《Grahlgar the Ogre》


 Chapter 1 - Grahlgar the Ogre

    In an ancient wood, saturated with the purest mana, there was a ¡°little¡± boy. Of course, this was ¡°little¡± only by ogre standards. The boy was 8¡¯1¡± (2.4688m) with skin like the darkest night. Although he was no more than seven or eight years old, he already had well sculpted muscles. A solid physique was an inherent gift of the ogre race.


    Scars of varying sizes coated his body like paint splattered on a canvas. In contrast to his ebony skin, his hair was white as the purest snow. It cascaded down to his lower back and partially obscured the youth¡¯s eyes. Those eyes were a deep crimson color that could easily chill the souls of the weak willed.


    Two small nub-like protrusions could be seen on both sides of his head, which would eventually grow into horns. He had a strong jaw and thick lips that seemed to be stuck in an eternal scowl. He had sharp eyebrows and a piercing glare that made him look as though he had a grudge with the world. His only article of clothing was a loincloth made from some sort of animal hide. This combination truly made the boy look like some sort of hellspawn.


    If one were to say that this was a kindhearted child, few would be inclined to believe it. Although many might say that one shouldn¡¯t judge a book by its cover, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that appearance impacts impression. This scary looking child was quietly humming a tune to himself as he moved through the wood.


    Orbs of light could be seen dancing around him and if one looked closely, they would notice that the plants and trees all seemed to be swaying with happiness. The orbs of light were spirits of nature. Spirits of the flora and fauna, the rocks and soil, the wind and rain. They seemed to be fawning over this child, as if to console him.


    ¡°Haah. I want to make friends¡­¡±


    A sigh escaped from him and a lamentation followed soon after. The voice that echoed through the quiet forest was surprisingly immature compared to its imposing owner. To this sudden declaration, the spirits seemed to dim in sadness and the plants seemed to wilt in sorrow. They felt hurt, as though they were not viewed with the same affection that they viewed this child with. It was a painful feeling, even for plants.


    ¡°Ah! That¡¯s definitely not what I meant! You guys are my family. If not for all of you, I wouldn¡¯t be here now. It¡¯s just that aside from all the spirits, beasts and monsters, there really isn¡¯t anyone to talk to. I want to know more about what¡¯s outside the forest.¡±


    The plants and spirits all seemed to be cheered up by his words and expressed their joy. But soon after they also expressed their sympathy. For them, they would forever be bound to this place, unable to leave and wander the earth. Even they wished to see a glance of the world beyond their own. If they felt this way, it was no wonder that this boy wanted to see the outside with his own eyes. As they felt comforted, a smile spread across the face of the youth. However, to a passerby it would surely look like a murderous grin. Thankfully it didn¡¯t bother the company he kept.


    As he chatted with the forest and the spirits, his journey went by much faster. The youths destination was a large lake at the heart of the forest. It was the place where most every creature came to drink. This area was special. It was an area where conflict was forbidden. Anyone or anything that came to drink here was safe from predation. Those who violated this decree would be killed by the spirit of the lake, an undine.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    The glowing orbs still followed him happily, bobbing in tandem as if they were dancing merrily. This lake was one of the richest sources of mana in the forest and therefore was an extremely nourishing place for them. On the other hand, the boy liked this place because it was peaceful. This was also the home of someone he cared for deeply.


    ¡°Aqua, I came to visit you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Grahl. How nice of you to stop by.¡±


    A melodious voice replied to him. From the lake, thousands of silk-like threads of water extended from its surface and intricately wove themselves into the figure of a voluptuous woman. She had caramel colored skin and aquamarine colored hair. Her eyes were a shade of sky blue and she wore a dress that seemed to be made of flowing water. All in all, she was a striking beauty that held a seductive air.


    Grahlgar, or Grahl as he was affectionately called, wore a beaming smile as he saw Aqua emerge from the surface of the lake. No matter how many times he had witnessed it, he was still amazed.


    ¡°Ah, big sis Aqua is really pretty. I want a bride as beautiful as you one day.¡±


    Grahl spoke with purity and admiration, causing even the immortal undine to feel a bit embarrassed. Still, she was flattered all the same and replied,


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that Grahl will find someone even more beautiful than me. After all, Grahl is gentle and kind.¡±


    ¡°Heheh, thank you, Aqua. But even I realize that it¡¯s hard for an ogre to make friends, let alone trying to find a bride. Still, I won¡¯t give up!¡±


    Seeing Grahl, so fired up about something so grown up at such a young age, elicited a chuckle from Aqua. Indeed, Grahlgar himself was a bit of a peculiarity among ogres. Most were rather short tempered and aggressive, though they usually kept within the bounds of their own territories. So long as one did not trespass, they would keep to themselves. Grahlgar however, was a gentle and sociable child.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! Though if you ever get weary of searching, you can always come back to me.¡±


    Aqua said jokingly as she sent a mischievous smile to young Grahl. It might have been difficult to see, but her comment caused him to blush furiously. Seeing him act so embarrassed, Aqua felt a sense of victory and vindication. Still, in order to spare him from any further teasing, the playful undine decided to change the subject.


    ¡°Anyway, Grahl is probably here in order to train his mana, correct?¡±


    Upon mention of training, Grahl quickly recovered from his flustered state.


    ¡°Yes! I need to get stronger! I can¡¯t always rely on the forest and spirits for help.¡±


    At Grahl¡¯s earnest desire for strength, Aqua could only sigh. Just based on brute strength, Grahl was already a force to be reckoned with. However, this nameless, ancient forest was home to many powerful beasts, spirits and monsters, not all of which were kind. It certainly wasn¡¯t wrong to desire the strength to protect oneself and the things that they cherish. In the face of this innocent desire, Aqua could only acquiesce.


    After all, Aqua knew that even Grahl¡¯s parents had faced their end within this forest. Ogres were powerful, but they were not at the top of the food chain. Grahl had been raised and educated by Aqua and other spirits. Although the circumstances were not clear, it seemed as though his parents had entered a territorial dispute with a strong demon beast. They beseeched the undine to watch over their child until they could return to raise him. Unfortunately, they were never able to return.


    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s get started. Since you¡¯ve already gotten the hang of gathering and externalizing your mana, you can start practicing your magic skill.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Finally! But...what ?¡±


    ¡°Grahl, as an ogre, your race is born with an inherent magic skill known as ¡°Reinforce.¡± It¡¯s simple in concept, but it has a wide variety of uses. However, most ogres only use it for the sake of reinforcing their strength, when it has much more potential than that. Therefore, I¡¯m only going to teach you the basics of this skill, then you have to show me at least five different ways to utilize it. Consider this as a challenge to prove your determination!¡±


    After hearing Aqua¡¯s explanation and more importantly, her challenge, Grahlgar was fired up. His eyes were instilled with a blazing passion to learn! Aqua had already grasped Grahl¡¯s personality. If you questioned his determination, he would stubbornly push forward to prove himself!

 Chapter 2 - Aqua the Undine

    Grahlgar quietly sat beside the lake with Aqua and began to ask a few questions before he started actually practicing his skill. Grahl was a very inquisitive child.


    ¡°Aqua, what¡¯s the difference between a spell and a magic skill? Is there a reason you¡¯re teaching me how to use a magic skill before teaching me to use spells?¡±


    To Grahl¡¯s apt questioning, Aqua was very pleased.


    ¡°The difference between spells and magic skills are that spells can be learned by anyone and magic skills are either the result of inheritance or feats of great merit. Another difference is that magic skills can be evolved into higher tiered skills. In other words, the stronger you become, the stronger that skill becomes. Spells will also increase in strength and efficiency as you become more acquainted with them. As for why you¡¯re learning magic skills first, it¡¯s because you already have a slight grasp on it.¡±


    After hearing Aqua¡¯s answer to his question, he still seemed to be confused. Since he was learning about this for the first time, what was it that Aqua meant? Seeing his puzzled face, Aqua continued to explain.


    ¡°When you travel through the forest, or go out to hunt for food, don¡¯t you use mana to strengthen your body and help you move faster? Reinforce can also be used in a similar way, but this is just the simplest use of the skill. An ogre using mana to strengthen his body, then using Reinforce to multiply that boost is an opponent to be feared. But for now don¡¯t actively use mana to strengthen your body. Just use your skill. It might sound difficult, but once you actually try it, I¡¯m sure that it will become natural for you.¡±


    Grahlgar remained quiet, but nodded in confirmation to Aqua¡¯s informative lecture. He took a few moments to contemplate about what she had said, but then stood up from the lakeside. Grahl thought about the way that mana flowed through his muscles, bones and tendons, making him stronger and faster. From what Aqua had said, he assumed that this skill would improve in duration and strength in proportion to the mana he used to activate it with. In order to test this theory Grahl started off with a small amount.


    At first, he wondered how he would even go about triggering the skill, but somehow, he felt as if the knowledge was ingrained into his very soul. Without even thinking about how it happened, Grahl used a small amount of mana to activate Reinforce. Suddenly his body felt much stronger. His skin felt tougher, his movements felt seamless, as if every bone, muscle and tendon moved with utmost efficiency. Even his senses were heightened by it. The sudden change certainly startled Grahl, but joy soon overcame his shock.


    After taking a few moments to acclimate himself to the change, Grahl increased the amount of mana he used to activate his skill. From there, he was able to gauge the difference. Upon increasing the amount of mana he used, the boost he received was more than double. It seemed to be a multiplicative effect, rather than an additive one.


    ¡°Good job Grahl, that was even faster than I had expected! Now try to strengthen yourself with mana and see the real difference.¡±


    Grahl nodded in response and went to take a quick sprint. Upon putting a slight bit of force into his stride, Grahlgar suddenly propelled forward like an arrow from the gods. Due to this unexpected momentum, the young ogre ended up crashing into a massive tree. Surprisingly, even with a powerful impact from Grahl, the tree didn¡¯t even budge. It was a very old tree that had absorbed enough mana to be shockingly sturdy.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    He hung his head down in apology. The tree slightly swayed its boughs and seemed to give off the vibe that it didn¡¯t mind at all. Grahl smiled and waved happily at the tree, before cautiously proceeding forward. He threw a few punches into the air and a burst of heat and light appeared, before a sonic boom followed soon after. The force that was emitted from this fist was like a powerful cannon. The range extended at least 60 ft (18.28800m) and the power of this aftershock was enough to shatter boulders. Such a powerful effect was unexpected! Imagine if he could get his strength to this level without reinforcement or strengthening! Ahh, just thinking about this made Grahlgar eager to train. He could produce a compressed blast of air without strengthening, but compared to the punch he¡¯d thrown just now, that was barely even child¡¯s play. It was a good thing that he made sure not to aim at anything but the sky.


    ¡°Haha! One day I¡¯ll do that without any mana!¡±


    As Grahl was lost in his reverie, he failed to notice that Aqua¡¯s face was twitching in an unnatural manner.


    ¡®This kid...what kind of an outrageous goal have you set for yourself? Sure you might be an ogre, but such strength would be ridiculous. Well, let¡¯s just hope that he doesn¡¯t set another absurd goal later, like to rip the fabric of space and time with just his body and strength¡­.Ugh, now I just feel more worried than ever before...Right, next up is a stern lecture about morals and using power responsibly!¡¯


    Grahl on the other hand, didn¡¯t notice at all that Aqua was worried about his...burgeoning potential. Instead, he was appreciating the newfound effects of Reinforcement combined with mana strengthening. His sights had been set even higher! Before he knew it, he whiled away a few hours trying to figure out a low cost, high efficiency combination.


    The undine could only sigh, then wryly smile at the enthusiastic ogre. She only hoped that he would always remain this pure and kind hearted. This world needed more like him. Surely he would be able to bring happiness to others, if they would let him. Those were her honest thoughts. Her wry smile turned warm, as she burned these memories into her mind. Though it might be sad, she would likely outlive Grahl and any children he might have. Such thoughts brought her great sorrow, so she resolved herself to wholeheartedly cherish each moment.


    Sensing this subtle change in her emotions, Grahl was roused from his arduous training. He turned toward her and looked at Aqua with deep concern.


    ¡°Aqua, are you sad? Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?¡±


    Aqua was surprised at how sensitive Grahl had been to her change in mood. She then figured that it must be the effect of Reinforcement. Hearing Grahl¡¯s concern certainly warmed her heart. She floated away from the surface of the lake and hovered at eye level with him. Aqua then gently kissed his forehead and gave a playful wink.


    ¡°Just stay the way you are, Grahl. That¡¯s all that I need.¡±


    Grahlgar panicked inwardly, but tried to play it cool on the outside. Stricken with embarrassment, he still managed to reply with vigor.


    ¡°If it¡¯s just that I¡¯d feel like it¡¯s not enough...I would do anything for big sis Aqua!¡±


    Aqua only kept that same warm smile and nodded.


    ¡°Me too, I¡¯d do anything for little Grahl.¡±


    She replied with loving tenderness as she ruffled his long white hair. After doing so, she slowly floated back to the surface of the lake. Turning back to look at Grahl she spoke once again.


    ¡°Alright Grahl, I think that it¡¯s time for you to go see Sylvia and Olivia. I¡¯m sure that they¡¯re already expecting you. It¡¯s best not to keep them waiting.¡±


    Grahlgar made an ¡®o¡¯ with his mouth and gave off an expression of surprise.


    ¡°Thanks for the reminder Aqua. Also, thank you for today...no, for everything!¡±


    After saying such, he took off with startling speed. Aqua felt a bit embarrassed, but more than anything she felt a sense of gratification.


    ¡°No little Grahl, thank you.¡±


    Aqua quietly watched the youth disappear into the distance, before returning to the bottom of the mystical lake. Though the water was cold, her heart was filled with warmth.

 Chapter 3 - Sylvia the Sylph

    Utilizing the newfound effects of Reinforce and mana strengthening, Grahlgar quickly sped through the forest. While it had taken some time to get used to it, now that he acclimated, he could clearly feel the difference. Every movement was filled with power and every sense was at its sharpest. He felt as though even his sixth sense had been improved. Like he could sense even the slightest bit of hostility and react to it.


    Almost as if to prove that feeling, Grahl felt a sudden change in the air. Even while he was moving at a tremendous speed, a shadowy figure seemed to be charging straight toward him. Agilely, Grahlgar managed to pivot on the ball of his foot to avoid the full speed assault by a hair. Although he wasn¡¯t armed, Grahlgar had a strong body and a good fighting instinct. He could even use his claws instead of his fists if he wanted to, but that was another story.


    For a moment, the air was tense, but immediately afterward a cheerful laughter broke through the tension.


    ¡°Little Grahl is getting better and better! Who would have thought that you would learn to use your skill so quickly. Heheh, I¡¯m proud of you.¡±


    A spirit in the form of a young woman about fifteen or sixteen years old, began to materialize from the ether. Different from Aqua, she had creamy white skin, silver hair and eyes the color of the clouds at sunrise; flecks of gold and vermilion, interweaved with gray. She wore a pure white dress seemingly made from clouds. Though she was not as curvaceous nor seductive as Aqua, she held her own innocent charm.


    ¡°Thank you Sylvia. Though I know you weren¡¯t really trying to catch me, otherwise I could


    never get away.¡±


    Grahl replied with equal pride, as if it was only natural that Sylvia was the fastest. Well, it wasn¡¯t just speed that Grahl admired her for. She was also a very skilled mage and martial artist. He wasn¡¯t too sure about the details, but he remembered Sylvia saying that she had been a valkyrie once and that they were required to learn the arts of war. He had wanted to ask more, but decided against it because the subject seemed to make her sad. Therefore, he didn¡¯t press the issue and tried to cheer her up instead. Perhaps it was because Sylvia noticed Grahl¡¯s consideration for her, that she decided to teach him.


    With a broad smile Sylvia nodded and said smugly,


    ¡°Huehuehue, as long as you know it!¡±


    Her nose seemed to be lengthening as she laughed heartily with her hands at her hips. A few moments later, she coughed awkwardly when she realized she had gotten a bit too engrossed in self-admiration. Ah, hubris truly is the weakness of the great.


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s head to Olivia¡¯s place. It¡¯s better to train there since that hag can fix it up.¡±


    Towards Sylvia¡¯s comment, Grahl wore somewhat of a reprimanding look. He obviously didn¡¯t approve of Olivia being called a hag. Sensing Grahl¡¯s reprimand, Sylvia just rolled her eyes, then thought to herself,


    ¡®Really now, what a protective brat. Still, I suppose that¡¯s what¡¯s so sweet about him.¡¯


    Without engaging in needless banter, Grahl and Sylvia went on their way. Not wanting to get in the way of Grahlgar¡¯s training, the little spirits that followed him parted ways for now. The lake that Grahl had just come from was at the heart of the forest, while their destination was a large mountain range due east. Still, with the towering trees blocking the skyline, it was impossible to actually see it from the ground.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Thankfully, these two knew precisely where they were going, even without the mountain as a visual aid. With Grahl testing the limits of his speed, he tried his best to keep up with Sylvia. Amused, Sylvia indulged him and would only increase her speed incrementally in order to help the young ogre gradually raise his pace. She even slightly shifted their course so that they could continue this form of practice. After all, very few creatures would bother to chase after them considering how fast they were moving. The effort versus the gain simply made it pointless. Like that, the two ended up making a bit of a detour before arriving at the forest clearing.


    Seeing the sudden shift from verdant trees and lush greenery to sharp crags and rocky mountains, truly made one appreciate the diversity of nature. Grahl just plopped himself down on the rocks as if they were cushions, sprawled out on the ground, then started to greedily breathe in fresh air. Not to mention air, even mana was flowing toward him at a rate visible to the eye. After overdrafting his mana trying to chase after Sylvia, he felt like an empty vessel. Aqua mentioned that times like these were the best to meditate and gather the mana around you.


    In a state where nearly every fiber of his being was tingling with pain that would drive most insane, Grahl began to circulate the mana that he was rapidly absorbing. It traveled through his organs, veins, muscles, tendons, bones, joints, skin and meridians. Meridians were the channels through which mana would circulate as it connected to one¡¯s spirit sea, also known as their mana pool. Completely emptying and refilling one¡¯s mana pool was the most efficient way to raise the amount of mana one could store. One could think of it as droplets of water wearing down stone. Though the process was slow, the results were undeniable. It¡¯s just that this method came with no small amount of pain.


    Sylvia was quietly watching Grahl in a state of meditation. Just looking at him now made her sigh. He always acted as though he was never bothered by the fact that his parents hadn¡¯t came back to get him. But the truth of the matter was that it weighed on his mind heavily. Although everyone who loved him could tell such a thing, they did not know how to comfort him. Any words they could say seemed inadequate, so all they could do was try and give him all the love and care that they could. Perhaps this wasn¡¯t how an ogre should be raised, but they wanted this gentle giant to stay that way. But they also knew they couldn¡¯t shelter him forever.


    ¡®After all, Grahl will eventually want to find out what really happened to his parents. I¡¯m just afraid that when he does find out¡­¡¯


    A shred of fear and anxiety began to take root in her heart. No, she couldn¡¯t think negatively. She just had to keep doing what she was doing now and believe in Grahlgar.


    All the while, the person she was fretting over was still voraciously absorbing mana to temper his body and expand his meridians. After a certain point, Grahl stopped absorbing energy from his surroundings and slowly stood up from the ground. While he still felt a bit of pain, the surging strength that he felt made it seem trivial. Although he hadn¡¯t fully replenished his spirit sea, he didn¡¯t want to waste any more time and keep Olivia waiting. As if sensing what Grahl was thinking, Sylvia said snarkily,


    ¡°Peh, what¡¯s so bad about making that hag wait? A thousand years goes like the blink of an eye for her, let alone a few minutes or hours.¡±


    ¡°Sylvia, that¡¯s not very nice. Olivia isn¡¯t old, she is just a pretty young lady with abundant life experience.


    ¡°Cheh, spoken like a brainwashed pawn. You can¡¯t let her fool you!¡±


    Before Grahlgar could reply, the small pebbles and dust beneath his feet began to levitate and swirl around them, before taking the shape of a little girl. She had coffee colored skin, auburn hair and eyes with hues of crimson and earthy brown. She wore a simple sundress that seemed to be made of bubbling magma. This girl appeared as if she couldn¡¯t be older than six or seven, but she had a poised bearing that gave her an air of maturity. Still, it was odd because the girl didn¡¯t seem to have any expressions. If one were asked to describe her, they¡¯d probably liken her to a painted porcelain doll.


    The expressionless child leapt into the air, then like a feather, landed gently on Grahlgar¡¯s shoulder. With a very, very slight smile, she pat the top of his head lovingly.


    ¡°Grahl....good child¡­.Sylvia...stupid.¡±


    And just like that, Olivia made her sudden appearance.

 Chapter 4 - Olivia the Oreiades

    ¡°You! I can¡¯t stand how you¡¯re the oldest out of all of us and yet you take the form of a child! Stop lying to yourself and accept your status as a relic from a bygone era!¡±


    Sylvia appeared to have electricity shooting from her eyes and fire coming from her nostrils. Grahlgar couldn¡¯t understand why Sylvia was so bitter about the form that Olivia took. Appearances were just that, especially when it came to spirits. Still, it was kind of scary when Sylvia began to loom closer, ready to begin her daily conflict with Olivia.


    ¡°Sylvia...irritating¡­!¡±


    Olivia replied snappily. Although she didn¡¯t say much, her words were concise and to the point. She glared at Sylvia for a moment before turning her face away with a ¡®hmph.¡¯ What Grahl found hilarious was that these two were absolutely in sync with their timing in snubbing each other. However, while he found it hilarious, he didn¡¯t dare to laugh.


    ¡°Okay, okay, can you two please stop fighting now?¡±


    Grahl asked with upturned eyes. If an adventurer were to see such a sight, they would surely cough up blood. They would likely question, ¡®Just what part of this creature¡¯s expression is cute?! ¡¯


    To Olivia and Sylvia however, such an expression was as adorable as a fawning puppy.


    ¡°Hmph, I guess I can tolerate this hag for another day.¡±


    ¡°Olivia...complies¡­¡±


    With the both of them giving their agreement, Grahl gave a vibrant smile.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Olivia gently nudged Grahl, then pointed timidly to the top of her head. Grahlgar chuckled lightly, then softly ruffled her hair. Olivia wore an almost imperceptible smile while her head was being patted. With her perched atop his shoulder, the scene was quite heartwarming. But for Sylvia, it only served to irritate her.


    ¡®Guh, damned hag, acting like a child so that she can get spoiled by Grahl! Aqua gets to spoil him, Olivia gets to be spoiled by him and I¡¯m left with no spoils! So unfair¡­¡¯


    Sylvia put on a pouty face and looked away with yet another ¡®hmph.¡¯ Grahlgar then walked over to her and gently ruffled her hair as well. Although she was hovering in mid-air, she wasn¡¯t out of reach for the eight foot Grahl.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Sylvia.¡±


    The Sylph wore a satisfied grin for just a moment before she pulled away from Grahl¡¯s hand. A part of her was dying to be spoiled, but her pride just wouldn¡¯t allow it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry Grahl, but thank you for caring. Anyway, let¡¯s begin.¡±


    She replied before managing to compose herself. It was no good; being around Olivia just made her frustrated. Perhaps it was because their natures were so opposed? Sylvia was a spirit of the wind, while Olivia was a spirit of the mountain. Or to be precise, ¡®the¡¯ spirit of the mountain. One represented transience, the other permanence. Though at least their relationship was not as tempestuous as water and fire.


    In the end these two decided to put their differences aside and focus their efforts in educating Grahl. Sylvia would help teach him the basics of melee combat and Olivia helped Grahl to build his strength and stamina. As an Oreiades, Olivia was essentially the avatar of this mountain range. Therefore she had a magic skill called ¡°Pressure.¡± This skill allowed her to utilize an invisible force that could press down with as much as a hundred times the weight of the mountain range she was born from. Such a skill could only be called terrifying. Using this skill on Grahl while he trained with Sylvia was a suggestion that Grahl himself came up with. Of course, Olivia only used the slightest pressure, or else poor Grahlgar would be nothing but a bloodstain on the rocks.


    Sylvia was worried that Grahl was walking down a strange path with the self-abuse he called training, but Olivia praised Grahlgar for his hard work. Or to be precise, with clenched fists she said, ¡°Grahl....work hard...good job..!¡± but the meaning was clearly conveyed to him.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be counting on the both of you!¡±


    Grahlgar said enthusiastically. With reluctance, Olivia hopped off of Grahl¡¯s shoulder and landed on the rocks below. The stones around her then neatly assembled into a throne that she promptly sat in. Sylvia floated across from Grahlgar and although the height difference was severely mismatched, she didn¡¯t seem to be bothered at all. Without the need to say anything, the three began another training session.


    With an unspoken cue, an enormous pressure weighed down on Grahl and Grahl alone. Olivia¡¯s ability could be used with surprising precision and finesse, to the point where the pressure wouldn¡¯t affect anything she didn¡¯t want it to. After Grahlgar felt the activation of Olivia¡¯s skill, he stubbornly refused to activate either his skill or his mana in order to train his endurance. Although this was only a very tiny fraction of Pressures¡¯ power, the fact that he could move unhindered without any buffs, was impressive in itself.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    The young ogre put tremendous force into his lead foot and launched himself toward Sylvia. As he charged forward, Grahl tilted slightly so that his right hand dug into the earth, uplifting loose soil and rock. Using the momentum of his sprint, as well as his full strength, Grahl hurled the rocks and soil toward Sylvia. Even with no mana infused into it, the force of the throw was so tremendous, the stones had turned to molten rock and then the air pressure cooled it back into solid stone, within the blink of an eye.


    That instant of heating, cooling and forward momentum, transformed the rounded stones into sharp, needle-like projectiles that blanketed a wide area. Using this as a cover, Grahl then utilized his great strength to stomp down and smash the rocks beneath his feet. Then, pivoting on the ball of his foot and transferring his momentum through the tips of his toes, he smoothly transitioned into a vicious flying roundhouse kick. The kinetic energy produced from this violent kick swept up all of the shattered rocks and essentially created a vortex of razor blades. Being at the eye of the storm he was safe, at least for a brief moment.


    In response to Grahl¡¯s abrupt assault, Sylvia gave a complacent smile. Without a care in the world, Sylvia seemed to weave through the slightest gaps in the projectile wall, her lithe figure emanating with peerless grace. When the occasional projectile drew close enough to hit her, she would casually change its trajectory with a flick of her wrist. It was nothing for her to use a bit of wind current to alter its flight path. As she advanced past Grahl¡¯s first move, she was then met with the storm of razors. While it might have been mean, malicious even, she used magic to shift the winds and tighten the eye of the vortex. This meant that the rocks would surely be close enough to injure Grahl.


    As the vortex died down however, Grahl was nowhere in sight. Sylvia was surprised for a moment, but managed to compose herself quickly. Without a second glance, Sylvia created a barrier of wind directly above her. The next instant, the sound and force of a great impact echoed throughout the area. Grahlgar had used his first two moves as a veil, allowing him to gather his strength and launch himself into the air.


    Grahl then ingeniously used Reinforce to create a single foothold in the air to make a second leap, reaching even greater heights. By the time the vortex had died down, Grahl had already reached terminal velocity. He then used Reinforce once more to strengthen the force of impact at the moment he collided with the wind barrier. With raw power, he managed to break through. The compressed heat and air from his fist shot forth with fury.


    Sylvia used a high level wind spell called Cloudshift, which allowed her to become incorporeal. As a spirit such a move might seem redundant, but even a spirit could be dispersed with force. Cloudshift enabled the user to avoid such power altogether, but it required a very high level of skill to utilize at whim. Of course, Sylvia had such skill in aces. After Grahl¡¯s move passed right through her, she simply floated right behind him and wrapped one of her slender arms around his neck. Her hand rested at his throat, coated in a very thin layer of wind-attributed mana. This was basically a blade to the neck. In essence, a total checkmate.


    ¡°Dang, I lost again!¡±


    Needless to say, Grahl hadn¡¯t gained any victories, not even a close one. Though if he were to win against Sylvia under his self-imposed handicaps, she would die of shame.


    ¡°I certainly wasn¡¯t expecting you to attack from above, but you shouldn¡¯t be so quick to go for an aerial attack. You become completely unable to make movements in mid-air without the assistance of mana or skills. However, I noticed that you seemed to have made a foothold mid-air with Reinforce, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t have been able to jump so high. Although you haven¡¯t gotten used to doing that, it was a good idea. Also using the same principle to increase your attack power was good. It¡¯s just that the sequence in which you executed those moves left you with no way to follow up afterward. In essence you killed your own momentum in trying to go for a quick kill.¡±


    Like always, Sylvia would point out the flaws in Grahl¡¯s strategy and give him advice to help him improve. Since Grahlgar had always kept the battle on the ground, she hadn¡¯t expected him to act in such a way. His instincts were good, but they hadn¡¯t been sharpened yet. It was enough for him to sense his opponent''s intent, but it hadn¡¯t developed to the point where he could react subconsciously to that intent. If it was, he would¡¯ve been able to better sense the flow of battle and push Sylvia to try a bit harder. Still, Grahl wasn¡¯t even in his double digits yet and he had a lot of time to improve. With a smile, Sylvia pulled away from Grahl and floated in front of his face.


    Grahl, who received this constructive criticism, nodded vigorously. Despite his crushing defeat he wasn¡¯t discouraged in the slightest. After all, he had actually managed to avoid using mana strengthening or Reinforce on himself. He used his skill once to create a foothold and another time to amplify the force of impact, but not his strength. It was quite a feat that he endured the effect of Olivia¡¯s Pressure with nothing but muscle. But now, after the battle was done, he felt exhausted.


    ¡°Understood! I¡¯ll reflect on it and improve! You better be careful next time, Sylvia!¡±


    This was the same line that Grahlgar replied with after every defeat, but somehow the determination in those words grew stronger with each loss.


    ¡°I will be. Grahl has endless potential, so I can¡¯t afford to be careless.¡±


    After the stick, comes the carrot. After her criticism, she always said something to make him feel better. Well, really it was to make herself feel better. Lecturing Grahl about his mistakes was heartrending for her! But she wanted Grahlgar to improve and to be aware of his shortcomings, even though she found his shortcomings to be adorable.


    ¡°Yes...Grahl...surely...succeed¡­!¡±


    Olivia chimed in, not wanting to be left out. She quickly leapt from her throne and once again perched herself on Grahl¡¯s shoulder. Shortly after, Grahlgar took a seat under the shadow of the mountain and then glanced at both Sylvia and Olivia. With gratitude from the bottom of his heart, he replied,


    ¡°Thank you, Sylvia, Olivia. I promise, I¡¯ll become strong enough to protect you both someday. To protect this place and all the ones I love who live in it. Till my dying breath.¡±


    Little Grahl, who always acted merrily, spoke with an attitude that was especially solemn. To this fantastic wish that seemed like nothing more than a pipe dream, neither of them laughed. Although they wished that they could protect Grahl forever, they also wished that his wishes would come true. In the silence, Olivia and Sylvia met each other¡¯s eyes and nodded in agreement. There was one thing that these two would always agree on.


    ¡°Grahl, we love you and we hope that you never change.¡±


    ¡°Yes...Grahl¡­.is loved..¡±


    Too embarrassed to reply, Grahl¡¯s training session ended in sweet silence.

 Chapter 5 - Bahamut the Black Dragon

    At dusk, Grahlgar looked over to Olivia, who was still perched on his shoulder and asked,


    ¡°Olivia, is Bahamut doing okay?¡±


    ¡°Mhm...Recovering...thanks to...Grahl¡±


    Olivia replied with a gentle tone. Bahamut was a Black Dragon that was about the same age as Grahlgar himself. Most of the scars on Grahlgar¡¯s body were caused by him. But Grahl felt that he shouldn¡¯t be blamed; Bahamut was an angry child because he lost his parents. It was a feeling he could understand. Bahamut viciously attacked him and Grahl fought back just as ferociously. Flesh was rent, bones were broken. With both of them too wounded to stand, they probably would have been devoured with naught a bone left before the next day. But fortunately, Sylvia found the both of them and took them to Aqua to be treated.


    Needless to say, both of them received a firm reprimand. Although Bahamut was a fierce dragon from a noble lineage, he cowered before the wrath of the undine. In that instant, a bond was forged between Grahl and Bahamut. From that moment forward, if one got into trouble, the other would surely go down with them!


    Yet after the stern lecture, Aqua kindly said that no matter if both of their parents had passed or not, their love and desire for their children to live, was something that would stay with them forever. Perhaps it had been the fact that those words struck a chord with Bahamut, but after that, his temper slowly cooled. From that point on, he was put under the care of Olivia. Grahl would visit him daily and while they fought often at first, they soon became best friends. It was odd just how much things could change in a year.


    ¡°Bahamut...will wake...soon.¡±


    ¡°Haah, I¡¯m too tired today. He can catch dinner and I¡¯ll make it.¡±


    Sylvia, sat comfortably next to Grahl and said,


    ¡°Mmm, I¡¯m hungry too, feed me!¡±


    ¡°Me...too¡­¡±


    Just as they started to talk about food, the sound of shifting rocks could be heard. From a large cave, a dragon 15 ft tall and 35 ft long, emerged and looked around cautiously. (9.144m tall 10.688m wide) Seeing that there were only friendly presences in the vicinity, he strolled leisurely out of his den. The dragon had two pairs of wings that didn¡¯t seem to fully scale with his body. The same could be said for his horns as well, giving the impression that the dragon would grow much larger. The colof of his eyes were pure black, with the exception of his bright gold irises.As a Black Dragon, Bahamut was vulnerable during the day. His power was limited in comparison to the night, when he could truly summon all of his strength. As a fledgling dragon, he was especially at risk. He would be easy prey if he didn¡¯t have Olivia to protect him until dusk.


    ¡°Ahh, look, it¡¯s the pervy ogre who likes pain and beatings! What a terrible sight to see first thing after a nap.¡±


    Bahamut quipped with a sardonic smile as he swaggered over to Grahl. To his rude comment, Sylvia felt a slight inclination to nod. Although she loved Grahl like he was her little brother, she was worried about this tendency of his. Sure enduring pain was a part of training, but enduring the pain with a smile plastered on your face is bound to make you seem eerie. Especially with a face like an ogres.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s good to see you too.¡±


    Grahlgar replied as if the dragon¡¯s words meant nothing to him. Bahamut¡¯s words and actions could be harsh, but he was already used to it. Somehow, whenever Grahl reacted as such, Bahamut felt a sense of defeat. He would always try to rile Grahl up just to see him get angry. While it may be immature, he felt that it was strange that this herbivore of an ogre never got mad, so he wanted to see what would happen. Alas, he had yet to succeed.


    ¡°Aww, how sweet it is to see the two of you getting along so well.¡±


    ¡°I...agree.¡±


    The two spirits responded.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, so annoying. Anyway, I¡¯m hungry. What is there to eat?¡±


    Bahamut was surprisingly shy and tried to hide it with his gruff attitude. It was unfortunate for him that none of his present company believed it. Sylvia and Olivia were both glad that those two could rely on each other. Glancing to Bahamut, Grahl replied,


    ¡°Whatever you can catch. If you catch it, I¡¯ll cook it.¡±


    Grahl had already delegated their tasks and Bahamut didn¡¯t seem to mind. He enjoyed a good bit of exercise after waking up. Both Bahamut and Grahl needed to eat a large quantity of food. Grahl could eat gradually throughout the day, but Bahamut couldn¡¯t eat till dusk. Therefore, he usually felt ravenous. Thankfully, one day their urge to eat would lessen as they aged and they would both be able to sustain themselves with mana. If the trend continued where they both had to eat their body weight¡¯s worth of food, the weaker beasts would be culled and the ecosystem would go into disarray.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°Fine. Get everything ready and I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    The dragon replied before his body blended into the shadows and disappeared. Black Dragons had the innate skill, Shadow Mastery, allowing them to manipulate and blend with shadows. At night, such a skill was terrifyingly effective.


    Watching Bahamut depart, Grahl turned to look at Sylvia and Olivia.


    ¡°Sylvia, can you ask Aqua if she wants to join us for dinner? Olivia, would you mind making some salt and also, the fire pit?¡±


    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll go check.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind.¡±


    They both replied and set off to do their own tasks. Grahl on the other hand, made his way into the forest. Just as he stepped foot into the wood, the spirits that followed him earlier all eagerly rushed toward him. Fawningly, they hovered around him and dimly illuminated his surroundings.


    ¡°Hello, little spirits. I¡¯m glad you all came to see me again. Want to join me and collect some firewood?¡±


    The spirits grew brighter in response to his question, happy to follow along. Grahlgar walked with them till he reached a tall oak, so tall that the crown of the tree couldn¡¯t be seen from the ground. It was quite an impressive specimen, but there were countless trees, just like this one. Looking up at the massive tree, Grahl called out,


    ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Oak, would it be alright for me to have some wood?¡±


    The tree¡¯s branches swayed in response and the feeling that it gave its approval was conveyed. With another shake of its mighty branches, many fallen pieces of oak, twigs, sticks and logs, all gathered in a neat pile beside him. It was certainly a wonderful thing to be so loved by the forest.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Grahl expressed his gratitude to the tree and gathered all of the logs and carried them on his shoulder. While he was still a bit tired, he could do at least this much. Following close behind him was the parade of little spirits, each one carrying sticks and twigs. Since he was still within the bounds of Olivia¡¯s domain, there wouldn¡¯t be any beasts or malicious spirits to bother him. Don¡¯t even talk about monsters like goblins, orcs or ogres. They wouldn¡¯t dare to test the patience of a spirit as powerful as her.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Grahl and the little spirits to return to Olivia¡¯s place. The fire pit she made was a few feet away from the den that Bahamut slept in and next to it was a stone bowl filled with salt. Grahl quickly layered the firewood neatly and evenly so that it would burn down just the way that he wanted it to. With his kindling and tinder already prepared, he utilized a hand-drill method to create an ember and easily started the fire. Not long after, Bahamut had materialized from the shadows, along with a large carcass..


    ¡°Praise me, peon, for I have brought you nourishment.¡±


    Bahamut said haughtily. For a creature just barely half a decade old, he had quite a diverse vocabulary. A shame most of it was composed of insults.


    ¡°Good job, Bahamut. You¡¯re awesome.¡±


    The ogre replied with honesty. The look of admiration he had couldn¡¯t be faked. Bahamut had returned with a large War Hog that easily weighed over a ton. It was a fierce beast with bristles like long, sharp skewers, tusks like sabers and a hulking, boulder-like frame. There were no traces of wounds or struggle; it was a clean kill to be proud of.


    ¡°Hmph, it was...nothing.¡±


    Bahamut replied with a bit of embarrassment. The dragon brought the carcass close to Grahl and the ogre, with practiced motions, coated his hand in a layer of mana and began to skin and clean their spoils. The thin layer of mana around his hand was like a sharp blade and with astounding speed, he removed the hide, the offals and all of the organs that were not fit for consumption. The intestines were put on the side so that he could thoroughly clean them later in order to make sausages.


    Grahl then used Reinforce to enhance his dexterity and speed, quickly breaking down the hog into portions that they would eat now and portions to be preserved. The meat that they would eat now was cut from the loin, shoulder and the belly, about 500 lbs worth. Grahlgar and Bahamut would eat the most of course. Bahamut especially since a young dragon possessed a voracious appetite.


    Just as Grahlgar finished dismembering the hog, Sylvia had returned with Aqua in tow. It wasn¡¯t a big deal for her to leave the lake, so long as she remained within the forest. Therefore, when she heard about this family dinner, she was glad to tag along.


    ¡°Oooh, Grahl¡¯s skills have improved. I remember when you were too squeamish to even look at this kind of thing.¡±


    The undine said with surprise. The reason being that when Grahl was first transitioned from his diet of mana and beastmilk, Grahl was traumatized at the concept of killing and eating another life form. It wasn¡¯t until he was starved and at death¡¯s door that he was convinced to eat meat. A growing ogre just couldn¡¯t survive on milk and mana.


    ¡°Thank you, Aqua. I¡¯m glad you came.¡±


    Grahl said with a cheerful tone. He looked over to Sylvia next to her and thanked her as well. Now that everyone had arrived, they all began to gather around the large fire that Grahlgar had built to help speed along the preparation of dinner. With all the hands on deck, the meat had all been skewered and placed at various distances from the fire based on their thickness and cut.


    Out of curiosity, Grahl wondered if he would be able to use his skill to, ¡°Reinforce¡± the flavor of the meat. He wasn¡¯t sure if it would work or not, but after trying it, everyone was amazed by the results.


    ¡°How is this possible?! It¡¯s just salted meat, how can it be so delicious?¡±


    ¡°Mm...tasty..¡±


    ¡°Excellent job Grahl!¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I suppose this meal is up to my standards.¡±


    They all chimed in with their own opinions while greedily devouring every piece of meat that Grahl had cooked. The young ogre could only watch on with a wry smile. But more than anything he was happy. The ones gathered here tonight were his beloved family. While it was somewhat of a motley crew, he loved them dearly. It was thanks to them that he was here, it was thanks to them that he had a place to call home. How wonderful it would be, if these peaceful times could last forever¡­.


    ¡°Grahl, the meat is burning!¡±


    ¡°Ahh! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    And just like that, a long day slowly drew to its¡¯ end

 Chapter 6 - Rust the Hobgoblin

    The sun slowly rose from the horizon to herald the start of a new day. The birds and small animals roused themselves from slumber and sought to sate their hunger. In the early hours of the morning, the tiny critters hustled to find a meal while the dangers of the forest were at its lowest. In an environment where the strong devour the weak, the weak had to find their own way to survive.


    Just like the weakest beasts started the day early, so too did the weakest monsters. While larger monsters like orcs and kobolds were still fast asleep, the little goblins were hard at work; they couldn¡¯t afford such luxury, especially when the cost was death.


    The goblins began to pour out from burrows in the hillsides that they called home; they didn¡¯t dare to tunnel deeper into the earth. That was the territory of the kobolds.


    Goblins all had the same general features. Their skin was green, usually with shades varying from goblin to goblin. They had large, pointed ears that seemed disproportionately large in comparison to their head. Their hair was usually a shade of off white or gray and in terms of height, they averaged about 5 ft. (1.524m)


    Unlike most monster tribes, Goblins were extremely united. Any who dared to threaten the safety of the group would be killed immediately. They communicated well and used a series of calls to exchange information over a distance. They organized their hunting parties in groups of three so that one could kill and defend, one could harvest and pack and another could keep watch and use the signals to call for assistance or warn other goblins of danger. While many considered goblins to be an inferior race, in order to live in this forest filled with powerful existences, they had to be cunning.


    Leading one of these hunting teams was Rust, a hobgoblin. He looked like any other goblin, just a bit taller and more robust. Once a goblin evolved into a hobgoblin, they would be exempt from the morning hunt, although they could still participate if they so desired. This was in the interest of preserving their fighting strength. Hobgoblins were the backbone of the goblin race and the death of any hobgoblin would be a great loss to the tribe.


    Rust still hunted because he refused to hand over the leadership of his team to anyone else. This was understandable because the goblins who worked alongside him were his two younger siblings. His sister, Silver and his brother, Bronze. Entrusting their lives to someone else was something that he just couldn¡¯t do. Sure goblins were cunning, but if they had no love for one another, they would have been destroyed long ago.


    ¡°Bronze, pick up the pace! Silver, watch for that branch--! Ahh...too late.¡±


    Bronze and Silver were twins and rather than being opposites of each other, they were too alike. Both were spacey and would often be lost in reverie. Rust would constantly have to look behind and make sure they were still following him. A stray butterfly, a cute animal or a flower that they had never seen before, could all easily steal their attention. It was a fact that Rust had managed to evolve into a hobgoblin, simply because of his efforts to keep these two scatterbrains alive.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, get up, we need to be quick about this.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Rust. We promise to keep up.¡±


    Rust helped Silver up to her feet and then motioned for her and Bronze to follow him. He made sure to keep to the dense foliage and tall trees to obscure themselves from the sight of any potential predators. As Rust and his siblings advanced further from their burrow, the woods around them became denser and visibility wasn¡¯t much better than it would be at night. Still, goblins had keen eyesight and could easily adjust.


    The siblings were armed with standard equipment. They wore tanned leather armor, leather arm and shin guards, as well as a shawl, all made from Wooly Elk hide. Wooly Elks were the primary source of protein for the goblin race. They were easy to kill and were light enough for goblins to carry back. Goblins domesticated a few Wooly Elks, but they were used mainly for milk and were only eaten during special occasions.


    Currently, Wooly Elk was the game that Rust and his siblings were after. Wooly Elks were fond of mushrooms and therefore, they would gather in areas with many fallen trees so they could feast on the mushrooms that grew on them.


    ¡°Hey Rust...I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°Me too¡­¡±


    ¡°Can we stop to eat?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s.¡±


    Without Rust even needing to say anything, these two had already decided to stop following him and set up to eat some dried meat and a cold, steamed yam. Long used to their antics, Rust could only indulge them and give them some time to eat.


    ¡°Eat some too. Rust needs food. Me and Silver ate lots.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Bronze and I are full.¡±


    The two siblings said to their older brother. Of course, Rust could see that it was a barefaced lie. The two of them could hardly keep the drool from dripping out of their mouths, but they still wanted to give their big brother a share. Even though the two of them were viewed as burdens by the other goblins, Rust never viewed them that way. Sometimes his words were harsh and his actions were gruff, but everything he did was for their sake. He worked and fought harder than any other goblin, so that no one could say anything about their place in the village.


    ¡°I¡¯m still full from last night, so I¡¯ll wait till after the hunt. Just go ahead finish it as we walk. We can¡¯t waste anymore time.¡±


    Though his tone was cold, Bronze and Silver eagerly thanked their brother and continued following him while eating. The hobgoblin could only sigh.


    Within a few moments, they neared an area littered with decayed wood. It was the perfect source of nutrition for fungi and thus, a prime spot for Wooly Elks to get their breakfast. Rust did a once over and checked all of his equipment. He had a sling with six river stones, a sharp obsidian knife, a spear with a shaft made of oak and a spearhead made from wrought iron. He also had a satchel filled with basic provisions, kindling and flints. After ensuring that he had everything in place, Rust began his hunt.


    At this point in time, the twins had managed to focus and were actually helping to keep an eye on their surroundings. Rust advanced quickly, following the tracks and sign that he found along the way. Eventually, he managed to spot an elk at a distance. It¡¯s figure was extremely faint, but with the enhanced eyesight of a hobgoblin, he was able to just barely make it out in the darkness. Rust looked up at the branches and took note of the way they were swaying in the wind. After determining the position that was downwind of the beast, Rust moved through the trees and foliage until he was a little over two hundred yards away from it. The hobgoblin took the sling and wrapped the looped end of the of the cord over the the base of his middle finger, while he pinched the anchor knot of the opposite cord in between his index finger and thumb. Rust then placed a fist sized river stone into the sling pouch.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Swinging it above his head, the sling made a slight whistling sound, just barely audible to the Wooly Elk at this distance. However, amidst the song of the birds, the whistling didn¡¯t seem out of place. Unguarded, the Wooly Elk feasted upon a cluster of mushrooms. After three revolutions, Rust mobilized his mana and transferred it through the cordage of the sling and into the stone just before he released the anchor knot, sending the projectile hurtling forward. With the infusion of mana, a dim trail of emerald light streaked behind the stone as it struck the Wooly Elk.


    The Wooly Elk didn¡¯t even have time to let out a cry, as its spinal cord was crushed by the tremendous force of the stone. Rust used his mana to ensure that the kill would be quick and the Elk would suffer as little as possible. The siblings moved to retrieve their prey and Bronze quickly went to work. They bled the elk and stored the blood in a waterskin made from elk¡¯s bladder. Rust also made sure to pick up the stone. After packing their kill, Bronze waited for Silver to give the signal that they had caught game. Using a wooden flute, Silver played a special tune while amplifying the sound waves with her mana. Moments later, a tune was played in response to acknowledge them.


    Bronze and Silver followed closely behind Rust, making sure to be vigilant of predators that might be eager to steal their gains. Just as they were keeping watch, they heard the shrill tune of another team¡¯s flute. It was the signal that predators were chasing after them and unfortunately for the siblings, they were headed in their direction. However, now that they had heard the signal, it was their duty to rush forward and give aid if possible. The siblings moved toward the source of the signal and it didn¡¯t take long to spot them in the distance.


    The hunting team also had a Wooly Elk in tow and they were being chased by a small pack of River Wolves. River Wolves were not only larger and stronger than the average wolf, but they also had a strong affinity with the water element. This enabled them to effortlessly cast low level water magic individually and high level magic as a pack. The goblins being chased by the wolves suffered from various cuts and gashes, but they didn¡¯t dare to slow down.


    Rust used his sling once more sniping River Wolves from a distance with great accuracy. There were a total of ten River Wolves and four had already been felled by stones to the head. Rust had two more stones, but the wolves were closing in fast.


    ¡°Bronze, Silver, go with the other group and return to the burrows! These bastards have a grudge with me now and as long as you can escape, they will leave you alone.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    The twins rejected the suggestions fervently.


    ¡°There is no room for argument, now leave!¡±


    Rust said no more and instead, rushed towards the pack of River Wolves. Blades of water and spears of ice were fired at Rust from all directions. The wolves howled, signaling for more of their pack to aid them. A filthy hobgoblin had dared to kill members of their pack; this was a grievance that could only be washed away with blood. Completely ignoring the goblins they had chased after earlier, the River Wolves channeled their rage entirely on Rust.


    Rust channeled mana through his meridians and into his foot to activate a low level earth spell called Pitfall in order to avoid the barrage of magic. The simple method that the hobgoblin used to avoid death, drew the ire of the River Wolves even more. Rust then used his spear to vault his way out of the pitfall, then used a low level nature magic, Ensnare. This magic would create a vine that could wrap around the caster¡¯s target. Rust used the spell to yank himself mid-air in order to avoid the continued assault of the rabid wolves.


    While he was in the air, Rust demonstrated superior skills by quickly loading and throwing his last two river stones, instantly killing another pair of wolves. When he landed on the ground, he had the audacity to turn around and give the River Wolves a mocking smile. Indignant howls rang out from the pack and even more wolves joined in the chase.


    ¡°Useless mutts, see how this daddy sets you straight!¡±


    Rust roared as he weaved through the trees and bramble to try and keep a bit of distance from the wolves.


    Bronze and Silver had been reluctant to listen to their brother, but they knew that like usual, they would be nothing more than burdens if they tried to help him. With a bitter feeling, the twins acquiesced to their brothers wish and joined the other team to return to the burrows. They turned pale with fright when they witnessed their brother being chased by a pack of over thirty wolves. The issue had not become one about food or survival, but one of pride. These River Wolves would not rest until Rust was killed.


    Frantically, they and the other hunting team arrived back at their home and quickly informed the community of their situation.


    ¡°We will mobilize a small group of warriors to escort Rust back to the burrows. Once they return here, those mutts wouldn¡¯t dare to fight then.¡±


    A muscular hobgoblin, riddled with scars and burns, stood out among the rest. His name was Boulder and he was tasked with teaching survival skills to the young goblins. His words carried weight, so action was taken immediately.


    Fortunately, or unfortunately, there was only one direction for Rust to flee toward and that was the lake at the heart of the forest. To the south was the territory of the orcs and infringing upon their territory would only bring conflict. The situations in the east and west were similar, with enemy territory abound. The only ¡°safe¡± area he could head toward was the lake. With their destination clear, A group of seven warriors, five goblins and two hobgoblins were sent. Risking two hobgoblins to save one showed just how much Rust was valued by the community. He had wit and cunning, as well as skill. To lose him to River Wolves would be devastating.


    Meanwhile, as the warriors were sent to protect and escort Rust, the hobgoblin in question was desperately fleeing for his life. In areas where the vegetation created choke points, he would use his magic to make pitfalls, or cover the ground in thorns. Every single one of his actions just increased the killing intent of these wolves. Using these petty tricks and traps, Rust had managed to kill six more River Wolves, but he also hadn¡¯t gotten away unscathed.


    He was riddled with wounds and had even lost an arm. However, he never stopped advancing. The sun had long risen and it was already past noon. Rust had been constantly running and fighting for several miles now and the exhaustion was catching up with him. Although he was nearing the lake, he no longer had the advantage in terrain and his speed couldn¡¯t outmatch those of the River Wolves.


    With each step he took, he knew he was only delaying the inevitable. Mustering his courage and strength, Rust stopped in the middle of a small clearing. He didn¡¯t even have enough mana to boost his speed anymore, so he decided to try and kill as many of those bastards as possible before being eaten. Rust waited patiently for the wolves to catch up and it didn¡¯t take long for them to surround him. They didn¡¯t bother to cast spells any longer as they felt that the hobgoblin was an arrow at the end of its flight.


    No, now they were going to take their time and tear this insolent creature limb from limb.


    ¡°Heheh, damned mutts. You can eat me if you want, but I swear that if you do, I¡¯ll make you shit yourselves to death!¡±


    Rust used the last of his strength to charge toward the wolves, brandishing his spear left and right. Even with his arm missing and his equilibrium thrown off, Rust managed to accurately aim for the vital spots of the wolves. Rust managed to kill four, before he was surrounded and mauled. They clawed and gnawed viciously into his skin causing Rust to feel an indescribable pain. The pain wasn¡¯t physical, but emotional. All he could think about was that he would no longer be there to support Bronze and Silver. He was worried that they would be abandoned after his death. Weak, weak, so weak. Too weak to protect himself, too weak to protect his siblings; Rust¡¯s world began to turn black.


    He could no longer feel any pain and he was sure that the end would come. Willing himself with all of his heart and soul, he muttered,


    ¡°I can¡¯t die...yet...¡±


    But no matter how strong his will was, he couldn¡¯t resist the call of death.


    Just as he felt the last of his consciousness about to slip away, he realized the wolves had stopped mauling him. In the silence, Rust heard an immature voice reply,


    ¡°You won¡¯t die. Aqua will surely be able save you.¡±


    And then all faded to darkness.

 Chapter 7 - Words to Remember

    Grahl had been in the middle of tracking down game when he sensed a great amount of killing intent. The ogre rushed to find the source, wondering why such an intense altercation was occurring so close to the peaceful lake. Although the commotion was some ways away, few creatures would cause trouble anywhere near the lake, simply out of respect for the undine. In order to investigate the disturbance, Grahlgar had raced desperately and because of that, he was able to discover this hobgoblin just before he passed through death¡¯s door.


    Grahl¡¯s presence, even as a fledgling ogre, was enough to intimidate the wolves into retreat. They knew that trying to fight here would only end in all of their deaths. Begrudgingly, the River Wolves could only turn tail and flee. When he went to check on the hobgoblin, he was shocked to see his body mangled beyond compare. His organs were pulled out from his body, all four of his limbs had been devoured and large chunks of flesh were missing from nearly every part of his body.


    Grahl was saddened, he could sense that the end would surely come for this hobgoblin.


    Just as he was about to offer a supplication to send off this poor soul, he heard a faint voice, filled with an indomitable will.


    ¡°I can¡¯t die...yet...¡±


    The determination he spoke with, moved Grahl deeply. No matter what, if this hobgoblin could be saved, he wanted to save him! Grahlgar felt that this hobgoblin¡¯s desire to live was not for his own sake. It was for those who depended on him! This was a feeling that Grahl could not shake. The ogre youth replied,


    ¡°You won¡¯t die. Aqua will surely be able save you.¡±


    Grahl called for Sylvia and with his voice carried by the spirits of wind, she arrived within seconds. Grahlgar wanted for her to ask Bahamut for his help. While Sylvia could transport others easily, with the condition the hobgoblin was in, moving him with wind magic would kill him for sure.


    ¡°Grahl what¡¯s the--Oh my. I¡¯ll go and ask Bahamut to bring you both to Aqua. Leave it to me!¡±


    Then, just as quickly as she appeared, she disappeared. For a fledgling Black Dragon, the bright light of day was like a poison. Sylvia knew this, that was why after she asked Bahamut for help, she told him that the hobgoblin was at the brink of death and even with treatment, it was unlikely that he would survive. He then asked Sylvia,


    ¡°It¡¯s important to that buffoon, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°...Yes, it is.¡±


    ¡°Then I suppose it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    Surprised by his reply, Sylvia was once again moved by how much Bahamut had changed in the past year. She quickly returned to Grahl and Bahamut followed after, emerging from the shadows. Although one could tell that he was greatly weakened by the sunlight, he never voiced a word of complaint. Bahamut could tell how much this meant to Grahl, so he would do his best to help him. Without saying anything unnecessary, Bahamut used his Shadow Mastery skill to transport he, Grahl and the hobgoblin to the shadows near the lakeside. Within the blink of an eye, they had arrived at their destination.


    After using his innate skill, Bahamut¡¯s aura greatly diminished. Transporting them all during the brightest time of day severely depleted his mana.


    ¡°I need to rest¡­¡±


    Bahamut used his skill one last time to return to his den and as soon as he returned, he collapsed and lost consciousness.


    Olivia, who had witnessed what had occurred, wore a very slight, but proud smile.


    ¡°Bahamut is...a good...child¡­¡±


    Back at the lake, Grahl knew that Bahamut was suffering because of his own selfish desire to save this unknown hobgoblin. He also knew that he was troubling Aqua by asking her to try and save someone so far gone. He knew these things and felt terrible about them, but he had a feeling that if he didn¡¯t save this hobgoblin now, he would regret it for the rest of his life. He would do anything to gain their forgiveness afterward, but for now, he just watched as Aqua healed the dying stranger.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best Grahl, but his chances of survival will depend mostly on this hobgoblin¡¯s desire to live.¡±


    Aqua spoke gravely as the hobgoblin was suspended above the lake. His body was surrounded in a sphere of water that radiated with a gentle blue light. Within the sphere, the hobgoblin¡¯s organs were healed and were slowly pushed back into his body. When his viscera was restored to their proper conditions and locations, the gaping wounds and missing chunks of flesh began to regenerate themselves as well. However, even though the wounds were being healed, his life force was unable to be replenished. Water based healing spells could mend or dispel physical ailments, but it could not replenish life force or mana. Only spells from the light or nature elements could do so.


    It was for this reason that Aqua said that the chances of the hobgoblin¡¯s survival would depend on his desire to live. His life force was abysmally weak and even if his body was restored, the odds of him willing himself back to life, were infinitesimally small. While Aqua didn¡¯t hold much hope, she still did her best for Grahl¡¯s sake.


    Grahlgar on the other hand, never lost faith that this hobgoblin would live. The determination that he demonstrated earlier assured Grahl that we was the type to never give in, never surrender! And he was right. Although it was faint, Aqua began to sense that the hobgoblin was slowly gathering nature-attributed mana to assist in the healing process. However slight it might have been, it was gradually replenishing his life force. Aqua was impressed by the hobgoblin¡¯s latent potential for nature magic.


    ¡®This child certainly has a talent for it. It¡¯s a shame Grahl isn¡¯t very talented with magic. It¡¯s the reason why I wanted him to practice his skill first. Although he is loved by the nature spirits, his magical aptitude is abysmal.¡¯


    After a brief moment of thought, Aqua returned her attention to the hobgoblin. On the sides, Grahl could only wait. The time seemed to go by agonizingly slow, but after about half an hour, the treatment was done. They laid him within a shady area beside the lake. The hobgoblin seemed to be in stable condition.


    ¡°After a few hours of rest, this child should be fine.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Aqua!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Grahl. But in truth, the person you should really thank, is Bahamut. He would never admit it to you, but helping you today weakened him greatly. It¡¯s likely that we will be asleep for the next few days to recuperate.¡±


    ¡°Bahamut¡­¡±


    ¡°Remember this, Grahl. It¡¯s fine to have a kind heart, it¡¯s fine to be gentle. However, helping others without thinking of the repercussions can lead to drastic consequences. Sometimes kindness is only repaid with spite. After all, not everyone in the world can be as kind and gentle as Grahl. I¡¯m telling you this because I want to to realize that sometimes, the ones you love will have to suffer because of your kindness. Of course, I still hope for Grahl to be the same kind and gentle child. I just want you to be aware that while kindness can be your greatest strength, it can also be your greatest weakness.¡±


    Aqua loved Grahlgar¡¯s innocence, but if he stubbornly persisted in such behavior, it would become nothing but naivete. She didn¡¯t want him to be taken advantage of.


    ¡°Okay, I promise to remember.¡±


    Grahl didn¡¯t quite understand what Aqua meant, but he understood that Bahamut was the one who sacrificed the most, even though the decision to save the hobgoblin was his. Grahl could not promise that he would never do something like this again, but from now on, he would consider the way his loved ones might be affected by his actions.


    ¡°Good. As long as Grahl remembers, eventually, you will understand.¡±


    Just as Grahl and Aqua had finished their conversation, Sylvia chimed in.


    ¡°You know, even though I¡¯m a spirit of wind, it doesn¡¯t mean that you can treat me like air!¡±


    ¡°Oooh, were you still here? It¡¯s just that your presence is so thin, we forgot about you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sylvia. I was just thinking about what big sis Aqua said.¡±


    ¡°Wuuu...you actually forgot I was here¡­.¡±


    The serious atmosphere had instantly been shattered, just like Sylvia¡¯s heart.


    ¡°You actually forgot I was here¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry you have such a thin presence.¡±


    ¡°Aqua, you really aren¡¯t making Sylvia feel any better.¡±


    While Sylvia was in the middle of sulking, she suddenly felt a few presences nearby. Nine of them to be exact. She sensed that it was a group composed of seven goblins and two hobgoblins. They must have been the search party sent for the one that Grahl had rescued. Her sorrowful air quickly disappeared and she swiftly informed Grahl and Aqua about the group.


    ¡°Sylvia, can you go and meet them? I feel that they wouldn¡¯t believe me even if I told them. I would probably be lucky if they didn¡¯t attack me on sight."


    Even Grahl wasn¡¯t naive enough to believe that others would be able to see past his appearance right away. Ogres weren¡¯t typically known for acts of charity or magnanimity.


    ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll guide them here and make sure nothing happens along the way. But Grahl! Next time, I won¡¯t forgive you if you forget about me again!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    ¡°Apology accepted, but remember what I said!¡±


    After reprimanding Grahl, Sylvia left to escort the goblins to the lake. Glancing over to the resting hobgoblin, the ogre smiled and said,


    ¡°It seems like we¡¯re both blessed to have people who love and look out for us.¡±

 Chapter 8 - Reason to Live

    There were two hobgoblins leading the escort team; a pair of brothers named Log and Splinter. The both of them had brownish green skin, but one was tall, the other was short. Log was short and stout, while Splinter was tall and thin. The brothers had great teamwork and combat experience, but above all, they were good friends with Rust. So, it wasn¡¯t surprising that they wanted to set off with haste. However, before the group of goblin warriors could leave the burrows, they were stopped by two goblins. Not surprisingly, it was Bronze and Silver.


    ¡°Please, Bronze and I want to go.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we must bring Rust back!¡±


    Far from their usual airheaded demeanor, the twins acted with a seriousness that the tribe had never seen before. They looked as though they would charge into the forest by themselves even if no one else went. There was a fire in their eyes that even the goblins who viewed them as burdens, could not deny.


    ¡°We understand but time is of the essence, we can¡¯t waste words with kids. The longer we take, the less chance your brother has of living!¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t get in your way. If we do, just kill us!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but no matter what, take us with you!¡±


    The warriors could only sigh. Thinking about it, it wasn¡¯t as though the skills of the twins were poor. In fact, they could be considered to be quite good. It was just that their attention span was pitiful. With Bronze and Silver so focused, perhaps they wouldn¡¯t be deadweight. Boulder, the warrior who suggested the search party, was about to reject them. However, before he could, a hoarse and wizened voice rang out.


    ¡°Let them go. I¡¯m sure these children will not be a burden.¡±


    ¡°The Shaman speaks and we shall obey.¡±


    Boulder replied, surprised by the shaman¡¯s decision to allow the twins to go with escort party. Bronze and Silver were only about thirteen years old and while their skills were passable, their experience was questionable. However, since the shaman decided to let them go, there was nothing else to say. The words of the shaman carried the weight of a mountain. Even the goblin chief would have to consider the shaman¡¯s opinion before making any decisions.


    ¡°Thank you, great shaman!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, great shaman is awesome.¡±


    Silver spoke first, then Bronze second. Without any further delay, the group was finally able to depart. Bronze and Silver led the way, but not recklessly so. They headed toward the center of the forest and began to survey the terrain. Before the other warriors could decide on a direction, Bronze and Silver had already picked a path and gestured for the others to follow. Surprisingly, Log and Splinter, the two Hobgoblins assigned to lead the expedition, didn¡¯t voice any complaints. Since the hobgoblins didn¡¯t reprimand the children, the other goblins didn¡¯t have a right to say anything.


    Like that, the group navigated deeper into the forest. It took a while, but following the path that the twins had chosen, it wasn¡¯t long before they found traces of battle. The ground and trees were all battered by various water element spells, clearly showing that Rust had passed through this area. A blood trail could be clearly followed from this point, but it did not make the group feel any better. The distance from this area to the lake was still quite a ways away and the amount of blood that Rust was losing would have made him feel faint. It was likely that Rust wouldn¡¯t have had the energy to make it much further. With the wolves following so closely after him, the situation was looking grim.


    Panic flashed across the twins¡¯ faces, but they refused to believe that Rust was dead. The group rushed forward and a few minutes later, they came to a slight clearing. Bronze and Silver could see a huge pool of blood, soaking the grass beneath it. A broken spear and bits of severed flesh were scattered amidst the blood. Bronze and Silver moved with astonishing speed, tears already welling in their eyes.


    ¡°No, Rust can¡¯t be dead!¡±


    ¡°Rust is the strongest! He¡¯s definitely alive!¡±


    The twins felt like crying, but they still held onto the hope that Rust was still alive.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s strange that the blood has pooled here and yet there isn¡¯t even a body remaining. There¡¯s also the fact that the wolves have completely left the area. We hadn¡¯t encountered a single one along the way. Wolves are cunning creatures, so if they are outclassed, they will typically retreat.¡±


    ¡°Also, if Rust had been dragged away, there would at least be some sort of blood trail. It¡¯s as though he just disappeared.¡±


    Log chimed in first, then Splinter gave his observations after. While they didn¡¯t hold much hope for Rust¡¯s survival, they said this much so that the twins could regain their composure. Log and Splinter were brothers, so they could sympathize with the twins who valued their older brother so much. Kinship was important to the goblin race.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, we can¡¯t give up yet!¡±


    The twins chimed in unison. Their spirits had been low, but the words of the hobgoblin brothers managed to restore their hope. Log and Splinter felt that it might have been cruel because their hopes would probably be dashed...but hope wasn¡¯t something that should be given up so easily.


    The group was about to continue their advance, when they suddenly felt a gentle breeze flow through the forest. The dense smell of blood seemed to be abated and their anxiousness instantly disappeared. Startled, the goblins looked up to see a beautiful young woman. Her aura was something that they could never hope to compare with. This was a qualitative difference between their existence that could not be crossed. If this spirit wanted to kill them, it end faster than one could blink.


    ¡°Venerable spirit, we apologize if we have offended you. Oi--hurry and kneel you idiots!¡±


    ¡°Bronze, Silver, you as well!¡±


    While they were confused, they decided to listen to Log and Splinter. Since they were Rust¡¯s friends, they trusted them implicitly.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been offended, but it¡¯s good that you have manners. Anyway, let¡¯s go, you¡¯re looking for that hobgoblin, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯ll take you to him.¡±


    Log and Splinter looked at each other then nodded. If the spirit before them wanted to kill them, it would be easy for her. There was no point in lying.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°Thank you, ven--ven...awesome spirit!¡±


    The twins tried to use the word that Log had used, but gave up. Sylvia gave a gentle smile in response. These were good children. With a snap of her fingers, a strong wind began to wrap around the goblins. They were all startled at first, but realized it would be pointless to panic or resist. The wind around them was infused with light green mana, forming a protective sphere. Then, the world around them began to blur and the goblins began to feel sick. The sensation didn¡¯t last for more than a second, but the after effects lingered for some time before they could regain their bearing.


    The first ones to compose themselves weren¡¯t the hobgoblin brothers, but rather, the twins. They could feel Rust¡¯s presence, even while they were too disoriented to see.


    ¡°Rust!¡±


    The twins cried out in unison. With unsteady steps, they stumbled their way toward the unconscious Rust. They had tunnel vision, completely disregarding the existence of the fledgling ogre, or the graceful undine. All they saw was their precious brother, safe and sound. The twins kneeled beside their big brother. Tears welled up in their eyes and they wanted to throw themselves toward him in an embrace, but they were worried that he hadn¡¯t fully recovered. On the other hand, the goblins watching them looked cautiously at the fledgling ogre beside Rust. Had this been some sort of trap so that the Sylph could feed them to this little ogre?! If so, there was nothing they could do but be eaten!


    ¡°You bastards, you just thought something rude about Grahl, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    A voice that could chill the sun itself, echoed in the goblins¡¯ ears. The spirit that guided them here glared at them menacingly. The goblin warriors panicked and hurriedly shook their heads. What kind of freakish intuition did this Sylph possess?!


    ¡°Hmph, ungrateful.¡±


    The twins, overhearing this conversation, finally remembered that there were others around them. They looked up and just as they did, they were startled to see an ogre beside them. Bronze and Silver should have been terrified, but somehow they felt that this ogre wouldn¡¯t harm them. The ogre, who was much larger than them, had a chiseled physique and imposing features. The ogre looked intently at the twins, then back toward Rust. A knowing smile faintly flashed across his lips.


    Bronze and Silver looked at one another, then spoke,


    ¡°Were you the one who saved our brother?¡±


    ¡°Well, I found him, but it was my friends who really saved him.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Bronze and Silver hurriedly kneeled and bowed their heads in gratitude.


    ¡°Eh, you believe me?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Big brother says trust your intu--intu...your gut! My gut says you aren¡¯t a bad guy. Right, Silver?¡±


    ¡°Mm, I feel that he is not a bad person. Scary, but not bad.¡±


    Grahl felt warmth in his heart. It was nice to be believed. It was nice to be thanked.


    ¡°Venerable spirits, valiant ogre, we thank you for your kindness. While there is little that we goblins can do to repay this debt, we give you our sincerest gratitude.¡±


    Log and Splinter were also truly grateful that Rust had survived. Rust was younger than they were, but his hard work and dedication earned their respect. The goblins who had been frightened by Sylvia earlier, also bowed their heads in gratitude.


    Grahl shook his head then said,


    ¡°Like I said, it was my friends who saved him. Anyway, my name is Grahlgar, call me Grahl. Can I ask your names?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Bronze!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Silver!¡±


    ¡°And I am Log, while this is my brother Splinter.¡±


    The other goblins introduced themselves as well. However, Sylvia and Aqua didn¡¯t introduce themselves because names were a sacred thing to spirits. A spirit would only give their name to someone that had earned their trust. Therefore, they simply floated on the side and watched over Grahl. Aqua had a warm smile as she watched Grahl interact with others. Sylvia on the other hand, was still scowling at those goblins.


    ¡°Hmm, so this person¡¯s name is Rust, huh? He is very strong.¡±


    ¡°Un, big brother is the strongest.¡±


    The twins said without hesitation. They looked over fawningly at Rust, glad that he was okay. They didn¡¯t ask what happened, because they were afraid to know. As long as their big brother was alive and well, that was enough for them. Still, this incident had made them realize that they needed to focus and stop holding Rust back. If they had trained as diligently as they should have been, remained as vigilant as they were supposed to, perhaps Rust would have never been in such a situation. From this moment on, a strong determination to grow up and fight alongside their brother, was born.


    Grahl didn¡¯t say anymore, as he realized that the twins simply wanted to stay at their brother¡¯s side. After expressing their gratitude, they cared for nothing else aside from Rust. They would wait quietly and patiently at his side until the moment he woke. Aqua said nothing to stop them from remaining here. After all, the lake itself was quite large, so it wasn¡¯t as if they would be in the way of others who came here. Besides, even if they were, no one would dare to complain. Who had the guts to complain to the spirit of the lake about loitering?


    The time passed slowly and all eyes seemed to be fixed on the unconscious hobgoblin. Rust had stopped gathering mana to heal himself, so it was apparent that he was recuperating. Several hours had passed and the forest began to dim as the sun began to set. Rust, who had been motionless all this time, gradually began to move. His eyelids lightly twitched before they slowly opened. His eyes revealed a trace of confusion. He clearly remembered that he was being torn to shreds at the maws of ravenous beasts.


    ¡°Rust!¡±


    The twins could no longer hold in their enthusiasm and threw themselves toward Rust in an embrace.


    ¡°Rust, don¡¯t leave us behind ever again!¡±


    ¡°We will get strong and fight with Rust!¡±


    ¡°Mm, we won¡¯t be a burden to Rust anymore!¡±


    The twins shed a river of tears that seemed without end. Rust, who was just now gaining his bearings, suddenly seemed to have pieced together what happened. With a stern look in his eyes, he gently knocked the twins over the head.


    ¡°Ow! What was that for?!¡±


    ¡°Idiots! When did I ever say you were a burden? Don¡¯t ever say something like that again, or I will never forgive you, understood?¡±


    Rust bit his lip and tried to fight back the tears in his eyes as well. He was grateful to be alive, grateful to hold his siblings within his arms. These twins were his reason to live. The reason why he fought tooth and nail to secure a place for them. A place to call home.


    After a few moments of consoling the twins, they finally let go of Rust. Rust was able to get back to his feet, albeit a bit shakily. The hobgoblin looked at the young ogre who found him. Rust now remembered the voice he heard before completely losing consciousness. Although he was thankful, more than anything, he was wondering why he was saved. They were unrelated and Rust was at the point where it really looked as if saving him would be a lost cause.


    ¡°Thank you, Grahl, was it?¡±


    ¡°Mm, but it was my--¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know it was your friends, but they saved me at your behest. Without your kindness, I would surely would have died. Therefore, you have my deepest gratitude.¡±


    Rust got on his knees and bowed deeply, unable to fully express in words the feelings that he felt. Grahl was frantic and quickly helped Rust to stand up. The hobgoblin, after expressing his gratitude, suddenly wore a very serious expression.


    ¡°But I have to know¡­.what made you decide to save me? Why did you go out of your way to save a weak hobgoblin like myself? Pity?¡±


    Grahl was a little surprised at Rust¡¯s sudden question, but it didn¡¯t take him long to reply.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I just had a feeling that you had a lot to live for.¡±


    ¡°....That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Well, excuse me for saying this...but you¡¯re an idiot.¡±


    ¡°Bastard, Grahl might be an idiot, but only we have the right to call him that!¡±


    Sylvia looked as though she would put all of Aqua¡¯s efforts to waste and simply kill Rust for his comment. Although a part of her did agree that Grahl was a bit of a dunce in the common sense department. After all, Grahl simply followed his instincts.


    Unafraid of the angered spirit, Rust simply stared straight at Grahl.


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot, but you¡¯ve got good instincts. I certainly do have a lot to live for.¡±


    Rust, who always seemed to have a stern expression, wore a warm smile as he looked at Bronze and Silver.


    ¡°If there¡¯s anything I can do for you in the future, do not hesitate to ask.¡±


    ¡°...Uhm...if that¡¯s the case, I do have a favor to ask.¡±


    ¡°Name it.¡±


    ¡°Uhh...would you guys...be my friends?¡±


    Rust looked perplexed for a moment, but then he gave a slight smile.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Us too!¡±


    In the setting sun, in an ancient forest, new friendships were born.

 Chapter 9 - Signs of Change

    Three days had passed since Grahl became friends with the goblin siblings. In that short span of three days, the twins grew especially attached to Grahl. This was because to their surprise, Grahlgar was only seven years old.


    ¡°Heheh, since you are younger than us, you have to respect us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! You have to respect your elders!¡±


    ¡°Nn. Nn.¡±


    Bronze and Silver said such things full of glee. The two of them were always listening to Rust, so it was fun for them to feel this sense of authority.


    ¡°I already respect you guys. Bronze and Silver are good siblings that watch out for their big brother. I want to be like you two when I grow up!¡±


    Grahl spoke with fiery passion, while his little (by ogre standards) fists were balled up in anticipation. Grahlgar came to realize just how dangerous it was for a group of goblins to head to the central area of the forest from their burrows in the south. Grahl didn¡¯t realize it, but his physical prowess was something that the average pack of beasts or band of monsters, wouldn¡¯t dare to trifle with. Save for situations of life or death, they would never think of fighting an ogre, even a little one. Goblins on the other hand, were belittled by the other denizens of the forest, simply because their individual strength was pitiful.


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks¡­¡±


    The twins didn¡¯t really know what else to say to Grahl¡¯s comments. Besides Rust, there were hardly any others to give them any sort of encouragement. When they said they wanted Grahl to respect them, they certainly weren¡¯t expecting such a straightforward response. Grahlgar¡¯s words made them feel warm inside. He actually believed that they would improve themselves to protect their brother. He believed in their convictions; he believed in them. The twins began to feel as though they didn¡¯t want to disappoint Grahl¡¯s expectations. While they hadn¡¯t known one another for very long, Grahl, Bronze and Silver had become quite close.


    ¡°Hey, Grahl, can we play with the spirits while we walk?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, spirits!¡±


    Feeling a little shy from Grahlgar¡¯s saccharine remarks, the twins quickly changed subjects. Grahl had felt that the duo was acting a bit strange, but didn¡¯t pursue the issue.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sure the little spirits would like to play too.¡±


    With a call from Grahl, small orbs of light began to appear one by one. They appeared in various shades of green, blue, white and red. The green orbs were spirits of nature, the blue orbs were spirits of water, the white orbs were spirits of wind and the red orbs were spirits of fire. There were very few red orbs, but they all seemed to show great affection towards Grahl. Fire spirits usually weren¡¯t well received by the other spirits of the forest, but when they were all together with Grahl, they played together merrily.


    Bronze and Silver were quickly distracted by the playful dance of the little spirits. Even the flowers and trees seemed to exude a sense of joy as they swayed in the breeze. The forest felt exceptionally peaceful whenever they walked around with Grahlgar. Rust was flummoxed at the scene of Grahl and the twins prancing casually through the wood with a parade of little spirits trailing behind them. Was this really the same forest that was filled with insurmountable dangers and rancorous beasts? It was as though the forest itself was protecting the little ogre. Such thoughts crossed his mind more than once. Still, it would be a lie to say that he didn¡¯t enjoy such a peaceful atmosphere.


    Rust, being a little over a decade older than Grahl, had little in common with him. In the past three days, he had played more the part of a babysitter than a friend. However, even he found himself growing fond of ¡®little¡¯ Grahl. It was rare to see his siblings so happy. Rust had a bit of a stiff personality and any attempts at friendliness tended to come off a bit awkward. He could only encourage Bronze and Silver in his own way, but he knew that was far from enough. Grahl was like a fawning little brother whose expectations brought encouragement to the twins. Now, other than being grateful for saving his life, Rust was thankful that Grahl had befriended the twins.


    The three siblings were tagging along with Grahl to go on a hunt. For the past three days, the siblings would go out for the morning hunt and Grahl would meet them to help. He gave the reasoning that it was in order to gather enough food for his best friend.


    ¡°Your best friend is a Black Dragon?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, is that strange?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, somehow I feel that everything about you is strange.¡±


    ¡°Hey Rust, don¡¯t pick on Grahl!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, tell him Silver!¡±


    ¡°Haah. Let¡¯s just focus on the hunt.¡±


    Rust felt that dwelling on the subject of Grahl¡¯s family and friends would only invite more of a headache. Instead, he picked up the pace and began looking for any signs of game. Rust¡¯s tracking skills were top notch, therefore it wouldn¡¯t be long before they would find something. Though before Rust could point out the direction they should take, Grahl looked toward the little spirits and asked,If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Is there any big animals to hunt around here? If there are, do you know where we can find them?¡±


    The little spirits grew bright at first, seemingly responding with a yes to Grahl¡¯s initial question. Then, they all began to rush off toward the west. Without hesitation, Grahlgar followed after the spirits with Bronze and Silver in tow. Rust looked dazedly for a moment, before quickly catching up to them. In his mind, all he could think was,


    ¡®That¡¯s cheating! My hard work, my dedication, give me back all of it! What¡¯s the point in learning how to track if you can just ask the spirits?!¡¯


    Of course, Rust knew that gaining the trust and cooperation of the spirits was easier said than done. Existences like Grahl that were naturally loved by them, were rarer than unicorn horns and phoenix feathers. It was unfair.


    Within a few moments, the group arrived near the territory of a sounder of War Hogs. Although they had just neared their territory, the smell of the hog wallow was already quite pungent. The spirits seemed to motion for the others to continue following them, so they did. Grahl had faith in the little spirits, so Bronze and Silver didn¡¯t voice any complaints. On the contrary, they were glad to see parts of the forest that they had never been to before. The towering trees gave way to dense bush and shrubbery, proof of the War Hog¡¯s efforts to clear the trees for their wallow. Seeing such sights easily entertained the trio and because they still remained vigilant, Rust couldn¡¯t find it in himself to rebuke them. With the three of them in such high spirits, Rust could only tail the trio closely or else he would surely lose sight of them.


    ~~~~~~~~~~


    As the group followed the spirits in search for prey, a meeting was taking place at Olivia¡¯s.


    The sun had just risen above the mountain range, casting a gentle light over the forest and a long shadow over the mountain. Within this shadow, there was a trio of spirits who didn¡¯t seem to have any trace of the happiness that they felt when they were with a certain ogre. In fact, the atmosphere was especially solemn.


    ¡°Seal...weakening...not much...time¡­¡±


    ¡°But the seal was strengthened hardly even a decade ago! How is this possible?¡±


    ¡°The hero summoning¡­¡±


    To Sylvia¡¯s questioning, Aqua gave a simple, but grave answer.


    ¡°You mean...damn! Those insolent humans! Quick to forget tragedy and even quicker to bring calamity! Typical. Instead of using their own strength to achieve their goals, they force it upon those from other worlds.¡±


    ¡°Sylvia, it¡¯s already a great blessing for the children of man to adhere to their forefathers¡¯ oaths for four generations, let alone the twelve generations that they have abided by already. For us, an oath is eternal. For them, an oath only lasts a lifetime.¡±


    ¡°But Aqua, if they dare to break the oath, then why should we be bound as well? For the sake of everyone¡¯s sacrifice, we should stop the humans now! If worse comes to worse, we can leave the forest and thwart their stupid ritual. If we don¡¯t--¡±


    ¡°Enough. The humans can be excused because for them, the rivers of time can wash away the meaning of their oaths. But spirits remain unaffected by this river¡¯s flow; the purpose and emotions of our oaths remain as strong as the day they were forged. Humans can easily forsake their shackles, but we, cannot.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already sacrificed so much for the sake of old promises and what has it brought us? Even Grahl¡¯s--¡±


    ¡°Sylvia...please...enough¡­.¡±


    This time, it was Olivia who spoke. Contrary to the usual high handed demeanor she typically possessed when speaking with Sylvia, Olivia was actually pleading.


    ¡°Aqua...already...knows¡­¡±


    Just then, even Sylvia realized that she went a little too far. She spoke without thinking because she was infuriated with the humans and as a result, she said something that struck at Aqua¡¯s biggest regret. Looking at Aqua, one could clearly see the deep sorrow in her eyes. Sylvia¡¯s words had brought to surface many memories and emotions, most of which were painful.


    ¡°Aqua, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve said too much¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯re right. We¡¯ve sacrificed too much and gained very little. I hate it as much as you do. But if any of us left this forest, then the seal would weaken even further than it already has. Let¡¯s be honest, without one of us to lead the others, it would be impossible for them to thwart the preparations for the summoning ritual. There is nothing we can do.¡±


    ¡°That is true¡­¡±


    ¡°However, before any of that, I want to preserve what little time we have left with Grahl. We have five, maybe ten years at most, before the humans finish their preparations. We have to teach Grahl as much as we can, give Grahl all the love we can. While I might have agreed to follow these oaths till the day of my destruction, I will not allow Grahl to bind himself to such a cruel fate.¡±


    ¡°That child is gentle, more gentle than anyone. It¡¯s because of that, that I am afraid he will take this burden wholly upon himself. If we conduct ourselves any differently, if we allow our worries to show, Grahl will be able to tell that something is wrong. When he wants to help others, who can convince Grahl otherwise? He will fight and die alongside us, no, probably before us, because he would surely protect us with his dying breath.¡±


    Olivia and Sylvia could only remain silent. They knew such a thing was the truth. In the coming years, if Grahl were to ever figure out that some sort of calamity would befall them, he would fight till the end to protect them. Nothing would be able to change his mind. Even if the enemy was impossible to defeat, if the odds were insurmountable, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate if it was for his loved ones. That¡¯s just who Grahl was.


    ¡°You¡¯re right...we can¡¯t let him know.¡±


    ¡°Must...keep...secret¡­¡±


    ¡°I hate to hide things from Grahl, but it¡¯s for the best¡­¡±


    Aqua, Sylvia and Olivia, were all pained at their unanimous decision. Lying to or hiding things from Grahl felt wrong, but it was something they had to do to protect him.


    ¡°We should also send him to see the Patriarch.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, what good would it do for Grahl to meet with someone with such a pretentious name?¡±


    ¡°Sylvia, we both know that it wasn¡¯t as though he chose to be called the Patriarch. Also, out of all of us, he knows the most about the world beyond the forest, ironically.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I hate how I can never deny what you say.¡±


    Aqua gave a playful smile in response to Sylvia¡¯s frustrated face.


    ¡°Besides, Grahl already knows him, in a way.¡±


    Like that, the three decided to enlist another teacher for little Grahl. They hoped that he would be able to expand Grahl¡¯s horizons and pique his curiosity for the outside world. They hoped that they would slowly be able to convince Grahl to leave the forest of his own accord, before things began to change for the worst.

 Chapter 10 - Reconciliation

    The hunt ended successfully, with Grahl and the others catching two War Hogs. One was for the siblings, the other was for Grahl to take for Bahamut. They quickly did a field dressing of the two hogs, Grahl taking care of one and Rust the other. The twins were amazed at how skillful Grahl¡¯s movements were. It was on the same level as Rust who had been hunting for a full decade before him. Rust wasn¡¯t disgruntled at all, rather, he felt that it was good to have competition to increase one¡¯s drive to improve.


    After all was said and done, Grahl hauled the two carcasses, one on each shoulder, while the twins carried the blood and offals. The goblin siblings could only marvel at the strength that Grahl possessed. The difference between their inherent strength was something that they couldn¡¯t surmount with effort alone. Rust, who was left empty handed, could only act as an escort.


    ¡°Heheh, the others will be glad that we could get so much meat.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll thank us lots, right Rust?¡±


    The twins sought their brothers praise and he did not disappoint.


    ¡°Of course. Our tribesmen will be proud of your hard work.¡±


    Rust gave his heartfelt praise. The twins had pleaded with him to let them try and kill a War Hog. While such a thing wouldn¡¯t be difficult if you were well prepared, he was hesitant to endanger his little siblings. However, he was unable to stem the tide of their enthusiasm, so he could only concede. Surprisingly, the twins did not disappoint and they were able to cleanly kill a War Hog while Grahl killed the other. Rust was amazed when he saw the twins gather insects and herbs to make a sedative capable of stopping a War Hog. Its traces could then be easily removed afterward with low level nature magic. For this recipe alone, the tribe would sing their praises, never mind the War Hog. He was also glad that the twins were able to put the knowledge they gained from their misadventures to good use.


    Grahlgar was happily hauling their spoils, while following the trio to the goblin burrows. Grahl had never actually met their tribesmen, but he felt this was something that couldn¡¯t be rushed. The little spirits still followed after them as well, wanting to follow everyone to their destination. Along the way, they would chat idly, or follow the warnings of the little spirits to avoid trouble. Like that, their journey ended quickly.


    ¡°It seems that we¡¯ve arrived at the outskirts of the burrows. We¡¯ll signal for help to haul the War Hog back, so you can just leave it here. Thanks for your help, Grahl.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks Grahl.¡±


    ¡°It was fun!¡±


    ¡°No problem. I had fun too.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. If it¡¯s fine with you, would it be okay for us to join you tomorrow? I want to thank your friend for also saving me that day. Since you said that today might be his first day up, I don¡¯t want to intrude.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll go and ask if it¡¯s alright. I¡¯m going to head back and make sure that he has a good meal for when he wakes up. I¡¯ll also ask Sylvia if she can bring you there and back. I don¡¯t want anything to happen along the way.¡±


    ¡°Us too! We wanna go!¡±


    ¡°Haah, fine...Grahl, would it be okay if we all went?¡±


    ¡°I can ask! I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t mind, but Aqua said it¡¯s polite to ask anyway.¡±


    ¡°Then we leave it to you.¡±


    Grahlgar gave a thumbs up before he took his portion of the spoils and left. The little spirits all accompanied Grahl with glee. They seemed to be a little sad that the others had to leave, but they were still glad that Grahlgar would chat with them as he journeyed through the forest. Without the siblings to follow him, Grahl could pick up the pace. His ectoplasmic companions didn¡¯t seem troubled at all as they followed with leisure.


    While it still took almost an hour to travel to his destination, he arrived before the meat spoiled thanks to field dressing it. Grahl moved to break down the hog into manageable portions after starting several fires. Then, he started to salt some of the meat to cure, while the rest was for Bahamut to eat fresh. It was convenient since he had prepared everything he needed beforehand. Not long after he finished, Olivia appeared and perched herself atop Grahl¡¯s shoulder, her fiery red sundress and long auburn hair, fluttering gently in the breeze. After Grahl asked the water spirits to help clean his hands, he lightly ruffled Olivia¡¯s hair like always.


    ¡°Does Bahamut seem better?¡±


    ¡°Mm...he''ll...wake...soon¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡±


    Grahlgar came to check on Bahamut everyday. While it had been only three days, Grahl had been worried tremendously. Spending time with the goblin siblings had certainly eased his mind a little, but it didn¡¯t change the fact that he was anxious to see his best friend again. At that time, he could finally thank him for indulging his selfishness.


    ¡°You...like...new...friends¡­?¡±


    ¡°Mm. Bronze and Silver showed me different kinds of plants and bugs from the place they live. They also took me to see some of the Wooly Deers that they raised. They even taught me that you could make this thing called ¡®cheese¡¯ with milk. Then Rust taught me how to make all kinds of stuff; like slings, spears, knives and even a spear-thrower. Anyway, Rust knows all kinds of stuff. He made a strange face when I tried to make those things though...was it because I took so long? Maybe he didn¡¯t want to tell me that I have no talent for it? Gee...Rust is so nice, considering my feelings. I¡¯ll keep practicing so that I can get better at it. Then maybe Rust would teach me to make other stuff?¡±


    Olivia¡¯s lips curved upwards ever so slightly. She had a feeling that Rust didn¡¯t make a strange face because Grahl learned slowly, but rather the opposite. She also thought it was good that he had found kindred spirits in the goblin twins. The thought of Grahl enjoying his time with the three goblin siblings made her smile. Olivia was glad that Grahl could make new friends and experience new things. She often cursed the fact that she could not communicate her thoughts as well as she would like. Her words were sluggish and her face hardly showed any emotion, but Grahlgar could always tell what she meant, or how she felt. Still, it was frustrating for her not to be able to express herself fully. Olivia could only communicate effectively through actions, so with the tenderness of a doting parent, she gave Grahl a kiss on the cheek.


    ¡°I¡¯m...happy...for...Grahl¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Olivia.¡±


    Olivia and Grahlgar enjoyed the rest of their time in sweet silence. Olivia watched as Grahl started to cook several large hunks of meat, occasionally glancing over to Bahamut¡¯s den. While Grahlgar was cooking, he asked the little wind spirits to ask Sylvia to come by the mountain when it was convenient for her. Since she didn¡¯t appear right away like she usually would, she must have been doing something important.


    ~~~~~~~~~~


    At the westernmost end of the forest, there was a massive tree. Even among the ancient trees that towered far above the ground, this tree stood out. Its crown pierced far above the clouds and its branches seemed to stretch out as far as the eye could see. Although its massive boughs blocked out the sun, somehow the trees below it were able to thrive. The presence of this tree alone was enough to make others kneel and worship it. It possessed a majestic air; as if it were the sovereign of the entire forest. Below its towering trunk, there was a young woman. Her creamy skin and flowing silver hair perfectly complemented her picturesque features. A pair of eyes the shade of sunrise stared at this tree with mixed emotions. There was anger, frustration, sorrow and even pity, swirling around in her heart and soul.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    She wasn¡¯t sure of what she should say, as her gaze wandered off to a large stump not far from the great tree. It paled in comparison to the imposing presence beside it. However, once one looked upon it, it brought about a sense of profound sorrow; like the grieving of a child who lost their mother. Sylvia¡¯s gaze became especially deep as she looked at the remnants of this once majestic tree, trying to fight back the tears in her eyes. How long had it been since she had been here? She was too stubborn, too angry to come to this place. Before, Sylvia thought that her anger was justified, but now she began to think that she was just being selfish. She gave a silent supplication to this battered stump as if it were the gravestone of her closest friend. After her moment of silence, she returned her attention to the great tree.


    ¡°....¡±


    Sylvia opened her mouth to speak, but was unable to find the right words to say. It irritated her because she knew that the person who she came to visit was already aware of her presence, yet still refused to come out on his own.


    ¡°...Stupid old bastard, show yourself!¡±


    ¡°Is that anyway to talk to someone who you came to ask a favor from?¡±


    The disembodied voice of an elderly man echoed throughout the wood. From the bark of the great tree, the figure of a man began to take shape. The figure stepped forward, separating itself from the tree as it took form of a refined looking man in his fifties. He had short dark brown hair with streaks of gray, dark mahogany skin and deep emerald eyes. The man was about 6¡¯5ft (2m) with an athletic build covered by a simple, faded green robe. Although his appearance seemed aged, he radiated with vitality and vigor.


    ¡°If you know already, then how do you feel about it?¡±


    ¡°I certainly don¡¯t mind. He is a good child, that little ogre. What about you though? I thought that you didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t, but I realize that my likes and dislikes shouldn¡¯t affect Grahl¡¯s upbringing.¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯ve changed¡­¡±


    ¡°Perhaps...I find that I don¡¯t hate you as much as I used to, that¡¯s certainly a change.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you decide to hate me forever, I certainly wouldn¡¯t blame you.¡±


    ¡°....Don¡¯t you regret it?¡±


    ¡°....Yes, but if I had to make the choice once again, my decision would still be the same...So would hers¡­.¡±


    He cast a forlorn gaze at the battered stump and in that instance, he looked like no more than a lonely old man. Sylvia could not find it in herself to speak harshly to him, not when he was grieving. Perhaps it was a feeling of pity that drove her, but she decided to suck up her pride and speak to him seriously.


    ¡°...Patriarch--¡±


    ¡°Please, call me Arboryth. I can¡¯t stand being called ¡®Patriarch.¡¯ Especially by you.¡±


    ¡°...Arboryth...I know we¡¯ve had our disagreements in the past, but I don¡¯t want to dwell on those things anymore. I know that it wasn¡¯t your fault that Melia died. I just blamed you because I felt that if anyone of us could have stopped her...it would have been you¡­¡±


    ¡°...I wanted to...but when I saw the look in her eyes...I couldn¡¯t...I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Sylvia wasn¡¯t sure if Arboryth was apologizing to her or to Melia.


    ¡°There is nothing to be sorry for. You already knew her heart better than any of us...It was wrong of me to doubt you...then and now¡­¡±


    ¡°Sylvia¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong...although I know that it wasn¡¯t your fault...I still can¡¯t give up thousands of years of anger just like that. It¡¯s not that easy. But...I¡¯m willing to try. Melia loved you with all her heart and soul, so I know that she would be pained if I held my grudge against you any longer.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Sylvia...those words mean a lot to me.¡±


    ¡°Haah¡­.now that that¡¯s off of my chest, I have to ask you formally...Will you accept Grahlgar as your disciple?¡±


    ¡°Disciple, not student?¡±


    ¡°Disciple.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I like little Grahl, but the decision is not mine alone to make. If you bring him here sometime, we will surely have our answer.¡±


    ¡°So you accept?¡±


    ¡°So long as Grahlgar accepts it, I will as well.¡±


    Sylvia was glad that Arboryth didn¡¯t immediately accept and instead waited for Grahl¡¯s opinion. While their relationship was just now recovering, Arboryth¡¯s current actions had definitely raised his favorability points.


    ¡°Then I will see you sometime soon. I should get back, Grahl was calling for me earlier.¡±


    ¡°Sylvia, I¡¯d like to say thank you once again. Your words meant more to me than you know. I also have to thank that child when you bring him.¡±


    ¡°What do you need to thank Grahl for?¡±


    ¡°For opening enough space in your heart to forgive me.¡±


    Sylvia thought for a moment, before she smiled and said,


    ¡°You¡¯re right...I suppose I should thank him as well.¡±


    The sylph disappeared with the flowing breeze, leaving Arboryth behind.


    ~~~~~~~~~~


    With the setting sun as a backdrop, Grahl and Olivia sat down among the rocks with the little spirits still dancing around them. They watched as the meat was cooked over the flame. Grahl had spent nearly the entire day cooking meat for Bahamut. He made several fires in order to cook more meat and save time. He initially felt guilty using all that wood, but the trees seemed to tell him that it was fine. Since the providers of the wood didn¡¯t seem to mind, Grahl didn¡¯t linger on it.


    ¡°Mmm, smells good.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Sylvia!¡±


    ¡°Welcome...back¡­¡±


    Sylvia appeared abruptly and was greeted by the lounging duo. The fragrance of roasting pork was enough to make one salivate.


    ¡°Hey, Grahl, Olivia. Do you think Bahamut will be up soon?¡±


    ¡°Mhm...not...long¡­¡±


    Just as they were asking about Bahamut, the sun finally set and dusk arrived. A few moments after, they heard the shuffling of stones.


    ¡°It seems that this time, the peon has provided me with nourishment. I suppose I should praise you.¡±


    ¡°Glad...to¡­see...you¡­¡±


    ¡°Welcome back, Bahamut!¡±


    ¡°Bahamut! You¡¯re okay!¡±


    The three greeted the Black Dragon, then Olivia floated off of Grahl¡¯s shoulder to let him reunite with Bahamut alone. The dragon in question was sauntering out of his den as if he hadn¡¯t been injured at all. In fact, his ebony scales seemed a bit more lustrous and his horns seemed to grow a smidgen larger. Like usual, he conducted himself haughtily. However, his behavior soon became stiff. All because of a certain ogre.


    ¡°Bahamut! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Grahl gave Bahamut a hug while crying and sniveling.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I was selfish...It¡¯s my fault that you got hurt¡­¡±


    ¡°Fool! Let go of me! I wasn¡¯t hurt on your behalf. It was a whim of mine to save a lesser life form, that¡¯s all. Besides, what¡¯s the point in apologizing for being selfish? Do what you want, take what you want; that is the Black Dragon¡¯s creed. You should follow it.¡±


    Grahl let go of Bahamut and wiped the tears from his eyes.


    ¡°Thanks Bahamut. You¡¯re the best.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, as long as you remember that, you¡¯re fine.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to ask you if it would be okay for Rust, Bronze and Silver to come and visit you. They wanted to give their thanks.¡±


    ¡°Who are they?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Rust is the hobgoblin from that day and Bronze and Silver are his little siblings.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to thank me for. Like I said, it was a whim.¡±


    ¡°So would it be alright if they came¡­?¡±


    ¡°Haah, fine. I suppose I can accept the praise of those who should rightfully worship me.¡±


    ¡°Great! Sylvia?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    She chimed in with a smile. It was always amusing to see Grahl and Bahamut together.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble, would you mind picking them up tomorrow evening?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind at all. But I also have something to ask as well.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Come with me tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Good, it¡¯s settled.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s all well and good, but I demand sustenance! Grahl, get me some meat! Please¡­¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Me...too¡­¡±


    ¡°Me three! Oh...I should probably let Aqua know. If she found out we had a family dinner without her¡­.I better leave now.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for Sylvia to leave and return with Aqua in tow.


    ¡°How wonderful! I¡¯m glad that you were able to recuperate properly, Bahamut. Are you feeling better now?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Y-y-yes ma¡¯am! Much better, thank you very much for asking!¡±


    ¡°Oh, what an obedient child Bahamut is. I¡¯m proud.¡±


    In the presence of the undine, the Black Dragon was no better than a lizard.


    As the dusk wore on into the night, this misfit family feasted merrily and enjoyed one another¡¯s company. While looking at the scene of everyone gathered together for a meal, Sylvia gave a contented smile.


    ¡°Hey Grahl¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sylvia?¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°For being you.¡±


    Grahl wore a puzzled face and to such an expression, Sylvia laughed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it but...you¡¯re welcome?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be counting on you in the future too.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, leave it to me!¡±


    Even though he didn¡¯t know what he was being counted on for, Grahl readily agreed.


    ¡°Grahl...meat...please¡­¡±


    ¡°Me too Grahl. Big sis Aqua is impressed by your improvement.¡±


    And just like that their family dinner continued on through the night. Grahl and the rest all ate their fill and slowly, they all began to head their separate ways. Aqua returned to the lake, Sylvia returned to the north and only Grahl, Olivia and Bahamut remained at the mountain. Grahl had fallen asleep near one of the fires that he had lit earlier and he appeared to be sleeping peacefully, even on his bed of rocks.


    ¡°Grahl...can¡­sleep...peacefully¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmph, he¡¯s nothing but a worrywort¡­¡±


    ¡°You...too¡­¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, I have no worries at all.¡±


    ¡°Mhm...whatever...you...say¡­¡±


    Bahamut didn¡¯t make any rebuttals, but instead, cast his gaze upon the sleeping ogre.


    ¡°Well, I suppose I have one.¡±

 Chapter 11 - Disciple

    After he bathed and ate breakfast, Grahl and Sylvia left early the next morning, arriving before the great tree in no time at all. Grahl was awed by its majestic presence and spent a few moments admiring it. It¡¯s towering height was certainly a breathtaking sight.


    Then, his eyes wandered off and fell upon the battered stump beside the tree. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but when he looked at it, he felt like crying. Without thinking, his feet seemed to lead him toward the battered stump. Grahl¡¯s hand slowly reached out and caressed its scarred and weathered trunk while he closed his eyes and spoke a few words.


    ¡°The forest misses you, I can feel it. Please, rest peacefully, knowing that you are still loved.¡±


    Grahl removed his hand from the tree and bowed his head as a show of respect. He could feel the sadness of the trees around him as well as the little nature spirits. Even Sylvia seemed to to have an air of sorrow. While he wanted to ask her why she was sad, Grahl felt that asking her would only make Sylvia remember painful things. Grahlgar might have lacked common sense, but he was very perceptive of others.


    Sylvia floated over to Grahl and gave him a hug. She felt that if Melia could hear Grahl¡¯s words, she would have wanted to hug him just like this. After a moment of silence passed she released him from her embrace. Grahl was about to ask Sylvia if they had come here to pay respects to this fallen tree, or perhaps it was something else altogether? While he was sure that it was something important, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder. There weren¡¯t very many times that Sylvia decided to take Grahl somewhere out of his ¡®safe zone,¡¯ after all. But before he could ask, the spirit of the great tree materialized from its trunk, wearing a complex expression.


    ¡®Little Grahl is just like you...If she were still here, Melia would have loved him just as she loved you. While I could do nothing to help you then, I will at least continue to look after your descendants now...¡¯


    The silhouette of someone from his distant past, began to overlap with the figure of Grahlgar. Arboryth¡¯s eyes became moist, as he seemed to see all the bittersweet memories from days long past. Grahl returned the man¡¯s complex expression with a curious gaze. He wondered who this spirit was and also, why his emotions seemed to be in such disarray. The little ogre walked towards Arboryth, bowed his head, then introduced himself.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Grahlgar. It¡¯s nice to meet you...though I feel like we might have met before..?¡±


    Contrary to the reverence that most would show in the presence of this spirit, Grahl seemed to act rather casually. Most might feel an imposing aura from the avatar of the great tree, but Grahlgar felt that he was awfully familiar.


    ¡°Ah, we have met, many times in fact. Every tree you see, every plant or blade of grass, they are all connected to me. Though they each have their own consciousness, their collective knowledge and emotions are transmitted to me.¡±


    Of course, his power was not omnipotent. While he could access the collective knowledge and emotions of the forest, using the skill actively for long periods of time would drive even him insane. Still, there was no way he would go at length to explain this to Grahl, at least, not yet. And so, he continued on,


    ¡°Therefore, while we haven¡¯t met directly, I can¡¯t help but feel as though I¡¯ve known you since you were an infant.¡±


    ¡°I kind of understand, but at the same time, I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯ve known about you for a long time, but we¡¯re only meeting now.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Grahl easily accepted such a suspicious answer and Sylvia could only shake her head. Was it good, or bad that Grahl could accept things so easily? She didn¡¯t really know.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave Grahl with you for now...but if anything happens to him¡­¡±


    ¡°Rest assured, I will protect him with my life.¡±


    Grahlgar was confused at why Sylvia took him to see this spirit, then decided to leave so quickly. But, since Sylvia was leaving him with this person, it was certain that they were trustworthy. Grahlgar knew that Sylvia would never entrust him to someone who had the intention of harming him.


    ¡°Okay, Sylvia, be safe. I promise to be on my best behavior.¡±


    ¡°Haha, Grahl is always well behaved, so I¡¯m not worried about that. Unfortunately, I won¡¯t be able to pick you up for a while. I need to make an important visit. Remember, just head directly to the east from here to get to Aqua¡¯s, just in case something comes up, alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will, if anything happens.¡±


    ¡°Good. Have fun, Grahl. I¡¯ll see you soon.¡±


    Sylvia left quickly after saying goodbye, leaving Grahlgar alone with the spirit of the great tree. Since Grahl didn¡¯t know this spirit''s name, he was sort of at a loss as far as how to address him. He couldn¡¯t think of the right words to use, so he ended up just kind of quietly waiting for the other to say something. Thankfully, they didn¡¯t disappoint.


    ¡°Well, I realize that it¡¯s a bit difficult for you to interact with me without knowing my name. Since I¡¯m well aware of your personality, I feel that you are a good child who can be trusted. I hope that you continue to live up to that evaluation. Anyway, my name is Arboryth. If you wanted to, I don¡¯t mind if you called me old man, or even old bastard. I¡¯ve certainly been called a lot worse over the years.¡±


    ¡°Ehh?! That¡¯s terrible, I couldn¡¯t call you that! Hmmm...would it be alright if I called you Grandpa Arbor? But, only if it doesn¡¯t bother you. I would understand if you don¡¯t like it though. I¡¯ve never met my parents or grandparents before, but still I think that it would be nice to have a grandpa, even if we aren¡¯t related by blood.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Although Grahlgar¡¯s tone was casual, his eyes betrayed his deep sadness. While it was apparent that Grahl loved Aqua, Bahamut, Sylvia and Olivia like his own flesh and blood, it didn¡¯t change the fact that a child would always long for a relationship with their birth parents and grandparents. His current family provided a loving home, but it didn¡¯t change the fact that in his heart of hearts, he wished that his family was complete.


    Arboryth, hearing little Grahl¡¯s words, felt a heartwarming feeling that he hadn¡¯t felt in quite a long time.


    ¡®He really is...just like you¡­¡¯


    Arboryth thought to himself before he replied,


    ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t mind at all. Someone like me is definitely old enough to be called grandpa, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    ¡°Heheh, thanks, Grandpa Arbor.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing worth thanking me for.¡±


    Arboryth smiled and then waved his hand, producing chairs made of wood. There was a larger chair for Grahl and a slightly smaller chair for Arboryth. The great tree spirit gestured for Grahlgar to sit before taking a seat himself. With the both of them seated, a giant flower bud sprouted from the ground, then bloomed into a table. On this table, there was a large pitcher filled with fruit juice, two cups, one a bit larger, the other smaller. There was also a large pile of various fruits and nuts, each one nourished with the richest and purest mana. Arboryth filled a cup of juice for Grahl and the other for himself. After making sure that everything was in place, Arboryth¡¯s leisurely demeanor quickly turned into a solemn one. He looked at Grahl seriously, then spoke,


    ¡°Grahlgar, the reason why Sylvia brought you here today, is so that I could take you as a disciple. However, I want you to realize the things that becoming a disciple entails before you decide to refuse or accept. After becoming my disciple, most of your education from that point on will come from me. For instance, the basic knowledge of the world; its inhabitants, its history, its languages, you will learn all of it. I will also teach you about human society and what it¡¯s like beyond the forest, for humans and for those like us. Of course you can still learn things from Aqua, Sylvia or Olivia, it¡¯s fine to train with them as well. Then, I¡¯ll teach you a bit more about the forest, along with spirits and the role that we play in this place. Finally, I will teach you life skills. While your caretakers have done...adequately thus far, we can¡¯t have you eating nothing but roasted meat and wearing nothing but loincloths for your entire life. That needs to change.¡±


    ¡°Are there any conditions you want me to agree to?¡±


    ¡°My, my, how shrewd you are for a child of your age. Yes, there are two conditions. First, you need to learn earnestly. If you take these lessons half-heartedly there¡¯s no point in showing up. Second, work hard. Even if you don¡¯t understand things, put in an effort to try and understand. I will never fault you for doing your utmost. So long as you do those two things, I would gladly accept you as my disciple.¡±


    While some of the words that Grandpa Arbor used went over his head, he understood the heart of it. Still he was curious.


    ¡°Um, what¡¯s the difference between being your student and being your disciple?¡±


    ¡°If you were my student, I would only casually teach you some things. If you were my disciple, I would teach you with all my heart and soul; I would pass on as much knowledge as I can to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve made my decision then.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I want to be your disciple! Uh...would it still be okay if I called you Grandpa Arbor though?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s quite nice to be called that.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so Grandpa Arbor, I have a question to ask.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Are there any other spirits like you, Aqua, Sylvia and Olivia? If there are, where are they?¡±


    ¡°There is only one more spirit like us and he¡¯s a bit of a recluse. Ah, that means that he is someone who likes to be left alone.¡±


    Arboryth tacked on that last part because of the confused look in Grahl¡¯s eyes. From now on, Arboryth would make an effort to expand Grahl¡¯s vocabulary, but not just in one language. Thinking on it now, there was so much for him to teach and so much for Grahl to learn. Arboryth wondered just how much Grahl would be able to absorb in their time together. While five or ten years wasn¡¯t a short amount of time for mortals, it certainly wasn¡¯t very long either. The years will pass quickly for those living fully.


    ¡°That spirit is a great spirit of fire, so he lives at the southernmost part of the forest, deep underground within a large lake of magma. A perfect place to hide, for someone who doesn¡¯t like to be bothered.¡±


    ¡°Will I be able to meet him someday?¡±


    ¡°Surely. Although he doesn¡¯t like uninvited guests, I¡¯m sure that he wouldn¡¯t mind having you come over for a visit.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°The little fire spirits that follow you around. Just as the wind spirits can communicate with Sylvia, the fire spirits can communicate with that one as well. With the amount of time those children have spent with you, that one is probably well aware of your character. Worry not, in time, I¡¯m sure he will seek you out himself.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for that time to come.¡±


    Grahl was already interested in learning more about the spirits. Since Aqua, Sylvia and Olivia, all seemed to be troubled speaking about their pasts, Grahl had never learned much about them besides their affection for him. Learning more from Arboryth might help him to understand a way to help the three of his loved ones cope with their troubled history.


    ¡°Alright, little Grahl, it¡¯s about time for you to head back.¡±


    ¡°Eh, already? Really?¡±


    Grahl said after stuffing his face with various fruits and sloshing it all down with a gulp of juice.


    ¡°Yes. The only thing you were brought here for today was to either refuse or accept becoming my disciple. Since you¡¯ve accepted, now you should go back and let the others know. You can come back tomorrow morning after you eat your breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Haah, but I really wanted to listen to more of what you had to say...please Grandpa Arbor?¡±


    One would be hardpressed to say if he wanted to stay for the lesson, or the food.


    Arboryth was about to acquiesce but suddenly, his cheerful mood vanished. He had split parts of his consciousness to monitor certain areas of the forest. Mainly the areas most frequented by Grahl. In the southern part of the forest, Arboryth could tell from the grass and trees in the south that something bad was happening.


    ¡°Grahl, the goblin twins are being chased by a band of rogue orcs. One of them appears to be injured--¡±


    ¡°Where are they?!¡±


    ¡°An area northeast of their burrows, I¡¯ll have the spirits guide you there, now go!¡±


    Before Arboryth could say anymore, Grahl had already shot off into the distance like an arrow from the gods. Watching him depart, Arboryth regretted not being able to follow Grahlgar to assist him. The most he could do was guide him to the twins¡¯ location. He wished that he had power to spare, but with the seal weakening, he could not leave this place freely. Even Aqua couldn¡¯t afford to move very far from the lake anymore. Only Sylvia, who embodied the wind, was free to come and go. Yet of all times, she was unable to help Grahl during one of the times that he needed it most. Arboryth sighed. The only other thing he could do besides guide Grahl, was pray.


    ¡°Haah, Sylvia...I¡¯m sorry. The first day you leave him with me, something like this happens and I¡¯m powerless to help. It seems to be the story of my life...I simply hope that he makes it in time and that nothing happens to him.¡±

 Chapter 12 - Rage

    ¡°Damn! Those little bastards are quick.¡±


    ¡°If you got time to talk, hurry the fuck up and move!¡±


    Five tall, muscular orcs, could be seen hounding after a trio of fleeing goblins. The orcs all stood at about 7¡¯2¡± (2.184m), had rippling muscles and a pair of razor sharp tusks, jutting from their mouths. Their skin varied in shade from green to gray, but their physique was uniform. The orcs were bare chested, wearing only breechcloths and leggings. Surprisingly, in comparison to their primitive attire, they had weapons made of steel. However, what would likely capture the eye of a passer-by would not be their weapons, but the orc at the forefront of the group, hyperventilating and shouting unintelligible curses. Those behind him could only follow his crazed lead.


    This group of five were part of a band of rogue orcs. Of course, it wasn¡¯t the entire band going after the three goblins, just this detachment of five. At first, they thought that they could easily deal with these little goblins, but the bastards were crafty and swift. Failing at such a seemingly simple task, brought endless shame to these orcs. They, like the others of their band, were exiled warriors. Exiled warriors were allowed to form roving bands to gain merit and thus, earn their way back into their clans.


    If the others knew that they failed to stop three goblins from reporting the location of their band, then they might as well chop their own heads off now. None of their fellows would want to have anything to do with an orc who couldn¡¯t even defeat goblins. Who would possibly believe the merits claimed by a band of orcs with members who lost to goblins? For this reason, they had no choice but to pursue.


    Leading this pack, was the crazed orc; he was called Lorkh. Lorkh had been resting after a long night watch. His companion, who was supposed to be keeping vigil in his place, had also fallen fast asleep. Fortunately, or perhaps, unfortunately, the orcs slept silently and were hidden from plain sight. Lorkh, who was in the bushes sleeping, suddenly felt drips of warm liquid drop on his face. But soon, those warm drips turned into a powerful, hot stream. Lorkh was startled awake and his mouth opened because of his shock.


    That warm liquid went into Lorkh¡¯s mouth and inevitably, he swallowed some of it. The taste made him feel like vomiting, or rather, the taste did make him vomit. Lorkh raised himself from his laying position and bent over to puke. After puking, Lorkh looked up to see a stunned goblin, covered in sick, with his penis held in his hands. Lorkh¡­had just been pissed on and drank¡­.goblin piss. From that moment forth, he had no proper mental facilities to gauge the situation and lost himself in a frenzy. Lorkh¡¯s sudden roar woke up his companion and this was the first thing that he saw when he awoke; Lorkh was chasing after a goblin with his pants wrapped around his legs and penis dangling freely in the wind, as he ran away from Lorkh. Needless to say, such a sight was surreal.


    It took a few moments before he realized that he wasn¡¯t in some sort of nightmare or strange fantasy, but when he came to, he quickly gathered a few more orcs to help Lorkh. This wasn¡¯t to help him kill the goblin, but rather to help calm him down. After all, there was never any doubt that Lorkh would slaughter the goblin quickly and be done with it. What they were worried about was Lorkh¡¯s temper, now that it had been set off.


    But contrary to their expectations of a quick disposal, the little goblin managed to weave through tightly clustered bramble and reunite with two other goblins. By the time that the group of five managed to catch up with the trio, the fleeing goblin had at least managed to put his pants back on properly. The two goblins beside him, seemed unnaturally calm, inquisitive even. There were a few little orbs of light around them, green and silver colored to be specific. Although the presence of spirits around these goblins made the orcs wary, Lorkh¡¯s fury could not be abated so easily.


    ¡°Fuckers! I¡¯ll tear you limb from limb! Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck! I fucking HATE you!¡±


    ¡°Ehh, don¡¯t you think that he kinda sounds like a chicken?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right Silver, he kinda does.¡±


    ¡°Fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuckak!¡±


    ¡°Fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-fuckak!¡±


    ¡°Heheh, it¡¯s fun.¡±


    By now, Lorkh¡¯s anger had reached a whole new peak and he was finding it hard not to simply pass out because of the sheer fury he was experiencing. Even when he had been exiled, he had never been humiliated like this! Rather than wasting anymore words with these bastards, Lorkh brandished his axe and moved to cleave all three of them in twain. Bronze and Silver seemed to have been expecting it and quickly pulled their compatriot away. Narrowly, they managed to avoid the axe and in the process, infuriate Lorkh even further. Bronze and Silver ran with the third goblin in tow, completely ignoring the orcs behind them. Lorkh was already enraged, but now, even the four orcs following him had dark expressions. Hadn¡¯t they all just been treated like air by lowly goblins? Unforgivable!


    The group gave chase and made an earnest effort to kill. At first it had been a matter of killing the goblins to preserve the secret of their location. Now it was just for the sake of pride.


    ¡°If Rust were here, he could make them regret ever chasing us!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but he had that meeting, so it¡¯s just us¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget me!¡±


    The third goblin chimed in. Considering the fact that this was his fault in the first place, he seemed to be acting relatively unconcerned.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. If you weren¡¯t big bro Log¡¯s son we would have left you behind.¡±


    ¡°Mhm. Silver is right.¡±


    Rust was away at a meeting that only hobgoblins could attend. Since it was mandatory, he could only watch as Bronze and Silver went on the morning hunt and gathering. The person to join them was Stick, Log¡¯s oldest son. He was the same age as the twins, but he felt that he was superior to them. The three went to the northeast, a bit further than they normally would have went. Stick wanted to show off his knowledge of the area and brought the twins to a place that was no longer within goblin territory. At first, everything was fine as they enjoyed the sights while gathering berries and herbs. But then Stick said he had to use the bathroom. Bronze and Silver waited patiently for him to get back, but when he did return, he returned with a group of irate orcs hot on his trail.


    ¡°Uuu, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Rust said if you have time to be sorry, you haven¡¯t been working hard enough to fix your mistake.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Rust gives good advice.¡±


    The three were still talking as they ran, only adding further fuel to the raging fire of orc fury.


    ¡°Kill!¡±


    The orcs began to just barrel through the obstacles in their way, rather than avoiding them. It might have exhausted a bit more stamina, but this was nothing to the orcs whose vision had long gone red.


    ¡°You little shits will die painfully, I promise you.¡±


    ¡°Uh-oh, I think we made em mad, Bronze.¡±


    ¡°Whatever, it¡¯s not like we can stop and ask them to be friends.¡±


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t want to be friends with them anyway. They smell funny.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Silver. They do smell funny.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you guys just run silently?!¡±


    Stick, the only one of the three that seemed to actually be worried, cried out in exasperation. From this point on, a whole new level of respect was born in his heart for the twins¡¯ brother, Rust. If he had to deal with these two constantly, his patience could only be described as that of a saints. Truly. If Stick ever evolved to become a hobgoblin, he made a note in his mind to recommend Rust for the role of shaman. Someone with such strong spirit and mental fortitude was surely fit to become shaman.


    ¡°Haah, I guess so.¡±


    The twins replied in unison. By now, the entire group of orcs had already become enraged beyond the point of reason. This had actually been the goal of the twins. The both of them felt that the orcs would be able to easily kill and capture them if they were able to think clearly. While one of the warriors had lost his temper, the others were still calm enough to make clear judgments. By taunting them as they fled, the other orcs became just as angered as Lorkh. Now, the goblin trio could easier manipulate the path that the orcs took. They wouldn¡¯t act the way that they would normally.


    Silver used the signal flute to play a tune to alert other goblins of enemies.


    If the orcs had been in a clear state of mind, they would have quickly turned back to warn the others that their location had been compromised and it would be best for them to move. But now, with their pride so severely wounded, turning back was not an option for them.They had to kill these goblins before they returned. Lorkh, having closed enough distance, swung his axe with vicious power. Blades of compressed air sliced through plants and trees, moving to mince the goblins into meat. Bronze and Silver simultaneously cast a low level earth spell, Pitfall. With their perfectly timed, silent coordination, two pitfall spells were activated. One smaller pitfall to lower their position and allow the wind blades to pass over their heads, then another larger pitfall to trap the orcs. Without stopping to admire the fruits of their labor, the twins used another earth magic, Level, to even the terrain they deformed, so that they could quickly escape.


    Stick was flabbergasted at the twins¡¯ sudden performance. Were these really the two useless goblins that everyone complained about? Their coordination was frightening! They didn¡¯t need to say anything and yet they could act in accordance to the other¡¯s thoughts. It was like they already knew what the other was thinking! Bronze and Silver were already sprinting ahead, but Stick remained dazed. Thankfully though, he didn¡¯t forget the gravity of the situation and turned tail to follow the twins. Behind them, he could hear the roars of the orcs.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Fucking shit! I swear I¡¯ll torture those damned goblins till they go as insane as they¡¯ve made me!¡±


    Lorkh¡¯s left leg had been broken and a sharp piece of bone was piercing through his flesh, exposed to the open air. Lorkh had been sprinting and attacking with full force and the sudden pitfall was enough to not only kill his momentum, but also break his leg. The other orcs had been slightly injured as well, but their mobility was not nearly affected as Lorkh¡¯s had been. Lorkh stood up with the help of his axe and forcibly set his broken leg, shoving the bone back under his skin. Lorkh used his mana to mend his flesh and bone, then leaped out of the pitfall. The other orcs followed after him.


    ¡°You! Give me that axe.¡±


    Normally, an orc would never hand his weapon over to another orc so easily, but seeing the crazed look in Lorkh¡¯s eyes, coupled with his own anger at the goblins, the orc agreed. Lorkh now had an axe in each hand and he rapidly channeled his mana into them. Lorkh then hurled the two axes with all his might, slicing down anything in its path. Without saying anything more, he chased in the aftermath of his attack, refusing to stop chasing until he confirmed that those goblins were killed.


    Bronze, Silver and Stick, who had fled without looking back, suddenly felt imminent danger approaching. Bronze acted first, ramming Silver and Stick away from him with all of his strength. Although Bronze and Silver could cast magic, they needed a bit of time to prepare. They weren¡¯t at the level where they could instantly cast like Rust. Therefore, when Bronze felt a sense of imminent danger, he reacted the only way that he could think. Silver and Stick went tumbling since they were in the middle of sprinting, rolling a good distance away before they crashed into a tree. Stick hit the tree first and Silver¡¯s impact was softened as a result. Stick didn¡¯t even feel like complaining because he truly felt that his life had been in danger. Looking in Bronze¡¯s direction, they were horrified by what they saw.


    Bronze¡¯s left arm was cleaved from his body and his back was covered in wounds from compressed air blades. The back of his legs had also been badly mangled from those air blades as well. While Bronze had managed to avoid the brunt of the attack, his arm had been sliced off and the residual force of the attack still caught up with him. Luckily, he had managed to push Silver and Stick out of the way. Unluckily, the wind had been knocked out of him and he was unable to move.


    ¡°Bronze!¡±


    Silver bolted over to Bronze with Stick following close behind.


    ¡°Help me carry him!¡±


    ¡°Silver, just leave me! You guys will never get away if you have to carry me!¡±


    ¡°No! Shut up! I¡¯m not going anywhere without Bronze!¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon Bronze, me and Silver will carry you, we just have to hurry!¡±


    Stick didn¡¯t want to leave Bronze behind either. This was the first time that they interacted and yet his actions had brought them into a life or death situation. They could have abandoned him for the orcs to kill first, but they didn¡¯t. It might have been because of his father, but that didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was that they risked their lives to save his! Could he even call himself a goblin if he dared to turn his back on Bronze?


    ¡°Idiots¡­¡±


    ¡°Bronze is the bigger idiot for thinking I would ever leave you behind.¡±


    Silver said as she moved to pick up Bronze. She supported the left, while Stick supported the right. Silver was careful not to exacerbate Bronze¡¯s injuries. It didn¡¯t take long for her to be covered in the blood gushing from Bronze¡¯s open wound, but it didn¡¯t faze her at all. While it did make it a bit more difficult for her to support Bronze, she was calm and most certainly, she was clear that she would never abandon her twin.


    Silver and Stick moved as fast as they could, with the little spirits trailing behind them. The little spirits could only do minor things like slightly shift the trajectory of the wind blades, or create patches of bramble to stall the orcs. However, while those actions were small, it had greatly aided the fleeing goblins. These little ones took a liking to Bronze and Silver while they played with Grahl. Now that the twins were in a dangerous situation, they truly did their best to help. Silver grimaced as she looked at the little spirits.


    Lorkh and his cronies were close behind them. Lorkh had retrieved the axes and seemed to be taking his time in catching them. It was as if he was savoring their despair. Silver was able to tell that it would be pointless in trying to continue their escape. The reinforcements that she had called for earlier probably wouldn¡¯t arrive for a while. Their group had separated and went some ways away from their typical hunting grounds. It was certain that that they could escape if they left Bronze behind, but Silver definitely wouldn¡¯t do that. Still, she didn¡¯t want others to suffer because of her decision.


    ¡°You guys should leave...you too, Stick.¡±


    The spirits seemed to glow brighter in defiance. They didn¡¯t want to leave their friends behind. Stick also seemed to be offended and he shot a glare at Silver.


    ¡°No way! It was my fault to begin with! If I left you guys, my father would be ashamed to call me his son. I would rather die with you guys so that he can have a son to be proud of! A goblin never leaves his comrades behind!¡±


    Although he said that, his entire body was shaking in fear. He didn¡¯t want to die, he most certainly didn¡¯t want to die painfully, but he felt that if he left now, he would never be able to face his father with his head held high. So, he summoned all his courage and stayed.


    ¡°Thanks, Stick.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Stick. Even though it¡¯s really stupid.¡±


    Bronze didn¡¯t pull any punches with his honest assessment, but contrary to his words, he found himself getting teary-eyed.


    ¡°Silver¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Bronze?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Silver seemed confused for a moment, but then her eyes went wide in shock. She could feel a vine wrap around her waist and then it forcibly dragged her away from Bronze. The same thing was happening to Stick as well. Bronze had gathered all of his mana and used it to cast the low level nature magic, Ensnare. Although it was a low level spell, since it was cast with the entirety of his mana, the vines were strong and the speed that it dragged the two goblins away with was quite fast. Bronze could hear Silver¡¯s shouts,


    ¡°BRONZE YOU IDIOT! I¡¯LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU, NEVER! LET ME GO! I WON¡¯T LEAVE HIM, I WON¡¯T!¡±


    She tried to cut herself free from the vines, but they were unreasonably tough. Her voice was becoming more hoarse as she tried call out for Bronze. Silver couldn¡¯t stop her tears from flowing and she kept screaming for the vines to let her go. But no matter how much she pleaded, they kept taking her further and further away from Bronze.


    Stick was struggling to free himself as well, but to no avail. He could only look on helplessly as he was dragged away.


    Bronze watched their figures disappear into the distance and he wore a satisfied smile.


    ¡°Sorry, Silver. I couldn¡¯t let you guys die with me. Besides, Rust would be really sad if both of us died. That¡¯s why, Silver, at least you have to live¡­¡±


    Just as he uttered those words, he heard the sound of heavy footfalls behind him.


    ¡°So those little shits left you behind huh? Smart. Don¡¯t you worry though, my companions will find them and show you the same courtesy I¡¯m about to show you.


    ¡°Do all orcs have such smelly breath? Are they all stink like you? If so, I¡¯m sure any courtesy you show won¡¯t be able to make up for your stench.¡±


    Lorkh stomped down on Bronze¡¯s kneecap, instantly shattering it to pieces. Bronze bit his lip and managed to suppress his cry of pain.


    ¡°Fucking little bastard, let¡¯s see how long you can be so smug. You guys go and find his sister. I don¡¯t care about the other one anymore. Find her and bring her here. I¡¯m gonna rape the bitch in front of him, then torture the both of them to death. If I don¡¯t do this much, I¡¯ll never be able to wash away this shame.¡±


    Lorkh had already gone insane with rage. To begin with, he had a sadistic and vindictive personality. It was one of the reasons that he was exiled from his clan. He was excessively cruel and vicious, even by orc standards. By nature, orcs are a warfaring race. However, they still believed in honor and respecting the enemy. Apparently, these exiles cared little for such things in the face of the humiliation that they suffered.


    ¡°Lorkh, don¡¯t you think that you¡¯re going too--¡±


    Instantly beheaded! Before he could finish what he wanted to say, the dissenter was beheaded!


    ¡°Find! Her! Now!¡±


    The remaining orcs didn¡¯t dare to quibble and hurriedly left to find Silver. Bronze tried to crawl after them, desperate to try and help Silver. But of course, how could Lorkh let Bronze leave? Lorkh crouched down beside Bronze and squeezed the wound on his shoulder where his arm had been severed. Bronze didn¡¯t cry out, but instead, glared at Lorkh with defiance. Lorkh hated that look. He quickly used his finger and gouged out one of Bronze¡¯s eyes. Amazingly, Bronze still didn¡¯t let out a single sound..


    ¡°I¡¯m only letting you have that one eye so you can see me rape and torture your twin. I wonder how long you can keep that defiant look then.¡±


    ¡°If you touch even a hair on Silver¡¯s body, you will regret it.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ve never regret anything in my life, you little shit. Now then, let me give you a little taste of what I plan to do to that sister of yours.¡±


    Lorkh spent his time slowly torturing Bronze, trying to make the little bastard break. He cut off his other arm, cut off an ear, ripped off Bronze¡¯s toenails and then cut off his toes then did the same to his fingers. He yanked out his teeth, dislocated his jaw, flayed parts of his skin and broke nearly all the bones in the lower part of his body. Yet still the little bastard refused to beg for mercy, refused to break. Lorkh was livid! If he couldn¡¯t even make a goblin submit, then he was less than worthless!


    Just then, he could hear the sound of footsteps, along with the voice of that girl. At that moment, he wore a malicious smile that would freeze even a devil¡¯s blood.


    ¡°Heheheh. Looks like the win is mine, you little shit. Use that good eye of yours and take a long, hard look at what your defiance gets you.¡±


    ¡°BRONZE!¡±


    Silver let out a pained wail when she saw the state that her brother was in. It felt as if her soul was being rent from her body. But for every ounce of sorrow she felt, there was twice that of rage. How dare they do that to Bronze! How dare they hurt her twin! She tried to struggle free from the grasp of her orc captors, but she was too weak compared to them.


    ¡°No! No! Puhleeze...dun, dun, hursh Shilfer!¡±


    His words were barely intelligible after his teeth were yanked from his mouth. After all the torture he endured he didn¡¯t beg for mercy or cry out in pain even once. Yet now that his sister might endure the same suffering, if not worse, he begged and pleaded. This brought a beaming smile to Lorkh¡¯s face.


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s exactly what I wanted to see. But unfortunately, it¡¯s a little too late. Remember kid, take a long, hard look.¡±


    The orcs tossed Silver on the ground beside Bronze. Lorkh grabbed her by the head and lifted her off of the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never fucked a goblin before. I wonder how it feels?¡±


    Lorkh said as his hand reached out to pull off her clothes. His hands were trembling in excitement. How would that little bastard¡¯s face look while he watched his sister being tortured? Just the thought alone was enough to make him incomparably excited.


    ¡°Nooooo! NOOOO!¡±


    Bronze¡¯s protests fell on deaf ears as Lorkh was about to shame his sister.


    However, just as Lorkh ripped off her clothes, he felt the ground quaking beneath them. The sensation was getting stronger and Lorkh couldn¡¯t ignore it. He casually tossed Silver to the side, while he scanned his surroundings cautiously. The quaking grew stronger and the sound of the earth buckling beneath tremendous force, echoed throughout the forest. Lorkh gestured for the others to prepare for an attack.


    ¡°What the fuck is it now? Keep your guard up, bastards!¡±


    He shouted at his fellow orcs, who responded disgruntledly. Lorkh swore to himself to kill whatever it was interrupting his revenge. As his eyes scanned his surroundings, in the distance, he saw the cause of this disturbance. At that same time, the cause of the disturbance, saw him.


    ¡°Grahl¡­!¡±


    ¡°Run away Grahl! Leave me and Bronze and go! Just tell Rust¡­.we¡¯re sorry!¡±


    Grahlgar¡¯s face at that moment was very frightening. His eyes seemed as if it would pierce through anything his gaze landed upon. Those eyes first fell upon Bronze and Silver, then, to the orcs. They couldn¡¯t explain why, but the orcs all felt a cold sweat begin to soak their backs. This was an instinctive fear; the fear of death. At that moment, the gentleness that defined little Grahl was gone...in its place, there was only...anger.


    In a voice that could chill winter itself, he uttered,


    ¡°Kill¡­!¡±


    And thus, Grahlgar¡¯s rampage began.

 Chapter 13 - Loss

    ¡°Fuck off if you don¡¯t wanna die. You might be an ogre, but we can still kill you all the same. Now get out of here before--¡±


    Before Lorkh could finish his rant, Grahl had already charged at him. Lorkh thought that he would have time to easily counter and chop this stupid ogre¡¯s legs off. However, the reality was vastly different from his expectations.


    Grahl arrived in front of Lorkh within the blink of an eye, using a combination of mana strengthening as well as reinforcement, Grahl¡¯s speed had reached a frightening level. Grahlgar¡¯s hand reached out in an attempt to grab and strangle Lorkh. He could hardly react in time, but react he did. Although Lorkh was a scumbag, he was still an elite warrior. He had fallen for the trap of those twins, thus provoking his fury even further. But in a true fight, with life on the line, Lorkh had confidence in his skills. Lorkh channeled mana through the meridians in his leg, using it to propel himself backward. Now that he had been forced away from the twins, the little spirits who followed Grahl surrounded Bronze and Silver, combining their magic to create a barrier of mana around them. They could sense that even though Grahl had gone berserk, he hadn¡¯t forgotten the reason he had gone berserk! These little spirits would help Grahl so that he could fight! Fight without worry of hurting those he desired to protect.


    Lorkh glanced at his fellow warriors and without further instruction, moved to surround Grahl. Grahlgar was enraged, but he was somehow able to cast a glance at Bronze and Silver and mutter the words,


    ¡°I! Will! Protect!¡±


    Bronze and Silver, who had temporarily been saved, did not wear any expressions of happiness. Silver bit her lip as she looked at Grahl, but she soon broke her gaze away and moved over to Bronze to stabilize his condition with nature magic. While she still held some lingering fear at almost being raped, she was far more concerned about Bronze¡¯s condition. After draping her tattered clothes over her shoulders, Silver began to heal Bronze with the only healing magic she knew, Regrowth.


    ¡°Bronze...you big dummy...look at what¡¯s happened to you.¡±


    ¡°Shilfer...Aym...shorry.¡±


    ¡°Shh. Just rest for now.¡±


    ¡°Buh...Grahl..ish¡­¡±


    ¡°Worry about yourself, idiot!¡±


    Her tears cascaded like raging waterfalls. No matter where she looked at Bronze, she would cringe. Lorkh had taken his time and made sure to torture Bronze slowly and painfully, without doing so fatally. It was truly a skill that he had honed with practice. Silver¡¯s hands were trembling with a mixture of sorrow and rage. As she looked out of the transparent barrier that the little spirits had erected, she whispered,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Grahl...but I hope that you kill them all...¡±


    After the little spirits had surrounded the twins in a barrier, the orcs launched an assault against Grahlgar. The three of them, one wielding an axe, the other two bastard swords, all chopped down at Grahl simultaneously. Instinctively, Grahl used his skill to reinforce the air resistance on their weapons, then weaved out of their way. That slight delay was enough to allow Grahl enough time to grasp an opening and exploit it. At the same moment that he skillfully avoided their onslaught, he reached out and grabbed one of the orcs by the head. With a vicious grasp, Grahlgar¡¯s enormous strength crushed the orc¡¯s skull like a watermelon. While still holding firm onto the mangled head of the orc, he swung the dead orc as if it were a warhammer! He was using the dead orc as a weapon!


    The other two orcs were horrified and so was Lorkh. However, Lorkh knew that if he fell back now, he would only be slaughtered with the others. He had to join forces with the last two orcs to kill this damned ogre, or he would be the one to die! Lorkh ignored every fiber of his being that was screaming for him to flee and charged at Grahl with astonishing speed. The two remaining orcs, one with a bastard sword, the other an axe, could only steel themselves as well. If they turned their backs, it meant instant death!


    They all lacked the talent for spellcraft, but their skills with mana strengthening and martial arts was enough to make up for that deficiency. Lorkh aimed to chop off Grahl¡¯s left arm, while one orc went for his right arm and the last went for Grahl¡¯s torso. The three orcs worked with great coordination, trapping Grahl and leaving him with no place to flee.


    Grahlgar was in a berserk state at the moment, so while he couldn¡¯t think clearly, his instincts were at its sharpest. Once again, Grahl reinforced the air resistance around him, then the gravity. While these changes were slight and only for a fraction of a second, it was enough to alter the trajectory as well as taper some of the force in their attacks. Before their blows could land, Grahl didn¡¯t bother reinforcing his flesh and only focused on reinforcing his bones. Their weapons easily sliced through Grahl¡¯s flesh, but they were stopped and even chipped, when they came into contact with Grahl¡¯s bones.


    Grahlgar then flexed his muscles, strengthening them with mana and using them to clamp down on the weapons that were embedded into his skin. When the orcs tried to pull their weapons from Grahl¡¯s sturdy flesh, they were startled to find that Grahl¡¯s muscles were actually gripping their weapons with tremendous force! Grahl had traded flesh to break bone! Grahlgar then brandished the dead orc like a club and knocked the three orcs away, leaving their weapons still buried in his arms and chest. Then, Grahl gave a low shout and the weapons shot out from his body as if they were thrown. Grahl had just briefly externalized his mana through his pores to force out the weapons and use them against his opponents like projectiles.


    Lorkh and the other two, who had been knocked away by their comrade being used as a bludgeon, were still in mid-air as this was happening. Lorkh was skilled enough in his mana control to externalize some of his mana to shift his direction, but the other two were not so lucky. The orc who wielded the bastard sword was pierced directly through the chest with his own weapon. The orc who wielded the axe, had his right leg cleaved off under the same circumstances. One was killed, the other was wounded badly enough to be easily finished off.


    The odds were looking grim. At this time, Lorkh wanted to run. This was a freakish little ogre. While ogres were born with superior physiques, a group of four seasoned orc warriors should have been more than enough to kill a fledgling ogre. Yet the battle was already over practically the instant after it started. Lorkh felt something that he had never felt before...Regret. Thinking back on it, the little shit had said something like,


    ¡®If you touch one hair on Silver¡¯s head, you¡¯ll regret it.¡¯


    It hadn¡¯t been that long ago that he arrogantly replied that he never had a single regret in his life. Now, that statement was no longer true. He regretted not simply killing these stupid goblins earlier. No, he actually regretted chasing them at all. What was pride, what was shame? Especially in the face of death, such things seem so trivial.


    But the very instant after he felt that tinge of regret, he felt an even deeper rage. Lorkh had done as he pleased for his entire life. He never bent or bowed. He was a proud orc who took pleasures in the spoils of war and battle. When had it ever been his turn to regret?! The lamentations of his enemies¡¯ women were his music! The blood of his enemies, his wine! The battlefield, his stage! Who would dare to steal his show, so long as he drew breath?! Thinking such thoughts, Lorkh was filled with power. His muscles enlarged and his height increased, making him about the same size as Grahlgar. Lorkh retrieved his weapon, then jumped straight back into the fray.


    Lorkh was burning his life force to fight against Grahl. In the face of imminent death, he decided to just burn his own life force away and drag this little bastard down to hell with him! The orc whose leg had been chopped off, did the same and with his axe as a crutch, he propelled himself towards Grahlgar. The orc had the intent to land a deep wound on Grahl at the cost of his own life! Even if he could not kill the little ogre, he would still be able to give Lorkh a chance!


    In response, Grahl released the orc he used as a weapon, hurling it towards the charging orc. Without hesitation, he sliced his dead comrade in twain, then continued advancing towards Grahlgar. The wounded orc attacked from the left and Lorkh from the right. Their speed couldn¡¯t compare to before and even with his buffs, Grahlgar found it difficult to keep defending himself from their onslaughts. The wounded one would strike wherever he felt Grahl was weakest. Then, Grahl would be forced to defend, leaving himself vulnerable to Lorkh¡¯s attacks. Without any magic to assist him, Grahl was simply using his skills to strengthen his body and face their weapons with naught but his flesh and bone. Thankfully, Grahl¡¯s bones were extremely sturdy, so he used his forearms, fists and elbows to block and deflect their attacks. While he was holding his own, Grahl¡¯s wounds steadily became more grievous. However, thanks to his sturdy bones, Grahl was able to severely damage his enemies weapons. Their axes were chipped and battered and even with mana strengthening, seemed as if they¡¯d fall apart.


    If the four orcs had attacked like this from the beginning, with the resolve to die, then they surely could have killed Grahl without any casualties. They would have been heavily wounded, but it would have been feasible. Now, the only hope they had of victory, was a pyrrhic one. The wounded orc burned all of his life force and all of his mana, placing it into one last attack. He stuck to Grahl like a maggot to bone, then unleashed his final strike. The orc¡¯s body visibly withered, leaving him with nothing but a dried out corpse. However, while his body had withered, the strength of his attack was enough to warp the fabric of space and appear almost instantly in front of Grahlgar.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    To his left, Lorkh was doing the same. He burned the entirety of his life force and mana, for one last strike. However, at the moment that it looked as though he was going to attack Grahlgar, Lorkh pivoted on the ball of his foot and rushed back towards the goblin twins, a manic smile plastered on his face.


    ¡°Haha! I might not be able to kill you, but I can kill those fucking goblins!¡±


    Grahlgar¡¯s eyes grew wide and he instantly bolted towards the twins to protect them. In the process, he left his back completely exposed. The powerful chop that the other orc used at the cost of his life, penetrated deep into Grahl¡¯s torso. The axe cleaved through his muscle and bone, but could not fully slice through. The large axe was embedded deep into Grahl¡¯s shoulder, close to his carotid artery. Grahlgar¡¯s vision grew faint for a brief moment, but he powered through it! Those two were his friends! Precious friends! While they hadn¡¯t known one another for very long, Grahlgar already viewed them like family. The little spirits as well, they had been with him for as long as he could remember. They were also like his own family. And if you wanted to kill Grahlgar¡¯s family, you had to step over his body first!


    Lorkh¡¯s madness led him to completely ignore Grahlgar and focus entirely upon slaying the twins. The axe, containing every ounce of his power, crashed into the barrier made by the little spirits. The barrier instantly warped and cracked under the tremendous force of this blow. However, the little spirits glowed brightly, using the entirety of their own energy, to reinforce the barrier.


    ¡°No! Grahl! Little ones!¡±


    At this moment, Bronze and Silver didn¡¯t care at all about being saved. They didn¡¯t want to be saved if it meant everyone else¡¯s sacrifice. Grahlgar was a gentle child, he shouldn¡¯t have even been in this situation in the first place. But because of them, he had already bloodied his hands and lost the innocence a child should have.


    ¡°Grahl...jush...leaf...dun...worry.¡±


    ¡°Little ones too, just leave!¡±


    But the little ones shone brighter and brighter, yet at the same time, their presence was becoming thinner and thinner. As the power of Lorkh¡¯s strike continued to hammer into the barrier, the little spirits finally exhausted the last of their power, effectively destroying themselves in the process. However, the barrier resonated with even greater strength and shoved Lorkh away by deflecting the power back toward him. Lorkh was stunned, but he soon gave a resigned smile. As he managed to regain his footing, he mumbled,


    ¡°Looks like the win is yours, you little shit.¡±


    And at the instant that those words left his mouth, Grahlgar appeared right in front of him and crushed Lorkh¡¯s head right between his hands. Bits of brain matter, blood and shattered skull fragments splattered over Grahlgar. By the end of the battle, all the orcs had died and Grahlgar had managed to protect the twins. But the cost,


    ¡°Little ones¡­¡±


    ¡°Lytul...shpirits¡­¡±


    The twins¡¯ eyes were moist as they watched the barrier shimmer then fade away. All that was left of the little spirits were fragments of mana that scattered in the wind. Grahlgar¡¯s berserk state had ended and as he saw the little spirits destroy themselves to save the twins, he felt a piece of his heart breaking into tiny pieces.


    Grahlgar looked at his hands, covered in blood and brains, then looked towards the defeated orcs behind him...Grahl had killed them, killed them all, but he couldn¡¯t remember it. He just remembered the desire, the uncontrollable urge, to kill them all. That violent instinct, although he had managed to fight it, made him reckless. Due to that recklessness, he had endangered the twins and even forced the spirits to sacrifice themselves to save them.


    Grahlgar didn¡¯t say anything. The tears just flowed forth from his eyes like river rapids. He approached Bronze and Silver and with a smiling face uglier than crying he said,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I was so late.¡±


    Grahl¡¯s lips were trembling and in his heart, he felt a pain far greater than any of the wounds he sustained. The moment was certainly bittersweet. While Grahlgar was able to save Bronze and Silver, the little spirits that had always played with him were now gone forever.


    ¡°No Grahl, we¡¯re sorry, because of us--¡±


    ¡°Silver, Bronze...the little spirits sacrificed themselves because you were their friends. Please don¡¯t be sorry, this is what they wanted. If it were me, I would definitely do the same in their place.¡±


    Grahl spoke with a smile, but he couldn¡¯t stop his tears from flowing.


    ¡°Grahl...little ones...thank you.¡±


    Bronze nodded in agreement to Silver¡¯s words. He truly couldn¡¯t be anymore grateful to them than he was at this moment. Grahl and the little spirits had saved them from fates more tragic than death. At that moment, Bronze had pledged his life to Grahl. Silver did as well. This gentle ogre had killed violently, sustained great injuries and even lost loved ones, all for the sake of saving them. How much pain must he be in right now? While Grahl was devastated at the loss of the little spirits, Bronze and Silver were also sure that Grahlgar was afraid, afraid of himself. They saw a fear in Grahl¡¯s eyes when he looked back and saw the things that he did in his anger.


    Grahlgar tried to hide all these emotions under a smile, simply because he felt that this was what he should do. In his eyes, a hero should ease the pain in others¡¯ hearts with their smile. But little did he know that his pained smile, hurt Bronze and Silver more than his face full of tears. For them, who he had hardly known for even three days, how much had he sacrificed? How much was he trying to hide away with that smile of his? Just as Silver was about to reach out and say something, they heard the sound of many footfalls. Since the sound wasn¡¯t as heavy as an orcs, Bronze and Silver realized that it must have been the other goblins finally arriving. Grahlgar managed to finally stifle the flow of tears, after hearing approaching footsteps. While he could tell that the others were goblins, he still remained wary of them, so he had to bury his sorrow and regain his vigilance.


    ¡°Grahl, you should leave. If the other goblins see you, it might get you in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Un, Grahl shuh leaf.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m not leaving without you two. I¡¯m taking you back to get healed.¡±


    ¡°Buh Grahl--¡±


    ¡°Grahl, it¡¯s alright. It looks bad, but Bronze won¡¯t die from this. So long as we can get him back to the burrows, the shaman can heal him. He has the greatest magic skill of the entire tribe. If he can¡¯t heal Bronze, then I¡¯ll ask for you to take him to the lake spirit. Now please, leave.¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not leaving until I know that you guys are safe. I don¡¯t care if the other goblins want to take me prisoner, that¡¯s fine. As long as I can see that you guys made it home safe, I don¡¯t care. The little spirits wanted to keep you safe till their very last moments. I feel the same. So please, don¡¯t ask me to leave again¡­¡±


    Bronze and Silver couldn¡¯t find it in themselves to say anything else. Grahl¡¯s resolve was already that strong and they knew that it was pointless to try and convince him otherwise. While it frustrated them, it also made their hearts feel very warm. No one else acted like this for them except Rust.


    ¡°Okay Grahl...we¡¯ll be in your care.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    As they finished their conversation, the goblins soon surrounded them. Of course, they weren¡¯t hostile to Bronze and Silver, but they were certainly cautious of this battered ogre. It may have been wounded, but in their eyes, it was still a threat.


    ¡°What are you doing?! Grahl is the one that saved us!¡±


    At that time, a voice broke out, mediating between both sides.


    ¡°Wait! This guy wasn¡¯t one of the attackers! Also, all the ones that chased after us are already dead. It must have been this ogre who killed them. If you think about it, doesn¡¯t that mean he was wounded while defending our kin? You all still have the gall to point weapons at him?! Don¡¯t shame our goblin race!¡±


    The voice belonged to none other than Stick. As soon as the vine dragging him lost power, he hurriedly gathered as many other hunting parties as he could find in a bid to rescue the twins. However, it had still taken some time to gather everyone and by the time that he had gotten back, he saw the brutal scene before him. Stick had hunted many times before, so he was no stranger to gore. Yet, seeing the bodies of the orcs made Stick¡¯s blood run cold. However, the death of these orcs meant that someone had defended Bronze and Silver. In his mind, the only person that could have done so would have been this ogre. If anyone pointed their weapons at this person who fought tooth and nail to save a member of their race, wouldn¡¯t they all be the shame of their ancestors?


    Hearing the words of their fellow goblin, the others lowered their weapons. In reality, even though Grahl was wounded, it still wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to kill this amount of goblins, if they decided to attack him. Of course, so long as they didn¡¯t try to hurt Bronze or Silver, it was fine. Grahlgar was standing in front of Silver, blocking her from the other goblins¡¯ line of sight.


    ¡°Do you guys have extra clothes?"


    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t fit you.¡±


    ¡°....They aren¡¯t for me. Do you have them, or not?¡±


    Grahlgar¡¯s tone sounded impatient. Perhaps it was an aftereffect of going berserk, but Grahl definitely seemed much edgier compared to his usual self. Even covered in wounds, with a giant axe cleaving through his upper torso, the goblins were intimidated by his presence. In fear one of the goblins hurriedly gave him a set of clothes. Grahl turned around and handed this new set of clothes to Silver. Then, like an immovable wall, he stood with his back turned toward her so that she could quickly slip on the new attire. After that was done, Silver stepped out from behind Grahl¡¯s back, bowing her head with a slight blush. While she had gone through such a traumatic situation, it was still embarrassing having to hide behind Grahl and put on clothes as the other goblins stood right there.


    ¡°Can you guys carry Bronze back? The village shouldn¡¯t be more than a few miles away.¡±


    ¡°It looks bad, are you sure that he can be moved?¡±


    ¡°I used as much mana as I could spare to stop the bleeding and mend a few bones. He will be okay as long as he isn¡¯t treated roughly.¡±


    As she said that, Silver asked the others for a few herbs and chewed them in her mouth for a few moments. She began to feel a numbing sensation spread throughout her jaws and at that point she stopped chewing. Silver then moved over to Bronze and removed the chewed herbs from her mouth, then placed them into Bronze¡¯s. Bronze was barely able to swallow the chewed herbs, but moments after he did, his entire body began to feel numb. The pain that had been constantly assailing him had been dulled by Silver¡¯s quick thinking.


    The other goblins combined their efforts for the magic, Ensnare. Rather than wrapping around a target, the goblins used their teamwork to quickly weave a pseudo-stretcher out of the magic vines. The goblins moved Bronze over as gently as possible, then hoisted up the stretcher between them and began to head out. Grahl wanted to carry Bronze at first, but instead, he felt that it would be a better idea for him to remain on guard. Grahlgar realized that even injured, he was still the one with the highest combat potential out of all of them. Besides, he also doubted that the goblins would even trust him to carry Bronze. He was still an ogre and therefore, could not be trusted right away. This was only common sense.


    Silver looked apologetically at Grahlgar. Even after all that he had done for them, after what he¡¯d lost, he was still being doubted. It made her angry, but she could tell that Grahl didn¡¯t want her to say anything that might cause tension in their group. Once again, he was doing it for their sake. The twins could only sigh as they felt that their debt to Grahl was only growing. As much as they wanted to say something on his behalf, the little ogre endured in silence as they marched on to the burrows.


    Within the little ogre¡¯s eyes, the memories of all the times that he played with those little spirits, flashed before him. With every step he took further away from the scene of battle, the more he realized the impact. The little spirits who he had spent night and day with, who listened to all his problems¡­.were gone forever. In the wake of their absence, Grahlgar could only stifle the tears that wished to flow without end.

 Quick update! Chapter coming soon-ish

    Hey all, sorry for the lack of updates lately, but it''s all the fault of my own stupidity. Like a genius, I spilled coffee on my keyboard and fried it. Didn''t have time to get a new one untilliterally an hour ago. It''s about 12:30am and I just got back from wally world (and a pancake house, mmmm) so the chapter will be out in a few hours after I catch some z''s. Sorry for the sudden disappearance, but I will try to make up the chapters before New Year''s. Thanks to all the readers for your patience, support and understanding. Happy Holidays!This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

 Chapter 14 - Warpath

    The goblins carried Bronze on the stretcher, careful not to move too fast, nor move on terrain that was too rough. However, all the while, they remained wary of Grahlgar at the rear. While Bronze and Silver were saved by him, it didn¡¯t change the fact that he was an ogre. Those that could remain at ease in the company of ogres were the true oddities, in the eyes of these goblins at any rate.


    While the group advanced toward the village, Grahl looked at the axe embedded deep into his upper torso. The axe managed to cleave through his collarbone (clavicle) and into his chest muscle, (pectoralis major) shattering the two topmost ribs of his right side. The shattered bone fragments broke with such force that it managed to inflict injuries to his lungs. Thankfully, the anatomy of an ogre was a bit different than a human''s, meaning there was a larger gap between his lungs and his rib cage. This gap saved him from death, allowing him to only suffer from small punctures, not a full on rupture. It was his fortune that his mana strengthening and skill usage were able to keep him alive.


    After taking a bit of time to analyze the severity of his wounds, Grahl used his left hand to clutch the grip of the axe. Grahlgar braced himself, then in one swift motion, he yanked the axe from his upper torso. Before the blood would pour out, Grahl released the axe in his hand and forcibly squeezed the wound shut. Then he combined his mana and magic skill to mend the flesh back together. While this took care of one gaping wound, his body was still riddled with injuries. Therefore, while they advanced, Grahlgar focused on healing himself, just in case he needed to fight again.


    Silver grimaced as she looked at Bronze and Grahl covered in wounds. The only injuries that she sustained were emotional and mental ones; the shadow of the incident was still in the corners of her mind, making her feel an intense fear and disgust. However, for the most part, she had been protected by these two. Bronze had used his magic to help her escape and although she was eventually caught, the tortures that her brother endured as a result were enough to break her heart. Her tears would involuntarily flow whenever she caught sight of Bronze. Then there was Grahlgar. He had fought and killed the orc warriors, but he had suffered a lot in the end. When Silver looked back on her own inability and weakness, it made her angry. She didn¡¯t always want to be the one being protected. The resolve that she and Bronze had to gain strength was reinforced by this


    incident. After all, if not for Grahl¡¯s arrival, wouldn¡¯t they have been tortured to death?


    In her heart, Silver swore that she would never let such a situation happen again. She knew that her strength would not increase over night, but this incident really made her realize just how powerless she was. If she wallowed in despair, she would be less than useless to her siblings; she would be a hindrance. With a resolute look in her eyes, Silver vowed to improve herself so that she would never feel this way again. She wasn¡¯t the only one harboring such thoughts. Bronze and Grahlgar also felt similarly after today. Bronze came to know what it was like to have one¡¯s life completely in another¡¯s hands. He now knew the great cost one had to pay for their weakness and sometimes, that cost was also paid by loved ones. The three of them had all learned this lesson well.


    While leading the group of goblins, Stick would occasionally look back at Bronze and Silver. He would even give a rare glance to Grahl at the rear. Looking at them all, it was hard not to feel guilt. In his bones, Stick was proud, arrogant even. He felt that becoming a hobgoblin was just an eventuality, not a goal. Coming from a long line of hobgoblins inflated his hubris; he had confidence in his skills and thought that even with the two ¡°burdens¡± accompanying him, he¡¯d be able to do fine. But the reality of the situation was that he had invited disaster and then forced them to deal with the aftermath. If it wasn¡¯t for his insistence to explore further than they were supposed to, none of this would have happened in the first place. With remorse in his eyes, Stick also hardened his resolve as the group moved to the village.


    ~~~~~~~~~~


    Deep below the verdant forest above, there was a massive cavern and within this cavern, there was a deep lake of magma. The magma from this lake flowed endlessly through the myriad tunnels that bore through the earth; like the pumping heart of the world moving blood through the veins. In this place, the density of fire attributed mana was thick enough to instantly melt an orichalcum sword, yet the rocks remained firm. The hardened rock of the cavern was saturated with mana, making it immune to the intense heat of this hellish environment. In this fiery and mystical lake, a giant lounged peacefully, occasionally swimming from one end of the lake to another. This giant was easily over 100ft (30.48m) tall, with muscles that seemed to be chiseled from granite. The giant had flowing crimson hair, charcoal colored skin and a long fiery red beard that was intricately braided. His eyes glowed like red hot magma and it felt like his gaze alone was enough to set you ablaze. Sylvia stood at the edge of the magma lake, waiting for the fire giant to notice her. Compared to the giant, she seemed as small as an ant.


    ¡°Oh? How rare it is to have a visitor. And to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Lady Valkyrie?¡±


    His thunderous voice made the earth tremble, yet somehow the voice was not deafening, but gentle and warm like the rays of the summer sun.


    ¡°We both know I lost the right to call myself that, Halogi.¡±


    ¡°You never lost any rights, you simply lost your home.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Then what of me? Last King of the Eldthursar unable to protect his Queen, Kin, Kith nor subjects. If you call yourself a failure, then I am a shameful blemish on the history of the Nine Realms.¡±


    ¡°That not what I meant¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, but you should realize that even if both of us had forewarning of the cataclysm of that era, we still would¡¯ve been unable to do anything to stop it. Anyway, the great Lady Valkyrie has found something else to live for besides the mighty halls of Valhalla. Why dwell on the past when you can focus on the future?¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯re right.¡±


    Sylvia gave a soft sigh as she closed her eyes to reminisce. The Eldthursar did not disturb her and instead, crawled out of the magma lake. Some of the magma adhered to his body, then shaped itself into a set of majestic crimson armor. The armor set was not heavily adorned, but there were runic engravings etched into the armor that gave it a mystical charm. There was a long red cape connected to the armor that fluttered in the hot air rising from the magma lake. The sight of an armored giant, radiating with blazing magical energy, was certainly an imposing one. Just as Arboryth seemed to be the sovereign of the forest, Halogi seemed to be the sovereign of the fiery domain below.


    ¡°Halogi, there is something I need to ask of you¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Will you let Grahlgar come here?¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°To learn of course.¡±


    ¡°And what could I possibly have to teach him? And even before we talk about teaching, that little ogre would be burned till there were no ashes if he came down here.¡±


    ¡°Grahl needs to learn how to make weapons. Arboryth could teach him some things, but there is no one more skilled than you in crafting and forging amongst the five of us. Grahlgar doesn¡¯t have much talent for magic, so he will need to rely on his skills and equipment to compensate. As for how he¡¯ll get down here, you could just give him a blessing. Aqua and I will create a barrier scroll for Grahl to use when I take him here. Then while the barrier is active, you can give him the blessing. As King of the Eldthursar, it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to grant him Fire¡¯s Boon.¡±


    ¡°First of all, don¡¯t you think that you¡¯re being a bit too cautious? Does the boy really need to learn all of this? In the end, I think you¡¯re making the boy bite off more than he can chew. Second, I suppose I could grant him Fire¡¯s Boon, but only if he passes my test.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t take chances with Grahl¡¯s life and on top of that, who in their right mind is going to make weapons and armor for an ogre? It¡¯s a matter of practicality for him to at least learn how to maintain his equipment. And Grahl will pass any test you can think of. I have confidence in him.¡±


    ¡°Haha, you¡¯ve certainly made your point. Anyway, it seems we¡¯ve come to an agreement. Bring the boy ¡®round and we¡¯ll see what he¡¯s made of.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Halogi, I really appreciate it. Well then, I will take my leave.¡±


    Sylvia curtsied as she prepared herself to depart.


    ¡°Wait! There¡¯s something that I have to ask of you¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to tell the boy what happened to his parents? The truth, I mean.¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    At that instant, Sylvia¡¯s expression became conflicted.


    ¡°...It would be best if Aqua were the one to tell him.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, could you relay a word of advice to her for me?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the boy. I¡¯m sure his heart isn¡¯t so narrow that he would look down on her, or blame her for it. She should just tell him the truth and I¡¯m sure the boy will understand.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure when you haven¡¯t even spent any time with him?¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°The little ones tell me plenty when they return from spending their day with the boy. They might not express through words, but their feelings tell me enough. Just have faith in him and it will be fine.¡±


    Halogi¡¯s confidence in Grahl certainly startled Sylvia, but she felt that the words he spoke were true. She nodded in response to his words then said,


    ¡°Understood. I will definitely relay your words to her.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Now then, I won¡¯t keep you any longer. I bid thee farewell, Lady Valkyrie.¡±


    ¡°And I you, Lord Eldthursar.¡±


    Sylvia disappeared from the cavern with the sudden gusts of hot air that rose from the deep pool of magma. Halogi watched as she disappeared and gave a soft sigh. Times had changed many things, but he was glad to see that time hadn¡¯t changed her, at least not too much. Just as he was lost in thought, he suddenly felt a sharp pain assail his soul.


    ¡°The little ones¡­have died?¡±


    Unlike Sylvia and the others, Halogi shared an intimate connection with the lesser spirits of his element that lived in the forest. A piece of his consciousness was connected to the spirits so that they could show him what was happening on the surface. Since he couldn¡¯t leave this place, using the spirits as his eyes and ears above was the next best thing. However, due to the sudden destruction of those little fire spirits, he felt that sudden pain. The fact that such a thing occurred worried him. What could have possibly happened?


    ~~~~~~~~~~


    The group arrived near the burrows, but before they entered, the group stopped.


    ¡°The ogre should stay here.¡±


    A goblin said frankly.


    ¡°But Grahl is the one who saved us. Don¡¯t you think that the shaman would want to hear about that?¡±


    ¡°Silver is right. The shaman would only ask to see him later on anyway.¡±


    Stick nodded in agreement, then looked over to Grahl. He was stunned to see that most of the grievous wounds that he had suffered earlier had either closed or shrank significantly. While he couldn¡¯t tell the condition of Grahlgar¡¯s internal injuries, he seemed to be doing much better. Stick could only lament the difference between the constitution of an ogre and a goblin. There was simply no comparison.


    ¡°Is it alright with you Grahl? You don¡¯t have to come with us to meet the shaman, I would understand it.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go.¡±


    Grahlgar smiled weakly as he followed the group to the entrance of the burrows. While the rest of the group was reluctant, they still led the way. At this moment, it seemed that the conference of the hobgoblins had already ended. There were a few sentries on patrol and at the instant that they spotted the group, they called for others to meet them. Seeing Bronze in critical condition, the sentries immediately alerted the shaman and of course the twins¡¯ brother, Rust. While the sentry wanted to question the reason why the ogre was with them, he decided that addressing Bronze¡¯s wounds was his greatest priority. The sentry was smart enough to realize that the little ogre was not hostile and as the saying goes, let sleeping dogs lie.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the group to be ushered into the burrows and directly taken into the gathering hall within. The burrows were tall enough to accommodate the little ogre. The gathering hall was more like a great cavern, big enough to fit the entire goblin tribe which numbered in the thousands. Along the walls of the cavern there were skulls of various creatures including basilisks, chimeras, orcs and even ogres. Each was enshrined within its own special altar. Rather than trophies of war, it seemed that the skulls held positions of honor and worship. The gathering hall held a solemn air that definitely brought a sense of immense pressure.


    As soon as the group entered the hall, they were met by almost the whole tribe. Of course, rushing to the scene with a fire in his eyes, was Rust. He tore through the crowd of goblins and hobgoblins alike, until he reached his siblings. The moment that his eyes fell upon Bronze, tears began to flow. They were tears of pain, hate and sorrow. Before he could say anything, Silver rushed towards him and threw herself into his arms, bawling like a child torn from their mother.


    ¡°Rust!!¡±


    Rust hugged and consoled his little sister for a moment before looking back toward Bronze. Before he could say anything, an aged voice echoed throughout the hall.


    ¡°Clear the path.¡±


    As soon as these words rang out, the crowd split and the shaman slowly walked towards Bronze. His footsteps were shaky and his skin was shriveled as a raisin. The shaman was dressed in traditional attire, a cloak made of animal furs and a hood made from the head of a Banewolf, the most fearsome of all wolves. The shaman carried a gnarled staff engraved with ancient runes.


    When the shaman saw Bronze¡¯s condition, his brows furrowed and a seething fury could be seen within his eyes. However at the instant the fury appeared, a gentleness soon washed it away. Raising his staff above him, the shaman began to gather the nature-attributed mana. The runic carvings on the simple staff began to glow with a lustrous emerald splendor. As the light became too blinding to look at, the shaman struck the end of the staff to the ground. The light traveled from the staff creating a runic circle around Bronze. The runic circle began to glow and soon it lifted off of the ground, raising Bronze from the ground as well. The runic circle began to change its shape and formed itself into a runic sphere. The runes began to revolve slowly in a singular orbit at first, but then they began to move faster and orbit in different patterns around the sphere. While this was happening, Bronze¡¯s wounds were recovering right before everyone¡¯s eyes. The flayed skin, the broken bones, the severed arms, the missing eye, ear, toes, teeth all of it, were restored to their original condition. Then, the runic sphere was slowly lowered to the ground and blossomed like a flower. During the entire process, no one spoke a word, only watching with bated breath. Many of the goblins and hobgoblins did not care much for the twins, but to see their tribesman so gravely injured...it infuriated them to no end!


    When the runic sphere opened, Bronze was able to stand to his feet, albeit shakily. Rust and Silver walked over to him and made sure that everything was fine. Seeing as the shaman did not make any efforts to stop them from hugging their sibling, they figured that it was alright.


    ¡°Rust, Silver...I¡¯m sorry that I was so powerless¡­¡±


    ¡°Bronze...it¡¯s not your fault...you did your best to protect me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but I¡¯m proud of you. You endured and you protected Silver and Stick.¡±


    ¡°Actually--¡±


    Bronze recanted the events that occurred not long ago. When everyone heard the entire story, the whole tribe was absolutely furious. Those damned orcs dared to attack their tribe members! Also, hearing of Grahlgar coming to the twins¡¯ rescue, the goblins could only give a look of disbelief. It seemed as though some wanted to discredit the story, but before they could comment, Rust walked over towards Grahl and bowed his head.


    ¡°Grahl¡­¡±


    Rust couldn¡¯t even express the magnitude of his emotions in words. Without Grahlgar and the little spirits to protect his siblings, they would have already been miserably tortured to death. Bronze and Silver walked over to Grahl as well and gave him a big hug. They tried to fight back the tears, but thinking back on the narrow escape that they all made, it was hard not to shed tears. The goblins and hobgoblins who looked on at the scene, ended up holding their tongues. They couldn¡¯t find it in themselves to discredit someone who truly did them no wrongs.


    ¡°Young ogre, Grahlgar, was it? Allow me to thank you on behalf of the tribe.


    A vigorous voice echoed throughout the gathering hall and when the goblins heard it, they all bowed their heads in respect. The crowd split once more, allowing a well built hobgoblin to pass through. The hobgoblin had short white hair, jade green eyes and a number of scars zigzagging across his body. One probably wouldn¡¯t guess it, but this simply dressed hobgoblin was actually the chief of the tribe. Admittedly his size was a bit bigger than the average hobgoblin, but he certainly didn¡¯t possess the air of a chief. However, based on the gazes of fervent respect, it was obvious that this chief held a high position in the hearts of his tribesmen.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything worth thanking. Bronze and Silver are my friends, protecting your friends is something that you¡¯re supposed to do.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, what you said couldn¡¯t be more true. That is why we also have a score to settle with the orcs. But before that, allow me to introduce myself. I am the goblin chief, Iron Grip and this is our tribe¡¯s shaman, Old Stone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°The pleasure is ours. Now then, the shaman and I would like to know where exactly this band of rogue orcs is located. You should have at least some hint of where they are, correct?¡±


    ¡°Chief Iron Grip!¡±


    At that moment, Stick rushed forward and prostrated before the goblin chief.


    ¡°The orcs were located several miles northeast of our burrows, but I¡¯m not sure how many orcs they have in their band...Also...I have something to confess...The entire situation was my fault! I angered the orc sentries and made them chase after us. I insisted that we leave our territory to go explore! It¡¯s my fault, all of it! Bronze, Silver and their friend all suffered because of my idiotic mistake. I will endure any punishment to atone for this, even if I must give my own life in the process.¡±


    The twins looked like they were about to say something, but before they could Stick¡¯s father, Log, spoke out.


    ¡°If my son must suffer punishment, I beg that chief Iron Grip and shaman Old Stone will allow me to suffer the punishment alongside him.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! There is nothing to punish. What you did was nothing more than an unfortunate accident. While it caused a series of terrible consequences, there was no way for you to know it would trigger the events to follow. As for the matter of leaving the territory, you shall be forgiven, but with one stipulation attached.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You must join the others on the warpath.¡±


    Stick was about to reply when Rust cut in,


    ¡°Chief, you mean--¡±


    ¡°Yes, we will have our vengeance. Today, the horde will taste blood! Young ogre, will you join us in spilling the blood of our foes?¡±


    Grahlgar hesitated to answer, but when he thought of the suffering that his friends endured, when he thought of the death of the little ones, he felt an unspeakable fury well up within him. His breathing became labored and his body exuded with killing intent thick enough to cut with a knife.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The goblin chief gave a brimming smile and said,


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Rust was also preparing to leave with the others. There was absolutely no way that he would not be a part of their attack. The boiling hatred that he had for the orcs was something that he could hardly control. If he didn¡¯t kill those bastards to ease the anger in his heart, he was sure that he would go insane. Bronze and Silver looked as though they wanted to go, but Rust looked at them pleadingly.


    ¡°Please, just stay here where it¡¯s safe¡­¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Please¡­¡±


    The twins could only nod in agreement, and watch as the others began to assemble the horde to attack the orc band. Seeing everyone earnestly angered by the suffering the orcs caused them, made Bronze and Silver feel a sense of belonging. They had always been pariahs amongst their own kind, but now, they felt the unity of their tribe. The goblins were preparing for war against the orcs, whose kind dared to torture and shame their kin. If they did not slaughter these rogues to wipe away this insult, their ancestors would never be able to rest in peace. The goblins gathered their weapons and armor, preparing themselves for battle. They began to chant the war chants of old, stirring the spirits of their ancestors. One by one, a procession of hobgoblins, each holding a weathered banner, entered the gathering hall. There were eight of them in total and they began to glow with a dim white light, gathering the awakening spirits of their ancestors within. These mystical banners allowed the goblins to take the souls of their ancestors into battle with them. Such a feat could only be accomplished by those whose sense of unity and duty to their people transcended death itself. The banners were nourished with mana and so long as the mana powering these banners never ran out, the spirits would never fall in battle. These banners combined with the goblins¡¯ innate magic skill were the real reason that the goblins had managed to gain a foothold in this ancient forest.


    However, in this instance, the goblins were not gathering the banners to take their ancestors into battle. Instead, they gathered the banners here to swear an oath and have the ancestors as witness.


    ¡°We swear by the honor of the ancestors to avenge this grievance! If we fail, tear our souls asunder! If we succeed, feast on the souls of our enemies! With our forefathers as witness, we will wash away their trespasses against us with blood!¡±


    With soaring morale, the horde gathered and formed ranks. They marched on the warpath with blades thirsty for blood and souls hungry for vengeance. On this day, their enemies would know the taste of anguish and despair.