body, getting carried to the meadow, "Did you find the head?"


    "No."


    "Guys, can you stop for a minute." Sun and Smoke walked up to the body. "His whole head is gone. Reminds me of all the goblins that fought that troll. Most of them had no more heads."


    "We couldn''t even tell which one was which."


    "But this one is a little different. Just look at the neck, it seems like it was cut clean. Whatever this thing was, it wasn''t just smashing heads." Sun opened Smoke''s notebook and read it. "You wrote down that the trees were cut down around it, is that right?"


    "Yeah."


    "When we were hunting for the first time when we encountered that goat. Our original plan was to lead it to the creek by using our bombs and the dense trees."


    "Wait, you don''t mean?"


    "Whatever that thing was, it must have been huge and needed to cut down the trees around it to chase after the slaves. If our bets are right, it really could be another troll."

 Vol 4 Chapter 6: Promises

    The tribe gathered on the town square after the Chief''s followers rounded them up. When they asked the guards why they gathered them, the guards simply said, "Chief''s orders!"


    Once they were all together, Sun and his brothers walked on the wooden stage overlooking the ground. Behind them was the burnt remains of the former Chief''s building. The supporting pillars lean on each other, forming a skeleton of a pyramid. On top of the pyramid was a bucket full of dry sticks and leaves lit on fire, illuminating the backstage and casting Sun''s shadow over the crowd.


    Sun stood tall in front of his tribe to hide his anxiety from them. He waved his hand, and the crowd became quiet.


    Sun practiced this speech in his head over and over again, but he was still nervous when being faced by a square full of goblins, "My fellow tribesmen. I have urgent news. Many of you should already know, but to clarify any rumors you heard and to answer the questions you have, yes. The answer is yes, we found a frozen body belonging to a slave that escaped during the troll attack."


    The goblins murmured while Sun continued his speech, "We don''t know what exactly happened, but we have and idea on who it might be or what it could be."


    The goblins whispered to one another, "What could be."


    "More boy slaves, maybe!" A female goblin yelped in excitement.


    "Maybe dragon?" One male goblin asked.


    "Dragon no real." Another answered.


    "No! You wrong, dragon real."


    The disagreeing goblins shoved one another while yelling. The audience around them backed away and watched the spectacle unfolding before them. Sun had to stop his speech and ordered his followers to break the fight.


    A goblin up front yelled at Sun, "No dragon, no problem!"


    Sun turned to Flute and whispered, "Are there actual dragons?" Flute shrugged.


    Then Sun faced the crowd and said, "I wish that was the case. But we do have a problem. Smoke and I discussed the possible killer while burying the body, and we came to a conclusion. We believe that the one that killed the slave was a troll."


    The crowd immediately grew restless with fear after hearing the word troll. Most of them were traumatized by the attack and could not handle the idea of another troll destroying their homes and killing their family and friends. "Everyone, please settle down!" Sun tried to calm them.


    "Calm. Me no calm. Troll kill tribe again. Me can no calm!" A goblin yelled.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    "I understand everyone''s afraid of the troll, but if we want to survive, then we must act now. The troll has yet to attack us, which could mean two things; it couldn''t find our tribe or the snowstorms we went through this month prevented it from attacking us. The snow brought us time to rebuild ourselves, but now snow seized to fall. We must ready our selves if we want to win against the troll."


    The goblins stopped panicking when they heard the last sentence. They were surprised. "How Chief say that?" An old goblin by the name of Root asked. "Troll big. Chief won barely."


    The loyalist got defensive when they heard Root. They were afraid of the troll, but they witnessed Sun kill it with his own two hands and stood victoriously on top of the body. They surrounded the old goblin, ready to beat him for transgression.


    Sun and Smoke jumped off the stage to stop them from harassing the old goblin. Meanwhile, the goblins that did not take a liking to the new Chief started insults at the loyalist.


    Stick and Rock stepped in with their followers to stop the crown from getting out of hand. The former a wall separating the two sides. The goblins shoved the followers, but because of their training, none of them surrendered an inch. The followers were using small clubs to beat anyone out of line.


    The crowd could not penetrate the line. The loyalist laughed at the Chief''s antagonize for failing to break the defensive line. Their taunts made them bolder, but the followers'' constant beating eventually lowered their resolve. The audience finally settled down, with only a few significant scuffles occurring.


    Once a semblance of order was established, Sun returned to the stage. He stomped his feet in order to catch the full goblins'' attention, "Everyone, please! We must work together. We can only win against the trolls if we stand together. I did not beat the troll because people ran away in fear. I beat the troll because of my brother''s help; because of Olhos'' support; because of the goblins guarding the wall. I did not win. We won! And we can win again if we stand united!"


    The goblins gave their full attention to Sun when they heard they could win. "We must not divide ourselves, or we will lose! Together we built a wall, and together we rebuilt our homes! Are we going to let another troll to stroll in our tribe and destroy everything? I say no, I say we fight! So, who will stand with me and fight!"


    The loyalist cheered their answer to the Chief. They roared yes to the sky while jumping up and down with excitement. The ones that were opposed to the new Chief''s rule stood silently in the back of the crowd.


    Dawn was standing next to Mabel on the porch of the large white boarding house. They watched the crowd get riled up by the Chief''s speech. Across to her were Flute and a tall hooded figure. Underneath the hood was none other than Sun''s mother. She left the barn with Flute to see the commotion. The idea of another troll attack made Mari anxious. She did not witness the troll destroy the town, but looking at the aftermath was enough to instill fear to anyone.


    Sun healed miraculously when he turned into a red skin. Mari doubts another miracle could happen again. There are no records of any goblins stronger than a redskin, so Mari will have to heal Sun if he were to get injured. She pulled out the book that she found that taught her the spell of healing. She flipped through the pages passing by the different theories involving magic and its ability to heal physical wounds. She flipped through the various herbs and healing compounds, methods for treating open wounds, and then finally, the different anatomies of the races. The last page featured the unknown race that once inhabited the forest.


    She looked up and stared at the crowd of goblins dancing in excitement. She wondered how these creatures could defeat an advanced race when they don''t have the confidence to fight one troll. Then she looked at Sun guiding the goblins. She felt her question was answered by Sun, for now.

 Vol 4 Chapter 7: Wait A Minute

    The eastern wall got busier than ever. Hunters pass through the gate as usual while accompanied by a follower or two of Smoke. If they spot a troll, they must retreat quickly to the wall. If they encounter a troll, they must lead it away from the tribe before they could retreat to the wall. If they see signs of troll activities, they are to report back to Smoke all of the details.


    To facilitate better communications, Sun began teaching their followers how to articulate their sentences and basic reading comprehension. During the day, they would work on the wall, digging a moat with spikes on the bottom, and patrol the town. And at night, they would attend classes inside a large building with tinted windows. Sun''s brothers learned quickly due to their expedited growth rate to adulthood, but their followers do not share this inherent advantage. Adults lack the ability to comprehend Sun''s lesson at a faster pace. It''s been two weeks after the speech, and his pupils still struggle to add articles in their sentences and use the appropriate pronouns. Instead of "I fly to the sky," the goblins would say, "Me fly to sky."


    Dawn would watch the Chief''s followers walk inside the building while sitting on the porch with Mabel. For two weeks, she would see them walk and out. The followers would always enter and leave with dread in their eyes. She wondered what sort of torture the Chief''s followers go through every night and why the Chief would do such things to his most loyal followers.


    Her curiosity got the better of her, so she decided to ask Rock about the Chief''s duties during the night. When morning came, she carried her son and a small bag of beef jerky to the meadows where the Rock and his followers are training. Rock ordered his followers to finish their routine then sat down with Dawn and her child under the tree. They talked for a long time until Dawn finally popped the question.


    She feared her probing might anger Rock, but she learned from her past experience with Sum that action is far better than being content. To her surprise, Rock answered her question, "Oh, Sun teaching them how to speak, quote on quote, civilized." Rock made remarks with his index fingers in the air, "and how to read too. Honestly, I don''t know why he wants to teach them how to read. I could barely do it, and I''ve been learning since I became an adult. Plus, most of the books are with Sun''s mother, Mari, so they can''t really read anything."


    "What civilized mean?"


    "Well, I don''t want to be rude, but I guess its to speak, um." Rock rubbed his head, "Clearer, in lack of better word."


    "Ok? What reading?"


    "Oh man, you really asking me this very hard questions. I am just a simple goblin, take it easy on me, ma''am."Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    "Sorry." Dawn giggles.


    "Excuse, master Rock." One of Rock''s followers walked up to Rock, "We finish. We run now or?


    "Oh, right." Rock stood up, "Sorry, Dawn, but its time for our morning jog. And be careful on the way back, the sun hasn''t come up yet."


    Rock ran off with the other goblins for their morning jog. Dawn made her baby wave goodbye to them and walked back to town.


    The town was quiet this morning because not a single goblin roams the streets. Dawn would occasionally see a goblin on patrol. They would greet her when they pass by.


    The silent darkness slowly dissipates as she gets closer to the town square. The goblins that just woke up all lined up on the square for their morning ration. Dawn scouted for Mabel among the crowd. She managed to spot her right behind the widows. The Chief changed the order of importance after the troll attack. The children that lost their parents during the attack were the first to get food followed by the widows; next were the mothers with their children, and finally, the males and single females.


    This change in policy won the Chief the hearts of the widows, but drastically dropped the support he got from the single males that planned to force the widows to marry them. By taking a larger portion of the hunted animals, the Chief had more than enough to give as rations to those affected by the troll attack. The loyalist praised the Chief''s benevolence while those that oppose burned in envy. They would voice out why give it to those brats and the useless women when it can be given to the strong.


    There is one notable goblin among the opposing faction that could be considered a spokesman for them. His name was Olr, a goblin that hated the previous Chief. He was one of the few goblins that noticed Cala''s cowardice nature when it came to the wolf problem. Truth be told, Olr was impressed by Sun''s willingness to hunt the wolf for the tribe, but he was a halfling and could not possibly kill a Timber Wolf. It was Sum who ultimately killed those large beasts and came back with the spoils.


    Then the troll attacked that faithful night. It destroyed nearly half of the tribe. But when the sun rose from the horizon, it was not Cala or Sum that stood on top of the monster. It was that halfling. He and many others suspect foul play involved, but no matter how much they try to shed light on the deceit, the blind loyal goblins continued to shout praise to them.


    Dawn did not care much for politics. If Mabel saw Sun defeat the troll, then it was enough for her to know the truth. Mabel never lied to her. They were like sisters. If only she listened to Mabel''s warning about Cala and Sum.


    After waiting in line, Dawn and Mabel finally got their breakfast, which was two beef jerkies and a leg from a small critter. The ladies walked with the children to the western fence. There was a willow tree on the outskirts of town with a swing and seesaw for the children could play.


    Once they got there, the guards posted on the eastern fence help them get situated. They took wooden barrels for the ladies to sit and made a fireplace to keep them warm. They offered them spirits, but they declined the offer. They sat watching the children play. After an hour, Flute and her followers came to take the orphans. The children waved goodbye to one another, some of them whining to the caretakers to let them play longer.

 Vol 4 Chapter 8: Make A Move

    Outside the doors of an old run-down building are two goblins standing in front of the door. They kept their eye on every goblin walking passing, especially the Chief''s followers patrolling the town. While watching the street, a fat goblin walked up to the guards.


    "Stop. Who you?" One of them held his hand on the goblin''s chest. "What want?"


    "Me Root. Olr call Root here."


    The goblin opened the door for Root. Inside was a tall table, and standing on top was Olr while surrounded by goblins. Root walked his way around the other goblins until he found a free spot to sit on. More and more goblins walked through the door with the last goblin walking in with a basket of beef jerky and offered them to everyone. Once everyone got their food, Olr cleared his throat to get everyone''s attention.


    "Me tribesmen. Fake Chief take game we kill. Fake Chief give useless weakling food first. Me tribesmen. Fake Chief no our Chief. Me no see Sun kill troll. Me no see Sun kill wolf. Me no see Sun fit for Chief!"


    The goblins cheered quietly so to not garner attention from the outside.


    "Sun no strong. Sun no smart. Sun no more. And me have plan."


    The goblins whispered among themselves wondering what this plan could entail. One of them spoke up, "Me want know what plan Olr talking."


    "Me talk plan now, idiot. No distract Olr." He yelled back. "Me have plan. We make fake troll foot marks on forest. Then we report troll marks to Sun."


    "Then we jump kill Fake Sun!" A goblin excitedly said.


    "No idiot! We kill Sun no goblin see no goblin believe! You!" Olr pointed at Root, the goblin sitting next to him. "Slap idiot for Olr." Root pulled his left hand to his right and back handed the goblin.


    "Olr have better plan! Sun think troll coming so Sun run and hide. Me yell and say Sun coward. Tribe see Sun coward and side with Olr. Tribe kick Sun out and Olr become Chief. And me give all friends food and power!"


    The goblins cheered loudly forgetting that they could be heard. Root joined in with the merry making. He clapped and whistled at Olr.


    Afterwards, the group disbanded. Root returned to his small lodging. On the way he gathered dry firewood to warm his home.


    After starting the fire, he sat down and took out a piece of beef jerky. Unlike the other goblins that gobbled their share the moment they got them, Root saved some for later. The jerky had a smoky taste and was tought to chew on. Root prefered softer meat but with winter still on his doorstep, dry smoked meat will have to do.


    The fire went out shortly after he ate his meal. Root rubbed his belly with satisfaction. His small shed was nice and warm now, so he did not bother lighting a new fire.


    Before they disbanded, Olr asked everyone to meet again tonight at his home. Nightfall won''t be arriving anytime soon, so Root decided to occupy his time by doing his favorite pass time. He went to his cabinet and opened it, revealing a pile of shirts and drawers. He dug underneath them and took out a piece of charcoal and a book.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    He placed the book and the charcoal on a coffee table sitting perfectly under the sun''s rays. Then he began to draw. He loves to draw birds because they were beautiful. His favorite was the duck. Their green and yellow fur around its neck looked like shiny necklaces, and its grey tail shines like silver under the sun. Unfortunately, they can only be found during the summer.


    He watched and drew his ducks doing all sorts of things. He drew flying in the flying, swimming on the water, and waddling across the floor. Root would make it his mission to look for them during his hunt. He even thought of capturing one to keep as a pet, but the other goblins would just steal and kill it before it could enjoy a happy life with him.


    While he was drawing, the door busted open. Root looked and saw that it was his sister, Mist, that disturbed his peace. "Me tired!" She yelled, "Me want rest."


    She walked to Root and rested her on his shoulder. Root turned to her, "Busy work?"


    "Busy, busy! Master Stick make me and everyone tie ropes on poles."


    "Ropes on polls?"


    Mist nodded, "Sir Stick say rope for trap. Trap troll and kill troll. If trap no work. Sir Stick say tribe doom!"


    Root''s eyes widened, "Doomed!"


    "Doomed!" Mist yelled at him, scaring him.


    "Aaahh!" Root yelled, visibly shaken.


    Mist laughed at her brother, "Look, Root belly rumble!" She poked his belly.


    "Stop it Mist. No funny." Root sheilded his belly woth his book.


    "What that?"


    "Nothing!" Root yelled. He stood up and ran outside. Drawing was a hobby he was ashamed of. Other goblins spend their time wrestling or playing ball. But he never found joy doing those things. He preferred sitting down and draw.


    His family and friends shunned him because of this strange hobby he found himself enjoying. Only his sister stayed with him. She finds him entertaining to tease, which he doesn''t like. He believed she only stayed to bully him.


    Root looked back, and Mist was running after him. She pointed to him and yelled, but he couldn''t hear her. Suddenly, he slammed against a wall and knocked out.


    When he opened his eyes, he saw the sun shining behind a tall figure. "Get up! Quick!" Mist pulled him up by the shoulder. As Root gets up, the shadow on the figure slowly fades, revealing red skin. He did not bump into a wall but the most powerful goblin in the tribe, Sun the Chief of Lev.


    Mist got on all four and begged the Chief for forgiveness. Meanwhile, Root stood still, too scared to move. Sun bends his knees to face Mist and calm her down. Then he looked up and saw Root''s book.


    "Oh," He exclaimed. "Is that a book? Here did you find it? May I take a look?"


    Root was frozen in fear and could not respond. One of the Chief''s followers walked up to him, "Hey, Chief demand you give book. You hit and you must pay!" The guard yelled with passion. Root''s started tearing up while holding his book tightly.


    Mist looked up and saw her brother about to cry over a book. She stood up and faced the Chief, "Please bo take book. Brother''s book important. Take Mist instead."


    "What?" The Chief and his followers remarked.


    While they were bewildered by her statement, Root bolted out of there. He ran and he ran until he reached the only person he knew could help him, Olr.


    Once he got to his home, he started knocking down his door and yelling his name. Then the door opened, and Root''s fat body fell on the hardwood floor. the door closed, and a goblin jumped on top of Root and restrained him. "Who you?" The goblin asked as he wrapped his arm around his neck.


    "Me Root. Me speak with Olr, please." Root struggled to speak.


    "Free him." A voice called out in the shadow. Root recognized this voice. "What want?"


    "Olr, please." He got on his knees and begged, "Help Root. Fake Chief want Root''s treasure and took Mist, me sister."


    Olr stepped out of the shadow and stood before him, "What Root offer?"


    Root''s brain raced to find an answer for Olr. Something that Olr would find valuable but worthless to Root. Suddenly, it clicked. "Fake Chief use trap. No plan hide."


    "Trap? For troll?" Olr''s face showed displeasure, but then an idea took fruition in his mind; a new plan that could destroy the Chief''s reputation and possibly end his life.

 Vol 4 Chapter 9: Makes No Sense

    Dawn woke up in the morning and did her usual routine. However, she decided to leave her baby with Mabel when she headed to the meadows. She brought nothing but a torch to light the way.


    Rock and Sun were at the meadows, training with their goblins. They thrust wooden sticks in a line while counting in unison. Rock stood side by side with them doing the same thing while Sun leads the counting. Dawn walked towards them, waving at Rock. "Good morning." She told Sun.


    "Good morning," Sun smiled back, "Where''s the baby?"


    "Baby with Mabel, still need sleep."


    Sun nodded and continued counting. "Can Dawn join line?" Dawn asked.


    Sun looked at her perplexed. He hesitated to answer, "Sure, here you go." He handed her a stick similar to the ones the men were using but smaller. She stood two rows away from Rock. The two would occasionally glance at one another. After ten minutes of thrusting the spear, the goblins cleaned up and got ready for their morning jog. They brought a bag of warm water to hydrate themselves and replaced their thicker coats with thinner, lighter ones.


    Rock handed Dawn one of the specially made clothes to her. She hid behind Rock to change. Once everyone was finished, they got into their groups and jogged. Rock and his group led the way while Sun stayed behind the pack catching those that fell behind.


    They run around town through the snow, and in between the giant walls of piled up snow. Goblins around town waved at them as they pass by. Meanwhile, the rising sun warmed the sweat-covered goblins.


    Dawn was running with Rock and his group. She watched while Rock throw punches as he runs. Then he would bob his head left and right before throwing uppercuts. Rock repeats this cycle often during their jog. "Why do that?" Dawn asked.


    "I''m doing it to train my footwork and breathing‘ͺthe two things I need to get stronger. Oh, I meant to ask you this for the longest time. How did you beat Sum? What was that punch you did?"


    "Dawn only beat Sum because Rock beat Sum. And punch no name but Sum learn punch watching fish fly."


    "Oh, do you think I can learn it?"


    "Dawn think so. Dawn no how punch work. Dawn teach Rock if Rock teach, um, ''civil'' talking."


    Rock smiled, "Tonight is ok?" Dawn nodded, "Then, that''s a date!"


    The two continued to jog around the town. Rock slowly lost his position as the leader because he kept his speed at a similar pace to Dawn. "Why you no punch Sum''s crotch?" Dawn asked out of the blue.


    "Wha?" Rock responded perplexed. "Well, I guess its because if I don''t want that to happen to me, I won''t do it to someone else. Also, Sun beat me without doing anything like that. If he could beat someone twice his size and enraged without underhanded tactics, then there is no reason why I couldn''t. But still, I lost to Sum, and my fight with Tama was one-sided. I have a long way to go." Rock clenched his right fist. His eyes were burning with passion.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Eventually, Dawn''s stamina ran out. She struggled to catch up with Rock and his group. Not wanting to hold him back, Dawn told Rock to go on ahead. As time goes on, more and more goblins pass her by until Sun''s group caught up with her. At that point, Dawn regained some of her energy and maintained a steady pace alongside Sun.


    Sun was impressed with Dawn''s dedication. He usually has to yell at the goblins falling behind to keep going, but she picked herself up on her own. "It seems like you still got energy on your legs!" Sun exclaimed.


    "Yes! Dawn can run more."


    Ahead of them was a goblin from the group further ahead lying on his back. Sun yelled at the goblin to get back up and run. The goblin jumped up and ran ahead. "Dawn, can I ask you something?"


    "What is?


    "What''s your opinion of Rock? Do you like him?"


    Dawn was concerned about Sun''s questions. "Why Sun ask?"


    "This was the first time any of my brothers fell in love. I just want to make sure that whatever happens in the future, he will still stay the same. I guess what I''m trying to say is, please be gentle with him. Whatever feeling you have for him may be, I don''t want him to get hurt. Sticks and stones may break his bones, but the person you love not loving you back is far more dangerous than any weapon. You should know what I mean, right?"


    "Yes, Dawn knows well." Dawn looked down, thinking about all the lies that wrapped around her. She knows how it feels to love someone that doesn''t love you back. "Dawn not know if love Rock. But Dawn know not want to hurt Rock. That all Dawn can say right now."


    "Thanks, that''s all I need."


    "Sun cares for brothers lots."


    "Of course!" Sun smiled back.


    After a half an hour of jogging, they finally stopped after encircling the town. The goblins walked to the main square to get their morning ration and then attend to their assigned duties. Dawn returned to Mabel and her baby. Mabel got her morning ration while she was gone.


    She and the rest of the mothers walked towards the western fences to eat their breakfast and to let the children play. On the way, they saw Stick and his followers carrying bundles of ropes and sticks. They were heading to the eastern wall with the supplies to upgrade the wall. Some of the goblins that went out to hunt saw them digging a large ditch in front of the wall with pointy sticks on the bottom. The hunters mocked the ditch. Trolls were so tall that they could walk over the holes to reach the wall, but the goblins that once followed Cala knew how dreadful the trench could be. One wrong step and a troll could trip and fall down the pit with spikes in the bottom, waiting for it to crash on them.


    Stick greeted the mothers on the way. Behind Stick was Mist sulking. Rumors had it that she confessed her feelings to the Chief, but he declined her offer. That rumored poked Dawn''s curiosity. Cala immediately used his power to have his way with every goblin women he found attractive in the tribe.


    Meanwhile, Sun has yet to abuse his power. At first, Dawn thought Sun was queer, but he didn''t force himself on the goblin men. But the more she thought about it, Rock also has considerable power over the tribe, just like Tama did. Yet he chose her over the others‘ͺan old mother of one.


    The more she thinks about it, the more confused she gets. Suddenly, her train of thought stopped. "So, how Rock?" Mabel asked.


    "He good."


    "Oh," Mabel exclaimed, "Good, Dawn said. That why Dawn sweaty?"


    After a few seconds, Dawn finally realized what Mabel meant. "What?" Dawn got flustered, "No, Dawn and Rock no do that! Dawn just run with Rock."


    "Oh sure. Mabel believes." She said sarcastically.

 Vol 4 Chapter 10: Out Of The Black

    Root hid inside their home for days, hiding from the Chief and his followers. His sister, Mist, told him that the Chief had forgiven him, but he can''t take the risk. Who knows what the Chief may do to him? Or worst, to his book?


    The Chief showed an unsettling curiosity to his sketchbook. What if the Chief shows it the tribe and mock him in public? What if they burn his book? Root would instead prefer to be whipped a thousand times than have his precious treasure taken from him.


    But another thing bothered him. Why did Mist sacrifice herself for him? Mist always bullied him, so Root could not believe that Mist would even give her body in order to protect him. Or maybe she took this opportunity to get close to the Chief? Either way, Root could not help but feel guilty for running away.


    Someone outside began knocking on the door. Root walked closer to the door while clutching his sketchbook close to his chest. "Who there?" Root whispered nervously.


    "Me Lake. Olr tell Lake get Root."


    Root shifted gears and run to the door and opened it. "Olr need Root. Me come now." He told Lake.


    The two goblins walked across town to meet with Olr and his followers. They carried with them large sticks with a circle top and on its surfaces were bumps mimicking large footprints. Olr greeted Root and gave him a stone knife. Root looked at the knife, wondering what it was for, but before he could ask, Olr took his book off his hand. "What this?" Olr asked, "Root carry this last time."


    Root tried to get his book back, but Olr kept it away out of his reach. "That me book. Please give back Root book."


    "Book? What useless thing." Olr opened the book and flipped through the contents. After glossing over the pages, he tossed it back to Root. "Bah! It useless." Root caught the book before it landed on the snow. "Listen Root. When Sun no Chief and Olr be Chief, Root no need book anymore. Book replaced by any girls Root want! Free girls, slave girls! Just follow Olr and Root be rich and fed."


    Root didn''t care much for wealth or power. The only reason he came to Olr for help was to free her sister from the whims of the Chief and to protect his book. "What Olr want Root do with knife?"


    "Cut! Destroy! Whatever Stick make, destroy it! Then we come from hunt and tell Sun we find troll feet on snow." Olr took one of the sticks and plunged on the ground. When he lifted it, the circle bottom left a large footprint. "Sun panic and order guards ready. But when Stick and guard look at trap they make not working, they tell Sun. Sun panic and cry and Olr show to tribe Sun is not brave Chief." Olr laughed with excitement. "All tribe follow me and all kick Sun out. Then me, Olr, be new great Chief of Lev!"


    "Who helps Root?"


    "No one! We all go out on hunt make fake tracks on snow. Root only one know of Stick''s plan anyway. Now, what waiting for? Go already."


    "Yes, Olr!" Root hurried out while holding his knife and book. He walked for hours around town, trying to calm himself after taking on a burden he did not expect to receive. After walking around for nearly two hours, a goblin called out for him. Root looked around and saw his sister waving at him.


    "Root!" She ran and hugged him, "You out of home! Finally, sun good for skin."


    "Hi Mist. Where Mist going?"


    On Mist''s shoulders were bags carrying various tools and supplies. "Mist going to square. Build se q


    e t measure. In case troll attack."


    "Um, can Root come too?" Root''s legs were shaking and his voice was raspy.


    Mist couldn''t help but be concerned for her brother. "Root ok? Legs shaking."This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    "Root fine. Me just want help Mist because of before."


    "Well, ok then! Let go!" She returned to her usual happy mood and pulled Root with her to the job site. The square was filled with numerous goblins. Nearly all of them are followers of the four brothers. Some were moving supplies from an old building an bringing them to the wall while others were attaching large contraptions on top of the rooftops that looked similar to slingshots.


    Mist ran off, leaving him behind. She went to the goblins building the giant slingshots on the ground before installing them on the roof. Root watched as dozens of goblins walk back and forth, working without taking any breaks. Another group of goblins brought large crates containing glass bottles filled with spirits.


    Then suddenly, the large bell sitting in the middle of the square rang. The goblins who rang it yelled out to everyone, "Break time!" Root''s heart skipped a beat when he heard the bell. He thought Olr came back with his followers and had reported the fake footprints. He needs to do something fast before Olr shows up. Luckily the goblins left one by one. All he had to do was hide inside a barrel and wait for them to leave. His sister was going to look for him, but she got swept by the crowd leaving the square.


    Once the coast was clear, Root climbed out the barrel. He went to the slingshot like machines and tried to cut the strings. Sadly, he wasn''t strong enough to cut through them. Frustrated, he walked around, looking for a sharper knife to make up for his lack of power.


    Suddenly, he caught a whiff of something foul. He searched for the origin of the stench, following the smell to the crate with the glass bottles. They were not filled with spirits but instead filled with the same substance Stick and Cloud''s stink bombs have inside of them.


    The Chief was going to use the slingshots to launch the glass bottles at the troll. Most likely to overwhelm it with the smell while the Chief and his followers attack it. Root pushed the crates. When it hit the ground, Root heard glass bottles breaking. Then Root took a hammer and began smashing the remaining glasses. After he was done sabotaging, he left the scene as quickly as possible. He walked to the wall to wait for the others.


    While turning the corner, Root bumped into someone. Root fell on the ground butt first and dropped his book. The goblin he hit into extended their hand to help him up. Root saw the hand and noticed the striking red skin. He bumped into the Chief for the second time.


    "Are you ok? Oh, aren''t you Mist''s brother?" Sun grabbed Root''s hand and pulled him up. "And that''s the book you were carrying last time." Sun grabbed the book from the ground. He opened the book and glossed over the pages. "Oh. Did you draw these because they look incredible? You sure have a wonderful talent and a strange fascination for ducks." Sun tried to give him back his book, but Root was frozen in place, overwhelmed by the sequence events unfolding in front of him. "Did you just fart?"


    "What?" The question woke his mind back to life.


    "I just smell something horrible. Maybe I need a shower. Or maybe we need a shower." Sun laughed.


    A goblin approached Sun while he was laughing. The goblin was Spat, one of Smoke''s followers. "Chief, hunters come, say saw troll. Two them injured. One dead."


    "What!" Sun frowned. He ran to the wall to check what was going on. Root followed, believing it was Olr and the other goblins with him. What they saw shocked them.


    When they reached the gate, a large crowd of goblins funneling through the gate before they close it shut. The shed next to the entrance was the goblins that saw the troll. They were four of them. Two of them had injuries on their arms while the dead one had his entire lower half gone. Blood and stomach entrails poured out from his waist. Root recognized the goblin; it was none other than Olr. "What happened?" Sun asked.


    Smoke walked up to him, "They saw a troll walking around. They tried to get away, but most of them got caught. Apparently there were ten of them, but only three returned alive."


    "Please save tribe. Me, sorry bad." The one that carried the injured ones back to the wall got on his knees and cried.


    "But that should be impossible. It''s still daytime. They should be statues. We would know, their corpse turned into stone right before our eyes." Sun yelled in frustration.


    The bell on the top of the wall rang. The goblins stationed saw two large lumbering figures on the edge of the forest. Their bodies were covered in a thick leather coat, and their face was hidden behind a bag. They were far bigger than the previous troll, and they carried with them a gigantic ax and an oversized greatsword, a sword twice as long as Sun''s longsword.


    Sun and Smoke climbed up the wall and began instructing the goblins what to do. Their followers evacuated everyone off the wall and prepared themselves for an attack. The goblins carried a barrel filled with a tar-like substance on the wall and placed stacks of dry hay along the paths towards the town.


    One of the trolls roared then charged towards the wall. Sun gripped his sword, and Smoke readied his bow. They all aimed their arrows towards the charging beast. Sun raised his sword, and with one fell swoop of his sword, he yelled. "Fire!"

 Vol 4 Chapter 11: Flashbang

    The sky darkened as hundreds of arrows rained from the sky. The troll pulled out a round shield and raised it over his head. The arrows struck the shield, but none of them could penetrate its sturdy surface.


    "Light your arrows!" Smoke yelled. The archers hovered their arrows on the torches until it caught on fire. Then they quickly shot it at the troll.


    The fire rained down on the troll. Its shield blocked most of the attacks, but soon the volley of fire consumed it, forcing the troll to get the shield off of it. But instead of leaving it on the snow, the troll decided it would be best to throw it at the goblins shooting at him. He launched the burning shield at the wall, shattering the shield and the part of the wall it crashed in to. Sharp debris flew towards the goblins standing near the impact. One of them had a large chunk of the debris lodge in her shoulder. Another one lost his eyesight after metal fragments penetrated his eye sockets. And many of them suffered injuries.


    Most of the goblins lost their composure after witnessing their comrades get decimated by just one attack. Noticing the guards'' low morale, Sun yelled out to them, "It''s not over yet. Keep shooting! We can win this!" Sun picked up a bow and shot a burning arrow directly at the troll''s thigh. The troll paused its advance and looked at the arrow that hit him.


    The goblins followed the Chief''s attack, and soon another wave of arrows rained on the troll. The troll got on the ground and rolled on the snow. Large white clouds rose from the ground. The light from the burning arrows dissipated. Once the clouds settle, the troll stood up with arrows sticking out of its clothes. Then it ran to the wall once more, getting closer by each step. The goblins tried to shoot the troll, but their bows were too large to adjust.


    "Me can''t aim!" Spat told Smoke. The bows the goblins were using was a smaller variant of a longbow. Despite its size, goblins still found it hard to move compared to their little composite bows. However, the troll was getting so close to the wall that it could leap on top of it.


    "Throw away the bows. We don''t need them."


    "What we use?"


    "Get the spears ready!" Smoke led his followers towards the broken section of the wall in anticipation of the troll attacking that side. The troll leaped on the wall. While it was in the air, it noticed a large ditch below with sharp wooden spikes protruding from the ground. Once it got on the wall, goblins with wooden spears on their hands lined up in front of the troll. "Stab it now!"


    The goblins thrust their spear at the troll''s hands, then pulled their spears back. The troll tightened its grip and pulled itself up. The goblins'' legs began to shake uncontrollably, and one of them soiled their pants. "Get yourselves together! You," Smoke pointed at the goblin that peed themselves. "Take the injured out of here." The ran towards the blind goblin and guided him off the wall.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    "Me help." One of the goblins far from the action said.


    "No, you have to stay in your position. We still have that one to worry about." Sun pointed at the second troll standing at the edge of the forest.


    "But,"


    "No worries, I got this!" A large goblin appeared behind the goblin. He turned around and saw Rock holding a large spear over his shoulder. Rock ran to the line and joined them.


    "Again!" Smoke yelled. The goblins thrust their spears on the troll''s chest and shoulders. And with Rock''s help, the force of the impact was strong enough to push the troll. "One more time! Charge!" Rock charged forward, striking the troll''s head while the rest attacked the hands. The troll lost its grip and fell to the earth, followed by a loud sound coming from the trench. The goblins could not help but jump and cheer, but Rock knew this was no victory. He looked at the sharp end of his spear and saw no bloodstains on it.


    Suddenly, a spear flew past Rock and landed next to Smoke. "Oh shit!" Smoke cried out.


    Sun looked down at the trench and saw the troll throw countless sticks towards the wall. "Everyone aim!" Sun shouted. The goblins surrounding him aimed at the troll. "Fire!" They released their arrows and watched it fly towards their target. Unfortunately, none of them hit.


    The troll continued to throw the spikes. Smoke, Rock, and the goblins with them retreated from the raining spears.


    "Chief! Other troll coming!" Someone yelled out.


    The second troll made its move, running across the field. It raised its ax over its shoulder then hurled it towards the wall. The ax smashed through the wall, creating a giant wall on top of the first troll. Sun told the goblins to shoot the second goblins before running down the stairs to talk to Smoke. "Smoke, we need to start the fire now!"


    "Way ahead of you, bro." Smoke led his followers, carrying large barrels to the hole. They poured the tar-like substance on the opening. Then Smoke''s followers formed a defensive line around the hole.


    "Rock, go tell Stick to prepare for the second phase of the plan," Sun said.


    "Got it!"


    "And tell everyone you meet to evacuate the town!"


    Rock ran to the town square as fast as he could. On the way, he saw Smoke''s followers pouring the black tar along the path. The goblins watched from the safety of their home as they pour this strange liquid. "What are you all staring for? You have to get out of here now!" Rock yelled at the distracted bystanders.


    "But family safe inside."


    "Did you already forget how easy it was for a troll to destroy one of our homes! Get out of here already!"


    The goblins freaked out from Rock''s roaring voice. They stormed out their homes one by one, running away from the wall. Rock looked out and saw the action happening behind him. He wanted to join but he needed to warn Stick of the upcoming attack.


    Meanwhile, Sun ran back up the wall. The troll running towards them had a shield blocking the arrows shot at it. "Where is it going?" The troll continued to run until it reached the gate. It leaped over the moat and clung itself on the gate door''s wooden frame. "Shit! Everyone get down now!"


    The goblins around Sun ran down and formed two lines surrounding the wall. The front line had wooden shields and spears pointing at the entrance, and behind them was a row of archers aiming at the entrance. The troll began to break through the doors with its bare fist. The goblins that remained on top continued firing volleys of arrows at the trolls. None of their arrows penetrated the troll''s thick coats.


    The troll finally broke through the gate while its companion finally climbed out of the moat. The troll hesitated at first when it encountered a wall of fire blocking its entrance. But it ran through without getting a scratch. Both trolls got through the wall.


    "Fuck." Sun and Smoke said.

 Vol 4 Chapter 12: Louder Than Words

    The troll picked up its sword and the large ax on the snow and roared louder than thunder. All of Smoke''s followers trembled in fear as the troll''s mere presence destroy their fragile morale. "Maintain formation!" Smoke yelled at his followers, "Get the fire ready!"


    Two goblins ran in front of the line. One of them carried a bucket filled with the same tar-like substance that fueled the flames of the firewall behind the troll. Another carried a torch. The two swiftly lit the end of the spears of the goblins. Warm fire gave the troops some confidence, believing that the fire would be effective against their enemy. Sun defeated a troll while engulfed in blue flames, which should mean that trolls are weak to fire.


    However, the troll''s coat was wet, making it harder for the flames to consume it. Smoke knows this, but he can''t do much against the fact. This plan did not take into account the troll attacking during the day protected with a leather coat.


    The troll ran towards the goblins, preparing to swing its sword. "Archers now!" Archers on top of the wall and behind the defensive line fired their arrows at the charging beast. But their attacks had no effect. "Protect the backline! Stay in your line!"


    The troll reached the goblins and swung its blade. Goblins flew with their sliced off limbs to the side. Most of the line retreated after witnessing the carnage, realizing the futility of their attacks. "I said, stay in line!" Smoke blocked the retreating goblins. "Just follow me!" He took his spear and charged at the troll.


    Smoke stabbed the troll''s thigh, but the spear could not penetrate the coat. The attack was no different to a fly landing on the troll''s face; it was nothing but a ticklish sensation. The troll attacked Smoke with its ax. Smoke dodged it, rolling behind the troll. Before the troll could react, an arrow penetrated its bag, hitting its left eye socket.


    "The troll''s blind on its left side. I attack not!" Smoke commanded.


    The goblins came running back, stabbing the troll. The troll retaliated by spinning with its weapon extending outward. Most of the goblins were flown away, and unfortunate few had their heads cut off from the rest of their body. Blood sprayed around the troll and stained the snow beneath it. Smoke has to find a way to end the troll''s rampage. Looking at the arrow stock on the bag gave him an idea.


    "Archers! Tie a knot on your arrows then fire it." The troll understood the command and did not hesitate to charge at the archers. It tears through them without any resistance. "No!" Smoke ran after the troll. He leaped on its back, climbing up it until it reached the head. The troll tried to remove Smoke off its back, while the goblins began to swarm around it.


    They stabbed the troll''s legs, distracting it, allowing Smoke to reach the bag. He grabbed it and jumped off the troll''s back with the bag on his hand. He turned around, expecting to see the troll''s head turn into stone.


    But the troll''s head was not there. Instead, underneath the bag was another layer protecting the troll from the sun and their attacks, an iron helmet. "You''ve got to be kidding me?" Smoke uttered to himself.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    While staring at the troll in despair, a glaring light far coming from the town caught Smoke''s attention. On top of a tall tower was a goblin waving a torch and another one hitting a gong. This was a signal that Sun created.


    Sun divided the town into three different sections, and each section had a bell of some sort. The bell is rung when that section of the town has fully evacuated. This was part of the brother''s plan to defeat any trolls that attack the town‘ͺa plan conceived by the brothers in response to Cala''s failure to defeat the troll.


    Phase one was simple. The goblins had to defend the wall as long as possible for the two sections closes to the wall could evacuate. Or, at the very least, keep the trolls occupied near the wall. Phase two was the trickiest part. To minimize civilian casualties and property damage, they have to lead the troll away from the buildings. The brother''s method was simple but dangerous. Their answer to the problem was fire.


    By using the highly flammable tar-like substance Stick made using Cloud''s notes, they could create a wall of fire. This should prevent the troll from attacking buildings without hesitation. And the brothers made sure to leave the large path the previous troll made when it rampaged towards the town square to avoid any more unwanted destruction. In case the wall of fire does not deter the troll, small bombs filled with alcohol would be thrown at the troll, making it more susceptible to the flames. Smoke''s followers already had black tar poured out along the path. All he needed to do was push the troll towards the path. But there is one problem. Which troll should go first?


    None of them anticipated an attack from two trolls. One of them has to keep one troll by the walls while the other lead his to the town square. Judging by the situation, Smoke''s troll was the deadliest one.


    The troll decimated Smoke''s troops while wielding an ax and a sword. The archers tried to hide behind small portable walls, but they were quickly cut down by the troll''s ax. Smoke made up his mind. "Everyone, retreat to phase two!" Smoke ran up the wall and took a bow and arrow from one of the archers. "Go tell Sun I''m moving my troll to phase two." He told the goblin. She saluted then ran towards the gate.


    Smoke lit his arrow and aimed it on the troll''s nape. The arrow flew in between the troll''s helmet and coat, and the fire consumed the troll''s neck and shoulder for a brief moment before it rolled on the ground. While on the ground, the troll saw Smoke on the wall with another fire arrow aimed at the troll.


    It pushed itself up and ran through the goblins, heading straight to the town. Smoke switched his sight to a barrel with the black substance leaking out of it. The fire swallowed the barrel, and it quickly traveled on the black tar. The rest of the goblins followed Smoke''s actions and began to light the tar on fire, eventually creating a wall separating the troll from the buildings.


    The troll ignored the flame and ran through it, smashing into a small cottage. It then picked up the debris and threw it at the goblins. "Get the alcohol!"


    Smoke''s followers began throwing their bomb at the troll then the archers would shoot lit arrows at the troll. The cottage''s wooden frame fueled the flames and trapped the heat inside, overwhelming the troll. It had to escape the heat, so it leaped out through the wall of fire while swinging its sword and ax.


    Smoke jumped off the wall and ran in front of the troll. It shot a couple of arrows to its face trying to catch its attention. The troll looked at Smoke. The sight of him ignited the raging hatred within the troll. It roared to the clouds before running towards Smoke.


    Smoke turned around and ran as fast as possible to the town square while his followers shoot at his pursuer to slow it down. "That''s right big guy. Follow me. I lead you straight to your grave."

 Vol 4 Chapter 13: Bitter Fuck

    Root ran away from the wall after the guards saw the trolls facing the wall. His mind was a mess with guilt and fear bubbling inside himself. His supposed savior died from a lie that came true and his tribe, doomed to lose against those giant beasts because of him.


    The weight in his heart was too much to bear. He collapsed in a dark alley, crying out his frustration. Outside were countless goblins running in all sorts of directions. Some of them carried bags filled with precious items, while others ran out naked in the cold. Then there were Stick''s followers running from the town square, panicking at their wits'' ends.


    Shuja stood on her home''s roof, watching the scene unfold before her. Her house was close to the town square, so she could not help but hear the ruckus. To her, they look like ants scattered across the snowy ground, flipping crates and knocking down boxes. They look desperate and angry. Finally, Stick appeared on the scene. He gave out orders to his followers, and soon the disorganized ants found themselves in order.


    After watching them get their act together, Shuja got her things ready and climbed down the roof. But before she could reach halfway down, she heard sounds of buildings collapsing. She turned her head and saw a small cottage cave in. That building housed Lite''s mother. The Chief gave it to her after the troll attack destroyed her home. Now her second home was demolished again. Emerging from the rubble was a troll covered in a thick leather coat.


    Shuja climbed back up the roof. She ran on the rooftops, towards the wall. She doesn''t know why she''s going there. Was it to see if her friend''s mother is ok? Or maybe she thought that this was her time to redeem herself?


    Once she reached it, the troll was lunging large chunks of wood at the wall. The troll was seventy meters away from the wall, and yet, its throw could reach the archers'' post. The sight of the troll''s strength was so overwhelming that Shuja could not help but get on her knees while shivering in fear. Voices in her head whispered to her to run and never look back. The same voices she heard when they ambushed by that giant Timber Wolf.


    Suddenly, fire rose from the ground and surrounded the troll. The troll cried in pain while the blazing flames cooked it alive. The scorching heat woke Shuja''s mind. She saw the fearsome beast run through the fire and burning pillars to escape its pyre. Its coat had burnt marks, and its helmet lost its shine. But its fearsome visage remained intact, more so after letting its anger out with a roar.


    Terror almost had its hands on Shuja because of the roar, but something else caught her mind. A cry for help coming from the rubble. Shuja held her breathe and climbed down. Once she got down, she covered her mouth with a dirty rag to prevent the ash from filling her lungs. She crawled under the fire, searching for the origin of the call.


    "Help, please." She heard it again, but this time much quieter. Shuja moved faster, searching everywhere she could until she finally found her.


    Lite''s mother was buried under debris with her hand reaching out for anyone that could help her. "Shuja, here, me help!" Shuja ran to her. She tried to lift the large pillar she was stuck under, but she was too weak to crawl out. Shuja found bricks near her and used them to support the pillar after she lifted it in the air. Then she pulled Lite''s mother out. "Lite''s mom out now." Shuja smiled.


    She looked at Shuja with disdain, "Me have name!"


    "Oh right," Shuja tried to remember her friend''s mom''s name, but nothing came to mind.


    "Is Mahal!" She extended her arm, trying to choke her.


    "Sorry," Shuja held Mahal''s hands away from her. She was weak, so it didn''t bother Shuja that much. The building continued to burn down, with large chunks of the roof and walls raining down on the two. "No time, We go now!" Shuja got up. Mahal tried to do the same, but her ankles got twisted. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    She stared at Shuja, not with contempt but in defeat, "Go leave!" She yelled.


    Shuja took off her rag and used it to cover Mahal''s mouth. Then she pulled her up and carried Mahal on her back. "Me no leave! Not without Mahal!"


    There was a pillar leaning against the wall and was large enough to support their weight. Shuja climbed up carefully but quickly while the fire behind them grew larger. Smoke enveloped them during the climb. Shuja had to dedicate one of her hands to her face to avoid breathing in the smoke. Mahal held Shuja''s shoulders tightly while tears poured out from her eyes. The smoke choked them slowly, but hope soon showed itself.


    Goblins were on the roof, pouring buckets of water on the fire. Smoke turned into steam. These same goblins saw the two emerging from the smoke. They extended their hands and helped the two out of the building. Shuja collapsed on the roof.


    "Get stretchers!" One of them yelled. "You ok."


    "Shuja fine." Shuja pushed herself up despite the protest from the goblins around her.


    "Shuja sure she fine. Lay down good, no?"


    "Shuja fine."


    Mahal was placed on the stretcher and was carried away from the battle taking place. Mahal was barely conscious, but the goblins carrying reassured Shuja that she will be fine. But still, Shuja followed them to make sure she was ok. She held Mahal''s hand on the way. Mahal responded by tightening her grip. Eventually, Mahal lost her consciousness, and her hand let go of Shuja.


    Shuja stopped walking with them. She just stood still looking at them walk away from her. While watching them, she recalled her memories with Lite. He was a great friend that Shuja would never trade for anyone else. But only if she was brave enough to face the Timber Wolf.


    "Hey you!" Someone yelled, "You need eba q ate."


    Shuja turned around. It was Mist walking towards while holding a box of rocks. "Talking Shuja?"


    "Yes. Shuja need eba q ate!" Mist said slowly, "It ok not understand. Mist not understand eba q ate till Sir Stick teach Mist and friends. Eba q ate means run away."


    "Ok," Shuja said. Before she could leave, the women crying coming from the alley next to them. Coming out from the shadows was Root, crying his lungs out. Mist ran to him in the speed of light then hugged him while caressing his head. Shuja found the scene very strange.


    "Root ok? No cry no cry." She whispered to him, "Troll lose. Mist knows, yeah?"


    Root got on his knees and prostrate himself while slamming his head to the ground. "I''m sorry!"


    Mist was shocked, "Root What doing? Head bleed from that!"


    "Root sorry! Root did wrong."


    "What?"


    "Root break glass. Root break boxes."


    Mist''s eyes were beginning to fill with rage. "You! You did what?" Tears rolled down her eyes. She got on her knees and started slamming Root''s back with her fist. "Why Root do it? Mist work hard, so tribe survives. Why you do it?"


    Shuja tried to intervene, pulling Mist off Root''s back. Mist tried to resist, kicking Root''s head while getting dragged away. When Shuja lost her grip, Mist crawled back to Root to beat him. Despite her attacks, they were still weak.


    Shuja got closer, this time retraining her arms by hugging her tightly. Up close, she noticed something strange on Mist''s hands. They had scars, burn marks, and calluses Shuja never saw before. She heard rumors that Mist offered her body to the Chief. Was it due to that?


    "Root sorry. Root only do it for Mist!" Root raised his head. His face was a mess, covered in snow, tears, and snot. "Mist give Mist''s body for Root. Root want save you so me go Olr. Olr said break trap and make Chief look bad! Root not want Mist gone!"


    Mist wiped away her tears, "Me work hard. Help make stink bombs. Now stink bombs gone. And worse. Root did that! What Chief find out? Me no want Root gone too. But what Root do now?"


    "Help Chief win!" Shuja yelled at them. "Root want Mist forgive him. Then work till nose no breath, till hands bleed, and till eyes no see. So stand up, Mist, Root, and work!" Root and Mist stood up and hugged each other. "Now, go!"


    "Yes!" They both answered. Root carried the box full of rocks and followed Mist.


    Shuja watched the siblings run the distance. The words she said to them echoed in her mind. Helping the Chief win was something they were all doing. But what about her? Suddenly, the ground beneath her shook. She climbed up one of the buildings and saw a glimpse of Smoke running away from the troll.


    Eventually, the troll caught up with him and began swinging his weapons. Smoke''s small size made it harder for the troll to hit him. But Smoke was running out of stamina. Shuja took a deep breath and ran along the rooftops towards the action because she can''t keep running away forever.

 Vol 4 Chapter 14: Hunting For You

    A long time ago, before the troll attacks, before the birth of Sun, and before Cala''s coronation, Dawn was just a young goblin wanting to spend time with her crush. And today was the opportunity to do so. Dawn gathered what she needed inside the temple on top of the hill. The entrance faced the western side, overlooking the vast ocean of trees. Behind it was the eastern wall and the mountains.


    Dawn exited through the back and ran down the hill towards the wall. Sum was waiting by the gate. He was going to hunt alone because his brothers were busy. Tama was training to challenge the Chief while Cala and Cloud were together making new potions of some sort. Dawn took this chance to hang out with Sum and to deepen their relationship hopefully.


    "Dawn here!" Dawn yelled once she reached the gate. She bent down, trying to catch her breath.


    "Let''s go." Sum turned around walked ahead.


    "Wait," Dawn chased after him. The gate they went through no longer looked the same. Now, the doors were shattered open while the walls were on fire. Years have now passed, and the wall will soon collapse.


    Nearly two-thirds of the tribe left the town. None of them expected a troll attack during the day, but this may have been a blessing in disguise. Just one tear of the troll''s clothing, and they will turn in to stone.


    And yet, the trolls were decimating the town. Dawn and the rest of the mothers taking care of their babies sat by the western fence. They watched as smoke rise behind the buildings. Goblins ran out of the town, holding their precious belongings. They told them of trolls attacking the tribe. The Chief and his brothers were fighting them near the wall while they evacuated.


    Dawn''s arms and legs were shaking. She looked at her baby while tightening her embrace. She closed her eyes saw visions of Rock talking to her and saving her from Sum. A teardrop dripped down her cheek. But when she opened her eyes, it was not filled with sorrow or hopelessness. Instead, her eyes had conviction and anger. "Mabel!"


    "What wrong?"


    Dawn gave her baby to Mabel, "Take care baby for Dawn."


    "What!" Mabel cried, "What Dawn mean?" But it was too late. Dawn sprinted towards the town. "Rock be ok! Come back!" Mabel screamed from the top of her lungs, but Dawn ignored her call.


    Dawn had to get through a wave of goblins trying to leave the town. They were pushing and shoving one another out of the way. The elderly got left behind by the stronger and younger goblins, and the stampede nearly trampled children that lost sight of their parents. Some tried to climb up the roof to avoid the crowd. Those carrying their stuff had to carry them over their heads. The wave was slowly turning into a tsunami.


    Dawn almost lost her against the wave, but then a loud horn stopped the goblins. Above them was a goblin blowing a horn. Once she had their undivided attention, followers of Rock appeared before them. They organized the crowd, had the children, and the elderly leave first. Those carrying luggage were forced to leave their stuff behind; only the most essential item are to be carried‘ͺlines formed with Rock''s followers ensuring peace and order.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Dawn managed to enter the town while they were organizing the restless mob. "You!" She walked up to one of the followers, "Where Rock?"


    "Sir Rock wall with Chief!" Suddenly a large explosion blew up near the wall. The goblins began to panic again. The follower left Dawn despite her asking more questions to deal with the unruly mob.


    Realizing there is nothing for her to do here, she left for the town square. On the way, she saw Flute and her followers guiding the Chief''s slaves. The Chief''s mother looked back at the rising smoke while walking. She looked scared, but not because the troll could attack them, but because her son was in danger. And what can she do about the situation? She can only run away and pray for the Chief''s safety.


    But what about Dawn? What can she do? She asked herself these questions in her mind repeatedly. Rock was strong, but also far too dangerous for his own good. She needs to help him, or more accurately, she wants to help him. Once she reached the town square, she saw Stick''s followers carrying large boxes filled with stone. They were panicking more so than the ones trying to leave the town.


    She pulled one of them towards her, "Hey, where Rock?"


    "Rock with Stick and Smoke fight troll!" The goblin pulled himself out from Dawn''s grip and rushed back to work. Dawn looked around for any weapon to use. She managed to find a spear leaning against a wall, most likely left behind by a guard, and a stone knife around. Dawn hunted with Sum, so she isn''t foreign when it comes to using these weapons. But the most dangerous animal she ever killed was a goat. Fighting a troll is a new territory for her.


    But she is tired of running away, being in the sideline, and never have the agency to do anything. It''s time to be her own like she used to be when she was young. She slipped her knife in her coat pocket and carried the spear on her shoulder. It''s time to hunt.


    She ran towards the wall, and it did not take long for her to witness the visage of the troll. The three brothers ran away from the troll. Stick whistled for the archers to slingshot large rocks at the troll, but its metal helmet deflected the attacks, and its thick coat softened the blow. They did, however, annoy the troll. It smashed through the fire and into the buildings. "Shit!" Smoke yelled.


    "I''m on it!" Rock leaped into action. He grabbed a piece of wood and lit it on fire. He threw the torch on the troll. The small fire was enough to ignite the little cottage into flame. The troll ran out before the fire burned away its clothes.


    Some of the wooden debris flew out as the troll ran through back in the open, hitting Rock in the face. It was not enough to damage Rock, but it did stun him for a split second.


    "Rock, watch out!" Stick yelled. The troll took this chance to reach for him. But before he could Rock''s head on his giant palm, a spear struck its helmet. The spear managed to pierce through the helmet enough to get stuck, but not deep enough to leave a noticeable hole. Rock took this chance to run away.


    Once he got out of harm''s way, he looked at his brothers and was ready to thank him, but Smoke and Stick were busy staring at Dawn. The brothers were stunned to see Dawn throw that spear. They did not expect her to be so strong.


    "Wait, did you threw that?" Rock asked.


    "Yes." She answered while puffing out her chest.


    "I''m starting to understand why you like her," Stick remarked.


    "Guys. We''re not done yet." Smoke reminded them.


    The troll pulled the spear off its helmet then fixed its eyes on Dawn. The troll ran after them once more, and this time, it aimed its focus on Dawn. While running to the town square, Stick noticed a goblin running ahead of them on the roof. The goblin was holding a large blanket. That''s when Stick got a brilliant idea. "Smoke, you''re good with the bow, right?" Stick asked.


    "No, we barely practiced with it."


    Then suddenly, the goblin stopped and threw the blanket. The troll was so fixated on Dawn that it did not notice the blanket in its way. The brothers turned around and saw the goblin take a bow and quiver full of arrows from one of Stick''s followers. Then she jumped off the roof and onto a mountain of snow.


    The brothers recognized the mysterious goblin. It was Shuja. She ran to the wall of fire and lit her arrow. Then she shot it at the blanket covering the troll. Sadly, the fire could not consume the troll fast enough before it got the sheet off it. "Well, Shuja tried." She said.

 Vol 4 Chapter 15: Power Headache

    The troll continued to chase after them until they were in the town square. The wall of flames ends here. Instead, the town square was encircled by a small trench filled with wooden planks. They were originally going to be used as the fuel for the flames, creating a cage made of fire, but Stick''s followers couldn''t do it because their stinkbombs were tampered with, and they had to find replacements.


    They took small rocks lying on the ground and retrieved Stick''s prototypes from his shed. These prototypes were similar to the bombs Stick used against Cala. There were two variants. One of the versions had a stronger smell, while the other one was meant to irritate the eyes of its victim.


    Stick followers were climbing the buildings surrounding the square while carrying buckets and bags filled with rocks. Those that returned from the shed were carrying small bottles filled with the compounds used on the stinkbombs. Smoke''s archers followed the troll on top of the roofs. They assisted those carrying the heavy bags. Once everyone was ready, they took their battle stance on the roof''s edge, aiming their bow at the troll.


    Root and Mist managed to get their supplies on top of the roof just in time. "Root help use slingshot, Mist gives rock and bottle." Mist pulled Root towards the giant slingshot. Another goblin by the name of White was already stationed on the slingshot. "This White. White this Root." Mist introduced each other.


    The two shared greetings and got to work. Mist handed them a bottle. White and Root pulled the string as far back as he possibly can with the bottle inside the leather pad. The troll stood in the middle of the square while brothers ran around it.


    The troll was confused. It didn''t know who to chase after, or more accurately, if it should chase any of them at all. While chasing the goblins to the town square, the troll realized how narrow its attention was when its emotions flare-up. The troll found it odd how there was no wall of fire blocking his path now, but there could be traps waiting for the troll. Before, he would smash buildings without the care in the world only for that building to catch on fire. If not for its thick gambeson being wet from the snow, the troll would have been engulfed by the flames numerous times. The troll was far more careful now, extending its sword far away from it to create distance between the goblins. It was now on high alert.


    Then Stick placed two fingers on his mouth and whistled. The troll realized that the square might not have been surrounded by fire, but goblins surrounded it, and they were ready to attack. Smoke, Stick, and Shuja ran for cover while Rock took a top from a barrel and used it to shield Dawn and himself. Rocked held Dawn as tightly as he could under their wooden shield. "Rock know Dawn can run under roof, right?." Dawn jokingly remarked.


    Smoke''s archers fired first. The troll got down in a fetal position. The arrows flew straight towards the troll''s back and penetrated the outer layer. "Troll like porcupine." White joked, but none of the goblins on the roof with him laughed.


    The troll stood up once more with arrows sticking out of its back. It looked up to the sky and screamed so loudly that the buildings near it began to shake. Then it ran towards a barrel and hit it with its ax. The barrel flew towards one of the roofs with archers stationed on them. "Slingshots, fire!" Stick yelled. One by one, goblins with slingshots fired their rocks and glass bottles towards the troll. The stones were nothing but pebbles to the troll, but then it caught a whiff of something vile flying towards it.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    The troll swung its weapons across the air, creating a strong gust of wind that blew the bottles off course. Each bottle it smells the troll would swing its weapons blowing them all away, except for one. White and Root were the last to release their bottle. It flew past the gust of winds and rotating weapons and landed right on the troll''s face. That bottle was the one meant to blind its victim. The first stinkbomb of its kind did not work on Cala; however, it had the opposite effect on the troll. It worked perfectly.


    The troll grunted in pain. It dropped its weapons and tried to rub through its helmet and mask. Noticing the troll''s weakness, The brother leaped into action. "Grab its back and climb up!" Smoke yelled.


    "Bro, watch out!" Rock yelled.


    With its eyesight gone, the troll began to rely on its sense of smell. Despite the awful smell of the liquid on its face, a troll''s nose can distinguish the different odors on the air. And it can even focus on one type of smell. The moment Smoke got close, the troll noticed his scent and slapped him flying. Smoke landed on a pile of crates. "Don''t stop! We need to expose him to the sun." Smoke got back up his, "Get his helmet off!"


    Stick took out his sickle and jumped on top of the troll''s back. The troll tried to get him off its back, but Rock caught one his hands and held it down. Rock struggled to keep the troll hand from reaching for Stick. His feet would hover one inch off the ground from time to time. Shuja stayed far away, shooting arrows at the troll''s helmet. The impact of the bolts made a loud clinking sound annoying the troll.


    Eventually, Shuja ran out of arrows, and the troll regained its composure. The troll grabbed Rock and threw though a window of a building. Then It grabbed Stick and slammed him on the ground. Luckily, a pile of snow softened his landing. Stick looked up and saw the troll towering over him. Stick could not help but yelp in fear and crawl away. The troll tried to punch the fleeing Stick, but Smoke and Dawn managed to get in between while holding spears. The punch broke their spears and sent the three flying.


    "Stick, are you ok?" Smoke jumped up and ran towards his brother.


    "I''m good," Stick answered, "but how are we going to win against that?"


    "Don''t worry. We will win!" Smoke tried to lift Stick''s confidence, but a seed of doubt was planted within Stick''s mind after realizing just how small he was compared to the troll.


    Dawn got up on her feet. She saw Rock climb out of the window with his face covered in blood. But Dawn could see behind the bloody mess his face was covered in. Rock looked surprised and upset. This was the first he was sent flying like a rag doll the children would play with. Others may have bested him with better fighting techniques or experience, but never with brute strength. It was his first time feeling weak.


    Meanwhile, the troll stood still. The archers and on top of the roof were not sure if they shoot at it. The troll did not move as if it was a statue. Did they win? No, they did not. The troll stopped moving because it smelled something familiar. An odor that was coming from something it held dear.


    It ignored all the other odors in the air and focused its nose on that one scent, tracking its origin. First, it was Stick, then Stick''s followers, then finally, far away from the town square. Outside the town''s border. The troll found where the smell was coming from.


    Then it ran.

 Vol 5 Chapter 1: On the Shoulders of Giants

    The troll ran through buildings like they were soft snow. Goblins evacuating the town saw the houses get obliterated one by one with the wooden remains flying to the sky. The troll did not care what stood in its way, for it only wants one thing, to find the origin of that smell.


    The five followed it through the path created from the destruction. Giant holes appeared on the side of buildings, and entire structures collapsed to the ground. Where ever they go, they saw only ruin. Their loyal followers chased after the troll on the rooftops. Archers would occasionally shoot, hoping to catch the troll''s attention.


    There were goblins stuck under the rubble. They were too stubborn and stayed behind inside their homes. Stick''s goblins helped them get out, but the task proved to be difficult when the troll is still on a rampage.


    Finally, the troll burst out of the town and into the wide-open meadow. Very few buildings dotted the land. The troll got on his knee and planted its face to the snow. It started to crawl while sniffing the ground like a dog searching for its prey.


    Smoke, Rock, and Dawn caught up with the troll, which was too busy searching the ground for it to notice them. They expected the troll to turn around and attack them no that there was no building for their followers to support them on. But the troll continued sniffing the ground. "Is that thing ignoring us," Rock said with frustration.


    "Maybe, but this could be our chance." Smoke responded. "Rock, Dawn. We''re going to sneak behind it. Once we get close enough, we jump on top of its back and get that helmet off."


    Stick and Shuja arrived not long after, "What did we miss?" Stick asked.


    "Perfect timing. Stick and Shuja, we need you to distract the troll once it stops doing whatever it''s doing. We three will try to wrestle the helmet off."


    "Distractions got it!" Stick said, and Shuja gave a thumbs up while her lung''s heavy breathing.


    Smoke stalked the troll''s right side while Dawn walked towards the left. Because of Rock''s bulky body, he was stalking right behind the troll''s blind spot. Rock tried to concentrate on the task, but the troll kept raising and lowering its butt in an eighth figure motion in front of him, which nearly made Rock vomit. But as he gets closer, Rock realized it was not the sight of the troll''s bouncing butt that was making his head spin; it was the smell coming from the ground.


    Dawn and Smoke realized this too. At first, they thought it was due to Stick''s stinkbomb, but only managed to hit the troll, and its smell was not that potent. And the stinkbomb had a distinguishable smell. They often smell like rancid deer meat mixed with piss and feces. The scent the three was smelling though was putrid like a decaying corpse. "This smells like," Smoke''s eye widened after his realization.


    The troll stopped sniffing the ground and began to claw through the snow and dirt. Dirt flew towards Rock''s face, getting in his eyes and nose. Dawn and Smoke ran towards the troll and jumped on the troll''s back. However, the two could not move because of the troll''s erratic movement.


    Stick and Shuja ran in front of the troll. Shuja shot her new sets of arrows, and Stick threw his sickle back and forth with the string attached on its handle. Rock finally got the dirt out of his eyes and coughed out the ones that got inside his mouth. Then he leaped on the troll''s back. His massive body slamming against its back was enough for the troll to seize its digging giving Smoke the chance to grab the helmet.


    The troll stood on its knees and threw Dawn and Rock to Stick and Shuja, knocking them to the ground. Smoke sat on the giant''s shoulders, trying to pull out the helmet as best he could but to no avail. The helmet was far too heavy for Smoke alone, and it was stuck on the troll''s head tightly.


    The troll grabbed Smoke and tossed him behind his back like an insignificant bug. Smoke got on his knees and elbows, looking at the troll, ignoring them as it continues to dig through the dirt. An unnerving feeling began to swell inside Smoke''s heart. A sense of frustration, anger, and fear. None of their plans worked. The firewall kept the troll at bay, but it could still run through them without any concern. Their newly developed stinkbombs were gone, and those that they had barely did anything. And worst of all, this was just one of two trolls attacking their tribe. Smoke was beginning to lose hope.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Finally, the troll stopped digging. The brother''s followers arrived and saw them lying on the snow. The troll stood inside the hole it dug up while holding a pile of rocks close to its chest and weeping. Those rocks were the remains of its daughter. White walked up to Smoke while covering his nose, "Sir Smoke, we attack now!"


    "No, you''ll only get yourself killed. Retreat, you need to retreat."


    "What Sir Smoke means? Troll stop, attack now."


    "I said retreat!" Smoke snapped and yelled at his followers. Fear took hold of his mind after countless failures, and eventually, survival was the only thing occupying his thoughts. Then the troll dropped the rocks and screamed at the sky. Its loud siren call reverberated through the goblins and nearby buildings. The snow on the roof of those buildings fell off as the building shake.


    The troll began to climb up its hole. Although its eyes were hidden inside its helmet, the goblins could feel the burning anger within them. Some of the goblins fled as fast they could, while those most loyal to the brothers stayed behind, urging Smoke to defeat it. White was going to join them, but he noticed Root and Mist run pass the troll towards Stick and Rock.


    The brothers were helping Shuja and Dawn get back up their feet. Mist and Root and brought with bandages. "Sir Stick, Sir Rock, you ok?" Mist asked. "Shuja, what doing here? Need eba q ate!"


    "Nice see you too," Shuja said sarcastically.


    The siblings tried to mend the brothers'' wounds, but they did not respond. "Sire Stick?" Shuja asked.


    "We are not going to win. We need to retreat."


    This order took them by surprise. Mist could not understand why they would give up now. Then the troll yelled once more. It glared at them before slowly charging towards them while roaring in anger. "Oh shit!" Stick yelled. But right when they ran, Mist picked up Stick''s sickle and took a guarding stance.


    "Mist no, come back!" Root yelled. Mist closed her eyes with tears in her eyes, regretting what she did. She wanted to run back, but her legs no longer moved. She was about to faint from the fear.


    Rock, Stick, Dawn, and Shuja could not help but turn around to face the troll once more. They pulled Mist away from harm''s way. Root and White caught her while the four continued running towards the troll.


    Mist''s sudden bravery reminded Rock the day Tama attacked the barn. She resembled Stick when he stood in the middle of the room as adult goblins barge through the door. He did not hesitate; he was ready to defend the people he loved. But he did, the strongest one of the four, hesitated. But no more.


    Stick, on the other hand, was moved. Mist was just like Sun. Every time he fell, Sun would be there to help him get back up. He returned for him when Stick was about to be in jaws of death. Then he charged forward when Stick was about to get trampled by a troll, facing his fears to save his brother. Now its Stick''s turn to save a life.


    Then there was Dawn. She risked the most in this battle. If she died, her son would lose the only family he has, and she was afraid of that reality. She let those more powerful than her abuse and betray her trust and love for the sake of her son. Then Rock showed up, showering her selfless love. And when he stood up for her against Sum, Dawn felt like Rock would face the world for her. But what about her. Is she willing to do the same? She looked for an answer tirelessly, only to find it today. When Mist stood up against that troll, all Dawn''s fear vanished. She will fight for those she loves.


    Shuja, the one that lost everything, shouldn''t even be here, and here she is fighting. She laughed at the brothers for their incompetence. Those halflings would have been killed in their first hunt, and yet she was the one that lost everything. Why? Because she wasn''t brave enough to rescue Lite. But now, with nothing to lose, running away was the only sane option. But Mist did not run away and instead tried to protect them. Shuja wished she was like Mist, but wishes don''t come true. She could only turn back and face her fear.


    Meanwhile, Smoke saw the troll go after his friends and family. Smoke pushed aside the goblins surrounding him and ran. Smoke tossed aside his need to live. He remembered back in the barn when Tama and his cronies attacked. One of them tried to humiliate Smoke by playing with his balls. Smoke could have given up back then, but instead, he got back up, risking his pride. But now its no longer his pride that was at risk, but the people he cared about.


    The brothers'' followers stared with tears running down their cheeks. The troll stopped on its tracks as another wall of fire emerged in front of him. It turned its head to see a ball of light running towards it.


    The troll watched as the fire burned brighter and then emerging out from the flames were the goblins that were chasing it. Their skin turned crimson red, their height taller than ever, and their eyes burning with conviction.

 Vol 5 Chapter 2: Rock n Roll

    Emerging from the blue flames were five large red goblins. Rock, Stick, Dawn, and Shuja charged out from the fire towards the troll with great vigor while Smoke closed the distance behind the troll. The troll knows of the danger red goblins can pose. Besides adventures entering the forest for treasures and the patrolling dwarves, red goblins are the only ones capable of fighting a troll inside the forest.


    Trolls have the advantage when it comes to size and strength, powers that could be negated with numbers. Unless they have the mana or the experience, most adventures will team up when fighting trolls while red goblins command their lesser kind. They would use them as cannon fodder, but trolls could just overpower the small ones as if they were flies. It''s the red goblins that are truly dangerous.  They are stronger and faster than their little brethren, and they are competent fighters.


    A red goblin is equal to an average adventure, so for the troll, it was not fighting one red goblin and an entourage of body shields, but five red goblins that fought like a team, not unlike adventures.


    Knowing the danger it was in, the troll grabbed his weapon to distance itself from its attackers. But there''s one problem, it dropped its weapons back at the town square. After realizing it had no weapon, it planned to swing its left arm at the charging goblins, hoping to knock out some of them.


    The troll windup his fist and threw a backhand. Rock quickly stopped and extended his arms, stopping the other three from their tracks. The troll''s hand could only gently graze Rock''s stubby nose. The momentum of the swing had the troll''s fist fly behind it.


    Smoke took this moment to catch the troll''s long arm. The troll stood awkwardly as it tried to maintain its balance while Smoke decided to restrain its arm to the floor. The goblins facing the troll took the chance to help Smoke.


    Dawn jumped and grabbed the troll''s right hand, and began to pull the opposite direction of Smoke. Stick and Shuja attacked the shin with weapons. Then finally, Rock leaped forward, slamming the troll''s chest and knocking the troll off its feet.


    The troll sat on the ground. It was now at eye level with Rock, who was standing in front of it. Rock tried to remove the troll''s helmet, but it wouldn''t budge. Meanwhile, the troll began to wrestle its way out. First, it frantically kicked its feet, trying to get Shuja and Stick off. Then it used all its strength on its right arm and lifted Dawn in the air. Then it grabbed her on the throat and slowly squeezed it. Dawn yelled out for help, but her voice began to shrink as the pressure around her neck grew stronger.


    Rock removed its hands of the helmet and released a flurry of attacks. "Let go of her!" He screamed, but the loud sound of his fist drowned his voice. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Stick climbed up the troll''s arrow and tried to rescue Dawn. He jammed his sickle in between the troll''s fingers. Eventually, the troll freed Dawn from his grasp to punch Rock. The troll''s fist landed on Rock''s side, but it did not stop Rock from continuing his onslaught of attacks. Slowly, the troll''s helmet began to cave in. Out of desperation, the troll tried to stand up, but Smoke pulled the troll''s left arm behind it and pushed the arm against its back. Eventually, the troll''s body fell on its left side as Rock beat its head into submission. Their followers stared at awe.


    While lying on the snow, the troll saw its daughter''s remains inside the hole. The troll''s anger returned and fueled its body. Before Rock could get on top of the troll, it began to roll on the snow. Snow and dirt sprayed around the area.


    Smoke and Rock fell on their backs. Once freed, the troll stood back up and stared at the town. These goblins took the troll''s son and daughter, and in return, it will take everything from them. IT ran towards the town and planned to destroy it all. "Get out of its way!" Shuja yelled while chasing after the troll.


    The goblins dispersed as the ground shook under them. Some of them tripped on the ground and were squashed when the troll ran over them. "Give me your quiver!" An archer gave Shuja his quiver. Shuja started shooting at the troll''s dented helmet, hoping it was damaged enough for the arrow to penetrate through it.


    Rock pushed himself up and ran to Dawn. "Are you ok?"


    "Yeah, I''m fine. Throat hurts a little, but otherwise, I''m good. But how about you?" Dawn grabbed Rock''s hand.


    "Ouch!"


    "Look, your knuckle is covered in blood. Oh god, I can even see one of your bones!"


    "Let me see!" Stick ran up to them. He checked Rock''s hands. "Looks like I''m not the only one who shattered his knuckles." Hey White! Come here. I need you to get some things for me!"


    "While you''re at it, do you mind making more of those black stuff." Smoke said while walking towards them. "We are going to need it."


    "Got it." Stick turned to White, "Ok, I need you to get me two bottles of the healing elixirs Rock''s fist. And get the bucket filled with the clear liquid. It should be under the shed. Pour in a barrel and mix it with white powder. Now make sure no fire touches the clear liquid or the white powder or else you will explode. Keep mixing until the clear liquid begins to expand and turn black and sticky. Then mix in some horny toad mucus, and you''re good to go." Stick pulled out a small book and gave it to White, "This book was Cloud''s before he died. It has pictures of the ingredients and how to make the bombs and such. If you ever get lost, use this book. Now go get the rest of the followers and make the black tar. Come back as quickly as possible!"


    "Yes, Sir Stick!" White ran off to the other goblins.


    "Alright, let''s go. Wait where Shuja?


    "She went ahead."


    "Then let''s go!" Smoke and Stick started running after the troll.


    Rock stood up, ready to follow. "Where do you think you''re going? You are injured!" Dawn yelled. She stood up and grabbed Rock''s arm.


    "I have to help. Just stay here." Rock said.


    "If you are going, I am going!"


    "But you almost," Dawn leaned in and kissed Rock on the lips. Dawn pulled away from her face while maintaining eye contact. Her eyes turned deep blue and mesmerized Rock. She leaned forward again, putting her forehead against Rock''s.


    "If you go, I go." She whispered.

 Vol 5 Chapter 3: Clouds Treasure

    White, Root, and Mist arrived at the shed with the rest of Stick''s followers. White entered the shed and opened the small hatch leading to the shed''s basement. The underground storing room was twice the size of the shed above it. Cloud and his predecessors dug this hole themselves, often finding strange trinkets and weapons along the way. The room was filled with random bottles, bags, and barrels they found throughout their lifetime.


    Cloud always told him that the most valuable treasures were underground and not inside the Chief''s home. White thought he was talking about the basement underneath the Chief''s house, but now he realized he meant the earth underneath the shed.


    White took a bucket filled with the clear liquid and gave it to Root to carry up the ladder. Then he found the bag filled with the explosive powder used to blow up the cottage filled with traitors. On the way out, White noticed something shine in the back of the room behind a thin veil. He walked towards it and peaked behind to see a metal hand poking out of the earth, holding a small buckler, not unlike Sum''s buckler. White tore it off the metallic hand, and he planned to give this to Rock.


    The troll''s helmet was tougher than Rock''s fist. He would have broken his hand before breaking through the helmet, but with this buckler, Rock could punch as hard as he wants to without hurting himself. And he might even be rewarded for presenting a gift to one of the powerful.


    White climbed out the hatch, and the goblins began to mix the white liquid and white powder. Root and Mist ran left before the black tar could be finish to give Rock the healing elixir.


    Once they were finished, they rolled the barrel back to town. They passed through ruined buildings and occasionally the bodies of the innocent that got caught in the ensuing battle. At the town square, Smoke and Stick tried to restrain the troll while Shuja kept its weapons away from its reach.


    By tying rope on his sickle, Stick could spin it around and swing the sickle further. He began to spin his sickle to throw it, creating clouds of snow and dirt that are getting blown away. The troll noticed Stick spinning his sickle but had no idea what this strange ''dance'' was for until Stick released his grip. The sickle launched itself towards the troll.


    The sickle''s rope landed on the troll''s neck, making the sickle turn and wrap itself around the troll''s throat. Rock and Dawn arrived right on time. They helped Stick pull the rope back while the troll tugs for control. If not for its helmet, the troll would have bitten the rope off.


    Smoke climbed on the troll''s back and tried to pull the helmet off, but with no success. "Smoke, maybe this could help!" Shuja yelled. She threw a wooden club at Smoke.


    Smoke shoved the wood between the helmet and the troll''s nape then push down on it. The trick was beginning to work, but the troll reached behind and grabbed Smoke. Then it threw him towards the three impeding his movement. After freeing itself from the rope, the troll turned to Shuja and the giant ax and sword behind. "Oh, fuck." She whispered to herself.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The troll ran towards its weapons, nearly trampling Shuja. She slipped between its legs and shot an arrow right up its butt. The attack startled the troll.


    Shuja continued to shoot a volley of arrows at the troll, but none of them could penetrate through the troll''s coat. The troll grabbed its sword and slashed the air creating a gust of wind sending Shuja flying away. The goblins rolling the barrel saw Shuja land in front of them. White ran to her and helped her get back up. "Where Sir Smoke and Sir Stick?"


    Shuja pointed, "Over there."


    "Sir Stick!" He waved at him, "We bring black water. Where go?"


    Smoke looked around the town square. Nearly every building near them have been obliterated with only the rubbles remain where they once stood. The only building left standing was a large white house facing the opposite direction of the troll. "Go get the barrel up on that building. Once we get the troll underneath, drop the barrel on it."


    "What about getting the helmet off?" Stick asked.


    "I doubt we can get that shit off. So we might as well burn coat off."


    "Then, let''s get that asshole!" Rock stood up and stretched his arms.


    "Wait Sir Rock," White gave Rock the buckler. "White found under shed. Think help fight troll."


    "This looks like Sum''s shield. I don''t need it."


    "Take it," Dawn looked at Rock, "We need it. Besides, you are stronger than Sum, so you''ll be better with that."


    Rock reluctantly held it on his right hand. "That better not be a lie."


    "Guys, we need help!" Shuja yelled. The troll began to advance towards the goblins rolling the barrel. Shuja fended it off with her arrows, but they could barely do anything.


    Stick picked up his sickle and spun it around once more. The troll felt the winds gather behind it and turned around to witness a sickle fly pass it once more. The troll raised its ax and chopped the rope connected to the sickle in half. The sickle continued to fly until landing on the barrel, nearly hitting one of the goblins carrying it.


    Shuja grabbed the rope and pulled the sickle towards her. Before the troll could charge towards Stick, Shuja leaped in the air and tied the line around the troll''s neck. Smoke and Rock rushed forward.


    The troll swung its ax down towards Smoke but missed its attack due to Shuja pulling the rope. Still holding the club, Smoke slammed against the troll''s side, hitting his liver. The troll''s legs almost caved in from the pain. Rock was right behind Smoke. The troll rotated its sword on its hand, placing its thumbs on the pommel. Then the troll turned its shoulder, cutting the ground and Rock, but Rock parried the attack away from him. With his momentum unbroken, Rock jumped and released a devastating right hook on the troll''s chest, breaking one of its rib cages.


    The troll was beginning to lose its energy. It has been fighting for five hours, and its large size is detrimental when it comes to a long fight. But it still has the strength to fight. The troll raised its weapons and began to spin its body, creating a large column of wind around it.


    Rock, Shuja, and Smoke were blown away in an instant. Stick and Dawn charged in hoping to stop the troll. But before they could reach it, the troll used its ax to blast snow and dirt towards them. Stick got hit in the face and sent him flying while Dawn barely dodged the attack.


    Dawn saw the troll ran towards her and raising its sword. She closed her eyes and blocked her body with her arms anticipating the sword to strike her down, but the sword did not connect.


    Hearing the sound of metal clashing, Dawn opened her eyes and saw Rock standing in front of her. He parried the troll''s attack to side with his buckler. He stood strong and tall against the troll towering over him.


    "I told you, didn''t I." Dawn couldn''t help but say it out loud. And she was right. Rock was stronger.

 Vol 5 Chapter 4: Strike When The Iron is Hot

    Rock was Furious. He clenched his fist and charged forward and slamming his body against the troll''s chest. The troll took a few steps back from the knockback. "Don''t even think about hurting her, you damn monster."


    Smoke ran to Stick and helped him get back on his feet, "Monster? Aren''t we monsters too?" He jokingly said to Smoke. "If not, what are we then? And what the hell is Rock even? He just shoved that troll like it was nothing."


    "Well, we are red goblins now. I think they call us ''conquerors.'' Anyway, go help your followers with the barrel. I''ll stay here and help Rock."


    "Roger that, bro!"


    Stick ran towards the back of the tall white building, and Smoke ran to Dawn. "Are you ok?"


    "Yeah, I''m doing fine." Dawn stood up.


    The two were about to assist Rock when suddenly a strong gust of wind blew them away. "Come on, not again!" Smoke yelled. He got on his knees as quickly as he could. He looked up and saw something remarkable; Rock did not move.


    Rock''s feet were firmly in place while holding his buckler with both hands in front of him. And the buckler changed colors. Instead of a muted grey color, it was now has a bright blue tint coloring. Stick, now on top of the building on its third-floor balcony, saw the whole scene unfold before him.


    The troll continued to launch a barrage of attacks with its ax and sword. Rock dodged and parried all of them while barely breaking a sweat. Then the troll pulled its ax back while a thin blue veil emerges out of its skin and travels along the ax in a twirling motion. Stick saw this phenomenon before. Back at the barn, when he was fighting Cala, a blue mist poured out of his flesh and enveloped itself on his boots, letting him travel so fast he appears to have vanished only to reappear next to you.


    The troll then released the energy in his arms to catapult the ax forward, releasing an explosive blast of wind at Rock. But instead of dodging, Rock decided to extend his arms forward. And that same blue mist released from the troll''s body came out of Rock''s chest, making its way towards his buckler.


    Stick could not believe what he was seeing. How could Rock do that? Rock has always been the stubborn one. He refused to use weapons, and his brothers were forced to coerce him to at least learn how to use them just in case. And now here he is, facing off against a troll by using the same unknown technique Cala used against Stick.


    Stick looked down on his sickle feeling a little defeated, knowing his naturally strong brother was far stronger than him despite his thorough training with his sickle. But the loud explosive sound of the air hitting against Rock''s buckler woke up Stick.


    His followers took off the lid of the barrel. The thick metallic smell of the black tar was overwhelming the goblins. Stick chopped off the railings and had his followers move the barrel to the edge of the balcony.


    On the ground, Rocks the short respite ended with the troll continuing its attacks once more. The troll was surprised to witness Rock block such an attack, but it knows that it must continue its assault. The troll thought Rock would eventually collapse from the pressure, but Rock stood his ground until the troll''s attacks began to slow.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Attacking Rock with its heavy weapons began to take its toll on the troll''s body. Its muscles began to ache, and its lungs were exhausted. Suddenly, Rock moved closer after the troll''s speed began to diminish. As Rock closed in, the troll, for the first time in its life, felt fear.


    The troll freed itself from the heavy weapons that were slowing it down and tried to pull away from Rock, but it was too late. Rock sprinted to close the gap. Once within reach, Rock leaped and shot left jab on the troll''s stomach.


    When Rock landed on the snow, he used the energy stored in his legs to propel himself once more and deliver a devastating right jab. The troll continued to retreat this time extending its arms to distance itself from Rock. But that did not work. Rock pushed aside the troll''s arms and ducked underneath its grasp before delivering another strike to its belly.


    The troll pulled back its arm and guarded its body against Rock''s attacks. Rock could burst through the troll''s arms, but he could still attack the side and push it further to the building where the barrel was waiting. Inch by inch made the troll move back. Rock''s fist continued to push it into a corner.


    But the troll did not give up. It burst its arms open, hitting Rock to the face with its backhand. The troll tried to return the favor by throwing a straight punch towards Rock. "Watch out!" Dawn yelled.


    Rock ducked the punch, but the troll followed with another swing, which too did not connect. Rock bob and weave around the troll''s punches while moving forward. Eventually, this bob and weave motion turned into the Dempsey Roll. When Sun was teaching them boxing, he mentioned this boxing technique used against larger opponents, and Rock nearly fell in love with it. But he never got the chance to use it because he never found a goblin big enough to spar with until now.


    The troll was mesmerized by Rock''s eight-figure motion. Then suddenly, a fist slammed against its chest. Rock leaned in on his leading legs and continued delivering his punch, building up the momentum for each body sway, step, and punch he gives.


    The troll lost its ground to the advancing Rock. Its coat could not sustain the hits, and its legs are nearly ready to give in. Then suddenly, Rock pulled back, ending his attack. "Drop it now!"


    Stick and his followers pushed the barrel off the balcony. The troll got covered in the black tar, and the barrel covered its head and blocking its view. Shuja took an arrow and lit it on fire then shot it towards the black troll.


    The fire quickly grew from the arrow and consumed the troll, which was screaming in agony. Rock watched the fire burn away the troll''s coat revealing its tattered, burnt skin. Then the boiling flesh turned into stone, and the troll was left there standing still in a pose wringing in pain. After watching the fire dance on the troll, Rock collapsed and landed in Dawn''s arms. She caressed his head and gently kissed his forehead. "You were amazing Rock." She whispered.


    Smoke ordered his followers to fetch hammers and clubs to break the statue before nightfall. Stick climbed down the building and told his followers to return to their station. They still have one more troll to fight.


    "Rock!" Someone yelled across the square. It was Rock''s mother that fed him when his birth mother was killed, Natasha, and she was running towards Dawn and Rock. "Is he ok?"


    "Yes," Dawn responded in a robotic tone. Dawn didn''t know how to act with Rock''s mother present. She is a slave, but Rock and his brothers treat them like family.


    "Ms. Natasha, what are you doing here?" Stick asked.


    "Sun mother left. Go to wall!" Ren, Rock''s former caretaker, answered. "Rock mother chase after. Me follow Flute order."


    "What!"


    "It''s true, Mari left the barn!" Natasha said, "I don''t know what''s gotten into to her, but we need to find her. Before she gets hurt!"

 Vol 5 Chapter 5: The Final Doubt

    Mari and the slaves stayed inside the barn, waiting for the caretakers. The bell near the wall rang, alerting the tribe of a troll attack. The caretakers were preparing to evacuate them, gathering bags of water and blankets to cover them. They waited patiently except for one.


    Mari stood at the door, rubbing her hands together while looking at the direction of the smoke. Sun was fighting for his life on the eastern wall. She walked back inside and grabbed her book and wore a cloak over her head. Once she had everything she needed, she started walking to the entrance."Mari, what are you doing?" Natasha asked. "Where are you going? Shouldn''t we wait?"


    Mari looked down at her book, "I''m going to the wall and help them fight the troll."


    "What? Are you crazy" Natasha whispered so the caretakers would not hear them. They were on the second floor, getting ready. "What if you get hurt? It''s a troll for god sake. An adult troll may I add. It takes a party of four just to kill that thing."


    "Exactly, they''re going to need my help."


    "Why do you care so much anyway?" In the back of the room was Sam. She was cleaning her teeth with a toothpick. "They promised to get us out of this hell, and yet here we are, still trapped in the forest."


    "They are doing their best."


    "Doing my best? Now, that''s funny. You do realize they have the power now. They can do whatever they want with us. Just like those,"


    "They are not like them. They promised they would get us out of the forest when the time comes."


    "And we''re just going to sit here and wait!" Sam jumped out of her chair and threw the toothpick as hard as she could on the floor.


    "Sis, please calm down." Cyrus rushed to her sister''s side and held her right arm.


    "They are goblins, Mari! They are not us. They''re aliens that just showed up out of the blue and began terrorizing us. They are just like their father, whichever they were. They''re monsters! If I could, I would have stabbed my womb and got rid of those little demons."


    "Well, its too late now!" Mari stomped her foot on the floor. "You gave birth to Stick, I gave birth to Sun, and we all gave birth!" Mari closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She took a step back and looked deep inside her for the answer. She wants to help Sun, but why? Curiosity, love, regret, or hope. "I also wished I never gave birth to Sun, but I can''t. I have to raise the child of the goblin that raped me. And if that''s my new reality, then why I will do my best to guide my son. So he won''t turn into them, those monsters that harmed us."


    "Why? Just leave him to die. We can escape during this confusion like the men."


    "Then go, I won''t tell on you." Mari covered her head and left.


    Mari ran through the back alleys, avoiding the mob of goblins running on the larger streets. Above her were the archers running on the rooftops to get into their positions. Mari bowed down to hide her head.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    After running through the town, Mari finally reached the wall. A large wall of fire blocked her way, forcing her to run around it. Suddenly, a goblin flew through the fire and slammed against a pole. Mari rushed towards the goblin. His forearm was broken in half with the shattered tip poking out of his skin. The goblins tried desperately to stop the bleeding while calling for help. Mari took out her book and followed the instruction.


    Blue mist traveled down her shoulders, stopping on the palm of her hands. Then they slowly turned bright yellow. The glowing light emitting from her hands healed the open wound, but the bones remained broken. She didn''t have enough mana to use the spells to heal his shattered forearm, but bandages and arm support should heal him over time. The goblins in charge of supporting the frontline ran towards Mari and the injured. They were perplexed to see their Chief''s slave mother and even more surprised to see the goblin have no flesh wounds despite covered in blood.


    "What are you standing there for?" Mari yelled in frustration.


    The goblins did not know how to respond, but their dying comrade calls for help could not be ignored. They carried him by the legs and shoulders. "Thank you." The injured goblins whispered in a raspy voice before getting taken away.


    Mari stood up and followed the goblins around the flames. She saw the goblins getting destroyed by the rampaging troll. The only reason why they have not given up yet was because of Sun''s presence in the battle. He continued to fight despite a dislocated shoulder. This adamant attitude kept the goblins from abandoning the fight.


    That is not to say they weren''t any cowards running away. Mari saw many run away when the troll approaches them, but they always come back if not to run away again, at least to save face in front of their great Chief.


    But the battle was clearly one-sided. Sun''s injury was like an anchor, holding him back. Mari ran behind a line of goblins holding spears. "I need to get to Sun!" She yelled at them. The goblins looked at her, confused. "Can you help?"


    "Why help you?" They asked.


    "I can heal him." She showed the goblins her glowing hand.


    "Tribe''s great Chief''s mama healer!" They yelled in excitement. Healers are highly respected in goblin tribes. Even if they are slaves, lesser goblins will follow their command so long as they do not overstep their boundaries. After all, they are still slaves, and if they stop healing, they are no longer of any use.


    But Mari is different. Her son is the highly venerated Chief, considered a hero by most of the tribe because he was the hero that killed a troll all by himself. And so, their respect for her is equal second only to the Chief and his brothers. "Spear goblins, charge!" The goblin up front yelled, and they all ran towards the troll.


    The troll was trying to catch Sun when the swarm of goblins began to thrust their spears on its legs. Sun was then pulled out by two goblins while the troll was busy. "What are you doing? I told you to stay back!" He screamed.


    The goblins dropped their Chief on Mari''s feet. "Chief! You mama healer!" They said happily. Sun looked up. He saw his mom staring at him.


    "Mom what are you doing here?" Sun tried to push himself upright.


    "To help you. Now stay still, your shoulder is broken." Mari took out her book and skimmed through the pages until she found what she was looking for, a chapter dedicated to bones, and how to heal them. Fortunately, a dislocated should is much easier to treat. "Ok, this might hurt a lot." She took Sun''s elbow and gently pushed the arm bone back in the socket.


    "Oh, Fuck!" Sun yelled. Mari placed her hand over his shoulders and showered it with gold glitter that seeped through the skin. It felt cold despite the warm yellow light.


    "I remember the first time I used the healing spells in this book." Mari said, "Your left shoulder got bitten by a Timber Wolf, and your blood was all over the floor. Thank goodness you only dislocated your shoulder this time."


    Mari and Sun laughed. "Is it done yet, mom?"


    "Yes, its done, you''re good to go."


    "Good because it looks like I need to go." The goblins began to retreat after getting overwhelmed by the troll. Sun stood up and picked up his sword. One of the retreating goblins managed to retrieve Sun''s buckler and gave it back to him. "Thanks, mom. Now its time for me to fight!"


    "Go, I''ll heal you." Mari''s hands grew brighter.

 Vol 5 Chapter 6: Supernova

    The troll trampled through the defensive line. Sun ordered them to retreat, but the troll''s long stride meant the goblins were always one step away from getting killed under the troll''s foot. Sun needed to stop the troll from killing them, so he charged headfirst into battle. Sun jumped in front of the troll and swung its sword at its shoulder, but the troll caught it before it could cut its coat.


    The troll spun the sword with Sun holding on tightly with his left hand. Sun dropped his buckler and used his free hand to hold on the sword. The goblins watched as their Chief hang on for his life. Then the troll released the sword and Sun along with it, throwing him at a group of goblins. They managed to catch him before landing on the hard ground. "Fuck!" Sun yelped, "Watch where your touching!"


    Sun got up, dropped his sword and buckler, and held his left arm in place because it got dislocated when he was thrown around like a mouse. Without giving Sun any time to breathe, the troll rushed towards him. "All of you go and reform in the back! I''ll hold it here."


    "But Chief," The goblins protested.


    "Go!"


    The goblins ran away and formed their lines just as Sun ordered. Sun stood up, waiting for the troll to attack. The troll kicked the ground, blowing snow and dirt towards Sun. With his vision obscure, Sun could see the troll pull its shield over its shoulder and slammed it against Sun''s left side, further damaging his left arm.


    Sun fell and slid on the ground. The troll thought it was over; no one would get up from that experience, but it still wants the red goblin to live. Now it sets its sights on the town. Blocking its way was a wall of fire. Looking at the flames dancing in front of it gave the troll a brilliant idea. It will burn the town to the ground and watch the goblins burn. The troll smiled beneath its mask from imagining the goblin''s scream from the pain and forcing the red one to watch as the tribe he once ruled burn. Then the troll got hit with a snowball.


    The troll turned his face to the left and saw Sun on his feet while leaning on his sword. His left arm was dangling on his side. The troll saw nothing but a defeated goblin. Then Sun whipped back his long dreads blocking his eyes, and that''s when the troll realized the red goblin was not defeated. Sun''s eyes were far from the eyes of hopelessness. It was filled with resolved because Sun is determined to win. Sun tightened his grip on the sword and was about to run when suddenly, behind were the goblins he told to retreat.


    Two of them carried him away from the fight. "What are you doing? I told you to stay back!" He screamed.


    The goblins dropped their Chief on Mari''s feet. "Chief! You mama healer!" They said happily. Sun looked up, and he saw his mom staring at him.


    "Mom, what are you doing here?" Sun tried to push himself upright.


    "To help you," She told him. Sun laid on his mother''s lap while she showered her with the cold, soothing drops of her gold-colored magic. Sun did not want to end this moment, but duty calls for him.


    Sun stood up once more. One of the two goblins that carried him brought the buckler he used during the fight before dropping it on the ground. He turned his mom before returning to the fight, "Thanks, mom. Now its for me to fight."


    Sun ran towards the troll with his sword on his shoulder and buckler in front of him. The troll saw Sun coming, and to swing its shield''s sharp edge at him. Sun used his smaller size to his advantage, lowering his posture while running. The troll''s shield merely grazed Sun''s back.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Sun ran underneath the troll and landed a critical strike on the troll''s inner thigh. The cut was not deep enough to reveal the troll''s skin to the sun, but the impact was nearly strong enough to break the troll''s thigh bone.


    This show of strength surprised the troll and made it drop its shield, but it refused to get on its knee because doing so is a sign of weakness. Sun slipped past under the troll''s crotch and was about to deliver another slash, but then the troll jumped backward, hoping to land on Sun. Without hesitation, Sun rolled to the side, barely dodging the attack. Now the troll was on the ground giving Sun the height advantage. Sun got up and was about to attack when suddenly the troll punched him in the face.


    The troll managed to roll its body on its side, facing Sun to deliver a punch. The punch crushed Sun''s pointy nose and sent him rolling away. The troll got on all four and crawled towards Sun. The goblins on the wall shot their arrows at the troll, but they all bounced off its leather coat.


    Sun quickly got up on his feet after seeing the troll crawl to him like a lizard. He ran up the wall and then jumped on the trolls back, thrusting the sword on the back of its shoulder. Then he lifted the sword to cut its neck. Unfortunately, the troll pushed itself on its feet, knocking Sun off of its body.


    The troll turned around and stomped on the ground, shaking the earth beneath them. Sun lost his balance and fell on his butt. Like a stationary ball, Sun sat in front of the troll and watched it lift its leg back before delivering a devastating kick. Sun blocked his body with the buckler, but it was not enough. The sound of bones and metal breaking could be heard as far as the wall of fire. The kicked made Sun travel across the field while his blood tainted the snowy ground.


    "Sun!" Mari yelled after watching Sun fly across the sky. He eventually landed on a pile of empty barrels.


    Mari rushed to his aid while the goblins formed a line around the troll. Many of them were crying after witnessing their Chief fly in the air like a lifeless doll. "Troll bad! Troll hurt Chief!" Spat jumped down from the wall and landed on the troll''s back. The other archers joined in, dropping their bow before jumping on top of the troll. They tried to stab through its coat with their arrows.


    The troll laughed at the goblins crying because they were too weak to protect their Chief. The troll began to spin around in delight with arms wide open. Spat and the rest of the goblins were flung off the troll''s body as the speed increased. The troll stopped once all of the goblins on its back were off.


    Then the troll made its way towards Sun, walking over the goblins in front of it. The goblins tried to get its attention by stabbing its legs, but the troll ignored them. Instead, it giggled at the lesser goblins in their desperation to help their fallen Chief.


    "Don''t you dare give up on me." Mari sat next to Sun, desperately trying to heal him.


    "I''m sorry, mom." He coughed out blood trying to speak.


    "I said, don''t give up! You are going to get up no matter what." Mari''s voice started to waver, and tears flooded out of her eyes. "You promised you would save me remember. That you will take care of me when I get old, so don''t leave me. I beg of you!" Mari cried out.


    "Oh yeah. I promised." Sun slowly closed his eyes.


    Eventually, the troll''s shadow blanketed Sun and Mari. The troll raised its fist, pulling it back as it could. Mari hugged Sun blocking his body and concentrated her all of her mana in her body to her back, hoping to use her remaining mana to block the attack. Mari closed her eyes in anticipation.


    Then the troll released his fist and penetrated through flesh and bone. Blood was dripping off its fist and landed on the snow. Mari opened her eyes and placed her hand on her chest. There was no hole, no blood, and she could still breathe.


    Mari turned around and saw a female goblin standing behind her. She had dirty blond hair, a mouth filled with sharp jagged teeth, and a smug little smile that annoyed Mari. Then she looked down and saw the troll''s hand clenched into a fist protruding out of her chest. Mari knew who this goblin was; she was her caretaker. Or better yet, their caretaker. The one that taunted her and bragged to the others about how strong Sun was to the other caretakers. She protected Sun just as she promised.


    But this was futile. The troll hurled her corpse away and prepared to punch Mari and Sun. Then suddenly, an intense blue light appeared behind Mari. But this light was not coming from Mari''s mana. She turned around and saw a bright blue halo around Sun''s head. Then that halo exploded.

 Vol 5 Chapter 7: Bilbo Blade

    Mari was lying on the ground after getting blown away from the sudden explosion. She slowly opened her eyes, adjusting her vision after the intense light blinded her. The ringing in her ear was slowly disappearing. She pushed her self up and leaned her back against a wooden pole. Once her senses returned to her normal, she got up to help Sun, but when she saw Sun, she could not help but stare.


    On her foot was her book. She picked and began flipping through the pages until she reached the chapter showcasing the different anatomies of the races. She flipped one page after another, skipping the humans, the elves, and the beastkins until she found the illustration of the unknown race she saw long ago. The race had short white feathers growing out of the back of their ears, muted green skin, rat-like ears, and eyes nearly twice as big as a human''s eye. She looked back at Sun in amazement. He transformed into this unknown race.


    And now Mari''s head was spinning out of control. How did he transform, and why did he turn into this particular creature? She rationalized that maybe the race that once ruled these lands saw the other races at the same level as the goblin''s final form. But that doesn''t make any sense. Mari kept staring at the page until a teardrop landed on the paper. Mari realized she was still crying and wiped her eyes. "Mom? Are you ok?" She looked up and saw Sun walking towards her offering his hand.


    "Sun, you idiot!" Mari leaped forward and hugged her son, "Don''t make me worry like that!" She cried. Tears continued to flow out while her mind tries its best to process the many emotions that suddenly attacked her.


    "I''m sorry I made you worry." Sun could not help but giggle, "But I''m ok." He hugged her tightly.


    "Your slightly taller than me now, and your, well hair or feather, are so long. I think we need to cut it."


    Behind him was the troll, rubbing its eyes with snow. Once its vision returned, it roared at the sky then looked at Sun hugging his mother. Sun glared back at the troll. "Mom, you need to let go of me now. We still have a troll to kill."


    "Alright."


    Mari towards the injured goblins while Sun and the troll stared at each other. Sun was moving his fingers and toes, trying to get used to this new body. The troll could not believe the red goblins grew larger and had green skin like the lesser goblins. Behind the troll was Sun''s sword. He needs to get past the troll, but his larger size means it''s going to be more difficult to dodge the troll''s attacks despite his height barely passing the troll''s waist.


    Then there was the gambeson and helmet. The helmet was far too difficult to remove, but he could still stab through the gambeson. The pants would still be easier to cut through because its shape gives the sword a larger surface for the edge to cut through. But when Sun tried to slice through it, the sword just glided on the surface. The surface was far too slippery, and the coat itself was very thick, but the gambeson was not.


    Sun did not know why the troll did not have plate armor. The gambeson is excellent for a small body that could not carry a full plate armor. But steel armor may be too expensive and rare for trolls.


    "Chief!" Spat yelled in the back, "We ready fight!" He and other goblins waved at Sun with their bows.


    Sun grinned, "Archers! Shoot on my command!"


    Suddenly, the troll sprang into action, charging towards Sun. The troll opened its arms as it plans to give Sun a bear hug. Sun, noticing the opportunity, jumped over the troll just when it was about to hug him. He landed on its strangely hardback, turned around, and started grabbed the troll''s helmet. Sun felt string on his hands and noticed the strings are tied on the helmet and was attached to the coat. Sun tried to unravel the strings as fast as possible.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    The troll rolled over on the snow, throwing Sun off its back. While it had its back on the ground, Sun ran to his sword.  Sun picked up his sword and pointed at the troll, "Shoot now!" The troll saw the volley of arrows and instinctively moved its arms and legs to shield its body. None of the arrows managed to penetrate through its defenses, but the troll felt angry regardless. The troll could not believe it was scared of the little arrows when it never even did anything to its gambeson. It opened its arms, ready to receive the next wave of arrows to show the goblins how their weak archery could not hope to pierce through its armor. Instead, the troll saw Sun in the air.


    He jumped on top of the troll. The troll covered its neck, believing Sun would try to cut its neck once more. Instead, Sun stabbed through the gambeson and peeled off its outer skin revealing spare clothes and wool that were used for padding. The troll punched Sun off of it, sending him flying towards Mari and the goblins. The goblins managed to catch Sun and helped Mari heal Sun''s right arm. Mari''s forehead was covered in sweat and was coughing. Sun sensed something was wrong, "Mom, are you ok?"


    "Yeah, I''m fine. Just running out of mana, it''s no big deal. You should worry about that instead." Mari pointed at the troll, pushing itself up."


    Before the troll got up, Sun yelled to his archers, "Shoot!"


    The volley of arrows struck the troll''s chest and belly. The troll could feel cold tips of the arrowheads barely touching its hair on its skin. Another wave of arrows was in the air, ready to land on their target. The troll rolled forward over its head, dodging the arrows.


    After landing on its knee, the troll turned to Sun and his mother. The troll launched itself off the ground and ran towards them and terrifying speed. Sun carried his mom over his shoulder, and a goblin with his one hand ran to the side.


    Sun expected the troll to stop and turn, but it continued to ruin forward. He looked at the direction the troll was heading to and saw its gleaming sheild lying on the snow.


    The troll picked up its oversized shield and covered its front. It blocked all the arrows coming, protecting the troll''s entire body. While the troll hid behind its shield, Sun charged at the troll after putting his mom and the goblins down. Sun thrust his sword on the troll''s back only to hear a loud bell sound coming for the back.


    Underneath the coat was a broken plate armor attached to the back of its gambeson. The troll realized Sun was behind it and turned around. It slammed its shield against Sun''s body. Sun barely managed to place the sword between himself and the shield.


    Sun slid on the snow, maintaining his balance. The troll turned its head and saw that the archers ran out of arrows. A blue mist began to come out of the troll''s coat then began to swirl around the troll''s shield. "Sun, get out of there!" Mari screamed in panic.


    Sun turned around and started running. The surface of the shield began to glow in blue light, and then the troll slammed the air with its shield. A large blue wave traveled on the ground, pushing snow and dirt with it. The wave eventually reached Sun, knocking him off his feet.


    The troll nearly collapsed on the floor after releasing the devasting attack. The troll wanted to savor the goblin''s suffering, but it could no longer keep up the fight. It needed to end the battle now. Another blue mist began to swirl around the troll, traveling towards the shield and its legs.


    "What the fact is that?"


    "That''s mana. Its using mana." Mari yelled at Sun while running towards him.


    "Mom! What are you doing? Get out of here." Sun tried to push his mom out of the way.


    "Stop, just stand still!" Mari grabbed Sun''s arms and made his body face the troll, "Mana is very complicated to understand and more confusing to use. But if your dumb serf mother and this troll could use it, so can you."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Concentrate. Remember when I healed your shoulder. That cold yet soothing sensation."


    "What?"


    "Imagine that sensation traveling along your arm and sword. Here, I''ll release some of my mana for reference. Can you feel it?"


    "Yeah."


    "Now concentrate. Keep visualize the mana like syrup and cover your sword with it."


    "Ok." Sun closed his eyes.


    "Don''t close your eyes. You have to visualize the mana on your arm until your entire body is hot enough to melt the snow on the ground."


    Sun stared at his arm and doing what his mother was telling him. His breathing started getting slower, but the beating of his heart grew faster. His body grew hotter and hotter when, finally, the cold blue mist rose from his arms and traveled to his sword. The blue mist swirled around the sword before painting the blade blue.


    Mari pulled back, "That''s my boy. I knew you could do it." Then she fell on the floor. Fortunately, the goblins caught her mid-fall.


    "Mom!"


    "I''m ok! Now go and kill that thing." Mari tried her best not to pass out because she wants to see this moment, Sun''s moment.

 Vol 5 Chapter 8: When The Sun Sets

    The troll saw the mana rising from Sun''s body and blanketing his sword until it glowed blue. The mana around the troll consolidated on the shield and its legs. Its muscles relaxed as the cold soothing mana penetrate through its coat and into its skin. The troll knows that if Sun pierces through its shield, it would be the end of it, so it focussed its attention on its legs. If the troll is fast enough, it could bash Sun with its shield before he could attack.


    The ground shook around the troll''s feet before breaking apart from the weight of its lead foot. Large chunks of the earth stuck out the snow as its foot dug into the ground. Suddenly, the mana around its leg dispersed.


    The goblins behind the troll suddenly saw a large eruption from where the troll stood. Earth and snow rose so high that it surpassed the height of the surrounding buildings. The troll moved with incredible speed. The goblins could only see a blue blob of light travel towards Sun. But then, that blue ball of light stopped.


    Sun used all the strength he had on his legs and jumped right before the troll could reach him. The troll stopped in its tracks after Sun jumped. It was caught off guard. The troll was sure Sun would try and challenge its attack because it could not hope to beat it with speed.


    Sun''s body rotated in the air. He used the moment to launch a devastating attack on the troll''s back shoulders. The blue wave slashed through the coat and armor and revealed the stuffed padding of the gambeson. The troll turned its body with its shield in front, expecting to face Sun, but instead, the troll saw no one but snow.


    The mana blast was so strong it changed the direction of Sun''s fall. Instead of landing behind the troll, Sun landed right on the troll''s blind spot. Sun saw this as a great opportunity. Sun gathered more mana around his blade and leaped forward. The troll saw a glimpse of Sun''s body in the corner of its eyes and moved its shield to block the attack. Because Sun jumped, the troll knew he was going for his neck and raised its shield before Sun could swing his sword.


    But the troll failed to see the distance between it and Sun. He only lunged forward to get closer faster. Attacking on the air is a challenging feat to accomplish. Unlike fighting on the ground, when someone jumps, they leave themselves vulnerable to attacks. It''s only ever useful to surprise an enemy or to deliver a finishing blow. And Sun''s body was exhausted after jumping over the troll and releasing a mighty swing. He barely has any energy left to fight. Sun''s actual target was the troll''s legs.


    Sun pointed his sword towards the troll''s knee. By using gravity, Sun thrust his sword through flesh and bones. Blood popped out of its legs and polluted the pristine white snow underneath. The sword''s bright blue light shattered into small little pieces before fading in the air. Sun coughed out blood due to stress after he overexerted his body.


    The troll''s legs gave in from the pain and weight of its body. And with no hesitation, Sun climbed the top of the shield and grabbed hold of the strings attached on the helmet to untie them. After the experience of the shocking pain from its legs, the troll came back to its senses. Sun and the troll locked eyes, and Sun could see the searing hatred the troll has for him.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The troll threw its shield to the earth, hoping to shake off Sun, but he managed to jump over its head and land on its back. Sun used his long nails to stick between the knots to loosen them. After taking off the strings, Sun lifted the troll''s helmet, revealing its ugly visage to the sky.


    The troll gave out a desperate scream before its body turns into stone. Sun watched the troll''s head harden before falling on the snow. His vision was getting blurry. Eventually, he closed his eyes as the world turned black as night. The gentle light from the sun blanketed his face as he sleeps peacefully on the snow.


    Mari and the goblins ran towards Sun. Mari placed her hand on Sun''s heart and felt his beating hearing through his chest. Tears burst out of Mari''s eye and hugged Sun close to her. "Sun!" Someone yelled.


    Mari looked over the distance and saw Sun''s brothers. "Help me! Sun collapsed!" Mari called out to them.


    "Stick, help me with the stretcher." Smoke said.


    "Alright." Stick pulled one end, and Smoke held on the other.


    "Get him on." Mari carried Sun over to them. "What happened to him?"


    "Is this really Sun? Holy shit, he is taller and heavier."


    "Something happened," Mari tried to answer"He,"


    "It''s fine," Smoke cut her off, "You can explain it to us later, but for we need to get as far away from the town as possible."


    "Why?"


    "The fire is getting out of control and is spreading."


    Mari and the other goblins looked back and saw the fire grow more intense over the town. They were sure that the houses were too wet from the snow to burn, but it seems like they were wrong.


    They carried Sun towards the edge of the forest where their tribe evacuated. They set up temporary tents for the night and wait out the fire. Despite their victory, the goblins were not happy because their homes were being consumed by the fire. They were hopeless, so they waited for the Chief to wake up and guide them.


    Smoke and Stick carried Sun inside a blue tent set up by the caretakers for the brothers. Natasha was sitting next to Rock, who was unconscious after the battle. When she saw Mari with them, she jumped up and embraced her close to her bosom. "Natasha, I can''t breath," Mari said.


    "Sorry." Natasha let her free. "Cyrus and Anna are worried sick for you, and so are the other women and even Flute."


    "What? What about Sun? What about Rock?"


    "Don''t worry. We''ll take care of these two." Smoke said, and Stick gave a thumbs up in response.


    The two left the tent, leaving the brothers alone.


    "Now what?" Stick asked.


    "I don''t know?"


    The two of them sat in the room. The silent atmosphere made the brothers more anxious. Sun has been unconscious before, but it was the first time Rock collapsed. Smoke could try and lead the tribe in Sun''s absence, and Stick could take over Rock''s followers, but with half of the town on fire and barely any goblins left, rebuilding seemed impossible. They need them now more than ever.


    "Ah!" Suddenly Rock jumped off its bed and screamed. He reached for his buckler, put up his fist to guard his chest, and looked around him while being delirious. "Where the fuck is that fuck? Where he at?"


    Smoke and Stick grabbed his arm and told him to calm down. "Why did you have to wake me up? I was about to get a very important answer." Smoke and Stick turned their head and saw Sun pushing himself up while rubbing his eyes.


    "Sun! Rock! You had us fucking worried!" Stick yelled while hugging Rock and Sun.


    "So, I''m not dead, right?" Rock asked.


    "What''s that?" Sun pointed at Rock''s buckler.


    "Oh, this." Rock gave the buckler to Sun. "Stick''s follower found it."


    "And Rock used it to beat the shit of the troll in the middle of town. He even used that blue stuff that Cala used." Smoke said.


    Sun wasn''t paying much attention as the three told their story. Sun was too distracted with the buckler. On it was words written in an unknown language that looked similar to the one he saw in his most recent dream before Rock''s scream woke him up. Sun looked at his brothers and said in an urgent tone, "Where did you find this?"

 Vol 5 Chapter 9: Walking on Water

    Sun opened his eyes, expecting his brothers and mother in front of him while lying on a soft straw bed. Instead, he saw a clear blue sky over him and no sign of wind blowing against his body. When he pushed himself up, he saw an endless shallow ocean stretching in all four directions. He sat upright and looked underneath himself. The still water was clear enough to reflect his face.


    His long, brown dreads reached his chin, and his goat-like eyes were replaced with the same deep blue eyes his mother possesses. Underneath his dreads were white feathers that grew out of the back of ears. His nose was no longer abnormally large, and his canines shrunk, though his upper canine was twice the size of his lower ones. Sun could not help but compare his teeth to a vampire. He was naked, so he examined his new body. It looked much closer to his original body, but it felt slightly shorter. Sun was planning to measure his height, but first, he needs to figure out where he was.


    Despite the eery silence of the flat still ocean, Sun could hear water splashing. Sun turned around and saw a dog trying to dig through the floor under the water. The dog had a metallic bronze frame and eyes red as a rose. It was the dog he meant long ago in his dream.


    Sun realized that the ocean he was standing on was similar to the ground that turned to water in his past dream. He was dreaming about his past life when he was a child. Then the dream changed into a nightmare when he met the robotic dog. The ground turned into a large puddle of water, and the dog was trying to kill him before he woke up.


    Sun touched the water with his hand, and it felt cold and wet. Then he pinched himself to feel pain. And he did feel pain. This dream felt incredibly real compared to his other dreams.


    "Why can''t I get through!" The dog yelled. Its static voice made Sun''s spine shiver. Suddenly the dog stopped digging and started sniffing the air. Then it turned its head towards Sun.


    Sun got up on his feet and ran up to the dog. Before the dog could react, Sun delivered a front kick on the dog''s side. The dog landed on its back, exposing its bottom. Its belly was made of transparent plastic, and inside were wires running down from its legs to the base of its neck.


    Sun tried to jump on top of the dog, but the dog suddenly spewed fire out of its mouth. Sun backed away until he was out of reach. The dog stood up while glaring at Sun, "It''s you again, the trespasser that escaped termination. And your soul has transformed into its proper form. That''s why I can''t go back to my master because you now have a thread connecting you to the sea. And I must have entangled myself on your thread." The dog''s legs extended longer, and its red eyes grew brighter. "Your existence is dangerous! You have managed to break through my master''s spell. I don''t know what kind of being you are, trespasser, but I will not let you undo my master''s plan. Termination begins now."


    The dog charged forward with its out wide open. Its fiery canines burst into flame. Sun lowers his body, hoping to grab the dog''s upper body before it could bite him. But a bright blue spear suddenly penetrated through the dog''s spine. The loud sound of metal getting crushed surprised Sun that he fell on his butt. The dog''s body collapsed inward into the spear before falling on the floor.


    A piece of the dog flew away and landed on Sun''s lap. He held high in the air and examined it. The metal piece had engraving similar to the ones his mother drew while hiding in her makeshift room. They were strangely beautiful.


    A figure hidden by a large black cloak landed next to the spear. The person''s lower face was obstructed by a white mask. "Nice to me, you kid. I didn''t think I''ll ever see a goblin like you in my lifetime. My name is Pagasa, the wizard," He pulled the spear off the dog''s body, then it shattered into several blue shards before fading away. "And you are."


    "I''m Sun," Sun jumped back on his feet and raised his fist, "And you''re not that thing''s master, right?"


    "No,"


    "Oh, thank god," Sun dropped his hands and sighed in relief.


    Pagasa rubbed his chin, "If you don''t mind Sun, I have several questions. May ask you them, and in return, I shall answer any questions you may have."The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Alright, that''s a deal."


    "Ok. First question. How did you turn into a goblin? Or rather that type of goblin?"


    "I honestly don''t know."


    "Do you remember what happened before and during your transformation?"


    "Yeah, I was fighting a troll to protect everyone."


    "I doubt you transformed just because of that. Were you perhaps using mana before the fight, or at the very least had to contact with it?"


    "My mom!" Sun slammed his fist on his hand. "She was healing me during the fight. Do you think that''s the reason!"


    "Probably not. I have tried that theory multiple times in the field and have yet to find any positive results. However, the difference between my experiments and your experience was that instead of fighting for your life, you fought to protect others ‘ͺ your selfless act versus my subject''s more selfish desires. But I need to test this theory out first. Also, what is ¨€¨€¨€?" Pagasa pulled a large black block out of thin air.


    "I don''t know. But I''ve seen those ¨€¨€¨€ before, usually replacing parts of my memory."


    "I see," He threw the block away. "Now it''s your turn. Ask me anything you want?"


    "Ok. Where are we?"


    "We are standing on the surface of the Infinite Sea. A sea that stretches infinitely across, and its depths are equally infinite. And the water we are walking on is mana, and this is the sea in which all sentient life form get their mana."


    "Um, you said the depth is infinite." Pagasa nodded, "But the water could barely pass my ankle."


    "That is because your body and soul have a limit. You can''t pass a certain line unless you want to die. Observe," Pagasa dived under the water and swam underneath Sun''s feet.


    "What the fuck?" Pagasa leaped out of the water, knocking Sun off his feet. "How did you do that?"


    "I''m a wizard, Sun!" He stretched out his arms, revealing his wet cloak sagging from the weight of the water the garment absorbed. "And I have full mastery of mana! But I must warn you. The deeper you dive, the harder it is to navigate inside the mana. Eventually, your body will deteriorate inside the water. Even if you bring clothes that can protect you, like my cloak, you could get lost in the darkness."


    "So you brought your clothes then because I was going to ask why I''m naked, and you''re not."


    "Bahaha!" Pagasa laughed. "You can only bring clothes soaked in mana that it eventually develops an equivalent body but made entirely of mana."


    "And how did you get here?"


    "Astral projection. Your soul and any item with a mana exclusive version of itself can travel through projection. But it''s very difficult to pull off. Now I believe it''s my turn." Pagasa cast warm winds that blew his cloak dry. "What tribe do hail from?"


    "I''m from Lev."


    "Oh, a warrior tribe. Interesting. And you fought a troll."


    "Trolls," Sun corrected him.


    "Are you insane?" Pagasa''s face had a grave expression, "Your tribe is near to the tribe called Shaka, the second biggest goblin tribe in the forest. Do you know what they do every spring to tribes surrounding their city?"


    "No,"


    "Simply put, your tribe shows any sign of weakness; they will conquer you and your tribe."


    "What! What should I do?"


    "Move."


    "Move?"


    "Listen, Sun. You are more important than you think you are. It will take a long time for me to explain the role I request you to fill, and I don''t know when you''ll return to your body." Pagasa walked towards Sun and placed his right hand on Sun''s shoulders. " So I need you to come and meet me in person down on earth. I can''t enter the forest because those dogs know me, but the only dog that knows you is dead, so that''s good. Of course, it''s your decision, and I can wait." Pagasa removed his hand on Sun''s shoulder and took a step back. "I waited for a century for someone like you to appear again. I can wait longer."


    "Fine, I''ll listen to your story. But I made a promise that I needed to do before meeting you."


    "Thank you."


    "So, how do I find you?"


    "By your tribe''s location, you can find my home southeast from where your sleeping right now. I live on the Mt. Heart in the Dwarven," Suddenly a loud screech blasted in Sun''s ear.


    The noise was so loud that he couldn''t hear any words coming from Pagasa. Then Sun began to fly away from him, or rather, he started falling towards the blue sky. The sound in his ear slowly lowered its pitch and was starting to get bearable and recognizable. It sounded like Rock yelling.


    Sun closed his eyes and then opened it again. A roof now replaced the sky. To his side was Rock yelling while holding his buckler. Smoke and Stick tried to calm him down.


    "Why did you have to wake me up? I was about to get a very important answer." Smoke and Stick turned their head and saw Sun pushing himself up while rubbing his eyes.


    "Sun! Rock! You had us fucking worried!" Stick yelled while hugging Rock and Sun.


    "So, I''m not dead, right?" Rock asked.


    "What''s that?" Sun pointed at Rock''s buckler.


    "Oh, this." Rock gave the buckler to Sun. "Stick''s follower found it."


    "And Rock used it to beat the shit of the troll in the middle of town. He even used that blue stuff that Cala used." Smoke said.


    Sun wasn''t paying much attention as the three told their story. Sun was too distracted with the buckler and the piece of metal he held on before waking up. They both had similar engravings on its surface that look like a form of script handwriting. Sun looked at his brothers and said in an urgent tone, "Where did you find this?"

 Vol 5 Chapter 10: The Hole

    White led the brothers inside the shed. Inside were dozens of boxes filed neatly on the shelves. At the end of the room was a trapdoor leading to the underground basement. Once the brothers climbed down the ladder, the brothers were astonished by how many trinkets were stored underground. "Amazing!" Stick exclaimed.


    "You didn''t know any of this?" Sun asked.


    "No, I was too busy reorganizing up on the first floor while preparing for the trolls. I only got to check the basement only a few times, and each time I can''t help but go ''wow.'' I wonder if there''s a sickle I can use here."


    "This way Chief." White motioned at the brothers to follow him. "Me found shield behind." White pulled open the curtain revealing a large hole on the wall. Protruding through the hole was a yellow arm.


    Sun walked up to the arm and examined it with his hand. The arm was made of steel coated in brass, and its fingers had tiny bumps that felt like rubber. Sun tried to pull the arm, but it did not move an inch. "Rock, can you help me pull this out?"


    "Sure." Rock and Sun pulled as hard as they could to no avail.


    "How about we dig it out?" Smoke suggested.


    The brothers removed the dirt around the arm until they reached its shoulder. The arm fell on its own. Its fall nearly cracked the wooden floorboard of the basement. The arm was about four feet long, but it was as thick as a human arm. Sun crouched down and rolled the arm over, revealing its underside.


    Transparent plastic glass covered the underarm. Sun could see the wires and plastic pipe running down, leaving the armpit and traveling down towards the rest of the arm. Sun tried to pick up the arm, but it was too heavy. "Need help?" Rock asked.


    "Yeah, this thing is heavy."


    The two struggled to lift the arm. "Ok, this is really heavy. It was easier to fight the troll than carry this."


    "I guess that''s our cue to help." Stick jokingly said.


    The four brothers carried the arm over their shoulders and carried it up the ladder. Once outside the shed, they dropped the arm on the snow and took a closer look at the metal wonder.


    On its surface are engravings of an unknown script. Sun could not think of any language in his past life that resembled the characters, although that''s because he could barely remember any of them.


    Rock took out his new buckler and compared it to the arm. "Why does something this huge carries a shield this tiny?"


    "I don''t know. Give me a hand." Sun and Stick raised the arm to an upright position.


    "This thing is as tall as I am," Stick commented.


    White walked towards Smoke, "Sir Stick, what we do other stuff in ground?"


    "Sorry, White, but I''m Smoke. That''s Stick." Smoke pointed at Stick holding the arm.


    White''s cheeks blushed from embarrassment. White could not believe he mistook Smoke as Stick. He got on the ground and apologized for his misconduct, which flustered the brothers in return. "Don''t worry about it. We don''t exactly look the same as we were before." Smoke reassured him while pointing to his red skin before dismissing White.


    Sun could not blame White. Besides Rock, Stick and Smoke looked like twins. In fact, Sun would argue that they are twins. Stick was thinner than Smoke and slightly shorter, but that was the only difference between them. Ever since they turned into the red variant, their hair had the same long, silky black hair and sharp arching nose. And their lower left canine sticks out of their mouth.


    "So, Stick, what should he do with the other stuff?" Smoke asked Stick.


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    "Just leave them be. We''ll get through them eventually!"


    "And if you need any help, just tell me. These muscles got your back!" Rock bragged.


    Rock was taller than Sun, nearly reaching six feet and had a more robust body frame. Sun could not help but compare him to Mike Tyson, a boxer from his previous life, and he could not wait what Rock may look like if he transformed once more. While they were walking to the shed, Rock was bragging about his accomplishment. Sun was surprised to hear Rock used the Dempsey Roll to defeat the troll. The Dempsey Roll is a highly risky boxing style and best used against taller and heavier opponents. But Rock needed one more ingredient to defeat the troll, and that was mana.


    Rock has no idea how he managed to accidentally use mana, while Sun had to learn it on the spot with his mom''s guide. But Sun knows he could learn more from his mom, and the mysterious man he met in his dream.


    While they were looking at the arm, a group of women led by Dawn and Shuja greeted the brothers. Most of them were mothers who looked up to Dawn as their leading matriarch. A single mother overcoming all odds and transformed into a conqueror made her an appealing leader, but Dawn has no desire to take such roles. She found it distracting to her real responsibility, which was to be a caring mother for her child.


    Shuja had no qualms about becoming one of Sun''s close aid and accepted the leadership role Smoke gave her. However, Shuja is a single lady and is comparatively young to Dawn, so she lacks the prestige that surrounded Dawn. She must rely on her strength in order to be a successful retainer. "What are you guys looking at?" Shuja crouched down next to Sun. "Also, who and what are you? And where is Sun?"


    "I''m Sun."


    "What!" Shuja fell on her butt, "What happened? How did your skin change color? How did you change your face to look more like your mom?"


    "I honestly don''t know."


    "And are these feathers growing in the back of your ears?" Shuja took a closer look at Sun''s ears, lightly touching the feathers. Sun noticed her cleavage through her unbuttoned coat.


    "Are you done yet?" Sun cheeks turned red.


    Shuja looked at Sun directly in the eyes. "Oh, sorry." Shuja pulled back as fast as she could, "My bad."


    Sun was surprised. Before, he found it impossible to have any attraction to the goblin women. That is because goblins had the appearance of grotesque children between the ages of six and twelve. Now their appearance was closer to a teenage human body without the disproportionate features.


    Sun only wished their face looked more human-like than their current looks. They still had pointy noses, large ears, and goat eyes. However, Sun found Shuja''s body to be beautiful despite it hidden under her coat, and he could not wait to see what her body may look like if she transformed another time. Shuja''s shoulders and chest were slightly wider than her waist, forming an inverted triangle. And her legs were long and slender.


    Dawn''s body was much more feminine. She had an hourglass figure thanks to her wide hips and smaller waist. But she did not look weak. Her thick legs could support her weight, and Sun could tell she had a well-built upper body just from looking at her broad shoulders.


    Smoke and Stick and looked at their brothers flirt with Dawn and Shuja. "When will I get to flirt with a girl?" Stick said.


    "Haven''t you flirted with Pin enough?" Smoke sarcastically said.


    "I don''t like her like that. She''s like a mom to me." Stick tried to deflect the accusation, but it only made Smoke laugh.


    "Excuse me?" Suddenly, an old goblin came forward.


    "Oh, Cast, what''s wrong?"


    "Sir Stick, followers gather all bodies. And hole dig up."


    "And is it six feet under?" Stick jokingly said.


    "Yes."


    "And how many died?" Sun asked. Cast held his hands up and counted with his fingers. He stopped after he flashed both of his hands five times. "So we lost about fifty."


    "Our tribe only has about one hundred and twenty members now." Smoke added.


    After sulking for a few minutes, the brothers left the arm inside the shed, wrapt in wool, and walked to the large hole. Dawn returned to her tent, bringing most of the women with her, while Shuja followed the brothers as one of the tribe''s important leaders. Goblins surrounded the hole; some were there to see their dead loved ones, while most were there to watch, expecting a spectacle to occur.


    The brothers'' followers gathered the bodies in a pile and were ready to move them. But before they could, Sun gathered his brothers and Shuja, "Before I start. I want to let you guys know about our future plans. I''m planning to relocate the tribe."


    Everyone responded with confusion. They did not know why Sun would leave the tribe while its still winter. They surmise it would be better to rebuild than start a new, but Sun was confident this was the right choice, and the group just had to trust him.


    Sun over the hill made from the dug up dirt and gave his speech. "My dear tribe, I am sad to join you here today," Sun''s voice cracked. He was still not used to his role as a leader, but he has no other choice but to carry this burden, especially now.


    Sun cleared his throat and continued, "We should be celebrating. We won a hard-fought battle, but here we are outside of our town that is now in ashes." The fire behind him was slowly fading away, leaving behind charred remains of the buildings. "But let''s not forget, that the odds were against us from the moment Cala angered the trolls and left us to die while he locked himself inside his cave. We won to live another day, while he died hiding without leaving any trace of himself." Sun looked at the pile of corpses. "These brave goblins died with honor. Let''s not squander the victory they gave their lives for. We must live! Our homes may be burning, but we will live!"


    "Yeah, live!" One of the goblins shouted. The rest followed, chanting live at the top of their lungs.


    Sun waited until the crowd settled down. The goblins stopped when they noticed Sun standing over them without saying a word. Sun stayed quiet for a few more seconds, building suspense, before starting his speech again in a softer tone. "I have made plans with my commanders. I will be moving our tribe elsewhere. Once we bury and honor the dead, we will prepare to march south to Bona. And I will take Razin for you. I will create a stronger tribe, so when another troll comes knocking at our doors, we will not panic. We will not be scared. And most importantly, we will not lose! We will never lose another battle nor another war!" Sun paused and stared at the goblins. Then he ended his speech with a question, "Do you want to lose?"


    The goblins looked at each with confused looks. Then a goblin in the crowd spoke up, "No not want lose!" The rest joined in, yelling to their Chief their desire to win. Sun ignored most of them because he transfixed at the goblin that raised his voice first. It was none other than Root. Sun smiled, knowing the goblin that used to run away just from bumping the Chief would be brave enough to lead the crowd.


    After the goblins finished their applause, Sun walked down the hill and met up with his retainers. He wanted to talk to them privately to start planning their next move. But before leaving, Sun noticed Cast hiding behind Shuja with his legs shaking. He arrived in the middle of the speech and was mortified to hear Sun''s plan. "What''s wrong, Cast?" Sun asked.


    "What mean move?"


    "We are heading south." Sun was about to leave the site to let the followers do their job when Cast grabbed his arm.


    "But Cast weak. Me can no move." Cast cried out with some tears in his eyes.


    Sun got on his knees and told the old goblins, "Then I will carry you."

 Vol 6 Chapter 1: The Female Man

    Sam paced back in forth inside the tent that the goblins raised for the human mothers. Cyrus sat in the corner, watching her sister. She could feel the frustration in her eyes. Sam has always been honest to the point of coming off as rude, but she was also a kind-hearted individual, only showing hostility towards the goblins. Despite their fight, Sam could not help but worry about Mari''s safety. "Do you think she''s going to be alive?" Sam said with a nervous tone, "No, don''t answer that question. Of course, she will be alive. Mari was the strongest one in our group. She''ll be fine."


    Suddenly, the drapes covering the entryway opened, revealing Natasha and Mari. Sam ran up to Mari as fast as she could and hugged her as tight as she could as if to trap her forever in her embrace. "You jerk," She yelled next to Mari''s ear, "Why did you leave like that? Do you care more about the goblins than us."


    Mari was lost for words, "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to make you worry."


    "Shut up! Don''t do that ever again." Sam collapsed to her knees, forcing Mari to follow her to the floor. Tears were flooding from Sam''s eyes.


    "I promised, I won''t do it again." Mari cried.


    Cyrus stood on the back of the tent with her tail moved back and forth as she watched her sister and Mari burst into tears. After a couple of minutes, Sam calmed down.


    Flute entered the tent once the two stop crying. She gave them linin to use as their bedding. Once the women prepared for the night, they sat close to another to stay warm. There was no fire to warm, unlike the barn they were staying at before. They could only rely on their blankets and a bottle of spirit to warm their body.


    Sam and Cyrus sat next to Mari while smiling. "I didn''t know you had two cats?" Natasha jokingly said.


    "That''s very offensive," Sam said while glaring at Natasha.


    Mari giggled due to Sam''s sudden change in mood. Cyrus joined in half-heartedly while hugging Mari''s arm even more. "Well, I don''t mind being a cat." She said.


    The women stayed together until dawn. They took turns taking a sip of the alcohol while sharing stories. Natasha came from the Baron Isles, which was located further west, next to the kingdom of Boritan. Despite the name, Baron Isles were not islands. It was a small peninsula ruled by various independent counts.


    The county Natasha lived in got caught in a war between two neighboring Counts. She left her village to join mercenaries on their campaign, looting the dead bodies on the battlefield before burying them and did the chores around the battlements. She sent all of her earnings back to her family. Eventually, the war ended, and so did the profits. Natasha decided to join a group of adventures on their expedition into Raiden Forest, and the rest was history. Mari knew Natasha was a very hardworking woman, but to think she had the heart to work so close to war for her family.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Sam and Cyrus were born in the deserts of Aljabal, a kingdom in the far east. They were part of a nomadic tribe known as Alis. Sam was excited to tell them the many places they visited. Mari listened intently to Sam, not just because she found her stories fascinating. Sam''s energy and emotive body language made her stories grander than it should have been. Her ears would point upward when it was a lively scene and backward when it was a sad scene. And her tail shot straight upward when the story reached its climax before it slowly lowers itself to the floor.


    Cyrus stayed quiet throughout the story. Mari liked Cyrus'' attentiveness, though this could be because she was too shy and would much rather let her sister tell the stories. She envied the twin''s nomadic lifestyle.


    Mari was a serf, just like Natasha. But unlike her friend, Mari left her home not because of money, but to be free. She used the money as an excuse to leave. Her family did not object to her decision because they did need money to pay for the debt they owe the landlord, so they let her go out into the world alone.


    Mari was finally free. She joined mercenaries and adventurers during their campaigns as the camp maids. At first, it was a difficult life, but her travels brought to so many new places. But this freedom would not last long. Just a few months after leaving home, she joined an expedition to Raiden Forest. She was excited to see the many treasures the party would bring after raiding the Shaka city, but these exciting times turned into a nightmare.


    The four women eventually fell asleep while huddled together. Flute and Ren entered the room with dinner for the women. Ren was about to wake them up, but Flute held her arms, "Let human sleep."


    "But dinner,"


    "Is ok." Flute took a blanket and placed it on top of the women. "They tired. Sleep now."


    The two left the tent and walked back to their tent. While they were walking back, Flute noticed a large crowd at the meadow. "Master Flute. Caretakers no here."


    "Flute thinks caretakers there." Flute pointed at the crowd.


    They walked over and saw the goblins gathered in front of a large hole. They watched as another group of goblins dropping the dead in the hole. Most of them were crying. Very few of the goblins in the crowd were crying because most of the goblins present were not related to the dead. They were there due to their curiosity.


    Flute saw her caretakers standing at the other end. She dragged Ren with her as they make their way through the crowd. "What doing here?" Flute pinched Pin''s ear and glared at her followers.


    "We want see who die." Pin cried.


    "Tie sorry Flute. Me stop caretakers, but Pin drag Tie." Tie said


    Suddenly, Ren screamed, scaring the caretakers. "What wrong with you?" Flute yelled while smacking Ren''s head.


    Ren began crying uncontrollably. Then she jumped into the hole and walked over the bodies. The goblins hollered at her. Some laughed at the crazy goblin while the guards throwing out the bodies yelled for her to leave. Ren ignored them and dug her way in the pile corpses until she reached her friend''s body. She hugged her friend''s lifeless body and held her head close to her chest. The corpse''s blond hair covered Ren''s face as it mixed with her tears and snot.


    Flute jumped down after her, and so did the guards. But they could not separate her from the body. They felt terrible for the caretaker''s loss. But for Flute, it was a strange sight. Ren''s friend was none other than her rival and Sun''s former caretaker, Sana. Flute always thought the two hated each other so much they would not hesitate to kill the other. But they were still friends despite their bickering.

 Vol 6 Chapter 2: Toad Harvesting

    Mari woke up after a good''s night rest. Cyrus'' head was resting on her lap while Sam curled into a ball on the floor wrapped in a wool blanket. Natasha was sleeping on the opposite side of the room. They''ve been sleeping together for the past two days. They huddled together to keep warm while Mari read to the three women her books.


    Mari looked out of the tent''s entrance and saw the light peering through. She wanted to leave the tent and go for a walk, but her legs were trapped under Cyrus'' head. Mari planned to wake her up, but Cyrus looked so peaceful in her sleep, and waking her up would be too cruel. Mari decided to stay still and caress her head. Cyrus'' hair felt more like cat fur.


    The silence suddenly ended when Cyrus jolted upright and screamed. "Cyrus, are you ok?"


    Cyrus turned around and hugged Mari tightly, "You''re not going to leave me, right?"


    "No, I won''t leave you."


    Sam got up from her sister''s scream. She crawled next to Mari and Cyrus, "No one is going anywhere, Cyrus." Sam joined the embrace, and the tent eventually regained its peaceful atmosphere.


    The women got up and organized their bedsheets and blankets. Natasha was still asleep, "She sleeps like a rock." Sam joked. Once they finished cleaning up, Mari invited the twins for a walk around the camp. "I''m down for a walk, but we can''t just leave Natasha. I mean, just look at her." Sam pointed at Natasha, lying on the bed. Natasha had an awkward posture with her face planted on the soft blanket, and her butt raised in the air.


    "Excuse me, is anyone here?" Rock peeked through the tent''s door. Cyrus hid behind Mari and Sam at the sight of the large red goblin. Rock''s size reminded Cyrus of Tama when he was trying to break through the barn''s door to rape them so she could not help but be cautious around Rock.


    "Rock, how are you?" Mari asked.


    "Oh, I''m good. I''m just here to give Mama something."


    "Sam, could you wake her up?"


    "Oh no, it''s fine. I''ll come back later." However, Sam already woke Natasha by hitting her butt with a blanket.


    "We''ll leave you alone, Sam and Cyrus will be joining me for a walk so take you time." Mari and the twins wore their coats and hid their bodies under their cloaks.


    "Oh, thank you." Rock walked in with his hands behind his back. Once outside the tent, Mari glanced back and saw Rock holding a necklace that he most likely found in the rubbles of the town. Mari smiled, knowing other than his size Rock was far different than Tama. He is the definition of a gentle giant.


    Mari, Sam, and Cyrus walked around the busy camp. Sun told them of their plan to migrate the entire tribe to the south. He was also going to take this chance to fulfill his promise to her and the other women. Mari had mixed emotions when she heard Sun''s plan. Mari wanted to be free, and she felt like she already attained it, but just like Cyrus, the tragedy they experienced still haunted them. She doubts they will ever be free from the trauma.


    Mari was also too curious to leave the forest. She witnessed a once in a lifetime event. No one has ever seen a goblin transform, and the new form Sun mutated into hold more mysteries to discovery. Mari wanted to stay with Sun to learn more, even if it meant facing her inner demons.


    The women stopped and rested under a large oak tree. Mari noticed the icicles hanging above them on the branches were melting at an incredible rate. Spring is almost here.


    While the women were resting, a group of goblin women walked near them carrying empty baskets, and children accompanied them, carrying small empty bags. Mari watched the goblins dig through the snow and mud. Flute was among the goblins digging on the ground.


    Mari stood up and walked up to Flute, "Hey, what are you guys doing?"


    "Mari," Flute was startled to see Mari outside the tent, "Women get horny toad for travel."The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Horny toads? What are those?" Sam asked. Cyrus followed closely behind while holding Sam''s coat with her slender fingers. The three women got on their knees while watching Flute dig through the mud, looking for a toad to show them.


    "This horny toad." Flute pulled one out and showed the women.


    Mari covered her nose. The smell coming from the toad was stronger than the latrines they cleaned in the adventures'' camp. "Why does it smell so horrid?"


    "I smell a hint of dark elves on those toads," Sam commented.


    "What?"


    "Those toads might be related to those green frogs my tribe used to buy from the dark elves. Just like these toads, those frogs could only be found underground, so the dark elves had all the access to them. They were used for medicine and a delicacy for the older men."


    "And are what are you going to use that for, Flute?"


    "Purple stuff, used for medicine." Flute poked on pus, and purple liquid slowly flowed down the toad''s back. Mari finally knew what made those sludge purple. She could also sense a hint of mana foreign from the toad. "But no need purple stuff for medicine. Mari greater healer." Flute smiled.


    "Thank you,"


    "Then what in the world are you going to use that animal for then, because I''m not eating it." Mari protested.


    "Look," Flute pushed the toad''s leg. Light brown liquid came out the skin, "We make spirit with brown water."


    "What!" Sam could not believe the alcohol they were drinking came from the toad''s waste. Cyrus'' face turned purple as well. However, Mari had no idea the liquid coming out from the toad''s legs were its waste. She never saw underground frogs before, while the twins have been interacting with them since childhood. "Mari, do you not realize what that is?"


    "Is it some poison gland?" Mari asked while examining the toad with her hand. She flipped the toad and was surprised to see no anus. "Strange, how do they do their business." Mari looked back at Sam, who was looking away, hiding her face, which was trying hard not to laugh.


    "Don''t know." Flute shrugged her shoulders.


    Mari noticed the other women find countless of horny toads under the ground. One of them nearly filled their basket to the brim despite only harvesting for five minutes. "Strange, why are there so many underground frogs so close to the surface." Sam wondered.


    "Don''t know, but Flute knows good for tribe."


    Mari moved closer to Sam and asked, "Can I ask you more about your tribe? I always wondered why you and your sister left, from the stories you tell me, it seemed like an amazing place to live in. I mean, I would love to travel everywhere and discover all kinds of things. I didn''t even know toads and frogs could live underground."


    Sam looked down on the ground, "My tribe wasn''t all fun. Cyrus is it all right if I share our story."


    "Yeah, that''s fine," Cyrus whispered.


    "Cyrus and I lived in the Zhertva tribe. Every thirty years, a child will be born with the gift to see all things. That meant they could visually see mana within a person. We call the child Vidat, and they are seen as gifts from the gods. Crazy stuff. Anyway, they don''t know who the next Vidat is going to be, but they do know that all Vidats have a preferred toy. A Vidat will always pick a flying wheel as its toy."


    "So, your tribe gets all the children born on that particular year to choose a toy to play with," Mari said


    "Exactly. Now, I failed the test, but my sister passed. So did twelve other children. The next to determine who is the real Vidat involved our head matriarch. She was the most powerful woman in our tribe and had an overwhelming amount of mana. If a Vidat sees her, the Videt would only be able to see an outline of her body. That''s because her mana would be so strong and bright that it makes her body nearly unrecognizable. So they make all the children go to a private room with the matriarch and the child''s parents. Now, the matriarch rarely leaves her home, so we had no idea how she looks like. So the thirteen children, including my sister, were asked to describe the matriarch''s appearance, and if one of them could not do that, they are crowned as the new Vidat."


    "Interesting. Now, what do they do as a Vidat? Do the current Vidats help teach them how to use their powers." Mari asked with gleaming eyes.


    "There were no other Vidats. Once you are chosen as a Vidat, they take you far away with the elders to be sacrificed in the dessert."


    "What?" Mari was horrified, "DId you try to escape then? Is that why you are here?"


    "No. The children had no idea what being a Vidat meant. So when they tested them, they just said what they saw‘ͺno reason for them to try and hide their ability, because they don''t know any better. But the tribe was mortified to learn that none of their candidates were Vidat. They all failed, my sister included. They were able to see the matriarch clear as day." Sam giggled a little, "She was the ugliest person you could possibly meet. My sister was the second to last, and when she said the word ugly, the matriarch flipped out and failed her on the spot. Not even five minutes passed when she entered the room. But that was not the end of it. They tried so desperately to find the next Vidat, but all of their tests failed. Over the years, our tribe suffered from famine after famine. Our mother died from starvation, and so did many of our tribesmen. Then when the famines ended, a raging sandstorm devasted our tribe every fall. We tried to change our path, but the sandstorm followed to where we landed. Then when that ended, a plague hit us. Before the disease got any worse, our father told us the truth about Vidat and the ritual they performed. It turns out, our tribe was cursed, and if we fail to sacrifice our god a Vidat, we will starve under a storm while sick to our bones till we end on a sword. Or at least, that''s what the curse said. Father made us leave before the sword part came. Eventually, we joined a merchant setting sail north. We landed on a port city and heard about job openings for an expedition to a goblin-infested forest. And that''s how my sister and I got here."


    Mari embraced Sam, "I''m sorry to hear all that. I''m sorry I made you remember those painful memories."


    "What are you talking about? They were nothing." Her voice trembled. Sam tried to stop her eyes from crying, but she eventually gave in and cried on Mari''s shoulder. Flute got up and moved the goblin women away from the two to give them space.


    Cyrus watched Mari comfort her sister. Cyrus'' tail wagged back and forth under her cloak. Eventually, her tail managed to shake off the cloak and revealed itself to the world. The children playing near them saw the dancing tail. One of them sneaked his way closer before grabbing its tip. Cyrus jumped up and yelped.


    The children thought her tail was a toy and wanted to play with it, but Sam quickly got up and placed herself between them and her sister. "Play! Play!" The children cried.


    "No, get lost, you brats!" Sam yelled back.


    Mabel noticed the children bothering them and rushed over to get the children under control. Afterward, she apologized in place of the other mothers and for her boy, who was the one that grabbed Cyrus'' tail.


    "It''s ok. Alls well." Mari said before telling the twins that it was time to leave. The three said their goodbyes to Flute and the women.


    "Those brats need to learn their place," Sam muttered under her breath.


    "But they don''t know any better," Mari said while mimicking Sam''s raspy voice. Cyrus laughed while she was holding on Mari''s arms.

 Vol 6 Chapter 3: Secret Tunnel

    After gathering the horny toads, Flute gathered her followers outside their tent for an important announcement. A new goblin by the name of May will be joining their ranks after her parents found no blood on her linens after two years of waiting. The lack of blood was a sign from the heavens that May was not suited to give into the world.


    The caretakers welcomed the new addition to their ranks. Tie offered to teach the newcomer their duties. The two sat down next to a fireplace and got to know each other before doing their work. May was a meek goblin and a timid one. It took a while for her to open up to Tie. She did not have any hobbies to speak, often spending her free time looking at the stars at night. Tie found her lack of hobbies a problem. Most of the caretakers were given tasks befitting their experience. Tie spent most of her time hunting before becoming one of Flute''s followers, and because of this, Flute relied on her to relay messages for her around the town. She would run across the town to deliver messages.


    The most difficult task Flute gave Tie was to travel to Bona to get Sum and his followers. Fortunately, Tie knew of a path underground that lets her travel from Lev to Bona in two days. It was still a tremendous task for a small goblin, but Tie would do anything for Flute. Tie has only one regret, and that was betraying Flute''s trust. But just like her journey to Bona, she will teach May everything she needs to know if it meant she gains Flute''s trust once more.


    Tie gave May a tour around the tent, showing her the tools the caretakers use in their daily chores. "This mop, this bucket, and this rag." Tie kept pointing at all the items while describing their use. "Use this clean floor."


    May did her best to follow Tie. She kept a mental note of every items'' name, its place of storage, and their use. Tie also showed her where they sleep and where they hide their barrels of horny toads.


    It was Nightfall when Tie finished giving May the tour, and afterward, the two women joined the other caretakers around the fireplace. They were squeezing out the white liquid from the horny toad to turn into alcohol. "Hi, May, me, Pin." Pin moved to give May space to sit. "Come sit." May sat down, sandwiched between Pin and Tie. They showed her how to separate the purple pus from the frog before squeezing it to death. Despite the tedious work, the women enjoyed doing their work in the presence of the warm fire. Some were gossiping about other goblins. Ren noticed May felt alienated from the group. Due to her shyness, she was unable to join in on the conversation. "Hey May. Tie teach good." Ren asked.


    "Of course!" Tie yelled with confidence.


    "Ren not ask you." Ren glared at Tie then turned her attention back to May. "Well. Tie good teacher, or she nags too much."


    "Tie good," May said with her soft voice.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Thats good." One of the goblins said, "Good thing Kai not teacher. She no good."


    "Yeah, she kill baby once." Another said.


    Kai jumped out of her seat and confronted the goblins that spoke, "Kai no kill baby."


    "Oh yeah." The goblin stood up and faced Kai, "Flute say no wrap baby too tight. Three baby die already. But Kai still tie baby too tight. What if baby Sun. No Sun mean no Chief."


    "Kai didn''t kill baby!" Kai pushed the other one off her.


    Before the other goblin could retaliate, a mysterious voice came out of the darkness."Sit down!" Out from the darkness was Flute. Her hair was tied back which meant she will be joining the other caretakers with their menial task. The goblins stopped gossiping once Flute sat down with them.


    "Tie, you show May everything?"


    "Yes Flute." Tie said while bowing down.


    The goblins got busy under the suffocating presence of Flute. While in the middle of their work, Sun, Root, and Smoke appeared from the darkness and joined the ladies. Flute stood up and greeted Sun, "Sun, why you here?" She asked while cleaning her messy hands.


    "I''m just here to ask about the secret tunnel."


    "Secret tunnel?" Flute looked puzzled.


    Tie gasped when she heard Sun mention the secret tunnel. She jumped off her seat and announced, "Me know!"


    Tie and Flute sat next to them to discuss the secret tunnel. May followed Tie and stood by them. Sun could not help but notice her, "Um, hi. I don''t think I''ve met you yet."


    May''s cheeks grew bright red, "hello." Then she ran inside the caretakers'' sleeping tent. Flute ran after her while waving her fist around.


    "Well, that was weird." Sun and Smoke listened to Tie while she tells them about the secret tunnel. Root drew a map based on Tie''s accounts while traveling in the passageway. Very few knew of the tunnel. Olhos and Sum and their followers were ones that discovered it, and Cala only shared it with his most trusted retainers. Tie managed to learn of it while delivering a message to Olhos. She followed them in the tunnel, only to get noticed by them near the entrance. Fortunately, they believed her lie about Flute knowing of the tunnel and sharing it with her.


    Tie gave them the best route to take. Wide paths and small oasis-like rest stop for the tribe was Sun''s top priority. Tie also told them of narrow pathways used to scout the path ahead. The underground path has many dangers such as cave-ins and flooding, and using these small openings to scout ahead could save their lives.


    Root finished drawing the map for the brothers. Sun was surprised to see the map''s render quality. Root''s drafting skill was not to be underestimated. The only problem Sun faced was light. Sun''s mother was experimenting with her healing spells, hoping to create a spell to create an orb dedicated to producing light.


    The three men left once the map was finished leaving the Tie to finish her duty. May came out of the tent staring at Sun while he leaves. "No think about it." Flute whispered to her ears while dragging her back to the fireplace.


    May could not help but admire Sun. She was one of the many goblins that witness Sun''s ascension into a red conqueror. And her admiration slowly turned to love. When she learned she could not give life, she was happy. That meant she would be part of Flute''s followers and finally get the chance of meeting her crush.


    But goblins like May are useless as lovers. If they can''t give birth, then there is no use for them. May must know this harsh reality before its too late. Flute''s heart broke when she didn''t receive Cala''s love because of her useless body. She does not want May to experience the same sorrow she did, so she must bring her down before she gets closer to Sun.


    When the women finished their work, they cleaned up their mess and returned to their tent to sleep. The next day, Flute guided the women to their usual spot to gather more horny toads. When they arrived, they saw an extraordinary scene. Some of the trees around their spot were sliced clean in half, while others were uprooted with their trunks broken in two. And in the middle of this scene was Sun and Rock resting on the ground and covered in sweat. Sun''s sword was on the ground and Rock''s buckler was stuck in a tree.

 Vol 6 Chapter 4: The Legions

    Smoke and Stick stood on top of a large pedestal overseeing thirty goblins organized in five columns. The goblins were holding short clubs made entirely of oak and rectangular shields large enough for the goblins to hide behind. These shields were designed by Sun, and they resembled the shields used by the Romans from his previous life. And to be consistent, Sun named their followers the First Legion.


    They trained the goblins to used the shield to form a defensive phalanx formation. The goblins would stand side by side as close as possible in a rectangular form so that their shield can protect the goblin to their left. And the goblins behind will raise their shield over their heads, protecting them from any attacks coming from above. Sun taught them this battle formation because he believed they could use this to protect them during an expected cave-in while keeping in mind the limited space in the tunnel. Once they determined the oncoming route to be safe, they can break formation but still have the large shield to protect them.


    Stick made sure the shields were light enough to carry. And thanks to the curved design of the shield, Stick made a bag that could be carried in tandem with the shield. He plans to fill the bags with ointments, linens, a bottle of water, and a bottle of alcohol. In case the newly made shields were not enough to protect them, Stick taught them how to use the items in the bag to mend their wounds. The shield could also be used to carry an injured goblin away from harm.


    Smoke also had their followers divided into three groups. Each group was in charge of protecting thirty goblins grouped based on their age, social status, and ability. They will march through the tunnel with five goblins walking together on each side. The first group of legions will march with a group of young and single goblins behind them. The second group will be protecting the elderly, orphans, and widows with children following. To help take care of them, Flute and her followers will be part of the group. The final Legion will walk with the group made up of families.


    Each Legion will have two commanders. The front will be led by Sun and Shuja, the legions in the middle will have Rock and Flute, and the ones on the tail will have Stick and Smoke as their commanders.


    The goblins practiced their formation until noon. "Alright, our training is over!" Smoke yelled, "Head to the tent and place your shields and clubs on the racks. And hurry up, the food will get cold." The goblins ran like a mob to put away their tent, eager to get their meal.


    "Finally, time to practice using mana." Stick stretched his arms, "You think we''re ever going to catch up with those two?"


    "We will. We just have to keep practicing. At the very least, we managed to grasp the concept. Maybe once Ms. Mari tells us how she used magic for the first time, we''ll get a hand of it."


    "I hope so. Also, when did you start calling Sun''s mom Ms. Mari."


    "I heard him call my mom Ms. Sam once, so I started doing the same thing."


    The two jumped off their wooden platform and left the training grounds. They walked across the meadow to meet up with Sun and Rock, who were practicing their use of mana. When they arrived, they saw Flute berating them for destroying the forest. Stick and Smoke could not help but laugh.


    Flute and the caretakers left to another part of the forest to look for horny toads. Smoke saw one of the caretakers lagging behind while looking at Sun. When Sun waved at her, her cheeks turned red, and she placed her hand over her smile. "May hurry!" Flute yelled.


    "Well, that''s just great. First Shuja, now that girl May." Smoke said sarcastically.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "What are you talking about?" Sun asked.


    "Don''t worry about it. If anything, you two got some explaining to do." Smoke pointed at the myriads of broken trees around them. "What the hell happened here?"


    "Ah, Rock and I were practicing by using the trees as our punching bag. You know, what we always do back then. It just that we started using mana in our attacks and um. Well, you can see the results."


    "Excuse me, boys, sorry I was late." Mari appeared behind the brothers. "You guys don''t mind if Cyrus join?"


    "Oh, hey mom." Smoke said. Cyrus walked next to Mari, but when she saw Sun and Rock, her cat ears and tail shot straight up. She quickly hid behind Mari. "What''s wrong?"


    "Um, maybe I should just go back and stay with Sam," Cyrus said while hiding her eyes from the brothers.


    "Well, alright. Just be careful on the way back, ok."


    "Ok. I''ll see you later." Cyrus turned around but stopped walking, "Bye, Smoke. Be careful." She said before running back to their tent.


    Smoke waited until his mom was no longer in earshot distance from them before yelling at Rock, "Bro, what the hell?"


    "What?" Rock responded.


    "Why do you have to be as ugly as Tama? You scared my mom away?"


    "What? I''m not that ugly." Rock placed his hands on his cheek, "I''m not right?" The brothers laughed while Rock continued to caress his face nervously. However, it''s no time for merry-making. Mari clapped her hands to get the brothers'' attention. The brothers quickly sat down.


    Mari took out her book filled with healing spells and herbal medicines. She already taught the brothers the properties of mana and how to manipulate the mana collected by their bodies to heal. Now she was teaching the general formula of creating light with mana. Mana starts cold, but once they leave the dormant state, mana will absorb the heat resonating from the body and soul.


    Most spells that emit intense light use mana that absorbed enough heat to glow. Wizards would use their soul''s fire to lit their mana, while warriors will use their bodies'' temperature as their spark. And the required amount of body temperature is surprisingly not a lot. The brothers'' hoped to use the latter method since its the easiest for the already battle-hardened brothers.


    However, the mana inside the body is accustomed to one''s average body heat so the user must find ways to increase their temperature by at least eight degrees. The warriors that used light spells had to go through harsh training in order to change their body temperature at whim. Unfortunately, the brother will not be able to go through such training because Mari does not know of it, but there is another method. Some warriors would consume spicy food, alcohol, or magical drugs to increase their body temperature artificially. This was the most realistic option for them. By drinking the spirits they have in storage, they could increase their temperature.


    But alcohol doesn''t create heat. In fact, it will decrease the brothers'' body heat, while tricking the mind into thinking their body is experiencing a fever. Mari''s notion that the mana could be tricked into igniting the same way their mind gets tricked. This sounded absurd at first, but Mari explained that mana is not physical but spiritual and conceptual in nature, unless your desire and willpower is strong enough to bring it to the physical realm.


    That is the same reason why mana increases or grows stronger during desperation, intense shock, or intense training. If one could overcome these challenges through sheer willpower alone, their mana may awaken, such as the case for Rock. To test out her theory, the brothers started drinking the spirit and then used mana on their hands. Sure enough, the blue light turned transformed into a brighter white light.


    "How the hell does this make sense?" Sun wondered, "I doubt our body temperature is enough." Sun touched his glowing palm and it felt as cold as the snow they were sitting on. "It''s not even hot."


    "Honestly, I don''t know much about it as well," Mari confessed while letting out a heavy sigh, "Mana is energy foreign from our world. Our souls or spirit are just stealing it from somewhere else and what''s growing is not our mana but the amount we could steal and store. The trick is to release it into the world. And so far, that''s the only thing I know. If you want it to be on fire and as hot as fire, then you''ll have to increase the heat in your body but I don''t think your body could be hot enough for that. But now that I think about, how can those warriors use fire spells?"


    "Um, Ms. Mari." Rock raised his hand, "We can be sober when maintaining the light, right? Because I don''t want to keep drinking spirit. It tastes nasty."


    "No, you only need it to start the light spell. You can maintain it by just feeding your palm with mana."


    The bright light could barely be seen during the day, but at night the brothers found the light to be effective enough to guide them back to their tent. After three days of training, the brothers gathered the tribe and organized them. Then they marched south, following the deer path until they reached the opening of the cave. It took them half a day to reach it, and once they arrived, they were met by men slightly shorter than red goblins.


    "Dwarves! What are they doing here?" Mari wondered. The dwarves had tents set up in front of the cave''s entrance and a guard tower overlooked the path the goblins came from. Sun reached for his sword when a row of dwarves walked forwards while pointing their spears.


    "Drop your weapons! Who are you?" One of the dwarves yelled. "What''s an orc doing so far from here? And why do you have feathers on your head?"


    "Orc? Are you calling me an orc?" Sun asked.


    "Answer the question!" Dwarves readied their spear. Rock, Stick, Smoke, Shuja ran to the front line carrying their clubs and a row of legions followed with their shield pointing at the dwarves.

 Vol 6 Chapter 5: The Generals Questions

    The legions and the dwarves had a standoff outside the dwarves'' camp. Archers on top of the guard tower aimed their arrows towards the goblins. The dwarf with a large pin head helmet stood in front of his troops and draw his sword, pointing it towards the brothers. "Turn back," he said, "Before I order my,"


    Suddenly the earth shook. Everyone was startled, but they did not waver. Then the earth shook for the second time, then third, and then the fourth. The goblins started to quiver in fear and slowly took a few steps back. Shuja noticed the legions backing away and yelled at them, "Stay in your place, you cowards,"


    Sun was thinking of a way to get pass through the dwarves. He experienced this before, numerous times in his dreams about his past life. Any sort of altercation with the guards in charge of the checkpoints he was forced to go through resulted in meaningless violence. He saw many people arrested on the spot for not abiding with the officer''s demands.


    Then the earth shook for the final time. The brothers entered their fighting stance. "Mace, what''s going on?" A loud low voice blasted behind the dwarves. "General Andrik!" The dwarf with the pinhead helmet turned around and returned his sword in his sheath. "A large number of goblins are trying to migrate through the tunnel. And they are being led by some weird looking orc."


    An old dwarf with a short puffy beard and wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, revealing his stiff muscles, appeared out of the dwarves'' formation. He seemed tall enough to look down on his soldiers. "Weird looking orc? What do you mean by that? Oh!" General Andrik was surprised to see Sun, "This is no orc. Mace, tell your guards to lower their weapons."


    "But General Andrik, we can''t just" Mace stopped mid-sentence when the general turned to look at him. The air around the old general suddenly felt heavier, and the ground beneath their feet began to sway. "Guards lowers your weapons. At ease, archers!" The archers on top of the guard tower put away their bows, and the guards took a guarding stance behind the general.


    "So, you trying to go through the tunnel." The general walked forward. The brothers raised their clubs, but Sun waved his hand in front of them, telling them to back down. "The name is General Andrik Hejna. But you can just call Andrik. And you are?" He extended his hand for a handshake. Sun hesitated to shake his hand.


    "My name is Sun. I''m the chief of this tribe. We are known as Lev."


    Andrik pulled Sun''s hand towards his chest, bringing Sun closer to him, then eased his control once again. At a closer look, the general was as tall as Sun, and his puffy beard looked as white and soft as fresh snow. And beneath that soft fluffy beard, Sun could see a scar running down his left cheek to his chin. "You''re a tall one. And who are those human women in the back?" He looked passed Sun on to the crowd of goblins hiding behind their wooden shields.


    Mari and the other women were hiding behind the caretakers far away from the front, but Andrik raised his voice so they could hear him loud and clear. Mari realized there was no way they could hide, so she took the initiative and stood up. Her height seemed to tower over the short goblins around her, "I''m his mother!" Mari yelled with a determined look.


    "Interesting."


    Meanwhile, Sun realized the handshake was to show general Andrik''s strength. Sun was struggling to remove his hand off Andrik''s grasp. Sun could punch the general off of him, but that was obviously the wrong action to take. But he can''t let this awkward exchange last for too long. He has to be clever when dealing with someone like Andrik. "You have strong hands, general."


    General Andrik followed Sun''s gaze down at their hands, which were still clutched together. "Rararara!" The general laughed, "You have strong hands too, Chief." Andrik freed Sun''s hand, "And is it true that human woman is your mom."This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    "Yes. Is that a problem." Finally, he was free from his grasp. Sun straightened his back to appear taller than the old general.


    "No problems there. It seems like your mother is a strong one." The other women stood up except for Cryus, who was shaking in fear. Sam tried to comfort her to no avail. The old dwarf''s dominating presence was a lot to take in for Cyrus, and even more so for Mari and the brothers. They could feel the overwhelming mana seeping out of the general. "In fact, I am delighted. I thought I would never see another one like you, and even better, you seem to have a more amicable relationship with your mother." Andrik gazed at the sky, "Unlike the last one."


    "Last one? What do you mean?" Sun raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh, don''t mind that now. I bet you have a lot more pressing questions you need answers for, and I am also quite intrigued about you as well. How about you come with me to my tent and. I will your goblins settle outside our camp."


    "I''ll only go with you if you let my tribe go through the tunnel. And I''d like to keep it short."


    "Very well."


    "But General!" Mace protested, but the general waved his hand. It was enough to keep him and his guards at bay. Mace sighed, "Understood."


    Sun and General Andrik walked through the courtyard towards a small green tent. Inside the tent was a small table and two wooden chairs. On the table was a map of the entire eastern half of Raiden Forest. The inside of the tent was clean and pristine. The dirty ground was replaced with planks of smooth oak wood with no dust on its surface to be found. Despite being a military outpost, the smell of blood and sweat could not be detected in the air.


    The sat on the same side of the table. "Alright, let''s make this quick. I only want to ask three questions, and in return, you get to ask three yourself. That way, it will be fair. I''ll start first. Did anything strange happen near your tribe that is possibly connected to the earth like earthquakes, or earthworms rising from the ground?"


    "There have been more horny toads popping out on the surface recently." Sun could not help but wonder if this was the reason for the dwarves'' occupation of the cave entrance. "Can you tell me why you want to know?"


    "We need to know how severe the impact of the civil war is having on the surface. Especially on the surface of the Raiden Forest. Honestly, a pain in the ass if you ask me."


    "Civil war. What can kind of civil war is affecting the ground?"


    "You should have already guessed by now that this civil war is taking place underground. There is a whole different world down there with glowing mushrooms, glowing grass, and probably glowing cows. And there is a kingdom underneath our feet fighting in a succession war‘ͺa country of dark elves. Now, we don''t know much about the kingdom since they rarely interact with us surface dwellers. Have you guys seen any perytons flying around? I hope you haven''t."


    "No. And even if we did, we wouldn''t know since we probably never seen it."


    "That''s true. I guess I should show you." The general reached for his pocket. He took out a worn-out piece of paper folded in half. He unfolded the paper in front of Sun, revealing a grotesque illustration of a strange bird. "This is a peryton." The creature had large antlers and a head resembling a deer and a mouth that resembles a wolf. It even had the same canine as a wolf. "This creature can only be found underground. But the civil war is pushing this and many other dark animals closer to the surface. However, perytons are our top priority. They not only eat livestock, but they are not afraid to hunt men. In fact, they are very aggressive."


    "Is that why you are guarding the cave entrance?"


    "Yes, in case any of them comes out. We haven''t had any escaping to the surface, so it''s safe to say that the perytons are still deeper. But just in case, how long are you going to remain inside the tunnel? Any estimates."


    "We are hoping to get to the other side by two days."


    "I see. Well, that''s questions for today. Let''s get you back to your tribe and resume your journey." Andrik stood up from his chair and walked towards a coat hanging rack and wore a thick brown fur coat.


    "What? Hold on. I still have one more question."


    "No, you don''t."


    "Yes I do." Sun jumped off his seat.


    "You asked me why I want to know, followed by your question about the civil war, and your final question was about our purpose for being here."


    "You counted the first one as a question!" Sun shouted in frustration. "I just wanted an explanation."


    The general sighed, "Fine, I''ll ask one more question, and in return, you can ask one more as well. I''ll start. Knowing what you know now, are you sure you want to go through the tunnel?"


    "Yes" Sun did not hesitate to answer the question.


    "Alright. Now, what''s your question?"


    Sun hesitated to ask. He wanted to know more about the status of the tunnel, other effects of the civil war underground, and who was the previous one he mentioned earlier. But he knew these questions can be answered later, and maybe they won''t even affect his journey. But there is one question he wanted to ask the most, "Do you know of a wizard named Pagasa?"


    "No, I don''t. But knowing you goblins and the circumstance surrounding your race I have a feeling I know who you are referring to. If the name he gave you is Pagasa, that might be a code word for something else. I will ask the king about it before directly heading towards the wizard once I finish here. So if you come across any dwarves later on, just tell them the word Pagasa, and they should guide you of where to go. Now, then," Andrik lifted the curtains of the tent''s front entrance. "You got no time to spare. Don''t you agree?"


    "That''s the fifth question."


    "Rararara! Now you''re getting it. Strength is great, but shrewdness can be even better."

 Vol 6 Chapter 6: Walking In The Dark

    The tribe entered the cave after General Andrik ordered his troops to let them through. The goblins marched through the dark tunnel with five goblins shoulder to shoulder. The tunnel could fit at least ten goblins walking side by side, but the empty space let the legions travel if an emergency occurred.


    The goblins had to remove their coats once inside the cave. The dark, damp atmosphere was letting luminescence moss grow on the walls and floor. But the deeper they march into the cave, the dryer and hotter the cave becomes. It was not a problem for a small group of goblins, but an entire tribe was making the air around them hotter than it should be. Fortunately, they brought enough cold water to cool themselves until they reach the underground cold spring.


    The goblins were restless under the dark cover of the cave. Their only light sources were the brothers and Mari using a simple light spell to illuminate their path. The lights were strong enough to illuminate several meters in front of them, but their lights were slowly fading as the lights consume more mana. So far, the tribe has yet to experience any obstacles that could hinder their progress. Despite having a map, Tie, Root, and Mist scouted ahead to make sure to guide the tribe away from cliff sides and tight spaces. May also accompanied them as Tie''s assistant. They found a few hurdles along the way, such a large stalagmite blocking nearly half of their way, but they were nothing to worry about.


    But more perils could be waiting for them, hiding in the black shroud around their tribe. The presence of the perytons could prove to be dangerous. Sun asked his mother about these beasts. Mari knew that perytons were known for their aggressive nature and their strange preference for pure-hearted individuals. They have a way to sense their prey''s moral compass, and they chose to hunt those align to good. Mari doesn''t know how the perytons do it, but many stories try to explain their origins, which are agreed upon by the scholar community as all false.


    Sun was more concerned about earthquakes and cave-ins. After meeting General Andrik, Sun realized the extreme dangers he was exposing his tribe to just to reach their destination faster. If the general could generate tremors from only leaking a portion of his mana, then what would happen if he fought someone using all of his strength.


    An entire civil war is raging beneath their feet, further down underground. Many of them may be as strong as the dwarf general, and maybe even stronger. He can''t spare a moment to relax, always on guard to protect his tribe the moment the earth around them begins to shake. Shuja noticed Sun''s anxious expression and tried to ease his mind by keeping everyone in line. If she sees one of them slow down, she figuratively whips them back to speed, whether it was berating them for their laziness or nudging them forward. Shuja''s assistance did stop Sun''s worries when it came to the earthquakes. That''s because his most bravest legion, Spat, complained about Shuja''s bullying.


    "Shuja!" Sun called out for her.


    Shuja ran down the line. "What is it, Sun?"


    "Spat said you were rough with them."


    "Spat said what!" Shuja glared behind her. Her eyes locked on Spat, who was trying to avoid her gaze. "Some of them were being lazy, slowing down the march. I was just trying to help since you need to focus on maintaining that light; you won''t have time to keep the legions in check."


    Sun sighed, "That''s true. Just don''t bully them, it''s their first time carrying a lot of luggage while walking for so long. If any civilians slow down, just have the legions help them with what they''re carrying."


    "Civilians? You mean our tribesmen. Alright, I''ll keep that in mind." Shuja turned around to face the legions, "You heard our Chief! If anyone slows down, help them with their bags!"


    "Yes, Master Shuja!" The legions responded.


    With the legion assisting those that were slowing them down, Shuja stayed by Sun''s side while they were walking. The two were telling stories and talked about the future. Sun found Shuja a good company in the dark cave. He didn''t expect her to be talkative or attentive, but it was a welcomed surprise. While they were talking, Tie''s scouting group reappeared in front of them. They told them the halfway point was near. There would be a cold spring as well as glowing mushrooms and air vent above them, circulating cold air in and sucking hot air out.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    After an hour of walking, the tribe finally reached the reach their rest stop. Above them were large mushrooms growing on the ceiling, illuminating the large cavern with its blue light. The heads of the mushrooms protected the ground from runoff; thus there were very few stalagmites found on the cavern floor. Most of them formed near the cold spring and its waterfall. Despite the cool, wet atmosphere, there was no moss to be found. Instead, pink luminance roots poking out of the ground could be seen in patches around the cavern floor and walls.


    In the middle of the cavern was a large glowing stem stretching out from the ground and operating the cave''s ceiling. The stem was exceeded Rock''s shoulder width, making nearly two feet thick in diameter. And on the other side of the cavern were four diverging paths that lead to the same exit. Three of them were as large as their previous route while one was a small crevice on the wall that only a few goblins can walk in at the same time.


    The tribe prepared their camp around the stem. They made sure to set their tents near the patches of glowing roots as their replacement of campfires. Once they were all settled, the legions were assigned their posts. The three legions will take turns guarding the tribe.


    Rock''s legions will be the first one, then Stick and Smoke''s legions, and finally Sun''s legions. Spat ran to his family the moment he learned they would be the ones in charge in the morning, or at least, what they assume to morning. Root and Mist joined Spat on his way to his family. Mabel was setting up their tent with the help of Dawn. "Master Dawn!" Spat took a salute stance, "Thanks helping Mabel."


    "Spat, stop!" Mabel said with her cheeks blushing from embarrassment. She got up and took Spat''s arm and pulled it down to his waist. "Dawn, friend. Spat not make weird."


    "But Dawn Master Rock''s wife. Spat need show respect." Mabel slapped Spat in the head. Mabel''s child peeked through the tent and saw her hit Spat. He jumped out of the tent and joined in on the fun. "Hey, no hit papa. Go back, sleep!"


    Before their son could go, Spat pulled him by the arm and embraced him while rubbing the boy''s head with his knuckle. "You tough boy, huh." Then he let him go back to sleep.


    "Sorry, Dawn. Spat not no better."


    "It''s ok, Mabel." Dawn''s cheeks were redder than Mabel''s, but Dawn did not mind being called Rock''s lover. Still, she found the topic embarrassing, and she had to find a way to change the subject. Luckily, Root and Mist were there. "Um, how about you guys? Are you planning on getting a lover soon?"


    "What?" The siblings yelled. Marriage in the tribe is a sacred act, but just like many marriages, it was for economic reasons. During winter, every goblin must hunt to feed the tribe, everyone must work to keep the tribe alive. But once winter ends, women are excused from hunting, and instead focused their attention on producing as many children as possible while the men hunted for food. Because the men the only ones hunting for food, women are forced to marry one of them to get a larger share. But when Sun rose to claim the throne, food was rarely scarce due to Sun''s more generous rations. This made many of the men excited to mate with the single women in the tribe. But mating meant losing their independence, which the women looked forward to during the months of winter.


    Mist would like to avoid mating so she could climb the social ladder. Besides the caretakers, single women in winter are the only ones that could work to improve their status in the tribe, whether by hunting, joining the guards temporarily, or becoming personal messengers for higher ranking goblins. Some of the widows may not want to admit it, but many of them gained newfound independence under Sun''s rule, and they hoped Sun would continue to be generous with the rations after winter.


    Root did not feel ready to have a family. He only just got his new position as a draftsman for the Chief, and he still lacked the confidence to mate and married. Little did Root know that some of the single women view him as a favorable candidate if, by chance, Sun forces the women to choose a partner during spring. His position was unique among the past loyal retainers. He was no warrior by any means, which meant Root''s wife would not have to worry about becoming a widow. "Um, maybe someday." Root said nervously.


    "Don''t hold out on me you two." Dawn continued pushing the subject, making the sibling even more uncomfortable.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the cavern, Tie and May just finished setting up their tent and was getting ready to sleep. While they were lying on their linen, May asked Tie for advice. "What if May love goblin? May tell goblin love them?"


    "What?" Tie was caught off guard, "Tie not know what do. Tie thinks, better love far away. No want hurt when love not love back."


    "But May not know that until May ask love for love back." May retorted with confidence, "May need try. Flute say May not have chance. May not give life, but May still goblin. May want love."


    Tie turned her head to look at May. She admired May''s bravery, but she also thought May to be too naive. "Tie want love too, May. Both get love someday, yeah?"


    "Yeah!"


    The two went to sleep after talking for a few more hours. However, Tie woke up in the middle of her sleep. Her linens felt wet, which only meant one thing. She removed her blanket, and underneath her pants and between her legs was blood. She didn''t think her period would be today.


    She got up and walked out of the tent, carrying her bloodstained blankets. Before going to the cold spring, she made sure no goblins were present, especially other caretakers. Once she found the coast is clear, she ran as fast as she could to the cold spring and started washing her pants and blankets.


    After the wash, she walked back to her tent. On the way, she crossed past with Flute. "Flute?" What doing outside."


    "Me going see Chief''s mothers. You?" Flute pointed at her wet garments, "Why blanket wet?"


    "Oh, me wash because," Tie tried to think of an excuse, "It smell, um, bad."


    "Ok, me go now."


    "Bye," Tie held her blanket closer to her chest. It was colder than the snow outside, dropping her body''s temperature. But she did not notice the freezing blanket''s effect on her body. She was too busy watching Flute leave, making sure she doesn''t turn back around. If she found out Tie could give life; Flute would undoubtedly hate her till she dies. Tie ran back to her tent after Flute disappeared in the darkness and lay on the ground, unable to sleep.


    Eventually, the last legion to watch over the tribe woke everyone up, except for Tie, who was still awake. Tie and May got up and folded their tent and blankets. The legions walked around to give a lending hand to get the tribe going faster. Spat walked to Tie and May and informed them that Root and Mist were already waiting for them at the entrance of the small crevice opening. The two followed Spat on the way. It was time to start marching out of the cave.

 Vol 6 Chapter 7: Falling In The Dark

    Root and Mist waited inside the large crevice that leads them to a tight, narrow shortcut to the next cold spring. Tie and May arrived after a few minutes with Spat leading the way. The four of them were getting ready to leave ahead of the tribe. Once they reach the next cold spring, they would travel backward on the broader path to meet them halfway.


    Spat said his goodbye to the four of them before they left and then ran as fast as possible to return to Mabel. But he was stopped by the Chief. "Spat! Sorry but could you give this to Root, he forgot to take his map on his way out after breakfast." He handed him a folded paper.


    "No worry Chief! Me go after group right now!" Spat hurried back inside the tunnel.


    "Wait! It''s dark in there, take this." Sun tossed a glowing mushroom. Spat managed to turn around fast enough to catch it despite his large shield hanging on his back, weighing him down. "And be sure to be fast. We don''t want Mabel to get worried."


    "Yes, Sir Sun!" Spat gave a salute then ran off.


    The narrow tunnel was damp and hot, with water running down its path every now and then only to disappear in the dark. The four goblins walked carefully with their arms stretched out to guide their way through the dark. However, they weren''t fully blind. Tie had in her person a small glass bottle filled with glowing moss that resembles those they passed by on the way to the springs but emits a much greener light. This bottle was their lantern to light the way, but the light''s reach is limited, so the scouting party must remain vigilant.


    Sometimes, they climb down cliffs. Sometimes, they scale tall walls. Some of the rocks were wet and slippery, while others were dry and sharp. But this path was relatively one dimension. It lacked any extreme verticality to traverse or large spaces to rest. It was an easy path to follow so long nothing goes wrong above or below them.


    Tie estimated they would arrive at the next cold springs in the afternoon and meet the rest of the tribe by evening. Root was worried they would run out of roasted frog legs before they could reunite with the tribe, but Tie assured him that they could sustain themselves with the cave''s natural fauna. The moss inside her glass bottle is safe for consumption, along with mushrooms that emit a weak yellow glow. But there are also some she advised against eating. The roots and mushrooms from their previous spring and other fungi and plants that emit the same light should not be eaten. She didn''t eat enough to kill her, but it did give her an upset stomach.


    Root was still worried. "What if no plant safe eat?"


    "Then we go hungry and die. Heehehee," Tie laughed.


    The comeback did not help relieve Root''s worries, instead made him more anxious. But eventually, the four goblins saw a bright green light coming out of the corner straight ahead of them. When they made a turn, they were met by an ocean of bright green moss growing from the ceiling of the cave to its wet rocky floor. What a blessing it was for the worried Root when they suddenly stumbled upon the edible moss on their journey. But now Tie was concerned. She doesn''t remember making a turn this early on the path. She trace backed their steps and examined the wall blocked their straight path and found that the wall was made up of large, heavy rocks, loosely glued together. Some of the stones were oddly shaped and had different textures. These were all signs of a recent cave-in.


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    Root and Mist walked over the grassy floor. The wet, soft green carpet managed to find its way through their shoes and tickled their foot. The two ran around the grass, excited over feeling grass under sole after experiencing the harsh winter. May was far more cautious in her approach to the green vegetation.


    Tie continued investigating the surrounding. The walls and ground were cold and wet, but the room was still hot. "Hey," Tie called out to the two dancing siblings, "Be quiet, Tie need hear things." Tie closed her eyes and pressed her ears on the walls. The sound of water trickling from the ceiling and on to the floor resonated on her ear.


    The sound eventually grew louder as the droplets turned into a river rushing through the earth. The snow above was melting, and the earth was absorbing the water creating large aquifers above the crevice. Aquifers heavy enough to collapse the smaller tunnels. The tunnel was shifting forms once more, and they needed to leave as quickly as possible. Tie gathered her scouting party together to turn back. "What about big tunnels?" Root asked.


    "Big tunnels be fine. I think. Tie not see water make big tunnels fall so big ok." Tie answered while reassuring herself. "Give map. Tie want see where go."


    "Ok." Root reached for his pocket, but the map was not there. "Oh, no."


    "Oh no, what?"


    "Uh, Miss Tie." May walked backward while facing the direction away from the group. "Me see red light. Is red light, ok?" She pointed at the two red dots floating on air.


    Just before Tie could answer, the red-eyed monster stepped forward on the glowing meadow, revealing its commanding visage. The beast stood as tall as four feet and raised its head on the paralyzed goblins. Its wings shined brightly under the gentle green light, and it wrapped its body like a regal coat made of shining silk. "May come here, now." Tie said in a low but stern tone.


    The beast gazed at the four goblins standing on the glowing green lights. It could see their inner hearts through its red eyes faintly glow in the dark. Their hearts were not bright enough to entice the beast to chase after them. The goblins and the beast continued to stare at each other for what seems to be hours. The grass underneath their feet caught the water droplets, absorbing the sound before it could resonate. The barely lit tunnel was nearly completely silent, if not for the beating heart of the goblins bumping in the air.


    "Hey, guys!" Suddenly, Spat appeared out of the dark behind them, startling the group. "He was holding a glowing mushroom on his right hand and a map on the other. "Root forgot map. Me run here give you it. Also, what that?"


    The beast''s eyes glowed bright red, and his antlers began to glow with the same color and intensity as its eyes. The monster hunts those with inner light bright enough to be the sun of the dark cave, replacing the glowing fauna around them. The goblin that appeared out of the dark had a heart brighter than the mushroom he was holding. The light inside Spat''s body extended its light rays, sending soft currents of starlight over the beast whose mouth overflowed with saliva as the light charged its desire to hunt. The bloodlust within the winged horror leaked out and filled the atmosphere, letting the goblins know they were the prey, and the beast was the predator.


    "Run!" Tie yelled.


    The five of them ran back the way they came, into the dark with nothing but the glowing dim light coming from their hand to unveil the darkness in front of them. Behind them was the beast''s red light chasing after them. Its loud grunting noise and hooves clapping on the ground reverberated on the cave''s walls.


    The tight corridors made it harder for the goblins to run through the tunnel. Tie led the way followed while Spat guarded their back. Suddenly, the sound of running water drowned the growls of the beast. A waterfall that they never crossed paths with was standing in their way. The goblins began to climb up the dark hall while flowing water ran against the goblins'' direction, and the wet rocks beneath their foot began to shine and gleam from their glowing hands. Root slipped down and fell on the ground. The water carried Root towards the hungry predator.


    "Root!" Mist slid down the tunnel, reaching out for her brother.


    "Mist!" Spat turned back.


    "Leave them!" Tie commanded.


    "What?"


    "We need go now!"


    Spat turned back and saw the red monster closing in on them. It thrashed against the water as it charges at the goblins. "No, Spat no leave behind!" Spat took out his sheild and rode it down the waterfall. He tackled the beast away from the siblings before crashing down on the surface of the water.


    Tie continued to climb the tunnel while dragging May with her. Finally, they saw the slit opening they entered. They entered the cavern and saw the tribe panicking. The ceiling above them was rumbling, and eventually, rocks and water hailed down. May liberated her arms from Tie''s grip and ran across the room towards the Chief. "Where you going?" Tie yelled.


    "May need help Chief!" May danced her way to Sun.


    Then, Tie heard Flute scream in pain on the opposite side of the cavern. The hair in her arms shot up, and she ran like she never ran before. The stem in the middle of the cavern snapped in half, letting the ceiling fall. The light from the mushroom made it so that the rocks looked like falling stars crashing on the earth. Eventually, the shaking stopped, and the water settled. Three walls made up of large stones divided the room and the tribe into three, each with its exit.

 Vol 6 Chapter 8: When Love Bloomed

    Spat landed in front of Root and Mist. He raised his large wooden shield and slammed its bottom on the rushing water under them and held it upright facing the monster. Spat''s legs were shivering behind his shield but not from the cold flowing water, but fear. Spat felt this fear before, a long time ago, before the trolls attacked, before the Chief and his brothers were born, and before Cala rose to power.


    It was a hot summer day. The sun''s rays scorched the earth, and the heat distorted the air. Mabel was walking to her home with a nervous look on her face. Once she got inside, she sat down in front of her parents and the goblin they chose for her to marry. The goblin was a strong man, known to the tribe as an excellent hunter, rivaled only by Olhos, Sum, and the Chief. Mabel''s parents showered the young man gifts in order to convince him to marry their daughter.


    But they didn''t realize that they also had to convince Mabel as well. She rejected the goblin''s invitation despite being a desirable candidate for most women in the tribe. But Mabel could see pass his arbitrary hunting skills. She learned from watching Dawn head over hills for an excellent hunter. She lost her agency because she was more concerned about receiving affection from Sum to realize he has little interest in romance.


    Mabel did not want to replicate her friend''s mistake. "No," She said with a low bellowing voice. Before her parents could utter a word to respond, Mabel got up and ran out the door.


    Meanwhile, Spat was sitting on his parent''s porch looking at the sky. While loitering, the Chief''s followers would walk pass him while hollering at the girls they meet who would smile and wave back to them. Spat wished he was strong enough to be one of the Chief''s followers, but he was barely stronger than the halflings born from the slaves. He had no hope of becoming a strong hunter and warrior. Spat leaned on his door, stared at the sky, murmuring to himself the things he could do if he were strong.


    All of a sudden, a hand grabbed him by his shoulder and woke Spat out of his self reflecting. Mabel, his childhood friend, stood in front of him with sweat dripping down from her forehead to her chin. She sat down next to him while trying to catch her breath. She ran away from home, afraid to face the consequences of her actions. "They want Mabel marry?" Spat asked in astonishment.


    "Yes. But Mabel not want goblin."


    "What do now?"


    "Not know."


    Unbeknownst to Mabel, her parents and their chosen candidate were tailing close behind her. "Hey!" The big goblin yelled at the two. "You think me no good. Me strong!" He flexed in front of them while Mabel praised his strength. They tried to convince her that she should marry soon and to him.


    Meanwhile, Spat''s legs were shaking from terror. The hunter''s massive physique made Spat anxious. He wanted to get up and run, but he did not want to leave his friend behind. He grabbed her arm and ran away while Mabel''s parents were too busy complimenting the hunter, who was also too busy indulging in their praises.


    The two managed to get far away. They ran outside of the town, eventually tumbling down a hill before landing on the soft grassy meadow. Their backs rested on the warm grass, and the fresh breeze cooled their body that was exposed to the hot sun. After a few seconds of resting on their grassy bed, Mabel pushed her self and looked at Spat. "Why Spat pull Mabel away?"Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "What?" Spat blocked the sun with his hand and looked at Mabel.


    "Why bring Mabel? Mabel need tell mama and papa no? Mabel can''t run all time."


    "Me thought help Mabel, but Spat no win. So Spat run away. But run away with Mabel." Spat pushed himself back up. "Me real scared. He look really tough. Sorry me no fight,"


    "Mabel not want you fight! Me just want know why? You no need do that."


    "But Spat want to." Spat and Mabel looked at each other in the eye. The grass around them blew gently from the breeze, and the clouds cast a shadow under them, shielding them from the harsh rays of the sun. That was the day the two fell in love. Maybe it was sudden? Or it was already building up from their years of friendship, but it was on this day that Spat and Mabel shared the same mutual love for one another.


    But some things never changed. Spat could not see his strength nor believe in himself. He was afraid he was an awful lover, a terrible hunter, and a forgettable father. He regrets not standing up for Mabel. He continued to run away while pulling Mabel with him like a cowardly thief stealing another man''s stuff. Never looking back, never confronting their parents or their enemies. He just kept running like a weak little bunny. Not once did Mabel agree to these interjections. She saw Spat as what he was, a man worth staying with.


    And she was right. Spat stood against the beast blanketed by the darkness, with only its eyes and antlers visible. His shield held, erected upright, ready to stop the monster''s charge. Mist and Root watched Spat braced for impact.


    The beast''s antlers slammed against the wooden shield penetrating it by an inch. It extended its wings and swallowed Spat and his sheild. Root and Mist helplessly sat there as their only light gets blocked the beast''s feathers. Water crashed against the two combatants as they to wrestle each other to the ground. The monster, with its antlers locked on Spat''s shield, began to pull and drag Spat off his feet.


    Spat wanted to run away desperately. The monster continued to drag him like a toy into the darkness. Fearing his life, he dropped his grip on his sheild and turned around. He managed to shove his way out the monster''s feathers and freed himself from its dark embrace, falling face-first on the water. When he stood up, he saw Root and Mist huddled together, shaking in the cold water. He jumped in to save them, and now he was about to abandon them just because he scared.


    Maybe he could grab them, he thought. But Spat would not be a renowned hero, just another goblin that flees. Remembering the day he showed Mabel his pathetic side, Spat stood back up and turned around. Not wanting to have another regret haunt him, he yelled loud enough that it did not drown under the unrestrained flowing water. The beast retreated its wings and pushed the sheild of its antlers, then gave an equal ear-piercing screech.


    The two charged towards each other. Spat''s body felt heavier each step he took. His fear and Anxiety tried to hold him down with their long arms wrapping around the goblin''s arms and legs. But Spat persevered not because he was strong or fearless, but because he wanted to help them, the siblings.


    Spat caught the monster''s antlers by the hand and tried to wrestle it down to the ground. The beast slammed its wings on Spat''s side, but he did not give in. The monster raised its head and bit down on Spat''s right leg, but he did not fall down. Blood gushed out, painting the water red. Spat bit his tongue and pushed forward, changing his lead foot from his right to his left leg and shifted his body to pull the beast off balance. The beast''s hooves dug on the stones, planting itself to ground. It expected the goblin to give up once it realized he could not bring it down, instead, Spat''s eyes burned like a thousand suns.


    The light the monster saw within his body took a physical form, but with a cooler color, as cold as the water under them. The blue flames shot out of Spat''s eyes, blinding the animal that kept staring at Spat''s growing body. It saw through the blue flames the light that shined as bright as the sun. It grew excited to know the light became stronger and more delicious.


    While they wrestling, Mist saw Spat''s sheild floating towards them. Mist grabbed it and tossed it to Spat, "Catch!"


    Spat saw the shield fly towards him. He lets go of one hand and caught it. Seeing the opening, the beast lunged forward but out from the flames was a far taller, faster, and stronger goblin. Spat tucked his shield close to his chest and blocked the incoming attack. With its hooves no longer cemented on the floor, Spat lifted the beast and thew it against the wall. The animal shielded itself with its wings, its hollow bones were fragile compared to Spat''s broken shield. Spat shield bashed the monster. Bones cracked and blood gushed out from the monster''s mouth.


    Spat took a step back extending his arm in front of the siblings expecting the beast to retaliate. But it just fell on the ground, dead and defeated.

 Vol 6 Chapter 9: Seperated

    Spat, Root, and Mist rested on the soft glowing grass after an exhausting battle against the mysterious beast. Spat was completely naked due to his clothes ripping during his transformation from a small green goblin into a red conqueror. His body was larger, skin bright red, and his yellow goat eyes glow in the dark. Root and Mist got on their knees and embraced Spat while crying after the ordeal.


    They tried to return to the cavern, but large boulders blocked the exit. The three decided to travel deeper and follow the original plan and meet the rest of the tribe halfway. "You think tribe safe?" Root asked while laying on the grassy carpet.


    "Yeah, Mist know they ok." Mist pumped her chest with confidence.


    "We won''t know until we meet them," Spat jumped on his feet. "And I''m growing anxious waiting here, so let''s move."


    "Spat just want show off to Mabel." Mist teased Spat, who was visibly embarrassed by the comment.


    Meanwhile, at the cavern, Rock stood by the wall created by the fallen rocks and divided the cavern into three rooms. He was yelling out to his brothers on the other side. "Are you guys hurt?" He asked.


    "We''re good over here," Stick responded. "Our mothers were shaken up a bit." Their mothers were trapped with Stick and Smoke in the middlemost corner during the cave in. "That giant glowing stem shielded them from the rocks. No one got hurt on our side, thankfully."


    "How about Sun? Is he doing ok?"


    "Yeah, Smoke is talking to him right now? He was riled up earlier, but Miss Mari managed to calm him down on our side of the wall." Stick saw Smoke motioning him to come. "Hold up. Smoke needs me for something."


    "Alright." Rock sat down on a boulder and leaned against the wall. The dead mushrooms beneath them were still illuminating the cavern. Dawn walked towards Rock and sat down near him while holding her baby close to her chest. Rock could see she was worried. "Is everything alright?"


    "Everyone is ok, except Mabel."


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    "What happened to her?" Rock''s eyes widened.


    "A rock hit her in the head, and she won''t wake up." Dawn wiped her eyes, "What do I do? How am I going to tell Spat what happened?" Tears started to flood out of her eyes.


    Rock gently wrapped his arms around Dawn and comforted her, "It''s going to be fine. It''s not your fault. How about her son, is he ok?"


    "He''s with her right now." Dawn wiped her nose on Rock''s shoulders, "Sorry, I didn''t mean to do that."


    "It''s alright," Rock giggled, "Are you ok? How about our, I mean," Rock coughed, "your baby?"


    Dawn''s cheeks turned red. She didn''t expect Rock would consider her child to be his already. "He''s fine." She said in a low voice.


    She rested her head on Rock''s shoulders and closed her eyes. She remembered the days Mabel warned her about Sum and gave her relationship advice. Dawn thought she was just paranoid and jealous Dawn was in a relationship with a respectable and handsome hunter. But now she understood what Mabel meant. Instead of looks, Dawn should have focused on the character of her life partner, then maybe she wouldn''t have to go through so much pain. While Dawn was lost in her thoughts, Rock played peek a boo with the baby. Dawn couldn''t help but giggle every time Rock''s deep voice made baby sounds.


    "I''m not interrupting, am I?" Stick on the other side of the wall. Rock and Dawn got startled and jumped on their feet. "Anyway, Sun said we''ll meet up once our paths merge. Just make sure you''re following the map."


    "Alright," Rock said.


    After some idle talking, Rock returned and gathered the rest of the tribe together while Dawn walked back and sat down next to Mabel. Flute and Tie waited by a rock slab, which acted as their pedestal. Rock climbed up and faced the crowds. Rock rubbed his head and tried to his nervousness. "Ok, so we got a problem. But it''s going to be ok. All we need to do is follow our path through that exit, and we should be able to meet up with the tribe. Well, not should but will meet up with the tribe. Now, if you need any help, Flute and her caretakers will assist you. Legions, I need you guys to be at your utmost best form. You guys did great this morning with how you protected everyone with your shield formation. Let''s keep that competence rolling. Alright!"


    "Yes, Sir Rock!" The legion responded.


    After the speech, the legions organized everyone and began their march. Rock was going to lead them, but Tie and Flute volunteered to be in the front. Tie, in particular, was worried and wanted to in the forefront to warn them as quickly as possible. There were cliffs and holes along their path that they must traverse, so Tie''s experience traveling in the cave will be beneficial for them.


    With Flute and Tie leading the group, Rock decided to join Dawn while she watches over Mabel and her son. The boy clenched on his mother''s hand and struggled to stop his tears from flowing out his eyes. "It''s alright to cry kid," Rock placed his hand on the boy''s shoulder, "What matters is what you do after you cry. Now, let''s get your mom out of this cave and meet up with your dad."


    "Dad ok?" The boy snorted his snot back.


    "Hell yeah, his ok. Let''s go!" Rock lifted the kid over his shoulders. "Alright legions, help carry his mom for me." Two legions carried their shield parallel to the ground and placed Mabel on it to carry her. They followed Rock''s lead and marched along with him. Once they entered the dark tunnel, Tie lifted her jar to light their way and Rock illuminated the back with his light spell.


    The boy, away from the other goblins on the ground, let his emotions free, and cried out for his dad to come back. His wail can be heard by everyone but when they look at the source of the cry, they get blinded by the light coming out from Rock''s palm. Rock cried like this before and he understood the pain well. Hopefull, Mari can heal Mabel before Spat returns.


    While their group marches through the murky depths of the tunnel, an unknown force stalked their path. A pack of monsters follows the goblin''s bright light shining in the darkness. People from the overworld called them the perytons, the sun eaters.

 Vol 6 Chapter 10: Circumbinary

    After a few hours of marching, Rock''s group took a short break. Dawn took this chance to change Mabel''s dirty and bloody bandages with new cleaner linen. Meanwhile, the rest of the group took turns relieving in secluded areas. They managed to find two boulders placed in a way to separate the goblins from male to female and to do their business in private.


    However, most of the male goblins opted to relieve themselves on the walls giving the women more space and decreasing the wait time. There was a creek with flowing water. The women filled their buckets with the water carried it with them inside to used to clean themselves before burying the waste they made.


    Tie waited anxiously in the back of the line while carrying a curtain around her shoulder. She wanted to be last to avoid the other caretakers to hide her secret. Her cycle began last night, and she does not know when it will subside, so she must be cautious. After waiting for so long, it was finally her turn to use the designated latrine. Tie hangs her curtain on the entrance hiding her self from the outside. She sat down, but before she pulled her pants down, she checked the curtain one last time. There was no one outside.


    Tie pulled her pants down and saw blood on the linens she place between her thighs. She took a cup full of water from her bucket and poured it on the garment. At the same time, she checked her crotch for more signs of blood. She checked her fingers covered in the warm red liquid. While looking at her fingers, Tie''s eyes caught a glimpse of a beanie hanging on the wall in front of her. Suddenly, Ren opened the curtains, "Sorry Tie, Me forgot hat." Before Ren could grab her hat she noticed Tie''s blood-covered hand, "Tie! Your hand." Ren rushed towards Tie side, "Tie ok? Tie hurt?"


    Tie was frozen in fear and was not able to respond. The commotion attracted the attention of the rest of the caretakers. "What going on?" Pin asked.


    "Tie hurt, need patch up."


    "Hurt!" Pin said with astonishment.


    Ren took the bloodstained garment Tie was washing and presented it to the rest of the women, "See. Tie''s bandage has blood. Tie why you hide hurt. Need heal now!" Ren said in a gentle tone. After seeing her friend and fellow caretaker dead in the hole, Ren could not help but be concerned for Tie''s safety. She stood up and took Tie with her towards Dawn and the legions. They had the bandages and alcohol they need.


    Tie one the other hand resisted her attempts to help her for obvious reasons, "No. Tie fine! Promise." By then, the curious caretakers surrounded the two of them.


    "But if Tie not fine. What now?" Ren pleaded while holding on Tie''s hands gently. "Need check at least. Need make sure you Tie ok."


    Pin shoved her way closer. As the two talked, Pin saw a trail of blood on her leg. She crouched down and peeked under her long shirt and gasp. "Blood on Tie, not bad!" Pin jumped up her feet in delight and hugged Tie, "Tie fertile. Tie can bring life!"


    The caretakers'' mouths were gaping wide, and they eventually screamed before hugging Tie. They were not sure how Tie managed to become fertile again, but if she could become a full woman again, then they thought they all could.


    "Calm down! You dumbasses!" Flute yelled at the happy bunch, and the group separated, revealing a scared and shaken Tie. Flute walked forward towards her, "You think this funny?" Flute asked with very heavy and low tone. Her brow clenched and slanted downward, pointing at her nose giving her scary and angry face.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    "Flute, what wrong?" Pin asked.


    "You all idiots! Or what?" Flute yelled at them, "And you." Suddenly Flute lunged forward and grabbed Tie''s collar. "You think funny!"


    "No, Tie not think funny!" Tie grabbed Flute''s wrist trying and tried to break herself free from her grasp. "Please, Tie explain!" Tie cried out with tears blocking her eyes while Flute grabbed and pulled her hair.


    The caretakers jumped in, trying to separate the two. "Tie not playing. Tie have real blood!" Pin yelled while pulling Flute away. "Tie make life again. That good thing. We make life again too!" A pair of legions accompanied by a concerned Dawn came running towards the caretakers and helped break the commotion, separating Flute and Tie apart and pushing the crowd further away to give them space.


    Flute calmly followed the legions'' orders and stepped a few steps back. "Why have bloody? Explain!" Flute commanded.


    Tie got on her knees and clasp her hands, "Tie lied! Tie always bleed. Tie can make life." She cried, "Please, Flute, sorry for lying!"


    The caretakers could not believe what they heard. They stood unable to move a muscle after hearing such a shocking reveal. Flute, on the other hand, could barely contain the anger and hatred inside her and was nearly an arms length away from reaching Tie''s throat if not for Dawn holding her back. "Why you? Why hide giving life. You want mock us. How dare you!" Flute squirmed out of Dawn''s clutches to no avail and was dragged away from Tie.


    "Tie no mock!" Tie crawled towards her, reaching for Flute''s foot. "Me just want." She hesitated for a second, realizing she was surrounded, but this was her only chance and she must seize because Tie knew she lost her future chances. "Me love you!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.


    Dawn and Flute fell on the ground after hearing Tie''s confession. Everyone was equally surprised an had their eyes fixated between the two, holding their breath as they wait for Flute''s response. But she didn''t say anything; instead, Flute turned around and ran away. Dawn followed her, leaving Tie and caretakers. Tie, face planted on the ground, cried her heart out. The caretakers joined her, comforting her the best they could. In truth, they were jealous of Tie''s womanhood, and some even felt angry about the deception. But their empathy got the better of those foul emotions because they understand the feeling of rejection and heartbreak very well.


    Flute kept running until it was but darkness around her. She sat on the floor in a fetal position. A gentle glimmer of light showered behind her. It was Dawn carrying a small jar of glowing mushrooms.


    She sat beside Flute, "Are you ok?" Flute did not give any response. "You know, keeping things to yourself won''t help you. I would know. Rock gave me plenty of chances, but I never took advantage of it until it was too late. I don''t know if I can help you, but I can carry your burden for you."


    Flute lifted her head and wiped away her tears, "Flute mad. Flute also confuse. Why Tie do that? Throw life away. Tie live with family but no! She hide truth. Because me." Flute looked at Dawn, and the locked eyes, "Flute hated you a lot. Flute envy you. Cala love Dawn but not Flute. Oh, Flute wished to be you. But love blind Flute and Dawn. Flute sorry me hate you."


    Dawn''s eyes began to tear up, "No, no, no. You don''t need to apologize. Honestly, you never did anything wrong."


    Flute looked down at her feet, "But what Flute do now. Flute no deserve love. Not Tie''s love. Spring coming soon. Chief have Tie marry like other women. So next generation come. Me not want take Tie''s future away."


    "I don''t think Sun would make her marry someone if she doesn''t want to."


    "No, Tie''s duty. Every woman''s duty give life when spring come." Flute said with absolute certainty.


    "Then will you reject her?"


    Flute paused to think, then she finally said, "Flute not want see her. Flute too scared answer."


    The group eventually finished their rest stop and continued their march. Dawn convinced Rock to stop carrying Mabel and her child in the back and lead the tribe with Tie as part of the vanguard. Dawn and Flute stayed behind in the back with Mabel.


    It felt awkward for Rock to walk alongside Tie after hearing what had happened in the woman''s loo. He wanted to offer advice, but he found their relationship very strange. Rock is young and has yet to see such relationships. If he had been born during the height of Cala''s reign, it would have been commonplace for high ranking men to solicit sexual relationships with younger men. The same goes for women with power.


    But the goblins in the group who knew of these relationships equally found Tie and Flute''s pairing to be strange. That''s because, instead of the Flute, the one who held power, it was Tie that sought intimacy. There was also Tie''s predicament. She was a full woman while Flute was only half, and some of the single legions believed they were the better fit for Tie''s affection.


    Ultimately, they could only wait until they reach the sun. They must focus their attention on the march and push their emotions and concerns in the back of their mind. They have no need for them.


    While marching in the darkness, Tie noticed a pair of ominous glowing red light. Slowly the pair doubled in number and kept growing until they more than twenty of these red glowing orbs hanging from the ceiling and reaching all the way to the floor. Then suddenly, the red glow''s intensity grew and the light revealed a pack of monsters. "Oh shit! They must those perytons!" Rock yelled, "Legions, raise your shields!"


    The ten legions walked forward formed a wall. Rock charged forward with his bronze buckle, ready to punch the first peryton that attacks. But they ignored Rock and his shield wall. They flew past the rest of the group, ignoring the cries of the mothers, children, and elders. They were aiming for a different prize. Or more accurately, prizes.


    In the peryton''s eyes, they see two large glowing white lights at the end of the tunnel. Those lights were Dawn and Flute, and they looked appetizing.

 Vol 6 Chapter 11: Relight

    The perytons flew in the dark, leaving no sound for the goblins to hear, but trails of crimson hinted their place in the dark. Rock, Tie, and the legions ran after these ghostly creatures, following their trail towards the end of the cavern where Dawn and Flute stood.


    Dawn took her baby off her and placed the child next to Mabel. She then ran forward and placed her arm in front of Flute, "Get behind me!" She yelled. The lowing orbs flew closer towards them, and the perytons'' light began to flicker with great intensity due to their excitement.


    One of the perytons charged at Dawn. She caught the monster''s antlers and made the beast submit to the ground. Dawn twisted its head backward, breaking the peryton''s neck in half. But just as she killed one, another one took its place and attacked Dawn while she was busy. The peryton stabbed her on the leg while another grabbed one of her arms with its mouth. "Aaaah! Get off me!" Dawn screamed as blood began to squirt out from her forearm. Dawn used her superior strength to pull the peryton from the air and slammed it against the one that stabbed her leg.


    The perytons antlers shattered into pieces, and their wings have broken in half. But they were relentless. The peryton that attacked her first got on its hooves and lunged forward to impale Dawn, but the animal was stopped mid-flight. Rock grabbed the peryton in its hind legs and threw it against the wall. Another peryton descended from the darkness above, but one of the legions carrying Mabel shield bashed it away from the two. The legions surrounded them to protect the couple. "Are you ok?" Rock rushed to Dawn''s side and gently examined her arm. "Fuck, I shouldn''t have left you in the back. I should," A torrent of tears were running down his cheeks.


    "Shh, it''s not your fault," Dawn reassured while struggling to hold back her own tears. "And there''s no time to talk."


    "You''re right," Rock regained his composure and called out to his legions, "Everyone, get those flying bastards down here so I can pummel them. And you!" He pointed to one of them, "Help mend Dawn''s wounds now!"


    "Yes, Sir Rock!" The legion saluted and immediately attended Dawn''s wounds.


    The flock of perytons circled the legions in the air while avoiding the rocks they threw at them. Realizing that one of their prey were safely guarded, they changed their eyes on the other light. Once they saw Flute was all along with no visible threat near her, one of the perytons swiftly dived to Flute. "One of them is dropping!" Rock yelled.


    Dawn followed the beast''s trajectory and realized it was heading towards Mabel, Flute, and the children, "It''s heading towards the children!" Dawn ran, with the bandages barely attached on her arm flying away. Seeing one of the light leave the circle, another peryton dived towards Dawn. It managed to land on her shoulder, but Rock was tailing close behind Dawn. He grabbed the monster''s legs and squeezed his hands, popping the monster''s leg open. Blood gushed out and showered Dawn''s shoulders.Stolen novel; please report.


    "Flute, watch out!" While the two were busy, the peryton that dived first managed to reach Flute and was about to impale her if not for Tie shoving Flute out of the way. "Flute ok!"


    "Tie!" Flute woke from her shock and saw Tie in front of her crying. "What you doing? Tie might die if here!"


    "I''m sorry." Tie cried out, "Tie not mean lie, and Tie sacrifice so Flute forgive."


    "What!"


    Tie got on her feet and faced the peryton with arms extended wide open. The peryton lowered its head, preparing to charge through Tie. The children watched in suspense as they wait for the peryton to make its move. And in a snap of a finger, the peryton charged forward with its red glowing antlers growing brighter as it gets closer to Tie. Using its extreme agility, the peryton shifted its weight and made it''s head antlers parallel to the floor with one end reaching for the ceiling and the other barely grazing the floor.


    Flute could feel fear taking hold of her body as the red light blankets them, but she pushed herself up and grabbed one of Tie''s arm, and pulled her behind. Facing death, Flute jumped in front of the peryton, and the children watched in horror after witnessing Flute''s left leg impaled by the peryton''s antler and nearly breaking her shin. Fortunately, Flute caught the other end of the peryton''s horn before it could make contact with its face.


    Despite the blood spewing out of Flute''s leg, she did not falter. She still stands with both feet firmly on the ground. The children cheered for Flute to win after watching her unbreakable mettle. Tie sat on the floor and stared at Flute and the beast, "Flute?"


    "Flute sorry. Flute coward. Flute scared love again." The peryton pushed against Flute, but she was not letting go and backing down. "And Flute mad. Flute very jealous of Tie. Tie no need say sorry." Suddenly, Flute felt like the weight of her body was disappearing despite her injured leg barely holding on.


    "Flute! Help please!" Tie turned to the legions, Rock, and Dawn whole were also preoccupied with the hordes of perytons attacking them from the sky. Behind them were the widows, caretakers, and elders. They were too weak and too scared to help.


    "No worry Tie, Flute scared, but Flute want give Tie answer too. Flute not die yet!" She yelled with great confidence. The peryton flapped its wings and released a strong gust of wind at Flute to no avail. Then it tried to fly while carrying the Flute, but the orphans cheering her on decided to join the fight by throwing rocks at the monster. The peryton was forced to use its wings'' thick feather to block its body from getting hit by the rocks.


    "Flute strong! Flute win it!" One of the children yelled, and the rest followed, chanting those words, giving Flute the encouragement she needed. She looked at the children that surrounded Mabel lying on the floor, wondering to herself if this is what it feels like to have children. She thought to herself that may it not be so bad to come back to the surface and take off the orphans as if they were hers with Tie on her side. Does she deserve it, that happiness that her father took from her? She doesn''t know. And she was afraid to find out.


    But she does know that it will never happen if she dies here and now. Suddenly, a spark blew out inside her heart. The light the peryton saw inside her was overtaken by blue light. Looking up, the peryton saw a dazzling display of blue fire dancing around Flute''s chest. The children and Tie watched in awe as blue flames cover her body from neck to toe.


    The perytons, the legions, Rock, and Dawn saw the sudden explosion of blue fire light up the tunnel. The fire grew and grew in intensity before finally revealing a tall red goblin with cherry blonde hair flowing in the wind and goat eyes in a light shade of blue. Her leg was still injured, but it was no longer in a dire situation.


    Flute lets went of one hand and revved it all the way behind her before launching her fist and smashing it directly on the animal''s skull. Without any proper training, Flute shattered her fist, but in return, blood rushed out like a geyser on the animal''s forehead. And its skull shattered inward, leaving a bevel in the middle of its head. The animal fell on the floor and Flute''s exhausted body followed.

 Vol 6 Chapter 12: Lost Underground

    Flute slowly opened her eyes, waking up on a shaking floor. Only that floor were two shields attached to one other and carried by two goblins. One of these goblins was Dawn, who looked down to check Flute''s condition. "Ah! You''re awake." Dawn gasped.


    The goblins stopped and lowered her to the ground. Dawn told the legion to call for Rock while she stayed to examine Flute. "Are you ok? Does anywhere hurt?" She asked.


    "My leg aches a bit." Flute pushed herself upright and grabbed her leg. It had bandages wrapped around the shin.


    "The peryton''s antlers got stuck on your shin while the fire consumed you. So when you transformed into a conqueror, the wound couldn''t heal because the antler was in the way."


    "I see," Then suddenly, Flute realized her skin was red, and her body felt longer. "Did you just say, I transformed and became a conqueror?"


    "Yeah," Dawn said. "And the way you punched that peryton was amazing! You caved that animal''s skull inside out!"


    "Flute!" Tie ran towards Flute and lunged at her. The two fell to the ground. Tie pushed herself and cried her heart out, "Flute. Tie sorry, please, no leave."


    "I''m not going anywhere." Flute''s cheeks turned redder than peryton''s bright antlers, "And stop saying sorry! You have nothing to apologize." Flute got up and hugged Tie, "So stop apologizing, ok."


    Flute released Tie from her arms and looked at her. Tie nodded while wiping away her tears and snot. The two of them stood up. Flute was shocked when she noticed the height difference between her and Tie and felt overwhelmed by her stature towering over the rest of the group which gathered around her. She felt like a tree overshadowing the shrubs beneath it, protecting it from the elements that could harm them. She was a conqueror now‘ͺa goblin with a power greater than any goblin before her.


    It felt daunting, but her stiff shoulders were the only ones carrying this power and responsibility. Rock touched her shoulder gently and asked, "Are you ok? If you still need to rest, Dawn and I can carry you." The weight of the world was lifted off her. If it was any other conqueror, they would soon grow colder to her and maybe even plot for her demise. But the brothers were not like those other goblins.


    "No, me carry Flute," Tie suggested. She placed Flutes shoulder on her shoulder and held on to her hand. "Tie carry Flute."Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Flute could not find herself rejecting the offer. But she also finds it awkward to talk to Tie without giving her a proper answer to her confession. She decided to change the subject to give her time to think, "Where are the other, um, perytons? Did we beat them."


    "Yup!" Rock said with his puffed-out chest. "The legions are carrying two carcasses to smoke later once we get out of here. Honestly, I thought it was going to be a tough fight since they could fly and all. But once they saw you kill their friend with one punch, they retreated with their tails between their legs."


    "Tails between their legs. Wouldn''t that make it harder for them to run away?"


    "Oh, that''s just a metaphor. Something Sun does a lot."


    "Um, ok" Flute looked at Rock and noticed his forearm covered in bandages with an attached wooden stick. "Your arm!"


    "I''m fine Flute." Rock flexed his arm and reassured her, "See, strong as always. I just hope the others are ok."


    "The others? Oh yeah, we''re missing some of two of our caretakers. They should be fine." Suddenly, Flute remembered May and her infatuation for the Chief. Her one-sided love is very familiar to Tie''s secret. Even she could not approach Tie''s question, but what about Sun. How will he react if a goblin that is only half a woman confess to him? She could only hope he will be gentle to her.


    As Flute worries about May, Sun''s group continued marching deeper in the tunnel, following the route of their map carefully. The tunnel they went through had more vertical than they expected. Fortunately, their group had more able bodies in the tribe, and they easily traversed the obstacles.


    Sun carried Cast throughout the march. Cast insisted on being left behind, afraid he was an unworthy burden or the Chief to carry in the journey. But Sun used reverse psychology on the old goblin. Instead of unworthiness, Sun made it seem like the old man was calling Sun too weak to carry him. Cast did not want to sully the Chief''s name and reluctantly allowed himself to be carried.


    The legions and Shuja insisted they would carry the old goblin, but Sun wanted to carry Cast personally. May saw this act of kindness endearing, and her love for Sun only grew stronger. Shuja also finds this quality appealing, but kindness was not the reason she admired Sun. It was his strength and bravery that made him stand out among the other goblins.


    None the less, she found Sun adamant nature when it came to helping Cast to be troubling. It felt natural at first, but Shuja could not help but feel like Sun was hiding something inside him. She sensed a familiar aura around him, but she couldn''t put it into words. She felt that something is wrong, and her intuition was right.


    Sun carried Cast not just out of kindness, but to distract himself. While divided from his mother in the vast empty darkness of the cave, he realized that the inevitable moment of losing his mother was coming closer. Once they exit the cave and arrive at Razin, he and his brothers would continue their journey along with their mothers until they left the woods. Once outside the forest, they would be free, and their promise fulfilled.


    Sun felt lost. Rescuing his mother was the goal he strives to accomplish. Everything else, from killing the wolves, the trolls, and becoming Chief were just things that happened by chance. No agency required from him, only the courage to act when danger comes. Once they leave, what will Sun''s next goal in life? Meeting the mysterious wizard, he saw in his dream could be his next adventure. Learning about mana, the history of the forest, and the world sounds exciting. And there was his role as the leader of his tribe to consider. But another thought occupied the back of his mind‘ͺa question he did not want to answer until now.


    Sun''s mom has been there at his worst moments. When he nearly died from losing blood, it was his mother''s healing spell that saved him. When he faced a troll bigger than the previous one and far more ferocious and heavily armored, she was there to help him get back on his feet. What if something terrible happens to his tribe, so catastrophic that it dwarfs the troll''s assault? His mother won''t be there as his safety net.


    Sun closed his eyes and recalled memories of his past life. He was an adult then, and hard-working man as well. Will he be able to get through this world as he did before? Only time could tell. But for now, Sun is lost. And he must, or rather, wants to find his new purpose and aspiration. What will he do next, once he leaves the dark underbelly of the earth?

 Vol 6 Chapter 13: Seeking Power

    After a few hours, Sun''s group took a much-needed break under a massive glowing mushroom. The gentle white light bathes the group while they rest their tired bodies on the floor. Their group had to climb up and down two tall slippery cliffs not so long ago. Sun could easily carry Cast on his back while climbing, but the slippery surface and the surrounding blackness made it far more difficult. Nevertheless, Sun overcame the wall and reached the other side. Cast felt embarrassed for making his Chief carry him, but Sun not only wanted to help Cast, but he also needed to distract himself.


    Shuja could not help but wonder why Sun would carry Cast''s burden. She carried her friend''s mother away from danger, but it was still Shuja''s burden from the guilt that she was carrying. Maybe its because Sun was a kind goblin? Shuja could believe that because Sun lacks the selfishness of past Chiefs. Shuja had the legions prepare an area for the goblins to relieve themselves. They found a small crevice on the ground, the perfect size for the goblins to use.


    While the legions got to work, Shuja took a bottle of water to offer Sun a drink. But someone already gave Sun a drink, and it was May. She watched as the two talked to one another. She didn''t want to disturb the two, but so turned around and help the legions organize a line.


    "Sun, why help old goblin?" May asked. She inched closer to Sun while he drinks.


    "Well," Sun tried to think of a believable proverb to tell May, "That''s because you are only as strong as your weakest link. Or our weakest link, I think." Sun felt like he heard of that saying before. "But yeah, something like that. Basically it means that, no matter how strong something is, there will always be an area where it is the weakest. You can ignore that weakness and focus on what is strongest, but if you don''t take care of the weakest parts, then that weakness will be exploited. Like a chain snapping apart, because it will always break where the link is the weakest."


    May sat there, dumbfounded. But she cares little for what Sun said because she only cared about Sun''s passion behind those words. She doesn''t understand the meaning, but she knew Sun through Sun''s gentle and understanding tone that he cares for everyone. Little did she know that there was more to Sun''s good intentions. A more romantic belief he holds dear in his heart, he received back before he was a goblin. Back when he was a human boy that went by the name Shuja.


    He remembered that memory. In contrast to the gentle light of the glowing mushroom, a young Shuja sat on a bench under the blistering sunlight. He waited patiently for his father outside of an office building. He was going to wait inside by the air conditioner of the building was broken, and it was hotter and dryer inside. At least outside, Shuja could feel an occasional breeze cooling his body.


    His father finally finished and exited the building while carrying an over the shoulder bag. "Come on, abn. Let''s go before we miss the bus." Shuja''s father was a tall and strong man. He was like a standing bear looking down on those that talk to him. But he was a gentle giant. Not once did he ever raised a fist in front of the young boy. And his voice was calm and quiet. And his height made him stand out. In the busy, crowded street they were walking in, he looked like a man walking in shallow water that was only a shoulder high. While walking towards the bus station, a young man bumped against the father''s shoulder. Then in the blink of an eye, the man grabbed the bag and took off.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    But before he could gain distance, Shuja''s father grabbed him on the arm. The thief tried to free himself, but he could not get his scrawny arms off the father''s large hands. Shuja watched as the man quiver in fear after realizing his mistake. The mistake to steal from this man.


    Shuja''s father walked towards the young man slowly. He raised his hands and opened his palm. "Can you please give me back my bag. My son and I need that back before we ride the bus." He said in a low tone. The thief continued to struggle, but then the father got so close that the thief had to look up to the sky to his face. Compared to the man, the thief looked like a child getting scolded by a stern father. "Please, I don''t want to repeat myself."


    "Yes, sir."


    The thief dropped the bag and ran away once the father released him from his grip. Shuja watched at awe of the power his father had. "Papa!" He ran and hugged his father''s back while he lowered himself to pick up the bag. "When I grow up, I want to be strong just like you. So strong that no one can mess with me!"


    "Hahaha!" His father laughed.


    Finally, they reached the bus station. They waited for hours for their bus to arrive to take them back to ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€. Once their bus came, they showed their tickets to the ticket master and got on board. The bus was filled to the brim with passengers who were leaving the city to return to their family after a long day of work.


    Shuja got picked up by his father, and he sat the boy on his lap to let an elderly woman sit down. Shuja protested because he felt like a grown-up when he had his own spot to sit, but his father reminded him to respect his elders. Shuja pouted, "I don''t need to respect if I become so strong no one can beat me."


    The father sighed in return but did not answer back. The bus took off and left the station. They eventually arrived on the first checkpoint ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ military checkpoint. There the soldiers examined the vehicles and their occupants. The passengers got off the bus and walked towards the manned checkpoint entryways. Outside the entrance of the terminal, a pregnant woman in labor and her husband attempted to cross the border, but the soldiers continued to deny them. "Papa, why are they not letting them through?" Shuja asked.


    "Because they think they are the bad guys."


    "But are they? Isn''t she just carrying a baby inside?"


    The husband kept arguing with the soldier, showing his passports and various papers. Eventually, the soldier lost his patience and took out his baton and hit the husband. The passengers in the queue watched as the woman collapsed on the ground. The soldiers brought medical staff out on the checkpoint while the soldiers pinned the husband to the ground. The woman screamed in agony while her husband attempts to comfort her while eating sand. Blood began to pour out between her legs. "We should help her." One of the passengers in the queue said.


    "You''ll only get shot. Just let them deal with it." Another answered back.


    "What about you papa? You used to be a doctor." Shuja said with pride.


    "I''m not strong enough." He said.


    "What! Of course, you are. You beat that robber like it was nothing."


    "He wasn''t strong abn. But they are."


    Once they crossed the checkpoint, the passengers climbed back to the bus. Shuja and his father looked through their window and saw the mother crying while holding her baby. Shuja thought the lady was crying with tears of joy, but in reality, she was crying because her baby was stillborn. If they let the couple through, they may have gotten to a hospital with proper equipment instead of giving birth in the middle of an arid desert.


    Shuja''s father turned to him and said, "Shuja, everyone will become a strong adult when they grow up. But I want you to become the strongest."


    "The strongest?"


    "Yes. And to become the strongest, it means to be so strong that not only can you protect yourself, but you can protect others too. Be the strongest, abn. So strong you could save anyone and everyone. Ok?"


    "Ok!" The young boy raised his fist.

 Vol 6 Chapter 14: Red Rain

    Shuja helped everyone get in line to wait for their turn to relieve themselves. She was particularly cautious of the men who were trying to peak at the women. She made sure she stood between the line and nipped out any dissidents.


    It wasn''t long before the men started to holler at the women. One of them that finished tried to scale up a large boulder that overlooked the crevice. Shuja spotted the little pervert and jumped after him. She grabbed him by the neck and planned to make an example of him in front of the other men.


    Sun was listening to May''s story, but the commotion caught his attention. "Oh, sorry, but it looks like I have to give Shuja a hand. Or rather stop her hand from hitting that kid."


    Sun got up and ran towards the crowd. May watch Sun intervene, saving the goblin from Shuja, but he also scolded the goblin, warning him to control himself or face the consequences. Or rather, face the Shuja''s wrath. Shuja was annoyed that Sun stepped in for the goblin. Showing generosity from time to time is fine, but if he lets the men act like uncontrollable animals, then it could lead to more trouble. Men from their tribe are the complete opposite of their rival tribe, Razin. They lack the discipline to control themselves while being greedy and controlling. Sun needs to flex his dominance over the tribe if he wants to make sure the men stay in line.


    But Shuja knows Sun isn''t that type of goblin. He is too kind. Most goblins would have taken the opportunity to abuse their power, but he didn''t. This gave Shuja mixed feelings. She liked the kindness part of Sun, but she also wished he was harsher because his kindness could be the end of him. And she doesn''t know what she''ll do if Sun disappears from her life.


    Sun was aware of this problem. He knew that social inequality existed in the tribe, but he wasn''t sure how to fix the problem. He could increase his influence over their life just as he did before, but he had to so they could prepare for the impending troll attack and the harsh winter. Without a boogeyman to force the tribe to follow him to survive, then they will see Sun''s actions as tyranny just as Tama saw Cala''s rule to be unfair.


    But he could improve their quality of life. Sun just needs to figure out how before he could begin to reform. For now, Sun is only focused on one thing, and that is to exit the cave and arrive at their final destination. There he will begin his plan to take over their rival tribe.


    Mary watched the two bicker at one another after leaving the goblins waiting in line. Shuja bonked Sun''s head while talking to him so casually. May was envious of Shuja''s position. Not only can she spend most of her time with Sun, but she has near equal standing with Sun. And there was also the fact she was not a full woman. Flute told her that she had no chance with any man, let alone the most powerful man. She could not give anything to Sun; she could only take away. She is just like winter, cold and barren without anything to give to the goblins besides hardship. May raised her legs and buried her face on her knees. She wants to have the chance, but she can''t.


    Cast noticed the young lady trying to hide her sorrow. And he knew the source of her anguish. Sun and Shuja were talking to each other like friends would. But an aura of uneasiness leaked from them. As if there was more between them. Cast understood May, but she needs to accept reality. She is but a meager goblin without the ability to give life, while Shuja is a strong, well-endowed conqueror. May can''t hope to win.


    While the legions were busy, some of the goblins that finished walked towards the edge of the light. They stared at the empty void with anxiety and frustration. They regret leaving their tribe and entering the cave, but they also want to get to their new home as quickly as possible, even if it means spilling the blood of their enemies.


    Looking through the darkness, the goblins saw red light glowing beyond the black. Out of curiosity, one of the youngest goblins stepped outside the light and approached towards the red light as slow as possible. Suddenly, the light multiplied surrounding the goblin, who peed his pants from fear. But they had no interest in the child. Beyond the border of the light, they saw three light shining brighter than the large glowing mushroom sheltering them from the surrounding darkness.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Without hesitation, they leaped forward, flying towards their targets. The goblins saw the red light appear before them, and the mushroom''s gentle light revealed their hideous body. The perytons have arrived, and they are seeking to satiate their hunger.


    The legions quickly mobilized surrounding the goblins and protecting them with their shield. Shuja and Sun charged at the beasts and pulled those too far from the legions towards safety. Luckily for them, they had no reason to worry about the other goblins, because the two of them are the main course meal for the perytons.


    A peryton charged towards Shuja, but she took her club and smashed the perytons'' skull inward. She continued to swing her club, killing each peryton with one swift blow to the head. But they were beginning to swarm her in all directions. One of them snuck behind and jabbed its long antlers through her hind legs.


    Shuja fought furiously, grabbing the peryton behind her and pinning it to the ground while flailing her club in front and above of her. The perytons grew cautious of her swing after witnessing their packmates get killed with one blow. They surrounded her, waiting for the right time to strike. "Come at me! I fucking dare you!" She yelled


    Sun had a much easier time dealing with the perytons. Sun''s longsword extended his reach further, keeping the perytons at bay. One of the perytons flying above him dive-bomb towards Sun, but when it reached him, Sun''s sword stopped it in its tracks. He raised his sword high in the air and caught the beast. The sword penetrated though is wing and chest, breaking the antlers and bones in the process. The peryton''s nose reached the crossguard while the tip of the sword poked out the tail of the beast.


    Sun thought it was his win, but he soon realized the peryton did not meaninglessly kill itself as its blood splattered across his face. Its lifeless body was not stuck on his sword, and its sacrifice was not in vain. The pack swarmed him. Sun tried to swing his sword, but the peryton''s weight was nearly breaking it apart. "You sly animals!" He slammed his sword against a charging peryton before letting go and catching another one with one hand. The perytons charged in striking Sun''s body with their antlers. He used the dead perytons on him to block most of their attacks. But soon, the shield made of corpses will be destroyed, leaving his blood-soaked body defenseless.


    Meanwhile, some of the perytons ignored the two in favor of the large circle guarded by the legions and their sheild. Within the circle was a bright light shining through the mass of flesh. The perytons soured above them, picking up goblins with their talons, hoping to grab the light. The goblins that were grabbed in the air tried to fight back, but they were thrown away like trash. They kept searching for their preferred prey until there was barely any goblins left in the circle.


    Finally, they found their prey. A peryton grabbed May by the shoulder and another by the legs. "No, Chief! Help, help, May!" The legions watched helplessly as the perytons flew closer to the mushroom''s cap.


    "No! May!" Sun yelled in desperation. He wrestled his way out the bodies and grabbed a peryton by its antlers and threw at May''s attackers. The perytons got hit and dropped May. "Catch her!" He yelled at his legions. They managed to catch her in time, only to be surrounded by the perytons. "Dammit, I need to go and save them." But before he could run towards them, a peryton jabbed its antlers on Sun''s legs. "Fuck!" He screamed in agony before falling to his knees.


    Another peryton landed on the ground in front of Sun and charged towards him. "Sun, watch out!" Shuja yelled while wrestling several perytons off her. Sun reached for his sword to try and block the attack, but it was too late.


    Blood exploded on his chest with the peryton''s antlers poking out of the body. But it was not Sun''s body that the peryton penetrated, but it was Cast. "Cast protect Chief. Cheif... carry... Cast." Cast said while blood flooded out of his mouth before eventually dying.


    "Cast," Sun said quietly. Then his face turned in anger. "AAAAHHHH!" Sun grabbed the peryton''s head and used his light spell to blind the animal. The intense light burned the animal''s sensitive retina. Then he grabbed his sword and let his mana flowed out of his body and into his sword, coating it in thick blue light. "Get out of my face!" Sun turned his body around, slammed the peryton behind him with his sword.


    The dead body stuck on his sword began to emit smoke. Eventually, the blue light grew intensely brighter until his sword spontaneously ignited. Sun''s emotional state, combined with his mana and knowledge of light spell, ignited his mana into flame. Sun stood up and faced the perytons attacking his tribe. The perytons saw his blood-soaked body and the fire in his hand and realized the vast difference in strength between them. But despite the gap, they did not run because they knew he would hunt them down, so they rushed towards him. The pack will kill him first before they could kill them.


    But they couldn''t even reach him. "Get down!" Sun yelled to everyone before swinging his sword at the perytons charging towards him. The sword slashed the air launching a wave of mana so hot it was on fire, and it burned everything it touched except for the mushroom''s stem. The perytons dropped from the air like snow falling from the rook, but their bodies were charred black.


    Sun rested his body on his sword before grabbing the last blind peryton. He removed Cast''s body from its antlers. The peryton tried to retaliate by biting Sun, but he shoved his sword down its throat burning it from the inside out.


    Then he collapsed on his knee, hugging Cast''s lifeless body close to his chest. "I wasn''t strong enough," He murmured to himself, "I''m sorry. Goddammit!" Shuja knows it all too well, the feeling of seeing someone you cared about die in front of you. She hugged him while cried out his frustration. "I am going to get stronger. I have to get stronger."


    May watched as Shuja comfort Sun. Something she could not do.

 Vol 6 Chapter 15: The Crystal Cove

    A large cliff blocked the goblin troop led by Smoke and Stick. "What should we do?" Stick asked his brother.


    "I honestly don''t know," Smoke surveyed the area‘ͺfirst the wall and its many rocks and cracks, then he rubbed his finger on the wall. "We could try to climb it. The surface isn''t slippery, and it looks like there''s a lot of places we could hold."


    "But what about the ones that can''t climb. We have some injured ones from the cave in earlier that Ms. Mari couldn''t heal after exhausting her mana."


    "Oh yeah. That''s going to be a problem."


    "I brought some ropes with us. Maybe we can use them with the shield."


    "Are you suggesting,"


    "We carry them? Yes, I am." Smoke and Stick climbed the cliff with four legions following them. Once on top, Stick took his sickle and carved out holes on the legion''s shields and tied a rope around the hole. Then they tied the rope around a stalagmite before lowering them with a legion riding on top to see if it can carry a goblin. Once the brothers confirmed they could carry goblins up with the shield, they ordered the goblins below them to form a line. Those that were too injured or weak to climb the cliff were to wait for the platform to bring them up, and those that can climb should do so.


    The goblins insisted the brothers'' mothers should go first. Mari insisted they should go first because, without her, they won''t have any light. But the goblins refused, believing it is their right as the bearer of the most powerful goblins in their tribe to reach the top first. The mothers gave in after getting surrounded by the goblins with their worried expressions so visible in the dim light.


    Sam and Cyrus went first with their respective children pulling them up the cliff. Cyrus reached the top first. Smoke extended his hand for his mother to grab on. "What a gentleman," Cyrus gently whispered, making Smoke blush.


    Sam reached the top shortly after. "Thanks," She said while pulling her self up.


    "Mom, let me help you,"


    "I''m fine. Save your energy for the rest of the goblins." She said in a cold tone. She stood up and brushed off the dust on her tattered gown. "And make sure to don''t drop them."


    "Yes, mom, I''ll do my best."


    Mari and Natasha reached the top next. Mari sat by the edge with the brothers, using her light from her palm to illuminate the bottom. She concentrated all of her mana on her hands to create light strong enough to reach them. The veins on her forearms grew larger, and sweat dripped down her arms and forehead. The goblins cheered and praised Mari''s light, pushing the darkness away. The brothers gave the ropes to the legions and joined her to light the way for those still climbing.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    After what seemed to be hours, they finally finished scaling the towering cliff, and the group entered a large chamber filled with giant crystals protruding out of the ground and glowing light blue mushrooms growing on the ceiling. "This must be the see-through rocks Tie told us about," Stick said.


    The goblins marveled at the massive crystals reflecting the light, brightening the large room. "I think after climbing that wall, we can take a rest," Mari said before leaning against the cold crystal then falling on her butt. She grabbed the hand she used the light spell on and gave it a massage.


    "Let me help you," Cyrus sat in front of Mari and took her hands. Her thin and fragile fingers pressed the bulging muscles on Mari''s hand. Smoke sat down with them to check if everything is ok. "Would you like me to give you a message too?" She asked.


    "Oh, no, mom. I''m good."


    Sam stood across them, leaning against a boulder. Stick paced towards her while scratching his forehead. "Mom, sorry I couldn''t pull you up faster. I''m not as strong as my bro,"


    Before Stick could finish, Sam flicked her fingers on his forehead. "Don''t say that. You''ll regret calling yourself weak. That implies you can''t protect anyone. Plus, I gained weight after all of that, and I''m heavier than my sister, so if anything, your strong, for a goblin. So don''t call yourself weak. And shouldn''t you be helping your goblins."


    "Oh, right. Thanks, mom!" Stick said while smiling, "Well, I''ll be on my way." He ran towards the legions as they organize the group and designate areas for them to empty their bowels.


    Natasha sat next to Sam with a mischievous smile. "You''ve grown to care for your spawnling."


    "What?" Sam looked at her, stunned from hearing those words.


    "Usually, you would just ignore him or glare at him. But ever since we left that old rundown village, you''ve been talking to him more and more."


    "He promised me, no, us that they will get us out of there out of our shackles. Now that they''ve proven they can uphold their promise, and I know at the very least I can trust them. That doesn''t mean I care for him. I''m only telling him those things so they could get us out of here. He spawned from me because I was raped by those,"


    Natasha hugged Sam before she could finish those words. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to. I just thought its nice that you''ve been more open with him."


    "I''m fine. I''m just tired and frustrated."


    "We all are after traveling through the tunnel."


    "No, that''s not the reason why I was frustrated, back at the cave-in, when we were stuck under the rocks. When Stick and that brother of his tried to get us free, it reminded me of, well, me. Specially Stick, he kept apologizing for being weak, but he kept trying. He didn''t realize his power comes from how clever he was. When he took that large glowing log from the giant mushroom and used it as a lever, I felt so jealous. If I was smart and clever like him, maybe my sister wouldn''t be in this situation." A single tear slowly ran down her left cheek. "I promised my dad I would protect her, but no matter how strong I could be, It was for nothing. They would just trick us."


    "Is that why you didn''t talk to them."


    "Its why I didn''t talk to any of you. Back when we were at the camp, it was my sister that was open, but I got backstab too many times to ever trust anyone right away."


    "But you still cared about us. I remember you would help us when we needed it even if we don''t ask for you."


    "Thanks. I just wished my, I mean, Stick could see his true potential. He is smart, maybe even smarter than any of the other goblins, including his brothers. He just needs confidence."


    The women continued to talk among themselves while Smoke left to join Stick with the other goblins. While they were organizing the goblins, Stick assigned White to be the lookout. He climbed up to the top of the largest crystal and immediately spotted something moving across the room. It was the scouting party that traveled ahead of the group. The legion yelled down at Smoke and Stick and notified them of the scouting party.


    The two ran across the chamber and met up with them. Root and Mist greeted them while Spat did his salute. "Who is that?" Stick asked.


    "It''s me, Spat, Master Stick. I turned into a conqueror after defeating a foul deer-like beast with wings that could challenge any eagles."


    "Spat!" They both yelled in surprise.


    "Yes, it''s me. Um, if you don''t mind masters, but I''d like to talk to Mabel once I finish giving my report."


    "Oh. I''m sorry, but Mabel is not with us. She''s not with us. She''s with Rock''s group. We had to take different tunnels to travel through."


    "I understand. I just wanted to show her my new self. But I have a more pressing matter to speak of. The beast I mentioned, there are more of them. And I believe they are heading here."


    Stick and Smoke looked at each. They asked what the creatures could do and how many were they. Spat told them that there could be twelve of them flying to their location. Smoke sat down, trying to think of a plan. "They fly right?" Stick asked one last time.


    "Yes."


    "And we still have those ropes," Stick said while looking around the large pillars of crystals looming over them. "I think I have a plan."

 Vol 6 Chapter 16: The Bird Cage

    The perytons retreated and regrouped deeper in the cave after witnessing their first wave burn to a crisp from Sun''s attack. They rested next to a tremendous cold spring sitting under a ginormous glowing mandrake after failing to capture any of their prey, but it wasn''t over yet. There was another group of goblins walking through the middle tunnel. They planned to grab and flee, but now it was to overwhelm them with numbers. Like an unstoppable tsunami, the perytons flew in such large numbers that the winds coming from the wings blew away the dust and water.


    Once they reached the chamber with the large crystals, they saw the goblins huddled together underneath a large crystal leaning against the wall. Goblins with large oversized shields stood on the entrance guarding it while the goblins hid under the safety of the gem. Two glowing orbs were under the crystal, and another two orbs stood in the open, waiting for the perytons to come. A large abyss in the middle of the chamber divided the four orbs from one another.


    The perytons divided into groups. One will attempt to catch the prey standing in the open, and the others fly above the goblins with the shield and snatch their prey. Stick and Smoke watched the flock of perytons separate, with one group flying towards them. "So they did notice us. Good thing." Stick remarked.


    "What if they didn''t?" Smoke rested his club on his shoulder.


    "No idea what will happen," Stick said while planting his shield on the ground. "But since the plan is working so far, let''s get ready."


    "What do you mean by so far?"


    "Well, you know. Our plan didn''t work out with the trolls. It might happen again. You never know."


    "I can''t help but feel like that was a personal attack."


    "What? I didn''t mean it that way. Besides, I said our, meaning we were all responsible."


    "Hahahahaha!" Smoke laughed, "I was joking! Oh look, half of the perytons are flying this way."


    The perytons flew around the crystals and were forming their hunting formation when suddenly their lead flyer''s antlers slammed against a hanging rope. The peryton spun around the air, trying to regain control of its body before hitting a wall. The rest of the group stopped and flew higher to assess the situation. They saw countless ropes strung together like a spider''s web waiting for them to get caught. And in the center of this birdcage were the light the perytons desires.


    The fallen peryton got on its feet and extended its wings while barking at the brothers. It used its wings to give the illusion of a larger frame. They were not fooled, and Smoke quickly charged at the peryton with a club on hand.


    The peryton tried to block the attack with its massive wings, but the club broke through its flimsy defense and struck its skull, breaking its antlers along the way. The impact was strong enough to knock the beast unconscious. The perytons watched their packmate while floating in the air. Their strength lies in their number as well as their ability to fly. The intricate maze of rope stopped them from swarming in and prevented them from flying freely once inside the cage.


    The perytons had only two options left, retreat, or fly through the web and fight to hunt their prey. They assessed the environment inside. The space in which they could fly was high enough to retreat from the goblins and large enough to fit ten of the perytons at once.


    The pack made their choice, and the first wave made up of ten perytons carefully flew around the crystals and rope. Once inside, they hovered above the brothers. Their shadows swim across the ground, occasionally blanketing the goblins. Then suddenly, two perytons dived towards them with their talon opened and ready to grab them. Stick dodged the peryton''s attack by rolling away.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Smoke parried the peryton''s talon away and causing the peryton to lose its balance. The peryton landed on its feet, letting Smoke time to retaliate with his club. Smoke slammed his club against the peryton''s wings, breaking them in half. The peryton cried in pain, but its cry was short live after Smoke smashed its lower jaw apart.


    The perytons quickly descended to attack Smoke while his guard was down, but Stick protected his back with the large shield. Smoke swung his club around, swaying the perytons away from them. "Strange, they got us beat in numbers, but they''re overly careful." Smoke said. The perytons retreated, flying higher in the air while avoiding the rope above them. "If they want to, they could just charge at us at once and suffocate us."


    "Don''t give them any ideas!"


    "Like they understand what we''re saying. But we can''t beat them if they keep flying away from us. We need something to reach those birds."


    "Like my sickle!" Stick took his sickle out with a rope attached to its hilt. "You might want to move, bro. I need as much space as possible."


    Smoke backed away from Stick as he spun his sickle above his head. The sickle traveled around and around, gaining speed as it rotates closer to its center while the updraft blew his clothes wildly, and his long black hair floated in the wind. Then he released his grip of the rope while moving his arm. The circle grew larger. Then Stick released the sickle towards the flock.


    The sickle flew across the air before striking its blade through a peryton''s ribcage. The beast crashed to the earth, and Stick pulled his sickle out and began the process once more. The perytons, realizing they were no longer safe from a distance, panicked into action. They dove straight towards Stick, which made it all too easy for him to strike them down. Stick flailed his arm around, leading his sickle through the air, making it dance as it sliced the perytons.


    Smoke watched helplessly and in awe. Stick always talked about his weaknesses, but he was no weakling. He cut through the swarm like snow, and the perytons could do nothing but fly away from Stick''s reach. But no matter how far they could fly, Stick''s weapon follows them close behind. Smoke could do nothing but watch as blood rain on Stick''s body.


    While he was watching Stick''s performance, a peryton escaped Stick''s onslaught and aimed its sights on Smoke. It charged towards him with the vigor matched only by Rock. But it could not reach Smoke as a sickle stabbed its legs. The peryton tripped on its face, breaking his left antler in half along the way.


    Eventually, the perytons inside the cage bled to death after receiving numerous cuts from Stick''s attacks. The perytons watching the battle above could not believe how strong their preys were. But there was still hope yet for them. Across the room, their other group managed to fly through the maze and wreak havoc on the goblins. They flew towards them to reinforce their attack.


    The goblins panicked as more of the flying monsters flooded the scene, tossing goblins left and right looking for their prey. "We have to stick together," Cyrus said while hugging Mari''s arm.


    "Just stick close to me!" Sam said while holding her sister''s hand, pulling her away from Mari. Eventually, the women got separated from the chaos unfolding around them.


    Finally, they perytons found one of their prey, Mari. The perytons flew passed the legions straight towards her. Mari, realizing she was the target, ran away from the goblins while grabbing a shield with her. She jumped into a small crevice and ducked her head behind her shield. The legions jumped on the perytons, wrestling them away from her. The rest of the tribe joined in after realizing the perytons'' target was their beloved Chief''s mother.


    The perytons struggled to get the shield off her while the goblins gathered around them, blocking their talons from Mari and shoving them away, risking their lives. Goblins were torn apart and blown away, but they were persistent and continued defending their savior from the dark. "Get out of here!" Mari yelled at the goblins, "Call Stick and Smoke! it''s too dangerous to fight them."


    "No!" The goblins yelled as they continue to fight off the perytons.


    Natasha and Sam joined in, carrying a club with her. She bashed the perytons'' wings as they attempt to fly away from the mob of goblins. "What are you doing? get out of here!" Mari shouted.


    "Not with you trapped inside!" She retorted.


    Meanwhile, Sam hid Cyrus away from the perytons and the goblins. Their tendency to hunt those of pure hearts meant that Cyrus was a prime target. But Cyrus could not contain herself, and she jumped out from the shadows. "Cyrus, stop!" Sam yelled, but it was too late. Cyrus threw a rock at one of the perytons. "Are you crazy!"


    The peryton looked at the direction of the rock, and then it called out to the rest of the pack. They found their fourth prey, and unlike Mari, she has no one to defend herself. Sam grabbed Cyrus'' hand and ran. "No, You can''t leave her!" Cyrus yelled. "Don''t take me away!"


    The perytons flew high into the air while shaking off any goblins that grabbed hold of them and chased after the siblings. "White, follow them now!" Mari commanded.


    White ran through crystal forest, chasing after the perytons. At last, they reached the siblings, standing near the edge of the large crater. ''Get behind me, Cyrus." Sam placed her arm in front of Cyrus. "You want her. You have to go through me."


    "No," Cyrus whispered.


    "What? Don''t worry. I''m going to protect you. I promise."


    "No. You always say that." Cyrus said while her tail bobbed back and forth.


    Sam turned around to look at her sister, walking in front of her. Sam pulls away while staring at her sister''s deep green eyes, "Cyrus?" She asked. Then Cyrus pushed her off the cliff.


    White and the perytons watch in horror. For the perytons, the light for which they were chasing, suddenly fell off the cliff, replaced by the dark void residing inside Cyrus'' body. The tendrils of fear slowly crept their way onto them, with only their hunger for light keeping them at bay. Eventually, the perytons came back to their senses, and flew down to the dark abyss, chasing after the light that Sam pushed off the cliff.


    White was frozen in place, unable to move after witnessing Sam push her sister. While the perytons flew away, he just stood there in silent horror after watching Sam vanish. Cyrus slowly turned around, facing White. She looked at him with a gentle smile.

 Vol 6 Chapter 17: The Vidat Child Part 1

    It was a cold summer night in the Zhertva tribe. The tribe traversed the vast empty desert under the blazing sun until they reached a small oasis where they set up their large tents and fortified walls. They made a small stable for their camels, donkeys, and goats to rest and a large bonfire in the middle of their camp. Next to the bonfire was a small table, and on it were thirteen dolls wearing white gowns. These dolls represent the thirteen Vidat candidates.


    Cyrus was watching the adults set up the display while in the shadows. They held each doll with great care, as to not damage them. The dolls were pretty, but Cyrus did not care for any of them except for one, her doll. The doll had a beautiful brown hair braided at the back of its head and shiny brown buttons as eyes. She wanted to get a closer look at her doll, but the adults were gathered around the table, preparing for the final exam and festival to celebrate the arrival of the Vidat.


    Suddenly, white smoke appeared across the small lake. A large red tent far away from the tribe sat at the opposite side of the oasis. The most powerful priest in the dessert lived inside that tent, and she never leaves it unless for emergencies. When they migrate, the priest will use her magic to make the tent float, and it would be pulled camels. The only other time the adults talk to her was when white smoke rises behind the tent. The adults that were preparing for the festivities dropped everything they were doing and left. Now the area was empty, and only Cyrus remained. Her tail stood up in the excitement with the tip curling inward. The small girl ran across towards the table and took her doll.


    The doll was soft, and its white gown looked pure and pristine compared to her rainbow patterned dress. It was simple yet elegant, and Cyrus loved it. She walked towards the stable to show their family goat the doll, but a group of old men was there, feeding the animals. She hid behind a palm and listened to the men''s conversation. "I hope the next Vidat is a cute girl."


    "Why is that?" One of them laughed.


    "So we can have fun with her before the sacrifice. I''d like those cute little lips to wrap around the family jewels if you know what I''m saying!"


    "You pervert!"


    "I do admit, watching them naked and afraid brings a different kind of thrill."


    "I just wish we didn''t have to kill the Vidat. It really brings the mood down afterward." Cyrus''s hair stood up, and her tail pointed at the sky.


    "You idiots! What if one of the kids hear you."


    "It''s past their curfew. No one besides us is here." While the men continued their conversation, Cyrus ran back to the table and returned her doll. She walked to her family tent with her mind occupied by the conversation between the old men. Only the moon and stars were lighting her path, guiding her every step while her mind drifts away. Was it true that they will kill the Vidat? What will they do to the poor girl chosen? These questions continued to swirl inside her head, and before she realized it, she was in front of her tent with an angry woman standing in front of its entrance. It was her mother, and she was not pleased to see her daughter walking around past the curfew.


    "What are you doing outside this late," She said while pointing at the night sky. Her tail wobbled back and forth, and her ears pointed behind her.


    "Sorry, mama," Cyrus said in the sincerest way possible while showing her sad puppy eyes.


    Her mother tried to maintain her posture, but she could not help but accept her daughter''s apology, for she is far too cute, "Oh, I forgive you, my love." She bent down and embraced Cyrus.


    Cyrus entered the tent and was met with Sam holding a white gown with beautiful floral embroidery on its chest. "What do you think, Cyrus? Isn''t it beautiful?"


    "Yes, beautiful."Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    "Oh, I can''t wait to see you in this gown walking down the aisle to sit on your chair, looking over the tribe like a chief. I''m so excited!"


    "Haha." Cyrus gave a halfhearted laugh, "Yeah, me too."


    "If only we can keep it, but we have to burn it once the festival is over because only the Vidat can wear it."


    "Oh!" Cyrus realized she was just a candidate, and there''s no way she will become the next Vidat. "Yeah too bad I won''t be able to keep the dress."


    "Who knows?" Their mother interjected, "Maybe you are the Vidat. Then you can wear the gown forever."


    "Yeah!" Sam said with excitement. "Imagine that my sister is the Vidat! All the kids are going to be jealous for sure." Sam grabbed her sister''s hands, "You have to do your best and become the Vidat. Ok?"


    "Ok," Cyrus whispered under her breath.


    Later that night, Cyrus laid on her bed, staring at the roof. She wrapped her arms around her chest while sweat dripping down from her forehead to her ears. Cyrus could not help but worry about tomorrow. If she becomes the Vidat, it''s over for her. She wanted to reject it, but she was scared. Will her mother and sister believe her, if she tells them what the adults planned to do with the Vidat. Then a more horrible thought crossed her mind. What if her mother knows?


    Cyrus fell into darkness, and not even the moon''s light could reach her. If her parents knew what will happen, then they were raising her like cattle for slaughter. If she passes the test, she will be taken away from her home, never to seen again. Cyrus'' heartbeat got faster and faster the more she dwells in her thoughts until finally, unable to dig out from her despair, she screamed at the night sky.


    But no one heard her. She placed her hands over her mouth while she cried under the night sky. Eventually, she cried herself to sleep. She woke on a beautiful, bright morning. She got up and took her bath. Cyrus'' dad rubbed her body spotless, and her sister helped her get dressed.


    Her mother waited for her outside the tent. They walked down an aisle with white archers over them, adorned with colorful flowers. When she reached the podium behind the tables of dolls, the chief handed her a small bouquet of white flowers. Then her mother carried her to their family standing next to a white chair.


    Cyrus sat, waiting for the other children to get on their sit. Then finally, the priest walked out of her tent. She took one step on the lake and continued walking on top of the water. Once she reached the other side, she walked to the podium and delivered her speech.


    "Wow, her dress is beautiful." Her mother said in a sarcastic tone, but Cyrus could not see the dress or the priest. All she could see was a giant ball of light so bright it could burn her eyes. The dazzling light was beautiful, but she could barely look at it. Cyrus looked around and saw the people were able to look at the priest, although some of them had odd expressions, as if in disgust. Cyrus tried to look back, but the light was so intense it was as if it was scorching her eyes out from her face. It was like staring directly at the sun. "What''s wrong, love?" Her mother asked, "Can''t you see?"


    Cyrus remembered last night how the old men were joking about having fun with the Vidat before killing her. And the possibility of her parents raising her to be killed. She doesn''t know what Vidat is, but if everyone can look at the priest but her, then it was over for her. "No, mom, I can see." Cyrus turned her head towards the priest and kept her eyes open.


    She endured the light burning her pupils. She kept her posture straight while the eyes burn ablaze. Her mother, seeing her daughter able to look at the priest, was satisfied, and did not ask more questions. "Her dress is beautiful but too bad she looks so ugly tha," Before Sam could finish, their mother covered her mouth.


    "Now, she is not ugly. And you should not be judging people like that."


    After the speech, the parents walked into the Chief''s tent. There they waited while their children entered another tent where the priest and her attendees will test them. Cyrus waited outside for her turn. After the tenth child walked out of the tent with his hands over his mouth, Cyrus was called by the attendee to enter the tent. Before entering, She turned around and saw the kid pretending to puke in front of the other children.


    Cyrus entered the room and saw the priest sitting across from her. It was dark, or it should have been, but the light coming from the priest lit the room. Cyrus could not see any shadows in the presence of the priest. Four other women sat next to her while the attendees stood behind them. "Sit," The priest said. Cyrus sat on the ground, looked at the wall behind the priest to avoid the harsh rays. But it was not enough to save her eyes from feeling the blistering pain.


    "This is going to be easy, ok?" The priest said. Cyrus'' tail stood parallel to her body. "I''m going to ask you simple questions, and I don''t want to hear any other comments, I just want a clear answer. Got it?" She yelled in frustration. One of the women rubbed her back calm the priest down.


    "Yes, your greatness."


    "What is the complexion of my skin?"


    "Complexion?"


    "Yes. What is the color of my skin?"


    Cyrus could not even see her figure, let alone the color of her skin, but she could guess. She rarely leaves her tent, so she must be pale, unlike the rest of the tribe. But she also sounded slightly angry. "Um, you have lighter skin and redder too." The women around her nodded at one another.


    "Correct," When Cyrus heard that word, her body relaxed, and she gave out a sigh of relief. But it wasn''t over yet. "Next is my nose. Could you describe it for me?" Cyrus'' body froze. She had no idea how to describe her nose. Is it large, or is it small? Should she say it''s sharp or broad? Cyrus could not find an answer. "What''s wrong? I''m waiting for you to describe my nose." Then the priest smiled, "Unless, you can''t see my nose."


    "No, I can see your nose, its just,"


    "It''s just what? Don''t be scared, just tell me, love. There are no wrong answers." The priest said softly.


    Cyrus recalled her sister''s comment and the kid that pretended to barf in front of the others. "It''s just that," Cyrus pulled her eyes away from the wall and stared at the overbearing light. "Your ugly face is distracting me." She whispered.


    "Get out!" The priest stood up, waving her hands while the other women held her down. The attendees carried Cyrus out of the tent. Once outside, Cyrus ran until she tripped on the ground. The other candidates laughed while she lay on the sand, crying. But her tears were not of sadness, but of happiness. She survived, and that''s all that matters.

 Vol 6 Chapter 18: The Vidat Child Part 2

    Several years passed after that one faithful day. The tribe suffered over the years from disasters they had no control of. They desperately looked for the Vidat child to stop the calamities, but each year, they failed. It was only when the dust storms settled did the tribe give up in their pursuit and accepted their doom.


    Some fled the tribe, never to be seen again. Others tried to create a legacy to leave behind to warn other nomads of their affliction. And the remaining ones quietly waited for their turn to perish under the hot sun. Cyrus and Sam''s mother were one of those people. She died from a disease ravaging the tribe. The twin sisters stayed on their mother''s side, trying desperately to aid in her recovery. But on one peaceful night, she died sleeping on her bed without the chance to say goodbye.


    Cyrus watched the floating tent above them as they move across the desert. She saw the light from the priest slowly dying. Her light was no longer bright enough to blind Cyrus. Once they arrived at the oasis where it all began, Cyrus looked across the pond and watched the priest''s light dim as night overtook day.


    She left shortly after and returned to her family. Her father gathered them around their firepit and told them to leave him and the tribe. "What? We can''t leave, not without you." Sam protested.


    "No, I can''t go with you. I have too much connection with the tribe, and the curse will only follow me."


    "Curse?"


    "Yes," Their father explained to them the curse that afflicted their tribe for generations. A curse placed on them by their wrathful and jealous god after their ancestors began worshipping a golden statue of a camel. And the only way to appease the god was to sacrifice a child with the most potential to become a master of magic. The god called it Vidat, and every 30 years, the tribe searched for a Vidat amongst their flock. When they found the first Vidat, they burned him at stakes. And they continued to burn the Vidats until the fifth one. While the fifth Vidat burned, he told the tribe that someday, a Vidat would escape this cycle of suffering, and the tribe will suffer for its sins.


    Sam could not believe what his father told her and tried to reject reality. Then she realized that her sister, Cyrus, could have been one of those Vidats, and her grief turned to anger. "You knew all of this!" She grabbed her father''s shoulder, "And you were willing to send Cyrus to them to get killed. Why would you do that?"


    "We had no choice. None of us did." The father shielded his disgraceful face with his hands. "We bore the sins of our forefathers. And we can''t do anything about it. But you two can. None of you have committed our crimes. You have a chance to live."


    "Why now?"


    "Because I was scared to lose you. I love both of you, and I''m sorry." The father got up and brought them two bags.


    "What are those?"


    "You''re going to need it."


    "You''re really trying to kick us out."


    "You have to! Before things any worse. I will stay here and face my sin. You two go." He hugged his daughters with tears in his eyes. "I love you."


    The twins left the tent and snuck out the camp. They looked back on top of a desert hill and saw the disease-infested tribe and its gloomy inhabitants carrying the bodies of the dead. The sisters traveled across the desert with their goat. They plan to sell her in the city and buy supplies before embarking north towards the sea. "I''m sorry Sam," Cyrus said while they walk, "If only I pass,"


    "Don''t say that. I don''t want to lose you. If anything, I''m glad we are out of there."


    Cyrus wiped away her tears. She couldn''t help but blame herself for her mother''s death. She could not accept the fact her parents were willing to sacrifice her to their god, but she did not blame them. Cyrus could only recall one person to blame, the priest. If she was so strong, why couldn''t she protect them? Her light burned itself on Cyrus'' mind, but it was still not strong enough to fight their merciless god.


    They rested at night when the air is cold, and they traveled during the day. The blazing hot sun was melting their resolve every day. The twins cursed at the sun for their suffering, but the sun could not hear their fleeting calls. After three days and three nights, the twins finally arrived at a large town where they sold their goat and used the money to travel with a group of merchants.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    The camels carried them across the desert until they reached the coast. A large citadel could be seen standing on the cliffside and a breathing city beneath its protection. The city had no walls or watchtowers. The large desert is enough to protect them from raiders coming from inland. It is the sea that the people both loved and fear that they worry about. The shipyard was full of armed guards marching on the docks accompanied by high ranking officials doing their daily inspections of newly arrived ships.


    The docks were the busiest area of the city, and they were always looking for people to hire. Luckily for the sisters, they found a quartermaster setting up a table where the people could sign up. The pay was horribly low, with one voyage barely able to buy them another goat, but they needed the money. They signed up and joined a brigade of women in charge of the kitchen.


    Soon they set sail. They traveled the seas for two weeks, stopping by different towns and cities before eventually landing on a city called Ubec. The captain of the ship, the heir of a highly reputable banking family, lost his inheritance while he was away and ended the voyage before it was completed to return home and deal with his family. This meant the workers were never paid the full voyage and had to look for work in a foreign city.


    The sisters managed to find a group of adventurers hiring. They planned to go on an expedition with other adventures into a forest inhabited by creatures known as goblins. The sisters have never seen goblins before, but the adventurers assured them they are nothing more than a pest, not unlike rats.


    They joined the adventurers in their quest as the camp maids. Other helpers were there with them. They came from all over the continent and had customs the sisters found very strange. But they learned to get along with them during their trip.


    There was one particular woman Cyrus grew fond of named Mari. She was a kind gentlewoman and treated everyone with sincerity and care. The adventures looked down on them, bossing them around. Some of the adventures acted kind, but everyone could hear their condescending tone from a mile away whenever they speak to the helpers. Most of the camp eventually avoided the adventurers, but Mari not only approached them, but she was always so pleasant around them. While they were avoiding them with a cold shoulder, Mari welcomed the adventures and was eager to hear their grand tales even if those tales were just lies.


    Cyrus admired her and wanted to emulate Mari, but she was nothing like her. And it did not help that Cyrus feared the adventurers. Many of them do not look human to her but instead looked more like a ball of fire that could burn her eyes if she gets too close. But she could at least get closer to her. And so she tried, but she never managed to get over the wall. Sam was always by her side, and she was not keen on making friends. She lost too much, and she was not willing to lose more. She kept herself and her sister away from other people as much as she could to avoid any trouble.


    Little did she know that their worst enemies are outside the walls of their camp. While in the middle of their chores, a troop of goblins attacked the camp, killed all the guards, and kidnapped the weak helpers.


    On that faithful night, the sisters experience their worst hell of all. The women were brought into the red-roofed building surrounded by the goblins led by a large red goblin sitting on its throne. The red one approached Cyrus and grabbed her hair. Sam pushed herself up her feet and lunged at the red one, but the goblins piled on top of her before she could reach her sister. Sam tried to fight back, but a sword on her sister''s neck kept her submissive. She did everything she could to spare her Cyrus from the horror they will soon go through, but the goblins do not care.


    The women soon got pregnant with the goblin spawns and were unable to move their bodies. The female goblins fed an odd colored porridge, which tasted disgusting. Cyrus could not help but barf out some of it on herself.


    Eventually, her spawn was born, and the spawnling looked horrifying. Cyrus tried to push it away, but the goblin forced it on her arms and shoved its mouth on her breast to suckle. While it was sucking on her, she started to regain some control of her hands. She doesn''t know how, but her fingers could move.


    She looked at her sister, trying to speak to her; nothing came out of her mouth. Her voice was gone, and her throat too sore from the nights before. She stared at the rest of the women she used to work with. Her eyes floated across the room, then she stopped. She saw a dim light inside the dark barn. It was coming out of Mari. The light was growing stronger, but it wasn''t killing her eyes.


    Later that night, the spawning began to have seizures during its sleep. It was growing rapidly. Cyrus woke from the spawnling''s cries. It looked in pain as if trying to free itself from the garment holding it in prison. Cyrus, unconsciously moved her hands and held the clothing around the spawning and tightened it around its body. Cyrus watched it, squirming around, struggling to move. Its cries grew louder, but they fell on deaf ears. Eventually, its cries died down, and it died on her chest with its limbs distorted inside the garment.


    In the morning, the red-haired goblin grabbed her curls and pulled it in anger. She yelled at the other goblins while pointing at the dead spawnlings on the floor; one of them was Cyrus'' spawnling. The goblins moved her out of the barn, exposing her to the daylight''s rays. She was free for a brief moment, only to return in hell once more.


    They dragged her and the other two women in a room filled with restless male goblins. Cyrus laid on the floor with the goblins on top of her. Her mind disappeared, leaving her body to escape reality. They grabbed her legs, pulled on her hair, and bit on her flesh, and for hours on end, her hell continued. Every now and then, she would wake up, and the only thing in her mind was regret, regret that she killed the spawnling keeping her away from these hungry monsters. And just when things were about to get worse, the female goblins entered the room.


    They pushed the hungry goblins away and took Cyrus out of the room with another woman. They returned to the barn and gave them the spawnlings that killed their mothers. Cyrus returned to her limbo with a new spawnling around her arms. She did not feel happy.


    She wallowed in the darkness, but a shining light kept the shadows away. She looked at the soft glowing orb across the room and saw Mari inside it, enveloped by it. The light was radiant and gentle, bright, but not intense. It was like a sun rising in the morning, tenderly waking up the people of the world. Cyrus sincerely smiled for the first time in her life ever since she held that doll. Cyrus couldn''t help but think Mari was the light in the tunnel that she has been looking for in her life.


    But the halo around her was slowly disappearing. On Mari''s chest was a spawnling sleeping on her chest. And it also had light resonating inside of it, and it was getting stronger and hotter. Cyrus'' hands began to shake, and she held her spawnling close to her chest, not to embrace it, but to hide behind it from the blazing orb across her. She watched it consume Mari and her light, and it was terrifying.

 Vol 6 Chapter 19: Staying Strong

    White could feel his hands shaking and his knees slowly losing its strength. His vision began to blur as he examines his body, unsure of what to do or what to feel. Suddenly, he heard a girlish scream. "What are you, what are you waiting for? Go get help!" Cyrus screamed at the little goblin. "Hurry!"


    Cyrus'' call woke White from his terror, and he turned and ran towards the group. While he ran, the moments he bare witness kept replaying in his mind because it was etched in his brain. Before he knew it, his body slammed against the soft cushions of Natasha''s chest. "What happened?" Mari grabbed him on his arms and looked him in the eye.


    "Sam,"


    "Sam, what?"


    "Sam, um,"


    "Out with it!"


    White looked at the direction he ran from. "Sam fell off cliff, but Cyrus, ok."


    Mari pushed the goblin aside and ran towards the center of the cave where the massive hole is placed. Natasha and the rest of the goblins followed. Once they arrived, they saw Cyrus on the floor, dazed and confused. They ran up to her and embraced her while she cried on their shoulders. The legions walked up to the cliff and looked down at the bottomless pit. Some of them tried to climb down on the ledges protruding out from the walls, but their efforts are in vain for its too dark to see the deeper they descend.


    Mari ordered Spat to inform the brothers. When they heard the news, they stood frozen in time from their disbelief. Smoke noticed Stick''s body about to give in from the pressure. "Stick, get a grip of yourself. We need to go there now!" He said.


    "Ok,"


    The three goblins ran towards the hole. They saw Mari and Natasha carrying Cyrus away from the cliff despite her protest. Then she saw the brothers. She jumped off Mari and Natasha''s arms and hugged the two goblins. "I''m sorry I was too weak." She said crying, "She tried to protect me but, but she got," She dropped on her knees and hugged Stick on his waist. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry." She continued to repeat these words until Stick woke up from the shock and pulled her up on her feet.


    "Stop it, don''t say that!" Stick yelled.


    "Stick?" Smoke said.


    "I forgive you, but don''t you say that. Don''t you ever call yourself weak!" Stick tried to holp back his tears as much as he could, but some leaked out on the corner of his eyes.


    Cyrus eventually calmed, letting the group some time to search for her missing sister. Smoke and Stick tied ropes around themselves and climbed down in the abyss. Mari stayed above with her hands extended and glowing as bright as day, but the light could not break through the black, and the brothers were too deep for the light to reach them. Noticing the darkness around them, Smoke rubbed his hands together and lit his palm, while Stick was too preoccupied to see the darkness consuming them. "Stick, wait!" Smoke yelled.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    "Huh, what is it?" Stick turned around and realized he was blind. "Oh shit, I can''t see!"


    "Obviously. Lit your hands!"


    Stick cast his light spell, and the light did not reveal anything in the shadows, not even the ground, "I can''t see anything. Not even you. Where are you?"


    "I''m still higher up. You kept climbing down while I was trying to use the light spell. Just wait a few minutes, I''ll be right there!"


    "No, it''s fine. I doubt we''ll even reach her." Stick tugged on his rope, but it did not give an inch. "Our rope is too short and our light too weak. Let''s go up."


    "But what about your mother."


    "She protected the person she loved, so its only fitting I take her place. And be strong." Stick climbed back up and saw his brother''s light shining above him. The two of them continued to ascend back to the surface.


    While the group was busy searching for Sam in the hole, Cyrus rested her body under a large crystal pillar leaning against another. The crystal above her was not as pristine as the others. Grey spots were covering the upper tip, and the crystal would not glow as bright as the others. But the light was strong enough to give her warmth and comfort. She leaned against the base and hugged herself.


    White walked over to her to ask about what happened on the cliffside. To erase his worries, he wanted to know the truth and reasons behind the scene he witnessed. Suppose they were real, or it could be just the perytons messing with his head. He wanted to ask her what happened, but when he approached her, he heard Cyrus murmur something to herself. The tone of her voice sounded comforting as if she was talking to a child. Then she turned her head and looked at White. His body was paralyzed in fear when he saw her smile. "Are you ok?" She said.


    "Nothing," White turned around and walked away. The brothers returned to the group without any good news. Smoke organized the group to march once more. Stick wanted to help, but Smoke insisted he rest, and Mari agreed. They lost someone precious to them today, but she was most precious to Stick and Cyrus.


    Stick sat down with Cyrus while the group prepared to move. Cyrus held his hands and combed his hair. "You''re the only relative I have." She said to him, "Let''s do our best to live."


    "Yeah,"


    Smoke led them out of the crystal chamber and continued their march until they reached the cold spring. Above it was a large glowing mandrake, and its roots extended down with its tip touching the water''s surface. Around the pond was Rock''s group.


    Spat ran in excitement to see Mabel, but before he could reunite with her, Dawn stopped him. She told her what happened and reassured him Mabel would be fine. Dawn led Spat to her and their son. When Spat saw Mable, he got on his knees and held her hand. "Papa?" Spat''s son sat next to him and gave him a hug.


    "Yeah?"


    "You really Papa. Papa not red. Papa turn red? Papa strong?"


    ''Yeah! Papa is strong because he wasn''t scared. So Papa turned into a red conqueror. And I will protect you because I''m strong."


    "Me strong too. Me no scared, me no cry. Me protect Mama!" The boy said with so much vigor that it made Spat laugh.


    "Sahahaha! Of course, you''re strong. You got it after me."


    Dawn left the family alone and joined the brothers. Just then, Sun''s group emerged from the dark. The tribe was shocked to see Sun covered in blood while carrying Cast''s corpse. The brothers, the mothers, and Flute rushed to his side. They took Cast''s body off of Sun and laid it on the floor. Sun collapsed to his knees. "What happened?" Mari asked, "Why are you covered in blood and your legs. You were basically limping across the room." The Mari turned to Shuja, hoping for answers, but she too was covered in blood and barely able to walk. May had to carry Shuja on her shoulders. "What happened to your legs?"


    "I couldn''t protect him. I''m sorry, Stick, he was your follower, but I couldn''t protect him." Sun covered his face in shame. "I was just too weak."


    "Don''t say that!" Stick yelled, and it caught everyone by surprise. "Don''t ever say that, or else you''ll regret it."


    Sun pushed himself up on his feet with Mari''s feet. He could sense something was wrong. He looked around and noticed that only three of their mothers were present. "What happened?"


    Finally, the dam that was blocking the flow of tears on his eyes burst. "I wasn''t there so she, so she,"


    Sun leaped forward and held his brother tightly around his arms. "Let it out. Everything is going to be ok. Just let it out." Stick cried, and his tears washed away the blood on Sun''s chest. Smoke and Rock joined in and embraced Stick.


    After reuniting, the tribe continued their march. They left the cold spring with Flute and Tie leading the way. Not long after, they reached the cave''s exit. They emerged from the darkness and into the forest with the sun shining on them. And outside the cave was a group of dwarves waiting for them under a green maple tree surrounded by purple crabapple trees with no snow in sight.

 Vol 6 Chapter 20: Professor Logue

    Sitting under the green maple tree was a group of dwarves resting in the shade. Among them was a tall male dwarf, about the size of an average man or around five feet tall, sitting in the center, wiping his oversize glasses clean of dirt. His lenses were tinted blue, and its frame was crimson red. And when it hits the light, the lenses reflect a gentle blue light. The glasses were beautiful, but the rest of his outfit looked like a combination of random assortments of clothes with different styles. He had a green striped collar shirt and thick jeans hoisted by two bright yellow suspenders. His shoes were made of leather with its rims painted purple, and he had white gloves. His white fluffy hair and beard were the only parts of his body that did not overwhelm those that meet him.


    The rest of the dwarves were dressed rather simply. They had a plain shirt hidden under an unbuttoned gambison. They looked like soldiers. Their swords were leaning against the trunk of the tree.


    The tall dwarf noticed the goblins leaving the cave. He jumped up on his feet and waved his hands at the tribe. He shook the soldiers up, and they walked to the goblins and introduced themselves. The tall one walked towards Sun and extended his hand, "Hello, my name is Professor Logue. And you must be the leader of this troop." His voice sounded dry, and his mannerism gave off a pompous aura. "It is a pleasure to meet you, mister?"


    "Sun, my name is Sun." Sun was leaning on a cane he used to help him walk with his injury. He shook hands with the Professor. "And it''s nice to meet you too, I guess."


    "Goodness me, what happened to your leg, Mister Sun?" He said while pointing at his leg with his pinky.


    "Just had to fight off a few animals during the journey. Were you guys waiting for us or something?"


    "Do you have anyone that could heal those wounds? A healing spell could do the trick, we must remedy that injury quickly before it leaves a hideous scar. Soldiers, do any of you know healing spells to cast on these poor souls." The soldiers shook their heads.


    "Its alright, Professor. We have someone that could heal us."


    "And who may that be?"


    "My mom, she knows how to use healing spells. Mom!" Sun called for her, "This is my mom; her name is Mari."


    "Nice to meet you," Mari said.


    "A peasant girl that knows healing magic. Peculiar, but not entirely implausible. May you show your abilities."


    "I''d love to, but I kind of exhausted my mana."


    "Oh well, that can''t help then. And I believe there are three more women among you." Professor Logue searched the back of the tribe but only saw two. "Where is the other one?"


    "She, we lost her on the way after getting attacked by a swarm of perytons."This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    "Oh, I''m so sorry to hear that. Please accept my dearest apologies and condolences." He grabbed Mari''s hands and gently squeezed it. The goblins behind them stared at Professor Logue and his eccentric clothing. "Maybe it''s best for us to continue this in a private setting. I have very important information to relay for you, Mister Sun. Let us discuss this further under the maple tree while the tribe could rest after your travels. And Miss Mari, I''d love it if you could join us as well."


    "Oh, of course," Mari said. They walked towards the maple tree with Mari holding Sun''s hand. They sat under the massive roots protruding out from the ground. The tree was the largest maple tree Mari has ever seen. It towers over the other trees, with the tall pine trees its only rivals in height.


    The snow around them was melting around them faster than normally would. It''s only been a few days, but winter was leaving, and spring was quickly replacing it. The Professor put his glasses on and was at awe at the sight of Sun and Mari. "My goodness, both of you have such amazing potential in the field of mana consolidation."


    "Excuse me?" Sun asked, confused.


    "Oh, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to intrude, but I could not bare my curiosity any longer. These glasses allow me to see," He said while creating air quotes with his fingers, "The Kas and the mana it holds inside a person. And both of your Kas is very large! It is no wonder you''ve reached enlightenment, Mister Sun."


    "Thanks, I guess."


    "Now, I wish to present you a letter." He hands Sun the envelope with a stamp featuring hammers forming a cross in front of an unpolished gemstone. "This letter is meant to be opened by dwarf so pleased do not open so carelessly."


    "Then why give me this letter?"


    "So if by any chance you need to cross the borders of our kingdom and its foreign territories, all you need to do is present this document to the guards."


    "Sounds awfully familiar," Sun recalled his memory, and it left a bad taste in his mouth.


    "Pardon?"


    "No, its nothing."


    "Excuse me, but why do we need this anyway. The Bolsca Kingdom resides primarily in the mountains east of the forest. I doubt we will have to travel across the mountains unless you have more outposts set up in the southern parts of the forest because of the war underground."


    "Wait! Mountains?" Sun got up on his feet. "Do you know a wizard named Pagasa or a mountain called Heart?"


    "Well, I know of a mountain called Mt. Heart, but not of a wizard that calls itself Pagasa. Unless you''re referring to," Professor Logue rubbed his chin. "Yes, it makes sense while his majesty would give you that letter."


    "Well, at least I know the place is real."


    "Sir," A soldier interrupted the three, "We have to return to camp soon, its nearing nightfall."


    "Oh yes," The Professor stood up and shook Sun''s hand, "I apologize, but our group is in a hurry. I have an important mission as a delegate of my kingdom to descend underground and be the mediator between the two kingdoms battling under our feet."


    "Before you go, could you escort our mothers towards the human towns."


    "What?" Mari said surprised.


    ''Well, I suppose we can make a detour on our way. I believe there is an underground highway leading to a human city."


    "No, I will not be going."


    "But mom."


    "No, they''re busy as is, and I still need to heal you and the others."


    "But,"


    "No, buts." Mari rubbed her hands together, "Do you really want me to leave." She whispered.


    Sun hesitated to answer, "No."


    "Then it''s settled. I''ll stay as long as you need me."


    After their short conversation, the tribe waved goodbye at the dwarves and continued their march until they reached Bona. The camp was small and but the short walls were taken well cared of by the goblins stationed on the camp. The goblins there were surprised to see the new Chief, but they did not question his authority. They were only four of them and the entire tribe supporting the Chief. And the presence of seven conquerors following the orders of this odd-looking Chief just made his rule more convincing.


    The four goblins toured the tribe around the camp and helped set up sleeping areas for their tribesmen they haven''t seen for so long. They were sad to hear what happened to their village, but that was in the past. The future is now, and if their tribe hoped to survive, they must conquer their neighboring rival, the Razin.


    After organizing the camp and setting up their tents, Sun went for a walk along the wall. Mari saw him sneak away from his brothers, and she followed him. "Sun, can I ask you something?"


    Sun was surprised to hear his mother''s voice behind him. "Sure," He said after facing her.


    "Is there something you need to do in their kingdom. Or someone you want to meet?"


    "Yeah, but don''t worry, mom. I''ll get you and the others free first. You can count on me."


    Mari answered with a forced smile. She doesn''t want that anymore. Freedom was something she yearned for during her capture, but she grew to love her son. And she wants to see him grow stronger and watch him grow to be a better goblin than those that defiled her. A sense of pride swelled inside her, watching her son overcome hurdles after hurdles. And Mari wants to continue supporting him. "Sun," She called for him.


    "Yeah?"


    "I don''t want to leave."

 Vol 7 Chapter 1: Spring Festival

    After waking up after a good night''s rest, Sun was met by his tribesmen, urging him to start the celebrations. What these celebrations are to Sun are unknown. They erected a small podium, and the women and men stood on opposite sides while facing the Chief. Sun pulled Shuja towards him. Due to her injuries, Shuja lost her footing and landed on Sun''s chest. When she got up, only a fraction of the air separated their lips, and their eyes locked in place. Shuja pushed herself off, "Sorry I didn''t mean to," Both of them talked at the same time.


    "Ok, let''s just move on." Sun scratched the back of his head. He could not believe he got flustered from getting near a woman, and a goblin no less. "I just wanted to ask what they mean about celebration. Unless they''re talking about handing out our rations."


    "Oh, its spring, so its time for the women to be married to the men. And, you know."


    "What? I''m in charge of that. Why can''t they just get together themselves?"


    "They can, yes. But mass weddings are held in the spring so the women with no courters can get married and start a family."


    "Or more like to give the men to scared to ask a woman''s hand the chance to marry. Can''t they just do in their free time? I bet they could find someone for them."


    Dawn overheard the two and decided to add her opinions on the matter, "Sun, there is another reason why this is done. Most women, after winter experiencing winter, avoid marriage. I know Shuja avoided the marriage ceremonies a lot in previous years. She used Lite as her excuse for not getting married, always telling everyone that Lite was courting her."


    "Why?"


    "It was just an excuse," Shuja uttered. "Lite, and I didn''t really have that kind of relationship."


    "No, I meant, why do the women not want to get married?"


    "Oh," Shuja cheeks turned redder than her skin, "I didn''t really want to have a family yet. I still had other things I wanted to do. But that''s my take. I don''t know about the others."


    "Alright, I think I get it now. I don''t really want to do mass marriages, and their still our mission to take over the Razin tribe. What''s the other celebration I have to lead?"


    "The naming of the children!" Dawn said eagerly.


    The Chief had the authority of naming the children at the beginning of every season. Sun and his brothers received their names during the first week of winter. But there was also another requirement, and that they reach an age in which they could say their name. The brother''s supernatural growth rate meant that they could say their name within two days, so they were given their names. It''s a weird custom that Sun could not understand despite its simplicity due to the hidden complexity beneath it. For instance, Mabel''s son has no name because they were not married in a mass ceremony.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    There were other rules like, could the baby crawl for a certain amount of minutes or did it suckle on another mother''s breast. These arbitrary rules were very strange and just made it harder for anyone to grasp what''s going on during the ceremony. But Sun guessed that it was a way for Cala to control his subject by making them do unreasonable things for him or to stop anyone he disliked from benefitting in the tribe.


    But now Sun is the leader, and he could make new rules. "Alright, how about this, I''ll give every child a name, and that''s that." Sun got up and faced an eager audience, or at least half of the audience were eager. The men were excited to get married, and the woman just wanted the day to end. Alas, the men could not get married, and this broke their hearts. "Sorry about that. We can''t afford to, you know. We still have a future battle with the enemy tribe, and we need all the help we could get." The crowd dispersed, letting the goblins with family space for the naming ceremony. "But I will be doing the naming ceremony, so everyone with a child, bring them forward. It doesn''t matter if they can''t speak, we''ll give them a name regardless." The crowd cheered. Shuja walked up next to Sun to give pointers on what to do during the ceremony.


    The first one to come up to the podium was Spat and his son, "Bow to the Chief," Spat told his boy.


    "You may raise your heads. How is Mabel, is she doing ok?" Spat and his son raised their head gave a resounding yes. "That''s good. Now, do you have any suggestions as to what name your son gets?"


    "Excuse me? You want me to suggest a name."


    "Yes," Sun realized that the Cala would just give the children names out of whim. Cala named him Sun just because his eyes were closed while his head was facing the sky. Not a single careful consideration was given. "Hey, everyone, may I have your attention, please!" He yelled at the crowd lining up behind Spat. "I would love it if you all think of names you want your child to have, so once you stand up here, you can suggest it to me." He then turns his attention to Spat. "Sorry, I should have said that earlier. If you want, you can come back later. Give yourself some time to think about a name you want to give your son."


    "No, it''s ok, I think I have a name I want to give my boy." He placed his hands on his boy''s shoulders, "Apple, I''d like to name him Apple. It sounds like Mable and the appletrees were one of the first trees we saw when we left the cave."


    "Then his name Apple," Shuja showed Sun how to bestow the name. He placed his thumb on Apple''s forehead. Draw a circle then announced his name to the tribe. "This one is Apple," He yelled. "Just like that?" He whispered to Shuja, who gave a thumbs up.


    Spat lifted his son and carried him around the square, introducing him to everyone. Apple couldn''t help but laugh while his dad carries him on his shoulders. Next to come up was Dawn and Rock. She dragged Rock along with her. He looked embarrassed, being in the center of attention, which was odd. "So what name would you like to give to your baby."


    "Well, your brother said boulder. Because he is going to big as he is, my as well have a fitting name for him."


    "I was just joking," Rock said. "And you never told me it was a girl. In fact, I could have sworn your baby was a boy."


    Dawn giggled, "I was hiding it. And you know the reason why. Anyway, I have a name I want to give her. I want her name to be Snow because snow is gentle and soft."


    Sun placed his thumb on the baby and announced the tribe the baby''s name, "This one is Snow." And the crowd cheered. Sun continued giving out names until there was no one left, except for a few orphans watching the ceremony far away from the crowd. "Hey!" Sun yelled out to them, "Come up here already. I don''t have all day!"


    "You''re giving them names?" Shuja asked.


    "Yeah, why? Should I not?"


    "Well, they are orphans so they can''t have names. Not unless they prove their worth. They need to do something first that warrants giving them a name. Something outstanding that the tribe will remember them by. That''s how I got my name, at least."


    "You were an orphan?" Sun asked in shock.


    "Yeah,"


    "Well, rewarding people''s merit is great. But I didn''t do anything besides cry, and I got a name. I don''t think it''s fair."


    "You don''t know?"


    "Nope. If everyone got a name, why shouldn''t they?" Sun could not help but think about his brother, who is now an orphan. "They deserve something, especially now. Hey! Didn''t I yell for you guys to come here." The orphans watching got scared and rushed over so as not to anger the Cheif.


    With no parents to suggest a name for them, Sun asked Shuja for advice. The two brainstormed together, thinking of unique names the children would like. Some were happy to receive any name, while a few were picky. Sun and Shuja had fun giving the orphans names and getting to know them. Likewise, the orphans started to like the new Chief even more. Before, he was like a god that they must venerate, but now he was like a doting father. And the woman next to him was like a doting mother. Eventually, all of them got their names. "Alright, go out there and play you little brats," Sun said while rubbing one of them on the head. Sun watched the orphans run back to the other kids playing, eager to share them their new names. "Those are some good kids, right?" Shuja looked at him and started giggling. "What?"


    "Nothing," Shuja couldn''t help but giggle. Sun sounded too much like her late dad and that made Shuja feel bubbly inside.

 Vol 7 Chapter 2: The Flames of War

    After the naming ceremony, Sun gathered his strongest members of the tribe into his tent. A small oak table sat in the middle of the room, large enough for the green goblins, but too tiny for Sun and the red conquerors. Sun carefully placed his injured leg under the table, hiding it from them.


    Sun gathered them around the small table, with his brothers sitting closest to it and the rest standing behind them. On the table was a small map Root drew after interviewing the guards on the camp. The Razin tribe was a large tribe surrounded by walls. Its walls were nearly seven feet tall, and guards would routinely patrol on top. "How should we break through the wall?" Rock asked.


    "Trust me, breaking the walls would be easy. I''ll just burn it away. The problem is trying to get through the chokepoint. We''re not exactly trolls. We can''t just use brute force and expect an easy victory." Sun said. "Once we go through the chokepoint, we need to fight through an army of goblins, and I don''t think our legions'' training could make up for the number difference we have."


    "And some of us are still recovering from our injury," Shuja added. "Miss Mari can''t use her healing spell yet. She got dried up during that disaster in the cave."


    "But maybe we can use brute strength?" Smoke pondered.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I don''t think they''ve ever seen someone like you. And I don''t think they''ve seen so many red conquerors working together. Maybe we can just threaten them. Force them to give up before any fighting happens."


    "Maybe even show off some of our strength too!" Rock said with enthusiasm, punching the air a few times.


    "Maybe even show them how their walls can''t protect them," Sun said.


    "Actually, I''ve been meaning to ask you this, but what exactly is the new spell," Rock made air quotes with his fingers, "that you told us about when killing those flying bastards."


    Sun smiled, "Then let''s get out of here." They left the tent and walked outside the camp''s wall towards an opening. Sun pointed at a large pine tree across them, "I''m going to cut that tree down and burn it from here."


    His spectators watched him gather his mana from his body into his sword until the mana condensed enough to glow a bright blue. Then Sun reenacted the intense emotions he felt inside the cave, and lo and behold the sword lit into flames. "Stand back guys, this gets very intense," Shuja said to the group. They stepped back a few meters away, but they could still feel the heat resonating from the sword.


    Sun drew his flaming sword back, then swung it at the direction of the tree. The swing launched the flames from his sword towards his target, leaving a red hot trail in the air. The red flames slashed though the tree cutting it in half and burning it in the process.


    Sun fell on one knee, exhausted from using the spell. His brothers rushed to his side, "Sun, are you ok?" Stick asked.


    "Maybe you should have waited until your legs were ok," Smoke added.


    "I''m fine. I just lost my balance." Sun turned to the rest of them, "Now with this, it should be clear to our enemy that fighting us will be the end for them. And that they should just surrender." Sun stood up with his chest, puffed out to appear stronger. "Now, let''s go meet our new enemies."


    "Now!" Smoke yelled in surprise.


    "Sun, you can''t be serious," Flute responded.


    "Yes, I''m serious. And don''t worry, I feel stronger than ever." Sun raised his sword and rest it on his shoulders, "Now let''s go and end this already. Our tribe yearns for a new home, and I''ll give it to them."


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    They left the field and began preparing in their tents. Spat said goodbye to his son and his wife. He tied his gray hair into a ponytail and led the legions towards the camp''s entrance. Stick shaved his hair off and wore Cloud''s red helmet. Then he joined Rock at the gates. Smoke had his long black tied into a bun by his mother. "Done," Cyrus said. Smoke got up and kissed his mother before leaving to joined his brothers at the gate. There Sun and Shuja waited for their troops.


    Meanwhile, in the tribe of Razin, its Chief sits on an empty throne room holding a bouquet. A female goblin stood behind his chair, combing his long black hair of bugs before tying it into a bun. The woman was smaller than the Chief and had a crown made of feathers and small tooths hiding her bald head.


    The Chief, on the other hand, was taller, for he was a red conqueror. And today he was getting ready to conquer, what to him, the unconquerable. "Are you ready, Chief Cossack?" The woman asked.


    "Yes, thank you, Head Priestess," Cossack said.


    "Oh, just call me by my name. No need for the Head Priestess part. We''ve known since we were children."


    "Then what about me, Violin? Just call me Cossack then, no need for the Chief part to be there."


    "Alright, Cossack, as you wish," Violin answered. "Now, with your hair properly groomed, all you need now is something fancy to wear." Violin left the room and came back with a white collared shirt. "We found this left behind by those outsiders. This should help you woo that woman." She helped put the shirt on Cossack.


    Cossack stood awkwardly in front of the mirror. "You think I look good."


    "Yes, ok, I lied. Not really."


    "What?"


    Violin laughed at Cossack''s nervous expression. "You''re fine. So stop overthinking it."


    Suddenly the curtains were opened, and a goblin wearing leather armor stepped inside the throne room. "My Chief, me have important news. Lev tribe outside walls. Lev have small raiding party. Me think Lev attack us now."


    "What!" Cossack and Violin ran towards the edge of their village, climbed up the walls, and saw a small army of goblins led by five red conquerors and a large goblin with feathers on its ears. "What the hell do you guys want from us?" He yelled at them.


    "We are here for your tribe," Sun answered back. "You have two options! You fight us, or surrender and submit to my rule."


    Cossack turned to his men and Violin, "Raise the flags and wave them around." He whispered, then he turned to the army at his walls. "You think you can fight us with that puny army. Our tribe is three hundred men strong. See those spears." Cossack pointed at the numerous long spears with flags tied on its tip that suddenly rose behind the walls. "My army is holding those spears as we speak, and they are prepared to gouge your eyes out with them. Three hundred spears, for three hundred goblins versus your thirty." Cossack rubbed his long pointy nose and while smiling.


    While Cossack was making his speech, behind the walls and under Cossack''s nose was Violin orchestrating the guards around and wiggle the spears. They don''t have three hundred soldiers ready to die. The spears were planted onto the ground and moved every now and then by some of the guards to add the illusion of an imposing army. This should scare their opposing tribe, but it didn''t.


    "It doesn''t matter how many you have." Sun yelled back, "I''ll just burn them all down." Sun raised his longsword towards the sky, and mana traveled across his arm and to its blade.


    "So what? That Cala guy did the same, and he couldn''t break through this," Then to Cossack''s dismay, the sword suddenly grew bright red before catching on fire. Then, with one fell swoop, Sun released a red wave of mana at the wall, slicing it in half and burning the surrounding. Cossack nearly fell on his butt, but he could not let these barbarians through the wall no matter. He had one more option left. "Cahahaha!" Cossack laughed, "I''ve always wanted to meet a strong opponent to do battle with. My former Chief was too weak, and no one else in the tribe could match my strength. But you are clearly different. How about this, we will decide the fate of my tribe in a Tina B?kh Fight. If you win, I will recognize you as the new Chief of Razin. And if I win, will take everything from you!"


    Sun smiled, "Fine, let''s fight!"


    "What you''re fighting now!" Shuja was shocked to see Sun walked forward after delivering such an attack.


    "Not now! In a week, we will fight. After all, you don''t look like you''re ready."


    Sun looked down on his leg and realized his wound opened. "Alright, in a week, I''ll return."


    After the heated exchange between them, Sun left with his arm. Cossack collapsed on the wet floor. The puddle beneath caused by his excessive sweating. His white shirt was no longer white, but now stained yellow from his sweat.


    Violin climbed back up the wall. "What do you mean come back next time? Are you insane."


    "What else could I do? They have like five conquerors on them. Not to mention our lie didn''t work."


    "We could have at least fought them. They all looked like the walking dead while we were fully fed during the months of winter. We had a fighting chance."


    "Yeah, until the tall one suddenly shot flames from his sword. He could easily burn us all down."


    "But, he was injured!"


    "That doesn''t mean he isn''t strong enough to kill us. Look, I can make restrictions in the Tina B?kh Fight. No swords, just fist. And with my death touch, I have a fighting chance."


    "But that takes about a month."


    "One week is enough." Cossack looked down on his hands and clenched it into a fist, "One week is enough to get the death touch. I can''t let them in. I haven''t won her heart yet.


    While the Chief of Razin gets ready for the coming battle, back at Bona, the brothers'' mothers were discussing the matters involving their eventual return to the outside world. "Are you sure about this?" Natasha asked.


    "Yes, I''ve made up my mind, I will stay with my son in the forest," Mari said.


    "But what about us?" Cyrus protested.


    "You''ll be fine. Natasha can take you to her home. Right, Natasha?"


    "Of course," She answered while giving Cyrus a hug.


    "But I don''t want to!" Cyrus pushed Natasha off her and jumped on Mari''s arms. "I lost so many already. I don''t want to lose more. Why can''t you come back with us."


    "I need to see this through the end. I chose to raise Sun, and I will continue doing so."


    "Sun?" Cyrus buried her head on Mari''s chest, hiding her envious face from the other women. But she could not hide her tail. It rocked back and forth, growing in intensity as Cyrus kept thinking about Sun taking her light away.


    "Cyrus, don''t cry, dear," Mari said.


    Cyrus got up, embarrassed by the fact she was wiping her tears on Mari''s chest. "I''m sorry,"


    "It''s ok," Mari petted her head, "You went through so much, I understand."


    "Excuse me," Flute opened the tent''s curtains, "The children have returned. I thought I''d let you know."


    "Thank you!" Mari pushed herself up on her feet and extended her hand to Cyrus, "Come on, let''s go greet our kids."

 Vol 7 Chapter 3: Hurt But Recovering

    Inside a large tent made of deer hide and sewn together garments was Sun, who was resting his body on a soft pile of leather blankets. His mother, Mari, sat next to him, resting her palm on his injured leg. A gentle glowing light would flicker on her hand as she tried to heal her son with a healing spell. But the mana was exhausted, and she did not know a way to replenish it faster.


    "You mentioned your duel with him will be in a week, right? My mana might have replenished by that point." Mari said.


    Sun looked at his leg. Shuja sat next to it, trying to close it with a needle and a thread. Sun started losing large amounts of blood on the way back to the camp and had to be carried by Rock. "I need to get better soon. I need to fight that Chief so our tribe could have a safe home." Sun looked up and glanced at his mother, "And a safe place for you too."


    "Thank you, but your leg comes first,"


    "Agreed!" Shuja added, and the two women laughed.


    Smoke and Stick stood at the entrance of the tent, watching over their brother lying on the bed. Sun''s complexion mirrored that of the time he was bitten by the timber wolf months prior, and Smoke could not help but worry that Sun will not be able to fight next week. Then there was the Cheif of the enemy tribe. He didn''t look particularly strong, but he looked healthier than they were as if he starved. In fact, Smoke saw the other guards standing on top of their walls look far better off than their legions. They weren''t thin like they were, and the only goblin amongst their tribe that could compare to the Razin guards was Rock. He has never been thin, even when their rations decrease when Cala lockdown the tribe.


    It bothered Smoke, just thinking about the enemy tribe. They didn''t look like they suffered during the winter. Their walls had scratch marks, but it stood proud and tall, and it surrounded the tribe, protecting it from the outside world. But it also kept the tribe trapped inside the walls, unable to move out to hunt for food in the winter freely. Their only gate was small, unlike Lev''s entrance, which was wide enough for entire hunting parties to walk side by side while carrying their game.


    Then Smoke remembered Cala''s order to kill the slaves and cook them. Smoke closed his eyes and forced his mind to drift somewhere else. He did not dwell on the topic any longer. For now, they have a problem they must deal with.


    Sun''s skin color was starting to return to its normal lively color, but his body was still too weak to move. He tried to push himself in an upright position himself, but Shuja and Mari had to help him in the end. It was beginning to be evident that Sun''s current state will only make the fight longer and harder. Someone needs to step in and replace Sun if he can not recover on time. "Bro, what if you can''t fight when the time comes?" Smoke asked bluntly.


    "What do you mean?" Stick asked.


    "I mean, what if he can''t fight? Someone has to substitute."


    "I don''t need a substitute!" Sun yelled, "I can fight even if I have a broken leg."


    "Alright, fine, you can fight. But I''m not worried about that. I''m worried that you''ll just hurt yourself more."


    Mari held Sun''s hand, "You know I think he''s right. Just in case,"


    "No. I''m made a promise to someone that I will be strong enough to carry him and protect him. And I failed. But that failure made me stronger, and I showed you guys didn''t I!" Sun clenched his hand, and his palm began to light up, "I don''t need a substitute. Just trust me, I won''t lose, no matter what."


    Smoke did not push the topic any further. Sun was too adamant in his decision, like a stubborn child not willing to give up because of fear of looking weak. He left the tent without saying another word.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    He walked around the camp aimlessly, trying to distract his thoughts. He stared at the sky, praying to a god, any god for the courage to watch over his brothers. But he never an answer back, just the silent wind and the laughter of children playing and calling each other by their new names. Smoke could barely recall any moment in his early life that they played like them. There were good times when they would fool around, but those times seemed far away now and barely recognizable. Maybe it''s because of the weight of their burdens, or maybe it was because they were scared to show weakness. They were seen as the strongest, the smartest, and the bravest goblins in the tribe, and they are forced to uphold that image. But Smoke and his brothers don''t know that yet. They only know to do their best, but Smoke thinks this best would eventually kill them.


    While he was walking, he overheard a few of their legions talking about the Chief. They praised his power and the literal fire of his soul. Smoke wanted to laugh, but he couldn''t because he knew the reality behind the image. He sat down on a bench watching the tribe as they gather food and water.


    "Smoke!" Someone called out for him. Smoke saw his mother, Cyrus running towards him. "Is everything ok?"


    "Oh, yeah!" Smoke said with a smile.


    "Then you wouldn''t mind walking with me? Mari couldn''t walk with me because of Sun and Natasha is with Rock and his wife. And I don''t want to go near, I mean, disturb them."


    "Sure I''ll come with you. Wait, wife?"


    "That red one with the baby. Aren''t they married?"


    "Well," Smoke thought about it and agreed, "Yeah, they''re pretty much are." Smoke extended his elbow towards Cyrus. "Nevermind, let''s go out for our walk."


    The mother and son took a stroll outside the camp. The cool spring winds blew through the leaves and branches, and the wet mud beneath them was slippery. Cyrus held on to Smoke''s hands to avoid slipping on the mud. There were birds near they walk, gathering nesting materials and bringing them back to their trees. Occasionally they would pass huge trees with a vibrant array of flowers. It was a quiet and peaceful walk.


    "Is it true your brother is going to fight the enemy Chief?" Cyrus asked.


    "Yeah. On a one on one duel, no less. He hasn''t even recovered from his leg injury, and Ms. Mari is still recovering her mana. I tried learning with the book she had, but I didn''t know healing spells would be so difficult to use. Just healing a small scar was as taxing as using light spell for a whole day." Smoke sighed, "I don''t know how she could do it."


    "I guess she''s just that great." She laughed.


    "Yeah, I guess that explains why Sun is so strong too."


    "Yeah," Cyrus stopped laughing and stared straight ahead.


    "I just wish he wasn''t pushing himself too much."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I understand he has a responsibility to help the tribe, but he is so busy worrying about power and protecting everyone that he forgot to have fun. We used to talk about new ways to fight and hunt animals. I remember Rock and Sun would arm wrestle back at the barn, and they were laughing even if they won or lose. But now Sun is carrying this burden, and" He paused.


    "And?"


    "He isn''t himself anymore. It''s no longer about winning or fighting for glory. Sun only thinks about not losing."


    "Isn''t winning and not losing the same thing?"


    "Both the results are the same, but the mindset before, during, and after the fight are totally different. It''s hard to explain, but the gist of it is that, if nothing is clouding your mind, then you can focus your attention on the fight and just the fight. If you know for certain you''re going to win, then you''re good. But if you worry that you will lose, that means you most definitely will lose."


    "I don''t really get it, but it sounds like it makes sense. Where did you hear that from?"


    "From Sun. And yet he''s the one that forgot his own saying. I just wish I could do something about it." Smoke looked at his hands, "Maybe I could step,"


    But before Smoke could finish his sentence, Cyrus yelled out. "Oh, look over there!" Cyrus pointed at a patch of purple grass. It sparkled under the bright sunlight, and it swayed gently back and forth from the wind. Cyrus could smell the fragrance of freshly harvested honey coming from the grass.


    Smoke, too, was captivated by the sweet smell and took a deep breath to take it all in, only sneeze it all back out. "Do you think we can eat it?" He said while rubbing his nose.


    "No good eat! Bad for belly!" A loud deep voice came out from the shrubbery. Smoke put his hands in front of Cyrus and stood guard, but what came out was a short fat goblin that was one of the guards in charge of Bona.


    "Oh, it''s just you!"


    "Please, no touch. Grass bad. Grass poison."


    "Oh, I see. That was close."


    "Aw, it smells so nice. I wonder why, though?" Cyrus wondered.


    "Only horny toad eat grass."


    "Really?" The mother and son exclaimed.


    "Yes! If eat grass, body no move. But toad ok when eat grass. Just not eat toad, only eat toad for heal."


    Cyrus walked around the grass, staring at its beautiful purple leaves. "Is there any way to cure someone affected by the grass." Smoke asked while his mother is preoccupied.


    "If eat grass, only cure is dry fruit look like heart crushed to small ball. hard make, take hours!"


    "I see," Smoke said, "Well, thank you for the warning, and I think its almost dinner. Let''s head back." Smoke turned around and gave his hand to his mother, "Let''s go?"


    "Yeah!" Cyrus said with a wide grin. She turned back to look at the grass one more time, and her smile grew wider and wider.


    The three of them left the patch of purple grass alone, but the grass was not alone for too long. A four goblin troop arrived in the same area carrying weaved buckets behind their backs. Leading the party was Violin. She gave her goblins poles with iron hooks fitted at the tip. "Alright, guys, gather as much of this grass as possible. Put them in the bucket. And try not to touch it for too long. Who knows what could happen."


    "What poison grass use for?" One of the goblins asked.


    "To make our Chief''s death touch. And with it, the assurance of victory!" Violin raised her fist to the air, "And we will crush those arrogant and barbaric Levs for even thinking about picking a fight with our new Chief!" The other goblins cheered before going back to work. Violin sounded confident about her friend''s victory, but she was worried. She doesn''t know how Cossack got this so-called death touch, but she knows that if he loses, they all will suffer.

 Vol 7 Chapter 4: Cossacks Death Touch

    At the edge of the Razin tribe was a large imposing church, degraded over the years, sitting on top of a hill. The halls were divided into numerous separate rooms, with alter turned into the Chief''s throne room. Small statues made of gold were situated on top of a large dresser, all of which depicted figures holding an oversize cog of their heads. Cossack stood in front of the large closet filled with numerous articles of clothing. He dug through them, looking for the perfect clothes to replace his dirty and wet ones. He also needed a new pair of pants after realizing he soiled himself during his encounter with the Lev Chief.


    Once he found what he was looking for, he tore off his garments and threw them in a barrel. Just then, Violin entered the room through the curtains, "We got the grass you. Oh my god!" Violin covered her eyes.


    "You could have knocked!" Cossack covered his chest and crotch with his hands.


    "Whatever." Violin turned around, "We got the purple grass you needed to make your death touch."


    "Perfect." Cossack shuffled through his shirt until his head popped out, "You can turn around now."


    "Great, now let''s go to the garden."


    "Not yet!" Cossack took out a small purple flower. "I''m going to need some encouragement from my love." He said while sniffing the flower with his cartoonishly long nose.


    "Are you being serious right now?"


    "Yes," Cossack said as he sneezed, "I need to tell her what happened."


    "And to tell her how brave you were," Violin said sarcastically.


    The two of them left the throne room and walked outside. The Razin tribe''s building was smaller than that of Lev, but the land of which they occupy was far larger, and they made full use of the empty spaces by creating small pockets of gardens while in Lev, the meadow was barren. The two made their way to the base of the hill, where a modest-sized barn was situated. Outside were some caretakers working under Violin. They were in charge of caring for the sick and the injured, and the barn was the place they would rest.


    The caretakers bowed their heads before Cossack and Violin before returning to their work. Cossack entered the building with Violin following close behind. There were three rooms inside the barn, and one of these rooms had a goblin spearman standing guard. This goblin was one of the few goblins that were loyal to Cossack, and thus, he was entrusted with guarding Cossack''s most precious person.


    Cossack and Violin entered the room, barely lit by a hanging lamp sticking out of the wall. Violin leaned against the wall beside the door with her staff resting on her shoulder while Cossack stood in the middle of the room. The candlestick was nearing its end, and the fire was slowly wilting away, letting the darkness cover much of the room. But the light was strong enough to blanket the figure opposite of the door Cossack entered from.


    In front of Cossack, sitting on a large pillow, was an elven woman. Her hair was redder than an apple, her legs were long and smooth, she had broad shoulders, and her hands were covered in calluses. Her eyes were crystal blue, and her glare was seething with contempt as deep as deepest oceans. She wore a gambeson torn in half, exposing her soft belly and lower back. Her lower half was lying lifelessly on the pillow, but the rest of her body still had the energy to move.  She picked up a clay cup and drank water. "The hell do you want now?"


    "My lovely Artio!" Cossack ran towards her, landing on his knee, then grabbed her left hand. "You would not believe what just happened!"


    "Get your hands off me," Artio pulled her hand away from Cossack.


    "Those vile Levs from the north have come to take over my tribe. But fear not, for this strong and brave goblin stood his ground and showed them his might." Cossack jumped on his feet and began to flex his muscles. "They could not believe how strong and powerful I was until I slammed my Krepkiy Club, creating a large crevice between me and their army hundreds of goblins." Cossack''s long nose began to twitch.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Oh, really?" Artio said unamused.


    "Yes, my love, but they still would not give up. And so I wagered my life in an honorable Tina B?kh Fight. If I win, I will be their new Chief."


    "And if you lose."


    "Please, my love, I won''t lose."


    "Yahahaha," Artio laughed, then stopped, "Well, I hope you die when you lose."


    "I will never die, my love. Not until I''ve caught your heart."


    "Whatever you dirtbag pervert. Just leave me alone."


    "As you wish," Cossack exited the room leaving Violin and Artio alone.


    "Miss Violin, you go too, no?" The guard poked his head through the door and asked.


    "Just give me a few seconds," Violin said.


    "Ok." Then the guard returned to his post.


    "What do you want?" Artio asked.


    "For someone who can''t walk, you sure have the guts to wish for my Chief''s death."


    "Yahahaha! And what are you going to do about it? Are you going to kill me for it? Then go ahead, I''d like to see you try."


    "Oh, please don''t try to act all tough. As the Chief Priestess of this tribe, I''ve heard about you from my caretakers how you cry every night after having a nightmare of dying. You''re not brave enough to face death."


    "Fuck you. You know nothing about me,"


    "And you nothing about my Chief, my friend, and you certainly don''t know what''s going to happen to you if he loses this duel. Do you know anything about those barbaric tribes from the north? The things they would do to you are far worse than us secluding you in this barn." Violin slowly walked towards Artio. "They would ravage your entire body from head to toe. You''ll be covered in filth every hour with no time to rest. And you''re going to wish for death to come every day, but he will never come to you until your body is broken beyond repair." Violin stopped, took her staff, and poked Artio''s belly while leaning closer.


    Artio grabbed the staff with her left hand and tried to push Violin off her with her right hand, but Violin managed to catch it in the air. "Get off!" Artio grunted as she struggled to wrestle Violin off her.


    "I''m not done," Violin gently whispered, "Those barbarians will fill your belly to the brim until that soft and cute belly balloons. And then a little halfling will crawl its way out of you, and the cycle of rape and abuse continues. And once your holes are loose and unable to give birth to their weak halflings, then in winter, they will roast you alive, and their entire tribe will feast upon your flesh." Artio began to sweat profusely. "So let''s both pray than my friend wins, yes?"


    Violin pulled her staff from Artio''s weak grip and exited the room. Cossack waited outside the barn for Violin and when he saw her outside and Cossack and placed his hands on her shoulders. "You didn''t scare her, did you?"


    "Yes, I did."


    "Why?" Cossack yelled.


    "Because she needs to know what will happen if you lose," Violin said while poking Cossack''s belly with her staff. "Now let''s go to the Glass Garden already. My caretakers are waiting."


    "Alright," Cossack brushed his nose.


    "Why do you like her anyway?"


    "I don''t know. Maybe because she doesn''t know anything about me, so I thought I could be somebody to her."


    "Oh, didn''t think you''ll answer sincerely." She said sarcastically, "Well I know you enough to know that I like you."


    Cossack was flustered. "What?"


    "What?"


    "Look I like you, but as a friend. So I''m sorry if,"


    "What, no!" She yelled, "I don''t mean it that way. I like you as friend too. My tinia,  you''re not even my type."


    "Cahahaha!" Cossack laughed.


    The two of them walked to the center of town, where a large building stood. The dome''s exterior was held together by metal frames with its walls and roof made of thick fiberglass. Inside the glass building was a garden with yams, lettuces, gourds, and parsnips growing from its soil. Violin''s caretakers were in charge of caring for the garden, for this was the garden that feeds the tribe during the harsh winter months. While Lev and many other northern tribes struggle to hunt their food, the Razin devoted most of their time growing a surplus. The Razin tribe sees the job of a caretaker as the most prestigious role a goblin woman could have. And very few are able to fill the position.


    To become a caretaker, one must be single and unable to give birth to children. Their infertility is seen as a blessing by the tribe because they are no longer held down and can grow food for the tribe without any distractions. In return, the tribe considers the caretakers as the tribe''s full pledge mothers. And thanks to these caretakers, starvation is but a foreign concept.


    Besides the caretakers, the job of a guard is a highly respected position. They protect the tribe from outsiders and maintain the walls that keep out wild animals from coming in and disturbing the gardens inside. But it was also the most dangerous for the walls could only do so much. And the length of the walls meant the guards were stretched thin. Because of this, Cossack made fake dolls and moving spears along the walls to make it seem like an entire army guards the walls.


    But the wall is only as important as the treasure it protects, the Glass Garden. Cossack and Violin entered the Glass Garden, and the caretakers working inside stopped and bowed to them. The two walked past the many vegetables being grown until they reached a large yellow tree growing in the middle of the garden. On the base of the tree was a clay jar full of purple liquid extracted from the poisonous grass Violin and her followers gathered, and next to it was a vase of flowers.


    "This better work," Violin commented, "Because we''ve already used up all the fruits grown from that tree to make those pills."


    "What do you mean?" Cossack looked up at the tree and pointed at it, "Look, I see some growing right now." He said with his nose twitching.


    "Whatever, let''s just get over with." Violin tied a white knot around Cossack''s biceps. Then she took a bag of sand and filled the jar until it reached its mouth. "Ok, It''s ready."


    Cossack dipped his hands in the jar until the sand reached his elbow. After soaking it for fifteen minutes, Cossack removed his hands from the sand and opened his mouth. Violin took out a yellow pill made from the fruits that frows from the yellow tree. These pills were the antidote for the poison and must be eaten by Cossack after soaking his hand in the poisonous sand every fifteen minutes. After three hours, the pain from the poison was too much and Cossack collapse on the floor. But his hand was still far from poisonous.


    Cossack continued to do this for five nights, until after the sixth night. Violin gave him the antidote after five hours of him repeatedly stabbing the sand, then Cossack took a flower from the vase and it wilted.

 Vol 7 Chapter 5: A New Challenger Approaches

    Mari sat next to Sun and Flute with her arms crossed and feet tapping on the dirt floor. Flute was applying ointment made from the extract of the horny toads for seven days. The purple lotion was applied to Sun''s open wound. This method was supposed to mitigate the side effects, but Sun has been unable to move his lower body for days.


    Both Mari and Flute wanted to stop before Sun becomes paralyzed, but the wound was closing at a remarkable rate, encouraging Sun to continue with the treatment. And there was also the possible cure to the side effects. After going for a walk with his mother, Smoke told Sun and Mari of the heart pill, which is made of a fruit shaped like a heart. The surprisingly fat goblin had one such fruit hidden under his cupboard. Where he acquired the fruit was a mystery, but what matters is that they insurance in case of the paralysis does not disappear in time for the duel.


    But Smoke could not help to feel that telling him this information was wrong. It was like giving a safety net for Sun to be more reckless. That''s not to say Sun was never reckless. He''s always been reckless, letting emotions take over him, such as the time he took the challenge of hunting the timberwolves despite waking up from a coma not long ago.


    Now its been five days, and the paralyzing side effect was taking a toll on Sun''s body. "Can you feel anything?" Mari asked, "Can you feel any pain? Can you feel my hand?" Mari reached out and grabbed her son''s hand.


    "No, I can''t feel anything. My body feels numb, and I can barely move." Sun answered. "And sometimes it aches, but a troll''s backhand is far more painful than this."


    "Flute, are you sure this treatment will not harm Sun."


    "Yes, it won''t." Flute answered with a shaking voice.


    "Then why is he experiencing the side effects. Did you put too much, maybe?"


    "No, I put as little as possible."


    "Then why is it still,"


    "Mom, calm down," Sun said. Both of the ladies were sweating and nervous. Mari and Flute''s hair were a mess, and their hands were shaking. "Why are you guys so nervous for?"


    "Because this wasn''t supposed to happen. The ointment shouldn''t be this strong, and the way we apply it on you shouldn''t be giving you the side effect." Flute said. "The horny toads we have must have eaten something. And maybe that pill Smoke mentioned might not work with how strong,"


    "It will work," Sun interrupted, "I trust him."


    "Do you really?" Smoke entered the tent with Stick. "Then, if you really trust me, why can''t you just me fight for you?"This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "Oh come on, don''t start this now," Stick said. Smoke and Sun have been arguing for the past three days. Smoke wanted Sun to rest and let his brothers substitute for him, but Sun insisted that it was his responsibility to fight as the tribe''s Chief.


    "Stick is right. We shouldn''t be arguing today," Sun said. "Today is the fight, and we have to prepare."


    "The guards are already making the pills." Smoke said with a stern voice. "But it still bothers me that you''re putting yourself in so much pain, and you could have easily had us fight on your behalf."


    "Its because I have to carry this burden." Sun yelled back, "Do you not know how heavy this responsibility is for me? I''m doing this for everyone as their Chief. Because if Cala couldn''t do it, then I will. As a better a Chief."


    "Fine, as their Chief." Smoke turned around, but before he leaves, he turned his head and said, "But a better Chief would lead the tribe, not carry it."


    Stick ran after Smoke and wanted to say something to him, but couldn''t. He doesn''t know how to comfort his brothers because this is the first time they ever argued. Usually, Smoke would agree with Sun''s decision, no matter how absurd and risky those were, but now he was openly challenging Sun.


    "I know what you''re thinking, Stick."


    "Huh," Stick looked up.


    "Yes, I do want to fight, and that''s because I''m worried about Sun''s safety."


    The two walked outside the camp''s wall, where the goblin guards were busy making the pills. The ingredients were crushed in a mortar bowl then rolled into two round balls before being coated with sticky maple syrup.


    The guard handed Smoke the pills, "Pills eat pair. Eat one, not heal body, only heal half body. So eat two, yeah?"


    "Got it,"


    Smoke and Stick walked back, but Smoke stopped immediately in front of the camp''s front gate. Smoke opened his hand and stared at the pair of yellow pills and took one of them, tucking it in his pocket. Then he walked towards Stick and gave him one of the pills. "What are you doing?" Stick asked.


    "Give this to Sun, tell him if he wants the other one, come to the duel while leading the tribe."


    "The tribe?"


    "The whole tribe. After all, I need an audience when I fight that long nose Chief."


    "What?"


    Before Stick could react, Smoke turned around and ran towards the Lev tribe. Stick tried to run after him, but he almost dropped the pill Smoke gave him. He managed to catch before it hit the floor, but when he looked back up, Smoke was gone.


    Stick ran back with the pill, telling everyone to come with him. He entered the tent with the tribe waiting outside. He told Sun what just happened, angered Sun. He took the pill, and after a few minutes, he regained some semblance of control of his body. Mari and Flute clasped their hands together laughed off their stress that built up after days of treating Sun.


    Using his sword as a cane, he limped out of the tent. Meeting him outside was his tribe waiting for him; nearly everyone stands before him. His legions were carrying a large wooden plank with handles on its side. "Are you serious?" Sun yelled.


    "He told me to get everyone," Stick said.


    Sun refused to get on even if it means catching up to Smoke faster. He walked his way through the tribe and continued walking past the wall with the tribe following him close behind. Shuja rushed to his side, along with Stick and Rock. Mari and Flute watched over Sun as they walk behind him. May and the other caretakers watched far in the distance standing outside the human mothers'' tent. Natasha poked her head through the blinds and saw the goblins moving out. "Should we follow them?" She asked the caretakers.


    "Oh yes," May said.


    "Where are they going anyway?" Cyrus stuck her head as well, "Is Sun going to fight now. I hope he''s ready. We don''t know what could happen?"


    "Oh no, Sun no fight,"


    "What?" The mothers said in unison.


    "Yes, Sun, no fight," May repeated, "Sir Smoke fight."


    "What?" Cyrus yelled in shock.


    While the tribe marches towards the dueling ground, Razin''s Cheif, Cossack, waited on the ring. And he grew impatient. He started playing with his gloves that were hiding his hands, but the more he played with them, the more anxious he grew. He played with his ponty tail but too made him anxious.


    To ease his nerves, Cossack turned to tell his audience the time and started telling them the time he killed a troll by himself. Everyone knew he was lying, with one of them calling them him out for it. But before he could refute, Smoke came out from the forest and entered the ring. "So you killed a troll, did you?" He yelled at Cossack.


    Cossack turned around, and instead of the tall Lev Chief, it was a red conqueror that entered the ring. "Who the hell are you?" Cossack asked.


    "You''re opponent."

 Vol 7 Chapter 6: The Unmovable Smoke

    Smoke entered the red ring while cracking his fist. He threw his leather jacket out of the ring and rested his hand on his hip. "So, when are we starting?" He asked nonchalantly.


    Cossack took his shirt off and threw it out the ring. "Before we start, I''ll explain the rules." Cossack slowly removed his leather gloves, revealing his hideous hands.


    "What the?" Smoke said in disgust.


    "Oh this," Cossack raised his right hand, showing its purple swells to Smoke, "This is nothing. Now before you get too distracted, let me tell you the rules. No weapons allowed, to win you have to throw your opponent off the ring or knock them out. And to make it fair, best two out of three wins."


    "I don''t get how that will make things fair, but ok," Smoke pulled his long hair back and tied it into a ponytail.


    An old goblin walked inside the ring, holding a short stick with a flag attached at its end. He ordered both contenders to bump fist at the center of the ring before returning to their respective sides. The crowd sitting on the bleachers behind Cossack looked at the thin goblin with pity. Not only is he lighter than Cossack in weight, but he doesn''t realize Cossack''s grotesque purple hand is the famous death touch, pioneered by Cossack.


    It was during the winter when they first saw those hands. When he fought the previous Chief so he could keep the woman outsider within their walls, they all thought he was foolish for challenging the man that fought with Lev''s former Chief. But then, when he entered that ring, he was no longer a scrawny green goblin, but a conqueror. They always wondered how he became a conqueror. Cossack claimed he ascended into one when he killed a troll, but they never found the body of his victim, and it was hard to believe a lone green goblin can achieve such a feat. But they do believe that his ascension is connected to his death touch technique.


    When Cossack fought the Chief, he immediately took the upper hand. In just one exchange, their former Chief stood in the middle of the ring paralyze from head to toe, with only his mouth yelling from the excruciating pain. Cossack walked behind him and wrapped his arms on his neck. He squeezed his arms tightly for ten seconds before the Chief dropped unconscious on the ground. The Chief tried to fight back and escape the rear-naked chokehold, but the poison had him chained still.


    When the Chief woke up, he handed Cossack the Krepkiy Club along with the title of Razin Chief. Then he left never to be seen again, leaving Cossack as the new leader of the tribe. But despite his high status, the majority of the tribe did not respect a cheater and liar like him. They were not afraid to show their contempt at Cossack. But, sitting on the highest level of the bleachers was Violin, and they are afraid of Violin. As the head priestess, she could upend the tribe''s food supply if angered, so most keep their opinions to themselves.


    The old referee stood in the middle of the ring and raised its flag. "Two ready?"


    "Ready as always!" Cossack yelled.


    "Same here," Smoke responded.


    Just before the referee drops the flag to signal the duel to begin, Smoke''s tribe stepped out the forest with Sun leading the way. The Razin tribe was surprised to see the entire Lev tribe standing in front of them. They looked thin and malnourished, except for the Chief and the larger red conqueror. But despite their helpless appearance, they looked confident and proud, for they overcome far greater obstacles. They treated this duel as if it was merely a stepping stone in comparison.


    "You''re late!" Smoke laughed


    "Late my ass." Sun said, "You think doing this is better than me fighting him?"


    "Yes,"


    "You know I could have been the substitute." Rock proclaimed, "These muscles are still rock solid even if I barely ate in the cave."


    "Dude, you ate more than the entire tribe did," Stick argued.


    "Hahaha! That''s true." Smoke added.


    Sun groaned at his brothers having such a normal conversation during a very dire situation. "What''s wrong, can''t say anything because you''re a glutton yourself," Shuja teased Sun.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    "Don''t worry too much," Mari said, "He''s your brother after all. You should trust him."


    Behind the crowd, Cyrus pushed herself through the sea of goblins. She kneeled next to Sun, facing her son standing on the ring. "Come back. You shouldn''t be there!"


    "Mama, don''t worry, I got this." Smoke reassured her.


    Cyrus could not contain the shaking in her body. Mari and Natasha stepped forward and tried to calm her down. Mari''s gentle glow did the trick, but Cyrus'' mind was still clouded with fear and worries. Smoke may not have been the light that brings her hope like Mari, but he was her key to escape the pain she went through.


    "Can we start this already?" Cossack asked.


    "Hell yeah!" Smoke screamed, "Let''s see what you got for me."


    "Ready!" The referee yelled, "Go!" He slammed the flag on the ground, and the two charged towards each other.


    Cossack arrived in the middle of the ring first, leaping at Smoke hitting his chest with a flying knee. Smoke stumbled back, but otherwise still standing strong. Cossack did not stop and tackled Smoke, digging his nails on Smoke''s thighs. "Got you!" Cossack yelled. Blood began to drip out from Smoke''s leg, and then Cossack bent his back and tried to lift Smoke''s skinny body, but he couldn''t.


    Smoke gathered his mana and condensed them in one single point. The denser he made it, the heavier he gets. Smoke learned this skill after their fight with the trolls. He wondered how a bunch of green goblins could hold back a troll, and he realized it was because of the mana swirling inside their body become denser. Smoke and his brothers tried to replicate this skill during their time learning the light spell. Sun surmised it''s best used as a defensive measure, making it difficult for enemies to carry and throw them to the ground. And Smoke demonstrated that Sun''s theory was right. Cossack could not push, shove, or throw Smoke to the ground.


    "Why can''t I," Cossack whispered under his breath.


    "What''s wrong?" Smoke asked Cossack, "You broke you''re back or something? Here let me help you." Smoke grabbed Cossack by the hip and lifted his body into the air. Smoke rolled his body, resting Cossack''s upper back on his left shoulder. Cossack stared at the blue sky while the Razin tribe was in shock, seeing a skinny conqueror carrying their heavier Chief on his shoulder.


    "What the?" Smoke threw Cossack to the ground.


    "I''m not done yet?" Smoke rushed at Cossack.


    "Cossack, get up!" Violin yelled on the sidelines.


    Cossack pushed himself up. Smoke tried to deliver a left hook, but his swing was strangely slow enough for Cossack to dodge. The poison was taking effect, and Cossack could not help but smile before delivering a counter with his left hand, hitting Smoke''s chin. The punch was nothing to Smoke. In fact, Smoke was surprised at how weak the blow was, but his legs felt numb, so Smoke wasn''t sure if the much was truly weak, or if he was mistaken.


    His brothers, on the other hand, knew the punch was nothing. Cossack''s form was wrong. His legs to close and his back wasn''t straight. "He didn''t even lean in for the punch," Rock said. "You won''t be able to hurt anyone, let alone Smoke if you don''t put your weight into it."


    "But look, Smoke''s legs looked shaken up," Stick pointed out, "His attack must have done something."


    Cossack continued to dance around Smoke, hitting him with his fist from time to time. Smoke struggled to keep up. Smoke wasn''t sure if it was due to his dense mana or the punch that he felt his body was heavier than before. Then his right arm suddenly stopped moving and went limp on him, followed by a shocking sensation coming from his legs.


    The Lev tribe was astonished to see Smoke''s arm become lifeless, but the Razin tribe expected this outcome. The poison was now traveling through Smoke''s body, rendering his muscles useless. Eventually, he will be paralyzed, unable to do anything but breathe and scream from the pain. Sun stared at Cossack, wondering how those weak punches could render Smoke''s arms unable to move. Then he saw Cossack''s strange purple swollen hands. "Oh, fuck!" Sun ran towards the ring. The enemy tribe''s guards stopped him from entering the ring, or else, Smoke would be disqualified. Unable to enter the ring, Sun yelled out to Smoke to warn him, "Smoke! His hands are poisonous!"


    "A little too late for that warning," Cossack said. Cossack stopped dancing around him and slowly walked behind him, facing the Lev tribe. "Watch Lev Chief, for this conqueror, the slayer of trolls, seducer of women, and the goblin that wields in his hand death itself win this duel." He taunted at Smoke''s brothers.


    Little did he know, it was not too late for Smoke. Before his left hand was rendered useless, he reached into his pockets and took out the pill he kept from Sun. He ate and swallowed just in time for Cossack to turn his back on the Lev tribe.


    "Cossack do same thing before." One of the Razin audience said.


    "Cossack win again."


    "Cheater win, oh no!"


    Cossack wrapped his arms around Smoke''s neck when suddenly, Smoke grabbed his right arm and bringing it over his head and on his right shoulder. "Who said you''re winning." Smoke whispered. Smoke''s lower body was still paralyzed, but his upper body could move again. Smoke tucked in his chin and pinned Cossack''s elbow between his cheek and shoulder. He pushed his hips up and grabbed Cossack''s purple hand, and pulled him over his shoulder, throwing Cossack on the ground.


    Cossack closed his eyes on the way down and yelled out in pain when his back slammed against the ground. But he did not stay long on the ground. Cossack rolled over and crawled away, but Smoke grabbed a hold on his pants.


    Smoke''s legs were still unable to move, so he simply shifted his body weight so he would fall on Cossack''s back. Once on top of him, he wrapped his arms around Cossack''s neck and trapped him in a rear-naked chokehold. Before Smoke could squeeze his muscles, Cossack tapped on his arm, signaling to everyone that he gave up.


    The referee ran towards Smoke and helped him stand up. He lifted his hand and yelled to the crowd, "Smoke winner!"


    "Hell yeah!" Rock jumped on Smoke, and the two fell back on the earth. Sun, Stick, and Shuja joined the pile.


    "Get off. You guys are heavy!" Smoke yelled. Cyrus got on all four in front of Smoke and embraced his head. "I told you I got it, mom."


    "What are you guys celebrating for?" Violin got in the ring interrupted their celebration, "Did you forget, best two out of three. It''s not over yet, right Cossack?" She turned to face Cossack, but he was gone. "Where did he,"


    "Cossack run away!" One of the Razin audience yelled.


    "Leave Cossack, he no win!"


    "Hey, old man where did he go?" Violin asked the referee.


    "There," The referee pointed under the bleachers.


    Violin exited the red ring, but before she left to look for her friend, she turned around and faced Smoke, "This isn''t over yet!" Then she ran, looking for Cossack. She ran through poles and nails under the bleachers looking for him. Suddenly she heard a faint sobbing coming out from the bleachers.


    She left the shadows and saw Cossack sitting under a maple tree, hiding his head behind his knees. The glossy green leaves rustled from the air blowing gently. Violin took a deep breath before walking up to her friend. Cossack is their only hope of keeping the barbaric goblin tribe from the north from stealing their homes. And he needs is little push, and Violin will deliver it to him.

 Vol 7 Chapter 7: Cossacks Comeback

    "Why are you just sitting there?" Violin asked the sulking Cossack, "You lost one round, big deal. You said best two out of three. You can still win this."


    "How can I win against that thing. He''s supposed to be lighter than me, weaker than me, and yet he never gave up in terror when his body was paralyzed. He just stood there, taking punches like they nothing." Cossack showed Violin his bloody fist, "Most of the blood is my own, not his! It felt like I was punching a tree. The only difference was the tree can fight back." Cossack looked at his disfigured hands, "My poison didn''t work."


    "It didn''t work because he ate the antidote."


    "What?"


    "You didn''t see it because you were busy showing off to the enemy tribe. He pulled out the same pill we use. But I doubt he had more. Which means, the second round is yours because you still have the poison hands. Just a little more and you can paralyze him again."


    "How did he get an antidote?"


    "I don''t know, but I have an idea who might have given him one. For now, focus on the fight!" Violin grabbed Cossack by the shoulder, "You need to win two rounds. And you can do it."


    "No, I can''t."


    Violin was taken aback, "What do you mean you can''t?"


    "Weren''t you listening!" Cossack slammed the ground in frustration, "He''s a monster. No, I bet they''re all monsters. My punches couldn''t do anything, and my poison didn''t even affect him as fast as it did our former Chief." He crossed his arms and tucked his head under them, hiding behind his knees. "Besides, our tribe doesn''t even want me to win. They don''t even like me as their Chief. Might as well give him the club by this point."


    "Fine, give up." Violin stood up, and fist clenched with anger. "But before, I just want you to remember that you''re not only fighting for the tribe. Now, if you could excuse me." Violin walked away, hugging herself to keep her body composed before meeting with the enemy.


    Cossack watched her leave. That little bald green woman was braver than he was, he couldn''t help but feel ashamed. He tried to justify his choice, telling himself that he can become a close aid to the new Chief. And that he only gave up so they could show mercy to his tribe, and so many other excuses kept coming to his head. But none of them could bring him comfort.


    Eventually, his mind went blank, unable to scheme of ways to justify his cowardice. Only the leaves rustling above him filled his mind. He looked up the green maple leaves hanging above him. They reminded him of the time he would sit alone watching the other kids play. He was an outcast since he was small, always left alone by the other kids. That''s what happens when you become an orphan in this village, a village where death rarely comes through the small gates or over their massive walls.


    After his mother passed away, the other goblins would avoid him, believing he was the bringer of death. To cope with his loneliness, Cossack would engross himself about stories in different worlds, and try to pass on these tales as his achievements to the other kids. This only earned him more scorn than anything else, but there was one child that enjoyed his stories. Violin was the only that would listen to him. And the two spend most of their childhood sitting under a tree, with Violin listening to all the ridiculous tales that came to Cossack''s mind.


    But as time passed, and the distance between them grew. She became an important figure of the tribe while he was the kid that cried wolf. Violin couldn''t sit with him and listen to his stories as much as before, and Cossack felt more alone than before. So when he saw Artio unconscious on the creek, only one thought came to mind, a fresh new start. Eventually, his obsession for Artio''s company turned into a one-sided love. And that one-sided love led him to duel his Chief and taking that title for himself before transforming into a conqueror.


    And when he became Chief, he was no longer below his friend anymore. "That''s right. I''m a Chief. The great Chief that killed a troll!" Cossack yelled. He jumped up on his feet and ran towards the ring.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Smoke stood in the ring, waiting for him. "So, you came back!" He remarked.


    "Hell yeah!" Cossack stepped inside while looking around for Violin. "Where is Violin?"


    "Me not know. Now ready?" The old referee asked.


    "Ready!" both fighters yelled out. Smoke''s crowd cheered him on, while Cossack''s tribe sat there in silence, shocked to see their craven Chief come back after running with his tail behind his back.


    "Go!" The referee threw the flag on the ground, and Cossack did not waste time and ran at Smoke.


    He pulled his right arm, putting all his anger and desperation in his fist. The weight of his burden compressed into one attack, strong enough to move those that could not be move. Smoke knew this because he saw the light blue strings come out from his swollen purple knuckles. Cossack''s fist was imbued with mana.


    Smoke ducked and weaved to deep to his left while raising his left fist parallel to his head. Cossack''s punch missed its target, only grazing Smoke''s right cheek. But Smoke''s fist didn''t miss its mark. Cossack ran straight towards Smoke''s red fist. The punch made contact with his very long nose, decimating it along the way. The cartilage and bone in his nose broke in half and pulverized by the force of Smoke''s fist, and the bones cracking sound was so loud it was heard around the world.


    Cossack''s head flew back, and he fell on his back for the second time. Blood blew out from his squashed nose like a geyser. Loosing so much blood, Cossack was about to close his eyes, but then he heard a distant voice call out to him. "Get up, you idiot!" Violin yelled to him. "Get up!"


    Cossack''s eyes opened wide. He saw Smoke''s fist coming down from the heavens and onto his face. Before his face gets hit, he rolled away from Smoke. When he got on his knees and looked at his opponent, he saw the spot where his body was broken apart into several cracked pieces. Smoke raised his fist and blew the dust away along with some bluish residue. "I missed." He said.


    "You guys really are monsters," Cossack whispered to himself.


    "Speak for yourself. You have those poisonous hands ready to tear me apart."


    "Cossack, don''t lose your composure!" Violin yelled on the sidelines. She was carrying on her person a large bronze staff with giant cogs broken in half strapped at its ends. It was the Krepkiy Club. The weapon only the Chief could wield. And he was that Cheif.


    Cossack pushed himself and stood proud and tall. He straightened his nose back to its pointy appearance and blew out the remaining blood from his nostrils. A blue mist exuded from his hands, and purple goo oozed out from the swollen areas on his hands. The blue mist wrapped around his fist, and more of the blueish steam came out from his body. "Is he pushing out the poison from his body with mana?" Smoke wondered. Seeing the process unfold before him, Smoke tried to replicate it, pushing his mana along the chest and into his legs.


    "Hey, their heads are glowing." Rock pointed out.


    Everyone watching wondered what the mysterious halo that appeared on Smoke and Cossack''s heads were. Except for Mari, who already knew what those halos entail. "Watch carefully, everyone." She told them, "Things are about to get intense."


    While busy converging his depleting mana into his lower body, Cossack rushed towards him. Smoke, distracted by his legs, was punched across the face with Cossack''s right hook. Cossack followed it with a left hook before bending over and digging his jagged nails on Smoke''s legs. Blood gushed out while the purple ooze covered the wound.


    Smoke streamed from the excruciating and numbing pain. With Cossack''s head exposed, Smoke retaliated with a palm strike to his left ear. The attack was enough to force Cossack to let go, but he did not back down.


    Cossack kicked himself off the ground, launching himself into the air, headbutting Smoke''s chin. Smoke''s body nearly wavered as he fell back away from Cossack. He managed to find his footing before his body dropped to the floor. Cossack followed him, and he continued a flurry of attacks. Smoke had his guard up, waiting for an opening. Sun told them before that everyone can only continue attacking for five seconds in perfect tempo before they reset their pace to catch their breath. Smoke counted down in his mind until it reached zero.


    And just as Sun told them, Cossack''s punches began to slow down, and in a split of a second, Smoke ducked down, dodging the last punch before delivering a devasting uppercut. Cossack''s body into the air, but he managed to land on his feet. "That weight," Smoke said, "You used mana to make yourself heavier."


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about. I''m just here to win."


    "Well, I hope you''re ready, because this next attack will be your last."


    "Do your worst, I managed to get through hours of stabbing my hand into poisonous sand. I''m not afraid of anything!"


    Their halos began to grow brighter as they gather all of the mana into their right fist. Strong winds began to circulate around them. The string that kept their black hair tied into a ponytail was blown away, letting their silky black hair wildly flail from the wind.


    And then, like dynamite, the energy stored within their body exploded into a brilliant array of lights, blinding those looking at it. "Cossack!" Violin yelled.


    "Smoke!" Sun called out to him.


    Then the light dissipated, revealing two tall goblins with strong lean bodies running towards each other. The feathers on the back of their ear fluttered against the wind as they run with their right fist glowing bright blue. Cossack pulled his arms back before launching it at Smoke. But he missed his target.


    Smoke ducked down once more, dodging his fist and countered Cossack''s jab with his right jab. It landed on Cossack''s long nose, breaking it in half for the second time. Then Smoke pulled back his right arm and rotated his body to the side to follow up with a left hook, landing it on Cossack''s side, damaging his kidney. The combined attack on his face and kidney was enough to bring Cossack to the ground. He landed face first on the dirt, unconscious. The Razin tribe was speechless and so was the referee. "Hey," Smoke called to the old shivering goblin, "Why aren''t you counting?"


    "Oh yes," The old goblin took his flag and squatted down and began counting, "Ten, nine, eight, seven," Violin dropped the club and fell on her knees, "Six, five, four," A goblin from the Razin tribe stood up and yelled out to Cossack to stand up, "Three, Two,"


    "Sorry Violin. But Cossack no good Chief." The fat goblin watching with the Lev tribe said.


    "One!" The referee threw his flag to the air, "Smoke wins!"

 Vol 7 Chapter 8: The Tribe Grows Stronger

    Cossack opened his eyes and pushed himself off the ground with Violin and the old referee helping him. His abdomen clenched at the pain coming from his liver, and his legs were shaking and loose. The two carried him by the shoulders. "Come on. You need to rest." Violin said, "Let''s go to the benches."


    "Did you guys get shorter?"


    "No, you got taller, and your green skin returned. And you got feathers growing behind your ears. You resemble our statues that houses the souls."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah, but let''s not worry about that, let''s get you rested first."


    "No. The warclub, give it to me." Cossack took his arms off them and held his hands out.


    "Are you sure?" Violin asked hesitantly.


    "Yes," Cossack looked at his friend and smiled. "Sometimes, it''s just not your day. Its no big deal." Despite the tip of his nose broken in half and pointing toward the sky, it still managed to twitch.


    "Ok," Violin took out the Krepkiy Club tucked behind her. "Here," Tears began to gush out from her eyes. She quickly wiped them dry as they walk closer to the brothers.


    Cossack stepped forward, facing Sun and his brothers celebrating their victory in the middle of the ring. Sun noticed him and stopped his brothers'' merrymaking. Cossack presented Sun the Krepkiy Club. The warclub''s bronze color coating shined brilliantly in the light of day, and the small blue jewel planted behind the cogs at the tip added a beautiful contrast to the club''s orange hue. "This is the weapon and symbol of the Razin Chief, the Krepkiy Club." Cossack raised the weapon into the air, pointing the cog, which acts as the warclub''s hammer, at the sky. "This warclub has been used by the Chiefs of Razin to defend our home for generations. Only those worthy to wield this weapon and have the conviction to protect our home can become the Chief. And today, I have lost that title and privilege, and it now goes to you." Cossack lowered the weapon and laid it on his hands, now clean of the purple poison. He presented the warclub to Sun, who happily rejected it.


    "I''m not the one you should be giving that to." Sun stepped aside pointed at Smoke.


    "What? Me?"


    "Well, you''re the one that won,"


    "Yeah, but I was just substituting."


    "No excuses. Now just take it, that way you''ll know how hard it is to be a Chief."


    "Hahaha! Alright," Smoke walked up to Cossack and grabbed the warclub. It was heavier than any weapons he held before, and the metal handle was cold and uninviting. "Woah, now this is heavy."


    "Yes, it is. Now, if you''ll excuse me, I''m off to pack my things and take my leave. The head,


    "Wait, what do you mean, take your leave."


    "Well, I can''t stay here. Razin does not need me, and I will only invite trouble if I stay."


    "And you willingly leave your home," Sun said with sincerity.


    "Where will you go?" Smoke asked.


    Cossack was surprised to hear them ask him these questions. Why should they care where he should go? "I don''t know, maybe join another tribe or live of the,"


    Sun raised his hand, "Say no more! With Smoke leading Razin, I''m down one retainer. How about it?" Sun extended his hand to him, "Join my tribe."Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "What?" Cossack, Violin, and the old referee yelled.


    "You heard me."


    "But aren''t you staying here?" Violin.


    "Yeah,"


    "So wouldn''t that mean he stay."


    Shuja walked in on the conversation, looking impatient, "Look, are you going to accept or not!" she yelled.


    "But aren''t you going to torture him, kill him, humiliate him. Aren''t you savages! The last time your tribe came here, you had our Chief dance like a fool naked for us to watch! What are you really planning."


    "We plan to live here. And we''re not Cala." Sun said. Our previous Chief ran away when a troll attacked our home. He was coward, and we''re not cowards like him."


    "And what happened to the troll."


    "We killed it and the other two trolls that followed it," Rock said.


    Cossack fell on his knee, shocked to hear the goblins in front of him, and the goblin he fought killed three trolls. "Why do you think we have so many red goblins, and me, and Smoke" Sun pointed at himself and his brother, "And we don''t have a name for this form yet."


    "So I never had a chance," Cossack whispered to himself.


    "I wouldn''t say that," Smoke reassured him, "I mean, we both turned into this for a reason, no?"


    Cossack stared at his hand, which was no longer swollen and purple, "If you would allow me to stay with your tribe. Then I accept, but on one condition."


    "And what''s that," Sun asked.


    "Can you help me heal someone. She can''t walk anymore, but her injuries are still fresh. Maybe she can walk again. Can you help her?"


    "Sure. lead the way." Mari walked up to the group. "I''m Mari, by the way, Sun''s mother."


    With Mari introducing herself and telling them of her healing abilities, Cossack''s face began to light up with hope. Violin helped Cossack stand back up and ordered the old goblin to take both tribes to the center of their village. Sun had the Legions help keep the peace and order. Once the goblins formed an organized mob, they began to move with the Razin tribe''s guards, and the Legions accompany them. There they will officially make Smoke the Chief before announcing the new order they will place in the Razin tribe.


    Then Cossack and Violin led the brothers in the opposite direction, towards the foot of the hill. But before they could leave, Mari had to stop them. "Actually, before we go, Smoke, I think Cyrus needs you." The brothers stopped, and they saw Cyrus sitting in a fetal position with Natasha comforting her.


    Smoke rushed to her side, "Mom, are you ok?"


    "No, go away from, go away!" She yelled.


    Smoke kneeled down embraced her, "Mom, it''s ok. I''m not going to do anything." He could feel her body shiver when he touched her body. Her tail''s fur puffed out, and her hair was a mess. "Mom, just look at me, please."


    Cyrus hesitated to release her grip, but eventually, she let her head free and took a quick glance at her son. "Smoke?" Tears began to swell up from her eyes. There was a sense of relief flooding into her body as she looks into Smoke''s beautiful green eyes. "Smoke, that''s you. I can see you!" Cyrus jumped on Smoke''s arms, and the dam keeping her tears back broke, "Don''t leave me." She repeatedly said as she cries.


    "Guys, I might have to stay here a little longer." Smoke told them.


    "No worries," Sun said, "Just be sure to be at the town square. We''ll have to talk to them soon."


    They left the mother and son alone and walked under a small gate of the walls, while the mob of goblins tried to squeeze through a slightly larger gate several meters away from them. Dawn and Natasha separated from the group and followed the mob into the village. When they arrived at their destination, the caretakers residing in the barn bowed their heads at them. The caretakers could not help but take glances at Sun, for this is their first time seeing such a strange-looking outsider. But some of them recognized Sun''s look. It resembled the small statues they have in their homes that act as a home for the soul of the deceased to rest in.


    Inside, they walked into a room in the back. When they entered the poorly lit room, Mari gasped to see the elf sitting on a dirty. "What the?" The elf asked, "Who are you people?"


    "Love, calm down, this is the Lev''s Chief, his greatness Sun."


    "Cossack?" Artio stared in disbelief, "What the hell happened? Is that really you?"


    "Yes," Cossack turned to the rest, "And this is Artio. She was crippled when I found her."


    After a few seconds, Artio returned to her senses. "Sure I was," Artio whispered under her breath.


    "We tried our best to heal her, but none of our healing methods could do anything."


    "Oh please," Artio said in frustration, "Don''t lie, you prob," But she paused when she looked at him. Cossack''s nose was not twitching. "I see," She quietly said.


    "Well, I don''t know how much I can do, but if it means anything." Mari walked up to Artio and kneeled down to look at her properly, "If you could wait for just a little while longer, and I might just have enough mana to heal you."


    "You can''t be serious. Are you implying that you''re a healer? I''d rather hear Cossack lie to me than this joke."


    "I''m not," Mari stood up and walked up to Cossack. Her palm began to emit a gentle gold light as it hovers on Cossack''s nose. Then, as if a miracle occurred, Cossack''s nose straightened in place. "As you can see, I am in fact,"


    "What''s a healer doing here!" Artio yelled out, causing Mari to jump in surprise, "And why are you acting like this is normal."


    "What do you mean?" Sun asked.


    "It''s rare for anyone to be a healer. It takes an exceptional type of Kas to allow someone to use healing spells so casually. And I only very few people that have it."


    "Really? I thought there were few healers because the secrets of healing spells are only given to noble and such," Mari said.


    "Oh, I wish because at least we have lower nobles joining mercenary companies as healers instead of mindless warmongers. Your Kas is a rare gift that can only be found one in ten thousand. But don''t think you''re anything special. Just like any Kas, you have to go through intense training or extreme shock to awaken it, and if you want to improve your abilities, you have to push yourself to your limit and face hurdles most would die or lose their sanity. But I guess you are special, seeing you are here, walking without any fears, or regret." Artio laid on her back and gave a relieved sigh, "But if you really are a healer. Then I''m willing to wait a little longer. And Cossack," She pulled herself in an upright position, "Thank you." Cossack''s cheeks turned rosy red after hearing her gentle voice for the first time.


    "And how does one know if someone can use healing spells?"


    "There''s a special tool that allows you to see the intensity of mana circulating inside your Kas. A gentle light, a light not too strong and overbearing, but soft to the eye, is what you need to have. That Kas is rare to find. Some people could see them naturally, although those people are even rarer."


    While they ask more questions about Artio, outside the walls of the Razin tribe was Smoke sitting under a maple tree with his mother wrapped in his arms. She looked in peace, knowing her son was still the same as when she met him after escaping another hellish experience. Only this time, there was a soft light coming out from Smoke''s body. Light so warm and tender, just like Mari''s light.

 Vol 7 Chapter 9: A Different Way of Life

    "Would you mind telling us how you got here?" Mari asked Artio.


    "I was part of a mercenary company called Hawkwoods. We were hired by one of the dark elf kingdoms during their war of succession. I assume you guys known it, considering you guys live above them." Everyone nodded, "Anyway, it started out pretty good. We were making profits, and the battles, hard-fought as they were, did not take too much from us. But the good things didn''t last long. It started getting really bad when the Black Crows, another mercenary company, joined the war. They are known to be brutal and often raided civilian homes and villages. Thre are even rumors that they capture civilians and turn them into slaves if the ransom money can''t be paid. We left when they joined. Most mercenaries will leave when they see them on the battlefield. We can''t risk being associated with a group as vile as they were."


    Artio cleared her throat, "So my company left. We had to go through a maze-like cavern before we could reach the surface. That''s when things got worst. A swarm perytons were also fleeing the war, and lo and behold; our captain happened to run into them. During the battle, a cave-in happened. It was probably due to the runoff from the melting snow above us. That cave-in separated me from my team. The water carried me, but I don''t remember much of it because I hit my head on a rock. Next thing I know, I woke on the creek in the middle of the forest with a little goblin staring at me behind the bushes. And I don''t think I need to tell you who was staring at me like a creep." Artio laughed.


    "I didn''t mean to stare," Cossack said while scratching the back of his head, trying to hide his embarrassment.


    "Um, sorry, but what is a mercenary company, and what did you do in it?" Shuja asked.


    "We are just soldiers for hire. Most of them were pikemen. Good, they were fighting the perytons inside a cramped cave. I, however, am a marksman, more specifically an archer."


    Shuja''s eyes sparkled, "Were you the best archer in your company?"


    "Were I!" Artio yelled, "Of course, I was the best archer." Artio tossed her cup into the air, and it landed on Sun''s sword, fitting its pommel inside the cup.


    "Woah," Everyone said in unison.


    "That''s right. I can defeat ten enemies at once, with only one arrow and," Artio stopped when her nose began to twitched. It seemed that Cossack''s exaggerated lies and stories were rubbing on her. "Anyway, that''s not important."


    "Could you teach me?" Shuja sat next to her.


    "Pardon?"


    "What got you interested in learning archery?" Sun asked.


    "I''ve always been good at it, and after watching Smoke fight, I feel motivated. Plus, all this talk about Kas and whatnot got me thinking. Will I be able to learn it? Can I awaken my Kas?" Shuja''s eyes began to gleam, "Will it be alright if you teach me some of your moves? At least until you fully recover, please?"


    Artio found this female goblin''s sincerity strange after what Violin informed her of the northern goblins'' savagery. But it is a welcome surprise, and she learned that even those that lie could be kind. "Alright, I''ll teach you my style."


    Shuja could not contain her excitement and hugged Artio while squealing like a little girl. Everyone was surprised by this, but Sun found Shuja''s sudden interest in learning new things to be a good thing for her growth. In addition to that, Shuja would be too preoccupied with her training to train the legions, who find her high standards and cold persona to be irritating and downright bullying. It saves Sun the trouble in reprimanding Shuja for being too harsh on them, although Sun would miss the chance to see Shuja''s darker side.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    After chatting for another few minutes, Violin had to get everyone out of the room to tend with the mob waiting at the center of the village. Shuja chose to stay behind to ask her more questions about archery.


    On the way, Sun saw the large meadows surrounding the town. The land was not barren like Lev. There were wooden poles laid out in the field marking small plots of land. "Violin, what are those for?" Sun asked.


    "We are going to grow yams and beets. Some grain too."


    "You guys, farm? Flute, why don''t we do that?"


    "Our dirt isn''t fertile enough to grow them." Flute answered, "We can grow some vegetables, but it was easier to hunt and gather. As well as raid the outside settlements. If we can grow vegetables, that would be great."


    "But your people did not care for the land, and you ended up destroying it," Violin commented, "Sun, I don''t wish to be rude, but I hope you''re nothing like her father and ignore the land we live of off. Destroying its fertility."


    "Sun is nothing like my father." Flute growled at Violin, ready to attack her if not for Mari holding onto her arm.


    "I hope so,"


    Sun walked awkwardly between the two women, unable to intervene due to the heavy air surrounding them. To keep his mind occupied, Sun wondered how large their army must be. Unlike Lev, this tribe had the potential to store a large surplus to feed a large number of specialized soldiers. But there is still the problem of winter, and the small plot of lands scattered in the meadow was not enough to grow large quantities of extra food to be stored for later. That problem was solved immediately when they reached the square.


    A large structure sat in the middle of the town. It''s metal frames held together with the glass walls and ceiling and kept the building from falling inward. A giant tree could be seen growing inside through the glass. Sun saw this type of building before, in his memories as a human child watching tv learning about crops from around the world. It was a large greenhouse with a triangle roof and stone brick as foundations, supporting the metal frame above it. And it was large enough to grow an absurd amount of food during the winter months. How it keeps the internal temperatures warm is a mystery to Sun, but he guessed it is similar to his fire spell.


    "Wow," Mari was staring at the large glass structure with the same gleaming eyes that Shuja possessed when she was pestering Artio. Sun giggled, knowing that his mother was as curious as he was when it came to the greenhouse. But before they could explore the inner workings of the building, Sun had to address the tribe.


    In front of the greenhouse, the entrance was a large stage set up by the Razin tribesmen. Despite the short deadline, they managed to build an impressive structure. That''s because most of the men were skilled carpenters, able to build and fix anything, provided they had the tools. The men in Lev were too busy hunting to learn such skills, with Cloud and a few of his followers being the only exceptions.


    Smoke was already there standing by the stage, waiting for his brothers. "Smoke!" They waved at him.


    "Took you guys long enough!"


    Mari and Flute left the group and met up with Dawn, Natasha, Cyrus, and the caretakers watching on the sidelines. The brothers took the stage along with Violin and Cossack. "So what do we do? What do we say?" Rock asked.


    "Do as the Romans," Sun replied.


    "Huh?"


    Once on stage, Violin took the chance to speak before the brothers, introducing them to the tribe. Razin tribe did not utter a word, while Lev''s goblins were cheering as loud as they could when Violin mentioned the brother''s name. "Alright, calm down, everyone!" Violin yelled.


    Sun walked up to Violin, "Just wait."


    Sun stood in front of the crowd with his sword resting his hip. He stood there silently while being surrounded by the noise. Eventually, that noise died down once the Lev goblins saw their Chief waiting quietly without even touching his sword. Not a single movement from his arm nor a word came out from his lips. He just stared at the audience. And this quiet demeanor caught everyone''s attention. Finally, their mouths stopped making any noise as they wait for their Chief to speak.


    "Today is a great day. The sun is shining, the weather is good, and the snow is no longer here, making our days horribly cold. And not only that, today is even greater because our tribe has grown stronger!" Sun yelled, and the goblins followed in his example by cheering their loudest cheer yet. And again, Sun waited for them to finish. After a few seconds of intense screaming, the goblins stopped.


    "Our numbers have increased, and our strength doubled. But the day isn''t over yet. First off, I am not officially the Chief of Razin, because I did not fight in the duel. That title goes to my brother, Smoke!" Smoke walked next to Sun''s side, holding the Krepkiy Club. The Lev goblins cheered on for Smoke while the Razin stared in contempt, but this did not last long. "This does not mean we are rivals. We are brothers, after all. Instead, our partnership is more of an alliance that is thicker than blood. And together, we can weather any storms and overcome any giant. And fighting with us is our Lev''s new tribesman, Cossack, who will be joining our ranks as leading commander in our forces!" This news took the Razin by surprise, and their eyes traveled to Cossack. The goblins from Lev were too preoccupied in their acclamation for Cossack to realize that he was the former Chief of Razin.


    Once they calmed themselves, Sun continued his address, "And there''s more. Razin''s customs are very different. I can tell that they have more hidden behind their walls. At first, I thought they were cowering behind them, but those walls were merely protecting their most valuable treasures, their way of life. My goblins, my people! We survived the months of winter. We stood our ground against the trolls that invading our homes, and we managed to achieve with was thought to be impossible. To find our new home, and to start a fresh new life, we went through the dark hellish cave, and we made it out alive. And we did it all because of me and my brothers, is that right? Or am I wrong?"


    "Who killed the Timber Wolves that fed you?" He yelled at them.


    "Chief and brothers!" They answered back.


    "Who killed the trolls when Cala hid in his burrow? Who was your light inside the darkness? Who won today''s duel?"


    "You!"


    "Then are you willing to follow us one more time? Are willing to follow my lead? Am I your Chief?"


    "Yes, Sun is Chief, Sun is Chief," They chanted.


    "Then follow my command. Do as the Razins!"

 Vol 7 Chapter 10: Reforming the Legion

    Two days passed after Sun''s speech. After his address, he began reforming the legions into a proper militia, ready to fight at a moment''s notice. However, despite now having two tribes under their control, the numbers of legionaries barely increased.


    Most of the Razin tribe''s population were farmers and carpenters, with only twenty goblins acting as the tribe''s guards. In comparison, nearly half of the Lev''s were considered soldiers. Sun found these ratios odd. If Razin were attacked by a troll or two, most of the goblin could escape, leaving only twenty or so goblins to fight and die. The goblins that escaped would survive the slaughter, but they won''t be able to kill the trolls nor protect their homes effectively with such low numbers. But for Lev, nearly half of the tribe stayed to fight against the troll and managed to defend their homes, but a large number of goblins died in the battle.


    Sun believed this was due to the Razin''s way of life. They''re an agriculture society and few goblins would choose the dangerous role while Lev focused their time on hunting and gathering and was willing to take the risk to fight. But this does not explain the small number of troops. Their food supply is bound to attract other tribes. Sun''s tribe, in particular, has come down to attack the Razin on numerous occasions for their food.


    To circumvent this problem. The Razin tribe developed a complex network of levers and pulleys on their wall. The mechanism would move spears and flags to imitate goblins holding spears. Attacker standing outside would see hundreds of spears moving back and forth and are left to imagine the army of goblins moving about behind the wall.


    There are also fake cannons and guns placed on the walls. They are created with barrels and buckets painted black, and they look like the real deal from afar. Sun was excited to hear about cannons and guns, but he was left disappointed after learning that this world had yet developed a proper rifle that can be used by a soldier in battle. In addition to the fake cannons, there were two real swivel guns mounted next to the fake ones. These guns were small and only required a tiny amount of gunpowder to shoot out smoke.


    These deceptions have kept most attackers from trying to scale the walls or break through it, but there are those unfazed by their trickery. In case this was to happen, the Razin tribe would challenge them in a Tina B?kh Fight. These duels keep the rest of the tribe safe regardless if the Chief wins or loses. That was until Cossack became the Chief. His reliance on his crutch technique nearly caused the Razin tribe to lose everything. If it were not for the unusual behavior of the brothers in comparison to past Lev Chiefs, they wouldn''t have kept their peaceful way of life.


    And there is another problem presented by the duel. Depending on how honorable the opponent was, the Razin tribe could lose their food regardless if they''re victorious or not. It was much safer to give them their demands unless their demand was as unreasonable as Sun''s demands. Because of these complications, Sun wants to avoid using Tina B?kh Fight and would prefer an actual battle. Defeating multiple opponents before beating their commander on a duel could prove to be more effective in scaring their enemies away.


    But Sun is no grand strategist when it comes to large scale battlegrounds. That plan is simple, straight to the point, but it lacks forethought. What if the opposing army is entirely composed of heavily armored infantry? Sun has no plans nor any idea how to build a proper arm that could deal with them. He asked Artio, but she lacked experience against such opponents. Due to her role as an archer, she does her best to avoid fighting heavily armored opponents, preferring to target light infantry. Then there are cavalries. Sun knows how to deal with them, spears and they have those in plenty.


    In addition to the twenty soldiers from Razin, they now have fifty-one legionnaires. Sun divided the Legion into five squads with ten goblins in each squad, and one goblin as a lieutenant. And a platoon can be formed by two to four squads. Each squad has five Razin goblins and five Lev goblins, with one squad made up entirely by Lev. Sun wanted to have one half be the original legionnaires and the other half the newly recruited Razin goblins to integrate them faster and have a balance of power. And to make sure no major conflict rise, one squad will remain fully Lev and will be under the direct control of Sun. This squad is known as the 1st Legion and will act as the tribe''s special forces.


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    But before he could form these squads, he needs to evaluate the goblins that best fit the team. Sun created a simple training regiment that will assess a goblin''s physical and mental ability. And the person that oversees the training was Spat. Sun promoted him into a lieutenant in charge of a platoon. Along with the training, there will be classes that will teach the goblins how to read and write. These classes are taught by Mari and Stick. After a week of training, Spat will present Sun the assessment for every goblin. Once he has the information he needs, Sun will compose a proper military force.


    For now, Sun is focused on solving another problem, the rewards for joining the military. Land acquisition was the most natural solution, but none of the Lev legions were interested in owning land. It made sense they care not for it because their tribe mostly shared their property, with the Chief and his close aides being the only exception. Razin tribe was different. They cultivated the land and thus understood the importance of ownership over it, so giving land as a reward will work for them. Sun needs to find a proper compensation for the Lev goblins if he wants them to stay obedient.


    Sun was sitting on the throne room shirtless, looking over the table and the numerous documents on top. There was still so much to do, such as the reorganization of the food supply and the construction of new homes for the excess goblins that were unable to find vacant rooms to stay. Sun rubbed his head, trying to relieve himself from the stress.


    "Excuse me," someone said behind the curtains, "May come in?"


    "Oh, May. Come on in."


    May walked into the room with a cup of water and a bowl of fruit. "Flute say, give Sun fruits." When May placed the bowl on the table, she noticed Sun''s pale complexion, "Sun sick, May call Ms. Mari. She know heal Sun,"


    "I''m not sick or anything like that May. Look, I''m fine!" Sun got up from his seat and twirled to show May his in perfect health. "See! May?"


    "Huh?" May took a while to respond. She was caught off guard by Sun''s hard abs and was in a daze.


    "Are you ok?"


    "Yes! May ok!" May yelled, but soon she calmed down after seeing Sun''s pale green skin. "But Sun not look good. Sun need walk out, skin look dead."


    Sun stared at the table and the paper stacked on top of each other, "Hm, maybe I do need a break. Alright May, lets for a walk!"


    ''Wait, May walk Sun too."


    "Sure, why not."


    May giggled in excitement, "Ok!"


    The two of them walked out of the building and made their way down the hill. Sun stared at the horizon and saw a large plateau stretching out for miles with steep rocky cliffs. The plateau blocked Razin and Lev, and it would take the entire tribe days to walk around it, and climbing would prove difficult with the steep rocky cliffs in addition to the melting snow.


    Sun was thankful for the secret tunnel and felt foolish for losing composure after the whole ordeal. Stick lost more than he did, and he managed to move on, using the tragedy as his motivation to grow stronger and become a better goblin. In contrast, Sun was too busy worrying about his weaknesses and unable to accept the reality of loss. Witnessing the clash between Smoke and Cossack helped him realize that he was not alone, and there are people still there for him. Sun learned to move forward and to keep his composure. Dwelling on the past will not help, but if he learns from it, then he will become a greater goblin and a greater leader.


    It was supper time, but the two kept walking around town. The Lev goblins would greet Sun wholeheartedly while the Razin was colder. Sun didn''t mind there unwelcoming attitude towards him; after all, he was an invader. But after they found out about Mari''s healing abilities, the older goblins and Violin''s caretakers began to embrace Sun and his brother''s rule.


    Sun also saw the legions led by Spat on their jog. He saw Root and White running along with them as new recruits, and they were doing exceptionally well. Meanwhile, the Razin goblins lagged behind the Lev goblins despite outrunning them a day prior. But that was mostly due to the lev goblins being malnourished from the harsh winter months. Now they were no longer thin to the bones. In addition to their healthier physique, the Lev goblins endured against trolls. This marathon is nothing to them. Surprisingly, the women would stare and giggle at the goblins running, and some were brave enough to catcall them.


    May noticed Sun staring at some of the women watching the men run, "Sun?"


    "Yes,"


    "Uh," May tried to think of something to talk about, "Why Sun keep Cossack? Cossack bad, no?"


    "Cossack isn''t bad. In fact, I really like the guy. He seemed like he was fighting for something worth fighting for, and I was right. I just didn''t think it was a woman, although it''s not unreasonable for someone to fight to protect someone you love."


    "Do Sun love another," May gulped, "Woman? Not like Ms. Mari, but other woman."


    Sun thought about it, "Hm, I don''t know about love. I don''t think I love any woman in the way you''re thinking."


    "That not true! Sun got crush, yes?" May''s eyes began to water, resembling the eyes of a baby goat begging.


    "I mean I do have a crush on someone, or at least I think I have a crush on them."


    Hearing this sudden revelation, May could not but ask, "Who?"


    "Nope, that''s a secret only me, and my mom knows about," Sun knew that Flute''s caretakers would gossip in their spare time, and he doesn''t want that secret shared amongst them.


    "Please?"


    "Nope, you''ll have to catch me first!" Then Sun ran with May running after him.


    Unbeknownst to the two of them, Shuja was eavesdropping behind an alleyway with her teacher Artio. Shuja''s checks and ears turned bright red when she heard Sun having a crush. "I wonder, maybe he''s talking about you?" Artio teased her student.


    Shuja did not respond to her. She only looked at her with an annoyed and flustered expression. Then she stormed off to return to the shooting range and go back to practicing her archery. "Yahahaha!" Artio laughed as she watches Shuja do her best to contain her emotions.

 Vol 7 Chapter 11: Shuja and Artio

    Mari fully replenished her mana the day after the duel, so she immediately cared for the injured. Artio''s injury was the most severe, requiring four hours of continuous healing spells on her spine. Fortunately, the caretakers were eager to assist Mari, especially Violin and her caretakers. In the Razin culture, women are tied to nature, and women in some extant can use nature''s powers. For example, the ability to create life is one power nature gave to women. Those that could not give birth are believed by the Razin tribe to have an affinity with the earth, and naturally, they are given the task to care for the plants in their most holy building, the Crystal Garden. But there are powers that very few women could inherit, such as the ability to heal the injured.


    Razin''s believed those that could heal are the most blessed and holiest being, and thus many of the caretakers view Mari with reverence. Violin was skeptical at the beginning, but when Artio stood up, her skepticism was replaced with admiration and worship. Mari found their adoration for her awkward. She is just a peasant girl that just happened to be born with a rare affinity, and so she is not used to being worshipped. When Artio recovered, Violin''s caretakers quickly stormed to Mari''s side, offering her their services.


    Artio, on the other hand, was far too excited to move her body to care what was happening around her. Once she stood up, she ran outside the barn and just kept running until she bumped into Shuja. When Shuja saw Artio move her legs, she immediately requested for her to tutor in archery. And with Artio high on happiness, began to teach her. Since then, the two women would spend their time at the shooting range.


    At the shooting range, Artio showed off her special bow to Shuja. Her composite bow was made from wyvern horns, and wood laminated together with a special compound that gives off a red finish that matches her crimson hair. Shuja stared with awe, "Amazing." She said.


    "This bow''s name is Dearg crafted with the strongest wyvern horn and finest wood. This bow has always been on my side since the day I commissioned its creation. And since then, I''ve slain countless with this bow." Artio took her time admiring her bow before finally beginning the lesson.


    The range had bullseye targets hanged on a wall. Artio requested for soft fabric and bags to be piled up behind the wall in case an arrow penetrate through the wood. Some of the goblins came with bags filled with sand and began to cover the backside of the wooden wall."How can that even happen?" Shuja asked, "Our arrows shouldn''t be strong enough to break through a wall."


    "Do you know about mana?" Artio asked.


    "Yeah, I learned how to use it from Mari. Though I''m not as good as Sun and his brothers."


    "Well, the answer to your question is mana. By infusing your mana into your bow and arrows, you can break through any material with ease. Like a toothpick slipping through butter."


    "Butter!"


    "That''s right! But I think its best to show you what it looks like. Hey!" Artio shouted to the goblins behind the wall, "You finish yet!"


    "Yeah!"


    "Then get out of the way!" Artio walked to the shooting line, took her shooting stance, and began to release mana from her body. A strand of blue light climbed up from her hip before separating into two, with each line twirling around her arms. Eventually, the light reached the arrow, turning its stone tip bright blue. "Are you out of the way yet!" She yelled impatiently.


    "Yes," The goblins stood in sideline next to Shuja. They watched as the blue light grew in intensity as Artio pulled strings.


    "Gotcha," Artio whispered before releasing her grip. The arrow flew through the air, leaving a trail of blue light in its path. When it reached the target, the wooden plate snapped into two, and the arrow continued to travel through the wall before slowing down in between the sandbags. Then it finally lost its momentum after penetrating through the layers of sandbags, and it landed on the earth. And the arrow traveled ten meters in just a fraction of a second. "Good thing we had those sandbags, or else that arrow could have continued flying until it hit someone."


    "Amazing!" Shuja quickly ran to the shooting line with her bow, "How do I that?"If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Woah, hold your horses. First, I want to see how good you are with the bow. You say you are the best hunter in your tribe, but I have to see it to believe."


    "Then be prepared to be impressed, master!" Shuja aimed her arrow at the target and fired three arrows in a minute. The three arrows hit their mark, the center red dot. The carpenters were thoroughly impressed by Shuja''s archery skill and praised her amazing shot. "Well? Are you impressed?"


    "Yes, very impressive. Your stance has great form, and you have a good eye. This saves me the trouble of teaching you how to aim. So we can move on from the basics and get to the advanced class." Artio smiled while walking between Shuja and the targets.


    "Advance! Whatever it is, I''m ready!"


    "Ready, are you?" Artio stood two meters away in front of the target, "Then I want you to stand here.


    "Ok." Shuja ran eagerly and stood on the spot. "Now what?"


    "Stay right there." Artio walked back to the shooting line. She aimed her bow towards at her target, Shuja.


    "Uh, what are you?"


    "Stay still!" Artio pulled the arrow and the string while coalescing her mana at the arrow''s tip. The arrow began to emit the same blue light from earlier.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Trust me on this. I''m an expert in city battles. This trick has saved countless of lives and ended twice as many."


    "I don''t believe you!" Shuja began to shed tears.


    "Yahahaha! Believing is seeing. Gotcha." Artio released her grip and sent the arrow soaring.


    Shuja''s body froze in place and shut her eyes, but the arrow did not hit her, "Did you miss?" Shuja asked, with her eyes still closed shut.


    "You won''t know if you keep your eyes close." Shuja opened her eyes and checked her body for any blood and holes, but there was none. Shuja turned around and saw the arrow Artio shot stuck on the target. "Amazing, isn''t it? I learned this from my old Master, a great man he was. The trick is simple to understand; all you have to do is shoot your arrow in a way that it will travel around an object while hitting the target behind it. This is the advance technique I''ll be teaching you before the mana part."


    "Amazin, my love!" Entering the rang was a shirtless Cossack covered in sweat. His long black hair was tied into a bun, revealing the green plumage growing behind his ears.


    "What are you doing here?" Artio asked with an annoyed tone.


    "I''ve come to tell you I have beaten those brutes!" Cossack''s nose began to twitch. "And with this victory I am," Cossack paused to catch his breath, "One step closer to regain my position as the top dog. But of course, you must be wondering how I achieved such a flawless victory. Worry not, my love, for I will tell you the steps I overcame in that grand battle."


    Artio raised her hand, "Hold up! I don''t have time to listen to your ramblings. I need to impart my knowledge to Shuja before I leave. Time is limited for us. Tell me when you escort me out of this giant forest. Promise?"


    "Of course, my love!"


    "Then beat it, we girls have work to do. That also applies to you guys!" Artio pointed her fingers at the goblins that were dumbstruck from what they saw. They could not believe what they saw. Her arrow changed course mid-flight and glided by Shuja before striking the target at its center. "Ahem!" Artio''s loud coughed caught their attention once more, and they soon fled the scene along with Cossack.


    "That was amazing. I wish I could have seen it." Shuja walked towards her tutor, shaken by the experience.


    "I was surprised you didn''t move. I covered the arrow in mana just in case so I can bring it crashing down."


    "Well, I trust you. Besides, I faced scarier things than that."


    "Trust me, huh?" Artio walked to the target to pick the arrows, and Shuja followed her.


    "Master, why do you give Cossack the cold shoulder."


    ''Because I don''t like him. And before you ask, yes, I considered telling him no and tell him upfront that I do not see him in that way. But it''s his fault for not telling me his feelings, always hiding his intentions with those exaggerated stories and calling me ''love.'' It gets annoying fast. But I do admit that he is a better goblin than I thought. And a part of me doesn''t want to tell him no and bring his spirits down. Especially now, with the sudden shift of power in this tribe."


    "And he has been training with us." Shuja commented, "He''s been improving in combat and his control on mana. I bet he''s doing it to impress you, Master."


    "Ah, is that what it is?" Artio plucked out the arrow she shot at Shuja. "What about you? Aren''t you training under me to impress your crush."


    "Bahahaha!" Shuja laughed before removing one of her arrows from the wooden plate. "I don''t have any crushes."


    "Oh, come on now. You can tell me. Don''t you trust your Master?" Artio puckered her lips and gave Shuja the puppy eyes.


    "No!"


    "Is it that large goblin, Rock."


    "What? He''s married to my friend!"


    "Then how about that handsome one that fought Cossack."


    "Smoke? Please, he looks like a girl with his hair down." Shuja pulled out her second arrow with greater force.


    "Oh, then it must be the Chief. What was his name? Oh right, Sun." Shuja snapped her third arrow in half. "Gotcha?"


    "My feelings for the Chief is merely admiration. Nothing more than that." Shuja said in a cold tone in an attempt to mask her true feelings.


    "Speaking of which, is that him walking with another woman." Artio pointed at the bottom of the hill. Shuja could not help but look to confirm, and Artio was right. Sun and May were walking together towards the town. "Should we spy on them?"


    "No!"


    "But it could help you in the future. As a hunter, you have to stalk your prey for long periods of time. Maybe you have talent in archery but I haven''t seen you use any tracking skills. How about it?"


    "No!" Shuja insisted.


    "Ok, then I won''t teach you my way with the bow."


    "Fine!" Shuja finally gave in, and the two women followed the couple around town. Nothing much happened in their walk until May grew bold and asked Sun a very personal question. Shuja and Artio listened intently as May probe Sun for answers.


    Shuja began to sweat in anticipation, waiting for the answer was more terrifying than watching an arrow pointing at her. Then she heard him say those magical words, "I think I have a crush on them." The world stopped spinning when Shuja heard those words. A warm fuzzy feeling swelled inside, coupled with despair. What if it wasn''t Shuja?


    "I wonder, maybe he''s talking about you?" Artio teased her student, who was too preoccupied thinking about the many possibilities hinted by Sun''s statement.


    Once she regained her composure, she looked at her Master with her cheeks glowing red. Then she stormed off to return to the shooting range and go back to practicing her archery. "Yahahaha!" Artio laughed as she watches Shuja do her best to contain her confusing feelings.

 Vol 7 Chapter 12: Learning New Tricks

    Stick explored the wall that protected the Razin tribe from the outsiders. The walls were painted dark-brown and had foliage hiding its fake cannons. And on the walls were pulleys and ropes attached to the movable platforms with spears attached on its top. When the ropes were poled, the platforms would rise. There were also levers that, when pulled, will drop large rocks. These rocks are tied together with rope and are attached to another moving platform with its set of spears attached on its topside. This platform had wheels on the bottom, and it sat on a railing that slightly descends. Once the rocks are dropped, the platform gets pulled by the falling rocks'' momentum, and from the outside, it looks like a small troop of goblins running down the wall.


    Stick wanted to learn more about the intricate design from the carpenters, but most of them could barely speak and the ones that could have trouble explaining their methods. Stick always wondered why there are goblins that could speak properly and those that couldn''t and what caused this unnatural disparity of intellect among them. Its almost as if something is blocking them, but it was hard for Stick to grasp the severity of his race''s plight. For now, they start with baby steps.


    After investigating the mechanizations that run the thick walls protecting the tribe, Stick met up with Smoke, Rock, and Cossack outside the wall. They gathered today to learn how to control mana the way Smoke did during his duel with Cossack as well as learn how to summon fire like Sun. Rock, Stick, and Cossack sat in front of Smoke, standing on top of a large boulder. "Alright, let''s get down to the basics first." Smoke said.


    "Wait, don''t start yet!" Sun ran to them with his forehead covered in sweat.


    "Sun, you are late." Smoke said.


    ''Sorry, teacher!" Sun smiled, "Won''t happen again!"


    "Please don''t call me teacher."


    "Why not, aren''t you teaching us?" Rock asked.


    "Teacher Smoke, is today''s lesson difficult?" Stick asked


    "Screw you guys," Smoke whispered in annoyance. "And sit down already, Sun!"


    "Alright teach,"


    "I''m starting to regret this," Smoke said to himself. Cossack stared at the brothers, bewildered by their behavior. Cossack watched the brothers for the past two days, and their relationship seemed unshakable and unbreakable. They were thicker than blood, and not a single one of them was antagonizing to one another.


    There was still a clear hierarchy, but Cossack could not see a clear power struggle between the brothers. They all felt equal, and yet not at the same time. Sun is the apparent leader of the group, sharp and headfirst, followed by Smoke, the resourceful older brother. Rock is the gentle giant unless you''re in the way of his fist, and Stick is the runt of the liter, but after watching Stick practice slicing targets from far away with his sickle, Cossack guessed he could bite as hard as the rest of them.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Cossack felt out of place sitting next to them, listening to their banter. Sun sat next to Cossack, and Smoke started his lesson. "Ok, so let''s start with the basics." Sun raised his hand. "Wha-What?"


    "Why do we have to start to the basics teach, we already know it!"


    "Seriously," Smoke said unamused, "Fine, we are starting with the basics because Cossack doesn''t know anything about mana, and how to use it."


    "Mana? What''s that?" Cossack asked.


    "Mana is some mysterious power or energy that every living being has within them. And from what we learned and experience first hand, this strange power grants strength beyond our bodies could actually have. And could even grant you abilities that should not be possible." Smoke lit his hands, and the yellow light shined on Cossack''s eyes, "But there is one problem, and that is we don''t know how to awaken, so to speak. From our experience, mana seems only comes out when we are in the brink of death."


    "Death? Isn''t that a bit exaggerated." Rock said.


    ''Maybe, but it''s no coincidence that we began to use mana after going through an extremely dangerous experience. An intense shock could also be a factor."


    "Um, you''re not suggesting anything dangerous, right?" Cossack asked with concern. The brothers looked at him and smiled. Their smile was childlike, but for Cossack, those smiles were coming from devils.


    Rock got up, "Alright, let''s learn how to use mana!"


    "Hold on, let''s go easy on him." Sun held Rock back, "First, we need to know if you can control mana consciously. Teacher, how should he goes about that?"


    "I hoping we ended that a long time ago." Smoke released a small amount of mana from his body, letting it climb towards his left palm and covered it with a blue veil of mana. "To do this, you need to recall the feeling of mana. The coldness of it, the texture of the blue mist, and once you get the most perfect recreation of that feeling in your head, imagine a blue light swirling towards the palm of your hand, wrapping around it like a glove."


    "And what if I don''t remember the exact feeling?"


    "Do you really think we remember how mana felt the first time, too?" Rock interjected, "When I first started using mana, it was cold, but when I was covered in that blue fire, it felt like I was covered in ice. That shit is hard to remember, but my body knew that feeling instinctively that just imagining the cold mana flowing down my arms is enough," Blue flames burst out of Rock''s right arm before being blown away by the wind, "To draw the mana out of me. But these are just the things we can understand."


    "So, you think you can do it?" Sun asked.


    "I''ll try," Cossack closed his eyes and recalled the moment he transformed. He remembers the cold, bitter feeling that drowned his body when he was transforming beyond the red conqueror and into the unknown. Before he knew it, his muscles began to pulsate in time with the rhythm of his heart. Just as Rock said, his body remembered the feeling far better than his mind. His skin felt the freezing cold, and his blood froze in place. Then he imagined this freezing sensation crawl its way to his palm. But when he opened his eyes, none of the mana stayed on his palm. They dissipate as quickly as they appeared. "It worked! Well, sort of."


    "Maybe something is missing?" Sun clapped his hands together, igniting his palm, "When my mom was teaching us about light spells, she told us about how we can trick the body to think it''s hot so the mana could replicate the heat and in turn become light. But when I happened to learn, I guess we can call it fire spell, my body was not only hot, but my mind was also filled with anger. And that anger manifested into flame. Is that similar to how you learned to control your weight with mana, Smoke."


    "You didn''t say teacher this time," Smoke remarked.


    "Ah, I forgot. Sorry te-"


    "Anyway, when I was fighting Cossack, all I could think about was how to win. Then I remembered the time we fought the trolls. My body was heavier than it was now and combined with the weight of the tribe''s expectations, and I started pulling in all the mana on my body in the center of my gravity."


    "So Cossack is missing something crucial in his memory," Stick said. "Was there something on your mind? Maybe your body was changing, and the sensation was separate from the chilling mana."


    Cossack eyes lit up, "The poison in my hands." Cossack remembered the stinging sensation from his hands, how the poison began to seep out from his pours as it gets pushed out by the mana circulating in his body. Cossack remembered that moment, and his body remembered it too, and like a baby swimming for the first time, controlling mana came naturally to him despite being such a foreign concept.


    Small blue lights snaked around towards his chest, colliding with one another to form a rotating disc. The disc was so small, the brothers could not see, but they felt its cold presence. "Am I doing it now?" Cossack asked.


    "Rock?" Smoke motioned for him to carry Cossack.


    "Alright," Rock grabbed Cossack on the hip and tried to lift him up, but he could only get him a few centimeters above the ground.


    "I did it!" Cossack released the mana from his body and celebrated with a dance around Rock. "So what''s next?"


    The brothers looked at each other before looking back at Cossack, "Practice!"

 Vol 7 Chapter 13: Family is fleeting, Trauma is Forever

    Mari sat down while the caretakers prepare her new clothes on the second floor of the church. Violin''s caretakers were quick to pamper her because they believe receiving her favor will result in a healthy life. And to anger her means eternal damnation. Mari has no such power over life and death, but the majority of them were blind for that fact. Mari decided to just let them do as they please, as long as they are not hurting themselves. She sat on the pews facing the thin walls built by the Razins to separate the open chamber into various rooms waiting for the caretakers. The walls short enough for Mari to see the alter across from her, which was now the throne room.


    She saw the stained glass above the throne room, depicting the image of an olive branch floating down to a figure raising its hands to the air, ready to catch it. Mold, dirt, and bird feces covered the figure''s body, and it was to recognize its race. But Mari believes there could be idols in the throne or reliefs on the alter.


    She stood up, walked towards the throne room. When she entered the room, she was met by a small humble chair. It was bright red, and a white pillow acted as the cushion for the sitter''s butt. Behind it was the alter, broken apart and in near shambles. The idols were missing from their places, and the relief sculptures were damaged and unrecognizable. Mari kneeled down next to the alter to investigate closer in the hopes of finding hidden details, protected from nature, but she could not find anything worth mentioning.


    Mari was hoping she could learn about the former residence of the forest, but she was disappointed to find nothing. The caretakers saw her inside the throne room and began to panic when they saw her sadden face. "Ms. Mari!" They came running at her, "Ms. Mari! What wrong? We help, Ms. Mari no cry."


    "What?" Mari was startled when the caretakers hugged her legs, "I''m fine, please don''t worry about it." Mari pulled herself up, "Please get up everything is fine."


    "No fine, Ms. Mari cry. We help," One of the caretakers said.


    "No it''s fine, I was just looking at the altarpieces, but they''re all broken."


    "Oh but we have statues! Kit bring!" Kit rushed to the corner of the room where a large cabinet stood. Some of the caretakers followed Kit and carried her to the top so she could reach the idols. They brought them to Mari, taking great care of each statue because they were fragile. Breaking them in front of Mari would be the worst sin.


    When Mari got them, she was stunned. The figures were made of porcelain, and they were holding cogs crudely carved out from wood. Mari guessed these cogs were added by the Razin because they lacked the beauty and intricacy of the figures. But that was not the most important part; the figures depicted hold greater value for Mari.


    They had the same features as Sun, Smoke, and Cossack. The small plumage growing behind their ears and large eyes were the key features they share. And to make sure the statues were not angels, she checked behind them for any signs of wings broken off, and there wasn''t any.


    Mari was ecstatic because these relics of the past proved that the former residence of the forest was a race similar to Sun''s current form. The only question left was why none of them survived, and why do the goblins transform into them. Maybe this alien race reverted to its most savage form after arriving on their world? But this doesn''t explain the mysterious enemy referred to in the diary.


    For now, this was enough for her. Afterward, the caretakers presented the new clothes they prepared. They were surprisingly well-made pajamas, comfortable and soft. And the pajamas were dyed in colors representing the four seasons; green for spring, red for summer, orange for fall, and blue for winter. Mari happily accepted the gifts, which made the caretakers the happiest goblins in the tribe. The caretakers would later brag to their peers that they brought Mari gifts that made her happy.


    Mari left the church after trying the new clothes and walked back to the barn to rest. But when she returned to their room, she was met with a very shaken Cyrus. "What''s wrong?" She asked Natasha sitting on her bed.


    Cyrus lunged into Mari''s arms and hugged her as tight as she could. "I told her that we''ll be leaving soon and that you won''t be coming with us," Natasha said.


    "Please come with us!" Cyrus muffled through Mari''s bosom.


    "I''m sorry," Mari stroked Cyrus between her cat ears, "I have to stay. There''s so much I need to know, so much to see. And I have to take care of Sun."


    "No!" Cyrus tail began to wag back in fourth, "You don''t need to stay. Just come with us! I have no one but you out there."


    "What about Natasha,"


    "No! It has to be you!"


    Cyrus'' obsession caught Mari off guard as Cyrus continues to wail on her chest. She was like the caretakers, but far more demanding. And Mari could not blame Cyrus for imprinting on her after the tragedy inside the cave. Mari could only try to calm her down and explain the situation, but Cyrus did not give in.


    Finally, Natasha had enough and decided to walk up to Mari and whisper to her ears. "You can''t be serious!" Mari exclaimed.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ''Why not? I can''t exactly bring her to my family and expect them to accept her. Or for her to integrate into our village. It''s better for her to stay here, where she has you, and her son. And not to mention her nephew, who also needs a family. Someone that can tell him more about his mother."


    "You think I should stay here instead," Cyrus looked at Natasha. Her eyes were flooded with tears and snot dripping from her nose.


    "Would you like to stay with me?" Mari asked.


    Cyrus carefully thought about it, and she took her time. Staying meant she would be under the scorching light, but she also had two glitters of hope in the form of Mari and her son Smoke. She weighs her options before announcing her decision. "Well?" Mari stroked her hair.


    Cyrus stared into Mari''s chest and saw the ball of light gently caressing her body. Then she remembered Sun gorging on this very essence like a glutton until nothing is left. And the thought of it disappearing haunted her. "I''ll stay!" She said, "To protect you,"


    "To protect me?"


    Suddenly the door was burst open. "Excuse, Ms. Mari," Flute walked up to Mari, "We need you."


    "What happened? Oh, and please don''t call me miss. I''m tired of hearing that word."


    "Sorry. Anyway, we need your help. Those boys were playing outside the wall. They said they were sparring, whatever that means, and while they were playing, they got a little too rough."


    "How rough?"


    "Well, about a dozen trees got uprooted. And one of those trees landed on Rock."


    "Is Rock ok?" Natasha asked.


    "Yes, but Rock and the massive tree that landed on him crushed Cossack. Sun asked me if I could get you,"


    "No worries, just lead me those troublemakers." Mari gently pushed Cyrus off her, "I have to go and help them, ok? I''ll be right back, and we can discuss this further."


    "Ok, I''ll be waiting."


    "I''m coming too," Natasha told Flute, and the two women ran outside. Meanwhile, White just arrived at the barn. Spat sent him to the caretakers to ask them to wash the Legion''s clothes, but after searching the barn, not a single caretaker was present aside for Tie and Pin taking care of Mabel at the backroom.


    With the barn empty, White was ready to go to the Glass Garden and asked the caretaker there for assistance, but before he left, he heard a mysterious voice coming from the walls. Out of curiosity, he followed the voices up the ladder and through a hallway until he reached the room where the brother''s mothers were staying.


    He peaked through the door and saw Cyrus whispering to her pillow while she sat on the floor. Eventually, her voice got louder and began to scream at the pillow. "It''s your fault. You tried to separate me from her!" Cyrus paused, then she threw the pillow at the wall. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to, it was your fault that I." Cyrus crawled towards the pillow, but she did not grab it. She just sat there staring at the fluffy cushion before grabbing another one on the bed. This time she carried the pillow like a baby, gently patting its bottom, "It''s ok, Smoke will save me. Smoke will not leave me. Mari and Smoke will always be here for me right, sweety?"


    White tried to leave without getting noticed, but the wooden floor creaked, and Cyrus'' head rotated like an owl and stared at White''s goat eyes. And just like before, she simply smiled at him. White''s heart began to beat faster, and before Cyrus could say anything, he ran away and fell down the ladder. A haystack softened his landing, leaving him with just a bruise on his elbow.


    He got jumped and ran towards the door, only to stop when Pin called out for him, "White! Before go, White call Spat here!"


    White turned around. His chest kept pumping and making it difficult to speak as he tries to catch his breath. "Huh, why?"


    "Mabel she,"


    "She what?" Suddenly appearing behind White was Spat. "Well, what happened, is she ok?"


    Pin smiled, "Yes, she''s waking up. Come on, we have to hurry!"


    "Sahaha! You heard that White, let''s go!" Spat pulled White on the arm and dragged him with them to Mabel''s room. When they got there, they saw Mabel rubbing her eyes and scratching her forehead covered in bandages. Apple, Tie, and Dawn sat next to her, but Spat did not even notice them because his eyes were fixed on his wife that he missed so much. "Mabel!" Spat could not contain himself, so he ran and embraced her.


    "What!" Mabel''s cheeks turned red in embarrassment. When she regained her senses, she aggressively pushed Spat off her, "No! Mabel married. No hug, Mabel only love Spat, no other goblin!"


    "Huh?" Spat was confused, and then he realized Mabel had never seen Spat turn into a red conqueror and confused her for one of the brothers. "Sahahaha! It''s me!"


    "Sahahaha?"


    "Mama, that papa!" Apple said.


    "Huh?" Mabel looked Spat then back at Apple, "That no papa. Papa small, green.


    "Did you really have to say I was small! Shahaha!" Spat laughed.


    "Sahahaha? No, not true." Mabel examined Spat again, "If Spat real, then what Spat do first night?"


    Spat''s face went dark, "Do I have to say that out loud. It''s a bit embarrassing."


    "You can just whisper it to her." Dawn suggested.


    Spat leaned forward and whispered on Mabel''s ear. She was listening as attentively as she could, but Spat''s hard and rigid body distracted her. She couldn''t help but ogle at Spat''s collar bone and broad shoulders. Then the most embarrassing part of that night came up, and Mabel''s cheeks turned rosy red, and her mouth puckered in an attempt to suppress her laughter. "No more!" Mabel hugged Spat, "Mabel know Spat real."


    "Yay, mama papa make up!" Apple joined them, sneaking between their bodies to get sandwiched by them.


    "Mabel so happy!" Mabel pulled herself away and rechecked Spat''s body, "Spat so strong now, so big, hard," Mabel''s hands traveled down to Spat''s abs, "And big."


    "Ough ough!" Dawn, Tie, White, and Pin coughed.


    "Oh sorry,"


    The surface world was experiencing the beauty of spring, and the exciting changes to come as the cold winter leaves the continent, replacing the falling snow with flower petals. But deep under the earth, inside the caverns and chambers lit by luminescent flora, there was no spring festival. Just two tired armies that were finally ending their conflict.


    After three days of negotiation, the two sides made peace under a large glowing sunflower, as large as an oak tree. After the signing, the army led by the rebelling nobles left the camp and the light from the sunflower, and entered the darkness and returned to their territory.


    General Andrik watched the dark elves leave outside the general''s tent. He and Prof. Logue acted as the mediator for both sides since they were neutral and had the interest to maintain the peace underneath their dwarven kingdom. A dark elf walked out of the tent and asked, "Do you find it cathartic watching the defeated leave with their tails between their legs?"


    "Maybe, how about you, General Krek?"


    General Krek was wearing an unbuttoned shirt and tight leather pants, and his long blond hair rested on his shoulders. His piercing green eyes glow in the dark, and his dark blue skin shines under the fluorescent sunflower petals. "Definitely." Krek leaned on the flag pole while picking his teeth with a butter knife, "Also, where is the professor."


    "His with the goblin''s mother, you know the beastkin you found unconscious. I still can''t believe you guys found her."


    "Yeah, too bad she doesn''t remember her name." Krek tucked his knife in his pocket. "But are you guys sure she''s the mother."


    "Yeah," Andrik combed his hair with his fingers, "I may be old, but my memories have yet deteriorated. I still remember the days when I was a child like it was yesterday."


    "I see." Krek sighed and tied his long blond hair into a ponytail, "I wish Captain Bret Hart were here to meet you."


    "Isn''t he a Golden Condottierro."


    "The second strongest Golden Condottierro!"


    "Does it matter if the guy is second or last. The Golden Condottierro are the strongest mercenary captains in the world, and their companies are as strong or even stronger than some of the nations in this continent."


    "Not Captian Bret Hart. He is the entire company, the entire army."


    Andrik raised an eyebrow, "I guess that does sound impressive." He pulled out a cigar and lit by snapping his fingers, "So why did he leave? He got hired to work for another country after this?"


    "No, he has yet to finish the contract our king signed with him. He''s out there, walking in the dark caverns hunting his prey."


    Andrik blew a cloud of smoke, "Prey?"


    "Yes, our enemy hired a troublesome mercenary company, by the name of Black Crows. We had reports of them kidnapping our citizens during the war, forcing them into slavery. That was why we hired Captain Hart."


    "To capture those scums." Krek walked back to the tent, "I hope the Black Crows don''t make it to the surface. I wouldn''t want them to hurt your new little goblin band."


    "Anhahaha," Andrik threw his cigar on the floor and stepped on it, "I saw there Kas, those goblins are no pushovers."

 Vol 8 Chapter 1: Finishing The Mission

    After a week of preparation, Artio and Natasha packed their bags filled spirits, clothes, utensils, and dried yams. The brothers were waiting outside the barn with Shuja, Mari, and Cyrus. The moment Natasha exited the barn, Mari and Cyrus jumped into her arms, crying their goodbyes. And they continued to hold on to Natasha''s arms on the way to the wall. "Are you sure you want to go?" Mari asked her.


    "Yeah, I need to let my family know I''m safe. And why just me, what about you? Are you sure you want to stay? Because unlike, I mean, your family is probably worried sick for you."


    "Oh please, we''re a serf family, No one expects me to come back dead or alive."


    "Don''t say that!" Cyrus intervened, "I would never live in peace, not knowing if you''re safe out there."


    Mari smiled, "Thank you, Cyrus. But I really don''t have anything out there worth for me to return. I rather stay here with my son." Mari held on Natasha''s arm tightly as they walk down the hill and through town. She tried her best to hide her sorrow, for this could be the last day they will ever see each other.


    The goblins they met along the way followed them. Some of the goblins in the Lev tribe were saddened by the news of Rock''s mother leaving. Although her presence was not as pronounced as Mari''s, they still felt sad to see someone so close to the brothers'' leave. They could already tell her spot in the tribe will be unreplaceable, especially to Rock. In contrast, the Razin goblins followed them because they were merely curious about the commotion.


    Spat and the Legions were waiting at the wall and saluted Sun and his companions as they passed by them. Cyrus and Mari freed Natasha''s arms and joined the crowd next to Dawn and Mabel. They stood in front of the gate, ready to depart, but they were missing someone. "Where the hell is Cossack?" Sun asked.


    Running behind the crowd of onlookers was the latecomer, Cossack. His tall body towered over the small green goblins. "I''m here!" Cossack waved at them.


    "There he is."


    "So, everyone going should be here then?" Smoke held his finger up, "Let''s see, me, Sun, Rock, Shuja, Stick, Artio, Cossack, and Natasha. Seems about right. Should we say our goodbyes Sun."


    "Way ahead of ya!" Sun leaped on the wall and faced the crowd, "Alright, everyone! We will be escorting Artio and Natasha back to their homes. We will be gone for two days, and I expect all of you to be in your best behavior while we are gone. Spat and the Legions will be in charge of maintaining order; meanwhile, Flute and Violin will handle domestic affairs."


    "Will Chief bring treasure back!" A Lev goblin yelled out.


    "We''re not leaving for a raid! This is an escort mission, so don''t expect us to bring treasure outside the forest. Also, Legion, you are to follow the rules I''ve written down. If you still haven''t picked up reading from my mom''s classes, Spat will tell you rules. Break any of them, and I will break you. Now, does anyone else have any concern regarding our absence!" The crowd murmured among themselves, but eventually, silence replaced their whispers. "Then, I guess that''s it." Sun jumped back down, "Alright, let''s go! We got ten hours of walking!"


    "Bye guys, I will miss you, girls!" Natasha waved goodbye one last time to Mari and Cryus.


    "Come visit us!" Mari yelled.


    "Don''t tempt me!"


    One of the goblin caretakers jumped out from the crowd, "Wait!" She called out to Natasha, "Ren made gloves. Ren wish Natasha wear. Ren sorry no time friend Natasha."


    Natasha was surprised to see her former caretaker come and give her a gift. They did not have the strongest bond. In fact, Natasha hated her during her vegetative state, but their relationship became more amicable over the days they spent together. Maybe it was because they both cared about Rock or Ren learning to be more patient and empathetic after losing a friend. Whatever it was, it matters not for Natasha. "Thank you Ren. I''ll keep these gloves close to me." Natasha tucked the gloves into her bag.


    Ren smiled and hugged Natasha before returning back into the crowd. Rock noticed his mother''s tears running down her cheek. "Mom, give me your bag. I''ll carry it for you." Rock reached out his hand.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Thank you, Rock." She gave the bag to Rock. Afterward, she reached out to Rock''s massive left arm and wrapped her right arm around it while they walk, letting him carry her burdens. His massive biceps and broad shoulders were out of this world. She couldn''t believe the small green goblin she was forced to raise could grow as tall as her, and possibly taller if he transformed into another a similar form as Sun.


    The tribe kept yelling at them their goodbyes, and it took a while for them to walk far enough for the roaring sounds from the tribe to disappear. The tranquil sounds of the forest became their new background music. The birds singing and the leaves rustling on the wind created a peaceful, harmonious experience for the brothers. Aside from Sun, this was the first for Rock, Stick, and Smoke. All they knew before Spring was the cold soft snow, the frolicking deers, and the terrifying Timber Wolves. The orchestra of birds mesmerized the brothers, and they excitedly called out the colorful birds they''ve never seen before during their hike. Sun was also enthralled by his brothers'' excitement.


    Natasha told them the names of the birds they see and hear, and told them stories about them. Artio, Shuja, and Cossack walked ahead of the group. Artio was carrying a torn-up map of the forest and a compass. Their first destination was south of the Crimson Branches west of the Razin tribe. Once they rest for the night, they will head south until they reach the edge of the forest. By then, a castle owned by Artio''s uncle can be seen on the horizon. Artio and Natasha head there by themselves.


    Cossack leaned in to get a peek at Artio''s map. "Isn''t it dangerous walking so close to the Maston tribe?" Cossack asked.


    "Who are the Maston?" Shuja asked.


    "You don''t know who they are?"


    "Nope,"


    Artio folded her map and turned around. "Hey!" She called out to the brothers that surrounded Natasha like eager children around their mentor. "Sorry to interrupt your field trip, but I need to know if you guys ever heard of the Maston tribe."


    "Maston tribe? I never heard of them," Stick said.


    "What do you expect? They were born just this winter." Shuja said, "They''re practically babies born yesterday."


    "Haha! Said the one shorter than me." Sun joked.


    Artio whispered to Shuja''s ear, and she immediately relayed Artio''s words. "Well, a baby like you still can''t handle me, no more how big you are I''ll still crush you between my legs."


    "What?"


    Shuja''s cheeks turned red after realizing the innuendo behind the joke. "I didn''t mean it that way!" She turned to her mentor, "Master Artio!"


    "Yahahaha!" Artio laughed, "Ok, that''s enough fooling around. We need to discuss something important. Ahem," Artio cleared her throat, "We are going to enter Maston tribe territory, and they are not isolationists like Razin tribe."


    "So, what you''re saying is that they are dangerous?" Stick asked.


    "Exactly!"


    "Fear not," Sun rubbed his nose and took his sword, pointing it towards the sky. "I will burn them away with my flaming sword!"


    "And I will," Rock took out his silver and bronze bucklers and punched them together, "Pulverize them with my bucklers!"


    "And I will slice them with my sickle!" Stick raised his sickle to the sky.


    Smoke silently judged his brothers next to Natasha. "Smoke, aren''t you going to join?" Sun asked.


    "Alright," He sighed, "And I will crush them with my warclub." Smoke raised his warclub to the sky.


    "Shuja it''s your turn!"


    "No! I''m not doing that." She protested.


    "Why not?"


    "Because you look stupid." This statement was like an arrow shooting through Smoke''s heart. He collapsed on the floor, defeated.


    "Anyway," Artio clapped her hands to get everyone''s attention, "Maston tribe can be very hostile against outsiders, but not all outsiders. And they also have times when they are least active in their patrols. Basically, if the conditions are right, they will attack us."


    "And what''re the conditions?" Smoke asked.


    "The obvious one is the season. They are least aggressive during the winter because no one in their right mind will come here through three feet of snow. Summer is when they heightened their patrol since most peasants are done with their Spring harvest and finished planting their Summer crops. Its the best time for them to come to the forest and chop down wood. Something the Maston tribe is not too happy about."


    "So they''re tree huggers?" Sun asked.


    "I guess," Artio walked up to one of the pine trees, "Now the second thing you need to know is the trees. The forest is special to them, and they will do whatever it takes to protect it. It''s one of the reasons why dwarves don''t patrol these parts the Maston can do their job for them. But there is one type of tree you don''t want to be near, a bright red tree known as Tungstree. It''s the strongest tree in the known world, able to go through the harshest storms and survive volcano eruptions. Because of this, most people that come through these parts harvest these highly valuable trees."


    "And I''m assuming these trees are holy to the Maston. So going near these trees could get us mistaken as an invader trying to chop their trees."


    "Exactly. But avoiding those trees is rather simple. If we see it, we move on. And finally, the third condition for angering the Maston tribe, are you a woman or a man?"


    "What?"


    "Maston is a matriarchal society, and from what I heard, they despise men, and they often target men that walk in on their territory. And the problem is, as you can tell, five of us are men."


    "Sorry, but what do you mean by matriarchal Master Artio?" Shuja asked.


    "Its a tribe ruled entirely by women. I don''t know much about the men, but I know their leaders are women. Basically, if you guys treat women like trash in your tribe''s past, that''s pretty much the opposite of Maston."


    Natasha covered her mouth in shock, "I didn''t know such a goblins tribe exist. How do you know so much about them?"


    "I told you, my relatives are near this part of the forest. We know a lot about the goblins in those parts than the north or eastern part of the forest." Artio walked back to the group and reached for her bag. "Anyway, you boys are going to be hunted down by the Maston tribe''s women."


    "Then why not go the other way," Rock suggested.


    "Because adventurers often travel on the dwarven side. Cossack, Sun, and Smoke can walk the trail no problem. They can just tell those we meet along the way that they''re half-angel and half-orc. The problem is the red goblins like Shuja. We can''t exactly walk with them because they will be killed on the spot by any warrior that they happen to meet. And we can''t disguise them as our slaves because the dwarves banned slaves from their kingdom. It''s better to go this way, at least we can arrive at a place where my relatives are, and we can help Natasha get to her family faster."


    "But what about the Maston tribe?"


    Artio pulled out a wig and a bundle of cotton, "Don''t worry. We can use these to disguise you as women."


    "Disguise us as what now?" The brothers asked in unison.


    "I said, don''t worry. It''s just for the trip, and I bet you guys will look cute. Right, Shuja? Natasha?"


    Shuja showed a mischievous smile towards Sun, "Definitely!"


    "Well, I''ll be lying if I say wasn''t interested to see my son in that wig," Natasha pointed at the shaggy red wig.


    "Mom!" Rock yelled in protest, but they couldn''t anything against the women because this was necessary for them to sneak past the Maston tribe''s territory. They only wished the three women could hide their enjoyment as they play dress-up with their bodies.

 Vol 8 Chapter 2: The Sisters

    Rock and Stick sat on a fallen log, desperately controlling themselves from scratching their heads. The long red wigs they wore were itchy, with the long strands poking their skin every time they move. Meanwhile, Smoke, Sun, and Cossack had their make up done by the girls. They made red lipsticks from the berries they found in the forest and combined them with crushed wheat powder.


    The women used their delicate pinkies to color their lips and used the remaining lipsticks to color their cheeks to a light shade of red. Then using diluted ink, they brushed the men''s eyelashes, heightening the colors while making the lashes curl upward. Then they combed their long hair as neatly as possible. After twenty minutes, they finished their work, "There, now you girls are perfect." Artio said.


    "Very beautiful!" Shuja said while holding in her laughter.


    "What do you guys think?" Natasha pushed Artio and Shuja aside and presented the three of them to Rock and Stick. "I think they can pass as girls, right?"


    "Hahaha!" Stick fell off the log laughing. Rock''s hardened self-control kept him calm and collective. Then Sun whipped his hair back and forth before striking a feminine pose at Rock, making him laugh louder than Stick.


    "What are laughing about, huh? You think this is a joke?" Sun yelled.


    "Hahaha! It''s just so out of character!" Rock explained.


    "Why you?"


    "Stop it Sun," Shuja wrapped her arms around his arm, "It''s unbecoming for a girl to yell. You have to be soft and proper if we are going to trick the Maston tribe." She said in a girly voice.


    "Hahaha!" Stick rolled on the ground.


    "Would you stop laughing already." Smoke said while hiding his face with his black hair.


    Artio ran up to Stick, "Stop rolling your wig fell off." She grabbed Stick in place and put on his red wig. "Alright, now that we''re ready, we can go."


    The gang continued their hike across the forest. They would occasionally stop to take a break under the trees, cooling their body from the hot spring day. But after three hours of walking, the group met women from the Maston tribe patrolling their border. "Halt!" They yelled at them.


    Artio pushed Shuja forward to talk for them. "Why me?" She asked.


    "You''re the only woman goblin here."


    "Fine," Shuja walked forward, extending her hand, "Nice to meet you. My name is Shuja. We are just traveling through."


    "Really now?" The guard said, "How about you show us your weapons!"


    "Ok," Shuja ran back to her group, "They want to see our weapons. What do we do?"


    Artio handed Shuja her bow, "They''re looking for axes, and if I remember correctly, you guys don''t have any."


    "Why just axes?" Rock asked.


    "Because axes are used to cut down trees."


    "Oh please, I don''t need an ax to cut down trees. All I need is this," Rock began to flex his muscles.


    The brothers handed their weapons to Shuja to show the Maston women. Since none of the women found an ax, they let the group go on their journey, but one of the guards could not keep her eyes off of Rock. She finds Rock far too muscular to be a woman. The other people looked like goddesses compared to Rock. But her long red wig, lushes lips, and lack of beard were enough for her not to examine the overly large woman.


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    During their hike through the Maston territory, Sun would occasionally sense a presence on top of the trees and behind the bushes. He doesn''t know why, but he could sense something hiding on top of the trees, hidden behind the foliage watching them and something poking at his skin, telling him the direction of these sneaky creatures. After an hour of enduring this odd poking sensation, he finally looked at the spot, he saw nothing there but the leaves swaying in the wind. Eventually, Sun blamed himself for being too cautious that he began to feel things moving around them, and as if they were touching his skin.


    After several hours of walking, the sun was beginning to set, and the night was drawing near. They searched for a small cave to settle in for the night. Artio and Shuja carefully looked for fallen dry branches and leaves. It was a difficult search due to rain the day before making the ground muddy. "Why can''t we just cut branches?" Shuja asked.


    "Because that will attract the Maston''s wrath."


    "They''re just branches."


    "Still, it''s enough for them to justify attacking us."


    "They''ll only attack us if they see us."


    Artio stopped gathering twigs and stood up, "Shuja, it seems like I need to teach you something."


    Shuja dropped her stuff and jumped up, ready for action. "What is it, Master? Are you going to teach that magic attack you did." She smiled, eagerly waiting.


    "No," Shuja''s face turned from excitement to disappointment. "I''m going to teach you how to see without looking."


    "What?"


    "First, you need to release some of your mana, not a lot. Just enough to leave a trail of invisible mana out from your body, so tiny and insignificant to be noticed. Enough to feel a fly pass through but not enough to slice it in half."


    "So, like a spider web but without the catching part."


    "Exactly!" Artio walked behind Shuja and placed her hands on Shuja''s shoulders, "Be calm, breathe. And then, let it out." Artio whispered.


    Shuja closed her eyes and concentrated her mana into her chest before releasing as strands around them. The strings connected to her body and were launched twelve meters away from her body. The mana floated in the air, tethered to a mysterious invisible force present around Shuja. And then, Shuja felt the string move, and before she knew it, she could see a goblin moving the strings. "Master!" Artio gagged her with her hand.


    "Now you know why we must be careful," She whispered to Shuja, "They are watching us. And they will continue to watch us until we leave."


    Artio released Shuja, "But what about Sun and the others,"


    "It''s fine. Their long hair is convincing enough. The problem is Rock and Stick. Their wigs are the only thing convincing the Maston that they are women. If they had fake boobs on, then maybe we don''t have to worry. But enough about that, let''s finish this up."


    "Ok, but what was that? What exactly did I do?"


    "People from the south called it Anansi senses, or spider senses. But we call it Isiptali. It''s a technique that allows a person to sense the presence of others."


    "Woah, but when are you going to teach me that attack? I won''t see you ever again after tomorrow, and I mastered that technique to move arrow midflight, you know the one where the arrows strafe off its path."


    "But did you hit the target."


    "No,"


    "Gotcha," Artio giggled.


    "Oh my god, fine!" Shuja grunted and returned to her task.


    After they found what they needed, they returned to the cave and set up a fireplace. Using flint and stone, they lit the flames, lighting up the damp cold cave. Sun, Cossack, and Smoke left earlier to hunt. Just as Artio said, their long glossy hair would be enough to convince Maston women patrolling the night that they are women. The dark night can hide their masculine features, and as long as they do not harm the trees, they will not attack the men.


    The rest stayed the night at the camp. Even if their hunters do not find food, they still have some yams to eat. What''s essential was finding clean water. Fortunately, they brought pans with them, which they can use to boil water, clean it of bacteria, and use a clean garment as a filter. They sat around the fire, listening to Artio''s stories of the war while they wait for the others to return.


    "Wah," Rock yawned, "I think I need to take a leak." He stood up and exited the cave.


    "I''ll come too since nature is calling me." Stick jumped up from his seat.


    "Wait, let me come with you," Artio said.


    "What?" Shuja said in disappointment, "I want to hear more of the siege of that castle."


    "It''s alright. I doubt anything bad will happen." Rock placed his wig on his head. "As long as we wear this, we should be fine."


    Artio released her mana, activating her Isiptali, but she sensed nothing nearby. "Well, alright," Artio gave in, "But be quick and don''t go anywhere we can''t see you."


    The brothers left the cave, "Careful out there!" Natasha yelled at them before they disappeared in the dark.


    The two rushed out the caved and into the thick trees. Hidden under the cover of night, the brothers released their water for the world to accept. They let out the sound of satisfaction after the waterfall dried up and walked back to the cave. "Man, this wig is annoying," Rock took off the red wig and scratched his head.


    "At least your spikey hair could block the wig. I probably have a rash on my bald head because of this thing. What exactly is this made of to be so irritating?" Stick took his off and examined the wig.


    Once they returned to the cave without their wigs on, Artio ran up to them and smacked their heads, "Are you guys, idiots, what if they saw you."


    "Ow, that hurt!" Stick yelled.


    "Mom, she''s hitting me," Rock called out to his mother for support, but instead, his mother joined and scolded him. While the women were busy reprimanding the brothers for removing their disguise, a small ball was thrown at Rock''s head. The ball broke into pieces and released green powdered gas that filled the cave. When the brothers, Artio, and Natasha inhaled the toxic fumes, they dropped to the floor unconscious. "What the?" Shuja yelled as she watched everyone collapsing on the ground.


    Shuja ran up to her mentor and tried to wake her up, but the gas around her began to cover her body. Eventually, she drowned from the same toxic fumes that put everyone to sleep, and she joined them on the floor.


    Meanwhile, the hunters returned after hunting a small deer. It took them longer than expected because they were trying to protect their make up. "We should have just jumped on them when we had the chance," Smoke said. "I could have smashed the deer''s head with the club and be done with it.


    "But the make-up my love worked so hard would have been ruined by our sweat!" Cossack argued.


    "We wasted time luring this deer to your trap. Besides, it''s too dark out for anyone to see our faces clearly."


    While they were arguing, Sun noticed the cave had no light, and the worst-case scenario appeared in his head. Sun ran to the cave and saw nothing but a warm fireplace. Their bags were missing, and green dust littered the floor. "Nobody move!" Sun yelled, "We need to find clues where they were taken."


    "My love! My love is gone!" Cossack began to pace around the room, panicking.


    "I said, don''t move!" Sun grabbed him in place. "Smoke, look for green footprints around the cave."


    "On it." Smoke summoned light from his palm and searched the cave floor, and found small footprints similar to the size of green goblins. He followed the footprint''s trail and saw a dozen more scattered outside the cave and leading towards the forest. "And I found their trail!"


    "Alright, get your weapons ready. We''re going to rescue them."

 Vol 8 Chapter 3: A Childs Hero

    Natasha woke up in a dim-lit room in front of a group of old goblin women sitting on high chairs. Next to her was Shuja and Artio sitting on the oak wood floor in front of the elders. They woke up earlier and were in the middle of a conversation. Shuja was holding a silver bow with a bronze cap on each end, pinching the horse strings. She stared at the bow, holding it carefully in her hands. It was heavier than any bow she had ever held, but it was not due to the material but the burden the weapon carries. "I''m sorry, but I can''t accept this." She told them.


    "Why not? Isla thinks Shuja great Chief. Shuja lead tribe against Black Crow." Isla said.


    "No, I''m sorry, but I have other things to do."


    Isla jumped off her chair, "Shuja sure?" She asked one last time.


    "Yes," Shuja extended her arm, giving the bow back to Isla. "Again, I''m sorry."


    "No, is ok," Isla took it and placed it back on the mantlepiece above the fireplace and behind the chairs.


    Natasha pushed her self upright and moved next Artio, "What just happened?" She asked.


    Artio whispered to her ear, "They tried to recruit Shuja to turn her into their Chief, but as you can see, she rejected them."


    "You," Isla called out Natasha, "You awake. Woman ok?"


    "Oh, yes, I''m fine, thank you,"


    "Great," Isla said with a smile, "We welcome you. Maston welcomes all women. We live here, protecting forest from men. They come hurt trees and women, but we Maston protect all. Maston strong as blood trees so no scared. We not let you hurt anymore." The elders climbed down their chair, "Now come, we show Maston tribe." Isla splashed water on the fireplace, extinguishing the light of the room.


    They led the three out, and when they were outside, they could believe what they saw. The canopies surrounded them, and above them was the clear night sky with the stars shining over them. They were standing on platforms attached on top of the trees. The platforms had fences made of rope and leaves, and these platforms bridged over to other trees, with each tree hosting several small homes. And the trees were extremely tall, and despite the size of their trunks no different than any other trees, yet these ones easily shouldered the structures on its branches and leaves. "Oh, how jealous would Mari be if she finds out about this?" Natasha whispered to herself.


    "This tree sacred. This blood tree keep tribe safe. So tribe protect tree. Maston not forgive who hurt blood trees." Isla said.


    "These blood trees? Are they Tungstree?" Natasha whispered to Artio.


    "Yes. Each of these trees houses maybe five to eight goblin families. Their strength is remarkable, which is why carpenters highly value these trees. There are at least twenty-five trees in this tribe alone, enough for a tribe numbering of three hundred to live on among the canopies."


    The tour walked around the tribe. Some of the trees are designated for special buildings. The tree they just left had the largest building, the Chief''s home. The building''s walls and ceiling snakes its way around the thick branches, and the roof was made with wool and leather and had holes the branches had poked through. The Chief''s home was in the middle of their floating village, and its surrounded by numerous paths circling it.


    The Maston tribe used a complex and symmetrical network of wooden platform paths that travels through the canopies. The paths are like a spider web, sticking from one tree to the next while forming a perfect circle around the Chief''s home, with bridges connecting to each circling path. It was like a maze that starts and ends in the center.


    These paths were several meters above the ground, and the only way up is to use the rising wooden platforms attached to a pulley. These platforms vary in size and the method of which they work. Some platforms are pulled with a lever, and some ascend by having a heavier object raise the platform.


    While they were walking, Natasha noticed a bonfire beneath them and several Maston guards watching over it. "What''s going on over there?" She asked.


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    "Tribe found dead blood trees. Maston fight black crow, got blood tree branches. Not all body, but branches good too. So now burn blood tree remains. Body return earth, but blood trees spirit rise to sky, to heaven." Isla pointed at the smoke.


    "Tungs, I mean, the blood trees are known to be fireproof. Well, at the very least, highly resistant to fire. It will probably take a week to turn an entire tree to ashes." Artio noted.


    "No, take whole summer." Isla faced the women, "Branches take week. Then become ash."


    "Summer?" Artio was surprised, "And you guys watch over it while it burns."


    "Keep fire going. Watch fire, keep fire alive. Job finish when tree ashes only."


    "That explained why there was a fireplace back there? "Natasha commented.


    The women stayed a little longer, watching the fire dance in the dark. The guards watching the fire were unaware of the women above them watching. Afterward, they continued to tour. While walking, Natasha wondered where Rock and Stick were, so she asked Artio about their whereabouts. "I don''t know," Artio said, "Probably stuck in a cell."


    "A cell!" Natasha could not but yell.


    Isla stopped the tour and walked to Natasha. She reached for Natasha''s hands and gently held it. "Everthing ok? Why yell? Something bad happen?" She asked.


    "Where are they?"


    "Who?"


    Natasha grabbed Isla''s wrist, "The boys that were in the cave with us."


    "Boys? You mean men come in cave?"


    "Yes! Where are they?"


    Isla freed her hands and pointed towards a spherical building. "Over there. Men there give Maston women fun." Isla smiled, "Men no hurt you again. Men only toys no-"


    Natasha sprinted pass the group running towards the building. Artio and Shuja ran after, yelling for her to come back, but their voices could no reach her ears. When she heard Isla mention them as toys, her body moved on her own. A sense of urgency swelled inside her, followed by fear and disgust.


    When she reached the building, she slammed open the door, revealing Rock and Stick tied on a pole facing away from each other, with numerous women climbing on top of them. Rock was kicking the air, blocking the women from grabbing his coat and kicking those trying to get closer. He kicked the air and knocked the women off of him, but he did his best not to hurt them. "Get off me! Get off! Get off!" Rock was yelling, rocking side to side to shake off the women that managed to get on top of him.


    Despite Rock''s attempt, one woman managed to hold on to his coat. "Me ride man all night!" She yelled before turning around, grabbing his waistband, "Fun time now!" Rock started panicking, jerking his body as hard as he could to get her off his body. Rock was making the entire building shake.


    "Rock, calm down! I can''t free my hands if you keep shaking the house!" Stick yelled, but Rock could not hear his brother. "If you''re going to kick, at least knock them out!"


    "Get off!" Rock continued to repeat those words, until suddenly, the goblin on top of him trying to remove to tear his pants got kicked to the face, knocking her unconscious.


    "Get off of him," Natasha yelled while shielding Rock with her body.


    "Mom! What are you doing here?" Rock cried out.


    "It''s ok, I''m here." Natasha wiped Rock''s tears with her shirt, "I won''t let them touch you."


    Natasha comforted Rock, letting Shuja and Artio keep the goblins away from them. Isla and the rest of the elders ran in the building, disgusted to see them protecting the boys. "Why you protect men? They toys now!" Isla yelled.


    "I will not let you touch them!" Natasha protested. Artio and Shuja were surprised to see an angry Natasha. Her pale white skin turned bright red from the searing anger she felt. Even Stick, who was facing away from Rock and Natasha, could feel her anger from her voice.


    Isla rushed forward to Natasha, bearing her nails at Natasha and ready to grab and pull her hair. "Look, maybe we can talk this out," Shuja got in between Natasha and Isla. "Let us explain ourselves before we get violent." Shuja embraced Isla and dragged her away from Natasha.


    Isla tried to fight out of Shuja''s arms, but an old green goblin like her could not hope to escape Shuja''s arms. "Fine!" Isla yelled, "Me listen. Let explain." Shuja freed Isla, dropping her on the hardwood floor.


    "I am a commander from Lev and Razin." Shuja told them, "The chiefs of both tribes along with Rock and Stick are brothers. And we are on a mission to escort Natasha and Master Artio back to their home. That''s why we are here."


    "Sure that why." Isla said, "No explain Natasha being like that. Hugging man like baby."


    "Because he is my son." Natasha glared at Isla.


    Isla had an idea of what that meant, and she couldn''t help but feel uncomfortable. She wanted to ask why she was protecting her bastard son, but her voice could not leave her mouth. Isla was scared to ask because she doesn''t want to know the details. Being dominated by men was foreign to the all-women Maston tribe.


    "Take men out here, put men cage, no touch men!" The women looked disappointed.


    "Where are you taking them?" Natasha asked.


    "We no touch boys. But boys still no free." Isla walked out of the room, "Isla want know of Chiefs. Tell Isla everything."


    "Should we follow them?" Shuja asked Artio.


    "Yeah, I also want to know what''s happening with Black Crows." Then Artio leaned into Shuja''s ear, "And we could keep them busy until your husband and Smoke come to rescue us."


    "Ok, wait. Sun is not my husband!" Shuja yelled.


    "Who Sun?" Isla asked.


    "We''ll tell you as long as you promise you won''t them," Artio said.


    "Isla said no touch men. Me no turn back."


    The elders nudged the women out of the building. Natasha embraced Rock one last time before following Shuja and Artio. "Everything is going to be ok. I won''t let them hurt you." She whispered to Rock.


    The guards dragged them out of the building. "We can still walk, you know!" Stick shouted at them. Rock and Stick stood up and followed the women down the elevator. Stepping foot on the soft earth brought a cathartic feeling to Stick. He turned to Rock, expecting his jolly brother to be happy to be back on the earth, but the experience visibly shook Rock. "Rock? You ok?"


    "Do you think they are going to hurt mama?" Rock wondered.


    "Dude, she''s with Shuja and Artio. It will be fine. And if anything happens, we can just break free from these bindings." Stick said confidently, which made the guards giggled. "What''s so funny?"


    "Blood rope strong. No one cut blood rope." One of the guards said.


    "What?" Stick tried to pull the rope apart, using his mana to strengthen his arms. But he could not break the red bindings keeping his wrist tied together. "Oh shit. Rock, can you?"


    "No," Rock answered, "I tried earlier before those monsters came to violate us. I couldn''t tear them apart."


    The brothers followed the guards until they reached another elevator in the border of the Maston village. The platform carried them up the tree where a giant ball cage waited among the canopies. The canopy was as red as the Tungstree, and it was attached to a red rope tied on a tree branch.


    "Get in," One of the women yelled. The brothers complied, getting inside the ball. Then the guards rolled the ball off the edge, leaving the brothers hanging among the canopy. "Cage super strong. No escape, but do escape. boys will," The guard slammed her fist on her palm, "Go splat! So bye bye." They left laughing at the brothers. as

 Vol 8 Chapter 4: The Plea of the Western Herders

    Sun, Smoke, and Cossack followed the muddy green tracks through the woods until they saw a group of glowing orbs on the horizon. When they got closer, they noticed the orbs were floating on the trees, and eventually, they realize that those orbs were torches placed on top of the trees. They tried to walk closer, but patrols were making their rounds. "Should we fight them?" Cossack asked.


    "No, not worth the trouble." Sun answered, "It''s better to sneak around and search for them. We don''t know what they might do to them if we cause a stir."


    Smoke turned off his light spells, and using the light coming from the torches, they climbed to higher grounds to scout their surrounding area. The light barely touched their faces as they check the tribe. The Maston tribe had no houses, which confused the boys at first, but that was when they realized the torches above the trees were not there for no reason. The Maston tribe lived on large treehouses on top of these massive trees. And the trees'' barks were crimson, and its leaves were pink and orange. "What kind of trees are these?" Smoke said in wonder.


    "They must be the Tungstree Artio told us to avoid. And I can''t believe they live on top of these things." Sun remarked.


    "You think they''re up there somewhere?" Cossack asked.


    "I don''t think you need to ask," Smoke pointed on top of the trees and saw a platform rising from the ground carrying Stick and Rock. They were guarded by a large group of leathered armored women with spears in hand.


    "Looks like they have our brothers at least," Sun retreated back to the shadows. "Let''s keep going around the tribe. Find a place we can sneak in and climb after them."


    The boys crawled under the bushes, dodging the eyes of the patrolling women. Eventually, they reached the entrance of the tribe, a gate made from old wooden planks and numerous skulls on placed on top as its mantle. Tall goblin women stood side by side in front of the rotting gate, guarding the entrance with their wooden spears.


    "You think we can sneak past them?" Cossack asked the two.


    "We can try," Smoke answered, "What do you think?" Smoke turned to Sun, who was watching the darkness behind them. "Sun?"


    While the two were looking at the entrance, Sun felt a strange presence far away from them. He could hear their whispers in the dark. "Shh," started crawling the opposite direction from the entrance, "I can see something over there, or rather feel it." He lit his fingers into flame and used it to light the darkness in front of him.


    "Should we follow him?" Cossack asked.


    "Might as well."


    The three boys couched walk under the branches and leaves of the trees and bushes until they saw patches of light coming from a distance. The source of the lights was several fireplaces scattered around with goblins camping around them. Their tents were large enough to fit a family of eight goblins. Resting besides these tents were goats and sheep tethered next to log poles.


    Each fireplace had dozens of goblins sitting around them, eating and talking amongst them. They had no weapons by their side, with their spears stored elsewhere in their camp. But even with no weapons in sight, Sun could tell their numbers easily surpassed Lev''s population. And another odd thing about these goblins, most of them are men, barely any women in their camp, and not a single child present. "Why are there so many of them? And how did you know they were here?" Cossack asked.


    "Even I don''t know. But keep asking questions Cossack, someone is bound to answer them." Sun said sarcastically.


    "You got it," Cossack winked and gave a thumbs up, unaware of the sarcastic tone behind the statement.


    "I''ll go talk to them. They don''t seem to be dangerous."


    "But if they do attack, we''re running," Smoke mentioned, "There''s more than a hundred of them from I can tell."


    "Alright," Sun stood up and walked out from the bushes, "Excuse me," He waved at the goblins.


    "Black Crows!" An elder goblin yelled, and together, the entire camp rushed over for battle. Some of them grabbed a spear on the way.


    "Well, that escalated quickly," Sun draws out his sword and lit on fire. "Stand back!" The goblins stopped in their tracks after witnessing Sun''s fire magic.


    Smoke and Cossack ran in and took out their warclubs, ready to fight next to Sun. "I told you we''re running if they attack us!" Smoke yelled at him.


    "I kinda panicked," Sun said.


    "Please, no hurt tribe, no more!" The old goblin cried and kneeled on the ground, followed by the rest of the tribe. Sun''s flaming sword brightened the camp, revealing the goblins to be just old senile men. Not a single one of these goblins were young. The only exceptions were the women accompanying them. They looked somewhat young, most likely similar in age with Dawn and Mabel.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Sun stabbed the earth, killing the fire that engulfed the blade and lowered himself to the old goblin. "What happened?"


    The old goblin raised his head slowly, checking Sun''s right arm, "No Black Crow?"


    "Black crow?" Sun remembered that name. It was the mercenary company known for their ruthlessness and infamous for pillaging during wartime. "No, I''m not a black crow, none of us are. So please, stand up." Sun gave the goblin his hand and helped get back on his feet. "My name is Sun, and this is my brother, Smoke. And this is my commander, Cossack."


    "Nice to meet you," Smoke and Cossack waved at the crowd.


    "We''re goblins just like you. We were once red conquerors, but then we transformed beyond that form and turned into this new form. We still don''t know what to call it, though. So could you tell us what happened here? And why are you guys so close to the Maston tribe?"


    "Ok," The old goblins told everyone to prepare a seat and a meal for their guest and tent for them to rest. Then they sat next to a fireplace, eating a small dish consisting of goat cheese, lamb, onion, and tomato wrapped by a thin layer of roti. Sun was surprised to see roti in this world, and he wanted to ask the elder how to they made them, but there are more pressing matters to be learned. "We Orgut tribe and me Arga. Come from west, no trees, plains only,"


    "Plains?" Cossack leaned closer, "Like flat farmland."


    "We no have farm, we herders. Herd graze on grass. Outsiders attack. Outsider with black crow on shoulder. Outsiders call Black Crow. Black Crow steal herd, steal boys, and steal girls. We run, can no fight. Black Crows too strong. Black Crow Chief, very strong, quick. Goblin blinks, goblin die." Arga began to shake, "Black Crow Chief kill so many. So many die. So many hunted. Made slaves" Arga began to cry.


    Sun dropped his food and sat next to the old goblin and embraced him. "It''s alright, you''re safe now."


    "Thank you," Sun released the old man, and he wiped his tears and regained his composure. "Arga bring Orgut here. Maston keep safe forest, outsiders no come. But Arga also come to Maston because Black Crow Chief cut red trees."


    "Really? Why are they cutting down the Tungstree?" Cossack asked.


    "Me don''t know. Maston not believe, then Maston saw Black Crows cut red tree. Maston furious."


    "Excuse me," Smoke cleared his throat after finishing his food, "But who are these Black Crows? I feel like I''m the only one who doesn''t know them."


    "Oh yeah, you weren''t with us," Sun remarked, "Artio told us about them. They''re a mercenary company that would kidnap innocent civilians and pillages anything in their way. I think Artio said the Black Crows are not known for their combat prowess but by their villainous actions during a war."


    "Ok, but what are they doing here? Are we even sure they''re the same Black Crows? I mean, just because they''re hunting goblins doesn''t make them bad. You know what most people outside the forest view us from the stories our mothers tell us."


    "That''s true, but that doesn''t change the fact that these Black Crows are assholes, and maybe worst, tyrants. And they can''t go back home because of those bastards occupying their lands." Sun gritted his teeth subconsciously, "They lost everything. I know that feeling well." He whispered to himself.


    "Where you going? Best not go west. Too dangerous. Not safe."


    "Don''t worry, old man, we''re heading south from here," Cossack said. "This is the furthest west we''ll be go-."


    Sun stopped him, "I don''t know about that."


    Cossack and Smoke looked at each other, "What do you mean?" They asked.


    "I have a plan that will solve everyone''s problem." Sun grabbed a bunch of rags and rolled them up into balls. "Here, put this on." Sun tossed the balls to Smoke and Cossack.


    "Where exactly do we put-" Before Smoke could finish his sentence, he saw Sun stuff his chest with the rage and shaped it to look like a woman''s breast. "What are you doing?"


    "Does it look good?"


    "Wait? Are we going over to the Mastons?"


    "Hahaha! Yes, we are!" Sun laughed.


    After stuffing their chest to make fake breasts, Sun, Smoke, and Cossack reapplied their make up using the leftovers that Artio gave them and brushed their long hair, letting it flow in the wind. The old goblins were astonished to see the handsome men they met become so ladylike. Their lips were as red as an apple, they had fair skin, and the long hair shined.


    Then they made their move. They left the with a few goblins following them and walked back to the Maston tribe''s entrance gate. Sun and Cossack cat walked with confidence, while Smoke struggled to get used to the girlish act.


    The guards stepped forward when they saw the three and their old companions. "Stop, what want?" One of them asked with a stern voice.


    "I''m here to speak to your Chief to offer a proposition," Sun said in a pompous girly voice.


    The guards looked at each other confused. The woman''s voice far too deep to not be a man''s voice, but other than the long nose, they had unparalleled beauty. But outsiders can be very crafty, with many intruders go unnoticed due to their cleverness. And then there are the Black Crows that have been destroying their forest. These women could be one of them, and the old goblins behind them could be their slaves they caught from the Orgut tribe. "Show shoulder first, then me get Chief!"


    "Alright," Sun, Cossack, and Smoke rolled their sleeves, exposing their shoulders to the guards. Outsiders affiliated to the Black Crows have tattoos of their banner on their shoulders, and those tattoos were missing on them. They were clean from the guards'' perspective. However, one of the guards could not help but admire their broad shoulders during the inspection. Cossack couldn''t help blush during the whole ordeal, getting flustered after a woman compliments him for the first time. However, the compliments stop once the guard saw his long nose again, and her admiration turned to disgust.


    "Finish yet?" Sun asked.


    "Yes, me bring Chief." The guard turned to her companion, "You stay, watch outsiders." Then she left, walking away from them until her visage disappeared.


    They sat down on a fallen log and waited outside quietly. The time passed by slowly while they imagined the possible scenarios that could happen after their negotiation. Would their real identity be revealed? Will they accept their turns, or attack them when they have their backs turned? These scenarios and many more kept playing inside their minds. In case of a fight, Sun already has his hand o his sword''s hilt, ready to engage at any moment.


    But then they heard the voices of many coming from the Maston tribe''s village. A large group of older women appeared before them accompanied by an army of spearmen. And far behind them were familiar figures standing under the dim light of the torches. It was Shuja, Natasha, and Artio waving at them. Cossack was ecstatic to see Artio again, "My lo-"


    Smoke placed his hand on Cossack''s mouth, "Shh, be quiet. They''re surrounded by guards," Smoke pointed at the women pointing their spears at their companions. "Let''s try and resolve this peacefully first, without knowing we are men."


    The green goblins had short curly grey hair except for the one that stepped forward and greeted Sun. "Hello. We Maston council. Chief long dead. No successor, so we rule for now. Me Isla, and you?"


    Sun stood up and whipped his brown hair, "My name is Sun, and these two,"


    "What Sun want?" Isla interrupted.


    "Straight to the point. Well, we are here to make a deal." Sun pulled out his sword and stabbed the earth. He leaned on it, lowering his posture, so he meets Isla eye to eye. "You have kidnapped our friends, three women, one elf, one red goblin, and one human. Along with those women, you also took two goblin men. We would like to have them back."


    Isla pulled out a knife and pointed. Cossack and Smoke tried to rush to Sun''s side, but the guards stopped them with their spears. "Me know you man," She whispered, "Me should kill you. What you doing here?"


    "We are merely passing by," Sun said nonchalantly. "But after hearing about the Black Crows and the fact that you have my companions hostage, I decided we can make a trade. I''ll help you fight the Black Crows, and you will release my brothers, my commander, and the women we are escorting back to their homes."


    "You think Isla stupid. No one beat Black Crow. They strong."


    Sun lit his sword into flames, making Isla jump back away from him. Sun smiled and told her, "But I''m stronger." Meanwhile, Smoke and Cossack broke the guards'' spears with one swing of their warclubs. Realizing they are no match to them with their broken spears, they backed down.


    "Ishahaha!" Isla laughed, "You think Isla scared, we have your friends. Me hurt them. Unless go back! All guards, attack outsiders, now!" The guards hesitated, but since they outnumbered them, they rushed hoping to overwhelm. But Smoke and Cossack did not yield and beat every guard that tried to quell them. "Why no stop? That''s it!" Isla turned around, "Guards go-" Isla''s eyes widened when she saw the guards behind her lying on the floor. Even without their bow and arrows, Shuja and Artio managed to beat the guards around them. If not for Stick and Rock still held hostage by the Maston tribe, they would have fled with Sun.


    Isla was trapped between two powerful fighters that broke through their warriors. The council had nowhere to go.


    Sun pulled out his flaming sword from the ground and rested it on his shoulder. "So will you accept this trade?"

 Vol 8 Chapter 5: Hookshot

    At sunrise, Maston women guarding at night went to their beds, letting those asleep at night take their place. Along with the guards, women in charge of other tasks besides fighting were getting ready to work. There were those in charge of maintaining the structural integrity of the Maston''s buildings. And women in charge of taking care of their holy trees, snipping its death parts, and removing pests.


    Shuja and Artio woke up early and saw the tribe busy at their work. The empty platforms were not heavily congested with goblins traveling to different parts of their floating village. Meanwhile, Natasha was asleep, tired from last night''s events. Shuja guarded their small treehouse, making sure no one disturbs Natasha''s sleep. But Artio was restless, growing impatient by the second.


    Sun''s declaration last night was too much for Artio. Sure they killed trolls, but so can experienced mercenaries like her and the Black Crows. Artio attempted to leave with the boys and help them, but Isla demanded that the women and their brothers stay as captives until Sun brings the Black Crow''s captain''s head. A tall task to deliver.


    "Master Artio, are you still worried," Shuja asked while eating a grilled yam. "Maybe you should do something to keep your mind busy."


    "And what about you? Aren''t you worried about your boyfriend?"


    "Sun is not my,"


    "I was joking. Partially joking." Artio leaned on the fence, looking at the ground and a stack of leaves beneath her. "Maybe you''re right. Let''s go practice your archery skills."


    "What? We can''t just leave Natasha alone."


    "Don''t worry, Maston women will not go against their word, especially if it involves another woman. They won''t harm Natasha. What we should be worried about are Stick and Rock. Now go grab your bow and arrow, I''ll meet you on the ground." Artio leaped off the edge.


    "Master Artio!" Shuja ran to the fence and looked down. Artio landed on the soft pile of leaves unharmed.


    "Don''t keep me waiting!" Artio yelled, "If you''re too scared to jump, just take their elevators!"


    Artio sat down on one of the roots of the tree protruding out from the ground. She watched a small group of Maston women pulling carts filled with large yellow fruits that they picked up from the ground. They picked them from their holy tree. They would bring some to their large compost heaps located under the trees'' roots, beneath the ground. The rest are kept and eaten by the tribe.


    One of the fruits fell from the cart. Artio got up and picked the fruit, and gave it to the goblin pulling the cart. The little goblin could barely carry the large fruit; its size was as large as the goblin''s heads. Artio could not believe fruits as large as honeydew melons could grow from trees, but that was the least surprising thing about these fruits.


    The Maston tribe called these fruits Carabao named after their founder, but Artio knew them as mangos. Artio was surprised to see such large versions of these fruits growing on Tungstrees. Mangos do not grow in their continent, but what''s more surprising is the Tungstrees do not produce fruits but ball-shaped pinecones.


    And the more Artio''s mind wonder, she realized how odd it was to see a grove of Tungstrees because they usually grow alone, making them a specially rare. These made the threat of an organized militia like the Black Crows more dangerous for the Mastons. Their entire home could be cut down and destroyed if the Black Crows find them. Maybe this was the reason Isla accepted Sun''s request because she could easily release everyone and be done with them.


    If only Artio could join them. She could at least help them defeat the captain. "Master! I''m here!" Shouted Shuja bursting Artio''s thoughts away. Shuja jumped off the platform a few meters before it reached the ground with a pair of bows on the one hand and two quivers filled with arrows on the other, and she ran to Artio. "Alright, what are we doing? Are you finally going to teach me that technique?" Shuja gave Dearg to Artio.


    "And risk damaging one of their sacred trees? I don''t think so."


    "Then what the hell are we doing? Practicing how to shoot while jumping backward?"If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Doesn''t sound bad." Artio nodded, "Maybe we should start doing somersaults while shooting arrows in the air."


    "Please, I hate doing that. I nearly twisted my ankles doing those jumps." Shuja pleaded, "Please, anything but that!"


    "Alright, we''ll do something else." Artio took an arrow and drawn it on Dearg''s string. "I want you to release your Isiptali, in case you can''t see how I''m manipulating my mana."


    "No problem!"


    "Now watch carefully," Artio aimed at the Tungstree in front of her. Her aim climbed higher and higher until it reached the edge of the platforms above them. She gathered her mana around her arm, pushing it towards her bow until it reached the stone head of her arrow. The mana painted the arrow bright blue, and its light attracted the Maston women above them. They stopped moving and watched Artio and Shuja.


    Isla was walking with the tribe''s children when she saw her tribesman staring on the ground. The children joined them at the edge. "What that?" One of the children asked.


    "Outsiders make light."


    "What for?" Isla joined the crowd, looking down at Shuja and Artio.


    "Don''t know."


    Artio turned to Shuja, "Do you see it?" She asked.


    "I think so?"


    "Alright," Artio pulled the string further while her mana converged on her bow. Dearg began to glow brighter than the arrow. "Didn''t think my target so far. Now then. Gotcha!" Artio released the arrow, and she watched as the arrow flies straight to its target; it didn''t travel in an arch, just a straight line.


    The blue mana covering the arrow chattered like glass upon impact. The goblins around standing on the target jumped from their feet, startled by the sound of glass breaking. ''Watch aim!" Isla was furious, "Hit tree, we kill you!"


    Meanwhile, Shuja was unimpressed by Artio''s shot. "Was that it? I could do that without mana."


    "I thought you were watching carefully," Artio turned around, annoyed at Shuja.


    "I did,"


    "Clearly you weren''t," Artio raised her hand and grabbed a small blue strand that suddenly appeared. Then Artio''s body flew into the air as if she was getting pulled by something. She landed on the arrow she shot, and she grabbed the ledge, pulling herself up. The goblins around her were speechless. They just saw a woman fly towards them.


    "You like bird," One of them commented.


    "Oh, I am not a bird." Artio leaned forward and looked down at Shuja, "That is what we call a Hookshot!" She yelled, "It''s a technique we use to swing our way around the city during a battle, and its concept is similar to Isiptali. You shoot an arrow covered in mana while a strand of it is attached to your body. If the arrow managed to stick on the targeted surface, you could then pull yourself towards the arrow by manifesting the strand of mana into a heavier and thicker form. And the lighter your body, the faster you travel."


    "Awesome!" Shuja yelled, "So aren''t you going to come down and show how to do it again?"


    "Nope!" Artio yelled back, "Didn''t you watch it carefully. Just do what I did and get up here!" Artio turned to Isla, "Don''t let her use the elevators! She needs to do this on her own!"


    "What? No, I can''t do this in one day!" Shuja cried.


    "Sure, you can!"


    As they watch Shuja struggle to reach the top, far away from the Maston tribe, all the way to the marshes and at the edge of the flat plains of the Orgut tribe, a war camp settles in front of a large cold cave. And in the middle of the square is a tall flag pole bearing a black flag with a white crow fluttering in the air.


    Under the flag was a man wearing shiny iron armor sitting on the back of a naked dark elf on all four. The dark elf''s glorious white hair was shaved off, exposing its fragile skin to the sun. The dark elf cried in pain as his skin burn under the unforgiving sun. His ankles were cuffed in chains, and they connected to the collar on his neck. The collar had a white glass gem, the size of a fist. Whenever the elf tried to lower his body to the ground, the gem on his collar would glow.


    The man was too busy cleaning his helmet to notice the elf''s suffering beneath him. He whistled a cheerful tune while wiping off the dirt from his helmet. When he finished, he wore the helmet and covered his face with the helmet''s visor. The visor''s tip was made to look like a crow''s beak. A soldier wearing chainmail under a black shirt staggered to the man, "Excuse me, Captain Buchanan. We still need at least five more Tungstree logs to complete the wall. We combed the land around us, and we haven''t found one. I think it''s time to go to that grove those goblin slaves were talking about."


    Buchanan stood up, letting the dark elf fall to earth and rest its tired body. "You mean that goblin tribe? Are you sure those goblins weren''t lying to you, Green?"


    Green laughed, "Gagagaga, of course not."


    "Were you at least sober when you were torturing them?"


    "Maybe," Green burped.


    "Whatever, we need to get that wall and block the cave entrance, before Bret Hart gets here." Buchanan kicked the dark elf, "And get someone to carry this back to the barn."


    "Yes, captain. Should I get everyone ready to raid those goblins?"


    "Of course," Buchanan cracked his wrist, "It''s time to slaughter."


    After a morning filled with trials and errors, Shuja was ready to give up. Her Kas was beginning to run out of mana, and her body felt heavier than ever. Most of the women left to finish their jobs a long time ago. Only Isla and Artio stayed to watch Shuja. Without the adoring audience that were captivated by Artio''s skill, she lost all her confidence. She lay on the soft earth''s embrace, closing her eyes and wishing she could just sleep. "Are you giving up already?" A gentle voice asked.


    Shuja opened her eyes and saw Natasha crouched next to her, surrounded by children curious to see the red conquerer. "I want to, but I know I shouldn''t."


    "Good," Natasha smiled, "Here, eat this mango. It has caffeine, that should wake you up."


    "Thank you," Shuja gorged down on the fruit. "Alright, let''s do this!" Shuja jumped on her feet and took her bow. She reached for the last arrow in her quiver and aimed higher than her Master''s previous shot.


    She failed multiple times. The mana attached to her arrow would always break, and when they don''t, her arrows get pulled to her instead because they weren''t stuck deep enough to stay put. "You got this, Shuja!" Natasha cheered, and the children followed her example.


    Shuja pulled the string as far back as she could. Her mana shot out from her body and swirled around her bow and arrow. The mana settled on the surface, making it glow brighter than the torches at night. And then, she released the arrow free from her bow, launching it to the sky. The arrow lodged on a building''s roof. Shuja tugged the string to make sure the arrow will not fall. And, she jumped and let her mana pull her to the sky.


    Natasha, Artio, and Isla watched her fly to the canopies and land on rooftops. Shuja cried from laughter, overjoyed from conquering new heights. Artio jumped to her, and the two hugged each other, crying and laughing. Natasha watched them celebrate while the children dance around her with joy. Isla, on the other hand, lamented because this talented woman will never accept her invitation. It was a bittersweet moment for her to watch Shuja succeed. If only she could become their new Chief.

 Vol 8 Chapter 6: Hanging Around

    Rock woke up in high noon. The birds were singing, and the leaves were fluttering on the wind. He sat on their cage, gently swaying back and forth, making his last night''s sleep the best sleep he ever had. He was like a baby sleeping on a rocking chair.


    When Rock looked around, he saw Stick trying to reach for a branch. "What are you doing?" Rock asked.


    Stick turned around, "Oh, hey, you. You''re finally awake."


    "Huh?"


    "You were trying to cross the border, right? Walked right into that Maston ambush, same as me."


    "Of course is the same as you, we were both captured!" Rock yelled, "And why are you talking like that?"


    "I was joking," Stick raised his hands up, "Anyway, you feeling better?"


    "Yeah," Rock stretched his arms, "Honestly, this was the best sleep I had in a while. Who knew sleeping while swaying on ball cage made out of wood will be so relaxing."


    "It beats sleeping on a hardwood floor." Stick reached for the branches once and managed to break a twig off.


    "What is that for?"


    Stick climbed up the cage, making it shake until he reached the knot keeping them hanging among the canopies, "I''m trying to untie this cage by sticking things in between the knots. Unfortunately, it hasn''t been successful." Stick stuck the tip of the twig between the rope, but it broke in half before it managed to protrude the other end. "Damn!" Stick threw the twig out the cage.


    "Well, that sucks." Rock commented, "How long have you been sticking, well, sticks to untie the rope?"


    "Ever since I woke up," Stick climbed down and sat across Rock, "I tried to untie it with my hands, but the rope is made of vines that have thorns on it. I could use mana to arm my hands, but the rope is also slippery."


    "Slippery?"


    "Yeah,"


    The brothers stopped worrying about the rope above them when the elevator rose to their level. A guard walked out of the platform and went to the brothers holding a red tray with two bowls filled with mango fruits. She handed the tray to the brothers with a long pole. "Eat," She told them. The brothers took the bowl, but Stick hesitated to eat it, expecting it to be poisoned.


    "This is not poisoned, is it?" Stick asked.


    "No, poison no good. Not poison," The guard answered.


    Stick sniffed the mango, and it smelled reminded him of the sleeping gas used on them. He turned to Rock, "I don''t think we should,"


    "We cud wat?" Rock was already eating the mangos.


    "Bro, what if that has poison!"


    Rock swallowed his food, "It''s fine, she said it wasn''t laced with poison, plus I''m hungry." Rock continued to eat the remaining food in his bowl, licking each drop of juice from its surface until the bowl was spotless.


    Stick was also hungry, and watching Rock eat his meal did not help his resistance. Eventually, he gave in to temptation, "Woah, this taste pretty sweet!" Stick yelled in surprise before eating his meal with the same voracious appetite as Rock.


    "I know, right?"


    Guard watched them gorge on the fruit. She glared at them, eating the Carabao that sustained their tribe without thanking the world for her gifts. They were taught by their matriarch to view men as ungrateful beings, incapable of appreciating what mother nature gives them. And watching the brothers eat the bowl like the savages they were taught to view them only proved that point.


    She was going to wait for them to finish their meal, but she thought they would just throw the bowl and tray away like so she figured she would go down and catch them. But Stick called out for her before she could on the elevator. "Wait! You forgot the bowls." They placed them on the tray and handed them over to the guard. She stood motionless, surprised to see the brothers place the bowl neatly on the tray, and wiped their face clean of the remnants of their meal. "Um, are you not going to take it?"


    "Sorry," She walked forward with her large pole and reached slowly lifted the tray off Stick''s hands. She perfectly balanced the tray on the end of the pole, and she carefully stepped back until the tray was safely above the platform.


    "Woah!" The brothers exclaimed, surprising the guard and nearly made her drop the tray. "Oh, sorry, didn''t mean to surprise. I just thought you looked cool holding balancing the tray like that." Stick said in embarrassment. But it was the guard that was truly embarrassed as her cheeks turned red as a rose. "I don''t think I ever introduced ourselves. My name is Stick, and your name?" Stick asked.


    The guard looked around her, expecting one of her tribesmen to walk in, but the only ones that were the birds were singing their song. "Me, Elena." She sheepishly said.


    "Nice to meet you, Elena," Stick said with a smile.


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    Elena was dumbstruck. The men they held hostage were far amicable and courteous than she was led to believe, and she found herself in a strange situation. She didn''t want to stay any longer, so she placed the pole beside the tree truck and hurried to the elevator with the tray.


    "Wait!" Stick called out to her. "I like to ask you something. Just for a minute, or one question. Please!"


    Elena stopped on her tracks and turned around, "One question. What question?"


    "The thing we just ate, the fruit, is it used to make the sleeping gas? They smell similar."


    "No, Carabao not used. But Carabao seed used."


    Just when Stick got closer to understanding the recipe, she ran back to the elevator and descended to the earth. Stick laid on his back, wondering what could possibly be the missing ingredients for their sleeping gas. But there are more opportunities in the future, and for now, they had to wait for time to pass them.


    Unfortunately, time moved slowly when they''re stuck in a confined prison dangling several meters above ground with nothing to occupy their mind. To break the silence and mundane, Stick brought up the events last night. "Rock, you sure have one hell of a mom."


    "What do you mean?"


    "You know how she leaped in to save you. That was amazing, especially since you wouldn''t expect her to do it, you know?"


    "Yeah, that''s true. Her protecting me was the last thing I could think would happen."


    "Yeah. I envy you guys," Stick sighed, "I don''t think my mom would step in to save me."


    "Oh, don''t say that." Rock sat straight, "She was your mom. Your real mom! I wished I could spend my time with my real mother, even for just a little bit to say sorry for what I did." Rock shook his head, "But that doesn''t matter now! What matters is that you still have people that care about you."


    "Yeah, you''re right." Stick raised his back and sat straight, "But I was also worried about you last night. That was the first time I ever saw you acting like that. You beat up a troll with your fist. I didn''t think you would be so scared of a bunch of women."


    "It wasn''t the women I was scared about! It was the position that we were in that scared me. I''ve never been held down like that. When we practice our grapples, I at least know how to escape, but there was no escape. We were surrounded." Rock leaned forward and hid the lower half of his face with his knee. "I felt powerless for the first time. And what made it worst was that they were trying to take something I promised I would give Dawn."


    "It''s not like you gave it to them."


    "That''s not what Dawn would think! She wasn''t here to see that."


    The brothers remained silent as the tension grew denser between. Then Stick broke the silence, "Dawn had to go through a lot. I think she knows how it felt to be powerless. That''s probably why your mother came to save you, they knew."


    The pair sat in their cage lamenting about last night and the things they could have done to stop it from happening. But just as they said, it already happened.


    Meanwhile, across the marshes, empty grasslands, and the thick forestry, Sun, Smoke, and Cossack just arrived outside the Black Crow''s war camp. They scouted the area, hoping to find a way to sneak inside, but the walls surrounding their camp were guarded diligently. They walked around twice, but there was still no opening for them to sneak inside. Sun wished he could just walk towards the wall and slash it open, but Smoke insisted they remain hidden. And Sun can''t help but agree.


    After circling the camp for the third time, the group spotted three young men dressed in rags with a white cap and face mask. They were gathering and chopping wood and were busy talking to one another, gossiping about their Captain and commanders to notice the three goblins hiding behind the bushes. Watching the unaware men gossiping gave Sun an idea, "Guys, hear me out. What if we disguise ourselves as one of them?"


    "That sounds better than bursting through their walls," Smoke remarked, "But we could also wait until,"


    Sun sprang into action, jumping out from the bushes. He draws his sword, flipping it in the air and caught on its blade, and smacked one of the men with his sword''s flat hilt, knocking the poor man unconscious. "What the hell?" One of the men yelled.


    Sun did not slow down and immediately dashed towards the next target, hitting him on the forehead. The last one managed to escape from Sun''s attack, but he swiftly dealt with by Smoke, who jumped out from the shadows and catching him in a sleeper hold. The man dropped to the drop unconscious. "Great, now we have to hide and tie them up." Smoke said.


    "Don''t worry," Cossack revealed himself while a bundle of rope, "While you guys were fighting, I found this. We can tie them up and hide them under some fallen trees."


    "Great idea!" Sun removed the white cap off his first victim and wore it, "Now let''s get moving."


    The three men were stripped of their clothes and dragged away from the scene. They hid the body as best they could, tied them on a base of a tree, and gagged their mouths so they couldn''t yell for help. After putting on their clothes and hiding their weapons outside the camp, the boys walked through the front gate, carrying chopped wood on their backs. A guard with deep green skin wearing nothing but armored pants stood in front of the entrance. He had a short tusk growing on the lower right side of his lips, spikey hair, and his ears were as pointy as Artio''s ears. But his most striking feature was his size. He stood more than six feet tall, nearly passing the gate''s height. And his oversized muscles were built for combat, with his biceps alone bigger than Sun''s head.


    When the three passed the guard, Sun could feel mana seeping out of him like water leaking from a closed faucet. The three of them knew he was no ordinary guard and that he was a formidable enemy. Cossack prayed he was not the Captain of the Black Crows, but an even grimmer thought came to mind. The Captain was strong enough to have someone as large and intimidating to be his soldier. Their quest to stop the Black Crows will not be easy.


    Once inside the camp, the three split up. Cossack went to the barracks in the southern part of the camp. Smoke followed a group of men carrying chopped wood to a large furnace next to the cave entrance. And Sun walked to the eastern side of the camp where a large red barn stood.


    Sun snuck inside and saw cages filled with emaciated goblins and dark elves. "Oh god, what happened here?" Sun walked to the cells and checked the captives. They had sunken eyes, bruises on their cheeks, and shaved heads. When Sun tried to touch them, they scurried to the back of their cells. Some of them yelled at him to get away, but their dry throat made it hard for them to speak.


    Sun continued down the path. He saw goblins chained to the walls, and dark elves bounded together with chains attached to their feet. Sun walked up to them and examined their collars on their neck. It had a gem on the front and a keyhole on the back. He wanted to burn the collar off, but the melting metal will only drop on them burn their skin and slashing it might behead them instead, so his only option was to find the key. The barn was barely lit, with very few torches visible. And this was just the first floor. Sun arrived at a ladder leading to the next floor. He could hear the cries of the old and young and smell blood and waste through the ceiling.


    Sun grew angrier by the second with mana coalescing on his fist as he clenched it tighter. His mana slowly grew hotter, and its blue light turned bright orange, and the darkroom was dark no more.


    Suddenly, the barn''s door opened with a guard pulling a goblin by the leg. "Hey, you!" He yelled at Sun, "Lock this filth in his cage." He threw the bloody goblin at Sun. The goblin screamed in pain when Sun caught him with Sun''s burning fist.


    "Oh, sorry," Sun shook his hand to cool it off.


    Sun carried the goblin to a bench and laid his body with his back facing the ceiling. Scars covered his back, and a large print of Sun''s hand burned on the back of his shoulder. "Just kill," The goblins whispered, "Kill Korge. Korge no slave."


    "So your name is Korge," Sun said, "Well, stay still. My healing magic isn''t as good as my brother, but it will get the job done."


    "What?"


    Before Korge realized it, his wounds closed. Only the pain in his muscles and broken bones remain. "Now that you''re somewhat good. I need to ask you something very important. Where is their Captain?"


    "What? No know where Captain." Korge stared at Sun, "And why ask?"


    Sun rolled his sleeves, revealing his shoulders. "I''m not part of the Black Crows. My name is Sun, and I''m here to kill the Captain for the Maston and Orgut tribe. Do you at least know what their Captain looks like so I can find him?"


    "Orgut? Me dad safe! Tell me!" Korge grabbed Sun''s collar. "Tell me!"


    "Woah calm down. I don''t even know who your dad is?"


    "Arga, he name Arga!"


    "Oh, well he''s fine."


    Sun released his collar and kneeled on the floor. He cried on the hardwood, and his cries could be heard all over the barn. Sun sat next to him and patted his back to calm him down. After some time, Arga returned to his sense and got up, "Me not know captain face, but me know where captain stay." He said, "Me bring you place, Captain stay. But promise you beat Captain!"


    Sun laughed, "Don''t worry, I''ll beat him."


    The two got up and ran out of the barn. On the way, they planned how they would sneak in the Black Crow''s barracks and into the Captain''s office. Arga also mentioned the Captain''s impenetrable armor, made from the finest and strongest material Arga has ever seen. Sun doubted the armor is that strong, and it''s most likely due to mana that made impenetrable. But no matter how tough the armor is, Sun could just bake the Captain with his flames. It would be gruesome death, but after seeing the state of his captives and the horror waiting for him on the second floor, he could not feel any remorse for him.


    The opened the barn''s door, expecting to see an empty square, but instead, they saw the mercenaries running around like chickens, trying to get their weapons. Black clouds began to rise from the chimneys connected to the large furnace sitting next to the cave. And mercenaries dragged the giant red wall to block the cave entrance.


    Smoke and Cossack ran through the panicking mercenaries and met up with Sun. "Something strong, really strong, is coming out that cave. And I don''t know what it is?" Smoke said, "But that''s not our only problem. Half of the Black Crows already left, along with their Captain."

 Vol 8 Chapter 7: A Monster is Coming

    Smoke arrived at the furnace where everyone gathered to drop their chopped wood. Three large chimneys were connected to the furnace, and a giant pip connected to the furnace leading into the cave.


    After dropping off his wood, Smoke sat down next to a group of mercenaries telling their stories from the underground war. They sat around a small coffee table and ate baked potatoes. One of them, a teenager, noticed Smoke and a feather poking out of his face mask. "Friend, you got a feather on you." He pulled the feather off Smoke.


    "Ow,"


    "Ow?" Suddenly the man''s cheeks turned red from embarrassment, "Oh, I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to do that."


    "Be more careful," An old elf said while stuffing his mouth with the baked potato, "Our company is pretty big. There''s bound to be an angel or two among us."


    "Yeah, sorry." The kid gave the feather back to Smoke.


    "It''s alright. No harm done."


    "You''re lucky his ok with it," The old elf said, "Most angels would have punched you for touching their feathers. Now, who wants to hear the time I killed two horsemen with one arrow?"


    "No one," One of the men said.


    "Well, too bad, I''m telling it anyway." The old elf leaned forward, describing every bit of detail in his story to impress the young men around him. They could tell his tale is merely a lie and, at best, an exaggeration. However, they still listened to his story despite being a fabrication of his fantasy, solely because his stories were entertaining. Even Smoke was immersed in the old elf''s tale.


    But the story could not be finished because a fight broke in near the courtyard. In front of the flag pole was the guard Smoke, Sun, and Cossack saw guarding the entrance to the camp. "What''s that orc doing?" The old elf snickered. "He must have a stick up his arse."


    "Careful who you make fun, he''s our Officer. The 1st Officer, third only to the Vice-Captain and Captain." One of the men wearing a white beanie said.


    The kid next to Smoke leaned forward and whispered, "Is it true Officer Horace is strong enough to make a dent on the Captain''s armor?"


    "Hell, no!" The old elf yelled, "That orc brute is too slow to even see the Captain and his armor coming at him."


    "Didn''t I tell you to be careful?" The man with the white bean stood up and glared at the old elf.


    Smoke walked in the middle of the group and holding his hands up to separate the two, "Guys, calm down." He told them, "We might miss the show. It looks like Officer Horace is picking a fight with someone."


    "Not just anyone," The old elf added, "Its Vice-Captain Jackson."


    Horace cracked his knuckles as he walked towards the shirtless man standing at the edge of the courtyard. The wind gently blew the man''s curly white hair, and he had a smile wide enough to reach his ears. That smiling, half-naked man was Vice-Captain Jackson. "You have the nerve not to tell me the captain''s plan!" Horace yelled.


    Jackson whipped his long hair back, "You don''t need to know anything, Horace. Just go back and write those silly poems, you little girl." He teased.


    Horace stopped moving. His muted green skin turned darker, and veins began to pop through his skin, "Did you just call me a little girl?"


    "Heh," Jackson smirked, "Yeah, I did, so what?"


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    Horace sprinted towards Jackson. He raised his fist with blue mana swirling around it and delivered a punch that sent Jackson flying towards Smoke and the group he was with. Jackson landed on his feet with his arms blocking his face. He raised his forearm in time and blocked the punch, leaving his face fully intact. "I suggest you don''t take me lightly. And to never make fun of a man enjoying his craft."


    "Brohohoho!" Jackson held his belly and laughed, "That felt more like a mosquito bite than a punch. And imagine if I had my round shield! You wouldn''t even be able to touch me." He wiped a tear from his eye.


    Smoke was impressed. Jackson''s arms were completely fine after taking that strong attack despite using no mana to protect his arms. And up close, his lean body was made of highly refined muscles and not a single body fat to be found. At first, Smoke thought his cockiness was for show, but it was clear Jackson''s confidence comes from true strength.


    Mana began to rise from the ground around Jackson, "Now I''m getting fired up!" He yelled. "It''s a good thing the Captain isn''t here. It would be a shame if he stopped us now!" Jackson sprinted towards Horace as he waited for Jackson''s attack.


    And among the spectators was Smoke, whose body jumped when he heard Jackson say those words. The Captain is not present in the camp, so their walk to get here was for nothing. But he could at least get some information from the group he was in before searching for Sun and Cossack. "Hey, old man," He said to the old elf, "Do you know where the Captain is?"


    "Didn''t you know?"


    "No, I was out gathering wood."


    "Ah, right. Well, he left. We got some holes on the wall we need to plug up. We told him we could use just any wood, but that guy wanted Tungstree. The entire wall had to be made of Tungstree. So he went to look for some. Apparently, some goblin slave told Officer Green and Clay where a grove of Tungstree is, which has a goblin tribe living on them."


    "And he went there already."


    "Yeah, left before noon."


    Suddenly, a loud explosive sound rang across the camp, and like moths mesmerized by light, the mercenaries and slaves stopped and stared at the cave. Jackson stopped in his tracks and turned around. The calm and collective Horace began to sweat, and his body began to shake as if the soundwave reverberated in his body.


    Smoke scanned the cave entrance, trying to find the source of the sound, and he found it on top of the cave''s entrance. A siren made up of a large horn and cogs and widgets continually moving. Just as Smoke found the siren, a spear lodged itself through the horn and out cogs and pipes behind the siren and the sound quickly faded away.


    The one who threw the spear was Jackson, "What the hell are you all standing there for? Get your asses moving! Start the furnace and block the entrance!"


    Several men came out from the cave running for their lives, with one of them collapsing on the ground. "Wait, we still have men in there!" He yelled.


    "I don''t give a damn!" Jackson walked towards the cave, "What''s important is that we trap and choke that son of a bitch! Now move that wall already! And block the holes with your bedsheets. Don''t let a single smoke cloud leak out."


    "Yes, Vice-Captain!" The mercenaries yelled and began to move the wall. Smoke joined them to pull and push the massive wall. Those in charge of the furnace threw wood and charcoal inside and lit them on fire. A boy climbed the chimneys and blocked the holes with a leather ball. The only way the dark clouds could escape was through the pipe leading into the cave.


    "Where''s the trigger?"


    The old elf grabbed a box with a handle sticking from the top, "Here, Vice-Captain."


    "Thanks," Jackson grabbed the box and pushed the handle down into the box. An explosion can be heard deep in the cave. "Now go get ready, we never know what can come out through that wall."


    The mercenaries scattered in the field while Jackson and Horace stared at the cave waiting patiently for their hunter to come out. Smoke used the chaos to search for Cossack and Sun. He first entered the barracks where he found Cossack looking at a poster on the wall. It was a wanted poster with a picture of a man with red curly hair and freckles on his cheeks. And under the picture was the man''s name, Glasgow Buchanan. "This is their Captain," Cossack said.


    "At least we know what he looks like," Smoke grabbed Cossack''s arm, "Now let''s go find Sun."


    The two ran across the courtyard towards the red barn. Sun was outside with a goblin in chains. "Something strong, really strong, is coming out that cave. And I don''t know what it is?" Smoke said, "But that''s not our only problem. Half of the Black Crows already left, along with their Captain. Also, who is that?"


    "This is Korge, and what do you mean they left?"


    "Some goblin told them about it, and now they''re heading there."


    Korge jumped on Smoke, "What mean goblin tell? Me no tell," Then a realization hit Korge. "Brother? Korge coming!" Korge ran towards the barracks.


    "Korge!" Sun, Smoke, and Cossack chased after him.


    Korge slammed the door open to a dark hallway. There was only one door at the end, and Korge could smell blood coming from the room. Korge ran and opened the door and saw a goblin with a sword sticking out of his thigh and blood pouring out from his mouth. Korge walked to the goblin, stepping on the teeth scattered across the floor.


    Korge hugged the goblin for he was his brother, "Brother!" He cried. His tears mixed with his brother''s blood as he tightens his embrace.


    A man entered the room through a side door, "The hell are doing here?" He asked Korge as he whipped Korge''s back.


    Korge did not scream from the pain, but he glared at the man, the torturer that laughed at his pain and his brother''s cries. "Korge kill you!" Korge lunged at the man, but Smoke caught him before his hands reached the man''s neck.


    "Officer Clay!" Cossack said, "Sorry for the intrusion."


    Sun walked behind Smoke, "Who is that?"


    "Officer Clay, I heard that he got the information about the Tungstree from the goblin."


    "What are you doing here?" Clay asked.


    "We were told to find the Captain and warn him that the enemy is coming." Cossack''s long nose twitched. "We were going to use this goblin to guide us to the Tungstree grove."


    "I see," Clay walked to a table with various tools of torture neatly organized on top. "I''ll take care of the dead here. Go and find the Captain. My brother, Green, should be with him too. Tell him to capture more goblins for me." Clay grabbed a wrench, "I like to experiment with more healthier subjects."


    "You sick fuck," Sun said unconsciously.


    "Everyone thinks so, but I think its just my special quirk."


    "Alright, Officer Clay, we''ll be on our way." Cossack pushed everyone out of the room. Korge tried to wrestle himself free from Smoke, but his small body could not break free.


    When they got outside, Smoke pushed Korge to the ground, "Calm down! Getting yourself killed won''t solve anything!" He yelled.


    Sun crouched down next to Korge, "I understand how you feel. Even I could barely hold back, but we need to go to Maston and stop them." He extended his hand, "So will you help us get there."


    Korge took a deep breath, "Ok, Korge know shortcut."

 Vol 8 Chapter 8: The Crows Descend

    It was a lovely calm evening, with dawn beginning to set on the Maston tribe''s crimson grove. Shuja was sitting among the branches with her Artio, watching the sunset on the horizon. Artio and Shuja were relaxing after a long day of exercise. After learning the Hookshot technique, Shuja has been swinging above the treetops, flying over the Maston women.


    Isla saw the two laying the rook. She just came out from her bath, drying her brown hair with a towel, "Hey!" She called to them. "Go wash body. Water clean, go now!"


    "For someone holding Rock and Stick hostage, they sure are accommodating," Shuja said to Artio. "Right, master?"


    "I''m no longer surprise." Artio joked, "Let''s go wash up." Artio got up and jumped on the platform below them. Shuja was about to jump after her when she saw a cloud of smoke rising from the distance, followed by more tiny puffs of smoke.


    Isla waited on the platform, "Not come down?" She asked. Shuja was busy looking at the horizon, so Isla looked to see what caught her attention. Isla''s eyes widened when she saw the smoke signals.


    "What are those?" Shuja asked.


    "Invaders!" Isla yelled, "Invaders coming!" She ran through the canopy, repeating that phrase. The Maston tribe dropped everything and went to the armory located on the most southern tree. Artio and Shuja grabbed their bows and quivers leaning against the tree and followed the women.


    On the way, they met Natasha trying to get through the hordes of women trying to arm themselves for combat. "What''s going on?" She asked the two.


    "We don''t know? I think their attacking?" Shuja said.


    "Who?"


    "Who do you think?" Artio said, "The Black Crows are here!"


    "What? Does it mean they failed?"


    "Who knows, but right now we need to get out of here."


    "I''ll go free the boys,"


    "You?" Shuja and Artio asked.


    "I know where they are, and they might find it suspicious that you guys are not there with them to fight. They suspect me to be with the children and elderly so they won''t check where I am. And they''re going to need help."


    "Alright, just be careful!" Artio said


    "Don''t worry. I will!" Natasha ran to the elevator to get to the ground. Then she ran through the grove until she saw Rock and Stick hanging cell. She got on the elevator and yelled above her to get the guard''s attention.


    Elena heard Natasha''s call and proceeded to lower the elevators anchor to raise the platform. Natasha quickly dashed towards the edge of the platform, "Are you guys ok?"Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Mom!" Rock yelled, "What are you doing here? Is everyone ok?"


    "The Black Crows are attacking, and I''m here to get you guys out!" Natasha turned to Elena, "Could you help get,"


    "What!" Elena suddenly yelled, "Invaders coming!" She ran towards the elevator to get to the forest floor, and then she ran to the armory.


    "Well, there goes my assistance." Natasha searched around the platform and saw a pole hanging on a branch with the hook on its end. She grabbed it and used it to hook the brother''s swaying prison and reeled them towards her. It took her a long time to bring the brothers to the platform. Rock''s weight and the wind constantly swaying the cage made the task a great endeavor for Natasha. But it became impossible to pull them closer when her hands began to sweat profusely.


    The pole kept slipping through her grip, and she lost an inch of progress from every pull. She needed something to dry her hands and to add friction in her grip. She looked around for a rag or some gloves, but there was nothing on the platform to help her. But then, she remembered her caretaker''s gift, the brown leather gloves. She reached for her pocket and took out the pair of gloves.


    The gloves fit perfectly in her hands, and with them, she pulled Rock and Stick closer to her while the brothers cheered. Her legs weak, and her arms were shaking, but she kept her grip and her grit until she finally got the cage settled on the platform.


    "I can''t believe you did!" Stick yelled in enthusiasm.


    "That was amazing, mama!" Rock cried out.


    "Thank you, now let''s get you out of there." Natasha grabbed the thorny vine and began to unravel the knot. Her thick leather gloves protected her hands from the thorn, and the slippery oil the women poured on the knot did not slow her down.


    Finally, the brothers were free, and the three embraced each other after a long day apart. "Now we need to get down and help them. The Black Crows are coming to attack us." Natasha said.


    "What are these Black Crows?" Rock asked, "I think I heard of them before."


    "There the mercenary company Artio and her mercenary band ran avoided. They are here now, and they''re trying to harvest the Tungstree for Tinia knows what. Rock could you be a dear and pull this rope," Rock walked to her and began pulling on the rope, raising the elevator to them. "Sun said he would kill the captain in exchange for our freedom, but now we don''t know what''s going on anymore. For now, let''s get down from here and get back to Artio and Shuja. They should be helping the Maston women fight."


    "Alright, we''ll go help them out, but first, we need to find a place where you can hide."


    "I''ll hide with the other children later. We need to find you guys weapons to defend yourself."


    "All the weapons I need our these guns!" Rock flexed his biceps after pulling the elevator.


    "Very funny, sweety, but there''s no time for jokes!" Natasha dragged the two to the elevator, and they dropped down to the forest floor and ran towards the center of the forest.


    Suddenly, an arrow flew past Natasha, barely grazing her neck. "What the hell?" Rock turned around and saw a group of soldiers wearing hardened leather armor. "Who shot that arrow? I''ll fucking kill you!" He yelled.


    "Interesting, I''ve never seen two red goblins working together in these parts of the forest before." One of the soldiers staggered forward. He wore chainmail over his leather armor, and he had a dagger on his left hand and a bottle of wine on the right hand. "Oh, and what''s behind them?"


    "Seemed like a used wench." One of the soldiers said, and everyone laughed.


    "Used, yes. But she''s also beautiful." The drunkard said while staring at Natasha''s boobs, "I wonder what made her so gifted."


    Rock had enough of the soldiers'' comments and charged at them. "You got a lot of guts talking that way to my mother!" Rock leaped forward to deliver a flying knee, but the drunkard somersaulted in the air and over Rock. Instead, the poor soldier standing behind got sent flying away by Rock''s knee. Stick and Natasha were shocked to see the drunk that could barely walk was able to perform such a jump.


    "Officer Green, are you ok!" One of the soldiers yelled.


    Green landed on his feet, arms wide open to balance himself. Then he turned around and gave a thumbs-up, "I''m alright! Now, if you can take care of that brute, I''ll be going after that lady," He burped.


    "Oh no, you won''t!" Stick ran towards Green, "Get to safety, Miss Natasha!"


    Natasha turned around and ran away. Green managed to get pass Stick with his unpredictable movements. And with the soldiers under his command fighting Rock and Stick, nothing could get in his way. At least that''s what he thought.


    He dropped his bottle and extended his hand to her, ready to grab her when suddenly a long sword slashed his hands cleanly off his wrist. He screamed at the top of his lungs while hiding his right arm. "I thought I felt something weird happening in this direction?" Green turned his head and saw a man with feathers just like an angel, but his skin was greenish like the orcs and goblins.


    "Who the fuck are you?" Green snarled.


    "The name is Sun!" He pointed the tip of his sword at Green''s forehead. "And you must be Green. You got the same green eyes as that sick brother of yours."


    Green slammed the sword away from his face and leaped back, "I don''t know what an angel like you is doing here, but I will kill you!"


    Green released the mana inside his body. "Miss Natasha, go somewhere safe, I''ll take care of this guy," Sun said.


    "Ok, good luck," Natasha ran to the nearest elevator.


    "Alright, Green, let''s see how strong you are. I heard from a little goblin you''re the second officer of the Black Crows. That makes you the fourth-strongest fighter they have."


    "I could be a knight if I wanted. That''s how strong I am!" Green yelled. Mana covered his wound, preventing blood from gushing out, "And once I kill you, those red goblins are next." The two charged at each other with their sword and dagger clashing. Only one of them will win, and that winner will decide the fate of the Maston tribe.

 Vol 8 Chapter 9: Sword Versus Dagger

    Metal clashed as Sun and Green swing and parried their blades at each other. Sun had the reach advantage with his longsword, with each swing preventing Green from closing the distance. But Green had speed in his side.


    Green jumped over Sun and struck his dagger on the red tree''s trunk, letting him hang on the stuck dagger above Sun. Now away from Sun''s reach, Green gathered the mana in his body and concentrated them on his feet and calves. "Let''s see if you can see this?" He yelled with great fervor. The blue mist surrounding his legs transformed into a soft light blanketing covering his lower body. And using the tree as his launchpad, Green blast off to the next tree and another tree with speed increasing for every time he launches himself until his image became a blur.


    "So what? You''re like a frog that jumps keep jumping from tees after trees. How is that impressive?" Sun said sarcastically.


    "You''ve seen nothing yet!" Green landed on the ground behind, and with the potential energy absorbed during the landing, he lunges towards Sun. He held his dagger in front of him, hoping to thrust it through Sun''s spine.


    But Sun could feel his presence and reacted as swiftly as he could when he felt the dagger getting closer. Sun pivot his body around the blade, leaving only a scratch on his side. But it was enough to cut through his leather coat and cut his skin. Blood began to drip from his side, but the wound was not big enough to leave a scar, and the bleeding quickly stopped.


    Green did not stop. He already knew he missed because of the lack of bloodstain in his dagger, so he continued to jump around. But now, he gathered even more mana on his legs and hip to get even faster. Now his blurry figure turned into a blurry blue ball bouncing around Sun.


    He was too fast for Sun to catch up, but he had one trick up his sleeve. Once again, Green landed on the ground and aimed his sights on Sun''s back before lunging forward with his dagger leading the charge. Sun stomped on the ground, and mana exploded out from his body as a blue gust of wind, and then he yelled, "Get burned!" Suddenly, the mana surrounding his body burst into flame.


    Green saw the wall of flame suddenly appear before him, and he tried to stop his momentum with his lead leg. But he could not control his body, so he braced for impact, shielding his face behind his arms and dagger. When he broke past the firewall, he saw Sun waiting for him with his sword drawn back. "Shit!" Green''s mana quickly crawled its way to his arms and dagger, reinforcing it to prepare for Sun''s attack.


    Like a batter waiting for the ball, Sun kept his eye on Green tightly, holding his sword. Then he swung at Green with his sword at Green''s chest. Green moved his dagger to parry the attack but the blade shattered once the sword touched the dagger. Only the dagger''s crossguard stood in the longsword''s way, but with only one hand, Green lost his grip, and the dagger''s hilt went flying. The blade cut through Green''s black shirt and chainmail, the metal rings flying off his body. And the leather armor he wore underneath them split like butter.


    His body launched across the field, slamming against the base of the Tungstree before falling on his butt. Green leaned against the red trunk holing his open chest wound. The mana that blocked the bleeding on his right arm slowly dissipate into the air, and with no more mana in him, Green knew it was the end.


    Sun walked up to Green, sitting on his small pool of blood. He stuck his sword on the ground and crouched down, "You alright?"


    "What do you think?" Green yelled, "Just kill me already. Why haven''t you lift that sword and cut my head off the same you cut my hands off?"


    "I''ll answer that question with my own. There were two goblins you and your brother tortured. And one of them died. Tell me, did he die a quick, painless death?"


    "Gagaga!" Green laughed, "No! Gagagaga!" His laughter quickly turned to sobs, and his tears flowed as much as his blood.


    Sun stood back up and took the sword out of the ground, "You were a great fighter, but I fought beast far stronger than you. I hope fate ends your suffering because god knows I will not end it for you."


    "God? I thought you angels only worship Tinia''s lady in waiting."


    Sun was startled to hear him think he was an angel. "Yeah, that''s what I meant." He said before turning around. Sun wondered what he meant by him being an angel. Was there a race that looked like him? Are they the race his mother showed him in her book? These questions filled the corner of his mind, pushed aside by more pressing matters.


    Rock and Stick joined Sun standing in front of Green. Both of them were covered in blood, but it was not their blood. "Those fuckers were stronger than I though. If only I had my pair of buckles on me, I could easily punch through their shields and block their weapons. But anyway, where''s mom?" Rock asked.


    "She''s safe."


    "And where''s Smoke and Cossack?" Stick asked.


    "They should be with the Black Crows at the entrance. They were going to warn the Black Crows that whatever monster they were trying to choke in that cave was coming."This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "And who is that?" Stick pointed behind Sun to the little goblin standing in front of Green''s body. He stared at him with fire in his eyes.


    "That''s Korge, and let''s just say he doesn''t like that guy very much. Anyway, we need to and meet up with Smoke and Cossack!" The four goblins ran off, leaving Green and his troops at the mercy of fate. Green watched the brothers leave, their figure becoming blurry the farther they get until they were gone.


    The three brothers finally reached the entrance, and they were met with a bizarre scene. Sun could sense Smoke and Cossack hiding the bushes next to the Black Crow troop. He could feel Smoke and Cossack struggling, but from what, Sun could not tell. Maston spearmen stood in front of Artio and pointed their weapons at the Black Crows, and a large man was standing at the front. He wore white shining armor that gleamed when touched by the sun. And that man was the Black Crow''s, Captain Buchanan.


    Artio''s arms were shaking while she was aiming her bow and arrow at Buchanan. "Let her go!" She yelled at him. Sun looked at Buchanan and saw Shuja trapped in a rear chokehold.


    "Is that?" Stick immediately went to grab Sun''s right hand, but he too late.


    Sun charged through and leaped into the air. Everyone saw Sun in the air with his sword engulfed in fire. Then he descended next Buchanan, thrusting his sword to the ground and breaking it apart. The ground shook and made Buchanan lose his balance.


    Shuja tried to escape while Buchanan was busy, but he quickly grabbed her hair and pulled her to his side while stepping back away from Sun. "Sun! What the fuck are you doing?" Artio yelled.


    Meanwhile, Smoke was busy wrestling Cossack, pinning him to ground. When he finally got Cossack under control, he peeked through the leaves and saw Sun challenging the Captain. "What is he doing?" He whispered.


    "Let her go!" Sun yelled.


    "And what are you going to do if I did let her go? Kill me?" Buchanan giggled, "I don''t even know who you are, I can tell you care but this goblin very deeply. Is she your slave?" He raised Shuja in the air by the hair. Shuja screamed while she was grabbing onto Buchanan''s hand, pulling her self up.


    "Buchanan, just let her go," Artio said.


    "Not until you give your answer!" He yelled back.


    "No, don''t do it!" Shuja yelled.


    Sun looked back and forth between Artio and Buchanan, trying to piece together what was happening before him. And he could feel strange things passing through his bodies coming from Buchanan. He wasn''t sure what it was, and he was too focused on trying to save Shuja to care what it could it be. He pointed his sword towards Buchanan, ready to strike when the opportunity arises.


    The Maston looked at Artio, nodding their heads left and right, trying to persuade her to say nothing. "I''m waiting!" Buchanan yelled one more time.


    "Fine, I accept," Artio reluctantly said, "I''ll be your wife."


    "What?" the brother collective asked themselves.


    Buchanan smiled, "Finally!" He dropped Shuja to the floor. She quickly ran away from Buchanan and to Artio''s side. The two embraced each other, with Shuja crying.


    "Don''t go!" Shuja cried out.


    "Don''t worry. No one is going anywhere with him!" Sun yelled, then he charged towards Buchanan.


    "Wait, Sun don''t!" Artio yelled, but it was too late. Sun felt a sudden surge of mana travel through his body and forming behind him, and as that mana passes through him, Buchanan disappeared in front of him in the blink of an eye.


    "Right behind you," Buchanan whispered to Sun''s ears. Sun turned around and saw Buchanan standing right behind him. Before Sun could react, Buchanan planted his fist imbued with mana to Sun''s face.


    Sun dropped to the floor and was knocked unconscious by that one attack. Rock and Stick immediately jumped in to fight Buchanan, but Artio threw her arrow at their feet. "Don''t move!" She yelled.


    "Well, are you coming?" Buchanan asked, "Or do I have to kill every goblin here?"


    Artio pushed Shuja off her, "I have to go."


    "But he''s just going to use you,"


    "It''s fine. I''ll get out of this." Artio patted her head to reassure her before leaving her side. "Alright, let''s go." She said.


    Buchanan removed his white helmet and held out his hand for Artio. Hesitant at first, she placed her hand on top of his before walking away, "As we agreed, in exchange for your hand in marriage, I will leave these goblins alone." He said with a smile on his face.


    Rock, Stick, Shuja, and Korge ran to Sun. "What just happened?" Sun asked them. Blood flowed out like a river from his broken nose. Shuja placed Sun''s head on her lap and took out a piece of cloth, shoving it up Sun''s nose, damming the flow. The Maston women surrounded them and raised their spears to stop the Black Crow from coming to them.


    Once the Black Crows disappeared, Smoke walked out from the bushes and rushed towards Sun''s side, removing his beany and mask. Recognizing the beautiful goblin, they moved aside, letting Smoke through. "Hold him still," He told Shuja. He placed his hand over Sun''s face, and light blue mist began to pour out from his palm. The blue mist slowly transformed into the gentle golden confetti that started to heal Sun''s injury.


    "Thank you, Smoke," Sun said, "But shouldn''t Cossack be with you?"


    "Yeah, he should be behind me." Smoke turned around did not see Smoke anywhere. "Oh shit! Where did he go?" Smoke jumped to his feet, "Cossack!" He called out.


    Sun got up on his feet, "We need to go find him."


    "But what about your,"


    Sun interrupted Stick, "It''s just one punch. Excuse me, ladies," Sun turned to the Maston women surrounding them, "Could you help us find our friend?"


    "Go look for the long nose!" Isla yelled to the women above the canopies. "I saw him follow the Black Crows!"


    "Well, that''s not good," Smoke said. Everyone followed the Black Crow''s trail searching for Cossack. They searched high and low, behind the bushes and beneath logs, but they saw no sign of him. It was not until Korge saw his tribe, the Orgut, did they find him.


    They saw Cossack land at the edge of their camp. They believe he was thrown in this direction. His nose and fingers bent in half, head covered in blood, and fresh bruises covered his body. They carried him to one of their tents and covered his wound with mint. The group sat around Cossack''s unconscious body while Smoke uses his healing spell on Cossack. "This could have been me," Sun said.


    "I''m sorry," Shuja said.


    "No, don''t be. I wanted to save you. If only I knew what was happening, though, maybe I could have done something different." Sun sighed, "But that doesn''t matter now."


    "What should we do?" Stick asked.


    Shuja wanted to say they must save her master, but she doubts they would agree. It''s been a while for Shuja to feel scared, but this fear was also new to her. The fear of failure and self-doubt. She rushed to battle to save her master only for him to appear behind her and held her hostage. Suddenly, Cossack spoke. "We hab tu seb her. Ples," He said through his bloody mouth. The brothers stared at Cossack, struggling to stay awake.


    One of the men from the Orgut tribe came in the tent and asked for Korge to come out. Sun and Shuja left the tent with Korge, and waiting in front of them was Arga, the old man Sun met last night.


    "Papa!" Korge rushed towards Arga and jumped on top of him.


    "My boy!" Arga shouted in glee, "My boy live!"


    They dropped to their knees and cried as loud as they could, ignoring the world around them. Sun turned to Shuja, "Do you know why they wanted Artio?"


    "They said she was dook''s daughter."


    Sun heard of the tern duke before from fantasy films and shows in his past life. They were high ranking nobles second only to the king and queen of the country. If it''s true that Artio is not only a niece of a count but a daughter of a duke, then the Black Crows switching their target from the trees and to Artio made some sense. The ransom they could get from her house to free her would enormous. "Let''s go save Artio."


    A single tear came out from Shuja''s eye, "Let''s go save her." She answered back.


    "Yeah, let''s go!" Rock appeared behind them and hugged the two.


    "We''re not letting those bastards go without a fight!" Stick yelled. "Let''s go right now!"


    "What about you, Smoke?" Sun turned his head towards the tent, "You think it''s good to go now?"


    "I didn''t tell them about the monster coming for them. They must be scared to shit after finding out the monster they plan to kill is closing in on them. They''re probably too focused on their trap to expect an attack from us" Smoke smiled, "Let''s go rain their parade."


    "Then its agreed, we''re going to the Black Crow''s camp and fuck their shit up!" Sun yelled to the sky.

 Vol 9 Chapter 1: The Walk

    Sunset was closing in when Buchanan and his troops arrived at their camp. The soldiers where Green and his men, but Buchanan did not care. He was fixated in Artio and the possibilities that await him with her on his leash. Buchanan is not just a mercenary captain; he used to be an aristocrat that was sent by his father, a mayor of a poor city, to form a company to earn profit for their house and town. He pillaged every village they come across and send the gold to his father, the gold he was willing to part with. He mostly keeps them for himself and amassed a fortune hidden elsewhere.


    But even if he hoarded most of his treasure, he will still be a lowly aristocrat that governs a poor rundown city. There was no renown or prestige under his family name. But now things have changed. His company is widely known in the realms, and he now has a daughter of a duke. He is getting closer to the status he believed to be rightfully his as the strong. Artio may not be the next in line in the succession, but a dagger can change that.


    Then there were the dark elves they have enslaved thanks to the mysterious collar they bought from a foreign beastkin merchant. Whoever wears these collars must obey the orders from the one wearing the blue crystal orb necklace. Buchanan could feel the orb''s mana burning his skin, but the burning pain was worth it if it meant keeping such rare slaves.


    Dark elves rarely leave their underground homes because they feared the sun and those that walk under its light. And their rarity makes them highly sought after by the nobles. Once he sells these darker elves, he would have a large enough fortune to built his own castle. Of course, he doesn''t have to if he could just kill Artio''s father and siblings and push her to become the duchess.


    Finally, there''s the Golden Condottiero, Bret Hart, that followed them after the war. He''s known as the single strongest mercenary among the Golden Condottiero that even the Chief Bishop of the Tinian Church fears him. But strength can only get you so far. Rumors circulated among the aristocrats from the cities that Bret Hart once lost a battle and was buried in a pile of smoke and ashes. Ever since then, Hart had a phobia of smoke and fire. Hopefully, those rumors were true, and Buchanan''s plans to choke him in the cave with smoke succeed, for his sake.


    Buchanan arrived at the camp, but barely anyone greeted him. His men at arms were in defense formation in front of the cave blocked by their incomplete red wall. "What the hell is going on?" He opened his helmet''s visor and grabbed one of the men that greeted him, "Tell me what is going on!"


    "Bert Hart is coming. Our scouts stationed further in the cave saw him, so we blew up the cave and blocked the entrance." He said.


    "Yahahaha!" Artio laughed, "So this is why you were tearing down Tungstrees. You''re trying to choke Hart to death. Yahahaha!"


    Buchanan threw the soldier aside, "You laugh now. But you''ll cry once we go to bed."


    Artio stopped laughing and glared at him, "Fuck you!"


    "Captain Buchanan!" The Black Crows'' strongest orc and 1st officer, Horace, ran up to him and gave his salute. "We''ve blocked the cave and made sure no smoke leaves the cave. Also, where is Officer Green?"


    "Probably dead." Buchanan turned to the man he threw aside, "You, go get me a collar." The man saluted and quickly ran towards the barn.


    "Who is that, Captain?"


    "My bride to be."


    "Bride?" Jackson yelled while walking to greet Buchanan, "What do you mean by your bride? What about our plans on killing Hart. Are you going to run away and start a new life? And where did you even meet this elf?"


    "She is not just any woman. She''s the daughter of the duke of Lyon held captive by a bunch of savage goblins."


    "Savages? Goblins in these parts of the forest are hardly savages. More like weak rats running about."


    "It doesn''t matter the exact tribe I rescued her from. What matters is that she will be the key for my ascension into high nobility."


    "Yahahaha!" Artio started laughing again.


    "What the hell is she laughing about?"


    "Maybe she has gone insane from the strange events happening around her?" Horace wondered.


    "Weak rats? Yahahaha!" Artio cried from laughter, "Sure, the goblins that live and die here are weak. But the ones that tried to attack you and rescue me are not from these parts. They came from the harsher northern tribes. They are no weaklings."


    "Another question, how do you know she''s noblewoman?" Jackson asked.


    Buchanan casually pointed at Artio''s bow. "The red bow is the signature symbol of the high nobility among the petty kingdoms south from here. And the material used to craft that bow signifies an even richer background."


    "You''ve done your homework," Artio commented.


    "Excuse me," The guard Buchanan sent out returned with the collar, "Here you are, Captain."


    "Thank you," Buchanan took the collar and turned to Artio, "Do you mind moving those beautiful red curls so I can put this around your neck."If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Artio glared at him before reluctantly pulling her hair back. Buchanan placed the collar around her neck, and the gemstone attached to it began to glow. "What''s that? What''s going on?" Artio swatted Buchanan''s hands away and grabbed the collar, "What is this?" Artio touched the stone, and it shocked her fingers.


    "Don''t touch it, unless you want to electrocuted from head to toe." Buchanan laughed.


    Artio raised her bow and swiftly grabbed an arrow from her quiver and aimed it at Buchanan''s face, without giving Horace or Jackson time to react. "What the fuck is this gemstone?"


    Artio began to pull the string, but the collar shocked her and made her drop to her knees. "That my sweet is an obedience collar designed after the Sky People''s ancient artifacts used to enslave us Tinians. And normally we have to inscribe a spell on the collar first to make the slaves do anything we demand," Buchanan crouched down, "But sometimes, slaves try to kill themselves or their future masters during the inscription process, so these collars were pre-inscribed that makes slaves unable to harm themselves or their masters." Buchanan pulled a necklace out from his armor''s collar, "And the glowing rock on this necklace tells the gemstones that I am the master, and that you have to obey me."


    Buchanan grabbed Artio''s arm and pulled her up. "But we have yet to personalize that inscription. We have to make sure you''re an obedient wife and duchess before I let you out the forest." Buchanan removed his helmet and turned to his Officers, "I need you guys to keep an eye on that wall. If you hear any knocking, you tell me. Otherwise, don''t disturb me. I will be at the barn with Artio to write her commandments. And to have a little fun," Buchanan glanced at Artio and smiled. He stroked her curly hair, and she responded by moving her head away, "Giving me the cold shoulders."


    Artio glared at him, "Go fuck yourself."


    "I don''t need to do that if there''s a woman to have. Bacacaca!" Buchanan laughed.


    "Laugh all you want, when they come for you, you''ll regret everything you''ve done. Not even that silver husk can save you!"


    "Enough!" Buchanan slapped Artio across the face. "You think Hart will save you!"


    "Who said anything about him."


    "Oh, so you mean the goblins and that angel are coming to save you. Bacacaca!" He laughed, "I don''t know where you get that confidence from, but they won''t be coming here. And if they do, what makes you think the outcome will change from before. I am the strongest one here, strong enough to be a noble knight! Now let''s get that gem inscribed, and I''ll make sure you shut up." He grabbed Artio''s arms once more and dragged her with him to the barn where the slaves are kept. Artio picked up her bow before heading towards the barn. Jackson and Horace returned to their post, guarding the cave exit.


    Buchanan was beginning to boil under his armor. He was irritated to hear Artio place her hope to some nobody that appeared out of the blue. A nobody that lost against him unarmed. A nobody that lost his consciousness with one punch.


    He thought it was funny at first, but the more he contemplated on Artio''s words, the more irritated he became. Because if it was true that the nobody that challenged him was strong enough for Artio to place all her bets on, then maybe that is the reason Green was nowhere to be seen.


    The two of them had planned so easy to follow that it will only fail if they were too stupid to forget. Buchanan will attack the front, while Green and his men cut down the trees and carry them away. And they were to meet later.


    Buchanan waited for his Officer to come, but instead, another angel showed up with much longer hair and a ridiculously long nose. Artio tried to persuade the angel to retreat, but the mad lad charged headfirst towards Buchanan, who laughed at the man''s feeble attempt to punch through his invincible chest plate. He could have easily ended the fight, but he decided to entertain himself by beating the angel to near-death while his men held Artio in place, making her watch Buchanan stomp on the poor soul. That would have been enough to break a person''s spirit, but Artio and the mysterious angel did not waver.


    He had never seen such strong will before. If only Green were there, he was a person specialized in torture, but he is dead, and his body rested on the base of the Tungstree located at the center of the Maston tribe.


    Green''s body looked as if it was floating on his pool blood. His skin white as snow and his chainmail ripped apart, shows the large crevice on his chest where the blood flowed down like a waterfall.


    Isla stood in front of the corpse. She covered her mouth as not to smell the foul stench coming from Green''s body. Isla knows the man well as the sadist that the Orgut tribe warned them about. They took the warning seriously, for they knew men have no limits for their quench for violence. And because Green posed a great threat to the women of Maston, they did not hesitate to kill him when the chance showed itself. But Green was not just a sadist that took glee from torturing others; he was also a warrior that could destroy any opponent the Maston tribe threw at him.


    After losing her strongest warriors to Green, they avoided him and the Black Crows. They became isolationist, letting the Orgut tribe settle near them to use them as a buffer zone. No one dared to venture too far, only far enough to make sure no Black Crows were near them. It was when they saw Artio, Shuja, and Natasha did they regained their bravery and rescued them, only to realize that it was merely a misunderstanding.


    And this misunderstanding led to Green''s demise. They attempted to attack the rear and cut their trees while they were busy fighting at the front. If not for the men they held captive the night prior, he would have killed their sacred trees and possibly their lives.


    Now, Green sleeps with his eyes open under the tree he wished to cut down. Isla''s shoulders shuddered from the wind blowing against her. They almost lost everything.


    "Elder Isla?" Elena walked by Isla, staring at the body. Elena was no fighter, and she crumbled at the sight of Buchanan appearing behind them and grabbing Shuja by the neck. She lost all hope until Sun appeared from the sky and crashed on the earth.


    She learned Sun was the brother of the prisoners she was tasked to guard. Those prisoners being Stick and Rock. She found their company to be pleasant. Stick asked many questions about their sleeping gas, and unfortunately, she knew very little of the method to make the sleeping gas.


    Rock was quiet but occasionally speak about the lady he was in love with waiting for him to return. Elena found it sweet to see such a large red conqueror speak of love in such a gentle and caring matter. Elena slowly saw her prisoners be more than just savage men who wanted to destroy sacred trees. And they were also strong and brave.


    They returned with the Orgut tribe after finding their lost companion. He was severely injured with blood covering his entire body, and everyone that saw his awful injuries quivered in fear, except for Sun and his group. They were not afraid; they were angry.


    They planned to depart and rescue Artio and the other slaves kept by the Black Crows. This surprised many of the Orgut and Maston goblins. Most goblins would not dare face those that overwhelmed them the first time, but Sun was eager to fight Buchanan. And so was the rest of his companions eager to take their revenge against the Black Crows.


    Before they left, they first prepared for the fight. Stick asked Elena if he could have the ropes used to keep the suspended in the air, and Elena obliged to his request. Elena ran back to the cage, and with the rope on her person, she ran back, but on the way, she saw Isla glaring at Green and his lifeless body. "Everything ok?"


    "Why they not kill us?" Isla murmured.


    "What mean?


    "Why not kill us? They strong, Sun strong, Shuja strong. All strong. And no kill us." Isla turned around, "You know why?"


    "No," Elena said, "But maybe they nice."


    "No one nice." Isla turned and walked back to the tribe''s entrance. "Not even Isla."


    Sun and his brothers were getting ready to march to Black Crows'' camp. They wore their gambeson and polished their weapons. Sun held his longsword close to his heart, whispering to the heaves and to himself for the strength to fight. Smoke cleaned his metal club, making sure no grime and rust tainting the cog piece at its head.


    Stick and Rock hugged Natasha after receiving their weapons from her. Rock slammed his bronze and steel bucklers together. Stick waited for Elena to bring him the rope he requested. "Here," Elena walked up to him, "Thorny rope Stick want."


    "Thank you!" Stick tied the rope around his right arm and attached it to one of his sickles. Then he took a small vial of yellow liquid and poured it on the rope.


    "Wait that sleeping gas?" Elena asked.


    "Yeah, Isla gave it to me."


    "Isla?" Elena turned and saw Isla carrying the bow that only the Maston Chief could wield.


    Isla walked up to Shuja and gave her the bow, "Look, I told you I can''t be your,"


    "No, I give bow. Use bow save Artio. Please," Isla said.


    Shuja stared at the silver bow before finally accepting it, "Ok, and thank you."


    Then Isla turned to Sun sitting next to Shuja, "Now me ask, why no kill us?"


    "What?" Sun was surprised to hear the question, "What do you mean?"


    "Why no kill us? Rescue boys and women, easy just kill us. But no kill us, Sun pick fight to Black Crows."


    "Oh, well that''s simple. Its because they''re assholes, hahaha!" Sun laughed.


    After getting ready, Sun and his companions said their goodbyes to Natasha and the two goblin tribes. And they made sure Cossack get fully rested. Then the five of them left and followed the sun to the west as it begins to set on the horizon. They walked side by side with their eyes set on the Black Crows. That evening, before the sun''s light disappears from the sky, they will fight.

 Vol 9 Chapter 2: The Attack Begins

    Clay and his men were situated outside of the camp with the dark elf slaves. If the plan failed, Buchanan and his most loyal mercenaries were to leave with the salves. Clay was one of those loyal men.


    Clay was sitting on a log, watching the sun fall behind the walls of the camp as if it was landing inside the camp. Clay had his sword with him sleeping in its sheath, waiting to be used again to cut flesh. And unlike his quiet sword, Clay was restless. He wants to join the men and cut his way through gambeson, flesh, and bones, but instead, he was tasked to keep the slaves safe. He couldn''t kill any of them if they try to escape since all he had to do was yell at them to stay. Clay found his position a boring one.


    His men did not think the same. They were more than happy to be far away from the potential threat coming inside the cave. They remember vividly the massacre that happened behind their back. The peasant levy they rose was easily cut down by the Golden Condottiero, and some of the men at arms were also killed with relative ease. They don''t want to be next in the list of dead men in the hands of Bret Hart.


    Unfortunately for them, and fortunately for Clay, a different threat was coming for them. Before the men and slaves could notice, a dozen or so gas bombs were hurled towards them, releasing a yellowish fume that caused those to inhale it to fall asleep. The only one to notice was Clay and quickly swatted the bomb hurling towards him away.


    The yellow clouds quickly dissipated, and those that inhaled it were sleeping soundly. The only ones awake were Clay and the sword he unsheathed for battle. Clay swung his blade in the direction of the bombs sending a gust of mana at the trees and shrubs.


    Five figures leaped out from the shadows to avoid Clay''s attack. It was Sun, Smoke, Rock, Shuja, and Stick, and seeing them made Clay smile. Five against one may not be favorable for those outnumbered, but Clay only looked at the positive; he had more victims to slaughter.


    "Be careful," Sun warned, "That guy is Clay, Green''s brother. And he''s a sadist."


    "It''s you," Clay pointed his sword at Sun, "The one with the goblin. To think you had goblin slave of your own."


    "Slaves?"


    "Who hired you to come here? Was it the dark elves?"


    "I don''t know what that guy is asking us about, but we should just smash his head now!" Rock yelled before charging towards him.


    Clay swung his sword towards Rock, releasing another gust of mana. Rock managed to dodge the air slash attack and got around Clay. Rock imbued his fist with mana and delivered a devastating punch, but Clay simply parried the attack with his sword and grabbed Rock and threw him at the sleeping slaves.


    Smoke managed to catch Rock before squashed the sleeping elves with his heavy body. Sun was next to charge in, exchanging blade with Clay. Their mana slashed through the air and earth as their swords clashed. "Sun stop!" Smoke yelled.


    Sun stepped back and saw the destruction around them, with one of the mana sent flying away, nearly beheading a dark elf woman. Fighting Clay was proving to be dangerous not for the brother but for the innocent lives around them. And Clay noticed this and, without hesitation, began to send out a flurry of attacks towards the slaves and even at his men.


    Rock, Sun, and Smoke quickly ran to block the incoming attack, but with the people surrounding them held hostage, they could not attack Clay with reckless abandonment. Fortunately, Clay''s attack seized.


    While the brother was busy blocking Clay''s attacks, Stick was winding his sickle. Once it was fast enough, Stick swung it at Clay. The sickle wrapped around Clay''s arms, tying his hands together. He was now trapped in Stick''s knot. "Go!" Stick yelled at Shuja and his brothers, "I''ll take care of him."Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Alright Stick, we''ll leave it up to you," Sun said.


    Shuja patted Stick on the shoulder, "Good luck." She told him.


    The rest of the group left Stick and Clay and ran to the camp. A large gate stood in their way, but Sun knew the key to opening it, a massive fire blast. The gate exploded and burnt a sunder, letting them enter the lion''s den.


    Black Crows guarding the back quickly retaliated when they hear the large explosion behind them, but the brothers smashed through them like butter. "Who the hell are those?" Jackson draws his sword out, "Go and get rid of them!" He commanded his men.


    "No!" Horace replied, "I will deal with them." Horace rushed into battle, wearing nothing but armored pants. He tackled Rock and pinned him to the ground, "Bararara! You''re the biggest goblins I''ve ever seen. Are you the muse I''ve been waiting for?"


    Smoke ran to Rock, "No, but this is!" Smoke smashed Horace''s face with his bronze club, sending Horace rolling away from Rock. But just as quickly he fell, Horace jumped right back up with a smile on his face.


    His figure was large and imposing, even for Rock. "And I thought I was big!" Rock commented.


    Meanwhile, Shuja grabbed one of the men and interrogated him. The man told her and the brothers that Artio was with their Captain at the barn. "Guys!" Sun called out to them, "Shuja and I are going to the barn."


    "No worries, leave this to us!" Rock gave a thumbs up.


    "Good, I rather not have any distractions," Horace said.


    "Rock, I''m going towards that cave over there," Smoke said. "You think you can handle this guy?"


    "Of course, I can!"


    "Good, I''ll deal with the one behind him," Smoke pointed at Jackson.


    While Rock and Smoke pick their fight, Sun and Shuja arrived at the barn. "They''re inside," Shuja said. "I can feel their presence."


    "You can feel them too!" Sun reacted surprise.


    "Yeah, did Artio teach you about it?"


    "About what?"


    "Isiptale,"


    "No, but let''s talk about that later. It looks like we have one last obstacle to face." A mercenary was guarding the entrance. His legs were shaking in fear after witnessing the monsters in front of him punch through his strong peers without a single scratch on them. "Don''t you dare enter!" He yelled at the two.


    "Kid," Sun calmly walked to him and grabbed his shoulder, "We both know the only one that could beat me is your Captain. So how about you move, don''t fight his battle kid."


    "And why the fuck you should I?" He trusted his spear, but the tip shattered when it pierced through Sun''s gambeson. Mana coated his abs, protecting it from the attack. The kid backed off, realizing the futility of his attack, but he still did not want to give them an inch of advantage over them, so he warned them, "I admit that you''re strong, but our Captain is strong enough to fight a troll by himself and kill it like it''s nothing. You think you''re strong enough to do that?" Shuja started laughing. "Why is your goblin laughing?"


    Sun cracked a smile, "Because I also killed trolls before. Granted, I had help, but I''m confident I can beat by myself." Shuja and Sun opened the door walked inside. Not a single soul was in the room, but the Black Crows'' Captain and Artio. A red glowing orb flicker around Artio''s neck while she screams in pain.


    "Master!" Shuja leaped to battle with her bow and arrow, "Let go of her!" Shuja sent an arrow flying towards Buchanan.


    "Block it!" He commanded, and Artio caught the arrow before it could reach Buchanan''s head. "I didn''t think you lot would be brave enough to come here. Did you bring your little goblin band with you too? I still didn''t get the chance to slaughter your kind after getting distracted by Artio''s crimson hair." Buchanan brushed her hair with his hand, "But since you''re here, might as well have some fun."


    "There won''t be any fun once I beat the life out of you!" Sun charged towards him, "Shuja, cover me!"


    Shuja sent a volley of arrows at Buchanan, all of which were deflected by Artio''s arrows. "Master, what are you doing?" Shuja was shocked to see Artio so eager to protect the horrid man.


    "Kill that red goblin, and I''ll handle the halfling!" Artio jumped over Shuja and shot an arrow infused with mana that nearly tore off Shuja''s legs if she did not dodge it on time.


    "Shuja, I''m sorry," Artio said with tears flowing down her eyes before shooting at her student.


    Meanwhile, Buchanan pulled at his sword and sent his mana flying behind Sun, then he disappeared. But Sun knew where he was going to appear. He sensed Buchanan''s mana gather behind him just as he disappeared from his vision, and without hesitation, Sun stomps the ground and ignited his mana. Once Buchanan teleported behind Sun, the fire Sun created consumed him.


    His impenetrable armor protected him from the flame, but his vision was impaired, so he could not see Sun swinging his sword. A loud sound of metal clashing against one another echoed through the barn. When the flames subsided, Buchanan''s shiny helmet was gone exposing his head. Bewildered by the attack, Buchanan left himself open for another strike to the head, and Sun did not waste a single second.


    Buchanan, out of desperation, released his mana to teleport away from Sun, dropping his sword on the floor. He managed to escape the strike for it to only leave a small cut on his cheek. Now he was on his knee on the base of the stairs where the cries of children and women coming from the second level could be heard.


    He reached for his head and touched his gray hair. His hands slowly traveled down his nose and to his cheek, where Sun cut him. He was missing an integral part of his armor, and his body began to rattle. He was both angry and afraid. Angry at Sun and fearful of what he could do to him, and his anger turned into hate the more he thought about the attack.


    Buchanan turned around and saw Sun running towards him. "You want to fight," Buchanan whispered, "No, I will not give you fight. I''ll torture you instead." Buchanan got up on his feet and ran up the stairs, making sure Sun ascends with him. The two of them disappeared in the dark abyss of the second floor.

 Vol 9 Chapter 3: The Flying Sickles

    Stick held Clay''s sword in place with his sickle wrapped around its blade. The two played a game of tug of war with neither side giving in to the other. Clay acknowledged Stick''s strength, but he is still just a red goblin, and he could easily overpower with his strength alone, so why is it that he is unable to win the game. Then he noticed Stick wearing a mask over his nose. And the wind blowing the yellow gas clouds across the field.


    Clay was beginning to feel the effects of the sleeping poison, which explains his inability to overpower the small red goblin in front of him. He was getting drowsy by the minute and needed to find a way to keep himself awake. Clay bit his tongue as hard as he could. The shock from the pain jolted his brain and mind refocused. Then he spun around, tilting his blade to cut the rope wrapped around his sword, severing his ties with Stick.


    The sickle dropped to the earth, and during its fall, Clay closed the distance between him and Stick, which was more than twenty meters. When the sickle hit the ground, Clay was a sword length away from reaching Stick, but he could not go any further.


    Stick had one more sickle and he spun it above him, creating an updraft under his feet. But the wind vortex surrounding him was not the reason Clay hesitated to get closer. It was the sickle creating the whirlwind that proved too dangerous. The sickle traveled so fast that Clay could barely see it travel, and Stick used this to his advantage, expanding the sickle rotation pushing Clay further away.


    But playing defense was not enough. "This is getting really annoying!" Clay spat out the blood from his bleeding tongue, "You think you''re safe in there!" Clay swung his blade, letting the sickle hit the sword and wrap around its blade.


    Stick cracked a smile, "I believe Artio would say ''gotcha'' right now!"


    Clay tried to cut the rope as he did before, but he couldn''t even cut through the skin. "What the?" Clay examined the rope, "This is made out of Tungstree!"


    "That''s right!" Stick pulled the rope and made Clay stumble to the ground. "Looks like it''s your loss." Stick confidence grew with Clay''s defeat becoming certain, but this hubris will cost him greatly.


    "Not yet!" Clay got on one knee and lunged towards Stick.


    "Crap!" Stick had no weapons to deflect his attack. His first sickle was several meters away from them, and the other was tied around Clay''s sword. Stick''s only hope was to pull the rope and sword off Clay''s hands, but that did not work.


    "Gotcha!" Clay stabbed him on the shoulder and the two fell to the floor. "You''re dead. Cakakaka!" Clay laughed while he shuffles his blade inside the wound. Stick gritted his teeth while Clay had his way, thinking of a way to escape his predicament.


    "Not yet!" Stick grabbed his sickle hanging on Clay''s sword and slashed Clay''s forehead. Blood began to spill over Clay''s eyes, turning his vision red. Realizing the inevitable, Clay pressed the flat side of his sword against Stick''s neck to try and suffocate him. Stick pushed against Clay blade with his sickle, but that was not enough, so Stick did the same, wrapping the Tungstree rope around Clay''s neck.


    But a war of attrition was not favorable for Stick, and he knew that fact very well. So Stick let go of his sickle, letting Clay crush his throat without resistance. In exchange, Stick grabbed the rope around Clay''s neck and pulled as hard as he could. Clay''s face smashed against Stick''s forehead, breaking his nose and cutting his upper lip.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    The headbutt took Clay by surprise, and he immediately withdraws from Stick''s body. Then Stick grabbed the rope and ran around Clay and tying his arms tightly around his body. And with his sickles on his hands, Stick once again had the upper hand, and he did not hesitate to attack.


    But when he reached Clay, instead of stabbing him in the face, a random soldier parried his attack. "You lazy lot are finally awake!" Clay yelled.


    "Sorry, Officer Clay, but we''re not sober yet."


    "Who cares! Its just one red goblin. Kill him!"


    Stick looked around him and saw the soldiers and slaves waking up from their short sleep state. "I guess we didn''t use enough?" Stick hit his sickles against one another, "One, two, a hundred of you, it doesn''t matter. I''ll fight every single one of you!" Stick had been in the situation before. When he was fighting against Cala and his men, Stick managed to hold his ground despite the overwhelming odds.


    But this situation was also very different. He was surrounded by experienced soldiers, drugged they may be, are still capable of killing him. Stick knows he''s in over his head, but as long as he could keep them busy here, his brother can have a greater chance of rescuing Artio.


    "You''re dead meat goblin!" One of the soldiers said while staggering towards him.


    Stick knew it would be his end, he doesn''t need some random enemy to tell him that since he heard that before. Everyone told him he was too weak to save himself, and he would die alone in the woods. The weak are left behind, and the strong move forward. That was the mantra his tribe believed in, and yet here he was, challenging the Black Crows as if he had a chance of winning. And it all happened because his brothers came back and rescued him from the jaws of death.


    Stick is here to do the same, to rescue someone, and he was ready to die if he had to, "Come at me!"


    The soldiers ran to Stick when suddenly, "Charge!" Goblins from the Orgut and Maston tribe emerged from the clearing with Cossack leading the troops. They had stone clubs and spears, and they swarmed the Black Crows like ants pilling on their prey, and the battlefield quickly turned into a mess.


    Cossack woke up from his slumber, surrounded by the elders from the Orgut tribe and the women from the Maston. They told him where the rest of his companions went, and he could not bear to think they left without him. He got up and wore his gambeson, ready to join them in the battle.


    Everyone tried to stop him from going but Cossack did not yield. He told them he could not just seatback while other people risk their lives for the woman he loved. He wanted to fight, to contribute to the struggle. Korge cried when he heard Cossack plea and joined him. His father, Arga, scolded him but Korge felt the same as Cossack. Unable to help his dying brother, hoping for others to his vengeance, was unforgivable. He would rather die than live without trying.


    Seeing the two young goblins wager their life to join the fight, Isla gathered her warriors and had them join the fight. They were cautious for the majority of their time when dealing with the Black Crows born from indecisiveness. But it was now time for action.


    The Orgut tribe, seeing the Maston, a tribe that prides itself in their isolation, joins the very thing they hate to fight the Black Crows, could not help but pressured to join. But do they regret it? No, not the slightest regret was on their hearts. When they''ve arrived, only one thing was on their mind, and that was their victory, and with Cossack''s single command, they charged like there was no tomorrow.


    "Cossack, you crazy bastard!" Stick yelled at him. "What if your wounds open?"


    "Those were just scratches." Cossack laughed.


    The dark elves quickly ran away from the chaotic battle, seeking refuge behind the Maston women and their spears. "Hold your ground!" Clay yelled, but with his arms bound, he could only do so much.


    Among the dust clouds and men wrestling the goblins off them, Clay could see the red goblin standing with confidence in his air. His arms and hands could not move, but his legs were free, and he had one more way to fight, the technique his brother mastered and taught him. Clay''s mana burst out under his feet and wrapped around his legs, coiling around them. "Heel Spring!" Clay yelled before bouncing off the ground and onto a goblin. He bounced off that goblin and landed on another and continued to bounce around the crowd gaining greater speed along the way.


    Stick saw Clay fly across the field, just like how Green circled around above Sun. Stick tried to keep up with Clay''s speed, but eventually, his body turned into a mirage until his foot slapped Stick across the face. He fell to the floor while Clay continued to bounce off other goblins and soldiers. Stick would have knocked from the kick if not for the numbing sensation of his jaw dislocating, keeping him awake. Even with Cossack and the other goblins here, he''s still playing a desperate game of tug of war with Clay.


    "Give up already, and maybe I''ll give you a quick death!" Clay yelled. Stick placed his thumbs against the lower back of his jaw and gently but firmly grabbed his front row of teeth pushed his mandibles back in place. Then he used his healing spell. He got up, grabbed his sickle, and took a defensive stance. He''s not giving up just yet.

 Vol 9 Chapter 4: The Beast Within

    Clay bounced around Stick like a bee buzzing around its flower of choice, looking for the perfect spot to land and begin consuming the nectar hidden inside. And Clay was as hungry as that bee. Cossack tried to warn the goblins of Clay landing and bouncing off of them, but the horde was preoccupied fighting the other mercenaries. If it were ordinary peasant, they could''ve easily overwhelmed them with numbers, but these were men of arms. Soldiers trained to fight were far harder to defeat.


    Every time Clay bounces off a goblin, the sound of bones cracking could be heard through the cluttered sound of metal and stone clashing. But it wasn''t just the goblins who are victims to Clay''s foot. His men would also get used as his personal launching pad. "Officer Clay, you''re hitting our men too!" One of the soldiers yelled, but he did not care.


    The smell of blood and the cries of pain and anger began to swell around Clay, and it was making him thirstier for blood. Like a bullseye, Clay targeted the red goblin slamming his shoulder on Stick''s back.


    Stick''s body fell to the ground and rolled on the dirt. "Give up and I might make your death quick and painless," Clay yelled, "Well, maybe not painless! Cakakaka!" Clay laughed, but he was going so fast that Stick could barely hear him. When Stick got on his knees, he noticed the sickle he used first to contain Clay in front of his feet.


    Stick got back on his feet and brushed the dirt off his body. He grabbed his sickle and prepared to counter with his sickle. Clay continued bouncing around Stick, breaking every bone from every person he bounces off until he reached his desired speed. Then he launched towards Stick''s back, but Stick knew he would attack his back again.


    He turned his body and raised his sickle, shielding him from Clay''s shoulder bash. The sickle''s blades slipped through the Tungstree rope and stabbed through Clay''s triceps. But the blade broke in half from Clay''s weight and Stick could not stop the attack''s inertia. Clay''s shoulder slammed against his chest and sent him flying across the battlefield.


    Fortunately, Clay stopped bouncing and rolled on the ground, crying from the pain. "You little red scrap!" He cried. The broken tip of the sickle blade dug its way in Clay''s flesh but blood was running out like a waterfall. The rope acted as a bandage, stopping most of the bleeding. They were both on the ground while their opposing forces engaged in a neverending battle. But the battle slowly disappeared into white as Clay and Stick contemplate while their aching bodies lay on the dirt.


    Clay was the first to get up. His mana swelled inside his body and exploded inside his bondages to blow his restrictions off, but it did not work. The most it did was removing the sickle fragments in his wound. Looking at the motionless Stick, Clay assumed the red goblin was unconscious, leaving itself vulnerable to his attack. But suddenly, a voice cried out behind him, "You monster!"


    Clay turned around and, to his surprise, saw Korge, the little goblin he and his brother tortured earlier that day. Korge was coming at him with a dagger in his hand. The little goblin wanted vengeance for the suffering Clay has caused him, his brother, and now his father who was resting the ground.


    Clay nearly used Korge''s father, Arga, as a launching pad during Clay''s bouncing rampage. And being a weak old goblin, Arga''s bones would surely shatter and sending his body flying into the air like a doll and killing him. Fortunately, Cossack saw Clay''s trajectory and acted as swiftly as possible to save the old goblin.


    "Old man, Watch out!" Cossack yelled while running towards Arga. When he reached him, he held his tightly in his arms and blocked Clay''s foot with his back. Clay kicked the two to the earth with the heavy thud catching the attention of Korge. When he looked at where the sound came from, he saw his father on the dirt motionless and the dam that kept his emotions in control burst open.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Korge lashed out against one of the injured soldiers, knocking him off his feet and stealing his dagger. And with a weapon as sharp as Clay''s instruments of torture, he charged towards his villain, intending to stab in the back. But it did not go as planned.


    Clay kicked the knife out of Korge''s hands and delivered another kick across his chin. Korge dropped to his feet while his mind bounced back and forth against his skull. The world seemed to shake around him as he stumbles back on his feet. Korge stood up as straight as he could and glared at Clay''s eyes. "Monster," he whispered under his nose before falling again.


    Clay caught the goblin with the steel cap of his boot and raised his chin to face him. "Look at the grim expression you," he clicked his tongue, "Oh I wish I could cherish this moment, but you fucking goblins have ruined everything!"


    Then a purple cloud exploded from behind Clay. The cloud wretched stench traveled up his nostril and attacked his sense of smell. A waterfall of tears came from his eyes, blinding him for a short duration, "Who fucking threw their shit at me!" Clay kicked Korge off his foot and turned around.


    Stick was barely standing up, holding another glass bottle. It was his stink bombs he carried with him, and he only had two. "There''s more where that came from." Stick did a wind up before throwing the bomb.


    Clay kicked it, only for it to explode and release the same horrid stench. "I had enough of this!" Clay stomped his feet and consolidated his mana on his legs, then leaped to Stick.


    Stick had his guard up to block Clay''s kick. Clay spined his body and delivered the kick with his right foot, blowing Stick''s defense away, and once Clay landed with his right foot, he turned his body and delivered a back kick with his left foot. The strike landed right on Stick''s chest, breaking some of the rib cages.


    His body landed on his back, and his heart began to palpitate from shock. "You think you could beat me with these tricks?" Clay said, "I am the wolf and you are the rabbit. And as the helpless rabbit, you die or hide. Fighting will only prolong the inevitable, although," Clay cracked a smile, "If you really want to suffer, I can oblige."


    Stick heard all of this before, and he doesn''t need to hear them again. He was not as big and strong as Rock, nor was he fast and agile as Smoke, and he was not genius and headstrong as Sun. But he had his own strengths because his mother believed it, and so did his brothers. Stick may not be a genius, but he was a planner, not fast but clever, and not strong or big, but his small size is advantageous for his abilities.


    The fire inside Stick began to burn brightly as the memories of his mother flooded in his mind. And that one phrase continued to echo in mind and heart, "Your strong... So don''t call yourself weak." Stick jumped back on his feet as the blue flame coursing through his veins exploded out from him and burying his body under the dancing flames.


    "What the?" Clay stood in front of the tall blue flames as its height overshadows him. And emerging from the flame was the silhouette not of a goblin, but of a beast.


    Clay took the initiative, delivering a high kick across the pyre but Stick''s silhouette ducked, avoiding the attack. Stick countered with a sweep kick making Clay fall on his side. Clay rolled on his back and jumped back on his feet, and so did Stick.


    On the way, Clay clenched his jaw and wind back his head and delivered a devasting headbutt on Stick''s forehead. The impact was strong enough to blow the fire away, revealing the true form of Stick.


    "Woah!" The goblins, the mercenaries, and dark elves said in unison.


    The body that was consumed by the fire was not a goblin but a greenish beastkin. His short hair grew long and turned brown, and his cat-like ears were pronounced. Stick had a tail swaying back and forth and he had a canine as large as a lion''s canine and feathers growing in the back of his neck. And he was no longer short as he now stood nearly as tall as Clay. And his eyes were that of a predator. "What happened to the red goblin that could barely reach past my hips?" Clay while staring at Stick in dismay.


    "He''s standing right here!" Stick kicked Clay in the balls, making cry like a little girl, then he grabbed Clay''s body and raised him to the air. "It''s over now!" Stick turned Clay''s body sideways and dropped him to the earth.


    Clay''s body penetrated the ground and dug itself deep, leaving his legs protruding for everyone to see. "Did he just shove Officer Clay underground?" One of the soldiers asked.


    "Yeah, he did." Another replied.


    "Everyone retreat!" The mercenaries ran back inside the camp, hoping to seek refuge behind their walls. "We need to warn the others of the goblins attack."


    Meanwhile, the goblins and dark elves cheered Stick and his victory while Clay''s limp body was buried under the dirt. Only Cossack did not cheer, as he was still worried about Artio. "We have no time to celebrate. We need to go after them."


    "Relax, Cossack, They''re not getting away," Stick reassured him. And sure enough, when the mercenaries entered through the gate, they saw a scene far worst than what they had gone through. In front of them were two outsiders standing over the pile of their unconscious comrades.

 Vol 9 Chapter 5: Fighting Against The Poet

    "Such magnificent form," Horace took out his handkerchief and wiped the blood dripping from his nose. "A red goblin that could reach my head with his arms. Me, a giant even for with my orc brethren was punched in the face by a goblin standing upright. You are just breathtaking. You are my muse! Come and show me everything you have! Show me what makes you a man worth fighting with!"


    "What are you, a pervert!" Rock yelled as he charged forward and threw a straight jab that hit Horace chin, shaking his head like a toy rattle. Horace''s legs shooked, and he nearly dropped on his knee. His brain danced back and forth in his skull, making him feel the numbness all over his body.


    "That''s what I''m talking about!" Horace wind backs his arm to deliver his attack. Rock raised his guard in front of his face, but Horace wasn''t aiming for his chin. "Here, I come!"


    Horace delivered a backhand across Rock''s belly and his hand left a bright red mark. But to Horace''s surprise, Rock did not fly away like most of his opponents. Not only can Rock perform such impressive strikes, but he could also withstand all kinds of attacks. "Is that all you got? They felt more like an ant bite."


    "You really are my muse." Horace straightened his back and puffed out his chest. "Ahem!" Horace cleared his throat.


    ''All men are strong,


    Like A-O-K,


    But Rock is stronger,


    And that''s O-K!''


    "What?"


    "It''s my first attempt in a poem dedicated to this battle," Horace grinned, "What do you think? Please, I must know if it''s any good."


    "No, it''s not good!" Rock yelled and began counting his fingers. "First off, your poem rhymes by repeating ok. Second, why are you talking about men being strong? What does that have to do with the fight? And third, why are you giving a speech about your poem in the middle of a fight?"


    Horace''s chest deflated, "I see. The diamond is still far too rough.


    "Diamond?"


    "But I must say that your first point is wrong," Horace said while making odd gestures with his hand. "You see, I played with the rhyming scheme by calling men strong as an oak, but instead of saying oak, I spelled it."


    "But oak is spelled as O-A-K. Not A-O-K." Rock pointed out.


    "Oh," Horace said, "then that means I need more inspiration! Come to me!" Horace lightly bonked his head, "Hit me with all your might!"


    Rock clenched his fist and punched Horace on the nose, and faceplanted him to the ground. But just as he fell, Horace raised his hip and used the momentum to roll back on his feet. Despite his large size, Horace moved with great agility, slipping past Rock''s flurry and landed a side hook on his liver. Rock fell on his hand and knee while covering his side with his other hand.


    "Such a burst of energy." Horace raised his fist to the sky while blood and mucus poured down his nose. "A new set of words have come before me!"


    ''I stand alone,


    I am alone,


    But strong alone!''


    "What the hell are you saying?"


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    "That must be the greatest verse I have ever envisioned." Horace looked down on Rock, "Don''t you agree!"


    "No," Rock swept Horace off his feet, but Horace sent a blast of mana from his palm, pushing back upright. Rock did not slow down, and he too launched his body off the ground and followed Horace.


    With Horace''s hands busy trying to stabilize his balance after landing back on his feet, Rock punched Horace across the face without anything blocking his way. The weight of his punch felt heavier than before, and Horace smiled because of it. "That punch was full of vigor." Horace spat out a large ball of blood. "That means you agree, that poem is the best one yet!"


    Rock turned in dismay seeing Horace still standing from that attack. But he could only respond at Horace''s ridiculous claim of his current verse''s validity. "That was the worst one!"


    "But I did not make any errors."


    "You literally repeated the same word to make it rhyme."


    "I see," Horace snapped his fingers, "Doing such a thing only made me look lazy and silly. I remember my master once told me that muses hate primadonnas and love those with a strict work ethic. Maybe he was right, I must not wait for you. I must work for it!" Horace ran towards Rock.


    "So, you''re finally getting serious!" Rock raised his guard and embraced himself. Horace was now serious, and he expects Horace will punch him in the face, but he did not. Horace fortified his fist with so much mana that it began to flicker faster and faster. Then he landed his devasting left hook on Rock''s side and it just as devastating as getting rammed by a mountain goat.


    The punch sent Rock flying across the field and landing on a stack of crates. A giant fist imprinted itself on Rock''s side belly and his inadequate healing spell could do little at killing the pain.


    Horace took a deep breath,


    ''You may see me struggle,


    But even if I fall,


    Just like a flower,


    I will stand tall,


    And have a golden shower.''


    "My greatest work has finally dawned on me!"


    "Shut up!" Rock sat up and threw a piece of plank wood at Horace, hitting him on the head. "Who cares about your stupid poem?"


    Horace turned to look at Rock, "I do, and that is why you can''t beat me. I fight for my love, and you are just the inspiration I need to express my feelings." Horace picked up a wooden plank and broke it in half with his forehead, "That is why no matter how strong you punch me, I will not lose. A man that fights with no love, is a man that will never fly like a dove." Horace''s eyes widened, "Woah, that was good. I need to write that down."


    "Looks like your giant goblin is struggling," Jackson and Smoke exchanged blows with their warclubs. Jackson raised his club and summoned mana, surrounding the metal ball. Then he slammed it against Smoke''s warclub. The metal handle did not bend or break and Smoke did not give an inch to Jackson. "Just give up,"


    "I''m not giving and neither is my brother," Smoke glared at Jackson.


    Horace produced a pen and paper out from his pants and began writing down his new ideas. "What do you mean I have no love?" Rock fell on his back, "I have so many people I love. So many people I care about and more important than your poems."


    Horace tucked his pen between his ear and wrapped the paper in a leather patch before putting it in his pocket. "That may be true," Horace slowly waked towards Rock, "But where is the romance in that."


    Rock stopped using his healing spell on his body and he stared at the deep blue sky. The sun was setting and the colors were slowly getting darker. Eventually, his vision began to fade to black, and before he knew it, he returned to the barn. The clouds turned to spider webs, and the sound of the cold wind rustling the wind became wooden floor creaking. But one thing remained, that was the pain in his liver.


    Rock tried to breathe, but the air did not enter his lungs. He rolled to face the ground and tried to stand back up, but his muscles had lost its energy. Rock has yet to realize that he was in a dream. And a memory that haunted him when he was still a tiny goblin still growing inside the dark, cold barn.


    Besides him was Sun, crawling to his mother. Sun looked even weaker than he was, but he managed to stand as the victory. Sun once told Rock that the reason he was victorious was that he aimed at Rock''s weak spots. Instead of going for his head, which would have shattered his knuckle, Sun went for his liver, which was easier to reach and safer to punch.


    Rock took that lesson to heart and landed his punches on Horace''s chin. But Horace did not fall to his feet like his brothers. Rock wasn''t sure what he was missing, but then he remembered one more event in his life. The day he beat the troll.


    He reached the giant''s head despite being an ant in comparison. And he won against that giant. He fought that troll for hurting Dawn, he fought that troll to save his tribe, and he fought that troll because he was the only one that could reach the troll. And if Horace saw that fight, he would have no doubt called it romantic. Rock opened his eyes back at the sky, still blue, but the night was slowly creeping its way.


    "So you want me to be romantic!" Suddenly, mana exploded out from withing Rock''s chest, "Then I''ll tell you why I''m fighting!" The mana turned into flame swirling around Rock.


    Horace stopped walking and stared in awe at the pyre growing in size. The light from the blue fire dazzled his eyes, making him cry from the beauty of the flame. "What beauty." He whispered.


    "I fight for my brothers, for my mother, for my love," Rock stood as tall as Horace. He walked out from the flame a new goblin, "And this is my romance!" Rock skin was no longer red, but it was now deep green. He had a red crown around his head made up of various sizes of feathers pointing towards the sky. His muscles were far larger before, and his green eyes were burning with passion. "Hit my abs one more time! I will show you that I am stronger!"


    Horace lunged at Rock, "Give me everything you got, my muse!" Mana began to converge around Horace''s fist then punched Rock abs.


    Mana exploded on Rock''s body but he did not budge. He did not react, not even moving a centimeter. The veins in his arms popped out as he flexed his muscles. "Now it''s my turn."


    "Yes! Give it to me!" Horace opened his arms to receive Rock''s punch. And Rock obliged. His mana began to rise out from feet while exuding great pressure around him. Rock prepares for a wind up before plunging his iron fist on his Horace''s face, planting his head to the earth. The ground shook and cracked under the weight of the punch, breaking the earth apart.


    When the dust settled, Rock stood proud and tall. And Horace, the aspiring poet, was stuck on the earth, smiling without his teeth after witnessing the glory of his muse.

 Vol 9 Chapter 6: Smoke is Overwhelming

    Jackson was shocked to see the large red goblin emerged from the blue fire as an even larger being similar to an orc but with feathers of angels. The blue light overwhelmed camp as the light slowly turned colder as the sun sets to the west. Jackson looked at Smoke, looking happily at Rock''s transformation into that hulking monster. "You," Jackson pointed at Smoke, "You''re no angel. You''re some sort of goblin."


    "Yeah, I am." Smoke told him nonchalantly.


    "So is that how you small mongrels grew to be this strong."


    "No idea," Smoke lunged at Jackson, and the two continued their exchange of blows. "But the point still stands," Smoke ducked and dodged of one Jackson''s attack. "We''ll beat yours, and every single one of your asses!" Smoke swung his warclub over his head and smashed the bronze cog against Jackson''s face.


    Jackson''s head flew back, and his body followed. He landed on his back and quickly rolled back to his feet. Smoke prepared to follow up with a downward swing while his mana converging across his arms and into his war club, embedding itself in the bronze rod and giant cog piece. The warclub was dyed in blue the air around Smoke grew heavier.


    Jackson was not lazy and charged at Smoke with his club ready for blood. He raised his club over his head and plunged the iron ball to Smoke''s stationary body, but Smoke was faster at drawing his weapon. Once the stress build-up snapped in his muscles, his warclub slashed the air in front of him, sending a large gust of mana slamming against Jackon''s naked chest, crushing some of his ribs.


    "Looks like I released it too soon." Smoke grinned, but his grin turned sour soon after realizing Jackson was still standing in front of him.


    "I agree," Jackson took another step and his club descended on Smoke. The club grazed Smoke''s body and planted its iron ball head in the earth.


    "You missed," Smoke said when suddenly his gambeson cut in half, revealing his front body. And blood came out like a geyser from chest to his thighs. The rush did not last long, but the long cut traveling across his body showered him in his blood.


    Jackson followed with another swing. His mana covered his iron head, sharpening it to such a lethal extent that it could cut through a gambeson. Smoke moved his hands over his cut and healed it with his healing spell. Healing spells can easily be learned, but only those born with a specific Kas can utilize healing spells to their fullest potential. "You''re a natural-born healer," Jackson''s eyes were full of shock.


    "I guess I am," Smoke lunged at Jackson once again and delivered another heavy blow that Jackson parried.


    Without any sign of a clear victory, Jackson had to admit his hubris will cause him greatly. He needs his armor, he needs his men, and he needs his greatest weapon, a shield comparable only to the Captain''s armor.


    Jackson slammed the ground with his mana fortified club. The mana exploded, and the blast energy blew Smoke away. "Sky Aegis, come forth!" Jackson stretched his hands towards the barracks. Smoke could see a blue thread appearing from his hands, then suddenly, a silver shield burst out the walls of the barracks and flew towards Jackson''s hands. The speed of the shield nearly knocked Jackson on his side after catching the shield.


    The men behind guarding the cave looked in awe at the sight of the shield. "It''s the Vice Captain''s impenetrable shield, the Sky Aegis!" One of them said.


    "No more playing around," Jackson took a more defensive stance, "Come and give me your best shot."


    Rock ran to Smoke leaving his bloody unconscious opponent to help get Smoke on his feet, "Looks you need help."


    "No, I got this."


    "But,"


    "I got this!" Smoke raised his warclub and rested in his shoulders. "You keep the ants at bay."


    "Ants?" Rock raised his brow. Smoke turned around and pointed at the soldiers that woke up and entered the camp. "What? I thought they were sleeping?"


    "Keep them from entering, and I''ll take care of Jackson that shield of his."


    "Then let''s hope the Krepkiy Club could beat it!" Rock laughed before going after the newly arrived punching bags. Smoke charged at Jackson with his bronze club. He smashed and bashed Jackson''s shield, but he did not leave a single dent.


    Eventually, Smoke''s flurry of attacks began to slow down. "Not strong enough!" Jackson bashed his shield against Smoke''s club. The silver shield had multiple protrusion along its edge, which interlocked with the cog head trapping Smoke and allowed Cossack to deliver a blow to his left shoulder.


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    Smoke quickly placed his right hand over his injury and used his healing spell. But his club was still stuck, and Smoke kept his hold of it. "Looks like we''re playing tug of war!" Smoke''s weight began to increase, and he pulled the shield away.


    "You don''t give up, do you?" Jackson pulled back while hitting Smoke''s arms with his club. But just like how Smoke could not dent the Sky Aegis, he equally could not injure Smoke enough to win the tug of war. Every time Jackson hits Smoke, he would just heal his injuries. "That''s it! I have enough of these games!" Jackson began to spin with great speed, throwing Smoke away along with his club that got unhinged.


    Smoke landed on the backs of the soldiers standing in front of the cave. Smoke jumped back to his feet and caught his war club. "This is getting more difficult the longer this goes." The soldiers around him stared at the goblin that looked like an angel, unsure what to do with him.


    "What the hell are you lot doing? Kill him!" Jackson yelled.


    The men did as they were told, but Smoke was far more capable of fighting them. Smoke broke their spears when they trusted their spears, with just a few scratches on his legs. Nothing too severe that he couldn''t use a healing spell. But his mana was not infinite, and there will be a time when his body has exhausted all of his fuel.


    Smoke knew this and tried to think of a way to beat Jackson. While he was fighting the men, Jackson snuck up behind his and slammed Smoke with his shield. Then Jackson swung his club around his head and used the momentum to deliver another heavy blow that sent Smoke flying towards the red wall blocking the cave''s entrance.


    Smoke''s back slammed against the wall. The hardened Tungstree material was harder than the dirt, and it did not make for a pleasant landing spot. Smoke leaned against the wall while the rest of the soldiers surrounded him. "And I thought you''re a fair fighter." Smoke said. "But, you''re more of a coward."


    "What about you? No matter how much I hit you, you''ll just heal right back up like some immortal zombie. I''m just making the playing field even." Cossack slammed his shield and club, and the sound of metal slamming against each other rang through the camp, "Get him!"


    The soldiers charged with their spears and swords in hand. Smoke prepared to fight, summoning a thin veil of mana to cover his club. He must converse enough mana, and thankfully, with his back facing the wall, he only needs to worry about the threats in front of him.


    Since they were holding spears, only five men could attack Smoke at a time, giving Smoke some breathing room. Their spears were either parried, or it''s broken in half by Smoke''s clubs, and they had to constantly trade places with the men behind them. One of those next in line was the old man Smoke talked to when they secretly entered the camp. The old man recognized him, "Die, you spy!" He yelled before attacking.


    "Sorry," Smoke grabbed the spear and pulled it towards him, "But I don''t think I introduced myself. My name is Smoke."


    "Are you taunting me!"


    "Hahaha! Maybe," Smoke pushed the old man off him and through the next line of spearmen attacking him. After five minutes, Smoke''s movement quickly got sluggish while the spears did not stop coming. It was only when a sudden thud from behind the wall did the soldiers stop their assault. "What was that?" One of them said.


    "What''s wrong? It''s just a sound. Get over it!" Jackson yelled, "Or else, I''ll have Clay whip you to submission!"


    Then a louder thud followed that not even Jackson could ignore, and the soldiers began to slowly away from the red giant wall. Smoke saw the distraught in the men''s faces as another thud reverberates through the wooden planks, and a daring idea came out of Smoke''s mind. And like a monk preparing to hit an oversized gong to signal the call for prayer, Smoke slammed Krepkiy Club against the crimson wall. But nothing came from it, no more knocking from the other side, just silence.


    "Brohohoho!" Jackson laughed, "Look at you lot, acting all scared! Nothing is going to come out of that cave. Everyone, especially that monster, already choked to death by this point,"


    But just when he finished his sentence, a massive explosion erupted behind the wall, blowing it to bits and sending everyone standing in front of it flying away. Jackson rolled on the dirt before stopping on his knee. He saw blue mist fall like a landslide while the black smoke rushed out from the cave and reached to the heavens.


    Rock, Stick, the goblins, and the soldiers stopped fighting when they saw the cave explosion. Red debris, both big and small, flew past them as fast as a fully drawn arrow and strong enough to penetrate through a thick gambeson and flesh. "Get cover!" Rock yelled, and everyone scattered, searching for shelter.


    Jackson raised his shield and hid behind it as the Tungstree pieces smash against the shield''s silver dome. None of them could penetrate through, leaving Jackson unharmed, but the soldiers guarding the wall and attacking Smoke were not as lucky. Some died from the flying scraps punctured through their clothing and their vital organs. And most of those that survive were no longer the men they once were, missing parts of their bodies like their eyes.


    When the blue mist settled, only the figure of a dark elf wearing a slick black suit and a sword tuck to his hips remained. The dark elf walked slowly out from the cave and into the dim orange light of the setting sun, revealing his cold eyes and a white scarf covering his nose. The dark elf whipped his long curly white hair and brushed the dust off his shoulders. And he stood with tall exuding great confidence and power with his right hand resting on his sword. Jackson lowered his shield to take a peek, "Bret Hart, The Sharp Shooter." He whispered.


    Hart pulled his scarf down, "Black Crows!" He bellowed, "You''re under arrest by the orders of the King of Dark Flower Kingdom. And let''s make it easy for your sakes.,"


    "Fuck off!" Jackson cried in anger and fear, "This wasn''t supposed to happen! We were supposed to kill you. We were supposed to leave this forest rich than ever!"


    "Oh poor soul," Hart said sarcastically. "You thought you could kill me. Sadly, that will not happen. Where have your little band of mercenaries operated? On this continent? Venusia is not the only continent in this world. There are more out there. A bigger ocean that your playgroup will not last in, and yet you were confident you''re trick will defeat me. Where did this assured victory come from?"


    "From ambition!" Jackson yelled as he gets up on his feet.


    Hart bent down and picked up a small wooden block from the ground, "More like hubris."


    "If you''re so sure, then fight me with your best weapon! Go on, draw your sword!"


    Hart stood up and tilted his down, "It''s pointless to kill a mouse with a ballista. You may be one of the strongest among your company, but to me, you''re just a little mouse. This little thing should be enough. Unless you want something smaller."


    "You''re going to look really stupid when I kill you!" Jackson raised his shield and charged forward, but Hart shot the debris with just a flick of his thumb, hitting his silver shield. The red chunk of wood bend the metal inward and hit Jackson on the forehead.


    Jackson fell to the floor but quickly got back up. But he no longer had his protection as the shield became deformed from the impact. "Let''s end this," Just before Hart took a step forward, a warclub with a cog as its headpiece blocked his way.


    "That''s my mouse." Smoke told the tall, dark elf in front of him.


    "Are you insane!" The old elf yelled at him. He was hiding under a large piece of the wall that Smoke caught before it could fall and smash the old elf.


    Hart ignored the elder and examined the man in front of him. Smoke''s hair freely flowing from the wind, and underneath it was his white feathers. When Hart saw the plumage behind his ears, he remembered the dwarves that came before their general telling him about a goblin that had racial features of an angel. He wondered if this was that goblin. "Very well, go ahead." Hart walked away and sat down, "I will only spectate, but when night comes, it will be my turn."


    "You''re not getting a turn." Smoke tied his hair into a bun. "Because we''re finishing this." Smoke ran to Jackson, and the two clashed with their warclubs. Jackson had the upper hand due to Smoke feeling exhausted from fighting his men. But there was still plenty of mana in his body, and released them from his palm, injecting his warclub with the blue essence.


    "Why can''t you just die?" Jackson cried as he begins to panic. Then finally, Smoke''s club began to glow brighter and brighter, until at last, it no longer had any resemblance of its former form. It was just blue light.


    Smoke raised it to the sky, and like a shooting star, it shot down from the heavens onto the earth. Despite the weapons dull end, the light was sharp enough to slice Jackson''s armor, club, and flesh. A fountain of blood began to explode out from Jackson''s chest, and he fell on his back, without a soul in his eye.

 Vol 9 Chapter 7: A Shot In The Dark

    Artio stood alone, surrounded by the numerous pillars keeping the haunted barn standing tall. The eerie atmosphere around her was heavier than iron, and the smell o blood polluted the air. Shuja could feel the pressure behind the pillars.


    She was safe behind the red pillar, but hiding will not save Artio. She must act now. Shuja ran across the room and fired a barrage of arrows aimed at Artio''s legs. Artio shuffled her legs, dodging the arrows while maintaining a perfectly upright stance. She aimed her bow at Shuja and released her arrow with full power.


    The arrow traveled gracefully in the air with leaving a dazzling blue tail. Shuja slid underneath the arrow and got behind cover. When Artio''s arrow hit one of the cell doors, it smashed its way through it, folding the iron bars before crashing on the wooden floor.


    Artio took another arrow from her quiver and fired it towards Shuja. The arrow hit its mark, but it did not pierce through the pillar despite the mana embedded in the arrow, making it stronger. It did, however, shook the foundation beneath Shuja.


    "Shuja!" Artio called out, "Please, just give up. I''ll handle this myself!"


    "No way!" Shuja began drawing her next arrow, "I''m not running. Never again! And what about you? Why are you doing this?"


    "Because I was told to," Artio''s gem began to glow red and hot. The longer the time she took not trying to kill her pupil, the hotter and more painful her restraints became. Shuja could see the red light shining emitting behind the pillar while its shadow cast over her. And she could hear Artio writhing in pain.


    Shuja peeked and saw the gem growing an intense red glow. The only way to save her master was to remove the cursed stone. Shuja shot her arrow at the pillar across from her. A thread of mana connected her to the arrow. Then she ran in the opposite direction of her arrow and fired another volley of arrows.


    Artio could sense the arrow with her Isiptali and could tell their trajectory. "What the?" Artio was puzzled when she saw the arrows'' targets. Instead of her, the arrows went to the other pillars. "What are you up to?"


    "I''m going to snatch that collar off you."


    "Didn''t I tell you to run!" Artio draws her arrow and fired a shot stronger and faster than any other arrows she fired before.


    Shuja''s reached for one of the arrows, and she flew away from the arrow. Before she could the arrow her body was flying to, she extended her palm towards the arrow behind Artio. She pulled the blue strings connecting her to the arrows and launched herself to Artio. Shuja reached out to grab the gemstone, but Artio leaned to the side, keeping her neck away from Shuja''s reach.


    Shuja rotated her body and landed on the pillar with her feet. When she looked up, she saw Artio preparing to shoot another arrow, "Get out of the way!" She yelled while crimson light grew even more intense. Artio was holding back her shot to give Shuja time to escape.


    Once Shuja leaped from her pillar and onto another one, Artio released her arrow. The shot was so strong it penetrated four inches deep in the robust Tungstree wood used for the pillar and broke Shuja''s arrow to pieces. Mana seeped out from the hole like sap.


    "Shuja, run!" Artio cried in desperation. The pain from the gemstone was far too much for her to handle, and she lost control of her body. She only stopped once Shuja got behind cover.


    The gemstone''s crimson light began to calm down, giving some semblance of control to Artio. Shuja''s arrows marked the red pillars around her as they pierce through the tough hardened wood. Artio''s back was sweating profusely. She had never used this technique in such a manner before. She felt the strings around her, acting like a spider''s web with its center being Shuja herself.


    Artio sheds a single tear from her eye, feeling proud of her pupil and the ingenious use of her lesson. But the tear also had sadness mixed in because she knew not even this trick will let her mind and body lose with the gemstone dictating her will. She could only pray Shuja will save her.


    Meanwhile, Shuja hid behind one of these pillars, counting her remaining arrows. She only had five of them. Despair was creeping its way to Shuja''s mind, but she was yet to loosen her grip to hope. "Artio!" Shuja yelled, "I''m going to save you, no matter what!"


    Shuja ran around Artio, hiding behind each pillar on the way whenever Artio shoots her blue gleaming arrows. Each of her shots grew heavier, and the building shook even more, but the lack of time only motivated Shuja more, keeping despair''s clutches away from her. As she circles Artio, she used her Isiptali to look through the dark. The barely lit torches were not bright enough to keep the dark veil from covering everything in the barn. But Shuja''s mana could see everything, including a large wagon stained in dry blood sitting still behind Artio.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    An idea lit inside Shuja''s head. She took three arrows from her quiver, holding them on her drawing hand. Then she aimed her bow towards the wagon, shooting her three arrows around Artio''s body.


    Artio assumed Shuja would do a similar trick using the Hookshot technique. Her body reacted quickly, drawing her arrows at full power, ready to strike at the direction of Shuja''s travel. But Shuja did not move. "Why are you not moving?" Artio asked desperately.


    Shuja''s weight began to increase due to the mana converging in her chest and becoming denser drastically. "Because if there''s one thing I learned, I have to be pretty light to fly with Hookshot!"


    Artio''s instinct flared as her Isiptali sense a large object heading to her at great speed. She turned around and saw an oversize wagon, so big only a horse would pull it, fly towards her. The arrows Shuja shot managed to punch through it and hooked itself, allowing Shuja to pull the giant wagon to her.


    The wagon nearly crushed Artio, but she released her explosive arrow, breaking the wagon into pieces. The explosion knocked Artio back, and Shuja ran to catch her and grabbed the gemstone stuck on her collar. When Shuja''s right hand touched the red stone, it began to glow bright orange and burned Shuja''s hand.


    The two rolled on the floor, with Shuja pushing herself off Artio''s body and rolled further into the darkness. "Oh, god!" Shuja yelled as the searing pain grew intense as seconds go by.


    Artio could only lay on the floor and listen helplessly to her student''s crying voice. Her body began to shake uncontrollably as reality dawned on her mind. Artio''s mana was plentiful and strong enough to keep the gemstone''s fire from burning her neck away. But Shuja''s kas and mana were not strong enough.


    Shuja''s blackened hand was proof of this, and Artio hoped this would sway her to run away. But Shuja has grown stubborn. Despair crawled its way into her heart and mind, but Shuja did not waiver from the hot pressure before her. Her charcoaled hand did not scare her because she feared running away more.


    The red gem began to glow brighter. Artio''s veins on her forehead popped through her skin, and her skin began to turn to a shade of red as she forces her body to stay put with her sheer will. The stone tried to contort its body with no avail. Not even the heat from the collar could move her body from the floor. "Shuja, run!" Artio pleaded, "I can''t hold on much longer." White smoke began to rise from her neck because the skin around her collar began to burn through her flesh.


    Shuja did not respond to Artio''s call. She stared at her black hand, and it reminded her of a cowardice act during winter. Like a mirror, she saw herself as a weak goblin, but this was just despair and its attempt to pull her to its side.


    "Shuja!" Artio called out to her again. Her mind lost the battle, and the gemstone''s will took over her body. Artio stood up awkwardly. Her neck was just as black as Shuja''s hand. "Shuja, please, just run. You can''t win!"


    Just as she said those words, Shuja closed her hand. Artio and her gem could sense a strange pressure exuding around her air. The stone, in particular, could sense danger.


    Then an explosion of blue and violent flame burst out from Shuja''s chest and surrounded her being. Artio backed stepped several steps from the dazzling blue pyre. "Shuja!" Artio tried to reach for the fire, but the stone kept pulling her away. It could feel the mana distorting around Shuja, and it''s unsure how to assess the situation. It must kill the goblin as ordered, but the stone''s inherent nature to preserve its existence was going against this order.


    And it had every right to be hesitant. An arrow flew out of the flames and passed Artio. A shot in the dark, but it hit the mark. It punched through an empty barrel situated behind Artio, attaching to it like glue.


    And it was the same trick as before, and both gem and Artio knew what to do against it. Artio didn''t draw an arrow; she simply turned around, raised her hand, and gathered her mana into the palm of her hand. When the barrel got pulled towards her, she released her mana, exploding on her palm and blowing the barrel to bits.


    "Gotcha!" A voice announced itself within the fire. Artio turned around, and she saw a strange figure appear from the flame with the silver bow in her black hand.


    "Shuja?" Artio whispered in shock. The red goblin that barely reached her chest in height was now standing as tall as her. And the blue flames around her contrasted itself with her light pink skin. Only her crystal blue eyes shined in the orange dim light from the torches around her when the blue flames died down.


    Her arrow was drawn as far as it could, and she released the moment Artio turned to face her. The moment the gem faced her. The arrow pierced the gemstone, its stone tip covered in mana nudged itself tightly in the crack.


    Shuja grabbed the blue thread connecting her to stone and pulled as hard as she could. The stone could not resist or electrocute its host, and it popped out from the iron collar. But at its removal, it exploded in a beautiful array of red, orange, and yellow lightning. And the energy of the explosion launched the two away from each other.


    Shuja landed on a rolled-up haystack. "Ow. I didn''t know it will explode," She told herself. Across from her was Artio trying to get back up from her feet. "Artio!" Shuja crawled back up and ran to her teacher.


    Artio got on her knees and opened her arms for Shuja to jump to, and they embraced each other. Their tears flowed like a river running down their cheeks and onto their shoulders. "I''m sorry I hurt!" Artio cried.


    "No, don''t apologize. It was that fuckers fault." Shuja tightened her embrace, "I''m just glad your back."


    "Me too," Artio sneezed. Under Shuja''s short black hair was a beautiful orange and purple plumage above the nape and behind her ears. "You sure have grown? Is this how Sun and Smoke transformed?"


    Shuja released her grip and faced Artio, "Yeah, though I have no idea how it happened. I just wanted to save you."


    Artio stared at Shuja''s beautiful face, "And I think that''s all you needed."


    They stayed huddled together in the silent stables, but Sun''s echoing voice broke this comfy silence. "Shuja! Artio!" The voice called out, "Are you guys finish? I need your help!"


    "Looks like your boyfriend needs help." Artio teased.


    "Boyrfriend? What''s that?" The joke went over Shuja''s head. And it was not entirely her fault since it wasn''t a term commonly used by their tribe. "Whatever, let''s just go help him."


    Shuja and Artio made their way upstairs and arrived at an awkward scene. The torches fully lit the second floor, and in the center was Sun on all four while a bunch of elderly goblin and pregnant women sat on top of him while goblin children grabbed hold of his hands and feet.


    "What happened?" Shuja asked


    "That asshole ordered them to hold me still. Then before he could kill me, a huge explosion happened outside, and he just jumped out, leaving me here!"


    "And why can''t you just throw them off,"


    "Because look at them. Some of them are pregnant, and the old ladies are frail like paper and the children. They may be ugly, but I''d rather punch Buchanan than some kids."


    "Sometimes, I think you''re actually from these parts of the woods and up north where they''re more willing to punch a baby if it meant winning a fight," Artio commented.


    "That''s brutal," Sun tried to stand up, but more goblins got on his back, "Yeah, I can''t carry everyone. And I tried to take off their gem, but it burned my hand and shocked them. And since you managed to take out Artio''s gem without," Sun stopped when he noticed the burn marks on Artio''s neck, "Nevermind."


    "Actually, I didn''t feel any shock when Shuja pulled off my gem. It didn''t even hurt."


    Sun tried to point his puckered mouth at Artio''s neck, "Then what is that?"


    "Tis but a scratch from fighting Shuja off me."


    "Alright." Sun turned to Shuja, "How did you do it?"


    Shuja smiled and grabbed an arrow, "I''ll show you."

 Vol 9 Chapter 8: Behind the Armor

    Sun caught up to Buchanan and swept him off his feet with his sword. Buchanan landed on his hand pushed himself into the air and away from Sun. Then he threw a sphere made of his condensed mana. Sun blocked the attack with his sword with the impact strong enough to send Sun flying. His back slammed against a cellar door, and inside the cage were goblin children huddled together at the rear wall. "Grab him!" Buchanan ordered.


    The children''s collar began to emit a colorful rainbow light, and the stone pulled their bodies towards Sun. They grabbed by the leg. "What the hell?" Sun was unsure what to do about the situation.


    Buchanan did not let this opportunity escape. He charged towards Sun with his fist glowing bright blue. Sun blocked the punch with his sword and mana. His back slammed against the iron cell, and both he and the iron bars began to fall. The children underneath them did not move despite knowing their impending demise by getting crushed under the weight of heavy metal.


    Sun will not let this happen, so he used every inch of his muscles along his abdomen to his calves and pulled himself back upright. While he launched himself forward, he headbutted Buchanan on the nose. "You fucker!" Buchanan took a few steps back while stopping the bleeding in his nose. "If only I had my helmet! You wouldn''t even be able to hurt me through my armor."


    "You''re helmet won''t save you. I''ll cut you down and the stupid armor you hide behind."


    "Hide behind. This armor is not just something that protects me from vermins like you! This armor is the symbol of my power!" Buchanan slammed his hand on his chest, "This armor is what makes me cut above all of you scum of the earth!"


    Suddenly, a large explosion erupted outside the barn. The children let go of Sun''s legs and returned to their corner, scared from the explosion. "What was that?" Sun yelled.


    Buchanan bolted towards the window. Sun was now free and immediately ran after Buchanan and raised his glowing blue sword and slashed his back. His sword stopped at its tracks once it hit the armor, giving credence to Buchanan''s statement. His armor is truly formidable.


    "You dare attack me from behind!" Buchanan turned around after feeling the attack behind him.


    "You''re one to talk!"


    Buchanan elbowed the sword off his back then punched Sun on the face, sending him flying. Sun landed on the floor and rolled to his feet, ready to lunge back, aiming for Buchanan''s neck. "All of you pin him down!"


    Around Sun were numerous cages, big and small. Inside them were vulnerable goblins sitting inside the tight, cramped space, with no room to stretch their legs or even breath. Their body was thin and frail, and their eyes were devoid of life. Most of them were pregnant women that could barely stand on their feet, but they must move because the stones in their collars compel them to move. And they all rushed towards Sun.


    Sun ran to Buchanan before the goblins could reach him. The children were far more agile and caught up to Sun. They tried grabbing his legs, but Sun dodged their attempts to trip him, and he quickly reached Buchanan.


    Buchanan knew Sun was aiming for his head, and he was no stranger to foul play. Buchanan grabbed one of the children chasing Sun by the hair and used her as a meat shield. She raised her in front of his head just as Sun was about to swing his sword.


    "No!" The young girl screamed, and Sun stopped in his tracks.


    He clenched his muscles as hard as he could to stop himself from swinging his sword. And with his guard down, Buchanan punched him in the face, and Sun fell on his face. Buchanan dropped the child on his back, and the rest of the goblins proceeded to jump on top of Sun. "You''re weak, and you dare declare you can cut through my armor." Buchanan spits on the floor, "Stay there until I''m done outside."


    Sun, embarrassed about being pinned by the misfortunate goblins and unable to stomach kicking them off his, yelled at Buchanan to come back. But the Captain of the Black Crows had a bigger fish to catch. "Come back, you coward!"


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    Buchanan ignored him, and he jumped off the second-story window. And when he got down, his eyes saw a scene he only ever thought of as the worst possible scenario. Bert Hart was relaxing while the combined army of Maston and Orgut goblins fight his men at arms.


    And in the middle of the field, surrounded by their giant Tungstree wall''s rubbles, were two individuals resembling Sun. One of them was fighting his soldiers, and another was standing over the body covered in blood. "Great! There''s more of you!" Buchanan''s eyes traveled across the wreckage and down at the fallen soldier and noticed the fallen man was his Vice-Captain. "What the hell?" His white skin began to boil red in anger, "You''re dead meat!"


    "Smoke, watch out!" Rock yelled while he was busy fighting a group of soldiers.


    Smoke saw Buchanan running to him when suddenly he disappeared and reappeared in front of him with his boot raised to kick Smoke''s face. Smoke blocked Buchanan''s front kick with his warclub.


    The kick sent Smoke''s body flew back and hit the debris Bert Hart was sitting next to, and the dust cloud rose from the landing. Rock did not hesitate to charge against Buchanan. "You little shit!" The earth beneath Rock''s feet shook as he runs. Buchanan raised his hand and shot a burst of mana at Rock, but with his fists up in the air and blocked the attack with his bucklers. Then he delivered a jab straight to his chest with his bronze buckler.


    Buchanan''s lead foot was dug deep in the ground, and he did not move an inch because of this anchor. But more importantly, his armor remained intact, unfazed by Rock''s punch with only the mist of Rock''s mana dissipating in the air present. This result relit Buchanan''s confidence seeing his armor still shining brightly from an attack coming from someone as large as Rock.


    Rock stood taller than Buchanan, making about six feet tall from Buchanan''s estimates, making him and his punches heavier. And his armor not only withstood the attack, but its structure did not bend, nor did it break. "You have to punch harder than that!" Buchanan kicked Rock in the face.


    Rock flinched from the kick, giving Buchanan the time he needed to prepare for another heavy attack. His mana gathered and coalescent into his fist. Rock could feel the massive mana gathering on Buchanan''s body. He opened his arms wide open much to Buchanan''s surprise. Then he bear-hugged Buchanan, but just as he got the villain in his arms, he suddenly teleported behind. "What the?"


    "Right behind you!" Buchanan yelled.


    Rock turned around just as Buchanan finished fortifying his fist with mana. Rock raised his guard. Buchanan clenched his blue glowing fist and punched Rock through his forearms and to his chest. Rock''s body flew back, and it rolled on the dirt.


    Rock placed his hand on his chest before suddenly losing consciousness. "Rock!" Smoke saw the whole ordeal after digging his way out the rubble he landed on. He ran to Rock''s aid and noticed something odd.


    "His heart is off rhythm," Hart told Smoke. Despite being a passive observer, he had an interest in Smoke after watching him beat the Black Crow''s Vice-Captain. "He''s in cardiac arrest." Hart recognized the fighting technique. A corkscrew that could slip past any guards and even stop the heart when placed in the right area.


    "Then, I have to do CPR!"


    "Oh, so you know what to do."


    Meanwhile, Buchanan stood still across from them, unable to move. "Why the hell are you here and helping them? Unless they must be your men. I thought you work alone?"


    "I do," Hart stared at Smoke while he performs CPR, "You''re just going to break his ribs." Smoke stopped and looked at Hart, "Since your Kas is similar to a field medic, I''ll tell you what you need to do."


    "And why the hell are you helping?" Buchanan yelled in anger.


    "And why are you not stopping them," Hart asked, but he already knew why. Teleportation is a difficult spell to use for both its complexity and physical intensity. Very few have reached an intermediate mastery over this technique, and even fewer can be called a master of it, and Buchanan was not one of them.


    But Buchanan''s confidence began to cloud his mind. "Bakacacaca!" He laughed, "It''s because it''s no fun unless I end it here!" He forgot about his body''s limitations due to hubris. His armor was made from the strongest metal in the continent, and after a giant like Rock failed to press through, it has now inflated his ego.


    Meanwhile, Hart ignored Buchanan''s parade of his strength and showed Smoke about another technique equally impressive. Short waves of electricity sparkled at the palm of Hart''s hand, "Imagine lightning and the heat from it in the palm of your hands." Hart clapped his hands together and rubbed them until the electricity pulsed stronger. "And then touch below his left armpit and under his right collarbone."


    Smoke did as he taught, and he quickly learned the pulsating power of electricity on his fingertips. Then he performed the procedure, and the repeated short shocks brought Rock''s heart to a normal rhythm. "I did it!"


    "Finally!" Buchanan yelled. "Then, let''s resume!" Buchanan raised his hand to the air, and mana began to circulate around him like a twister.


    "That fool," Hart yawned, "He still has time to recover his mana, and yet he''s willing to risk it all." He was a fool that saddened Hart. Buchanan had the natural talent to fight, but he was far too confident in things he shouldn''t, making him fragile. He could easily break that armor as he did with Jackson''s shield and watch the fool break from reality, but he promised he not directly intervene.


    Smoke''s arms were not used to this new technique and could barely hold up his warclub. "Rock, wake up!" Smoke yelled.


    "Let''s get the best," Buchanan stated before the back of his exploded and fire consumed his head. Buchanan shook the flames off him, then turned around and saw Sun standing in front of the doors to the barn with his hand covered in fire.


    "Nice catch! But then again, your head is too big for me to miss!" Sun declared.


    "You bastard!" Buchanan stopped gathering his mana from his hands and used them to teleport to Sun.


    Once in front of Sun, Buchanan turned, and back kicked him on the shoulders. Sun flew back under the door of the barn. "Now, get him!" Sun yelled, and out from the window above were the goblin children with rocks and the chains that once bound them in their hands. They threw them at Buchanan.


    He swatted the pitiful attack away, but what followed was too much for him to swat away. After the children were a pink figure that jumped over him, she shot an arrow with mana swirling around its metal tip.


    In a desperate attempt to avoid the attack, Buchanan rushed forward into Sun''s arms. Without realizing it, Buchanan entered the barn, and the doors were shut closed behind him. Shuja blocked the door and caught the children as they jump out of the barn. Artio was guiding the elderly and pregnant out through the back door and shut and blocked it off.


    Buchanan was now trapped in the red barn once more, and this time, it was only him and Sun. "Now then," Sun rested his sword over his shoulder, "You said that armor is invincible. I don''t know about that. I think my mettle is stronger than your armor''s metal."

 Vol 9 Chapter 9: The Hot Mantle

    Buchanan slammed his fist against his chest plate, "Then show me how strong it is!" His confidence was still there, resting in his mind, but Sun''s challenge was beginning to chip away the idea that he had absolute strength. It''s because he was missing his helmet, and Sun is a naturally talented fighter whether he liked to admit it or not.


    But as if blessed by a god of luck, Sun announced that he did not intend to end the fight with one strike to the head, to his most vulnerable. Sun showed his desire to destroy his armor, his hubris, by opening the armor that he hides behind. "Then, I hope that armor can withstand my attacks!" Sun yelled as he wears his intentions with pride, but Buchanan must be careful because Sun is not stupid.


    Sun charged towards Buchanan with such speed that Buchanan could react. The level of adrenaline Buchanan achieved during his small confrontation with Rock and Smoke slowed down the world around him enough for Buchanan to dodge the attack.


    He teleported behind Sun with his fist raised to the air to hammer strike Sun''s back. Sun sensed Buchanan''s mana and knew to counter. He spun his body using his sword''s momentum and struck a heavy blow to Buchanan''s chest.


    His body flew back, but the armor remained true and unbroken. Buchanan landed on his feet and inspected his body. "Bakacacaca!" Buchanan laughed, "You really want to break my invincible armor that much! Then come at me!"


    "I always had," Sun''s mana exploded on his feet, and he flew towards Buchanan, "But you kept running away!"


    "I''m not running away!"


    And true to his words, Buchanan''s foot was planted on the ground. He was now drunk in confidence. And Sun smiled when he saw Buchanan''s eyes light with such arrogance. Sun raised his sword over his head, and in that instance, Buchanan''s pride ran out, and only fear remained.


    Now his sword no longer aimed at his chest, and the fool was not aware of how large his head was now, an easy target for Sun. He did not have time to teleport, nor could he run away. Sun was already standing in front of him with his sword ready strike him.


    Buchanan raised his hands and caught the sword between his palm. "You fucker!" Buchanan spat at Sun''s face.


    Sun front kick Buchanan away and wipe the saliva off his face. "What? I never said I wasn''t going to aim for your head. You only assumed that I was only going for that hunk of junk you''re wearing."


    Buchanan''s head was glowing red in anger for nearly dying from a trick. He yelled at the top of his lungs and released a flurry of attacks with his missiles made of mana. The missiles homed in on Sun, but he deflected most of them. As Buchanan''s attacks begin to slow, Sun rushed in a while dancing around the attacks.


    And in the blink of an eye, Sun was once again, breathing down on Buchanan''s neck. Sun nearly struck Buchanan in the head, but he managed to teleport away, towards the mana that missed Sun and hit the barn''s walls instead. Once on the wall, Buchanan began to desperately punch his way through it with no avail.


    "Hey!" Sun yelled, "I thought you said you weren''t running away!"


    Buchanan turned around and scanned the room. He saw his helmet gleam in the dark under the stables and behind the small wired cages. He teleported to it and to his fortune, and his sword was also sleeping under a haystack. Sun followed Buchanan and leaped over the cages and the stable door and about to strike him in the back.


    Buchanan turned in the nick of time with his helmet on, protecting his head once more. His face was hidden behind the visors, and with his full armor, Buchanan is no longer exposed to Sun''s retaliation.


    He parried Sun''s attack with his sword''s crossguard, throwing Sun and his sword to the side. Then he slammed his hilt against Sun''s face, breaking his nose. Before he could follow with a swift slash, Sun blew fire from his mouth, and the light from the flame put Buchanan in a momentary daze. Sun uses the energy from his fire breath to roll away from Buchanan. He stood to his feet and fired a barrage of fireballs at Buchanan, but none of them hindered him. Buchanan walked past them.


    "Bakacacaca! I am done playing around!" Buchanan charged through the fire and bodyslammed Sun to the floor.


    He followed with a quick slash, but Sun parried the attack and countered with a cut between Buchanan''s steel knee pads. But Buchanan shook the attack off with the same indifference as the fireballs. "What?" Sun was shocked. Buchanan raised his sword to plunge it towards Sun''s chest.


    Sun rolled away before the sword could touch his gambeson. "I learned my lesson from before," Buchanan bellowed, "My armor protects me, but it does have openings, including my helmet. But with my mana surrounding my armor and body, I have no more opening. I am a literal walking fortress! Bakacacaca!"


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    Buchanan continued to monologue, explaining the genius behind his invincible armor while Sun concentrated his mana towards his sword. The blue light circulated his blade, creating a twister around Sun. "Let''s see if you can handle this!" Sun ignited his mana.


    The intense heat woke Buchanan back to reality, "What the hell are you doing? You think just because you created a flame sword with your mana, you think you will be able to cut through my armor! You saw how I could just walk through those candle lights of yours, didn''t you?


    "You really need to stop assuming things." Sun struck the floor with his fire sword. The fire burned through the hardwood, and the hay around him caught on fire just from the heat alone. "I heard you were planning to choke someone or something inside that cave with smoke. Maybe you should get a taste of that too."


    The fire quickly turned wild and expanded through the barn. The smoke rose up the ceiling and through the second floor, but they eventually accumulated inside the barn. Buchanan''s eyes burned in the hot smoke and were getting harder for him to breathe.


    Sun closed his eyes, covered it with mana, and wrapped his face with one of the dirty clothes the goblin children were wearing. Despite being blind in the smoke, his Isiptali guided his way. He could see Buchanan standing in front of him, struggling to breathe.


    His sword was glowing orange, but Sun''s mana protected him from his fire. There was no reason to fear his flames, only the smoke consuming him and Buchanan that was worrisome. And Sun could leave Buchanan to his demise, but he still wanted to prove a point. "Buchanan! Prepare yourself because I''m about to break that stupid armor!"


    Sun dashed to him, slashing his shoulders. "Not strong enough!" Buchanan retaliated and trusted his sword forward. But he was blind and missed Sun.


    "Then, I''ll just use more force!" Sun swung his sword, slamming it against Buchanan''s abdomen, but it did nothing to the armor.


    Buchanan did, however, coughed out blood, which made his inflamed throat swell even more. "Enough!" Buchanan summoned all of his mana inside his body and blew away Sun, the smoke, and fire around him, giving him a momentary respite.


    Meanwhile, Sun''s only protection was blown off, and the smog quickly climbed his airways. His lungs began to burn and swell. Sun covered his mouth and nose with his hand. He was not immune to fire, and just like Buchanan, he will soon lose to the overwhelming weight of the smoke around him. And it was not thought out plan, but no time to dwell and what could have been a better plan.


    Sun jumped back up his feet and tore a part of his gambeson. He wrapped his face with the cloth and got ready for his attack. The mana Buchanan released began to converge around him and fortify his body. His armor glows bright blue in the dark clouds that even Sun could see the light through his closed eyelids.


    "I''m going to fucking kill you!" Buchanan charged through the flame and smoke. He hoisted his sword over his shoulder and swung his it, but Sun could sense his attack despite closing his eyes. He deflected the attack effortlessly.


    "Try again!" Sun yelled. The weight of his feet broke the charred floor beneath, and the pressure he exuded from his body shackled Buchanan in place. His mana exploded out from his body and flew to his sword like moths drawn by the light. Sun''s sword dropped to the floor.


    "Why are you so stubborn?" Buchanan jumped back.


    Sun''s mana blanketed the floor beneath Buchanan, then he pulled the sword into the air, and the mana followed the sword. The blue carpet carried Buchanan and once Sun swung the sword over his head, the carpet rocketed to the roof with Buchanan on top. The weight of his armor was so great that Sun''s sword broke in half as it pulled the carpet.


    When the blade snapped in two, the mana exploded into a brilliant array and sent Buchanan flying through the barn''s roof. Everyone outside stopped fighting and watch as the Black Crow''s Captain ascends to the sky. And then he fell. His impenetrable armor protected him from the impact and like a shooting star, he fell.


    The roof was made of Tungstree, and no matter how hard he fell, it will not break. But still, Sun was strong enough to throw him and punch a hole through the red roof. This fact made Buchanan quiver in fear. For the first time in his life, he was truly unsure of the future. He always assumed it would come his way, but the future was becoming uncertain throughout his conflict with this stranger.


    Sun climbed his way to the roof. Buchanan hovered his hands over his face and used a healing spell over his eyes. When the gentle cold touch of the mana healed his vision, he opened his eyes and saw Sun behind the smoke. He emerged through the smoke clouds rising from the hole like a devil escaping hell''s prison. Buchanan remembered the feathers attached behind his ears and recalled that the angels were not the only race with feathers. "You''re a demon," Buchanan slowly got back up his feet.


    Sun walked out under the twilight sky, "No," He smirked and opened his eyes, "I''m a goblin."


    Buchanan''s eyes turned bloody red, "Stop this mockery!" His left fist ignited into flames.


    Sun smiled and welcomed the challenge. He dropped his broken sword and opened his arms. "Come, and I''ll show you how strong my mettle really is." Sun clenched his right fist, and he too ignited the mana circulating around it and pointed his fire fist at Buchanan.


    The Captain charged towards Sun. His heavy armor clanked at every step, and the barn shook from his heavy feet. He raised his fist to punch Sun, but his heavy armor made his movements slow. Sun thought it was foolish for him to charge recklessly until he noticed foreign mana past through his body.


    Buchanan teleported behind Sun and attacked. His punch missed as Sun ducked to the right. Sun pivoted his body to face Buchanan, using his lead left foot to trip Buchanan, and his head fell to Sun''s fire right hook. His punch melted and punctured its way through Buchanan''s helmet and reached his cheeks and dislocated his jaw.


    Sun''s punch carried Buchanan''s body. He plunged his fist along with Buchanan through the barn''s roof, and the weight of the punch combined with Buchanan''s heavy armor crushed the rooftop. It caved in, and the two fell back into the hellish landscape inside the hot building. Everyone outside stopped fighting and watched in horror as the building collapse in itself.


    "Sun!" Shuja ran to the burning building. The Black Crows and Sun''s brothers followed her, desperate to save the two from the pyre.


    "Everyone, get water!" Cossack screamed at the goblins. They searched for a well, but there was none. The nearest source of water was a large pond located on the top cliff.


    Everyone began to scurry in different directions like mice. Only Isla stood still as a rock, watching the flame engulf the dead sacred trees that made up the building. A tear rolled down her cheek. She has never seen such magnificence before, and she could not believe Sun caused the pyre to bloom. She realized that his name was fitting for him.


    And as the smoke rises to the dark sky and the sun finally past the horizon and only the pyre''s light was visible that night, Bret Hart stood up from his chair and took one heavy step.


    That one step was as loud as thunder, and it stopped everyone from moving. They turned their eyes away from the bright pyre and watched Hart walk across the field. Once in front of the pyre, he walked through the fire and over the charred debris.


    The smoke nor the heat bothered Hart. he experienced a much hellish landscape than this, but the fire was still impressive. The Tungstree was burning away as its waxy protection melted like metal in a blacksmith''s furnace.


    At the heart of the pyre was Sun on his knee, clutching on Buchanan''s collar while he was laying on the floor. "I killed someone before," Sun whispered, "I remembered it vividly in my dream. Before I came here. And yet it''s still so difficult. Tell me," Sun touched his cheek, "Please, tell me. If I spare you, will you change?"


    "No, he won''t," Hart answered in his place.


    Sun turned, surprised to see someone inside the hell hole they were in, "Who are you?"


    "I am Bret Hart, and I came here to arrest that unconscious man and his band of hooligans under the orders of the King of Dark Flower Kingdom. As well as to save the dark elves they kidnapped from their raids."


    "Then I''m guessing you need him,"


    "I can take him dead or alive," Hart took a knee next to Buchanan''s body. "But I think my client would prefer him alive. Makes it more satisfying." as

 Vol 9 Chapter 10: Bonfire Festival

    A large group of Black Crow soldiers and their goblin slaves returned to their camp after a day of gathering supplies and hunting to fill their ration. They returned in dismay after witnessing an army of goblins subduing their comrades. But worse of all was Bret Hart walking out of a burning building carrying their unconscious Captain. They surrendered at the sight of the Golden Condottiero, acknowledging that they had no chance to fight. Their goblin slaves were ecstatic to see their tribesmen and to finally be free from their tormentors.


    Buchanan and Horace were tied up in chains and placed inside a makeshift cell along with their men. Hart brought along a train of the wagon he hid inside the cave to carry the prisoners and the civilians. The goblins offered to help him pull the train out of the cave, but Hart did so with relative ease by himself.  Everyone found his incredible strength remarkable and frightening.


    He pulled them all, eleven wagons weighing eleven hundred pounds with no horses assisting him. He parked the wagon in front of the cavern entrance and organized them to divide the Black Crows from the Black Flower citizens.


    And the light draws out the goblins hiding in the trees. The children and elders that did not join the fight still came to spectate the battle and to take care of the injured. Natasha was part of the audience and lead the goblins to aid everyone. Her presence in the camp surprised Rock, who quickly ran to her side. "Mom!" He hugged her from behind, "What are you doing here?"


    Natasha jumped when Rock suddenly hugged her, "Mom?" She turned around in disbelief, "Rock is that you?"


    "Yeah, it''s me,"


    "Woah," Natasha took a step back and looked at her adopted son, "You''ve grown! You were only knee-high just a few months ago."


    "Well, did they say halflings grow fast!"


    "Come here," Natasha opened her arms and embrace Rock.


    The goblins focused on removing the stones locked on the dark elves'' collar. They had to be quick in order to minimize the damage it could inflict on its host. The best method was to stick arrows and knives on the stone with strings attached to them. Another person would pull as hard as they could then toss them as far as they could. The stones exploded like fireworks on the night sky, and colorful glitter gently floated down on the goblins and dark elves. The warm colors of the glitters and intense heat from the bonfire were the perfect catalysts for a celebration.


    But it was not entirely a celebration. There was also a sense of grief in the air. Isla and the Maston tribe carried the remains of the wall and threw them to fire. They watched the pyre burn the remains of their holy trees to carry their spirits to the afterlife. Its melting waxes are left behind, seeping through the dirt and back to the earth.


    Their task to watch over these funerals were difficult. And this particular ritual was the most challenging one they must undergo due to the sheer magnitude of the fire and the amount of Tungtress to burn. And the distracting festivities happening behind them.


    Elena was standing next to Isla. She noticed Elena occasionally looking behind her, watching the goblins and dark elves celebrate instead of overseeing the bonfire. And she wasn''t the only one. The younger women were easily distracted by the festivities. "Elena!" Isla yelled.


    "Yes!" Elena straightened her back and turned her eyes back to the fire.


    "Go take young women. Elder watch fire."


    "What?"


    "Go, deserve fun. Isla watch stead."


    Elena bowed and the rest of the Maston women left in excitement to join the others. They deserved the break after fighting the invaders and saving their holy trees from eternal damnation. Isla and the other elderly women stayed to watch the bonfire. Upholding their tradition was important for the older generation of Maston women, and it was a task that does not come with rewards. But they weren''t the only ones that are bearing such heavy responsibilities.


    Arga watched the young men celebrate their victory and freedom. His generation has never been part of such a conflict as this. They mainly ran away from their attackers, seeking refuge under the canopies of the Maston tribe or watchful eyes of the local lords from the south.


    It was the first time they were caught while running. And it was the first time they won against their enemies. But Arga wasn''t dumb; he knew the reason they won. It was thanks to the efforts of Sun and his goblin band did they win. What truly surprised him was when they joined the battle. Arga''s hands still shake from the battle, his wounds aching, and yet his body was filled with boundless energy.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    The Orgut tribe never fought back. They always let their protectors do the fighting. But somehow, Cossack managed to convince to fight as if it was in their blood to seek conflict. It was such a strange phenomenon and Arga still felt like it was a dream. He continued sitting on the sideline, staring at the fire far away from him.


    Korge was dancing around a small pyre along with the goblins and dark elves near the camp''s former barracks. The young Orgut women and men joined hands as they dance intimately within the fire''s warm embrace. While dancing, he noticed his father lost in thought while staring at the fire. Korge parted ways with the dancers and sat down with his father. "Papa? Something wrong?"


    Arga took a few seconds to respond, "Korge," He turned to his son.


    "Yes?"


    "Orgut need new Chief. Arga think found new chief and it not you. Sorry,"


    Korge quickly consulted his father, "No, no sorry. Korge not want Chief anyway. So, who new Chief?"


    "Come," Arga stood up, and Korge followed him. The Orgut tribe had one symbol for their Chief. A red cap with feathers attached to it forming an extravagant crown that resembles fire rising towards the sky. They lost that symbol after running for so long. Ever since then, the status of Chief was passed down from father to son when their eldest child reaches manhood.


    Arga is not going to throw this old tradition away. They may not have the crown to officially and spiritually grant the next Chief their right to rule, but if the support of the tribe is enough, then there should be no problem.


    They went through the camp, between each small pyres and their dancers, until they reach the goblin Arga wanted to take the title of Chief of Orgut. But it wasn''t the right time to speak to him. He was busy with his own problems, and Arga can only wait with his son for their candidate to finish his business with Artio.


    Cossack was holding a cup of tea made by the Maston women. His hands were shaking so much that the tea would spill every now and then. "You alright?" Artio asked.


    "Sorry, I just can''t, um," Cossack''s eyes swirl around while his mind tries to search for the words to use.


    "What''s the matter with you?" Artio was growing impatient. She''s been sitting next to him since she escapes the barn. "If you''re trying to say speak up."


    "Right, sorry. It''s just hard for me to say anything." Cossack shut his eyes and faced the ground, "I couldn''t save you. And I''m sorry."


    "Sorry about what?" Artio leaned closer.


    "That I couldn''t save you?"


    "No, I don''t need your apology." Artio grabbed his chin and turned his head to face her, "When I saw you come for me and beaten to near death, I felt helpless. I wanted to help you, but I didn''t because I thought it was better if I just went with him. But I was wrong. I should have done something then. I should have never lost hope. After all, you killed a troll by yourself."


    "But that''s the thing, I did..." Suddenly, Artio kissed Cossack, shutting his mouth. Arga and Korge turned away to give them privacy.


    Their lips stayed connected as they softly kiss each other repeatedly. Then Artio leaned back, "I''m leaving tomorrow, Cossack." Artio announced, "I can''t be with you, and I''m sorry. There are things I need to do back home, especially now."


    Cossack regained his energy, "That''s ok! I''m going to be busy. There are goblins that are relying on me. And if I ever see you again, I want to make sure to be the best I could be. So I could be that hero I always envision in my stories."


    "You''re already a hero. For me, at least."


    The two continued talking to each other as the night went by. Meanwhile, the brothers were busy helping with the festivities. They brought fresh meat and learned to milk the goats after the Orgut herders showed them their way of life. Everyone found it fascinating except for Sun. He was by no means a country kid in his past life, but he remembered fragments of his childhood in the desert with his father leading a herd of sheep.


    It was a strange memory, but it was also one of the most precious ones. He had very few memories of his father, and he still does not know what happened to him. But Sun had no need to dwell in that quagmire. There was still work to be done.


    Once they finished skinning the wild deers they caught, the brothers joined the dancers while the women took the lead in cooking the meat. However, all the brothers joined in as Sun was absent on the dancefloor.


    He was looking for Shuja among the different groups celebrating in their separate campfires. No matter how hard he looks, Sun could not find her. The only pyre he didn''t look at was the large bonfire he started after burning the barn to the ground. Isla and the other older women were maintaining their watch on the fire. This perplexed Sun because he didn''t know the significance behind the fire.


    Sun walked up next to Isla, making sure to make his presence known to her. Isla turned to face Sun before returning her gaze to the pyre. Her expression was soft and gentle which surprised Sun. He never expected the old woman to have such a sweet expression after his awful first impression of her. More importantly, Sun found it impressive that she could look at the pyre, with its light so intense that it could burn one''s eyes if they were not careful.


    "Doesn''t this hurt your eye?" Sun asked, but Isla did not respond. "I mean, doesn''t it hurt? It''s pretty big, and the light is brighter than the sun."


    "Not brighter than you," Isla remarked.


    "Uh, I meant the actual sun. You know the giant fireball in the sky." Sun pointed up.


    "Isla meant you." Isla pointed at him, "Outsider name Sun, killed Maston''s enemy." Isla crossed her arms and faced Sun, "You strange. You very strong, could kill Maston and destroy homes."


    "Here we go again,"


    "No, not again. Me want say thank you." This surprised Sun even more than her gentle face, "Isla not know you. And Isla wrong act knowing you. You different and Isla think that good."


    "No need for a thank you, Isla. I''m more than happy to fight the Black Crows. It was more fun too." Sun was about to laugh when h noticed black stains around Isla''s eyes, "What''s that?"


    "Charcoal," Isla showed her black hands, "Help keep light burning eyes."


    "And that was enough?" Sun was shocked.


    "No. Rest need will to bear pain." Isla returned to her task and stared back at the fire and the Tungstree burning away, "Shuja looking for Sun. Shuja have important thing tell you. She outside wall practicing."


    "Practicing?"


    "Practicing to tell Sun."


    Before Sun could ask her what she meant, Bret Hart interrupted their conversation. "Excuse me, but I need to talk to the leader of this army."


    "It''s hardly an army," Sun remarked.


    "I''m an army," Hart responded, "And you are the leader of this army that won against the Black Crows."


    "All I did was beat his ass,"


    "And that you did." Hart smirked, "But I must tell you a few things. First, I congratulate you on your victory. Second, I wanted to ask. Have you heard of another mercenary by the name of Carnegie King?"


    "No,"


    "I see." Hart rubbed the back of his long ears, "Well, I would like it if you could avoid conflict with him. If by chance, you ever find yourself clashing with him."


    "Well, I never heard of him. But I assume I will meet him and just as you said fight him. And why should I not fight him then? If he''s just like Buchanan,"


    "He''s nothing like Buchanan." Hart took a deep breath, "And I only prefer for you to avoid King because there''s a storm brewing. But I will not stop you, because you are important. I would know, I met Pagasa many times and learned much about the history of this land."


    "You met Pagasa!" Sun yelled, "What is he like? What did he tell you?"


    "Save your questions when you meet him. For now, I must go. These POWs are getting anxious, and the Dark Flower citizens need to get home. I must depart soon, and I hope to meet you again." Hart walked away from the large pyre. His shadow overcast the entire camp.

 Vol 9 chapter 11: The Thread That Connects Them

    Sun wanted to follow Hart, but he was right. It was better to hear from the mysterious Pagasa in person. For now, he wanted to go to Shuja. Sun walked past the many fireplaces lighting the dark cold night. The flames'' light was strong but not strong enough to outshines the beautiful stars hanging in the heavens.


    Shuja was outside the safety of the walls, pacing back and forth while reciting her words. Sun emerged through the broken gates of the walls and quietly watched her. Her skin was light pink like petals of cherry blossom trees. In contrast, her black hair fluttered against the gentle wind, revealing a hint of her orange and purple feathers growing behind her neck and ears. For Sun, her beauty could outshine the full moon above them and the bonfire dancing behind the walls.


    Shuja eventually noticed Sun staring at her, "Sun! How long have you been standing there?"


    "Oh, I just got here," Sun walked out, and his body was revealed under the tender moonlight. "Isla told me to come here because you wanted to tell me something."


    "She did?" Shuja pulled her hair back and grabbed her bow leaning against the wall, "Well, I do have something to say. Can we find a place to sit down first?"


    "Sure," Sun and Shuja walked back inside and sat on the bench at the furthest corner of the camp. "So, what do you want to tell me?"


    Shuja fiddled with her fingers, trying to form her sentences in her head before telling Sun. "I don''t know how to tell you this, but thinking about it is not helping, so I''ll just tell you. Isla offered me this bow, and in exchange, I was to become their Chief."


    "Their Chief?"


    "Yes, this bow was used by their previous Chief." Shuja showed Sun the silver bow, "I didn''t accept it at first, but now I have it in my hands."


    "Yeah, but Isla gave it to you to rescue Artio. Unless she is planning on using this moment to make you their Chief."


    "No, she wasn''t planning on doing that. I gave her the bow after the battle. Not once did she mention making me the Chief. But the more I think about the offer, the more enticing it was for me. Imagine an entire tribe following me, a woman that lived off the land while doing her best to avoid the men during the spring. I was just a mere hunter. But it''s not like I want to be a Chief because of the power. I have all the power any goblin desires back in our tribe."


    "You don''t need to remind me, hahaha! I can still hear our Legions complaining about you bossing them around."


    "Exactly!" Shuja laughed along with Sun, "But something was bothering me about the Maston tribe and Isla. When they offered me the Chief''s position, not once did they talk about the richness of their tribe to coerce or bribe me. They talked about how their tribe was a beacon of hope to those that seek help. The woman mostly, but even the men from the Orgut tribe came to them for help." Shuja looked to the sky, "And that''s when I realized what that strange feeling was. They were asking me to help them, and yet my first thoughts were to find excuses."


    Shuja looked back to Sun. Her clear blue eyes were filled with passion and anxiety. "Sun, I want to help them. Ever since that day, when I lost my friend, I made it my mission to never turn my back on those that need me. So I want to stay with the Maston tribe and be their leader." Then she turned her gaze away, "And there''s no real reason for me to come back with you."


    "But I want you to stay with me," Sun blurted out so suddenly that even he was surprised. "I mean, I rather you stay with us."


    Shuja maintained her composure despite her heart beating faster and louder than a raging storm, "Thank you, Sun." But when the words exited her mouth, her emotions quickly followed, rushing out from her heart. She leaned forward and kissed Sun on his cheeks and whispered, "But I can''t run away." Then she ran back to the goblins and dark elves celebrating among the pyres.


    While they celebrate, Hart prepared the coaches for their departure. He tied the Blacks Crows and shoved them on the wagons. During this, one of the Black Crows caught Hart''s attention. Horace, one of the officers of the Black Crows, was a well-known poet from the northern savage lands. He left the cold frontier in pursuit of greater wonders to grow his skill as a poet.


    It''s not uncommon for an inspiring bard to become entangled with mercenaries in their adventures. In fact, most of the talented court poets and jesters started out as bards traveling across Venusia. Curious, he asked Horace about his most recent works from his exploits. He sat on the edge of the wagon, listening to orc bound in chains.


    "My greatest work. My magnum opus has yet to be realized." Horace told him, "But I witnessed first hand the most beautiful thing an orc like me will ever see."


    "And what is that?"


    "The goblins and the fire hiding within them. I am inspired to write a poem as dazzling as their flame, and muses will help me put it on paper." Horace stared to the sky, "Not even the stars could match their flame. But I don''t understand. What are these goblins, and why is something so beautiful hide inside that horrid visage."The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Hart got off the wagon, "Because beauty means nothing."


    "Well, it means everything to me. As a poet, my journey has led me to see many things. Some were gruesome, some were warm, but this one can never happen again. It''s far too remarkable to happen again in my lifetime."


    "And I''ll tell you right now, there are those that are hoping you''re wrong and that it does happen again."


    "And who those people?"


    "Does it matter, when your future resides beneath the earth, never to bask under the sun?" Hart walked away. Hart, too, saw many beautiful things this evening. Some of them were things he had no idea could even exist inside this strange forest. A forest that buried a forgotten time, no longer part of history.


    And one of them was Sun. He thought Sun was fairly normal for his kind. In fact, Smoke was far stranger at first glance with his special kas. But then he entered the burning building. Inside, he saw a strand of mana, so thin it could have been mistaken for a spider''s web. Hart''s keen vision and allowed to see this mana glow brighter than the surrounding fire. He followed it, which lead him to Sun. But he knew that Sun was just one end of the string.


    The other end was far from the camp. The thread traveled across the forest, towards the eastern mountains. Where the thread goes is a mystery to Hart, but he could guess that this special connection Sun has will guide him to his destiny. And maybe he will not fail like the first goblin.


    The party ended as the cold night extinguished the flames. Only the large burning barn kept them warm in the night. When the dawn approached, the dark elves quickly ran inside the cave and in the safety of the coaches from the scorching sun. They bid farewell to the goblins that were in shackles with them and to their savior.


    The brothers were astonished to see the dark elves so openly welcoming with the goblins. But it made sense after the horrible they endure with the goblins that the dark elves would grow to understand the goblins. And it helps that these goblins were not the violent type, unlike the ones living in the northern parts of the forest.


    The dark elves descendent back to the dark caverns to return to their home beneath the heart. Meanwhile, the goblin tribes parted ways. The Orgut traveled with the brothers and the women as they escort the humans to the petty kingdoms from the south. And the majority of the Maston tribe stayed in the former camp to finish their ritual along with those too injured to travel with their tribe.


    Smoke volunteered to stay in the camp to help heal those in pain, but they insisted that they will be fine. Most of the critically injured were healed during last night''s celebration and they were grateful enough that they survived their grave injuries. They wanted Smoke to travel with his brothers and rest his body. He has done more than enough in their eyes.


    A large treasury was found inside the barracks of the Black Crows. Bret Hart took the portion that was pillaged from the Dark Flower kingdom, and the rest was left for the goblins. Sun had no use for the gold, but Arga was ecstatic to be given the bounty. The Orgut tribe could trade these treasures for livestock that they desperately needed after the mercenaries massacred their herd.


    They also told Sun that he could hire a blacksmith to fix his broken sword. Sun planned to have his sword fixed in the dwarven kingdom, but he could at least take a look. They followed a river running down to the human kingdoms.


    The male goblin children from the Orgut tribe were infatuated with the cat-like ears and tail coming from Stick. They would chase the tail, and when they grab, they will pull the tail as hard as they could. "Quit it, you little brats!" Stick yelled at the children. They would run away to hide behind Natasha.


    "Hahaha," Natasha laughed, "You know, you''re mom and aunt also hated it when the kids grab their tails."


    Stick was far too annoyed with the children constantly running around him, trying to grab his tail again. Smoke and Rock could not help but laugh when Stick tried to scare away the kids.


    Sun was busy to notice the commotion happening with Stick. He was walking, side by side with Shuja, on their way to the petty kingdom of Mayflower, where Artio''s family live. They did not speak on the way, but they walked closely together while holding hands.


    They arrived at a small village. The villagers knew the Orgut tribe, as the two would occasionally trade. The old village chief welcomed the goblins, "Hello, I am Marcy, the village Chief."


    "I''m Sun, and this is the Orgut tribe." Sun turned to Arga, but the Orgut goblins were already busy trading with the locals. "Guys, shouldn''t you introduce yourselves."


    "Morororo," Marcy laughed, "We''ve met them before. But you and you''re companions are our new visitors. May I ask for their names?"


    "No problem. This is my brothers, Smoke, Stick, and Rock."


    "Hello," The three said.


    "A green skin beastkin, never seen one before," The old man walked up to Stick, "Are you perhaps a halfling? I see that you have feathers as well. In fact, all of you have feathers."


    "Yes, they all do," Artio interrupted.


    "Oh, pardon my intrusion. I didn''t mean to offend you with my comments."


    "It''s alright. I don''t really mind," Stick said, "Just don''t grab my tail."


    "Morororo. I won''t be doing that then." Marcy steps back to give the brothers space, "And may I know your name, ladies?"


    "I''m Shuja," Shuja stepped forward, "And this is Natasha and Artio."


    "Artio?"


    Artio took off her bow and presented it to Marcy, "My name is Artio from the house of Morrigan. And this bow should be enough evidence for you."


    Marcy dropped on his knees, and so did the villagers around them. The Orgut tribe was startled to see the jolly villagers they were trading suddenly turn docile and submissive at Artio''s presence.


    The scene embarrassed Artio, "Please stand up. I don''t need you guys to bow. I just wanted to request a carriage to carry Natasha and I to my uncle''s castle."


    "Yes, of course!" Marcy got back on his feet and ordered the locals to arrange the carriage.


    "My companions also request for a blacksmith to fix his broken sword. Please lead him to your local craftsmen."


    "Right away, ma''am!" Marcy took Sun with him to meet their village blacksmith. Meanwhile, Smoke, Rock, and Stick took a tour around the village, and the village women took Artio, Shuja, and Natasha to their bathhouse to freshen up.


    "What about me?" Cossack said as they left him, "I didn''t get to introduce myself."


    "Chief!" Korge yelled at Cossack.


    Cossack jumped off his feet and screamed, "Korge, you scared me!"


    "Sorry! Korge just want Chief know what tribe trade." Korge grabbed Cossack''s hand and pulled him towards the villagers and goblins trading their goods. The village did not have enough goats to trade for the gold the goblins brought, but they did have one animal they could trade that is worth the tribe''s riches.


    Cossack''s jaw dropped, "I know what that is. It''s a horse." The villager presented the tribe with a beautiful white stallion. It was their second-best horse, and they were willing to trade it for the gold. There''s only one problem; the horse was picky with its riders. "Can I ride it right now?"


    The villagers looked at each other with very nervous looks. Not willing to destroy their amicable relationship with the goblin tribe, the villagers told Cossack the horse''s problematic temperament. "That doesn''t matter to me!" Cossack declared while his nose flails about like a rattle snake''s tail, "Do you know who I am? I am Cossack, the troll killer!"


    The villagers took the horse to the field where a small fenced area was built used to store their larger livestock. Everyone stopped their transactions and gathered to watch the spectacle. The horse entered the starting gate''s cramp space while one of the villagers fitted the saddle on it. "This horse''s name is Splat." The villager told Cossack, "Be careful when you ride him."


    "Alright," Cossack climbed the fence and hopped on Splat''s back. "By the way, why is his name Splat?"


    "You''ll find out soon enough."


    The villagers opened the gate, and Splat rushed out. He ran in circles while jumping and kicking the air. Cossack held on to the reign for his life as his flail around like a doll. His body slammed against the horse''s thick neck and robust bottom, and he eventually loses consciousness for a few seconds. Then Splat stopped, and Cossack''s aching body fell to the dirt. "Ooh!" The spectators said.


    But Cossack was not giving up. He swore in his name that he would ride Splat to the sunset and, most importantly, change that awful name.

 Vol 9 Chapter 12: Final Goodbyes

    Sun followed Marcy to meet their blacksmith. When they arrived, Sun gave his broken sword to be examined. "I''m sorry, but I can''t fix this." The blacksmith said, "I don''t have the proper tools to meld the broken blade together. I have the material to forge you a new sword, though. It won''t be as good as this one, but it''s better to have a sword on you when you travel."


    Sun sighed, "No, it''s fine. I can fight without one."


    Not wanting to offend their visitor, the blacksmith made a suggestion, "If you want to fix the sword, you should visiting the dwarven kingdom east from here."


    "We''re actually going to head there after we finish our business here."


    "That''s great!" The blacksmith was elated to hear that, "If I may, my master lives in the kingdom. I recommend visiting him for your sword. Just tell him Little Meek sent you."


    "Little Meek? Is that your nickname?"


    "Yes, he called me that during my apprenticeship. But you can call me Marcus."


    Sun extended his hand, and both men shook hands, "Well, nice to meet you, Marcus, and thank you. I''ll keep that in mind."


    After the village Chief and the blacksmith exchange pleasantries, Sun and Marcy returned, where the villagers and goblins were busy watching Cossack try to conquer their wild horse. They ran to the ranch and watched Cossack fall to the ground, defeated once more.


    Marcy tried to intervene, but Sun assured the old man that Cossack could handle the challenge. Meanwhile, Stick was running around the village with children after him. Rock ran with the children, telling them the many prizes they could win if they grabbed Stick''s tail. "Rock, screw you!" Stick would yell every time Rock made a claim about the prizes.


    The children only stopped when Smoke grabbed Stick''s tail proclaimed that he was the winner. And if the children wanted the prize, they will have to fight him for it. The children were scared of Smoke. Rock was a big jolly man, and Stick was a cute overgrown cat, but Smoke looked stoic and colder than ice. He was far from their favorite guest, and soon the children ran back home.


    "Thanks," Stick said.


    "Don''t mention it," Smoke let go the tail and bonked Rock''s head, "And you shouldn''t be instigating the children."


    "Ow, sorry. We were just having fun." Rock said with puppy eyes.


    "That''s not going to work on me. Now let''s get back to Sun."


    The brothers walked back where they saw Sun and the village Chief watch a man taming a rough horse. When they got closer, they were surprised to see Cossack on the back, holding on for his life as the horse rocks him back and forth.


    Whenever Cossack fell, he would get back up with twice the determination he had before. Today was his last chance to impress Artio, and he was not going to lose this opportunity. And his relentless spirit was beginning to run the horse''s stamina dry. The bout will soon be over, and the winner will be determined by their unwavering spirit.


    Again, the horse kicked Cossack off its back. Cossack was sent flying in the air and landed on an empty trough. He got back up, dusted off his jacket, and walked back to the gate where the horse was already waiting in anticipation. Cossack was determined to tame it, but the horse could feel the broken bones and aching muscles weakening Cossack. It was time for the horse to show Cossack the true meaning of pain.


    Cossack got on the horse and gritted his teeth. The villager opened the shutter gates, and the horse bolted out to the middle of the field. Then it began to kick the air, forcing Cossack''s body to snap back to maintain his grip and balance. Then the horse and got on his two rear feet. The inertia from the previous kicks made Cossack fly forward, and his face smashed against the horse''s thick neck and his long nose bend in half.


    But Cossack did not fall. He held on to the horse and kept his body from losing its balance. This impressed the horse, but it was not enough for it to stop and acknowledge Cossack as its rider. The horse ran in circles, hoping its speed will launch Cossack to the air and outside the fence.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Truth be told, Cossack was beginning to lose his consciousness and was nearly ready to fly across the ranch if not for hearing the angelic voice of Artio. Miraculously, the women finished their short bath and walked back and saw a crowd gathered around the ranch. When they came to watch the spectacle, they were mortified to see a bloody Cossack riding the horse.


    Artio climbed on top of the fence and screamed at Cossack. "Don''t let go!"


    Cossack took those words to heart and tightened his grip. "I will not lose!" He yelled at the horse. Finally, the horse succumbed to exhaustion and collapsed on the floor. The villagers rushed to help Cossack up and examine the horse''s well being.


    The villagers had nothing to fear because the horse still had enough energy in its body to stand up. The horse walked towards Cossack, leaning on one of the villagers, and bowed his head. Cossack earned the horse''s acknowledgment, and he was now its rider.


    Cossack jumped off its feet in excitement and ran to Artio. "Did you see that?"


    "Yeah, I saw it!" Artio bonked Cossack''s head, "You dumbass. You were already injured from the fight. Why did you go and try to tame a wild horse for?"


    "Just because I can!" Cossack smiled.


    "I feel like I heard that from someone before," Smoke casually mentioned. "And you better get yourself cleaned up before I use my healing spell on you."


    "No problem," Cossack ran to the villagers who brought a bucket of water. He took a ladle and poured the water over his face and jacket, washing off the bloodstain. Then he ran back to the group and got was healed of his injuries by Smoke.


    "Most of them were minor injuries, but I can''t rejuvenate your muscles, so you''ll still feel sore after a few hours."


    "But Artio, what do you think about me taming that horse. Am I amazing or what?"


    Artio crossed her arms, "I have to admit. I was at the edge of my seat, watching you ride that horse. And it was impressive how you managed to stay on its back. If only your nose didn''t look like an accordion. Yahaha," Artio giggled, "Sorry, didn''t mean to laugh."


    Cossack laughed as well, "I don''t mind! I rather laugh and still think I''m cool."


    The two were locked at each other''s eye, unaware of the uncomfortable atmosphere they were exuding from the tension between them. The air around them was so light that the two could have floated up the clouds. "Anyway," Sun said to break the awkward atmosphere, "I meant to ask you this for a while now. Bret Hart is a Golden Condottiero. What is that? I know they''re strong. I saw him carry those wagons like they were just sticks, and Smoke heard that he alone managed to defeat the majority of Black Crow''s army."


    Artio''s face turned grim and serious, "Golden Condottiero is the title given to a group of mercenaries known for their remarkable strength and unwavering loyalty. To be one of them, you must have a strength that rivals that of the strongest warriors in the world or at least have enough power to change the tide of war to your side''s favor. Because of this, the title can only be given by the superpowers, making it even harder to be a candidate. Your reputation must extend globally if you want to recognize as a notable mercenary."


    "I guess that''s why Hart told the Black Crows they were just kids in a playground." Smoke commented.


    "Exactly," Artio noted, "Golden Condottieros also has diplomatic immunity, and they can also change the political environment of a region just by living there."


    "And how many Golden Cono-whatever are out there?" Rock asked.


    "There used to be ten, but only eight are currently out there."


    "What happened to the other two?" Shuja asked.


    "They fought. Pretty common between them during peacetime. They battled on top of Mount. Zone. It was the tallest mountain in the Herena continent."


    "Was?"


    "The Mt. Zone and the surrounding mountains were destroyed during the battle, and the two killed themselves at the end of it."


    "You''re telling us that two Golden Condottiero were strong enough to level an entire mountain range!" Sun was shocked, "And there''s eight more of them! My god, I bet they''re expensive."


    "They are. Only the great powers and superpowers of the world can hire them. The Dark Flower kingdom is one of those great powers. Because of that, there are rules Golden Condottiero must follow. Golden Condottiero can not switch sides during the war. Most mercenaries can be defeated just by paying them more than the opponent, but Golden Condottiero will not take such bribes. They must also prioritize the superpowers. They can''t accept any other clients until they finish their contract with their superpower."


    "But are there limits for the clients too?"


    "Most definitely. The superpowers, in particular, have a very strict number of Golden Condottiero they can hire, and they can hire them during times of war. I don''t know how many, but considering the strength of the superpowers'' leaders alone, I bet they can only have one."


    Just as they finished talking, one of the villagers came to tell Artio that her carriage is ready. They walked across the village towards the carriage. It was a long walk for Rock and Natasha. They held each other''s hands as they walk reminiscing about the time they spent together. "And I remember you would suck on your thumb after feeding because you didn''t want to hurt me." Natasha giggled, "You''re such a gentle baby."


    "I don''t know about gentle," Rock scratched the back of his head.


    "You were as gentle as a pillow. If only you were still a baby, I could pinch your butt cheeks."


    "Ma!" Rock was embarrassed, and Stick took this chance to laugh at Rock. "What are you laughing at?"


    "And then you fell in love. My goodness, I don''t know what you see in her, but you better not hurt Dawn. You hear me, Rock?"


    ''Yes, I won''t."


    "Rock might have to suck his thumb every night so he wouldn''t hurt Dawn." Stick joked.


    "You little shit."


    Natasha grabbed Rock''s arm, "Rock, don''t touch yourself! That''s a sin." She said in a serious voice.


    "Hahaha," Stick laughed.


    But soon the laughter and banter stopped when they reached the carriage. And a solemn atmosphere replaced it with the villagers gathered around, showing their respect to Artio. Natasha followed closely behind, but Rock embraced her from behind when it was her turn to step on the carriage.


    He cried on her shoulders, which surprised everyone but Natasha. Rock was a strong man, and many would assume he was a hardened warrior. But a man must sometimes cry, and Natasha was more than willing to offer her shoulder for the child she fostered.


    She turned around and hugged Rock. He tall now, making it difficult to embrace him as Natasha has done before. But inside the strong muscles was the small goblin scared to touch her when she was first carried back to the barn. And this will be her last time to show her love and appreciation for that goblin.


    When the tears stopped flowing, Natasha sandwiched Rock''s face and told him she would visit someday. She kissed him on his cheeks and promptly got on the carriage. The coachman got on, and they rode off. Rock and Cossack ran to the edge of the village, yelling at the carriage as it gets farther away. They yelled that when they meet again, they will become strong warriors.

 Vol 10 Chapter 1: Returning Home

    It was a wet sunny day when Sun and his brothers reached the sight of the great plateau that protected the Razin tribe from the northern goblins tribes. It was a sign they were getting closer to their tribe. Shuja stayed behind with the Maston and began teaching the women archery hunting skills. Their tribe was mostly relied on spears and shields due to their isolation forcing them to use more defensive tactics. Cossack had far more trouble with his tribe. None of them were experienced fighters, with only one victory on their name. Cossack lived in an agrarian society, and the nomadic lifestyle will be a challenging obstacle to overcome.


    Violin and Mari waited outside in front of the gates. They were growing worried and impatient for the brother''s arrival. They were supposed to return yesterday, but they did not come. Violin wanted to send scouts to search for the missing boys, but Flute intervened, believing it would be a waste of time. Violin ridiculed Flute for the lack of empathy, but Flute argued that there''s no need for a search party because they will come back. "There''s one thing I know the brothers for other than fighting. And that will never break their promise." She told Violin.


    One of the guards standing above the gate spotted movement among the bushes. "Something is coming!" He yelled.


    The guards stood in a line in front of the women and formed a shield wall in case of an attack. A pair of cat ears poked through the leaves, which surprised Mari and Violin. At first, they thought it was a wild animal hiding in the bushes, but they resembled Cyrus''s ears.


    But it couldn''t be Cyrus. She barely left the hill, only leaving the boundaries of her hill with Mari. The goblins were on high alert as this unforeseen threat inches closer to them. When the beast reached the edge of the shrubbery, a long pause followed. The silence was making everyone nervous.


    Suddenly, the two beasts jumped out and roared at the goblins. Mari and Violin shrieked, which startled the guards. But they eventually calm down when the two beasts laughed. "Wait, they look familiar!" The lookout yelled.


    Sun and Smoke emerged from the shadows while Rock and Stick continued to laugh. "Hilarious, you really scared them, guys." Sun tried to say in a sarcastic tone, but he could not help but giggle at the end of his sentence.


    "Sun!" Mari ran through the line and embraced her son. When she let go, she flicked his forehead, "You''re late!"


    "Sorry, mom. Some things happened along the way." Sun pulled Rock and Stick to him, "But look! Rock and Stick transformed! And Stick got some of his mom''s traits."


    "Yup, cat ears and all!" Stick turned around and showed off his ears and tail.


    "Amazing," Mari said in a low voice. "You inherited the qualities of a beastkin race. Usually, humans don''t inherit beastkin traits, but halflings with beastkin and elf parents will inherit the beastkin side."


    "I guess it''s the same for goblins." Rock chimed in.


    While the brothers were talking to Mari, Violin looked high and low for Cossack, but she could find him. She was beginning to feel restless. "Sun!" She called out, "Where is Cossack? What happened to him?" Her heart began to race violently while she waits for an answer.


    "You would not believe what happened." Sun put his hands on her shoulder, "But nothing bad happened to him, I promise." Rock and Stick coughed when they overhear Sun and his attempt to calming her down. They were certainly more awful things that Cossack had to endure during their journey.


    "They coughed when you said that. Are you lying to me?" Violin grabbed his collar.


    "Well, I mean, he did get hurt just a bit." But Rock coughed once more. "Rock, stop coughing!"Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Is he dead?" Violin cried.


    Smoke walked up to them and intervened, separating the two. "He didn''t die." Smoke assured her.


    "He almost did," Stick said.


    "But he didn''t!" Sun quickly added, "In fact, he got back up on his feet like it was nothing. And he even tamed a horse and became the Chief of a herding goblin tribe near Artio''s home country."


    The brothers walked back to the tribe, telling Mari and Violin their crazy journey. They told them about the tribe made up entirely of women living on top of the trees. A nomadic tribe that lived in the plains that crossed the forest''s western side. And the infamous mercenary company that almost killed and enslaved the goblins living there and saved Artio, who was kidnapped by their leader.


    Mari was fascinated by these goblin tribes and their culture. Sun asked if she ever heard of those tribes and others like it, but this was her first time hearing of them. This might be due to the more popular depiction of the savage goblins that the more peaceful ones, such as the Orgut tribe, are not well known by those outside the region.


    Along the way, Sun noticed the fields growing, and the goblins that tended the crop bowed at the presence of the brothers before returning to their work. Once they reach the center of the town, a large crowd formed around the Glass Garden. And at its doors were five red goblins standing in salute to the brothers. "What the?" Smoke exclaimed.


    When they arrived at the doors of the Glass Garden, one of the red goblins bowed to the brothers and entered inside. When he came out, another goblin followed him. But this one was no ordinary goblin. The goblin had gray hair and white feathers growing below his ears and were crystal blue. He resembled the brother''s current appearance. "Our venerable leaders, Chief Sun and Chief Smoke. The Legions missed you dearly." The goblin gave his salute.


    Sun stepped forward, "Spat is that you?"


    "Yes, indeed!" Spat said while maintaining a serious tone and facial expression.


    "At ease, soldier. Now tell me. how did you transform?" Sun''s eyes gleamed with curiosity.


    "Well, it''s not that special."


    "What do you mean not special? Transforming is a big deal, especially since it''s unique for our kind. Once we learn more about it, the sooner we can get the rest to transform!"


    "It''s just that," Spat was visibly anxious.


    "Alright, fine, you don''t need to tell me." Sun turned to the five red goblins standing in a line, "Who might they be?"


    "They are the five lieutenant I''ve chosen to lead our Legion squads! And as you ordered, I will be acting as the captain of the platoon."


    "I see," Sun stared down at one of the goblins. "Well, what are your names? You don''t expect me to wait, do you?"


    "I am Parma," A goblin with beautiful blond hair yelled.


    "Skydas reporting!" The redhead goblin followed up.


    The goblin next in line yawned, "And I am Bord." His bald head reflected light towards Sun''s eyes.


    "And you seemed tired, Bord." Sun looked annoyed by Bord''s nonchalant attitude. "You know, the best way to keep your energy up is work. Give me fifty push-ups right now!"


    "Yes, sir!" Bord dropped on the floor began to do as he was told with the diligence not seen in lazy goblins. This contrast was intriguing to Sun, and he kept a mental note to keep an eye on him.


    The next goblin was a fat one with a blond mustache and short hair. "Have I seen you somewhere before?" Smoke walked up to the goblin and examined him.


    "My name is Skild, and I was the guard posted on Bona that warned you about the dangerous purple grass."


    And finally, the red goblin that opened brought Spat out introduced herself, "I am Bi. And I am in charge of the 1st legion." Her long curly brown hair covered half of her face, blocking her right eye.


    Sun walked up to Bi, "And do you know that the 1st Legion answers directly to me?"


    "Yes, sir," Bi stood and straight, looking directly at Sun''s eyes.


    "Then tell me, how did Spat transformed into his current form?"


    Spat was mortified by the question and tried to motion to her to be quiet, but Bi''s loyalty was as rigid as a rock. "Spat transformed during a night ago in Mabel''s passionate embrace. The entire tribe ran to his hut with buckets of water when they saw the bright blue flame coming out the windows. But when our tribesmen opened the door, they saw Spat and Mabel performing,"


    "Ok, that''s enough information." Sun placed his finger on Bi''s mouth. "Sorry, I didn''t mean to touch you. Is just that you didn''t look you were going to stop." Spat''s ears turned redder than the red goblins'' skin. He blessed Sun in his heart for stopping Bi from revealing more of that night but also cursed her for answering the question.


    "You transformed while you were having sex?" Rock yelled.


    "Rock!" Stick smacked in the head for embarrassing Spat further.


    Sun continued asking them questions about their transformation. Their stories differed greatly, but they all shared the same theme. They overcame their fear, personal or not, and transformed into red conquerors. This transformation proved to the rest that they were the strongest among the legions and deserved the spot as lieutenants.


    Spat also told Sun that a full report is waiting on his desk back at the church. Sun was eager to review the results after meeting with the lieutenants. Afterward, the brothers went on their separate ways. Sun headed to the church with Bi acting as his close aide. Rock went to see Dawn, who was working on the fields with Mabel.


    Finally, Stick and Smoke went with Mari to the barn to show Cyrus Stick''s form. When they arrived, Cyrus ran to Smoke and jumped in his arms, wrapping him in her tight embrace. Then she saw Stick, and her body froze like a statue as if she was a troll petrified by daylight. "Mom?" Smoke''s voice brought her back to reality, and she released him from her arms. "It''s Stick. He transformed recently, and he looks like,"


    "You look at her," Cyrus slowly walked to Stick and touched his face. Her hands trembled on Stick''s cheeks.


    "Ms. Cyrus, are you ok?" Stick saw in her eyes regret, loneliness, and fear.


    Cyrus''s legs lost their strength, and she fell on Stick''s shoulders. Her tears broke through her eyes and flooded her face, and it fell on Stick''s shoulders. She hugged Stick, her fingers digging deep through his sweater as she attempts to pull her weight from the earth.

 Vol 10 Chapter 2: Journey to the East

    It did not take long for the news of the Chief''s return to the tribe to reach everyone''s ears. They brought some treasures from their journey, and the Legions were excited to catch a glimpse of such treasures. The Lev troops hope their efforts during Spat''s training will be rewarded with shiny jewels, while the Razin troops were merely curious to see the difference between the treasures from the western and the treasure found in their side of the forest. The treasures they saw were from those adventures raiding the ruined cities up north, but the treasures Sun acquired were from underground. The Razin tribe were like cats, eager to examine what the world beneath has to offer.


    May overheard the guards patrolling the field, and her mind was filled with excitement and delusions of a wonderful between her and Sun. She rushed to the hilltop with glee after finishing her farm work.


    The goblins standing on guard in front of the church watching over the tribe saw the gleeful May running towards them. One of the guards blushed and stepped forward. "Lady, sorry but me and friend on duty." He regretfully told May. "Me and friend can''t company you."


    "Um," The other guard coughed, "She come not for us."


    May entered the church, unaware of the guard''s presence as her mind was occupied by the idealized image of her crush. She arrived at the ebony door of the throne room. Her heart began to beat faster than a hummingbird''s wings as it dances around a flower. May knocked on the door and waited for Sun''s sweet voice but instead, a woman''s voice responded. "Who is it?"


    May''s body was stunned and could not move. The voice did not sound like Sun''s mom or Shuja, but another woman, which means another rival. "It''s May. Here see Sun."


    The woman opened the door and let May enter.  The woman before her was a tall red goblin and beautiful braided blond hair. "Who is it, Bi?" Sun asked while reads the status reports on his desk.


    "Her name is May, and she said she wishes to see you."


    "May!" Sun looked up, "It''s been so long May!"


    "Yes, very long. Um, where Shuja?"


    "Shuja stayed with the Maston tribe."


    "Why?"


    "Grab a sit. It''s a long story." Sun pointed at the chairs.


    "Ok," May grabbed a chair sat next to Sun. Bi tried to intercept, but Sun allowed it, which made May happy and gave Bi a smug look as if declaring her victory. A victory over a battle Bi was not aware she was partaking.


    Sun told May the story of their adventure westward. May was visibly thrilled by his tale, which was refreshing for Sun. It reminded him of his brothers in awe of the many stories he tells them while teaching them boxing. She would gasp, hide the lower half of her face in fear, and laugh at the jokes. As time goes by, Sun began to appreciate May''s company because her jubilee personality was the complete opposite of Bi''s cold and well-mannered demeanor.


    But the story must end, for he had work to do. Once it ended, Bi took the initiative and grabbed May''s arms to escort her out of the room, but she protested. She argued that Sun needed to be in the company of more pleasant goblins, such as herself. Shuja would see this as a direct attack, but it did not concern Bi, for her loyalty came from admiration, not love.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The Chief must concentrate, and Bi sees it as her responsibility to remove any distraction. However, Sun did not mind for May to stay, "She can stay. I see no harm from her keeping me company." Sun said, "It gets boring here, but it helps when you have someone to talk to."


    Bi reluctantly released May from her grip. May skipped to Sun''s side, and once she sat back on her place beside the Chief, she stuck her tongue out at Bi. She ignored May''s transgression, for it was beneath her to fight with a common goblin. She was a red conqueror now and in charge of the Chief''s 1st Legion. She returned to the door and stood guard.


    Sun examined the reports. The goblins were divided according to his preference, but Spat also ensured that each squad''s level of competence was the same, with the exception of the 1st Legion. The 1st legion was made up entirely of goblins that performed the highest scores at the physical exercises. Sadly, Root and Mist failed to pass the test, but Spat has placed them under his command. The reason cited under their report sheets was because of their unique skills in ''scouting and mapmaking,'' which Spat remembered as valuable skills.


    Sun began brainstorming a special unit for Root and Mist under Spat''s supervision. A unit specifically designed for espionage and spying. But he is going to need more goblins to feel that unit with the appropriate skillsets. He will have to wait before drafting such a unit, but he can safely say that Spat is a fitting leader for the Legions.


    But one captain will not be enough. As they grow, their need for qualified officers will increase. Sun is confident he and Smoke can lead a platoon of goblins, but not Rock or Stick. Rock can be a great inspiring leader, but he lacks the forethought, often heading headfirst into combat, while Stick''s strength leans more on strategizing than actual leadership.


    This was perfect for Sun. His brothers wanted to come with him to the Dwarf Kingdom but Sun thought it was best if it was just him. Now he has an excuse. He wrote down a list of challenges Rock and Stick must finish improving on their abilities as leaders. "Sun also do challenges?" May asked.


    "Oh no, this is for my brothers to follow so they could be better at leading our troops."


    "Sun not take challenges? Sun need learn too, no?" May asked innocently. Sun was an inspiring leader, but he too had faults. In fact, he shared many faults with Rock, such as the tendency to act on their emotions.


    Sun began to blush from embarrassment after May pointed out the tidbit of hypocrisy in Sun''s reasoning. But it can not be helped. It takes time to improve, and with so few military excursions, they were still wet behind the ears when it came to leading an army.


    After drafting his notes, Sun got up from his chair headed out. May stayed close behind while Bi kept her distance behind the Chief, watching May with suspicion. She wanted to speak up about May disrespecting the Chief but chose not to embarrass the Chief further. Still, she could not believe May would question Sun''s qualities as a leader. Bi knows full well that Sun''s aura is enough to raise morale and beat the strongest of monsters. Who cares if he charges into battle without a proper plan because he will be the one standing victorious at the end of the battle.


    Sun met up with his brothers at the center of the town, where the tribe prepared a celebration for the brother''s return. They set up the table right in front of the Glass Garden, and inside the greenhouse, several lanterns were lit. Their lights shined through the glass and created a dazzling display of blur warm orange over the festivities.


    The tribe was doing well in their absence, and Sun hopes that the tribe continues to grow. But now, it was time to plan for his next trip. He talked to his brothers, letting them know who he was meeting, and the time he expects to return. He will be taking Smoke with him while Rock and Stick stay with the soldiers and refamiliarize themselves with the new military-style drills Sun designed.


    "When are we leaving?" Smoke asked.


    "In a week," Sun took out his broken long sword under the table and examined the torched blade, "We''ll find a skilled blacksmith that could fix my sword. Or at least forge a new one as good as this one. And then we talk with that man I saw in my dream."


    "What do you think he wants to tell you?"


    "Who knows," Sun looked beyond the table and at the goblins dancing under the bright orange lanterns strung above them. His mother danced in the middle with the children holding hands and forming a circle. Then he turned to his brother, "I''ll only know once I actually meet him. But I could tell he knows the answers to my questions."


    "Questions like what?"


    "Honestly, I don''t know what to ask."


    "Well, I''ll be honest too. This seems like a bad idea. We don''t know how far we have to walk and how long it will take us to get to Pagasa. I think we should just stay here and help out with the tribe."


    "And yet you''re still coming with me." Sun laughed.


    "I''m only coming because you''re definitely going to need medical attention. I know you too well that you will get your ass kicked by someone."


    Sun laughed even harder, "Not if I kick them first!"


    When the party ended, the tribe resumed its life the next morning. Rock and Dawn flirted, as usual, Pin and Cyrus helped Stick get accustomed to his tail and ears, Sun, Flute, and Violin worked to improve the quality of life in the tribe, and Smoke filled in the role of the tough commander that Shuja formerly occupied. The week rolled by fast until it was finally the day of departure.

 Vol 10 Chapter 3: The Silver Weapon

    Sun and Smoke left the Razin tribe in the dark of night with their bag filled with supplies, including the letter Prof Logue gave to Sun. Their closest friends and relative were the only ones that gave their farewell to them. Their goodbyes were not as bittersweet because they will return, unlike before.


    Under the cover of darkness, they moved swiftly between the trees and bushes. Once they reached the edge of the forest, the sun began to push back the night and reclaim its throne in the sky. They stumbled upon a trail near the edge of the forest. On the road were signs of recent activities. Footprints and wheels dotted the ground, and brothers would sometimes find garbage on the side of the road. "This must be the path those looters travel on," Sun said.


    The brothers traveled on the road, heading in the opposite direction of footprints. They followed the path according to Root''s map. Mari told Root about this hidden road, and with her accounts, Root created a map to help the brothers traverse the forest and cross the border to the Dwarf Kingdom.


    While walking on the beaten path, Smoke spotted an odd object shined in the corner of his eye. "Sun, wait!" Smoke grabbed Sun, "I think I see something."


    The brothers approach the shiny object hiding behind the bushes with caution. Smoke pulled out his club and used it to poke the bush. "I see it," Sun pointed, "It''s over there."


    The object was buried halfway, so Smoke used his warclub''s cog headpiece to dig it out. Then he reached for it, "It feels metallic, but I could also feel some kind of leather." Smoke grabbed the mysterious item, and the brothers were stunned, "It looks like,"


    "A gun!" Sun yelled in excitement.


    "Yeah, but it''s so small. The guns attached on the Razin walls were far larger than this." Smoke checked its bottom, "Where do you put iron ball?"


    Sun knew what type of gun it was based on his memories from the past. It was the type of gun he would see as a child while watching westerns. "Do you see that oddly shaped cylinder behind the barrel? That''s where you put ammunition. You open it by pushing the side."


    Smoke tried to open it, but it would not give in, "It''s not working?" Then Smoke pushed a bottom on the front of the trigger opening the cylinder to the side. "Oh, that button ejected it. I think."


    Sun wondered why a weapon like this would just be sitting here, hiding under a bush. Someone must have hidden it to keep from falling into the wrong hands. And with that train of thought, another question came to his mind, how did this weapon come to be? Guns do exist, but they were not as advance as one may want them to be. Guns had the same function as cannons, used for artillery rather than a weapon used by soldiers. They were hard to make and harder to maintain and use. The guns in this world were rudimentary, and so too was the ammunition. Black powder and iron cast balls were used in place of bullets, which has yet to be invented, or so did Sun thought. But with the existence of this revolver, everything changed.


    "Who do you think made this? And why hide it here?" Smoke asked.


    "I don''t know, but I have a feeling Pagasa can tell us."This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "And what if he can''t."


    "Then I really have no clue." Sun sighed.


    "I guess we''ll cross the bridge when we get there." Smoke wrapped the silver gun in a cloth and hid it inside his bag. "Better hide it at least since it could be dangerous."


    On their map, they are to head south until they reach a fork in the road. They need to take the one heading to the east. Afterward, it will take several more hours before getting to the first outpost, where dwarves soldiers are stationed.


    They reached the outpost in the evening. The dwarves stopped them so they can ask them questions before letting them in through the gate. But when Sun presented the letter he received from Prof. Logue, the guards immediately stopped their interview and let them through. The guards still took their bags and quickly checked its contents. The brothers felt uneasy when the guards looked through their stuff, but they weren''t very thorough and missed the revolver.


    The contents of the letter were a mystery to the brothers. And if they had opened the letter and read its contents, they wouldn''t be able to understand it because of the spell engraved on the letter. Concealed Marks are commonly used by higher authority to keep classified information a secret from unwanted eyes. Only those serving in the Walz Kingdom''s military could read the letter because of their loyalty to their king.


    The guards led them to a stable where they introduced a coachman tasked to take visitors to the nearest town. "His name is Manny." The guard told them. Manny was a middle-aged man with a white mustache covering his upper lips. And he wore a straw hat, hiding his curly black hair.


    "Hi, the name is Sun, and this is my brother Smoke."


    Manny tipped his hat. Then he went in the stable to get the oxen ready to pull their wagon. "He''s deaf, so if you wish to talk to him, you''re going to need this." The guard handed the brothers a piece of paper and a charcoal pencil. "We hope you have a safe visit."


    The guards returned to their post, and Manny and his wagon were ready to depart. The brothers got on, and they rode to the mountains, leaving the sun behind them. The oxen pulling the reins were small strong. They were barely one meter tall, but it only took three to pull the wagon and those riding on it. They also had odd colorations, as they were a breed of calico ox found in the mountain regions. They had black fur with purple and blue spots throughout their body.


    "They sure have weird colors?" Sun said.


    "Weir colors?" Smoke took out a bottle of water from his bag, "More like strange animals. I thought they were goats when they came out of the stables."


    "They''re a cattle of some sort."


    "And how''d you know that."


    "The blacksmith I met had one in his yard." Sun lied. "And thank god they didn''t find the gun."


    "Shh! We shouldn''t talk about that. We don''t know what it is yet and better keep quiet about it before we get to Pagasa."


    "Oh, it''s fine. Manny is deaf." Sun crawled closer to the coachman. "Watch. Manny, you''re so ugly that those oxen are only tamed because they''re scared of your face!"


    "Sun!" Smoke grabbed Sun and threw him back behind the wagon.


    "You didn''t have to throw me. Look, the guys didn''t even flinch."


    "Still, we are in foreign territory, and they could be watching us at any moment."


    "It''s fine. You worry too much." Sun sat next to Smoke, "I''m more interested in the revolver''s origin. We can both agree that something like this is highly advanced compared to our cannons, fake or otherwise. What if someone stole it from someone and because they don''t know how to use it, they just threw it away?"


    "That would mean an adventure must have stolen it from another member of the company. Remember we found this along the path most people take to cross the forest to loot the ruined cities illegally."


    "But the path is also close to the dwarves'' kingdom. What if someone stole and smuggled it from," Sun stopped talking when he realized the likelihood of the scenario he crafted. "Dwarves are known to be great blacksmiths, right? That means they might also be amazing engineers and were probably inventing some new type of weapon. Like the gun we found." Sun and Smoke looked back at Manny, who was seemingly unaware of the conversation behind him.


    Smoke grabbed his bag and hid it behind him, "If it''s true that someone stole this from the dwarves, then its best to hide until we get to Pagasa. Then we''ll just return it, and hopefully, they''ll believe us for finding it on the road. Even if it''s a very unlikely story."


    Sun agreed, but another idea crept in from the back of his mind that he could not share with Smoke. Another possibility that he hopes is true is that the revolver was from another person alien to this world. And he brought with him the revolver, like how he brought his understanding of martial arts such as boxing to his brothers. Maybe that is why he wanted to meet him? Maybe he knows of another person like him?


    They reached the first town at midnight. Manny parked the wagon into the stable and stayed with his oxen. The brothers were going to sleep in the stables with Manny, but a local barmaid invited the brothers to stay at the town''s inn. They gave their weapons to the clerk before getting the keys to their room. They rested their exhausted bodies on the soft futons, unaware of the watchful eyes staring at them outside the window. Manny did not rest. He just stared at the window of their room while standing on the roof of the stable.

 Vol 10 Chapter 4: Pagasa

    The brothers departed at the crack of dawn, with Manny guiding them through the kingdom. It did not take long for them to reach the base of the mountains. Through the mountain pass, the brothers witness wildlife and flora alien to the brothers. Although the plants were not glowing like those found in the caverns the dark elves reside inside, their vibrant purple and cyan coloring made them stand out among the dull grey cliffside.


    The beautiful plants dotted the landscape. Among the vegetation were deers and goats grazing on the purple grass growing on the steppes. Their fur had a calico pattern similar to oxen pulling their carriage. Their pattern coloration matches the colors of the plants. A unique form of camouflage unseen elsewhere, for these mountains is the only place they grow from. One of the goats grazing across the ravine caught Sun''s attention. The male goat was as tall as Rock, and its horns swirled around its ears before pointing towards the sky. Its fur was dark brown, in contrast to the brighter herd grazing around it. "Smoke, you see that?"


    "Yeah, I see it."


    "That goat is a giant. I''m glad we didn''t have to fight a mountain goat that large."


    "Knowing Rock, he''ll still try to fight to wrestle it despite the size difference."


    The brothers laughed after imagining Rock''s tiny green body get thrown around by the giant goat. They eventually spotted a mountain with a summit that resembles the shape of a heart late in the afternoon. "That must be Mt. Heart!" Sun stood up and admired the mountain.


    Smoke took the board the guards gave them and wrote on it a question for Manny. "When will we get to our destination?"


    Manny wrote as best as he could. His fingers tremble for every stroke, but he succeeds and handed the board back to Smoke. "We''ll get there by sunset," Smoke read aloud. "Well, if that''s the case, might as well take a nap."


    Smoke spread a blanket across the floor and used his bag as a pillow. "You should sit down and take a nap." Smoke hugged his warclub, "Time goes by faster that way." Smoke told Sun.


    "Are you crazy? These places are amazing." Sun was captivated by the mountain and its beauty. He had never seen such grandeur in his current and past lives. And unlike the forced urgency in the caverns, Sun can take the time he wants to digest the world around him. While Sun watched in wonder, Smoke closed his eyes and fell asleep.


    When he opened his eyes, they have arrived in a large mining town. Their mining operations were far away, but the clouds coming from their machines and explosives can be seen as clear as day. The clouds were not dark but were white and a bit of pink.


    At the center of the town was an old cottage with a tower protruding out behind. The tower stretched towards the sky, with its pole seemingly scraping the clouds floating above the town. Sun and Smoke got off the wagon and gave each other blank stares. Then they turned around and looked at Manny, smiling innocently at the brothers.


    Sun walked up the porch and knocked on the cherry colored door. "Hello, anybody home?" Sun turned to Smoke, still knocking on the door, "Maybe he''s on top of his tower and can''t hear us." Just then, the door opened while Sun was still knocking on the door, and as a result, he incidentally punched the person opening the door.


    The stranger''s head flinched back, "You have a strong punch." His long robe and hood hid the man''s face and body, and a thin veil covered his lower face.


    "Oh shit! I''m so sorry!"


    "Bahaha," The stranger laughed, "Don''t worry it will take more than that to hurt me."


    "If you need me to, I can check your injuries." Smoke offered.


    "Bahaha," He laughed even louder. "To think there''ll be two of you!" Then he stopped, "Wait, there''s two of you!" The man grabbed the brothers and pulled them into the building, threw them on the couch, and slammed the door. "Bahaha! I can''t believe there are two of you!" He laughed.


    "That laugh sounds awfully like Shuja and Pin." Smoke said.


    Sun stood up, "And someone else laughs like that too. Are you Pagasa?"


    "Guilty as charged," Pagasa removed the hood over his head, revealing large red feathers protruding out behind his ears and pale green skin. "And you must be Sun."This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Yeah, I was the goblin you met on that sea thing."


    Pagasa teleported behind the brothers and examined Smoke''s body, "And who might this gentleman be?"


    Smoke was startled by Pagasa and jumped off his couch. "I''m Smoke," He said while maintaining his guard, "I''m his brother."


    "Blood brothers or direct family?"


    "What do you mean by blood brothers?"


    "Are you guys brothers by an oath, or did you have the same parents."


    "By oath," Sun said, "But why does that matter?"


    "Because you both are goblins!" Pagasa jumped in excitement. "Finally, I was given another chance to change our destiny. And maybe things will be different."


    "What do you mean?" Sun asked.


    Pagasa looked at the brothers. He took a deep breath and calmed down. "There are so many things I have to teach you two. Come with me."


    "Wait!" Smoke stopped Pagasa, "We have one question to ask." Smoke took his bag and pulled out the revolver and handed it to Pagasa. "We found it along the road while trying to cross the border. Do you know where this came from? Do you think the dwarves made that?"


    Pagasa examined the weapon without leaving an inch untouched by his eyes. "This gun is very complex, and I don''t doubt the dwarves can create this with their amazing technical skills. But I know for a fact that the best inventors of the Walz Kingdom have never even thought about making this weapon."


    "How do you know?"


    Pagasa looked at the brothers with a blank expression before his eyes wandered around the room. "This gun''s mechanism is far too complex and advanced. The dwarves are already busy advancing their arsenal, and I helped them, but we never created this before."


    Suddenly, a knocking came from the front door. Pagasa teleported to it and opened the door. A tall bearded man was standing on the porch. "My name is Maximum Orez, the noble knight stationed in this town, and I am here because we were informed about two travelers arriving with a wea,"


    Pagasa pushed the large man to the ground. Soldiers around him watched as their superior lay on the dirt road. "Take this gun with you and tell the king he can keep it, and if his engineers managed to reverse engineer it, he better mass-produce it for the goblins!" Pagasa roared. The earth trembled from the sheer volume of his voice, and it frightened the foot soldiers, with some of them leaking through their chainmail pants. He walked back into the room and confronted the dazed brothers, "Lesson number one that''s not how you deal diplomacy. Now let''s go. Time is limited for us."


    The brothers followed Pagasa towards the tower while carrying their bags. A large floating platform sat in the middle of the room. They stood on it, and the platform carried them up the tower. They reach the top in less than a minute.


    "We have arrived." Pagasa stepped out and welcomed the brothers to his personal lab. It was filled with books, trinkets, and complex mechanisms. Pagasa gave a tour before stopping in a small room Pagasa uses for leisure activities. The brother sat down in front of a table while Pagasa served them masala chai.


    "So, you want to know how we turned into, well, this form," Sun said.


    "Yes, I am curious how you two turned into goblins."


    "What do you mean? Aren''t we always been goblins?"


    "Wrong!" Pagasa yelled, "Sorry, I didn''t mean to raise my voice at you, boys." Pagasa took a sip from his teacup to calm his nerves. "The form you had before, the small green creature with goat eyes. That is just a deformed embodiment of the perceived image that blasted god views us as!"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Every race in our world originated from gods beyond the surface of the infinite sea. They controlled our evolution directly to create their perfect race, but there were some that never planned to meddle with our world. Some races were just created by accident," Pagasa paused. He noticed a strange brass pipe poking out of Smoke''s bag. "Smoke, what is that?"


    "This thing," Smoke took out his warclub, "This is the Krepkiy club. It was given to me after beating Cossack, the Chief of the Razin tribe. And this warclub is the symbol for the Chief of,"


    "That''s no warclub." Pagasa interrupted him, "Give it to me."


    Smoke hesitated, but he eventually gave it to him. "What is it then?" Pagasa grabbed both ends and pulled its ends before bending it in half. "What are you doing? you''re going to break it!"


    But it did not break. The club bent like it was an arm and because it was an arm. Pagasa stood up and walked up to a wall and pressed his hand against the wall. His hand left a glowing handprint, and then the wall split apart, revealing a hidden compartment with a standing giant bronze statue inside.


    The figure was missing an arm and a leg. And next to it were various parts made up of cogs and pipes and resembling hands and feet. The brothers walked over to Pagasa as he measures the club and compares it to the reattached arms. Sun inspected the statue further and realized that it resembles the robot dog that nearly killed him in his sleep.


    "It''s like that robot dog, but more human." The robot was made of cogs, wires, and bolts, and on the top of its forehead was the word ''DRONE''.


    "Drone," Smoke read it aloud, "Sounds familiar."


    "You don''t think this was the ''dron'' that diary mentioned?"


    "Diary? What diary?" Pagasa asked.


    "We found a few books from our tribe. One of them was a diary of a little girl."


    "I see," Pagasa took one of the metal hands and attached it to one end of the club. Then he placed the cog headpiece on the statue''s shoulder. The piece perfectly fit on the statue''s shoulder, but the club was too short to fully replace the missing arm. He reattached the arm piece and tossed it to Smoke. "That war club is actually an arm of Drone unit. Probably a scout variant with its size. The dead drone I have is designed as heavy infantry."


    "It''s huge." Sun knocked on its iron plating.


    "The God that created sent Drones to exterminate our kind."


    "What?" Sun and Smoke''s eyes were instantly filled with shock.


    "The God that made us was the same God that created the angel and demon races. And we were the accident the God tried to erase." Smoke reached for his feathers, remembering the times the mercenaries mistaking for an angel. "But we did not go down without a fight. And we never gave up, not once. And that God knew it so instead of war and bloodshed, we turned to magic. Slowly but surely, we no longer the goblins we once were. We devolved into some savage race and to add insult they made have the same as his. Mocking us beyond the ocean, telling us the closest we will ever get to his heart is his eye! His blasted goat eye!"


    "And why does no one knows that?" Sun screamed.


    "Because he placed a spell on the world. They did not fully forget us, but over time, the idea of a goblin shifted until it fit the image of the savage little race he turned our kind into. There are only a handful of people in the world that know of the truth." Pagasa placed his hands on Sun''s shoulder, "But that doesn''t matter now because you are here. We will not let time forget us. We will lead the goblins, you will save them from this hell."


    "And how?" Smoke asked with his quivering voice. "You''re not telling us to kill that God is you?"


    "No, he left the moment his plan to turn us into animals worked. Instead, we rebuild and I believe you two can do it. Heal the wound inflicted on our race by that bastard."


    "I don''t know if I''m ready for such a heavy task, but," Sun looked at Smoke, "I think I can do it. I got people that can help."


    Smoke scratch the back of his head, "Not like I had a choice. At least we''re not the only ones that turned into the so-called true goblins."


    "Bahahaha! Splendid!" Pagasa hugged Sun and Smoke, "Now, let me get the things we need before. Wait, what do you mean by not the only ones?"

 Vol 10 Chapter 5: Becoming a King

    Pagasa stared at the ceiling while his hands tremble from the excitement. The brothers told him their story, how they won the Razin tribe''s throne, and their victory over the Black Crows freeing two goblin tribes from their violence. And Pagasa''s face twisted into a wicked smile when the brothers listed the number of goblins that broke through the curse. So far, seven rose through the challenges, four more than before. The chance for the goblin''s return to the civilized world was growing. It was as if Pagasa was only an arm''s length away from their kingdom that once flourished in the valley.


    The room was silent. Sun and Smoke waited for Pagasa to speak. They next to a window so thin, only a sliver of the mountain range could be seen. Only the sounds of the wind blowing through the thin windows of the tower could be heard. Then Pagasa pushed his chair away from the table and jumped on the table.


    "Things are moving faster than I thought!" He yelled. "I hope you two are not tired from your journey to get here, but we must depart now!"


    "Depart?" Sun asked, "Where are we going?"


    "Back to your tribe." Suddenly, a small iron box appeared on Pagasa''s hand. "Shuja and Cossack are currently leading their own tribes, but that''s fine. There''s five of you at Razin, so I will turn the surrounding area into our main camp!"


    "And what about the iron box?"


    Pagasa opened it, and glowing purple tendrils came out of it and began grabbing random objects in the room. Then he teleported to the center of the room, giving the tendrils more space to move about. He placed the box on the floor, leaving it to its own devices.


    Sun and Smoke followed Pagasa towards another side room hidden behind large bookshelves. Inside the small room was a stash of weapons of various kinds. A small swivel cannon was leaning against the back wall, hand axes and daggers littering the floor, and rounded shields hanging on the walls.


    And a longsword sat on the corner with an ebony blade. Pagasa grabbed the sword and gave it to Sun. "Try holding this."


    Sun grabbed the sword, and the heavy blade fell to the floor and pulled Sun with it. He dropped face-first on the cold stone floor. "You could have warned me it was heavier than it looks." He muttered from the floor. Sun got back on his feet and grabbed the hilt of the sword.


    Pagasa walked past Sun while he tries to lift the sword off the floor. "To rebuild our kingdom and return to our true stage of life, you must be ready to die for our cause," Pagasa said in a deeper tone. "Killing trolls is impressive, I do not doubt that, but our end goal is far greater than a lofty beast. You are going to face greater opposition from all sides trying to stop the goblin race from returning to its former glory. And for that, we must prepare!" Pagasa walked to the center of the room. The purple tendrils danced around him as they continue to grab more objects in the room. He stared at its opening, watching the glowing pink blob inside the box, absorbing the objects brought to its surface. "We need cities, but before that, we need an army to reconquer our lost ones. But before we can make an army, we must feed them. And even if they are fed, the goblins as they are now will only follow the strong. And they need those even stronger to discipline them. And to reach the standards you need, I will teach, I will train, and I will beat you. The first lesson,"


    Pagasa continued to talk, and Smoke listened but not Sun, for he was too busy with the sword. He morphed the mana inside him and translated it to the black longsword. Sun could tell that a spell was making the sword heavier. The same type of control they learned from Smoke allows them to control their bodies'' weight and objects on their person.


    Sun''s concentration was focused on the sword. It was difficult to lift not because of the weight but the strange complexity of the mana imbued within the sword. But he quickly figured out how the key should be formed and unlocked the sword. It reminded him of his previous life''s job as a mechanic for a small auto shop. His past self knew little about the world, but he knew enough to fix a car problem. The complex spell on the sword was very different from a car''s engine, but for Sun, the problems seemed similar. He just had to replace some parts of it to unlock the sword.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Sun slowly raised the sword, staring at its shiny ebony blade. He couldn''t help but smile at his reflection. He rested the sword on his shoulder and turned around to listen to Pagasa. Unfortunately, he finished just when he finally paid attention.


    "Unless you can carry that heavy burden, then you will never be ready," Pagasa said with a grim face. Then he turned around and faced the brothers. "Are you ready to," He stared at Sun, carrying the sword nonchalantly on his shoulders? Smoke turned to Sun, unaware that Sun already carried the sword in his hand.


    "Sorry, I wasn''t really paying attention." Sun said, "Do you mind if you could repeat what you said?"


    "How did you break the spell?" Pagasa asked slowly.


    "Well, it''s kind of like," Sun paused. Cars don''t exist in this world, so his example will fall on deaf ears. He looked around the room, searching for a way to explain his process, until his eyes landed on the bronze robot. "That robot. It has parts that don''t fit or loose. Maybe even wrong, which stops it from moving. It''s kind of like that." Sun looked at the long sword, "I can''t remove the mana from the sword. At least without breaking it because it felt like I might break it if I forcibly pull out the mana, making it heavy. Instead, I replaced the mana, making it lighter with my own."


    The tentacles stopped and returned to the box, completing their task. Pagasa grabbed the box and tucked it in his back pocket. The room was half empty now. "Andrik told me he accidentally mentioned something he wasn''t supposed to say to you, brothers."


    "Andrik?" Sun recalled the jolly dwarf they encountered before using the cave shortcut. "Oh, you mean that general. Yeah, now that I think about it, he mentioned something about us being different from the last ones. And not that you told us, I guess they were really were goblins like us."


    "No, he wasn''t referring to our civilization or to me." Pagasa walked up to the boys, "There was another goblin that managed to break the spell. He was a crafty little one, strong too. And he also came here to learn about our kind and his purpose. I told him the same things I did to you, and he was eager to follow through with the quest. But first, I must train him. I gave that sword to him just like I did to you. In order to teach and train him, first, I needed to understand his limits and potential. He managed to lift that sword in a day."


    "Slower than Sun," Smoke said.


    "Yes, but his method was far more impressive." Pagasa took the sword and pointed it to the ceiling, "Not only did he unlock the seal I placed on it, but he also absorbed it all into him. He took the mana from the sword in him. It was amazing." Pagasa handed the sword back to Sun. "Normally, the sword would break under such stress, but he managed to remove the mana from it without leaving a trace. Only a genius can pull that off."


    "Why a genius?"


    "Because mana is sticky and eternal. At least, that''s the best I can describe mana. Its power is greater than our known universe, and its law defines and interprets it, and we are simply using parts of it to bend reality to our whim. But we can''t control mana as much as we can control our world with it because it is impossible. Mana can not be taken without consent. There must be some exchange or criteria to be met. Passion leads to fire, trauma makes you stronger, and mana avoids those that are primadonnas. But he did not follow the law, the teaching that I told you both."


    "I didn''t listen, so could you repeat it?" Sun asked.


    "No,"


    "And what was his name?" Smoke asked.


    "His name was Andrew Prince." Pagasa giggled, "Prince was the name his village Chief gave to him. He came from a northern tribe, so he grew up just like you boys. He grew stronger in the harsh winter months, barely surviving."


    "And where is he now?" Sun asked.


    "I don''t know."


    "I feel like that was a lie."


    "Perceptive." Pagasa cracked his knuckles. "You''ll know where he is in due time. For now, I would like to get started with your training. I don''t know how long that will take. On the one hand, you''re fairly creative with solving that problem. I can tell you''re not as smart as Andrew, but you''re naturally gifted, that much I can tell. And you know what, I''ll at least repeat to you what the purpose of the sword test. I wanted to see if you are fit to be king to be a leader. Are you patient, determined to break the spell, or will you get tired and frustrated? But it seems like I forgot that there other ways to solve problems."


    "Well, it''s now like I''m always creative. I just wanted to use the sword without breaking it."


    "Exactly, you still dived in head first, but you were still careful. And for me, that''s enough." Pagasa activated the platform, "Now get on. It''s time to head back."


    The brothers stepped on the platform. A glowing neon blue ring formed around them as the platform descends. "What about the gun and the dwarves?" Smoke asked, "They seemed to know you and respect you. Wouldn''t they be worried that you''re gone?"


    "Don''t worry, my old friend knows."


    "Old friend?" The brothers asked.


    While the goblins prepare to depart, Orez was sitting in his office writing a letter to his majesty. Manny stood next to him, watching his pen move across the page. The was to inform the king that new goblins have come, and Pagasa was on the move once more. Caution is a necessity in the coming years because another heir to the goblin throne surfaced. And they brought with them a peculiar weapon, a small gun with craftsmanship that could match the best workshops in the kingdom.


    Orez attached the letter on the package containing the gun and handed them to Manny. "Take this to the capital." He told him. The mute bowed, then hurried out of the room. Orez could feel the winds changing. Something mysterious is going on inside the forest, and the goblins that visited today may uncover those mysteries, for better or worse.

 Vol 10 Chapter 6: Veterans Lament

    "You lot better not be lying to me. I''m maybe old, but I am not senile." Pagasa pointed at his wrinkles. They were barely visible to the brothers. In fact, he looked remarkably young under the soft blue light emanating from the platform.


    "It''s true, though." Sun said, "We just found it on the side of the road."


    Pagasa rubbed his chin, "I guess I can investigate the area when we get there." Once the platform landed, the goblins got off, and the platform deactivated. Pagasa guided the brothers to their room. He left them two water basins and then left to give them time to get themselves in order.


    Pagasa went to the kitchen and prepared their dinner. He grabbed a bag of coal inside the kitchen''s side room next to the stove and dumped half the coal inside the coal stove. Pagasa snapped his fingers, and the coals sparked.


    Soon the fire grew bigger from its fuel. Pagasa closed off the firebox with an iron lid, locking it in place with hooks on each end. While the temperature continues to rise, Pagasa went to another side room opposite to the stove and sink. This side room was a large cooler with large ice blocks covering its walls. Pagasa took a large frozen brisket and placed it on the sink as he defrosts the chunk with warm water.


    Once finished, the stove''s firebox was now hot enough to cook on. Pagasa cut the brisket in small sizes before he placed them on the pan. He glazed the pan with red wine and seasoned the meat with salt, black pepper, and kutna -  a dwarven seasoning similar to nutmeg. Then he added spinach and wild mushrooms.


    Sun and Smoke finished organizing their stuff and washing their bodies right on time for dinner. The kitchen was filled with the sweet aroma of the grilled meat and mushrooms. "That smells delicious!" Sun excitedly rushed to the dining table.


    "Hey!" Pagasa yelled, "Dinner is not ready. We still need to set the table."


    "You got it, boss!" Sun went to the cupboards and grabbed four plates. He set them up carefully as not to ruin the beautifully knitted table cover. "Woah, are those flowers? Whoever made these sure is talented." The table covers featured a field of lively flowers in different vibrant colors.


    "I knitted those," Pagasa said proudly.


    "Really?"


    "You doubt me? I have very careful hands." Pagasa took one of the plates Sun placed on the table, placed all of the grilled brisket and mushrooms on it, and placed it back on the table''s center. He grabbed a pack of roti from the drawer and divided them evenly to amongst them. "Only delicate hands could make something as beautiful as those," Pagasa said softly.


    Pagasa sat down and watched the brothers devour their food with their hands. The brothers showed gratitude and appreciation for the food with their satisfied faces and moans. Food was Pagasa''s least proud skill. He had to learn to cook by himself after the war, and he learned more after years of living alone, as the only goblin with a proper mind and soul. But watching Sun and Smoke enjoy the dinner he cooked made him proud, especially now.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    After dinner, the brothers went to sleep, but not Pagasa. He sat in the living room, staring at the ceiling. This will be the second time he leaves this place, and he hopes it will be his last. Sun shows clear differences between himself and Prince. He is willing to take detours if it meant keeping others safe, but he isn''t as calm and collective as Prince. Sun was risk-taker; he acts first and thinks later. If he listened to Pagasa, he would know that the test required to remove the heavy mana from the sword, not to recycle it so it could be lighter.


    There was also Smoke. He was keener to listen to his lesson, but Smoke was not looking to become a leader. Pagasa assumed the brother would become rivals, but Smoke was far more concerned about other people than the prospects of learning and becoming king. Prince never asked about Pagasa or the town. It caught him off guard when Smoke worried about the dwarves missing his presence. A king needs a man to push him to his limits and catch him when he stumbles, and Smoke seems to fit those requirements. Pagasa only wished they arrived much earlier.


    When the morning light reaches the heart-shaped mountain, the town rose from its slumber and began to move. The miners ate their hearty breakfast before heading to the mines. The shepherds moved their calico cattle herd to fresh and vibrant pastures. The colorful cows grazed on the purple and yellow grass growing on the mountainside.


    Orez arranged for the goblins'' transport with Manny as their coachman. Pagasa insisted that they will travel on their own. Their wagon had a small tent as a roof, and they were pulled by white bull two times larger than the calico ox. "Why didn''t you let Manny guide us?" Sun asked, "He''s not much of a conversation starter since he''s deaf, but he seemed pretty cool."


    "He''s not deaf." Pagasa answered, "He''s mute but not deaf. How do you think they found out about the gun you were carrying?"


    "I knew it!" Smoke locked Sun''s head around his arm and burned his knuckle on Sun''s head.


    "I''m sorry!" Sun yelled.


    "Bahaha!" Pagasa laughed at the brothers.


    Sun wrestled out for the armlock and retaliated by grabbing and throwing it Smoke''s face. This only exacerbated the situation, and the two continued to wrestle on the wagon. Pagasa would have been concerned if it was Prince and another goblin, but he could tell the brother meant no harm with each blow. But Pagasa still needs to stop them because their old carriage could not take their rowdiness any longer.


    They rested on the first town they reached but did not stay long. They got back on the road as quickly as possible. They reached the border at night. They got off their wagon and gave them to the guards.


    Pagasa followed the brothers while they lead him on the path. The bright yellow light coming from their palm gave them the vision they needed in the dark night. "Do many people travel through here?" Pagasa asked.


    "Apparently," Smoke said, "Adventures go through here to get to the ruined cities north. Once there, they would set up camps and send parties to the cities and loot."


    "Loot?" Pagasa scratched his bald head, "What do they hope to find in the cities? It''s not like it''s filled with treasures anymore?"


    "But that''s the thing. They are filled with treasures." Sun said, "My mom told me that the adventures would return with bags full of antique jewelry and gold coins."


    "Weird. And you found the gun along the path."


    "Yes, sir!"


    "So strange."


    "Do you have to keep saying because we already it''s strange?"


    "Bahaha! Yes, I do, and so I did."


    When they reached the fork they headed north. After a couple of walking through the dark, they reached the spot where they discovered the weapon. Pagasa scanned the area for any other signs of abnormalities with his purple glowing eyes.


    He managed to find a silver pin stuck underneath the trunks of a tree. Pagasa took it out and examined it under Sun''s glowing palm. "Intriguing."


    "What is it?" Sun asked.


    "It''s a Cardinal seal pin. They are worn by Cardinal Assistants, also known as High Deacons."


    "Cardinals? Deacons? So what, they''re part of a church?"


    "The Church of Mahalia. Also known as the Holy Aigua House. One of the superpowers of the world."


    "What is the church doing here?"


    "Who knows? But let''s keep going. I''d like to reach your tribe village before morning comes."


    They continued their journey, heading west from the secret path. They traversed through the forest with the starry night watching over them. The night owls and sang to them through the night. Before the brink of dawn came to brighten the land, the three goblins reached their village. The Razin tribe''s imposing walls and intimidating cannons pointed in their direction, but the brother knew they were just fake illusions to ward off unwelcome visitors. But for Pagasa, he saw it differently. He knew it was fake, but it revealed the potential.

 Vol 10 Chapter 7: Pagasa Explores

    The Razin tribe opened their gate for Sun, Smoke, and Pagasa. This time, it was Flute that greeted them. She covered herself in a warm blanket and was eating beef jerky for her breakfast. The day was still far from arriving, but Flute''s morning routine starts before the crack of dawn could break the sky and before the birds could sing their songs. She gets up, eats, and then plan out the day before her goblins could get up and prepare.


    Flute waited atop the walls when she spotted movement among the trees. It was dark, but she could tell from the moving branches and leaves that it was no animal. She walked to the horns attached to a tall pole used to alarm the tribe of any danger, and she waited for the shadows to reveal themselves.


    Then the shadows stepped out from the darkness and under the pale moonlight. And that was when Flute jumped down the wall, dragged the sleeping guards to open the gate. She rushed out and embraced the brothers. "I''m glad you''ve returned." Flute said.


    "Yeah, got back earlier than expected," Sun mentioned.


    "I prefer that. And who is he?" Flute stared at the hooded man standing behind the brothers. "I didn''t know you were bringing a guess."


    "This is Pagasa. He was the man or rather goblin that I wanted to meet. Pagasa, this Flute. She''s the leader of the caretakers of our tribe. They''re in charge of the garden, nursery, and a few other tasks."


    "Nice to meet you." Pagasa extended his hand.


    "I guess," Flute looked at his hand. She hesitated to reach for it as she was cautious of their guest. But when she offered her hand, Pagasa leaned and kissed her hand. "What did you do that?" Flute pulled her hand away from Pagasa and sheltered it under her blanket.


    "Sorry, that was just proper etiquette. But I guess we don''t need that sort of thing right now." Pagasa removed his hood, revealing his mature face to Flute. His red crown covered his bald head, but it still reflected some moonlight creating a gentle halo around him. Flute could not help but stare at the goblin in front of her.


    "Flute? Are you ok?" Smoke asked, "You''ve been staring for a while now."


    "Sorry," Flute combed her hair back behind her ears. "Anyway, you boys should rest. I lead you kids back to the barn."


    "I hope you weren''t referring to me as a kid. Because I''m a grown man."


    "Yes, you are." Flute coughed.


    Sun and Smoke leered at Pagasa. They could tell that he''s no stranger to a woman''s heart being of his age, he''s bound to have experience. But they were unsure if this was just a simple greeting or if he was using magic to seduce the stoic and cold Flute.


    Back at the barn, Tie and Violin just woke up and got the caretakers up from their bed to prepare for the day. The ruckus woke up Mari. She came out of her room, leaving Cyrus on the bed, sleeping soundly. She helped the women gather the things they needed.


    Suddenly the barn doors opened, and Flute stepped inside with Sun, Smoke, and Pagasa. "Sun!" Mari jumped on her son and squeezed him with her arms.


    Meanwhile, Smoke introduced the women to Pagasa, "This is Violin and Tie. Violin is the co-head of the caretakers and is specifically in charge of the Glass Garden."


    "Nice to meet you, Violin," Pagasa grabbed her hand and kissed it. Violin froze in place, stunned by Pagasa''s chivalry. "And you must Tie,"


    Tie hid her hands from Pagasa, "Sorry, only affection from Flute. No one else!"


    "Oh, so that''s why you were so defensive."


    Tie looked at Flute, furious, "Flute! You let goblin kiss!" Tie walked out of the barn sulking. Flute chased after her.


    "That''s Sun''s mother."


    "Hi, I''m Mari," Mari released Sun from her embrace and extended her hand. "Nice to meet you."This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Don''t even think about it!" Sun got in front of his mom.


    "Alright, no kisses. Bahahaha!" Pagasa laughed.


    The rest of the women lined up for Pagasa, introducing themselves and offering their hands for his lips. The only one who did not do so was May, who waited patiently to speak with Sun. She asked him about their journey, and Sun was eager to tell her about the mountain''s strange flora and fauna. The dazzling purple plantlife glittered the cliffside, and the equally memorizing animals dotted the landscape as they graze on the colorful grass. And it was such a beautiful sight to behold that Sun completely missed the ashy dark clouds rising the mines.


    Eventually, Violin returned to reality and yelled at the caretakers for bothering their guests. She led the brothers and Pagasa to their rooms to rest and pushed the caretakers out of the barn. Those that have yet to get their kiss protested, but Flute returned shortly after, and they quickly organized and ran out of the barn. Mari returned to her room to let the boys rest after their long journey.


    Sun and Smoke entered their room. The room had four beds, but they were all unoccupied. Rock and Stick were with the Legions doing their early exercise. "You can use one of their beds. I don''t think they''ll mind." Sun said before jumping on his mattress and promptly went to sleep.


    Soon the room fell in silence with Smokes and Sun''s snores, the only ambiance Pagasa could listen to in the dimly lit bedroom. Pagasa turned to Sun and watched him sleep. He''s been curious about what the thin string of mana connected to him could be and where it leads to. And now he got his answer. When Sun defended his mom from Pagasa''s lips, he noticed the string connected to Mari.


    It was like an umbilical cord allowing Sun to feed off of his mother''s mana. Pagasa saw these types of magic spells before, but he could have never guessed Sun would be using it and not be aware of it. That''s because normally, it is a parasitic sort of spell, but Sun was not the only one taking from the other. Pagasa could see through its odd coloring that the cord goes both ways. Mari''s special golden Kas mixed with Sun''s blue Kas creates a tinted greenish color that occasionally flares up. At first, Pagasa assumed it came from Smoke because he also had a golden Kas, but the string far and towards this place.


    Eventually, Pagasa fell asleep, and the hours went by until it was high noon. "Hey, wake up." A voice whispered to his ears. Pagasa opened his eyes and saw a giant standing next to him. "What''s up! The name is Rock!"


    Pagasa sat up and looked around him. Sun and Smoke just woke up and were sitting at the edge of their bed, still yawning. Another goblin stood against the wall next to Rock. His ears were cat-like, and he had a tail. "You must be Stick."


    "That''s me, alright." Stick waved his hand.


    "So, what now?" Sun yawned. "When are we going to train?"


    "Train? Rock and I just got back from our jog with the Legions. And there''s more training to do!" Stick groaned.


    Just when Pagasa was about to speak, a sudden growling sound jammed the room. "What was that?" Pagasa was startled by the loud bellowing roars.


    "That might have been my stomach." Rock rubbed his growling belly. "Time for lunch! Let''s go!"


    The brothers rushed out of the room, eager to stuff their mouths with food. Pagasa watched as they follow the giant out of the room. It seemed like Rock was the leader of their family when it came to food.


    Pagasa followed them to the tribe''s dining hall. It was a large building with a roof painted red. At first, Pagasa thought they were from Tungstree, a special tree domesticated by the goblins centuries ago using the Sky People''s techniques. But it was just a pine tree painted red, a facade.


    What''s more interesting was the plateau near the tribe. It''s where he will train them. For now, he will stay in the tribe, examining their daily life. He started with their soldiers, the so-called Legions Sun created. After lunch, Sun showed off his warriors. Five red goblins stood in line with their lesser followers standing behind well organized like standing army, and they saluted Pagasa. He was impressed to see them act like professional men at arms and not just some peasants or savages. And they all answered to Spat, the commander the brothers respected.


    "Greeting Sir Pagasa!" Spat saluted him.


    "At ease," Sun said.


    Pagasa was surprised to see Sun have faith in Spat. A ruler that rules with a tight grip may have greater control over their subject, but their actions are limited. They are shackled by their subject as much as subjects are to them. But Sun takes an approach much more appropriate for the long term. A king may have great power in their hands, but their retainers, key supporters, are the ones that help realize the grander visions.


    Sun has done well to surround himself with those he could trust to make the right decisions and have no need to look over his shoulders like many tyrants do. After meeting the tribe''s warriors, Pagasa ventured on his own. The Glass Garden, the Razin tribe''s greatest treasure, was nothing more than a prototyped greenhouse designed by the goblins and dwarves. And then there were the walls fitted with both fake and real swivel cannons. The cannons were old and were used during the war against the drones. Pagasa was impressed that the Razin tribe managed to attach it to their wall and learned how to use them properly.


    As the day pass, Pagasa wandered around the village. He spotted the goblins tending the fields, saw Flute reconciling with Tie with sweet words, and the warriors patrolling. Pagasa returned to the barn where the caretakers showed to his room prepared for him. And in return, they extended their hands for his kiss.


    Once he gave them their kiss, the goblins ran off giggling. "You''re popular among the caretakers." Mari stepped out of her room with a book in her hand."


    "I guess so,"


    "I heard from Sun about the goblins and their true origin. This explains why this book has an extensive detailed drawing of a goblin''s anatomy." She opened the book skipped through pages, "But sadly, this is just a book about medicine. And the other books we have are just books about plants or fairytales, no books about the history of my son''s people. If you don''t mind, can I hear your stories too?"


    "I''d love to share my stories."


    "Come in," Mari opened the door and let Pagasa though. Cyrus was sitting on the corner of her bed, tracking the intruder with her eyes. "This is Cyrus. Smoke''s foster mother and Stick''s aunt."


    "Aunt?"


    "My sister died." Cyrus said, "It was an accident." Then she suddenly turned around and covered her body with her white blanket.


    "I see." Pagasa saw through Cyrus'' physical body. He could tell she was lying, at least partly. And what''s more, her Kas is unique. It was hard to describe it, but it did remind him of the Red Wizard.


    Cyrus stayed in her corner, hiding behind under the covers. The light coming from Pagasa was dim compared to Mari, but it was poisonous. She could feet the white light piercing her skin and boiling the blood underneath. She feared many things, but this type of fear was new to her, and she couldn''t move because of that fear.


    Mari sat down with Pagasa. "So, what do you wish to know?"


    "Well, before I can ask about your past, I want to know where you''re taking my son. This is going to be the third time he leaves. And at the very least, you could tell me it''s safe."


    "It''s safe, relatively speaking?"


    "Relatively?" Mari raised a brow.


    "Do you know to improve your Kas and mana usage?"


    "Through hardwood, dedication, and," Mari paused.


    "And to push their limits against all odds. The place we''re going is safe. I know I''ve been there, but it''s also dangerous in some sense. I''m planning to take them to the top of the plateau. All five of the goblins."


    "Wait, you mean the one north from here? Why there?"


    "I could use all kinds of excuses, but for me, I chose it for sentimental values. So, did that answer your question?"

 Vol 10 Chapter 8: The Red Plateau And the Dawn of New Era

    Pagasa gathered his five potential students at the edge of the town. They were heading to the plateau where they will hike to the peak where they will be trained in the arts. Others came with them, including Mari, Mabel, and Dawn, along with some of the Legions and their children. The journey was quicker than expected. Pagasa did not mind them coming along as the trip to the base of the plateau was short.


    While walking there, the goblins spend their talking amongst themselves. Even Pagasa was pulled in to the conversation as they ask questions about the goblin race and its history. But Pagasa will just tell them to wait until they reach the peak, past the fog covering the plateau''s top for the answers.


    "You think I can also come and learn with you guys?" Dawn asked. Her baby, Snow, looking around the forest, admiring the trees and the colorful birds perched on the branches while being carried in her mother''s arms.


    "I won''t mind if you join us." Rock wrapped his arms around her and Snow as they walk. "How about you, Snow? What do you think?" Snow tucked her head between her mother''s breast.


    "Aw, did daddy scare you?" Dawn pinched Rock''s nose, "Don''t scare the baby!"


    "I didn''t mean it."


    Rock and Dawn fell back behind the rest of the group. Stick could not help but turn around and glare at the two love birds. "Now I feel like they''re just showing off." Then he walked faster to the front of the group to hopefully get away from Rock and Dawn''s suffocating atmosphere. But he was not safe there, as Spat and Mabel''s love polluted the air. "You''ve got to be kidding me."


    Meanwhile, Sun was also fighting his battle. Mari''s interest in the history of the goblins and Pagasa''s past glued her next to Pagasa. And he was eager to share his stories with Mari. She would ask Pagasa about his past exploits, and she always had a grin on her face while listening to the stories of his adventures. Sun was perplexed to see his mother show so much interest in him. He couldn''t help but feel jealous, and the urge to get in between them grows within him, but it will undoubtedly make him the bad guy.


    Still, it was a strange feeling to see his mother smile in such a way. Was it love? Maybe not, but Sun could see the spark in her eyes. The same spark in her eyes when he read her the diary they found in their first home.


    After hours of walking, they finally reached the base of the mountain. Purple crabapple trees were covering the area, and their purple leaves made a beautiful contrast to the red cliffside of the plateau. A large staircase was carved on the mountain and lead straight to the top of the plateau. "Do we really have to climb up there?" Stick asked.


    "Yes," Pagasa answered.


    "This better be worth it." Sun said, "There''s probably over a thousand steps."


    Mari placed her hand on Sun''s shoulder, "Don''t worry, it definitely worth it. You''re going to learn from the very best."


    Pagasa and his students climbed up those stairs, waving goodbye to their loved ones and the Legions below them. Once they were out of sight, Mari, Dawn, Mabel, and the Legions turned and walked back home. Sun followed Pagasa closely behind him, "Hey, why is my mom so keen on you? You didn''t try to seduce her, did you?"


    "Bahaha! Of course not. She''s a big fan of the Red Wizard. That''s why."


    "Red Wizard?"


    "The greatest wizard to have ever lived. He alone could beat gods with one hand tied behind his back. He was an amazing man, and everyone respected him. Even those elitists in the Garden Tower bow to his presence."


    "I don''t know anything about Garden Towers and whatever. But beating gods, now that''s impressive. Did you ever meet this guy?"Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    "Met him? He was my teacher. And I plan on passing the lessons he taught me to you."


    It took several hours for them to reach the top of the plateau. Stick''s legs gave in halfway to the climb, forcing Rock to carry him. Spat''s legs also lose their strength, and Smoke carried him. Sun urged Pagasa to stop and take a break, but he insisted that the climb to continue and those that can no longer climb can give up or rest and catch up. But Pagasa will not stop for anyone.


    Eventually, Smoke and Rock were getting tired from carrying the Stick and Spat. Fortunately, Stick and Spat regained enough of their energy to walk by themself, but that did not stop Sun from carrying Rock and Smoke. "What are you doing?" Rock yelled on Sun.


    "Carrying your weak asses!" Sun placed Rock and Smoke on his shoulders and proceeded to walk after Pagasa.


    "We could have carried them!" Spat said.


    "I know, so when I get tired. It will be your turn."


    Pagasa turned around and watched the five argue amongst themselves who will carry who. Pagasa blessed the comradery between them, and he hopes that it will carry on until the end of the training.


    By the near end of the staircase, Sun''s body gave up, and it was Stick''s turn to carry him. Once he arrived on the final step, Stick threw Sun to the ground and collapsed next to him. The rest followed, laying on the ground as if they were dead.


    Pagasa sat in front of them. "Alright, kids, let''s get down to business to defeat our enemies."


    "Can we rest first," Sun mumbled through the ground.


    "Did I come with wusses when I wanted warriors? You''re the saddest bunch I ever met. But you can bet before we''re through. Mister, I''ll make a man out of you!" Pagasa got up and kicked the ground. "Better move before this part of cliff falls."


    A crack began to grow around the resting goblins, and a fault slowly appeared as the ground slid down the slope. The goblins quickly rose from their feet and ran to stable grounds. They watched as the small section of the cliff fell down to the forest below.


    Sun turned to Pagasa, enraged by his actions, "You could have," But before he could finish his sentence, his face was stupified by the sights in front of them. Large figures of bronze statues lay on the ground, the same brass colored drone Pagasa kept in his lair. And weapons of all sorts littered the red-stained ground and far from them was a large star fortress breaking apart from years of neglect.


    The signs of a struggle, a battle could be seen across the horizon, but not a single body could be found. That''s because Pagasa buried them long ago, after the battle. "This place is no ordinary plateau; this was the place where the first blood was fell‘ͺthe first battle of our war against the heavens. Many lives were lost that day. And many more lost as the war continued."


    "And we''re going to train here?" Smoke asked.


    "Yes!" Pagasa took out his magical box and opened it. A purple tentacle came out while carrying a rusty ax. "Take out your weapons! Our first lesson will be simple. You must break this ax before it breaks you." Mana surged from within Pagasa, and it covered the ax with a splendid color of blue. "Draw your weapons! Fight me!"


    Smoke and Sun dropped their bags and were the first to strike. Smoke removed his war club hanging from his waist. The robotic hand attached to the club held on formed the shape of a cup, making it easier for Smoke to keep his hold no matter how strong he slams it against Pagasa''s ax. But his attacks were not strong to break the old rusty weapon, and Pagasa roundhouse kicked Smoke away from him.


    Sun attacked him from behind. He used the sword''s special properties and increased its weight before slamming it against the ax''s handle. But Pagasa saw through Sun''s movement. He caught Sun''s sword with his ax and took the sword off his hand before kicking in the chest.


    Rock brought out his gold and silver buckles and charged at Pagasa. "Taste this!" Rock ducked low and delivered a devasting uppercut that sent Pagasa flying back. Pagasa blocked the attack with his ax, which nearly caused it to fly out of his hands.


    "You''re as strong as you are big." Pagasa smiled. "But that''s not enough" He pointed at the buckler Rock used to punch his ax. It had a dent.


    "What? How did you?" Rock was shocked to see the same buckler he used to punch a troll multiple times bend like paper.


    "Yes, I do, and so I did."


    Suddenly a sickle flew past Pagasa''s hands. Stick was spinning his sickles around me and was sending them flying towards Pagasa''s direction. "Try not to get hit," Stick joked.


    Pagasa danced between the ropes and made his way to Stick. But he was blocked by a massive rectangular shield. "Sorry, but you can''t go through. Not allowed!" Spat stood in his way and bashed him with the shield.


    Pagasa took a few steps back after getting hit by the shield, then charged towards it once more. He plunged him on the shield breaking it in two, shocking Spat. Then he jumped over Spat and, using his head as a launched pad, flew past Stick''s sickles and kicked Stick across the face.


    "Bahahaha!" Pagasa landed with his arms opened wide, "This is going to take a while."


    The battle continued, but they were unsuccessful. When the day ended, they rested, and the next day, they fought again. And they continued this cycle for weeks until finally, they managed to break the ax in half. When they achieved it, true training began. He first taught them a more efficient way to perform Arnis. The name of the technique they were using to strengthen their body or parts of their body as well as the objects on their person by covering it with mana.


    Then he taught them Isiptali, a technique that allows them to see the unseen by spreading their mana around them like the web. He had them traverse the minefield that stopped the drone''s advancements to improve their use of Isiptali. And last but not least, it was the hardest technique to learn, Astral. It allowed sending projectiles made of their mana. They were already using these very techniques except for Isiptali, but they were too reckless and wild.


    He taught them how to be precise and efficient while making their Kas stronger as they fought for their lives against Pagasa and surviving through the many hidden dangers lurking in the abandoned battlefield. They battled through the hottest of summer and the coldest of winter, barely able to see their loved ones.


    And as months went by, the stronger and more confident in their abilities they became until a full year passed. When spring came, and birds sang their lovely songs, Pagasa climbed down the mountain with his students. And they returned to their tribe as new men ready to conquer the forest and rebuild the kingdom they lost a century ago.

 Vol 11 Chapter 1: One Year Later

    A red conqueror sat in the middle of a ruined town under a tattered tent eating from a basket of rotten fruits. He wore a white long sleeve sweater and tattered leather pants. He had a broken sword stuck in the ground in front of his tent''s opening with a cone helmet mounted on its hilt. He watched the chainmail attached to the helmet clash against the muddy sword due to the strong winds. It was a beautiful and peaceful spring day, with the sun out melting the last remnants of winter.


    The goblin spent the whole year within this village''s ruins, scavenging the abandoned burned homes for the supplies he needed. And he would leave in the morning to hunt for small game. At night, he would lock himself inside the basement beneath a small barn in the middle of the field. He chained the trap door, and he sat in the corner, waiting for the dark night to end so he could venture out of his humid hole.


    Winter was the worse for this lonesome goblin. No one to rely upon when he fell in despair and hunger. It was only thanks to the dreaded night did he sustained himself, but he could only do so because it was his only option.


    But it was a blessing when he arrived in this broken village. There were no other goblins in sight, only he was the inhabitant within the ruins. But why did a goblin with no clan or tribe to speak came to such a desolate place? Well, it was because it was his home once, back when it was full of life; despite the hardships the forest had in store for them, they survived together.


    This land once belonged to his tribe, the tribe of Lev. But when he failed to protect those he cared for, he left for self-imposed exile, leaving the new Chief to rule and hopefully be better than the Chief he once followed.


    Olhos, a loyal retainer of the previous Chief, left as a failure, then returned as a conqueror to an empty village. But it was not like Olhos wanted to be praised as a conqueror, nor did he plan to challenge the new Chief. He just wanted to return home after he lost everything. But it was also a blessing in disguise. No one is here to suffer by his hands.


    Olhos stuffed his mouth with the fruity flesh. The fermented fruits would have made most goblins drunk, but Olhos had the highest tolerance among Cala''s retainers. A trait he is not particularly proud to boast about. And as he eats his food, the quiet atmosphere around him was suddenly disturbed by a loud explosion from the edge of the town.


    Olhos dropped his basket and climbed the tallest building he could find, and spotted a lone figure walking towards the town. The stranger wore a long cloak and had a long black ponytail that reaches its hip, and it carried a bronze warclub with a handle that looks like a hand. But the most striking trait was its white feathers growing from the side of its head. Olhos has only seen two other beings with such traits, and they were commanders of the Everflow federation, a collection of goblin tribes that control the largely abandoned city to the west of the Lev tribe.


    Cala learned that these feathered figures were goblins of some kind. But there was a clear difference between them and the city leaders. They were stronger, faster, and ruthless. Cala feared them, and only Olhos and Sum knew of this fear because they were the only ones in the tribe besides the Chief that met them. Olhos took his bow and arrow and aimed it at the figure.


    Every spring, they demand tributes, and if they were not given, the tribe would be burned and consumed by the city, and a tribe from the city will take its place. When Olhos moved back into the empty village, he feared that his tribe was consumed, but the city never sent their goblins to settle on the ruins. For an entire year, not a single goblin came to visit the skeletal remains of his tribe, so why did they come now?


    Olhos stretched his bow, waiting for the perfect time to strike. Then suddenly, the feathered goblin turned and looked at him with its green eyes. Olhos panicked and released the arrow. The stranger caught the arrow midair and threw it to the ground, and ran towards Olhos.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Oh shit!" Olhos jumped off the building and ran for his life. Suddenly a building next to him collapsed as a giant beast broke through its walls. "You have to be kidding?" Olhos saw a crown of red feathers growing from his head. It was another goblin from the city, but this was larger, almost as tall as the trolls that destroyed his tribe.


    "Hey, get over here!" The giant reached for him, but Olhos was faster than his hands. And the giant''s heavy gambeson made it even slower.


    To avoid the giant goblin, he climbed to the rooftops where the foundations are too weak to carry the red-feathered goblin. But another goblin chased after him. One without feathers, but instead with ears and a tail of a mountain lion wearing light clothes. This one was faster and light and caught up with Olhos in a matter of seconds. "What''s up?" The cat-eared goblin asked.


    The stench coming from him irritated Olhos'' nose, the smell of blood. The cat-eared goblin grabbed him in an arm lock. The smell of blood grew stronger because the smell came from his catcher, and that smell awakened the strength he locked away. Olhos'' pupils grew to cover most of his eye, and a sudden surge of strength came out. "Get off of me!" Olhos broke free, and he used the strength given to him to leap far away from his perpetrators.


    He landed in the middle of the town where another feathered goblin stood. Its hair was long but not as long as the first one Olhos spotted. Its wavy brown hair reached the nape of its neck, and long white feathers protruded out through his hair from the back of his ears. "Stick, why''d you let him go?" It asked.


    "He was stronger than I thought."


    "Stick?" Olhos looked at the cat-eared goblin. Then the other goblins came and surrounded him. And once all four of them stood next to each other, that was when the cogs in his brain began to move. "Rock, Smoke, and Sun."


    "What the? How do you know your name?" Sun asked.


    "It''s me," Olhos dropped his bow and placed his hand on his chest. "Olhos, one of Cala''s former retainer."


    "Olhos!" The brothers yelled in astonishment.


    "Yes, it''s me."


    "It''s been so long." Sun walked up to him and embraced him. Sun''s stuffy fur coat made Olhos sneeze. "Oh sorry."


    "It''s ok. Come, I''ll lead you to my camp. We can talk from there."


    The brothers followed Olhos to his modest tent. They sat around the broken sword sticking out from the ground. "What are you doing here?" Rock asked.


    "I came back after getting kicked out of my new tribe up north. I thought I could at least come here to get some food before heading west, but no one was here."


    "Sorry about that." Sun said, "We didn''t abandon this place because we can, but because we had to. Although you can blame me for it since it was my fault."


    "It wasn''t your fault." Smoke affirmed, "It was those trolls that attacked us."


    "That''s true," Rock said.


    "I guess that''s why you left." Olhos looked around the decaying town. "Because those trolls destroyed everything. But where did you guys go?"


    "We went to Razin," Sun said. "It took us two days to get there, thanks to the shortcut. Then we challenged their former Chief to a duel, and when Smoke won, we merged our two tribes together." Then Sun had a brilliant idea, "You should come with us! We''re heading north to talk to the tribe there, and you could be our guide. Then once our business there is done, we can take you home. I bet your former followers would be happy to see you."


    "No, I''m fine living on my own."


    "Are you serious? Doesn''t it get lonely?"


    "It does, but I would rather be here. But I can be your guide. I lived with the tribe north from here with Sum, if you guys remembered him."


    "Great! Let''s go!" Sun jumped on his feet.


    "Wait, right now?"


    "Yeah, we''re kind of in a hurry." Sun paused, "Oh, but if you need time to prepare, that''s totally fine."


    Olhos stared in the direction of the little shed he hid at night. He clenched his teeth before giving his answer, "No, I don''t need much time to prepare." Olhos grabbed the helmet, hanging on the sword, and placed it on his head. "I''m ready when you are."


    The brothers welcomed Olhos with opened arms, and the five of them went on their way. Olhos asked about the loud sound he heard earlier; it was apparently Rock tripping while hunting for a deer. That also explained the blood he smells on Stick''s body.


    Sun cooked the meat and divided it evenly among the four of them. He gave one to Olhos, but he refused, stating to Sun that he was committed to a vegetarian diet, much to the brother''s surprise. While they walk, Sun told Olhos about their journey and explained to him how they became what they are now. And that their mission to meet the northern goblin tribes were connected to their new form.


    Olhos knew it was related to their powerful form, but when he mentioned the city goblins that also looked like them, the brothers looked at him in dismay. "That can''t be possible, can it?" Stick wondered.


    "You think it''s related to Pagasa''s former student." Smoke asked.


    "Maybe," Sun answered, "But let''s not worry about it now. We cross the bridge when we get there. For now, we need to form an alliance with the northern tribe." Olhos wondered what the alliance could be for, and to his surprise, Sun answered his curiosity. "We''re planning to go to war."

 Vol 11 Chapter 2: The Zackons Tribe

    The brothers traveled north with Olhos as their guide. They headed north to ally with the raiding tribes residing on the river flowing through the ruined city they planned to conquer. When Olhos heard this, he lectured the brothers about the impossibility of conquering the city, the strongest organized entity inside the forest. But Sun did not pay him much mind. They have the strength to challenge a hundred men or more. They just needed more soldiers to form a formidable army.


    Not a large army by any means, but one large enough to fight battles the family could not fight. Olhos wondered what they meant about family, which Sun replied as those they shared a cup with just as the brothers did in the barn when they shared the blood of their ration. Shuja, Spat, and Cossack shared the cup with them, and they all share a bond as strong as a family. "And what do they have to do to be considered so close to you?" Olhos asked.


    "That they are good people," Sun answered. "But maybe there''s more to it than that? All I know is, if I like you, then I won''t hesitate to invite you in. And if you were wondering, yes, my invitation back there also extended to being a family. I never heard of a goblin being alone and still managing to survive. Let alone be as strong as you."


    "I''m not that strong."


    "No need to be humble about it,"


    "I''m not, really, I''m not."


    Sun could see Olhos visibly nervous when discussing his strength. It wasn''t because he was shy. Sun could feel an emotional trauma leaking from him as if he was afraid of himself. Maybe this was related to his transformation to a red goblin? But he doubts it, as the only change was the improvement of the goblin''s mental capacity. He''d like to ask Olhos for more detail, but it was probably better to let it go, for now.


    Instead, what caught Sun''s attention was the goblins Olhos mentioned to them. Goblins that looked like them. They learned that many goblin tribes or clans inhabited the city, and each of these groups has a leader that answers to the ruler of the city. But that was the most the dwarves have gathered about the culture of the three cities, and expeditions made by smugglers and treasure hunters did not help shed light on their culture or ruling system. These renegades were more interested in becoming rich than learning about goblins.


    But now they know that there are more like them. And what''s more, they have the advantage in terms of numbers. The city is made up of five tribes, and if Olho''s assumption was correct, then at most, five true goblins reside as rulers. They outnumber them. It should be caused for a celebration, but Sun also believed that these goblins were also connected to Pagasa''s former student. This means that these five goblins would also be equally stronger, if not more, than they are due to their experience. Whatever the case may be, they''re going to need the Zackons tribe as an ally.


    The Zackons tribe is a tribe located north of Lev. They are a raiding tribe that uses the river coming from the city to raid the northern villages. And they work closely with the city tribes because they relied heavily on the river.


    Everflow City was the name of the city they planned to siege. It was a city created during the silver age of the goblin''s kingdom. The name came from the artificial river created by the kingdom''s strongest mages to connect the landlocked kingdom to the ocean. The river cut across the mountain and into the vast open plains and swamps of the northern regions and the Caltic Sea.


    Now it was used by the barbaric goblins to raid the settlements along the river with their ancient longships. And they were far more successful with their raids than Lev, which relied on an influx of adventurers and treasure hunters to raid. The dwarves believed that this tribe had the best warriors in the eastern region, and adding them under their command will help secure their victory.


    After several hours of walking, the brothers reached a cliff overlooking the Zackon tribe. Olhos left the brothers the moment the tribe was visible without them even noticing. They felt sadden by his sudden departure, but he did promise to lead to their target, and with the promise fulfilled, there was nothing more Olhos can do.


    At the base of the cliff was the river that came from Everflow City. The brothers had no choice but to dive as the river was too large to jump over. While swimming across the calm waters, a goblin fishing by the river bed saw them swimming towards him. At first, the fishing goblin thought it was a school of fish jumping, but once the brothers got closer, the fisher immediately panicked. "Its city, gobs!" He yelled. "Get, Chief! Warn Chief!"


    When the brothers reached the other side, they were met by a group of goblins wearing rusty armor and green leather coats. And they surrounded a large red goblin. "Greetings!" The red goblin bellowed.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    The brothers shook themselves dry as much as they could before greeting the goblin Chief. "Hello, I''m Sun. Are you the Chief of this tribe?"


    "Yes, are you new?" The Chief wondered, "If so, then I should introduce myself. My name is Horder. The Chief of Zackons tribe."


    "Nice to meet you. This is Rock, Smoke, and Stick. And we are here to ask you some questions."


    "Of course, but let''s talk inside and dry you off too."


    "Yes, please," Stick remarked, walking ahead of the brothers and into the tribe.


    "Wait, I can''t move!" Rock yelled, "I think my clothes shrunk."


    "Are you serious?" Smoke and Sun asked.


    "Yes,"


    "Then strip!" Sun and Smoke grabbed Rock''s pants and pulled them down.


    "What are you doing?" Rock tried to fight them off, but his heavy jacket wore him down. Eventually, the brothers managed to strip him of his clothes, with his undergarments being the only ones left for him.


    Once they arrived inside the village, the brothers were led to a bathhouse where they washed off their bodies. Their weapons were left inside the storage room in front of the tribe, guarded by the goblins wearing green helmets. While the brothers were at the bathhouse, Horder started preparing a feast for his guest. His younger sister, Gever, helped with the preparations. She took the best ingredients they had to offer and cooked them over the fire, despite Horder''s protest.


    Gever and her attendants took their ingredients into the communal kitchen to cook. After Horder finished setting the table, he burst into the kitchen, mortified to see his best ingredients being used. "They don''t need this. Why must we cook them our freshest meat?" Horder watched over his sister and her attendants cooking the meal.


    "Brother, they from city," Gever said. "They want best, if not give best, they kill us!"


    Horder gulped, "But they''re already taking away my treasures, and now you''re giving away my meat."


    "We no have many treasures anyway. We give good meal. Make city gobs happy. So city gobs less mad when brother gives no treasures."


    "I''ll give some. It''s just that, why did they come so soon?"


    Once the food was ready, the brother entered the dining hall where Horder and his retainers waited. Gever''s helpers pushed out the meal as the men gathered around the table. Rock''s mouth was watery after witnessing the food strutting its way to the table. Roasted deer hind legs and grilled mushrooms and wild onions. A bowl of wild rice topped with steamed yams with ginger juice drizzled on top. Food, the brothers, could wait to dine on.


    But such a fabulous dinner must have come with a prize. "What''s with food? Is there an occasion today we were unaware of?" Smoke questioned.


    "I just wanted to be generous," Horder coughed up blood, uttering the word.


    "Are you ok?" Sun asked.


    "Yes, I''m fine. My sister, Gever, prepared the food. Since you only come once a year, it was especially amazing to see four of you city gobs, so we might as well treat ya with the finest food we have."


    "Well, you''re generous," Smoke complimented the Chief.


    "Yes," Horder coughed up blood once again, "Very generous."


    "Are you sure you''re not ok?" Sun asked again. "Because seeing so much blood come out of you is starting to make me lose my appetite." Sun looked back at the food. "Haha! Who am I kidding? This food is the best!" Sun grabbed a handful and stuffed his mouth, "Send my compliments to your sister." Gever was watching behind the doors leading to the kitchen. She smiled with pure joy after noticing the brothers enjoy her cooking.


    "Yes, well, we do have a request. You see, we couldn''t reach our required amount of treasures to give the city as a tribute. and that''s because of a little thorn on my side."


    "Tribute?" Sun''s eyes widened. They were mistaken as the goblins from the city, and that Horder is having trouble paying tribute to those city goblins.


    And this gave Smoke a brilliant idea. "No tribute?" Smoke took a stone knife and stabbed his meat. "That''s a problem. Are you sure you don''t have any gold to give us?"


    Horder''s legs began to tremble, "We have some, but it''s not a lot." His voice cracked.


    Smoke winked at Sun, "But are you willing to do anything else?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Well, since you don''t want to pay the city with your treasures, then there must be something else your willing to do."


    "Do you want to keep giving away your treasures to the city?" Sun added, "Because if not, we have a proposal to you."


    Horder quickly got up his chair, "Wait! Before you give us your demand, you should at least hear out my reason that I. I mean, our treasure to you!"


    "Oh, by all means. What is your request?" Sun could not help but smile at the Chief, "What is this thorn that''s been stabbing your sides?"


    "A monster!" Horder proclaimed, "A monster that is destroying everything and stolen everything! And not only that, but this monster has even seduced my sister!"


    ''What?" Gever burst into the room. Her face was crimson red. "What monster brother speaking? Wait, brother not mean him. He no bad monster. And he no seduce me."


    "See," Horder pointed at his enraged sister, "The monster managed to capture her heart and could no longer distinguish between good and evil, normal and deviancy! You must kill this monster at once!"


    "No!" Gever ran to the brothers and got on her knees, "Please no kill!" She clung on Stick''s legs, "No monster. He like you. No monster!"


    "Alright, everyone, calm down!" Sun yelled. "This monster of yours. I doubt it''s even real and that you just want to dodge paying your tributes. Well, lucky for you, your sister''s performance was convincing, unlike yours, and that we''re willing to accept a different form of payment. So we''ll do it this way. Gever stand up."


    "What?"


    "You will be guiding us to this monster of yours. I don''t think I''d want this monster to mess with our plans, but since this monster managed to woe you, maybe it could be reasoned with. We''ll leave first thing tomorrow morning. And once this monster is taken care of, it will be your turn to return the favor. Can we agree on that?"


    Horder accepted the terms, and dinner officially ended. The brothers went to the guest house to sleep. They originally planned to used brute force to coerce the Chief if a negotiation proved futile. Still, with the Chief''s obvious disregard for the city''s demands and the presence of a monster potentially harming their future plans, the brother changed their tactics.


    First, Horder seemed to be under the impression that they came from the city, which meant that the city has yet to collect their tribute and the brothers now have a time limit. If they arrived, they would discover the brothers, and their plans for a surprise attack will have to change. Then there was the monster. An unknown variable that could impede or aid the brothers. A monster that could change the outcome of the war, depending on how strong it was.

 Vol 11 Chapter 3: Hunting the Beast

    The brothers woke up early in the morning and waited outside the Chief''s modest cottage home for Gever. She volunteered to guide the brothers to the beast and to hopefully persuade them to spare its life. Meanwhile, Horder continuously speaks about the monster''s danger to his tribe. He continued to boast about the monster''s strength and speed, and its ferocity could make even a troll flee to its caves.


    The more Horder tells tales of the monster, the more Sun grew interested in adding it to their army. Smoke doubts that a monster could be controlled, but Gever''s interest showed evidence that this monster could be reasoned with. But what this monster wants is a mystery to everyone. Only Gever could shed light on this mystery.


    Gever opened the white front door and brought her travel bag out. "I ready!" She yelled while catching her breath. She wore a worn-out gambeson and short wool pants.


    Horder followed her out the door berating her, "You don''t need all of this stuff. It literally takes half a day''s walk to get to that beast! And why are you bringing out my favorite food? Are you going to give it that monster!"


    Rock grabbed Hoder''s shoulder and gave him a massage. "Woah, my man, calm down. There''s no need to yell so much, especially to a lady."


    "But," Horder stared at the bag filled to the brim with so many trinkets and food. But Rock''s strong grip was more compelling.


    "See? No need to yell." Rock released Horder from his gentle hands and helped carry Gever''s heavy bag. The brothers left the Zackons tribe with their little guide showing them the way to the beast.


    They traveled south, crossing the bridge going over the raging, and followed a deer path. The wind was strong and was expected to get stronger by the afternoon, bringing with it dark clouds. Smoke predicted that the rain would arrive in the afternoon and the surrounding area will flood, but Gever assured them that wouldn''t be the case. The city will stop the river from flowing to keep the water levels even during heavy rainfall.


    On the way, Gever explained to them the reason why Horder wants the monster gone. It was not because the monster was doing any harm to the tribe, but it due to his fear of wolves. And the monster in question was the largest and most fearsome wolf they faced.


    The brothers laughed at such a statement. "Why laugh? No believe Gever?" She asked them.


    "It''s not our first time fighting Timber Wolves." Rock boasted.


    "Yeah," Sun agreed. "Although I never did fight them much since you and Smoke dealt with them faster than expected."


    "Honestly, I think it would have been a lot easier if Rock used his head a little." Smoke joked.


    "That''s true. My headbutt is tougher than anything you can dish out, Smoke. Hahaha!" Rock laughed.


    "Am I the only one that never killed a Timber Wolf?" Stick asked. "Well, honestly, at least didn''t get bitten by one."


    "Trust me, you don''t want to get bitten by them," Sun remarked. "Honestly, I can understand Horder for being so scared. Those big guys got power on their bite."


    Gever stopped walking and faced the brothers, "Monster is no Timber Wolf. Much worse. More smarter, faster, and it has," Gever looked to the sky, "Heart and kindness in it. He good, but he curse. Maybe find cure, maybe city have cure? I show monster, show he no monster and maybe brothers find cure in city."


    The brothers looked at each other. They know they are deceiving her and her people, but even if they weren''t, what kind of cure is she looking for? "What kind of curse does he have?" Sun asked Gever.


    She let a sighed, then hugged herself, "He good goblin. But turn monster sometimes. Not normal self when monster. More animal."


    "Animal?" Sun could not help but think that this was linked to the curse their race was inflicted with long ago. Goblins regressed into a barbaric near animal state, and this monster maybe the next level of degradation that his race will turn into as time continues. If so, then they must take the city soon, because in the city, locked deep within its stone walls, is the first step in unlocking their race''s true form. "We will get him the cure. You can trust us on that." Sun hugged Gever.


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    "Thank you."


    They reached a clearing in the afternoon. The brothers could spot an abandoned town on the horizon with a hill beside it with a destroyed temple on top. When they got closer, the brothers realized that the town they arrived in was their former home. It was the village that the Lev tribe once called home. And in the center of the town was the person Gever mentioned to be cursed. That person was Olhos.


    "Olhos!" The brothers were shocked.


    "You know Olhos, then you know he good just curse." Gever embraced Olhos'' arm, "No kill Olhos."


    "Wait, what?" Olhos freed himself from Gever''s arms, "What do you mean kill? And what are you guys doing here?"


    The brothers slapped their cheeks to wake themselves from the shocking revelation. Then Sun grabbed Olhos by the shoulders. "Olhos! You have some explaining to do. She said you''re cursed to be a monster." Then Sun remembered Gever mentioning Horder''s fear of wolves. "Are you a werewolf? And if so, that sounds awesome. How did you become one?"


    "And now that I think about it, where is Sum?" Smoke asked. "Didn''t he leave with you?"


    "I''ll tell you everything. But can you release me first?" Sun let him go, "Thank you. Follow me in my tent."


    Along with Gever, the brothers followed Olhos, and they sat around a small, cold fire pit. Olhos shared with them his past and how he gained such a dangerous power, and what it cost. He started by telling them the day he and Sum ventured north to join the Zackons tribe.


    Contact between Lev and Zackons remained sparse despite paying tribute to the same city and being so close to one another geographically. The reason behind this was a mystery to Olhos and Sum. It was assumed it was because Cala was too busy tightening his grip on the tribe after becoming the Chief. But it may also be due to the culture between the two tribes. Zackons would venture out of the forest using their longboats to sail north to the swap lands raiding the towns founded by the river. Meanwhile, Lev plays the waiting game, attacking adventures and looters that would venture to the city ruins, and the tribe rarely leaves the forest.


    Their focus was on different areas, and thus there''s no need to communicate with one another. But they still a raiding tribe, a much better fit than the agricultural southern tribe. Unfortunately, the thick snow and fog impeded their movement, making a half-day trip into a full day. Tired, the two sought shelter within a large burrow dug up by wild animals. They found one near a small creek, with the majority of its entrance blocked by a fallen tree. And just in time for the sun was beginning to set.


    Sum and Olhos crawled in the burrow. They were safe within the earth from the harsh winter elements. It was still cold, but their thick wool clothing kept them warm. "Finally, we get rest from snow." Olhos sighed, "It long walk to other tribe."


    "I should have brought my snowshoe. Stupid!" Sum hit his head against the wall. "How did this happen? I should have stayed by his side. Then maybe he wouldn''t have died from that troll. I''m such a useless coward beaten by his own woman."


    "No change result. Already happened. And you no coward, just too loyal."


    "How can you say that? My loyalty is what,"


    Olhos interrupted, "Got Cala killed. If stay, disobey, maybe Cala not die. But not matter now. Too late. Must get in new tribe, move on from past."


    Sum did not respond. He took out a small packet of beef jerkies and shared one with Olhos. The two ate while the sound of the winter winds echoed in their burrow. "Olhos,"


    "Yeah."


    "You didn''t have to leave everything for me."


    "I know, but Sum friend."


    "I don''t think I can ever get back up from my feet. I lost my brothers, my lover, and my home. But at least I have a friend with me. Thank you, Olhos."


    Night past and morning came. The duo climbed out of their chamber and continued their journey north, but the morning fog blocked their vision. And they lost their direction. They walked through the cold fog until they found the frozen river used by the Zackons.


    They walked beside it, hoping to stumble upon the tribe they were searching for. But their walk lasted for hours until the day''s end without finding a hint of the Zackons and its goblins. The night sky was coming, and the cold despair of winter will strangle them if they do not find shelter. But the fog grew thicker, and the sky began to spill snow onto the land. "Why must it snow now?" Sum wrestled through the deep snow, digging his way to a tree grove. "Olhos, we can seek shelter under the branches. We might even find a burrow to stay in. Olhos?"


    Sum stopped moving and turned around. Olhos was on the ground shivering from the cold. Sum ran back to him and carried him on his shoulders. When they reached the grove, Sum found a small crevice beneath the trunks. They struggled to dig out the snow blocking the entrance, then they dove in and passed out.


    They woke up to a sunny morning. They crawled out their hole covered in mud and twigs. And in front of them, close to the tree groves, was a large crater. "What the hell?" Sum climbed the trees and scouted the giant hole. "There''s something in the middle."


    Olhos took out his bow and arrow from his backpack and walked towards the edge of the crater. "What think caused hole?"


    "Do you remember that large explosion that happened several days ago?" Sum jumped and landed in the soft, deep snow.


    "Explosion?"


    "Yeah, there was a large explosion northwest from our tribe. Two of them actually, one on the mountainside and another from the forest."


    "And Sum think this from explosion?"


    "Yeah," Sum climbed down the crater.


    "Where going?"


    "To the center, there must be something down there we can find."


    Olhos jumped down and followed him. At the center of the crater was a naked person lying face-first on the snow. Sum poked the body, "It seemed to be dead. Let''s go around and search in the area. Maybe he left something."


    Suddenly, the body stood up, revealing it to be a male elf. The body was full of infected wounds, and its eyes lacked any pupil. Olhos aimed his arrow at the elf when suddenly, the elf''s body contorted, and hair grew rapidly from his body. "What happening to it?" Olhos yelled.


    The sounds of bones getting crush and flesh burning bounced off the crater''s walls. Then an immense blue light covered the elf, and when the light dimmed, the elf was gone, and a wolf-like monster took its place standing on its mutated hind legs. Olhos fired an arrow, but it did nothing. Its fur was too thick. "Shit, run!" Sum yelled.


    The two ran away from the beast, but it was faster than they were. The monster tripped Sum with his freakishly long arms and was about to stab Sum with its claws, but Olhos protected Sum with his body. "Olhos! What are you doing? Runaway, you''re going to get yourself killed!"


    "No! I no die that quickly." The monster stabbed Olhos on his right shoulders, and the two stared at each other. Olhos could feel his feet shiver from fear, but not once did he think of leaving Sum. "Olhos will kill you!" The beast opened its jaws and plunged his fangs on Olhos'' left shoulder.


    But instead of blood, blue flames burst out of his flesh and covered his body. "Olhos, you''re turning into a conquerer!" Sum shouted in excitement.


    The monster bit harder as the flames converged across Olhos'' body. Olhos reached towards his quiver on his right hip and pulled out an arrow. "Die!" Olhos stabbed the wolf in its ears.


    Blood came out from the ear like a geyser, and the monster howled from the pain, freeing Olhos from its jaws. With its mouth opened, Olhos jumped out from the flame and jammed his arrow down the monster''s throat. The beast fell on its back, with its body wriggling in pain, and after several minutes the monster died from suffocation. When the beast died, Olhos closed his eyes and fainted.


    "Olhos, you did! Olhos?" Sum stood up and caught Olhos. "Don''t worry, Olhos. I''ll carry you."

 Vol 11 Chapter 4: Olhos Declaration

    Olhos woke up in a small room surrounded by the warm embrace of candle lights on top of a short drawer, and a sweet honey aroma filled the room. Olhos was on a soft bed blanketed with a leather cover. He reached over his shoulder and touched the area the wolf-beast bit on. Linens wrapped around from his shoulder and through his underarm, covering the wound.


    He got up and leaned against the wall and stared at the crooked wooden door in front of him. Olhos looked down the cover and noticed he was naked. And more importantly, his skin was red. He desperately looks around the room for his clothes. He got and checked under the bed and then drawer, but they were not there.


    Then he heard footsteps on the other side of the door. Olhos grabbed the blanket and wrapped himself with it, hiding his vulnerable body. A young woman opened the door. The goblin was carrying a bucket of water and a ladle. She nearly dropped them when she saw Olhos standing beside the bed. "Oh, you scare Gever." She told him.


    "Sorry, I didn''t mean to." Olhos sat back on the bed, "My name is Olhos."


    "Me know. Sum tell Gever and brother."


    "Sum? Is he ok?"


    "Yup." Gever placed the bucket next to the bed and took out a towel from the drawer. "Now, take blanket off. Gever wash Olhos."


    Olhos removed his cover and let Gever wash him. Gever''s hands were soft and gentle and she smells as sweet, if not sweeter, than the aroma of the room. Olhos could not contain his excitement and his manhood revealed itself to Gever. She was surprised when the hard rod poked hey chest while she washing the skin around Olhos'' wounds.


    She looked away from the Olhos and his excited body. "Do need Gever to?"


    "No, its fine. You don''t need to, really!" Olhos covered his crotch. "I''m sorry, it just, you know."


    "Is ok, um, Gever give time alone. Gever come back get dinner for Olhos." Gever ran out of the room, forgetting to bring back the bucket. Olhos rolled over his bed, crying from embarrassment. This never happened to him before. It was the first time a woman made him feel such intense desires.


    Sum entered the room, bringing with him clothes for Olhos to wear. "Sum!" Olhos got up and embraced him. "Thank the heavens, you''re ok!"


    "And I hope you''re not excited to see me in that way."


    "What?" Olhos looked down and forgot that his membrane was still hard. "Sorry! I didn''t realize it."


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Olhos pushed himself off Sum and took the clothes, putting them on as fast as possible. "Careful Olhos. You''re far larger than you were before, so they''re going to feel tight."


    "Don''t worry. I got it." Olhos put on his pants and buttoned his jacket. "There, all done. By the way, where are we?"


    "Zackons tribe."


    "How did you find the way here?"


    "Easy, I just headed in the opposite direction from the crater while following the river upstream. After several hours I met some Zackons hunting, and they helped me carry you back to their tribe. It''s a good thing they found me because my body was ready to give in after carrying for hours."


    "You carried me!" Olhos was shocked.


    "Well, more like pull, but you know." Sum blew the candle out. "Now, let''s get out of this dreary room and to the dining hall. You must be hungry after sleeping for three weeks. They''re serving fish there."


    "The three weeks!" Olhos looked at his body. He was thin, but he didn''t feel weak from malnourishment and he didn''t feel hungry at all. Maybe he was still distracted by Gever''s captivating scent?


    The two left the room and exited the small cottage Olhos was staying in. The snow was shoveled neatly away, creating a clear path for the goblins to move through. Olhos could smell the many fragrances scattered in the air. He could smell the fish drying above fire pits, beef being smoked across the town, and the many fruits and herbs the Zackons use to wash their bodies and clothes.


    And his ears and eyes were far better than when he was a green goblin. Olhos could not believe that this red body and its strength belonged to him. Olhos followed Sum, watching his back and imagining the pain he must have endured to get Olhos to safety. And yet, his efforts were not rewarded with this body. Olhos could not help but feel inadequate.


    "Olhos," Sum called out to him, "I almost forgot to say this. Thank you for saving me back there."


    The burden on Olhos'' shoulders felt lighter after hearing those words. But it still didn''t change the fact that he received something he shouldn''t have. He was nothing like Sun when he defeated the troll. Sun stood tall and firm on the body of his enemy while he fell to snow unconscious. Olhos did not feel like he conquered anything.


    "We''re here," Sum showed Olhos the large building where the tribe would eat during the harsh winter months. They entered a room that exploded in an uproar. Several groups of goblins yelled at each other and even at the Chief, a large red goblin sitting on a grandiose chair decorated with various animal skulls. Seating besides the Chief was Gever. Olhos waved at her, and she waved back but quickly looked away, hiding her blushing face.


    The Chief got up from his chair and yelled at the crowd to shut their mouths. "Our guest has arrived!" He announced to them. "Gever, get them their chairs!"


    "Yes, brother." The two goblins got up and grabbed two chairs, and placed them near the Chief.


    Sum and Olhos sat across the table facing the Chief. "My name is Horder. And Gever is my sister."


    "Nice to meet you," Olhos told him.


    "I need your help. We all need your help."


    "Excuse me?"


    "You are a red conqueror like I am, are you not?" Horder pointed at the empty table, "Look around you. We have nothing, and do you know why?"


    "No,"


    "No, you weren''t supposed to answer. It was just. Ah, nevermind." Horder sighed, "I''ll just tell you. Ever since you came here, a monster began attacking our supplies. First, it ate our food, then it ate our food again, and finally, all of our food was eaten. It just kept attacking and eating our food!"


    "I''ve been trying to help them with their monster problem since the monster is probably the same that attacked us. And we might be ones responsible for bringing it here." Sum mentioned. "And I was right. When I joined the guards on the second night of the attack, the monster was for sure a wolf-like monster we fought before. Even if it was dark, I could see the wolf features clearly under the moonlight. And if that wasn''t enough evidence, the howling,"


    "Howling!" Horder interrupted, "The dreadful howls of that monster brought back the trauma I experienced when I became a conqueror. If it was anything but a wolf, I could go out there myself, but I can''t." Horder got on his knees, much to the surprise of the other goblins. Only Gever was unamused by his plea. "Please, I need your help. Even if you weren''t the ones that brought it here, I don''t care. I just can''t fight it alone!"


    Olhos was caught off guard by Horder''s humility. A great contrast compared to Cala''s vain and high personality. But when it came to accepting his request, it was no problem. In fact, Olhos desired an outcome such as this that can validate his transformation as a conqueror by bringing down a monster, and even better, the same monster that gave him this blessing.


    "I''ll help you." Olhos jumped on the table. "I''ll kill this beast and hang it on the halls to warn his kind that this tribe is not to be messed with!"

 Vol 11 Chapter 5: Olhos Dreadful Form

    The sun disappeared on the horizon giving the sky to the moon and stars. Preparations were made before the sun''s descends to defend the food supply of the Zackons. Warriors stood outside the dining hall, guarding its entrance. Inside the hall was a mountain of food gathered by the women and stored behind the Chief''s great chair, inside a hidden room. Meanwhile, Sum and Olhos patrolled the town with Zackons'' best warriors. But the beast did not show its presence.


    Morning came, and the sleepy guards changed went back to sleep, but Olhos grew restless during the night and could not go to bed. He stayed awake when during the day despite Sum''s protest. But no matter what Olhos does, sleep escaped him.


    Olhos left their temporary home and wandered the village. Gever saw him walking at noon. She confronted Olhos with anger. "Why you no sleep? Go sleep now!" She demanded him.


    "Sorry, I guess I''ve been sleeping for so long that I couldn''t sleep today. Would you mind giving me a tour?"


    "Well, ok." Gever took grabbed Olhos'' large hands and showed him the tribe. They had a large wall made of stone and wood facing the northern mountains. And on the other side of the town was the river. Their longships were docked on the beached with the lower half-submerged in snow and ice. In the middle of the icy river were goblins gathered around different holes puncture on the ice. They were fishing for Perchers and Claycraws.


    Olhos felt jealous of the Zackons tribe. Lev exhausted itself to death hunting for small game and the occasional deer while Zackons could just walk to their river and fill a basket of fish. They were not fully fed by any means, and some were suffering from a strange illness that made their gums greenish and made their skin brownish. This disease was used to be common in Lev until the discovery of Horny Toads. Consuming spirits made from the excrements of the toad prevented the illness from appearing.


    Maybe the prize the Zackons must pay to prevent starvation? was this very illness? Olhos watched the men catch the fish. They would put small bits from the fish they''ve already caught on the hooks and use them as bait. The larger the bait, the larger the fish it would attract. Gever explained how the fish survives beneath the ice.


    Her voice captivated Olhos, and soon, e found himself watching her instead of the men fishing. Soon, Gever''s gentle voice made Olhos sleepy. They both walked back to the village and bid farewell. "Goodnight, Olhos," Gever said.


    "The sun is still out."


    "You know what Gevern means!"


    "Kakaka! I know, and goodnight." Olhos kissed the back of Gever''s hand then returned to his cottage, leaving Gever blushing in the middle of the snowy plaza.


    Night returned, and the guards changed shift. It was a quiet night just as before, with no signs of the monster. Morning came, and the rest went to sleep except for Olhos. But this time, it wasn''t because he could not sleep. He simply wanted to talk to Gever again.


    He found her in the kitchen of the dining hall, preparing the tribe''s lunch. She was cleaning the fish caught yesterday and boil the ones kept inside their cold storage. Gever tried to push Olhos out of the kitchen and go back to sleep, but Olhos insisted on lending his hands with the preparation. Olhos'' stubbornness won her over, and the two went to work. The women that assisted in the cooking watched the two flirt in the background. They stared at them with envy and excitement because Gever was not destined to marry. She was infertile, which was no secret to the tribe as she led the women, who were also sterile. And yet, when the women warned Olhos about her curse, he simply shrugged it off and told them, "I''m attracted to her for other reasons."


    The women were swooned by his words, and they continued to watch over them as the week goes by. Quiet nights and busy days kept the Chief wary. The monster has not attacked for a week, but Horder could sense the monster near them. And this instinct was proven right when a group of hunters entered the Chief''s home telling them about a sighting of wolves by the river east of the Zackons.


    But some of the goblins did not believe it, and even if they did, why should they care? Wolves are just animals they could scare away. The true menace is the bipedal monster that attacked them in the night. But for Horder, they''re one of the same as the monster that stole their food looked like a wolf.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Horder got up from his chair and ordered his hunters to hunt the wolves with the help of Olhos. But suddenly, the doors burst open. A fisherman stepped, still holding his fishing rod screaming in panic. "What''s wrong with you? Speak, dammit!" Horder roared at him.


    "Wolves! Pack wolves coming."


    "Get the guards out now!"


    Horder ran out and ordered every goblin to stay indoors and organized the warriors to prepare for combat. The warriors knew of Horder''s trauma with the wolves and did not believe the threat was that important. A pack of wolves can easily be defeated with their numbers.


    They moved with swagger, betting on who will the first wolf and showing off their new weapons. Only Horder and the fisherman took the matter seriously. And if his warriors were so nonchalant about the crisis, then Horder would get people who do care, Olhos and Sum. Horder entered their home and woke the two up. "There are wolves spotted near the tribe, and I need you to kill them."


    Olhos and Sum quickly got up from their bed and took their weapons. Lev has always taken wolves as a serious threat since they can not afford to lose their game. Gever saw the two sleepy goblins leave their bed to fight, and she disapproved. She approached her brother and berated him for waking up their tired guest after dutifully patrolling last night just to kill a few wolves. But Horder did not give in. She may ridicule him for his phobia of wolves and dogs, the entire tribe can ridicule him for it too, but he will get rid of them even if unnecessary force was used.


    Meanwhile, outside the dining hall, the goblins were still at peace minding their own business. Only the goblins near the river bank were in an uproar after they spotted a large pack of wolves across the river. Usually, a pack is made up of eight wolves, but the size of the pack facing the fishermen was far larger. Nearly sixty wolves were staring at the Zackons.


    And when the warriors arrived at the river, they''re lazy outlook on the whole situation turned inside-out after witnessing the army of wolves walking towards them on the thick ice. Horder fell to his knees after seeing the wolves. The warriors making up the tribe were exactly sixty goblins, and it takes three well-coordinated goblins to kill one wolf without suffering a loss. "I''m doomed," Horder said.


    Gever hugged her brother, reassuring him that everything would be ok, but he could not hear her. His body began to sweat profusely underneath his thick wool coat, and Gever could feel his body shaking. Horder''s cowardice look reminded him of Cala when he fled from the troll. He expected Horder to retreat to his fortified home soon, so Olhos took the front to boost the goblins'' morale. Sum followed him, eager to kill the wolves before them.


    Olhos turned to face the warriors to deliver a speech to them. But when he turned his back, the wolves suddenly charged. The fishermen screamed in terror and fled from the river bank. The wolves howled while running to the goblins. Their powerful howls frightened the already wavering goblins, but Olhos and Sum did not face the wolves with fear. "Charge!" Olhos yelled at the top of his lungs.


    His voice woke up the warriors from their frightened state, and they charged with Olhos and Sum. The wolves took out many of the warriors, but Sum and Olhos killed equally many as the wolves did. But the line the warriors held fragmented, and the wolves spilled through and charged to the village. Olhos turned around and saw Gever still at the river with her brother. And the wolves were closing in on her.


    "Horder. Need get out now!" Gever shook Horder.


    Horder got up and tackled the first wolf to reach the river bank. "Die!" He yelled with his trembling voice. But the wolves overran him and they were about to reach Gever when the ice suddenly cracked.


    "Get away from her!" Olhos howled. His body mutated as a blue mist appear below and covered his body. The mist turned into a thick fog, and then coming out from it was the beast that plague the Zackons tribe. The wolfman that haunted Horder''s nights.


    The wolves charged at the Olhos with ferocity greater than before. Olhos killed every single one of them and the battle did not end until the wolves'' bodies blanketed the ice. And the warriors could not help but watch the massacre unfold before them. But that was not the end. "You!" Horder yelled, "You''re the monster that stole our food. And you brought these wolves to our doorstep and got my warriors killed!"


    Olhos looked at his arms. It was covered in fur, and his hands were larger than before with claws instead of nails. He touched his ear and reached to his lower back, and he could feel a tail. And the warriors around him stared in disbelief at the sight of the monster and its true identity.


    Gever ran to the Horder, "Calm down, Olhos save,"


    "Shut up! That beast did not save anyone. Kill him."


    Sum pushed aside the warriors, "Wait, he''s not a monster. He must have been cursed, and maybe we can cure him."


    "And?" One of the warriors said, "What if Olhos turn monster and kill town?"


    "Exactly," Horder agreed, "Kill him!"


    The warriors lunged at Olhos, but he was much faster and ran away. The warriors ran after him and threw spears at him. One of the spears managed to heat him on the shoulder, and Olhos fell on the ice. Just when the warriors reached him, Sum stepped in front of them. "I will not let you get near him." Sum turned to Olhos, "Get up and run you, idiot!"


    Olhos got on all four and ran like a beast across the river. He could hear Sum fight the warriors in his stead, but Olhos could not bear to look back. He just kept running until he was far enough that the scent and sound of the goblins disappeared, and then he collapsed on the snow.


    And that was Olhos'' story of how he was cursed to be the monster he is today. The brothers sat around the fireplace quietly except for Rock, who was crying aloud. "What a sad story. I didn''t think that bastard would sacrifice his life for you," He said. "And the romance between you and Gever was so beautiful."


    "Romance?" Olhos and Gever got startled.


    "It seems like this would be probabilistic for us," Sun said. "On the one hand, we need the Zackons tribe, and on the other, that beast form of yours is very interesting. And I''d love it you could join us."


    "I don''t think that''s safe," Olhos said.


    "So? We have all the time in the world. We''ll see what we can do about that wolf form of yours, but for now, we need to convince the Zackons to join us."


    "For what?" Gever asked. "We send tribute to city already."


    "We know, but we''re not from the city. In fact, we are trying to take it over, and we need Horder and his tribe''s help."


    "And how are you going to convince them to join you?" Olhos asked.


    "Well we were going to being your head, but we can convince in other ways." Sun patted his sheathed sword. "We''ll just demand a Tina B?kh Fight with our very persuasive reasoning."

 Vol 11 Chapter 6: Battle Against Knight

    Horder sat on his throne, staring at the pile of food that lay before him. The fish freshly caught that morning, rabbit meat recently smoked, and foul with feather yet to be plucked looked beautiful to Horder''s eyes. He had a strange urge to gather everything he has collected from the village and display them to be admired. Strange behavior of his born from his obsession to collect the things that made his mother smile.


    And it did not matter what those objects were; as long as they can be collected and stored within the confines of his vault, he felt content owning them all. Then suddenly, the dining hall doors burst open, and a sweating goblin ran to Horder bearing awful news, a city goblin has arrived to collect their tribute. "What?" Horder jumped off his seat, ran outside, and saw a tall goblin with short blond hair, deep green eyes, and blue feathers growing from his forehead and pointing to the sky.


    The goblin wore long chainmail that reached his heels and wore boots with iron soles. And he was surrounded by three red conquerors wearing gambesons and carrying bronze mace on their hips. Horder ran to the goblin and dropped to his knees with tears flooding his eyes. "I thought I already explained everything. I can''t give anything, that monster took it all!" He cried.


    The tall goblin with the blue feather crown grabbed his head and raised him to the sky. "I heard enough from your asses." He growled.


    "Should we kill him, Sir Knight?" One of the red goblins asked.


    "No," Knight answered, "I have questions for you. First off, why should I care about your monster problem?"


    "But the other city gobs came and they said they''ll kill it and ask for something else," Horder looked away from Knight.


    "How many were they?"


    "Four, and they look just like you!"


    "Are you braindead?" Knight threw Horder in the air and grabbed him by the throat. "Or are you just provoking me?"


    "Sir Knight," Another of the red goblins spoke up, "The other tribe also mentioned four goblins with a similar form as yours. He may not be lying."


    "There are only five of my kind exist! Are you telling me that four of them left the city without informing me, and that includes the king? I doubt that."


    Horder grabbed Knight''s arm to prop himself up, "Maybe they''re outsiders?" He coughed out through his squeezed neck. Knight released him and began to pace back and forth. He knew that the statement is not entirely out of the question. Their king had made it clear that there will be more of their kind popping into existence. And the only problem arises if they appear outside the city and their control.


    The three reg conquerors stared at their boss, waiting for his orders. Knight stopped moving and slowly walked back to the Horder, who fell on his knees and gasped for air. "Get up you!" He kicked Horder, pushing him to the ground. "We must catch these goblins unaccounted for before they could get away. Get all your goblins and follow my command." Horder did not answer. "Did you not hear me?" Knight kicked him again.


    "Yes," Horder struggled to get back up from the mud. Blood flowed down his mouth. "Yes, Sir Knight."


    "You have no right to address me as Sir Knight. You are to call me by full name, Harriman Knight. Now let''s go and hunt those bastards, and we''ll be sure to include that monster you want so desperately killed if it even exists." Knight said in a mocking tone. "Pawns, get these worthless goblins organized, and then we''ll move out and find these fakes! And get our pet ready too."


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    "Yes, Sir Knight!" The three red goblins yelled. The pawns took the best warriors the Zackons could muster and divided them amongst themselves to command. Then one of the pawns walked across the river and stood at the edge of the forest. He whistled at the trees until a large figure as tall as the trees surrounding it walked out from the forest wrapped in thick linens and wearing a makeshift helmet.


    The Zackons shook in fear at the sight of the giant figure because they knew what it was, a juvenile troll. A long steel chain kept the troll at bay, binding its arms together. The pawn pulled the troll out to the river bay, and they waited until the Zackons could muster the courage to walk towards them.


    Knight led the hunting party across the frigid, icy river and to the direction of the supposed monster that haunted them. Horder followed closely behind Knight to hide behind him, scared that the troll will notice him. Knight had the goblins spread out. The pawns took a group a diverged from one another and began to walk forward, forming a u shape, while Knight stayed in the middle.


    Two pawns walked on the east and the pawn with the troll walked on the west. To avoid the troll, Horder stayed with Knight. They continued south and to hopefully surround the invaders. It did not take long for Sun and his entourage to arrive.


    Sun could sense a large number of hostiles ahead of them and had the group split up. Stick, Olhos, and Gever took the right side. Rock and Smoke took a left, and Sun continued straight into the net. Eventually, Sun reached the center of the net and saw a Horder hiding behind a tree. "There he is!" He called out. Leaning against the tree was a goblin, but not like any goblin. It looked just him.


    "You must be a city goblin?" Sun asked, "That explains why things felt strange, you''re hunting us."


    "Yes, that''s about right." Knight reached under his chainmail and took out an orange dagger. "And I''d like to end this soon. Would you like to join us? The city could use more goblins like us."


    "I don''t know. I''ll have to ask my friends."


    "Go ahead. Wait, where are they anyway?" Knight looked behind Sun and saw no one, nor could he feel any foreign presence nearby. Then suddenly, a large explosive sound blasted across the forest, originating to the west.


    "That sounds like my friend, and I don''t think he wants to join." Goblins could be seen flying above the trees and crashing back down the earth in the distance.


    "I see, we''re doing this the hard way then!" A blue mist began to converge around Knight''s legs and coated his chain mail in a light blue color. Then he sprinted towards Sun. He ran so fast that he left after images of himself.


    Sun''s eyes began to spark in a brilliant array, and then he took one heavy step that produces a wave of fire crashing towards Knight. The fire burned the surrounding trees black, and Horder was nearly caught in the blaze. But Knight was not fazed by the flame and miraculously leaped out through the fire and prepared to stab Sun with his dagger.


    Sun grabbed his sword with his two hands and unsheathed it. "Red Blade!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. The longsword''s blade glowed bright red as if it was freshly removed from a clay oven. Sun swung the blade, releasing a turret of red hot mana at Knight, stopping him in his tracks.


    When the air began to cool, the longsword''s red glow disappeared, and its blade turned back into a polished black finish. Knight was a gasp seeing the ebony blade, for it had an uncanny resemblance to his king''s old weapon.


    "Where did you get that?" He asked


    "What this?" Sun showed his sword, "I got after proving my worth."


    Mana exploded out of Knight''s body, and his stature grew larger, "Only the king is worthy of that sword and I''ll have to kill this transgression!" Knight leaped to Sun and struck him with his dagger.


    Sun''s reaction time was far faster, and he easily parried the attack. Knight stepped back and attempted to stab Sun a second time, but he still missed. Sun grabbed the tip of his sword with his left hand and sidestepped to the right, dodging Knight''s dagger. Then he struck Knight across the face with the pommel of his sword.


    Knight was heavy enough to tank the attack and quickly slice across Sun''s abdomen, cutting his gambeson. But none of that was enough, and Sun delivered a front kick to his face, sending Knight rolling back against a charcoal colored tree. Horder watched the fight unfold and could not believe what he saw. Or, more accurately, he could not see the fight at all. Knight was so fast it was so hard to follow his movement, but Sun casually dodged and blocked his dagger.


    Knight yelled as more mana flowed into his legs and rushed on Sun. On Horder''s eyes, Knight disappeared out of existence with the dirt cloud being the only evidence of his presence. But that did not matter because Sun will easily counter his attempts and slow him down enough for Horder to witness Knight''s humiliation.


    Knight tried numerous times to stab Sun, but he will always meet the end of his sword. Sun danced around Knight''s attacks, slamming his pommel against Knight''s back and chest. The knots of his chainmail continued to rain down on the ground as he gets hit repeatedly.


    Finally, after nearly ten minutes of running around, Sun grabbed the tip of his sword and took an odd stance. "Time to end this!" Sun tapped the earth with the pommel, "Batter up!"


    Knight spat out blood and got on a running position. "Don''t get cocky now!" Blue light ruptured behind Knight''s back and began to wrap his body. The mana replaced the chainmail and formed an impenetrable armor, and he planned to ram Sun with this armor. Knight''s legs sprung him forward, and like a charging unicorn, he raised his arms and pointed his dagger as the mana swirl around the blade''s tip.


    The speed at which Knight traveled was much faster than what Sun anticipated. Before Knight could reach him, Sun swung his blade like a baseball bat. The force of his swing sent a loud shockwave that uprooted the trees and blew them away. And Knight''s body slammed against the wind, destroying his nose and jaw and knocking him unconscious. He fell to the ground with blood flowing down his shattered nose.


    Horder hid from the explosive attack under the fallen trees and when the dust settled, he saw Sun standing victoriously. He crawled out the trees, ready to beg Sun to spare his life but then he heard the howl of the monster haunting his dreams across the distance. A howl so fearsome that even Sun''s hair stood up. "Looks like the wolf woke up!" Sun smiled at Horder cowering behind the trees.

 Vol 11 Chapter 7: Battle Against The Night

    Stick climbed the tallest tree and scouted the area for signs of movement. He spotted a large object moving through the branches. Meanwhile, Olhos and Gever sat on the tree''s base waiting for Stick when suddenly, the ground began to quake. "We got company!" Stick yelled.


    "Where?" Olhos asked, but he quickly got the answer when a red golbin emerge from the shrubbery, followed by the warriors of the Zackons tribe.


    "Is this one of the outsiders?" The pawn asked.


    "No he monster!" The Zackons yelled.


    Gever stood up and put her arms in front of Olhos, "He no monster!" She yelled back at them.


    "Kill them!" The pawn commanded, but none of the Zackons moved. He turned to them, "Why are you not going after him?"


    "What if monster eat us?"


    "Fine, I''ll do it myself." The pawn took out a pair of leather gloves and wore them, "I don''t know what makes you a monster, but it matters not because I will still kill you."


    Watching the commotion unfold below, Stick unsheathed his sickles and leaped to the air. "Not if I get you first!" His sickle began to glow bright blue and threw it towards the pawn. The sickle''s tip swung downward and nearly penetrated the pawn''s skull, but he was quick and smacked it away. But not without breaking his wrist in the process. The pawn retracted his right hand and pressed down its wrist.


    Stick landed in front of the hunting party, and his sickle returned to him. The rope attached to the sickle was not tangible because it was made of Stick''s mana. The blue string glowed dimly under the forest''s shadow and they slowly formed a circle above Stick. "His arm circling," Gever said in astonishment. Stick made a lasso with his mana and tried to catch the pawn with it.


    Stick threw his lasso at the pawn then pulled once he was inside the lasso''s control, but the red pawn ducked and dodged the attack. Then the pawn launched himself towards Stick, using his mana as a spring. He tackled Stick to the floor and in response, Stick raised his legs and kicked the pawn over his body and to a tree. Stick jumped back on his feet, then suddenly the ground shook again. And the quaking did not stop. "Olhos, Gever, run now!" Stick yelled.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Then massive hands emerged through the branches, tore the forest apart like a curtain, and the pet troll stepped forward, nearly crushing the Zackons in his path. The goblins fleed for their lives as the troll flailed about, swinging the metal chains on its neck. "Prararara! That troll is my greatest pet." The pawn boasted. "Lil Bee, Astor is right here! Everything is going to be okay." The troll calmed down after hearing its master speak, "Good boy, now kill them!" Astor pointed at Olhos and Gever.


    The troll roared before running towards its prey. Stick reached for the giant''s chainmail, but Astor tackled him again. Stick did not fall to the ground and instead grabbed the pawn and body-slammed him to the floor. He tried to go after the troll again, but Astor did not give up and jumped on Stick''s back, holding him from chasing his pet.


    Meanwhile, the troll chased after the two. The dense grove made it hard for the juvenile troll to move through the forest, constantly tearing the trees off its path. Its heavy step shook the earth, and the thunderous sound echoed across the forest. The ground shook so much that Gever tripped and fell to the floor. Olhos stumbled back to help her, but the earth continued to ripple from the troll''s feet. A dead tree fell between them just as the troll finally reached the two goblins.


    The troll grabbed Gever and raised her to the sky like a little doll. "Let go of her!" Olhos yelled, but the troll did not even notice his presence. Olhos ran up to the troll and punched its legs.


    "Olhos!" Gever yelled, "It hurt!"


    "Don''t worry, I''ll get you out!"


    The troll looked at Olhos with disdain. It kicked the little goblin on the chest, and Olhos landed on a large bush. The troll gave out a roar. Gever tried to punch her way out of the monster''s fist. The troll stopped roaring and brought Gever closer to its face, and stared at the little green goblin, trying desperately to be free. It could not help but laugh at her.


    Its laugh was louder than its roar, and it popped Gever''s eardrums. Blood trailed down her ears, and its smell caught the Olhos'' attention. He got up and saw the troll laughing hysterically while Gever covered her ears. The smell of blood and the sight of Gever''s suffering triggered the inner beast inside him. "I can''t! I mustn''t" Olhos clenched his chest, trying to suppress his animalistic instinct.


    "Olhos!" Gever extended her hand to him, "Help me!" And then she fainted from the dizziness.


    Olhos slammed the earth, then howled to the clouds. His howling surprised the troll, and when it looked at Olhos, the goblin began to distort in a horrifying matter. Olhos'' bones expanded, crushed, and reformed. His cloth tore open as his body grew. His skin stretched, and silver fur exploded out from his back. The curse was


    "Let her go now!" Olhos charged at the troll and tackled its leg, bringing the troll down on its knee. Then Olhos grabbed the troll''s fist and bit on its wrist, making the troll release Gever from its hand. The troll grabbed Olhos'' shoulders and tried to push him down, but the giant was no longer alone.


    Olhos grabbed the troll''s arms and wrestled for control, but Olhos'' was far superior to the juvenile and overpowered them to the ground. Olhos jumped its chest and mauled his neck and face. He bit the iron helmed and tore it off the metal bit by bit. The troll tried to fight back, punching and grabbing Olhos, but he would just slash and bite them off and continue the carnage. Blood splattered in the air and fell to the earth like flower petals.


    And then, the troll''s skin was exposed to the sun, and its entire body turned to stone. Olhos sat on the cold statue, the troll''s blood covering his body turned to dust. "Olhos?" Gever sneaked behind him, startling him. "Everything ok now?" She said loudly for she could not hear herself. She touched Olhos'' snout and petted his head. He reached to touch her soft face but when he saw his giant hand, he retracted.


    "Get away from me," Olhos whispered.


    "What?"


    Olhos pushed her away and ran in the opposite direction and into the thicket. But a blue lasso caught him by the neck before he could disappear. Stick walked towards Gever while Olhos was trapped in his lasso. Stick looked at the troll''s immortalized body and laughed. "Now that''s a monster! And Olhos is the hero"

 Vol 11 Chapter 8: Dreams From The Adventures

    Stick walked to Olhos, laying on the ground tied by the blue lasso. "Get away from me!" He yelled at Stick, "I''m not myself! I could easily,"


    Stick slapped him across his snout before he could finish. "Snap out of it! You''re no monster, Olhos. You can speak for Tinia''s sake you are not an animal because you can reason. And you''re a hero. Just look at what you did. You saved Gever and defeated the troll." Stick pointed at the statue, "I can only think of a handful of goblins that could have done that."


    Stick removed the rope around his neck and torso put away his sickles. Then he grabbed Olhos'' hands and pulled him back on his feet. Noticing Olhos'' finally calm down, the Zackons revealed themselves from the shadows and rushed to Gever''s aid. Gever pushed them aside and ran to Olhos and embraced him. Her tears flooded out and flowed like a river on Olhos'' shoulder.


    Olhos'' body began to shrink as his mind and body calmed down. He returned Gever''s affection by holding her tightly to him. His fur fell off his skin, and his body returned to its original size. "I''m fine, Gever," He gently whispered, but she did not hear him. The blood on her ears began to dry up.


    Stick noticed her unresponsiveness towards Olhos and the other Zackons consoling her with words. "I think we need to get moving, and quickly too. She needs Smoke to heal her ears."


    "Ears?"


    "Come on, get up!" Stick helped the two get back up. "You guys, carry that Astor asshole back to the riverbank for me, will ya?" He said while giving them a sinister smile.


    The Zackons did as Stick ordered and carried the unconscious Astor back to their village. The others were already at the river waiting for them, along with the city goblin that bears a striking similarity with the brothers. His tall blue feathers reached to the sky like a tower, but Stick did not see a tower. The fluffy ball shaped plumage at the base made his crown look more like a man''s manhood. This made Stick laugh hysterically.


    "Why are you laughing?" Knight yelled, "Why does everyone keep laughing at me?"


    "Who knows?" Sun said while staring at his impressive crown. "But anyway, we are still missing the two other red conquerors. Rock, Smoke, What happened to them?"


    "They got away," They said in a grumpy tone.


    "Hararara!" Knight laughed, "It''s over for you, outsiders. I may not know how you reached the pinnacle form of a goblin, but once my king hears of you from my pawns, it''s going to be all over for you!"


    "He''s right," Smoke added, "We might need to speed things up."


    "No, this might be good for us," Sun said. "Stick, give me your red conqueror. We''ll release him, and in return, he''ll carry a message for us."


    "But before that," Stick pushed Olhos and Gever to Smoke, "They need your help. Gever can''t hear, and Olhos, well, I don''t think anything is wrong with him, but watching his body change like that, I think he still needs a check-up."Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Smoke examined Gever, "Looks like your eardrums exploded."


    "What?!" Gever yelled.


    Meanwhile, Sun and Stick moved Aster closer to the river. Large chunks of ice floated down the river. Knight told them that the ice was created by another city goblin much stronger than he is, and they used them to travel to Zackons. They splashed cold water on him, waking him up. Aster woke up delirious, but they didn''t need him to have a clear mind. They just needed him to deliver a message. Sun took a pen and paper and wrote a ransom for Knight. He placed the note gently between the pawn''s gambeson and placed it him on top of floating ice.


    Sun gave him a paddle from the Zackons and told him to go back to Everflow City and safely deliver the message. And to make he gets there fast, Sun threw the ice with Aster on it, making it skip on the surface of the water. Aster looked back and heard Sun yell, "Don''t make me throw you all the way there!"


    Aster started paddling for his life. The river''s current was against him, but he did not give up and continued to paddle. He will eventually reach the city at midnight, right before his peers that escaped Smoke and Rock''s wrath arrived.


    Smoke finished treating Gever''s ears. Despite being highly skilled with healing magic, Gever''s left eardrum was beyond repair. He plugged her ears with a wool ball and disinfected the area with a mix of medicinal herbs and his mana. Then he left Olhos and Gever a time to themselves. Before leaving, Smoke noticed Horder sitting far away from them, concerned about his sister''s well being but too afraid to come closer because of Olhos. Smoke would help, but there''s no treatment for fear one must overcome it on their own.


    After treating the wounded and clearing the air, the Zackons brought the brothers back with them. The tribe believed Horder was no longer fit to lead the Zackons and offered the brothers the position of Chief. Horder tried to protest, but he eventually yielded and asked for a compromise that he may control the tribe''s treasury and be the new chief''s advisor.


    None of the brothers want the tribe. After all, why rule this small river clan when they can rule a city. Instead, one of them will act as temporary Chiefs until Horder or any of the Zackons become a fitting ruler. Stick volunteered for the role. The Zackons are an important part of their siege, which was primarily planned out by Stick. He will take the helms and make sure these raiders can do their job properly.


    The brothers entered the dining hall and laid out their plan on the long table. The Zackons were stunned to know the brothers'' real motive but were eager to help after witnessing their amazing powers. Everything was set. The Zackons will provide the army the longships needed to carry their forces to Everflow City and siege the city through the river, which originated at the city''s central plaza. Once they arrive in the city center, they will get off the ships and take over the castle tower. While they travel on the river, Cossack and Shuja''s armies will sneak into the city and attack the goblins attempting to stop their ships. There was more to the plan, but the less the Zackons know, the better because the city could have ears.


    Their only problem was the lack of an updated map. The city layout they have was provided to them by Pagasa and is a hundred years old. Fortunately, they already sent out their best map-maker to the city.


    A week before the brothers'' journey to the Zackons, Spat led an expedition with Root and Mist. Spat disguised himself as an adventurer with two goblin slaves. They met a large company heading sneaking into the forest to raid Everflow City of its riches.


    Root and Mist were often bullied by the adventures, so Spat made a small box that they could hide in as he carried them on the journey. Spat, on the other hand, became popular among the company. They believed that he a halfling of some sort, a product between an orc and an angel. The only ones that were not entertained by this were the clerics and paladins from the Church of Mahalia. Their reason for coming with the adventurers was because they were hired as healers. But Spat found this reason flawed. Regardless, they traveled with the illegal trespassers to Everflow City.


    Once they arrived near the city, the company set up camp. They numbered by the hundreds, too many for Spat to count. But only a handful of the company were actually adventurers, the rest were workers that came to give a helping hand around the camp.


    On the night before the raiding of the city, the first party gathered around a campfire to talk about their plans. Surprisingly, a group of paladins and a cleric will be joining them in the city. The plan was fairly simple. Under the city is a complex labyrinth of passageways leading to large chambers. And some of these chambers are the treasure troves of the goblins. The first raiding party must explore the passageways and list the chambers that potentially keeps the goblins hoarded treasures.


    After talking about their plans, the adventurers ended the night with tales from their past adventures, and some shared their dreams and aspirations. Some of them had high hopes, with the desire to become legends, to walk among those in the higher leagues. In contrast, others had simple dreams of climbing up the social ladder and escaping poverty. When it was Spat''s turn, everyone gave him their full attention. Even the Church officials could not help but be curious about his ambitions.


    "Well, my dreams are pretty small compared to everyone here. I just want to get home and have enough to share with my family." Spat smiled.

 Vol 11 Chapter 9: The Citys Breath

    The scouting party left early in the morning for the city. They used established routes from previous expeditions to sneak into the city. They used the underground sewage system and catacombs to travel in between separate caverns and cave systems and used a mix of light spells and torches to guide them in the dark. The party separated into four groups. Spat joined a group of elves and humans traveling towards the center in an attempt to get close as possible. Meanwhile, the church officials and paladins formed their own group and traveled through the catacombs.


    Spat carried Root and Mist on his back safely inside the large wooden box and planned to separate with the group once they decided to return to the entrance. He was the party''s tank, so he was at the front walking next to their leader, Captain Yon. He was an old grump man, but experience comes with grey hair. He wore a gambeson just like the rest, but a house crest was patched on Captain Yon''s sleeves, proudly presenting his family''s name despite being low nobles.


    Walking alongside them was the other frontline, Marqie, a proud tiefling warrior from a foreign land. He belonged to a large clan from the east beyond the mountains, where the land was covered in sand, and only those with skin as red as the tieflings could thrive in its heat. He also held the torches for the group. Behind them were the spearmen and the archers. Spat did not care much to learn their names. He was more interested in Captain Yon and Marqie because of their knowledge of the city''s underground labyrinth.


    Along their expedition, they saw multiple symbols carved above the entrances, and these symbols represented what the chambers and the passageways will contain. This is important because it saves Spat, Root, and Mist time to prepare for the possible dangers hiding in the shadows.


    The passage they took were relatively safe. Some goblins would come out and attack them, but they will always retreat after their initial ambush, almost as if they never intended to stop their party. Once they reached the furthest they could, the group started heading back. Spat began to look for a way to separate from the group, but it wasn''t proving easy. "Did I ever tell you about the women on the hill?" Captain Yon kept telling him tales of his past. Some of which were repeats from the previous night.


    "Give it a rezt, old man." Marqie said, "Don''t you zee Zpat is tired of hearing the zame ztory."


    "Did I already tell that story? My bad. Then how about..."


    Captain Yon did not close his mouth the entire way. Only when they met the other parties did he stop. "Finally," Spat gave a sigh of relief. And another saving grace came to them. Apparently, three parties have yet to return, and they were sending people to search for them.


    Spat volunteered for the task. Captain Yon also volunteered to be part of Spat''s group, and together, they followed the path of one of the parties. The group they were looking for was the Church group. Spat used his light spell which surprised Captain Yon, expecting the young guard to only know the basics of mana. The Church''s route was safer than they expected. They did not encounter a single goblin on their way.


    Eventually, they reached a fork. On top of the entry points were two symbols, one of a blue fish and another of white wings. Fish meant there would be water and its color meant it''s safe. But the white wings are a symbol that Captain Yon is not aware of and has no idea if it is safe. The path could be extremely dangerous, but Spat did not want to miss this opportunity. "I''ll take the white wings path," Spat said.


    "No, it''s too dangerous. We don''t know what could be there. We should take the blue fish instead."


    "But what if the Church guys went this way, and that''s the reason they haven''t returned. I should go and check first."


    "Fine, I''ll go with you," Captain Yon caved in.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "No!"


    "No?"


    "I mean, just in case they do return, you should wait here and then come and get me."


    "I guess, but why are you going? It should."


    "I have the goblins that could help me, and you''re old."


    "I''m not that old!" Captain Yon took a step back, "Am I?"


    Spat did not wait any longer and ran into the shadows. The light coming from his palm was his only way to combat the dark. But he also has the ability to use Isiptali to see past the light. Once he was far enough from the entrance, he released Root and Mist and gave them a small lighter. "Alright, you guys know what to do."


    Root took out the outdated map Pagasa gave them and the maps the adventures used. "Ok, I think understand map." Root said. "Still many missing parts."


    "Then let''s go fill them." Spat escorted the two through the maze system. Mist wrote down important landmarks while Root focused on measuring their path and memorizing their route. The map the adventures used was nearly fully accurate with just minor adjustments needed. Their real problem was locating Everflow City''s water source and a path to get there.


    Cross-referencing the maps helped fill in the gaps, and the further they travel through catacombs and sewage systems, the closer they are to reach the source located on Pagasa''s map. Eventually, they reached another fork. One path had the symbol of a blue orb, and another the white wings form before. "That way to city waters!" Root pointed at the blue orb and yelled excitedly. "We found way."


    "Great, now let''s find the exit," Spat said.


    "You mean entrance," Mist corrected him.


    Spat was planning to make a sarcastic response, but he noticed Mist''s legs getting tired. "Yeah, the entrance." Spat carried Mist over his shoulder.


    Mist''s cheeks turned red, "What doing? Spat got Mabel."


    "Cheater!" Root said.


    "What? I''m not cheating! Also, let''s take the white wings path. It might lead to the exit."


    "Or other Church people."


    The group followed the white wings. And the path led to an unknown chamber. They walked out on a large terrace, and underneath them were goblins, many of them. Root and Mist were ready to leave to save their lives, but Spat stayed and watched the goblins. They stood next to an odd machine that carried various items. This machine was a conveyor belt.


    The goblins would take the parts and assemble them on their station, creating a complex item. "Spat, why you no run?" Root whispered while the two hid in the tunnel.


    "Guys, come here and look," Root and Mist crept closer to the railing, "You see that thing. The thing they''re making what looks like the swivel gun on our tribe''s wall. But smaller with a longer nozzle. And there''s no attachment, just a handle and that weird hook thing below it."


    The three watched the goblins work like golems, continuously making the strange gun in rapid succession, with no breaks. And when they finish, another goblin will come and collect them inside a large crate that they push to the next goblin.


    While they watch, Mist noticed the Church group that was missing walking out from another passageway. They walked on the ground floor with the goblins, inspecting the guns and the goblins making them. Then another goblin entered the room. And this goblin was far more powerful, for he looked similar to Spat.


    The goblin was as tall as the tallest paladin among the Church officials, and he wore a pointy egg-shaped hat. His skin was light pink, and he had white hair and feathers. "Sir Bishop, glad you came." One of the paladins said.


    "PLEASE CALL ME HEARST!" The goblin screamed. "AND I AM HAPPY YOU ALL CAME BECAUSE WE JUST FINISHED YOUR ORDER AND THEY ARE READY TO SHIP."


    "We''d like to test it first."


    "BY ALL MEANS!" Hearst took a gun from one of the goblins working on the conveyor belt. Then he took out a small metal casing and pushed it into the gun. Then Hearst walked over a shooting range and fired his gun at the moving targets. The gun''s loud shots woke up the lifeless goblins working on the assembly line and watched Hearst''s big and loud performance.


    The Church officials clapped their hands at the end, satisfied at what they saw. "It sounds and looks great. We are more than satisfied with this version, and we allocated our payment."


    Spat covered root and Mist''s mouths because they nearly screamed from terror after hearing the gunshots. These weapons undoubtedly gave birth to numerous problems. "Mist, write down everything we saw here today, and Root, we''ll have to send a message to our Chief. We''re going to explore more of the city and mark every workshop like this."


    "Chief needs map in four days." Root said.


    "I know, so we''ll be using as much time as we need to scout the area. It seems like they''re selling those cannons rather than using them, but we can never be too sure."


    Once Mist finished taking her notes, the three retreated to the underground passageways and catacombs. Once they met up with Captain Yon, Spat told him that the Church would take more of their time exploring and don''t need any assistance.


    Root asked Spat why he would lie about the Church. "We don''t know what they''re capable of." Spat left it at that.


    The days went by, and they managed to find eleven chambers dedicated to producing the complex firearm. They could not steal one to show to Sun, but Spat confirmed through observation that the weapons do not pose a threat. Only goblins designated as pawns could use the weapons, while the rest were sold to the Church.


    The day before the expedition was completed, the goblins snuck out from the camp and headed to the Zackons, where the Chief is currently plotting their siege. He also sent a letter to Pagasa. He made it clear he will not interfere with the war, but Pagasa will most likely find this information about the Church intriguing. But now, their job is done, and the difficult part is next. The legions arrived at their meeting point, and with their elite warriors behind him, Spat led them to their Chief.

 Vol 12 Chapter 1: The King

    Hearst walked out the factory floor with a bundle of paperwork waiting for the King''s approval. He walked across the city''s underbelly until he reached a large elevator underneath the city castle. He stood on the metal platform, big enough to carry a dozen cows with room to spare.


    The elevator took him to the surface in a matter of seconds. Hearst stepped out the metal floor onto the cold stone, paving the path towards the castle''s entrance. "MAKE WAY FOR YOUR BISHOP!" He yelled as he opens the large door. Two large pawns were standing at the top of the staircase leading to the throne room. When they heard Hearst''s bombastic voice, they hurried to open the sliding doors. These red conquerors were chosen for their size and strength to guard the King''s home. And to open and close the doors made of iron slabs that are so heavy they tear the floor beneath them every time the pawns moved the doors. Hearst always wondered which of the two pawns will replace Rook if he ever died.


    "THANK YOU, MY PRECIOUS PAWNS FOR OPENING THIS MASSIVE DOORS." He said, "WE SHOULD REALLY ADD WHEELS ON THSES DOORS, TO EASE THE WORK!"


    He entered eagerly to present to the King the profit they had made. The King was sitting on his throne, hidden behind the workbench that sat in front of him. He was the mastermind behind the weapons the Church desperate to obtain, and he is the genius who continued to pump out new and frightening inventions. Standing next to him was Knight.


    Hearst loves to but heads with Knight due to his strictness and arrogance. "KNIGHT, MY LOVE I LOVE WHAT YOU DID TO YOUR HAIR. IT LOOKS LIKE MY CROTCH!"


    "Go fuck yourself, Bishop." Knight retaliated, but the comment did its damage. Knight glanced over the mirror on the walls, wondering if Hearst was right about his feathers.


    Hearts walked over to the King, removed his egg-shaped hat, and kneeled to him. He handed the documents to the King. Then he left the room, giving Knight a final taunt before he departed back to the factory chambers underground.


    The King reviewed the contents and was astonished by the numbers. "Knight," He called out behind the tower of paperwork and miniature wooden models. "I need you to go to the mines near Garnet City, then head to the Zackons tribe and collect their tribute."


    "Now? We haven''t collected anything from them or the Lev for two years."


    "It because they have our payment," The King coughed, "Go get them. And be sure to let my Queen know you''re leaving the city under my orders. I don''t want another case of her refusing to make her ice ships."This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    "Yes sir," Knight walked up to the king and grabbed his seal to present to the Queen, "I will return in a week."


    But a week passed, and Knight did not return. Instead, his pawn came back. Astor was his name, and he brought a message to the King from another true goblin. Astor kneeled before the King as he read the letter behind a thin white veil. The King was stunned at the letter''s content. The handwriting was clean and perfect, and the words were coherent with the intent behind the pen.


    The King stood up from his chair and crumbled the paper into a ball. "Gather my pieces," He said, "We must prepare for the worst."


    Astor ran outside the castle, and he returned soon after with eight pawns and three true goblins that held the titles of Rook, Bishop, and Queen. They submitted their will to the King, bowing before him, except for one. Whitfield Queen, the King''s first and only lover. She''s Bishop''s twin sister, and she shares his soft pink skin. But the rest of her person was the complete opposite of her brother''s being. Queen''s hair and the feather were sleek and black, and she was soft-spoken. Her brother''s bombastic nature only reflected on her through her clothing. She wore revealing garments to tease her tribesmen. But her body was only for the King to touch, and those who wish to break the self-imposed rule would die by her hands. She crossed the thin veil dividing the King and his loyal subjects and leaned to his chest and asked him the reason behind his call.


    Rook glared at Queen. He did not like how intimate she was with the King. He believed she was a distraction and that she must behave herself in front of the King. And Rook''s strictness and large imposing body made him the perfect guard and law enforcer of the city. His tribe kept the city in order, and the small goblins feared him even if they were innocent. But he only donned the title of the King''s iron fist because it was the greatest honor for Rook to serve the King.


    The King did not mind Queen''s affection. In fact, he welcomed it because her gentleness made the grey, dull throne room beautiful for him. And her sweet nature made it easier for the King to tell them that an unknown enemy captured Knight and they are looking for a ransom.


    "A ransom!" The Rook was shocked, "Is it those werewolves that wish to kill you! I''ll hunt them down."


    "THE KING ALREADY KILLED THE LAST WEREWOLF." Hearst placed his hands on Rook''s broad shoulder, "THOSE WEREWOLVES LEARNED THEIR LESSON FOR TRYING TO TAKE THE KING''S LIFE. AND WE HAVE THE CHURCH IN OUR HANDS."


    "They don''t know that. No one in this world knows that." The King said, "Those werewolves merely wanted to take the title bestowed to me by the superpowers. This one is different. A personal matter, in fact."


    "Personal?" Queen whispered, "Is it that Pagasa person you once mentioned."


    "Maybe, but I am not too sure." Their King stood up and hovered his hand behind the veil, "Prepare the city. The enemy not only wanted a ransom, but they also threatened us and our city."


    "WHAT?" Hearst screamed, "IMPOSSIBLE!"


    "Rook, send me the candidates for the position of pawn."


    "Yes, sir," Rook ran out of the room.


    "My Queen," The King gently troked her black silky hair. "Fetch me the trumpet."


    Queen left without a word through the backdoor. She returned moments later, with a red trumpet decorated in jewels and feathers. Rook soon followed with twenty goblins behind him. The goblins dropped to the ground and prostrated to the King.


    The present pawns shivered in fear. They thought they would be replaced due to Astor and his peers'' failure to aid Knight in his mission. But no, the King wished to expand the numbers of his forces. The King remained hidden behind the curtain, playing the trumpet. A jazzy melody filled the room, and the green goblins combust into flames. And when the flames died, their new bodies were born.


    The new pawns praised their King for the gift of power and promised to conquer his enemies. The King was pleased to hear their devotion. "Rook, take our new recruits to the shooting range. Teach them how to use the rifles. And my Queen, I have a very delicate task for you."


    "What is it, my love?"


    "But first, fetch me my sword. I am going to kill this aggressor and rescue our Knight."

 Vol 12 Chapter 2: Set Sail to Everflow City

    Spat arrived at the Zackons tribe village with the Legions and the map of the city. Korge also arrived with the message to Sun from Cossack and Shuja. The two went to the dining hall to learn about the plan. There, the brothers were gathered around the long table with Horder, reviewing the maps they had. Sun was happy to see the two, and he was surprised to see Korge''s new form. Korge evolved during their time apart. He was now a red conqueror, and he was beaming with pride from achieving this form. "Korge!" Sun embraced him, "You''ve grown stronger."


    "Yes, I did, and just in time too. When we received your letter, Cossack and Orgut tribe were more than willing to help."


    "Thank you, my friend. It means a lot for everyone here that you can join us today."


    "Here," Korge handed the letter, "Cossack and Shuja are in position and are waiting for your orders."


    Sun opened the letter and read it to everyone. Shuja will be attacking through the tunnel system and will use the map Spat provided to sneak in the city and flank the goblins attacking them on the shore. While Cossack will take his cavalry through the city streets, trampling those in their way. "How many horses does Cossack have?" Stick asked.


    "We have ten horses. And with the exception of Cossack''s horse, one horse will carry two goblins. An archer and a rider." Korge puffed his chest out, "And they are highly skilled too. No longer will they be running away from the danger. They are, in fact, the first to run to it."


    "That''s what I like to hear!" Rock cheered by raising a cup of warm milk.


    "Hahaha!" Sun laughed, "Perfect, and how about you, Spat? How was the scouting?"


    "We had no problems, but we did run into something troubling. There were chambers underground that were making cannons like that of our swivel guns, but smaller and can fire multiple times."


    "What?" Sun and Smoke''s eyes widened.


    "They looked very complex in design. But it seems like only those that are red conquerors are permitted to use them. I was going to send a letter to Shuja as well, asking if she could destroy any workshop chambers she comes across with, but I think you might want to know about them first."


    Sun sat down and contemplated the potential dangers presented by these weapons. The problems don''t change for their attack. It only makes the problems more difficult to solve with the presence of these rifles. The city goblins will still bombard their ships with arrows and mortar without these guns. Sun clapped his hands, which garnered everyone''s attention. "These guns are dangerous, more so than the five swivel cannon we brought and mounted on the Zackons'' ships. But that doesn''t change our plans."


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    Stick stepped forward and added his opinion, "I agree. We''ve done exercises revolving around cannons during our training. We''re not exactly new to this. We just have to move faster than we initially planned." Then Stick took a small figurine of a green goblin and placed it on the center of the underground map Spat brought in, "The only problem that we have yet to fully solve is the machine they use to keep the water flowing. Pagasa already told us that it takes a fairly large amount of energy to start the machine, but as long as two or three mana users are present, it can be done in a short amount of time. In comparison, it takes a longer time to shut down the machine. About three days."


    "That means it''s faster to start up the machine and flood the city." Sun said, "So there''s a chance they will try to flood the river as their final resort to push us out of the city."


    "So we need to secure the machine before we reach the center of the city. Shuja''s warriors should be fast enough to reach the machine before we reach the center, but just in case, we''re going to have Olhos carry Spat to our target Once we breach the city dam."


    "Olhos? He''s here!" Spat said.


    "Yeah, and he''s a beast." Sun said, "In a good way."


    "And with that being said, we need to start moving. We''ll attack tomorrow morning. In the meantime, we need to hide the ship near the city and set up our camp."


    "And I''ll be heading north," Sun told them. "With our little hostage to draw out the King outside his castle." Korge raised his hand. "You got a question, Korge."


    "How''d you get their chief to leave the city? And why is the machine difficult to turn off?"


    "To answer your second question, to shut down the machine, you have to absorb and dispel the mana running the machine. And with how much mana the machine uses, one needs to take his time to take the energy out without accidentally overfilling their body with mana. And explode!" Sun yelled, " And for the first question, let''s just say we know a little a secret about him."


    "What''s the secret?" Rock asked. Sun, Smoke, and Stick looked at Rock in dismay. "Was I supposed to know?"


    Meanwhile, at Everflow City, the King stepped out from his castle covered, hidden underneath a thick heavy red coat. The castle stood on top of a hill on an island in the middle of a small lake that is forever filled with water. The King walked down the stairs slowly and at the bottom of the stairs was Queen waiting for him.


    Her hands were pale and purple, and they were colder than winter night. Behind her was a large block of ice floating on the dark, murky waters. The King took Queen''s hand and kissed it before stepping on the ice she created for him. She gave him a long paddle and kicked the ice off the docks. She gave the King her goodbye kisses until he turned his ride around the corner disappeared from her sight.


    The King paddle around the island until he found the creek leaking out from the lake, and he continued down the creek until it poured into the underground sewers. Around him were watermills that produced the power the city uses in its factories. And large pipes stuck out from the adjacent buildings dumping their waste on the waterways that travel through the city like blood vessels in a living body. The water smell of rotten flesh burned charcoal, and excrement and flies made the dirty water their home.


    The King''s cloak was drenched in detergent that smells of sweet honey. The smell kept the disgusting air coming from the river off his body while his nose was covered by a thin, metal mask in the shape of a green goblin face.


    Eventually, the creek reached the sewer''s entrance, and the water rushed down the oversized sewer tunnel. The icy ride took the King down to the sewers safely. He paddled the ice block near the docking area and stepped out of the ice. He produced a thick rope out of mana and tied the ice block to the side, preventing it from floating away.


    The King took out the letter Sun sent to him and read it one last time. "I think I still have time." He whispered to himself. The King walked down a long corridor until he reached a large room with multiple entrances, from the walls to the ceiling. And in the middle of the room was a large spherical machine. The machine had a soft white metal cover with an opening on its top.


    He walked closer to the machine and stretched out his hands to touch its surface. The machine made a humming noise when touched, and the closer the King got, the louder the sound of turning cogs gets. The machine felt alive. "I still have time."


    The King dropped Sun''s letter and placed both of his hands on the machine. "But we don''t have enough time. Pagasa, you fool. Before he washes us away, I''ll wash him out of existence first." The ball began to light up, and its luminescent light shined on the letter, revealing the words on the paper.


    The final line of the letter was incoherent. It looked like a pattern of random letters, but when viewed by the King, it revealed a hidden message. The message read, ''I know you are Andrew Prince.''

 Vol 12 Chapter 3: The Pawns Panic

    It was early in the morning, and the city prepared for the assault coming from the east. Five of the twenty-eight pawns were on top of the eastern wall along with their army of archers. Another pawn was standing on top of a tall watchtower with a binocular. He watched a group of goblins setting up white flags outside the city to be used as markers for the archers, and most importantly, their cannons and ballistics. The white flag marked the farthest their attacks can get to, and they''ll have to wait till the invading armies pass the marker to begin their attack.


    Then a fog began to rise by the river and it slowly floated towards the city. Then it stopped. The pawn on the tower leaned over the railings and told the other pawn on the wall what he saw. "Fog?" One of them asked, "Who cares about some fog. And keep your eyes on the glass, Gates!"


    "Alright!" Gates looked through his binoculars, watching the fog for any sudden changes.


    "Cooke." An extremely tall pawn walked over to the pawn that yelled at Gates. "You think they''ll use the fog to sneak to the wall?"


    Cooke sat down on a barrel. A large scar covered the left part of his face. "I don''t know about that."


    "Stop bothering Lil Rook, Clark." The other pawn yelled.


    "Shut up, Drew!" He yelled back.


    "It''s alright." Cooke yawned. He was one of the original eight pawns, and the new pawn looked up to him. Unlike the other pawns, he was kind and gentle despite his scary appearance. He always wore a wool sweater over his chainmail and had his rifle strapped on him whenever he leaves his home. Rook trained him personally, and his traits and daily routine rubbed on Cooke, giving him the nickname Lil Rook.


    And his training with Rook also made him one of the most formidable pawns. Cooke was given the task to guard the most important wall because of his experience. But no one ever has ever experienced an invasion before making it an alien experience even to a veteran goblin.


    Suddenly, Gates saw large shadows appearing behind the fag. And these shadows grew larger as they come closer until their true appearance escaped the fog''s blanket. Large longships sailed the river with paddles on the sides propelling the ships forward. Gates raised his hand, "Targets sighted! They''re traveling on boats."


    Cooke jumped up from his seat and looked over the river, "Prepare the hot oil! Drew go down the floor and make sure they locked the gates. Clark, Crocker, get to you archers, and don''t forget your guns."


    "Yes, Crooke!" They yelled before running to their archers. Clark''s height towered over the archers and looked as if toddlers surrounded him. Meanwhile, Crocker was the shortest among the pawns, but he makes up for it with tenacity. He barked at his goblins to ready their bows.


    And a burning arrow flew from the ships and exploding in the sky. Another arrow exploded on the southside of the city, signaling the invader''s allies that the time has come. At the very least, that was what Cooke believed and he prayed the new bloods defending that side of the city can hold their ground. "Woah!" Gates shouted in amusement, "There''s another goblin running alongside the boats and he''s huge. I would even say he''s as big as Rook! Wait, he stopped running!"A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "Can you please focus on the ships!" Crocker snapped.


    "Holy moly, he''s uprooting a tree! And he did it, he''s carrying the tree, and he''s running towards us. And he just threw like a javelin! And it''s coming straight for us."


    "What?" Crocker ran to the front of his archers and watched as a giant pine tree falls from the sky like an arrow. Cooke took out his rifle began to fire at the tree. His bullets were reinforced with mana, and they managed to slow the trees descend. The tree lost elevation faster, making it nosedive to the river, barely missing the gate blocking the river entrance.


    "Hold up. He''s doing it again! He just got another tree and its leaves are starting to glow blue!"


    "Blue?" Cooke grabbed a set of binoculars from the barrel he sat on and looked at the goblin, "On no. Everyone get to cover!"


    "Tree incoming!" The tree flew fast and it landed on one of the towers with a catapult attached. And another tree followed, slamming against the cement walls, but it did not penetrate its sturdy skin. Cooke ran to the tower and saw the catapult hanging on by the ledge, battered and broken. The leaves from the pine tree fell like rain on the goblins, and its thin needles had a blue aura. "He got another tree. Some greenies jumped off the ship carrying torches, and they''re lighting the tree on fire!"


    "Fire, which means they''re," Cooke looked over the wall. On top of the gates was the large barrel of hot oil that they planned to pour on the ship. A group of goblin hid behind the barrel from the incoming trees. "Get out of there now!" Cooke yelled at them.


    "He threw the tree that was on fire! It''s coming closer!" Cooke ran to the goblins and threw them away from the barrel. Then he aimed his rifle at the burning tree and forced as much mana out from his body and onto the rifle. He pulled the trigger and shot an onslaught of bullets at the tree, but none of his attacks managed to slow down the tree.


    Cooke gathered the mana he had remaining and formed an oval barrier in front of him. The tree crashed on the wall, igniting the oil and spreading the flame throughout the wall like a wildfire. "Cooke, are you ok?" Clark ran into the flame and carried him out. Meanwhile, the fire spread down the gate and reached the goblins on the second floor. The wild fire baked them like they were in the oven.


    "They just passed the marker! We have to fire now!" Gates yelled.


    "Everyone get in position now!" Crocker slammed his fist against the wall. "Fire!" The archers aimed their arrows to the sky and rained their arrows at the ship. "Catapults, hurry up the fuck up!"


    "Another burning tree incoming!" Gates shouted, "And this one is getting bigger and bigger. Wait a minute. This one is aimed at me!" Gates dropped his binoculars and jumped out of the tower. The tree slammed against the tower, shaking its foundation.


    Finally, the goblins in charge of the catapults were ready, and they began their counterattack against the invaders. Dozens of boulders were sent flying towards the longships. Excited to see the rocks sink the ships to the bottom of the river, Gates ran back to the edge of the railings and grabbed a new set of binoculars. "Let''s see you panic. Wait, what?" Gates could not believe his eyes. The goblins standing on the ship did not move an inch, and an even odder sight was the goblin standing on the ship''s head. She looked like the one throwing the trees, but slimmer and with a long black hair dancing in the wind.


    And on her was a bronze war club with a cog as its blunt head. "Don''t tell me she''s thinking of hitting those boulders back to us." Gates said, "What''s that? Is that lightning coming out from her body. She''s about to swing her club."


    Unbeknownst to Gates, the one standing on the longship was not a woman, but a man. He was about to show the city goblins a storm. He swung his warclub like a bat and shot out lightning that struck the boulders and arrows flying towards them, destroying them in the air.


    "She destroyed our attacks by summoning lightning! She''s just like our queen, she can control the elements!" Gates yelled.


    The goblins guarding the walls began to panic as more trees fly towards. None of their attacks are working, and soon the ships will reach the walls and break through the burning gate entrance. Cooke could only pray that the invaders from the southernside were much kinder to their forces. But unfortunately, they lost before the ships even reached the second flag.


    On the southern gate, Cossack and his cavalry broke through the defensive line without any problems. Five pawns tried desperately to stop the stampede. They stood in a line just as Rook taught them and fired their weapons. They managed to stop two of the horsemen but riding with the cavalry were archers from the Maston tribe. And their arrows pierced through the pawns'' defenses and killed them with one shot to the head before they could empty their clip.


    Meanwhile, Shuja led her forces through the underground pathways. Using the map Root drafted, they followed the route that will lead them to Everflow City''s source of power. Everything was going according to plan, and there was nothing the city goblins could do but wait for their King to return.

 Vol 12 Chapter 4: The King Against The Sun

    Sun sat on top of Knight, bound by a chain, in the middle of a clearing. It was early morning at the time when the day barely started, and the fresh scent of dew from the grass was still the main aroma of the forest floor. The two waited for Everflow City''s king, that ruled over goblin, kind this part of the forest. A king that Sun never even heard of or met when he was born. Like a parent that abandoned his child the day they were born. It was odd to hear that such a powerful authority exists, and yet Sun barely noticed his power.


    Maybe it was because it was winter when he was born, and the cold storms isolated the city, unable to stretch its arms outside. But what concerned Sun the most was the King''s inaction. Sun wants to get answers now, and thankfully, the King has arrived.


    The King emerged out from the trees. His red coat was gilded with gold on its sleeves. "My King!" Knight called out.


    Sun covered Knight''s mouth with tape. "So you''re their king, Andrew?"


    "Yes, I am." The King took a deep breath, "But I am not Andrew Prince. Not anymore. My name is Carnegie King, and you, who are you?"


    "Carnegie King. I heard that name before. Someone told me not to fight."


    "And you should have listened to him."


    "And why should I?"


    "Because my name, my power is far too important to this world for some wild goblin," The King pointed at him, "Like you. A rude and wild goblin, who did not have the courtesy to even tell me your name."


    Sun stabbed his sword to the earth, "My name is Sun, and I dragged this guy out in the middle of nowhere for you to come, Prince. And I want to know why? You have the key to unlock our race''s true potential. You could have to rebuild the goblin kingdom, but you haven''t."


    "You''re just like Pagasa. Tell me, what will you do when the very forces that destroyed the goblin kingdoms learned that another kingdom was born? They will come for us."


    Sun stood up, "So instead of fighting back, you''d rather have hundreds of our kind remain clueless of their past!"


    "And why do you care? I lost everything and now I''m stuck here!" The King gasped and covered his mouth, "I''m not going to end this madness before it starts. I told Pagasa that, and he never agreed."


    "Are you from another world?"


    Knight raised an eyebrow. Then suddenly, the King teleported behind Sun and kicked him away from Knight. "Get up, Knight!" He yelled at him while cutting the chains with his finger.


    Sun got back on his feet and charged his mana into his fist. The mana ignited the air, and red hot flames converged around his fist until his fist was glowing red. More mana began to spread and seeped into his legs while the muscles flexed and jolted. "My King!" Knight pointed at Sun with his nose, "He''s coming!"


    "And?"


    "He''s strong enough to burn an entire forest down!" Knight yelled the moment Sun disappeared from where he stood, leaving a dust cloud.


    The King turned around and saw Sun''s fist five inches away from his face. The last thing they heard was Sun''s words, "Red Fist!" Then a large fiery explosion erupted from the impact. A shockwave most powerful sent trees and rocks flying as blacks clouds rise to the sky. A blazing fire wave washed over the forest, burning everything in its path, letting nothing but the birds in the trees escape.


    "That was hot." The King said with his raspy voice. The dark clouds floated away, revealing a large cyan barrier in front of the King and his Knight. Sun punched through the barrier and now glassy shards were stuck on his fist. The King leaned closer to his fist, "And you have a strong punch. But it will take more than that to..."


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    Sun opened his palm and release a turret of fire pellets at the King''s face. "I hope that didn''t sting!" Sun retracted his arm and swept the King''s feet off the ground. Then Sun jumped on top of him and raised his fist to the sky. He set his fist on fire then delivered a hammer fist to the King''s forehead.


    "Get off of him!" Knight tackled Sun.


    "Get out of the way!" Sun kicked him to the side. The two got on their knees and started punching each other, but Knight soon learned he was no much to Sun''s punches.


    The King ran to them and grabbed Sun by the collar and threw him away from Knight. "I''m sorry, my King." The King gazed at Knight, defeated. "I''ve become weak."


    "No, you are strong. That''s why I made you my knight, but he is stronger. That''s all there is to it. Now go back to the city. They need you there."


    "But what about,"


    "I need you there!" The King turned to face Sun. "Go back to your goblins under the city and guard the Baptista!"


    "Yes, your majesty!" Knight ran back to the city.


    The fire grew larger around Sun. The King removed his cloth, revealing a lean muscular body. He had shaggy blonde hair with dark roots and purple feathers growing behind his ears and on his elbows. And his face had a soft and gentle complexion compared to Sun''s rugged look. "Your flames are most impressive, but that''s nothing compared to my..."


    The King stopped talking and ducked as a fireball came flying towards him, thrown by Sun. "You talk too much!" Sun charged towards him. He released a mana string that latched on to his sword and pulled it to him. The King pulled out a sword as black as night from his cloth and parried Sun''s strikes.


    Seeing no opening, Sun opened his mouth to breathe fire from it, spewing out the flames and blocking the King''s face. The King was startled by the strange attack giving Sun the opening he needed. He thrust his sword to the King''s chest, but mana reinforced his pectoral muscles, blocking the attack.


    Nonetheless, the King was sent flying backward. Sun ran after him, striking him in vital areas; the neck, his sides, the heels, but he couldn''t through the mana infused skin. No blood was spilled, only sparks from the clash of steel and mana. "You are so strong, and you come from another world!" The King parried one Sun''s strikes then punched him in the face, "What was the world called?"


    Air surrounded Sun, forming a whirling and he created a tornado with it made of fire. The King''s sword could not break through the firewall, so he chose to take this opportunity to use his ultimate attack. He created a tiny white glowing orb in his palm. "Well, are you going to tell me? Or were just crazy, spitting out nonsense like a drunkard." He taunted.


    "They called it Earth. I don''t know what country exactly, but I know it''s near a sea. The Meditteranean Sea."


    "I came from the same planet, Earth. What did you bring to this world? And what did you lose coming here?"


    Sun raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"


    "I lost everything in the blink of an eye." The King tossed the white orb to the fire, and it exploded. A bright white light expanded from the epicenter, destroying everything in its path, leaving nothing to hint at their existence. The light was so bright it burned those that it could not touch and outshined the morning sun. And yet, the intense light had no sound to accompany it, just silence.


    The light faded away, leaving a giant crater in its place the size of a soccer field. The King stood in the center between the two ebony swords. Sun was nowhere in sight, but the King knows he is near. Despite the speed of the light, Sun managed to teleport far away right before the silent explosion. But was it far enough?


    The King''s eyes suddenly lit up. He sensed Sun''s presence near him. The earth began to shake at the edge of the crater, and out came a blue sphere. It opened to reveal Sun in a fetal position. He managed not only to teleport away from the center, but he also created a barrier protecting him from the blast. Sun got back up on his feet and stared at the King standing motionlessly. "That attack must have drained a considerable amount of mana, huh?" Sun yelled. The King did not respond, and Sun took this as a sign that he lost his ability to move. "Tough luck."


    A flash of light appeared beneath Sun''s feet, blinding the King. He regained his vision, and Sun appeared was in front of him with another burning fist aimed at his face. The King''s hand moved fast, catching the punch. "It did so that I will be taking yours, Sun."


    Suddenly, mana burst out from Sun''s body and was absorbed by the King. Sun yelled from excruciating pain, as it felt like he was being skinned alive. Sun tried to fight back, punching the King, but he lost his strength rapidly until his Kas was empty of mana, and his lifeless body leaned against the King''s chest.


    "And it''s over," he dropped the dying Sun on the ground and turned around, facing the direction of his city. But before he could take a step, Sun grabbed his ankle. "Still have some life in you?"


    "Why?" Sun whispered, "You had the horn. You could''ve freed everyone, our goblin kind, from this curse. Rebuild our kingdom."


    The King crouched and leaned closer to Sun, "I don''t need weaklings. Only the strong should be free from the curse. Those willing to face a god. Too many weak-minded and physically deformed goblins out in the world. They don''t deserve to be free. They shouldn''t even be alive. If we are to defeat that god and create our kingdom, only the strong and the brave must evolve."


    "You''ll leave them behind,"


    "They''re meant to be left behind because there''s no hope for them. They lost everything because they had weaklings among them, just like I was, so I will not hesitate to cull the goblins for the strongest if it means winning. But I still need those weaklings. Who else can make my weapons for me?"


    "I''ll make you pay for those words." Sun''s voice began to fade away.


    "Never." The King stood up, "You think you were so clever. But I know how to deal with you and your so called army. I did not become who I am today to be beaten by Pagasa''s pet! I am a Golden Condottiero. My existence itself can change the world. And you''re just a dying goblin from some savage village. You''re plan already failed the moment you sent that challenge." The King left the crater, leaving Sun to fate.


    Meanwhile, beneath the sewers of the city, Shuja and her platoon climbed down a ladder and reached the lower levels of sewers. They were halfway towards the machine. But before Shuja could get off, she noticed something strange in the distance. She took her bow and shot a glowing arrow into the shadows. The light revealed water blocking the path.


    They circled back around, taking a detour, but that path was flooded. It took them two more detours to realize that the labyrinth''s lower levels were flooded by water, blocking their path. Then suddenly, laughter came from the shadows.


    Lieutenant Elena, the goblin from the Maston tribe that guarded Stick and Rock''s prison, spotted something moving in the dark. She became a red goblin not long ago, and her vision was far better than anyone in the tribe. She even impressed Shuja. "What did you see?"


    "I saw glowing orbs," Elena pointed at the darkness, "Right over there."


    The platoon raised their spear and shield, forming a wall. Shuja stood in the back, with her bow aimed at the in front of them. Slowly, more of the glowing orbs appeared, as if they were stars in the night sky. And then a goblin jumped out from the shadows.

 Vol 12 Chapter 5: The Plan Begins to Backfire

    The goblin jumped in front of them and bashed the shield wall with his hammer. The women stabbed him with their spear, killing him instantly. On the goblin''s neck was a collar with the glowing orb attached to it.


    The round gem began to blink rapidly then the goblin''s body suddenly exploded. The blast knocked down the middle part of the shield wall, and bone fragments dug themselves deep inside the women''s gambeson. Elena ran to the front between her fallen warriors and the unknown assailants. "Get back up!" She shouted.


    More goblins appeared before them, but none of them tried to attack. They stood there shaking in fear, and some of them held on their collar crying. The collars reminded Shuja of the Black Crow incident two years ago, and she knew how to deal with them. "Don''t kill them! That will trigger the collar self-destruction."


    Elena dropped her spear and took out her bronze shield, "Drop your weapons. Apprehend them using lethal force but do not kill!"


    Behind the collared goblins was a red conqueror holding a rifle. "What are you pigs waiting for, go after them!" He shouted.


    The collars shocked the goblins, forcing them to move forward. Some of them rushed to the women while swinging their hammers and wrenches, battering on the shields. While some hesitated, forcing the collar to use higher voltage to shock them into submission. A front line formed, blocking the goblins and another line behind them that would bound their enemies. The women wrestled them to the ground but more kept coming towards them.


    "Why are you not getting killed? You know what, screw it, I''ll kill you pigs myself!" The goblins ran for their lives once the red goblin started shooting at them. The Maston shields, made from Tungstree and held together by a bronze binding, protected the squad from the shooting. But that did not translate protection from the exploding goblins.


    "Brace for impact!" Elena supported the front line with her mana as a series of explosions rocked the underground passageway.


    "It smells so bad. I''m going to..." One of the women couldn''t hold and fell on her knees. The smell from the sewage mixed with the burnt flesh and blood clouds, creating a toxic fume that forced many of the goblins to faint and vomit.


    Shuja climbed on top of the shoulders of one of the women and shot an arrow. A string was attached to the arrow, allowing her to guide it through the explosions and find its mark. The red goblins were too busy enjoying the scene to notice the arrow pierce his chest and come out from the other side. The arrow also stuck its head on the stone that allowed one to control the slaves. Shuja pulled the arrow back to her. "I order all you to stop!" She shouted.


    The goblins stopped and stepped aside. The women walked through the tunnel with guards still up. "Where going?" One of the slaves asked.


    Elena couldn''t help but answer them, "To the surface."


    "Elena!" Shuja nudged her to move.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    "Sorry, Chief."


    "Please win." The slave said.


    Elena nodded and she continued on, leading her squad forward. They found the exit near the river, where the battle was raging on. They climbed out of the manhole and sneaked through the alleyways. On the way to the river, they saw a giant mortar on top of the building, firing large iron balls towards the ship. Shuja made quick work of them. She shot an arrow that ricocheted off the walls and pierced through the goblins manning the cannon.


    Then they followed the sound of battle until they reach the enemy''s battlement. A wall erected centuries ago was used to defend from attacks coming from the canal. The city goblins fired their arrows, but the legions had their impenetrable Tungstree shield. Shuja and her squad took over a segment of the wall, killing the archers and destroying their water traps. The lead ship was already at the dam and a Legion squad has taken control of one of the guard towers next to the dam. They fought their way through the wall until they reached the first ship.


    Stick saw them fighting along the wall. "Shuja! Elena! What are you doing here?" He shouted from the ship''s front deck. Horder was right behind, holding the ship''s railing for his dear life.


    "Elena, stay here and guard this wall."


    "Yes, Cheif!"


    Shuja jumped on the ship. "We have a problem."


    "Was that Elena!" Stick stared at the red goblin.


    "The lower levers. Wait, you know her?"


    "Yeah, we met back when we..."


    "Ok, whatever, that doesn''t matter right now. We have a more important problem. The lower levels are flooded, and none of us know how to swim. And even if we did, it''s still too dangerous to go down any further."


    "Flooded, now I''m even more confused." Stick threw his hands in the air. "Skydas!"


    A redhead conqueror stepped forward, "Yes, Captain!"


    "Is Cossack in position?"


    "Yes, Captain, he just finished taking the southern wall!"


    "Tell him to get over here. Shuja, I''ll leave the northern wall to your squad." He ran to the back of the ship, "Olhos! Come here!"


    Olhos was on the other ship, behind the lead. He was on the front, blocking the arrows from hitting their rowers. "I''ll be on the way!"


    Stick ran back to Shuja. Cossack just got on the ship, holding a rifle in his hand. "Look what I got from one of those red pawns, or whatever." He tossed it to Shuja, "You might want to upgrade your bow." He winked.


    Shuja the rifle to the river and shoved her silver bow at Cossack''s face, "This bow is far more lethal than whatever that was! And I would be careful if I were comparing this masterclass of craftsmanship to that garbage."


    "Focus!" Stick yelled over them. "Cossack, you told me you could swim, right?"


    "Of course I can!"


    "I need you to go down the labyrinth and secure the Baptista. Take Spat with you. He''s in the fourth ship getting Parma''s squad along with the Zackons'' warriors to shore. He knows where the best path to take, and I need you to move quickly, or else our ships are not going to get anywhere even if we open the dam."


    "Got it!"


    Olhos arrived right before Cossack was about to leave. His presence distressed Horder even more. "Can I come with him?"


    "Can you swim?" Cossack asked.


    "Of course I can!"


    "Then go!" Stick pushed Horder off the railing. Horder happily ran after Cossack under the crossfire. He would rather be in the dark underground than near the wolf monster. "Olhos, I need you to transform to your werewolf form now!"


    "What, I can''t just transform willingly."


    "Olhos, your Olhos!" Shuja gasped.


    "It''s been a while. I know, but we got a city to win!" Stick grabbed Olhos'' shoulders. "Now, please, can you release the beast. We need to use everything we have before we lose everything."


    Olhos closed his eyes and concentrated, but nothing came out from his being. He still remained the red goblin. "I can''t do it. I just can''t."


    Stick leaned closer and whispered, "Think about the people you care about most of all. Think about them and how much you wanted to protect them. Remember the beast in you, how it felt, disgusting and painful it may be because that power you unleashed protected them." Olhos'' body began to grow larger, "Remember you''re their shield. Your Olhos and nothing else matters to her!" Fur began to grow, and his skull started to morph, "And she''s waiting for you, and you must return to her even if it means being something you never wanted to be!"


    The transformation finished, and Olhos howled to the sky. Horder''s body shivered when he heard the monster''s voice, and he was not the only one. Those not aware of Olhos'' werewolf form were in awe by it, both allies and enemies. "Now what?" He asked Stick.


    "You''re not afraid of him, right?" Stick asked Shuja.


    "Woah, that looked amazing. How did you do that?"


    "I don''t know."


    "Darn, oh well. So what''s the plan? Why did you make him transform to a bipedal wolf."


    Stick pulled Olhos down on his four legs. "You''re going to ride him over the dam to get to the next one."


    Shuja''s cheeks began to blush, "What?"

 Vol 12 Chapter 6: The River Is Gone

    Shuja got on Olhos'' back. He carried her upstream on the river wall, past the first dam. Pawns tried to stop her, but her bow was far deadlier and Olhos'' thick fur protected them. Crocker stood in front of their path, firing his rifle. The closer Olhos got, the more the bullets began to penetrate his fur, but it did not matter. Shuja summoned a wind on her arrow and fired it towards Crocker. The wind formed a twisting wall that blew away Cocker''s attack. Fortunately for him, he was shorter than what Shuja estimated, and she missed his head by an inch.


    But there was still Olhos, who was ready to maul Crocker. The wind disoriented Crocker, and he didn''t see the werewolf reaching its claws to him. Cooke tackled Crocker out of the way, saving him from Olhos'' death grip. Olhos stopped and was about to turn around to finish the job, but Shuja urged him to keep moving forward.


    Shuja felt an odd change in the air. The plan was simple: they would move swiftly and break open the first dam to get to the next section. But not only did they ignore the gates, but Stick took control of the dam instead. As if breaking through the gates would be bad for them.


    Olhos broke through enemy goblins until they reached the section behind the dam, and what she saw surprised her. The river was dry and empty, leaving a black river bed filled with trash. And in the middle of the river was Smoke and Rock surrounded by goblins. The two were struggling to fight them, which surprised her until she and Olhos got closer. The goblins were slaves and wore the same collars like the ones underground.


    Shuja took out the master stone and raised it in the air, "Stop fighting them!" The slave collars stopped shocking the goblins, and soon the wearers collapsed from exhaustion.


    "Smoke, look!" Rock pointed at Shuja riding Olhos.


    "What is she doing here?"


    Olhos jumped over the weary goblins and over to the brothers. "What''s going on?" She asked them.


    "We''re trying to the castle." Smoke answered, "One of Cossack''s horsemen got lost and stumbled there."


    "So, is this some rescue mission?" Shuja jumped off Olhos.


    "No, he came back," Rock scratched his head, "But with some bad news."


    "The lake and its dam are frozen solid," Smoke said. "Even if we get the ship through the last gate, we''ll still be stuck on ice."


    "It''s the last weeks of spring! How is there still ice?"


    "We don''t know. But we decided to go there ourselves while Stick defends the ships and the first dam. But that asshole," Smoke pointed at a large figure standing in front of the second dam wearing blue armor, "Is blocking our way. If you can distract him for us, we can get to the city center faster."Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "Wouldn''t it be faster if I ride on Olhos to the castle?"


    "Yeah, it would, but that lost goblin spotted two more goblins similar to us. And I bet my warclub that they''re the ones responsible for the ice."


    "And just imagine how strong they must be to freeze an entire lake," Rock added. "I bet I can take both of them down!"


    "So you want me and Olhos to kill the grunt for you guys? Are you guys serious? Us two fighting that thing over there?"


    "Hahaha," Rock laughed, "Does he look that strong that you''re getting scared?"


    "Screw you, Rock! I can kill that armored giant with one arrow. I''m just worried Olhos will have cold feet."


    "If I can maintain my monster self, I think I''ll be able to take him down. In fact," Olhos glanced at Shuja, "He looks lighter than a pink skin goblin I know."


    "Weeeeell Excuse me, mister!" Shuja yelled.


    Both Rock and Olhos laughed, but the fun quickly disappeared when the earth shook. Rook started jogging towards them, and he gained speed for every foot he covers. His acceleration was slow, but they could tell that he is unstoppable regardless of how slow or fast he may seem. But Olhos howled with confidence, for the monster in him is equally formidable. He just hopes he knows when to stop before he loses his will.


    Shuja ordered the slaves to seek shelter with the Orgut and Maston warriors fighting on the first dam. Once they left, the four charged. Olhos led them. He strode across the river and tackled the moving tank in front of them.


    Rook did not stop, but he did slow down, which startled him. He did not expect the werewolf''s strength to be enough to hinder his path. Olhos crunched his armor with his powerful jaws and tried to reap it apart. Rook pulled him over his shoulders to throw him against the ground, but Shuja shot an arrow imbued by mana that pierced his thigh.


    He released Olhos, letting the werewolf land behind him, and got trapped in an armlock. Shuja shot another arrow, but this time Rook saw the attack and quickly turned his body, using Olhos as a meat shield. The arrow dug itself deep in Olhos'' butt and the poor wolf dropped to the ground, wriggling in pain. "I''m sorry!" She yelled.


    Meanwhile, the brother slipped past the armored menace and made their way towards the center of the city. A swarm of goblins tried to stop them from breaching the inner city walls, but Smoke made quick work of them with his electric attacks while Rock simply ran through the goblins like a raging bull. Once they demolished their way through the walls, they finally reached the frozen lake. And in the middle of the lake was the city castle with its purple dome, the color of royalty, stand out in the grey colored city.


    And looking around on the surface of the lake did the brothers realize how dirty the city was. The frozen waters could not hide the black waste that polluted the waters, and black clouds came out from large chimneys over the horizon.


    The only things devoid of such filth was the castle and two goblins standing before the brothers. Their pink skins were flawless and complexion, gentle and unassuming. The unwanted scraps littering the frozen lake did not taint their bodies. And they wore matching white v-neck sweaters, black pants, white masks, and black hats overly decorated with coloful flowers. Bishop, the twin brother, waved at the brothers. "WELCOME, OUTSIDERS, TO THE CITY CASTLE DISTRICT!" He yelled.


    Smoke and Rock had no time for pleasantries with the enemy. "Whoever lands last will have to fight the girl!" Rock announced.


    "Are you that scared to fight the loud one. I bet you two would fit perfectly for each other." Smoke joked. They leaped over the wide lake and landed in front of the twins. Smoke was the first to land and he quickly charged towards Bishop. He pointed his war club at Bishop''s direction and shot a lightning bolt at him. Bishop took a deep breath and screamed, creating a sound barrier that blocked the attack sent Smoke flying back to the frozen lake.


    ''I HOPE THAT WASN''T TO LOUD!" He yelled.


    Rock was the second to land, "Darn it, why do I have to fight the girl?"


    Queen teleported behind Rock and leaned close to his ears. "Why? Do you think I''m weak?" She whispered softly.


    Rock turned around and was about to punch her but stopped a moment before hitting her face. "Rock, why''d you stop?" Smoke asked.


    "I can''t,"


    "Can''t what? What do you mean?" Queen wondered.


    "I can''t do it! I can''t hit a lady. It''s just not right!"


    "What the hell are you talking about?" Smoke shouted, "You''ve sparred with Dawn. What makes this any different?"


    "I don''t know!"


    Queen smiled. "But I do," She pulled a gun out from underneath her sweater and shot Rock on the chest. The shot pushed Rock back and made him drop on one knee.


    "Rock!" Smoke yelled.


    "Did your mother ever tell you to wear a mask over your mouth? It helps prevent the foul stench from infecting your body with diseases. And with how disgusting the river is with the waste we dump in it, you wouldn''t believe how easy it is to get sick."

 Vol 12 Chapter 7: The Knight of the Underground Waters

    Spat, Cossack, and Horder arrived in one of the passageways leading to the water producing machine hidden beneath the castle, and just as Shuja mentioned, the lower levels were flooded, preventing them from entering. Fortunately, the three of them were excellent swimmers. Spat learned to swim during his time at the Red Plateau, swimming against a raging current while Pagasa continuously threw boulders at him, and Horder learned to swim at a young age to prepare to raid the riverside towns and villages from the northern lands.


    Cossack was the outlier among them. Spat has never seen or heard of Cossack''s exemplary swimming skills, and unlike Horder, there''s no history of him needing to learn how to swim. But Cossack not only knew how to swim, but that he was the best in his tribe. "I don''t think it is that difficult to be best when your tribesmen are herders that have no business in the water," Spat said.


    "Oh, the contrary!" Cossack puffed out his chest, "During spring and winter, the rivers we cross become dangerous as raging waters and thin ice make herding harder. And when a lost lamb get carried by the current, we have to swim ourselves to bring it back. The water''s violent currents could have killed them, but I the great,"


    "Ok, I get!" Spat splashed water on him and threw a waterproof cover to them. "Cover your bags and feet with that, and follow the light." Spat flicked his fingers, and a small light ball appeared behind him and dove into the water. "Let''s go!"


    They swam across until they floated above a staircase, then they dove and they crawled using the stair handles deeper underwater. Once they reached the base of the stairs, Spat looked for the white wings and followed them, occasionally resurfacing in the small air pockets created by the large holes on the ceiling. The light ball started fading, losing power, they swim.


    The cramped space enveloped them the further they swam, and the darkness did not lag behind. The jagged rock pointed at them as the tunnel seemingly shrunk each stride they take. Finally, they reached the end of the tunnel, where another staircase leading to higher ground waited for the goblins.


    Spat shot a new ball of light up, pushing out the darkness above them and which revealed the waste hiding from them. The bodies of dead goblins floated around them, and the dark, murky floor reached for their legs like tentacles. The goblin''s lifeless eyes seemed to follow them as they swim pass their corpse. Bones of goblins and animals and large chunks of metal littered the river floor. The disturbing scene nearly made Cossack vomit, but Spat quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the stairs. Horder quickly followed. Although he was not alien to death, it was still off-putting for Horder to see so many dead bodies in the river. Almost as if this underground river led to the afterlife.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    The three reached the surface and crawled out of the water. Cossack crawled away from them and vomited in the corner. "Are you going to be ok?" Spat asked.


    "Yeah!" Cossack. "I trampled goblins on the way here, but that scene in the water was far more disturbing."


    While Spat made sure Cossack was ok, Horder crawled away and to a large door. He could smell precious metals behind the door, and he could not contain himself and opened the door. The room was a treasure trove, filled with all kinds of precious jewelry, mechanical parts, and ceremonial pieces. Horder''s mouth started watering at the sight of the bountiful mountain in front of him.


    He jumped to the mountain but Spat caught him in the air. "What are you doing?" He asked Horder.


    "Nothing,"


    "Come on. We''re close to our target." They continued following the white wings path until they reached a large room with other doors on the walls and tiny holes with green light emitting from it on the dome ceiling. And on the center was a giant white spherical machine with two large pipes, as gigantic as a troll sticking out of it and towards the dome ceiling. Another large pipe hanged above it, disconnected from the machine.


    The pipes were transparent, and the gang could see water being transported from the left pipe. "That pipe is probably the one feeding the first section of the river." Cossack pointed at it.


    "Then which one is for the second section?" Horder asked.


    "It''s obviously the one with no water moving through it." A goblin with a blue feather walked out from behind the machine. "And if you want to use this, then you''ll have to go through me." Knight fist-bumped his chest, covered by a thick wool jacket.


    "Who the hell is that?" Cossack asked.


    Horder hid behind Spat, "It''s Harriman Knight, the knight of the city. The five tribes that make up this city have different roles. Knight is the King''s third commander and is in charge of things outside the city. Although, he hardly showed himself outside the city when I became the Chief of my tribe. And now it seems he''s in charge of guarding the machine."


    Cossack walked in front of Spat and Horder, "Well, it doesn''t matter!" Cossack took out a short spear, and he unfolded it, extending it by two arm''s length. "I will beat him because I''ve faced many knights before, and I have bested all of them." Cossack''s long nose began to twitch, "In fact, my name is known far and wide as the strongest rider in Venusia! Everyone, from the city-states of Baron Isle to the marches of the Church, knows of my name!" Cossack got on a sprinting stance, "And you''ll remember the name well too."


    A blue flash of light exploded on Cossack''s feet, and he flew straight to Knight and stabbed him with his spear. Knight''s body flew back and slammed against the wall. Cossack pointed his spear at the dome ceiling, "Time to end this!" Blue light began to shine at the tip of his spear.


    While Cossack was giving his speech to Knight, Horder snuck out from the chamber and ran back to the treasury. A cowardly move, but Horder rationalized his actions reasonably well. What can he do against Knight? He could barely face Olhos in his normal form due to phobia, and Cossack''s boasting seemed to be true. In Horder''s perspective, Cossack is as strong as Sun. So what could go wrong?


    Horder opened the room and dived into the mountain of treasures. He laid on his back and stared at the ceiling, happily surrounded by the valuable trinkets the city pillaged from the north. On the ceiling was a giant map painted with acrylic. The map showed a supercontinent with two smaller continents below on each end. And two mountain ranges dividing the continent into three. And on the western side, a giant inland sea divided the north and the south. Horder could tell that the western peninsula is the Venusia continent.


    It was tiny compared to the other continents, but the size did not matter. What mattered for Horder was the treasures one could get from the land and those who live on it.

 Vol 12 Chapter 8: Rising Stakes

    "And this attack not only destroyed castle walls, but it can blow a hole on a mountain!" Cossack bragged about his spear attack. The blue light grew brighter as he continued to boast about his extraordinary accomplishments to Knight leaning against the wall. "An attack so strong that the petty kingdoms from the south live in eternal fear knowing that Cossack, the rider of war, the bringer of glory, and the creator of destruction, lived just a few miles away from them. And you will know this fear, for I am the fastest and strongest around!"


    "I don''t about being the fastest or strongest," Knight said. "Because I can tell, I am much faster than you."


    "Such false statements will not comfort you once you''re gone! Gatling Missles!" Cossack aimed his spear towards Knight and launched a barrage of magic missiles. The attack dug into the wall and into another hallway. But when the dust settled, the only thing left was Knight''s wool jacket. "Now do you believe me! My ultimate attack is not to be made fun of, Knight! Cahahaha!"


    Spat rolled his eyes, and by doing so, he noticed a shadow move over Cossack. He looked above and saw Knight crawling on the dome ceiling. His chainmail reflected the soft green light. "Cossack above you!"


    "Huh?" Cossack looked up. Knight jumped off the ceiling with his orange dagger beneath his feet. He kicked the dagger towards Cossack.


    Cossack dodged it and jumped away. The dagger stabbed the ground, and when Knight landed on its hilt, the ground split in two. He grabbed the dagger before it fell into the abyss. The orange blade began to grow in its battle for supremacy in the chamber against Cossack''s blue spear.


    Knight crouched like a predator, and then he bounced from wall to wall until he reached his maximum velocity and flew straight to Cossack. He sliced the air, sending an orange projectile towards Cossack. Spat to run to him and blacked the first attack with his shield. Knight landed on it and kicked with the explosive force of his speed, slamming the shield against Spat and Cossack and the two crashed against the wall behind them.


    Spat got up and charged at Knight. Cossack grabbed his spear and charged its tip with his mana. "I''ll cover you!" He yelled. He shot dozens of magic missiles, and they followed Knight bouncing around the chamber. The blue astral projectiles weaved around the green spotlights.


    Knight spun as he flies across the room, launching multiple orange gusts that blocked the missiles. He protected himself from the attacks, but it slowed him down enough for Spat to catch up to him. He lunged at Knight flying in the air and smacked him in the face with his red shield. Knight crashed landed, but he did not stay on the ground for long.


    He crawled on the floor with his dagger in his mouth. Cossack sprinted towards him and thrust his spear. Knight somersaulted over the attack and swung his blade. Cossack barely dodged the attack with the orange blade barely grazing his wet gambeson. The floor behind became the victim of the blade. The ground was sliced open like a piece of paper cut in half by a scissor. Cossack smacked him away with his spear then fired a magic missile, which Knight easily deflected with his blade. The magic missile bounced off the dagger and redirected its path towards Spat. "Look out!" Cossack warned him.


    Spat had his shield raised and blocked the attack. "Come at me, Knight!" He shouted.


    Knight ignored him, preferring to bully the so-called famous rider of Venusia. Knight ran to Cossack, who was firing multiple rounds of magic missiles. Knight had deflected bullets shot by the pawns for morning practices, so these astral projectiles were easier to follow. They were larger and slower but worth the same amount of mana to deflect back to Cossack and Spat. "Hararara!" He laughed, "Those puny astral attacks won''t do you any good. My mana is far too strong!"


    Knight cut his way through until his one spear length away from Cossack. He parried the spear and rushed in. Cossack quickly changed his hands, pulling the spear closer to his chest, and blocked Knight''s downward slash. The mana on the spear was barely enough against Knight''s orange dagger. "Fuck." Cossack grunted.


    The orange mana infused onto the blade made it heavier. And the weight nearly destroyed the spear in half. But it did destroy the muscled on Cossack''s thighs, and the ground beneath him broke apart from the force. "You''re legs, they''re shaking" Spat gently whispered. "You know, there are two types of cowards, one that hides behind the strong and those that don''t know they''re cowards until they faced me."The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Spat bashed against Knight away with his shield. "Are you ok?" Spat asked.


    "Yeah, I''m fine." He said while tending to his aching legs.


    Blood softly poured out of Cossack''s nose."There''s blood out of your nose." Spat gave him a towel.


    "What?" Cossack wiped the towel across his face and checked the bloodstain. "I must have overextended myself. And where''s Horder?"


    Suddenly, Spat''s body was flung across the room by Knight. "No time to rest!" He sliced his spear in half and kicked Cossack against the wall. Cossack used his broken spear to parry Knight''s strikes. "You''re getting slower! I thought you were the fastest in Venusia!" Knight yelled.


    "Shut up!"


    Orange mana circulated around Knight''s abdomen and burst out as he flexed his chest, knocking the broken spear away. Cossack fell on the floor right when Knight stabbed in front of him. The knife narrowly missed his neck. The wall behind him began to fall apart from Knight''s attack, and cracks traveled up to the dome ceiling. And soon the section of the dome caved in and fell on top of them.


    Spat came to the rescue, protecting Cossack from the falling debris. Then they dug themselves out the rocks, and in front of them was Knight leaning against the machine without a scratch on him. "What''s wrong?" He asked them. "Out of breath? Or maybe you''re just all talk like your Chief?"


    "What did you say?" Spat''s eyelids squinted, "Don''t dare disrespect Sun!" Spat shouted.


    "I''m sorry, you''re right. I should show respect to the dead."


    "You asshole!" Wrinkles appeared between his eyes and his nostrils flared outward.


    Cossack grabbed Spat on the shoulder, "Calm down." He told him, "Horder is not here, but I think I know where I can find him. We''re going to need his help to find him."


    Spat took a deep breath, "You''re right. He''s not moving, which means he''s as tired as we are. Go find Horder, and I''ll stay here and fight him."


    "Alright." Cossack ran to the exit they entered from.


    "You''re eager to leave Mr. Cossack! I guess you''re no use in this battle, or maybe you''re just a coward, too scared to fight someone stronger than you." Knight taunted him.


    "Ignore him and go!" Spat yelled.


    "Yeah, go! I don''t need to fight a lying coward. Go and find that other one that ran out with his tail between his legs." Knight charged his legs. "Now prepare yourself, mister shield boy, because I''m only getting started!"


    "I''ll make you eat those words," Spat ran to him and the two clashed besides the Baptista.


    Cossack ran the hallway looking for the treasure room Horder had his eyes on. But his legs gave up, and he fell on his knees. But it wasn''t the injuries he received in the battle that made him slow, but the guilt that weighed on his heart. Knight''s words cut deep.


    Cossack tried to rationalize his actions. He was not weak, they just need help. Horder was the true coward for leaving them to fight one goblin. A goblin that looked as strong as they were. A goblin that he looked down on. He came into that room with so much confidence, going into battle with his bravado only for his armor to be peeled away by Knight''s words. But Spat can handle it. His strength is second only to Rock. He will surely win the fight before he even got there.


    But then images of Spat dying by Knight''s dagger filled his mind. Doubt began to push away his excuses until finally, his mind was clear of distractions. The only thing that remained was Artio being taken away by force and Cossack failing to save him. Artio was the reason he was willing to face his enemies, even if it killed him. And now, just because it''s Spat and not Artio, he was willing to leave him behind to search for another goblin that has yet to prove himself. He and Spat are the only ones capable of beating Knight, and now he left Spat to fend for himself. The sound of Spat''s struggle echoed in his mind and the tunnel''s walls.


    Cossack got back on his feet and took a deep breath, "Horder, you cowardly bastard!" He howled, "Come out of that room and fight, or we will lose everything!" Then he turned around and let the tunnel carry his words to Horder. He ran back to the chamber.


    Knight stood in front of Spat, who was on his knee, clenching his chest. "Cossack? What are you doing here?" He turned and faced Cossack.


    "Don''t worry, I''m coming!" Cossack ran to him, but a dagger suddenly flew and stabbed him on the shoulder. He stopped and pulled it out.


    Knight ran to him and kicked him in the face, crushing his nose. The sound of bones shattering echoed in the tunnels, and his boots left a print on Cossack''s face. "You shouldn''t have come." Knight took his dagger off Cossack''s hands. "Now, both of you are going to die." Spat''s arms began to change colors. His veins popped through his skin and glowed orange. "My mana is special. Or, more accurately, my kas can make my mana act like a poison. The color was not just for show."


    "You cheating bastard!" Spat yelled.


    "I didn''t cheat. That is merely my strength." Knight sat underneath a green spotlight. "That''s just how the world works. The strong and the gifted will always win. That is why your Chief is dead. I saw it with my own eyes. His skinny body in the middle of a giant crater! If I were you, I would give up, and sleep the pain away."


    "Never!" Cossack yelled. He stood up, healing his wound with a healing spell. "I saw it with my own eyes the miracle Sun achieved. And so did Spat. He did the impossible, beat monsters thought by others to be invincible!"


    Knight''s eyes widened. "How are you still standing?"


    "Sun will rise, and he will bring the dawn with him." His nose was bent to the left, blocking his left eye, but it managed to twitch itself out of his vision. "Just like how I rose despite the disease you infected me with. So don''t you ever look down on my king, because he will win!"


    Spat glanced at Cossack, "The poison. He must be immune to it since he also used poison." Spat thought. Knight and Cossack collided in the middle of the room. Cossack unarmed Knight and threw away his dagger. Without any weapons, the two fought each other sluggishly with their fist. The poison in his blood was starting to spread and weaken him ever so slowly, for he was not entirely immune. The time was ticking.


    Spat watched them fight, but he was not alone. Horder slowly entered the room carrying the treasure he coveted behind his back and watched Cossack fight. Cossack''s knees were giving in, and his punches barely left an expression on Knight''s face, but he Horder clung on to him. Cossack''s struggle was kind of pathetic. And yet, it reminded Horder of Sun''s effortless victory. The miracle Cossack spoke of might be true, and Horder was willing to take his chances. Bravery and pride began to swell his chest.


    Sun mentioned that the only way to start the machine was to give everything you had. And Horder was about to do just that.

 Vol 12 Chapter 9: Bishop The Showstopper

    Horder heard Cossack''s call for action. He stepped out of the room with a bag filled with the treasures he wanted most to keep, and he followed the voice in the tunnel until he arrived at the sight of Cossack and Knight fighting desperately under the gentle embrace of the green light.


    Spat was on the sideline, unable to move due to poison in his body. Horder dropped his bag and stared at the contents. He just needs to activate the machine by sacrificing everything, and he has everything in the bag. Horder ran to the machine while they were fighting and readied his heart. He checked for a way to dump everything he had, and soon enough, he found a large lid. He opened it and dumped his precious collection, and stepped back, expecting the machine to push out water on the other pipe, but nothing came out.


    Meanwhile, Cossack was losing the fight. His nose crushed flat and blood spilled out from his body like geysers. "Just give up!" Knight yelled, "You''ll never win!"


    Horder closed his eyes and cried out to the machine. Then Cossack''s voice reached him. "I want to give up, I really do." He told Knight before collapsing on him.


    "Do I have to give up my body, my soul!" Horder screamed.


    "What the?" Horder''s voice startled Knight, "I thought you left?"


    "I did," Horder ran to the machine and summoned his mana from his hands, and touched the machine. He closed his eyes and prayed to whatever god that could hear him. He prayed that his sister would be fine, that his tribe will prosper, and that his sacrifice brings the machine into life. "Fuck it!" Just as he yelled, blue flames exploded out of his feet and danced their way around his body.


    "No, impossible. How the hell did you?" Knight ran to him, but the fire protected Horder.


    The blue fire grew stronger and larger until before collapsing into the machine and exploding. The blast sent Horder and Knight into the air and crashing to a wall. Horder got on his feet, getting used to the sudden height difference of his body. He taller now, with short blond hair, gold plumage behind his ears, and blackened eyes. "Did I do it?" Horder said.


    "No, you idiot!" Knight yelled while facing the ground. "I lied. That pipe doesn''t lead to the second section. That leads to the moat around the city castle, which is frozen! We''re going to drown because of you!"


    The water traveled up the pipe, but because the path was blocked by ice, they made their way back to the chamber through the greenlit holes. The room began to fill slowly with water. "Then we''ll just have to wait," Said Spat, "For Rock and Smoke to break the ice."


    Above ground were the moat and the castle that stood as the epicenter of the city. Queen stood on the stairs looking down on her opponent, Rock. She taunted him to come up and confront her. Rock covered his mouth in order to avoid the toxins in the air that was messing with his head and ran to Queen.


    He jumped over the steps and placed all of his strength in his punch. Queen winked at Rock, which caught him off guard. Rock lost control in the air and missed Queen, punching the steps next to her instead. Queen placed her gun on Rock''s head and pulled the trigger, but Rock pulled his head back, and the bullet only managed to hit his nose. "Your nose is still intact." Queen continued to shoot him four more times on the chest until she ran out of ammunition. "Your mana is strong."You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    The bullets pierced through Rock''s gambeson, but it could not break through his thick and sturdy muscles. "It''s not just my mana. My muscles are as hard as diamonds."


    Queen leaned in and touched his chest, "Are you trying to seduce me?" Her gentle voice caressed Rock''s ears.


    "Get off me!" Rock covered his ears with his hands.


    "And now you''re playing hard to get? Helelele." She giggled. "Now get off my stairs, big boy." Queen pushed him, and he rolled down the stairs. Rock landed on his butt at the base of the stairs. Smoke grabbed his arm and helped him back on his feet while Bishop danced in the middle of the frozen lake.


    "Rock, I think we should switch."


    "What?" Rock raised an eyebrow, "You don''t think I can''t beat a girl?"


    "More like you don''t want to beat a girl. Besides, I haven''t inhaled whatever toxin she spoke of. At least I think I haven''t. And then there''s that annoying clown." Smoke pointed at Bishop. "Annoying he may be, his powers counters mine. Every time I try to shoot lightning at him, he creates a sound barrier by yelling on that odd-looking gemstone that blocks them."


    "And you think I can get past the barrier?"


    "Yeah, the sound wave isn''t that strong. I managed to get past it a few times and hit him, but it doesn''t matter if you lose your own battle."


    "Well, excuse me, Smoke! Hahaha!" Rock laughed.


    Smoke glared at him, "I''m serious."


    "Sorry." Rock created a ball out of his mana and plugged his ears. "I''ll make sure this guy can''t speak anymore."


    Rock smashed his fist together and ran to Bishop, while Smoke ran up the stairs, pointing his warclub at Queen. Electricity coursed through his veins and shot out through his warclub. Queen teleported to the top of the stairs, avoiding the blue lightning. Bishop watched the lightning storm on the stairs and laughed. Then he started rocking his butt back and forth while wiggling his finger in the air. "THOSE LIGHTNINGS ARE FLASHY, BUT MY VOICE IS JUST SO EXPLOSIVE!" He sang.


    "Good!" Rock leaped over him, "Because my fist is explosive too!"


    "NOW THAT''S THE SPIRIT!" Bishop yelled on the mic. His sonic attack shocked Rock''s body as it vibrated through his body, but it did not stop Rock''s fist from smashing his face against the ice. A blue mist seeped out of Bishop''s chest and traveled up his nose, then he shouted. The soundwave pushed Rock off of his body.


    Bishop rolled on his back and got on his feet. His nose was in an awkward angle after getting punched. He grabbed it and forcibly realigned his nose back in place. Rock cracked his knuckles, "Finally, get to punch something without feeling weird about it." He charged toward him and threw a right hook, but Bishop did not flinch, nor did his body react to the punch. Bishop used Arnis to strengthen his left cheeks, making it as hard as steel.


    "WAS THAT IT!" Bishop screeched. The sound vibrated through Rock''s body and the ice beneath them.


    "Shut up!" Rock punched him in the mouth.


    Bishop stumbled back, "THAT HURTS!" He spat out of the blood and wiped the drool off his face. "I''LL BREAK YOU!" He took a deep breath and released a compressed sonic blast, which pushed Rock away.


    "Pushing me away won''t save you!" Rock gathered the mana in his body and injecting them into his legs. Then he sprinted towards Bishop.


    "HOLY TINIA!" Rock''s body seemingly disappeared from Bishop''s vision, and only his giant fist was perceivable. And it hit him square on the face.


    Bishop flew back and crash-landed through the ice. He climbed out of the crater and glared at Rock. "YOU MONGREL! I WAS EXCITED TO SEE YOUR PERFORMANCE, BUT THEY WERE JUST ORDINARY PUNCHES. EVEN ROOK HAS A COOL, EXCITING SUIT OF ARMOR. BUT YOU''RE JUST A GOBLIN FROM THE WOODS THAT PUNCHES!"


    "And that''s all I need!"


    "NO!" Bishop stomped on the ice. "THAT IS BORING. I''LL SHOW YOU WHAT A TRUE SHOWSTOPPER CAN DO."


    Suddenly, the King appeared before Bishop in a blue flash of light wearing a thick wool coat. "Bishop, where is Queen?"


    "MY KING!"


    "That''s the King?" Rock asked.


    "SHE''S INSIDE THE CASTLE, WITH THE ENEMY." The King nodded, "I''LL STAY HERE AND KILL THIS BORING GOBLIN. I''LL SHOW HIM WHAT A TRUE BATTLE LOOKS LIKE!"


    The King did not say a word and left the two alone. He walked to the stairs and stared at the black stains caused by Smoke''s lightning. "Where do you think you''re going?" Rock ran to the King and was about to grab him, but Bishop shoved him away.


    "WE''RE NOT DONE!" Rock fell on the ground. Bishop shouted, releasing a sonic wave that pushed Rock across the ice.


    The King turned around, "Bishop, he''s strong. Take this." He tossed a gemstone.


    Bishop caught it and examined the piece. "THIS IS A NUCLEUS." A nucleus is an artificial gemstone created by the Sky People. The gemstone can store a near-infinite amount of mana.


    "There should be enough to deal with that goblin. Now go!" The King motioned Bishop to charge forward.


    Bishop excitedly absorbed the mana within the nucleus then threw it away once it was empty. He walked confidently on the ice, spinning his mic around his fingers. "TIME TO GET THE SHOW STARTED!"


    "A nucleus, huh?" Rock injected more mana on his legs. "That won''t save you from me."

 Vol 12 Chapter 10: Rock The Powerhouse

    Rock ran towards Bishop with his forearm shielding his head. Bishop opened his mouth, and his loud voice made the wind wail and scratch the surface of the ice. The soundwave smacked against Rock, but the force of his sound was not enough to hinder him.


    Rock''s speed accelerated rapidly, and his top speed reached unprecedented heights. He moved like a bullet train, a blur to the naked eye. But it was much terrifying from Bishop''s perspective. Rock seemingly grew in size the closer he got. Bishop absorbed the mana within the gemstone, and it converged within his throat. "GET BLASTED!" He shouted.


    The soundwave shattered the air and ice. Large crevices appeared as the barrier traveled on its surface, but Rock still kept running. A large blue barrier appeared before Rock, and with it, he body-slammed Bishop into a building a few yards away. Bishop grabbed Rock''s head and retaliated with a headbutt. Blood spilled out of their foreheads like a geyser, but it was Bishop that felt most of the pain. "You can''t just headbutt so casually, Bishop!" Rock yelled, "You never know hard your opponent''s head could be." He grabbed Bishop''s collar and threw him on the ice.


    The ice broke from the weight of Bishop''s fall, and the black murky water beneath the ice flowed out and contaminated Bishop''s flawless pink skin. "NO!" Bishop the last remaining mana within the Nucleus and used it to create wings that protected him from the waste.


    But the wings were too wet to fly him away. He fell into the cold, murky depths, and Rock followed him below. The ice surrounding them continued to fall into the large hole, filling it ice, now dirty from the muddy water. "It''s time to end this!" Rock said.


    "I COULDN''T AGREE MORE!" Bishop used his wings to form a cone in front of his mic. "TRY AND SURVIVE THIS! BASS BLAST!"


    A sonic blast was fired through his wings, amplified by its cone shape. It was thinner and more precise and traveled faster than his previous attacks. Mud flew out the hole, blown away from the attack. Rock released the mana within him and began to walk against the wave.


    His mana formed an exoskeleton, protected from the vibrations and heat created by Bishop''s attack. And he simply kept walking. He started out slow, but gradually he steps got faster and faster. Occasionally, the wave would knock him back a few inches, but he pressed forward. Rock was dauntless against Bishop''s voice.


    And his unwavering determination was beginning to undermine Bishop''s confidence. His attack got weaker as Rock closed the distance for every step he took. And finally, Rock reached Bishop, and then it got quiet. Only the sound from the engine running in the heart of the city, the rumbling water the travel through the underground riverways, and the cannons from a distance occupied the air. Rock grabbed Bishop''s wings and ripped it off his arms and shoulders, tearing the sweater''s sleeves off him in the process. Then he took off Bishop''s mouth, which revealed his frown and chattering teeth.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "My turn," Rock said.


    Bishop closed his eyes, "GO HEAD, SHOW ME WHAT YOU CAN DO!" He yelled back.


    Rock was surprised to hear his voice still have the energy from before. "I''ll show you!" Rock''s armor turned into liquid and surged on to his knuckles, "Diamond Fist!"


    His fist glowed a beautiful shade of blue and violet, with its light cascading around them. "BEAUTIFUL," Bishop whispered right before Rock punched him on the jaw. Bishop''s body fell to the floor, but the energy from the punch did not stop traveling.


    A wave of mana blew past Bishop''s head and penetrated through the ice, blowing the frozen moat apart. The ice was crushed into dust, forming glittering clouds around them. The cold fog gently caressed their skin while the hot spring day refect against the white ice. It was very bright inside the hole and the light revealed the dirty underbelly of the river. Bones, scrap metals, and goblin waster littered the floor and around Bishop.


    Rock sat on one of the fallen ice. His muscles were aching and exhausted. "HEY!" Bishop yelled.


    "What the?" Rock fell off his seat, "You''re still awake? And you can still talk?"


    "YES! I DON''T USE MY MOUTH TO SPEAK. VOICE IS IN THE BACK OF THE THROAT." Bishop had his hand on his lower jaw, trying to alight it with the rest of his skull. "HOW DID YOU DO THAT? MAKING YOUR FIST AS BEAUTIFUL AS THOSE GIANT ROCKS FROM THE DARK ELVES."


    "Why should I tell?"


    "I LOST, MIGHT AS WELL KNOW HOW I LOST."


    "I trained my fist for a year. My whole body was put in hell for one year, so it could never break." Rock grabbed the large ice he was sitting on and broke it with one hand, "I lost so many times before. So I made a promise that I will never lose again." Rock looked back during those months. He would punch Tungstrees until his knuckle bled. Pagasa would hit his head with an iron hammer that was used for smithing until his forehead was stronger than a knight''s helmet.


    The callouses on his knuckles were now his diamond rings, the proof of his labor to become the powerhouse among the brothers. When it came to brute strength, he was peerless. His entire body was molded into shape, becoming the symbol of the unmovable goblin kingdom that will rise from the muddy riverbank like a lotus flower. Pagasa trained him to become the shield for the kingdom. Unbreakable and unstoppable. "I cannot lose anymore. Because I have so many to lose if I did."


    "BUT ISN''T THAT UNFAIR. YOU PLACED ALL YOUR BETS ON YOUR LEADER. BUT NOW YOU SAW IT DIDN''T YOU. THE PERSON THAT RETURNED WAS MY KING."


    "So?" Rock said, "That doesn''t mean anything. I know Sun still out there and he will come back. Because if there''s one thing I learned, it is never too late to rise when you fall, because if you don''t, you lost. I would know, I lost so many times."


    Suddenly the earth began to shake, and the ice began to break. "IT LOOKS LIKE THE WATER IS COMING."


    "What did you just say?"


    "THE ICE LOST ITS INTEGRITY DURING OUR BATTLE. AND IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY TURNED ON THE BAPTISTA."


    Rock grabbed Bishop and jumped out of the hole, and ran to the riverbank. Water exploded out from the ice, carrying with them four goblins. The water continued to fill the moat and break through the ice. Rock caught the unconscious goblins. They were Spat, Cossack, Knight, and one he has never met before. The water continued to travel down the moat and into the canal, but the gate was still close. Rook was still there guarding the gate.

 Vol 12 Chapter 11: Smoke And Krepkiy

    Smoke chased after Queen into a large dining hall. A large hanging chandeliers light up the room with its soft white light. Queen stood on top of the long dining table, pointing her pistol at Smoke. She fired several shots, but Smoke blocked them with a barrier made of mana.


    Smoke jumped on top of the table and ran to her. Queen dropped her gun and pulled another one out of her sweater, fully loaded. She back stepped while firing. Smoke produced an electric current from his bronze war club. The electricity zapped the bullets in the air away from Smoke. "You''re one tough customer." She said.


    "Some say I''m electrifying."


    "Oh my, and I never knew you could be a jokester too."


    Queen jumped off the table and reloaded her gun. While reloading, Smoke took the initiative and threw a ball of electricity at her. She ducked, and the electric ball hit the marble wall. It exploded on impact, destroying the wall. "No more playing around." Queen shot the table Smoke was standing on, and it quickly turned into ice.


    Smoke slipped off the table, landing on his butt. He slammed his warclub on the ground and released a wave of electricity in Queen''s direction. The frozen table was between them and it shattered into pieces from Smoke''s attack. Queen put her hand on the floor and created an ice wall, blocking his attack. Smoke jumped over the wreckage and broke the ice wall in half with his heavy club. Then he grabbed sleeves, "Hope you''re not made of rubber." He told her.


    Smoke shocked her with his mana current. She gritted her teeth and used the mana coursing through her veins to lessen the pain. Then she concentrated her remaining mana on her forehead. Hard pressurized ice began to form on her head, and like the head of a hammer, she slammed headbutted Smoke as if he was a nail, and he fell on his knees.


    But this fall only made him more determined. Smoke yelled to the ceiling and released an unprecedented amount of electricity from his body. Pagasa hardened his body during their months of training. He learned how to control mana that was seemingly running with chaos. The flow of electricity was fast and vibrant but also wild and untamable ‘ͺ wilder than the fire burning within his brother. And unlike fire, a different form of control must be used to have some tangible control over such an element.


    Lightning was like water, it flows freely, and a dam would only flood the body. Instead, he built canals along his body and safely away from his internal organs. And the mana flowed down his veins and into his source of output, the Krepkiy warclub.


    Smoke jabbed it on Queen''s belly and released the power within the bronze cog. The electricity coursed through her and discharged behind her and onto the walls. "I said no more," Queen said with her static voice while grabbing the Krepkiy, "Playing around!"


    Queen''s hand released her cold mana and it covered the Krepkiy in ice, blocking the electrical charge. And without the only exit damned, the mana flooded back into Smoke''s shoulders. "Shit!" Smoke yelled from the pain. And the discharge created an explosion that sent him flying to the opposite wall.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Queen looked at the warclub and was surprised to see an arm from of goblin kinds worst enemy is being used as a club. She giggled, finding the irony humorous before tossing it aside. She leaped towards him. Her cold hands turned blue, and ice began to form on its knuckles. Then she punched Smoke''s face, breaking through the wall, and two fell into a gallery decorated with white canvases in gold painting frames. Smoke rolled away from Queen and got back on his feet. His warclub was frozen in the other room and without it, he could not use his electrical attacks at their most strength.


    Smoke drummed on his chest, and the beat produced electricity that circled around his fist. Smoke stared at the dining hall and at Krepkiy. "Let''s go!" Smoke yelled.


    Queen smiled at him then ran to him with her fist held high. They threw blows at each other, but neither of them could land a hit. They were equal in speed and strength, but Smoke''s punches still shocked her even they missed. Queen grew irritated from constant stings so she used her mana to cover the floor in ice. "Let us skate."


    "How much mana do you have?" Smoke asked. The level of difficulty of creating ice is similar to Smoke''s lightning. For ice to form, one must have a large mana pool to draw from, and then they must expel the heart from their body for the mana to come out and freeze. It''s easy to understand, but it''s nearly impossible to accomplish in practice because it takes a special type of body to succeed in using this technique.


    A body of coldness. The ice must be as cold as the heart inside, and indifferent to the world.


    Queen removed her mask, "More than you could imagine." Blue blades tore apart the soles of her boot, and she used it to skate to Smoke.


    He didn''t try to run away because he''ll just slip. Instead, Smoke clasped his hands together and smashed the floor. Queen fell on her side, and Smoke got on top of her. "No touching!" Spikes made of ice appeared out from her skin. The ice penetrated Smoke''s gambeson and pushed him towards the ceiling.


    Queen crawled out the spikes, passing through it like a ghost. Smoke was trapped on the ceiling, being pushed by the spikes. "Look at you," Queen climbed back on her feet. "You look just like the chandelier. Come on, show me your lightning. Let it bring light to this room."


    "Why are you not killing me?" Smoke asked.


    "Huh?"


    "I''m trapped. You could easily pierce me with an ice shard and be done with it."


    "I like to savor the moment. Besides, my ice didn''t even penetrate your skin. Which means I have a lot more skin to peel off you."


    Smoke noticed her hand shivering, "Or maybe you just can''t move. You used up too much."


    Queen threw an ice shard, and it lodged itself next to Smoke''s head. "I have a lot more in me!"


    "So does he." Smoke nodded.


    "What?" Suddenly, a cold metallic hand grabbed her thigh. She looked down and saw the Krepkiy defrosted and animated.


    "I hope you''re not made of rubber," Smoke taunted.


    The Krepkiy released a strong discharge that lit up the room. The heat shattered the ice pillars and burned the white canvases around them. And the energy from Krepkiy burst the walls open, opening the city horizon for Smoke to view. Then it stopped, leaving Queen unconscious while standing.


    Smoke fell to the floor and caught Queen before she collapsed. Krepkiy crawled up Queen''s body, stood on its cog head, and raised his hand for a high five. "Good job Krepkiy," Smoke slapped the metallic hand then carried Queen out the room.


    Krepkiy crawled close behind him. Smoke trained hard to control his kas to use the lightning technique. But during his training, his warclub turned from the output rod he needed to release his energy to a separate entity. Pagasa theorizes that Smoke''s attempts to create a connection between him and his weapon to conduct his mana safely caused an unforeseen side effect.


    The mana spell he wrote in his body to control his mana was similar to the golem spell inscriptions inside them. And as a result, the arm reacted to the inscription as a golem. It puzzled them how when it lacked a power source such as a nucleus, but Smoke was essentially a battery. His electric currents can power the arm and even control it as if it was an extension of his body and mind. But Krepkiy still had a character of its own, and it viewed Smoke like a father.


    Despite its little fingers, it can still keep up with Smoke''s long strides. But then it suddenly stopped. It sensed something is coming towards them, something stronger than Queen. Terrifyingly by a large margin.


    Krepkiy jumped on Smoke''s shoulders and bonked him on the head. "Ouch," Smoke flinched, "What was that for?" Krepkiy stood on Queen and pointed at the giant hole to the outside world. A goblin stood on the rumbles of the wall and glared at them. "You have a lot of explaining to do, invader."

 Vol 12 Chapter 12: Then Dawn Came

    Five of the original pawns pushed through the invader''s defensive line and retook the tower that watches over the gate. Four of them stayed on the ground to defend themselves from oncoming attacks while the rest of the pawns climbed up the tower, led by Spreckels, a redhead pawn.


    Astor and Cooke reloaded their rifles while Osgood, a female goblin with black hair fired her gun at the enemy forces to keep them away. Schwab, a bald red conqueror and the youngest among the original pawn, was making a Molotov behind the tower walls. Once Osgood ran out of ammo, Astor and Cooke took switched places with her.


    The squad of legion marching towards them was protected by the Tungstree shield. The bullets bounced off its impenetrable skin. "Looks like we have to turn up the heat!" Cooke yelled.


    "Way ahead of you!" Astor released his mana out from his forearm and coated his rifle with the blue sticky substance. The bullets that came out of the barrel were coated with the same mana, and it created an outer shell that could pierce through the enemy shield.


    Half of the squad fell to the floor, and they immediately retreated, pulling the fallen out of the field. The Orgut cavalry tried to shock them with their charge, but Astor and Cooke shot through their attempts, and the cavalry retreated before any of them could lose their lives. White, one of the legions that marched to retake the tower, ran to his captain, Parma. "Captain, we can''t retake the tower. They know how to use mana!"


    Parma removed her helmet and whipped her long blonde hair to the back of her head. She raised her hand and shot a light blue orb into the air, leaving a blue trace in the air. Stick saw the signal on the boat and grabbed Skydas, "We got trouble on the tower. You''re coming with me!"


    "Yes Sir!"


    "What about the mortars?" One of the legions asked. "Who will protect us from them?


    "Don''t question Stick!"


    Stick tap Skydas'' shoulders, "Calm down. "More of the Mastons are arriving from the underground system. We''ve already mentioned to them during a briefing about possible siege weapons, so the mortars shouldn''t be a problem. But if it does, get off the ship and seek cover in the city. Spread that order to the others."


    "Yes Sir!" The legion raised his shield and crawled away from them as arrows fly pass him.


    "Alright, let''s go, Skydas!"


    Stick and Skydas jumped off the ship and fought their way through the enemy lines. Along the way, other lieutenants joined them. Skild''s shield was the biggest among them and still moved with grace and speed. He jumped over the wall and slammed against those standing in his way like a charging bull. And Stick and Skydas hid behind him.


    Meanwhile, Bi and Bord were at the tail of the run. Their shields protected them from attacks from behind. They soon reached the bridge formed the tortoise formation. Bord and Skild were at the front while the other three held their shield over their head. And running parallel to their shields was a blue screen that protected them from the pawns'' attacks. The bullets passed through the screen, but their mana disappeared, reduced to ashes, and returned to their original state.


    They slowly marched forward towards the tower. Astor ran out of ammo and switched places with Osgood. But before he could leave, Cooke grabbed his hand, "Go up the tower!" He yelled.


    "And why I should I do that? We have five red conquerors that have powerful abilities like us. Unless you think an old goblin like you,"


    "Just do as I say!" Cooke Shouted with an angry tone unheard by the other pawns, "Schwab, I need that Molotov now!" He pushed Astor away.


    Astor glared at him one last time before entering the tower. Schwab tapped his shoulders, "Don''t worry, we got it!" He yelled with his coarse voice. Then he ran out smiling and lunged his Molotov at the marching legion. The fire covered the thin barrier and overwhelmed it, eventually forcing it to collapse. The barrier shattered like a mirror and scattered on the floor.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Then Schwab grabbed two bayonets and tossed them to his comrades. "Time to stab them!" He yelled.


    Cooke and Osgood placed the bayonets on the rifle and rushed into battle. Schwab pulled his rifle from the tower with his mana string and caught it in his hands, and cover fired for Cooke and Osgood. "Die! Die!" He sang at the beat of his gunshots.


    Cooke and Osgood and flanked the enemy, but they were expecting them. Parma and Bi left the formation and met their attackers with their shields. Bi blocked Osgood''s bayonet charge and punched her in the face, then pulled out her short sword. Meanwhile, Parma parried Cooke''s attack and side kicked him towards the ledge.


    Schwab tried to shoot Parma down, but the giant shield Skild held came flew to him, hitting him in the face. Parma drew her iron mace charged towards Cooke. She slammed her mace against Cooke''s rifle and they continued to trade blows, with neither of them gaining the upper hand. "Where the hell is Stick?" She yelled.


    Skydas pointed at the top of the tower, "Sir Stick already reached the top!"


    "What?" Osgood exclaimed, "When did he pass us?"


    Cooke kicked the ground and flew far away from Parma, then turned to Osgood. "Why do you think I sent Astor back?" He said. Cooke pulled his rifle close to his chest and aimed it at Parma. She wasn''t afraid of Cooke''s gun, and she darted towards him. Cooke pulled the trigger, but she deflected them all with her mace.


    Meanwhile, Astor was running up the stairs. He kicked the door open and saw the goblin that led the squad of red conquerors. Around him were the pawns, covered in blood and lying lifeless on the floor. Spreckels was topless, her armor chainmail sliced in half and on the ground. And she was leaning on the ledge with her hands over her wound. "You fucker!" Astor charged towards Stick.


    Stick spun his sickles around him and slashed Astor''s rifle apart. "Astor!" Spreckels held her hands in front of her.


    Spreckels was one of the pawns that came with Knight. She knows well how strong they are, but they should all have weaknesses. Fire came out from her palm and she sprayed it at Stick and the sickle orbiting him.


    The fire burned the rope away, but Stick did not rely on the rope. They are just there for better visual reference. What connects him to the sickles was the thick mana string coming out from his hands.


    Stick turned around and guided the sickle''s flight towards Spreckles wrist, cutting her hands off.


    "No!" Astor grabbed his bayonet and rushed to Stick. But a hand grabbed his shoulders and threw him back to the door, and his body plummeted down the stairs. Astor saw the goblin that threw him away. She was tall and muscular, but her smile was soft and gentle. Her blond hair swayed in the wind and the sunlight made her hair glow into a pure orange color. Then he fell into the darkness, and his body splashed against the hard stone surface.


    Spreckels stared in disbelief. Another goblin as strong as Stick arrived. A woman with an imposing body stood before them. Her aura was just like the one she escaped from days ago.


    Stick dropped his sickle, "Dawn, what are you doing here?"


    "Came to help."


    "And how in Tinia did you even get here?" She raised a brow, "Pagasa wasn''t it?"


    "Yup,"


    "But why?"


    "It''s a long story." Suddenly, a horn was sounded at the ship. A horde of goblins started to swarm the north river wall, wearing a glowing collar. "It looks like they need your help."


    "And what about you?"


    "I''ll go ahead and meet up with Shuja. I spotted her on the other side on my way here, and it looked like she needed help."


    "And I hope you''re wrong." Stick jumped down the tower and threw his sickle on the boat''s mast. He swung to the wall and landed on top of a group that parted from the swarm. He killed the goblin he landed on, causing the collar to explode, which started a chain reaction. The other goblins exploded, and the explosion knocked Stick out of the wall.


    Elena saw him and ran to him, catching his hands before he could fall. She pulled him up, and the two briefly stared at each other in the crossfire. "You grew taller," Stick said.


    Elena brushed her short black hair to the back of her ears. "Thank you," She smiled, and the two stood up. The height difference was still impressive, with Stick''s height overshadowing Elena. But she was still a red conqueror, and hopefully, by the end of the war, she will be able to look into his eyes at the same level. "What brings you here?"


    "The horde," Stick pointed at the goblins attempting trying to swarm the wall. "I thought I''d help you, but none of you guys are trying to kill them."


    "The collars would explode if they die." Just as she said that another explosion erupted. The Zackons left their ships to defend the wall, but they didn''t know about the collar and the result of the slave''s death. Killing one would result in multiple slaves dying, which will create a larger explosion.


    "There must be a way to stop their advancement."


    "Our sleeping gas!"


    Stick hugged her, "Great idea!"


    "But we don''t have them anymore." Elena pushed Stick off and tried to hide her red cheeks with her hands, "The other squads might still have some, but most of them exited on the other side of the river."


    "Then I''ll go swing by and collect as many as we need."


    "And I''ll go tell the Zackons to fall back."


    "Alright, I''ll be back real quick!" Stick jumped to the river and threw his sickle at the ship''s mast. He swung across the river and landed on the other wall. And standing in front of where he landed was Cooke and his rifle.


    The legion lieutenants'' hubris caused them dearly. Schwab''s restless violence pushed the shield wielders to the edge, with Osgood pulling the trigger to their ultimate downfall. Only two of the lieutenants were still standing, Skydas, the hot redhead loyalist, and Bi, the leader of Sun''s legion squad. The rest of the legions were on the floor, trying to block the bleeding while removing the bullets dug deep in their flesh. They pray that this humiliation does not last long.


    Cooke left the four to battle. His target was Stick, the man that killed everyone on top of the tower, including Astor, who fell to his end. He learned that the leading opposing commander was the one that defeated Astor, so he hoped to send him to the top will let him have his revenge, but Cooke only led to his death. The guilt came quick to Cooke''s heart, and it was heavier than the metal beams that the city was built with. And he''s going to use that heavy burden to beat Stick to death.

 Vol 12 Chapter 13: The Wolf and Little Red Archer

    Shuja shot her arrow true, gliding in the air with the grace of a dove and the fury of a hawk. Wings made of mana spread open wide, and it cast a large shadow over the river floor. Rook stood proud and tall and accepted the arrow into him with open arms. His thick armor shined brightly under the hot sun, and it too was eager to receive the arrow.


    The bird-shaped arrow slammed against Rook''s body, and it pushed a few feet back. Olhos leaped and landed on Rook''s gigantic shoulders and tried to tear his helmet off. Rook grabbed Olhos by his tail and threw him to the ground.


    Then he got on top of him and proceeded to beat him with his fist. "Olhos!" Shuja ran to them with an arrow in her hand. She jumped on his back and stabbed him on his shoulder. The arrow exploded and the blast pushed Rook off Olhos'' body. "Are you ok? You need to be more careful." Shuja helped him get back on his feet, "Just because you''re an oversize bipedal wolf monster doesn''t mean you''re unstoppable."


    "Sorry," Olhos blew out blood from his nose. The wounds on his face started to heal rapidly.


    "Woah. Your wounds are closing up without a healing spell. How are you doing that?"


    "Probably part of the curse." Olhos shrugged his shoulders.


    Rook tackled Olhos and punched Shuja away, "Curse?" He wrapped his arms around Olhos'' neck, "You have no idea! That power you wield is a blessing among the Askal Clan. The power to turn into a werewolf is a guarded secret, with only the main branch of their family have knowledge of this technique. And yet here you are, a werewolf among the goblins."


    Shuja landed on her back on top of a boulder. She pushed herself up and shot another glowing arrow. It landed on Rook''s side, and it pushed him away. Rook rolled on the floor, stopping once he hit a stone pillar protruding out from the mud.


    "Olhos, get up!" She yelled.


    "I''m up. I''m up!" Olhos got back on his feet and shook the wet mud off his fur. "I don''t think our plan is working. That helmet is glued to his head."


    "Quit standing there and run!"


    Rook got back up. He turned around and grabbed the pillar and used it like a lance. Rook ran to Olhos at top speed, accelerating faster than he ever had before. Olhos jump to the side, but Rook shifted his body and changed direction despite the extreme angle and impaled Olhos with the stone pillar. And he shoved Olhos on the mud, with the pillar on top of him. "How did you get their power. Did they give it to you with the hope of you killing my King."


    "What the hell are you talking about," Olhos yelled.


    "They''ve been jealous of my King ever since he became the Church as a patreon. They sent their so-called best assassins, but many perished by my fist. And you will be no different."Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Olhos tried to push the pillar off, but the crushing weight was too much for Olhos. Rook pushed the pillar down slowly, letting Olhos'' agonizing scream grow louder. Shuja drew out another arrow and concentrated her mana at the tip. "Hold on just a little longer, Olhos," She whispered.


    A swirling wind begins to surround the arrow, and blue light grew in intensity. Rook saw the light reflected by the pillar''s polished surface. He relocated his mana to the side of his armor facing Shuja. When she released her arrow free, it flew to Rook and shattered on impact against Rook''s impenetrable armor. Shuja quickly shot another one, with short wings forming out from the arrow. The arrow used the wind and its wing to guide itself in the direction of the pillar. It pierced the pillar''s surface, and it created a shockwave that pushed the pillar out.


    And while he was distracted, Olhos used his claws to slice through the armor, but just as before, it did not cut it open. But Shuja, with her keen eyes and mana strings attached throughout the battlefield like a spider''s web, noticed Rook''s chest break just a little from Olhos'' attack. Rook did not notice the measly attack left a mark so small that an ant could barely fit in. And that small scratch was the target.


    "Olhos, aim for the chest plate!" She yelled.


    Olhos roared and struck against the magical armor, but suddenly, a loud explosive sound erupted far away from them, at the top of the tower on the dam blocking the river from the central lake. And what followed was a bullet that grazed Olhos'' thick fur, but still hot enough to burn it ever so slightly.


    Shuja fired another arrow. When it reached Rook, dark blue clouds exploded from its tip, obscuring Rook''s vision. "Olhos, fall back!" She yelled at him.


    Olhos sprinted away from Rook and the two met behind a large boulder. "What was that?" Olhos said. He poured the cold black mud on his fur.


    "There''s a marksman aiding him." Shuja took out her arrow and raised it over the boulder with a shard of glass tied on its head. She looked through the reflection and saw flashes of light on top of the tower. "It looks they''re on the tower."


    "You think you can shoot them down?"


    The mirror was shot to pieces by the sniper. Shuja threw the arrow away, "No, I don''t think my arrows could reach it fast enough. They''ll just dodge it once they see it a miles away."


    "Maybe I can tank the shots."


    "Your fur can''t block everything, Olhos."


    "Then what are we supposed to do?" Olhos pulled the fur on his head, "I wish Sum was here. He''d know what to do."


    "You act like you weren''t one of the best hunters in the tribe."


    "Well, I wasn''t. I can track an animal and shoot an arrow to kill it, but anything else is too much for me. There were times when I became the prey, and I could never dig myself out of those situations. It was Sum that dug me out of the hole. The best I could do was to just follow orders. I don''t have the power to think of a way out of this mess."


    "You talk about Sum too much. And rely on him too much, too." She turned to Olhos, "Remember when that juvenile troll attacked us. Cala and his dick-suckers ran away while everyone was getting crushed under their destroyed homes. But you stayed and fought."


    "What?"


    "Yeah, I saw you! You stayed and helped beat the troll. Why do you think Sun wanted you to stay? You''re a good man and even better hunter."


    "More like a monster" Olhos'' stared at his paw.


    "And that''s what makes you the best hunter!"


    Suddenly, a flash of blue light appeared in front of them. And walking out of the light was Dawn, "You tell him, girl!"


    "Dawn!" Shuja clapped her cheeks. "What are you doing here?"


    "Dawn! That''s Dawn!" Olhos was even more shocked than Shuja. Dawn''s cherry blond hair brought life in the middle of the dark empty river bed. She had an hourglass figure, but with a visible muscular physique. The soft consort of the Chief became a beautiful hardened woman.


    "What''s wrong Olhos? Is my transformation more unbelievable than your own?"


    Shuja grabbed her by the shoulders, "Why did you come here, how did you come here, and what happened to your hair? It used to have a nice goldish color, but now it''s almost like redhead''s hair color."


    "Calm down, I just dyed it a bit. Also, I used this," Dawn showed them a small gemstone wrapped by a metallic ring. "It''s a nucleus that Pagasa lend it to me. It''s programmed to let me teleport wherever I need to go."


    "And why come here? I can take care of that marksman easily," Shuja said with a smug look.


    "You can?" Olhos asked in amazement. Then another shot was heard and the sound of the bullet''s ricochet startle Shuja.


    "I sure you can Shuja," Dawn smiled. "But I also came here because Pagasa sensed something was wrong after Mari collapsed. So he teleported here and I tagged along. And we found him."


    "Mari collapsed?"


    "Yes and when we got here, we found Sun''s dying body."


    "What?" Shuja and Olhos yelled.

 Vol 12 Chapter 14: Mother And Child

    Pagasa was sitting next to Mari in her bedroom. She kept asking questions about the goblin kingdoms, his immortality, and other trivial matters. The warm orange light bounced off Mari''s gentle, soft skin. Her beautiful glow could distract any man, but Pagasa had too much in his mind for earthly pleasures.


    At the corner of the room was Cyrus, huddled at the edge of her. She hid her eyes from Pagasa. He finds her strange demeanor concerning but does not have much experience comforting those suffering from traumatic experiences. He himself has much on his mind to even help.


    The conversation with Mari eased his mental worries. Her voice calmed him, and her questions offered him a short respite from the harsh reality that was happening miles away from them. And this short break ended when Mari suddenly collapsed.


    She stood up from her bed to offer Pagasa some tea to drink when her legs went limp, and she fell to the hardwood floor. Pagasa tried to help her, but Cyrus pushed him away. She started crying hysterically just when Mari lost consciousness. Flute was outside the room and ran inside when she heard the noise. She called caretakers in, and they carried Mari to her bed.


    Cyrus stood between Mari and Pagasa. She covered her eyes while looking at him as if the harsh sunlight was attacking her eyes. "Get out!" She yelled. "You hurt her!"


    Flute immediately pushed Pagasa out of the room, "Go, we''ll take care of her." Mari''s condition was getting worse as time ticks by. Her body was losing weight rapidly, and her the light of her body was disappearing. Cyrus got on her knees and clung to her hands in desperation.


    He didn''t mind Cyrus'' verbal attacks because he was more concerned about the strange mana leaking out of Mari''s body. While she was pushing him, he looked down at the floor. The thread that connected the mother and child was no longer as thin a hair string, but it was now thick as a rope. And this rope moved like a snake, slithering out from Mari''s body. Pagasa turned to look at Mari one last time before Flute closed the door on him. He saw her eyes sinking and sweat pouring out from her skin. There was no time to waste.


    He sprinted out of the barn and pulled his magical container. "Pan, get me the teleporter." He told the box.


    The box played a jingle then its top burst open with a tentacle carrying a gemstone hugged a beautifully crafted metal ring. Pagasa closed the box and started to pour his mana into the gem. While he was turning on the device, he was interrupted by Dawn and Mabel. They were taking a stroll with their children. "What are you up to, Pagasa?" Dawn asked.


    Pagasa stared at the amazonian woman in front of her. Dawn was not as tall as her, but he could see Gisele, the orc disciple he studied with under the Red Wizard, taking Dawn under her wings. Such power and strength both in mind and body. If only she didn''t have a daughter to care for, he would have trained her every day along with the boys. But an idea popped into his mind. "Snow," Pagasa pointed at the little girl, "That''s her name, right?"


    "Yeah."


    "A year old, and she can now walk."


    "I know, right!" Dawn smiled, "It''s amazing, but of course, she needs to catch up with Apple if they are to be married."


    Mabel slapped Dawn''s shoulder, "Dawn, Apple too young!"


    "Ahahaha!" Dawn laughed, "But why are you asking about my daughter''s age now."


    "I was just curious." Pagasa threw the gemstone to Dawn, "That''s a nucleus." Dawn nearly dropped the stone after juggling it between her hands.


    "It''s freezing!" She shouted.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "I just turned it on. Mabel, do you mind taking Snow."


    "Taking Snow! What are you up to?"


    "We''re teleporting."


    "Teleporting?"


    "To the battlefield."


    Before Dawn could protest, an intense blue light exploded out from the nucleus and when the light dissipated, Dawn found herself in a new place. Pagasa was crouched next to her, examing something invisible. "Where are we?"


    Pagasa grabbed the mana rope that connected the mother and child and followed the flow of mana to its destination. Dawn chased after him, berating him for the lack of explanations. Eventually, they reached a large crater. "Woah, you think a mountain fell from the sky or something?" Dawn wondered.


    Pagasa climbed down the crater and continued to follow the mana. But it didn''t take long for Pagasa to noticed the large ball of yarn in the center of the crater. The yarn was made of mana, and it was converging into Sun, who was lying on the ground. Pagasa''s eyes widened at the sight of his body. He lost the majority of his body weight, and so nothing was left but his skin and bone. And yet, his body was still clinging to life.


    Dawn caught up with Pagasa and shrieked when she saw Sun''s body. She kneeled next to him, "What happened to him?"


    "This will be your first lesson," Pagasa told her. "I need you to focus on your eyes, transfer your mana into your iris. And see with your eyes."


    Dawn did as she was told. She learned the basics from Mari and Pagasa, but it was her first time fusing mana into her eyes. It took her time to activate her eyes but eventually, her eyes glowed bright blue, and the world around turned dark grey. But a source of light lit her new world, and it was mana around them.


    After a few seconds of adjusting to her new surroundings, she looked around her and saw the large ball of yarn that was attached to Sun. Pagasa walked around the ball. "Dawn, come here."


    "What do you need me for?"


    Pagasa handed her the rope, "Tie this for me. We can''t have any more mana flowing through here."


    "Why?"


    "Because that mana belonged to Mari''s kas." Pagasa dipped his hand into the yarn ball, "Did you stop the flow yet?" Dawn nodded, "Good." Pagasa used his mana to unravel the mess before him. When the pipeline was free, the mana flooded inside Sun''s body.


    Sun miraculously recovered from his ailments and woke up. He jumped to his feet and looked at his surroundings. He was surprised to see his mentor and Dawn. "What happened? Did we lose?" He spat out along with blood.


    "Sun, are you ok?" Dawn was about to walk to him.


    "Don''t let go of that!" Pagasa ordered.


    His tone startled the two goblins. "Woah, is everything down the toilet for you to get so angry." Sun joked.


    "Your mother''s condition is no joke."


    "What?" Sun grabbed Pagasa''s collar, "What happened to her?" This time, he was the one that was angry. But his anger was not enough to strengthen his body against his mentor. Pagasa easily subdued him to the ground. "What the hell happened to her?"


    "She collapsed and fell to a coma. And that''s because of you."


    "Me?"


    Pagasa taught him the same technique as Dawn. Once Sun got the hang of the spell, he asked them about the giant hose Dawn was blocking with her body. "That is connected to you and your mother," Pagasa answered. "And it''s the only reason you''re alive."


    "I don''t get it. King absorbed all of the mana inside my body. I was essentially dead."


    "But you''re not because you are doing the same thing to your mother."


    "What?"


    "The string that connects you to your mother acts as an emergency feeding tube. When you ran out of mana, your body absorbs the mana from your mother. And with how reckless you were in this battle, your body and kas were desperate for mana. And who else to take but the spare battery that is your mom."


    "My mom is not a battery! And is it too late." Tears started to flow down his cheeks, "Maybe I should go back home. Retreat until she fully recovered."


    "And? That doesn''t fix the problem. Andrew will still suck out the mana out of you. Then your body will steal Mari''s mana to compensate."


    "Then cut it!"


    "What?"


    "Cut the string! I don''t need it."


    "Are you insane? If I do, you''ll have no safety net to..."


    "So what? I don''t need a safety net if it means my mom will die because of me." Sun pushed himself off the ground despite Pagasa sitting on top of him. "I have no intentions of putting my mom in a position that will hurt her again! I trained under you to get stronger, so I don''t need that stupid tube. I''ll beat King with my own strength! And if he wanted to steal it so bad, then he''ll have to kill me first."


    "Wasn''t the point of that was to kill you, to begin with?" Dawn asked.


    "Well, yeah, you''re right." Sun gave up and crashed to the earth under Pagasa''s heavy butt.


    "But I''m serious. Let''s just cut it."


    Pagasa got off Sun and sliced the thread with his finger. The mana that Dawn blocked from entering Sun''s body turned back and headed south to return to their original owner. Cutting the string caused immense pain for both parties. Mari was jolted awake from the cutting.


    Sun''s body suffered a brief seizure, but his body and kas quickly recovered from the shock. "I probably should have warned you about the pain. But you''re no longer attached to your mother, which means you''re on your own. The times when you were supposed to die only to recover miraculously will no longer be the case. Are you ready? Ready to kill their wannabe king?"


    Sun laid on his back and stared at the clouds trying to catch his breath. Dawn sat next to him and patted his shoulders. "Looks like you are in tip-top shape to kill that bastard!"


    "Yeah, about that." Sun got up, "I don''t think it a good idea to kill him."


    "Why?" Pagasa asked, but he realized soon enough the reason why he couldn''t. "He''s the Golden Condottiero that elf mentioned."


    "Yeah, which means killing him is a no go. But if I think about it, just beating him will be bad for us. You think the continent will just ignore us, a band of goblins, after killing a figure with so much pull on the world."


    "Don''t worry about it. I''ll deal with the repercussions. Just go and deal with my problem student for me." Pagasa smiled. "Dawn, get Sun to the city."


    "And you?"


    "I''ll go have a talk with an old friend."

 Vol 13 Chapter 1: A Golden Condottiero

    It is said that the world must rely on the strong to function. The strong are the shield that protects them from aggressors and the sword that wages battle against their nemesis. And due to their strength, they had the will necessary to rule the world, but strength is not the only factor. Leadership required cunning, compassion, and collaboration. And not all of the warriors standing on the peak of power had these traits.


    But the strong only respect the strong. And they were ambition beyond belief. So to control them, the world''s most powerful leaders organized a system that allowed those that seek power but were not born to lead a way to satisfy their hunger for power.


    The Golden Condottiero was that system. The title was given to the most powerful beings on the planet, with their names alone spreading dread as far as the tongue could reach. They had the strength to destroy mountains and split oceans apart. And with their legend, an army that gathered around them hoping to be recognized by their heroes and maybe earn the prestige to become a Golden Condottiero.


    But the title was not enough, and for many, it was just a useless title meant to shackle them in place. They were not as strong as those that put them in their position. They don''t have a nation, nor were they qualified to lead one, but that didn''t stop some from creating their own. Most of them succeeded. They built cities with slaves, golems, or by themselves. Some usurped already existing rulers. But there were some born lucky enough to be the heir in line for the throne. Some were lenient with their laws while others invaded their subjects'' lives, telling them what to do, what to eat, and what to think.


    Because of the chaos brought upon them, the superpowers created a law that the mercenaries must follow, or they will be revoked of their status. These laws were simple, and they go as follows:


    They must not ally with the great powers that are fighting against a superpower.


    They must not pledge allegiance to more than one superpower. Only one of them can pledge allegiance to one superpower.


    They must not switch sides during a war.


    And they must never wage war against another superpower. They can only join a war started between two superpowers.


    The law did not do much to stop the chaos, but it did secure the rule of those that created it, protecting themselves from the very toxin they produced. But soon, the law and the title grew more than it was before. And fear turned to awe and respect. The Golden Condottieros were proud of their chivalry, but they''re still some loopholes that romance could not mend. Remnants of the chaos the strong let proliferate under their rule.


    Andrew Prince was born into this world knowing none of these things. He knew nothing about the weight a Golden Condottiero carried in the world. All he cared about was why he was naked and on the floor. And why he was surrounded by goblins.


    He was human before. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he enjoyed life without any worries. He was raised to believe in a distorted reality where everyone lived at the side of the pristine ¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ river and owned a garage big enough to fit their race car collection. And with his wealth, he had little to worry about and had free time to do as he pleases. One of his favorite hobbies was collecting guns from various time periods and learning about them.


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    Prince opened his mouth and yelled at them, "Fuck off!" But this startled the goblins, especially his mother. "Who the hell are you?"


    The goblin woman wearing a golden gown grabbed him and raised him to the sky, "My son, so smart!" She cried out.


    Prince was born as the heir to the Chiefdom of Karat, again born to the elites. But this world was not like his own. No amount of wealth his new family has could let him escape the harsh reality he was living in because he was a goblin. A lowly, pitiful goblin.


    Prince grew up with malice. His hatred of the world grew alongside his body until the day of his tenth birthday. Most of the women in the Karat tribe were sterile, forcing the tribe to raid not for gold but for women. Because of this, the tribe was ruthless and aggressive, and most importantly, the tribe was made up of halflings. They grew to adulthood in less than three weeks, but they were malnourished compared to the purebreds. They were hungry, and through their desperation, they acted like a mindless beast that must be tamed by the Prince''s parents.


    They ruled over them with an iron fist. And because the halflings were inherently weak, they were easy to herd. The strong would beat the weak whenever they give in to their desire. One will not feel hungry because the fear of getting hurt was far more powerful.


    At the age of twelve, Prince was given a horsewhip and beat his first halfling to death. His parents were both proud and upset. Proud to have raised a son so strong and cruel but upset that he killed one of their meatshields. This experience was nothing like Prince had before in his past life. It was a fantasy he never dreamed would be real. Living every day with no thrills of danger had made his already distorted sense of reality feel like a grey world filled with unsatisfying pleasure.


    As a human child, he looked up to fictional figures like Batman and Lex Luther. Ordinary people that turned into superheroes and supervillains. Well, ordinary but rich. After tasting the thrill of violence for the first time, his dull carefree life was destroyed, and a new fetish was born. The fantasy that many of his statuses had but too scared to attempt. And maybe his collection of weapons was the sign of this fantasy manifesting in his young heart, and only now did he fully realized it as an adult.


    Over the years, Prince sought the thrill every day. He joined the tribe in raids, living the power fantasy of his past life until he became so strong that his father had to force him out of the tribe, paranoid that his child will overthrow him.


    A paranoia that became a prophecy. Prince joined the Everflow City as a wandering goblin. He joined one of the tribes inhabiting the city, the Rook tribe. But he did not only joined them; he trampled them and became their new Chief. The rest of the tribe cared not what happened in the Rook tribe because they were the weakest in the City, so Prince did as he pleased. He trained his goblins to the bone while forced those he found inferior into the catacombs to build his army''s weapon.


    And with no one to stop the Rooks, at the third year of his banishment, Prince marched his new army out and towards the mountains where the Karat tribe resides. He burned the homes and banished the goblins into the mountain, forcing them to mine out the resources hidden inside.


    He hanged his parents in front of the mines they have created and marched back to the city with the raw materials he needed to create his army''s trump card. And now, he was King, the King of Everflow City.


    And he stood on the rood of his castle looking at the river. Smoke was behind, lying on the floor. Half of the castle was destroyed from their battle. Smoke''s lightning was fast and destructive, but King was stronger and faster than his lightning strikes. And the explosions he created in the palm of his hands blew away Smoke''s possibility of winning.


    "You are strong." He said. "And you beat Queen. She may be a woman, but now everyone, not even her twin brother, could say that they can win against her. Although that may be due to her beauty being distracting."


    Queen was on the rooftops with them, leaning against an ice pillar she created to shelter her from the fighting. Her cheeks blushed when her King called her beautiful. "He called me beautiful." She whispered to herself.


    "Too bad for her," Smoke said, "She wasn''t my type. In fact, you''ll never see me get distracted by no woman because they are all ugly!" He yelled proudly.


    King was flustered, "Sorry, I didn''t know you swing that way."


    "What do you mean?" Smoke suddenly got angry, "No! That''s not what I meant. The only woman that is beautiful in the world is my mother. That''s what I meant."


    "So you''re one of those degenerates with a mother complex."


    "What?" Smoke jumped back on his feet. "What does that supposed to mean?"


    "It means," King threw the magical spear. Smoke caught it before it could pierce his body, but it exploded afterward. Smoke fell off the roof and landed on Rock''s arms. "That you''re not strong enough to be in the top." King looked to the sky and glared at the sun over his head. "If only he was here to watch me kill everyone."

 Vol 13 Chapter 2: The Downfall

    Shuja and Olhos waited until Dawn teleported to the marksman, sniping them at the dam''s tower. When the blue light shined out through the tower''s windows, the two sprang into action. They leaped out from their cover and rushed towards Rook.


    Olhos howled before tackling Rook and grabbing him on the waist. He tried to lift Rook to the air, but the weight of his opponent''s body exceeded his muscle''s strength. "Rakakaka!" Rook laughed, "You''re not only trying to carry my body but my armor too. Carrying us over the shoulder is like trying to lifting the world."


    "Fine!" Olhos bit down Rook''s shoulder.


    Rook grabbed Olhos'' by the neck and choke slammed him to the mud. Olhos kicked him on the knee and rolled back on his feet. Rook dropped on one knee. "You got a strong kick," Rook told him.


    "And I got a good aim!" Shuja yelled. She shot an explosive arrow that exploded once it hit Rook. Olhos took this is as his opportunity to attack. The plan was simple, attack nonstop. Olhos attacked Rook with endless fury. His claws continued to slash and tear on Rook''s armor.


    At first, Rook was amused by Olhos'' foolish attempts to break through his impenetrable fortress. But his fury was relentless, and it continued to eat through Rook''s mana. Rook raised his fist and placed nearly all his power into them.


    Shuja shot an explosive arrow that landed on Rook''s fist. The explosion was not strong enough to knock Rook off his feet, just enough to push his hands away from Olhos. This continued for several minutes. Olhos'' attacks did not stop, and Shuja''s arrows continued to block his attempts to counter. "How do you like it now?" Olhos roared, "Not so fun when you keep getting shot at by someone you can''t even touch."


    Rook began to boil inside. But anger will not give him victory. He must use his mind in order to escape Olhos'' savagery. Rook looked deep in his mind, searching for an answer to his dilemma. And the deeper he searched, the louder a certain annoying voice came to be. Bishop''s bombastic voice echoed in his mind, making Rook even angrier.


    But that anger was the solution he was looking for, and by using a similar technique Bishop used to transform his voice into a living weapon, Rook opened his mouth and bellowed out his frustration. A red soundwave crashed through the muddy floor, pushed Olhos away from him, and blocked Shuja''s arrows.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Rook''s armor turned blood red, and the atmosphere around him got hotter. But this did not deter Olhos, who sprang into action. He raised his claws against the angry giant, exchanging blows. Rook punched him in the snout and jaw. Blood covered Olhos'' face, but he did not stop. He scratched through Rook''s armor and punched his helmet. The animal within him exploded out from his chest. "Olhos," Shuja called out, "Stop, your losing too much blood."


    "No! I need to beat him!" Olhos kept his eyes on Rook. His bold red armor reminded Olhos of the troll that attacked their tribe. "I need to beat him, even if it means turning into a monster myself!"


    "Shut up!" Rook yelled. "Annoying little cunts." His fist sparked into flames, "Burn!"


    The fire burned his fur to cinders, but the lust for violence continued to surge through his veins. The werewolf curse grew stronger in his soul, and his wounds healed faster than ever before.


    "It looks like his mana spiked up!" Shuja draws three arrows. "But the armor is starting to thin. Now''s my chance!"


    Shuja released the volley of arrows. They hovered above the two flying monsters like vultures before striking down Rook''s armor. The first arrow bounced off the shoulder plate. But the second arrow pierced through the armor and exploded. Rook''s body shook from the shockwave, distracting him from Olhos'' rampage.


    Olhos grabbed his chest plate and tore it off, and the last arrow dived down and stabbed Rook''s chest. Olhos pushed the arrow deeper with his paw, impaling Rook''s heart. "We did it!" Shuja celebrated. Rook roared for one last time. His voice exploded, and the shockwave expanded across the river, carrying debris. The mud and rocks buried Olhos and Shuja while Rook stood in the middle of the battlefield with an arrow sticking out of his chest. They managed to dig their way out of the mud and saw the Rook''s sturdy body. They were at awe at Rook''s stubbornness.


    Dawn saw the battle end through the slit window on the tower. "They did it!" She exclaimed. "Now it''s my turn." Dawn climbed up the spiral stairs. The goblins stationed by the pawns tried to stop her, but the aura around her protected her while she ran up the stairs like a bullet train.


    Upon reaching the top level, a large red conqueror stood before her. He punched her barrier but could not break through it. She grabbed his fist and threw him through the wall and out the tower. Hinde, a brown-haired pawn, was leaning against the wall. Her blood poured out from her arm and her legs quaked in fear. She brought with her Morgan and Rockefeller, the two largest pawns in case Rock, the one that broke her spirit, goes after her. But instead, a different monster came for her.


    Dawn grabbed her by the neck and pinned her on the wall. "Why did this happen to me?" She whispered to the heavens.


    "No hard feelings." Suddenly, Rock''s body fell through the roof, and the room caved in. Dawn dropped Hinde on the floor. "Love!" She ran to him and hovered her hands over his chest. The sound of thunder and lightning could be heard above them.


    "Dawn?" Rock touched her cheeks. "Why are you here? Am I dead? Are we dead?"


    "No, we are not dead."


    Hinde took the opportunity to crawl away while Dawn was busy using a healing spell on Rock. But the rest of the roof fell on top of them. When the dust settled, Hinde saw a magnificent sight. Their King has returned and he dragged Smoke''s body by the ankle. The broken roof tiles scratched Smoke''s skin. King stood as the beacon of victory for the city, and he alone can tip the balance of the war in their favor.


    Dawn lunged out from the dust clouds and punched King''s face, but he did not flinch from the attack. He grabbed her wrist and pinned her to her knees. "It''s time I end this."

 Vol 13 Chapter 3: The Kings Assault

    Cooke shot down the enemy goblins that tried to stop him from getting on top of the walls. Bodies fell to the floor as Cooke made his way to a higher vantage point. And once he had a clear view of the sky, he fired multiple rounds in Stick''s direction.


    Hellfire flew to Stick. The blue light wheezed past Stick as he flew across the river. His sickle, glowing bright blue, sliced the bullets in half as they come. The sickle''s dazzling light distracted most of the warriors and slaves fighting on the wall.


    Stick landed in front of Cooke. He pulled the trigger, releasing another round of hell towards Stick, but none of them landed. Stick was faster, more agile, and determined to get past the red pawn shooting mindlessly at him. He leaped forward with his sickles rotating around him. Like a chainsaw, it sliced and chopped the round bullets until he reached Cooke''s neck. Cooke''s head was sliced off in a blink of an eye.


    Then Stick swing through the buildings until he found the Maston Platoon already preparing to use their sleeping gas on the slaves. They''ve fought with the slaves beneath the city and knew how to deal with them. They gave some of the sleeping gas to Stick, and he hurried back to Elena and her goblins. Once he arrived, he threw the sleeping gas containers at the advancing swarm. The bombs exploded, releasing the toxin into the air. Stick used his sickle to fan the gas clouds to the slave army, spreading it far and wide while keeping it away from his allies.


    The slaves fell asleep, and so did their masters that whipped them to march forward to sacrifice their lives for the city that buried them. Elena and her hunters threw themselves onto Stick and celebrated their victory. "Ladies, please, we still have a city to take!"


    The women set him free. But before he returned to the dam, Elena grabbed him by the elbow and kissed him on the cheeks. "Go get them!" She yelled.


    Stick ran off, covering his red cheeks. When he returned to the tower, he was met with a surprise. Bi and Skydas stood on top of their unconscious enemies. And they were no longer red conquerors. They were now true goblins with pale green skin and colorful feathers coming out from the nape of their necks. Skydas'' red hair was much more fiery and deep, while Bi''s blond hair turned white as snow.


    Skydas saw Stick arrive and gave him a salute, "Sir, we have killed forces and detained the survivors!"


    "Cool it. What happened here?"


    "Just as I said, sir! We have,"


    "No, I meant your form!"


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    "Sir, we do not know how it happened."


    Bi pushed Skydas to the side, "We transformed during the heat of the moment. They were making fun of our Chief and told us that he was already killed by their king."


    Skydas butted in, "They were insulting your leaderships, so killed them for it."


    "Ok," Stick sat on the ledge next to Bord. His smooth bald head reflected the sun on Stick''s face.


    "What do we do now, sir?" Bord asked.


    "We have to wait for Shuja and Olhos to get off the way. and we need to wait for Dawn to open the next dam, or else we''ll be sitting duck."


    "Maybe we can retake the wall gates from them."


    "Maybe, but we already exhausted ourselves from coming here. Besides, most of their leaders are dead. We just have to wait and hope that Dawn comes through."


    Suddenly, a large explosion erupted behind the second dam. Then a blue flash of light appeared before them. Coming out from the light were Rock and Smoke. They fell on the floor, bloody and bruised. And when the light disappeared, it left them with the King strangling Dawn while raising her in the sky. "Help!" Dawn choked out.


    "Let go of her!" Stick yelled. Both he and Skydas leaped into action. Skydas bashed King with his shield, pushing towards the tower. He freed Dawn from his grasp and grabbed Skydas'' shield, tearing it away from Skydas.


    Then he punched him across the face, knocking him unconscious. He caught Skyda''s body and used it as a shield. Stick stopped, "Coward, let him go and fight me!"


    "Hmm," King contemplated for a second only to reject Stick. "Make me drop him!"


    Stick swung his blade to the far right. King moved his meatshield to block the attack, but Stick threw another sickle straight towards him. And it nearly landed on his neck, but the King teleported behind him and strangled him.


    Bi ran up to the King and stabbed his back, but her sword did not penetrate his skin. The metal blade merely tickled him. King kicked her on the stomach, and her body landed on top of the pawns. Then he tightened his arms around Stick''s neck. "How many are you fuckers?" He shook Stick, "I met not one, not two, but ten of you fuckers besides that stupid dead leader of yours! How the hell did you fucks break the curse, and when I have the damn key? Answer me!"


    Stick lifted his feet to the air and used his body''s momentum to flip King over his head. But King did not let go of his grip, and the two continued to wrestle for control on the floor. Only when Dawn got up did King released Stick. When fighting multiple opponents, it''s best to on the move constantly. Staying on the ground will only reveal more weak points while being surrounded. "Bord, Parma!" Dawn yelled, "Get Rock and Smoke out of here, now!"


    Parma and Bord carried the brothers on their back. Their bodies'' lost most of their weight. It was a horrific sight to see Rock look as lean as Stick when he was often large and jolly. King pointed his index finger at Parma and shot a light beam through her calve. Parma fell on the floor, and Smoke rolled off her back.


    Bord was the next goblin King aimed at, but Dawn swiftly blocked the shot with her body. The light bounced off her breast, protected by her mana. Stick came out from behind and wrapped his mana rope around King''s neck. "For your information, we broke the curse because we are persistent."


    "I can see that!" Mana surged out from under King''s feet, and it propelled him towards the tower. Stick held on King''s back. "But that doesn''t matter because you''re stuck between a rock and my back!" He squashed Stick''s body between the tower wall and his body.


    Then King kicked off the tower and landed next to Dawn. His landing caused a shockwave that pushed everyone off their foot. Dawn formed a bubble around her and the other goblins.


    Five of the Orgut horsemen arrived at the scene. "It''s only one person. Charge!" Korge yelled.


    "No, retreat!" Dawn yelled, but it was too late. The cavalry ran past them and towards King. He pulled out two ebony swords and slashed through the cavalry charge. The horses were cut in half, and their riders fell to the floor like flies.


    "Now," King lunged forward and sliced the bubble open. "It''s time to end this."


    "Not so fast," Smoke yelled as a hand grabbed one of King''s swords. "I think you forgot something."


    The hand was metallic and bronze. But King knew it was not Smoke''s robotic warclub because it was too fat. In fact, it was not a robot hand, but a gauntlet. He turned around and saw Sun standing behind him. He smiled, "Long time no see."

 Vol 13 Chapter 4: Sun Versus King Round 2

    Sun side-swept King off his feet, then caught him by the arms before he could fall on the floor. "I''ll be taking that." Sun took back his black sword and threw King off the dam. King sprouted wings from his back and floated down to the river. Sun jumped down after him.


    "I thought I killed you?" King said.


    "Well, you didn''t." Sun dashed to King. He raised his sword and attack King. Their swords clashed and were locked in place. King''s sword was covered by a sticky resin made from his mana, and the two were now stuck together. Sun did not mind. Being so close to him made it easier to punish him.


    Sun started punching him on his side. King''s liver felt the heat of Sun''s punch, and he yelled from the pain. King released Sun, and he retreated. He placed his hand over his belly, trying to ease the pain with the mana''s coldness. But Sun did not want to give him a break. He lunged at him with his sword, and two resumed match. King parried and blocked Sun''s strikes. He waited for the perfect opportunity to strike, and his patients were rewarded. Sun started to get tired, and his movement got slower.


    King aimed for the neck and swung his blade. The sword did not cut Sun''s neck, but it did stop Sun''s advance, giving King ample time to recover from the pressure. Mana exuded from his hands and into his sword, and King stabbed Sun in the chest.


    Sun protected himself by creating a barrier between his chest and the sword''s tip. Then he knocked the sword out of the way. "Time to heat it up!" Sun''s ebony blade changed colors. It was not a hot orange hue. Sun slashed the air, and a red gust pushed King away from Sun. The slash cut through King''s coat and chainmail, much to his surprise. He assumed that with the strength Sun displayed back in the forest, King''s body should have been cut open, but it didn''t.


    Sun''s fist burst into flame. "Red Fist!" A wave of fire exploded from his fist and crawled its way through the muddy river banks. King hid behind his black sword and created a barrier in front of him. It blocks the flame, keeping him safe.


    "Strange," King said, "That fire was nowhere near as strong as the one you used before. Which means you haven''t recovered yet." King teleported behind Sun, "It''s a good thing I stole your brothers'' mana."


    Sun was aware of the trick. He snapped his fingers, and a small glowing orb appeared between him and King. It exploded into a flashing light that blinded King. Then he punched King in the face with his red hot fist. The fiery explosion lit up the city, but it was not enough to knock out King.


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    The goblins watched on top of the dam in awe, but Stick and Smoke could feel the tension was rising for Sun. King was visibly confused by Sun''s conviction, but his body was not getting tired. King was not giving in.


    "We need to help him," Smoke said. "He sucked out most of my mana. And Rock''s too. Combined that with the mana he stole from Sun, and he''s practically three times stronger than us."


    "Wait, he stole your mana!" Stick shouted.


    "Yeah."


    "Then what should we do? Should we join the fight like Shuja?" Stick pointed on the wall next to the dried-up river. Shuja shot her arrows at King while he fought Sun, but none of her arrows had an impact on the battle.


    "No, we open the gates." Smoke suggested.


    "What?"


    "Krepkiy is still on the other dam. We''ll open both of the gates and force King to use up his mana to escape the flood."


    "But will that robot arm actually be capable of doing that?"


    "Yeah, that arm is practically part of me." And thus, the plan was set in motion. Smoke went to the lever that would open the gate. Stick, and the rest of the goblins defended the dam from the encroaching enemy with higher morale after witnessing their leader manhandle the invaders.


    On the other side, Krepkiy crawled its way back to the dam. The lever sat outside, next to the tower overseeing the dam. The hand was only an arm''s reach to the lever before Queen picked it up. Krepkiy tried to slap her hands of its metal body, but this only made Queen furious. Ice started growing out from her hands and spreading throughout Krepkiy''s body.


    "Let''s see if you can still move," She whispered.


    But Krepkiy was saved before becoming fully frozen. Spat bashed his shield against Queen. She fell to the ground, and Krepkiy rolled to the lever. "We''re not done yet, witch!" Spat yelled. His right arm was blue and bruised. Below the gate, Cossack was fighting Bishop, protecting Horder, who was stuck frozen in a block of ice.


    "Why can''t you just die!" Queen shot a cold laser from her hands, freezing anything it touches. Spat''s shield could endure fire and lightning, but the cold. The ice started to overwhelm the shield, embracing it with its cold embrace.


    But stalling Queen was all the Krepkiy needed. It crawled on its fingers then jumped on the lever''s handle. It grabbed tightly on the lever and waited for Smoke''s order. As if the two were connected psychologically, they pulled the lever simultaneously.


    The gate opened slowly, and the water rushed out to fill the empty river. The earth shook beneath Sun and King''s feet. The wave was three stories high, and it crashed through the muddy riverbank. King held out his hands and created a light blue barrier that stopped the water.


    And with his arms stretch out, he left his body exposed. Sun ignited his fist once more and delivered a clean jab to King''s jaw. King nearly lost his consciousness and let water leak out his barrier. "What are you doing?" He asked, "Don''t you know we''ll drown?"


    "I can swim," Sun said casually.


    "And you have no honor," King shouted.


    "Honor doesn''t exist in war. You fight with everything you''ve got."


    "That''s something a weakling will believe in, but I can fight you with no dirty tricks!" King brought his hands, breaking the light barrier blocking the water. "And you what I noticed! You could have killed me with your sword, and yet you went for a punch. You''re an honorless fool." King took his sword strikes downward on Sun.


    Sun parried the sword to the side and smashed King''s shoulder with the pommel of his sword, knocking him to the side. "I only did that because you actually suck at fighting!"


    "What?" Then the water reached them, and wave crushed both of them. The two were washed away into a canal heading towards the city''s underground sewage system. While being thrashed around by the water, Sun''s statement rung in King''s mind. How dare he said that King thought. But Sun was not entirely wrong. Will King be able to pull out another victory? He had more mana than Sun, but he could tell subconsciously that Sun was better at fighting. The one with the stronger conviction will become the winner.

 Vol 13 Chapter 5: Kings Gift to the World

    The blood of the city carried the Sun and King through its veins, thrashing them against the stone walls and filthy mounds. But the waters did not go on forever. It eventually slowed down after joining an underwater lake. Sun swam to the shore, lit by giant glowing yellow mushrooms. King swam after him. Sun aimed his palm at King, but he retracted it as doubts sets in. Sun was aware that he was pulling his punches. He can''t risk expelling his mana out without a care in the world.


    But hesitation can cost him greatly. Those were the teaching of his past life mentor. In the streets of the city, every second matter, every decision irreversible, and regret only comes when you miss your opportunity. The bear would not hesitate, but Sun did just for the moment. And it gave King time to teleport in front of him. He kicked Sun against the damp wall.


    King ran to him, ducking low to grab his legs. A foolish mistake against an experienced street brawler such as Sun. He pushed King''s back to the ground before he could even grab his ankle. Sun went around King and tried to trap him with a rear chokehold, but King quickly rolled on his back and faced Sun.


    However, this did not save him from Sun, who started pounding him on the head once he was presented with an easy target. But King learned to fight like Sun. He spewed out flames which startled Sun off his body. "How do you like it?" King shouted, "Was it as hot as yours?"


    "No," Sun wiped his face, "Not hot enough." He unleashed his fire breath, which was strong enough to destroy the wall behind them, revealing a spiral staircase. Sun tackled him through the wall and body-slammed him against the staircase.


    Blood sprayed out of King''s mouth. He grabbed Sun''s collar and headbutted him. Sun stepped back to regain his balance the world around him begin to shake. King extended his hand and called for his sword. The black blade jumped out of the water and flew towards King. Sun, sensing the sword behind, jumped over it before it could impale him from behind. King caught the sword, and its black blade turned bright blue.


    "Maybe this will be more your liking!" King imitated Sun''s blazing sword, launching a heatwave that scorched the muddy floor.


    "Fire beats fire," Sun clapped his hand, and the hot compressed air clashed with the heatwave and caused an explosion that blew the two away from each other.


    Sun landed on the murky water. He swam back to the surface and saw King charging his attack. A large white ball grew in size on the palm of his hand. Then King began to compress it between his hands. The cost for this attack was his entire stock of mana, but King still had a surplus from absorbing the mana from Sun''s brothers. And with nowhere to escape under the city, Sun will have to brace for the explosion.


    "Bet you don''t have the fire to beat this!" King threw the white ball at him.


    Sun dove back into the water and swam as deep as he could. The white sphere exploded, and the city shook from its foundation. The cavern''s roof caved in, and the light of day lit up the dark underworld. Most of the water evaporated, leaving only a muddy pond.


    King collapsed to the floor and began to meditate. He shuffled his mana around, refilling his kas with the mana he stole. But his meditation ended quickly. Sun dug himself out from his hell and jumped back to the staircase.


    King had his senses closed off and was unaware of Sun standing on top of him. Sun pulled out a rope and tied King up. The water protected him from most of the blast, letting him save up his mana. Before, he expended a large amount of it to shield him from the explosion. But now he had enough mana to reinforce the rope.


    When King opened his eyes, he was stuck in a hogtie. "What the fuck?" King screamed, "You bastard! How are you still alive."The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "I feel like I tied you the wrong way." Sun examined his butt, pointing to the air, "Yeah, I don''t think this is right."


    "Answer me!"


    "Oh, come on, it''s like the second time I survived that. Are you really surprised?"


    King released his mana from his body, pushing Sun away from him. Then he used brute force to break free from his bindings. Then he grabbed his sword and ran up the stairs.


    Everyone on the surface saw the explosion. And those the closest to it took a peek on the edge of the hole, except for Shuja. She jumped in the hole and swung her way to Sun. "Sun, are you ok?" She asked while still swinging towards him.


    "Yeah," Sun jumped back on his feet and caught Shuja in his arms, "You''re lighter than you look."


    "Shut up!" Shuja flicked his forehead, "Now put me down."


    "Ok, I will, but what are you doing here? We need as many people up there fighting."


    "Actually, we secured the castle already."


    "What?"


    "While you were fighting, Stick got the ship to the castle and barricaded themselves there. Only a handful of our warriors are at the city stealing the mortars the goblins were using."


    "Still, it must be tough. They have guns, after all. Tungstree material is strong, but I don''t know how well it can endure so much gunfire. If only they didn''t have guns, we''d have conquered the city faster."


    "Actually, the guns were really the problem. It was their Chiefs that were the issue. I think only about ten or twelve goblins had guns. The only other problem we faced would be the suicidal slaves that would explode when you kill them."


    "Wait, that doesn''t make any sense." Sun was puzzled, "Why would he not give his goblins guns when he''s practically mass producing them."


    "Beats me,"


    Sun called out for his sword. The black blade flew to his hand. "I''m going after him. Help out the goblins above, make sure we don''t have too many casualties."


    "Ok, but before you leave," Shuja leaned in and kissed him on the lips, "Now go get him."


    Sun smiled then ran up the staircase with confidence. But there still reservation in his heart because he needs to be resourceful when fighting King. So far, it was easy to do, as King lacked the experience to fight. Relying more on his brute strength than actual technique.


    The staircase led him to a hidden passageway connected to a basement underneath a small stone temple. He climbed up a ladder and entered the halls, where he saw King enter a side room behind a stack of pews. Sun followed him inside.


    King slouching over a table before he turned around and pointed a revolver towards Sun''s face. "Let''s be real. That bullet is not going to work," Sun said as he covered himself in a thin blue coating.


    "Why you?"


    "What?"


    King pulled the trigger, and the bullet ricocheted off Sun''s skin. But the loud sound did startle Sun, "Dude, what the fuck?"


    King continued firing, but Sun lunged towards him and pinned him against the table. While they struggled to take control of the gun, Sun''s eyes noticed the papers lying on the table and the drawings on its surface. They were blueprints for different models of guns. Sun lets him go and took a step back, examining the room. Blueprints of all sorts hanged on the wall.


    Now it was Sun''s turn to ask questions. "Why?" He pointed at the wall with his sword, "You have so much here!"


    "Those are nothing." King hid his gun behind him and began to gather mana at the tip of the barrel.


    "Yeah, they are, and you have entire factories underneath this city. You could have supplied every able-bodied goblin here with guns, and yet you didn''t."


    "They don''t deserve it."


    "They don''t deserve it?"


    "Only the strong should be rewarded with that power. An army of weaklings will always be an army of weaklings even with these weapons, especially in this universe where living weapons of mass destruction roam the earth like me and you." Then King pulled out his gun and shot Sun on the chest. The bullet could not penetrate his coat, but it did push him out of the room. "So why? Why did he give you his mana?"


    Sun threw the bullet sticking out of his coat, "What the hell are you talking about?"


    "Pagasa gave you his mana! It''s the only explanation. The only reason why you''ve managed to survive my bombs! Why did he even give it to you when I am already the strongest? I single handily beaten your strongest, including you, and yet he chose you."


    "Cut your bullshit," Sun lunged at King and attacked him with his sword. King parried the strike, then teleported on top of the altar. "Pagasa didn''t choose anybody. He wanted someone that could save the goblins. He found you and me, and he trained us to save our new people. But you chose a different path. I was wondering why you never used the horn to break the curse, and I think I know why."


    "You know nothing," King fired an entire barrel, all of which were deflected by Sun''s sword.


    "You''re strong and proud of it, and even proud of the goblins you believed to be strong. Meanwhile, you treat the weak like disposable cattle while you act tough. You could have made them stronger with the gifts you''ve brought from our world, but you''d rather sell them to the highest bidder. This must be all just a game to you. Fighting, holding a position of power, all of this is just another world that you have no connection to, like video games. You don''t care about those that tried to kill the goblins. You just want to continue living your power fantasy."


    "Easy for you to say when Pagasa gave you his own. This world was supposed to be about the strong making a mark in the world. And I am the one that should have received that power to leave that mark. Give back the power Pagasa gave you!"


    "My power doesn''t come from him. It came from my mom."


    "Your mom?"


    "Yeah, that''s right. I have a mom. And I''m going to beat you up with the power she gave me."

 Vol 13 Chapter 6: Frest New Start

    The city goblins were scrambling around the city, trying to reorganize after losing their commanders. King''s arrival has reignited their fire, but they were still outmatched by their attackers. Sun''s forces were small but well trained. The Maston women were fast and agile, the Orgut tribe were strong, the Zackons had experience in city combat, and the Legions were unstoppable as an organized force.


    The Everflow City defenders were quickly losing ground, and their only hope was King. In the temple''s ground, King and Sun clashed with their sword. The sound of their blade echoed on the walls and shook the building. But the sword won''t cut it. King used his revolver constantly, shooting Sun on his appendages to slow down his ferocity. The round bullets did little to harm Sun''s body, but they did hinder him. "Don''t get too distracted!" King slashed Sun''s gambeson open and cut his skin. A small amount of blood dripped out from the cut on his chest.


    King followed it with a thrust, but Sun parried it and countered with a front kick. Then Sun''s sword burst into flame. "I forgot about that," King noted. Fire came out from his hands and was sucked into the gun''s barrel. The gun began to glow dark red. "Let''s see if this is hot enough."


    King pulled the trigger and fired his hellish bullets. They left an orange tail that brightened the dark church halls. Sun parried the first bullet up to the ceiling. The roof burst into flames and collapse into the building. The remaining bullets hit Sun''s body and exploded, but he remained in his spot. His body was covered in black smoke. "That''s just great!" Sun yelled. The flame on his sword grew larger.


    "Don''t get too heated," King teleported behind Sun. "Because I''m just getting started!"


    Sun turned around and blocked his swing. The fire began to swirl around the blade, creating a fire tornado. Sun slammed the fire tornado in front of him. "Burn in hell! Deep Flame!" The swirling fire consumed everything it touches as it expands out the church and into the city streets and alleyways. And the flames pushed King through the altar and back wall.


    King crashed into a large building, and it collapsed inward. Sun sat on the rumble and placed his hand on his bleeding chest. "That wasn''t a smart move." He raised his sword, "I guess I got too mad." Then he stabbed the earth. He closed his eyes and released his Isiptali across the city. He could sense King''s mana traveling through the city. ''What the, where is he going? Don''t tell me he''s trying to run away."


    But Sun''s web was not lying. King teleported to the third dam, next to the castle moat. His loyal repairs and their soldiers were on the dam, bombarding the castle with their last remaining mortars and scarped catapults. "MY KING!" Bishop yelled.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    Queen hugged King in a tight embrace and Knight kneeled before him. The garrison inside the castle was not yielding. Stick, Bi, and Spat were standing on the longships blocking most of the projectiles flying towards the castle.


    King walked up the platform and extended his hand and place it over the castle. "I think it''s time to start a new coat of paint." He said, "Knight! Come to me."


    "Yes, my King!'' Knight ran to him and kneeled again. King grabbed him on the head and absorbed his mana. After his mana was drained from his body, Knight fell to the floor with a similar appearance to a dry raisin. He died shortly after. Bishop cringed at the sight of the deflated Knight.


    "YOU''RE NOT GOING TO BLOW THE CASTLE UP, ARE YOU?" Bishop asked out of concern.


    "Don''t question him!" Queen yelled with her soft voice.


    "No, I am not blowing the castle up." King released his mana from his body, and it traveled through the floor. "They know about our dealings with the church, so I must wash away the filth and the evidence. And start new. For Rook and Knight''s sake, I must end this."


    Back at the church, Sun and Shuja ran on the rooftops, chasing after King. Shuja shot her arrows over the gaps, creating wires that the two would run across. But they stopped running when Sun sensed King teleporting beneath the castle, several chambers away from the Baptista. "Crap, he moved again. Now he''s in under the castle."


    "Maybe he''s trying to get to the water-making machine."


    Sun stopped, "Oh shit!"


    "What?"


    "I need to stop him. What''s the fastest route?"


    Shuja pulled out a worn-out map, "I don''t know, but you think you can get there fast enough on your feet."


    Then a large wolf monster leaped out from an alleyway and landed between the two. "But I think I''m fast enough!" It said.


    "Olhos!" The two shouted.


    ''"I can carry you on my back and get you there."


    "Or maybe you can just teleport there." Shuja suggested, "Didn''t Pagasa teach you how?"


    Sun placed a hand on his chin, "I mean, I understand the mechanics behind it, but I won''t have enough to actually fight him. I''m already running low after that reckless attack."


    "Than I''ll give you mine."


    "You can do that?"


    "Yeah, it''s easy. It''s just like emptying a glass of water onto another cup."


    "That''s great, but I don''t know," Sun looked south of the horizon. "I think I''ve been getting enough from other people. I''ll just run for it. I''m a fast runner, you know."


    "Compared to Rock, yeah. Look, just take it. It''s not like we''re strangers." Shuja fist-bumped his shoulder.


    "Alright, so how do you do it?"


    "Like this," Shuja Sun''s face and leaned in to give him a long kiss. "Now go get him."


    Sun''s cheeks turned bright red. "Yeah, I''ll do that." His mana was liberated from his body and raced through the ground and traversed the city tunnels. It flew in the dark and swam through the murky waters until it reached the heart of the city.


    "By the way, that''s going to be the last kiss I''m giving you today." She said. Sun laughed before his body transformed to light and dissipated in the air and reformed inside the chamber where the Baptista was in.


    Olhos stared at Shuja, "I did not sense any magic or mana, or whatever coming out from you."


    "That''s because I didn''t give him any. What he needed wasn''t more mana. He needed something else than that. Confidence."

 Vol 13 Chapter 7: Breaking the Citys Heart

    King and Sun stood at odds once more at the chamber where the city''s heartbeats. The water flowed from its pipes, bringing life to the polluted waterways. King stood on the entryway of the chamber, blocked by Sun and his blade. The two opposing forces did not speak; they only stared at each other''s eyes. Their intentions bled out like an aura, and it did all the talking.


    King took a deep breath then sprinted toward Sun. He shot fireballs out from his palm that exploded once Sun parried them with his sword. The smoke from the fireballs blocked Sun''s vision. King slipped past his blind opponent and touched the Baptista. "It''s time to flood the city."


    But Sun followed the sound of his footstep and slashed his back. The blood spilled out from King''s back and stained Sun''s body. King turned around with his black sword and slashed the air and Sun''s body. The blade cut through his skin deeper than before.


    Sun was unfazed when the blood flowed out from his chest. He grabbed King''s head and slammed against the Baptista, and released a blazing attack from his palm that consumed King''s face. The fire wrapped around his head, but he was not having it. He swung his sword, intending to cut Sun''s hand off, but fortunately, Sun freed him from his grasp before the blade met his wrist.


    King shook the burning mana off his face, revealing a very angry goblin underneath the flames. His face may be free from the fire, but his eyes were burning as bright as the fire that embraced him. Sun could feel the dagger his eyes were shooting at him, but this only made him bolder. "You bastard!" King yelled.


    "What happened to that proper way of talking?" Sun smiled, "Don''t tell me, you''re getting flustered."


    "I''m not getting flustered." King''s purple feathers began to glow due to the intense amount of mana circulating out from his body. "I''m getting angry."


    King lunged at Sun and started flailing his sword. He was in a corner, literally and figuratively. He was afraid of Pagasa''s mana circulating within Sun, he was mad that Sun was given that power, and he even angrier at himself for not stealing it sooner. But Pagasa hid in the shadows, afraid of the drones the goblin''s God sent to kill the survivors hiding in the world. And he didn''t take King with him because he knew he wasn''t fit to rule.


    King hated Pagasa for this and sought vengeance. He perfected his newfound powers and built factories that could supply his arsenal. He wanted to show his mentor that he was the rightful king and that he will be the one to kill that god. But he chose Sun instead. A goblin that is similar to him but at the same time not. Now he had the mana Pagasa had, clean and dense. It had no impurities and was as cold and dark as the deep abyss of the Infinite Sea.


    But in truth, Sun did not receive Pagasa''s powers, nor did he get it from Shuja. The fire in his heart was all him, given to him by his mother and cultivated after two years of training. He may not be as strong as King''s current state, but he was not one to measure the chances of losing.


    "Blade Twister!" King yelled. The mana within King spiraled out of control. It began to flow around him, creating a wall of mana constantly swirling around him. The mana began to suck the air around it and formed a destructive tornado.


    The wind was as strong as steel, and they cut through anything it touches except for Sun''s black blade. He danced around the current and parried the gust of wind King shoots at him. He got close enough to King to attack him, but his sword could not pierce the wind wall. "Deja vu," He said. "I guess I have to fight fire with fire!"Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Sun''s surrounding burst into flames and his mana carried those flames to form an equally destructive tornado. The twisters collided against each other, and the disruption caused a ripple effect that fractured the walls and floors. Even Baptista began to crack under the pressure of the warring titans.


    "You can''t beat me. I perfected this style!" Sun shouted.


    "It''s hardly yours. Many others have used a similar technique." King teleported outside his twister and appeared above Sun. His blade turned white, and its swing shot out a white blade that sliced through the fire. King dove through the opening and slammed his steel against Sun''s sword. Sun danced inside the firewall while King chased after him. "Stop running!"


    "I''m not running," Sun snapped his fingers, and a bubble appeared around him, "It''s a tactical maneuver!"


    "That bubble?" Suddenly, the mana stopped moving, and the pyre collapsed inward to King. The flames burned King''s armor and clothes, but the thin coating of mana protected his skin from burning, but it cannot protect it from Sun''s sword.


    Sun dashed forward and smashed his sword against King''s abdomen, slicing through his armor and mana. The fire blew away as King flew across the chamber. Despite his superior level of mana, he was losing the battle. His misunderstanding had led the way for fear to overtake his mind. His frustration swelled inside him as more mana and blood spilled on the floor. In contrast, Sun was getting stronger and better. Then it hit him; his mentor''s lesson that he forgot crawled out from his deepest memory.


    Mana does not grow stronger from complacency but in hardships. Training can only do so much, but to truly grow in power, one must overcome the hurdles of life, and their kas will grow. King smiled, thinking that this battle will only make him stronger.


    But that was only a delusion born from his privileged past life. His struggle was a fabrication on his mind, not by reality. Meanwhile, Sun was hardly breathing. His chest felt heavier the more he expelled mana from his body, but he continued to push the boundaries of his kas. Sun knew he had very little mana in his body, and his soul struggled to refill his empty storage. But he carried on with his sheer will.


    King got on his feet and manifested an armor made of mana that replaced his clothing. His armor was pure red and spikes were sticking out from it, with the two largest sticking out from his back. He charged like a rhino, sticking his sword out like his horn. "Got to be kidding me," Sun grabbed the tip of his sword and used his crossguard to lock swords with King.


    King carried him up in the air while running towards the wall. He pinned Sun against the muddy surface then teleported on top of Baptista, leaving his armor on top of Sun. "Time to drown the city and wash away everything!" King placed his hands on the machine. His mana surged out from his palm and into the machine, causing it to go faster. The cold mana coming out from King slowly covered the surfaces of the room in thin ice.


    Above the machine, the pipe that leads to the city center was broken in half, and the giant hole the pipe was sticking out from was a giant gaping hole. Sun closed his eyes and used his Isiptali. They traveled in the underground cavern as well as the giant hole over the chamber.


    "Looks like that giant hole leads to the castle''s moat." Sun slashed his way to freedom. The red armor pieces fell on the floor. "Looks like I have no other options."


    Sun sprinted around the Baptista while King was distracted. He was too focused on the machine to notice Sun running laps around him. While running, Sun released a mana trail that followed him around until they began to form a whirlwind around the Baptista.


    Then leaped on top of the machine and faced King. "It''s too late!" King shouted, "The machine is now pumping!" Water began o flood out of the machine.


    "I know." Sun raised his sword. The mana swirling around them formed a wall. "So I''m just going to break it!"


    "And how?"


    Sun did not have enough mana to break such a machine. But there was another way, and that his sword, and its special property. Like a puzzle piece, he removed the mana spell he placed on the sword, leaving only the original that once ruled the blade with impunity. Sun''s ebony blade got heavier by the second as it fell to the machine until it surpassed an elephant''s weight by three times. "20 Tons Swing!"


    "You can change its weight?"


    "Yup," The sword pierced the machine and sliced it in half. When it split open, the mana King shoved into it exploded out along with the rushing water. The wall of wind blocked the water. Its only to go was up, and it carried the two goblins with them.


    The large nucleus rock in the Baptista kept pushing out water, and in turn, the water continued to climb the tunnel. The water exploded out from the moat-like giant geyser that could reach the sky. The water fell on the city like rain, gently washing away the blood off the buildings. And with the rain came King and Sun falling from the sky and landing on top of the third dam.


    Their impact nearly destroyed the platform and Sun''s sword impeded its way to the stone foundation. King was laying on the ground unconscious while Sun jumped back on his feet and stretched his body. In front of him were the city goblins trying desperately to retake the castle, only to perish on the beaches. He punched his fist together and yelled to them, "Stop fighting!" And everyone stopped to look at him. Sun walked up to the sleeping King and raised his head for all to see, "I''ve beaten your king. This war is over!"

 Vol 13 Chapter 8: Everflow City Surrenders

    Outside the city walls, Bishop and Queen escaped through an unguarded gate with their most loyal subjects. Queen tried to crawl back into the city, but Bishop kept pulling her. "STOP WE LOST! WE NEED TO GET OUF OF HERE BEFORE THEY FIND US."


    But she did not listen. She kept calling out for King. "We have to rescue him." She tried to shout with her soft, gentle voice. The goblins helped carry subdue the Queen and carry her. And they disappeared into the forest.


    Meanwhile, at the castle district of the city, Sun and King were outside the castle doors along with the two opposing armies. King was locked inside an iron cage crafted by the best blacksmiths of the Walz Kingdom. King sat in the cage, still unconscious. Smoke examined him through the cage, "It looks his body is undergoing kas withdrawal. He expelled out too much in a short time period."


    Sun was no better. He was lying on the cold stone floor with his head on Shuja''s lap. "He pushed most of his mana into the Baptista." Sun said, "It was insane. No other choice but to break it and before it could make enough water to flood the entire city."


    Water continued to rain on them coming from the large geyser. "I think that was a smart move. But try not to be so reckless. I got scared you''ll burn half the city down when I saw that explosion."


    "Hahaha!" Sun laughed, "Sorry about that. How long do you think we have to wait for him to wake up?"


    "I don''t know, maybe four or five," Smoke rubbed his chin.


    "Four or five what?"


    "Maybe seven."


    "Smoke, are you doing a skit?"


    Bi walked up to the stairs and interrupted, "Excuse, my Chief. We managed to find a high-ranking officer in their army." Bord and Skild carried the injured redhead red conqueror up the stairs and dropped her in front of them. "Her name is Spreckels. The only survivor among the red goblins. We detained her after she surrendered following your orders." Spreckels looked down on the floor, terrified at the sight of the three monsters. They were goblins she could not hope to defeat or risk angering. She has been scarred enough after witnessing Stick, Rock, Smoke, and Dawn''s strength. She knows her place.


    "Thank you, but who are you?" Sun asked.


    Bi''s cheeks turned blushed just a bit. "My apologies, I am Bi, and I have recently transformed during the battle."


    "Woah, that''s amazing."


    "Thank, sir!"


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Shuja pinched Sun''s cheeks. Then she asked her goblins to help Spreckels stand on her feet. Her eyes avoided them. "Ahem," Shuja coughed, "Where are you looking at?"


    "Nothing," She said with her wavering voice.


    Sun tapped Shuja''s shoulder, "Let''s tone it down a little." Sun pushed himself upright and crossed his legs. "We have captured your leader, as you can see with his lovely sleeping face. That means you lost. Understand?"


    "Yes, I understand."


    "Great." Sun clapped his hands, "Now, here are my terms. From this day onward, I will be your new king of Everflow City. And the goblins that rule over this city must abdicate their positions to my commanders and me."


    "And if I refuse?"


    Sun grabbed Shuja''s shoulder to stop her from exploding. He could feel her disdain for the Spreckels. "Then we will lock you up in the deepest dungeon with King, never to see the light of day again. You will rot in a cell colder than winter night you''ve ever experienced."


    "Why not just kill me? Why not kill King? What do you want from me?"


    Sun was dumbfounded. He was hoping that the threat of being isolated in the dark will be enough, but the city goblins were hardier than he thought. "You are the only conscious leader present obviously, and whatever you chose will also trickle down to everyone else that fought in this battle."


    "So if you kill me?"


    "I''ll let you imagine that for yourself." Of course, Sun had no intentions of harming his new subjects. And the reason why he wants Spreckels to accept him as King is because of her knowledge of the city and its inhabitants. Removing and replacing everyone will only create chaos. They need someone that knows the city as much as the city knows them in order to herd these cats.


    "Fine, I accept you as my king, and I relinquish my title as a pawn."


    "Great because I think you''ll be better off not being one."


    "But promise to me that my tribe will be spared!" She finally looked at Sun.


    "I promise."


    The doors behind them opened wider, and Pagasa walked out from the castle and through the legions watching their new king. He was holding the Horn of the Spring, a relic created by the highest power to save the remaining goblins from turning into animals. Pagasa handed it to Sun, "Here, it is time."


    Sun pushed the horn away, "Actually, can you do it for me? My lungs are killing me."


    "Are you sure? This is a momentous occasion."


    "It''s fine. Besides, I think you want to do it the most."


    "You''re right about," Pagasa stood proud and tall and blew the horn as loud as he could so the world could hear the sound. The sound that will free his kind from their first chain.


    The goblins around burst into flames, including Spreckels. The raining water sparkled at the light from the city''s blue pyre. The cold and gentle embrace of the flames grew larger as Pagasa blew on the horn louder and louder. And then the fire slowly died down, and steam rose its origin as the rain splashed against the wave of red goblins shocked by what they''ve just experienced. They were no longer the small green goblins that would cower from fear, they larger, and their skin was shined in vibrant red.


    But the most drastic change came to the red goblins. They were larger now with mute green skin and showed off their colorful feathers. Spreckels fell on her knees and groped her new body. Her skin was not mute green but light violet, and her black feathers grew out from her elbows and between her chin and collarbone, and they reflected beautiful blue light.


    And when she turned around, her face could not express her complex feelings. She saw a sea of red goblins, equally dumbfounded as they were. They could not explain their emotions with words facial expressions. They were not proud nor happy, but they felt relieved. And there was another feeling they just could not comprehend‘ͺa mix of freeness, and content, a feeling absent to them for most of their life.


    And it was not just the city that did the sound stop. It continued to circle the world and free all of the goblins of every walks of life; from the deepest caverns to the highest peaks and from the thickest jungles to the desolate deserts. These goblins were isolated, uncivilized, and could be mistaken for animals, but it all changed when the horn was blown.


    Every goblin became a blue pyre. The world was dotted by this gentle blue light. The flames burn away the first chains of the curse and they were born anew and no longer bound to the ground. The curse was lifted off goblinkind''s shoulders and some could finally walk tall again. One of those goblins was Spreckels, but she was too shocked by the experience and stayed on her knees in front of her new king.


    Outside the city, and a few miles away, Bishop and Queen were bewildered by the scene. The blue pyre that appeared before them engulfed their troop. And when the fire died, their soldiers came out redder than blood. "What just happened to them?" Queen wondered.


    "THOSE MAD LADS DID SOMETHING." Bishop said, "AND I CAN''T WAIT TO SEE THE SHOW! COME ON SIS!" Bishop carried Queen over his shoulders, "THEIR STORY IS JUST GETTING STARTED, AND WE NEED TO BE THEIR, FRONT ROW AND CENTER!"

 Vol 13 Chapter 9: The Highest Powers Part 1

    At the center of the world, near its equator, was the giant tower created by the Sky People long before the Tinia was born and liberated the world from their tyranny. The tower has many names, but it was widely known throughout the world as the Garden Tower. The tower watches over the Queen River delta. The river spilled onto the Liberty Gulf, a sea formed from the battle long forgotten by most of the known world. Only those in the tower, the select few elites of Titan Scholars, know of the war and nearly all its details.


    And with their deep understanding of war and technology of the Sky People, they became an unstoppable power of the world. While many superpowers fell over the ages, the Garden Tower stood tall forever, watching the sea and the land.


    At the top of the tower is a large open room that extended into a balcony. This room was the meeting place that the world''s leaders come to meet. And the floor above this room is a smaller room. In this room, the superpowers would meet above the eyes of the common king and queen. But the leaders of these powers do not meet in person. Their representatives were the ones that carry their words. They were the eyes and ears, but even they have power over the petty kingdoms beneath them.


    At the center of the room was a large circular table meant to sit the superpowers and the Golden Condottiero. Three of the five representatives were sitting by the table. Faity, the half-elf and half-demon man wearing a white ceremonial jacket, is an archbishop and the representative of the Church of Mahalia. His ears and horns pointed towards the ceiling, and if he were to lean back, his pointy nose would also stretch out to the sky.


    Across from him was the representative of the far eastern empire of Long-gon. She was a human wearing an elephant mask made of jade. Her slender body was protected by a magical crimson robe with magical runes inscribed all over. Her name was expunged from the records, but the people in the tower refer to her as Elie due to her elephant mask.


    Next to her was a large obese man sitting on a chair specially made for his body. His name was Datu, and he represented the richest state in all of the southeastern archipelago, Isla Bank.


    And along with the representatives were the Golden Condottiero. Three of the seven were present at the meeting, and two of them were fighting near the balcony. The dark elf Golden Condottiero sitting with the representatives sipping a cup of tea was Bret Hart. His white hair was tied into a bun, and he wore casual clothes.


    The two other mercenaries fighting near the balcony were like cats and dogs, not only in their interaction but appearance as well. The rampaging white werewolf was Randy the Savage. And the feline beastkin taunting him and fueling the fire was George the Gorgeous. He had a small frame and beautiful short blond curls. One could mistake him for a little girl, but he is no little girl.


    George was considered one of the strongest Golden Condottiero ever known. Raised in the rich castle towns near the Garden Tower, he received the best education from the brightest Titan Scholar. A master of magic manipulation, he had full control of the battlefield, able to change his surroundings with just a lift of his finger.


    His index finger danced in the air. The ground moved like a conveyor belt, pulling Randy away. "Stop moving me!" Randy yelled.


    "Dear, please use your in-door voice," George said.


    Randy was like a wild animal, strong and fast but not as bright as the other people in the room. He was in a constant state of savagery due to the cursed place upon his lineage by a god. And none of the people were willing to stop the beast from his rampage. But he suddenly stopped, "What was that?" He asked.


    "What are you talking about, dear."The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    "I feel a strange presence coming."


    Suddenly, the door burst open, and the representative of the Garden Tower stepped into the room. She was beastkin with brown curly hair and wore a purple robe and metal mask. "My dear elder sister!" George teleported next to the short beastkin and opened his arms to embrace her.


    She pushed George away, "Don''t touch me."


    "Cold as always, sister Morgana."


    "Whatever," The cold expression of the mask mirrored her cold tone. She ordered her brother and Randy to take a seat, and she proceeded to climb up the table and stand before them. Randy, despite his best, shook violently in the chair. The strange presence he sensed before was still in the air.


    "Why are you standing on top of the table?" Faity said, "Don''t you know it''s rude?"


    "I don''t like to be on the same level as you," Faity responded with a glare, but she ignored him. Morgana scanned the room. "Impressive. I didn''t think any of the Golden Condottiero was going to attend today''s meeting."


    "What do you mean?" George asked, "I will always attend any meeting with my sister."


    "Right, except you." She answered, "But two others joined. Bret Hart and Randy the Savage. If I knew such esteemed guests were going to arrive, I would have prepared a proper welcome."


    "I don''t need your hospitality!" Randy roared. "I want to know who killed King."


    "I doubt it was your kin, Gelilili." George laughed.


    "Shut up!" Randy''s voice cracked. His body was acting strangely, and it was getting harder to ignore.


    "I am also waiting," Faity said.


    "So do I," Elie added, "I would like to nominate a new member of the Golden Condottiero as soon as possible."


    "Yes, of course. But before I start, where is the representative of the Unur Dynasty."


    "Who cares?" Faity said, "We have an odd number thanks to the Golden Condottiero that attended. We won''t have problems with the voting."


    "Fair enough, but we are not voting today." Morgana produced scrolls from the purple robe and gave everyone one scroll. "Two months ago, a strange flow of mana was released, and it covered the world like a thin sheet of paper. This occurred at the same time as King''s defeat, and we believe these events correlated with the strange magic spell, but unfortunately, we cannot trace the exact origin of the magic spell."


    Datu raised his hand and spoke, "Do we know what this worldwide mana displacement did to the environment? If it''s not severe, then we can just ignore it for the time being."


    "The severity of the event''s effect on our world varies from person to person. For Datu and your empire, it means nothing. But for everyone else in this room, it may be concerning." Morgana cleared his throat, "The magic spell did something we believe is irreversible. The spell distorted reality as we know it, and most importantly, it revealed insight to one of the mysteries in our world."


    "And what mystery is that?"


    "The goblins!"


    Faity eyes nearly popped out from his socket. Hart noticed his body react, which made him suspicious. "What''s wrong, Faity?" He asked.


    Faity was about to answer, but Randy suddenly howled. He jumped off his chair and onto the table. "Show yourself!" He shouted at the balcony.


    A man landed on the floating patio. The air around him distorted the light, giving him a visible dark, green aura. Everyone in the room stood up except for Datu, Hart, and George. Datu was stuck in his chair, and Hart and George had no interest in the intruder. The man entered the room. His figure was hidden underneath a thick layer of green robes, and his face was protected by a metal mask.


    "Green clothes?" Morgana raised her hand and pointed at the man, "Reveal yourself, unless you want to die by my hand."


    "Morgana, the right hand of the Garden Tower Academy''s dean. You may be the second strongest in this tower, but you''re only second to the dean and me." The man removed his mask, and everyone lost their wits and composure. The man before them was the leader of the Unur Dynasty. The head patriarch, Unur Iben. He had a black goatee and yellow eyes. He wore a turban cap hiding his head.


    Everyone fell back on their chair except for Randy. He hid under the table. His animal instinct was conflicting with his reason. He wanted to run, but he was also insanely curious and wanted to fight Iben to measure the true strength behind one of the Superpowers'' leaders.


    Hart took another sip of his tea. "To think a superpower would be present. I''m getting nervous."


    Iben sat on the chair meant for his representative and placed his mask in front of him. Morgana took a deep breath and climbed back on top of the table, and walked over to Iben. "You don''t have any weapons on you, do you?"


    "Do I count as one?"


    "Depends."


    "Then I don''t have any." He smiled.


    Morgana to Hart. "Now, back to the topic before I was rudely interrupted. The magic event that occurred two months ago affected goblins around the world, forcing them to transform. Or more accurately, evolve into the next stage of their kind''s life cycle."


    "What do you mean?" Faity asked.


    "The mana has turned the green goblins into the red variant. Now we don''t know what the goblins are, but we do know that their kind is alien to our world. And our policy means that these invaders should be removed from our land by any means necessary."


    Datu raised his hand, "Is it really necessary? There are no goblins in the islands, so why should we care?"


    "Because we don''t want another empire from the outside to enslave us like the Sky People. But fortunately, to you, we will not exterminate them because of their low population. They are deemed by the tower to be harmless."


    "Then why talk about it?"


    "Because the neighboring kingdoms have made a startling discovery. King, the former Golden Condottiero, was a goblin."

 Vol 13 Chapter 10: The Highest Powers Part 2

    Most of them were indifferent to the fact, except for Faity and Iben. Venusia is a highly contested continent between the Unur Dynasty and the Church of Mahalia. And within this continent was the Raiden Forest, where the largest concentration of goblins are known to live. Although they number only over ten thousand, it is still enough to warrant concern between the two superpowers. "Are you telling me King transformed from green goblin to what he was now?" Faity asked.


    "Yes," Morgana said.


    "How is that even possible?"


    "Oh, you didn''t know."


    "What do you mean I didn''t know? Of course, I don''t know. Unless you are trying to imply something." Faity pointed at Morgana, "My Church had no knowledge of this fact. This is new to us just as much as it is new to everyone in this room."


    "Calm down." Iben said, "No is accusing anyone of anything."


    "Of course," Morgana relaxed her tone, "No one is accusing anyone. I just thought that since the Church operates primarily on Venusia that, you know what, forget." Morgana walked to the center of the table. "This event may seem tiny, but we still lack information about the goblins. We do know from the observations from the Walz Kingdom that the red variants during this event also transformed into a similar appearance to King and his subordinate."


    "And not only appearance but their level of intellect also rose, am I right?"


    "That''s right, Unur Iben. And this could be a problem. We currently know of a few goblins that reached this level, King, his commanders, and the goblins that defeated him. And Hart has given us the identity of the leader of the goblin army that defeated King."


    Hart leaned in on the table, "His name is Sun, and I met him just recently."


    "And why should we care?" Datu asked.


    "Because I wish to nominate him as a Golden Condottiero."


    Randy jumped out from the table and roared, "I refuse. And how do you lot know it was another goblin that killed King."


    George yawned, "Well, it can''t be one of your clan members. Besides you, the rest of them are jokes."


    "What did you just say?"


    "Enough!" Iben yelled. The tower shook from the sound of his voice. Randy ran back under the table, startled like a dog hearing thunder for the first time.


    "Are you insane?!" Morgana yelled, "Don''t just shake the tower so carelessly."


    "My apologies did not mean to shake this old building''s foundation. Trust that my intentions were good."


    "Fine, but don''t do it again." Morgana paced across the table, "We plan to make Sun a Golden Condottiero so we can keep him and his goblins under our control. We''ve already sent the offer to the new leader of the goblins city, and we even got a response right away. Guess what the letter says?" The other members assumed the nominee accepted. "He declined our offer."


    "So what?" Datu asked, "Doesn''t that means he''s just another band of thieves hiding in the forest. Unless there was more to that letter, I see no reason why we should care."


    "Well, there is more. He''s planning to turn the ruined cities in the forest into proper, functioning cities. And with those cities, form a nation of goblins." The mention of a goblin nation has caught the interest of half of the members. "A country of aliens born on the surface of our world. That''s a reality the entire world has to face. So far, we have kept outsiders from taking over our world, whether they came from the sky and the stars or from the depths of the Infinite Sea. But the goblins have managed to stay under the radar for one hundred years."


    Iben rubbed his goatee, "This does seem to a problem, but I doubt we have to worry. For this goblins nation to exist legally, their leader will have to participate in the Church''s mock exam. Because if they don''t, then we''ll have to deal with them. I assume that is the real problem behind all of this." Iben stood up and leaned on the table, and stared at Morgana. "If he declined your offer, he is unchained which means he could be a threat. But since he declared his intentions of building a kingdom to us, the tower is debating whether or not to recognize their nation."This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "But why not just exterminate?" Elie asked. "I bet tower and the Church have the resources to kill them, reduce their numbers to zero. After all, their numbers are already low, to begin with, just as you told us."


    "The tower''s view of this topic is still being questioned." Morgana sighed, "Their numbers are low, too low to be even considered a threat. But the event that transpired two months ago was concerning to the upper echelons. There are some that want to cut the stem before the infestation could become a problem, and there were those that question the ethics behind the plan. After all, they are no longer closer to beasts. They are very much like us when it comes to reasoning. And the majority of the tower would love to study their inner workings."


    "And the dean kept his mouth shut, didn''t he?" Iben asked.


    "The dean believed that it is best to ask those gathered today for nomination for the next Golden Condottieros for a solution. More specifically, he wanted to know if the Church is willing to let the future goblin king take the mock exam." Morgana looked at Faity.


    "What?" Faity covered his chest, "Are you serious? The Pontiff is a busy man."


    "Call him."


    "No!" Faity protested and stood up. "I''m leaving." Faity reached for the doors, but Morgana teleported in front of him. Her eyes burned through her mask.


    "I will not ask again!" She yelled. "If you do not call your leader, then I will. After I take your holy necklace from your corpse!"


    Faity shrank back to his chair and removed his necklace from his pocket. He opened the locket attached to the silver chain and pressed his thumb on the glossy surface. The locket opened, revealing a purple glass showing a beautiful sky. Faity placed the locket closed to his mouth. "Holy seer, I need your guidance." The locket began to ring for a few seconds until a young man''s voice came through the glass. "What is it?" The man asked.


    Morgana snatched the necklace from Faity''s hands before he could answer. "This is Morgana. The Dean''s Assistant to Diplomatic Affairs, I need your confirmation, Johnathan."


    "How dare you say the Pontiff''s name!" Faity lunged at Morgana, but she protected herself with an invisible barrier. Faity slammed his head on the wall of mana, knocking himself unconscious.


    "What was that?"


    "Your diplomat got a carried away. But that doesn''t matter. What matters now is the resolution I have introduced to everyone in this room."


    "I can feel an odd presence through the glass. More potent than the dean''s aura. Who is that?"


    Iben got close to Morgana, "Sorry, that must be me."


    "Unur Iben." The locket''s glass began to crack, "To think you''ll be present. If I had known you''d be there, I would have marched my army and called for another crusade."


    "Not like you''ll win, even if you were there."


    "Gelilili!" George laughed, "That was a good one."


    Hart tossed a coin in George''s mouth. George coughed out the silver piece on the table. "A war between two superpowers is no laughing matter, George."


    Iben nodded in agreement, "If only the other leaders could hear you say that."


    "Nevermind your quarrels!" Morgana yelled. "We are wasting time. We haven''t even discussed the other two candidates for the position of Golden Condottiero." Morgana climbed back on the table, "Now, the question of the goblin nation''s existence is worrisome, to say the least, and we need immediate action. The decision lies to everyone in this room. Should we exterminate the goblin species, or should we let their race be part of our world? Letting them found their kingdom could result in another crisis similar to past invasion by alien forces, but the chances of that are still low. For those in favor of the former, raise your hand."


    Randy crawled out from the table and raised his hand. None of the other members followed in his example. "Are you serious? We''re letting some goblin savage from the heart of that godforsaken forest become a legitimize king!"


    "Wait," The Pontiff raised his voice, "Is this about the goblin that defeated King? That rumor was real?"


    "I''m afraid so," Morgana answered.


    "Interesting, I thought it was the doing of Randy and his animalistic house. But I guess I was wrong. And now he is to become king of his kingdom."


    "Yes,"


    "And why do you need me for? All that goblin have to do is pass the mock exam the Church provides to upcoming heirs. We will let him take it."


    "We need your Church to keep a close eye on the nation and to stop them if they show any signs of hostility towards the world. Placing them under your umbrella should keep their country on a leash. And besides, what if he doesn''t pass?"


    "Then he will not be recognized by the church, and we will deal with them as we all do with the other barbarians."


    "Exactly, Johnathan."


    "Are you suggesting I let him pass even if he failed? That will defile the sanctity of our holy ritual and our state. Besides, why should any of you care what we do to the goblins if their leader fails the test? Isn''t the other option to kill the goblin race?"


    "Johnathan, you know full well the ethical repercussions of such an event. And even Meredith would agree that such an extreme action will destroy our moral values."


    "I can''t believe you would bring our holy mother into this, but fine. It seems like you care about them a lot."


    "I don''t care. I represent the interest of the tower and the dean. And we have mixed feelings about this race already. Our organization believes in the eradication of all enemies of Tinia, but the goblins are hardly an enemy for our world, even with this sudden change. And if we do keep them around, we will like to study them closely to understand the circumstances behind their existence."


    "None of this makes any sense." The Pontiff sighed, "But for you, my friend, I will accept under one condition. King, I would like to speak with him."


    Iben and Morgana raised a brow, "King? What do you want from him, exactly?"


    "You should be aware of what that pagan has done to our followers up north."


    "And you want to speak to him just for that?"


    "Yes, is that a problem?"


    Morgana paced back and forth on the table with a frown on her face. "Fine. I will send you King''s whereabouts, but I will be present when you speak to him."


    "Of course, I will only need a word with him. Make him repent for his sins, forgive him. You know the drill. I would just like to do it personally since I have you on call."


    "Is there anything else?"


    "Not that I can think."


    "Good!" Morgana closed the locket, ending the call, and threw it back to Faity laying unconscious on the floor. On the other side of the world, inside a dimly lit room, the Pontiff sits on his chair. He was hidden behind towers of paper sitting on top of his desk. He sighed and opened a drawer, taking out a pen and paper.


    He wrote down King''s name and circled it. Then he glued it on the wall with his mana. He stared at the name for minutes until the door to his room opened. A man wearing black clothes walked towards his desk and handed the Pontiff and an envelope.


    The Pontiff opened it and read the letter. The dwarves and dark elves have banded together and blocked access to the forest. Not even the tower could enter the forest to retrieve King''s henchmen. He laughed nervously. There was still a chance for them to learn about his connection with King. But now he could visit King personally and erase his memories. Then sway the new goblin king to his side, or kill him. The next mock exam will be available in a month, near the end of summer. He will wait till then.

 Vol 13 Chapter 11: Maris Servant

    A month has passed after the battle for Everflow City. The Razin tribe began were now preparing to migrate to the city. Their walls were dismantled and were used to built wagons to carry their luggage. The process was made easier for their new larger bodies. Everyone in the village was excited to test their bodies by tearing the buildings and walls down; using their muscles felt euphoric for the once small goblins. But the transformation was most surprising to the caretakers.


    Weeks after their transformation, the caretakers began to experience a change in their body they could never have dreamed of happening, there was blood between their legs. This was an exhilarating moment in the Lev caretakers. They were viewed with contempt by their tribesmen, ostracized by them because they were unable to give the gift of life. But now, they have that ability they coveted for years.


    Meanwhile, the Razin caretakers were not elated with their new bodies. They viewed their sterile bodies as a sign by the gods to become the caretakers of mother nature. A prestige title among their tribesmen. But now, the one thing separating them from the mortal plane was gone. They were the same as the other women.


    The Lev could not understand this way of thinking. Born in the harsher reality of the northern tribes, the act of birth was seen as the most important task a woman could ever achieve. But the gap between their two cultures was beginning to close, thanks to the most respected women in the tribe, Mari and Flute.


    Mari woke up shortly after the war ended and during the transformation event. The caretakers, troubled by her sudden collapse, pampered her, despite Cyrus''s protest. She wanted to be alone with Mari after the shock.


    But Mari was content with being pampered by the goblins. She wanted to move around after being in bed for god knows how long. Fortunately, the women needed her guidance more than ever after their transformation. Mari helped those uncomfortable with their new body get used to it and assisted the caretakers in agricultural work in Violin''s absence.


    Meanwhile, the Lev caretakers'' relationship with Flute suddenly changed after the blue pyre disappeared. Flute became a goddess after leaving the flame. She had a slender body and was taller than Mari. Her cherry blond hair was shorter, but its colors grew more vibrant. Her jawline was pronounced, and crystal green eyes were as shard as her nose. Flute''s skin was pale green which created a great contrast to her fiery hair.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    The women feared and respected Flute long before Sun was ever born, but now their fear was gone. They respected and admired Flute. Some would say they look up to her both physically and emotionally. And some envied Tie with her intimate relationship with Flute.


    May was not one of them. She respected Flute, but her attention was elsewhere. She looked towards the direction of Everflow City and prayed that she could meet Sun soon.


    Fortunately, time was moving faster than anyone expected. With the end of spring and the coming of summer, the day grew longer and the night got shorter. The day met longer work, and work meant time moved faster because the goblins were too distracted to check the time. And now they were about to move.


    Pagasa teleported back to the village after a month of preparation. Mari greeted Pagasa while Cyrus hid inside her room, gnawing her nails at the sight of his overwhelming appearance. "Did everything go according to the plan?" Mari asked.


    "Yes, and how about you? Are you ok?"


    "Yeah, I''m fine!" Mari puffed her chest out. "Doing better than ever! But are you sure you have enough to teleport everyone to Everflow City. We''re pretty far, and there are over three hundred goblins here."


    "Three hundred is nowhere near enough to deplete my mana."


    "Hahahaha!" Mari laughed, "Confident as ever. And also," Mari''s expression became softer, "Thank you for helping my son. I owe you one after I collapsed."


    Pagasa smiled at her then took out his chalk. He began to walk around the greenhouse and wrote his magic spell. Then he snapped his finger. Mana began to pour out from his feet and covered the Crystal Garden. Then the mana broke down the building into tiny bits and it floated in the wind like fallen leaves on a sunny autumn day.


    The goblins danced around the falling magical petals before returning to work, preparing their luggage for the teleportation. They lined up in front of Pagasa with their belongings anxious to experience the strange power of teleportation. But they were also excited to get to the city and meet their loved ones that fought in the siege. Pagasa wrote the same magic spell inscription on their forehead. Mari and Cyrus were the first ones in line. "It doesn''t stain right?" Mari asked, "I don''t want to meet my son with a giant white circle on my forehead."


    "Hehehe," Pagasa giggle, "It''s dry washable."


    Next was Cyrus, She covered her eyes with her hands. Her body trembled when Pagasa touched her skin, and she ran to Mari''s side as quickly as possible. He pitied the young lady. She is still so young, especially in her culture, and already she experienced hell on earth. Then it was Flute''s turn. She was extremely tall for a goblin. Pagasa had to stand on his toes to reach her head. "I used to think you were unreachable. But not you look so small." Flute smiled.


    "Didn''t think you were into jokes."


    "And I didn''t think you could laugh." Flute glanced at Mari, "But it seems that even you can be fickle, sometimes."


    "Fickle?" Flute walked away before Pagasa could ask her the meaning of her words. The line continued to come. Once the entire village had their runes on their head, Pagasa snapped his finger at everyone and everything disappeared in the blink of an eye.


    The village arrived at the center of the city, next to the moat. And across the water was Sun and his brothers waving at them. A large longship was parked next to them with a black-haired goblin standing on its deck. "Brother, they''ve arrived." She yelled.


    A tall chubby goblin was standing on the ship''s wheel. His blond hair and yellow feathers glowed under the sun''s light. "Welcome to Everflow City. I am your guide, Horder!"

 Vol 13 Chapter 12: The Castle

    Horder carried everyone on his longship to the castle. The goblins that fought in the siege were excited to meet their families again. Once the boarding bridge was lowered, the goblins ran out from the ship and to their loved ones.


    Mari and Cyrus held hands while they walk down the bridge. Sun ran to Mari and embraced his mother around his arms. "I miss you too, Sun." Mari hugged him back and kissed him on the cheek. But her happiness turned to worry when she noticed Sun''s injuries up close. He was covered in bandages from neck to toe. "What happened? It''s already been a month?"


    "Well, it was a pretty hard-fought battle with tons of explosives. But, I''m doing fine thanks to Smoke." Sun grabbed Mari''s hand and guided her up the stairs. Pagasa followed the mother and child, "And we''ve been busy fixing the castle. Smoke''s battle with Queen and King basically destroyed half of the castle, and we don''t have the manpower or experience to rebuild the destroyed sections of the castle."


    Mari stared at the standing castle, impressed by its architecture. "It''s amazing. I can''t believe there is something like this sitting in the middle of the forest and that goblins built it and this city."


    "Well, the goblins back them were not exactly like us."


    "And I hope that we''ll return to those glory days," Pagasa said. "Before our race regressed to monsters."


    On the base of the stairs, Cyrus was sitting on the bench, hiding behind a wall from the blazing fires coming from Sun and Pagasa. The caretakers were there with her, concerned about Cyrus. She immediately let go of Mari and ran off to the corner of the docks under the shade. She never left Mari''s side until now. It was a strange change of behavior.


    May was among the caretakers, and she sat next to Cyrus and offered her company. "Is everything ok?" She asked. "You left Mari suddenly."


    "Yeah, I just thought I''d give them time alone with each other," Cyrus said through her teeth.


    May smiled and told her she was doing the same thing. She didn''t want to get between the two. It''s been too long, and their reunion always feels too short. It was time to let them have their peace. But that doesn''t mean Cyrus should just stay in the docks waiting. "How about we explore the castle. Maybe even see Smoke."


    Cyrus looked at the lake. Large chunks of ice still floated on the waters despite the summer heat beginning to set in on the land. Spring was nearing its end. Cyrus continued to stare at the ice for a few more minutes before finally answering. May jumped off the bench and grabbed Cyrus'' arms. The caretakers tried to stop May and Cyrus because it was too dangerous to explore the castle on their own. May insisted and dragged Cyrus with her through the dock and up the stairs.


    Cyrus had her eyes closed while walking up the stairs. The brightness coming from the castle was overwhelming her eyes. But suddenly, the whiteness penetrating her eyelids disappeared, and blackness returned. She slowly opened her eyes and saw the castle without the blinding light covering it.


    It seems that Sun and Pagasa left the castle, which worried Cyrus. She wondered where they had taken Mari, but this worrying will not do her any good. May was also worried, but not for Mari. Unlike Cyrus, she was confident that Mari would be okay exploring the castle with her son. Instead, she was worried about the goblin standing on top of the stairs‘ͺher self-proclaimed love rival Bi.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    May was proud of her new body and was eager to show off to Sun, but seeing Bi diminished her confidence. Bi had a body similar to that of Sun and higher goblins, and she was beautiful. Her slender body in contrast to her white flowing hair gave her the appearance of a cold beautiful winter goddess. And her colorful blue and green feather coming from the back of her neck stood out against the pure white. May''s body slumped down once they passed Bi.


    Bi welcomed them, but May ignored her. She doesn''t like rude goblins. "Hey, I said welcome!" Bi grabbed May on the arm.


    "What?" Bi pulled her. May stumbled down the stairs and landed on Bi''s rock-hard abs.


    "I said welcome."


    May regained her balance and bowed, "Sorry, and we are glad..."


    "What are you doing?" Bi planted her palm on her face, "You are supposed to salute. Everyone knows this! The Chief, no, the King taught everyone this!"


    "I''m sorry, but what?" May looked back at Cyrus, but she was equally confused.


    "Nevermind." Bi said, "Where are you two going anyway. You must register at the docks first and then go to the city to your assigned homes and jobs."


    "Well, I''m Cyrus and Mari''s personal caretaker, and it is my task to make sure they are ok."


    "And who gave you that task."


    "Flute, obviously. Now, we''ll be on our way."


    Bi squinted her eyes, "I''m coming with you."


    "What?"


    "The majority of the castle is under construction, so its dangerous without a proper guide with you. Plus, I know you, May. You''re now of those women aiming for the King, and I need to make sure you do not get in his way. Can''t have my majesty get distracted by your attempts to seduce him."


    "How dare you?" May was shocked, "I''m not here to seduce to Sun. And if he does make advancement, then so be it, but it is not because I was trying to seduce him."


    "How very likely." Bi walked ahead of the two, "Now come, and I will show you the castle."


    Bi lead them through the front gate. The first place they saw was the massive courtyard where the soldiers were training and the carpenters working. And across them was the grand entrance to the castle and above the large doors was a beautiful tainted glass portrait of a mysterious figure standing over a group of feathered goblins. The figure''s head was painted over with the words ''no,'' making it hard to distinguish the face.


    Through the door was the entrance hall. The floors were burned to sunders, and the ceiling had holes. "Smoke and the enemy king battled here. It only lasted 20 seconds, and any longer could have destroyed the hall entirely. Next was the dining hall and art gallery on the second floor. The rooms were soaking wet. The ice that covered the room had completely melted and flooded the lower floors and outside hallway. And the large gaping wall on the gallery was boarded with wood.


    Nearly every inch of the castle had signs of struggle. The battle that took place between Smoke and King may have been short-lived, but every second counted and every attack devasting. Touring the castle and seeing the destruction caused by King and Smoke only served to worry Cyrus more.


    She was worried not only about Smoke''s safety but his appearance as well. Did Smoke turn into the scorching pyre she fears so much? Will the gentle warmness coming from Smoke''s soul burn her now? Bi continued to give them a tour around the castle. Some rooms had their roofs blown off and windows shattered. And flimsy attempts to mend the destruction littered the castle grounds.


    May was sad to see the beauty of the castle destroyed by the battles. "Do you think they''ll be able to fix the castle?" She asked Bi.


    "Of course. Do not doubt our new King and my superiors. They obviously have plans to rebuild the castle and the remaining city. I have faith that they will not only rebuild but clean the city of the dirt the previous rulers dumped on the waters. I believe in them."


    May stared at her. She was impressed by her loyalty and questioned if this was due to her love for Sun or just extreme admiration. Their tour ended when Smoke appeared out of the blue. Cyrus started to weep and ran to her son and embrace him. "Mom, what''s wrong?" Smoke was startled by her.


    The light within Smoke was still as gentle as ever. Soft and warm, it enveloped Cyrus as a mother would to its crying baby. Mari maybe is gone, absorbed by Sun''s oppressive light, but Smoke was still there to light her darkness. And there is nothing in the world that would separate them.


    But deep underground, below the goblin country, lies a kingdom of many secrets. Hiding from the harsh light above them, the dark elves lived in the caverns dug by the Sky People. There they had a kingdom once under a different name, now is known as the Glowen Kingdom.


    And in this kingdom lived a heavy king, with a belly as round and smooth as a melon. And this king had a beastkin wife, believed to be a gift from the skies above the ground. She fell in the middle of civil war and through her fall, peace was attained. The king married her and together they ruled the kingdom in peace for a year. But now the surface was calling her name.


    She sat on the porch overlooking a sea of glowing green flowers. "I think I''m remembering everything now." She told her attendant standing beside her chair.


    "What do you remember, your majesty?"


    "I had a son, and his name was Stick."

 Vol 13 Chapter 13: Life in the City

    Stick, Cossack, and Violin were exploring the city through its canal highway system. The raiding goblins were surprisingly amazing when it came to shipbuilding, and their canoes were designed to be slim to fit the narrow pathways of the city. Bord was rowing the boat. His smooth bald head reflected the sun and lit the waters ahead of them as if he was using his light spell. He was also much taller than before after evolving into a true goblin with light olive skin, the only one of his kind so far.


    Meanwhile, Violin has also transformed into a true goblin. During her journey to the Orgut tribe, she stumbled upon the Maston tribe fighting illegal loggers. She joined the battle, and during it, she turned into a red conquer. And now, in her new form, her body has barely grown. Still taller than the red goblins, she is still short in comparison to the others. Standing five foot and two inches, Bord towers over her by one foot.


    But despite her short stature, Violin was still very much confident in herself. And her beauty added more to her ego. Her once bald head now houses beautiful orange curls, and her eyes were as clear and deep as the untamed ocean.


    Her new body made Cossack confused. Violin was his childhood friend, and he never found her attractive during those years. Cossack''s forehead was covered with a bandage after slamming his head against the wall, trying to erase his emotions. He would yell on the dead of night, to the white moon, that his love for Artio could not be washed away so easily. His cries woke up Stick one night. He climbed out from his window and saw Cossack on the roof howling at the moon.


    Now Stick knew about Cossack''s crush and teased Cossack about it whenever he got the chance. Stick sat behind Cossack and Violin. He leaned in Cossack''s ears and whispered, "Now''s your chance. Just wrap your arms around her."


    "No!" Cossack yelled back.


    Violin covered her ears and flinched, "What the hell?" She yelled. "Don''t yell so close to my ears, dumbo."


    "Dumbo?"


    Bord stopped the boat with his long paddle, then turned around and faced his passengers. "Control yourselves, or I''m turning this boat around!"


    Cossack and Stick sat back on their seat. However, Violin walked to Bord with fire in her eyes. "Don''t tell me what to do, Bord!" She yelled. "Also, how long are we going to keep surveying the city''s canals. We already have the map Pagasa gave us."


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    "We are doing this to learn the inner workings of the city," Bord said, "And to mark areas that need repairs or cleaning before repurposing them to our people."


    Stick coughed to get their attention. "That''s right, Bord," He said, "We also need to know to fix the underground sewage system after it was flooded by King and his men. And there''s also the houses that must be listed, marking the buildings that can be repurposed, and clean the remaining the waste in the city waters."


    Cossack pointed at Bord, "He mentioned those already."


    "Oh, right. Carry on then. We still have the left side of the city to survey, and the day isn''t getting any longer. And I still have to collect the reports on other districts. Sun wants them on his desk by tonight."


    Bord coughed, "Actually, Bi and Skydas already wrote them with the help of Spreckles. They gave it to Sun this morning. We''re only missing this side of the city."


    "Oh," Stick sat down. Cossack and Violin also returned to their seat, and Bord continued to row the boat. Stick pulled out the map and began to mark down the buildings. He felt slightly relieved that he didn''t need to write the reports. And he was also surprised at how competent their lieutenants were compared to last year. There was no need to hover over their shoulders.


    As the boat float on the murky waters, Stick remembered how the lieutenants managed to defeat their opponents on their own. And now Bord is rowing their boat and setting them straight. Stick couldn''t help but be slightly ashamed for teasing Cossack while Bord focused on the task. But it can''t be helped. The brothers were robbed of their childhood, so their childish traits occasionally pop out through the surface.


    Even now, at the castle grounds and inside the halls of its cold exterior, Rock was running through its halls with his Snow. She was riding on his shoulder, with her arms open wide and pretending to be a bird flying through the castle halls. "Dada! Fast!" Snow yelled.


    "Hahaha!" Rock laughed, "I''ll go even faster! Fly birdie, fly birdie."


    Rock ran around the castle, zipping past through the castle attendants and guards. Those that used to work in the castle for King were bewildered by Rock''s playful nature. It was difficult to imagine that the strong masculine Rock could be so jolly. And it was even more unbelievable for those that worked under Rook. The hardened guard of the city was defined by his stubborn attitude and his harsh words. He was nowhere near softness, but Rock, despite his name and body, was like a cloud walking on the earth.


    He was a happy goblin that loved to share his joy with his world, Snow. After the battle, he became even more playful and spent his free time with Snow, nearly forgetting his daily exercise. Fortunately, Dawn was there to get him back on track. And just like Rock, Sun has also been acting more playful than before due to young love.


    Shuja has returned from the Maston tribe. She left a week after the siege to patrol the Maston border, but when she arrived, the forest was at peace. Illegal loggers and smugglers were nowhere to be found near their territory, and that was due to the robust border control by the dwarves and dark elves. She wasn''t sure why they were protecting the forest, but she could not help but think it must be due to Pagasa''s connections.


    Shuja told Sun about the report, but he shrugged it off, confirming her suspicion that it was indeed due to Pagasa. She appreciated the outsiders'' help but she also felt trapped like an animal with the forest as the cage. Sun reassured her that there was nothing to worry about.


    Shuja decided to trust Sun and the two joined Mari at the gardens. They sat down and had tea. Mari was the happiest she''s ever been. "I can''t believe there was tea in the castle." She exclaimed, "I was getting tired of drinking that nasty ale and spirit."


    Shuja sniffed the tea, "I don''t know. It smells like water."


    "Hahaha!" Sun laughed, "Tea is more than just water. "It''s the beverage that fills your soul and calms the mind. It may not be clear as water, but its purity comes from its aromatic smell."


    Mari''s eyes were filled with pride and surprise, "Sun, I didn''t know you had so much knowledge on tea. Tea is in fact the best drink for self-fulfillment. And I''m glad you understand that." She giggled, "I guess you got your palette from me."

 Vol 13 Chapter 14: The Courtiers

    The lovely spring weather made the day more pleasant for tea. Mari probed Shuja about her time amongst the women in Maston and how Isla was doing. Isla maintained her position as the most venerated elder in the tribe. Everyone respected her, more so than Shuja.


    The tribe''s relationship with Shuja was different compared to Isla. They still respected her, but their respect was nowhere near as formal as is with Isla''s. Shuja was seen by most like their older sister. Always nagging, but never harsh, and she was a goblin anyone can depend on. Meanwhile, Isla was the mother, loving and caring, but not to be a mess with when angry.


    Shuja was slightly embarrassed when sharing her stories. It took Shuja several weeks before getting used to the role as Chief. And even more time when dealing with the children. Sun love listening to her story, however, so she kept going.


    Her time with the Maston truly brought out a new Shuja. Once harsh, she was now more empathetic. Maybe this was due to Isla and the need to differentiate herself from the previous head? But Sun believed that Shuja was always soft in the heart and that she was just hiding it away because she was scared to show weakness. Especially in her former home tribe.


    While they were talking, White and Root appeared from behind Sun with their report. White and Root looked exactly the same, red skin and leaned built. And they had glossy black hair tied in a ponytail. It was hard to distinguish them apart, but their behavior made it possible.


    Root, despite his numerous achievements, still had a habit of rubbing his thumb and index finger together while talking to others besides his sister. Root gave his draft of the current map of the city. He found it much easier to draw the map of the city in comparison to the underground system because he didn''t have to worry about elevation as much.


    White gave his papers next. He always had a smile on his face whenever he talks to someone. A habit that Sun only noticed after his transformation. White''s report was the final report for the census. Before the siege, the city population numbered nearly 1,700 goblins. After the battle, the enemy suffered 550 casualties and 250 dead. The five tribes now had an average population of 200 each. Then there were the remaining 280 former slaves forced to live underground, making King''s firearms. Then there was the introduction of the Lev and Razin tribe in the city, which replaced the dead and even added 250 goblins more. When added together, Everflow City had a population of 1,530 goblins, excluding Sun and his court members.


    Speaking of his court, Pagasa wrote a list of positions that must be filled before the arrival of the Lev and Razin tribes. Flute and Violin were in charge of the castle ground as the Chief Maids, with their caretakers assuming the job as the castle''s maids and gardeners. The Knight of Arms was given to Sun''s five lieutenants. Knights were special ranking soldiers, much like special operatives from Sun''s former world, and both fought with and part from the common foot soldiers.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Sun was hesitant to assign knights to his army, but he could combine the knights with his modernized army. Finally, the Court Wizard was given to Pagasa. The most obvious position. The other court official was more challenging to fill.


    Court Marshal was given to Stick. His planning and combat experience made him the best candidate among his brothers. Smoke was the second-best choice for Court Marshal, but he was the number one pick for the Court Physician. Chamberlain was given to Horder. His love for hoarding gold and other trinkets was problematic before, but Pagasa saw usefulness in his greed. He was now in charge of the castle''s treasury and castle management. Horder''s desire to save up money is an important trait for a Chamberlain, but it can also lead to corruption, so Pagasa will keep a close eye on Horder''s movements.


    His sister, Gever, received the title of Stewardess. After the battle, Gever grew more assertive when talking to her brother. She was the lance that kept Horder''s flawed nature at bay. The Steward position was in charge of domestic affairs outside the castle. Her kind and generous personalities are great when it comes to domestic affairs and politics, but it''s also detrimental. The coffer''s gold is limited and the resource found beneath and above the earth finite. And gold not given to the King and his courtiers can be stolen by those that desire it.


    Horder''s greed and Gever''s generosity should balance the two roles. Still, Pagasa will keep watch of the brother and sister. Making sure that their dynamic relationship continues in a positive direction. And finally, the City Architect, in charge of designing and maintaining the capital city, Everflow City. This title was given to Root and Mist.


    There were still other positions left open like Lady-in-waiting. Sun left the position open for his mother to decide. The Lady-in-waiting will be Mari''s personal assistant. And then, there was the King''s wife, the Queen.


    Sun sat back on the table and dismissed Root and White. He kept the report inside two separate folders and put them away. Mari and Shuja finally finished talking. "So what about you, Sun?" Shuja raised her cup, "Tell us a little about your training with Pagasa. I heard he had you run across a field while he tried to shoot you with explosive arrows. Rock told me you almost blew up!"


    Mari spat out her tea, "He did what? You never told me this!"


    Sun held his hands up, "Please, that''s not important right now. What''s important is that we get you a Lady-in-waiting." A red goblin with curly brown hair entered the garden with a plate of green cakes. She placed them next to Mari. "You!" Sun pointed at her.


    "Me?" She pointed at herself.


    Mari raised a brow, "Pin?"


    "That''s Pin?" Shuja asked.


    Pin began to twirl her index fingers together. "Yeah, she can be your Lady-in-waiting."


    "Sorry, Chief," Pin said, "But I''m Flute''s go-to girl. I can''t be Ms. Mari''s personal assistant."


    Mari placed her hand on Pin''s shoulder, "Don''t worry. I think I have a candidate ready to take this position. May has always been there by my side since you were off in the mountains training with Pagasa. She knows as much as I know her. In fact, I think I know more of her than she thinks." She glances at Shuja, "I''ll have her be my personal assistant."


    "Perfect!" Sun clapped his hands together. "And there''s one more thing I need to do. I need someone to come with me to Scoffing City and Womva Isla."


    "Can''t you just take your brothers?"


    "Well, I can, but Pagasa told me to take someone else." Sun scratched the top of his head. "Shuja, I need you to come with me to the mock exam."


    "Oh, you need as your bodyguard?" Shuja smiled, "Didn''t think you need a woman to protect you?" She giggled.


    "I need you there to be my Queen."


    "What?" Mari and Shuja''s jaws dropped.


    Sun sighed, "To become a ruler of any kind, they have to be with a partner. A life partner." Sun laughed, "Haha, I think it''s starting to make sense why that crow mercenary wanted to marry Artio. But yeah, I need someone there to act as the heir to the Queen, and I want you to be that Queen, Shuja."


    Shuja looked away, trying to hide her blushing cheeks, "Well, if you need me to go there as your so-called Queen, sure. It''s not like I can reject the King''s demand.

 Vol 14 Chapter 1: Scoffing City

    Once the hottest day of the summer came to the city, the mock exam was drawing near. Sun, Pagasa, and Shuja left the city on a carriage the carpenters refurbished after finding it in the castle stable. Their coachman was Korge and they traveled with the rest of the Orgut cavalry, with Cossack leading the way. Once they reached the border, Pagasa stepped out and talked to the patroling dwarves.


    Dwarves were wearing blue uniforms with an assortment of chest plates over them. They looked like dragon scales that protected the dwarves'' bodies from harm. One of the dwarves stood out from the rest. He wore a ball-shaped hat with blue feathers sticking out from the back with one peacock feather sticking out from the center. He was the leader of the troops patrolling this part of the border.


    After a few minutes, Pagasa returned to the carriage, and the dwarves let them through. A shimmering waterfall appeared before the goblins and it opened like a curtain until it was wide enough for the horses and carriage to fit through. "What is that?" Sun asked.


    "The dwarves created a thin veil that surrounded the forest," Pagasa explained., "It''s thin enough to be nearly invisible to the naked eye but strong enough to stop a man from forcing his way inside. It''s one of their methods to protect the forest from outsiders."


    "Or a good way to cage us in."


    "Sun, I understand your skepticism knowing your past." Pagasa coughed. "But I''ve known the Walz King for years, and our past nation were close allies with the Walz until the drones came."


    "I read the diary, and I found some old book in the castle."


    "You did?"


    "Yeah," Sun leaned back on his chair. "The dark elves underground were our allies along with the dwarves. All three nations signed a defense pact against an empire called the Zucal. But that was nearly four hundred years ago."


    "The contract our ancestors signed still binds us today."


    Shuja butted in, "Is it because of magic?"


    "No, it''s because of principle."


    "Really?" Shuja and Sun asked with doubt.


    "Well, I would be lying if it''s only because of principle." Pagasa sighed. "There was also the threats that plague our nations and the possibility of an inevitable conflict that could destroy us. For the dwarves, they feared the steppe hordes. You see, across the eastern mountains, where the dwarves lived, is a vast open land inhabited by several races, living together as clans. They fought each other for supremacy and raided the civilized nations that were unlucky enough to be next to their territory. The Walz Kingdom has experienced several large raids that nearly escalated to war, and if clans ever joined forces under one banner,"


    "Then they would be a terrifying force, a true horde." Sun finished, "Like the Mongols." He whispered to himself.


    "Exactly. Meanwhile, our nation was in a constant power struggle with the nations to the west. They formed a confederacy under an elected ruling country, but fortunately, the region''s political climate kept them under control, unable to form any semblance of unity. Still, the potential the central nations possess is unquestionably worrisome. And finally, the dark elves beneath us. Their main problem is the chaos vermins that continued to plague the deep caverns. They are in a constant state of war as they defend their bastion of light from the coming chaos. And the combination of our absence and their recent civil war must have made this eternal task more difficult. Our three nations banded together to defend each other in time of crisis."


    "But I''m guessing you didn''t expect a crisis in the level of the drones'' invasion?"


    "Gods are fickle beings. They promise to take care of you and protect you. But they''re never when you needed them the most."


    "I heard from a wise man once," Sun cough. "That god does help you during times of suffering. You just don''t notice it because he''s carrying you. And knowing god, you expect him to be above you, not below you."


    "Bahahaha!" Pagasa laughed, "Better tell that wise man to stay in his world because, in this world, gods don''t carry us. We carry them."


    Stolen story; please report.


    After what seemed to be days of traveling, they finally arrived at the southern city, Scoffing City. The coastal city was teeming with life, but unfortunately, the other goblins won''t be able to stay and see the city''s wonders due to their hideous form.


    They camped several miles away from the city wall. The entrances had constant traffic coming in and out of the city, carrying goods from far away land. The city''s roofs had vibrant colored titles and the walls of the city had a polished marble color finish despite the city primarily made out of limestone and other local rocks. Along the outer wall and the docks were the different city-states'' flags allied to the Scoffing City.


    Sun and Shuja got off and took their bags with them. Pagasa tossed a coin to Sun, "Take this and show it to the gate guards and the Sea Guild."


    "What is it?" Sun asked.


    "It''s the mark of a royal heir on their way to take the church''s exam. Present that to the guild, and they will find you a captain and a ship. It can take some time to find one. Some of the exam takers can be a little, oh what''s the word? Hostile with the idea of sharing a boat with another royal."


    "So there stingy?" Shuja asked.


    "Yes."


    Sun and Shuja waved goodbye at their goblins and set foot to Scoffing City. The front gate was made of Tungstree material and decorated with marble reliefs of ships sailing in the sea and the gods of the ocean guiding them to safer waters. Guards wearing light green uniforms were stationed on the road, expecting suspicious carts and interviewing newcomers.


    The guards moved up the line until they saw Sun and Shuja. They asked them where they came from, but once Sun showed him the coin, the guards quickly changed their attitudes. They escorted them through the traffic and gave them directions to the Sea Guild. Shuja was surprised to know that they were friendly, but Sun expected much. He lived in the city in his previous life, and although it''s a popular belief that city folks are unfriendly and pompous, in truth, they are some of the friendliest and down-to-earth people.


    But make no mistake, there are thieves among the crowds desperate enough to steal and threaten anyone they find weak and alone. Sun is no stranger to such people, but it''s also hard to commit such felonies when there are eyes and ears everywhere, ready to notify the guards of malicious intent. This is why the busiest routes are often the safest to travel through. The city''s market was the best route to take.


    Shuja hated the busy street. Every inch of land was taken over by petty merchants with their various goods for sale. And the customers walked shoulder to shoulder in the middle of the street with their giant groceries, making it difficult to navigate through the tide of people. The air was polluted with loud sounds, with customers and vendors yelling at each other as they bargain with the price. And chaos was always present as guards and normal citizens constantly catching thieves and other criminals among the crowd.


    "Sun, are we there yet?" She asked, but Sun was too far and could not hear her over the noise. Then suddenly, a wave of people crashed to her, pulling her along with them. "Sun help!" She yelled.


    Sun turned around and grabbed her hand. "Stick close to me." He pulled her to his chest. Shuja embraced him. "You''re like a country girl in the middle. Wait, you are technically a country girl. In the middle of a city."


    "I don''t know how you can get used to this because I can''t. There are just too many people here."


    "Don''t worry," Sun gently held her hands close to him, "Just hold on tight. Ok?"


    "Ok," Shuja took a deep breath and wrapped her hands around Sun''s arms. The city life was new to her, and the city overwhelmed her senses. But being near Sun gave her some confidence and peace. She placed her bags in front of her and then leaned her head on his shoulder as they across the market.


    At the edge of the marketplace was the Sea Guild. A humble building with giant signage over its doors and in between its second-floor windows. On the sign were two waves crashing against one another while the sun sticking out behind them.


    They entered the building and saw a long line to the reception desk. "You think we can skip the line if we show them our coin?" Sun asked.


    Shuja released Sun''s arm, "Let''s give it a try." She walked to the last person in line. "Hey you, make way. We are royals." She said with a huge smile on her face.


    "And?" The large muscular looked at them, "You wait in line like everybody else!"


    Shuja was about to yell back, but Sun quickly covered her mouth and told the scruffy gentleman, "Yes sir, and sorry." Shuja bit Sun''s fingers. "Why did you do that for?"


    "And what about you?"


    "Look, it''s better to not cost problems while we are in the city. Trust me, cops, I mean the guards will come to us once we start a fight. Then they will drag us to the station, and they''re going to question us for some bullshit, and it will just make our time waiting here longer. Let''s chill for now."


    Shuja crossed her arms, "Fine. But you know, you''ve been more patient than before. I''m honestly surprised. I thought you''ll jump in and fight too. Maybe becoming king changed you."


    "Honestly, I don''t feel any different than before. I still feel like Sun trying to protect his flock of goblins."


    "Hehe, you talk like an Orgut."


    The line quickly moved, and within an hour, it was their turn to speak with the receptionist. "How may I help you?" He asked. Sun showed him the coin. "Exam taker? Alright, walk inside and head upstairs. The Guildmaster will give you a ship and captain for your journey." He opened the door next to the front desk. Sun and Shuja walked in and saw the swivel stairs leading to the third floor where the Guildmaster''s room was on.


    Once they reached the room, they opened the door and were welcomed by a dark-skinned woman. She wore an expensive gown, and her perm blocked the majority of the tainted window behind her.  The rainbow-colored light from the window highlighted her slim silhouette. Sun walked in, "Are you the Guildmaster?"


    "Yes, I am dear." She said, "But you can just call me Barbara." She stood up and walked to a table with a kettle on a stove. "Come and sit. I''ll pour us some tea."


    Sun and Shuja sat down on the wooden bench in front of the desk. Sun placed the coin on the table for Barbara to see. Next to the coin was a picture of Barbara standing in the middle of nowhere with a flag in her hand. The black and white picture was fascinating for Shuja, but Sun has seen plenty of them in his past life. "Is that you in the drawing?" Shuja asked.


    "Yes. I was with an inventor that just created a machine that can take pictures by capturing light." Barbara gave Sun and Shuja a warm cup of tea, then sat down on her chair. "We are in the most northern part of the world. And I became the first woman to reach the north pole. I would love to tell you more, but we don''t have much time, the mock exam was moved up by a day."


    "What?" Suns was surprised, "That means we could end being late."


    "Exactly, but fortunately I have a Captain and a crew ready to take on any job. His name is Captain Sparrow."


    "The Captain Sparrow?" Sun asked.


    "You''ve heard of him?"


    Sun glanced around the room, avoiding eye contact, "Maybe?"


    "Well, he''s not much, but he is a fast sailor." She took a sip from her cup before continuing, "And our Quarter Master, Vivi, will be with him. She managed to hire a surplus from a previous contract, so we don''t need to look for crewmembers to join. We just have one problem."


    Shuja finished her tea and then asked, "And what''s the problem?"


    "The ship. I don''t know if you royals are ok with it, but it''s the only ship we have."


    "What''s wrong with the ship?"


    Barbara sighed, "I think it''s better if you see it for yourself."

 Vol 14 Chapter 2: Nobles Setting Sail

    Barbara led them through the docks. She parted the men and women working on the busy pier like Moses parting the red sea. Her presence commanded respect from every sailor and dock worker. They all bowed to her when she passed their way and then gave the nobles behind her with hostile eyes. Shuja saw this as a challenge nearly caused a scene if not for Sun pulling her closer to his chest. "Calm down," He told her, "We are ''royals'', and they don''t like those types of people."


    "And why? What do they know of us to glare with those snake eyes?"


    "I think you''ll find out soon enough."


    They reached a corner of the pier where a tall grey orc man wearing a ragged navy jacket with bronze buttons waited in front of a small ship. He was surrounded by two uncouth sailors and a short elf woman. The orc had pointy ears as long as the elve''s, and his face was flat and wide with a stubby nose that made him appear like a pig. He glared at the humble ship in front of him with his red slanted eyes.


    The elf woman next to him sighed, "This is the only ship we have available, Sparrow." She told him while whipping her curly orange hair back. Her high pitch voice did not fit her cold persona.


    "This isn''t a ship!" He yelled. "This is a dingy! How do you expect me to get those snobby nobles to the damn island."


    "By carrying them with the dingy." The elf cared little for the orc''s outburst. In fact, she finds it humorous. "Don''t tell me you don''t know how to sail. Maybe that''s why you like bigger ships. It means you''ll have enough room for more crewmates to do your job for you."


    "Don''t joke with me, Vivi."


    "Ahem!" Barbara charged between them and broke their verbal brawl. "We are running out of time. These noble heirs were unaware of the schedule change, and we need them to get the island as quickly as possible. Thankfully, the only remaining ship available is the White Pearl. Its small size means it will travel faster than the larger and heavier ships. I hope its size is not of an inconvenience." Barbara said with a babyface.


    "Actually, this will work just fine." Sun happily said.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Are you sure?" Barbara asked. "You don''t have any problems with the ship. Its cabin is barely bigger than a country bathhouse. And its size means it''s going to sway with the waves more often than not."


    Sun thought about it, "Well, we''re trying to get there fast so we wouldn''t be late. But this is Shuja''s first time on the open sea."


    Shuja puffed out her chest with confidence, "I can handle the sea. It''s just a bigger lake. Probably no different to a river."


    Captain Sparrow and Vivi facepalmed. "Are you guys landlocked?" Sparrow asked.


    "Maybe?" Sun answered back.


    Sparrow and Vivi groaned with annoyance. Barbara smacked both of them in the back of the head for disrespecting the nobles, despite the fact she disrespected them before by calling them royals. The royals became a derogatory term in the trade league, a confederacy of free cities situated on the coast of the south sea. Heirs to titles often converged in the cities to take a ship to the holy island where they will take their mock exam, a series of tests to determine if they are worthy of the Father''s blessing. It''s a sacred ceremony among the religious, but it''s more of a show of political superiority over the petty nations that followed the Mahalia religion.


    This is the reason the free cities looked down upon these noble blood outsiders. They enter the city with a pompous attitude and disregard for the local culture, voicing out their rude remarks of the sailors and the sea for the world to hear.  Royals they were. Stuck in their castle, unaware of the real world. And the worse ones are the heirs to landlock land because their inexperience in the sea would lead to annoying and unreasonable demands to ease their pain while they were in an alien world. Sparrow let out another deep sighed, "Just don''t get in our way." He asked.


    They would demand their captain to slow down and stop the waves from rocking their ship, unaware of the labor they must sacrifice to satisfy the request. But Shuja was not like those nobles. She had no experience in the sea, but she was no castle hermit. "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine," Shuja said, but little did they know that Shuja was worse. Not a noble but a country girl, and her kind has yet to be seen by Captain Sparrow.


    And she was not the only troublemaker for the crew. The pier shook violently while a human man ran towards them‘ͺa jolly young man with a clean babyface. And a young lady followed him closely behind. They carried luggage with them.


    When they reached the crew, he collapsed on the pier catching his breath. Barbara walked over to him and kneeled in front of him. "Are you alright?" She asked.


    "Are you Ms. Barbara?" He asked while his face was still planted on the wooden platform.


    "Yeah."


    The man jumped on his feet. "I can''t believe I found you so soon. My name is Borvo Lugh, and this is my wife, Cirona Lugh." He pulled out a coin under his belly. "And I am late to the mock exam. Can you please get me there within a day?"


    Barbara looked at the small ship and then at the fat noble. She weighed him visually in comparison to the White Pearl. Sparrow could smell the hint from Barbara''s body language and immediately voiced his opinion. "You can''t be serious?" He yelled. "This thing could barely fit six people. We can''t add two more, especially with that Royal''s size."


    Borov got on his knees, "Please, I have to take the exam." He pleaded. Cirona tried to stop him, but his large body did not move no matter how hard she pushed. "Please, I beg of you."


    Sun pitted the young man. "How many hands do you need to get this ship moving?" He asked Sparrow.


    "Five at least."


    "Then we''ll help," Shuja uttered with a smile.


    Sun tapped Borvo''s back, "What do you say, big guy? Are you down to help out?"


    Borvo got on his feet and puffed out his chest. "I will!" He declared to the group.

 Vol 14 Chapter 3: Two Heirs

    Vivi manned the helm. Her long ivory coat danced in the wind coming from Captain Sparrow, who blew the sail pushing the small ship forward. The air in his lungs mixed with the mana swirling within his body, creating a powerful gust of wind whenever he blows. Most Captains can do this, as they trained at an early age holding their breath underwater and blowing down houses made of straw.


    It was a spectacle to watch for those new to the shore. But blowing such powerful winds would be disrupted for the other ships entering or exiting the pier, even those docked on the pier were not safe from the strong wind. And the foul smell of the Captain''s breath was also devasting.


    Two magical shields were needed during exiting and entering the dock to funnel the wind forward instead of letting it disperse. This takes two men, but Sun could the job just as well. Meanwhile, Shuja was standing on the figurehead, a large mermaid head playing the flute. She covered the blind spots of the ship, making sure it doesn''t get scratch.


    Sparrow and Vivi were surprised to see the two noble bloods adapt so quickly in the sea. Especially for landlubbers like them. Little did they know, the two practiced with the Zackons tribe in preparation for the journey.


    But what was most surprising was the fat lard they were forced to carry with them. Truth be told, the ship''s carrying capacity was far greater than one would expect, even for a ship of its kind. But to go faster, the lighter the ship, the better. This is why they left the two contracted sailors on the docks with Barbara. They waved bye at them as they sail away from the pier.


    Before they left, the two sailors were going to pull the anchor but got stuck on the cement foundation underwater. Normally, the dockworkers will come and swim beneath the ship to break the cement. However, Borvo stepped in. His fat was hiding power beyond any of them could imagine. Borvo pulled the anchor effortlessly. It was a feat few sailors could claim.


    For a moment, he earned Sparrow''s respect, but that respect did not last long. Once they exited the pier and into the open water, Borvo fell on his knee and regurgitated his lunch on the side of the ship. Captain Sparrow could not believe his eyes. He has stained the White Pearl''s image. "What the hell?" Sparrow jumped down from the helm deck. "What''s wrong you?"


    "Sorry, not use to the water." Borvo tried to get back on his feet, but the ship''s motion made him lose his balance. "Our ships supposed to rock back and forth so aggressively like this?"


    "Well, maybe if you got here on time, you would be on a larger ship. And won''t have to deal with your motion sickness."


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Sun stepped in and helped the poor kid up. "Hey, you ok?" Sparrow walked away to grab and something to wipe away the nasty vomit. Sun also respected Borvo after showing his amazing strength. Sun could see through him, and he knew it was not mana that got the anchor free but his sheer muscles alone. He was like Rock, in a sense, born to be large and strong.


    Sun placed Borvo''s arm over his shoulder and carried him back to the ship''s quarters. While they were walking, Borvo''s belly began to growl. "I''m hungry," He said shamefully. It seems that his appetite was also similar to Rock.


    "We''ll get you something to eat." Sun helped him get on his hammock. His wife, Cirona, was on the other side of the room arranging their bags. Sun walked up to her and asked if they brought any snacks to eat. She politely nodded and took a loaf of bread and a container of butter. "Your wife doesn''t talk much." Sun told Borvo, "Cat got her tongue?"


    "Hahuhuhu," Borvo laughed, "No, she''s just very shy. But she''s slowly removing the shell around her after her etiquette training. I still feel bad. I didn''t want her to go through so much trouble, but fate had it that I inherit my King''s throne. Honestly, we are living in confusing times."


    "Confusing times? Say, where do you come from."


    "I''m from the Iric Isles. A war broke down between two families that eventually brought the entire island into war. After the war, the prince electors voted me to be the new heir."


    "They voted for a king?"


    "Yeah, we''re an elective monarchy. Anyone in the royal family can be a candidate, and since I never participated in the war, they saw me as the safer option. I rejected it at first, but they kept insisting. And what else can I do. I''m an unlanded son. I have no power to reject their wishes."


    The door opened, and Shuja rushed inside the quarters. She ran to a bucket and started vomiting. "Shuja!" Sun gave Borvo the bread and butter. "I''ll be right back."


    Borvo watched Sun consult Shuja. He smiled, knowing that they were kind people, that cared deeply for each other. He''s been surrounded by deceivers for most of his life. Even after leaving the island, he got tricked by his guide and abandoned by his knights. And he could not help but think he was meant to die on the way to the exam. An assassination attempt on his life by his cousins, the ones to gain the most if he were to die.


    But becoming King was also a blessing. Borvo hated violence and conflict. His island suffered so much during the civil war and invading armies that took the opportunity to ransack the countryside. If he becomes King, he can help the downtrodden. Heal the sick and feed the poor. And maybe Sun could help him.


    Sun came back carrying Shuja behind his back. "The Sparrow dude got so mad when I puked on the girl statue head in front of the ship. Didn''t think I had so much inside me?" Shuja proudly said.


    "I just hope he''s not too mad." Sun dropped Shuja on the hammock. "Just lay there till we get the Womva Isla. I''ll go back out to apologize to the guy. Don''t want him to turn the ship around."


    Borvo turned his attention to Shuja. Once Sun left, Borvo asked Shuja what kind of man Sun was. "He''s a great man. Both smart and reckless. He''s also kind and," Before she could finish, a loud explosive sound exploded outside. The three rushed outside and saw a giant shark thrice the size of the ship leap towards them.


    Captain Sparrow pulled reloaded his Swivel cannon to take another shot, but Sun stepped in with his black blade. "I got this!" He yelled. Sun raised his sword, "I''ve been working on a new astral technique. Thirty Ton Black!" He slashed the air in front of them while the weight of the sword''s tip increasing exponentially as it traveled downward.


    A large gust of wind was launched out from his sword like a slingshot, and the mana engulfing the wind was as black as the blade it came from. And when it reached the shark, it passed through its body, from head to its tail. Its body sliced open and fell in the waters before it could even touch the ship.


    Everyone was shocked to witness such an amazing display of power and mana control. Borvo stood there with his mouth open. Shuja looked back and Borvo and leaned into his ear. "And he is terrifyingly strong." She smiled then returned to her hammock.

 Vol 14 Chapter 4: The Holy Island

    The White Pearl arrived at the shores of the holy land before the sun could set on the horizon. They sailed around the island until they found the artificial cove where the smooth stone walls safely protected the island''s docks. A giant statue of a make figure with four arms stood proud and tall over the docks, holding a spear, a sword, a torch, and a thurible.


    It''s said to be a golem that protected Tinia and the freed slaves from the Sky People as they retreated to the northern lands. The lands that would be known as Venusia. But now it stands there, motionless till the end of time. The White Pearl entered the cove slowly. The giant''s shadow enveloped the ship.


    Behind the statue, the sun has turned orange and was about to sink into the ocean behind the island. The island''s grandeur was indescribable. The large cathedral covered the island with its flying buttresses spreading all over the island. And the cathedral''s presence felt more like a fortress guarding the vast span of open water. The towers sticking out from its body had hundreds of windows for archers to shot from and a large ballista on at its very top. The flying buttresses supported the giant building, but it also protected. Runes were carved in its inner skeleton, creating a barrier that protected those inside its arms. It was a military wonder as much as it was holy.


    Captain Sparrow docked the ship between two large full-rigged ships. The White Pearl''s pure colors were beautiful, but it was unmatched by the complex array of designs of the other ships. Sparrow looked at them with envy. Saliva drooled out of his mouth. "My Tinia, I could have sailed these bad boys!" He shouted.


    "Watch your mouth!" Vivi grabbed a mop and smacked him behind his grey neck. "Don''t say her name in vain, especially when we''re in the middle of the holiest place in this side of the world."


    Sun and Cirona got their luggage out of the quarters while their companions were already on the docks, and they kissed the ground beneath their feet. "Finally, stable land!" Shuja yelled.


    While they were celebrating, a giant ship entered the cove. It was larger than any other docked or sailing away from the islands. Sparrow''s jaw dropped when he saw the grand ship. "It''s the Agni!" He yelled.


    Sun The group walked up the docks and got to higher grounds to get a clear view. "Woah, that''s huge," Sun said in awe. The Agni is considered by everyone in the world as a miracle of shipbuilding. A remarkable feat in naval construction. Its size dwarfs any ship that ever exists with a length of eight hundred feet.


    Agni has not two, not three, but five large masts that it uses to sail. The bow was made of concrete, which is why it''s considered a miracle by most people. It has two extremely large outriggers on both sides, helping it maintain its balance. Two large head statues were carved as relief on the concrete. "Why is that ship doing here?" Borvo wondered.


    "Why, should it not be here?" Shuja asked.


    "Well, you see, Agni is not meant to come until a week after the mock exam."


    "And why?"


    "You mean, you don''t know?" Borvo raised a brow.


    "Not much information comes to us. Considering we''re so far from any body of water." Sun lied.


    Vivi teleported in front of them, startling the group. Shuja nearly fell off the dock, but Sun caught her. They both looked at Vivi with suspicion and surprise. She managed to teleport without any of them noticing the mana travel in the air. Vivi extended her arm and pointed at the Agni sailing towards the dock. "That ship, the Agni, comes every four months bringing with lepers." She told the group.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "The lepers are brought here in the hopes of treating them with a healing spell. But as you know, healing spells are meant for injuries, not for illnesses. Especially with the severity of their illness."


    "Then why bring them here?" Sun asked.


    "The ship was named after Saint Agni, the patron of the ill and the slaves. Saint Agni was a two-headed chimera born between the union of a monster and a god. He was thrown into this world by his father because he was a freak. But we didn''t see him as a freak but as a gift from heaven. Due to his divinity, he could carry our prayers to the heavens. He would hear our prayer in one head and breathe them out as flame in the other. When the fire burns, the prayers will be carried by the smoke the fire creates. And that is how the message reached our gods. Whoever they may be.


    That all changed when the Sky people attacked. Agni stayed in hiding during the Sky People''s occupation of this world until the Titania was born. Heaven told him that Titania must be rescued from slavery, and so he hatched a plan with the giant golem. He made a ship large enough to carry Titania and her followers, and he ferried them across the Emberian Sea and to Venusia. The church, in order to celebrate the Titania''s escape, offer to carry the lepers on a ship and to their holy island, where they will be treated for the illness. That is why they bring them here. In memory of Agni, the two-headed fire-breather and the one that freed us from the sky."


    "That was a beautiful story," Sun shed a tear, "What happened to Agni during the war."


    "We don''t know. There are many stories about what happened to Agni, but they all end the same way. He attempts to deliver a message from Titania and some god, and the Sky People noticed his smoke and ambushed him. His death ultimately leads to Titania and her servants to liberate some region which changes depending on which god Titania prayed to in the story."


    "No way!" Sun started crying. "So sad."


    "Please stop acting like Rock." Shuja covered her face in embarrassment.


    The group watched as the giant ship sail across the waters until it finally found a spot it could dock on. A crowd of nobles gathered near the ship, curiously waiting for Agni''s passengers to climb out. They wondered who could be in the ship, believing it to be some important dignitaries or secret weapons since the Agni is not meant to arrive during the mock exam. But their wildest guesses were further from the truth.


    Indeed, the ship carried only the lepers. The nobles were disappointed. They hoped that Agni''s presence during the exam meant something new was about to be unveiled, but that was not the case.


    Sun, Shuja, Cirona, and Borvo joined the crowd out of their own curiosity, while Vivi stayed near the White Pearl. Borvo watched the lepers walk down the platform with pity. He stared at his hands, and then he prayed to the sky. Shuja and Sun listened to him pray. His poetic words merged well with his gentle voice.


    But it was interrupted by a group of young nobles throwing trash at the lepers. "Go back to the dessert, you filthy rats!" One of them yelled.


    "It''s desert, not dessert." Another said.


    They kept throwing trash and insults at the lepers as they walk in a line out of the pier. Borvo had enough of their rude behavior and walked up to them. "Stop it! They''ve suffered enough with their illness. They don''t need your ridicule." He told them.


    "Hey, get out of the way!" A noble with curly blond hair and freckles on his nose pushed Borvo back.


    "I said enough!"


    The noble ignored him and picked a rock. He threw at one of the lepers, hitting them on the thigh. The leper tripped and fell to the floor. He picked up another rock and threw it, but Borvo stepped in absorbed it with his belly. "You fatass!" The noble yelled. He ran to Borvo and smacked him across the face. "You think playing hero will do good. Get out of my sight, fatty!" Sun and Shuja tried to help by beating the rude children, but Cirona blocked their path. Then she pointed to the sky, where a figure was flying towards them.


    "Corin stopped," one of the nobles stepped between them. "An angel has come."


    The angel hovered over their heads. His blue wings cast a large shadow that covered the pier. "What''s going on here?" He asked.


    "Nothing your holiness." Corin and his friends bowed before the angel. "We were simply playing and got a little rough."


    "Well, I suggest you play elsewhere. Now go"


    "Of course," Corin and his friends ran off, and so did most of the nobles in the crowd. Before Corin disappeared, he looked back at Borvo and ran his thumb across his neck. This roughly translated to Borvo as ''you''re dead.''


    Finally, peace was restored in the pier, and the lepers could walk through without the fear of being assaulted. Sun, Shuja, and Cirona ran up to Borvo. Cirona embraced her brave husband while Sun and Shuja sent him compliments.


    Then suddenly, Sun''s Isiptali caught a glimpse of a strange aura coming from one of the lepers passing by. Sun and the leper looked at each other. Sun could sense something familiar from the leper but could not express it in words. Maybe it was fear or anger. Possibly even disdain. He couldn''t tell because the rags covering his body were drenched in mana, interfering with his ability to see. But it doesn''t matter now because they had to heal the wound on Borvo''s belly.


    Meanwhile, the angel above them watched Sun and Shuja closely. Just as Sun could feel a familiar aura coming out from one of the lepers, so did the angel. He could tell they were his kin, but their forms were different. The leper could be explained as an angel or demon that lost its wings due to leprosy, but Sun and Shuja were not those. They looked like halflings, but they lacked the halo of an angel or the horns and tail of a demon. They only had feathers, just like an angel and demon.


    The angel didn''t think it was worth lingering in the thought. The two probably came from mixed-breed parents, and the disappearance of their halo was caused by the angel diluting over the years‘ͺa possible explanation for now.

 Vol 14 Chapter 5: The Orientation

    "So that was an angel," Shuja said.


    "Yes, and it''s a good thing Cirona stopped you guys." Borvo held Cirona''s hand. "If we started a fight, we would be expelled from the island and disqualified."


    "That''s only if the angel saw us," Sun remarked. "Those angels won''t save them from an ass-whooping forever."


    "Trust me. I would love to punch one of them in the face. But I can''t afford to fail the mock exam. I have to pass it for my country." Cirona hugged Borvo, "Thank you, Cirona, but I''m fine. Honest."


    The crowd fully dispersed after the angel left. They headed back to their ships, where their attendants were waiting with their luggage. The sun was almost gone and the harsh orange light illuminated the island. The group met up with Vivi, who was guarding their bags while Sparrow was busy touring the docks. Vivi was visibly upset that Sparrow left her on the ship. "Hey, before you go!" Vivi shouted, "Make sure your men don''t leave for your sight. They get easily distracted for stupid things, like Sparrow."


    Shuja and Cirona looked at each other. "I''ll keep that in mind," Shuja said.


    "Oh, come on. We don''t get distracted that often." Sun said, but the two ladies merely rolled their eyes. Sun turned to Borvo, "Do we?"


    Borvo nodded. The four left the docks carrying their luggage. They arrived at the gates of the front garden. An angel and an orc were standing guard above a tower overlooking the docks and the garden. They wore bright blue armor that shined against the light coming out from the pyre behind them. The crowd of nobles formed a line on the gates while two clerics and their attendants inspect and question each noble entering the gate.


    It took several hours until the dark embrace of the night took over the sky. Candle lights lit the entrance and path of the garden. While they were waiting in line, the four talked amongst themselves about trivial matters such as their favorite food. Then when it seemed they have grown closer than ever before, Borvo asked Sun a very important question. "Sun, would you consider forming an alliance with my kingdom?"


    "Sure," Sun answered without an ounce of hesitation.


    "Really?"


    "Yeah, I don''t see why not."This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Well, there is something I have to be truthful to you. I don''t have any family relatives that I can send off to marry, so our alliance will only be legally bound through paper. I can send a close courtier if you need. I have plenty that is willing to marry. No, they are in need of marriage."


    Sun put his hands up, "Woah, hold your horses! I don''t need anything other than the contract. Besides, I don''t have anyone to marry off to as well."


    "Still, it''s not right to just rely on paper. At least to show my sincerity in the matter, I can offer a ward for you."


    "I don''t need ward. Trust me, the paper, our friendship, and your words are enough for me. There''s nothing else in this world I need. Besides, any close ties with other kingdoms are great for me. Our fledging kingdom doesn''t have much. We''re just lucky our neighbors respect our sovereignty. Another helping hand in times of hardships is all I could ask for."


    Borvo was elated, "Then I''ll make sure to have a contract drafted once we got back home. In fact, I''ll lend you a homing pigeon. The Church should have a spare for my kingdom, I can give it to you so it can memorize your castle, and we can have our letters sent to each other directly."


    "Why not just send it through the post. Doesn''t the Church have a robust postal service across Venusia? Well, at least near the coast."


    "That''s true, but I''m quite paranoid about my court. I''ve seen the worst in them. Some of them were so eager for war that they instigated the battles that caused the most lives." Borvo''s hands began to shake, "And with my short reign and weak reputation, I doubt they will keep supporting. Sooner or later, they might just plot against me."


    Sun sighed, "I guess being a ruler isn''t as good as many claim it to be. And I can''t say I understand your paranoia. I trust my court with my life. They are my brothers and sisters, my family. But I do understand your ambition to help others, and I''ll be there. We haven''t sign any papers yet, but from here on out, we are allies." Sun extended his hand. "And we will,"


    Before he could finish, Borvo leaped forward and embraced him while crying his heart out. Just in time as they were next in line. The beastkin cleric walked up to the group and asked about their information. Sun went first. "What''s the name of your kingdom and where is it located?"


    Sun recited the lines Pagasa had him memorize, "It''s called the Everflow Kingdom and it''s located north of Scoffing City."


    "Near Razin Forest?"


    "Yes? It''s a new kingdom, just established it after the number of settlers grew."


    "And whose your court Chaplain?"


    Sun blanked out, "Pardon?"


    The beastkin groaned, "Your Court Chaplain? Who is he? And we need his identification."


    "Um, we don''t have one," Sun told them.


    "What?" He yelled, "What do you mean don''t have one?"


    Shuja stepped in between the cleric and Sun, "What he meant to say was that we don''t have yet."


    "Yet? How in the world did you get here then? Only the court Chaplain can get an unlanded heir to the mock exam. If you don''t have one yet, then how did you even get here."


    Sun and Shuja were visibly confused. Pagasa never prepared them for this interaction, but fortunately, Borvo was there to the rescue. "My Court Chaplain''s apprentice will be joining Everflow Kingdom''s court this coming fall. You see, he was supposed to arrive at the end of spring, but the reconstruction kept him busy. So he gave Sun and Shuja the pass to come and take the mock exam."


    Cleric glared at Sun, "Who is the future Chaplain?"


    "His venerable Ashmen."


    "Yes, Ashmen!" Sun remarked, "His name is both unique and forgettable. And it didn''t help that I haven''t met him yet in person, so I forgot."


    The cleric sighed and let Sun passed with a warning. If Sun gets two more, he will be expelled from the island and will have to wait for next year to take the exam or be considered a target of the Church''s followers. Once they finished with Borvo and Cirona, the group reunited at the front of the garden. They looked at the colorful flowers dancing in the cold night wind, illuminated by the light coming from the cathedral and its flying buttresses. The four future rulers gave a sigh of relief then marched forward. Little did they know, the exam already started.

 Vol 14 Chapter 6: The Lost Lamb

    There were four large dorms at the bottom of the tiny hill that is overshadowed by the statue landmark. The garden''s path led the nobles to these dorms where they were assigned rooms based on their ranks. Borvo was the heir to a kingdom so he and Cirona were given rooms on the top floor, just below the level of the potential sleeping quarters of emperors and empresses.


    Despite being a king and queen, Sun and Shuja were given the first-floor rooms along with the low nobles. Most of them were barons and few poor counts. The rooms were smaller than Sun''s bedroom back at the castle. Although it was larger and comfier than the old cottage he used to live with his brothers.


    Shuja dropped her bags and fell on the bed. "This is great." She said, "It''s much better than the hammock."


    "I don''t know about that. I find the swaying hammock the best part of our journey. It makes you sleep like a baby being cradled by their mother."


    "That motion just made me nauseous." She rolled on her belly and watched Sun put his things away. "What are you doing? Shouldn''t you head to your room?"


    "What do you mean? This is our room. We are sleeping together."


    "What?" Shuja''s face turned red. Despite being the Queen, they never shared the same bed. They reasoned that they had not yet officially announced it to their people, so it was best to wait until then. But the real reason was that Sun was too busy preparing for the exam and would often fall asleep in his office. Mari would come by and cover him with a blanket and sit by his side while Shuja would watch through the door.


    Then she would run back to her room and hug her pillow. She wished she could spend more time with Sun after he came back, but work kept getting in their way. It got to the point that it started to get difficult to justify her feelings for him.


    "What''s wrong? Wait, don''t tell me you''re having second thoughts now?" Sun kicked his bags out of the way and jumped on the bed. Shuja crawled to the other side and hid as much of herself behind a stuffy pillow. "You always nag about how I practically confessed to you but never actually gone on a date or ever showed my feelings for you. Well, now that we''re alone and no work getting in our way, I can show you just how much I care for you."


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    Shuja threw the pillow to his face. "I think we''re moving a little too fast."


    Sun laughed, "Well, we have the whole night. I''ll take it real slow."


    Sun continued teasing her that entire night. Their joyful embrace echoed through the halls. Their laughter drowned out the despair and anxiety the heir to be exam takers felt during their stay in their gloomy bedrooms. And while inside the dorm and its suffocating walls, the garden was teeming with vigor. All manners of plantlife grew from its soil, painting the island''s landscape with a beautiful array of colors.


    In the middle of the night, walking through the garden, were two lepers protected by their cloak. They walked at the same speed but were leagues away from each other. The first one, walking ahead of the other leper, walked with confidence.  The garden was lit by the orange tinge of the lamp lanterns. Its warm orange glow gently caresses the leper as it walks by each lantern. The other leper, following far behind it, stalked in the shadows, hiding from the light. Not even the moon''s vision could find him.


    The lepers continued to walk till they reached the middle of the garden. The first leper reached to his leg and pulled out a purple feather that reflected the stars above the sky. He removed the hood covering his head, and the moonlight revealed its strangely flawless face to the world. It was Carnegie King, the former king of Everflow City and a former Golden Condottiero. "So this is what I am now." He said, "I was born a savage, became a warlord, then turned into a king, only to end as a leper. I should''ve just died in that camp.


    A half-angel, half-demon paladin appeared above King floating in the air. He had feathered wings like an angel but had horns like a demon. His halo was dim, barely visible against the majesty of the sun, only able to shine properly under the dead of night. And his armor was pure as white. "You should be elated that the Pontiff showed mercy to your lowly life."


    "My life is worth twice more than your Pontiff."


    "How dare you?"


    "What am I wrong? Don''t you lot need me? So you can open that damn portal!" King turns to the other leper following him in the shadows, "Isn''t that why I''m here, Mr.Pontiff?"


    The leper''s smile hid beneath his metal mask molded in the shape of an angel''s face. His cowl covered nearly his entire face, obscuring his metal mask. "I only brought you here because of your inventions. Nothing else."


    The paladin descended and kneeled in front of the Pontiff. King released his feather and it flew in the wind. "I doubt that. I heard from your most loyal servants about a plan to create a portal to the infinite sea. The reasons behind it, I don''t know, but I know how to make the portal. You need a sacrifice."


    "You''re more clever than I first met you, but I truly only brought you here for the weapons you create. I need them for the war."


    "War?"


    "The war against those living in the infinite sea. The gods."


    King muscles tensed, "That''s fucking insane!"


    "Watch your mouth!" The paladin yelled, "Or I will cut your tongue out."


    "You''re not wrong though, Skikikiki!" The Pontiff laughed. "I need a vessel, no a sacrifice. But I also need a conduit. Something that can actually be used to create a tunnel to the other side. And fortunately, I found what I''m looking for, and he''s here."


    "Sun?" King''s eyes widened.


    "That''s his name? How ironic." The Pontiff wave his hand and mana appeared around him, "Like they always say in the church, the light will show me the way." The mana grew brighter.


    "If you''re going to kill, then I''ll be the executioner!"


    "No," The Pontiff said jokingly. His body slowly faded into the light, "Sun isn''t the candidate, dummy. He is the light, the compass to my goal." And just like that, he vanished in the dark, leaving King in the middle of the garden confused.

 Vol 14 Chapter 7: Belittle Me

    It was a good morning in Womva Isla. The heirs came out of their dorm, hungry for food. Sun and Shuja left their room. Everyone could see a glowing aura around them. They mistakenly believed it was their dimly lit halo as they were angels, but it was just their mana leaking out their happy thoughts after spending a night together for the first time.


    Those of higher ranking left the dorm last, many of them already full. Sun and Shuja waited outside next to a patio for Borvo and Cirona. After an hour, they saw Borvo and Cirona leave through the front lobby. They ran towards them to greet them. "You two look you had a good night''s sleep," Borvo commented.


    "Surprisingly, yeah!" Sun answered. Shuja smacked him in the arm while grinning.


    The four of them walked to the dining hall. It was a large building that lacked any decorations with a large glossy dome. The dome reflected the morning light as if its surface was covered in eternal morning dew. But it was its polished marble finished that made it shine. The door to the dining hall was large and made of bronze. It was the only outside surface that had decorations. Relief sculptures of angels and demons fighting spherical monsters covered the surface of the bronze door. An epic battle, but for why it was fought for, Sun didn''t know.


    Once they entered the hall, a long table of food was in full display with caterers on the other side and a line of nobles on the other. Many of them were complaining about the food. "It''s bland!" Some of them yelled, "This isn''t food meant for people. It''s meant for dogs!"


    The food served was cooked by the island monks. Under their tenets, food that is served on the island must not be sweet or spicy. Taste is distracting because it is a worldly pleasure. But the church understood that nobles are not ones that can accept humility even in their food. Condiments were served along with the food to give them the taste the nobles craved. But some wanted less artificial flavoring. The group got through between the protesting nobles and got their food.


    Borvo, Cirona, and Sun didn''t mind. Sun went to numerous church retreats in his previous life, and the food served then was bland like the food being served to them now. Meanwhile, Borvo and Cirona practiced before coming. They ate food as bland paste every night until they can stomach it. Shuja was the only one unable to adjust. "I can''t believe they have so much power, and they eat trash!" Shuja said, "What is this weird gray soup supposed to be anyway. Why can''t we have some grilled fish? We''re in the middle of a giant sea or whatever."Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "They eat like this to strengthen their humility," Borvo said, "The church, at least most of it, should be a role model we nobles have to strive for. Eating their food is one step closer to that."


    "Humility this and humility that. How is that going to make you a better leader?" Shuja shoved a spoonful in her mouth and forced herself to swallow it.


    "To help your people, you have to understand their perspective. And to that, you have to be in the same level as them."


    "I''m pretty sure they''re eating better food than this."


    Suddenly a commotion exploded by the catering table. A group of nobles flipped one of the tables and marched back to their table angrily. Sun recognized one of the nobles, the one with the striking blond curls. The leader of misfits, Corin Ren. He heard rumors about him from his talkative neighbors gossiping in the dorm''s hallway. A noble with the worst character and his behavior at the docks and in the dining hall have proven those rumors as the truth.


    "Troublesome group," Sun said.


    "Yes, they are," Borvo  agreed, "I can''t believe there are people like them."


    Borvo  dropped his utensils and got up on his feet, "Where are you going?" Sun asked.


    "I''m going to help them clean the mess they made."


    "Count me in!" Sun jumped out of his feet. The two walked towards the mess and offered their hand to help. The staff assured them everything was fine and that they will handle it. While they were talking, Corin made his way back to the catering table. He took the large bowl of rice porridge and poured its contents on Borvo''s head.


    "There, now you have to something to clean, pig!" Corin laughed.


    "You son of a-" Sun was about to lunge at Corin, but Borvo and held him back.


    "He''s not worth it," He whispered to Sun. "Let''s just go."


    The two of them tried to walk away, "What''s wrong, pig? Scared to talk back!" Corin yelled. The staff members blocked him from following the two. Sun and Borvo went to the powder room to get themselves cleaned up.


    "Why did you stop me?" Sun asked.


    "Did you already forget?"


    "Right, no physical violence. But a little game of food fight wouldn''t hurt, right?"


    "Wasting food is a no-go for the church either."


    "Oh,"


    "If anything, I feel bad. They''ll probably call him to the office for questioning and get expelled once the staff members give their testimony. He''ll be kicked out before the exam starts."


    "I guess being patient does get the job done."


    "I wasn''t trying to kick him out, Sun." Borvo took a wet towel and washed his head. "I just didn''t want you to get in trouble. You''re my only friend I can rely on here."


    "Right," Sun smiled, "I won''t do anything rash."


    When the two exited the room, they saw Corin and his entourage getting escorted out of the building surrounded by a group of paladins. But the small moment of victory was short-lived. Corin turned his face and stared at Borvo, and he gave him an eerily creepy smile. The mock exam was going to be more troublesome than they imagine.

 Volume 14 Chapter 8: Mock Exam Begins

    The exam takers gathered at the courtyard located north of the island. Those that accompanied them sat on the bleachers near a guard tower. Shuja and Cirona sat at the highest level so they could get a better view of them. There was a thick forest blocking their view of the ocean, and they were sandwiched between it and the imposing cathedral. In the middle of the courtyard was a giant gem guarded by ten paladins. And floating above the gem was a demon wearing a white robe. Her horns were pure white, and her red feather wings stick out from her back.


    The nobles were speechless to see her flying. They were in awe of her beauty and terrified by her power. Everyone could feel it, and so can Sun. Her mana leaked out of her and was pushing everyone to the ground. "Look on the ground!" She yelled. "There are yellow circles all around the courtyard. You are to stand there until further instructions."


    The nobles did as they were told. They stood on a yellow circle and waited. And waiting. But nothing else happened. After ten minutes, one of the nobles got tired and sat down. The demon shot an arrow made of mana from the palm of her hand and it landed next to the sitting noble. "I didn''t tell you to sit down!" She yelled.


    Everyone''s body jolted because they didn''t know that the exam already began. The nobles stood in place for hours on end. Nobles were trained to become strong-willed leaders, both in combat and in administration but many gave up before the first hour finished and many more continued to lose their will as minutes goes by. Sun stood calmly in place. Sun found this exam easier than expected after his harsh training under Pagasa''s watch. But most nobles were not so strong-willed. This is the church''s attempt to cull those unprepared to carry the burden of the crown over their heads, no matter how heavy the title may be.


    Borvo was beading sweat from his head to his belly. His legs began to shake after standing for hours, and his will to carry on continued to melt as he watched those around him leave from the pressure. The only thing keeping his feet on the yellow circle was the chance to lead his people to a better future. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes and concentrated.


    Sun admired Borvo''s determination, but he was concerned about him as well. How long will he last, and when will this exam end. More than half of the people in the courtyard were on the ground or have left entirely. And has only been three hours.


    Most of the remaining nobles were hard-boiled. They had physiques of warriors. Sun could tell that they have more than enough to pass this part of the exam. Meanwhile, nobles like Borvo have mostly fallen with a few stragglers hanging on. Then finally, after three more hours with no one giving up, the demon landed on the earth and clapped her hands producing and thunderous sound. "Those that are still standing may take a sit!" She yelled.


    Sun counted the heads. There was fifty left, which seemed a lot until he compared to the numbers of nobles missing. The courtyard was filled to the brim with people before but afterward, barely one-ninth of its nobles remained.


    The paladins around the gem walked towards each of the remaining nobles and gave them a piece of paper with instructions to find an object. "Before we proceed to the Crystal Baptism, you must go on a quest to find the boon written in your paper." The demon said. "There''s a hint written on the paper to help you on your search.


    And before I send you on your way, I must inform you of the rules of the game. Number one, taking the item by force, will result in expulsion. Number two, breaking the item will result in expulsion. And number three, fighting between nobles is prohibited and will result in expulsion for all parties involved. Once you find it, you must bring it back here and present it to the gem and paladins. Now let the exam begin!"


    Most of the nobles quickly ran out of the courtyard with their attendees, while some stayed and sifted through the paper. Borvo and Sun were some of those people. "So what does your paper say?" Sun asked.


    "I have to look for a rainbow-colored stone. And the hint it gave me is that I must follow the cries of the sea."


    "Sounds easy enough. Just search the shores."


    "Seems like it. How about you?"


    "I got the Black Stone of Egad."


    "The Black Stone of Egad is in this island!" Borvo was shocked, "What is that doing here?"The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Why? What is it?"


    "It''s a relic considered by dark elves. The Church must have received it as a gift, maybe. It''s a giant black stone sculpted into the perfect cube. Its size varies from story to story, but it always averages out to about the size of a horse."


    "Well, it says here that to find it, you must look in the deepest darkness where it hides. What do you think that means?"


    Borvo turned to face the forest staring at the courtyard. "The forest reserved. Its given name is  Nature''s Dark Delight. Maybe it''s the darkness the clue is referring to?"


    "You sure, because I think an underground cellar or the catacombs would be the perfect hiding spot for the stone. After all, it''s a holy item for the dark elves, and they live underground."


    Shuja''s body shivered, "Oh man, I do not want to go back underground. Emphasis on the do not!" Shuja tugged on Sun''s shirt, "You know how much we had to go through in those catacombs and sewage systems. I rather take my chances with the spooky forest in front of us."


    Sun pondered about it for some time but ultimately agreed with Shuja. They split with Borvo and Cirona and headed into the forest. The forest''s entrance was a wide iron gate covered by vines and weed. A few other nobles have entered the forest before Sun, looking for their MacGuffin. Sun wondered if they also had the same item, and the demon''s rules echoed in his mind. If they have the same item, then a fight will naturally break down, which is against the rules. "This is a race," Sun told Shuja, "We got to run, now!"


    Shuja grabbed his hand and placed it on her shoulders, "Hang on! We''ll swing to it!" " Shuja pulled out her bow and shot her arrow into the forest.


    "I can''t believe you had that on you this whole time. And I don''t think your shoulders will be enough." Sun wrapped his arms around her waist.


    "Watch where you''re touching!"


    "Just go. They all left us in the dust already!"


    "Fine, keep your arms tightly around me. We''re about to launch in five, four," Before she could finish, they were both pulled by the mana rope and through the leaves and branches of the forest''s canopy.


    They landed on top of a tree. Their landing was rough and caused a thunderous sound to travel across the forest, letting its inhabitants know their presence. Sun and Shuja sat on one of the tree''s largest branches. They released their mana like a web over the forest, searching for the large black stone. They saw many small critters around the forests and the other exam takers searching for their item. After over an hour, they found a heavy concentration of mana in the middle of the forest.


    Its shape was a cube. Not perfect, but it was clearly the item they were looking for. "Looks like it could be the stone. And it seems like there are other people there." Shuja said.


    "Two of them." Sun added, "They might be guarding the stone. We have to approach them with caution." Sun grabbed Shuja by the waist. "Now on onward, my beautiful steed."


    Shuja punched him on the head, "Shut up!" Then she launched her arrows, and they used it swing across the forest until they arrived at the source of the mana. A large black cube sat in the of a clearing with two other people sitting by it.


    There were humans; one was a man wearing a lavish red coat and hardened leather pants, and the other was a woman, possibly his fiance. She wore light clothes, more fitting to the island''s warm weather. Sun wondered how the man could wear that coat during the summer. The two strangers waved at them with a big grin on their faces. They skipped on the grassy field towards them. "Oh, thank Titania, someone came." The man sighed in relief. "We need help!"


    Sun extended his arm to keep them away. "Woah!" He shouted, "Personal space, man. And we don''t even know who you are."


    "Right, man." He winked at them. Sun and Shuja were not amused. "My name is Lo, and this is my woman, Kee."


    "Ok," Sun said with a puzzled look, "My name is Sun, and this is Shuja, my fiance." He said with emphasis.


    "Right! Now that we have that all taken care of, we need your help!" Lo took out his paper and read it to them. The couple has the same item as Sun and Shuja, which didn''t surprise them. This was most likely done to further cull the group.


    "And what exactly do you need help with?" Shuja asked.


    "That''s the darndest thing. We can''t carry the stone. It weighs too much for just one person to carry. But why make it an item that we must bring back to the gem? Well, the answer is cooperation."


    "Cooperation?" Sun asked, "What do you mean?"


    "Well, I assume that you also have the same item as we do, seeing that you came here." Kee said, "And darling had the greatest idea, what if this part of the exam is about measuring everyone''s ability to work together."


    Sun and Shuja looked at each other, waiting for the other to speak up when another couple appeared. It was a large human man, seven feet tall. He had a scar under his left eye and a large chin pointing outward. And walking alongside him was an orc woman. She could barely reach the tall man''s shoulders.


    He looked quite intimidating until he spoke. "Hi, um hi. I, I mean, we look for, look for Black Stone of Egad."


    Sun pointed at it, "It''s over there."


    The large man walked towards the stone. The Black Stone of Egad was large, but the man was tall enough to see its top, and his arms were wide enough to hug the holy relic. He tried to lift it over his shoulder, but he couldn''t even move it an inch. "This is heavy," He said. "Might need more. More muscles and stuff."


    The orc woman standing next to him rubbed his shoulders. "It seems not even you can carry it." She said. "How are we going to move this thing?" Lo heard her query, and he revealed a wide smile. Sun could not tell if it was a mischievous smile or a genuine relief, but they''ll find it out eventually.

 Vol 14 Chapter 9: Lesson in Trickery

    "My name is Mark. I''m, I''m, Seventeen Years O-o-old." The large man said. His height was impressive, and his muscles equally so. His lavish clothes could barely contain his muscular figure. Meanwhile, his short blond hair was tied into a ponytail, pointing towards the sky.


    "And I am his half-sister, Layla." The orc woman said. Her body was lean and petite, and her face was sharper in comparison to the more broad face of an orc. Her jawline was pronounced just like her half-brother. And the clothes she wore were far too big for her slim body. It hid her petite frame, making her seem larger than she should be. "We came from the duchy of Norman, a former settlement in the north."


    Sun and Lo introduced themselves and their companions and why they are there. They sat in a circle under the gentle light peaking through the forest''s branches. "You have the same thing as us?" Mark asked.


    "Yeah," Sun answered. "But, after seeing a giant like you try to carry that, I don''t think any of us will be leaving the forest with our MacGuffin."


    Layla gazed at Lo and Kee, "But you said you have a plan."


    "Yes!" Lo shouted with such delight that everyone, including his partner, was taken aback. "Everyone here should know how mana works, give or take." Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. "Well, I have a theory. What if the stone is heavy because of mana? If it is made of mana, then we might have a solution to our heavy problem!"


    Sun raised an eyebrow. It felt that Lo''s plan had too many uncertainties, and yet, his confidence was far more potent than those uncertainties. It''s as if this theory''s existence hinges on the plan''s own success, which intrigued Sun because the stone was, in fact, manipulated with mana. "And how would you know the stone is heavy because of mana? Can you see it?" Sun asked.


    "No," Lo coughed, "Wait, can you?" He asked in a hostile tone.


    Shuja opened her mouth, but Sun quickly covered it, "No. This is why I''m questioning this plan. What if it doesn''t have any mana infused in it."


    "I agree with Sun," Layla said. "If your theory is wrong, what then?"


    Kee butted in, "Can you guys at least let him tell you the plan. We haven''t even talked about the method of moving the Back Stone of Egad, and we''re already hostile against one another. Remember passing this part of the exam most likely hinges on the idea that we must work together to move this."


    "Exactly," Lo added, "I don''t know how to use Isiptali, but there is another way for us to test our theory, and it''s connected to my plan."


    "And the plan is?" Sun asked.


    "We are going to observe the mana infused in the stone! And once we do that, its weight should drop low enough for all of us to carry it as a group. But of course, that''s only possible if everyone here knows how to absorb mana. So, who knows how?" Everyone raised their hands but quickly changed it to a lukewarm response. None of them have ever absorbed mana from the physical world, especially of such scale. "Don''t worry. The concept is similar to how we get mana from the infinite sea. Is just that we have to do it manually. Extend our kas into the concentrated mana and use it like a straw. Suck the mana into you."


    "Wouldn''t that b-b-be bad for us," Mark stated. "I mean, I''m big, but I don''t know if my kas is that b-b-big. Um, you know. That stuff very different to us, but kind of the same. Like when I eat too much, I get stomach, stomach ache."


    "Then we''ll have to expel all of our mana," Shuja said.


    "But we can''t do that!" Lo protested.


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    "What? Why?" The group asked him.


    "The rule they put in place." Lo crossed his legs. He leaned in close then whispered to the group. "How do you think they''re going to enforce their rule about fighting? How are they even going to find the conflict?" Lo looked around him, "Look around us!" He yelled.


    "There are trees around us," Shuja said.


    "Trees? We are in the middle of this dark forest. The light could barely penetrate and land on us despite us sitting in the middle of this clearing. "


    "Get to the point already."


    "If we release a large wave of mana out from our body, we will only attract the attention of the clergy. You''ve seen those runes and giant gemstones attached to those flying buttresses? They are not only shielding the island but it''s also tracking mana, our mana! "


    "So we can''t even expel our mana!"


    "Which is why there''s six of us here," Lo said calmly. "One or two of us won''t be able to consume whatever many mana contained in that giant black cube, but we have the manpower, and why? Because this is part of that exam. This isn''t about the strength of our muscles or our indomitable will. It''s about cooperation between different leaders coming together to succeed."


    Sun laid on the cool earth and stared at the leaves dancing in the wind. Lo spoke fast with so much conviction. His plan was tempting, but something was still nagging in the back of Sun''s mind and he can tell Layla thinks the same way. But they won''t get anything done just sitting around next to the thing they had to bring to the demon hovering above the courtyard. "Fine," Sun said, "I''m down to do it. Who else with me?"


    Mark stood up, "Let''s go!"


    "Yes!" Lo jumped up and ran to the stone and touched its polished surface. "Come on, we have to hurry."


    Sun kept an eye on Lo and Kee. He knew of another method. The same method Pagasa intended King and Sun to use to unlock the sword. To break the seal and release the mana that keeps the sword heavy. Absorption was far too risky for their bodies, and Pagasa already stated that Sun''s method was new to him and should be new to the world. An unknown way to solve the problem.


    Everyone gathered around the large black cube and pressed their hands against the stone. Shuja and Layla stared at each other. They both felt this was dumb, especially Shuja, but she knew Sun had similar suspicions as her and he planned to find out what that may be.


    The group started absorbing the mana infused in the cube. The sound of mana being forcibly pulled out from the stone sounded like lightning strikes in a storm. Their kas quickly expanded to make room for the excess coming in, but the process was visibly exhausting. Their veins began to pop out from their skin and their bones were shaking under their skin. Layla''s nose started bleeding, with her blood slowly dripping down to her lips. She gritted her teeth, but her body caved in from the pressure and she fell to her knees, but her hands were still on the surface. "Maybe you should stop," Mark suggested out of concern.


    "I''m fine!|" She yelled.


    Shuja also fell on her knee. The stress brought by the excess mana was staggering. Her hands began to shake uncontrollably as the mana pours into her arm and to her body. It felt like several needles poking through her flesh until they reached her bone.


    "I can''t do this!" Mark yelled. His muscles flex and ripped his expensive wear apart.


    "We need to stop now!" Sun yelled.


    "Ok take a break!" Lo dropped to the ground, "I think that was good enough."


    Sun sat down and cracked his knuckles. Shuja looked over him and noticed that he barely looked exhausted. That''s because Sun did not participate. He was busy watching Lo and Kee. "Shuja," He whispered, "They didn''t absorb any mana."


    "What?"


    "I used Isiptali because it''s hard to see with so many stings of mana flying around. I looked in closer and I saw no mana going inside of their body. They''re using us to lighten the load. Then, they''ll grab it for themselves while leaving us here trying not to die from having too much mana in our body."


    "Those fuckers!" Shuja tried to get up but her aching body stopped her. "Oh fuck, my body hurts!"


    "I have a plan, but I need a distraction." Sun stood up, "Lo!" He called out to him on the other side of the stone. "I think we''re close, if everyone is fine with it, we could try it one more time!"


    No one answered, instead they got up and placed their hands on the stone. Sun smiled and placed his hands on the stone once more. The mana surged out from the cube and stabbed the skins of those trying to absorb the mana. While the electric sound pollutes the air and the intense blue light blinds their vision, Sun tinker with the seal''s coding. The mana being removed was replaced with his own. But it''s not enough. "Shuja, I''m going to need a hand here."


    Shuja stopped pulling in mana, and instead pushed out she''s into the stone. The stone got heavier from Shuja''s mana but did not matter. Sun started molding the seal into a trigger that only those that contributed to it could control. And after one grueling minute, he finished, "Stop! We are done!" Sun shouted.


    Mark and Layla collapsed on the earth while trying to catch their breath. Sun winked at Shuja and she followed along. They laid on their backs acting like they were unable to move their body. Lo and Kee walked over to them, "Can you guys move?" Lo asked while trying to lift the black stone. He managed to carry the giant thing over his head. And he could not help but laugh. It was light as a feather.


    "No!" Mark coughed out. His face was red and his clothes covered in sweat. "B-but how can you," Mark took a deep breath, "Move? My body hurts."


    Kee kneeled down next to him and said in her sweet little voice, "I''m sorry big guy. But you''ve been scammed. Prararara!" Kee laughed.


    "I can''t believe it worked!" Lo laughed as well, "I mean come one. Do you really believe all of that? All the things I said were lies. Now come Layla, let''s leave these idiots. It''s time to receive my blessing as the next ruler of Deset."


    Lo carried the stone on his head, showing off his success. Kee glorifies his deceit with compliments and praises his balance. But suddenly, the stone started getting heavier. It started slow. the weight increased in increments until it tipped over and fell off Lo''s head. He caught it before it could hit the ground and placed it on his shoulder. He acted as if it was just his balance that made the stone fall.


    But the stone continued to weigh him down as the pressure increases. He had to carry it with both arms. "What''s going on?" Kee asked.


    "Hahaha!" Sun laughed, "You thought you tricked us. Think again." Sun snapped his finger and the stone''s weight doubled. Lo''s feet started shaking and sweat profusely. "What''s wrong? Did I make it too heavy?"

 Vol 14 Chapter 10: Rebuilding

    At Everflow City, in the middle of the castle district, sat the Everflow Castle. Its foundation was shaken, its walls broken, and its towers swaying. But Gever was determined to fix the castle and bring new life to its structure. There''s just one problem, she was a cook, not a carpenter. She looked through the sketches and blueprints the Razin goblins gave her, but she could not understand them.


    She was going to ask her brother, Horder, for help because he used to help with building ships. But he left the city with Cossack along with some of the freed slaves. They headed to the outskirts of the city, planning to expand their agriculture and to negotiate with the mining tribe that used to be under the control of the previous ruler. Gever sat in her office trying to figure out what she could. If Horder was here with her, she wouldn''t have to wrestle in her mind trying to understand the drawings.


    Fortunately, hope arrived through her doorsteps. Stick walked into the room. "What''s up?" He jumped onto a chair. His brown hair started growing back. The short stubbles reminded Gever of a type of brown moss that grew underneath the pine trees around her home village.


    "I''m trying to understand these blueprints stuff." Gever handed him one of the papers, "They also gave me a list of stuff we needed. But I need to check if we can even get enough of them. How about you? I heard Smoke left the city as well."


    "We got some info from the city locals about a hideout Bishop was building in case he and his sister needed to hide from King. Smoke decided to investigate it along with some of our new knights of arms."


    "New?"


    "Well, they''re not new. He brought Skild with him. We just changed their titles to Knights of Arms since that was the correct term. But enough about that, let''s see this stuff."


    "Aren''t you busy?"


    Stick slumps into his chair, "No, not really. And it sucks! Everyone is doing their job, and I''ve already completed mine. I wrote our new military doctrines, set up our military exercises, closed off the factories, confiscated all the guns produced and used in the war, and assigned our new officers. And I did them all in five days!" He sighs, "I thought it was going to be a lot, but in reality, I just approved paperwork and order people around. And I don''t know what else I can do, so I decided, maybe you need help."


    "Well, I do." Gever grabbed a pen and paper, "Let''s get this over with!"


    While life was going as it should in Everflow City, hundreds of miles away, in the middle of the ocean, a more dire situation was unraveling in the seems. Borvo and Cirona were searching in a sea of lepers on the pristine beaches of Scoffing Island for the Rainbow Stone. And artifact Borvo needed to pass the test. Fortunately, they found it in the hands of a child. She wore simple clothes, and her white skin nearly blended with the white sand. The colors of the rainbow made her stand out among her fellow lepers.


    But getting to her was difficult. The leper colony was on the move. Borvo grabbed Cirona and covered his mouth with a towel. They raced through the lepers until they reached the white girl in the middle of the colony surrounded by other children. Borvo extended his hand and tapped the girl on the shoulder, which startled her. "Sorry didn''t mean to scare you." Borvo got on one knee, "But that stone you have on you. I need it. Would you please give it to me?"


    The girl could barely see as the lumps on her face covered half of her eyes, obscuring her vision. But she could tell the man was no leper. She was afraid of him, so he gave the stone, only for it to be snatched away from her by another child. "Don''t give this to him!" The little girl with curly red hair gave back the stone to its original owner. "And you! Stay away from us!"


    The two girls walked away, but Borvo was not ready to give up. He ran in front of the girls and got on his knee once more. "Please, I really need that stone." He begged them.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    "Don''t you know who we are?" The redhead stomped her foot on the ground. "We are lepers. That rock is probably cursed now. Why do you want it so bad?"


    "To pass the exam."


    "Well, you can forget about it! Go and find your own stone." The redhead grabbed her friend''s hand and walked away, "Let''s leave."


    The colony moved in unison away from Borvo and Cirona. The rainbow light emitting from the stone fading in obscurity as the dark robbed lepers move to cover the children. Borvo fell on his butt feeling defeated. If he could not get it through his pleas, maybe he can negotiate, he thought. Cirona sat down next to him and rubbed his shoulders.


    She could tell that for Borvo this was a minor setback. Soon enough, Borvo inhaled as much as he could and yelled at the top of his lungs. "Alright!" He got up and took out a locket from his chest pocket. "I think this should be fair trade." Cirona frowned. She placed her hand on the locket and shook her head. "Cirona, it''s fine. It''s empty see," Borvo opened the locket. There was nothing inside but dust. "It''s just a locket. I made sure to keep the picture safe somewhere else."


    Cirona was not convinced and pushed the locket to Borvo''s chest. Her shiny puppy eyes melted Borvo''s heart. He always loses when it comes to Cirona. He sighed and put the locket back in his pocket. He''ll just have to find another item to trade with the girls. But he may not have to, as a figure appeared behind him and placed his hand on his shoulder.


    Cirona''s eyes turned from the defenseless kitty to an overprotective predator. Or mother. She pulled Borvo to her and away from the man. The man in question was the troublemaker from before. Corin Ren smiled, "Don''t need to get so defensive, piggy."


    "What are you doing here? You shouldn''t be here."


    "Oh, don''t be so harsh!" Ren pinched Borvo''s cheeks, "The church was going to kick me out, but I offered to repent. And you know the church and their core idea of forgiveness and whatever."


    "And they''re making you take the exam."


    Corin rubbed his chin, "Maybe?" Then he turned at the herd of lepers walking down the beach. "You know, I think we are looking for the same thing." Corin looked at the couple and laughed.


    Borvo could see the cruelty in his eyes and smell the blood boiling in his body. "What are you planning?" Borvo clenched his fist. Suddenly, Cirona disappeared in a flash of blue light. "Where did he go?"


    Cirona tugged on Borvo''s shoulders and pointed at the sky where Corin was floating above the lepers. The mana on his foot dispersed, and without it, he fell down on an old leper, pinning him on the white sands. He sat on the poor leper and stared at the two little girls and the rainbow stone in their possession. "Hello there,"


    "Who are you?" The redhead stepped in front to defend her friend.


    "Just someone who needs that stone. Now give it, you disgusting freak. Or else," Corin stretched his hand behind him, with its back facing the redheaded girl.


    "Fuck off!"


    "Why you little shit!" Corin exploded and released his wrath on the little girl, but Borvo took her place. He pulled her aside and became the target of Corin''s attack.


    Corin left a handprint on Borvo''s left cheek. It was red and began to throb from the pain, Borvo did not show any sign of pain. He simply glared at Corin, with anger in his eyes. There was also a hint of satisfaction. Since Corin broke the rules, he would be expelled. But at a cost. "It''s over, you broke the rules, and everyone here saw it." He told Corin.


    But Corin laughed it off. "You''re an idiot. You do know you''re going to be expelled from this island too, right? You risked everything for a leper."


    "Yes,"


    "Good," Corin pulled out a gold coin. "Because I already took half of the commission."


    "What?"


    "Oh come on. Why would I be here, after getting caught?" He said while doing air quotes. "And it looks like the angels and demons flying around the island have caught a whiff of our little conflict." An angel was slowly flying in their direction.


    "You planned this?"


    "Of course. You''re not fit to be king." Corin whispered.


    The mana inside Borvo began to twist inside his stomach and pulsate in his head. The intense emotions he held deep in himself started to leak out from his body. He could explode and unleash his fury at any moment, but someone else released that anger for him. Cirona grabbed Borvo and pulled him away from Corin when a figure suddenly appeared next to him.


    Corin was surprised to see a leper appear after a flash of blue light blinded him. But he couldn''t see the leper''s face because a fist blocked his vision. The leper''s fist that is. The leper punched him square in the face. The other lepers parted as Corin flew across the beach and was caught by the angel. The culprit removed his hood. Borvo was amazed to see the identity of the leper. He looked exactly like Sun.

 Vol 14 Chapter 11: Kings Playground

    King was perched on top of a large rock twirling his purple feather around his thumb. He watched the sea of lepers walked on the beach, avoiding the fat noble. It was a surreal scene to watch. After being confined in a cell as deformed lepers watch through the bars, equally trapped in the ship''s suffocating body, he would have never thought there so many of them. And the peace they have found from this island seemed too unreal for King.


    Society saw them as lesser than trash. They were cursed to walk the earth as their body continue to rot, with their flesh and limbs falling off. Blisters covered their body, and the deformities it brought made them hideous. King detests their faces. He was no different than the rest of the world. But on this island, it was different. The church did not see them as a disease that must be shunned away but as people needing a cure.


    At least, that''s what the lepers believe in. King could see it, the games the church plays. He was once part of it, after all. Another noble appeared at the beach. He reeks of a familiar smell that he cannot recall. It was only when the Pontiff, sitting next to him as a leper, identified the new arrival. "That one, over there. His name is Corin Ren. Part of the house of Dover."


    "House of Dover. Weren''t they part of a civil war in Iric? I think they supported that idiot that tried to charge at me. What his name again?"


    "I also don''t remember. I tend to forget names of people I seldom talk to."


    "More like you forget the names of your pawns once they''ve met their purpose."


    "Was that meant to hurt me?" The Pontiff said in a sarcastic tone. "If it was, then I guess you''ve succeeded. Unfortunately, only words can pierce my soul."


    "You don''t have to remind me." King stood on his feet. The waves crashed against the rocks. The water gently rained on them. "What is he doing here? I don''t remember the House of Dover owning any land after I destroyed most of their army."


    "Impressive," The Pontiff clapped his hands, "But their land and army are not their only source of power. They are schemers, influencing the inner politics in Iric to suit their desire. But that doesn''t mean they just do as they wish from instinct or primal lust. They seduce and plot to their heart''s content, but the recent war has left them a little dry in their coffers."


    "They have nothing in their country now." King clenched their fist, "And they''re desperate."


    Corin teleports above the leper colony. "Not really."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Look over there, at the fat one." The Pontiff pointed at Borvo, running towards the lepers. "He has a heart of gold, and that is enough for that family to control. He doesn''t need to be an imbecile. Just innocent enough to sway to their court. This is why we have made a deal with the house. We don''t want him to become King of Iric."


    A commotion suddenly appeared in the middle of the colony, where Borvo and Corin were in, "Say no more," King leaped off the rock and teleported in the middle of the leper colony. Then he punched Corin across the beach and onto the arms of an angel. He removed his hood and revealed to the leper colony his clean face. Not a single blemish or scar on his face. And a regal purple crown growing on his head. The feathers danced in the wind.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    King gave an eery smile that annoyed the angel. He gently placed Corin''s unconscious body on the beach and placed his hand on his sword''s hilt. The angel wore an orange collar around his neck, which contrasted well with his blue garment. The orange collar meant that he was a newly appointed clergy member pulled from a pool of isolated monks. "Who are you?" He asked King. "Are you a spy?"


    King laughed while he charged his mana for an attack. Nearly everyone on the beach was unaware of King''s true identity. It made King feel like a joke despite his numerous accomplishments as a Golden Condottiero. Now he was treated as a spy by a rookie. "I was just defending these poor girls from him. I didn''t think he was that weak though, hahaha!" After he stopped laughing, King poured out his mana to his hand when suddenly his chest began to ache and squeeze.


    The pain from his chest grew unbearable dangerously quickly, and he fell to his knees. King activated his Isiptali and saw an invisible tentacle wrapping around his abdomen. The tentacle was made of mana and was a type of Astral technique. And this was an extremely difficult Astral technique.


    King turned his head and followed the tentacle''s arm. It merged in the leper colony. He followed it to the source and saw the Pontiff hiding under his cowl. The Pontiff smiled pushed King''s mana back to King''s body. The angel looked at King as his body ache. He lacked any knowledge of leprosy and assumed the pain King was experiencing was from this disease.


    He carried Corin over his shoulder, but before he left, he turned to Borvo and Cirona. Borvo''s right cheek had bruises on it. "What happened to your cheek?" The angel asked, "Was it because of this troublemaker?" He pointed at Corin.


    Before Borvo could answer, the redhead girl stepped in, "He got grazed by mister''s punch."


    "I see," The angel extended his wings and flew off. But this did not mean his suspicion was gone. He still found it strange that a poor leper was able to knock Corin out. Regardless, investigating the leper will have to be done later, as Corin''s case was a higher priority.


    The Pontiff released King from his death grip once the angel was gone. King took a deep breath and laid on his back. "Fucking bastard," He whispered. "Too bad I knocked him out before you can disqualify him."


    Borvo, Cirona, and lepered girls gathered around King thanking him for protecting them, and praising his strength. The compliments made King blush just a bit. Borvo also wanted to ask about his racial features and what combination did he get such a unique look yet so similar to his friend Sun, but he felt it to be outplaced. The two girls also apologized to Borvo and handed him the Rainbow Stone. "Thank you," Borvo said.


    The white girl nodded, "They told us to only give it to someone that is a good person."


    "Really, who told you that?"


    "The Church."

 Vol 14 Chapter 12: Those in Power in a Dilemma

    A demon man dressed in blue cassock and an orange floated above the Black Stone of Egad. His horn curved like that of a sheep and his wings as colorful as a peacock''s feathers. The blue eyes on his wings were mesmerizing. He stared at Mark and Sun and their fiancee watching the pitiful being underneath the grand stone trying to carry it over his shoulder. The demon sighs and warily rubbed his temples. "Let me get this straight. You two were trying to lift the stone together when suddenly, these two humans appeared out of the bush. First, they mocked you for being weak, and then the human man just lifted this impossibly heavy stone and walked four meters from where it used to sit. Then the stone just suddenly got heavier for him and is desperately holding it to the sky or else he will be crushed to death."


    "Yes," Sun and Mark said.


    "They are lying," Lo yelled under the stone. "We were absorbing the mana to make it lighter! Then that feathered bastard,"


    A bolt of loud lightning struck the stone, starting everyone. The source was the tip of the demon''s finger pointing at the stone. "I would like it if you refrain from making such racist remarks." The demons gently landed on the stone, adding just a bit more to its weight.


    Kee was also trying to hold the stone up. She got angry at the demon clergyman. "Hey, get off the stone! Your fat ass is making it heavier."


    "Enough of your rude remarks! It is clear that your hubris got you stuck in this quagmire. And to the four standing there and watching, I have a question. Why have you not tried and helped this poor sinner?"


    Sun and Mark looked at each other. "Well, he was very, very selfish," Mark said confidently with his gentle voice. "He said he don''t, doesn''t, need anyone to help him. Even when we told him it would be easier. P-p-plus, we all have the s-s-same thing to find, but he wanted to hog it all to him. Himself!"


    Sun raised his hand, "Actually, mister clergy, sir. How do we get this stone over to the gem. Is it through cooperation? As in, together we can carry this. Or is the purpose for this grand task something else?"


    The demon shot a glance at Kee, holding the stone by the corner. "Cooperation? I doubt that would have worked. These two could barely hold this in the air."


    "Of course, it''s heavy!" Kee yelled. "So get off it, you fat,"


    "Shut up, woman!" Lo shouted. "And look here, demon. They''re lying to you. Sun made this stone lighter and then I carried."


    "How did that happen?"


    "I don''t know, but he made it lighter and then made it heavier once I had it over my shoulder. He''s sabotaging me!"


    The demon sighed again, "This is getting ridiculous. Do you expect me to believe that someone changed the weight of this stone so freely as to trap you underneath it? Unless he was with those scholars in that tower, I doubt Sun had the knowledge even to do such an incredible feat of ingenuity. Especially when considering his humble background as a king of a petty kingdom founded in the wild northern lands. You need to fabricate a more believable lie."


    Kee snarled, "He''s not lying! You fat lard!"


    "Dammit woman, shut up!" Lo yelled at her.


    The demon looked at Sun and Mark, "And I think I understand why you don''t want to help them. But let''s be real, all of you will not pass the exam if you stay in the forest."


    They all agreed they gathered around the stone. Shuja and Layla sandwiched Kee and gave her a mischievous smile with a wink. Kee bared her teeth and hiss at the girls. Meanwhile, Mark and Sun carried the stone on the side facing the courtyard.


    The stone became lighter once more hands came to help, but that was really due to the spell Sun inscribed on the stone. It was complex as it was simple to understand. The stone''s weight can change based on his command and everyone but the demon knew this. Once the stone was lighter, Lo released his hands and rushed towards Sun, intending to get them both disqualified.


    Blind by rage, he was willing to risk his right to rule for petty vengeance. But Sun could see him move with his mana. He made the stone heavy again, "Oops." The stone fell and pinned Lo on the ground. "It really is heavy than expected."


    The stone was barely hovering off the ground. Lo was practically stuck, unable to even crawl out of the tight space. "Looks like we''ll just have to slowly crawl our way there," Layla said in a high pitch womanly voice.


    "Unless someone strong could lift this stone up like before," Shuja added.


    Kee tried to kick the two girls, "Fuck off!"


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Meanwhile, outside the forest, in the highest tower of the grand cathedral that spans nearly the entire island, an angel sat on the luxurious ebony table, and in front of her was the unconscious Corin. The angel''s golden locks lit up the darkroom and her sharp green eyes stared at the motionless body. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Brian." She told the angel that brought him into the tower. "Now you may go."


    "But what about,"


    "Go!" She raised her voice. "There''s no more to discuss."


    Brian bowed and then leaped out of the balcony. The woman angel sighed, "This is problematic. So much for controlling those Iricsons." The angel on top of the black table was an important figure in the church. Her name was Alexis, part of the Entente, a governing body within the church with judicial and military power second only to the Pontiff. They were the arms and legs of the church, executing missions they deemed beneficial for the church''s well-being. They can act independently of the Pontiff, but since the Pontiff represents the church, his interest is their mission. In truth, they have no free will.


    The missions they do conduct that contradicts the Pontiff''s wishes are done in the shadows. But now even the shadow can hide them in the light. And Alexis knows this well. She bit her lower lip enough for it to bleed. If the island of Iric is left to reform as a nation, they may very well be considered a major great power in the continent. This will make the number of great powers in Venusia odd.


    But some believe that this merely Alexis'' paranoia clouding her judgment. Iric is a large land, but its development is noticeably lacking compared to other kingdoms. The potential is there, so the question lies when it will be a thorn on the church''s side. Others don''t see it that way. The Iric archipelago has been invaded by numerous kingdoms and people since its discovery. Its landscape and its people live in constant threat of invasion. And the volatile nature of the political world on Venusia will continue to drive outside forces to the island. Many doubt a powerful kingdom could form and unify the island. They were no different from the steppe hordes from the east.


    But one of Alexis'' most prominent rivals in the Entente, the Immortal Sinbad, is also her greatest supporter. Sinbad used to be a beastkin from the southern lands across the sea, where the desert is as vast as the largest ocean. Now he was a golem made of iron. His abdomen was an oven where his soul and kas are safely protected from the outside world. He is fed constantly with coal to stay alive.


    Sinbad used to be a renowned adventure that worked for the Church of Mahalia until an accident nearly took his life. His life-threatening injuries could not be treated, but the church had one option. The dark magic of soul transfer. A spell only the strongest and well versatile mage could do and with a success rate of one in a million. Sinbad was known for being cautious. He gambled the sanctity of his soul to explore another day. And through blood, sweat, and tears, he was born anew.


    Sinbad sat in the corner of the room. The flames in his abdomen barely lit the room. His red ruby eyes looked at Alexis with pity. Her paranoia has grown more severe after King''s defeat. Fortunately, they have King under their custody and can resume production of their new weapon, but that barely alleviated her worries. "Now that Borvo passed the first part of the exam, we might as well work to sway him to our side," Sinbad suggested. "Before they ally themselves with the Walz Kingdom."


    Alexis crossed her arms and ignored Sinbad. She stared at Corin then frowned. "The person that defeated King is here." She whispered.


    "What?"


    "And based on the reports on the border of Razin forest, the dwarves already established a cordial relationship with the goblins. And the goblins'' leader has made friends with Borvo."


    Sinbad''s flames grew and leaked out from its iron bars. "That''s not good. Does the Pontiff?"


    "I have no idea. He''s too busy having fun playing pretend with King and the lepers. He might know about it and just chooses to ignore it like some. Never mind that person. We need to focus on the task at hand." Alexis shot a string made of mana that attached itself to a large black opal on display above a bookcase. She pulled it to her and caught it flawlessly.


    "Our mission is simple. We need to ensure that the Pontiff and the church are ready for war."


    "A war that will decide the fate of our world."


    "Please, don''t use the church''s words here. We all know what this war is about. And I will make sure the church comes out on top."

 Vol 14 Chapter 13: Third Part of the Exam

    The Black Stone of Egad slowly left the forest before the sun completely sets. Lo was at the center under the stone, forced to carry most of the weight. When they got to the courtyard, only ten nobles were present. Some of the others were disqualified, while the rest were still looking for this relic. Sun can''t help but be thankful that the stone was so large and visible.


    Borvo was among the ten that arrived. They sat the stone next to the large gem and presented it to the proctor. Then they returned to their original spot. Layla and Shuja locked arms with Kee and escorted her to the bleachers while grinning. "Best friend?" Layla asked.


    "Bestest of friends!" Shuja answered.


    "I hate both of you!" Kee shouted.


    Everyone waited till night. Only half of the exam takers that left returned. Once everyone was accounted for, the demon in charge of the exam appeared above the gem. "Congratulations to those that found their item, but we don''t have time to reward you for your efforts. It is nearly time for the Crystal Baptismal, and as tradition, we will be giving you half an hour to reveal your inner self." The paladins distributed papers and a tag with a question on it.


    This part of the exam was simple to understand. The church will ask each heir for their plans as rulers, and to pass, the church must approve these future plans. Most if not all exam takers pass this test because they would write whatever they believe the church will want for their nation. By simply reiterating the church''s teachings and referencing Mahalia as a model ruler, most pass with flying colors.


    But the church found ways to circumnavigate these lazy attempts to appease them. The tag has a question that challenges the exam taker''s personal beliefs and style of rulership. And through these tags, the church managed to designate rulers into four categories.


    The first is the stewardly leaders. Those that focused on economic development and foreign trade. They''re the church''s least concern. They demand from them charity work and for their churches to receive priority during realm construction. But on rare occasions, during times of war or crusades, these rulers'' main contribution is to feed the war machine. And depending on the country''s level of production, they can prove to be the most important chess piece. Thus, it is equally important to ensnare these rulers to the church''s side. Another hidden trait these types carry is their ability to carry their nation to a better tomorrow. Although rare, there were times when kingdoms rise to challenge the world''s superpowers not through war but by the sheer size of the country''s economy. Borvo is of this type, and worst, by the church''s calculations, could potentially bring his rundown kingdom into a great power.


    The next type of leader is considered the most problematic of the three. The sharp tongue rulers, often born among the countries near the sea. They are deceitful, cunning, and cynical. Their arbitrary nature combined with their ambition often results in a vile villain, and worst, a maniac possessed by their inner demons and pushed to war and murder. At least, that''s what the church sees them. Indeed, these types are often mischievous tricksters and individualistic, stringing the hearts of men to achieve their goals. But they are also the voice of the people. Some of them, born as a serf, only to take the top after leading a peasant revolt. Do they win? Not often, but it has happened. And the levels of diplomatic skills between leaders vary wildly for each individual. Lo and Kee are of these types of rulers, and their competency in deceit is average all things considered.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    And the third, the favorite of the church. Nobles raised for war. These types of kings and queens prioritize their warring lineage. Nobles and aristocrats were raised from birth to be the leading knights for professional soldiers while the majority of the population are stuck picking the wheat from the ground. These warrior kings are truly the master of warfare. They are giants of the battlefield, but they are mice in the court. They can easily be swayed by the more eloquent courtiers, making them easy to manipulate. But be wary, because they are universally vengeful to those that wronged them. They also lack the discipline to run an economy. After all, they are warriors, not bankers.


    Borvo was confidently writing his plans for his kingdom and seemed to enjoy explaining every step. Meanwhile, Mark struggled to put his thoughts into words. At one point he smacked his head on the dirt and yelled ''think'' to himself repeatedly.


    And then there''s Sun. His question was odd because it was not written for a specific type of ruler. That''s because the church doesn''t know what type of ruler Sun would be. At least, not entirely. Sun''s question prompt was more intrusive than he was expecting. Would you sacrifice your kingdom to save the life of an orphan?


    This stumped Sun. It was an expected question with an obvious answer, but he couldn''t help but feel that there was a catch. He pondered for some time, waiting for the muse to give him an idea. Nothing came to his head. Ideas don''t come to those that wait, you''ll have to work for it. Sun scratched his head and hyped himself up. He jotted down what''s important to him; his family, friends, the goblins that look up to him, the mentor that he considered as his father in this life. There were so many of them and they were all tied to his kingdom.


    Sun did not want to sacrifice everything for an orphan and a stranger at that but maybe his past life could give him an answer. He closed his eyes and traveled back to his murky past, where there was no winter snow but hot sand. The walls covered the horizon and the buildings were tall. His memory was not clear. It was confusing, mixing with his new experiences as a goblin.


    But deep in his consciousness, he found the answer to his question. His friend in the past once broke a house window. The authorities arrived after getting a call from the people living inside the home. They thought it was a bomb thrown by a gang terrorizing the local neighborhood, but it was a just rock his friend threw out of frustration.


    They handcuffed his friend and took him away. His parents rushed out the street pleading for them to let their child go with a warning. Even his younger brother ran out and blocked the jeep carrying his brother. But they were weak and their colonizer was stronger. Sun wrote his questionable memory down the paper. He wrote down every detail he could piece together such as the harsh light of the state jeep and the sound of the street. And he spun it as a made-up story with a sad ending.


    But it was the epilogue that mattered. He wrote down the lesson he learned from this memory. The home with the broken window belonged to his friend''s family. But despite building it, they had lost their ownership over them. It was stolen by the state. So he wrote something that the church might not have predicted. Yes, he would sacrifice it to save a life. But its new owners better be prepared, because he will not stop until he gets it back.

 Vol 14 Chapter 14: Na?ve Little Sun

    Once everyone finished writing, they gave their paper to the clerics. The papers were then teleported elsewhere on the island, and they waited for their results. It wasn''t until midnight did the results come, and the clerics announced to them that everyone present passed and they were about to begin the ceremony.


    The gem began to glow brightly. Its light illuminated the entirety of the courtyard yet remained gentle to the eye. In fact, the light did not burn, but instead, it felt cool. This made the already cold night even colder. The clerics gathered around the gem and began chanting a spell passed to them by the church''s founders. The coldness from the gem slowly turned rose until it was warm. Everyone gave a sigh of relief once it was warm.


    Then the clergymen drew a line on the ground with red paint, and one of them created a podium and a water fountain next to the gem. The water fountain was filled with holy wine, meant to represent Mahalia''s blood. Once the clergyman finished filling the fountain, the others began to pull the nobles one by one to stand on the line.


    The cleric that approached Sun was a muscular demon, with yellow horns and feathers, which contrasted beautifully with his dark skin. The demon approached Sun with caution. The church warned the clergy about Sun due to his identity, which is kept secret. The information was shared only with the Entente. "Come," He told Sun.


    Sun stood up and smiled. His demeanor fit his name. The demon could tell that he shined with confidence and glee, which offsets the warning the church placed on Sun''s back. But the demon reasoned that even the sun is dangerous, especially when one gets too close to the fiery sphere. Sure enough, Sun''s radiant smile showed off both his strength and his naivety. Leaders with pragmatic values are better than those with idealistic principles. Those that only focus on their idealistic view on the rule are destined to ruin the world they believed they would save. Sun and Borvo are very similar in that regard. But Borvo was mature compared to Sun because he was born during turmoil. He had to escape death while he was struggling to stay afloat in the sea of lies and deceit in the capital castle.


    Sun had yet to experience loss so profound that it will usher in his change. But what the demon and the church do not know is that Sun already lost many. But his loss merely fueled the idealism in his beliefs. He was going to save everyone; he thought‘ͺsuch a foolish endeavor.


    Sun waited in line until it was his turn to touch the gem. His hand sank into the gem as if it was made of water. The gem was frigid cold despite the warm light it exudes. Sun endured even as his body dropped into dangerously low temperatures and his skin turning blue and purple. The clergyman on the podium recited the prayer, and afterward, they poured the wine on his head. The wine was warm as if it was blood from a freshly slaughtered animal, but Sun knew it was wine. He tasted the grape juice and the hint of alcohol when it rolled into his mouth.


    The wine was made with warm mana. It replenished Sun''s body. Once the cleric finished his prayer, Sun removed his hands from the gem, and he officially finished his baptism. The Church of Mahalia now recognized him as the child of the servant, and his kingdom will be protected under the church''s doctrines. Whatever those doctrines are.


    Those rules always fluctuate based on those in powers'' need. At one of the cathedral towers, a member of the Entente was reviewing the papers written by the exam takers. His name was Areia, a beastkin with dyed purple hair and missing an eye. He read Sun''s paper for the twentieth time, still dumbfounded by his answer.


    He wondered how this noble hasn''t yet been broken. So many have already lost their childish outlook in life, but this one is still clinging on to some lost cause. Areia wants to meet this person. He wants to know what runs inside Sun''s mind.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    And thankfully, as if blessed by Mahalia, he was given a chance to do so. The Pontiff has issued an order to him and fellow Entente members. They were to detain Borvo on the beach tomorrow morning, right after they leave the island. They were to drag the ship to the beach and present them with a paper of Borvo''s illegitimacy to rule. A conflict will surely start, so Areia was given orders to fight but not to kill. He could not wait for tomorrow to test the idealist''s strength.


    Xinbad entered the room quietly. Despite his body being made of iron, his steps were gentle and quiet. "Have you reviewed the plans for tomorrow?" He asked.


    Areia folded the paper and placed it inside a drawer. He looked at Xinbad''s cold blue gem of an eye. His body always shivered at the sight of those unwavering and unnatural eyes. "I know what we need to do."


    "Good because I would like to ask you something."


    "What is it?"


    "The plan." Xinbad grabbed a chair and sat down, "It feels like we are simply toying with them instead of actually resolving the issue with Borvo and the future of his country. Does the Pontiff not care? We lost our firearms supplier. As well as that supplier''s influence over those two troublesome major powers.".


    "You mean the dwarves and the dark elves?" Areia groaned, "It is pretty frustrating, but I feel like the Pontiff''s legacy defining plan will be ready soon. Haven''t you seen those dogs?"


    "Those aliens? I hate those bastards. They think they are better just because their homeworld resides in the Infinite Sea. What about them anyway?"


    "I think the Pontiff just discovered a way to get to the Infinite Sea."


    "What?" Xinbad yelled, "When? And how?"


    "Calm down, you steel mutt." Areia calmly whispered. "It''s only a speculation. It looks like the Pontiff is making deals with those outsiders after the wake of King''s defeat."


    "And what about King himself? How useful is he going to be afterward?"


    Areia teleported next to a shelf and took out a blueprint. "Take a look at this."


    Xinbad examined the paper. It was a blueprint design of a tank created by King. He was not impressed. "So what? Tanks are nothing special. We have loads of those dug out from the ancient ruins during the reign of the Sky People. There have been so many permutations of this war machine through the centuries. The Garden Tower alone has ten legions of these war machines, all organized based on what year and what civilization used them. What''s so good about this?"


    "Do you know what you are powered by?" Areia pointed at his chest, "Mana. You, and those aliens, and those tanks, and any other machine and golem we know of runs because of mana. They feed off of mana. But that tank King designed is different. It uses something else entirely, just like his guns."


    "What does it use?"


    "Oil."


    "Oil? Like whale oil?"


    "No, the black one."


    "You mean that substance the beastkins in the steppes used to fuel their lamps. That thing runs on that?"


    "No, not entirely. We have to process them first. Turn them into gasoline, which is a clear substance. And the process can be done by peasants. We don''t need specialized mana users. We just need tools to mass-produce it and an access point to the source. We don''t need highly trained mana users to run these factories and these tanks." Areia said excitedly. "And we are building our first steps to create these tanks and possibly more. Macha is in charge of building the infrastructure."


    "One of the Morgans is in charge of this important logistics. That is disturbing."


    "And what about you? Do you still doubt the tank''s merit?"


    The golem''s eyes flashed. He looked at the blueprints one last time. The tank was small, and its weapons seemed to function similarly to the guns they received from King. "This tank better be useful, or else, we will lose the war."

 Vol 14 Chapter 15: Tragedy Has Arrived

    It was morning, and the docks of the Womva Isla were filled with life and energy. Eager nobles were getting ready to leave the barren island. Most were disappointed in their failure but happy nonetheless to leave the island. Captain Sparrow and Vivi sat on the ship''s deck. They were experiencing hangovers after a night of drinking. Vivi''s orange hair was a mess, with the locks pointing out in all directions. Sparrow was barely any better. He staggered as he walked across the ship, despite his balance being always perfect when on the high seas.


    Borvo and Sun arrived at the ship with their luggage. They shouted for the two to lower the bridge. Sparrow shouted at the boys, "Hold up, give a minute." He took a bucket filled with dirty water and dipped his face inside. The water was cold and tasted bitter, and it was enough for Sparrow to regain some of his energy and reason.


    Sparrow got the platform out and threw overboard. Sun caught it and placed it perfectly on the ship. Then they carried their belongings. "Where are the girls?" Vivi asked while rubbing her eyes.


    "They''ll be here soon," Borvo said. "They''re saying bye to some of the friends they made."


    "I''m surprised Shuja made any friends." Sun jokingly said.


    "I''m surprised for Cirona the most." Borvo said with great sincerity, "It''s good to know that she is coming out of her shell. And I have Shuja to thank for it."


    Vivi pulled out a glass bottle from her person and drank its strange contents. "Great to know they''re getting along," She said before burping. Mana poured out of her hands, and she used it almost like a gel, fixing her frizzy hair back in place. "But be careful. The more friends they get, the braver they become."


    "I see no problem with that," Borvo said.


    "Maybe for you, but I know of other men that would agree with me." Vivi looked at them, "But it doesn''t look like you''re those type of men. I can say the same with that drunk." She pointed with her eyes at Sparrow, who was leaning as far off the ship as possible to avoid puking on it. "But then again, he only has his eyes on the sea and the ships he sails."


    After the boys got the luggage inside, Shuja and Cirona arrived on the ship with a bag filled with gifts from the other noblewoman. Shuja was embarrassed to receive so many without anything to give back. Thankfully, Cirona came prepared and offered to share the name behind her gifts. There was also Shuja''s amazing archery which she showed to the ladies and gentlemen to entertain them in exchange for the lack of gifts. It was a great experience overall for both women.


    Once everyone was accounted for, the captain untied the ropes tethering the ship to the docks, and the boys pulled the anchor back to the ship. The sails were released, and the winds pushed the ship forward. The White Pearl''s small size allowed it to slip past the other larger ships. And its lightweight made it the first to leave the cove and reach the open sea.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    And following behind them was another ship. Larger in size, it slowly followed the humble little ship. Most of its cargo was left at the docks so it could sail fast enough to keep its sights on the White Pearl. On the ship were Lo and Kee. They were after the ship for only one purpose: to enact their revenge on Sun and Shuja.


    And unbeknownst to all of them, another group was following them. Above the sea was a small island made of clouds and dirt following the White Pearl. And on top of the cloud island were two Entente members. A beastkin woman by the name of Morgeux stood at the edge of the clouds looking through her binoculars. She was petite, with her green tail wrapping around her waist. She wore a gray habit and an emerald crown underneath the hood.


    She spied on the White Pearl like an eagle targeting its prey. Areia was at the center of the flying island. He stood behind the wheel, piloting the clouds. The amount of mana he was pouring into the island could poison ten men, killing them in seconds. Although one of ten men would most likely explode before the mana could kill their brain.


    He was wearing a black cassock underneath a white robe. He kept an eye on Morgeux, one of the Morgans, a group of sisters in the Entente. They were known for their cruelty, although this reputation was mostly built around made-up rumors. Still, one can''t deny that their methods can be in the extreme end even comparing them to the rest of the Entente. To ensure that the plan succeeds, a veteran in the elite Paladin Guard accompanied them. Kreg Kovacs was a giant of a man with a muscular build that surpassed what is acceptable among scholars. His muscles are as hard as marble, and with nearly no fat on his body, he was like a living statue. Ironic considering Morgeux''s strange ability.


    "Golly! It looks like they''re about to reach our artificial island," Morgeux said. "Time to summon the storm." Morgeux threw her binoculars and stabbed the ground with her arm. Her mana surged out from her chest and traveled through her arm and into the flying island. The clouds beneath them grew in size and became darker.


    On the White Pearl, Sparrow looked up and saw the thunder clouds forming before his eye. "What the hell?" He said, "Sun, Borvo! Drop the sails. We have a thunderstorm.


    Sun climbed to the top of the sails and saw an unfamiliar island. It was never there before, so where did it come from? "Sparrow, we got another problem. There''s an island ahead!" He yelled.


    "An island!" Everyone responded dumbfoundedly.


    Vivi took out her telescope, looked through the looking glass, and saw the island seemingly appearing before them. "That''s impossible. There was nothing there before."


    Then the storm began, but fortunately, the White Pearl was inside the eye of the storm. Or rather, they underneath the sky island the Entente were riding on. "Looks like we are safe," Sparrow said. But as the storm moves, so too did the ship. And it carried it towards the artificial island. "Or maybe not."


    The ship was pushed by the waves and forced the ship to the beach. The White Pearl was stuck on the white sand. The group jumped out and stared at the storm and the ship. "I guess we''re stuck here until the storm ends," Vivi said.


    They sat on the beach, passing the time with idle talk. Suddenly, Cirona saw a large ship coming out of the storm. She got the group''s attention by flailing her arms about, then pointed at the ominous ship sailing at an incredible speed towards their island. "Oh shit, that ship lost control too!" Sparrow yelled.


    The giant ship crashed onto the island''s beach. Its crew fell from the ship due to inertia. One of the passengers was also sent flying away, and Sun recognized him. It was the sneaky Lo. "It looks like we got trouble," Sun said. But the trouble he thought was here has yet to arrive. Once both of the ships beached, the storm began to soften.


    Morgeux and Areia teleported on the island, behind the trees and bushes. They switched their clothes, disguising themselves as pirates. They came out from the bushes, "Hello! Welcome to our island!" Morgeux yelled.


    "Are those pirates?" Sparrow wondered. He reached for his folded crossbow.


    "Golly! I think you need help to get your ships back to the ocean. You guys want our help?"


    Lo''s head was stuck on the sand. Areia grabbed him by the collar and pulled him out of the hole. "Thank you," Lo looked at the stranger that helped him out of the sand, and he quickly regretted being pulled out. He recognized the stranger. It was an Entente. And it was not just him. He saw the woman behind Areia and recognized her as one of the Morgans. "Oh no. Please have mercy." He quickly pleaded for his life.


    "Oh," Areia was surprised that Lo knew who he was, "I guess this disguise was useless." He threw Lo towards his crew. Lo looked he saw death because he practically did. When Ententes are seen moving together, it only means one thing, tragedy.

 Vol 14 Chapter 16: Cold Skin

    Lo pushed his crew to the ship. "Push it back to the water! We need to get out here!" He yelled at them. Kee ran inside the cabin and hid under the blankets. Although, it won''t matter to the Entente. They are not looking for them after all.


    Areia teleported next to the crew pushing the giant ship. "Need a hand?" He flicked the ship off the beach and it crashed on the water.


    "Did he just flick that ship away?" Sun asked in disbelief.


    Borvo grabbed by the shoulder and pulled him to the White Pearl. "We need to go!" He yelled, "It''s not safe here!"


    Morgeux teleported between them and smiled. "On the contrary, I think it is safe." She reached for Borvo''s face with her cold hand, but an explosive cannonball hit the back of her head. Sparrow was on the ship with his hand on the swivel gun. Vivi was next to him, reloading the cannon with another incendiary ball. Once it was reloaded, Sparrow fired another shot that sent Morgeux flying several feet away from them.


    Not wanting to be idle during the fighting, Sun summoned his sword out of the ship''s cabin carefully so as not to damage the White Pearl''s visage. Then he unsheathed the sword while covering it with his signature hot mana. "Heat Wave!" He yelled as he slashed the air with his blazing hot sword. The ebony blade distorted the air around it as mana formed into a wave of flame. It traveled as fast as an arrow across the beach and towards Morgeux.


    The flames were hot, but they did little to Morgeux''s body. She simply changed to her habit once the fire passed through her. Borvo''s body began to shake uncontrollably from the overwhelming odds they were facing. "Why the hell are you here?" Lo yelled.


    "Who are these guys, anyway?" Sun asked.


    "They are the Entente." Lo ran away and into the shallow waters. "They are second in command in the church. They only answer to the Goddess and their Pontiff."


    "But why are they here?" Sparrow shouted.


    "I don''t know, but usually, if more than one appears, then it means they are on a hunt. And unfortunately, we could all be the target."


    "No," Borvo said calmly, "I think I know who they are after, me. Go back to the ship and take the other ship''s crew with you. Leave and never come back." Borvo pulled Sun back and he walked forward.


    "What?" Sun twisted his brow.


    "Just go, but don''t forget me." He placed his hand over his chest and held his breath under Entente''s power. "Leave them alone. I know why you''re here."


    "You do?" Morgeux tapped her fingers together.


    "I''ve already the exam, and my plans for my kingdom''s reconstruction were given the seal of approval. Unless the rival families bribed the church. Which is a sin greater than murder." Borvo''s legs were shaking, but he must have resolved. The effort to speak was the same as climbing a mountain. "But make no mistake, your previous plans to have me disqualified failed because good people exist. And this plan too. Kill me if you have to, but my friends that are standing on this beach today will not be silent!"If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Morgeux yawned, "You''re only half right." She teleported in front of Sun, "We also would like to speak to you young goblin." She whispered.


    Shuja shot her arrow in a split second. It landed on Morgeux''s crown, and the habit''s hood fell on the sand, revealing her deformed head. Coming out from the top of her head, where hair should be growing, were green snakes. She was a mutated beastkin, deformed by corruption, becoming a hideous chimera. The snakes hissed at Sun.


    "Too late!" Morgeux grabbed Sun''s throat, but Borvo tackled her to the sand. This was the wrong move. The moment Borvo touched her skin, his body turned into stone. "Blasted statues." Morgeux was pinned under Borvo''s statue. "Don''t just stand there! Help me Areia!"


    Areia''s eyes glowed cold blue. A sign that he was using his telekinesis. He flicked his finger, tossing the frozen Borvo into the air with his mana. Shuja caught Borvo. "Watch where you''re throwing him!" She shouted, and then she turned at Lo''s crew that were stranded on the beach with them. "And what are you doing? We outnumber them! We have to attack now!"


    Lo slammed the water, "Are you insane? There''s no way we''re winning against them. Their best hope is to swim back to the ship! Also, why does the water feel like it''s getting warmer?"


    The water''s temperature started to rise as Sun''s mana begins to form a vortex within his chest. The flames in his body were reignited. He raised his fire sword over his shoulder and gathered all the mana he could into his legs. Then, like a grasshopper, he launched himself towards Morgeux and stabbing her on the chest.


    The sword would have pierced a normal person, but Morgeux''s mana was far stronger than the hot blade. It simply pushed her away and into the bushes. "Shuja, get Borvo on the ship and find a way to cure him!" He shouted, "I''ll deal with them here."


    "Master Lo, what should we do? I don''t think that feathered orc can beat them by himself?" One of Lo''s crewmates yelled.


    "Shut up, you cry baby, and start swimming to the ship." Lo dipped his body until the water reached his shoulder. "I''ll make sure that beast can''t get you." They jumped into the water and started to swim to their ship. The captain had ropes lowered so they could climb up faster. He also had the cabin boy tell Kee that Lo is staying on the beach. This made Kee angry, but she knew she could do nothing but wait. She had no talent in fighting, and Lo was barely any better than her. He at least knew how to use mana.


    But there was still someone that can aid them on the beach. Her pet serpopard, a long-neck leopard, was a natural bork killer. "Minthe, go help papa Lo." She told her pet. The serpopard stood up while Kee removes her collar around the base of her long neck. "Now go!" Minthe dashed out of the room and up the ship. She jumped into the water and began to swim to shore.


    Back on the island, Areia cracked his fingers. He was ready to deal with both of them, but Morgeux was not about to let him have all the fun. "Wait! Let me manhandle them."


    "Um, how about no?" Areia said sarcastically.


    "Areia, I''m not asking you." She walked out of the bushes while glaring at him, "I''m telling you."


    "And why should I listen to you?" Just as Areia spoke, Kovacs jumped off the cloud island above them and landed behind Morgeux. She turned around looked at the Kovacs and his exposed rock-hard abs.


    Morgeux''s fingers climbed up those abs, mimicking a spider. "I get it. You don''t trust me, but my heart is hundred percent loyal to the cause. I''m not going to kill them or torture them unless they force me to do so. I just want to do the part where I teach them our lesson."


    Lo overheard Morgeux, "Oh shit. But I guess we''re lucky."


    "Why is that?" Sun asked.


    "They are here to teach us a lesson. That means they intend to threaten us and even torture us. But we''re dealing with the Entente, and we still don''t know what they''re really after.


    "But why do that?"


    "A lesson could mean to keep unruly kings and queens in check. Show them true power to traumatize them into submission. But it could also mean that they are warning you. Something they have planned directly or indirectly will affect you or me in the future. And they want to make sure that you understand the consequences of your decision. So that you are carefully taking into account all the risks."


    "Warning me?" Sun stabbed the sand with his flaming sword, turning the surrounding into glass. "They shouldn''t have because I don''t need it. I can take care of myself."


    "Well, I, for one, am thankful for the warning. At least I know not to mess with the church." The sand beneath the water Lo started to rise above the water surface. They gathered around his arms and chest, getting stuck to his skin thanks to his sticky mana. The pressure of his mana hardened the sand on his skin. He walked out of the water wearing a living armor made of sand and seashells.


    "Nice armor," Sun''s compliment did little for Lo''s confidence.


    "Thanks, but I don''t think it will last long with your fire. Just stay out of my way." Lo coughed, "Also be careful. The Entente likes to give lessons. It''s like a game to them."

 Vol 14 Chapter 17: Cold Touch

    Morgeux opened her arms, "Come to me, boys. Show me what you got?" Kavocz and Areia stepped back to let her have her fun. "And please, don''t go easy on me. You''ll regret it."


    Sun''s sword glowed brighter and hotter. A vortex appeared around the burning blade, carrying the fire around the sword. Sun raised his sword then slashed the air. The vortex spun out from the sword''s pull and traveled across the beach forming into a twister that was heading straight to Morgeux.


    The flames engulfed Morgeux. The fire was so hot the sand it traveled on turned to cracked glass, but for Morgeux, it felt more like a steam bath. "Is that all?" She asked.


    Lo pointed at her habit, "That is imbued with mana. We''ll have to get rid of it."


    Sun didn''t trust Lo, so he checked for himself. Surprisingly, he was right. There was a powerful and bountiful presence of mana knitted into the habit. "How did you know?"


    "She''s an Entente," Lo slammed his fist together, "They always wear holy relics and blessed clothes. It keeps them safe, which is why," His gauntlet began to transform, turning its fingers into sharp blades, "I''m going to tear it to shred. Distract her for me." Before Sun could reply, Lo sprinted across the beach and away Morgeux. Sun sighed, then leaped into the air and began to cut away the air with his sword and rain down hellfire at Morgeux.


    The flames covered the beach, turning sand into glass, but none of them penetrated the nun habit. Morgeux found it amusing while she danced in the rain, blissfully unaware of Lo and his schemes. He stopped in his track and took a pitcher''s stance, but what he was planning to throw was not a ball. Lo''s gauntlet began to morph out from his skin.


    Then he threw his right claw, leaving a trail of sand attached to his arm. The claw traveled through the smoke and dust and slashed through Morgeux''s habit. On its return, the claw hooked itself on the fabric. "Hook line and sinker!" Lo bellowed out. Morgeux grabbed the gauntlet and glared at Lo. Her eyes were filled with rage. How dare he ruin her holy habit and interrupted her dance, she thought.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Mana began to flow out from her arm and into the sandy arm and turned it into stone. Then she crushed it into dust. "You''re real arm is next!" She yelled before dashing towards Lo. Her hand reached out to him, but he parried it with his sand gauntlet.


    But not without a price to pay. His left hand fell to the ground and slightly sank into the sand. His gauntlet has turned into stone, cold and heavy just from touching Morgeux''s skin. She tried to grab him again, but Sun managed to hit her with his fireball which exploded on impact. Lo and Morgeux weere blown away. Sun ran up to Lo and gave him a hand. "Looks like your plan worked. That fireball managed to hurt her. You''re actually pretty smart." Sun''s compliment, unfortunately, wasn''t enough to put Lo in a better mood.


    Meanwhile, Areia laughed nervously. On the one hand, he found it entertaining that her overconfidence led to her habit of getting ripped, but on the other hand, she''s close to losing her temper. "Calm down, Morgan girl!" He yelled.


    Morgeux took a deep breath. She wiped the sand off her clothes and began to slowly walk to the two stragglers. Sun punched Lo''s stone gauntlet hard enough to break it apart without harming Lo. "We''re fucked," Lo said.


    Sun grabbed his sword and pulled Lo back on his feet. "Not yet!" Sun sprinted towards Morgeux, who continued to walk slowly. "Sol''s Touch!" He shouted. His blade burst into flame. The world around the sword became distorted as a large amount of mana concentrated into the sword. Then he leaped through space, cutting reality around as he passed through the air and into Morgeux. And when he stopped, the sound knife cutting through a wooden plank echoed, followed by a fiery explosion.


    But none of it harmed Morgeux. She continued to walk straight, passing Lo. Then she stretched out her arm and placed her hand over the White Pearl, which finally freed itself from the beach. "White Hand, come out." As she whispered these words, the White Pearl began to move to her. She was pulling the ship with her mana.


    "Lo, stop her!" Sun ran back to her. "Stop her now!"


    Lo dug his hand into the hot sand. "Don''t get stuck on my quicksand now!" His mana made the sand beneath their feet loose through vibration, imitating a quicksand.


    Morgeux began to sink into the sand. She did not mind though. What did catch her attention was the serpopard running on water. It was Lo and Kee''s exotic pet, Minthe. The serpopard tackled Morgeux on the ground and wrapped his neck around her body. Minthe stood up with Morguex restraint. "Good girl!" Lo happily said.


    Morgeux giggled then her eyes glowed green. Suddenly, Minthe''s neck turned into stone, and she broke free from its coil, killing the animal. "No!" Lo yelled. Minthe''s head and neck littered the ground next to its slump body.


    Sun''s eyes also began to glow redder. The color growing in intensity as the adrenaline continues to pump his spirit to move. One of his strongest attacks, and what he believed to be a secret weapon, failed to get noticed. And now, Lo''s pet has died. Sun teleported behind her and thrust his blade into her lower back.


    Lo did not hesitate to catch up with Sun. He formed a new set of gauntlets, hardier than the first and he smashed Morgeux face. But nothing could have harmed her or her smile. Morgeux grabbed the two by the arm and turned them into stone. Sun and Lo collapsed to the sand, weighed down by their petrified arms.


    She laughed at their agony, but Areia quickly reminded her why they were here. He clapped his hands together and yelled, "Enough. I think it''s time to end this charade."

 Vol 14 Chapter 18: Lesson Learned

    "Glad for the warning, my ass!" Sun yelled at Lo while he groveled in pain.


    "Maybe next time, don''t bring your pet into battle," Morgeux said as she cracked her knuckles. "Especially with an Entente. That is my lesson for you, little Lo."


    "Go fuck yourself!" Lo smashed his petrified arm on the sand out of a fit of rage. "What did I do to deserve this?" He began to cry.


    "Well, for one, we never targeted you, to begin with. You were simply a motion-less sponge accidentally caught by our net. Our main target was Sun and Borvo Lugh. You could have run away, and we would have let you run."


    Lo knew this was a lie. This was not the first time he witnessed the Entente during this arbitrary use of power. When he was a child at the age of nine, he witnessed a massacre so foul and cruel, all done through the lens of the Entente''s cynical view of the world. It was a cold autumn day when harvest for the winter season finished. An Entente appeared in the middle of the town while carrying the local lord. She was dressed under a heavy red cloak.


    The lord desperately pleaded for his life, which angered the Entente. The lord''s cowardice made her sick to her stomach. She massacred his family and his retainers before his eyes; made him watch as his sons and daughters die from torture. But as time went on, as Lo continued to live past these traumas, he heard of rumors that were spreading in his home city. It was about the many survivors of the Entente''s lessons. It was hard to tell what lesson the Entente was trying to impart to the rulers in Venusia, but one thing was always consistent in each encounter. Are you the strong or the brave? A question that continued to dominate Lo''s consciousness because he considered himself neither of those things. But that has changed today. He realized what he was in the situation; he was brave. The one that stayed on the beach to fight the Entente. Being brave means being dead.


    Unfortunately, Morgeux lies were far from the truth. Running away will not guarantee Lo''s safety. He still had to fight to entertain the Church''s rouge leaders. And Lo believed that he entertained them enough. "You guys are monsters!" Lo cried out. His tears were pouring out like a waterfall.


    Morgeux pitied the fool, but her partners did not. Unlike the Morgan sister, Areia and Kavocs noticed that Lo''s tears were nothing more than crocodile tears. Even Sun noticed it as an act. While Morgeux stared at them with her cold and indifferent eyes, Minthe''s scattered remains began to gather and reform the neck. What was once stone turned into flesh, and the flesh stuck together like glue.


    Areia watched in amazement as the serpopard resurrect itself. Serpopards are mythical beasts known for their great vitality. When he was a missionary stationed at the Rica Continent, a large landmass beyond the cascading desert dunes from the south, he saw one in the wild die from lightning only for it to come back to life a few minutes after. The dark-skinned humans, orcs, and beastkins who lived on the continent worshiped the Serpopard for its everlasting life. But the serpopards live in isolation, barely seen by anyone, which is why they were surprised to see one as a pet. And more surprising for Areia to see another one in his lifetime.


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    But Morgeux knew very little of the animal''s magical traits. Areia was a beastkin born in the southern shores of the dessert, so he heard many stories of the Serpopard, but Morgeux was born from the far east. She had no idea that such a creature existed with the ability to resurrect from the dead existed.


    Once Minthe''s body was joined together, the spark of life ignited its soul. It opened its eyes and took its first breath. Lo was raised with Minthe for so long he could feel Minthe''s breathing. Morgeux stretched her hands towards the two. "There are always two types of people in any given battle‘ͺthe strong and the brave. And the strong always win. Do you understand? Never be the brave."


    "I know," Lo said, then he whistled. That was the signal for Minthe to grab them and run.


    "What the hell?" Before she could grab them and petrify the rest of their body, Minthe wrapped its neck around their torso and carried them away. It ran on the water surface as fast as it could and towards the nearest ship, the White Pearl. "How is that alive?"


    "Who knows?" Kovacs said. He placed his hand on her left shoulder, "But it''s Areia''s turn to speak with them."


    "Oh really now?" Morgeux pushed Kovacs''s hand off her shoulder. "You know, I read the plan. And I found it odd."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Sun, this king from a petty kingdom. He seems to be more important than Borvo. Why is that?"


    "I don''t know."


    "It seems that Areia knows, and I don''t think he is going to do what was suggested on the plan."


    "What do you mean? Do you think he''s planning to go against the Pontiff''s wishes? If so, that''s not much of a surprise from the Ententes."


    "No, there''s more to it. More than just some childish rebellion."


    On the White Pearl, Shuja and Cirona tried to find a way to break the spell, but there''s nothing they can do. First, they tried to break the stone, but after witnessing the Serpopad''s neck shatter to pieces, it became clear that they could kill Borvo. Next, Shuja tried to use her mana, but the magic was far too complex for her understanding. Then she tried to absorb the mana from Borvo, but she nearly fainted in just a few seconds.


    Then Sun and Lo arrived on the ship, carried by Minthe. Their arms were also petrified, and they could not move them. Sun tried desperately to understand the spell, trying to swap the mana, but its complexity was leagues above the spell he learned through the ebony sword.


    But an unlikely savior came to them, Areia. He teleported on the ship with a grim look on his face. Sparrow quickly turned his swivel cannon and aimed it at him, but he couldn''t fire because he could risk damaging their ship. "Sun," Areia said.


    Minthe stood between the Entente and his master and Sun. "What more do you want?" Lo asked, "We already left the island."


    "We have yet to impart our lesson to Sun." He told him.


    "And what''s my lesson exactly." Sun gritted his teeth.


    "You are now aware. There is the strong and the brave. And the brave always dies. But there''s another thing I must tell you. The things we do have always been to test those with great potential. And Sun, you seem promising. But alas, he may not live long enough to see the fruit of his labor."


    "He?"


    Areia sighed, "I know very little about your people''s plight, but I know one thing. The Pontiff''s plans have unfortunately crossed with your people''s struggles. And so, I believe he had made plans that will bring more harm than good for your people. Originally we were only to let you leave after we ingrained in you the difference of power between us, but I don''t like the Pontiff as much as the rest of the Entente, so I tell you this as a warning. The Drons are coming. And they are coming for you."


    "What?" Sun pushed the serpopard aside and grabbed Areia by the collar, "What do you mean by that?"


    "The Pontiff is getting ready for war. But before that, he needs the key to open the doors to the Infinite Sea. And you are one of those keys." Areia pushed Sun to the floor. Then he took out a bottle filled with salt and poured it on Sun''s petrified arm. The salt miraculously ate away the stone and freed Sun''s arm. "Salt is a good way to release you from the spell."


    Areia threw the salt to Lo, "Prepare yourselves. Once the door opens, even I do not know what will happen. And Sun, please remember the position you are always in."


    "So you bastards signed a deal with the devil!" Sun yelled.


    "Those things are not the instrument of the devil but by something more disturbing. Just be happy I wasn''t an angel or a demon. If I was, I would have just killed you goblins on the spot."


    Lo''s eyes widened, "Goblins? Did he just say goblins?"


    Sun clenched his fist, "How many of them are coming?"


    "I don''t know, but they''re not an army, I can assure you that."

 Vol 14 Chapter 19: Salt on the Wounds

    Sun came bursting through the door into the ship''s cabin carrying a bucket of seawater. Cirona and Shuja stared at one another, bewildered by Sun''s energy and his bucket. "What''s that for?" Shuja asked.


    "It''s for Borvo." Sun placed the next to Borvo, frozen as a statue. "Salt counteracts the petrification spell."


    "And how do you know that?"


    "They told them. One of the Entente did."


    "What?" Shuja slammed her fist on the floor. "They''re dangerous! What if they were tricking you?"


    "Only one way to find out." Sun took out a sponge from the bucket and gently rubbed it on Borvo''s legs. The stone shell that incased his skin began to peel off as it absorbs the salty water. "I guess he wasn''t lying about this one. I was hoping he was because that would mean the other thing he said would be a lie."


    "What other thing?"


    "He told me, or rather, he implied that the army that nearly wiped out our race some hundred years ago has come back. And they have colluded with the church''s leader, the Pontiff. But I don''t know why. That asshole left before I could ask any more questions. But from what I can tell, we are the key to unlock the door the Pontiff is trying to open. And he got the Drons help."


    "But aren''t those Drons gone already? The only ones we''ve seen are those relics from the past. Oh, and Smoke''s Kepkriy war club is a Drons'' arm." Before Shuja could mention more, Cirona tugged her shirt. She couldn''t really speak to them, so she just looked at them with her large eyes brimming with questions.


    "Sorry Cirona," Sun said, "But this is a problem we need to deal with."


    "Do you think Pagasa already knows about this?"


    "I doubt it. He only found out about King''s dealings with the other powers at the same time as we did. Maybe we should have questioned King after the war. But Pagasa was so eager to remove King of his status as the Golden Condottiero through legal matters."


    "We should have just killed him," Shuja said, "It would have been much easier." While they were talking, Cirona was shocked to hear King''s defeat was due to Sun and his army. King supplied the entire continent''s military conflicts with experimental firearms, cannons, and gas bombs. Some of which reach the shores of their humble kingdom during its civil war. A war where so many innocent lives were taken away from the world. Some of them were taken by the weapons King sold.


    A single tear rolled down her eye while gently scrub the rocky surface off her fiance''s body. She could not help but remember the war. A moment she feared the most. When they were hiding in baron''s castle, at the county of Middlevater, a flock of Tez Eagles flew over the castle walls and dropped gas canisters. The purple gas quickly spread in the air and choked the knights and their soldiers to death. She saw them through her bedroom window, reaching out to the sky, gasping for air until their face turned pale, then they collapsed on the courtyard. The poison lingered outside for days until the army that sent the eagles came.


    The rest of the memory was lost in her thoughts. She could only remember the helpless pleas of the men and women outside. She prayed that the war would end, and it did. Although Sun''s victory over King was not the reason for the end of their civil war, she was thankfully nonetheless for Sun. And they are many out there who think the same. But there were also some that are now threatened by King''s demotion.


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    At the edge of the northern Venusia frontier, three village mayors sat in a dark room, dimly lit by a small lamp sitting in the middle of the table. They sat around the table with grim looks on their faces. The news of King''s defeat traveled fast downstream of the Everflow River. King protected the settlements on the north from the goblin raiders that traveled from the mountains and into the open plains. In exchange, they gave them whatever King requested. Sometimes it was gold and silver, at times livestock like goats and pigs, but the most expensive ones were women King wanted. They believed the women were simply for King''s enjoyment, but they had no idea what the true purpose for taking young women from the villages. It was no different than letting the goblins kidnap their daughters.


    But to them, they thought King''s grace was a far better deal compared to what the emerging major cities in the north offered. The price for their protections was exuberant, suicidal even. Some villages would rather go down fighting the goblins on the river shores. The three gathered in the room to discuss the matter. They were looking through the options the nearby cities gave them. But one of the mayors had some hope in his eyes than the rest. The one with the grey beard covering most of his face had news that may help them. "Have you heard about the test in Womva?" He asked the other men.


    The one with the smooth face and a red beanie raised a brow. "No, why should we concern ourselves with Kings and Queens?"


    "Because there''s a new kingdom founded this year. And that kingdom was founded in the heart of the goblin valley."


    "What?"


    The other man with a goatee laughed, "That''s unbelievable."


    "Wait?" The red beanie man slammed his fist on the table, "What if that kingdom is the reason King is gone?"


    "Exactly." The grey-beard man said, "That means that we may not have to rely on the city folks. We could send a delegation to the new royal family for protection. Or better yet, they might have already dealt with the goblin scourge that''s been terrorizing our lands. If it''s the latter, then we definitely need to go to pay our respect to the newly appointed king."


    The man with the red beanie leaned back on his chair, "But if the church''s wild dogs show up to intimidate them. I don''t want to get caught in the crossfire."


    "We can''t wait too long. The goblins could come earlier this autumn. We need to get protection before the summer ends."


    The three men nodded in agreement and began to write plans for the delegation. Hopefully, they can get the new king''s protection under favorable feudal contracts, and since they are on the other side of the mountain, it will be difficult to enforce these contracts. This means it is a win-win situation for the villagers.


    On the other side of the continent, another group of mayors was discussing the events of the recent mock exam. These mayors were not like the villagers on the frontier. They ruled over large metropolises, have connections to wealthy banking families, and have important roles within the Venusian Trade League. The failed plot to undermine Borvo''s rule over his large island made the Trade League''s future plans for the region unviable. Nevertheless, Borvo''s kingdom will surely rise and become a new powerhouse in Venusia, even becoming a great power.


    The major trading cities have had the privilege of ruling the ocean for generations, but with a unified Iric Kingdom, this privilege could easily be taken away from them. The Iric people are known for their shipbuilding and maritime expertise. They roamed the western seas as pirates most of the time, but a formidable navy could be founded with proper government backing. A navy that could rival the Trade League.


    Another point of contention was King''s demotion. They bought his specialized mortars and cannons that are able to shoot at least ten leagues longer than the cannons they bought from the desert nations. Without King''s weapons, they affectedly lost their military edge against the other nations and trading companies. But worse, they lost King as a potential mercenary for hire. King is one of the only two Golden Condottiero in Venusia that was not under the contract of the Church.


    But with King''s title being revoked, they essentially lost their ultimate weapon. But they can be replaced, and talks of a new mercenary, possibly a Venusian native, has circulated the social meetings in the Trade League. One such candidate is Cossack, a mercenary that joined multiple battles across different conflicts in the continent. He became a highly acclaimed horse rider by the end of his first year. His reputation is still relatively low, and he lacked a proper mercenary company that can rival other Golden Condottieros.


    The mayors have deep pockets and plan to bribe their way up the Garden Tower if needed. But Cossack is just one candidate they are considering to propose to the superpowers. There are many more out there with greater credibility. But time is running out. A replacement for King is needed before Borvo''s nation starts to move.


    And it''s not just in Venusia, but other parts of the world were affected by Sun''s actions. On the other side of the world, in the subcontinent of Krow, a family of hunters watches from above the canopies as two confederate nations fight among themselves. Confederacies are made up of red goblins. The father watched with a stern look on his face. "Children, remember this day. It will undoubtedly change everything in this land." He told his children, fraternal twins.


    The girl reached out to her father''s hand, "Why did the goblin change?"


    "I don''t know, but they are now at war with each other. Probably to decide which will rule the mountains they lived on for generations."


    The boy whispered, "Are other goblins from around the world doing the same thing?"


    "I hope not." He hugged his children then prayed for a peaceful day to come on the land. More goblins around the world began to fight among themselves after they transformed. Many more have unified, forming nations and alliances. But they were still far few in numbers and lack the wisdom of the world around them. If the Drons found them, they would have quickly been eradicated, but fortunately, their distant relatives in Venusia were the targets. They will be able to spend more days in blissful ignorance, while Sun and his goblins prepare for war.