《Enna is a Land God: Book 2》


 Journey Home

    I never thought that I would find myself on the back of a massive, fantasy styled, wolf pig, surrounded by goblins and furry- and not furry- fox people. But I never thought a lot of things over the last half year or so. That being said, I guess my current mount wasn''t all that surprising at all.


    The rohgek were a strange mountain monster that the goblin''s used as mounts. Their bodies were vaguely wolf shaped but they were far denser with bristly hair rather than fur and large tusks growing out of their muzzles. They were best suited for mountain travel but their stamina was excellent, even here on these forest paths.


    I was currently seated on the back of a rohgek ridden by the goblin prince, Lagdon. And he was far from the only person in this procession either. I was surrounded by no less than six goblin guards, and Just as many foxie and Foxmen- they were not mounted, but even on foot they could keep up with a Rohgek galop. This very showy group was on their way to my new home.


    I was excited for the move, but I was opposed to it at first when it was proposed less than a month after Margund- the current goblin king- defeated his father for the crown. My monster devotees had their hearts set on building me some kind of temple, but I assured them that I was perfectly happy with a small place in the fox village. Both Margund and Brax- the elder and leader of the foxes- put a damper on that right away.


    "My Lady, that would be most inappropriate." Margund had said, shaking his grey skinned head, large eyes closed, in exasperation no doubt.


    "The goblin king is correct, Lady Enna." Elder Brax had agreed quickly. He looked more amused than anything, his bright eyes twinkling over his grey dusted fox muzzle where he held his usual pipe between pointed teeth. "As much as we all would love to have you with us always- and would never think of driving you out if you truly insisted staying here- for your own ideals, it would be a bad idea."


    "Why?" I had asked. I just wanted to spare them all the effort. After all, a lot of construction had begun over the last week. Now that the goblins and foxes had come together in an alliance, the goblins had been aiding the foxes with rebuilding their homes after the battle that had taken place. Not only had a goodly portion of the village been destroyed at the time, but also- after their evolution- the foxes had out grown their former homes by a foot or so. In exchange for their labor and construction expertise, the foxes had been helping the goblins with hunting and forest-gathering knowledge.


    Margund sighed. "As much as I am sure it is not your intention, if you were to stay in the fox village then the goblin people may see it as favoritism on your part." The goblin king eyed me, his intelligence evident behind his often mischievous smile. "I can''t say anyone would tell you you could not play favorites- Aeros certainly made no bones about doing it, and in our favor as well. But-"


    "But I defiantly do not want to be like that lazy old dragon." I had grumbled. Just thinking about the old land god often made me irritated. I couldn''t say the famously powerful dragon was particularly evil, but he was the most self centered and arrogant creature I had ever met- weather in this life or my last. And that was including the former goblin king.


    "Exactly."


    So a new home was built. And It had been constructed in a pretty great location. Some time ago, before I had even met the goblins, I had gone on a rather disastrous fishing trip, but we saw a stunning, short waterfall with these beautiful purple blossom, trees. It was suggested that a temple be built there for her, and now they had put that into practice.


    "How is it that this trip feels longer despite the road being built..." Whined Ozzie. He was a young foxie with the usual ginger fur, just like his grandfather, Elder Brax.


    "Enough Ozzie." Said Brixie, Ozzie''s mother, as she walked along side Lagdon and I. She sounded exasperated, which I found funny. Normally Brixie was very put together and studious, but her son often brought out the more agitated side of the future foxie leader. "the trip has been faster and smoother than it has ever been. Be grateful that our goblin friends have made such a comfortable road for us to be able to reach Lady Enna as we please."


    Ozzie mumbled something that sound like ''I wasn''t complaining'' under his breath and I couldn''t help but laugh. I was in a good mood, despite feeling a little anxious at what I was going to find when we arrived. I was ''forbidden'' from seeing the place before now as they all wanted it to be a surprise. I had no clue how long it normally took the powerful goblins to construct things but this project took them a whole three months. Summer had passed and winter was rolling in, turning the leaves into a fiery array of colors.


    "It was no trouble to extend the road to the fox village." Stated Lagdon at my back. "We needed a road from the mountains to the river for supplies and such, the short path to the village was no added trouble. Especially after Lady Enna gifted us all with evolution. The work has been almost laughably easy now."


    I smiled happily at the memory. About a month after the battle with the goregek, Margund had his official inauguration, and I, and the foxie leaders had traveled to the goblin capitol to attend. It had been a long enough trip but the capital was fascinating. They lived within the mountain in carved stone houses lit by fire and, for a brief period each day, the sun filtering down through the slit in the great mountain.


    I had a place of honor as I watched the procession of elders, priests, officials, and warriors of great honor follow Margund- dressed in a dark red robe with a long black and gold cape, toward the massive throne that had been built to hold his fathers unfortunate girth. An Elder had placed a crown of finely spun gold and large rubies and emeralds on the princes bald dome. After that it was about three days of non-stop partying.


    And on the night of that third day I had put my plan into action. When everyone had finally passed out into a drunken stupor, I entered my dream scape- a sort of dream dimension where my consciousness goes when I ''sleep''. That, too, had change greatly since the passing of the goregek.


    What had once been a cozy campfire surrounded in dark trees with purple flowers, was now something much more. My fire had become an almost torrent of flame, now set in a golden brazier carved into the white stone floor of an open aired- almost Grecian, temple. Around the edges, between the pillars were benches and golden floor vases filled with the branches of the purple flowered trees. Then, beyond this small stone platform were the trees themselves, spanning off into the distance, lit only by either fire flies, or small motes of golden light. I had never gotten near enough one to see for sure.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    But over the month I had been working on my control over this symbolization of the magical energies I gather from the land and my worshipers. As the new land god it was my duty to use this power to revitalize the lads that Aeros had essentially left to rot, and better its people. Well, according to the cantankerous lizard, I could do what ever I wanted with it so long as the land continued to ''exist'', but I rather felt that it was better put to use in my way, rather than his own selfish hoarding. I mean, he was a freaking dragon, and insanely powerful in his own right! Why would he hoard the little that his monster subjects were able to offer up?


    That night i figured that I had managed to put enough power aside to do what I had done for the foxkin. For them it had been a small box that Aeros had left me that fueled the change in the small fox like people. Now i would evolve the goblins with power that I had accumulated on my own.


    To say it was pandemonium when I next opened my eyes after directing the energy throughout the night... would be a bit of an understatement. I guess I did not think out my surprise too well. But still, once the initial panic of the goblins had died down they were very, very pleased. And then I had to go through another three days of celebrations. Monsters seemed to really like to party.


    Most of the goblins, like Lagdon who sat behind me, had become what is known as Hobgoblins. And even though my mind had me thinking they would be tall and skinny with big noses or something, I could not have been much farther from the truth. true, hobgoblins were tall... at least six feet as a matter of fact, but they were in no way skinny. Even the women and children were buff. Lagdon himself looked like a tank. And no longer were they nearly bald. Most hobgoblins had either white or grey hair, while some looked closer to silver or like a blue-ish slate color, and they seemed to prefer keeping it to about shoulder length for the most part.


    They were still grey or green shinned but it was more muted now. And their faces looked a lot more human like than they had been, aside from the large pointed ears and the smaller whites of their eyes that is. They all still sported four fingers and four toes on each appendage, however.


    "Sorry I didn''t give you all more warning..." I said for maybe the tenth time since it occurred.


    Lagdon laughed. It was a nice sound and I felt his muscled chest shake at my back. Unlike his older brother, Margund, Lagdon was not a huge laugher. He was actually pretty serious and high strung most of the time so it was nice to hear him relax every now and again. "It is fine Lady Enna. Its not like we could not have figured out what had happened on our own. I blame the drinking the night before."


    I laughed lightly. They sure did drink an awful lot. For a couple hours there was pandemonium in the streets as people awoke to being over two feet taller than they had been with muscles ripping out of their night cloths. If I ever do such a thing again I probably should warn people first. The foxes had defiantly been a lot calmer about the whole thing when they had evolved.


    "The hardest part was making more cloths." chuckled Nord, another of the goblins in my escorts. He was an older hobgoblin but seemed to have regained a little of his youth in his evolution, and defiantly lost a goodly part of his animosity. He had been very warry of me when we first met, but now was a lot friendlier. "Luckily our homes were already built much larger than they needed to be for our former size. Unlike our fox friends." Yeah, it would have been pretty hard to re-carve out homes as apposed to building new wooden ones as the foxes had done. "And that is but a small price to pay for all you have given us Lady Enna."


    "Indeed." Chimed in Galmund, a goblane that Margund had sent to be one of my guards. Goblanes were another race evolved from the goblins. Most of the goblins had evolved into hobgoblins, but about five percent of the race had gone down the goblane route. Goblanes looked similar to hobgoblins but they were less muscular and every one of them had vibrant red hair. Where hobgoblins evolved with intense physical growth in mind, goblane were among the rare goblins that were gifted in the magical arts. "Our people are well on their way to an age of prosperity that we have never known before. And that is all thanks to you and your protection over these lands."


    "I''m just doing my job." I said honestly. "It is everyone else who has been looking after me, really."


    And they had been. I mean, Aeros was pretty much not present and neglectful, but at least he had the power to make sure humans or who knew what else wouldn''t invade these lands, providing the monsters a relatively safe place to live and grow. At least, until Aeros'' neglect began affecting the health of the area as a whole. I, on the other hand, came here as nothing but a weak and uninformed human. Heck, before I mysteriously woke up on the forest floor, I had been a paraplegic in a hospital room for the longest time. Calling me an inexperienced god would not be inaccurate what so ever.


    "Are we there yet?" Ozzie complained again, making me laugh out loud. He shot me a wink as his mother rolled her eyes and shook her head.


    "Please do not encourage him Lady Enna." She sighed again and glared at her son. "How am I supposed to leave you here? You are meant to be helpful, not a nuisance young man."


    "You needn''t worry Miss Brixie." Chuckled Nord, bring his own rohgek closer to the front line where we were speaking. "I fully intend to whip your son into shape. Along with any other person who wishes to be responsible for our land god''s safety."


    Ozzie looked horrified, and I didn''t blame him. I hadn''t been trained in combat by the older hobgoblin, but I have been learning from Lagdon and he was a student of Nord. It was a slow and burning torture if ever there was one.


    Actually, when I found out that Margund was intending for Lagdon to be in charge of my guards, I was shocked. Well, I was shocked that i was to be given guards at all really. But both Margund and Brax insisted when we met after the goblin''s evolution. He had informed Lagdon then that he was to be the one in charge. But he was a prince! I thought for sure that he would be needed else where, and not have his time wasted being a glorified baby sitter for me.


    But Lagdon had agreed readily, to my surprise, accepting gracefully with a bow. And did he ever take his new role seriously. He wasted no time hand picking who amongst the goblins and the foxes would be aloud to be part of this elite group, as well as the ones that would be trained in hopes of joining the ranks. Ozzie was one of these hopefuls and had already gone through a little training with Nord, who had just been sent down from the goblins capital, Gurten.


    In fact, i knew that many people were already there waiting for my arrival. So many, in fact, that I couldn''t help but wonder what monstrosity the goblins had built. No way was it the little cottage on the river bed that I had originally thought they were going to build when it first was suggested. There were at least fifteen foxie and foxmen already there, and who knew how many goblin''s Margund had sent out.


    "You seem very excited about this." I said to Nord, a smile on my face as i saw Ozzie''s shoulders drop.


    Nord laughed, and it did sound at least a little evil. "It is a great honor to be the one to assure that those entrusted with your safety are well trained. I will not stand for a single lazy student."


    "Well, i do not envy your students then."


    "I do not see why you are amused Lady Enna." Huffed Lagdon and I felt my soul shrivel a bit. "I will not be letting you flake on your training either."


    "Ugh..." I said, earning a small laugh from the others. Lagdon was one of the few people that didn''t completely treat me like I was above their station. This more than anything, I appreciated about him. It could be pretty draining being talked to like i could do no wrong most of the time. Lagdon refused to baby me with kind or pandering words as many of the others did. I mean I guess I couldn''t blame them though. I''m not sure how I would act if I found myself having a conversation with someone I thought was a god, after all.


    "Either way," Stated Nord, tuning in his leather saddle to talk to Ozzie. "We will be able to see the estate once we crest this hill, young fox lad."


    "Estate?" I said, exasperated. I had begged them not to go over board. I now had a very strong feeling that they had not listened. I''m not sure how I thought begging would work on monsters in the first place, actually.

 This is Not a House

    This was not a house!


    Well, that was the first thing I thought as we crested the hill and what could only be described as a freaking wooden palace came into view. Freaking over achieving monster. What the heck was I going to do with all that space?


    Nord laughed at my agape face as we began our decent toward the estate. Yes, that''s was exactly what it was, an estate. Like the summer home of a princess or something. It was at least two story high and wide enough to fit six or seven normal houses in it. And I could not even see its entirety because or a twenty foot stone wall that extended from either side of the house and back around the back where the river flowed, the waterfall I had fallen in love with blocked from my view.


    Even at this distance I could tell that the building was a master work of stone masonry and construction. I had been impressed by the goblin''s stone city, carved out of the inside of a mountain, and the new wooden homes they had made for the foxes, but it was clear they spared no expense on this building.


    The very front of the building was the single most impressive thing. I knew they intended to build me some sort of temple, or place of worship... but what I was looking at right now was astounding and fully too over the top. There were four, huge, two story stained glass windows that were catching the sun light fantastically. Three of the windows were gorgeous, but they were not depicting anything other than the artists skills. But the first of the four, on the left side of the building, was a masterful work of art.


    Even at this distance I could see that it had fabulously stylized panels of my adventures over the last six months. At the top was a depiction of a silver haired woman in the woods sitting before an orange foxkin. Then under that was another picture of the same white haired woman standing before a wooden village. It went on and on, depicting my time in the village right up to my encounter with the goblins, then the battles we fought, and the last panel showed Margund defeating his father, freeing the goblins from the reign of their tyrannical former king.


    So captivated was I by this art work that I nearly jumped out of Lagdon''s lap when a resound "Welcome home Lady Enna!" boomed across my ear drums.


    Startled, i lowered my gaze and finally saw that there was a sizable crowed of foxes and goblins gathered at the foot of a short, but grand, stone stair case leading up to the estate. I stared, probably open mouthed, at the sight of my new house mates. Most of the faces I recognized, if not their names, and all were smiling happily my way. When they saw that I had noticed them, they all bowed and Lagdon slipped out of his saddle behind me.


    "welcome home Lady Enna." He said, and even though his face was still in its usually passive state I could hear the amusement in his voice.


    I glared at the prince. "Its too big!" i hissed, horrified. I would get lost for sure! surly it was not a good sign for one''s god to get lost wandering around their own house.


    "Don''t be like that Lady Enna." Chuckled Nord, also slipping out of his saddle. I saw Draxly and Brillum, two highly skilled foxie warriors, exchanged highly entertained glances behind his back and I glared at them too for good measure. "Our craftsmen spared no expense, this is true. But if you compare this to the temple atop the great mountain that had been made for Aeros it actually is quite modest. And yours is constructed with your people in mind."


    I felt my shoulders slump. I really couldn''t complain about that. Originally, when the building of this place was first brought up, it was suggested that the house- or temple really- would be constructed by the river for me to live in and for worshipers to make pilgrimages to when they wished to pay their deepest respects to their new Land God. They were going to build a small village about an hour away for the guards and attendants to live when they were not working, giving me space and privacy.


    But I had stated that that made me a little sad. I had grown to love being so near the village and its people. In my last life I was confined to a single hospital room, locked into my own slowly dyeing body, with minimal to no human contact. I remember stating that it was going to be lonely. Probably at the look on my face, the goblins and foxes scrapped their original plan and began designing something completely new.


    "We will all be living under the same roof Lady Enna." Said a goblin I recognized quite well. Mink stepped forward from the crowd and reached out a hand for the reigns of both Lagdon''s rohgek and that of Nord''s. Two other goblins dressed in leather armor stepped forward and began collecting the other strange monster mounts. "And I am honored by that, and by being a trusted member of your personal guard as well." She added with a bow, both hands still griping the reigns.


    Giving up and just accepting that, yes, this was an absurdly massive home, but it wasn''t without reason, and it was made with my desires at its heart. I really was touched and happy, if more than a little over whelmed.


    Lagdon and Draxly escorted me around the crowded monsters, introducing me to some I did not know, and explain what each ones job would be going forward. I greeted each one- surprisingly more comfortable with this formal act than I thought I would be after all my interactions at the Gurten and the royal palace there no doubt. once the introduction was done, they would hurry off to attend to their duties. I was not shocked to learn that a party was planned for tonight. Monsters seemed to take every opportunity to throw a party, especially if drinking was involved.


    "This is Drazdon," Lagdon said as we stepped to ward a short hobgoblin. By short I meant a respectable five foot nine which was still taller than myself. But quite short for a hobgoblin all the same. He was clearly older than most the others here, not including Nord that is, and had silvery white hair, green tinged skin and a dark eye patch over one eye. "He is the man responsible for the stained glass you see."


    My eyes widened appreciatively as they darted from the man to the stunning art work above me. "That''s amazing!" Was all I could manage.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    The goblin laughed, along with a few others who were still milling about. "I am pleased that they are to your liking My Lady. Though most are just a mix of panels I had at the ready."


    "Drazdon has been diligently working on that left most window since we showed him the blue prints for this place." Stated Nord, clapping the shorter hobgoblin on the shoulder. "And from what I understand, you are working on the next one are you not?"


    "Oh yes!" Smiled Drazdon, the grin making him almost look boyish. "I am working quite diligently on a depiction of your glorious arrival at Gurten and of the gift of evolution you bestowed upon out people!"


    "I bet those foolish traitors had wished they had stayed now." Growled Nord, making me shake my head in exasperation.


    Just after Margund had defeated his father, but before he officially took the throne, many things needed working out, and reforms had to be made in the goblin kingdom. One of the hardest for the goblin''s to take had been the confirmation that Aeros- who had favored the goblin''s more than most the other monsters he ruled over- was truly gone and a new land god had risen to take his place. My existence had not gone over well with a select number of the goblin race. They refused to believe that Aeros was gone, claimed that I was simple a usurper to his title, and that Margund must be mind controlled by me and there fore a pretender to the throne.


    It had looked as if war was going to break out. Margund had sent an envoy to the foxes with a message for me, telling me that they had quelled a kind of rebellion amongst the goblins and had detained the culprits. He was set to execute them for denying my rights as land god, and refusing to bend to either his will or my own.


    In a bit of a panic I had sent the messenger back as fast as possible with a message of my own. I plead that he uphold the declaration I had made when he and I first met: if they did not want to accept that I was their god, that was fine. But they were no longer welcome on my lands. I asked that Margund show them leniency, and begged that he not make a liar out of me. If this group of goblins were not willing to accept the new normal, then banish them from these lands for good. They could go find their fortunes else where.


    Thankfully Margund had agreed and made some big show of banishing the band of disbelievers. I was told that he announced that if any others wished to renounce me, and his own right to the goblin throne, than that was fine, but they were to gather their things now and leave with the ''traitors'' immediately. Lagdon said that he made a very threatening claim that, from that day onwards, any discontented goblins would no longer fall under my mercy, but his. And his mercy was not nearly as magnanimous as their new gods.


    I could only imagen what he had threatened the goblins with, but from what I understand, a goodly two hundred or so decided to leave, and were escorted to the nearest border and out of my lands. I decided not to comment on Margund''s announcement, after all, I had decided long ago that I was not going to be a ruler over these lands, just a care taker. I might ask the leaders of deferent races to make changes from time to time, but I had no desire to be in charge of them all. Talk about a job I was not qualified for. Heck, I wasn''t qualified for the one I already had!


    It was a few weeks after their expulsion that Margund had been officially crowned and I evolved the goblins. As goblins no longer connected to me or my lands, the exiled would not have received my blessing. Eventually I would have better control over the energy flows i commanded and could probably better influence specific people. As it was, I could only do broad evolutions which consumed intense amounts of energy. So far the only direct change I managed to make was for Margund himself. I intentionally tried funneling just a little more of the magic his way, and it turned out quite well if I did say so myself.


    Margund had not evolved into a hobgoblin nor a goblane. I had managed to get him to take on a special evolution, but luckily not the grotesque form of a goregek as his father had taken when Aeros had evolved him over two hundred years before. Margund had evolved into a goblin lord. He looked much like the hobgoblins but his evolution came with a lot more hidden skills that the others did not. Margund could passively boost the power and skills of his people as well as apply special magical buffs when the need arises. and that was on top of a much greater boost to his own base stats. Margund was, with out a doubt, the most powerful goblin to live in this forest nation of mine.


    "Please don''t worry about these men Nord. they are gone and someone else problem." I said, not unkindly.


    "Should have been killed is what they should have been..."


    "Nord!" Snapped Lagdon, making the older hobgoblin- a man who had trained the prince form a young age and was more like a father to him than his own had ever been- flinch and look mollified. "Do not contradict the Lady''s words. Besides, we were no different than them when first we learned of Lady Enna. She asked that their lives be spared, and Margund saw fit to adhere to her kindness."


    Nord sighed, "You are right of course." He then turned to me and bowed. "I am sorry Lady Enna, I meant no offence."


    I raised my hands and waved him off. "No its fine. They are gone and we avoided needless blood shed. I am happy with the out-come, but don''t expect everyone to be happy with it."


    After that Lagdon had everyone return to their duties, taking his job as basically the boss around here very seriously. Technically I was in charge, but I couldn''t deny that he was far more experienced than myself so I let him get on with it. When he tried to order around some of the attendants, however, Trixie put her foot down and it made me smile.


    "Sir Lagdon! I would ask that you not tell my people what to do!" She had snapped at the hobgoblin that towered over her and made other grown men cry at times. "If you have issue than please direct your concerns my way. Unless, that is, you have decided to trade in your club for an apron?"


    Many of us did our best not to laugh out loud behind Lagdon''s back as he was left scrambling for a response. Lagdon, a prince of the goblin race, and a man who was used to getting his way and people fearing him, had no defense against the little foxmen woman.


    Trixie was about my own height and about the same age as Brixie. She had milky white skin, lots of blonde curls often held in a bun, and soft burgundy colored fox ears and tail. She was a beautiful but stern woman, easily keeping the attendants and the guards in line while also making sure my every comfort was met. She had departed for the estate about a week ago, making sure everything was just right for my arrival.


    The second her eyes left the fish lipped Lagdon and landed on me her entire baring changed. I was baffled as to why, but Trixie seemed to absolutely adore me. I was touched and just a little smothered. Her only daughter died to illness before my arrival to this world and she seems to have directed all that love and attention my way.


    "Lady Enna, it is so good to finally see you again!" She said, her face radiant as she gave me a slight bow before pulling me into a light hug. she backed off and straightened out her skirt and apron. "I have everything ready in your rooms, Lady Enna. Your belongings have been brought ahead of time and I made sure that the estate tailors have a fine selection of robes for you to change into. I also made sure the baths have been emptied of others so that you may wash the road from your body in peace."


    Rooms? Ugh, how many rooms? I suddenly had a feeling that more than a little of this crazy mansion was dedicated to me personally than I would like.

 Its Never Dull Living With Monsters

    The inside of my new home was probably more extravagant than the outside. As I suspected, the nice stone steps out front leading up to a massive heavy door that was easily defendable, lead to what I would escribe as a church. There were no pews, but it was a huge open space that a small church could have fit within for sure. There were the gorgeous stained glass windows that welcomed people in at the front, but I saw more simple stained glass fitted inside as well, despite the fact that they would be looking into the interior of the building.


    The high ceiling was held up by huge pillars and several large wooden rafters. I saw even more windows in the ceiling, this ones normal glass, letting in a ton of natural light. Was it normal for monsters to be able to make this much glass? Without the kind of factories I would imagine from my old world, I wasn''t sure how it was possible...


    "You need not worry about the unfinished glass work my Lady." Said Drazdon, who had followed Lagdon, Nord, Trixie, and I inside. Everyone else got to work- no doubt getting a party ready.


    "What?" I asked. I looked back at the walls and realized that much of the glass that was clearly meant to be in the walls was actually missing. Instead there were wood paneling in its place.


    "I am good, but even I can not make so much glass in such a short time." Laughed the old glass worker. "It will take several years for the truly magnificent pieces to be made... Though that is fine seeing as how I hope to tell the tale of your time amongst us in these frames! But I plan to have at least basic stained glass in the window frames before next spring. And for now we have clear glass in the ceiling."


    "It is a grand undertaking..." I said, baffled. The talent and time- I couldn''t even comprehend it.


    Drazdon grinned, hands on his hips and shoulders back proudly. "It will be my single greatest work. My life''s ambition! I am truly grateful for this opportunity Lady Enna. To think that my art will forever be seen by all those who visit here to pay their respects to our land god... I am humbled. And to be the first to record your life? It is an honor that I can not even express."


    "Your name will, indeed, go down in history." Agreed Nord, appreciating the art work as much as I was.


    "And don''t forget us." Huffed another goblin, this one a younger goblane with deep red hair braided over one shoulder, deep green eyes, and several scrolls held in his arms. "You will not be around forever, old man. Don''t forget who it is that will be carrying on your legacy."


    Drazdon broke out in loud laughter, causing the handful of goblins working in the cathedral to stop and look. "Ain''t that the truth!" He turned to me, moving so that I could better see the younger goblane and he could better see me. I saw the younger male''s eyes widen in shock and he nearly dropped his papers. "Lady Enna, This is Grendal! He is my youngest son and one of my students in the art of glass work. Between he and my other two sons, I am sure that this project will continue on for many more decades, even after I am gone!"


    "Lady Enna!" Gasped the younger goblane. He looked more effeminate than most goblins- including the actual females- and nearly dropped more of his scrolls when he hastened to bow to me. "I''m sorry, I did not realize that you had arrived."


    "It''s fine!" I said, still not used to being bowed to and the like, despite having had to deal with it for the last six months. "More importantly, you all have been doing an amazing job. This place is beautiful!"


    Grendal smiled and Drazdon puffed out his chest and said, proudly, "Your thanks is more than we could ask for Lady Enna. To think my family is able to contribute to such an undertaking... Words can not do it justice."


    I listened to Drazdon go on and on about what he hoped to accomplish with his art, between introductions to the other goblins working on the project. They apologized for not being finished upon my arrival, but I was just astounded at all the work they had finished. I was in no way familiar with construction work, but even working under modern conditions I was sure this should have taken much longer. Considering these goblins were working with hand tools for the most part was impressive. Goblanes like Grendal did have a goodly gift for magic now, but all of them were new to the art and still had much to learn. It made me think that getting an expert with at least some magics would be ideal. but for now, both the foxes and the goblins were making due.


    A further tour of the lower level had me peeking into the barracks, where Lagdon and the other guards would be staying. It was mainly a section of the east wing of the estate filled with several bunk rooms and a shared common space. It actually looked larger than it needed to be and Lagdon told me that it was. Apparently they were accounting for growth. I figured that there was too much room for growth. I had seen middle schools smaller than this estate...


    Not far from the Barracks were the baths. It had both indoor and out door bathing sections. When I first arrived in this world, communal bathing was foreign to me but not something that made me uncomfortable. I mean, I hadn''t even been able to bathe myself for years and so was used to others being able to see my naked body. But apparently shared bathing was pretty common amongst the more social monster races like the goblins and the foxes. It reminded me a lot of animes I had watched as a kid, actually.


    The next place I was brought to were the kitchens. They were right next to a massive, but sparsely decorated dining hall. The estate still felt rather empty but it was to be expected given we had to make all the furniture our selves for now. The kitchens were a lively place though. There were many stone, wood burning stoves and just as many servants working around them. As I suspected, they were getting ready for a big party tonight. But they would not let us leave till the cooks and bakers plied us with unending pastries and snacks. It made me laugh when a rather elderly goblane woman almost shoved a meat skewer down Lagdon''s throat. Apparently she had been a chef at the goblin palace and had known the prince since he was a child.


    Lagdon did not take me to them- perhaps seeing that I was getting warry- but pointed out a hall that lead to several workrooms. Most were basically empty, but Drazdon and his sons and assistance had taken over one for their workings. Apparently was another dedicated to weaving and the like as well. Lagdon also said that there were a few meeting rooms down that way too, if ever they were needed.


    I was confused as to how Lagdon knew so much about the estate, given that he hardly had left my side since his brother had put him in charge of my safety. All he said was that he had been given several blue prints of the place. I had a feeling that he had spent a goodly amount of time memorizing them.


    Finally, Lagdon took me up stairs. The upper floor was not as large as the lower and a large chunk of that space that I had seen from the outside was actually dedicated to the huge open space of the church. I could look down into it as Lagdon led me toward the back end of the upper floor. It was here that my rooms were located.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Two males already stood guard outside the double doors- Brillum and another goblin I recognized but could not remember the name of. Both the goblin and the bright red furred Brillum bowed to me with smiles as the pushed open the doors, allowing me entry into the room for the first time. Lagdon followed me in and the guards shut the door behind us.


    It was one very large room, as a matter of fact. A huge open space with massive clear glass windows at the far side leading to a pretty glorious balcony that I suspected would look out over the waterfall that I was so fond of. The room itself was sort of separated into sections. There was a massive four poster bed with white curtains drawn closed, sitting on a raised dais. I was not sure why it was raised, but it did look impressive.


    Another corner of the room seemed to be dedicated to my wardrobe. There were several clothing stands, some with many robes- mostly having a least a little copper in them somewhere, as apparently that was ''my'' color now- and a few dresses draped over them. Then there were a few armor stands, sporting different pieces of leather gear or cloth and fur cloaks. I saw a beautifully carved table with an array of jewelry upon it, both in the styles of the goblins and the foxes. A rack on the wall held three stunning hunting bows with delicately made quivers set beneath them. And there was also a small stand dedicated to other weapons, but currently there was only one upon it.


    I approached it and saw that it was a small jeweled dagger. Lagdon stepped forward and grasped the weapon in his large, four fingered hand.


    "I had this made for you Lady Enna..." He said, and I saw that he look a little awkward. I tried not to smile, as I knew he was being kind and it would be rude to tease him. "You have been doing quite well in your training, and it is only fitting that you had a tool that matched your station, rather than the grubby practice weapons you had been using."


    Happy, i reached out a pale hand and took the small, leather sheathed, blade from the large hobgoblin. I carefully pulled it from the sheath and saw that it was made out of the finest goblin steal and the guard had small foxes carved into it, their eyes being tiny rubies, while the pommel held a much larger one.


    "Its beautiful..." I breathed, quite truthfully. "Thank you."


    "You are welcome." He said, clearing his throat awkwardly. "I am not the only one of course." He said, deflecting the attention toward the other items surrounding us. "many of your people wished to make offerings, and Trixie thought it best to just have them brought up here. I believe that that white bow was a gift of the foxie Elder, Brax."


    Entranced, I made sure to examine each gift individually. they were all apricated, and most were the absolute height of goblin or fox craftmanship. I was really very touched...


    Lagdon excused himself so that I could get some rest before the party that night. He explained that, either side of my rooms, were two other, smaller rooms. These were where the men and woman set to look after me and my personal space would be staying while on duty. Brillum and the goblin he said was called Kedmond, would be right out side if I needed anything, and he would be in those near by rooms.


    Lagdon was barely gone five minutes when Trixie breezed into the room. She waved off Brillum who had been trying to convince her to give me time, with an irritated look. Then she called in several other attendants. I was a little exasperated at first, but Trixie was nothing if not efficient. She and the other attendants had brought up a large tub of steaming water as well as several trays of food and drink. As soon as the things were dropped off, all but Trixie and two other attendants left the room.


    Before I knew it I had been undressed, helped to get clean, and then dressed in a clean foxie styled robe and sitting on my balcony sipping Maubry apple juice and munching on tea cakes. The view was stunning, and I was left to enjoy it as Trixie and her helpers set about putting my room back in order. I was a little worried that I would get used to this treatment. I never wanted to be some spoiled, lazy god, like a certain dragon I had met once.


    But it was rather relaxing, looking out over the river and nearby lakes, the forest a light in autumn colors and the trees that I had been so fond of the first time I visited here. The purple blossoms were now gone, replaced by large purple Maubry apples, the juice from which i was now drinking.


    I got up and went to the rail of my deck and looked down. Below me was a garden, extending out to the river. It was not to elaborate right now, considering the time of year and the fact that it was only recently built, but I could see where the foxes and goblins seemed to be planning to put a fountain and several flower beds. Already there were a few benches and several large trees that I was glad to se that they managed to avoid cutting down. To my left, hidden in a grove of apple trees, were the out door baths. I could see steam rising above the tree line.


    And, though I could not see it, I knew that farther on the eastern side were the training grounds that, had the water fall not been so loud with the extra water from a recent rain, i probably could hear Nord schooling Ozzie before the party. To the west would be the servants gardens as it were. I was told that there several vegetable gardens there as well as an area dedicated to laundry.


    So this was my new home. It was odd to think that I would be here for a great many years to come. I honestly had not really given my life span much thought since arriving in this world. Before now, it was a thought I avoided, as I was supposed to have died ages ago. I assume my illness had finally caught up to me and that was how I passed from Earth and found myself here. I actually do not remember dying. I was just going under the assumption that I had passed in my sleep for now.


    But I was a land god now. I was going to live- baring some very unlikely circumstances- for a very long time, till I -Like Aeros before me- grow tired of this world and decide to pass on to what ever lay beyond. Hundreds of years... thousands?


    I thought of Drazdon and his sons, tickled pink that their legacy would continue on with their stained glass windows. Before I know it, Drazdon will die, and a few decades later so will his sons. Eventually, all the people I know now- have grown to love and rely on- will pass away. I bet that it will feel like a blink of an eye.


    The thought made me sad. I knew that, logically speaking, that wouldn''t happen for many years, especially for the younger ones like Lagdon or even Ozzie. But they would grow old and die. Unlike me, they were not forever.


    Sighing, I sat back in the chair Trixie had set out for me. It was best not to dwell on it. Not now at least. After all, it was not something I would have to worry about for a couple decades at least and, luckily, most monster races had longer life spans than humans. Not a lot longer, but even a few more years with friends was preferable.


    With that thought in my head I popped a small chocolate into my mouth and smiled. they were very rare here and I decided to savor the precious present from a goblin noble for as long as I could.


    As I figured, a party was set for the evening and I would go so far as to say it was the most boisterous one yet. It went long into the night and I can''t say I had ever laughed so much as I did in that dining hall.


    Somehow Ozzie managed to fall into the river at one point and came out looking like a drowned rat. Lagdon was as stoic as always but Nord managed to coax him out of his shell enough for a round of arm wrestling matches where, somehow, I was the one most surprised to find that I was not dead last. Though it took a bit of convincing before they would let me join. Some thought I would get hurt while others figured a god would be too strong to be put up against regular people. Turns out i was middle of the pack.


    That fun night slowly faded and lazy days followed. Over the next weeks we all settled into a comfortable routine for a change and I could not have been happier. There were still things that needed to be done in my lands, but I was waiting till I had built up a better store of power before I got to work. It also gave me time to train with the guards and get better acquainted with various weapons. Most gods were strong all on their own, but I was just a regular human with a few godly buffs tossed in to help me survive. I could do with all the help I could get.


    But I should have figured that peaceful days would not last for too long. I was the god of a forest full of monsters after all.

 Unsettling Rumors

    "Enna duck!" Ozzie fairly screamed. I did not hesitate in the slightest, knowing the boys fear all too well. I immediately dropped to the dirt and rolled as far as I dared before shooting back to my feet, spinning on a heel so as not to leave my back exposed.


    Ozzie let out a war cry and I saw him whiz past me, orange fur flashing in the unseasonably bright sunlight. He kicked off the ground with one pawed foot, taking to the air, short sword glinting. To the left of me another young monster hurried forward. This was Gabreal, a hobgoblin with green skin, blue eyes and slate grey hair gathered at the back of his head in a short tail. He also carried a short sword, and though he had more power behind it than Ozzie, he did not have the foxie''s agility.


    "Lorma!" I shouted, looking toward the goblane woman just behind me, her red hair so vibrant it was almost blinding at this point. "Do it now!"


    I heard the woman finish her chanting and a reddish gold spell circle appeared beneath her feet, followed by a rushing strip of earthen spikes shooting toward the enemy. I watched, irritated I could not do more, as Ozzie and Gabreal jumped out of the way. the man they had been trying to hold down didn''t even flinch however. Belying his age, the man leapt into the air, an evil grin on his face and a glinting blade in each hand.


    "In coming!" Ozzie called as he and Gabreal hurried to catch up with the advancing man. "Enna, take the left!"


    I nodded and ran to flank our foe as he rushed in on to Lorma. The goblane raised her hands and did not flee as she started to chant a simple fire spell, hoping to hit the man as the boys and I got him from behind. I lifted my own dagger, the rubies glinting brightly in the sun light, and took aim at the base of his neck.


    But I was not surprised to find that our maneuvers had no effect on the old man. He ducked my strike, causing me to stumble forward. At the same time he caught Gabreal''s blade on one of his own. I had just caught my balance, just in time to see Ozzie catch a pommel to the gut and go flying backwards.


    "Shit!" I cursed, and dove into my magical stores. I was in no way good at using my magic yet. Usually fox fire was the best I could manage; but like Lorna and the other goblane, I had been trying to work with it all the same. The hobgoblins and the foxes may not have an affinity for its use, but I was not about to ignore any weapons in my arsenal.  But, before I could even think about chanting a spell i felt a hand grip the collar of my robe. Well... shoot.


    One second I was standing and the next I was flat on my back with the wind knocked out of me. Next to me, curled in a ball, was Ozzie. I looked back at the fight and saw that Gabreal was attempting to get a hit in but none of us were a match against this foe. But that did not stop the others from trying, and so it would not stop me either.


    I watched as Gabreal was sent flying just as Ozzie and I had been. Then I saw Lorma''s eyes turn to saucers as, she too, was interrupted mid spell and sent flying backwards into a training dummy. I cursed once more while on the ground but pulled on my magic all the same, picturing the spell circle in my mind. Instead of chanting I shouted one word "Iifree!"


    I was surprised when it actually worked and a ball of red fire was sent hurtling toward the man. I was not surprised, however, when it had no effect what so ever. In fact, with the flick of his wrist, one blade came up ad deflected the spell right back at me. It landed in the dirt in front of my face and exploded, showering me with rocks and giving me a mouth full of gravel.


    As I coughed and spluttered, the old man laughed. "Alright, that''s enough then." He said, still chuckling.


    "I think," groaned Ozzie next to me, over my spluttering. "When the say ''monster'' they mean him..."


    "Oww. I think you are right." Agreed Lorma, still trying to detangle her hair from the straw of the target she had been thrown into.


    "Buck up!" Chided Nord, eyes sparkling as they always did every time he got the chance to bash us about. "You are all improving and that is what matters. At least you came at me with a stratagem this time!"


    I had been training with the guards for weeks now, determined to not constantly need saving. I was still, physically, the weakest here. But, as some like to point out, that was only because I was not using the energies that were mine by right, as I could be. But I did not want to rely on that power solely. Besides, I was currently employing that to other matters, like healing the lands Aeros messed up, and making sure my people stayed as strong and as healthy as I could. Any extra was usually funneled into a sort of storage that I had constructed, at the ready for when next I needed it. Like, what I did when I was getting ready to evolve the goblins.


    "Well done on that last spell Lady Enna." Panted Lorma, finally extricating herself and limping over to me and the boys. "To think you were able to cast it without the chant!"


    "Thanks." I said, accepting her hand and letting her help me up.


    Now that the heat of the fight was over they were back to calling me ''Lady'' again. I rather liked when it seemed like we were all equal, and they just called me Enna. But I was not about to insist upon it. Besides, as Margund once pointed out to me, it was good to keep some formality between me and most of the others, or else they would likely go back to babying me and I did not want that. I needed to be a strong god, not a pretty thing sitting on a pillow eating grapes and directing things from afar. I''d go mad if I had to stay cooped up again; even if it was for my safety.


    "Kill me..." was all Ozzie had to say on the matter.


    Lorma looked down on the young foxie and rolled her eyes, but helped him and Gabreal to their feet as well. "I just wish we had more to work with when it came to spell work. I am pleased that his majesty approved that the few spell books in the royal library be copied and sent her for us to study, but still..."


    Margund had been pretty generous in sending us those books. They were rare here in this nation as the use of spells was rare amongst monster. And the desire to read for that matter. Most magic cast by monsters were based in skills, which were activated by either internal intention, or even verbal activation. Where magic was usually used by humans or demi-humans and could be learned and improved upon with time and dedication. Goblanes were among the few monster races with an aptitude for it.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "We need a teacher." I agreed. "But all we can do is keep practicing with what we have now."


    "At least you seem to have an affinity for magic." Said Ozzie, rubbing a lump on his head. "I can barely use fox fire."


    Foxfire was a skill based magic cast by those of the fennik line of monsters. Most in the evolutionary line could at least cast a weak fox fire. Iifree was a spell, and normally it was cast with a short chant. Usually the longer the chant the more powerful the spell. But magic could be cast without the chant, but to do so was to take a big risk of the spell backfiring on the caster. Direct casting was much faster but the magician needs to have a great deal of concentration for it to work. The ultimate form of magic casting was non-verbal. Even the slightest slip up on even the simplest of spells cast this way could kill a magician: maybe even those in the vicinity of the caster.


    "As glad as I am that you are fascinated with the magical arts, I think you all need to work on less flashy means of battle, yes?" Reprimanded Nord. "Spells are all well and good, but if you can not even defend yourself while casting than what is the point. You all had a good stratagem at first: you three came at me while giving Lorma time to cast her magic." Schooled the older hobgoblin, sheathing his swords in his leather belt. "But you two-" He pointed at Ozzie and Gabreal. "Got in the way of your magician, and she could not accurately cast her spell without also hitting you. And, Lady Enna, once your initial attack failed you should have fell back to protect Lorma."


    I and the others exchanged shamed looks, seeing for ourselves that we had quite a ways to go.


    "Not to mention, the second your plan failed you all fell apart." Growled a familiar voice. I spun on my heel and saw Lagdon saunter into the training grounds. As time went on I managed to get the high strung prince to loosen up on the full time guarding. At least while I was on the estate grounds, with countless other guards and servants (who were also stronger than me) to keep an eye on me. He had been in a meeting with who knew who for the last couple hours. I got out of being cooped up in my room by telling him that I intended to join Nord in his lessons.


    "Very correct master Lagdon." Agreed Nord. Seeing the look on Lagdon''s face, the older male wasted no time dismissing the younger trainees. I may be a weak human, but there was no way anyone here would dare try and dismiss me. "All right you three, that will be it for today. I suggest you work on your teamwork for next time."


    The foxie and two goblins shuffled off with polite farewells and grumbles amongst themselves. I smiled, watching them leave. It made me happy to see goblins and the foxes getting along. Just a few short months ago the two races had been at war.


    "What has gotten you looking so sour?" Nord asked Lagdon, the three of us standing in the empty training grounds. It was rare for no one else to be here, but the weather was nice. I assumed that most the others were enjoying what was left of it before the cold really set in. I was told that the winters here were not all that bad at least.


    Lagdon sighed. "Just some unsettling rumors. Nothing to worry overly much about, but I plan on being kept abreast of the situation all the same."


    "What situation?" I asked, worried.


    Lagdon did not hesitate in answering me. It had never really been discussed, but we all had a bit of an unspoken understanding. I let the people run things as they saw fit- so long as they kept it peaceful- but if I ever asked to be let into the loop, they needed to tell me everything. To not do so would break the trust I held in them, making me wonder if I was being- at best- shielded from bad happenings, or -at worst- being intentionally kept in the dark about serious information.


    "In the south of your lands there is a forest known only as The Dark." He said, explaining. "It is near the border of the human kingdom of Barsole. Apparently there have been some strange stirrings down there. Even stranger than usual."


    "How do you mean?" I had never heard of the Dark, nor of this human kingdom. Maybe I should see if a proper map could be found in the papers and books Margund had sent me here at the estate. Brax had shown me a map once, but the foxes were not big book people and the map was very old.


    "The Dark has long been a place that most peoples avoid at all costs." Explained Nord, scratching his chin. "It is said that much of Aeros'' unused, soiled energies came to rest there. Beings like him, with unimaginable magical auras, tend to leak power and that power can warp the things around it- usually not for the better."


    A place called The Dark that even monsters avoided. Well that did not sound good, not good at all. And it existed on my lands? great, another thing I would have to clear up I would imagine.


    "It is filled with strange magics, ancient monsters, and even criminals." Lagdon told me, still looking worried.


    "Criminals? What kind of criminals?"


    "any kind." Said Nord. "Though, ''filled'', might be stretching it. I rather doubt any monsters exiled there really manage to live all that long. There is a reason we avoid it. The only good thing about the place is that it provides a bit of a barrier between us and Barsole."


    "And what is wrong with Barsole then?"


    "It is a nation of humans who absolutly despise monsters. Monsters and demi-humans. All monsters are killed on sight and demi-humans are kept as slaves or worse."


    I frowned, displeased. I could understand humans fearing monsters, and maybe even demi-humans, it was in the nature of the race to fear what it could not or would not understand. But out right extermination and slavery? that was a big no for me. And now I was worried. Aeros was gone, so what was keeping that nation from entering my lands where the monsters they despise so much live en mas? Apparently just a super spooky forest, that''s what.


    "So, what are these rumors you have been hearing?" Nord asked his prince.


    "It is not uncommon to hear of strange happenings withing the borders of the forest, but I just received word from my brother''s messenger that there have been strange happenings outside of those borders now." Lagdon said, pacing slightly as he thought. "Margund says that some trading partners from the south have brought him word that some think that there is a beast in the Dark, stirring up trouble."


    "A beast? What the heck kind of description is that." I asked, annoyed due to worry.


    Lagdon shrugged. "No one is willing to go farther in to see what it is, exactly. But they say that people have been disappearing from near-by settlements, and monsters that once called the lands close by have begun either vanishing or showing up dead. All the instances are so similar that Margund suspects that it is all due to the same person or thing. What that thing is, he has no clue. I am sure that if things progress much farther, he will likely send out a squad to check it out."


    Nord nodded. "Gurten and the other goblin villages are a goodly distance from the issue, but..."


    "But what?" I asked, not liking this one bit.


    "But the estate is close enough to be worrisome. the lake is between us and the forest, but not all enemy''s will be hindered by that." Lagdon told me. "Still, it is a weeks rohgek ride away, so we are in no immediate danger."


    I wasn''t so sure of that, but decided to take Lagdon''s word for it. What was the point of having competent advisors if you didn''t listen to them at least most of the time. Besides, I was not comfortable with the level of energies I had stored up just yet. It sounded like what ever was happening down there would likely cost me a lot to fix. Still, I doubted I would put the issue out of my mind, as I am sure the two hobgoblins before me hoped I would.

 Trouble in Pern

    West of the Monster Nation of Aeros, the Kingdom of Pern


    Pern was not a large kingdom by any means but it was well known as a trading hub for anyone looking to get goods from the dwarven kingdom of Rohgen. The dwarves were a pretty untrusting people, especially when it came to dealing with humans, so Pern''s connection to them was highly valued. But, trade dealings aside, Pern was not a powerhouse, and their military might relied heavily on the local branch of the adventurers guild.


    That being said, their current dilemma was all the more dire because of this.


    "Are you sure about this William?" Asked a tall man sitting at the head of a polished table. He was the King of Pern, and a well loved one at that. King Damien Rightwell the second ascended to the throne when his father, Damien the first, died to an illness at quite a young age. But, despite the loss, Damien the second brought his kingdom to new, and greater heights. The people of Pern live quite comfortably for the last two hundred years. But now all that may be coming to an end.


    The man, William nodded his head, his face solemn and brow furrowed. He was only in his late twenties but he looked about ten years older, the stress of his job evident on his skin. William was the guild master in charge of all adventurers guilds in Pern, and that was not an easy, nor stress free job to have.


    "Yes, your majesty, very sure. I received the information from highly trusted sources." Stated the guild master, causing the other advisors in the room to begin whispering amongst them selves.


    The group was seated around a large table with the king at its head. But it was the man to the king''s left who next spoke. "This is not good news. Not good at all. I can think of a few reasons for the monsters to be mobilizing and none of them are good." Stated Bishop Rodrick. He was also fairly young for a man of his station in the church, and, in William Frost''s opinion, possibly corrupt. But the king would not hear of it as he and his family were devote practitioners of the Moon Glow Faith. The bishop''s word was almost law in the royal family''s eyes.


    "It may very well effect our dealings with the dwarves at this rate." Piped in another man, this one older and clearly very well off. James Steadfell was a distant cousin of the king and also the man in charge of the merchants guild as well as the kingdom''s finances. If there was a well connected man in Pern it was this tall, willowy male that looked as if a stiff wind might blow him over.


    What may be causing all this unease in this normally peaceful nation? William had just confirmed the rumors that there has been some major movement in the Monster Nation of Aeros to the east. Pern shared a very precarious boarder with this nation and, in the past, were susceptible to a great many attacks from monsters along that border. The old dragon there was no joke and that was not even accounting for the masses of monsters hidden within the nation as well.


    "Was it only goblins?" Asked the king. He still sat proud but William Frost knew that this news was not welcome.


    "Goblins are all that have been seen exiting the nation, yes." Confirmed Frost.


    "But?"


    Frost sighed. Yes...but. "Even though it is highly advised against, I am sure you know that some adventurers have been making small forays into the nation?" The king nodded and so the guild master continued. "Well, from those adventurers, there has been word that the monsters have been more active. I have also been told that the forest itself is changing."


    "Changing? More than just the goblins departure you mean?" Asked the bishop, leaning forward.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Frost nodded again. "Yes. The goblins are, perhaps, our most immediate problem, but I have been told that the forest seems different. The plants are more vibrant, the amount of fruit in the tress is expanding, and the rivers seem to run clearer..."


    "Do you think the Dragon has awoken?" The king asked. It was the one question that everyone in this room hoped that the answer would be ''no''.


    Aeros, the monsters god and master, was a beast beyond reckoning. In ages past, before he was said to have settled down as the land god at the center of this world of theirs, it was said that he was seen as nothing short of a natural disaster. Everywhere the dragon went, terror and destruction was sure to follow. Then he took up residence in the forest. Understandably, this was a vast improvement for most kingdoms. But he did settle in a land that shared a border with Pern.


    For thousands of years the people of Pern avoided even going near that dreaded place. But, about two hundred years ago, it was noted that the monsters seemed to be settling. Encounters with them out side of their kingdom lessened somewhat and Pern knew the peace it now had.


    But if the monsters were on the move and the forest was waking up...


    "We do not know the exact reason." Frost stated. "It could be what we all fear, and the damned lizard has decided to interfere with this plane once again. But it could also mean the exact opposite."


    "You think he is dead?" Asked Steadfell, pointed eyebrows furrowed but it was clear from his tone that he was hopeful. the death of the ancient dragon would be a best case scenario for the merchant, as it may very well open many avenues for him and his dealings.


    "That I can not know for sure. But, if I had to pick between the two right now, I would be more convinced of Aeros'' passing. I can not see a mass migration of goblins happening if he were still alive. My best guess would be that a land god has arisen in the forest and they may not look too kindly on the goblins. Perhaps driving them out."


    "Well that is great news!" Exclaimed a woman by the name of Jillian Roth. Everyone, including frost, had a great deal of respect for this particular elderly woman. She was probably the oldest person in the room right now but did not look it. Not in her baring at least. Jillian sat straight backed and confident with her long steely grey hair, equally hard eyes, and impressive scar bisecting her face from upper lip to the tip of her pointed chin. She had once been a very famous adventurer, who had then gone on to be an equally famous knight. Now she sat as one of the kings greatest advisors in any number of topics. "I can not say that I am displeased to be rid of the beast."


    But Frost shook his head, causing the woman to frown. "I think, if you look past the obvious initial pleasure in the news, you will see why this theory may very well be as bad as the dragon flying out of his mountain all on his own."


    "The migrating monsters..." Sighed the king, seeing what it was that Frost feared.


    The guild master nodded. "Yes. If this new god is against monsters- as most gods are- and is actively trying to out them from the forest."


    Frost saw the realization dawn on the old warrior and she cursed. "We will be swarmed with monsters before the spring melts!"


    Yes, that was the worst case scenario. The truth was that the Monster Nation was mostly bisected by a large mountain range. it cut the east and the west sides of the nation from one another, Add to that the fact that the western side of that range- the side that bordered Pern- also had a menacing forest to the south, meant that if the monsters had to flee those lands, they would be funneled straight to Pern. It could very well mean the death of the kingdom.


    "And we have no way of knowing just how many, nor how strong, the monsters are in there either." Spat Jillian. "What is your opinion of this?" She asked Frost, worry evident on not just her face, but all of their faces.


    "The truth of the matter is that we have no way of knowing. On one hand, the goblins that left the forest and encountered adventurers did not seam overly strong. But there were quite a few of them, and many made it to the dwarven kingdom before they could all be exterminated. But on the other hand, the monsters of the forest have been left to their own devises for nearly two thousand years. Who knows what kind of growth they may have had in that time."


    "Well, we can not sit back and do nothing." Said the king, massaging his temples. "William, i will need you to put together an emergency party. The best adventurers you can find. We need a proper accounting of the situation: the state of the forest, the level of the monsters, and- if possible- confirmation of the Aeros situation."


    Frost got to his feet and bowed to his king. "right away your majesty. We will get to the bottom of all this."


    "May the gods be with them on this mission." Said the king by way of a dismissal.

 A Call for Help

    Sorting scrolls and books was rather dull work, but I took to it gladly all the same. It was nice to take a break from training/ doing absolutely nothing. My ''worshipers'' seemed to take it as a personal offence if I tried to help with just about anything around the estate, and so I was frequently left with next to nothing to do. So I was quite pleased when a foxmen approached me, looking very uncomfortable, and made a request. Apparently, the estate was heavy in people trained in combat or house keeping- and even more specialized arts like alchemy- but not many were all that versed in reading or writing.


    So this young foxmen had been forced to approach me for aid in the matter. It may be tedious work, but at least it was work. I picked up on the goblin glyphs well enough- my efficient learning no doubt a result of being a god in some fashion- and started organizing, categorizing, and shelving documents and books in the recently completed library. When I arrived at the estate it had still been incomplete, but recently the last of the shelving and basic seating had been added.


    It was fairly basic in design, but larger than we currently needed as we only had a few hundred books, and maybe as many scrolls, must of which were dealing with either goblin construction, or weapon play. Apparently monsters were not huge creators of entertainment novels by any means. As a former quadriplegic, much of my former entertainment had been either television, or audio books. I did miss it, but I wouldn''t trade my arms and legs for J.R.R Tolkien, no matter how epic an adventure it could be.


    Besides- current doldrum aside- I was literally living an adventure. I had no room to complain.


    But, it was as I was mid reading titles and adding them to a series of lists before handing the book to an attendant who would then sort them to their appropriate shelf, that excitement once again entered my world. And that usually was not a good thing when one lives with monsters- even if they were steadily becoming a little more cultured.


    The two attendants present, and myself, turned toward the door as a commotion could be heard out in the hall. I told the two foxmen that I was going to check it out and they bowed as I hurried out of the mostly empty room. In the large hall I saw a small group of servants gathered near the entrance to the temple. I made my way to them and waited for them to do their customary bowing before starting my questioning.


    "What''s going on?" I asked a foxie woman.


    She hesitated, worry in her large doe like eyes, before answering. I knew then that they thought that what ever was happening, it may be dangerous. My people may not be nearly as bad as they once had been about keeping me out of harms way, but they still had their habits. "I think we have a visitor Lady Enna." She said in a very feminine voice, the other three females, all foxie, nodding as well. "A group of them I think."


    "From the fox village?" I asked, worried that something bad might have happend. It wasn''t odd for small groups of foxes or goblins to come, visit and leave offerings, and leave again after a day or two. But it was odd for a commotion to be made over it. Unless it was Margund himself who decided to make an appearance, but I rather doubted that. The goblin king was still very busy setting to rights his father''s mishaps, and did not have the time to just disappear from the capital, Gurten, for a month long trip without good reason.


    "No, My Lady!" Piped int he youngest of the woman, her russet fists clenched in her apron. She sounded more excited than worried. "Its a group of kobolds. We haven''t see their kind since well before I was born!"


    "Kobolds?" I needed to see this for myself. Besides, if they came here, it was likely to see me. This was the land god''s temple, after all.


    I said a swift farewell to the servants, and hurried though to the church. It was even more breathtaking now that Drazdon and his sons had installed more of their stained glass. They were even beginning to get the scaffolding up to install the next of Drazdon''s "masterpieces" depicting our trip to the estate. But it was a lot noisier than it usually was- construction aside. the sound of several men speaking over one another along with a set of voices that sounded stranger than any I had heard before. They were sort of higher pitched and reedy, but also had some growly tones around some of the consonants.


    Cautiously, not really knowing what a kobold was, I approached the mass of people. I could make out Lagdon and Draxly immediately, one being a grey skinned mountain and they other a pitched black fox man dressed in black leather. Both were standing rather menacingly, arms crossed over their chests and eyes narrowed to ward the ground. Either kobolds were short, or they had made a mess on my shiny stone floors, which would be a shame.


    "What''s going on?" I asked, sideling up to the two men I knew best in this group. I could see several other guards as a few of the people who had decided to journey to the estate with the expressed intent of being some kind of Enna priests. I was not comfortable with that name and so they just referred to them selves as ''shrine keepers'', and made themselves busy keeping the temple- or shrine i guess they now referred to it as- clean and orderly, as well as help those how came to pay respects here.


    I can''t say i was too keen at their being some kind of religion springing up with me at its center, but i saw no harm if they just wanted to be helpful. I had decided to keep an eye on the group however, not wanting them to turn obsessive or radical in some way.


    "My Lady!" Exclaimed Trixie, the estate manager. I had not even realized she was here, despite the brightness of her blonde hair. "I was just about to send someone to find you."


    Draxly and Lagdon stepped back, opening up my view. that act alone told me that what ever I was about to see was of no danger to me. No way these two muscle heads would just open me up to potential attack.


    I am not really sure what I thought a kobold would look like, but it had not been what I saw standing, hunched and fearful, before me. There was a group of six men, about the same height as the foxes had been back when the were just foxkin, but they could not have looked different from the furry fox faced people I had once known.


    The kobolds were not ugly, but the best description I could make for them was a mix between bald dogs and naked mole rats. They stood on two feet and in most ways appeared humanoid, but their faces were somewhat elongated and they had slightly saggy, peachy or pale grey skin. Most were bald, or nearly so, and all had beady black eyes and floppy, hairless, ears that resembled that of a beagle.


    As I looked at them, they looked at me, and I saw their eyes grow wide. Maybe they knew me by name, or maybe my feint glow gave it away, but they knew immediately that I was the land god. I knew that word of me had been spreading through the nation so either was a possibility. All at once, the small, saggy skinned men bowed. They were dressed in what i would describe as old English cloths with white linin shirts, little vests, and several removed paper boy caps as they bowed.


    "We apologies for disturbing your peace Lady Enna." Stammered one of the men. I was a little ashamed to admit that I was finding it difficult to tell them apart. It seemed rude. Especially since every one of them seemed terrified out of their minds. I frowned down at them. Were rumors spreading that I was vicious or something?


    "Er, Lady Enna, these people are kobolds." Explained Draxly, his eyes narrowed on the diminutive creatures. "A race of demi-humans. They say that they have come seeking your favor..."


    So they were demi-humans hu? Through my reading in the library, as well as from what I learned from the others, I knew that demi-humans were neither humans nor monsters. Though they did hold some traits of both. Other species that fell into this category were the elves, dwarves and harpies. Demi-humans tend to have the same reasoning skills as humans, but similar strength as monsters. But unlike monsters, demi-humans did not evolve. If they wished to obtain new power they had to learn it the slow and steady was as humans did.


    "We a-are very sorry to disturb you..." Said the kobold once again.


    At my confused and slightly offended look, Lagdon explained. "There should be no kobolds in the forest Lady Enna. Aeros loathed the demi-humans nearly as much as he did humans, and did not abide by them living in his lands."


    Ah. These kobolds had been driven by desperation, seeking my aid, but feared that I held the same prejudices as the nasty old dragon. They must have been desperate, to risk the wrath of a god, and come to ask for help. That begged the question: What the heck was scarier than an enraged land god?


    "I can''t speak of Aeros," I said, just barley stopping myself from saying ''dumb lizard'' rather than the former god''s name. "But I have no problems with demi-humans, or even humans for that matter. Unless I am given a reason to have issue with them that is. What is it that you need help with?"


    The kobolds head snapped up, eyes hopeful. He exchanged desperate looks with the other kobolds. "Thank you Lady Enna, that is most gracious of you."


    Gracious? For not killing people on sight? I hoped I never got so jaded in this role that I was forced to make people fear me like that, just on principle.


    "Lets take this to the meeting rooms." I said, not unkindly, before turning to Lagdon. "We should probably have Nord sit in on this, as well as anyone else you think might have needed input."


    Lagdon nodded, shared a brief glace with Draxly- that I took for a ''Stay close to her''- and hurried off to find Nord and who ever else may be present in the estate that held some kind of authority.


    True to his nature, Lagdon did not keep anyone waiting. As Trixie was escorting the last of the Kobolds in before Draxly and I, the goblin prince arrived with Nord, two fox elders, and a goblane woman I vaguely recognized as an advisor to Margund, probably here on a pilgrimage. I entered the room and the others quickly followed behind. Trixie was getting the kobolds seated, their heads barely clearing the table, and Draxly pulled out a seat at the head of the table fore me. He and Lagdon decided to stand behind my chair. I could only guess that they were trying to put up a front for the kobolds, as normally they would simply take the seats either side of me, rather than be a pair of threatening muscle men behind me.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Nord took the chair to my right, while Trixie took the one to my left, the other foxes and goblin''s sitting where they would, all of us on one end of the table while the Kobolds sat on the other, looking very small and terrified.


    "Alright," I said, still uncomfortable with these situations but sucking it up all the same. "Please, tell me what''s happening? How is it that you have come to be in my forest?"


    The kobolds exchanged another nervous look, but then the apparent leader cleared his throat and spoke. "Though your people are correct, and my kin are not normally welcome in the Monster Nation Aeros, we have actually been living here for quite some time." We really needed to change the name of this nation. I usually just refereed to it as the ''forest'' even though it held more regions than the forest I currently lived in... but I knew if I brought it up the others would want to name it after me, and that would be just too embarrassing. So I held off mentioning it till I thought of a plausible name to use instead. "We kobolds once live in in the nation of Barsole, along this nations southern most border. But, eighty years ago or so, that nation went through a bit of a revolution."


    I glanced to Nord for confirmation, but he looked like this was as much news to him as it was to me. I suppose that would be too much to hope for from the goblin rumor mill. They may be deep in the know about the working of the Monster nation- especially this side of the mountains that bisected the nation- but given Aeros stance on other races and nations, it was not a surprise that anything outside the borders was a complete mystery.


    "We demi-humans never had the greatest standing in Barsole as it was, but once the new royal family took over, they condemned all demi-humans to death or slavery, and all sentient monsters were to be killed on sight." The kobold leader continued. "My great great grandfather, along with others of my race, decided the only course of action was to flee Barsole... It was well known that the Great Dragon also held no love for demi-humans, but it was also said that he had not made an appearance in over one hundred years at the time. Our ancestors decided to take the risk."


    I watched as the kobolds slowly began to release the tension in their shoulders. It was brave of them, considering they were currently surround by rather powerful monsters, to have come here where they were even more disadvantaged. Brave or they were really just that desperate at any rate.


    "How is it you got thorough the Dark?" Asked Nord, his eyes somewhat suspicious, but his tone soft and understanding. "It spans most of our border with Barsole and is the main reason- Aeros not included- that humans from that nation are kept out of our lands."


    "I does cover the main paths that lead to this nation, but from the stories I have been told, our forefathers decided to take the long way around, risking the border crossing stations rather than cut through the Dark it self. Due to the instability of the nation at the time it was some what easier than it had been in years before."


    "And you just live on the other side of the border?" I asked. Is the problem these kobolds face that of an entire other nation? If that was the case than I wasn''t sure if we could help. In fact, I was pretty sure it would spell near disaster for this nation if another decided to invade or pick a fight. It was why I was avoiding trying to reach out to human nations before I could better build up our power base here. I was of the thought that dealing with humans could very well boost my peoples way of life greatly... but that was only if the threat of angering us was enough to convince them to be nice rather than simply invade and take what Aeros abandoned.


    "No Miss- Er, I mean, Lady Enna." Stated the kobold who had still not named himself. I guess it was poor manners on my part not to ask him... oops. "Once our people made it across the border, we then made our way back toward the Dark." Seeing the confused look on my face, the man smiled weakly. "We still feared the Dragon God, and so thought it best to hide in a place we knew most people- monsters included- avoided. We built a village on the edge of the dark and did our best to lay low. As our ancestors suspected, we rarely ran into any others so close to the Dark, and, luckily, the denizens of the Dark keep to its shadows... at least, they used to..."


    "Used to?" questioned Nord, his voice a worried rumble.


    Pale faced, the kobold nodded. "Its is why we came to ask for the aid of the new land god. We knew that Aeros would never- but, when would came from a rare traveler that there was a new god... well, our mayor and the village elders figured that we had no choice but to risk the asking..."


    It was then that I realized that these men, not even once, thought that they would ever make it out of this meeting alive. They could not imagine that Aeros'' successor would look favorably on them at all. I was sure that their only hope was that- who ever the new land god would be- would be territorial enough to not want what ever was stirring up trouble in the Dark to be left on its own. They just hoped that their people could escape during the melee.


    The leader sighed, then got into the meat of the issue. "On the day we left our village, already twenty people had been killed, or have gone missing. I am afraid that we are not sure what is doing this... We refer to it as the specter, simply because it attacks at night, in a cloud of fog, and no one has seen it. Or, if they did, they died right after. Some weeks ago we began noticing that, at night, a fog would roll in from the Dark. Then, a few days later the first person went missing. Just before we were sent out seeking help, people began to just die in their own homes."


    Another one of the kobolds nodded and then spoke up for the first time. "It has been awful... my sister and my uncle are among the missing. And, just the night before we left, my good friend was found dead in his bed."


    "Dead how?" Asked Trixie, never one to be fearful or to think that such a discussion was above an estate manager who didn''t know the first thing about battle. "Knowing the method of death may provide clues to the culprit. Though I do not know of a monster that produces a fog... not one that would blanket an entire village at least."


    "We do not know the exact method. We know that it is painful, as we hear the victims'' scream out into the night before they are found dead. And we know that how ever the Spector is doing it, it leaves no wounds." Stated the leader, looking sad and defeated.


    "Just husks..." Said another of the kobolds, voice hardly more than a whisper.


    "Husks?" Asked Trixie.


    The man nodded. "Yes, husks. When the sun comes up and the mist recedes we go and try and find who it is that has been taken from us. And all we find are the withered corpses the Specter leaves behind. It is as if they aged in seconds and all blood and moisture has been drained from their flesh. It is a most disturbing thing to see."


    I immediately pictured a mummy. I had no clue if any culture here practiced making mummies like several cultures on earth had, but the kobolds description of the bodies sound just like an unwrapped mummy to me. Were these people mummified alive? How awful.


    Silence met the end of the kobolds description and I had no doubt that we were all thinking much the same thing: How could we defeat a ghost that sucks the life out of you in the night?


    Coming to a decision that I was sure my trusty guards and advisors would not like, I decided to voice it all the same. "We need to go to the kobold village and investigate."


    As i suspected, there was immediate uproar. It was too dangerous. No place for a young land god. It wasn''t our problem if a beat was making a snack of some demi-humans...


    It was the last statement that had me shouting above the protests.


    "Enough!" Perhaps because I was a land god, or maybe just because they were not used to me raising my voice, I did not know, What ever the reason, the room grew silent. The goblins and foxes looking a mixture of worried and angry, and the kobolds looking horrified and attempting to make themselves even smaller.


    "As far as I am concerned," I said, glaring at all the foxes and goblins in the room, just so they could be made perfectly aware of my stance on this. "These kobolds are as much a part of my lands as any one of you." the goblane woman looked as if she was about to protest, but I glared till she turned away. "I am not Aeros. I had thought that I had made that perfectly clear already, but apparently not. I have no reason not to sympathies with demi-humans, or even humans for that matter. Indeed, I am sure that most would think that- being of human birth myself- that I would identify better with them than with you monsters. But did I even once hesitate to accept you all under my care."


    Lagdon did not even hesitate, even when the others were busy looking chastised. "Not even for a moment Lady Enna." He said, still looking irritated and aggressive, but I appreciated the acknowledgement all the same.


    "Exactly.  I plan on extending the same curtesy toward these kobolds- as citizens of theses lands for nearly one hundred years- as I did to all of you. When the foxes faced doom to the hands of the goblins, I did not just ignore their plight. And when the goblins- under the goregek''s thumb- could neither grow or thrive, I did not hesitate in trying to free them either." I sighed, slouching my shoulders and feeling a little drained. "that being said, most of the hard work had been accomplished by you all, and not by me. But I can not, under the weight of my own conscience, ignore the plight of these kobolds.


    "Besides," I added darkly. "If this Specter is growing in strength, as the kobold''s story seems to indicate, then that could spell disaster for us. When first we heard rumors of the strange happening around the Dark they seemed worrisome, but not desperate. I do not think that is the case any longer. If what ever this Specter is has the power to leave the forest to kill people, then where will it go when all the kobolds are gone?"


    "Here." Sighed Nord, looking as drained as I felt. "You are right of course, Lady Enna. And I do not doubt that this Specter poses a serious threat..."


    "But why do you need to go?" Lagdon finished for his mentor, a growl of disapproval evident in his tone.


    I had not said that I intended to go. But he was right in assuming that that was exactly what I had planed.


    "Sure, I could send out some good men, or even send word to Margund and hope that he could send aid, but that would not help me understand at all. And defiantly not swiftly." I explained. "I need to go see this dark for myself. Feel out what my senses tell me this Specter might or might not be, and whether it is anything we can possibly handle."


    "My lady," Said Trixie, her eyes sad and scared "I am sure this is starting to sound very repetitive for you, but I do not think it is safe for you to go your self."


    "It should be fine. I am not proposing that we charge straight into the Dark and recklessly confront the horrors that lay within. I do take your warnings to heart and agree that  am not ready for such and under taking, even if I am willing. But I do feel I need to see this for myself. What I am proposing is not an invasion, but merely a reconnaissance and a rescue."


    "How do you mean?" Draxly asked, foxie eyes narrowed.


    "I say that we take a small group to the kobold village, assess the situation quickly, then evacuate the entire place and bring them all back here."


    "What?" Asked the leader kobold, confused and maybe a little overwhelmed.


    I nodded. "Yes, we go and evacuate your people and bring them back here. It''s not a perfect solution, and your people may not live as comfortably as they would in their own homes, but  am sure we can put together an make shift camp for your people to stay- the infirm or those with very young families can stay here in the shrine- at least until we can figure out how to properly be rid of the Specter. then you all can go home, or -given you no longer need to hide from Aeros- make a brand new village in a less inhospitable location if need be."


    The group exchanged looks before Nord groaned in defeat. "She will go, weather we agree to go with her or not. And as far as emergency measures go, it is not a bad plan. The kobolds are small and industrious people, I am sure they will not take up much space and are more then capable for assisting in erecting a temporary settlement before the winter has a chance to fully set in."


    This time it was Lagdon who sighed. In a rare display of familiarity and affection, he thumped me lightly on my silver head. "If it keeps this one from charging head first into a monster den, then we have no choice but to agree."


    I rubbed the top of my head and glared up at the insufferable goblin prince, trying very, very hard not to stick my tongue out at him like a petulant child.

 On the Road

    Getting everything ready for the journey actually went rather smoothly, to my surprise. Though, I suppose I shouldn''t have been; If Lagdon was anything, it was efficient. The prince had bags packed, rohgek saddled, and people assembled by early the next morning. He had insisted that Draxly and Brillum accompany us on the journey, as well as several other men, mostly goblins. Indeed, it was rather impressive that the two foxie males managed to impress Lagdon enough that he viewed them as two of his best men. Though as reliable and true as any of my people, it was just a fact that the hobgoblins and the goblane were natural on the battle field, while the foxes were far more agile than tank like.


    I thought the number of guards were a bit over kill but did not protest. After all, it made Lagdon feel better about all this, and it also meant a lot more muscle if it came down to us having to relocate the kobolds. So it was a win win. Besides, I am sure that Lagdon''s cautiousness will be needed more than once over his life time of looking out for me. I was a bit of a handful after all.


    With us was just one kobold, the leader. The others were exhausted and in all honesty, pretty useless in a fight and not very good with manual labor either. I had them set up with lodging in the estate and the leader agreed to take us to his village and to introduce us to his leaders. I thought he could do with a good rest as well, but we really did need him in order to have a smooth entry into the kobold village. other wise they would just see it as an invasion of goblins aided by the foxes, and the last thing i wanted was for the kobolds to be put under anymore duress.


    And so our procession of about fifteen or twenty people set off for our mission. My people would not let me disappear, however, and it ended up being some huge send off; like I was a queen about to journey to another kingdom to greet another royal. It was embarrassing, but it did feel good, knowing that my people worried and wished the best for me.


    Nord gave Lagdon''s rohgek a finale pat and wished us safe travels, adding that Lagdon had better keep me safe. I rolled my eyes and bade that he be sure to keep everyone in the estate safe, which made him chuckle, but agree all the same. Between him and the ever dedicated Trixie, I was sure my home was left in good hands. With any luck I would be back home in less than a month, back to organizing books and listening to they prayers of my people.


    Our trip to the kobold village would likely take about a week to do. We were a large group and even though the rohgek were reliable mounts, they were better climbing mountains rather than going cross country. Either way, it was at least as far from my estate as Gurten was, and we had to circle around Lake Silver (Apparently named after my hair when i got irritated that so many places did not have names around here. I really should have known better than to let the monster''s name things. Still, taken out of context it was a pretty name so i just agreed with it.) on top of it all as well. Maybe, one day, we would get some boats for the lake, but none of the monsters I currently knew were exactly knowledgeable in boat making.


    So I prepared myself for an uncomfortable week in the saddle and sleeping in the dirt. The dirt I actually didn''t mind so much, as it was like camping and before coming to this world I never went before. But, just like the rohgek were not meant for long distance travel, neither was I. At least not long distances in the saddle of an awkwardly loping, stiff backed and spine covered dog/pig. Maybe a real horse would have been more comfortable, I had no clue.


    We travelled along the lake in a semi beaten down path that was, at least, a little better than a game trail, while the kobold leader- Who I learned was called Sill, and was a promising young man in the kobold village- told me more about his village and the horror they now faced.


    According to Shill, before the Specter appeared some time in the last few years, the village had been quiet and relatively peaceful considering it sat right on the border of the Dark. They had a few run ins with the strange monsters there but, really, most of them avoided exiting the forest at all costs. What the kobolds mostly worried about was being discovered by Aeros or one of the many intelligent monsters that had pledged themselves to him. To be discovered would have meant extermination after all. But the kobolds were lucky, not only did they make their town next to a forest that most avoided, but they also lived rather close to the Barsole border. If monsters were going to keep away from any where, it would be those two places.


    I rather thought the fact that Aeros had pulled away from his duties and left most of his people to fend for themselves, also played a big part in them staying hidden. Most of the monsters had their hands full just surviving day by day, and none had the urge nor motivation to go hunting down kobolds. Apparently they didn''t get much weaker and non-threatening than a kobold. Even humans posed more of a threat then a village of the small, dog faced people.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Shill took a while to open up, no doubt still afraid of myself and the others. I could understand that. I may have gotten a little desensitized to being surrounded by what would be considered higher tiered monsters like the foxes and goblins, but it was all very intimidating to the kobold. But once I started to convince him to talk he was a fountain of information. Most of it was not very critical, but it did make me smile to hear about the simple lives of the kobolds. In fact, despite the way the kobolds looked, the way Shill described his village, it reminded me of human life. He spoke of the dramas amongst the families and about food shortages, and even money problems.


    Money hadn''t really been anything that crossed my mind in the last few months. I asked Nord about the goblins trades and their trading partners once, and he said that they worked with bartering more than any kind of money. Though some times precious metals were exchanged, but very rarely, especially during these more difficult times when a good crop was more valuable than a bar of gold. Apparently, money was more of a human concept, and something a few of the demi-humans delt with it too.


    As we neared the kobold village I felt myself suppressing a smile. My body was sore, I was more than tired of endless travel, and I found myself realizing just how spoiled I was by the estate cooks (not that the goblins and foxes had great talent in the culinary arts, but it was still much better than trail tack and unseasoned rabbit meat.) but I still managed to find amusement in the form of my three main guards. Poor Lagdon, Draxly and Brillum were currently at the front of our rohgek pack with the very diminutive Shill -riding in front of Brillum in his saddle by the way- had full come out of his shell and was positively chatting the men''s ears off.


    I was seated with Lagdon and saw his grey skinned hands positively strangling the reigns. Draxly had his eyes focused forward, black ears pinning back, glaring at every tree like he pictured it falling on the kobold, cutting off any further prattling about how Miss So-and-so was think of marrying into Mister Not-so-rich''s family and the whole village was in an uproar about it. And Brillum? Oh, my poor red fox friend! His face was turned up to the clouds, pinched in soul crushing pain, eyes squeezed shut, while the oblivious kobold sat calmy before the Foxie. I could tell he was setting up a prayer, perhaps forgetting in his despair, that the land god who received those prayers was seated less than fifteen feet from him. I could feel the buzz of his desperation in my very soul.


    Well, it was a duty of mine to do what I could in answer to my people''s prayers. At least I thought it was. And so I decided to take pity on the foxie, and directed the kobold to more serious matters.


    "Shill, just double checking, but are you sure that- if it does prove necessary- that the mayor will approve the evacuation?" I asked.


    The kobold turned his pale face my way and he nodded. Behind him I saw Brillum''s shoulders slump in relief, his eyes opening and he mouthed ''thank you.'' to the sky. I saw as he realized what he had been doing, and he cringed before shooting me a sheepish and embarrassed glance. I tried not to laugh.


    "No, Lady Enna." Said the kobold with his reedy voice. "I don''t perceive any issues in that regard. Some of the older kobold may complain, but they will leave. Temporary displacement is better than death, after all. Besides, Your offer is enormously generous. It is an honor to be hosted by our land god!"


    "Well, I don''t know about that... but I would like to have a look at this ''Dark'' as swiftly as possible when we arrive. I have already been sensing some unease around the lands here, I am sure if I can get a bit nearer I may be able to get a clearer read on what this Specter is..."


    Over the last two day I had been able to sense the large forest that scared so many. I was sure that once I got better at this job I would be able to keep a better eye on all my lands, but for now I could only properly sense about a two day ride from my own body. I was able to get a sense of farther places, with practice, through my connection to the foxes and goblins, but it was still rather vague and I defiantly got better reports from the visitors to the estate.


    As it was now, I could clearly sense the weighted presence of the Dark as we were very, very close. It was kind of like a looming storm cloud drawing ever nearer. It was not a negative feeling, but it was one that made me nervous. But what I did not like was what I could sense -just barely- from within the Dark. I could only assume the thick, oily, and dese sensation was that of the Specter, or at least a disturbance in the natural flow of the area. I hoped that If i could get just a little closer, preferably withing the Dark it self, I could get a better read on it. the storm cloud that was the Dark was like a dampening buffer, muddling my senses from this side of the tree line.


    I heard Lagdon grunt, unhappily, behind me and I rolled my eyes. "I didn''t say I wanted to go spelunking." I sighed, patting the man''s much larger, four fingered hand, reassuringly. "And you and the others can come, just to be safe. I don''t need to go in deep, just a few feet will probably do."


    "Probably..." I heard the hobgoblin grunt under his breath, disbelieving. I was some where between amused and irritated by the prince''s attitude. He clearly thought I was overly reckless. Though I couldn''t see how.

 Mayor Wallace and the Kobold Mansion

    The foxkin village had been simple and rural, the goblin''s capital, Gurten, had impressed me with its stone buildings carved into the mountain, but the kobold village? I would call it ''quaint''. In all honesty, it looked like a miniature ginger bread settlement. We turned a corner and simply found ourselves a midst the town''s houses.


    The kobolds were only a little smaller than the foxkin had been before evolving, but the foxes still built their cone shaped family huts rather large. But the kobolds homes were to size, and I was almost have to crawl to get into a door and I defiantly would not be able to stand straight. Poor Lagdon eyed the buildings like they were made of matchsticks rather than the rather stylized timber the were actually composed of. There was no way at all that the hobgoblin would ever even get into one of these homes.


    I tried not to laugh, but I could feel the princes eyes boring into the top of my head in irritation. Oops.


    It really was a pretty little village, even if i could easily pull myself up onto the roofs of the houses if I needed to. But that was just on the surface. The truth was that there was an eerie quiet about the place, and not a soul was in sight as we guided our rohgek down the thin streets. The air felt thick with pain and sorrow and beyond it all loomed the Dark.


    I could clearly make out the imposing forest now and even though it was true to its name, dark, even though it was still a couple hours till night fall. I had been told that it was a permanent twilight during the day once you entered the place, and now that I was closer I was not surprised. The trees were tall, dark barked, and the leaves of these trees almost looked like a dark teal color. And the canopy was very thick, blocking out all but the feintest light. I would need to be right up to the trees to get a true assessment of the place, but it was a pretty creepy sight to see next to this small, fairy tail like village.


    I kind of felt like I had been dropped into a Grimm fairytale. Those never ended well.


    "It is nearly nightfall." Said Shill in a hushed and hurried whisper, his eyes darting left and right. "The fog will be rolling in soon so everyone is hidden inside..."


    "I don''t mean to be the barer of bad news..." Said Brillum, his own eyes following the same path as his passenger. "But where are we going to hide from this ghost?"


    Brillum was rather brave. If he wasn''t than Lagdon never would have held him in such high regards, but I could tell that he was not happy about this current foe. After all, how does one fight a ghost like being that hid in fog and sucked the life out of people, unseen, in the night?


    "Keep heading this way." Said Shill. "We will head to Mayor Wallace''s home. It is built much bigger than our other homes, and you all should be able to get in there..." He said this a little hesitantly, examining Lagdon''s bulk. "And then we can speak to him as we wait out the night. We should hurry."


    The mood of the group was quite anxious, all of them silently following Brillum and the directing Shill. We slowly worked our way deeper into the village, the rohgek not having enough room in the streets to move side by side, so we walked single file. I could tell by the tensing of his arms that Lagdon did not like this. I''m sure it would be easy to ambush us in this formation, and even though the houses were not very tall they were still more than big enough to hide a small group of people behind each one.


    It wasn''t too long before the road opened up and we entered a sort of village square, and at the other end sat a mansion of sorts. It looked about the size of one of the old foxkin huts and the entrance and general size of the house looked more human sized. It was just the short stairway leading to the elegant wooden front door that gave away the actual size of the occupants: they were much smaller than any stairs I had climbed before with the space between each step being only a couple inches.


    "Wait here, I will go and get Wallace." Said Shill, still in hushed tones, as he slipped of the back of the nervously pawing rohgek. We watched as he hurried past the rest of us, who had now spread out over the square and the mayor''s front lawn-sorry!- and jogged up the stairs.


    "I do not like the feel of this place." Draxly growled, appearing next to Lagdon and I, his rohgek some place else. I glared at the black furred male for startling me, but I understood what he meant. The air here was getting progressively thicker with tension, and every now and again I could see a curtain shift in the neighboring homes. Most disconcerting was the coiling fog that had begun to roll in, making our mounts nervous.


    "I do not think we will all fit in that house..." Stated one of the goblin males. I had to agree. The house was a good size but there was no way it could accommodate a group of twenty, especially if ninty percent of them were massive hobgoblins.


    "And where will the rohgek go?" I asked, patting the one Lagdon and I road. I wouldn''t say that the wolf boars were cute in any way, but they were sturdy and dependable, loyal to a fault. I really did not want to leave them at the mercy of what ever this fog was bringing.


    "Brillum, take the others back out of the village and set up camp well away from here." Stated Lagdon, his eyes never leaving the kobold as Shill knocked quietly but aggressively on the door of his mayor''s home. "On the hill we passed about a mile back would be best. Then you can keep an eye on the situation. But if the fog gets near you, move farther back."


    "Sir, do you and the Lady intend to stay here alone?" Brillum asked, clearly not pleased but knowing there really wasn''t much of a choice.


    Lagdon shook his head. "No, Draxly will stay with us as well. And, as much as I would like to send Lady Enna away..." He said, glaring down at me while I avoided his eyes. "We both know she wouldn''t listen. Besides, I am unsure if more people will be any better against an threat that we can neither see or hit..."


    Brillum didn''t look happy but there was really no arguing with that. And so, as I watched the front door of the kobold mansion open a crack, the bright red foxie began setting to his task, organizing the other''s retreat to a- hopeful- safe distance. Shill was ringing his hands as he spoke to whomever had come to the door, looking anxious and taking fearful glances over his shoulder. I knew why as well, because I kept doing the same: The fog was getting thicker.


    "Hurry up and get out of here." I told Brillum anxiously, shooting fearful looks between the people I cared about and the fog that supposedly held certain death.


    Holding the reigns of his rohgek, Brillum walked up to us and flashed me a toothy grin. "As if you would listen if we asked the same of you, my Lady." He said before reaching out and patting my head. It had become a habit of the more senior guardsmen when they were feeling particularly affectionate. Monsters seemed to be more touchy feely than humans- at least ones from my last life- but most were very careful to respect my space. But, over time, maybe taking their que from the few times Lagdon had gotten away with it, they would do this little ritual. I had to admit that I didn''t mind it. It felt almost brotherly to me, and as these people''s land god, they normally kept me at a respectful- even reverent- distance.


    I glared at the male for good measure and shooed him off. I just needed them to be safe. After all, they were all here because of me, and I had enough of my people die since arriving here and had no wish to send any more of them off to their final resting places as I had, had to do after the battle with the Goregek months before.


    "Lady Enna?"


    I almost jumped as Shill appeared near me. Clearly I was the only one not paying attention as Lagdon and the foxies didn''t look surprised at all.


    "We are leaving." Brillum said as way of goodbye.


    I nodded. "Keep them safe." I said, and he nodded, waved once, then got on the back of his rohgek, calling for the others already mounted to follow him. In a matter of seconds the hobgoblins and a few foxes disappeared into the mist as I turned my attention back to Shill.


    He stood before me with a second kobold man. Like shill, this man was pale with a dog like face. But he seemed older and even wore glasses, something I hadn''t even realized that I had not seen since my last life. He wore what appeared to be fine cloths and looked absolutely horrified, while simultaneously looking astounded at my presence.


    "It is true... she glows." Whispered this new man who I now assumed to be the town''s mayor, Wallace.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Mind your words, kobold." Lagdon growled, towering nearly three times the kobold''s height.


    Wallace flinched be fore glancing at me sheepishly. "Apologies ,Lady Enna. I was just shocked- er I mean..."


    "It''s fine. I know I am not what people expects to see when they think they are about to meet a god, much less one who watches over a nation filled with monsters."


    "No, that''s no-" Wallace shook his head, as if to clear it, before deciding to get on to the serious matters. "Please, let us go inside. We absolutely do not want to be out here right now."


    We followed Wallace and Shill up the steps to the mansion. I had to duck my head a little to get through the door while Draxly and Lagdon nearly had to bend them selves in half. I did my best not to look amused, but I was pretty sure that Lagdon was not buying it at all. Wallace wasted no time shutting the door and bolting it behind us.


    "Doors keep out this Specter, do they?" Draxly asked, a black eyebrow raised, eyeing the door skeptically.


    Wallace sighed, turning to face us. "No, it does not. But it seems to help a little. And keeping the candles lit, and staying close to one another seems to help a little as well. But, in the end, nothing stops the Specter."


    Well that sounded bad... Maybe Brillum and the others were the safest ones after all.


    "Come, let us head to the parlor. My family is there and it is the largest room in the house."


    We followed Wallace farther into his home. It was quite nice, and defiantly better decorated than my place. He had many paintings, carpets and even small statues. Clearly the kobolds had a wider spread gift for the arts than my monsters possessed at the moment. Still, nothing here compared to the mastery of Drazdon''s stained glass windows. it would be hard to best that, however.


    Wallace''s parlor was a large sitting room dominated by a lit fireplace, a set of white couches, and a large painting of what appeared to be a wide view of the Dark''s edge, the trees imposing yet strangely beautiful. Darkly enchanted, I think I would call it.


    In the room were five more kobolds, all of them seated in almost a huddle on the couches. There was a pretty young female with bright blue eyes and a clean white dress, an older woman dressed in a powder blue nightgown, and then two younger children and one older one, all boys. This was clearly Wallace''s family. They looked reasonably frightened and in need of a good meal, the bodies thin and eyes sunken in. No doubt they were well off, so likely this was due to stress and fear. I didn''t blame them.


    "Helena, this is Lady Enna and her two guardsmen. Shill brought them here." Wallace said, approaching the pretty kobold woman, taking her delicate hand in his own. "Lady Enna, this is my wife, Helena. This charming woman is my mother in law, Glady." He nodded toward the older woman who shot him a skeptical glare, but patter her nightgown and offered me a polite bow. "And these are my sons, Forest, my oldest, and these are the twins- Martin and Vance."


    "It''s nice to meet you all..." I said awkwardly. I wasn''t really all that good with meeting new people, especially in high stress, or formal situations- which, this felt like both.


    Wallace cleared his throat and told his wife and mother: "Lady Enna is this nation''s new land god."


    The other''s looked surprised and went rather pale, clearly not expecting to be hosting a land god. "So it is true then?" Snapped the older Glady, eyes narrowed on me, face wrinkled with age. "That old toad of a dragon finally croaked?"


    "Mother!" Gasped Helena.


    "Yes. Seems he got bored of the job and decided to head off for greener pastures." I said frankly.


    Glady nodded in an exaggerated fashion. "About time too. That beast has been terrorizing this world longer than anyone person could remember. And he had no love for our people..." With that, it was my turn to receive a skeptical, and rather piercing glare.


    I couldn''t help the twitch of my lips. "As I said to Shill, I have no issue with kobolds, nor any demi-human or human race. Not yet at least. So long as the people under my protection, and the lands I govern, are treated with respect and dignity, I see no reason to ostracize any one group."


    "I see."


    "Enough now Glady, Lady Enna has not come here to discuss politics!" Harumphed Wallace, guiding our group deeper into the parlor where he directed me to sit in the only chair in the room. It was small, but luckily so was I and managed not to break it at least. Wallace eyed the two men warily but they spared the kobold the panic of trying to find them chairs that could hold them, by taking up protective stances behind me. Judging by the slack jawed gazes of the mayor''s three sons, I took it that we made quite the impressive sight. Or, at least Lagdon and Draxly did.


    "I see you have been busy in the time you have taken over for the Lizard." Stated Glady, earning another groan from her son-in-law. She was eyeing the two men and I realized she meant their evolutions. "You don''t look strong enough to have evolved these two, if I am to be honest-"


    "Mother! Please!" Gasped Helena once again, this time shooting daggers with her eyes at her mother.


    "What?" Snapped the older woman. "It was meant as a compliment. I may not know too much about the workings of gods, but I do know that human''s are not often granted the status. Normal it is monsters or demi-humans, even if the foolish humans refused to properly acknowledge that. I am sure that a normal young woman would not have ascended with too much power. I was surprised is all."


    "I am sorry for Glady, Lady Enna." Said Wallace, as he went to a near by table and poured himself a drink of amber liquid. He held out the bottle, offering us some as well, but I declined. Getting buzzed was not on my to do list tonight. Besides, I was pretty sure alcohol had no effect on me either way, and so it would be a waste of good liquor. The boys also declined. Alcohols and guard duty of one''s god did not mix well, apparently.


    "No, she is quite right. I am not very strong. Certainty not compared to Aeros at least. He is the only other god I have met, but I am sure the others out class me as well. My strength is in my people, and so it is to my people that I direct my efforts. When the foxkin devoted themselves to me I granted them evolution, and then I did the same with the goblins. I can''t sit here and say it was easy. I''m sure that a dragon like Aeros could have done it with hardly a thought, but I thought it necessary and also a fitting gift for their devotion to a clearly under qualified God such as myself." I shrugged at the looks on the kobold''s faces. "I am getting stronger, slowly and steadily. But like I said, it is only due to my people... and that brings me to our current issue."


    I saw Wallace''s back stiffen and Shill gave him a sympathetic look by his side. Clearly the poor mayor was unsure if I had plans to oust his people from these lands or do as Aeros would have, and have them all exterminated.


    "I can not accept those beings of reason in my lands unless they fully intend to be my people. I have no intentions to do your  people any harm, but if you can not swear yourselves to me and the better meant of these lands, then you will be expelled from here." I sighed and looked at the mayor with sympathy. it had to of been hard, making a home in these tortured and abandoned lands after fleeing their last homes. "But, should you and your people choose to abide by these mandates, I see no reason why you can not stay. Or even, if you so wish, to move to a more hospitable location than on the fringes of the dark."


    "truly?" Asked the oldest of Wallace''s sons. he looked to be in his mid to late teens, but it was hard to say for sure with the dog like faces they all had.


    "Yes. I have had no reason to harbor ill will toward the kobolds, and I am sure your people could only better our community here. But..."


    "But?" Asked Wallace, his drink still in hand but he had yet to take a sip, his eyes wide and anxious.


    "But we have more pressing issues." Rumbled Lagdon, not ever one for enjoying small talk. It wasn''t just age that made his brother Margund a better choice to succeed the goregek for the goblin throne. Lagdon just was not a very personable hobgoblin. not out side a military setting at least.


    Everyone instinctively glanced to the single window in the room. the thick, green curtain had been drawn across it, but I could imagine that night had fully fallen now and that the fog would be as thick as pea soup out there, a monster lurking within.


    "Have you come to best this creature?" Asked Helena, hopeful and warry.


    "I am sorry, but no." I said, shaking my head sadly, silver locks spilling over my copper robe and my inter locked fingers resting on my lap. "I can not remove a threat I know next to nothing about. Likely one that is, at least in some very important ways, stronger than I. And I will not risk my people in a foolish suicide attempt either."


    I saw Helena''s face fall. "What is it you have come to do then?"


    It was Shill who answered her, his voice high and excitable. "Lady Enna has offered the entire village temporary residence at her estate. I was asked to guide her here so that we may organize an evacuation of the village."


    "Evacuation?" Grumbled Glady, glaring in distaste.


    "Just until the specter issue can be resolved." I said calmly. "I will not force anyone to leave their homes, but to stay here seems to be a certain death sentence at this point. Aeros is no longer in charge, and there fore your people need not hide here at the forest''s edge. I can not say that the whole nation is open to you, as I have yet to spread my influence to all corners just yet... but the east is pretty safe, and I have my people getting ready to house a village of refugees if need be."


    "This is a very generous offer..." Breathed Wallace, finally raising his glass before downing it in one gulp.


    "I doubt you will get a better one." Said Draxly, deciding to speak as he sometimes did. "Lady Enna is almost too welcoming to strangers, but neither us foxie nor the goblins have any room to judge, for it is though our land god''s generosity that both our people have been able to prosper as we have."


    "and you all... live together?" Asked Forest, the eldest son, holding a twin''s hand in each of his own. "Goblin''s and Foxes?"


    Draxly flashed the boy a rare smile- even Lagdon smiled more than this ninja of a foxie- and shook his read. "No, not all of us. The foxes still have our own village and the vast majority of goblins still reside in the mountains, now ruled by the king Margund. But those of us who have decided to dedicate ourselves wholly to Lady Enna have come together at the estate, where her grand shrine has been built." He shared a brief amused glance with Lagdon before continuing. "It may be odd for our two people live, work and grow along side one another, but Lady Enna has managed to bring us together like no other has before, and we grow and learn everyday. though it was not long ago we two people were at war, we now coexist alongside one another under Lady Enna''s kind and generous guidance."


    I was pretty sure I was blushing. I defiantly felt uncomfortable. Talk about high praise! What the heck was I supposed to do with that? I was not nearly so special. it was the hard work of both the foxes and the goblins that made their alliance so strong and beneficial. I may have been the one to suggest it- alright, order it- but it was not I who had the power to keep them all together and motivated like that... was I?

 Horror in the Kobold Village

    Wallace seemed to consider Draxly''s words while Forest and Helena exchanged curious glances. The twins seemed to have grown bored with the grown up talk and had now taken to openly gawking at Draxly and Lagdon. I had become so desensitized to being around the two races that I forget that others may find it fascinating to just have monsters hanging out in their homes. Glady was still staring at me, which was a little discomforting.


    Wallace turned his gaze my way. "If what you say is true, and you have no ill will toward my people... well, I would first have to discuss it with the other representatives of the village, but I can''t imagen them not accepting your terms. I would be honored to be a part of the growing nation you seem to envision. We demi-humans, especially those like the kobolds who look less human than most, tend to be shunned by both humans and monsters a like. It would be a welcome reprieve to secure a future for my people where all races are loved equally beneath our god."


    He made it sound so grand and poetic, while in my own head my ideals sounded rather juvenile. Like a kindergartener wishing that everyone could just play nice on the school grounds. Still, it was my hope that all the races of this nation, no matter their backgrounds, could come together and help the place thrive. After all, I was going to be a big part of this place- with any luck- for a near inconceivable amount of time. The less in-fighting the better. Besides, if all the races of monster and demi-humans alike, could pool their resources and talents, I was sure that we could make this place as prosperous as any human nation. And eventually, I would like to have good relations with our human neighbors as well. Was it a lofty and infantile dream? Probably, but hey, I had to start someplace right?


    "And your offer to care for our people during this time is exceedingly generous." Stated Helena, her eyes a little dewy with her emotions. I could tell that these people had been living in fear for quite some time now, unsure if they would even live to see tomorrow, much less a bright future.


    "Yes, on that fact I can accept your offer straight away." Agreed Wallace, and I saw Shill''s shoulders slump in relief. "Whether the others agree or not, the safety of my people is of greatest importance. I will order the evacuation of the tow come morning, if that is agreeable to you, Lady Enna."


    I was surprised that he thought he could get it done so fast. But, then again, if anyone could die at any moment, I was sure that any one of the kobolds would be eager to escape that fate. I nodded my agreement to the mayor. "Of course, I will leave it to you. I also think the faster we get this done the better. Shill has not had much information to provide on the threat your people face, maybe you could tell us more about what it is that has been stalking your people?"


    Wallace sighed, looking more at ease but still fearful. He filled his glass once again before taking a seat next to his wife. "It is not just us. We have seen the desiccated corpses of monster over time as well. It seems that this Specter- as the people have come to call it- is not very picky in what it likes to consume."


    "And you believed that it is eating these people and monsters then?" Asked Lagdon in his deep and commanding voice.


    Wallace looked at him nervously but answered all the same. "Of a fashion, yes." He said . "All the bodies we find are mere husks of bone and flesh. But the specter seems to leave anything weak alone. Weak in life force that is, not necessarily in power. After all, we kobolds are about as powerless as a species as one can get. But, like every other creature of intelligence, we have strength of spirit."


    "You think it is the energies that this Specter is after?" Asked Draxly, before I could. It was a worrying fact, and one I felt myself taking great offence too. The energies of this land and its people were mine. Mine to care for and mine to direct for the betterment of everyone. I had no idea if i could just suck the life out of my people, and I had no wish to find out either. But the fact that someone was, and right in my own backyard, was very insulting and disconcerting.


    "That is the theory we have been able to come up with. And no normal monster could have the power to do that either. It also begs the questions of: Why does this creature need this energy? And why now?"


    "Maybe it is new to the forest?" I asked. "Perhaps it also fled from Barsole and decided that the Dark was a safe place to set up camp."


    "Perhaps..." Said Wallace, but he did not sound convinced, tapping his fingers on his glass.


    "But you think not?" Asked Lagdon.


    "No. It is hard to explain, but the Dark has a sense about it. A feeling of dense energies that it exudes at all times. Part of that power feels ancient and untouchable, maybe even older than Aeros himself. But the other part of it is all him. We believe that much of Aeros'' excess energies had been deposited here, in the Dark."


    "What do you mean?" I asked, confused. I knew that the dragon was crazily strong, but was he so briming with power that it just spilled out of him? that just made me even angrier at the stupid dragon! He had so much power that it was just left to waste. Imagen what he could have been doing with it! Heck, I had very limited stores but I like to think that I at least helped a little in the growth of this land so far. And Aeros was just content to sit on his mountain and let these poor monsters worship him in hopes of just a scrap of favor. What a jerk.


    "Dragons are highly magical creatures." Explained Lagdon at my right shoulder. "And the most ancient of them as well. There are not many left, and most of the ones who are have become gods in their own rights. Or at least looked at as if they are gods. There are not many left and most are pretty inactive now. But they are literal sources of magical and spiritual energies. the very make up of this world."


    Wallace nodded. "It is said that if all the dragons were to die, then this world would die too. Just as a plant would die with out sun or water. They may be flying, fire breathing disasters, but they are an integral part of this world. Luckily they do not move from their slumbers too often."


    "Yes. but they do leak energy. It has long been though that Aeros had been funneling that power into the Dark..."


    "We were of the same mind. We kobolds are not gifted in the use of magic, but we are highly sensitive to it, being able to pick out a person by their magical signature. And the Dark is rank with Aeros'' power."This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "What does that have to do with the Specter?" I asked.


    "Lady Enna, has anyone ever told you how monsters are made?" Asked Draxly seriously.


    I almost blushed. I did not need a ''Birds and the Bees'' talk right now. "They are born." I said, maybe a little defensively given i was not fond of being made to feel stupid. "I have seen the pregnant women and have felt the birth of children."


    As a land god I am connected to the flow of magical and spiritual energies of this land. I can sense, in the back of my mind, both the coming and going of life of the people under my care. Even the lesser monsters and the animals, to a feint extent. the greater the energies within the individual, the stronger the impact. As well as the closer the tie to me they possess. I am much more closely connected to the foxes and goblins than the other creatures because, through my will and the powers collected from this land, I evolved them. It was like a part of me lived inside of them. I suppose it was like how Wallace said that a part of Aeros was within the Dark.


    "Yes. But, unlike humans and Demi-humans, we monsters did not evolve into existence over millennia." Continued Draxly.


    Helena nodded. "It is why many nations do not accept monsters, even those as intelligent as your friends here." She said, nervously indicating the two imposing figures behind my chair. "many people- especially humans- see them as unnatural, and the product of bad magical energies..."


    "How do you mean?" I asked. This was all news to me.


    "The core of all monsters is in the energies of this world. Where it pools and builds is where monsters tend to emerge. The greater the density, the greater the power or number of monsters created. It is why many see things like Dragons as the source of monsters. We literally spring up from their excess power. Once formed, many can then reproduce on their own. But, initially, we are created from energy. It is why monsters can grow and change so easily from it. Just like how you evolved us."


    That opened up so many questions though! "Wouldn''t all monsters be different though?" I asked. Or maybe they were created in a single batch then spread throughout the world. Its not like the only goblins in existence lived here in the Monster Nation, after all.


    "It is the system the true gods created." Explained Wallace. "It is they who set about the fundamental laws of this world. Fire burns. Water is wet. The wind blows and plants grow. And Monsters are spawned when certain conditions are met. I can not say I know what even a quarter of those conditions are..."


    "From what we know," Said Draxly. "It is that specific environments are more likely to spawn specific monsters. Just like specific circumstances activate evolutions in monster."


    "When not aided by a land god." Added Lagdon.


    Ah. So, kind of like goblins spawned in caves sort of thing. And monsters normally did not evolve all at once like mine did; that was due to my interference. Normally it was very rare for monsters to reach an evolutionary stage and, what could I say, I guess I liked to bend the rules a little.


    "So, what you are saying is that...?" I said, quietly, an idea forming in my mind.


    "Yes, this specter is likely a new, powerful monster born of the left over essence of Aeros abandoned in the Dark."


    "But what would it be then? What kind of monster I mean? I am the first to admit that I am no expert in the matter, but I haven''t heard of a creature that can suck the life out of others." I said, rather horrified. What if Aeros just had nasty pools of his power spread all over this nation, just waiting to form into even nastier beasties?


    "I doubt that it a species related monster." Sighed Glady, shaking her head sadly.


    "What?" Again i had no clue what was being said. As soon as we made contact with a nation of readers I was investing in a great many books. I felt so ill informed on everything in this world. Mostly because I was.


    "It is rare, but some times unique monsters can be formed from such situations," Explained Wallace. "Very rare in fact. But if I had to make a guess it would be that."


    "In other words, we could be dealing with just about anything?" I sighed, frustrated.


    "Precisely."


    "I don''t like it." Growled Lagdon, arms folded across his massive chest and eyes now glaring at the curtained window. "The faster we get away from here the better."


    "I agree." I said, still annoyed.


    "But?" Sighed the hobgoblin prince, knowing me too well.


    "But." I said. "This is not a problem we can just ignore. If this Specter is stealing power from others, on top of what ever remnant left behind by Aeros, then it is clearly up to something. Something that can only mean trouble for us all. I don''t like it. Not one bit." Frustrated, I glared at the fire place before addressing Wallace. "So long as you agree, I suggest that as soon as it is safe, we get the village packed up with the necessities and begin the evacuation. Every night spent here is another life we risk. But before we move off, I need to enter the Dark and get at least a partial read on what it is we are facing." Sensing Lagdon''s displeasure, I cut him off before he could lecture. "No, this needs doing Lagdon. You and Draxly can come with me while Wallace and his kobold leaders organize the masses. I will not be going in far and I will only need a couple minutes. Then we get out of there as fast as we can."


    Lagdon still wasn''t happy, but he did not argue. The monsters may protest my more dangerous decisions from time to time, but they rarely argued with me any more.


    After that, the conversation turned to the mundane technicalities of moving an entire village in one go. Glady fell asleep on one of the couches, and the twins were tucked in, in a corner of the room on a makeshift mattress. Forest managed to stay awake with us, clearly both interested and eager to be of aid to his father and his people.


    Had I needed sleep any longer, then I may very well have fallen asleep. There wasn''t much I could contribute to the topic. I was even debating drifting off into my inner sanctuary, getting a sense of the mood of the people I had left behind. It would not provide specific information, but I would at least know if the groups were in distress or not.


    However, just as the thought had crossed my mind, and I started to close my eyes to drift off, a piercing, heart breaking screech ripped through the night. Instantly we were all on our feet. Draxly and Lagdon hurried to the window, pulling aside the curtain and attempting to see through the fog. Helen rushed to her husband while Forest went to comfort his now awake and crying brother. Glady nearly fell off the couch.


    Another scream was quickly followed by two more distinctly different ones and my blood ran cold. Clearly one of the families in the village were under attack.


    "We need to help!" I gasped, horrified.


    Instantly Lagdon was at my side, clearly determined to put a stop to me if I tried making a break for the front door. But it was Wallace who hurried to block my exit this time.


    "Sorry Lady Enna." He said, pale and shaking and half my height. "This upsets us too. But no good can be had by attempting to rescue them. The Specter works fast, and any who have tried to rush to another''s aid before have also turned up dead the next day."


    I didn''t want to accept that. I wanted to run out of this mansion and find the people who were being attacked. But it was no good. There was one last, gut wrenching shout, then silence besides the weeping of the twins in the corner and the shushing noises their brother was using to calm them down. As Wallace had said, the attack had ended as soon as it had begun. I cursed, spinning on my heel and flopping back into my chair.


    "Has the creature had its fill then?" Asked Draxly, his cool and indifferent words hiding the rage I could tell was burning inside of him.


    All Wallace could do was shrug weakly, rubbing the arms of his silently weeping wife. "There is no way to know for sure. the Specter usually attacks only once, but there have been a few nights when it has come multipole times. It is best to just stay indoors and hope the sun comes up soon."

 Broken Spirits

    It was a long wait through the night. Eventually the mayor''s family fell asleep again, but he himself stayed awake, talking with Lagdon and Draxly about the estate and other such things. Mostly small talk. Shill tried staying awake but the poor man was exhausted from travel and eventually fell asleep against a wall where I draped a throw blanket over him.


    No more screams were heard and eventually the sun began to rise and fog began to disperse. I was unsure if the fog was needed for the specter to attack, but Wallace claimed that it only ever struck when the fog was thick.


    Wallace let his family sleep, waking only his wife to tell her that he was leading us out into the town. I could see in her eyes that she took that to mean ''we are going to see whom we''ve lost this time''. she merely nodded and set about tidying the room, promising breakfast for when he returned.


    The village was pretty quiet when Lagdon, Draxly, Wallace, Shill and I left the mayors home and made our way through the square. We started by heading in the direction we believed that the screams had been coming from. We were not the only ones either. Pale and shaky kobold nervously left their homes, heading the same direction as us. Many seemed to panic when they set eyes on myself and the boys, but Wallace wasted no time explaining we were guests. He did not bother going into any farther detail.


    "Are the attacks always near the tree line?" Draxly asked quietly, not wanting to be loud. I could understand. It felt like the world was holding its breath as we made our way east, toward the side of the town closest to the forest.


    Wallace shook his head. "We thought that at first as well, and had everyone move to the western most side of town when the fog rolled it. This was back when it was not an every day occurrence. but we quickly realized that it was pretty random what houses or people were targeted. There seems to be no rhyme or reason behind it."


    We had just turned a corner and the crowd of kobolds had gotten thicker when a sound I prayed I never again would have to hear wrang out, causing Wallace to let out a curse. It was the wail of despair. A sound made by those who had lost that which they loved most in this world.


    Parting the crowd was not hard with Lagdon in the front of your group. But had the hobgoblin not been at the front I would have been able to see over the kobold''s heads. However, I decided that this was not a scene I would have wanted to see soon either way.


    We emerged at a two story home, the house butted right up to the road and its neighbors touched it on either side, and it looked clean and quiet. It did not look like a murder scene. On the front step sat two women, one in a green dressing gown weeping uncontrollably into the arms of the other kobold female, she in a patched shirt and what looked to be work pants. The two women looked to be from different stations in life, but tragedy had no class system. Not here, not now.


    I heard the air rush from Shill''s lungs, relief so evident in his face that I was surprised that  I had not noticed the fear that had been present before hand. There was another gasp near by and a third woman parted from the crowd and dashed forward, throwing herself into the kobold''s arms.


    "Addy." Croaked Shill, embracing the woman who was clinging to him for dear life.


    "Oh Shill, you are home!" She gasped, still quiet as no one wanted to intrude on the grief still here.


    "I had thought..." Groaned Shill, flicking a hand toward the building where the two women wept.


    Addy, the Kobold that I now realized was Shill''s wife, shook her head. "No... The children and I stayed with Freena last night. She is due to give birth any day and wanted me there to catch the baby if it came to that. We have been there the last week." she looked over her shoulder to the grieving woman. "Poor Luka. Oh Shill! The Specter has gone too far this time!"


    Perhaps seeing my confused and worried look, Wallace explained: "This is Karry and Frandferd''s home... Frandferd was a well off sculptor here." He sighed and winced, a tear trickling down his cheek. "He lived with Karry, his wife. And because of the Specter, his two grown daughters'' were staying with them as well."The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Not just them." Said Said Addy, shooting Lagdon, Draxly, and I fearful looks. "Yes, Suzy and Grace were there but Grace''s fianc¨¦, Lode, was with them as well... Oh Shill, just after you left... well, Grace found out she was to have a baby! How cruel will this demon get! And then there was Luka... She took my place at the house as I had to be with Freena. that-" She said, probably for my and the other''s benefit given the other kobolds seemed to already know this. She pointed to the bawling woman and her stoic care taker. "Is Luka''s sister in the pants. And the other woman is Kenna, Lode''s mother. Even more broken families..."


    So both women on the step had lost loved ones. It was a truly tragic thing and my heart ached for them. This Specter needed to be stopped.


    "I will go see it for myself." Stated a pale faced Wallace. "Shill, you and your lovely wife, please gather everyone you can to the square. I will announce what we are going to do next as soon as I am done here."


    "Yes sir." Nodded Shill, and he grasped his wife around the waist and led her off into the masses.


    Lagdon refused to let me enter the building. And It took a lot of arguing to change his mind. So much from my people not arguing with my decisions any longer. But when I followed Wallace into the home I saw why. But I needed to see what this Specter could do for myself, even if it was horrid. And as I told Lagdon, it wasn''t like he could fit in the house anyway. Even I, was half hunched as I worked my way into the small but finely appointed home.


    Wallace and I did not have far too look to find the departed family. And It was horrific and exactly as I had pictured, but some how so much worse. On the sitting room floor were five bodies, all contorted in grotesque poses that told me that they had felt every moment of their deaths. Their bodies were desiccated and brown skinned, dried flesh clinging directly to bone. There cloths looked fine, but disturbing on such bodies as these.


    There was no smell however. I just figured there would be, but there wasn''t. I could only tell genders from the cloths the mummies were wearing and could see that a man and woman appeared to have died trying to make it too the front door, their bodies held close to one another but hands out stretched, seemingly reaching out for freedom. The other three forms were also grouped together, this time at the foot of a red silk couch. Two women and one man. What a horrible loss.


    I did not want to do it, but I felt I had too. I approached a body, knelt down, and set a hand as respectfully as I could on the shoulder, closing my eyes and trying to sense what ever I could from the desiccated remains and left over energy signature. The kobold was not ''mine'' in the same way Lagdon and the others were: This woman was not a worshiper of mine, nor even had she accepted that I was the god here. In death, her energy would normally return to the land, all the same, but not this time. The Specter had stolen it from her.


    I Stood up, turned on my heel, and left the house. I thought I was calm, but when Lagdon saw my face he stepped forward, standing close but not touching.


    "Death is not often pretty, Lady Enna." He said, not unkindly.


    I sighed and nodded. "I could sense the creature we face on their corpses." I said, anger simmering in my chest. "It was feint, but it defiantly felt a little like Aeros, but a twisted and warped version of him." I was nervous to do what needed to be done now, but I was determined all the same. "Lets go to the Dark. I want to get this over with and get out of here as soon as possible..."


    Wallace was asked to make haste in getting his people ready to leave. The mayor did not disagree. Apparently last night had been the worst attack yet, and it proved to the kobolds that being in groups, in well lit homes, was not even a slight deterrent to their enemy any longer. They needed to leave, even if Enna had not offered them a place to stay.


    The hobgoblins and Brillum returned within the hour, as the mayor held his meeting with the town, telling them of what was going to happen next, and about who their strange new visitor''s were. Lagdon had the men assist in the relocation efforts of the kobolds, packing up essentials and heirlooms, rounding up live stock that could be fairly easily transported, and anything else that needed doing. It was a shame they could not bring all their things, but with any luck the kobolds would be returning here soon enough. Weather or not it would be for good or just to collect the rest of their things, that would be determined later.


    I helped for a while, but my presence seemed to make the kobolds nervous. I guess I couldn''t blame them: I was everything they had been taught to fear after all. I was the land god of this land, a master of monsters, and a human as well. They were polite and all that, but I could tell that they were not all that comfortable around me. So I did what I told Lagdon I had wanted to do in the first place, and gathered up the Prince, Brillum, and Draxly, so that we could make our brief trip into the Dark.

 What Did I Expect? Really?!

    Our trip through the village was oddly quiet as we made our way to the Dark once I was sure that the evacuation preparations were about done. It wasn''t that the village was empty, because it wasn''t. There were still people rushing about, kobolds being sure they hadn''t left grandpa in his room or that their pets were gather, all that sort of thing. But the mood was that of fear and sadness, over shadowing the excitement of it all. The death of the family this morning weighed heavily on all of our minds, and everyone seemed to be working with speed, their heads lowered, only speaking in whispers.


    The feeling was made all the more eerie by the fact that we were heading straight for the Dark. Once we cleared the town and entered the no-man''s-land between there and the Dark, everything grew completely silent, the only sound being the whisper of the autumn wind over dried and yellowing grass.


    The forest itself was rather imposing as I and the three men approached the tree line. It was almost a wall of dense foliage that rose a hundred feet or more up to the canopy, where the interlocking branches all but blocked out any sunlight from reaching the forest floor. The effect was to make the entire forest look as if it was kept in a perpetual twilight. Standing on the outskirts, I could not see very far in. I could smell the scent of autumn decay about the place and could hear a lot of branches scraping together above my head. It was a little spooky, but not down right terrifying. Not yet at least.


    "Must we really go in here...?" Grumbled Draxly, glaring at the dark trunks of trees, his claws out and ready for anything. "This place makes my fur itch."


    "Agreed." Said Brillum, eyes scanning every surface for potential attackers.


    "There is no point in asking or complaining." Huffed Lagdon, prodding me in the back to get us all moving forward. "You know full well she will not be satisfied till this is done. Best to do it now while the sun is high in the sky and we are ready to leave."


    "You know me so well." I sighed, maybe a little sarcastically as we all shuffled over the border and into the twilight.


    We did not need to go far for me to get the information I desired. In fact, even the first few steps into this dark and mysterious place provided me with at least a little insight. I knew, instantly, that this place was old. Certainty, it was older than the few centuries since Aeros had begun neglecting his duties. I couldn''t remember who had said it, but someone had said that the Dark was maybe even older than the dragon himself. I could believe that now. It just felt antient. But what it did not feel, was malevolent. If there was evil here, it was not because the Dark itself was evil.


    It was magical, however. I could feel the place Absolutely buzzing with the energies all around me. There was no shortage of life and power here, even when the rest of my inherited lands had been dyeing off when I came here to this world.


    "Well?" Asked Lagdon as we came to a stop just about fifteen feet into the forest.


    I looked around us. It was dim and the trees grew close with thick, thorny bushes all around. I couldn''t see nor sense any animals, but there did appear to be plenty of glow bugs flittering about, their dim green lights all that lit up the forest. It looked Darkly enchanted.


    I knelt down to the mossy ground, setting a hand on the earth and closing my eyes. I was trying to connect with the land, as I did with the other parts of my territory. I was surprised to feel resistance to my mental, magical probing. Like the Dark was warry of my touch, But after a moment the push back eased and I found myself swimming in the energies of the place. It was as  dense as I had thought, and I could tell immediately that there were many powerful creatures living here, even if I could not instantly locate them. But only one stood out like a sore thumb.


    Somewhere, in this deep dark woodland, sat a monstrous being. Not just brimming with its stolen power, but evil in its intent. I saw it, and I could tell it saw me. I shivered, not wanting this thing to be aware of me at all.


    "I feel it." I said, getting to my feet and dusting off my hands. "I can''t get a clear read on it but what I can see is not good."


    "How do you mean?" Asked Brillum, looking very uncomfortable at being here.


    "This whole forest is positively exploding with power." I said, with utter confidence. "If I had to guess, it existed long before Aeros ever became the god of these lands. In fact, it wouldn''t surprise me if there had once been a different god who watched over this forest specifically."


    "That is a possibility." Said Lagdon. "the territory of the gods can be fluid, even if the changes tend to be slow in the making. The lands that had been Aeros'' are actually very large, and that is probably because he stole them from other, lesser gods all those generations ago."Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Knowing that lizard, I would not put that past him. Though, the fact that lands could be taken- though not new to me- did remind me that I still had a lot of work to do. I still had not even made contact with over half the lands I was supposed to be protecting, and if I did not put my stamp on them soon, it could be that another god would take them for themselves.


    "Well, even though I can tell there is a crazy amount of power here, most of the beings seem to be indifferent to our presence, and more like mildly intelligent animals on the whole. I did sense one disturbing entity, however."


    "The Specter." Stated Draxly, eyes wandering, ready for the slightest sign of danger.


    I nodded. "That''s my thought, at least. It has clear hatred about it, and its buzzing with stolen power. but at the core of it, I sense Aeros'' magic, through and through."


    "I take it we can leave now?" Aske Brillum.


    "Yes, I think that would be a very good idea." I said, and we all turned, wasting no time heading for the light and freedom. "As soon as we get home I need to set up a war council with both Brax and Margund, immediately." the others were looking at me surprised, so I continued. "I might not be able to get a clear look at this Specter, but one thing I know for sure is that it means me, and these lands harm. Its hatred is clear, and all consuming, and it wants me gone, and gone fast."


    Lagdon grunted, a hand firmly on my shoulder and hurrying us all forward. He was taking no chances, and the others seemed to be of the same mind. Brillum and Draxly hurried forward, brushing aside branches and thorn bushes to let me get past with little effort.


    But I should have known better. Should have known that there was no way that me entering this place would ever end up the way I wanted it to.


    Just as Brillum and Draxly entered the sunlight, Lagdon and I a mere foot behind them, I heard a frantic shuffling in the forest behind us. Lagdon cursed, The two foxie spun to see what was happening, and I suddenly felt a hard, boney fingered grasp on my other shoulder.


    "No!" Roared Lagdon, his club in hand in an instant. But it was no use. In an instant I was yanked from the hobgoblin''s grasp, and as I was being dragged away at a break neck speed I saw that Lagdon was covered in short, stumpy creatures before the forest all but swallowed me.


    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Lagdon snarled, as he was swarmed by many stubby, scratching and yanking beings. He grasped one and yanked it off his face as he felt another pulled off his body. He saw that Brillum and Draxly had joined the struggle. He could not understand why they were helping him and not running after Enna. She should always be their top priority!


    But then he saw that they two had been swarmed by the strange creatures. they looked to be one or two feet tall tree stumps with roots for legs and twigs for arms. they clung and poked and scratched like their lives depended on it. He had to get rid of them now!


    With an irritated roar, Lagdon began to swing at the tree creatures around Draxly, as he could not really hit the things on himself. Luckily the damn things were annoying, but weak. Within seconds Draxly was freed enough to start clearing the beasts off of Lagdon and Brillum. After less then a minute the three men were surrounded in the corpses of the tree creatures. They did not bleed and to the eye seemed to be nothing but half rotted stumps now.


    "What in the world were these things!?" Snarled Brillum, kicking one for good measure before shaking his red read, as if to clear it. "Never mind. We need to go after Lady Enna!"


    Both foxes made to rush after Enna but Lagdon brought them to a stop. "No," He said, frustration making his voice strained. "I will go, but you two need to get back to the kobolds."


    "What?" Snapped Draxly, his black fur on end, eyes flashing in the dim light. "I know we have all chosen to follow your lead Master Lagdon, but going off alone into this place is foolish!"


    "I know that." Lagdon huffed, preferring to go in as a well trained team. "But that is neither here nor there right now."


    "What does that mean!" Snapped Brillum. He was normally an easy going man, where Draxly was the quiet and deadly one. But both were desperate to go and save their god right now.


    "Whether she looks and acts like it or not, Lady Enna is a land god, and these are her lands. She can handle herself, and can not die as easily as many of us fear. But what she will not accept is us defying her orders."


    "Order?!"


    "Yes. it is Lady Enna''s wish that the kobolds are to be lead to safety. As competent as the men are that I brought with us, none of them are leader material. You two are needed to keep everyone in line and heading back to the estate."


    the other two grew quiet. They knew that what Lagdon said was true. Despite Enna''s lofty dreams and visions for the future, monsters, at their core, were wild and confrontational. Under her command, or at least under the command of powerful leaders who acknowledge Enna as their master, they can be kept in line. But for the monsters not as strong of mind- especially confrontational types like the hobgoblins- being left to their own devices could mean that the kobolds could be abandoned to their fate mid trip.


    "Lady Enna wants the kobolds safe..." Sighed Draxly, understanding what is needed.


    "Yes. I leave them to you. Get the caravan home as fast as you are able, contact my brother, and immediately send out reinforcements. In the mean time, I will track Lady Enna."


    The foxes did not like it, but they knew what was expected of them. It was their job to ensure that their Land God''s wishes were up held, especially when she was unable to enforce those belies on her own. And Lagdon had the job of getting to Enna and making sure she got home in one piece. He knew that she was no weakling, had seen her progress with his own eyes, and knew that as a land god, her mortality was all but fictional. It was nearly impossible to actually kill a land god. But she could be captured, or even put out of commission for an indefinite amount of time, leaving her precious lands unprotected.


    Lagdon, and all the foxes, goblins, and now even the kobolds, owed the young human born woman too much to let her lands fall to ruins. Not on his watch.

 A Friend... Maybe?

    The speed at which I was being dragged through the Dark was mind boggling. I was gripped in the boney hands of several monsters I could only describe as stump creatures. They literally just looked like stumps with dark empty holes in their bark for faces and limbs made of twisted roots and twigs. But even if they did not look capable of it, they were unbelievably fast and crazy strong. I tried my hardest, while dodging tree branches and boulders from bashing me in the face, to pry their reedy fingers from my flesh.


    I screamed and kicked, and eventually stopped trying to dodge the oncoming obstacles in an effort to detach myself from these evil little tree gremlins. All that got me was a face full of thorns and even more frustration.


    "Iifree!" I screamed, channeling what energy I could at the stump dragging my right arm. If I could dislodge that one then I could better aim with either targeted magic or even fox fire.


    It looked to work at first, the stump''s face lighting up orange and a squealing noise escaping from it. But whether the creature that looked like kindling was immune to fire, or we were just going too fast and the air pressure was too much, I don''t know. What ever the reason the flame went out and my captures didn''t even miss a step.


    "Damn it!" I screamed, picturing Lagdon''s irritated face, knowing he would be thinking ''I told you so'' even if he may never dare say it out loud. "Get off me!"


    I reached for the fox fire, it was weaker in power than the spell Iifree, but it was less likely to be put out by the elements. But before I could even think to activate the power, I was unceremoniously tossed aside. I spun, dizzyingly, through the air before slamming, hip first, into a large, hard tree. Screaming in pain I fell to the ground and rolled to my knees.


    At least my hip wasn''t broken. Probably bruised though. Coughing and trying to catch my breath, my tangled silver hair spread out around me with thistles and twigs caught in it. I squinted toward where I thought I had been tossed from to see what had happened. Had we reached what ever destination they were planning on taking me?


    I saw the tree people first; there were four or five of them and they all stood, clumped together, their little twig arms shaking and they were making odd, angry, clicking noises. Still a little dazed, I tried to see what It was that was irritating them so much. I had to double blink when my eyes landed on it, unsure if I should believe what it was I was seeing.


    I grunted, and did my best to get to my feet, one arm wrapped around my aching midriff and the other using the hard tree to lift myself up. I leaned against the tree and decided that I was, indeed, looking at a cream colored fox. But this was like no fox I had ever seen or heard of before. It was huge for one, at least the size of a small car! And its fur was longer than I thought a fox from earth would have, its eyes glowing an angry red color and its hackles raised, probably making up at least a few inches of that impossible size.


    And its teeth! Each mouth dagger was at least the size of one of my fingers and bared at the trees, saliva glistening and pink tongue flashing as it snarled. And lastly, from its backside, flowed several thick furred, cream colored tails each at least my own body length. It was a beautiful and terrifying beast but the stumps didn''t seem to think so. They clicked and raged at the fox like it couldn''t use them as tooth picks if it wanted.


    Clearly the fox felt zero intimidation from their lack of fear and it lunged forward, snapping up one of the trees in its jaws and literally snapping it into a million bark strips in seconds. Seconds. A black clawed paw swung forward and shatter another of the creatures with relative ease as two of them jumped fearlessly on the fox''s back, their twiggy fists yanking on the fox''s fur.


    As I drew my dagger, the gift that Lagdon had given me recently, I was surprised once again when the fox began to speak. It was a slightly growly voice but seemed feminine to me all the same, and she demanded the creatures take her to their master or she would destroy them all. I understood the sentiment, given I didn''t apricate being dragged deep into a dark and menacing forest. But this fox was extremally furious with these little beasts.


    And whether the stumps couldn''t, or wouldn''t, give up their ''master'' was a mute point, because the fox barely gave them thirty seconds before shaking them off and smashing them to pieces too. I stood there, looking pretty stupid with my dagger and twig strewn silver hair, just panting and at a loss for what to do now. Was this fox going to tear me to pieces too? I had no doubt she could, even with my nifty little pin sticker.


    After a solid minute and a half of her glaring down on the scattered shards of bark on the ground, and me watching her awkwardly, she turned those red eyes on me.


    "Ummm..." I said stiffly. I knew she could understand as I had heard her speak just a moment ago, but I had never held a conversation with a fox the size of a ford F-150 before. If anyone ever asked in the future, it was, indeed, very different talking to a fox person than a massive fox that may have been able to swallow me whole. "Hello?"


    The fox narrowed her eyes, ears up and forward but her hackles now lowered. I was not one to know nonverbal communications with anyone, much less monsters with fox faces (Even after living with a village of fox faced people for half a year now), and so I had no clue if this meant I was safe or if I was about to have my face eaten off.


    "What are you?" Was the answer I got as she looked me up and down, still glaring.


    Well, that was a broad question. "Um, a human?"


    "Tch. I can see that, little one," She said, before sitting down, her head now above mine which was mildly terrifying. "I can also see that you are a land god... I guess, I was asking what land god you were? I do not know of many."


    Okay. Chatty, but suspicious. I could work with that! It was defiantly way better than angry and blood thirsty, and I was not opposed to answering the question either. "Um, well, I''m the land god of here. Uh, the Monster Nation of Aeros." I really needed to speak to the others about changing the name. Monsters and names were just such a pain really.


    I had seen foxkin and foxie raise their eyebrows before, but it was even more amusing to see the movement on a creature that I should fear. Damn, I was getting used to dealing with weird creatures. "Is not Aeros the land got of the Monster Nation of Aeros?"


    "Well, he was. Till about six months ago. I guess I sort of inherited the job?"


    "Oh? So the dragon finally met his end then, did he? Good riddance." She said, flicking a leaf that fell off her ear. "I did not like him overly much. Rude and very full of himself..." then she looked at me skeptically however. "I can not imagen that he intentionally left a small human woman with power over his lands. Not that he cared about this place overly much, but I think its more the principle of the thing. Not big on humans, the old lizard." She looked me over once again, clearly not overly impressed with what she saw, she said: " And, no offence, but you do not seem strong enough to have defeated Aeros and taken the title from him."This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    I laughed nervously. "He was not happy, but he did seem to see the irony of it and was faintly amused. At least from what i gathered from the brief conversation I had with him before he left." It was a very strange conversation I was having right now. It was not lost on me that I probably should be desperately trying to get back to the kobold village and Lagdon, and not exchanging small talk with a massive fox in the middle of what was, supposedly, the most dangerous place within these borders. But this seemed to be about right given the turns my life had taken up to this point. Besides, what if I offended the fox and she decided to make a snack of me?


    "So, how is it that you came to be the land god here?"


    "Would you believe that I really have no clue. I''m from another world... I think I died there, then I just woke up hear near one of Aeros'' little shrines near the mountain. I have been kind of winging it since. From what I have been told by some of the monsters I have come to know since waking up here, they have never heard of an other-worlder arriving just to be a land god. But they also told me that they hardly knew much about the god either way."


    The fox sighed, getting to her feet. Stumbled back a couple steps but made sure not to raise my dagger. The fox had been pretty calm and non-violent (towards me at least.) so far and I really did not want to antagonize her. "Very well, I believe you. So, why are you here in the Dark then? Land god or not, you do not seem... hardy enough, to last long in such an unforgiving place."


    Nice... even the random monsters I encountered could tell I was a weakling, unable to protect myself from a stiff wind. How encouraging.


    "I am not in here on purpose!" I said, annoyed. "those tree monster dragged me here. I was evacuating the kobold village just outside the Dark and passed over the border before leaving to get a better reading on the place. It figures I''d get kidnapped after being in here for thirty seconds..."


    "Hmm." She said. "Well, they were not monsters, just minions. Magical constructs used by a master to do its bidding. A power has been rising, here in the Dark, for quite some time now. But it has been very active as of recently."


    "And you are mad about that...?"I asked, eyeing the remnants of the ''minions'' left at the foxes rather adorable but deadly feet.


    The fox followed my gaze before looking back at me. "No, I did not care what another creature was doing. Not for the longest time, at least. But this being went and did something I can not forgive, and has made an enemy of me. Now it will pay."


    Her voice was rather dangerous, and I did not want to aggravate her, but my curiosity won over the fear. "What happened? Is there a way I can help?" I added, after all- intentional or not- she had saved me, so it was only right that I help her out as well. Especially since I suspected that the being she was referring to was likely the Specter as it was the only thing that had stood out when I was doing my little scan earlier. There were other powers- no doubt this fox included among them- but the Specter was the only one openly aggressive. Or even active for that matter. It was hard to explain how I knew, but I could tell that most of the truly powerful beings located in the Dark were more or less at rest. Too ancient and tired to bother with mundane things.


    "Help?" She asked, eyeing skeptically once again. I tried not to be too offended. I knew I looked weak, and I was compared to other gods, no doubt. But I had learned that, if I needed the power, I could pull on if from my people and the land. I liked to think that the energies I had were invested in other things, and that i could call in those investments when necessary. I felt they were good investments.


    "I think it is you who may need my help... but I do not mind telling you the reason for my ire. It is good, talking to people. When you go long stretches with out it you realize the true value of other, intelligent, interactions..." She sighed once again, seemingly arranging her thoughts. "About two months ago, I was out hunting. Not unusual, but I had not been safe as I should have been... I had left others back at my den. Young ones that I had been minding for but a few weeks... The being sent out its minions and they found the little ones while I was out. They were but small half-lings and unable to protect themselves. When I returned they were nothing but dried out corpses. No one takes what is mine to protect and think they can just get away with it." The last sentence was a savage growl that had the hairs on my arms stand on end. But I could hear the grief below the anger and felt bad for the fox.


    "I''m sorry... I am afraid that I don''t know what a halfling is, but I know of the being you speak of, and have seen what it does myself, back at the kobold village. Its why I was evacuating them. They call the creature the Specter, and it has been stealing people in the night. Actually taking them away or just draining them as you described."


    "Halflings are people who are part human and part demi-human or have a mixed demi-human lineage." She said, offhandedly, still a little lost in thought. She shook her head, ears flopping. "This Specter does sound like the enemy I seek. Are you hunting it as well?"


    "No." I said. "At least that had not been my intention right away. When I got home I had planed to assemble a goodly number of hobgoblins and goblane, and probably a few foxie and foxmen added to the mix, then return here to see what could be done about the Specter. I do not want it anywhere in my lands, attacking my people."


    At that the fox looked at me strangely. "You seem to care more about the lives of monsters than most would. Even other monsters."


    I blinked in surprise. "I''m afraid I don''t know what you mean. I just want them to feel safe in their own homes. Aeros may have dropped the ball on being a good land god, but I want to do the best I can with the job I was given here!" I huffed. It may be a hopeless and fanciful wish, but it was the one I had all the same.


    "Aeros was an arrogant and self involved beast, but he was not a bad land god, over all. Save the last couple centuries that is. Most land gods are arrogant and self involved, directing nothing but the bare minimum of power back into the lands that they govern, and almost none into the people who live on it- save a few favored beings that is. And dragon''s have double those traits, which is why they often become land gods in this world. So long as your lands live and thrive, you are considered a good land god."


    Now I was the one to look at the fox strangely. "I don''t understand."


    "I am saying that it is you who is the strange one, human land god. But, I am a guardian, and there for can understand your sentiment. Even if it is a strange point of view for a land god, or even a human for that matter."


    Well, I could safely say that I had never thought of it that way. It explained the raised eyebrows I got often enough when I first got here I guess. And still got from time to time for that matter. Still, I had no plans on changing my point of view, and it had been working for me so far. And it made me happy to see the monsters happy damn it!


    But instead of saying all that I said "I''m Enna, what''s your name? Also, is Guardian your race?"


    The fox actually chuckled at that, getting to her feet and shaking out her fur, dislodging a few leaves that had drifted down during out strange little talk. "Kishi is my name. And yes, I am a guardian, a rare evolutionary form from the fennik line." She looked over her shoulder, looking at what I do not know, but when she turned back my way she looked determined. "I an very determined to take my revenge, but can put it on hold long enough to try and see you safely back to your friends. I rather doubt you will find your way back on your own given the nature of the Dark, and the fact that this ''Specter'' can manipulate a fog that confuses the senses."


    "Really?" I asked, shocked. I had not expected any help. In fact I had been the one offering aid in the first place. But I was all for getting back to Lagdon and the others and calling in reinforcements first. The more I heard about this Specter the more I felt that he was more of a problem than i could have thought.


    "Yes, really. I am interested to see the world it is you wish to create here. and that would be pretty hard to do if the Specter kills you and steals your status as land god before you could even make any real head way on it after all."


    Well, that was a morbid and utterly terrifying thought. Was that the plan of this monster? To kill me and become the land god himself? I suppose it was possible, but I was under the impression that killing me- no doubt easier than with most gods- was a pretty difficult thing to accomplish for just any old being. How strong was the Specter, exactly?

 Lagdons Frustrations

    Lagdon powered his way through the congested thorny bushes that seemed to make up the forest floor of the Dark. There was no grace or subtlety at all, as he swung his clb from side to side, taking out his anger on the innocent foliage. And he was angry.


    Sure, all hobgoblins were made for breaking and decimating, not sneaking or fancy foot work. But right now, even for a hobgoblin, Lagdon was being rather obnoxious. Normally he would not plow through an unknown forest, drawing attention to himself all the way, but in this case he could tell that it hardly made a difference. Something in this forest was messing with his senses, and he had no way to know if it was just a natural effect the Dark had on interlopers, or if there was an entity behind his current predicament.


    As it stood now, he was just going to assume it was an effect of the forest until something told him other wise. But as for the tree like creatures that had abducted Enna? He was sure that they had been sent by the Specter. He knew a minion when he saw one, and as far as he knew, the specter was the only thing both strong enough, or motivated enough, to create such beings. And that was not good, not good at all.


    But it was Enna her self that was the source of the majority of Lagdon''s current frustration. Just thinking about the slight and seemingly fragile human land god had him battering a thistle bush to a pulp. He knew- given he and Nord were the ones in charge of her training- that she was not nearly as defenseless as she had been just a few short weeks ago. But she was still far too gullible and breakable for his liking.


    He should have kept her as far from this damn forest as he possibly could have. And had she of been a palace born princess, he may have. But Enna was not that, she was his land god, and it would have been the height of disrespect to imply that not only could she not protect herself, but could not even make the simplest decisions for herself. And as protective as Lagdon was over his land god, he knew that she was a power in her own right... when she really wanted to be at least.


    Lagdon sighed, stopping just long enough to pry the roping vines off his weapon of choice, and glaring at the dark trees around him. He had no clue how far nor what direction the minions had taken the woman. Had she just abandoned the kobolds to their fate than they would not be in this current mess.


    Lagdon shook his head, banishing the thought from his mind. He may find Enna''s ways maddening, but the truth was he had a great deal of respect for her. He certainly knew no hobgoblin currently alive that that would stand up to Margund the way Enna did. The current goblin king was an intimidating man, and that was before his evolution to a goblin lord. But Enna still spoke to him as if he were just another man she had met on the street. A man she had respect for, but not at all like a man she feared just as much.


    It had been his brother who had urged Lagdon to take on the role of Capitan of the Guard in charge of protecting the land god and her ideals. Honestly, such a job was an honor, but he had been hesitant to take it at first. Enna was just a human after all. But over the last months he had come to see why Margund had such faith in her, even after only just meeting the woman.


    Enna, who really had no logical reason to care, was almost irrationally dedicated to healing this land while also embracing and guiding the monsters who called it home. Any reasonable god would have seen the deplorable state that Aeros had left it in and would have done one of two things:


    one, they would have seen a land in disrepair teeming with starved and waring monsters, and just forsaken the place. They would have let the monsters kill one another off, aloud the land to stay miserable, and -much like Aeros had when first he took over these lands- done the bare minimum to keep it alive, ignoring the people so long as they continued to offer them tribute.


    Or two, Start from scratch. They would have encourage the monsters to either leave or kill one another off, drained the land dry of all life and fertility, and the started again from day one. It would have been an extremally long and tedious process, but at least the god would have it just as they wanted it. Its not like a land god didn''t have an infinite number of years to wait for things to be just as they wanted them after all.


    Both of these options had been taken by land gods the world over. Countless times over the ages. And, no doubt, will continue to be the main course of action for any land god to come about again.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Yet, for some unknown reason, Enna had decided to not only forsake both of these tried and true routes, but also took on the most complicate and convoluted path that Lagdon could imagen. Not only was she insistent on fixing what she saw as Aeros'' mess, but she was taking that task on with her entire being. How could a land god even survive by siphoning all of their collected energies into things that were not themselves? If she only held on to that power rather than dump it into evolving the monsters, or energizing the land as fast as possible, she would be far stronger than the average monster by now. Would she be able to take on another god? Probably not. But Lagdon was sure she would not fall on her ass as often during training at the very least.


    Margund had recognized these odd traits in Enna right from the onset when they had been held captive in the fox''s village. Almost from the very start Margund had put every ounce of his faith in Enna, renouncing Aeros with out a second thought, and not even questioning the fact that she was just a little human female, surrounded with nothing but weak foxes and dressed in a robe far too small for her. And if his bother had such blind faith in Enna, then Lagdon had decided to do the same.


    And during his time as her chief protector, Lagdon had come to apricate the values he believed his brother had sensed from the start. Enna was almost irresponsibly dedicated to improving the lives of not only the foxes, who had gone out of their way to support her in her time of need, but also the the goblins. And his own people had done no favors for the young land god. Yet, still, without even being asked, begged or bribed, she had evolved them at her own detriment. And not just the goblin leader, the only goblin she even had a semblance of an agreement with, but their entire race. Every single one of them.


    Lagdon could tell that Enna still had no concept on just how astounding that was. No one even knew how she COULD do it. Sure, an ancient and fabled dragon like Aeros would have the power to accomplish such a feat- not that he ever would- but most beings, even other gods, would not have been able to do it. In his discussions with Margund, Nord, and other men much smarter than he, it was suggested that it was only possible because she had come from another world.


    "The humans may have more knowledge on the topic." Nord had said the day after the parties had ended after their evolutions. The goblin elders, as well as some of the foxes that had been in the city at the time, had gathered to discuss many things in the following weeks, and their new god was among the bigger topics. "We do not have much information when it comes to humans from other worlds."


    "No matter where she comes from..." Said a goblin elder, rubbing the new growth of a beard on his face. It was a bit of a novelty for a race that had been mainly bald until then. "What creature in their right mind would offer over such power? For no reason! She must want something from us..."


    At the time, a slur of arguments and fearful admonishments had followed the statement. No one wanted a single goblin -or group of goblins- to disrupt the clear favor this seemingly foolish young god had bestowed upon them. It wasn''t till Margund, looking all the more regal in his massive new form of a goblin lord even if he was dressed in leather armor that was too tight on newly formed muscles, began to laugh that the gathering grew quiet.


    "But she does want something from us." He had said, eyes sparkling in a merriment that had not reflected their since they were small children and did not understand their father''s madness nor the deplorable state their people would fall into. "She said so from the very beginning, after all."


    "How so?" Asked an older goblane woman, eyes narrowed and suspicious. She had been a rather devout follower of Aeros.


    "She wants us to live and grow prosperously together." Margund said, a smirk on his face.


    "Ridiculous. What could she possibly gain from that?!"


    "Lady Enna," Brax had said, sitting at the table of powerful goblin leaders like his race had not been slaves less than a century ago. "has stated before that she gets her power from the state of her lands. The better off we are, the more energy we can send her way, and the more energy she gets, the more she pushes into these lands... and so the cycle continues."


    There had been a moment of silence then. And Lagdon understood why as well. It was unfathomable for monsters to think that an individual found strength in the cumulative power of an entire nation, rather than the strength they possessed all on their own. A monster hoards, collects and protects its power to the very death. And so, Margund had been right in saying that there was something rather significant that Enna had asked of them. She wanted peace. She wanted stability. And she wanted to live amongst the people, to grow and learn with them.


    Not many gods would go to such lengths when inactivity was more then effective enough to get the job done.


    But now his selfless, dewy eyed, hapless god had gone and gotten herself kidnapped.


    Practically snarling to himself in frustration and anxiety, Lagdon practically tossed a fallen tree out of his way, dirt and twigs flying in all directions, and a crash echoing through the low swirling fog in the air.


    He was more pleased than surprised to see that he was no longer alone in this dark and dreary forest. Apparently he had just stumbled on the nest of a monster, as a massive bear like beast wobbled to its four boulder sized feet, yellow eyes boring angerly into Lagdon''s blue ones. The younger goblin prince smirked. Good, he was itching for a fight.

 Swamp Troubles

    Kishi and I stood on a rather large branch of a tall tree, moss hanging off it and a smelly swamp beneath it. The reason we were in this tree was directly ahead of us, and- despite being nearly thirty feet up- at eye level. I watched, completely horrified, as the massive monster stared at us, almost blindly.


    How had this happened, one may ask? Well, after hours of wandering the Dark, we had stumbled upon a swamp. Kishi had cursed upon seeing it, and I knew that meant we had deviated from our course once again. I defiantly had not been dragged through one when the minions had swiped me. I did not blame the fox, however. Even before the Specter had come to live in the Dark, directions had been iffy. Heading in a straight line was nearly impossible for everyone, and had I of been by my self, I would have been even farther from my destination.


    Kishi, though not immune to the effects of the Dark, was at least able to tell when it was affecting her senses and could make minor adjustments to our path. We were not traveling directly- more like a wandering zigzag- but at least we were heading in the general direction I needed to be. But we were still getting lost more often than not.


    Upon stumbling on the swamp, I could tell that Kishi was not happy. I had been about to ask what the issue was while trying to avoid the lest muddiest parts of the earth, When she shouted a warning and I felt an all mighty tug on the back of my copper robe. One second I was dodging puddles and the next I was flying through the air in the jaws of a giant fox.


    Kishi leapt from earth, to bolder, to fallen tree, then up to our current branch. And as she set me on my feet I watched as a huge creature appeared to rise out of the muck. It was massive, at least as tall as a three story house and appeared to be covered, either in moss, or green fur. Its face looked like a moose, but with huge fangs over lapping its lips, and its antlers- they spanned at least five of my own body- looked to be made of twisted branches covered in hanging moss. Its body was shaped as a mans and covered in the moss fur and muck. It stood in the swap, silent, and stared off into the distance.


    After an unknown amount of time just gawking at this behemoth, I turned my eyes back to Kishi. She stood on the branch next to me, now looking miniscule in comparison, with her hackles raised, ears drawn back and a silent growl on her lips.


    Feeling the need to be as quiet as possible I whispered: "Why isn''t it attacking?"


    It took Kishi a moment to answer, but when she did it was also in hushed tones. "I can not say." She said harshly, never taking her eyes off the threat before us. "Normally it sleeps, as do all the Ancient Ones that reside here... I can only assume that the interference of the specter has stirred it into wakefulness."


    "And we were the unlucky ones to come across it now." I said, finishing the thought. "I take it ''Ancient Ones'' refer to things that lived here long before Aeros took over?" I could tell right away that this had been one of the great powers I had felt within the Dark, and now that I was right in its face, I could also tell that it had not even a trace of Aeros'' energies within it.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "Yes." Hissed the fox. Her fear made me afraid. If she didn''t think we had a chance then there was nothing I could possibly do to the beast.


    "What now?" I asked, hands clenched tightly, and eyes scanning for any alternative in this swampy mess.


    "We flee." She said simply. "It is old and wise, but not highly motivated. If we leave its territory, I doubt it will follow."


    I did not question my new friend and companion, even if I did hear the unspoken ''I hope...'' dangling in the air. She had the experience here, and I was a semi-powerless land god with quite a bit to live for. And I sure as hell held no qualms about running away.


    I dug my fingers tightly into the Guardian''s fur and she took off, me clinging to her back, jumping from one precarious branch to the next, the roars of the Ancient One, causing fear ripples over my body as we left it behind us. Kishi had been right, it didn''t follow us at all. But it also didn''t sound happy that we had escaped it either.


    Kishi fled for a good while, not taking any chances. She ran with out a care for direction, nor stopping as she had done before, to make sure we were still headed for the border. I knew we were now more hopelessly lost than ever before but I didn''t blame her at all. I wanted to get away too. That swamp monster was no joke, and I was not planning on being anyone''s meal just yet. I could only imagine the tongue lashing Lagdon would give me in the after life for it.


    As soon as Kishi came to a stop, I slid from her back to the now much firmer and less stinky ground. I was willing to bet that she did not often let people ride her, and I wasn''t about to let her think I thought of her as some kind of pack mule either.


    We were now amongst a relatively silent grove of trees, a mist wafting amongst the roots and thick moss hanging from tall oaks and other species of trees I didn''t know. They may have grown on earth too- some of them- but I was not an arborist and could not tell you one way or the other. But it was dark, and the fireflies had begun to gather thicker now.


    Telling time in the Dark proved difficult. It was always gloomy, and distances were hard to make out. I thought that, at night, it would turn pitch black and I would be able to tell the changing of day and night that way, but no such luck. Between the mist, which seemed sort of luminescent, and the fire flies, it was just as bright all day long. It was like the entire Dark was designed to confuse and disorientate a person. I was impressed that Kishi was able to detect any sort of direction in this mess at all.


    Worriedly, I asked. "What now?" I was a little afraid that Kishi would abandon me as a lost cause now. She had her own goals after all, and most monsters felt no obligation to aid a random stranger over their own wants and needs. And on top of it all, I wasn''t even all that much of a help.


    Kishi sighed, panning her great cream colored head from side to side, red eyes scanning, for what, I had no clue. "I do not recognize this area of the forest." She said, and, perhaps seeing a look on my face, added. "No need to worry. Much  of the forest looks the same. We need to keep moving till we find a landmark that I recognize, then we should be able to get back on the trail."


    I sighed, dejected. "I am really sorry about this Kishi." I said sadly. "I never intended to drag you into all of this."


    The fox shook her head and offered me a wan smile -If a fox could do that, anyway. looked more like a slight baring of the fangs- as her eyes softened. "I am not worried Lady Enna. It is a guardians duty to assist and protect. I may have my own grudge to settle here, but that does not mean I can''t also lend aid to a wayward land God who has lost her way."

 A Guardians Tale

    To my surprise, we had begun to encounter more and more monsters. Before the swamp I had been suspicious of the lack of foes in a forest famous for its dangers. The swamp beast certainly rose to the standards she had been made to believe the Dark contains, but other wise it had been pretty smooth sailing on the whole. At first I thought that Kishi had simply scared off most other beasties, but now I think it was just luck.


    Currently, Kishi and I were mid-fight, taking on a pack of dire wolves and one very large and very pissed off mosquito. It was our fifth large fight since leaving the swamp behind and even my god level of stamina was beginning to wane. Still, I had things to live for and I wasn''t about to let a bug get the best of me.


    I dashed past Kishi who had her fangs locked onto the neck of a large wolf that was still half her size, two others lay dead at her feet. I jumped as high as my legs would allow, soring up into the air at least twenty feet, my dagger flashing in what little light there was to be had in the Dark. Spinning, I brought the short blade down, puncturing the hard carapace of the bug, its translucent wings beating hard and causing leaves and branches to come crashing down around me, but I held tight, planting my feat on its back and twisting my blade.


    The mosquito let out a high pitched wail and began to list to the side. Finally... this had been the third major wound I had applied to the monster and the damn thing would not bleed to death! It came to the ground with an awful mix of bug crunch and tree snapping, throwing me to the softer, mossy earth with an "oof!" before I rolled a few feet and jumped back to my feet, staggering a little.


    "Lady Enna!" Called Kishi, worried for my safety. I watched as another wolf took advantage of her distraction and leapt onto her cream colored back, digging in red claws and sinking fangs around her spine, trying for a death blow.


    "Kishi!" I screamed, afraid for my new friend. She was powerful, a great deal stronger than me. But if I was feeling exhausted, with the energy I could pull from my people and the world around me (Though that was much harder here in the Dark) then she must have been wiped. I may not have great strength, but I had the stamina of the energizer bunny.


    Ignoring my bruised and battered limbs, I rushed forward, catching another wolf alight with fox fire as I passed, before lunging forward, blade in hand. The sharp tool of death sunk deep into the direwolf''s eye socket, causing the beast to drop from Kishi''s back and howl in agony.


    Kishi shook out her now mattered fur and stood at my side. I was an even bigger mess than she was with minor wounds all over my body and blood trickling into my eye. I tried wiping the gore off my hands so that I could grip the blade better and hopefully not have it slip from my hands completely. panting I took the fighting stance that Nord had taught me and faced off with the last three wolves, Kishi at my side.


    At the same time we both let out battle cries and charged the enemy, me with my short dagger gripped in both hands, and she, claws extended and fox fire wreathing her whole body.


    "Ow..." I groaned about ten minutes later as Kishi and I tried getting the gore off in a rather nasty smelling stream. The battle had been but a few short feet away beyond a clump of thick trees but I could still see the corps of the mosquito between the branches.


    "You fight well, little one." Kishi said in a gentle voice from where she stood in the middle of the stream. Her paws were in the water and her fur glistened with the wetness. I winced at the thought of having to wait for all that fur to dry. At least she was back to being cream colored rather than mostly red with blood.


    "You are the amazing one, not me. But thanks all the same. I will be sure to tell my teachers of your compliment. Maybe I won''t get yelled at as bad for being captured and dragged into  a scary forest." yeah right!


    The fox chuckled. "I have a millennium of experience behind my skills. So I think you have done praise worthy work."


    A millennium hu? Dang, but that was long.


    "I don''t know if you need sleep or not." I said, eyeing the fox who did not LOOK tired, but she did sound it. "But I am bushed, sleep requirement or not. And even though I can''t tell time in this damn place, I know we must have been at it for over a day now."


    "I''d say it has been nearly two since we encountered one another." Agreed Kishi, eyeing the canopy even though there was no way we could see the sky through it. "You are right. I could use some rest."


    "Alright, lets find a defensible location and call it a night then."


    We journeyed just far enough to escape the stink of the battle before settling on a tree growing over a large boulder. the bolder at our backs would block our view, but it would also protect us from that side. The tree had thick and high branches, just low enough that I could jump up and reach them if the need arose. I stacked together some wood for a fire, more for comfort than warmth really. And then Kishi lit it with nothing more than a stray thought.


    I settled next to the campfire and the Kishi lay down behind me, providing me with warmth and maybe a little wet dog smell too. But I appreciated the gesture all the same.


    "Do you need sustenance?" The fox asked suddenly, lifting her pretty face up off her crossed paws. She had taken a meal from a dear like monster we had encountered earlier.


    I shook my head. "No, I like to eat, but I do not require it. I''m fine."


    "Very well."


    I watched as the Guardian settled herself back down. I didn''t really know anything about Guardians. I had started studying some of the monster species, of course. Especially during my time helping out in our burgeoning library, but it was a lot of information to take in. I did believe that I had heard the name before, however. I just couldn''t remember where.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    And then there was Kishi herself. I knew nothing about her as a person besides the fact that she held one hell of a grudge against the Specter and had some serious fighting skills. Before now, we had been too new to one another, not to mention constantly under attack. But things were calm for the moment, so maybe I could ask her some personal questions?


    "Kishi?" I said, a little nervously. One day I would not be so awkward with social interactions...


    "Hmm?"


    "I was just wondering... Why is it you live here, in the Dark, rather than with the other foxes?"


    She did not bother to open her eyes or lift her head when she replied, just laying there, fur shimmering in the fire light. "I came here with a tribe of fennik some two thousand years ago..." She said softly. "It was a hard time for monsters. Humans had decided that they were the main cause of any bad thing and had taken to exterminating monsters the world over. There was no safe place to be."


    That sounded like something humanity would do. Hell, if I had been dropped in a human village rather than next to a young foxkin boy when I arrived here, I may very well have viewed monsters as simple minded beast in need of extermination. I may have been a god but it wasn''t like I was without prejudice after all. Real monster may not have existed on earth but every kid grew up knowing that they were bad all the same. Had I not of gotten to know the foxkin and their kindness, I may very well have been a very different person today.


    "But then we heard tell that the great dragon, Aeros, had taken up the title of a land god somewhere in the center of the continent. Our elders decided that if were begged the dragon, he may take pity on us and offer us his protection." Now she sounded annoyed and disgusted, but she still just looked like she was enjoying a good nap. "The whole tribe traveled here. We lost many along the way, and met many other races of monsters heading for Aeros as well..."


    "Was Aeros really that well loved amongst monsters?" I asked. He always struck me as a bit of an ass. I can''t say he was my favorite person.


    Kishi laughed, one red eye opening a crack to look at me for a moment before drifting shut once again. "I do not think that old lizard is capable of being loved." She said, her tone amused. "No. But we monsters prize power above all else. And Aeros is nothing if not powerful. In his youth he was seen as a natural disaster, destroying entire cities and country''s merely on a whim. Nothing and no one could hope to defeat him. All dragons are absurdly strong, but Aeros? It was unnatural how strong he was. Maybe even the true gods would quake before his might."


    Well, damn... Good thing he was dead when I met him. He may have eaten me other wise. I knew that he was strong, but I had not known just how prevalent or notorious the lizard had been.


    "But, maybe from boredom... no one really knows. But he decided to settle down. And in true Aeros fashion he did so with overwhelming power."


    "How do you mean?" I asked, almost afraid of the answer.


    "He came to the very center of the continent and decided that not only would his domain be dead center, but also the largest of them all. At least for that time anyway. I am not sure how the lands are divided now a days. He either killed or subjugated all other land gods in the area- including the land god of the Dark- and claimed all their lands his own."


    "Ugh." I could seem him doing that.


    "Most lands here were under populated with anything but monsters anyway, but he drove out all humans and demi-humans. They did not respect him as well as he liked so he decided they were not welcome. And we monsters flocked in."


    "And he just accepted you all?"


    Kishi opened her eyes then, looking contemplative. "Accepted? No. I rather thing he found all the begging and groveling amusing... But I doubt he really cared on way or the other. Especially for the fennik who were about as weak as a monster race could get. But, whether he was in a good mood that day or it was just an after thought, I do not know, but he agreed to evolve the fennik.


    Most of my kin took on the shape of the foxkin, but I evolved differently. I do not know why, but I evolved into a foxspirit. They are a little stronger than the foxkin, but I was more animal minded than my brethren then. I did not fit in. So I came here."


    "And Aeros evolved you again later?" I asked, rather encapsuled by her tale now.


    At that Kishi actually snorted. "No. Foxspirit live a very long time. So long as they are not killed in battle. I lived here and time passed till, eventually, I gained enough experience and the will... I evolved myself. Most foxspirit never evolve. It takes a specific type of personality to take on the role of a guardian after all."


    That was amazing. To think she went though all of that and managed to achieve evolution all on her own. Kishi was truly an amazing monster.


    I settled back against her fur as her eyes drifted shut once again. "What is a guardian exactly? I think I read something about them before, but for some reason I don''t think it had anything to do with the fennik evolutionary line..."


    "Indeed. Guardians are one of the rare monsters that can evolve from many different spices, and they are very rare. It is our sole wish to live and die in the service of others, Lady Enna. In truth, I have been rather stagnant here, in the Dark. I take others under my protection from time to time, including the little ones that this Specter-" She said Specter with a growl in her voice. "Stole from me. But it is not the life a Guardian is meant for. yes, all life is worthy of protection... But the sole purpose of a guardian is to protect beings of great importance. To protect those who hold great influence over the lives and livelihoods of others. Many of my fellow guardians have taken on the roles of protecting great elven kings, heroes of old, or entire countries. I have to say that wandering around a cursed forest for eternity is not what I was meant for..."


    She sounded wistful and sad. I could understand that: the feeling of being trapped in a rut, unable to move forward for one reason or another, and making excuses for yourself, never reaching your true potential...


    "You know... I can''t say that I am anything as grand as a wise king, nor as impressive as a great hero- but, if you find me acceptable that is- I currently have a guardian position open. I don''t pay all that well, and the work is pretty tedious if Lagdon is to be believed. But I do have grand ambitions. Hopes for the future of not just this nation, but maybe even for monsters and the other races the world over. I''ve been told I am a bit too much of an idealist, in that regard, but I am pretty stubborn. Basically, it will be charity work on your part... but I can promise that for as long as we both live- and I am lead to believe that that will be a hell of a long time- I will forever be a loyal friend, if nothing else."


    I was blushing. I knew that for a fact. Damn awkwardness! I peeked through my now rather messy silver hair at the fox. She had risen her head off her paws and was gawking at me openly. I would probably die of embarrassment now. What the hell had I been thinking? Who the heck goes up to someone and say " Hey, can we be besties?!" like that?


    But then Kishi''s gazed softened and she made a face that i could only describe as a fox smile. She was a beautiful creature and radiated warmth and kindness. "Lady Enna," She said, her tails wrapping around us both, her head lowering back onto her paws, eyes half open and smile still firmly in place. "I would be so very honored to be your personal Guardian. From now, till we both leave this world..."


    I gasped as I literally felt something magical snap into place within me. It settled in like a tied ribbon around my soul and did not feal uncomfortable at all. I had a suspicion that, had I decided to visit my inner sanctuary right now, that there would be a new addition to my merry little fires and the pretty blooming apple trees that surround it.