Rick ended the meeting and let everyone go back to what they were doing before. Then he just spent the rest of the day in his tent, daydreaming about what his next adventure might hold in store for him.
After living a fairly normal life, at least by what human society back on Earth thought was normal, he was really enjoying the thrill of adventuring to somewhere new.
Rick didn¡¯t plan on being one of those Leaders that delegated everything possible to their subordinates and ran wild all over the place without taking proper responsibility for his people.
He knew, even if he didn¡¯t want to, he wouldn¡¯t really have the ability to do that in the future when his dreams of Goblin domination and a thriving Goblin empire come to fruition, but right now it''s a joy he¡¯s grown to love. The freedom of adventure was truly a thrilling feeling.
Rick was definitely taking advantage of the fact there aren¡¯t any restrictions on how the Leader is supposed to behave because of the Tribe¡¯s small size and lack of guidelines or laws.
And he didn¡¯t plan on introducing anything like that to the Tribe either, at least not for the time being.
Rick knew that as an organization grew bigger and bigger, that certain political aspects always came into play, but he hoped in his heart that maybe things will be different in Goblin society.
That the greed and jealousy of humankind would just be foreign concepts with Goblins.
It might just be wishful thinking. He knew in the future as the Tribe got bigger, there might be a Goblin who covets the position of Leader and the power it holds, or maybe even a group of Goblins who wanted to do nothing more than kill him.
Though if that actually happens, it¡¯ll be far in the future. For now, Rick will just worry about the things he can do, like going on an adventure to find more Goblins, or how to get Velora to stop asking him to train.
Just simple things.
Oh, he¡¯s also wondering why Jaba woke up at the same time as him, even though he planned to leave long before anyone else woke up.
POV Rick
¡°So why are you up and waiting for me at the entrance of the cave, Jaba?¡±
¡°I wanted to see you off on this long journey. I don¡¯t believe the Leader of the Tribe should set off with no one there to see.¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s really classy of you, Jaba. Very noble Goblin-like.¡±
¡°Thank you, but do you have any idea which direction you''re going to go in?¡±
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
¡°Not yet. I¡¯ll probably head to the lake and decide from there. By the way, I probably should¡¯ve told you all yesterday, but I¡¯m leaving all my stuff here for you all.
¡°It was just bones and hides from various beasts from my previous journey into the forest. I¡¯m sure you all can figure out some uses for it.
¡°Also, remember everything I told you about going deep into the forest. Never go on the north side of the lake and never get too close to the lake itself. If you stick to the east and west side of the lake, you should be fine.¡±
¡°Understood. I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡±
¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough dilly-dallying. Take care of the Tribe while I¡¯m gone.¡±
¡°Yes, Sir!¡±
And just like that, Rick left again for another adventure. Even though he¡¯s barely been back to the Tribe a couple days, he¡¯s now already back on the road or in this case, in the forest again.
And he¡¯s already facing his first challenge upon his arrival at the lake.
¡®So, where the hell should I actually go? I told Jaba I¡¯d figure it out at the lake, but now that I¡¯m here, it¡¯s kinda hard to actually decide where exactly I want to go.
¡®Any thoughts on the matter, Velora?¡¯
[You can always go ask the fox beast on the northern side of the lake.]
¡®Now why in green Goblin''s name would I go do such a thing?¡¯
[Well, one of the first things he said to you during that encounter was ¡°Haven¡¯t seen a Goblin of your size in a long time.¡± This should mean he has seen other Goblins before, and even one of your current evolution.]
¡®I forgot you can remember everything. It¡¯s because you feel like more than just a skill these days.
¡®Anyway, there''s a lot that can go wrong here. I¡¯m not too comfortable talking to someone who can kill me and wipe out the entire Tribe before I can spell Goblin.¡¯
[It¡¯s either that or you can start walking in a random direction.]
¡®Well, when you put it like that.. I still don''t want to talk to him!
¡®What if he questions why I want to find other Goblins? What if he wants to stop me from doing exactly that? What if he just kills me?¡¯
[You won¡¯t get anywhere asking these questions. Just decide and go.]
¡®Ah, to hell with it! Let''s go find the damn fox!¡¯
[He¡¯ll probably come to you once you reach the northern side of the lake. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll find him if he doesn¡¯t want to be found.]
¡®Fair point. Let¡¯s just head over there.¡¯
Rick then slowly and alertly made his way around the lake to the spot where he met the fox, or at least as close to it as he can remember.
He only had to stand there and wander around aimlessly for a few minutes before a familiar fox greeted him.
¡°Interesting. It hasn¡¯t been that long since you left and you''re already back. I honestly didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be back so soon. I even thought you¡¯d be too scared to come for a chat.¡±
¡®Who the hell is he calling scared, dammit!?¡¯
[You but calm down. This is important.]
¡®I know you¡¯re right. I just don¡¯t like him.¡¯
¡°Yes, I¡¯m back, but I just came to ask a question, if that''s alright. I¡¯ll be on my way right after.¡±
¡°Interesting. What is this question, then?¡±
¡°Where can I find more Goblins?¡±
¡°What an interesting question. Why do you want to find more Goblins? Isn¡¯t your Tribe south of here?¡±
¡°I want to be around more of my kind.¡±
¡°Another interesting comment, but I¡¯m no fool, Goblin. I don¡¯t care if you want to grow your little Tribe of Goblins, but I do care when someone tries to play me for a fool. I¡¯d advise you to mind your manners in the future.¡± The fox paused before continuing.
¡°¡Though since it was your first offense, I¡¯ll look past it and answer your little question. I last saw other Goblins far west of the lake. They could be gone by now though, so don¡¯t get your hopes up. Goblin Tribes don¡¯t tend to last too long.¡±
Chapter Thirty Six
Right after the Fox finished speaking, he immediately vanished just as fast as he showed up in front of Rick.
At that point, Rick immediately began running towards the west side of the lake, filled with a variety of thoughts.
POV Rick
¡®Velora! That was a fucking threat, wasn¡¯t it?! What the hell did he mean by Goblin Tribes don¡¯t last too long?! Is he planning to make sure that''s the same case for my Tribe?!
¡®I¡¯m never going back to see that damn fox! I told him one little Goblin lie, and he got all upset! Talking about how he¡¯s no fool and what not! He even started throwing threats my way!
¡®I promise if I wasn¡¯t so much weaker than him, he¡¯d already been made into a damn nice coat! Dammit, I hate being weak!¡¯
[I understand what you''re going through. Hopefully, you can evolve again soon. I have a feeling your next evolution will be extremely special, though it is still some distance away despite recent progress.
[And although he left you with some threats that don¡¯t appear to just be casual, he gave you the information you were looking for. That should count as a win. Now just go find those Goblins and get strong enough so that his threats will mean nothing.]
¡®Now, why can¡¯t you be this comforting all the time?¡¯
[I¡¯m always operating in line with your best interests. Therefore you should begin training wholeheartedly now. Especially with the threat of the fox hovering so close to the Tribe.]
¡®You know usually, I¡¯d fight you on that, but this time I¡¯m all for it. Especially since I¡¯m back out deep into the forests now. There¡¯s no better training than actual fighting with my life on the line!¡¯
[Good, now get a move on it because it is now 0800 and Jaba should¡¯ve left for his own training by this time. If you don¡¯t want to run into him again, I suggest you make haste.]
¡®Oh, damn. Yeah you''re right. Let''s get going then!
¡®Lead me to every damn beast you find. I''m going on a Goblin killing spree!¡¯
[You''re going to be killing the Goblins you find? I was under the assumption that you wanted to bring them back to the Tribe.]
¡®What? No! Just lead me to the beasts, Velora!¡¯
[Understood.]
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[Found one. It¡¯s close by. Keep heading straight and you¡¯ll come across it. Bringing its status up right now.]
{Race ¨C Horned Deer}
{Tier ¨C One}
{Strength ¨C 16}
{Agility ¨C 22}
{Dexterity ¨C 12}
{Intelligence ¨C 4}
{Endurance ¨C 25}
[You¡¯ve fought these before. Just remember to be wary of the giant horn in the middle of its antlers.]
¡®Understood!¡¯
The Horned Deer immediately charged at Rick once it noticed him with its head lowered and its antlers and the massive horn housed in the middle of them pointed squarely at him.
Upon seeing the charging deer, Rick gripped his fang firmly and charged right back at the deer. It only took a few seconds before they were both just a mere five feet from each other.
It would just take a couple of seconds for them to run into each other.
At the very last second Rick made a sharp jump to the left of the deer, to which the deer tried to respond by stopping and turning towards him.
But it simply didn¡¯t have the type of reaction speed and necessary agility to do so in time.
As soon as Rick jumped to the left and the deer began passing him by, he viciously stabbed his fang dagger straight into the side of the deer before his own feet even touched the ground.
The amount of pure power behind that strike made the deer easily topple to the ground, creating a loud thud as the four hundred and fifty-pound deer, that stood six feet tall at the shoulders, came crashing down.
It struggled to breathe as the strike from Rick¡¯s trusty saber fang went directly through its lungs. Its suffering didn¡¯t last too long as the last thing it saw was a large, green Goblin bringing a fang down on its head.
The deer was dead.
Rick quickly and efficiently harvested just the right amount of meat he wanted, and he didn¡¯t forget the horn of the deer, leaving the remaining carcass there for the taking.
This horn would do well as a spearhead.
Mind you, the only thing Rick brought on this adventure was his trusty fang daggers, the clothes on his back, and a small pouch with nothing in it. But he didn¡¯t plan on staying in one place too long, so he just took a few strips of meat and the horn and placed them in the pouch.
After that, he spent more than just a bit of time fashioning a sturdy enough spear from a nearby branch. He even made use of the sinew found on the now dead deer to tie everything together. Of course, the spear probably wouldn¡¯t last long, but it¡¯ll do for now.
It was still early in the day, and he would not stop killing like this for quite some time while heading west.
Of course, he took plenty of breaks to allow both him and Velora to absorb all the Essence gained.
It was around 1100 when he finally took a proper rest. Although it was mostly because he was hungry and needed to dry the meat out as best as possible while the sun was still up.
He found a nice little spot in the middle of the forest where Velora couldn¡¯t sense any beasts and laid out the strips of meat he cut to dry on a nearby rock.
POV Rick
¡®How many monsters did I kill, Velora?¡¯
[In three hours, you killed exactly fifteen monsters, with 11 of them being Tier One, three Tier Zeros, and one Tier Two.]
¡®Yeah the Tier Two was another giant Saber Ostrich thing. What was its actual race called again?¡¯
[It was called a Fanged Flightless Bird.]
¡®What a long-ass name for no reason. Calling it a Saber Ostrich is definitely better. Don¡¯t you agree, Velora?¡¯
[Saber Ostrich is definitely a shorter name.]
¡®Ah, you''re no fun. I''m going to take a little snooze here while we wait for the meat to dry. Wake me up if anything comes too close.¡¯
[Understood.]
Chapter Thirty Seven
[Wake up.]
¡®Is something coming?¡¯
[No, but it¡¯s been several hours, and the meat has long since been dry. Unless you plan to spend the night here, I think it¡¯s time to wake up. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to be wasting any more time here than you already have.]
¡®Ah, shit! I forgot to tell you what time to wake me up, it¡¯s good that you did. Thank you. I definitely can¡¯t waste any more time. A very important future for Goblins is on the line here!¡¯
[Of course. So now what are your plans for the night? It¡¯s now 1800 and as you can see, the sun has already set.]
¡®Well, because I took that long-ass nap, I say let''s travel through the night, but at a much slower pace.
¡®Hopefully, the night is peaceful, and we can cover a lot of distance even at a much slower pace. Heck, maybe we can even run into some Goblins and can find somewhere to sleep.¡¯
[Unlikely.]
¡®Yeah, you''re probably right. For now, can you bring up my status please? I''ll take a look at it, then we can continue moving.¡¯
[Understood.]
{Name - Rick}
{Age - 20}
{Race - Royal Goblin}
{Tier ¨C Two}
{Strength ¨C 55}
{Agility ¨C 40}
{Dexterity ¨C 40}
{Intelligence ¨C 18}
{Endurance ¨C 50}
{Essence - 0}
{Evo Points - 99/180}
{Skills}
{Velora}
¡®Since we¡¯ve been splitting the Essence absorbed, I¡¯m only made it to 99/180 Evo Points. Still quite a long way to go before I reach Tier Three.
[That should be accurate. If evolving into a stronger monster was easy, then everyone would be as strong as that fox.]
¡®Yeah, I know. No pain, no gain.¡¯
Rick then gathered his dried meat and his latest spear, which was still in relatively decent shape, and promptly began moving through the night.
It wasn¡¯t easy to move both silently and stealthily when one was so large, but being the same color as the surrounding foliage helped.
Also, having his own radar to continuously scan the surrounding area was a huge boon as well.
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Rick safely moved farther and farther westward throughout the entire night while avoiding beasts. He tried to avoid them if he could, because he felt fighting monsters at night would only be bad news.
Especially if he had to fight too many monsters at once. He could still see pretty well in the dark, but he didn¡¯t exactly have night vision, so he would be at a disadvantage against beasts who were born to see better at night.
Now while he tried to avoid all the fighting, there was one moment where he had to fight during the night, well, if you could even call it fighting. The beast was one that had somehow escaped the constant radar from Velora.
It was probably the most dangerous fight Rick had been in since his time fighting what he refers to as a Saber Ostrich before he evolved into a Tier Two Royal Goblin.
POV Rick
¡®What time is it, Velora?¡¯
[It is almost 2300.]
¡®Okay gotcha. It¡¯s still going to be awhile before it hits daytime.¡¯
[Yes, it will. The sun should not rise until 07¡SOMETHING IS CLOSE! DUCK!]
¡°AHH! MY SHOULDER!¡±
[I think it¡¯s some type of flying monster! I didn¡¯t detect it until it was already right next to you! Stay quiet and stay alert!]
¡®Dammit! Were you at least able to scan it?!¡¯
[No! It was moving too fast for even that!]
After diving in and leaving a large gash along Rick¡¯s right shoulder, the mystery assailant quietly landed atop a nearby tree.
It eyed Rick as nothing more than a large piece of meat that stumbled into its hunting grounds. Just like it did with every other monster, it planned on killing Rick slowly, with multiple diving attacks too fast for him to cope with. The monster itself wasn¡¯t very strong in a head-to-head battle, so of course it chose to simply never engage in such things as that would be foolish for it.
It trusted in its speed and ability to blend into the darkness more than anything. It had yet to meet another monster who could best it in speed and stealth.
If Rick saw this monster, he would immediately associate it with a hawk of some sort.
Except it was no hawk that Rick had seen on earth. It was covered in sleek back feathers that made no sound when flying through the night sky.
From its feet to its talons, to its very beak, everything was all black. The only thing on its body that showed a different color was its eyes. They gave off a beautiful blue tint that was perfectly in contrast to the night sky.
Truly a beautiful monster perfectly fitted with the darkness of the night.
Though most creatures never really get the chance to marvel at that beauty.
POV Rick
¡®Dammit! It¡¯s obviously faster than me, and I have no way to track it. My eyes are not good enough to even see it coming which means my options are limited.
¡®Velora, my survival will depend a lot on how fast you can detect it and how fast I can react to that detection.
¡®Focus everything on that!¡¯
[Understood!]
¡®Where are you¡ Show yourself¡¡¯
[LEFT!]
¡°SHIT! My other fucking shoulder!!¡±
[Move positions! Try to get out of its territory!]
¡®Dammit!¡¯
[Behind! DIVE!
[YOU BARELY MADE IT! GET UP AND KEEP RUNNING!]
[LEFT!]
[RIGHT!]
[JUMP!!]
The hawk was getting frustrated. It had only managed to strike Rick twice, but he had yet to show signs of stopping or dying.
To make matters worse, since the second strike it couldn¡¯t seem to hit Rick anymore.
The hawk was in peak condition and could tell that it was much faster than the green creature running away from it, yet it couldn¡¯t hit him anymore.
The timing and precision of the hawk¡¯s attacks were sharp and swift, but no matter how hard the hawk tried, the creature dodged at the very last second.
Rick had even given up on trying to fight back. He was only running as fast as he could while performing various evasive maneuvers at the last moment before being hit.
And although the hawk was still full of energy, it knew it couldn¡¯t hunt the green monster for much longer. It was moving farther and farther away from its nest and hunting grounds.
So, it only chased Rick for roughly another forty-five minutes after the second attack before frustratedly finally giving up on such a large piece of dinner. Of course, the hawk truly found this a shame.
Rick didn¡¯t know this information yet, though. He kept running for two whole hours after the hawk left with Velora staying on high alert, primed and ready to warn him of any type of danger.
They were still in the wild and even without considering the hawk anymore, anything could attack at any moment.
The only reason Rick finally stopped to catch his breath and tend to his wounds was because his legs were simply about to give out after running that hard for that long.
Stopping was better than collapsing after all. Plus, he finally felt a little safe, which helped his decision to stop.
Though all it did was delay the inevitable. Velora was yelling in his mind to keep him awake but it didn¡¯t stop him from collapsing right then and there.
Still barely conscious. But laying weakly all the same.
Chapter Thirty Eight
Here in the night''s darkness, deep into the ever-dangerous forest away from his home, was a Tier Two Royal Goblin. This Royal Goblin had just finished running for his dear life for well over two hours.
And in that same two-hour span, that Royal Goblin covered an astounding distance of over forty plus miles.
Though the Royal Goblin in question wasn¡¯t aware of the number of miles he had traveled.
The Royal Goblin was of course Rick, and he was lying flat on his back gasping for air as he tried to catch his breath.
This is something he¡¯d like to have avoided doing because such action could immediately lead to his death if something strong stumbled upon him.
But he couldn¡¯t help it. Once all the adrenaline wore off, he instantly collapsed at his current position.
Running as far as he did, for as long as he did, at that speed was not an easy feat.
But it had to be done. He had to ensure that the mysterious flying monster trying to kill him had backed off.
So, through nothing but sheer will and mental strength, he ran as fast as he could for more than two entire hours before finally feeling some semblance of safety.
And now he is experiencing the repercussions of such an action.
He could barely maintain any form of steady breathing and could not move any part of his body without experiencing excruciating pain from the stress he put his body through.
He was also sure he had injured the bones in his feet, though it was only an assumption based on the pain he was going through.
If he were to get attacked in this situation by another creature with the same strength as the hawk, it¡¯d be the immediate end of the Royal Goblin named Rick.
And all of this is without considering the large gashes on his shoulders.
All Rick could do was just lay there, and trust Velora to watch his surroundings while hoping he would recover fairly quickly as a Tier Two Royal Goblin, suffering no attacks from monsters.
Though hoping alone can¡¯t change reality.
And the reality of the situation was that despite Velora trying to keep him awake, It didn''t take long for Rick to fall unconscious from just pure exhaustion.
Velora could do little to nothing to stop him from drifting away in sleep.
Velora could also do nothing but watch during the event that followed Rick falling unconscious.
She could only watch in suspense as a singular humanoid creature appeared in the distance and slowly made its way towards the slumbering Rick.
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It examined him for a few tense moments, before nodding to himself and then began the laborious task of dragging Rick away.
Even after seeing the status card of the creature and figuring out what was taking Rick away, she still didn¡¯t feel comfortable with the creature.
Yes, the thing slowly dragging the large body of Rick away was indeed a Goblin.
Though it looked nothing like the Goblins of the Tribe that Velora was used to seeing. Even the race of the creature was weird as it was something different instead of just the usual Goblin or High Goblin or even a Royal Goblin like Rick.
No, it was instead called something far different. Far unlike anything Rick has heard in two lives even.
It was called a TinkGoblin.
It still carried similar features of Rick and his Tribe of Goblins, such as being as green as the foliage around it and having the same distinctive potbelly one sported by Rick and currently sported by all the unevolved Goblins back in the Tribe.
The difference present on the TinkGoblin didn¡¯t end there though.
It was shorter than even the normal unevolved Goblins who stood at a height of only three feet.
Instead, the creature appeared to only be two and a half feet in height, which seemed far too small.
Which goes to show just how labor inducing a task it was for it to be dragging Rick¡¯s massive body away.
Now, Its small hands were the home of some rather long fingers. Each finger seemed to reach way more than a few inches in length.
It was truly an odd sight to see the small green TinkGoblin wrap it''s long fingers around Rick and pull him along.
Of course, with the feeble size of the TinkGoblin and the weight of Rick, it made the situation even more odd as it struggled to drag him.
But even as odd as it might be, it was still a perilous situation for Rick. He was so deep into his slumber that even while being dragged along, he showed no signs of waking.
Much to Velora¡¯s dismay.
It wasn¡¯t until the morning of the next day that Rick finally woke up.
POV Rick
¡°My damn head¡Where the hell am I?¡± Rick mumbled, cradling his head.
[Rick, it¡¯s about time you woke up. You¡¯ve been unconscious since we escaped from that monster that tried to kill you late last night.
[It seems you pushed your body too far, and this was the consequence of that. Anyway, a lot has happened since you lost consciousness. An interesting individual has dragged you away into this small cave.
[The individual left a short while ago, but it will come back.
[I don¡¯t think you''re in any condition to escape, but I doubt you have to. The individual tended to your wounds while you were out. I think you¡¯ll be pleasantly surprised once you see the actual individual I¡¯m referring to, so I don¡¯t recommend trying to leave right now.]
¡®Wait¡ I fell unconscious, then I was Goblin-napped, then my Goblin-napper took care of my injuries, and now I¡¯m awake again in this cave with my Goblin-napper gone, and you''re telling me I should wait here instead of leaving because I might be surprised once I see this Goblin-napper?¡¯
[Yes, it seems you''re conscious enough to understand me clearly. That¡¯s good.]
¡®Are you insane?! I¡¯m leaving right now! Those simply aren¡¯t good enough reasons to stay for it to come back!¡¯
[The monster is a Goblin.]
¡®Well, why the hell didn¡¯t you just say that before?!¡¯
[I tried to replicate your behavior. I believe you called it the dramatic effect.]
¡®That¡¯s different! This is about me being snatched away by an unknown criminal versus finding another Goblin!¡¯
[I see. I¡¯ll remember that for next time. Also, the Goblin is back.]
¡°You¡¯ve finally woken up. Good. We have a lot to talk about.¡±
As Rick turned his head towards the individual he assumed to be a ¡°Goblin¡±, his face gradually turned from confusion to shock, to an even deeper look of confusion. The creature in front of him looked nothing like he expected it to.
¡°You''re a Goblin?¡±
¡°Ah, you can speak clearly, but I''m not just a Goblin. I¡¯m a TinkGoblin, so close enough.¡±
Chapter Thirty Nine
¡®Velora, bring up his status, please.¡¯
[Understood.]
{Name - Dran}
{Age - 7}
{Race ¨C High TinkGoblin}
{Tier ¨C One}
{Strength ¨C 10}
{Agility ¨C 10}
{Dexterity ¨C 18}
{Intelligence ¨C 18}
{Endurance ¨C 15}
¡®So, he¡¯s really not just an ordinary Goblin. So¡there are other types of Goblins out there then¡
¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever read any novel where there was a race of TinkGoblins. This is a lot to take in¡I wonder if the ¡°Tink¡± in his name means he¡¯s something like a crafting Goblin. Wait¡If he¡¯s a crafter type Goblin, wouldn¡¯t that solve all my smelting issues? It can¡¯t be that easy, right? Right?¡¯
[You''re losing focus.]
¡®Yes, you''re right¡Anyway, it seems I still know far too little about this world.
¡®I guess me and this TinkGoblin really do have a lot to talk about. Then let''s start off with the obvious.¡¯
¡°Why¡¯d you help me?¡±
¡°Well, you''re a Goblin, and Goblin kind will never turn their back on each other. Regardless of which type of Goblin they are. This is normal, and I''m sure any Goblin in my position would¡¯ve helped in the same way.¡±
¡®Is he basically saying gang green is worldwide?!¡¯
[Calm down.]
¡®How can I?! He just basically confirmed that all Goblins support each other!¡¯
¡°Well said! What''s your name? I¡¯m Rick.¡±
¡°I¡¯m Dran, but let¡¯s get the food going before we talk anymore. I brought breakfast.¡± Dran held up two small rodent-type monsters that Rick failed to notice until now.
¡°These are called Gimobs. They''re fast and hard to catch but since they¡¯re not too smart, a simple trap is all it takes to catch them.
¡°I already cleaned them up so we can put them over a fire immediately.¡± Dran explained to Rick what the creatures in his hands were, though to Rick they just looked like large hamsters.
¡°Okay, sounds good.¡±
¡®He even brought me food! What a nice Goblin! I hope every Goblin I meet from now on is like this.¡¯
[I don¡¯t think Dran means any harm, but don¡¯t put all your trust in him too soon. That should go for every other Goblin you meet.]
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¡®You know, it¡¯s really funny you say that since you''re the one who encouraged me to stay here.¡¯
[That doesn¡¯t mean you should be ready to trust him the same as you do Jaba. Instead, it just means he has earned the right to be trusted on a superficial level.]
¡®I suppose you¡¯re right. I¡¯m just a little excited at the fact I finally met another Goblin, and one that is even a whole different type of Goblin! He even kinda hinted at the fact that there might be other Goblin types around!¡¯
[Your excitement is understandable. Just stay focused and alert.]
¡®I gotcha.¡¯
¡°The food is ready. We can chat while eating. So, I¡¯ll start first. Where did you come from?¡±
¡°I came from further in the forest, but I don¡¯t know exactly where I am. Where is this cave located?¡±
¡®Velora, where am I? Just how far did I run last night?¡¯
[You ran west for almost three hours. It wasn¡¯t until you covered a distance of around forty miles from where that creature attacked you that you finally stopped and fell unconscious.]
¡®DID YOU JUST SAY FORTY MILES?!¡¯
¡°Right now, we¡¯re currently inside the Nameless Forest, which is about two months of travel east of the Iris River Plains.
¡°And you''re saying you came from deeper inside the Nameless Forest?¡±
¡®Iris River Plains?! And it¡¯s a whole two months away wow¡So, this forest eventually ends if I keep going west.
¡®And this place even has a name too? That damn fox didn¡¯t tell me any of this.¡¯
¡°But yes, to answer your question, I came from deeper inside the forest. Though, I didn¡¯t know it was called that, nor did I know about this Iris River Plain thing you mentioned.
¡°How about you? Where are you from? Are they more of you? If so, where? I apologize if I¡¯m asking too many questions, but I really want to know everything. You¡¯re the first TinkGoblin I have ever met after all.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not too many questions at all, but everything, huh? I guess I can do that, but I didn¡¯t think any other Goblins lived inside this dangerous forest. All the Goblins I¡¯ve ever seen live in the Iris River Plains which is where I lived as well, along with my Tribe before coming here.¡± Dran¡¯s expression and tone became solemn as he continued.
¡°The plains are home to more than one race and all of them are different and go through constant changes. There are only two things in the entire plains that stay the same.
¡°The Goblins are the weakest, and the Orcs are the strongest. This is a fact.¡±
At this point, a slight angry expression had already made its way onto Rick¡¯s face.
¡°The Orcs are in control of the plains and demanded tribute from all the weaker Tribes and races.
¡°Although they never tried to bully or push around the races closer to them in strength, those races never once stopped them from bullying a weaker race like us.
¡°It¡¯s because only the stronger races get to live near the lifeline of the plains, which is the Iris River itself. With the Goblin race being the weakest race, we had to live on the fringes of the plains much closer to the Nameless Forest, where it is definitely more dangerous.
¡°The tribute the Orcs wanted from us was meat and we could only risk our lives hunting inside the forest.
¡°Without the tribute we could never drink from the river or even be able to live inside the plains.
¡°Though it¡¯s not like we got to drink much from the Iris River anyway.¡±
By now, Rick was far from just angry. He was fuming inside. He couldn¡¯t bear to hear the pain and struggles his fellow Goblins had gone through.
Even though Rick was a former human being, and his time as a Goblin was still short, one shouldn¡¯t underestimate just how committed he was to his new life and race. He had truly embraced his new life, perhaps way faster than some might have expected¡One could even think something else was at play.
Dran noticed his behavior as well, but chose not to comment on it, because he felt it made sense for a fellow Goblin to be upset at the situation. After all, Goblins were a united race as far as he knew.
¡°But quite a long time ago now, my Tribe couldn¡¯t meet the amount required for the tribute on time for a long while and the Orcs used us as an example for the others¡The Tribe¡The Tribe was burned to the ground, and almost everyone was killed.
¡°Those who weren¡¯t killed, were taken to be slaves. The only reason that I¡¯m alive is that I was coming back from the forest at the time of the slaughter. I was too weak then and still am too weak to do anything.
¡°All I could do was watch¡ as all my friends and family were killed, burned, tortured, and chained¡My only option was to escape to this forest, and I¡¯ve been living in this small cave ever since.¡±
By the end of his speech, his voice was trembling as if the forgotten emotions and memories replayed in his head.
[Rick, I can feel your emotions running wild. Stay calm. You can''t help them if you''re not thinking straight.]
¡°I¡¯m going to murder them¡¡±
¡°What? I didn¡¯t hear what you said.¡±
¡°I¡¯M GOING TO FUCKING MURDER THEM!¡±
Chapter Forty
The sudden outburst from Rick took Dran by surprise. While he was also upset at the situation and understood why Rick was too, he knew all too well that trying to fight the Orcs would only lead to their deaths.
After all, what can two Goblins do against an entire Village of Orcs and potentially the other powerful races that also lived in the plains?
It was just foolish to even consider doing that, so Dran did his best to calm Rick down before he made a rash decision.
POV Rick
¡°Rick, I understand why you''re angry, but there¡¯s nothing just the two of us can do. Even an entire Tribe of Goblins wouldn''t be able to fight the Orcs.¡±
[I agree with Dran, Rick. Even if you brought the Jaba and the rest here, it doesn¡¯t sound like a good idea.
[If this Orc Tribe was powerful enough to bully multiple small races and even burn an entire Tribe of Goblins without an issue, then they should be far stronger than our Tribe back home.]
Rick, who appeared ready for another outburst, slowly began to calm down. Every cell in his body was still furious, but he wasn¡¯t such a fool to think he could go fight off such a dangerous foe with his current strength.
It wasn¡¯t until after a couple of deep breaths that Rick finally spoke again.
¡°Dran, you just helped me realize something. There is nothing I hate more in this world than hearing about my kind being oppressed. I didn¡¯t realize how much one thing could bother me so deeply, but it did. I can¡¯t stand it.
¡°I meant what I said before, Dran. I¡¯m going to murder the ones responsible for burning down your Tribe.
¡°I promise you that.
¡°But you¡¯re right. Just the two of us aren¡¯t enough to make that promise become reality. So, it¡¯s a good thing we aren¡¯t alone.¡±
¡°What do you mean? Are you talking about the other Goblin Tribes still living on the plains? They''re all too weak, both physically and mentally. All of them have been battered and bruised for a long time. That alone won¡¯t be enough.¡±
¡°I have a Tribe of my own, Dran. Though it¡¯s quite small right now and it''s somewhat far from this location, my Tribe is free and doesn¡¯t live under anyone else.¡±
¡°Wow, that sounds hard to even imagine. A life free from being forced to do as others say. I guess it makes sense, though.
¡°I was wondering how you evolved to where you are now, but to think there¡¯s a whole other Tribe deep inside the Nameless Forest.¡±
¡°That brings me to a question I was meaning to ask. Was no Goblin in the plains able to evolve to the point where you could fight back?¡±
¡°Yes, some did, but the Orcs aren¡¯t stupid. They had regular patrols to monitor us, and once a Goblin evolved one too many times they were immediately taken away and killed before they could do anything.¡±
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¡°I see. Alright, get comfortable. We have a lot to discuss. I''m serious about making those Orcs know what it means to be an enemy of gang green.
¡°Now, how many types of Goblins are there?¡±
¡°I understand your seriousness and I feel the same way, but I won¡¯t risk my life to fight the Orcs with you unless it seems genuinely possible.
¡°Though I''ll help with anything else other than actually going back into the plains to fight. Now for the answer to your question.
¡°There are three types of Goblins. TinkGoblins, Maglins, and finally your type, which are just known as Goblins.
¡°And before you ask, Maglin is just short for MagiGoblins, but I¡¯m still referred to as a TinkGoblin because ¡°Tinklins¡± sounds odd.
¡°Now all three types look different from each other, as you can already tell. TinkGoblins are much shorter, but we are extremely talented with our hands and are born with knowledge of how to build various things. We are not suited for direct fighting one bit.
¡°Maglins are slightly taller than the height of a normal unevolved Goblin and only get taller as they evolve, but they are extremely frail.
¡°Though they make up for their frail bodies with their innate skillfulness with using mana in many ways. Unlike the other types, Maglins have access to mana from birth.
¡°Finally, we have you, the most versatile type of Goblin there is. You can do everything Maglins and TinkGoblins can do as long as you''re taught how. Though that¡¯s just what is said, I¡¯ve never actually got to see a normal Goblin do any type of magic.
¡°You also have the most battle potential out of all three. Your only shortcoming is the low intelligence and the inability to speak that your type of Goblin is usually born with.
¡°It is said that your type of Goblin is useless until they go through their first evolution. Though I¡¯ve never seen other Goblins with those markings you have. What are they?¡±
¡°Mages and crafters, huh? I can already see the potential. I¡¯m going to need all three types of Goblins if my dream is going to happen.
¡°And we¡¯re going to need all three if we''re going to defeat the Orcs. I don¡¯t really know what these markings are either, Hopefully, we will find out in time.
¡°Now you said that the Goblin Tribes are on the fringes of the plains, right? Extremely close to this forest?¡±
¡°Yes, they are. You should be able to see some Tribes once you reach the edges of the forest. I''m sure we¡¯ll also see Goblins in the forest hunting for the tribute as well.¡±
¡°That¡¯s perfect. Now, how many Goblins are there in total if you count all the Tribes?¡±
¡°Well, the Tribes aren¡¯t allowed to grow too large either and I¡¯ve only ever seen three other Tribes apart from my old one. I think there are around twenty Goblins of various types in each Tribe, so I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s a rough minimum of sixty in total.
¡°Though, I don¡¯t know if there are any other Tribes or if the Goblins the Orcs took as slaves are still alive.¡±
¡°Sixty is more than enough for this plan. I want to bring as many Goblins as possible back to my Tribe.¡±
¡°The Orcs will notice the missing Goblins at some point, and they¡¯ll catch us in no time, since it¡¯ll be hard to move all of them.¡±
[I didn¡¯t want to interrupt earlier, but it''s been about three hours since you woke up and started talking. The time is now 1100.]
¡®Thank you.¡¯
¡°Hmm, good point Dran. Then we¡¯ll only take a few. There¡¯s not enough space for so many Goblins in the Tribe, anyway. We¡¯ll need to make a lot of accommodations. Now how big is the Orc Tribe and how strong are they?¡±
¡°That might work. But I¡¯ve never seen the Orc Tribe, not even from a distance as they live in a place we are not allowed to approach. I don¡¯t know exactly how strong they are, but I think each one of them should be around your size at least.¡±
¡°So, we¡¯re really nowhere near strong enough¡ We¡¯ll be strong enough in no time. For now, we¡¯ll focus on saving as many Goblins as possible. I¡¯m sure you can help with that, right?¡±
¡°Yes, I should be able to.¡±
¡°Good, then we¡¯ll begin making the trip down there in a few days. I don¡¯t think my body is healed enough to go now.¡±
[Maybe if you trained it would be.]
Chapter Forty One
After going back and forth with Velora about training for a few seconds, Rick spent the rest of the day talking with Dran about various things such as the things he¡¯s able to build currently and how daily life was in the plains.
Based on everything Rick learned from Dran, it seemed like TinkGoblins were the combined versions of various craftsmen-type jobs on earth. Whether it be metalwork, glasswork, or of course any type of woodworking, they did it all.
But the knowledge to do all those things came from both individual evolutions and passed down knowledge from much older TinkGoblins.
Dran himself had only gone through one evolution even though his status revealed he was already seven years old, which was much older than any other Goblin in Rick¡¯s Tribe back at the cave.
It seemed that even though he is a different type of Goblin, the requirements to evolve are the same.
That requirement put a lot of strain on the TinkGoblins due to them not being suited for any form of combat. They still had to go out and hunt like the rest if they wanted to earn Essence and eventually evolve to gain more knowledge.
Dran also mentioned to Rick that his evolutions brought little change to their actual appearances. Their height stayed the same throughout.
The only real change happened mentally and inside their bodies, such as more defined and flexible muscles and even higher bone density. It was hard to notice these things if you just looked at any evolved TinkGoblin.
Though one of Rick¡¯s most important questions was left unanswered, which was what evolution came after a Hobgoblin. Dran himself didn¡¯t know, but he said ?one of the older members in any of the Tribes might know more about it.
But it would be hard to get in contact with them just for that, since those older Goblins didn¡¯t leave the Tribe too much anymore. It was only the younger Goblins who hunted in the Nameless Forest.
So, Rick gave up on that knowledge for now. It wasn¡¯t like it would change his conviction to continue to get stronger and evolve, anyway.
After that, Rick asked about the Maglins, but Dran didn¡¯t know too much about them other than what he already told Rick regarding their frail bodies and ability to use mana from birth.
If Rick wanted to know more, he would have to ask an actual Maglin.
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Three days had to pass before Rick finally felt like he was at a hundred percent again. After moving around a bit and getting everything ready to go, Rick left on his two-month-long journey to the plains with Dran by his side.
Though, Dran wasn¡¯t actually by his side¡He found himself on Rick¡¯s back, holding on for dear life, while Rick ran since he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep pace on foot.
Of course, Rick wasn¡¯t running at full speed, but almost any speed he ran at was still a lot faster than what Dran could do himself.
Rick did his best to avoid any needless fights or confrontations because of traveling with Dran, but he still fought when avoiding a beast would be too big of a detour. Or the beast itself made it impossible to avoid it.
Rick was also extremely wary of any more diving bird attacks in the night.
Fortunately, he never encountered them. Otherwise, they might not have survived.
Anyway, two months slowly went by with nothing significant happening, except for a few battles here and there. With Velora basically absorbing all of the gained Essence.
And after a full two months went by, they finally reached the edges of the Nameless Forest, where Rick could now see the Iris River Plains for the first time.
POV Rick
¡°Wow, it''s truly beautiful. Vibrant green lush grass as far as my Goblin eyes can see. It¡¯s truly a sight to behold. It''s definitely a lot bigger than a couple of football fields, I thought it¡¯d be completely flat, but there''s a few small hills dotted around the place.
¡°Wait, Dran you said there¡¯s a river? I can¡¯t see it, though.¡±
¡°What''s a football field? And the River is still way beyond that small hill you see in the distance. That''s how far Goblins and the other weaker races are forced to live from the River.¡±
¡°Oh, a football field is just a type of field¡Yeah, let''s just go with that. Also, don¡¯t worry about that anymore. Before you know it, Goblins will rule these entire plains, and our rule will stretch far past the plains before you.¡±
¡°That''s¡That''s hard to imagine for me right now, but I¡¯m sure every single Goblin around the world, or at least in the plains, would love to see that happen.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. It will. Anyway, I don¡¯t see any Goblins around here. Point the way to the closest Tribe.¡±
¡°One should be close by. Let''s just move along the edge of the forest so we don¡¯t get spotted by any Orcs that might be on a patrol right now.¡±
Dran and Rick walked north from their current position along the edges of the forest for twenty minutes before finally seeing the outlines of what appeared to be some sort of camp.
It comprised a few small buildings made of wood, and around twenty Goblins of all three types, just like Dran said.
They also spotted a small squad of four Goblins coming out of the Tribe, heading straight for the forest.
The squad comprised three High Goblins like Geedi and the rest while the last member appeared to be a Maglin. It was quite tall. It stood just a few inches under Rick who himself was already six feet tall.
So, Rick and Dran made their way over to where they would enter the forest so they wouldn¡¯t be spotted by anyone else.
This squad of four was going to be the group that spread the word that Rick was here to change things. It was also the start of a tale that would be told in many Goblin homes over the coming years of how one Goblin changed the fate of many.
While Rick had plans to change some lives indeed, he had no idea just how much of an impact he would soon have.
Chapter Forty Two
The small squad of four Goblins eventually made their way into the forest. Their guards and weapons were already up and at the ready because they knew they could be attacked at a moment¡¯s notice. Such were the dangers of the Nameless Forest.
Rick and Dran seeing their approach, began to cautiously make their way over in slow movements from the front in an effort to not startle them.
The small squad eventually spotted them, and it took a few moments for them to recognize that the two beings in front of them were also Goblins.
It wasn¡¯t that rare to meet Goblins from neighboring Tribes inside the forest, but it was the sight of Rick¡¯s massive frame that caused them an immense shock.
It was common knowledge within all of the Tribes in the Plains that all Goblins who evolved to Tier Two, would immediately be taken by the Orcs. A Tier that Rick appeared to be at in their eyes.
Which is why they all wondered how could there be a Goblin so strong standing right in front of them. Their first thought after that was to assume he evolved in the forest.
They couldn¡¯t help thinking that he was going to die once he made it back to the Tribe. The thought of him escaping or him not being from the plains didn''t even cross their minds once.
In their minds, it was pointless to escape since Goblins couldn¡¯t survive in the Nameless Forest. That same thought process also unconsciously eliminated the idea of Rick being from somewhere in the forest and not possibly being a Goblin that wasn¡¯t born in the Tribes.
Eventually, the two sides came face to face, and it was the Maglin, who upon closer inspection, turned out to be a female, who spoke first.
¡°You know what awaits you once you return to your Tribe, right?¡±
Rick remembered the information told to him by Dran, so it only took a couple of seconds for him to realize what the Maglin in front of him meant with that question.
And sure enough, his response made all four members of the squad look at him as if he was crazy.
¡°That¡¯s no way to greet a fellow Goblin, but my name is Rick. It¡¯d be nice to know yours.¡±
¡°Your right¡ I apologize for that. My name is Teeja.¡±
¡°That''s better. My Tribe is not here. I came a long way from far deeper inside the forest. And thanks to Dran here, I know what you''re talking about, but I won¡¯t be stepping foot inside the plains. I¡¯m here now for very different reasons.¡±
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¡°That can''t be true now, can it? Do you expect me to believe you really came from inside the forest? We all know Goblins aren¡¯t strong enough to survive for long if they go too deep inside the forest.¡±
It was then that Dran started speaking to support Rick¡¯s claim.
¡°It''s true. He really did come from deeper inside the forest. I am from the plains, and I just happened to find him in the forest. It was then he told me about where he was from.
¡°He wasn¡¯t even aware of the plains, let alone to be actually from here.¡±
It took more than just a few moments for the squad in front of them to process that information. You can¡¯t blame them. They had gone their entire lives thinking no Tribe of Goblins could survive in the Nameless Forest.
A life forever under oppression inside the plains was all they knew. No one ever thought of changing that, but there was a Goblin in front of them who did not suffer from the same fate as them.
It was quite a shock for her and the rest of them to receive, but eventually, the Maglin began speaking again.
¡°Okay¡let¡¯s say I believe you, and you are not from these plains. What are you doing here? If that TinkGoblin by your side has told you anything about life here, then you should know this is no place for you.¡±
¡°Of course it isn''t, and it''s no place for you either, or any Goblin anywhere for that matter. No Goblins should live a life of oppression just because we start out a little weaker than other races.
¡°You asked what I¡¯m here for. It¡¯s to help all of you escape to a life better than the one you have now and to make the Orcs who caused this regret their decisions.
¡°So, whether or not you believe me, let''s not waste any time. Go back and bring a representative from your Tribe who can make decisions. Dran and I will wait here.¡±
¡°Listen, I still can¡¯t really wrap my head around the fact that you aren¡¯t from the plains like the rest of us, but I also believe that a fellow Goblin should really have no need to lie to me. So, I''ll do as you say. Someone from our Tribe will be here shortly.¡±
After she spoke, she immediately left, and the other squad members quickly followed. Dran and Rick just stayed in their position as they watched them leave.
¡°In the end, only the Maglin spoke to us the whole conversation, huh?¡±
¡°That¡¯s how it usually goes. Only Maglins and TinkGoblins can speak as well as this from birth. Your type of Goblin won''t become proficient speakers until the second evolution, but they usually die soon after.¡±
¡°I see. That will change soon enough. I don¡¯t know when exactly it will change, but I can promise it will.¡±
¡°Hopefully, it does.¡±
After their little conversation, Rick and Dran sat in silence as they waited for people from the Tribe to come back. Their wait only lasted for a little under two hours when the same squad of four came back, along with one extra.
The one extra was another Maglin, except this time it was a male.
Rick and Dran both stood up as the group got closer, but before they could enter talking distance, the original squad of four broke off and entered the forest at a location not too far from them.
Only the additional male Maglin actually made their way to Rick and Dran.
Once the Maglin reached in front of Rick and Dran, he immediately greeted them.
¡°You really are a Goblin on his second evolution I see¡name is Jala. It¡¯s nice to meet you Rick.¡±
Chapter Forty Three
¡°It''s good to meet you as well Jala. We probably don¡¯t have a lot of time to discuss, so let¡¯s get straight to it. I¡¯m sure Teeja already gave you a rundown of everything I told her, but I¡¯ll say it again now.
¡°I want to free all the Goblins living here under the oppression of Orcs and even other races. The Orcs themselves will also need to pay a fatal price for what they¡¯ve done to my fellow Goblins. Now I know all of this isn¡¯t necessarily possible right now, but we can at least start the process.¡±
¡°Hmm¡I see. I think everything you just mentioned would sound amazing in the ears of every Goblin who hears it throughout all the plains. The question remains whether it''s even possible in the first place or just hopeless dreams.
¡°But it seems you know that none of us can make any of those wishes come through right now, so what is the process that you want to start?¡±
¡°Well, fighting the Orcs right now is out of the question, but freeing some Goblins from your Tribe and bringing them to safety should be simple enough to do now.¡±
¡°And this safety you speak of is deep back inside the Nameless Forest, right?¡±
¡°Yes. It¡¯s over two months of travel away from here.¡±
¡°So, you''re planning to travel with a few Goblins all the way back to your Tribe? Wouldn¡¯t this be too dangerous to accomplish?¡±
¡°No, I made the trip here, so I know just how dangerous it is. We¡¯ll be fine since I¡¯ll be with them the entire way and most of all, Goblins aren¡¯t weak.¡±
¡°Goblins aren¡¯t weak, huh? Alright, I¡¯ll support you with this. If it¡¯s between living in fear every day or a chance at freedom, the choice is very easy to make. If we can only save a few Goblins from living with the fear of the Orcs on their backs, then that¡¯s already more than we would have had, anyway. What do you need from me?¡±
¡°I¡¯m glad you see it that way, but for now I need all the information you have on all the Goblin Tribes living on the plains. For the move itself, I think I can take around five to ten Goblins.
¡°Five exactly would probably be best since I don¡¯t want to leave your Tribe too short-handed after we¡¯ve left or potentially have your Tribe appear smaller than what it usually is.¡±
¡°So, you''re planning to take Goblins from all Tribes living here?¡±
¡°Yes, eventually, but as of right now, I¡¯ll only bring back the Goblins from your Tribe. I don¡¯t want to bite off more than I can handle. I¡¯ll see how this first group goes, and then we¡¯ll take it from there.¡±
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¡°I see. That sounds like a decent enough plan then. Now does it matter what type of Goblins come? Whether it be TinkGoblins, normal Goblins, or Maglins like myself?¡±
¡°It''s great that you brought that up. If possible then I¡¯d like the group of five to be comprised of two High Goblins, two Maglins, and one TinkGoblin. The evolution level for the Maglins and the TinkGoblin doesn¡¯t matter. If that won¡¯t work for you, then just one of each type should work. The other two can be whatever works best. And this is only if it¡¯s possible, otherwise just send whoever.¡±
¡°Wait, what are High Goblins?¡±
¡°Ah! I suppose you all wouldn¡¯t know what that is. Just consider it the new race of a normal Goblin who has evolved once. We can discuss it more ?at a later date when we have more time to speak.¡±
¡°I see¡That term just seems so fitting, but you''re right. We can talk about that more in the future under better circumstances. To answer your earlier question, two High Goblins, as you call it, two Maglins and one TinkGoblin is perfectly fine.
¡°When exactly do you want to begin the move?¡±
¡°The sooner the better, so if you can tell them about what¡¯s going on and get them on board now, then that works for me.¡±
¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll go back now to take care of that, but before I do that, I have one question. Are you planning to move here with your entire Tribe at some point?¡±
¡°Not as long as there¡¯s a single race here that¡¯s stronger than us, that¡¯s too risky. In the future, I want Goblins to be the ruling race or at least be on par with whoever is the strongest in the area wherever we live, so that we don¡¯t have to live in fear.
¡°So, until that can be true in the plains, I won¡¯t be bringing my Tribe here. I already consider you all a part of my Tribe, so I¡¯d prefer it if I could bring all of you home.
¡°Though I know I can¡¯t do that just yet, so I¡¯ll settle for just a few of you.¡±
¡°Already a part of your Tribe. Eh? Well, you¡¯d be the strongest Goblin in the entire plains, so I guess it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say you are our Leader. Wait here and I¡¯ll be back with the five who¡¯ll be leaving with you.¡±
Jala then immediately left, leaving Dran and Rick in another waiting game.
¡°By the way Dran, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you something.¡±
¡°Sure, what is it?¡±
¡°Are you going to stay in your cave or will you be traveling with us back to my Tribe?¡±
¡°Of course, I¡¯m coming back with you to your Tribe. Like Jala just said, if you lived here you¡¯d already be considered the Leader of any Tribe you stayed in. You''re the strongest Goblin here, and you''re smart. I already consider myself a member of the Tribe and you as my Leader.¡±
¡°Oh, shit! What? That came out of nowhere! Just randomly dropping bombs on me man.¡±
¡°Is it bad?¡±
¡°No¡Not bad at all. Glad you decided to come with me. I wonder how long it¡¯ll take for Jala to gather the Goblins and come back.¡±
¡°Probably another hour or so. He has to explain a lot to them. Suddenly hearing there''s a Goblin who has evolved twice and is not only still alive but also isn¡¯t from the plains but came from a Tribe within the Nameless Forest is a lot to take in.
¡°Plus, the whole thing about leaving their homes to go to a completely different place can also be a big shocker for any Goblin and it¡¯s not like he¡¯ll force them to leave if they don¡¯t want to go, so they also have to be willing to make the trip.¡±
¡°Yeah, I guess that makes sense.¡±
Chapter Forty Four
Another hour or so passed before Jala could finally be seen approaching the forest again, this time with five different Goblins in tow and something in his hands.
Just like how it was previously discussed, there were two High Goblins, two Maglins, and one TinkGoblin. It took them a couple of minutes to reach where Rick and Dran were patiently waiting.
Once both parties came face to face, Rick finally got a clearer look at what was in his hands¡It looked like small brown sheets of paper.
¡°That took a little longer than I initially planned, but here are the Goblins who have agreed to come with you Rick.
¡°I also made sure to write down all the information you asked about. I can¡¯t stay here for too much longer though because those Orcs should come patrolling sometime soon, and I have to be there with the Leader of the Tribe when they come. And that includes you. If they see you it will cause a problem so you should leave soon as well.¡±
¡°Wait, what do you mean you wrote it all down on documents?! Since when you all can write?! What are you even using to write on?! What language do you even write in?¡±
¡°With you reacting like that, is it safe to assume neither you nor any of your Tribe members back home know how to read, much less write?¡±
¡°Well, no¡I guess not.¡±
¡°I see. Is it only normal Goblins that live in your Tribe?¡±
¡°Yes, it is.¡±
¡°Well, that explains it. Don¡¯t worry too much about it. The two Maglins coming with you both know how to read and write and should both be able to teach you as well. Even that TinkGoblin that you showed up with should know how to as well.¡±
¡°Is that true, Dran?¡±
¡°Yes, it¡¯s true that I can read and write, but it¡¯s not something I¡¯m confident in being able to teach properly.¡±
¡°That¡¯s actually bit of a shock, but I guess knowing how to read and write is almost a basic stepping stone for any growing society of Goblins! Now¡You mentioned going back to the Leader of your Tribe¡I thought that was you this whole time.¡±
¡°No, of course I¡¯m not the Leader. That is usually the oldest Goblin to have gone through one evolution in the Tribe. The Goblin that fits that bill in my Tribe is a rather old TinkGoblin and she is far too weak to be making trips into the forest, so I came in her place instead.¡±
¡°What''s her name?¡±
¡°Her name is Gala.¡±
¡°Tell Gala I said to stay alive. I''ll come back to free her soon enough.
¡°Ah I almost forgot, now you mentioned that Orcs will be coming here shortly. What usually happens when they come?¡±
Jala and even the surrounding Goblins moods all soured immediately.
Of course, Rick noticed this, but he needed to know. He needed to know exactly what he was dealing with.
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¡°¡They¡they usually come in small squads of two or three, and once they arrive, they would ask for their tribute.
¡°In the best case scenario, they curse us a few times and leave quickly, but¡more times than not they get a bit¡physical with us.¡±
By now, Jala and all the surrounding Goblins could see the balled up fists of Rick. His anger seemed to only be rising.
Jala was quick to change his tune.
¡°Rick, I see that your getting angry, and I don¡¯t blame you. None of us do, but you have to leave. You can¡¯t stay here. Remember what we just discussed, if they caught you now it would be the end of everything you just said.
¡°Leave Rick. Promise me you¡¯ll leave.¡±
Rick who calmed down a bit, especially since Velora was in his head telling him very similar things, lifted his head and started Jala in his eyes for a moment before responding.
¡°¡Fine. I will leave Jala, but I will come back. I promise. Make sure to relay my message to Ms. Gala.¡±
¡°I will, since I¡¯m sure she''ll be happy to hear that. Anyway, I¡¯ve stayed here long enough. I¡¯ll take my leave now. Everyone, come and introduce yourself to Rick.¡±
Soon after Jala said that he turned around and immediately started walking back to the Tribe. There was no need for any extensive goodbyes since he was sure that he and Rick would meet again at some point. Though, it was more like a desperate hope than he being actually sure.
Although he didn¡¯t show it during his time with Rick, he was begging and hoping inside that Rick could make what he said come true. Knowing the Orcs can simply kill you and everyone you love at any moment was not a good way to live.
Shortly after Jala left, the five Goblins who were chosen to leave with Rick finally stepped up, which was a little hard to do considered how tense the atmosphere was at the moment.
They lined up shoulder to shoulder and began introducing themselves one by one leaving little room for Rick to speak.
¡°Hello Tribe Leader Rick. It is good to meet you, my name is Kida, a Maglin. Thank you for this chance to be free. I¡¯ll serve you and the Tribe well now and in the future,¡± a female Maglin said in a formal, but upbeat tone as if trying to lighten the somber mood.
She was quickly followed by another male Maglin whose voice was deeper than his tall and frail appearance would imply.
¡°Likewise, Tribe Leader Rick. I am Zargi and as you can see, I am a Maglin. I will never forget the freedom you have given me today. I look forward to serving you and the Tribe forever.¡±
Next, a rather loud female TinkGoblin spoke up.
¡°I feel the same way as them! I know a lot about building things and I¡¯m happy to share that with you! Oh, and my name is Wala!¡±
Last was the set of High Goblins who were both females. Even though they couldn¡¯t speak as well as the other Goblins that went before them, they still made their intentions known.
¡°Thank...you...rea...dy...to...fight...and...help¡name...Lagi...¡±
¡°Sigi...name¡al¡so¡fight...and...help¡¡±
Although their sudden rapid-fire introductions had Rick a little flustered a bit, it also helped to calm him down. He then quickly collected himself and responded in kind.
POV Rick
¡°Ahem¡I¡¯m glad you all feel that strongly about coming back with me. It won¡¯t be long before every Goblin in the plains can have that same freedom. You all will play a key part in that.
¡°But for now, we have a long journey ahead of us and since it''s a group of this size, the journey will be longer.
¡°I¡¯ll be running in front with Sigi and Lagi behind me to my left and right. Dran and Wala will be behind them while Zargi and Kida will follow. We will take several breaks to rest, fight, and eat, so don¡¯t be afraid to let me know if you''re tired.
¡°A tired Goblin is a dead Goblin in these forests if you''re not careful. Any questions?¡±
¡°Yes. Will we begin your lessons on reading and writing while on the journey?¡±
[Don¡¯t avoid this as you do with training.]
¡®And here I was thinking you disappeared.¡¯
[Never.]
¡°Yes, Kida, we can. If we have adequate time and light during our rest time, then we can start doing some lessons. After all, a Goblin should always aim to be better and stronger!¡±
¡°Well said, Tribe Leader!¡±
¡°By the way, everyone can just call me Rick if you want. The whole Tribe Leader thing isn¡¯t necessary if you don¡¯t want to. Line up like I planned, and we will move out now. Let¡¯s go!¡±
[Should always aim to be better and stronger, huh?]
¡®Where are you learning how to speak like this?¡¯
[You.]
Chapter Forty Five
Inside a small wooden hoot towards the center of the Goblin Tribe that Rick just left the vicinity of was Jala who just walked in and another Goblin.
¡°You finally made it back Jala. Did it all work out okay?¡±
¡°Yes Ms. Gala, it worked out just fine. The group of Goblins we sent showed proper manners right until I left. I¡¯m sure Tribe Leader Rick will be pleased with them.¡±
¡°Yes, I believe he will as well, though he¡¯s probably more than just a normal Tribe Leader now.¡±
¡°More than a Tribe Leader? Isn''t the Leader of every Tribe called a Tribe Leader?¡±
¡°You mentioned he had weird black markings, right? Those markings are special. I don¡¯t know the full story, and this is only word of mouth that has been passed down for generations now, but they apparently hold a deeper meaning of some sort.
¡°Some say they only show their full potential once a lot of Goblins are gathered, others say it requires many evolutions to happen, by now the full story has long since been lost. After who knows how many generations, all we know for certain is that Goblins with black markings are special.
¡°Far more special than the rest of us. And hopefully it is true, and he is able to free all of us like he said. Sigh.
¡°We were much more than this once. There were a lot more of us back then, too. And we weren¡¯t separated into small Tribes. Instead, it was one big village, and we had strong and wise chiefs that guided us along.
¡°Forget the dreaded second evolution, it is said the chiefs back in those times were at least on their third evolution if not more!
¡°Though these times I¡¯m speaking about were long before I was even born. This is all just passed down knowledge from Leader to Leader through stories over the years. Who knows how much of it is true, and how much of our history is lost.
¡°I don¡¯t even know how we have fallen to the state we are in now.
¡°But I can say this¡that Goblin known as Rick is our best chance to get back to those days, Jala. I¡¯m not sure how much longer I got in these old bones of mine, so it¡¯s up to you to make sure we support Rick properly.
¡°Even if that means keeping him out of the plains until he is strong enough to fight the Orcs on an equal footing. That is our beacon of hope, and we must protect him. Do you understand me, Jala?¡±
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¡°Yes¡I believe I do Ms. Gala. I will do everything in my power to support and guide our lone beacon of hope.¡±
¡°Good. Now I just hope the other Tribes he visits in the future will have the same thought process. Let our people know if they ever come across Goblins from other Tribes to pass our meeting of Rick back to them. Now, go get the Tribe prepared for the possibility of the Orcs coming.¡±
¡°Understood Ms. Gala. By the way, there was a message left for you by Tribe Leader Rick.¡±
¡°Really? Well, speak quickly! I¡¯m not getting any younger here Jala!¡±
¡°I believe he said not to die because he¡¯ll be back to free you soon enough.¡±
¡°Hahahaha! Then I can''t die off so soon now, can I?! If that¡¯s his order for me, then I¡¯ll do my best to follow it!¡±
¡°I agree, Ms. Gala. I¡¯ll go get the Tribe taken care of. We¡¯ll be ready if the Orcs end up coming.¡±
Jala left the hut, and it was at this time that Teeja and her squad of Goblins returned from their hunt with a small bag filled with meat. They stashed a small almost negligible amount of it away for the Tribe while the rest would go towards the tribute for the Orcs.
Once Jala saw Teeja and the rest, he quickly gave them the word about passing on the information about Rick to other hunting parties they saw. He would leave them to pass it along to everyone else.
After that, he immediately gave the entire Tribe the order to prepare for the Orcs, and almost instantly the entire village got in motion, doing everything both carefully and quickly.
The process involved moving the children, the female Goblins of all three types, and all the other non-combatants, such as male TinkGoblins, into the huts and barring everything up as tight as possible.
The Goblins had no way of fighting back, but they knew the patrolling Orcs could decide to attack them at any point in time for no reason at all. At least with no reason apparent to the Goblins.
And since the Goblins couldn¡¯t fight back in worry of having the entire Tribe destroyed, the stronger male Goblins would take the brunt of the damage.
Even though there are strong female Goblins, the Orcs are no strangers to committing other vile and unspeakable acts.
So, it¡¯d be better to keep the female Goblins out of sight, and hopefully, out of mind.
It only took one hour for everything to be in place. Jala and all the other male Goblins in the Tribe except for the male TinkGoblins were all tense as they waited for any sign of the Orcs.
The Orcs didn¡¯t patrol every day, but they came most days, and since they weren¡¯t there yesterday, it was fully expected for them to show up today.
And just as expected, Jala and the rest only had to wait ten more minutes before two Orcs could be seen approaching on foot. They weren¡¯t moving slowly. It wouldn¡¯t take very long before they reached the Tribe.
The Goblins in the plains knew nothing about Orc evolutions, but they¡¯d all be shocked to know that these two Orcs hadn¡¯t even evolved once yet but were already the same size as Rick.
Jala immediately made his way into the hut that Gala was in and updated her on the situation.
¡°This time it¡¯s only two Orcs, so it shouldn¡¯t be too bad. Hopefully, they just leave a few of us with a few bruises and then leave like always.¡±
¡°Yes, that is all we can hope for. Let¡¯s at least just be glad it was only two instead of a squad of them.¡±
¡°Alright, they¡¯re probably about to enter the Tribe by now, so I¡¯m going back outside. I¡¯ll come back once they¡¯re gone.¡±
¡°Stay strong Jala.¡±
It was then that from inside the hut, Jala and Gala could both hear the loud voice of one Orc roaring in the tongue of Orcs throughout the Tribe.
¡°THAT TRIBUTE BETTER BE FUCKING READY!¡±
Chapter Forty Six
The look of both fear and confusion was plastered all over the face of Jala as he ran out of the hut to meet the Orcs. He couldn¡¯t understand why they were there that fast or why they were asking about the tribute. He knew they were close, but wasn¡¯t this too fast?
This should¡¯ve just been a routine patrol for them. The tribute isn¡¯t ready, and it isn''t due for another few weeks so he couldn¡¯t understand why they are asking about it now. But he knew all too well if he didn¡¯t find a way to appease them, the entire Tribe could be up in flames before the day was over.
Once he made it outside, he immediately saw the Orcs standing in the middle of the Tribe seemingly waiting for something, they hadn¡¯t said anything else after that first initial question.
It was then the Orcs saw Jala running towards them with what they thought was a funny-looking face.
¡°Hahaha! Oglub look at the weak little Goblin running! It looks so scared hahaha!¡±
¡°Enough Parfu let''s do what we came to do.¡±
¡°You''re no fun Oglub! We should have fun with these weaklings! We never get to do anything back in the village!¡±
¡°That¡¯s enough Parfu!¡±
¡°Ahh fine! You! The Goblin with the funny face, come here.¡±
¡°Yes Sir I, Jala is at your service.¡±
¡°Yeah yeah you better fucking be, anyway where the hell is the tribute, I can¡¯t seem to find it.¡±
¡°Sir, I don¡¯t mean to offend but shouldn¡¯t the tribute not be due for another couple of weeks?¡±
¡°Are you trying to call me stupid you fucking Goblin?¡±
¡°No Sir of course not!¡±
¡°That¡¯s what I thought. Now I¡¯ll ask one more time, where the fuck is the damn tribute?¡±
Without knowing what else to do, Jala motioned for two Goblins to go and grab what they had prepared so far for the tribute.
He knew it was nowhere near enough for what the Orcs usually demanded but he had no choice.
The Orcs, surprisingly, waited patiently for two Goblins to run into one of the huts and before they then came out with what seemed to be some sort of box.
It was roughly a foot and a half in height, two feet long, and one foot wide.
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It seemed to be made out of wood, but the wood looked to be coated in some sort of resin. The two Goblins carrying it finally reached in front of the Orcs and placed the box down in front of them and stepped away.
¡°Well fucking open it then!¡±
¡°Yes Sir!¡±
Jala quickly lifted up the cover and what came out of it would¡¯ve left Rick speechless.
It was cold air! The box was releasing extremely cold air! If Rick was here to see this, he¡¯d immediately think he was looking at a cooler from back on earth. The inside of the wooden box seemed to be coated with the same resin as the outside of it but there was something else mixed in with the resin coating the inner walls of the box.
It looked like little blue grains of sand spread all over the inner walls of the box, and these little grains seemed to be constantly giving off almost freezing cold air.
This really and truly would¡¯ve left Rick¡¯s jaw on the floor if he had got a chance to see it but the same couldn¡¯t be said for the Orcs.
¡°This is nowhere near enough is it? Where the fuck is the rest?¡±
The box wasn¡¯t even a quarter of the way filled with meat, and even the normal Goblins knew just how grave this situation was.
At this point, Jala was extremely worried about what would happen from this point forward. He knew there was nothing else he could do to get a tribute prepared right this second for the Orcs. He also knew just how quickly this could take a sharp turn for the worst.
But most of all he didn¡¯t know what to say to fix this situation. His mind was running on fumes as he tried to figure out what to say but the Orc in front of him wouldn¡¯t afford him that time.
¡°Are you going to make me ask you again?¡±
¡°No Sir of course not! But if we can just have a little bit more time, we¡¯d be able to meet the required amount of meat! Just a little more time is all I¡¯m asking for!¡±
¡°Then get down on your knees and beg me for it.¡±
¡°Parfu this should be enough, we have other things to do.¡±
¡°I¡¯m getting tired of you trying to tell me what to do, Oglub! Just shut the fuck up and watch!¡±
One must understand that throughout this entire interaction between Jala and the Orcs, Jala had been standing the whole time. And since he is in fact a Maglin that has been through one evolution, he was basically eye to eye with the Orcs.
This fact alone was very upsetting to the Orc known as Parfu. He strongly believed that Orcs were superior to Goblins. In fact, all Orcs including Oglub believed this as well. Though Parfu couldn¡¯t stand the fact that a Goblin could stand in front of him at the same height. In his mind, this couldn¡¯t be allowed.
¡°Now back to what I was saying, if you want more time, get down on your knees and beg me for it.¡±
After realizing he was not getting out of this situation, Jala got rid of all hesitation and immediately got down on his knees. Even going as far as to put his head into the dirt. If it meant he and the entire Tribe could survive for another day, he would do anything it takes to ensure that.
¡°Sir I am begging you for an extension of time for us to gather enough meat for the tribute.¡±
¡°That¡¯s more like it! This is how it should be every time! Goblins don¡¯t even deserve to breathe the same air as us! Here! Hurry and pack this shit up so I can leave this filthy place!¡±
Parfu threw a large leather bag at Jala, but this wasn¡¯t an ordinary bad by any means. If one were to check the insides, they¡¯d find the same blue sand-like material woven into the leather. It didn¡¯t provide the same level of cold air as the box did, but it was good enough for the purpose of transferring the meat.
Jala quickly got up and did as he asked, carefully transferring the meat from the box into the bag. Parfu snatched the bag from him as soon as Jala was done, and the two Orcs left just as quickly as they arrived.
Though not before Parfu shouted one last line on his way out.
¡°YOU HAVE TWO WEEKS! HEADS WILL FLY IF IT¡¯S NOT READY! HAHAHAHA!¡±
Chapter Forty Seven
Three full days had passed since Rick left the surroundings of the Tribe on the insistence of Jala. He wanted to stay at witness what exactly went on when the Orcs came along, but he made a promise.
One he intended to keep.
It was an early misty morning in the forest and Rick along with the group of Goblins he was traveling with were engaged in the first of many early morning lessons.
Well, it was just Rick learning and one of the Maglins doing the teaching.
¡°Alright we¡¯ve traveled for three days already, we can use this morning to start some of these reading and writing lessons. Who¡¯ll be doing the teaching? Zargi or Kida?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll be the one doing the teaching Mr. Rick! We can start right now if you¡¯d like.¡±
¡°Yeah, we can, alright for everyone else you''re free to hunt together nearby or just stay here and watch the surroundings. Okay Kida you can start whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±
The remaining Goblins decided to stay around Rick and Kida as they began the lesson instead of going out to hunt or whatever else.
They all agreed that Rick should be able to learn in peace and not be worried about any beasts ruining his time of learning.
Though of course Rick had Velora constantly scanning the area around him, so he didn¡¯t necessarily need them around him. But they obviously didn¡¯t know about that nor was Rick planning on telling that any time soon.
The only way a problem would occur is if a creature that was far above the level of Rick''s ability and Velora¡¯s scanning were to approach, but at that point, they still probably wouldn¡¯t be of any help.
Rick himself might die depending on what type of beast approaches, especially if it was something on the level of that fox that lived on the northern side of the lake. Or even the mysterious hawk that almost killed him.
Anyway, Rick let them do as they pleased, and he could finally begin his lessons with Kida.
Well, he would begin in his lesson if it weren''t for one little problem. Though it''s not actually a problem, just a small surprise or a large one depending on how you see it.
¡°Alright Mr. Rick, we can start by looking at any word in the documents provided to us by Jala and going over the letters in the word to understand their pronunciation and meaning.¡±
¡°Okay that sounds good, I haven¡¯t really looked at the documents at all either, so I don¡¯t know how Goblin letters look at all.¡±
¡°Here are the documents then, take a look and see if maybe you can understand any of it.¡±
¡°Now that I¡¯m actually holding these documents, it really is amazing to see. It¡¯s not actually paper but hardened thin sheets of skin.¡±
¡°Yes it is, it was developed long before I was born.¡±
¡°Gang green is capable of all sorts of stuff huh?¡±
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It was then that Rick finally focused on the words written on documents in his hands. To him, it just looked like a bunch of random lines and shapes, and he couldn¡¯t understand any of it.
But after just a few seconds of looking at it, something amazing happened.
The random lines and shapes began slowly twisting and turning into a language he was very familiar with.
English.
The words on the documents were all turning into English. Every single last word was being translated live before his very eyes, and he was now able to read the entire document without problems!
Needless to say, Rick was very shocked! With his eyes opened wide he immediately looked through all the documents and saw they were being translated for him too!
Kida was looking at him the whole time and she was quite shocked to see Rick with nothing but the surprise on his face and him flipping through the documents looking for something as if his life depended on it.
She thought she was looking at a Goblin that just couldn¡¯t believe that a Goblin of his level was not able to read even a single word! Even though he was the strongest Goblin around he couldn¡¯t read at all! But she couldn¡¯t be further from the truth than she was now.
In fact, Rick could indeed read every single thing written on the documents. Even things like commas, periods and apostrophes were translated in his eyes. But of course, Kida didn¡¯t know that, so she decided she would at least comfort Rick, but before she could finish speaking Rick cut her off with some words of his own.
¡°Mr.Rick it¡¯s not a problem if you don''t know how to read, I¡¯m sure you wi-..¡±
¡°KIDA! What language do you see in the documents?! Is it English?! Are you still seeing your Goblin language?!¡±
Kida could barely understand what Rick was asking, and she didn¡¯t even know what this thing called English was, but she quickly took the documents back and looked at the words written down.
All she saw was the same words written before, so she couldn¡¯t understand what Rick was asking of her.
¡°Mr. Rick the words are still the same as before, I don¡¯t quite understand what you¡¯re asking.¡±
¡°Ahh so they¡¯re still the same for you! But it''s English for me instead! Wait! what if I were to write something down?! Kida do you have anything to write with? Actually, forget it! I¡¯ll just write something out in the dirt!¡±
At this point Kida was a little worried about Rick, thinking not being able to read must¡¯ve really hurt his pride as a Goblin that has gone through two evolutions.
So, she worriedly watched on as a couple of seconds passed with Rick moving his finger around in the dirt in weird movements, after he was done he immediately asked if she could read it.
If someone from earth who could read English saw what Rick wrote in the dirt they would instantly see it was the words ¡°Gang Green¡±, but for Kida all she saw was just weird lines of all sorts and she couldn¡¯t make any sense of it.
¡°Mr. Rick¡I...I can¡¯t understand what you wrote in the dirt.¡±
¡°So, you can''t understand it huh, figures. Well, it doesn¡¯t look like you need to teach me how to read and write after all. I can read the documents, but it¡¯ll probably be impossible for me to learn how to write it.¡±
Velora then spoke up in Rick¡¯s mind.
[It''s probably the one who created me that also gave you this ability. It¡¯s probably a blessing and a curse in a way.
[You will most likely understand most languages in this world but will never have the ability to teach it to anyone else or actually learn the language.]
¡®Sounds more like a blessing thana damn curse but whatever can¡¯t do anything about it now.¡¯
Kida, on the other hand, couldn''t believe what Rick just said, what does he mean he can already read the documents and doesn¡¯t need to be taught! Is he running away from his duties?!
¡°Mr.Rick! I assure you I¡¯ll be here every step of the way to help you in becoming able to read and write! It¡¯s not as hard as it seems! Especially for someone of your level!¡±
¡°Ah so you don¡¯t believe me huh, makes sense I guess. Here pass me back the documents and I¡¯ll read it out for you exactly what they say.¡±
¡°Okay, if you say so Mr. Rick. You have to read every word correctly, or I will strongly recommend you continue with the lessons!¡±
¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll start right now then.¡±
Rick then spent the next hour or so reading through the documents for Kida. He also had to read the specific words Kida would sometimes point to because she couldn¡¯t believe he could read.
By the time he was done, Rick had practically been forced to memorize almost everything Jala wrote in the documents.
Chapter Forty Eight
¡°Ok fine you can read! What about writing?! You still need to be able to write properly since you are a Leader right?!¡±
¡°Writing is going to be impossible for me Kida, it¡¯s just not something I¡¯ll be able to do right now. Just being able to read is already good enough so let¡¯s just finish with that.¡±
¡°But...but...but! Writing is important Mr.Rick!¡±
¡°I know it is, which is why you should focus on teaching Lagi and Sigi how to read and write instead of me. I know it¡¯ll probably be hard due to their evolution level, but I believe in you Kida! I just know you¡¯ll be able to do it!¡±
¡°Sigi? Lagi? But what abou-..¡±
¡°I believe in you Kida.¡±
¡°I...I see. Understood Mr.Rick, I¡¯ll do my best to teach Lagi and Sigi everything I know about reading and writing.¡±
¡°Okay great! I knew you could do it. Anyway, we¡¯ve been here long enough I think it¡¯s time we started moving again.
¡°So, you can begin teaching them at the next break we have. This goes for everyone! Get back in formation! We¡¯re leaving now!¡±
Everyone quickly gathered in the right formation, and they set off again even though Kida was still a little bit confused about Rick being able to read even though he said he couldn¡¯t but at the same time he couldn¡¯t write and refused to learn. Truly baffling for Kida.
Rick on the other hand was focused on very different things than that of what was on Kida¡¯s mind.
POV Rick
¡®That was a lot of information that Jala provided, a lot more than I ever asked for. He answered the main question about the information on all of the Goblin Tribes living in the plains but even threw in stuff on other races as well. What a great Goblin, gang green should be thankful for him.¡¯
[Then make sure you thank him when you see him next.]
¡®Yeah of course I will! I wonder if I could make him like my assistant or something in the future because of my weakness with writing.¡¯
[Careful not to offend him by asking him that, he might think that¡¯s beneath him.]
¡®Ah, that¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it? There¡¯s no way a Goblin would want to strive to become an assistant right?¡¯
[Probably not, especially since based on what he was saying when we spoke, he is probably second in command back at the Tribe and possibly next in line to be the Leader of that Tribe. So, he¡¯ll probably want to be much more than an assistant in the future.]
¡®Yeah you''re right, I¡¯ll just have to wing it then! Anyway, let''s review the information he gave us again. Go ahead and bring up the document again in my mind, please.¡¯
[Understood.]
¡®By the way, the fact that you can memorize everything I see and then show it back to me is a really amazing feature, almost amazing enough for me to ignore your constant attacks on me.¡¯
[I have never attacked you, only encouraged. Anyway, here is all the information that was written on all the documents.]
~Rick I¡¯ve provided relevant information on everything I know regarding all the races I know of that are living in the plains. There¡¯s a lot we don¡¯t know though so please understand this doesn¡¯t cover everything in the plains. This is just information my Tribe has come across over time.
First the information on all the Tribes in the plains, or at least the ones we know of. We believe there are about eight Goblin Tribes scattered along the edge of the plains. With each Tribe having about twenty to thirty Goblins in total.
It can never be more than that since the Orcs don''t allow us to grow past that point. Now there could be one or two less or even one or two more Tribes than what I¡¯ve mentioned because we haven¡¯t been all over the plains.
This is just from meeting other Goblins in the Nameless Forest and on the rare occasion we are allowed to visit the Iris River, we might meet other Goblins and exchange as much information as possible.
So, there could easily be other Tribes. And because the Orcs aren¡¯t strangers to killing a large number of Goblins, there could also unfortunately be fewer Tribes than what I¡¯ve mentioned.
Now I believe you should be more than able to take five Goblins from each Tribe without the Orcs noticing the missing Goblins, after all, Goblins do sometimes die in the Nameless Forest when out hunting. Now when it comes to deciding which Goblins to take with you, I recommend taking five Goblins who have been on their first evolution for a long time.
Those Goblins should be closest to their next evolution, and only death awaits a Goblin who has evolved twice if they stay inside the plains. The five Goblins I sent with you all fit those circumstances. You''re probably wondering how the Orcs manage to kill all of them but it''s because they seem to have some way to tell when a Goblin is going through its second evolution.
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By the time that Goblin is done with their evolution a squad of Orcs would have already long been dispatched with extreme haste and is not more than a minute or two away from the Tribe. The Goblin that evolved is then chained and taken away; we have no idea what happens to them after but since we never see them again we can only assume the worst.
Please note, this is only a theory of ours and we have no idea how they are able to tell when a Goblin evolves.
So do make sure to tell whoever the Leader of the Tribe is that the Goblins who have been on one evolution the longest are the ones you want. Obviously, you won¡¯t be able to save all of them, but everyone saved is already more than what would¡¯ve happened without you being here.
Once you¡¯ve visited all the Tribes and have taken a few from each, I don¡¯t know where you¡¯d go from there but don¡¯t forget you are still far too weak to fight the Orcs. Before you even get to the Orcs you¡¯ll have to find your way through the other strong races around them, much less the weaker races around us. Because although they are considered weak in comparison to the Orcs, they are still stronger than us Goblins.
We still are not quite sure just how many other non-Goblin races are located in close proximity to us, but so far we know about four of them. Fabyls, Svers, Lidens, and Gildrans.
Now all four of them are extremely different from each other and we barely know anything about them because not one of them is friendly with us Goblins.
In fact, I¡¯m sure just like the Orcs, they view us Goblins as far beneath them in every way possible so what we know is just from seeing them over the years and other passed down information.
So, there is a chance it might not be one hundred percent correct. Another thing to remember is that all the other races are located closer to the Iris River than we are.
If they were layers to the plains then all the Goblin Tribes are spread out on the outermost layer closest to the Nameless Forest, then the next layer in will be the races I¡¯m about to describe to you and from that point on the races just get stronger and bigger in numbers the farther you go in.
First up we have the Fabyls. They are similar in size to what a normal Goblin would like after one evolution, and they are a humanoid race like us Goblins and the Orcs. One of the things that make them different is the fact that they are covered from head to toe in feathers and appear to have wings for arms but I¡¯m not sure about that.
On their faces are a pair of bead-like eyes and a strong-looking brown beak to go with it.
Their feet are not like the feet of birds as you might be thinking but instead, it is almost like the paws of a wolf you might¡¯ve seen in the forest. I¡¯m not sure what they are good at or if there are different types of them within their race or even what their numbers are like.
I myself have only ever seen two of them and both of them were covered in brown feathers. I¡¯m not sure where exactly they are located, but I know it''s not close to my Tribe.
On the other hand, the race closest to my Tribe are the Lidens. I know a bit more about them when compared to the Fabyls. They are also a humanoid race, standing at about four feet in height. On their face is one giant eye in the middle along with a nose and mouth. Their skin is usually brown and appears to be leathery, though I have no way to confirm that.
What makes them stand out is the fact that they are a really fat race. I¡¯m not exactly sure if they eat a lot or if it¡¯s natural and that''s how they were born but they are all extremely fat even at their small height of four feet.
But with that large weight comes with it a significant amount of power and strength packed into their small frame. This was found out in an unfortunate manner. On a trip to the Iris River, one of our Goblins stumbled in front of a Liden, and he was obliterated in one punch. All he did was stumble in front of him by accident and he was dead before we knew it. We could only hang our heads in shame and take it while doing nothing about it due to our weakness.
I¡¯m only telling you this to show you that even though there are other races weaker than the Orcs and are even slightly oppressed by them, no one likes Goblins or will ever offer us a helping hand. So, whatever you do from here on out will have to only depend on Goblin power.
Now, after the Lidens we have Svers. It was passed down to me that Svers are located all over the plains due to how numerous they were and how quickly they reproduce. I¡¯m not sure if that is correct since it was just passed down within the Tribe. For their appearance, they are the same size as a TinkGoblin but covered in a very light coat of fur.
I¡¯m not sure what the color of that fur is but this is all the information I have about their appearance. The main thing to know about them is that they¡¯re extremely fast. I¡¯m not sure just how fast, but at the very least they are much faster than any Goblin has probably ever been.
Last but not least we have the Gildrans, a race that shouldn''t be considered a weak one. I myself have fortunately yet to see one but the information passed down in the Tribe about them is definitely a little frightening.
It is said that they look like snakes but with arms and legs so they are able to do a lot more things that a normal snake would be able to do.
I¡¯ve been told a Gildran is a ruthless race that is one of the strongest living in the entire plains, but they apparently have very low fertility rates so there¡¯s not a lot of them. That¡¯s the only reason they¡¯re still known as a weaker race than the Orcs. While individually they are strong, as a race they are weak due to there being only a very few of them in the entire plains.
That''s it for all the knowledge I have regarding other weak races around the Goblin Tribes. The only ¡°strong¡± race I know of and have seen personally is the Orcs. They are about as tall as you currently and have the face of the ugliest boar you have ever seen. They even have small tusks coming out of their mouths.
I¡¯m not sure exactly how strong a Goblin who has gone through two evolutions is, but I don¡¯t really think you¡¯d be able to fight them at your current strength Rick.
If you have any more questions Kida should be able to answer most of them. I wish you safe travels Tribe Leader Rick.~
[That concludes all the information that was present in the documents.]
¡®It really is a lot to take in all at once. But it seems the entire plains will have to know what it means to disrespect my Goblin race. The Orcs will still have to face the most severe punishment, but I won¡¯t forget everyone else. Gang green will remember.¡¯
[Don¡¯t forget what Jala wrote in the documents. We are not strong enough to fight everyone in the plains.]
¡®Then that means all we have to do is get stronger. It''s a good thing that these forests are filled to the brim with beasts. We will get much stronger and then we¡¯ll have the entire plains educated on the definition of anger by the time I¡¯m done.¡¯
[Understood.]
Chapter Forty Nine
[It is now 1900.]
¡®Perfect time to stop moving for today.¡¯
¡°Alright everyone, we can stop here! It¡¯s already dark out, so let¡¯s take a break here and rest up for the night. Eat what you have and as always don¡¯t worry about standing watch through the night I¡¯ll handle it. Just be ready to go in the morning!¡±
After receiving a series of acknowledgements from the group Rick turned his attention to Kida
¡°Kida, can I talk to you before you begin sleeping?¡±
¡°Of course, Mr. Rick, what do you need?¡±
¡°I just finished digesting all of the contents of the documents Jala provided me. There¡¯s just one thing I can¡¯t wrap my head around. Why exactly is the Iris River so important to you and all the races in the plains? There¡¯s no way just providing fresh water and maybe a few fishes can be that big of a deal for us Goblins right?¡±
¡°Yes, you''re right, it¡¯s far more important than just fresh water and fish. I¡¯ve never actually been to the Iris River myself, but I have been told bits and pieces about it. The water of the Iris River is very special, it is filled with very high-quality mana.
¡°I was told that just dipping a hand in the Iris River is already enough to heal all of someone¡¯s light injuries like bruises and cuts, while it will also aid in greatly recovering their mana at the same time.
¡°Now if instead of just a light dip and you chose to instead drink the water, it would only multiply those effects further. Though thee gifts of the Iris River don''t stop there Mr. Rick, probably the most important feature of the Iris River that I know of are the Ice stones that can be found on the floor of the river.¡±
¡°Ice stones? What are they?¡±
¡°To put it simply Mr. Rick, they are really tiny, blue sand-like stones that constantly give off cooling air. It will continue to give off that cooling air right up until it runs out of mana. Once it runs out of mana, it will be on one of us, usually us Maglins to refill it will mana.
¡°Though you can only refill each stone around three times before it will stop gathering mana and releasing that cooling air.
¡°That¡¯s everything I know about the stones, but there could very well be other uses that we haven¡¯t been told or figured out on our own yet.¡±
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¡°I see...There¡¯s still so much I don¡¯t know about this place, and it always amazes me when I find something new. I can¡¯t wait to actually see these stones, Kida.¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure if you have never seen them before it will be quite the refreshing experience once you get the opportunity.¡±
¡°Now is there anything else about the Iris River that I should know?¡±
¡°Ah yes! Just one last thing, you mentioned fish earlier and there are indeed fish in the river, but they are not ordinary. Of course, I haven¡¯t had any of the fish, nor have I had fish from anywhere else actually, but I¡¯m told it is a delicacy.
¡°Only the Tribe Leader back in the plains received the chance to taste it once due to an Orc throwing a half-eaten fish at her.
¡°If the Iris River offers anything else other than what I¡¯ve just told you then I don¡¯t know about it. Hopefully, with this, you see how important the Iris River is for all the races in the plains.¡±
¡°Thank you for taking your time to explain all that to me, and it definitely has opened my eyes to how important the Iris River is, no worries though it will be Goblin-owned and operated soon enough. Anyway, I¡¯ve taken up enough of your time, get some rest.¡±
¡°Anytime Mr. Rick! All of us are forever in your debt!¡±
And so, Kida along with everyone else picked out a spot on the ground and fell asleep trusting in the ability of Rick to keep watch over them through the night. It was something they didn¡¯t want to do at first, saying things like ¡°The Leader should get more rest than all of us!¡± but Rick was adamant and firm, so they eventually conceded.
Rick himself was lost in his thoughts as he considered all the hills and mountains he would have to climb to attain his dream of a Goblin empire. He not only had to grow his Tribe in strength and number, then came problems with the oppressed Goblins in the plains.
He would have to fight a race far stronger than him in every which way. Much less the other races that might decide to help the Orcs.
He also couldn¡¯t forget about the fox who could wipe out his entire Tribe, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to even save himself. Then came the mystery beast living in the lake who could come out at any time and do just as much damage as the fox in the north. It was truly a lot to have on only one plate.
Of course, Rick also had the option to choose to avoid all of this trouble and just live an easy life with his small Tribe of Goblins.
But the thing is Rick loved being a Goblin and being around his fellow Goblins perhaps far more than a former human being should. But that¡¯s what he was, a former human, he was now a Goblin, a Royal Goblin at that, and he wanted the best for his race.
With all that in mind, Rick also knew the quickest way to fix all of his problems or at the very least most of them.
It was strength. Domineering and unquestionable strength.
If he was stronger than all his enemies then no one would be able to put a stop to his dreams of Goblin dominance. But he was weak. Weaker than everything and everyone who stood in his way.
Now of course Rick already knew all of this information, but it was the first time he really took a second to just digest everything going on in his new life and all the challenges he would have to face on the path he chose. It was truly an arduous path, but Rick planned to stick with it and persevere. After all, there is no gang stronger than gang green now is there.
Or so Rick would say.
Chapter Fifty
After taking a few moments to breathe and fully digest his thoughts, Rick himself went to sleep. Even though he was supposed to be the one keeping watch over the Goblins sleeping all around him, he slept just as they did every single night.
After all, he wasn¡¯t actually the one keeping watch, that job fell on Velora alone. Of course, this was simple for her since the concept of sleep or rest didn¡¯t exist for her. So the night passed by without anything out of the ordinary happening and soon it was morning again.
Once morning came around Rick was the first to wake up, as usual, thanks mostly in part to Velora¡¯s morning alarms in his head. Soon after him, all the other Goblins woke up as well, with Wala the fiery little TinkGoblin being the last to wake up as usual.
They soon left out on their journey again, heading for the previous home of Dran. They took many breaks, had many battles and got a lot closer as the days kept on passing. Kida didn¡¯t fail to try and teach Sigi and Lagi reading and writing at every chance she got. The two High Goblins were a little unsure about the whole learning thing at first, but Kida didn¡¯t leave room for discussion.
She (unwillingly) received an order to teach them from the Goblin who she respects as her Leader, and she intended to follow it through to the end. Even though she would much rather spend her time teaching said Goblin, she wouldn¡¯t fail to properly carry out the order given to her.
So facing that sort of dedication and commitment, Sigi and Lagi had no choice but to follow suit. Eventually, their continued instruction paid off and they could now read some of the more basic words but writing them from memory was still a ways off.
Still, the days continued to pass as they traveled. More battles with various monsters, more rest and breaks, which then meant more teaching and learning for Kida, Sigi, and Lagi. It soon became routine for them, and before they all realized, well everyone except Velora, they reached about a half-day away from where the cave was.
They were fighting two black wolves, both only at tier 1 once Rick checked their statuses. He himself was not actually fighting this time around but observing the battle from a distance. Of course, Wala and Dran weren¡¯t fighting either, only the two Maglins and the two High Goblins engaged in the battle.
With the High Goblins Sigi and Lagi each taking a wolf each and fighting them bare-handed, and the two Maglins Kida and Zargi supporting from a distance with long-range abilities that appeared to be magical spells of all sorts in the eyes of Rick, the battle didn¡¯t last very long. Of course, their ability to fight is something that has gotten better on this long journey with Rick guiding them and providing advice on anything he sees.
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Though shortly after the battle was over, Kida started to feel lightheaded and soon took a knee while grabbing her head. Before anyone could even approach her and ask what''s wrong, she immediately fell over and lost consciousness. It was too long after that her body began emitting a strong light. It was now evident to all the Goblins around her that she was evolving.
¡°She..she¡¯s evolving!¡± Said a surprised Zargi.
¡°Woah! Another Goblin on their second evolution! And this time we don¡¯t have to see her get taken away by the Orcs!!¡± Wala was pretty surprised herself.
¡°This...good..¡±
¡°Yes...it..is...good.¡±
Sigi and Lagi gave their usual short responses.
¡°This is all thanks to you. Under normal circumstances she¡¯d be taken away as soon as she woke up. Now I just wonder how much different she will look.¡±
¡°This is just how it should be, all I did was free her and the rest of you from your shackles, how far you all go from here is all because of yourselves. Anyway, spread out around her and make sure nothing approaches.¡±
They all acknowledged the instructions and spread out as directed. Waiting patiently for the light to fade, which was blinding everyone from seeing the process of her body changing on a molecular level.
It took all of fifteen minutes for the evolution process to finally begin to show signs of ending. All eyes were focused on the figure the fading light was slowly beginning to reveal. Mouths were hung agape as Kida slowly woke up and began to catch her bearings. She eventually became one hundred percent conscious and stood up for everyone to see.
Though one Goblin, in particular, turned his head around as soon as he saw Kida. She stood around six feet and five inches and had long black hair that seemed to reach her waistline. She was still fairly skinny as Maglins are. But her body no longer looked as frail as it once did. Instead, her skinny frame looked to be firmer and stronger, almost like a track and field athlete from Rick¡¯s past life.
There¡¯s also another feature that really caught Rick¡¯s eye. Her bosom seemed to have grown just as much as she did. If Rick were knowledgeable about bra sizes from his previous life he would¡¯ve known that Kida was now at a D cup. Yep, Rick is still just another male at heart. Anyway Kida¡¯s growth in various areas seemed fitting for a female Maglin that stood at six feet and five inches. She was now the tallest Goblin in the group. A full five inches above Rick.
Rick then heard a lot of noise and movement behind him, so he slowly turned back around to see a sight he really didn¡¯t expect to see. Kida, who seemed to have realized that her previous garments had been torn apart and no longer covered her body fully, was scrambling around to fix that. The female Goblins were all busy trying to help her, despite the significant size difference.
It seems that the Goblins from the plains were a lot more sexually aware than his own Goblins back home. He probably should¡¯ve asked them about that once he met with Jala or even on the journey back to the cave, but it seems his answer is right here in front of him. Anyway, he quickly asked Dran, and Zargi to help tear the pelt off the two black wolves to try and help Kida.
Chapter Fifty One
After a few minutes were spent with Kida and the other female Goblins putting something together, her main private areas were finally covered enough.
Of course, the pelts taken off of the black wolves cannot be used yet because they are still fresh and haven¡¯t been dried properly. So being only partially covered would have to do for now.
¡°Kida, how do you feel?¡±
¡°Mr. Rick¡I¡¯m not quite sure yet¡I still feel normal but at the same time, I feel like a whole new Maglin. Almost as if I¡¯ve just been reborn. This is nothing like the first evolution I went through. It might take some time to get used to this.¡±
¡°That''s fine, you''re no longer in the plains so you¡¯ll have all the time in the world you need to get properly used to your new body and all the strength that comes with it. We¡¯re really close to the cave, let''s first get there and we can talk more about your evolution.¡±
So, they set off again, and with the new growth of Kida, anyone who saw the group of Goblins traveling would think their group was quite a variety of shapes and sizes.
One really tall female Maglin, two fairly tall male Goblins, one of them being another Maglin that was really skinny and the other one a ¡®regular¡¯ Goblin who just looked buff and strong. Then came two High Goblins that seemed to be the normal height for how tall you¡¯d think a Goblin should be.
And if one didn¡¯t look carefully they might¡¯ve missed the two small TinkGoblins that were barely two and a half feet tall, scampering along in the middle of the group. But they went along towards their destination, which took the rest of the day. It was late into the night when they finally arrived at the small cave which was Dran¡¯s home.
Which meant a journey that took them almost three months to complete due to having to take multiple breaks, fighting from time to time, and even educational lessons was close to ending.
Either way, they were finally at the cave, and now only a few days away from the Tribe.
Once they made it into the cave, everyone settled in and went to sleep straight away, they all came to an agreement that any and all discussions could be left for the morning.
After a truly restful night that saw everyone sprawled all over the cave, a very important morning came around.
Very important for Rick that is. He would first have a conversation with Kida regarding her new evolution but that wouldn''t be the most important thing on his mind at all.
He had a decision to make regarding going home. He was now in familiar territory.
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His Tribe is only at most a day or two away from where they are now. But to get there he would have to go through the territory of the creature that could have almost definitely taken his life before his journey to the plains even began.
He could try to avoid it and probably succeed in doing so, but he knew there could be really good benefits if he could successfully kill that creature.
Only beasts stronger than himself could adequately evade Velora¡¯s scanning system, and it was those types of beasts he needed to kill if he wanted to grow immensely any time soon. Killing a bunch of beasts far weaker than himself could only take him so far.
He would need to have riskier battles with stronger beings if he really wanted to grow at the type of rate he desired.
Especially since he knew that reaching Tier Three wouldn¡¯t solve their problems since the Orcs most definitely had the means to deal with that based on his assumptions. He didn¡¯t know far he needed to go before he evolved into something capable of fighting back, so it was important to take the opportunities he could when they presented themselves.
Though before it came time to make that decision he should talk with Kida, and then do something he probably should¡¯ve done at the start of the journey.
It didn''t take too long for all the Goblins in the cave to wake up. Immediately after waking up, Dran took Sigi and Lagi with him to go get breakfast. While Zargi promptly began tossing around question after question towards Kida about her new evolution.
Kida herself seemed a little flustered, but she understood his excitement, she would probably be doing the same thing if it was Zargi who evolved.
As for Wala, she seemed to be fiddling with something in the corner of the cave, Rick took notice and realized she was just cleaning up the pelt they brought in for Kida, before setting it outside to dry.
¡°Alright, Zargi leave Kida alone for now, we¡¯ll do some talking after we get something to eat. Breakfast is the most important meal in every Goblins'' day.¡±
So, with that, Zargi backed down and even made a mental note in his head to make sure he ate breakfast every day from now on. In fact, both Kida who was now on her second evolution like Rick and Wala who was busy doing her thing also made mental notes to eat breakfast every day.
This would be a movement that would spread far and wide in the Goblin community. In the future Goblins far and wide would be making sure to eat a healthy breakfast just off this one passing comment from Rick¡
Of course, Rick didn¡¯t know about all the mental notes being taken down, or any future Goblins taking their breakfast seriously, he was just repeating something he heard back in his human days.
Anyway, Dran and the others eventually came back with the same type of rodents he gave Rick when he was first here, Gimbos. Though this time instead of two it seems they caught twelve of them.
Everyone came together to clean up the Gimbos and prepare them for cooking. Once that was completed they were skewered on sticks Dran had laying around the cave. A fire was quickly started and before long the wonderful smell of roasted Gimbo meat spread around the small cave.
Not a lot of talking was done between the Goblins while the Gimbos were being cooked or even when everyone was eating. Except for the one occasion where Zargi seemed to be passing very important information onto Dran, Sigi, and Lagi who all made mental notes of their own.
Of course, Rick saw them talking but paid no mind to it, so he had no idea what was being said.
At some point in time, everyone finished eating and Rick could finally begin his conversation with Kida, much to the happiness of Zargi.
Chapter Fifty Two
¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve spoken to you all like this right? Well, listen it''s not my fault, whoever is running this thing got all caught up on the whole narration thing. While I was left saying a bunch of one-line cliches! Crazy right?!
¡®Well, I¡¯m back. The great Royal Goblin Rick! There¡¯s been a lot I¡¯ve wanted to tell you about how I feel about everything that¡¯s going on, but I couldn¡¯t for reasons out of my control.
¡®I will now though, cause who knows when I¡¯m gonna be forced to go back to these one-line cliches! Just being all serious all the time! I¡¯m still that Hollywood Goblin star ready to change the world!
¡®Anyway, here I am in this cave with Kida and all these other Goblins from the plains. We¡¯ve just finished our breakfast, which is very important by the way. Now me and Kida plan on breaking down her evolution. I¡¯m actually really excited, for one she¡¯s flipping huge!!
¡®And although I¡¯ve been locked in mentally, physically, and emotionally with the Goblin race, it''s my first time actually thinking one of the female Goblins were attractive. It''s not like I thought they were ugly before, but I just couldn¡¯t find them attractive in any way. It¡¯s weird.¡¯
[I wonder if Geedi would appreciate these thoughts.]
¡®Ah! Now, why would you bring Geedi up Velora. There¡¯s no way she¡¯s still looking to have my children. I¡¯ve been gone for over five months I think. Yeah, there¡¯s no way...right?¡¯
[Well, you¡¯ll find out really soon now won¡¯t you? It should be really interesting if she does indeed still wish to have children with you.]
¡®I don¡¯t even want to think about that, I¡¯m too young for kids! Whatever, let''s focus on what¡¯s right in front of me.¡¯
¡°Alright Kida, we can talk about your evolution a little now. First of all, what are the major changes you can say about your new state versus your previous self?¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m still not sure on everything but so far the biggest change I can feel is the amount of mana I have access to. As a Maglin I¡¯ve been accustomed to using mana since my birth, so it was the first thing I noticed when I evolved.
¡°Apart from that, I¡¯m still feeling it out, you¡¯ve obviously seen...ahem...the physical changes I¡¯ve gone through, but I think I¡¯ve received new abilities along with the expanded mana capacity. I won¡¯t be sure exactly what they do until I actually give them a try, but I have a general idea.¡±
¡®Velora you saw that little cough?! She knows I saw her damn boobs! Do you think she¡¯s upset? It¡¯s not my fault she was naked!¡¯
[I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be fine, just focus on this evolution, it''s good information for me as well. The more evolution knowledge I gain the better I can predict other evolutions.]
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
¡®I¡¯m focused, just a little embarred.¡¯
¡°Hmm...Kida, how can you tell exactly what abilities you have and how to use them?¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s an easy one, Mr.Rick It¡¯s just a feeling. Almost as if you¡¯ve had the knowledge your whole life, though once you learn something new when evolving it will usually take some time to get accustomed to that new skill and all the capabilities of it.
¡°Isn¡¯t that how it is for you too as well Mr.Rick? I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s how it is for every Goblin in the plains.¡±
¡°Just a feeling huh¡Well yeah, I guess you can say it¡¯s like that for me too, I was just checking to see if it was different for the Goblins in the plains.
¡°Now you should definitely get accustomed to your new body before we complete the rest of the journey back to my Tribe, or our Tribe I guess it is now. You all can go outside and begin doing that near the cave, I¡¯ll be out there soon to join you.¡±
Kida agreed with Rick, and she excitedly made her way outside, with Zargi who himself was also very excited and was keen on seeing just what Kida could do. After all, as long as he kept getting stronger he would eventually evolve and be able to do similar things as Kida.
The two High Goblins and both TinkGoblins followed them outside as well, it seems everyone was interested in seeing the new and improved Kida. That just left a lone Royal Goblin in Rick remaining in the cave. Seemingly thinking about truly critical things.
¡®Go away narrator! This is still my time to shine! Anyway, Velora I probably should¡¯ve done this a long time ago, but I really should¡¯ve long checked everyone¡¯s statuses. Well, better late than never, and what better time to check than right now. So can you bring up Kida''s status please?¡¯
[Sure, but first what is this narration thing you keep talking about?]
¡®The enemy of my storied legend and future stardom Velora. Truly a despicable thing if you ask me.¡¯
[I don¡¯t quite understand, and I don¡¯t believe I ever can. Anyway, here''s Kida¡¯s status.]
{Name - Kida}
{Age - 5}
{Race ¨C Elite MagiGoblin}
{Tier ¨C Two}
{Strength ¨C 12}
{Agility ¨C 12}
{Dexterity ¨C 18}
{Intelligence ¨C 35}
{Endurance ¨C 18}
{Mana ¨C 80/80}
{Skills}
{Mana Manipulation III}
{Elemental Affinity III}
{Spell Construct Mastery I}
¡®So, she does indeed have skills, it did cross my mind when I saw her fighting, but I thought that rude voice that interrupted my dreams said it was rare to have skills below Tier Five?¡¯
[I believe that is still the case, I think what you''re seeing is the abilities she naturally possesses due to her race displayed in the status as a skill to make things easier for you.]
¡®I guess that makes sense because if a dragon is born with the ability to breathe fire, I suppose that wouldn¡¯t be a skill but just a natural thing similar to breathing normally for it...But how will I know when someone has one of those rare skills and not some natural born ability?¡¯
[The system should differentiate if you encounter such a situation. For now, just assume all skills you see are just a natural born ability of that individual displayed as a skill.]
¡®I also noticed she has access to mana which makes sense because of her race but I wonder if I will ever get this access as well?
[Perhaps on your next evolution.]
¡®Sigh perhaps...there¡¯s still so much I really don¡¯t understand about skills and statuses. Even her race is slightly different, adding Elite is a prefix instead of just calling her a Hobgoblin like Jaba...I guess that has to do with her type? Anyway Velora, is it possible for you to bring up the descriptions for each skill ?¡¯
[Let''s give it a try.]
Chapter Fifty Three
[I believe I can.]
[Mana Manipulation III - The third version of Mana Manipulation. It is the ability to use the mana present within one¡¯s body to form various shapes made entirely out of that same mana. Those shapes can then be given simple meaning or commands to follow.
[For example, forming a small ball-like shape of mana and willing it to fly at a target in the distance and have the mana explode on impact. This skill can also and should be used in conjunction with other magical-related skills.
[This skill has no specific mana requirements. The mana consumed will depend solely on the user and the size and complexity of what shapes they create. The higher the skill, the less mana required to create shapes.
[Elemental Affinity III - The third version of Elemental Affinity. It is the ability to give one¡¯s mana various elemental properties. The base elements in the world are Water, Fire, Earth, and Wind. As long as one has the Elemental Affinity skill they will be equally proficient in all four of these base elements. The higher the skill level, the more proficient the user will become with the application of the elements.
[This skill can be used in conjunction with numerous other skills. It is commonly used with Mana Manipulation to give the created shapes an element to bring forth a deeper and lasting effect.
[For example, a ball of mana created with Mana Manipulation that was willed by the user to fly at a target and explode would do far more damage if given the Fire element.
[This skill has no specific mana requirements. Instead, the amount of mana consumed is solely dependent on the user and how strong the elemental properties applied would be when used in conjunction with other skills such as Mana Manipulation. The higher the skill, the less mana is required.
[Next, we have Spell Construct Mastery.
[Spell Construct Mastery I - The base version of Spell Construct Mastery. This skill gives the user the ability to truly take their very first real step into the world of Magic. This skill takes the act of manipulating mana to an entirely different level of expertise.
[It is the ability to create extremely complex constructs of mana with predetermined meaning and even elemental properties as well.
[In Essence, it is the ability to create your own personal abilities categorized as spells strictly for the use of the user. If Mana Manipulation was used to create various relatively simple shapes, and Elemental Affinity was used to give those shapes elemental properties then this skill eliminates that process altogether.
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[For example, if the user were to create a ¡°Fireball¡± spell construct imbued with the meaning to explode on impact and fly in a straight line when released. It would then be listed under the Spell Construct Mastery skill as a spell.
[Giving the user the ability to drastically reduce the time needed to cast the spell as the user wouldn¡¯t need to go through the process of creating the mana-shaped ball and applying elemental properties to it.
[The created spell would have a set mana requirement, and the amount required would depend on the properties given to the spell by the user.
[Creating a ¡°Fireball¡± spell construct is just a basic example. The type of spell created is only limited to the imagination of the user and the level of the Spell Construct Mastery Skill itself.
[Though it seems the amount of spells and complexity of said spills is most likely limited to the level of Spell Construct Mastery or in Kida¡¯s case her understanding of it and also her mana capacity. So, I assume she will only be able to create one or two relatively simple spells.]
¡®Dammit, even with that restriction that still sounds overpowered as hell! What do I have to do to get a skill like that?!¡¯
[I¡¯m not quite sure it is something available to the type of Goblin you were born as. It might be something unique to Maglins and any other magically orientated race. Though since you are indeed a unique individual, there might be options open to you that aren''t open to any other Goblin or even any other race in the entire world. For example, myself.
[The skill Velora.
[You are undoubtedly the only existence in this world with the skill Velora. Some might have similar skills, but no one else will have Velora, only you.]
¡®Well, when you put it like that...I guess I really should be more thankful for the help you bring and everything you take care of for me huh.¡¯
[That isn''t necessary, my sole purpose is to provide assistance and support to you forever. My advice is calculated, and it is always aimed at bringing you the most benefits possible.
[Such as encouraging you to train. You should really train more. Well, I should say start instead of more, seeing that you don¡¯t train at all.]
¡®Wow you had me hooked for a second there, but you just had to bring up the whole training thing! And I do train! I just train in my own special way!¡¯
[Hm, your own special way? I haven¡¯t been able to grasp this special way you have mentioned. It seems I still have a ways to go. I¡¯ll review all your previous experiences and pay close attention to your future actions so that I¡¯m able to truly understand this special you¡¯ve mentioned.]
¡®Wait! No, that¡¯s not something you have to do, it''s fine!¡¯
[Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll still be able to properly carry out my other actions and any orders while doing this.]
¡®Ah fine whatever, doesn''t seem like I can stop you anyway. Anyway, I¡¯m truly looking forward to seeing all the different constructs and spells that Kida can come up with, maybe I can even give her some advice from my extensive Isekai reading from back on earth.
¡®Hmm, now there¡¯s one thing that''s really sticking out to me, though. In the description for the Elemental Affinity skill, it mentions the use of base elements.
¡®Does that mean there are more advanced elements out there waiting to be harnessed? Are they only accessible through skills or is it some Kida would have to create herself?¡¯
[This is not something I have enough information to answer. But your logic appears reasonable, I would assume the word ¡°base¡± would mean the lowest level, hinting at something higher than itself. Though there isn¡¯t enough knowledge available to me to come up with a more concrete answer.]
Chapter Fifty Four (LAST FULLY EDITED CHAPTER)
¡®Ah, I really do hope I actually get some sort of similar skill or ability like that. Especially with this whole base element thing, there could be some really sick elements out there just waiting for me to use them!¡¯
[I believe if there are indeed other elements apart from the base four listed, then they are already known by beings stronger in magic than Kida is. I¡¯m also sure there are quite a few beings much stronger than Kida. Now if for some reason the elements haven¡¯t been discovered I highly doubt they¡¯d be waiting on you specifically.]
¡®You just don¡¯t know how to pull punches at all do you Velora! If I had really low self-esteem, my dreams would be crashing and burning as we speak. But I won¡¯t let you stop this show Velora, I¡¯ll be shooting lightning out of my hands before you know it.¡¯
[I don¡¯t have the ability to throw punches, so I don¡¯t quite understand exactly what you mean by that. Also, I don¡¯t believe you have received a skill that would allow you to conjure any form of elemental magic.
[Nor have you received any knowledge regarding any sort of advanced elemental abilities apart from the skills you¡¯ve seen from Kida.
[Perhaps upon your next evolution, you might be able to receive an elementary skill or ability related to the world of magic. Thankfully with all the beasts and Essence you¡¯ve fought and absorbed on this journey you aren¡¯t that far from Tier Three any longer, so perhaps you will find out soon.]
¡®I should start calling you Velora the Vicious or something like that. I wonder if that is actually the full name of the skill and you¡¯ve just been hiding it from me all this time.¡¯
[No, my name is Velora.]
Yes, yes, I understand, can you bring up everyone else¡¯s status though please?¡¯
[Understood.]
{Name - Zargi}
{Age - 5}
{Race ¨C High MagiGoblin}
{Tier ¨C One}
{Strength ¨C 8}
{Agility ¨C 10}
{Dexterity ¨C 12}
{Intelligence ¨C 18}
{Endurance ¨C 12}
{Mana ¨C 40/40}
{Skills}
{Mana Manipulation III}
{Elemental Affinity III}
{Name - Wala}
{Age - 7}
{Race ¨C High TinkGoblin}
{Tier ¨C One}
{Strength ¨C 9}
{Agility ¨C 11}
{Dexterity ¨C 19}
{Intelligence ¨C 18}
{Endurance ¨C 14}
{Name - Lagi}
{Age - 3}
{Race ¨C High Goblin}
{Tier ¨C One}
{Strength ¨C 16}
{Agility ¨C 11}
{Dexterity ¨C 9}
{Intelligence ¨C 4}
{Endurance ¨C 16}
{Name - Sigi}
{Age - 3}
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{Race ¨C High Goblin}
{Tier ¨C One}
{Strength ¨C 13}
{Agility ¨C 14}
{Dexterity ¨C 12}
{Intelligence ¨C 6}
{Endurance ¨C 13}
¡®Okay, these are decent enough numbers. I just hope everyone else hopefully shouldn¡¯t be too far from their second evolution. It¡¯s still a long way to go until they can become as strong as myself and Jaba but it¡¯s a step in the right direction.
¡®Now I myself need to hurry up and become a true powerhouse for the Tribe.
¡®If I¡¯m really going to free all those Goblins in the plains from a life living under Orc tyranny then I need to be stronger than the strongest Orc.
¡®I have no idea just how strong that individual may possibly be, but from what I¡¯ve been told, I¡¯m only just stronger than the few Orcs who patrol the Goblin Tribes. There¡¯s no way a patrolling Orc will be anywhere near the level of strength as I imagine the Leader or maybe even Leaders will be.
¡®I¡¯m no Einstein so I¡¯m not sure if everything I¡¯m doing is the right way to go about it, but I can only move how I believe is right and deal with whatever comes next, cause after all even Einstein has never been transformed into a Goblin in another world! At Least I think he wasn¡¯t...Anyway-..¡¯
KA-BOOM!!!
Just as Rick was gathering his thoughts a very large thunderous explosion sounded from outside the cave. It was loud and raucous enough to even cause the cave Rick was in to shake slightly. Rick even somehow found a way to fall over even though he was sitting down, though Rick himself would never admit that.
¡®Oh, shit...what...what the hell was that?! And why the hell does it feel like something, or someone, was talking about me?!¡¯
[I¡¯m not sure about the whole someone talking about you concept, but I believe that explosion came from outside the cave where Kida and the rest should be going over her new capabilities. I suggest you go out and take a look.]
After hearing Velora¡¯s assessment, Rick quickly gathered himself off of the floor and made his way towards the exit of the cave. Once he reached outside, he was greeted by a sight that he wouldn¡¯t even begin to understand even when it was explained to him¡
Now let''s rewind just a few minutes before the explosion that made a certain someone fall even though they were sitting down.
With Kida, Lagi, Sigi, Dran, Zargi, and Wala focused on the ball of burning mana currently floating above Kida¡¯s open palms, while they were located a short distance away from the cave in the surrounding forests.
Well, it really was just Kida and Zargi focused on the ball of mana, while everyone else backed off of them a bit...almost as if they could sense the impending danger.
¡°I think I can make it much bigger!¡± Said a rather unusually excited Kida.
¡°You¡¯ve already surpassed your previous limit Kida! This is good enough for an experiment!¡± Responded a more flustered Zargi, who was now a lot less excited than he was at the beginning of this experiment with Kida.
¡°But look at it Zargi! Don¡¯t you want to see just how big It can get! Just look at how much hotter and fierier the fire element is now when I add it to my mana! Let¡¯s keep going!!¡±
And that she did...At this point, Zargi himself slowly started backing even further away from her as she became lost in her frenzy to see the ball of mana grow bigger and bigger...and bigger.
So big that it was now bigger than Kida¡¯s own towering body as it now floated above her head. In fact, by now Kida was no longer even in control of the burning ball of mana as she powerlessly lowered her hands while consciousness slowly left her.
It was then that Zargi and the rest ran back towards Kida as they saw this and did their best to move her unconscious body away from the ball of mana along with themselves.
The large ball of burning mana then exploded!
Sending the group of Goblins trying to get away flying nearby and the area around the ball was left completely decimated.
The sight that greeted Rick once he came outside and looked at the situation was six Goblins laying down on the ground with various injuries.
But that wasn¡¯t even what surprised him the most. Instead, it was the large, scOrched area just right in front of him. Trees were blasted to bits, with nothing but burnt stumps and singed wood chips to show that they were once there.
The beautiful brown soil that covered the forest floor all around him was now burnt black in the small crater that now remained after the explosion. After being lost in shock for a few seconds, Rick finally ran over to the injured Goblins that were scattered not too far from the decimation left by the explosion.
Though he was never too worried about them, Velora had long since told him they were all alive, and the injuries received were mostly scratches and bruises.
They were all evolved Goblins for a reason. The only one who gave Rick a little worry was Kida. According to Velora she was suffering from some type of mana sickness. But Velora was no doctor so she couldn¡¯t give an accurate assessment of Kida¡¯s condition.
Eventually all the Goblins slowly got up with the exception of Kida who remained unconscious.
¡°What the hell happened out here? And what exactly is wrong with Kida?¡±
It was Zargi who spoke up first.
¡°Leader Rick¡it was Kida...she got a bit too into the experiment and lost control.¡±
¡°What experiment? Explain everything in detail.¡±
¡°She tried to create a big ball of fire mana, much larger than what she had done in the past. Then I think the excitement got to her as she kept on increasing it in size before she eventually ran out of mana and lost control.
¡°Then with no one to control the ball of burning mana, it simply exploded. Thankfully most of the explosion was directed outward or maybe some of us would have died.¡±
¡°Shit¡and Kida? Do you know exactly what''s going with her?¡±
¡°Yes, she is just experiencing mana depletion. It happens when one of us uses all of our mana in a very short period of time. She should be alright, but most likely won¡¯t wake up for a few days, actually that time could be shorter as she evolved so maybe her recovery speed is better.¡±
¡°Well as long as everyone is fine, Though Zargi I suggest you remember this little experiment for when you eventually evolve.¡±
¡°Yes Sir I definitely will.¡±
¡°Alright, with that being said we will wait however long it takes for Kida to wake up and heal then we will immediately depart for my Tribe. I¡¯ve been gone for over five months, and I miss my little Tribe.¡±
¡
In another location slightly east of the Lake, two Goblins could be seen walking fairly leisurely in the forest.
¡°Do you think the Leader will finally return soon? It¡¯s been way too long right?¡±
¡°The answer won¡¯t change no matter how many times you ask Geedi, no one knows when he will come back. We just have to wait.¡±
¡°Tch, he needs to hurry up! Do you know how long he¡¯s been for? Too long Dal! Far too long.¡±
Dal only smiled wryly after hearing that...everyone in the Tribe knew by now that it would only result in a bad day for them if they reminded Geedi that the Leader never actually promised the whole children thing with her.
She was too far gone now in her own delusions for anyone to argue against her without receiving a beating in return.
Though he too wondered when their Leader would return, after all a lot had changed in the Tribe.
Unbeknownst to them though, Rick would soon make his grand return to the Tribe, but with other Goblins trotting along with him. Goblins that look nothing like themselves.
And Rick¡he had no idea that the trip who took the Iris River Plains was only the beginning of some truly life changing experiences he would soon have.
Some of those experiences, would be fond memories in time, while others would only invite heavy regret¡Only time will tell.
- End of Book 1 -
Chapter Fifty Five (Book 2)
On the day a certain goblin woke up in a cave..
In a dark room, empty of anyone laid eight stones, each the size of an adult male¡¯s hand. All perfectly laid in a circle upon an old wooden rustic altar. An altar that clearly showed its age with all the cracks and splits in the wood along with a heavy amount of dust.
Yet despite its appearance, the altar stood firm, dutifully being a place of refuge for the very stones that lay upon it. Year after year, this room and the contents within it stood silent without interruption. It was almost as if the room was frozen in time for the very purpose it was created for now seemed lost and forgotten by the beings it should matter to the most.
At least such was the case for decades until this very moment. The room finally had signs of life.
The stones began to emit a faint light which gradually grew brighter until the stones themselves started to vibrate in place. After a minute the entire room was bathed in a soft green glow and the stones themselves stopped vibrating and instead began to emit a faint ringing barely more audible than a whisper.
But just like the light this ringing sound also grew in intensity until it was just loud enough for it to reach down the hall, and inside a room not too far from the one it started in, until it finally reached the ears of the one within.
¡°Hmm..? Ringing..? Who could be making such noise at this forsaken hour. Once I find this little scoundrel I¡¯ll give them a proper scolding! Damn..ring..wait.. Ringing?! No¡ it can¡¯t be..¡±
Muttered a rather aged voice, before said owner of the voice hurriedly gathered himself and sprinted down the hall as fast as his old bones could go. It wasn¡¯t long before he reached his destination and a look of absolute shock made its way onto his face.
¡°The Stones of Birth are..glowing..they are glowing..THE STONES OF BIRTH OF GLOWING!! I MUST TELL THE CHIEF!!¡±
And so the aged individual began another sprint, despite the creaks and pleas of his old bones.
Though this sprint was one the elder would make ten times out of ten regardless of any hindrance, let alone one as feeble as age. For the glowing of these stones signified prosperity, freedom, growth, and strength for the race this particular individual belonged to..A race of individuals with a skin that was always covered in a beautiful shade of green.
Goblins.
Yes, this old individual was in fact an old Goblin, one of course that was tasked with a sacred duty more important than even his own life yet one that he has never been able to carry out in his long life. One that was forgotten to many, one that had almost lost its meaning completely. Yet the stones now glowed. A duty that almost lost the battle against time now came roaring back with vigor. The stones glowed. It was now up to the old Goblin to make haste with his message. The stones were glowing.
First the Chief, then the entire clan, then all neighboring clans and then the subordinate tribes and before long all of goblin kind will come to know the stones were glowing.
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And once the goblins were prepared.. the world.. the entire world will come to know.
THE STONES WERE GLOWING. A GOBLIN ROYAL HAS BEEN BORN AND A GOBLIN KING WILL SOON RISE.
As yes.. the stones were indeed glowing.
Ahem.. back to the present..the old Goblin, quickly made his way out of the small stone building and followed a dirt path south right into the center of the Clan grounds, where the largest building in the Clan was located, the home of the Chief, this building also doubled as an administrative building where clan elders would convene to discuss all manner of things.
After reaching the building, the old Goblin didn¡¯t even bother with the guards manning the doors and just barged in, of course not just any individual could just barge into the Chief¡¯s building unchecked¡anyway he quickly found the office where the Chief usually resided at this late hour, and of course barged through that door as well.
Sigh..
¡°Elder Raj, you know your not supp..-¡°
¡°Blah! There is no time for that! The Stones of Birth are glowing!!¡±
The Chief immediately stood up from his chair with a look of seriousness on his face.
¡°Are you sure?! This is no laughing matter!¡±
¡°Of course I¡¯m sure! They are glowing, a very beautiful green glow in fact.¡±
¡°This..this changes everything..we need to find him. Did the glow start today?¡±
¡°Yes, after discovering the glow, I made it here with great haste. Which means we have a week..one week until the Stones of Birth will stop glowing completely until the next day where one Stone will glow again for just a short moment to signify the direction of the Royal.¡±
¡°We need to gather all the elders and the neighboring Clan Leaders, we need a force strong enough to make the journey to find and bring our future King home but also small enough to remain hidden from our many enemies. None can know of this¡especially not humans.¡±
Despite the late hour, it didn¡¯t take long for the Chief¡¯s message to be passed throughout his clan, and then the neighboring clans as well, all thirteen of them. Each housing thousands of goblins of all shapes and sizes, for these were Goblin lands, deep into the Dark Lands of Mir. Far away from the human gaze and too dangerous for any one large force to venture without significant losses.
By the time first light came, a large conference room was now housing all 14 Goblin Chiefs in the Dark Lands of Mir. Every single one of them radiating a power that suited beings sitting firmly in Tier 6.
¡°How many will we send?¡±
¡°We should of course send no less than Fifty of our finest warriors! How can we welcome our future King with anything less?!¡±
¡°Rogur you babbling fool! If we send that many Goblins beyond these lands they would attract too much attention!¡±
¡°You were always too damn cautious Jurna! Sending only fifty is barely even acceptable¡±
¡°Rogur, she is right. I agree our future King should only be treated with the highest honors, but this mission is too sensitive and far too important. It needs to be handled delicately. I think no more than ten warriors should go.¡±
¡°Ten?! Does anyone else agree with Grul?!¡±
The remaining Chiefs who were silent up until this point all gave it a moment to think it over before nodding to Rogur, indicating their agreement.
¡°Fine! But my Clan will send at least two warriors! And one of my Generals will be one of them! I won¡¯t back down from this, I refuse for my clan to have a poor showing in front of the future King.¡±
¡°Have it your way. To avoid any leadership issues Rogur¡¯s General will be the only Tier 5 on this mission, the remaining spots will be our best Tier 4 warriors. Lets quickly determine a team and prepare them for this mission. We only have a few days. Let''s not waste any more time.¡±
A rather tall yet surprisingly buff Maglin responded to Rogur, while the latter, an extremely bulky Goblin, only grunted in response.
The remaining Chiefs didn¡¯t pay him any mind, they were more than used to Rogur¡¯s personality. Despite wanting to make this team fairly quickly it took more than half a day to fill the required slots, while no one else was as heavy handed in their approach as Rogur, they all wanted their clan¡¯s warriors to make this journey, as it would bring them great honor to escort the future King.
Chapter Fifty Six (Book 2)
After the team was finalized, the Chief¡¯s whose warriors were chosen sent messengers back to their clans to bring back the chosen warriors. Another day had passed by the time the entire team had gathered.
The level of tension in the clan was extremely high at the moment, with every single Goblin knowing the importance of this mission, none more so than the selected team of ten. They were the ones tasked with the great role of not only finding their future King, but bringing him back as well.
Of course, they were all prepared to lay down their lives to ensure this mission was a success.
The team members consisted of one Tier 5 and 9 Tier fours. The document that listed this all important team went as follows.
Rogu - First son of Chieftain Rogur, General of the Raagur Clan. Tier 5 Goblin. Royal Retrieval
Team Captain.
Loruk - First Son of Gralgo, Chieftain of the Central Clan, Captain of the Goblin Corps. Tier 4 Goblin. Royal Retrieval Team Vice-Captain.
Teral - Warrior of the Saug Clan, Captain of the Saug Magic Team 1. Tier 4 Maglin.
Hurgs - Third son of Chieftess Jluug, Adjutant to General Trig. Tier 4 Maglin.
Kris - Shadow Goblin Clan. Tier 4 Goblin.
Krel - Shadow Goblin Clan. Tier 4 Goblin.
Sarug - First Daughter of Chieftain Darug, Captain of the Third Goblin Sword. Tier 4 Maglin.
Ulgri - Crafter of the Pogra Clan, Head of Iron Shop 3. Tier 4 TinkGoblin.
Surgsha - Material Gatherer of the Pogra Clan, Head of Mat Team 1. Tier 4 Goblin.
Ra - Warrior of the Raagur Clan, Captain of the Raguur Scout Division. Tier 4 Goblin.
While only Seven of the Fourteen Clans were represented, all the Chiefs eventually agreed this was the best team for the mission. While all Clans were composed of Goblins of all shapes and sizes, not all Clans were of the same strength, focus, and size. Taking all of those things into account led to the creation of the Royal Retrieval Team, as it was dubbed.
While strength was paramount to the success of the team, it was not the sole deciding factor, highlighted by the inclusion of Ulgri, the sole TinkGoblin on the team. They needed to be prepared for all possible situations without losing too much strength for direct fights.
Eventually, the remaining days passed as they quickly put together team of ten, did their best to bond and work on their coordination for the upcoming journey. Of course this was done under the watchful eyes of all the Chiefs, who didn¡¯t hesitate to give their advice especially since most of them sent their own kin on this life or death mission.
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For no mission could be greater than this¡
But the time was nigh, the stones had stopped glowing the day prior, and it was finally time to see which stone in the circle of eight would begin glowing one last time, to signify the direction the Royal was born in. All the Chiefs were gathered, albeit slightly cramped in the very same stone room the Stones of Birth were housed.
And despite the slightly cramped atmosphere, they were all silent as this room essentially spoke for Goblin Royalty, they did not dare to disrespect it with complaints.
It was after a few long, yet silent minutes after first light did one of the stones finally begin to glow.
¡°The glow...is very faint. The New Royal is far beyond these lands.¡± Said Chieftain Gralgo in a somber tone.
¡°We expected as much, I believe if a Royal was to be born near us, we would hear about it.¡± Responded Chieftess Jluug.
¡°This is correct, no need to dwell on this any longer, let us go deliver the news and send the team off, we cannot waste a second.¡± Spoken by Chieftess Yalg, who was already walking towards the exit of the stone room.
The remaining Chiefs quickly followed, and before long the Royal Retrieval Team was gathered before them.
Before the team trul;y departed, the Chiefs who had warriors in the team all stepped up to give their clan members final words of advice, this of course included the only Tier 5 on the mission.
Chieftain Rogur places his large hands upon his son¡¯s shoulders as he spoke.
¡°You have your direction, you know your mission. Your life is a cheap price to pray to achieve success, yet I will pray to our god that it is a price you will not need to pay. Bring back our Future King.¡±
¡°I will not fail you father, await my return.¡±
¡°Good!¡±
After all remaining goodbyes were stated, the Royal Retrieval team quickly departed in the direction given by the Stone. Outfitted in the best armor and weapons the Clans could provide.
Of course that was not all, as the Team Captain was also given a Goblin Blood Stone, a rather small greenish stone that is said to glow bright red when within a certain distance of a Goblin Royal. The glow will then begin to glow brighter, the closer the Royal is to the stone.
This item would be paramount to finding the Royal.
Though one must wonder how the Royal Retrieval team would feel if they knew the one they were so keen on bringing back to become a King, referred to himself as a part of something called ¡®Gang Green¡¯.
Speaking of this ever important Royal, in the present, he was currently deciding on whether to take the easy way out as he called it, or to face his dark fears as he again called it.
~~~
[Rick, there is no need to fight this lone Hawk. We both agree that not only could we stay wide of where it initially attacked you, but you can also wait till daytime to travel that direction, as it is likely a nocturnal hunter.]
¡®Yes, Velora that¡¯s true but isn¡¯t that a cowardly way of thinking! I should go back and turn that hawk into fried chicken for what it did to me!¡¯
[What is fried chicken? And how will a hawk become a chicken?]
¡®Ah..nevermind that..¡¯
[...Understood, though my thoughts are unchanged, there is no need to risk your life and the lives of the goblins traveling with you for something so small.]
¡®Yeah yeah, I know you''re right, I was being a bit dramatic. Though I¡¯ll definitely still come back and kill that damn bird when I''m stronger. Especially since after this long trip I¡¯m now extremely close to Tier 3.¡¯
[Good decision, and yes you are extremely close to the Third Tier. Would you like to see your current stats?]
¡®Hmm, no I¡¯ll wait till we get back to the cave, no need to distract myself any further, plus it¡¯ll be a nice little surprise to Jaba and the rest when I evolve almost immediately after getting back home hehe.¡¯
[Suit yourself.]
Chapter Fifty Seven (Book 2)
Rick and the rest of the group calmly made their way back to the cave in which Rick called home. Of course Rick made sure to travel with ample daylight and also to give a wide berth to the area where he encountered that Hawk. Much to his own annoyance of course, but he knew what he had to do, especially since he was now responsible for others.
Though there was no way of knowing if there were any other similar foes nearby or if the Hawk itself had moved locations, so Rick made the rest of the team aware of the danger and they all kept their guards up. Which of course slowed them down a little, but not enough to put significant time on their timeline.
So despite the need to maintain battle readiness, and taking a much wider path to their destination, the team was just barely a full day away from the lake in which a great beast slept, a lake that was of course devoid of any Goblin presence per orders of Rick.
Well it was devoid of any Goblin presence right up until Rick and friends finally reached its periphery.
¡°This is the lake I mentioned earlier, something way stronger than us is apparently sleeping inside of it, so remember while your here to never step foot near it just in case it wakes up with a taste for Goblins¡In fact we need to consider relocating since the actual cave where I live isn¡¯t that far from here.¡±
The other Goblins all gave solemn nods, before they all quickly began heading south towards the cave. With all of them rather eager to meet Rick¡¯s tribe.
It was just supposed to be another regular scouting trip for this lone Tier 1 Goblin. As part of all the new changes Jaba implemented, there would be daily scouting trips out in the forest, just walk around a bit in your assigned location and make sure nothing dangerous is lurking nearby.
That''s it..nothing more, nothing less.
But today was different for this Goblin, for as he walked to his assigned location which was the southern periphery of the lake. Probably the easiest and scariest location to scout as it was usually always safe, and very close to the tribe, but at the same time it was close too the lake where a slumbering beast that could wake at any time slept.
It was only a short time after he left the cave and began walking to his location that he saw a small group heading towards him.
He quickly tensed as there wasn''t supposed to be anyone this close to the cave, especially not a group. He didn''t recognize the individuals approaching, nor was he going to try and figure out who they were, and if they were enemies or not, but what he did know was that he had to warn the tribe as fast as possible.
So he dropped all caution, quickly turned around and made a beeline for the cave. Moving as fast as his little Goblin legs could carry him.
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Now if the Goblin could see Rick and crew, then of course Rick and the others could see him as well.
They quietly watched as his expressions went from relaxed to shock and worry before settling on a determined one as he began sprinting in the direction he was coming from.
"Mr.Rick...are you sure we shouldn''t have said anything? That Goblin looked a little frightened."
"Honestly Kida..I thought he would recognize me. Though I didn''t recognize him either since he probably evolved after I left, so I guess it''s only fair..."
"..Understood Mr.Rick"
"Anyway, It''ll work itself out, let''s continue back to the tribe."
It wasn''t long before the cave entrance finally came into view.. though what Rick saw left him speechless.
Neatly lined up and armed with spears, were three different squads of Goblins, all around 20 Goblins each. Some of them were even Tier 1.But standing in front of the three squads were three more goblins, though far larger in size.
They were of course Dal, Geedi, and Tal. All of whom were Tier 2 just like Rick.
Then of course the Goblin at the front wasn''t to be outdone. Still firmly in Tier 2, but he seemed different. He appeared a lot more battle hardened and stood at the forefront like a true general ready for war.
This was Jaba, right hand of Rick and someone who fought from the front, standing solemnly ready to defend his tribe.
Well at least he was standing ready right up until he finally saw who was at the head of the approaching group..and then also hearing his name being called in a voice he hadn''t heard in far too long.
"JABA!! I''M BACK!!"
Jaba himself almost tripped even though he was standing still..he couldn''t believe it. The Leader he and of course the rest of the tribe missed so much was back! And not only was he back, he seemed to have accomplished his mission and found other Goblins!..Though that was only regarding two of his group members..Jaba wasn''t really sure who the others were, though for some reason he couldn''t quite shake the feeling they were Goblins too..?
Jaba obviously wasn''t the only one to hear Rick''s shout..
Dal couldn''t help but want to scream in Joy cause their Leader was finally back! He hasn''t been our Leader for a long time, but it just somehow felt..right to wanna support the Leader.
''Though I really hope Geedi doesn''t cause too much of a fuss about these children she wants..what if..what if the Leader..turns..turns her down?''
That thought alone caused a shiver to run down Dal''s spine.
''I''ve decided not to think about this further..yes..this is a good plan.''
While Dal was going though his own inner turmoil so too of course was Tars and Geedi.
Though Tars¡¯ thoughts were a lot less drama related than Dal, they were no less complicated.
''The Leader is...still Tier 2..Will this cause any problems I wonder? I hope not..for some reason my instincts tell me the Leader is the right person to be in charge..I wonder why that is? Why as I stare at him do I get this feeling to be respectful? Is it only me that feels this? Hmm, I''m not sure what''s causing these instincts of mine to feel this way but these same instincts of mine have kept me alive while fighting in the forests so I''ll continue to trust them.
''The Leader is the Leader and that''s that.''
After reaching that final conclusion Tars seemed to relax as if everything was right in the world.
Now Geedi..Geedi probably was probably having the most tumultuous thoughts of all of them.
''He''s Back!! He''s finally ba..- who. is. that. ...and why is she standing so close to him?!''
Chapter Fifty Eight (Book 2)
Back to Rick and the Gang...
After everything calmed down and all the misunderstandings were cleared up, Rick and the group with him gathered together with Jaba, Geedi Tars, and Dal around the fire pit in the cave. While the rest of the goblins either trained or left to go hunt as usual.Once everyone was seated and a quick run of introductions happened, discussions began in earnest.
¡°So you''re saying that..these people with you..are all..Goblins?¡±
¡°Yes, they are..I was very surprised too when I met them all. Who woulda thought there were other types of Goblins out there? But I¡¯ll break it down for you, there are three types of Goblins.
"First you have us, essentially we are the base type of Goblins, we start out at a lower intelligence level and can¡¯t really communicate with each other, but other Goblin types, and higher tier versions of us base Goblins can understand us. But of course with the bad come the good, base Goblins are the most versatile of the bunch. We can essentially do everything the other types can do once we reach higher evolutionary tiers. Or at least that''s what''s been passed down in the tribes.
"Second you have Maglins, the magical type of Goblin. They are all born with the ability to use magic, and as they go up the tiers this ability only gets stronger and stronger. Of course we don''t really know what they can do past Tier two, but based on what was passed down in the tribes and Kida¡¯s own growing strength with her recent evolution it¡¯s probably safe to assume that it¡¯s true. Oh and unlike base Goblins, they are born with more intelligence and can communicate with everyone just fine.
"And you guessed it, TinkGoblins can also communicate with everyone just fine.
"But of course they can do more than just communicate, despite their smaller stature they have very long and strong fingers that carry a delicate touch, and something of an innate knowledge on how to build things. To my understanding they aren¡¯t necessarily born with the exact recipe to build something but it¡¯s easier for them to see a need and build a solution or be given an idea from someone else and figure out how to build whatever it is.
"Though no one exactly knows what a higher Tier TinkGoblin can do, let alone a Tier 2 one, because they are not the best fighters yet still need to fight other creatures to grow. So we can just assume they¡¯ll probably get better at building stuff.
"Alright..that''s everything the tribes know about the different types of Goblins, and even if a lot of it is word of mouth and not technically confirmed, it¡¯s still good information. Any questions?¡±
After taking a couple moments to digest all the new information given, it was Tars who posed the first question.
¡°Yes Leader, I have a question..I don¡¯t want to be rude to..Kida I believe your name was, but I do not know you or understand you, but what I do know is that you are also Tier 2 like our Leader. Does this mean you will eventually try and fight him to be the Leader?¡±
After Tars finished speaking the tension seemed to rise and everyone tensed up as if a fight would break out at any second.. Well it was mostly just Geedi who was ready for a fight, she was staring at Kida with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
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Oh and of course Rick wasn¡¯t all that tense either.
¡®You know Velora, that''s a good point, It¡¯s not the first time I was told that the strongest Goblin in the tribe is who the Leader is, I don¡¯t really wanna rule with fear but at the same time I don¡¯t mind fighting for the position since that''s what it means to be a Leader of Goblins I guess. And now that I think about it..It¡¯s not just Kida that might challenge me, what about Tars here, Geedi and Dal? Or any other Goblin that eventually evolves to the same Tier as me? That¡¯s a lot of fighting huh..¡¯
[Yes, that would be a lot of fighting, but I do not believe it¡¯s that simple. You are a Royal Goblin, It is in your DNA to be a Leader amongst Goblins. I am not yet aware of all of the meaning behind that, but your birthright is your birthright.]
¡®That..that was surprisingly encouraging. See your not so bad when you try to be nice¡¯
[If you say so. Now focus on the conversation Kida looks like she¡¯s ready to answer and depending on what she says Geedi looks like she¡¯s ready to kill so be ready.]
¡®Ah your right..Geedi does look a little scary right now..¡¯
It was then Kida finally responded.
¡°No! Of course not! Mr.Rick is our Leader too! In fact ever since we arrived in the vicinity of the cave I¡¯ve been getting a weird feeling whenever I look at Mr.Rick.. It¡¯s almost like I should be respectful when I talk to him, or I should be behaving more subservient..It¡¯s kind of hard to explain..and the feeling isn¡¯t that strong! But.. but it¡¯s there. I wasn¡¯t sure when to bring this up but this is as good a time as any..is anyone feeling this way as well? Is it just me..?¡±
All the Goblins looked at her with various emotions. Though Rick and Geedi were the only ones whose emotions were a bit different.
Geedi of course looked even more likely to do something dangerous, but at the same time she was clearly holding back from actually acting out on her thoughts.
While Rick was very confused..
¡®Velora..no way your timing was this good..It¡¯s almost like you rigged it! Is this the damn birthright thing you talked about?! Am I giving off Royal Goblin pheromones or something??¡¯
[Like most times, I have no idea what you are talking about. Though the pheromones theory might have some truth to it, I suggest we investigate further.]
Rick didn¡¯t even get a chance to respond before Tars started speaking again.
¡°I..I feel it too..When I was finally able to see the Leader approaching that same feeling came to me. Even now my instincts are telling me to be respectful when I am near the Leader. I thought it was only me, but seeing that you''re feeling it too, maybe this is something more important.
"Is anyone else feeling it as well..?¡±
Everyone kind of just nodded along in response to Tars, even Geedi seemed to calm down a bit and after giving it some thought she realized she felt the same thing and nodded along as well.
¡°It¡¯s important after all..So Leader is this something you are doing on purpose? Or is it something that happened on your journey? I don¡¯t remember this feeling being present before you left.¡±
¡®So I should probably come clean with them huh..though I¡¯m not sure if this is because I¡¯m a Royal Goblin or not, but that''s most likely the reason all of them are feeling this odd things when looking at me..Am I just gonna have to get used to being some type of pheromone battery for the rest of my green life? Sigh.. What do you think Velora? Should I tell them I''m really a Royal Goblin genius?¡¯
[Your race displays as Royal Goblin, not Royal Goblin Genius. As for your question, I see no harm in telling them, in fact it should help your case if they know the position you hold is one your race itself signifies you should hold. Also it is now 1100.]
¡®Look at you, always denying my genius mind! But fine I agree, I think I¡¯ll tell them¡¯
¡°No Tars, this isn¡¯t something I¡¯m doing on purpose, nor am I 100% certain I know the actual reason why this changed or why it¡¯s happening..but..I do know the most likely reason for it. It¡¯s something I didn¡¯t tell you all initially. But I am not just a regular Goblin, and no I don¡¯t mean in terms of Maglin, or a TinkGoblin, but something more..
"I am a Royal Goblin."
Chapter Fifty Nine (Book 2)
After Rick gave his big declaration in true Dramatic Rick fashion, he was not met with the big oohs and ahhs he was expecting. No super shocked faces, no loud gasps, or even any surprised stuttering. Instead he was met with confused silence. While Goblins do in fact get ¡®smarter¡¯ and are even infused with new knowledge, it is not all encompassing.
For instance, no one knew what a ¡®Royal¡¯ was exactly. Which of course left Rick feeling a little embarrassed his dramatic declaration didn¡¯t have the desired effect.
¡®Velora why aren¡¯t they reacting..why are they all kinda looking at me like I¡¯m crazy??¡¯
[Perhaps they are simply stunned by your magnificence.]
¡®You know that''s not the case! I¡¯m starting to believe you really are just here to make fun of me!¡¯
[Of course not, I am only here to support you on your journey. Oh look, Jaba is about to speak.]
And Velora was right, while Rick was still mentally recovering from the mental damage given by Velora, Jaba tentatively spoke up, seemingly on everyone¡¯s behalf.
¡°I think I can speak for all the goblins here..¡± He paused slightly to receive nods from the rest of the group ¡°..that we do not know what a ¡®royal¡¯ is.¡±
¡°Wait what..what do you mean you don¡¯t know what a Royal is..? Wait, do you know what a Kingdom is?¡±
¡°..Yes, It¡¯s a much bigger tribe right? At least that''s how I understand it.¡±
¡°I guess that¡¯s not actually wrong, but a kingdom is a bit more than just a small tribe, though we can go into detail there later, meanwhile lets focus on what a Royal is..
"So I¡¯ll try to explain this as best I can in a way that you all should be able to understand, so just wait till the end for any questions, alright?¡±
Rick continued after receiving nods from the group, oh and Velora letting him know it was now 1300.
¡°So a Royal is kind of like the Leader of a tribe, except it is but more than that, while a Leader is usually just one Goblin, a Royal can be many Goblins, usually all a part of something called the Royal Family. For example if the Leader of a tribe had a partner, and they had children together, all of them would be Royals. A class above the rest of the tribe, yet still a part of the tribe.
"We can get into power dynamics and all of that later, but essentially the Royals are the group that kinda rules the tribe, and the Leader of the Royals, is also the Leader of the entire tribe.
"Now it gets a little bit more complicated from there, in most cases being a Royal has benefits, such as being protected and revered by the tribe they are a part of, and many other benefits we can talk about after, but while they receive benefits, they are also responsible for the well-being of the tribe, with the overall Leader having the final say on all matters for the tribe.
"Now anyone can technically become ¡®Royals¡¯, just take over a bunch of tribes and declare yourself King, or Leader and then as long as you''re in charge youre say goes I guess. My case is a little bit different as I don¡¯t think I need to call myself a Royal because I was born one. And while I really don¡¯t fully understand what that means yet, that¡¯s probably the only reason you all get that weird feeling when looking at me¡and that¡¯s a pretty rough explanation I think but that''s kinda it..any questions?¡±
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¡°Yes! I have a question!!¡± A rather loud TinkGoblin spoke up.
¡°Go ahead Wala.¡±
¡°So does whoever you decide to call partner get reborn as this Royal thing too?¡±
¡°Hmm..I don''t think so? It will kind of just be understood I guess.¡±
¡°Huh..interesting.¡±
¡°I too have a question..you said something about the children of Royal also being Royals..does that mean they will be next in line to rule the tribe if you were to die..?¡± said Zargi with a somewhat serious look on his face.
¡°I suppose so? But nothing is set in stone and we can make rules for all that stuff in the future.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
¡°Leader..with all of this talk about children..does..does this mean you''re open to children of your own..?¡± Said a very nervous Geedi.
¡®Sigh.. Velora she really went and brought it up didn¡¯t she..¡¯¡¯
[You knew she would at some point, now answer her.]
¡®Your right..¡¯
¡°Yes, I..I¡¯m open to children at some point in the future..but probably not anytime soon. I need to take care of the tribe, and focus on getting stronger so that we can free all the Goblins in the plains.¡±
After hearing Rick¡¯s answer Geedi¡¯s face went through a look of disappointment before quickly flashing to one of hope, and then she responded with a simple nod accompanied by a smile, seemingly content with Rick¡¯s answer.
¡®That..went better than expected..I thought she would cause more of a fuss about it¡¯
[That just means you don¡¯t know her well enough, maybe it¡¯s time you spent more time with your tribe, instead of running off everywhere?]
¡®I..I suppose you''re right..especially since I really am a Royal, do I need an escort or something..?¡¯
[Perhaps, perhaps not. I don¡¯t think there are set rules for this. At least there aren¡¯t any in my current database.]
It was then Kida spoke up, drawing Rick out of his inner conversation with Velora.
¡°Mr.Rick..I believe we will probably have a lot to discuss on this as time goes on, but thank you for explaining what you have so far. You are our Leader, and being born as this..Royal only affirms that. Though I think we all still need some time to fully digest all this information and then finally begin to plan all the ideas we discussed in our travels here. Is it alright if we ended here for now? I think I have a lot of catching up to do with Jaba, Tars, Dal, and ..Geedi here.¡±
¡®Huh..that''s kind of random right, Velora? Why does she seem kinda serious as she asked that.¡¯
[I''m sure she has a reason for actions.]
¡®Your probably right, it¡¯s just weird..anyway I suppose I needed some time to go check out my status finally¡¯
¡®Sure I guess? We can meet up later once everyone is ready.¡¯
And with that Rick got up and went to his Tent which was pretty much the same as he left it months ago.
¡®You know I don¡¯t mind living in this tent, but hopefully with Wala and Dran here we can get some proper houses or something..or at least some better than crudely made horned rabbit tents with holes in em..not that I can do a better job of course.¡¯
[They should be able to help. Though I do believe you will likely have to describe exactly what you want to them as they themselves also lived in tents in the plains.]
¡®They did, didn¡¯t they..anyway things for future Rick to worry about..I think it¡¯s finally time to check my status! Pull it up Velora!¡¯
[Understood.]
{Name - Rick}
{Age - 20}
{Race - Royal Goblin}
{Essence - 5} Absorb?
{Evo Points - 177/180}
{Health - 80/80}
{Strength - 62}
{Agility - 57}
{Intelligence - 53}
{Endurance - 59}
{Skills}
{Velora}
¡®Hehehe Guess who''s bouta be TIER THREE!!¡¯
If there was a Goblin nearby Rick¡¯s tent when we finally read his status, they probably would¡¯ve been weird out by the low giggles they were hearing.
Thankfully for Rick, there wasn¡¯t.
But of course Velora was still there.
[Why are you giggling?]
Chapter Sixty (Book 2)
¡®Do you think the fact that I only need three essence but have five to absorb will cause a problem?¡¯
[Not sure, more information is required. Perhaps It will be left alone? Or maybe stored until your evolution is completed. We won¡¯t know unless you try.]
¡®Figures..well might as well do it. Absorb, please.¡¯
[Understood.]
After experiencing the weird absorbing feeling that Rick still can¡¯t get used to no matter how many times he does it, he brought his status back up.
{Name - Rick}
{Age - 20}
{Race - Royal Goblin}
{Essence - 0}
{Evo Points - 180/180} - Evolve?
{Health - 80/80}
{Strength - 62}
{Agility - 57}
{Intelligence - 53}
{Endurance - 59}
{Skills}
{Velora}
¡®So it really took it all..It¡¯s only two essence but I hope I get it back after I evolve. Also I know I just need to evolve to see, but do you think this evolution will bring about a whole bunch of changes like the previous ones? From Tier 0 to Tier 1 I, I gained these black tribal-like tattoos, and I didn¡¯t have a potbelly anymore when the regular goblins like Jaba did. From Tier 1 to Tier 2, not only did my tattoos get bigger, I had a lucid dream with some god apparently, and I gained you. Will all my evolutions be that way? Is it because I¡¯m a Royal perhaps?¡¯
[It is reasonable to expect more differences as you evolve. As you¡¯ve just stated, you are a Royal. It is ingrained in your blood to be a step above the masses of your race. I¡¯m not currently aware of the type of changes you should expect, but I would advise you prepare for them mentally at least.]
¡®Your right..well no use in delaying it, Evolve!¡¯
[Understood.]
Going back a few minutes ago to when Rick got up from around the fire. The rest of the Goblins stayed seated for a while longer, until Kida finally spoke again.
¡°I don¡¯t know what everyone thinks of everything Mr. Rick said, but I think it changes a lot..If he really is this Royal thing from birth, which I believe he is.¡± Kida paused a bit to let her words sink in and then continued.
¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure about how important that he is a Royal is, but it sounds very important, and I think we need to change some things. First, how do we address him? He didn¡¯t really like being called Leader, so I called him Mr. Rick, but it should be something else...there¡¯s other things I can think of but I¡¯m still new here, so I don¡¯t know how everything works. Do you guys have any thoughts on this?¡±
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Of course, It was Geedi who spoke up first. Though with a lot less animosity than she initially planned.
¡°You''re right¡you are new here. I think we need to go over in detail where you all came from and what your goals are here, but in the meantime¡I agree with you¡Now that the Leader is back things need to change, especially with the fact that he is this all important Royal. What do you think Jaba, you probably know how to go about this best.¡±
Jaba took a moment to collect his thoughts and then spoke in a somewhat serious tone.
¡°¡I have been doing a lot of thinking about something similar since before Rick even came back. We have a lot more Goblins now since the time he left months ago but based on what I know of Rick and his personality, this won¡¯t be the last time he runs off on some adventure, not that we would try and stop him as it seems to bring benefits. He even brought back¡new¡goblins. Or at least new to us.
"So I¡¯ve long been thinking that we need to give Rick his own team or something that will follow him around and help fight his battles. I¡¯m even more ready to do this now that we know he is a Royal, even though I also don¡¯t fully understand everything that means, I do realize that it¡¯s important, and for some reason I feel a strong urge to want to protect him even more. I¡¯m not sure who will make up this squad that only follows Rick, but I really do think we should do it. What do you all think about that?¡±
Everyone sat in contemplation for a couple minutes digesting everything Jaba said, but it was during this time that the tent Rick entered began to shine brightly.
With the light pouring out through the many holes in the tent from the poor ¡®stitching¡¯ job to link all the rabbit hides together. Of course, all the Goblins currently in the cave noticed it, and had various looks of awe, and astonishment on their faces.
¡°He is evolving again¡this is good, the Leader of the tribe should always be the strongest!¡± Said an excited Geedi.
¡°I evolved to Tier two before him, yet not only did he catch up but now he passed me as well. You''re right Geedi, this is good, but I wonder how he is evolving so fast? I don¡¯t really know how to explain it but I don¡¯t really feel all that close to being Tier three¡I didn¡¯t understand the feeling even a little back then, but after I woke up when Rick brought me back to the tribe after we survived that terrible beast we ran into, my body felt like it longed for more, and I gave into those feelings and evolved right there. But it feels like that¡¯s extremely far off for me. How about everyone else?¡±
¡°It¡¯s the same for me too Jaba, I felt that same longing for both my Tier one and Tier two evolutions, but right now it feels like it will take a very long time to reach Tier three¡I don¡¯t really know how to explain the feeling either, but I can feel¡something giving me the idea that it will be a while to evolve again.¡±
After Dal responded to Jaba, everyone else kind of just chimed in with their own experiences to evolving, and although they all described the feeling to evolve differently it was very similar between them, another thing to note was that the ones still at Tier one like Zargi didn¡¯t feel that same chasm to reach Tier two that Jaba and the others felt to reach Tier three.
Instead, he described it as something that was somewhat within his reach. Of course, no one knew exactly what they were all feeling with certainty, but it did give them all somewhat of a confirmation that Rick was evolving through the Tiers particularly fast. And for some reason they weren¡¯t too surprised by it.
They didn¡¯t move to immediately finish discussing their previous topic regarding how to treat Rick going forward, as they all just sat there, taking a few moments to stare at Rick¡¯s tent in admiration while awaiting the finish to his evolution.
It was Tars who woke them up for the lul of watching Rick¡¯s tent and brought them back to the discussion.
¡°I think we should finish this talk before he wakes up. Jaba, I think your plan to give the Leader his own dedicated team that will follow him around and help him do things is a good one, but they can''t be too weak, so one of us should do it, along with lets say..hmm¡five Tier one Goblins? I will volunteer myself for the role. If no one has any complaints I will even go and pick out the five Goblins who will be a part of the team right now. Actually, I¡¯ll just go ahead and do that.¡±
Before anyone could really digest everything Tars was saying, he got up and immediately left, walking briskly towards the exit before quickly disappearing outside to pick his new team members.
Of course he had a slight smirk on his face the entire time¡but his plan wouldn¡¯t go that smoothly as everyone else finally caught on, Geedi, Kida,Zargi, Jaba, Dal, and the usually quiet Lagi and Sigi all got up and ran after Tars, it was easy to tell they all wanted to be on this team following Rick around.
Which of course left Dran and Wala sitting dumbfounded around the fire pit.
¡°...So Dran..have you noticed the state of these..tents..¡± Said Wala, who was usually a little fiery but appeared somewhat disgusted.
¡°Yes I have..I think we have a lot of work to do.¡±
Chapter Sixty One (Book 2)
Going back to around the time Rick first made it to the Plains.
¡°General, we are approaching the lands of the Enargo Nation. They will have ways to detect us. It would be wise to take a wider route so that we have a chance to get past without being detected.¡±
¡°No need, we have come prepared. Teral activate the device.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
Teral then took out an opaque stone that fit snuggly in her palm, then she willed her mana to enter the stone, filling it up.
Once the stone was filled, an imperceptible shroud extended outwards, covering the group its aura.
¡°How long can you keep it active?¡±
¡°Roughly 40 minutes while walking or jogging, less if I have to sprint.¡±
¡°Then we will exit these lands before that time is up. Focus on the device, Loruk will carry you. Stay together and move with haste.¡±
After receiving acknowledgment of his orders, Rogu immediately began sprinting at almost full speed with the group following behind him. Of course, since he was Tier 5, he was a lot faster than his peers, but he would likely be the first one detected due to his strength if he exited the shroud.
While the shroud would prevent them from being detected, by means of scanning with various monster race detection technology, it wouldn¡¯t prevent them from being seen, or if someone truly strong happened to have their senses in the area they would be found out with or without the shroud. Due to that they still had to stay to the shadows and do their best to avoid being seen.
Thankfully this route and plan had already been planned out. Despite the rush in which the team was assembled no stone was left unturned in the planning of this mission. There are many plans and contingencies in place to ensure the return of their King. Even if every single one of them died in the process, the mission would be considered a success as long as the King was delivered safely.
Fortunately for them, they successfully made it out of the area of detection within the timeframe. Though by this point Teral was beyond exhausted for having to maintain a constant flow of heavy mana into the stone. She was drained and could hardly walk, let alone speak. Of course Rogu recognized this.
¡°We will rest for a moment. You two, scout the area. Surgsha and Ra ensure our food stocks are still in order.¡±
Both Kris and Krel nodded and disappeared into the surrounding woods. While the other two began double checking their rations. They were on the outskirts of the Enargo nation at this point and although they knew the general direction of where they must go, they had no idea for long they would actually need to travel, and that was without counting the journey back.
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So stopping at times to gather food when they could was part of the process.
A few minutes later Kris and Krel showed up. It was Krel who spoke up.
¡°No immediate threats in the area. There is a caravan traveling in our direction along the main road, but their guards are roughly Tier 3.¡±
¡°Understood. Teral, can you move?¡±
¡°I can.¡±
¡°Good, Surgsha, our food?¡±
¡°We are okay for now, we might need to restock in a month or so.¡±
¡°Mm, form up. We will head out shortly.¡±
As everyone prepared themselves to continue the journey ahead, Rogu took out the Bloodstone and carefully caressed it in his hands.
¡®I will soon find you my King.¡¯
A few moments later and the team was on the move once more.
¡..
Time continued to pass, and around the time Rick was a month into his journey back to the Tribe, the Royal Retrieval Team ran into their first real problem.
¡°Sir¡we will have to fight.¡±
¡°I know, but we will do this efficiently.¡±
The Team was currently on the banks of a raging river in the dark of night. They had already learned that for miles on end there would only be one way across. A bridge that was off in the distance. Nothing was wrong with the bridge itself. The problem was what awaited them after the bridge.
On the side of the river sat an encampment of sorts. From what they could see it was a group of 30 or so humans that were lightly armored. According to their limited knowledge of the area, there should be no such encampment here, which posed a problem.
Rogu could only wonder if there was more to this that met the eye. This type of encampment appearted semi-permanent. Why would the humans set this up here? By this point they were quite the distance away from any human nation, and were far into the Wild Lands as they were dubbed.
Only officially recognized demi-humans governed these lands from this point on. Of course Goblins weren¡¯t included in that list of official races.
Anyway, he knew they had to be dealt with for the sake of their mission, but it had to be delicate. There would be no way to pass without being seen, and they couldn¡¯t wait to see if they would ever dismantle the camp and leave. So blood would need to be shed. He would ensure this went as silent and quick as possible. He refused to have armies on his tail as he journeyed to their King.
¡°Listen carefully. I cannot sense anyone stronger than Tier 4 in that camp, but we are outnumbered and we need to be quick, efficient, and ruthless. I am not worried about that camp, but I am worried about what may come after. We have to ensure they have no time to send any messages.
¡°Teral, are you able to disrupt the wind around the camp to limit the traveling of sound?¡±
¡°Yes, but it will be limited, faint sounds only. Anything too loud and the wind won¡¯t matter.¡±
¡°That is good enough. Kris and Krel. The success of this will rest on your shoulders. I want the entire camp to know the pain of meeting the Shadow Goblin Clan at night. Loruk, Hurgs, and Sarug, be ready to play clean up. Surgsha, Ra, and Ulgri remain here and do not cross the bridge until we are finished.
¡°Understood?¡±
No one spoke, but various nods was all the confirmation Rogu needed.
¡°Good. Move out.¡±
The members of the team didn¡¯t waste any time and immediately began to move as their orders dictated. Kris and Krel seemed to blend into the night as they sprinted across the bridge. No sound could be heard from their steps, no smell came from their bodies, even the wind itself didn¡¯t react to their movements. They were one with the environment.
Rogue watched all of this happen with subdued awe. No matter how many times he witnessed the members of the Shadow Goblin clan, he would always be shocked at their abilities. They were made up of the same type of Goblins as every other Clan, but when they disappeared into the night like this, one couldn''t help but think they were an entirely different race of Goblins altogether.
The encampment was in for a rough night.
Chapter Sixty Two (Book 2)
Eventually both Dran and Wala exited the cave to go fully scout the type of materials they would have access to in the forest. They of course knew it would likely be mostly wood from the trees, but it was their first time this deep in the Nameless Forest, so it wouldn¡¯t hurt to survey the area.
Which left the cave mostly empty. Well mostly empty if not for the fact that there was a sleeping Rick who was currently unconscious as he underwent his evolution.
An evolution that was now coming to an end.
¡°Erm..uh..Velora..?¡±
[Welcome back Rick. Your evolution was a success. Though, there are some changes you may not be happy with.]
¡®Oh yeah¡OH YEAH!! I evolved! Wait a second¡What do you mean I won¡¯t be happy with?¡¯
[It would be easier to show you. Would you like to see your status?]
''Wait, I''m nervous now¡show me?''
{Name - Rick}
{Age - 20}
{Race - Royal Goblin}
{Tier 3)
{Essence - 0}
{Evo Points - 0/540}
{Skills}
{Velora}
¡®Velora.¡¯
[Yes?]
¡®Where¡¯s the rest of my status?¡¯
[It¡¯s been taken away.]
¡®Taken away huh.¡¯
[Yes, taken away. There is a message attached to your evolution. It is in regards to your current situation. Would you like to see it?]
¡®Sigh Welp let''s see it!¡¯
[Understood.]
~ Tier 3 already huh? Good for you. That also means you should probably understand a bit about the world now. The numbers you saw before were a part of a little tutorial of sorts and Tier 3 marks the end of that. You don¡¯t need the numbers, they are only a crutch. ~
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
¡®This is evil! Are they eventually just going to take away my status altogether! Bring me my numbers back!¡¯
[I don¡¯t think that''s possible.]
¡®Ahh this sucks. Should I expect more messages as I evolve through the Tiers?¡¯
[I do not know, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be prepared for that to happen.]
¡®Super big Sigh I think the author just didn¡¯t want to keep up with all the numbers!!!¡¯
[...What?]
¡®Nevermind that, let''s see what changes Tier 3 brought me. Hmm¡I feel mostly the same. Well apart from an increase in overall bodily strength, but other than that I don¡¯t really feel any different. Do I look any different Velora?¡¯
[Your muscles seem a bit more refined, but other than that, no.]
¡®Huh¡was Tier 3 just about getting a little stronger?¡¯
[Perhaps things not visible to the naked eye got improved.]
¡®Sometimes you really show your smartness Velora! But yeah you''re probably right, It didn¡¯t show up as a skill in my status but maybe I can sense mana or something now?¡¯
[Perhaps, I suggest consulting Kida.]
¡®Yeah I¡¯ll do just that¡where are they anyway.¡¯
[They exited the cave shortly after you triggered your evolution.]
¡®I see¡well let''s go find them!¡¯
Unbeknownst to Rick, the second he woke up from his evolution. Every single Goblin in the area could feel it. They couldn¡¯t feel the fact he woke up per se¡but they could feel something else. Though they wouldn¡¯t find out what that feeling was for a while longer.
¡°Hm? Do you guys feel that?¡± Said Dal as he looked back towards the cave.
''Yeah¡it''s the feeling we get around the Leader¡but it feels stronger.¡± Responded Kida as she too looked towards the cave.
¡°Hey! I thought we just now agreed to call him Chief. As the leader of his new guard team I won¡¯t stand for anything less!¡±
¡°We get it Geedi you won the draw, but don¡¯t you feel it too?¡± Said Dal.
¡°Of course I feel it, but I¡¯m not surprised. The Chief is special after all.¡±
No one else said anything as they all kind of just stared at the cave entrance. Well everyone except Geedi. She was busy scrutinizing the members of her Squad. They had a draw to decide who would be the one to follow Rick around and she won it, though the rest of them had a feeling that she probably would''ve fought to get the position if she didn''t win so it was probably for the best.
Anyway, she now needed the actual members who would fill out the team and it was driving her just a little crazy.
Eventually she settled on 5 of them.
¡°Alright, you 5 will be on this team. We will be guarding the Chief! So if you''re not ready for that, tell me right now!¡±
¡°...Huh ready for what?¡±
Geedi turned around in a fright to see Rick walking out of the cave and looking straight at her.
POV Rick
¡°Chief!¡±
¡®Did she just call me Chief? Where did that come from?¡¯
¡°Why Chief? You don¡¯t have to call me that, Rick is perfectly fine!¡±
¡°Ah Chief, we should probably talk. We have decided on some things, that we hope you don¡¯t fight us on.¡±
¡®Is this a rebellion Velora?!¡¯
[You are overreacting.]
¡®Probably¡but you''re not supposed to say that! Anyway let''s see what they have to say.¡¯
¡°Sure Jaba, we can talk. Want to go back in the cave?"
¡°Ah yes we can, just me and you should be fine.¡±
Rick and Jaba headed back inside the cave and eventually found themselves back around the fire pit.
¡°So Jaba, what''s all the fuss about?¡±
¡°Well, we all talked about it, and we realized you do need to be treated with a bit more respect. We also decided that you do in fact need an escort, and Geedi won the draw to become the captain of the escort. She is currently picking out members for the escort, but the idea is for them to follow you around and protect you everywhere you go.
¡°Also with the whole respect thing, we won¡¯t call you Rick anymore. It needs to be something more respectful and Wala suggested Chief, and we agreed to run with it. Is this alright with you?¡±
¡°Chief huh¡well I guess I don¡¯t have any complaints. I¡¯ll do my best to be a great Chief for the tribe.¡±
¡°That''s great! Also¡that feeling we get that we talked about earlier¡It got a little stronger after your evolution.¡±
¡°Wait what? Really? I can¡¯t even feel whatever it is you''re talking about.¡±
¡°Yeah, it''s not a bad feeling, and it''s not super stronger than before but we can all feel it.¡±
¡°I see¡well, at least it''s not bad¡¡±
¡®Dammit Velora I¡¯m a pheromone battery!!¡¯
[You''re overreacting.]
Chapter Sixty Three (Book 2)
[It is now 1500.]
¡®Thank you.¡¯
¡°So Chief¡apart from the improved sensation we¡¯re all getting from you, are there any other changes to being Tier 3?¡±
¡®Is that a sparkle in his eye Velora?¡¯
[No, I don¡¯t think so.]
¡®No, I see it! His eyes are sparkling!¡¯
[¡]
¡®Is that the silent treatment?!¡¯
¡°Um Chief?¡±
¡°Uh sorry, I was thinking about your question.¡±
¡°Ah was it too much to ask?¡¯
¡°No no, you will soon be Tier 3 yourself anyway, but not much changed for me. I still look the same, and I can already tell I¡¯m both stronger and faster than before, but so far, I haven¡¯t noticed anything else too significant. Though I plan on doing various tests to confirm that.¡±
¡°Oh okay, I can tell that I¡¯m close so I couldn¡¯t help but think about it. Thank you.¡±
¡°Ah of course Jaba. Actually, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re here, the tribe has gone through a lot of changes while I was gone huh¡±
¡°Yes! I¡¯ve been very proud of our progress! The three squad idea has gone down really well, with Geedi, Tars, and Dal being great squad leaders. It led them to reaching Tier 2 around a week after you left, and a number of Tier 0 Goblins reached Tier 1. Before long, the entire tribe with the exception of the new ones will be Tier 2.¡±
¡°Right..new ones. I did notice there were a bit more Goblins than when I left. I¡¯m assuming that means a number of you guys decided to engage in Goblin baby making activities.¡±
¡°Yes¡there was some of that. It was all by the Tier 0 Goblins though. None of the Tier 1 Goblins or any Tier 2 did anything like that. I¡¯m not sure why that¡¯s the case but that¡¯s how it happened. So instead of around 20 something Goblins, we now have 43 Goblins, not including the group you brought back. Oh that number is including myself , Geedi, Dal and Tars.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a big increase¡but I dont see any pregant Goblins, or any babies at all running around. Why is that?"
"Well they all kind of stopped at some point. Again, not sure the reason there. Regarding babies...it actually takes only about 7 days for a baby to grow into a full fledged Goblin. The mother also only stays pregnant for 14 days. So once you left it all happened very fast...Honestly it was a bit much at first but things have calmed down since then.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
"Plus the addition our numbers was good and we were able to do some new things due to that."
''7 days to grow and a 14 day pregnancy? We''re like bugs Velora! No wonder people want us gone, if left to our own devices we could multiply like crazy in the span of just a few months...''
[Yes, I could see how that would pose a problem, but remember Jaba said they stopped after a while. Perhaps it was just an instinctual desire to reproduce that the lesser Goblins found harder to ignore.]
''There you go again with the smart stuff...well it''s not something I can figure out in the short term, but its good to know we could very easily face population problems in the future.''
"Right...so these new things you mentioned Jaba, does that include scouting? Is that why i ran into that lone Goblin on the way back to the cave?"
"Yes! So how we go about things have changed slightly once all the babies stopped coming, and the previous ones grew up. We still kept three sqauds, but one will go through training with me, while the other rested and guarded the back exit in the cave, and the active squad will handle hunting and scouting.
"So not including myself, Dal, Tars and Geedi there are 39 Goblins. 24 of them are Tier 1 now and are split between the 3 squads evenly at the moment which was just a nice coincidence. The other 15 are still Tier 0 and are mostly made up of the ''babies''. They are split evenly as well, but this time on purpose.
"That makes three squads of 13, one squad leader each, and then me."
"Wow...thats actually really good. You guys are amazing Jaba."
"Haha...thank you."
"Ah don''t be shy now!"
[Stop teasing him.]
''Your no fun!''
"Anyways Jaba, that brings me back to the whole escort thing with Geedi. What will we do now with the remaing members of her squad? And who''ll be the new leader?"
"Actually I don''t think we''d thought that far ahead but your the Chief, what do you think?"
"I am the Chief now aren''t I...let me think."
''So Velora what do you think?''
[Weren''t you the one that was supposed to think about it?]
''This is me thinking about it! But fine...hmm...what if we just make Geedi''s entire squad the new escorts...and then the other two will still kind of be the same, but the squad not hunting will help with things around the tribe...like building...yeah Wala and Dran know how to build things but they can''t do it all themselves, so they''d need help.
''While the escort thing...I still feel a bit weird about it but it makes sense I guess. What king didn''t have a royal guard? Plus wasn''t the Royal Guard suppose to be a step above the rest? Ah...I just got an idea! My ''Royal Guard'' does need to be step above the rest...so no one below Tier 2 for now!''
[Does that mean your going to reject their wishes to give you an escort?]
''No...but they need to be evolve quickly if they want to join my guard and they need to be cut from a different cloth as well. So I''ll ''reject'' them but only until they become Tier 2. ''
[What about the new Goblins you brought? Are they going to be ingrained in any squads?]
''Hmm another good question...well Wala and Dran could be the very first members of our new building squad, but the others...I guess with Kida and Zargi we could create a magic division? Sigi and Lagi though...I''m actually not sure. I can just ask them I guess.''
[You didn''t need my help afterall.]
''Yeah yeah whatever you say.''
"Alright Jaba, I my answer. Please call the others back in so I can just say it all at once."
"The entire tribe or just the new Goblins and the squad leaders?"
"Hm good question..."
''I suppose I should do more delgation now huh, let the squad leaders get more and more used to handling their own squads.''
"Just squad leaders and the new Goblins."
"Got it Chief."
''Its going to take some time to get used to that.''
Chapter Sixty Four (Book 2)
¡®I¡¯m a little nervous about this next conversation, but I think it¡¯s the right idea. What do you think Velora? And for real this time!¡¯
[I believe your ideas are sound. Though I would advise you to remain flexible and try to keep an open mind regarding the future. If you eventually have tens, hundreds, or even thousands of Goblins under you, a proper structure will be needed, or things can get out of control very quickly.]
¡®That¡¯s a good point¡Well its only about 40 of us for now, so I¡¯ll focus on that, but as we grow these plans and squads of mine will eventually need to be changed.
¡®Having a thousand Goblins into one squad won¡¯t work all that well I don¡¯t think. But multiple squads being a part of a large¡group of sorts should be the next step I think. Okay yeah, that all makes sense in my head, and I¡¯ll let future Rick deal with it!
¡®Oh, there goes Jaba and the rest.¡¯
¡°I¡¯ve brought everyone Chief.¡±
¡°Good, good, gather round.¡±
¡°Alright¡so I¡¯ve done a lot of thinking, and I finally have my thoughts in order. Let¡¯s start off with the Chief thing. If that¡¯s the decision you all have made, I¡¯ll respect it. It will likely take me a while to get used to being called that, but I¡¯ll get it eventually.
¡°Now the whole escort thing. That one is a bit deeper to unpack. I agree with it, and I do think the leader of any tribe should have something like a dedicated guard. It does feel a little weird to be making my own guard like this, but it needs to be done.
¡°So¡while I do think it needs to be done. It needs to be done properly. Here are the changes I have in mind. Instead of just 5 Goblins from Geedi¡¯s squad, it will be the entire squad itself. All of you will now become the Royal Guard, oh and that¡¯s what we¡¯ll call it. The Royal Guard.
¡°So yeah the Royal Guard, the entire squad will be a part of it but not initially. The Royal Guards need to be the best of the best. The top of the line. Only Tier 2s and above can join the Royal Guard. So yes that means so far only Geedi will be technically in the Royal Guard. Regarding her squad, they will be considered to be accepted into the Royal Guard, but not officially until they all reach Tier 2.
¡°And like I said earlier, the Royal Guard needs to be the best of the best, so that includes being excellent fighters. They need to be trained specially and dedicate their entire beings to being Royal Guards. So, although I said Geedi¡¯s entire squad will make up the Royal Guard, at this point they have the chance to drop out if that¡¯s not something want to do, and we can place them in one of the other two squads.
¡°Speaking of the other two squads¡they will essentially remain the same. One squad is responsible for hunting and guarding the outskirts of the Tribe, while the other will be staying home and guarding the entrances to the cave and also helping Dran and Wala with any building they do.
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¡°Now regarding the Goblins who joined me from the plains. I already mentioned building, but I would like for Wala and Dran to run some sort of building and research division. As of right now that division will just be you two, but I am hoping it will grow in the future. Kida and Zargi on the other hand will be a part of a new magic division, while for Sigi and Lagi¡I¡¯m not sure.
¡°So Sigi and Lagi, I¡¯d like for you to tell me what it is you want to do. Actually, that goes for all of you. Kida, Zargi, Wala, and Dran. Do you all have any thoughts about what it is you want ?¡±
¡°I love the idea of a magic division! I¡¯ve always wanted to dedicate my time to researching nothing but magic and this feels like the perfect chance to do that!¡±
¡°¡I agree with Zargi¡I think a division that is focused on magic will be great.¡±
¡°Thank you Zargi and Kida, anyone else?¡±
¡°Ah yes! I feel just like Zargi! A building and research division is perfect!!¡±
¡°I think both Wala and I will enjoy being in this new division Chief.¡±
¡°Thank you¡Sigi and Lagi?¡±
¡®Why are they just staring at me?¡¯
[They are probably thinking.]
¡®Oh¡yeah probably.¡¯
¡°Wan..t..to¡hel..p..Ch..ief.¡±
¡°Want to help Chief? I see Sigi..and you Lagi?¡±
¡°Sa..me¡th¡ing.¡±
¡°I see¡want to help Chief huh¡hm¡let me think¡¡±
¡®So¡Velora¡what do you think?¡¯
[Again, this is a decision for you to make, but I don¡¯t believe you need to overthink it. Their request was to help you, so let them help you.]
¡®No need for the attitude Velora, but what you just said kind of gave me an idea. The job of the Royal Guard will be to protect me, and while I can definitely give them things to do, that isn¡¯t their primary function. It would probably be nice to have a team of dedicated helpers. Wait helpers sound like such a bad term¡how about hands! The Chief¡¯s hands¡yeah I actually like the sound of that. Good job Velora!¡¯
[Thank you.]
¡°So Sigi and Lagi¡since your request was to help me¡I thought of a new group. It will be called the Chief¡¯s hands. This group will be responsible for carrying out tasks from me that are separate from the tasks given to the tribe. You won¡¯t report to anyone else, just me. How does that sound?¡±
¡®Okay I definitely see sparkles now! You see it too right Velora?!¡¯
[¡]
¡®Ah whatever!¡¯
¡°It..sou..ds¡good.¡±
¡°Go¡od.¡±
¡°Great! Well, that¡¯s pretty much everything about that, I have some other things to talk about, but do you guys have any questions in the meantime? Jaba, Geedi, Dal and Tars?¡±
It was Geedi who spoke up first.
"I don''t have any questions Chief! I will get my squa- other members of the Royal Guard up to Tier 2 in no time!"
''Isn''t she getting too excited about all of this?''
[It''s a big deal.]
''Well, yeah I guess so.''
Tars came next.
"Chief...are others able to join the Royal Guard now?"
''Hmm that''s actually a good question...but I think i want to create a standard first before I add any others.''
"As of right now, the answer would be no. Once Geedi and the rest are truly members of the Royal Guard, then we potentially start taking some type of application to join, but the idea is for it to be hard to join since the Royal Guard will be top of the line! Now that I think about it...that goes for you too Geedi. You are being given a free pass at the moment, but your position can be taken in the future if you do not perform."
.....
''Now why is she staring at Tars as if she wants to kill him?''
[It...kind of a big deal.]
''No way you just said the exact same thing again...
''Actually don''t even respond to that, let''s hurry up and finish this talk so we can officially get up and get moving again! I hate sitting around all day.''
Chapter Sixty Five (Book 2)
[It is now 1700]
¡®Dang, we talked for a while¡but it was a good talk on all fronts so It¡¯s worth it. What did you think about everything Velora?¡¯
[I believe you are handling your position well enough. It may not seem like it sometimes, but you must always remember you are now responsible for the lives and well-being of others. Not a single Goblin went against your orders in the previous meetings. They just accepted it willingly.
[That¡¯s a good thing, but I also do believe it could be just as bad. If you continuously make decisions, will they just continue to go with it? That is something to keep in mind.]
¡®Well, that¡¯s not necessarily what I was asking, but you make a good point. Even geniuses make mistakes sometimes¡but that¡¯s why I have you! I¡¯m sure you will question me if I do or say something stupid before its too late to fix whatever it is I did.
¡®Even then, I¡¯ll do my best to make sure I create an environment that allows them to feel safe enough to call me out on something.¡¯
[Good.]
¡®Yes, yes now enough of that! What did you actually think about all of the plans?¡¯
[The plans to improve the actual tribe are good. With both Wala and Dran heading the project, I believe in its success.]
¡®Even though I told them to prioritize creating actually wooden structures instead, making nicer tents?¡¯
[Yes, it will take more time, but once complete it will be better for you in the long run.]
¡®That¡¯s exactly what I was thinking. Anyway, we won¡¯t go back to the plains for a while so during that time the tribe needs to get strong enough to comfortably lay claim to all of the southern forest. Only the horned rabbits really roam the area, but who knows if another beast like the fox won¡¯t roam south and decide to claim the land for themselves?
¡®Which means while the tribe will continue to grow in strength, I definitely need to get way stronger. I have no idea what Tier the fox is on, but its surely way above 3, and the orcs¡they are able to dominate hundreds of beings in the plains¡not only their numbers are strong, but their strength even more so.
¡®540 evo points¡I will fill that up in no time¡but first, magic lesson number 1!¡¯
[We haven¡¯t confirmed if you can use magic yet. It is best not to get your hopes up.]
¡®It just has to be that way since nothing else really improved about me. That would be a waste of an evolution if all I got was some extra muscle. There just has to be something, and I believe that something is the ability to finally use mana. Either way I¡¯ll confirm it when Kida comes back.¡¯
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After a few moments, Kida could be seen walking back into the mostly empty cave except for the lone Goblin covered in various animal hides, sitting calmy around a fire pit.
¡°I¡¯m back Chief!¡±
¡°Ah welcome back Kida. Is everything alright out there?¡±
¡°Yeah, but everyone is caught up in a training frenzy. Especially the new Royal Guards. Once Geedi relayed the news to them nobody dropped out, instead they all got pretty fired up and all of them along with Geedi stormed off into the deeper reaches of the Nameless Forest.
¡°Immediately afterwards, Tars and his squad stormed off as well. Dal and his squad of course remained behind with half of them being drilled by Jaba and the other half was helping Wala and Dran gather materials. Which was going a bit rough since we didn¡¯t have tools to cut down trees so that¡¯s being worked as well.¡±
¡°What about Sigi, Lagi and Zargi?¡±
¡°Ah yes sorry, Sigi went off to hunt with Zargi, while Lagi is hovering by the entrance of the cave in case you need something.¡±
¡°Wow¡I¡¯m glad to see everyone is so fired up about this. Which means I can¡¯t sit around just wasting my time while everyone else is working so hard. SO! Please help me learn some magic Kida.¡±
¡°I will do my best Chief!¡±
¡°I believe in you¡so what do I need to do first?¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯ll talk about my experiences first and then we¡¯ll go from there. So as a Maglin, from my earliest memories, I could feel the mana in the air. I can¡¯t see it but I can feel it around me, it¡¯s a bit hard to describe but think of it as being submerged in water and the water is all of the mana around you, except it is not constricting in anyway, nor do you lack the ability to the breathe. There is no current to swim against or any pressure it all, the presence is just there. Constantly with us. How does that sound so far?¡±
¡°I¡¯m following for now¡¡±
¡°Okay, please be sure to stop me if your confused about anything. So, continuing on, that¡¯s what the mana in the air feels like to me and has always felt like. The key though, is the mana that is constantly circulating within my body.
¡°This is another thing that I was born with, and it has only improved with each evolution, the quality, the amount, and the speed at which I can make use of it.
¡°There are some other things as well, but I am still learning those myself. Though for your case, I believe the biggest thing initially will be for you figure out how to sense the mana in your body if any is present at all. Then from there it should be easier to sense it in the atmosphere, which should help you make use of mana better, because even though we are using the mana in our bodies to form shapes and other things, the mana in the atmosphere plays a part as well.
¡°So, let¡¯s try step one. Close your eyes and focus on your body. It is hard for me to guide you through this process as it was natural for me but imagine a small stream rushing through your body. If its there it shouldn¡¯t take super long to sense it, as its not hiding from you.¡±
¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±
¡®So, Velora? Sensing any mana?¡¯
[You should focus on sensing it yourself. At the moment I cannot sense anything.]
¡®Ah fine..!
''Okay focus Rick...she said it should feel like a small stream...imagine a river...flowing through me...imagine a river...flowing through me....imagine a river....imagine a ri....imag.''
Kida and of course Velora watched on as Rick sat almost perfectly still, with his eyes closed. Fully focused trying to sense this stream of mana that Kida discribed to him. Unbeknownst to them of course, what Rick was doing was typical for every Goblin who wasn''t born a Maglin once they reached Tier 3. It was the first Tier where the mana veins of Goblins would be finally developed enough for them to sense and begin practicing with mana.
Of course ithis process would usually take other Goblins weeks if not months to accomplish, as the Mana Veins themselves are essentially brand new organs. It''s similar to someone learning to walk again after breaking a foot. It takes time.
But was a Rick a normal Goblin? No...He is a Royal.
''Ahhh Velora I think sense the Mana River thing! I told you! Hahaha!!!''
Yes...a Royal..
Chapter Sixty Six (Book 2)
¡°Kida, I feel it! The mana coursing through my veins like a flowing river! No¡not like a river it feels more like a roaring waterfall.¡±
¡°Chief I don¡¯t know what a waterfall is, but It¡¯s good that you feel it! Now the next step will be to actually use it.¡±
¡°Wait you don¡¯t know what a waterfall is for real?¡±
¡°No¡should I? I apologize Chief.¡±
¡°Ah sorry don¡¯t apologize, you don¡¯t necessarily need to know, I was just a little surprised, I could describe it, but it would be better for you to see one. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find one somewhere. Anyway, the mana within me feels like a lot more than a small stream. It feels like a fast flowing extremely large river coursing through my body.
¡°Is that normal or is something wrong with me?¡±
Kida showed a troubled expression as she considered Rick¡¯s words.
¡°Um, I haven¡¯t been in this situation before so I¡¯m not exactly sure about the answer. But based on what I know about mana and how it has felt in my body with each evolution, I would say it feels that way due to your talent Chief. The calm stream I feel has only gotten stronger as I evolved and based on your description, you might even rival myself or Zargi in terms of mana capacity alone.¡±
¡®You hear that Velora?! I¡¯m talented!¡¯
[It most likely has to deal with the fact you¡¯re a genuine Royal of your race. It is only natural that you have added capabilities in comparison to your lessers.]
¡®It sounds kind of weird when you put it like that, but what you¡¯re saying makes sense. Also are you able to sense the mana within me now?¡¯
[Yes I can.]
¡®And I¡¯m assuming I won¡¯t be displayed in my status screen right?¡¯
[It will not.]
¡®Is there really no way for you to add it? I know some random decided to take it away, but the numbers were really helpful.¡¯
[At the moment, I do not know a way for it to be added again, but I will investigate in the background. If something changes I will inform you.]
¡®Ah thank you Velora.¡¯
¡°Erm...I think your reasoning is likely accurate Kida. Now, you also mentioned actually trying it out or something along those lines right?¡±
¡°Oh yes! You need to try using the mana within you. This is something else that comes naturally to Maglins, but I will again try to describe my experiences. So, the first thing all Maglins can do when they are young is to form basic shapes made up of the mana within us.
¡°Though for you, I think you should first practice on just manifesting mana.
¡°Please try to imagine some of that flowing ¡®mana¡¯ in your body appearing in your palm. While the ambient mana all around us is not visible the mana within us, will have a slight hint of a random color once displayed. We honestly don¡¯t know why the color is random, or what it all means, but that¡¯s what happens.¡±
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¡°Interesting¡I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡±
¡®Okay¡manifest mana¡¡¯
Rick closed his eyes once more as he continuously did his best to will some of the mana coursing through his veins to appear on his right palm.
This process went on for about 30 minutes before Rick began to get frustrated.
¡®Dammit any ideas Velora? This is a big failure right now.¡¯
[Hmm.]
¡®Hmm?¡¯
[Hmmm¡]
¡®Hmm¡?!¡¯
[Have you tried asking it?]
¡®Asking it¡no I haven¡¯t ¡I¡¯ll give it a try.¡¯
Rick once again put everything into asking the mana in his body to appear in his right palm, only this time, it took only a moment for something interest to happen.
[Ding!]
¡®Uhh..did you just disrupt my focus to say Ding?¡¯
[That¡wasn¡¯t me. It appears you have a notification. Would you like to read it?]
¡®Aw, are you embarrassed Velora?¡¯
[I can delete the notification.]
¡®Ah no need to go that far sheesh I was just joking. Please show me the notification.¡¯
[Mhm.]
{ A Royal¡¯s Magic Should be Special }
{ Choose your Element }
{ A Goblin''s Wrath }
{ A Goblin''s Death }
{ A Goblin''s Life }
{ A Goblin''s Cry }
{ A Goblin¡¯s Joy }
{ A Goblin''s Strike }
''Velora...Am I seeing this correctly?''
[Yes, I believe so.]
¡®Wow¡this is a lot to take in. A Royal¡¯s magic should be special huh¡I¡¯m almost shaking with excitement.¡¯
[Please don¡¯t, Kida has been intently watching you this whole time.]
¡®Uh...erm...okay¡well it said to choose my element. These don¡¯t sound like elements though. Do you think they align with different elements that exist out there?¡¯
[Perhaps, though I don¡¯t have any other information to go off of. In this situation your intuition will likely be all the insight we have until you pick one.]
¡®Figures¡well its probably best I just pick the one that resonates with me the most huh¡¡¯
[That sounds like the right course of action.]
¡®Well, I think I can get rid of Death and Cry for now. They sound too depressing for my tastes. After that it becomes a bit hard though¡I want my Goblins, to live happy and joyous lives, but should we be attacked, I would want our enemies to feel my wrath as corny as it sounds¡But strike sounds interesting too¡wrath kind of sounds like an angry thing, while strike seems like it still has something to do with fighting my enemies.
¡®Arghh this hard! Help me Velora!¡¯
[I do not think it¡¯s a good idea to provide any further input here. This decision seems permanent. Make a choice that will live with.]
¡®¡I don¡¯t like it when your right¡ahh fine fine¡I think I¡¯ll pick¡A Goblin¡¯s Wrath.¡¯
[Ding!]
¡
[That. Wasn¡¯t. Me.]
¡®¡I understand.¡¯
[You have a notification. Displaying it now.]
{ A Goblin''s Wrath ¨C Your Chosen Element is now the fire that drives your armies to victory on any battlefield. Burn your enemies to cinder with the fires that dwell within the heart of every Goblin. Your mana will now strictly be attributed to Goblin Fire, and it will have the added effect of causing the minds of your opponents to break down, leading them to become uncontrollable, attacking both friend and foe. }
{ Any Goblin touched by your fire will feel strengthened for a limited time, before being weakened once the duration expires. }
{ The strength of your fire grows alongside you. }
{ Beware the Wrath of the King of Goblins }
¡..
¡¡.
¡¡¡
¡®OHHHHH SHITTTTTTT !!!!!! VELORAAAA!! LOOK AT THIS! ARE YOU SEEING THIS?!¡¯
[I can see it.]
¡®I need more excitement than that!! Look! Gang Green just got some fucking fireeee!!!¡¯
[Your shaking is making Kida uncomfortable.]
¡®Ah¡¡¯
Chapter Sixty Seven (Book 2)
¡°Ah Chief..! Your mana! It looks like fire! But why is it green?¡±
Rick finally opened his eyes to see green flames covering his palm.
¡®Oh, shoot I really do have green fire coming out of me!¡¯
¡°Kida, I think this is something else that has to do with the fact I¡¯m a Royal.¡±
¡°This is amazing Chief¡even Maglins need some time to start incorporating elements with their mana, and even then I¡¯ve never seen anyone use green fire. You should try using the other elements! Maybe they will look different for you as well!¡±
¡®The other elements huh¡Do you think I¡¯ll be able to use other elements Velora?¡¯
[Based on the notification shown, I do not think so, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try.]
¡®I agree¡¡¯
¡°Wait Kida, how do I use other elements?¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you already doing it with the fire Chief?¡±
¡°Um, well no this is a bit different. It¡¯s kind of hard to explain.¡±
¡°Hmm, that¡¯s odd. For me it¡¯s as simple as sensing the different elements within the ambient mana and calling that element to my mana. Or at least that¡¯s how it feels to me.¡±
¡°Oh...well I¡¯ll give that a shot that then.¡±
¡®Okay the fire is snuffed out, and no more mana is flowing¡lets try to sense the other elements.¡¯
¡.
¡..
[It is now 1800.]
¡®Yep as expected I can¡¯t sense anything else. I think I¡¯m restricted to just being able to use Goblin Fire, and I don¡¯t even think its in the air, I think its coming straight from me.¡¯
[That is a reasonable deduction.]
¡°Yeah Kida, I don¡¯t believe I can use other elements. The Green Fire, is likely all I can do .¡±
¡°Ah I¡¯m sorry Chief, but I¡¯m sure if we keep trying, we can figure it out!¡±
¡°I appreciate your enthusiasm Kida! Let¡¯s go check on the others for now.¡±
Once Kida and Rick made it outside, what they saw gave them both a slight shock.
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¡®Velora what the hell? The space is so wide open now.¡¯
[Yes, it seems Wala and Dran can work far faster than we realized.]
Just this morning the area in front of the cave only had a small area that lacked trees. That area was where Jaba usually trained the Goblins, but now that area had been expanded outward for quite some distance.
It was likely just around 45 feet of space in front of the cave prior, but now that number seemed to reach close to 120 feet of cleared open land. Even the stumps were uprooted, and the holes left behind filled with dirt.
¡®We were barely gone an hour, how the hell did they manage all this, look at all of those logs stacked up over there, what are they even planning on doing?¡Actually now that I think about it...where is everyone?¡¯
[Perhaps Lagi will know, she has been calmly waiting behind you since you exited the cave.]
¡®Ah, I got so distracted I almost missed her.¡¯
[Almost?]
¡®¡¡¯
¡°Hey Lagi, do you know where everyone went?¡±
¡°Yes¡ever..y.one¡wen..t..to..he..lp¡ca..tch¡rabb..its¡for¡fa..rm.¡±
¡°Rabbits for the farm? What farm???¡±
¡°Wa..la¡an..d..Dr..an¡built¡a..fa..rm.¡±
¡®Theres just no way they had enough time to clear all of these trees, build a farm, and organize some rabbit hunting!! How are they doing all of this?!¡¯
[I agree, this type of productivity is more than my expectations.]
¡®Wait, that kind of sounds like you were doubting Gang Green!¡¯
[I am simply agreeing with you.]
¡®Ahem..¡¯
¡°So Lagi, do you know where this farm is?¡±
¡°No¡wai..ted¡he..re..for..yo..u.¡±
¡°I see¡thank you for that Lagi.¡±
¡°Mhm!¡±
¡®Well, what do I do now? Should I go try to find this farm? Or should I just wait here?¡¯
[Waiting here would probably be the best course of action.]
¡®Eh probably.¡¯
¡°Uh Kida, I know I asked you to help me, but do you want to go hunt as well? Perhaps to test out your new abilities some more? Ah both you and Lagi could go together if you all would like. Just be sure to come back before it gets to dark¡In fact I hope everyone comes back before it gets too dark¡¡±
Kida and Lagi, both thanked Rick and went off into the forest, which was now a little bit more of a walk away from the cave after a good amount of the trees were cut down.
Well, Lagi needed a bit more urging that it was okay to go because she felt she needed to be there if Rick needed anything, but she left in the end. So, all that was left was a lone Goblin just standing there staring into the distance.
¡®Well now its just me¡Velora can you show me my status please?¡¯
{Name - Rick}
{Age - 20}
{Race - Royal Goblin}
{Element ¨C Goblin Fire}
{Tier 3)
{Essence - 0}
{Evo Points - 0/540}
{Skills}
{Velora}
¡®Oh, it shows my element! Though I¡¯m a bit surprised it didn¡¯t say A Goblin¡¯s Wrath instead of Goblin Fire.
¡®I guess it was just there for selection. Now¡I wonder how long it will take for everyone to get back.¡¯
[You could use this time to train.]
¡®You...actually¡why not.¡¯
And so, Rick began his training. Which was basically just a really high intensity workout. He did pushups, sit-ups, squats, crunches, and jumping jacks.
[It is no 1900.]
¡®Ahh I¡¯m tired¡an hour long workout! Are you happy now Velora!¡±
[This is for your benefit.]
¡®Yeah yeah whatever you say¡but man, its dark outside and no one is back yet. I¡¯m starting to get worried. Should I go look for everyone?¡¯
[That might be a good idea.]
Though just as Rick was about to head out himself, he saw movement coming from the forest.
¡®Is that Lagi?...Why is she running?¡¯
[She doesn¡¯t appear to be in any stress though.]
¡®No...she doesn¡¯t.¡¯
Eventually Lagi made it to Rick and after taking a moment collect herself she began speaking.
¡°Ev..ery..one¡at..fa..rm.¡±
¡°Everyone? Even Geedi?¡±
¡°Ye..s.¡±
¡®Well would you look at that. Guess I¡¯m going to the farm too.¡¯
¡°Could you please lead me to the farm?¡±
¡°Mhm!¡±
[You could¡¯ve run to meet her, instead of letting her run the whole way.]
¡®I¡¯m choosing peace.¡¯
Chapter Sixty Eight (Book 2)
Hey Velora, what do you think of this farm? I¡¯m getting kind of excited to see it.¡¯
[It should be interesting.]
¡®Ah man is that it? Just interesting?¡¯
[Yes.]
¡®Booo.¡¯
And so, while following Lagi, Rick and of course Velora, headed towards the eastern side of the Nameless Forest. The walk was a bit farther than Rick expected as they had already been moving east for about 30 minutes before he finally heard his fellow Goblins.
¡°Wait, how many do we have?¡±
¡°We have 7 of them now. 4 males and 3 females.¡±
¡°Okay that should be good enough until we make it bigger!¡±
¡°I can¡¯t to show the chief!¡±
It was Wala and Dran talking to each other of course. The masterminds behind this whole thing. The ¡®thing¡¯ in this situation being the first stages of a farm they planned to expand on. One of the many projects they had discussed in the short time since Rick last saw them.
¡°Oh¡this is amazing¡¡±
With Wala and Dran engaged in conversations and everyone else from the prospective Royal Guards, to Tars and Dal and their respective squads, to Jaba, Kida, Sigi, and Zargi. Everyone was busy doing one thing or the other as they helped bring the farm to fruition, so no one noticed immediately when both Lagi and Rick approached.
Of course, they were all surprised when they heard him speak.
¡°Chief! When did you get here?!¡±
¡°I just got here Wala. Wow you guys really did amazing¡I honestly didn¡¯t know what I expected to see...but this is great! Please explain how you guys managed to keep the rabbits in the pen! Matter fact tell me everything!!¡±
Losing out in excitement levels for a moment, Wala froze for a second before responding with her usual vigor.
¡°¡Right this way Chief!!¡±
¡®Velora this is amazing¡they really built a rabbit farm! Look at the torches! Well, they¡¯re just sticks on fire that people are walking around with but still! And the fences for the pen! How did they even tie everything together? We don¡¯t have any string...only sinew. Plus, I don¡¯t think we had enough left over for all of this.¡¯
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What Rick was looking at was a clearing that had been cleared of trees that now held a small circular pen made of what appeared to branches from the nearby trees. One branch was planted in the ground, while two more were connecting it to another branch planted a short distance away.
[They did a wonderful job but pay attention to Wala so you can actually learn what¡¯s going on.]
¡®Oh, ah yeah your right.¡¯
¡°¡So, we figured out that if you break the horns on the rabbits, they become extremely docile! It¡¯s kind of hard to catch them and keep them alive in time to break their harms without hurting them or getting ourselves hurt in the process, but we have managed to catch seven of them!¡±
¡°How did you guys even figure that out??¡±
¡°Ah it was me Chief¡I was out hunting, and I accidentally struck the horn of a rabbit from the side and when it snapped off the rabbit just sat there. It didn¡¯t try to run away, it just sat there. I went to pick it up, and it didn¡¯t attack me or anything. It was then I remembered you wanted to start a rabbit farm or something like that, so I took it back to Wala and Dran and told them about your plans and what I found. Which led to this.¡±
¡°Tars that¡¯s really good because I honestly had no idea how we were going to actually trap the rabbits without them running around trying stab us.¡±
¡°Thank you Chief.¡±
¡°Well, we paused our other plans to make this happen so I¡¯m glad you like it.¡±
¡°Of course, I don¡¯t just like its Dran, I love it! Though how did you guys manage to tie the fence together?¡±
¡°Oh, it¡¯s not tied together its nailed together! We broke off little splinters from the rabbit horns and used some of the pieces to nail the wood together! It¡¯s not actually sturdy enough to handle a lot of pressure so we will need to make it better later, but it will work for now!¡±
¡°Ohh you guys are really smart. But this is good, now we just need to figure out what they eat, and dedicate people to watch and care for them, oh and to guard the farm¡but it¡¯s kind of far from the cave¡I guess whoever isn¡¯t on duty can place a couple Goblins here as well? Yeah, that will work until we have more Goblins.¡±
So, Rick and the others talked about the farm and plans for the near future, with Wala and Dran explaining all the things they had planned to help develop the tribe, with Rick of course proving a lot of input since he had the final say. At some point, Geedi and her team left after their help wasn¡¯t needed anymore. Her seriousness was evident because she didn¡¯t try to speak to Rick the entire time he was there.
Of course, while all of this was happening, a certain team was still making their way towards a certain Goblin.
~ ~ ~
POV Rogu
¡°From this point on we are in uncharted territory. Our information does not extend far enough to have detailed information about the areas beyond. Our only landmarks are that mountain in the distance, and the massive forest that sits beneath it. Both of which lie in the direction we are heading in.
¡°It is expected that these forests are filled to the brim with beasts. Though we do not know their strengths. Remain focused and be ready to act at moment¡¯s notice.¡±
After receiving various nods of acknowledgement Rogu and the team set out from the high grass they had been resting in.
Before them lay a wide-open grassland, with grass reaching up to 4ft in height. They moved quickly, yet carefully through the grass for miles on end. There were times when something would jump out of them but to their high states of alertness, the threat was always quickly dealt with.
They traveled through that terrain, through valleys, over hills, through swaps, and many many forests.
They traveled like this for months, until the mountains weren¡¯t distant images anymore. They had reached the Nameless Forest.
The northern part of the Nameless Forest.
Chapter Sixty Nine (Book 2)
POV Rogu
¡°Captain look! The Goblin Blood Stone!¡±
¡°Hm?!!!...
¡°We¡we are close¡!
¡°¡Everyone form up!¡±
Rogu waited until the Goblins gathered up around him before he continued to speak.
¡°We are finally close to our target. Our future King! This does not mean it is time to relax. The dangers are far from over. I need you all to be more focused than ever as we get closer and closer to our future King. We will find him and once we do, no harm can come to him. Not a single injury can befall him while we still breathe!
¡°Now let¡¯s move.¡±
Rogu and his team progressed through the Nameless Forest in extremely tense states. They were excited at the prospect of finally meeting their Future King, and were obviously eager to make a good impression, but they didn¡¯t let the excitement cause them to lower their guards. If anything, it simply made them far more alert as not only was the Future King nearby, but they had little to no information about these lands they walked in.
Although the journey before this point was just as perilous, the dangers they faced, or potentially could¡¯ve faced were mostly known, and thus could be planned for to some extent. Here that level of planning was nonexistent. They moved forward steadily during the day and rested at night, with Rogu constantly checking the stone which was shining brighter than ever before at this point.
They moved like this for a few days. A few monsters that weren¡¯t smart enough to recognize the difference in strength attacked them and were quickly dealt with and discarded or turned into provisions, but they had finally run into a beast who simply couldn¡¯t be tossed aside.
¡°Wow¡quite a bit of Goblins are showing up in my territory these days. Though some of you look a bit different. Perhaps some sort of Goblin variant? Interesting. Plus, you at the front¡your quite strong. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen a Goblin quite as big and strong as you. So¡why are you all in my territory?¡±
A large fox with eyes the color of blood was standing not too far from the group as it stared intently at Rogu as it finished it¡¯s greeting with a question directed at him.
Rogu of course could tell immediately this fox was far stronger than him. He was firmly within Tier 5, with only the Chiefs of the Clans being stronger than him¡but this fox¡he wasn¡¯t too sure, but it felt stronger than his father. All Goblins knew they weren¡¯t strong enough to walk out into the world with their heads held high. There wasn¡¯t just one or two Tiers that they knew of, that was above Tier 6. If Tier 6 alone was all it to be considered a power strong enough to not be bullied are wiped out, then they wouldn¡¯t be hiding in forsaken lands.
Rogu has never meant anyone stronger than his father but, this fox¡it was likely Tier 7¡Rogu was nervous, but his mission was too important. While he wasn¡¯t confident in killing the fox. He felt at the very least he could severely injure it at the cost of his life. A small price to pay in his mind.
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Of course he wasn¡¯t dumb enough to start fighting immediately.
¡°Great Fox. We are merely passing through to our destination. We did not know this was your territory and apologize for any offense. We will leave your territory as quickly as possible.¡±
¡°Ooo, just passing through huh. What is your destination?¡±
Rogu was hoping the fox wouldn¡¯t get curious about his mission, but he needed to walk the line of peace for as long as he could. He would not tolerate undermining the mission, but if he could find a way to resolve this peacefully, he would do so to his upmost ability.
¡°We are seeking our brethren.¡±
¡°I see¡where are your brethren?¡±
¡°¡We do not know the exact location, just the general direction.¡±
¡°This is getting more and more interesting¡and how do you know the general direction of your brethren?¡±
At this point Rogu¡¯s body was tensing as if ready to explode forward at a moment¡¯s notice. He was mentally planning just how he could catch the fox off guard if needed. He was practically doing everything necessary to prepare for one devasting attack with the exception of rousing his mana due to fear of the fox sensing it and taking offense.
He took a few moments to decide what to say.
¡°We have ways to sense our brethren.¡±
¡°Ways to sense them? That¡¯s new¡how is it that you¡¯re doing that?¡±
This is a question that Rogu would never answer.
He felt regretful at the idea of not being able to meet the Future King, but he knew it was likely that he died at this moment. He would not provide a favorable response to the fox, and the chances the fox returned his answer with violence was extremely high.
While he was better than his father when it came to politics, that wasn¡¯t saying much. His father would have likely attacked the moment the fox showed itself. He couldn¡¯t help but think to himself that perhaps if he was better at said politics, this interaction could¡¯ve gone in another direction.
No matter though. His resolve was firm, and his decision was final. The Goblins he led should also be aware of the situation, they would know to run while he bought them time.
¡°Unfortunately, Great Fox, I cannot share that information. I humbly ask for your understanding in this matter.¡±
Time seemed to slow to standstill as the fox looked at Rogu and Rogu looked back unwaveringly. The other Goblins began flexing their muscles as they prepared to dart in different directions to maximize survivability and Rogu finally began rousing his mana.
These moments of calm while Rogu awaited the response from the Fox felt like an eternity in the mind of Rogu, but only a singular minute has passed, before the fox finally responded.
¡°Ah some sort of Goblin secret, eh? Fine, I¡¯ll give up on that for now. Well, I¡¯ve learned enough, head south for another day or two and you will reach a lake, then south of that lake is where you¡¯ll likely find your brethren. In fact, please deliver a message for me. I asked one of those Goblins to return so that we may talk as it gets bored in this forest at times, but he never does. Please remind him of my request.¡±
After saying that the Fox vanished as if he was never there in the first place. Even Rogu at Tier 5 couldn¡¯t follow him with his or sense anything about his disappearance.
Speaking of Rogu¡he appeared frozen in place for a moment before his shoulders seemed to slowly unwind as the all the built pressure of that meeting took its time in leaving his body.
It wasn¡¯t just him.
All of Goblins took a mental sigh of relief as they digested the fact, they were all still alive and together.
¡°Don¡¯t relax too much. We will continue to move forward.¡±
And so, after somehow surviving that encounter, the team moved forward once more. No one mentioned it, but they all heard what the Fox said. Their brethren weren¡¯t far. Just a few days of travel away at most. Of course it could all be an elaborate ploy from the Fox, but for now they would have hope.
Hope to see their Future King.
Chapter Seventy (Book 2)
It was two days after the interaction between the fox and the royal team. Rogu and his team had just walked past the lake and were now firmly in the southern part of the forest. Though what they saw in the distance was less of a ¡®forest¡¯ and more of a village. It was early in the morning as they slowly advanced on the village in the distance. The sun had yet to make its appearance and the dark of night still had a hold on the world.
Eventually they stepped on what appeared to be a road of some sorts. The road went both to their left and right further into the forest, but the central path carried on into the village.
Though before they could make it any further a voice greeted them.
¡°Halt! Where is the Chief? He should not be back yet with the newest group of Goblins. Did the Chief send you all here on your own?¡±
It was a Tier 2 Hobgoblin, who stepped out from their left, only he wasn¡¯t alone. Two more Hobgoblins were behind him as they approach the Royal Retrieval team.
If he was back at home, a Tier 2 Goblin wouldn¡¯t have dared to speak to him in this manner. No Chief or anyone of importance ruled the clans with fear, as that was not their place, but due to his power and position as a General of his clan, he was given the type of respect that station commanded. So, this was a interesting experience for him.
Of course, Rogu was far from a fool. These should be the Goblins that are currently living with the Future King. He wouldn¡¯t dare to throw his power around unduly. Not to the Goblins who were directly serving the Future King.
POV Rogu
¡°Forgive us, we came from far away, and while it was a collection of Chiefs who sent us here, I don¡¯t believe we speak of the same one. My name is Rogu, Captain of the team behind me. Is it possible for us to speak to your leaders? It is of grave importance to our race.¡±
The Hobgoblins were a little taken aback by Rogu.
¡°A collection of Chiefs? A Captain?¡± The plains don¡¯t have any of that¡please wait here for a moment¡¡±
¡°Take your time.¡±
¡®So, these are the Goblins that currently serve the Future King huh¡they are a bit too weak, but that is no problem. Once the Future King has been safely returned home, he will have the entire backing of all the clans behind him. Father would be particularly excited. Even me¡I enjoy my role as a General of the clan, but¡who wouldn¡¯t want to serve the King? I must make a great first impression.¡¯
After a few moments of waiting, the Hobgoblin from earlier returned with another by his side.
¡°I am Jaba. The Chief has placed me in charge until his return. It sounds like we have a lot to talk about, please follow me.¡±
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¡°Understood Jaba.¡±
¡®A Tier 3 was left in charge? I can barely feel any mana in him. It seems he just barely started to unclog his mana veins, which means he only reached Tier 3 in the recent months. That is a bit weaker than I thought, and considering the stone hasn¡¯t gotten any brighter since we reached here, the Chief they speak of is likely the Future King. Hopefully he isn¡¯t too far.¡¯
Jaba led the team down the road and into the village. The village had a small square and in the center of the square was a small stage. Perhaps large enough for 5 Hobgoblins to stand side by side. The flooring of the square was still the floor of the forest, but the road circled around the stage, before breaking into different directions.
Jaba veered over to the left towards one of the buildings that circled the Village Square. Once inside the small wooden building, one could see a space with a large table in the center and a few chairs sounded it, though at the head of the table a chair that was slightly larger than the others sat. Jaba took a seat to the right of that chair and gestured for the others to sit down. Though there were only 4 other chairs apart from the big one, so only Rogu decided to accept the offer. The others calmy waited to side.
¡®So, this is the room where he holds meetings¡that chair is likely his. Oh, do I wish he was here right now.¡¯
¡°Once again, my name is Jaba, welcome to my home, The Green Village, based on your appearances, and what I was told earlier. You all aren¡¯t from the Nameless Forest, or the Iris River Plains, right?¡±
¡°I¡¯m glad to meet you Jaba, my name is Rogu, Captain of the Royal Retrieval team and General of the Raguur Clan. And no, we come from very distant lands. In search of this very place.¡±
¡°Royal what? General? In search of this place?¡±
¡°Yes, please allow me to explain. Back home, we have awaited the birth of a Royal Goblin for a very long time. We knew there were Goblins living likely all over the world, but none of them should have communities as vast as ours. Thousands and thousands of Goblins share my lands with me, which is why we thought the Royal would¡¯ve been born with us. Months ago, the birth of the Royal was discovered, but we quickly realized we were wrong and that the Royal likely born quite a distance away. Thus, my team was assembled to safely retrieve the Royal, and return him to clans so that he may claim his throne and rise as the Goblin King.
¡°That is why we have fought bottles, and travels for months on end to reach this place. So that our Future King of Goblins can claim his rightful place as our leader. That is our mission.¡±
The second Rogu mentioned the word Royal, Jaba¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t for once stop widening. Only growing more and more shocked at every word Rogu said.
It took him more than a few minutes to fully intake everything that was said, and even then, he was still confused. It was a lot to take in after all. Though despite his confusion, he managed to understand that in some way shape or form, these Goblins wanted to take Rick away¡that would prove difficult for them.
¡°I don¡¯t necessarily understand everything you¡¯ve stated, but our Chief will likely not agree to go anywhere with you. Not until the plains are free.¡±
¡°What do you mean by ¡®plains are free¡¯?¡±
¡°Many small Goblin tribes call the plains home, but they are oppressed by Orcs and are forced to pay tribute.¡±
¡°¡.I see¡is this¡is this where your ¡®Chief¡¯ headed by any chance?¡±
¡°Yes¡the plan is to slowly take a few Goblins from the tribes until we are strong enough to free them from the plains entirely.¡±
¡®Orcs dare to oppress my people. And to further dare to do so in front our Future King¡Ah I¡¯m going to enjoy killing them.¡¯
It was then Rogu stood up in a flash. A rather serious look gracing his face.
¡°Thank you for the information, Jaba. I will ensure the safe return of the Future King.¡±
Jaba didn¡¯t even get a chance to speak before Rogu abruptly turned to his team.
¡°You heard him. Our people are being oppressed and our Future King has gone to liberate them. His enemies are our enemies, and his battles are our battles. Let us bathe these plains in the blood of Orcs.¡±
Chapter Seventy One (Book 2)
¡°Are you sure?¡±
¡°Yes¡everyone knows they aren¡¯t together. Our little princess still has a chance!¡±
¡°But ¡-¡°
¡°But nothing! The little princess will ride headfirst into war at the drop of a hat, but she would never make the first move because she gets nervous about things like this, so we have to do it for her! There are already rumors of others getting ready to try their luck as well so we must be quick. Tonight, at the festival we will make our move! Now are you with me or not?!¡±
- A conversation between two particularly Green individuals¡
POV Rogu
¡°Wait! You can¡¯t just go off of to the plains. It¡¯s not just the Orcs, there are other races in the plains who will likely help them keep the Goblins down if they tried to revolt. Just let the Chief handle this. He might be Tier 4 by the time he comes back from this journey. Soon he will be strong enough to free all of the Goblins, just be patient.¡±
Rogu paused in his steps for a moment, before turning around.
¡®Tier 4? We only got news of his awakening 9 months ago¡yet he is already nearing Tier 4. Ah that would explain why the tribe is weak. This is a new tribe. Their growth by this point was likely spurred on by the Future King. Which means they likely don¡¯t know a lot of things.¡¯
¡°Jaba, I appreciate your concern, but we are not weak. I am Tier 5, and all of my team members are Tier 4. I will not be endangering our Future King. If I judge the situation to be unfavorable, or he orders otherwise, I will not hesitate to back down. I know we have only just met, but I must reach your Chief, with due haste. I cannot and will not sit idly by while he faces danger. My father would skin me alive if he heard that.
¡°To further show my resolve. Hear me well. I, Rogu, Captain of the Royal Retrieval Team, General of the Raguur Clan, and First Son of Chieftain Rogur, swear to bring your Chief, and the Future King of Goblin Kind back safe and sound. This I promise you.¡±
Jaba sat frozen for a moment.
¡°¡It doesn¡¯t appear I can convince you otherwise, and Tier 5¡It doesn¡¯t appear that I can physically stop you either¡ but now you hear me well¡¡±
Jaba stood up to look at Rogu face to face, although Rogu was taller, and his physique many times more robust, Jaba did not cower.
¡°I am Jaba, Right hand of the Chief, and Leader of the Goblin Squads. If the Chief is brought harm by your actions, this entire tribe will rise up against you and you will face severe consequences! Tier 5 or not!¡±
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The moment was tense, and tempers appeared ready to flare, as Jaba stated his piece.
¡®This Goblin¡¡¯
¡°HAHAHAHAHA! I have heard you loud and clear Jaba! If I fail in returning the Chief safely, I will gladly face any consequence you deem fit!¡±
Jaba was caught off guard by the laughter for a moment and his shoulders slowly dropped as the intensity of the situation slowly dropped.
¡°¡I¡¯m glad we reached an understanding. You will need someone to show you the way. Wait her¡-¡°
¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, just point me in the general direction and we will find our way. Though I do have a question for you. If you are the Right Hand of the Chief, should you not be by his side? If you¡¯re here, then who is with him?¡±
¡°The Royal Guard.¡±
Rogu¡¯s knees buckled for a moment, before he caught himself.
¡°Are you alright?¡±
¡°Yes, sorry.¡±
¡®The Roya..Roy¡there is already a Royal Guard¡¡¯
¡°¡These Royal Guards¡are they strong?¡±
¡°Apart from the Chief, they are likely the best fighters in the tribe. They basically lived in the deeper reaches of the forest for weeks on end, before they were even allowed to become Royal Guards, and even then, they didn¡¯t accept and kept training in the forests alone for another month before they officially took up the positions. Though none of them are Tier 4 so to you they might seem weak, but the Chief is proud to call them his Royal Guards.¡±
¡°¡I see. Thank you for sharing, Jaba. If you will, please point us in the direction we need to head in.¡±
¡®None of them are Tier 4, but the Future King favors them already¡but I¡¯m Tier 5¡maybe I can still apply to join? I will need to be careful. Father¡¯s guard never took kindly to other people trying to join, but maybe the leader of the Royal Guard would be open to it. I will need to be careful.¡¯
¡°Follow me.¡±
After they opened the door to the building, which led directly outside, Both Jaba and Rogu with his team stepped outside to see a group of Goblins waiting for them. Of course, it was Tars and Dal, along with their squads standing at the ready.
Although it was very early in the morning, it didn¡¯t take long for word to pass that a new group of Goblins had made their way into the tribe and Jaba was meeting with them. Of course, Tars, and Dal wouldn¡¯t just stand by and do nothing, so they decided to wait outside the conference room to give Jaba his space.
¡°Everything is alright guys.¡±
¡®Although they are a young tribe, it seems they have good heads on their shoulders. My team and I are strangers, but they didn¡¯t meet us with hostility, and instead welcomed us into the tribe, but not necessarily with wide open arms which is good. And that Jaba, hahaha, he didn¡¯t back down after learning I was stronger than him, and instead was ready to defend his tribe and the Chief.¡¯
¡°Did you find a large lake on the way here?¡±
¡°We did.¡±
¡°Good, head back towards that lake, and then head directly west from it. It¡¯s around 2 months of travel from that point and you will reach the plains. I don¡¯t if the Chief is already on his way back or not, so be careful not to pass him by. Safe travels.¡±
¡°Thank toy for your help Jaba.¡±
And with that Rogu and his team left the tribe, as Jaba, Tars, and Dal watched calmly as they left. Only they knew what their thoughts were as they looked on.
¡.
¡°Alright, Jaba was kind enough to tell us that this journey would take around 2 months. We will cut that down to a month. Our Future King is near and every second we waste is a crime. Do not tally. Kris, Krel, Ra and Surgsha, spread out to our wings and ensure we do not miss signs of the Future King and his¡.Royal Guards as we advance. Move!¡±
Chapter Seventy Two (Book 2)
Rogu and his team began the long two month journey towards the plains. He was at the front of the formation with the others trailing behind him, while Kris, Krel, Ra and Surgsha were spread out on the left and right respectively.
They moved with speed and efficiency and didn¡¯t have to fight a single battle as they blazed their way through the forest. Taking very little time to rest once it became dark before they once again moved through the night.
If one overlooked the Fox in the North, and the Monster at the bottom of the Lake, the Nameless Forest posed little to no threat to a team that consisted of Tier 4s and one Tier 5. So, it was little to no surprise that the one-month timeframe that Rogu had set out ended up being right on target.
It probably could¡¯ve been even shorter, but he wanted the team to still be able to fight at a moment¡¯s notice. Arriving with no energy to do anything probably wouldn¡¯t be a good idea.
POV Rogu
¡®Wow what beautiful plains¡we have crossed many different plains to reach this point, but I don¡¯t think any of them touch upon the beauty of what¡¯s in front of me. Though¡this beauty is overshadowed by what I see in the plains themselves¡¡¯
¡°Captain¡that tribe¡¡±
¡°I see it Ra. They are living poorly. I didn¡¯t doubt him, but Jaba was truly right about the Goblins being oppressed. Not a single Goblin above Tier 1, and they looked skinny. This can¡¯t continue.¡±
¡°We should wait until we find the Royal, Captain.¡± Said Vice-Captain Loruk.
¡°I know¡but¡sigh¡±
¡®It truly is a good thing my father wasn¡¯t the one to come, or even my younger brother. Both of them wouldn¡¯t have waited for the Future King, they would have just charged right in. Not even out of disrespect, neither of them would be able to stand this sight. Of course¡neither can I¡¡¯
Rogu then turned around to address his team.
¡°Alright, spread out and look for the Future King, the stone probably won¡¯t grow any brighter than this, he¡-¡±
¡°Captain, there¡¯s movement.¡±
Rogu paused his words as he turned around to see what looked to be orcs approaching the small tribe before him.
¡°Orcs¡Prepare to move.¡±
¡°But shouldn¡¯t we fin¡¡±
¡°I am not sitting still if one of them dares to put a hand on one of our people. I said prepare to move.¡±
It was Teral who spoke up, but once she heard Rogu¡¯s response, she ceased all complaints and both her and the rest of the team readied themselves to move at moment¡¯s notice.
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¡®Three Orcs¡they are all Tier 3¡but what are they doing?¡¯
Rogu watched on as the Orcs slowly made their way to the tribe. Walking as if they were kings among peasants. Of course, the tribe had long since noticed them and were already making the necessary arrangements. Of course, Jala was the one leading these arrangements.
And although the distance from the tree line and the tribe was well over 600 feet, Rogu and the rest could still see and hear what was happening clear as day.
¡®They are gathering a chest of some sort¡a tribute?¡¯
Eventually the Orcs made it to the tribe.
¡°Where is my damn tribute! We have other tribes to hit today hurry this shit up!¡±
¡°Yes sir!¡±
As always Jala is the only one to talk as the other Goblins quickly finished putting everything together before stepping away. Though as Jala himself began to step away, one of the Orcs slapped him across his face, and he slammed into the ground. The Orcs were massive, and with Jala being only Tier 1, a single casual swing from a Tier 3 Orc was more than enough to break bones.
¡®How dare they¡¡¯
¡°Mo¡-¡±
Just as Rogu was about to rush into the tribe and teach the Orcs their place. He immediately felt something that made him shudder.
Not just him, all the Goblins in the Royal Retrieval Team felt something run up their spines, before the atmosphere itself began to feel heavy.
Rogu then looked down at the Goblin Bloodstone as it began vibrating, before it quickly shattered.
¡°What¡the Future King¡he is angry¡we are feeling his anger. Find him now.¡±
Of course, Rogu could¡¯ve spread his senses out over a wide distance, and likely find his target a lot quicker, but he thought that would be disrespectful and settled on the good ol¡¯ fashioned way of just using your eyes.
Rogu watched as the Orcs eventually started walking out of the tribe and it wasn¡¯t until after they left that Jala finally picked himself off the ground, while the other Goblins rushed to his aid.
By this point Rogu¡¯s fist was clenched tightly and it was taking everything in his body not to run after them and show them that there are things in life that are worst than dying.
But he held himself back.
If the Future King could do it, even still while this oppressive aura permeated through the air, then he could too.
That was the only thought holding him back.
A few moments later, Kris returned.
¡°We found him. Though we did not approach.¡±
¡°His Royal Guards?¡±
¡°A few Tier 2s and 1 Tier 3.¡±
¡°I see, remind the others to still treat them with respect. Where is our Future King?¡±
After being shown the way by Kris, Rogu slowly made his way over towards the location, and although he was still angry at the situation he just witnessed, his heart couldn¡¯t help but start to feel warm. He would seen meet the Future King of all Goblin kind. He would make a great first impression.
Rogu made his way through the Forest and eventually he laid his eyes on Rick and his party.
He didn¡¯t bother hiding his presence as he didn¡¯t want to cause a fright.
So of course Rick, and Geedi noticed him quickly. It was hard to miss such a large Goblin walking towards you.
¡°Stop moving. Where did you come from?¡±
Geedi stepped towards him with her spear pointed forward, while the other members of the Royal Guard quickly split into two groups. One slid back and surrounded Rick, while the other moved to provide support for Geedi.
¡®Hm, their reaction time is far too slow, but they show promise.¡¯
¡°I said¡where did you come from?¡±
¡®She¡¯s not loud¡but she isn¡¯t quiet either. Good.¡¯
¡°I won¡¯t ask¡-¡±
¡°And you do not need to ask again. I apologize for the scare¡¡± Rogu paused as he slowly lowered his head while taking a knee. He rested his arm across his knee before continuing with a lowered head.
¡°I come from the Dark Lands of Mir. Home to 14 Goblin Clans. I hail from the Raguur Clan. Whose Chieftain is Chief Rogur. My name is Rogu, Captain of the Royal Retrieval Team, First Son of Chief Rogur, and General of the Raguur Clan. I carry with me the wish and hope of the 14 Goblin Clans to carry out a mission that is worth more than my life. A mission to bring back the Future King of Goblins so that he may claim his rightful Throne and lead our people into an age of prosperity.
¡°Future King, I Rogu, am at your service.¡±
Chapter Seventy Three (Book 2)
POV Rick
¡®Velora¡what the hell?¡¯
[It appears you are far more important to Goblins that you previously realized.]
¡®I mean sure¡but what the hell is this. This Goblin¡who is far stronger than me by the way, shows up out of nowhere, takes a knee, then lists off a bunch of cool sounding titles I barely understand and then tops it off by saying he is ready to serve me? I mean what the hell.¡¯
[A king does indeed have servants. Plus, didn¡¯t the god mention there was a group of Goblins that was fairly strong? Maybe this is them?]
¡®I mean¡yeah, they technically do and yeah it could be¡but this is a lot all at once! What am I even supposed to say to him?¡¯
[Well, don¡¯t leave him kneeling there forever.]
¡®Ah your right.¡¯
¡°Ahem¡Rogu was it? This is a lot, please stand.¡±
¡°Yes, Future King.¡±
¡®Ah Velora I don¡¯t know if I can deal with that.¡¯
¡°Is it possible for you stop calling me that for the moment?¡±
¡°Ah¡I can¡¯t¡My father would skin me alive if I called you anything less than Future King, Please forgive me.¡±
¡°I see¡everyone here calls me Chief, would that for you too?¡±
¡°The 14 Clans are already home to 14 Chiefs. You are above them Future King.¡±
¡®This is going to stress me out. Do you have any suggestions, Velora?¡¯
[What about Lord? Or Young Master?]
¡®Wait! Young Master?! Am I going to finally be one of those Young Masters??¡¯
[Once again, I don¡¯t understand you.]
¡®Ahem¡you wouldn¡¯t get it.¡¯
¡°What about Young Master? Or even Lord? Pick one of these.¡±
¡°I believe Lord will suffice. Thank you for understanding my Lord.¡±
¡®Ah no Young Master for me just yet¡and the ¡®my Lord¡¯ thing is still cringey¡but it¡¯s better than Future King¡Though I noticed something else. Velora¡this Goblin is stronger than me, isn¡¯t he?¡¯
[He should be at least one full Tier higher than you.]
¡®I see¡¡¯
¡°Now Rogu, as you can see this isn¡¯t the best time to discuss all the things you have mentioned. We will do so at a later time. For now, please just observe. Though you also stated you were the captain of a team, are those members here? And Geedi you may back off for now.¡±
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¡°Yes Chief.¡±
¡°¡I understand my Lord, and I did not come here alone. Is it alright if I call the rest of my team here?¡±
¡°Yes, quietly.¡±
¡°Come.¡±
¡®What the¡where the hell were all of these guys hiding? And why the hell do they all look so cool?! I kind of ignored the Rogu fella because I thought he was just abnormal, but everyone has beautiful, crafted leather armor. They look very different from each other, but no one lacks in quality. Even the weapons that everyone¡¯s carrying. It¡¯s all iron of some sort! I¡¯m getting kind of jealous Velora, we are still using wooden weapons with animal parts attached to them!
¡®I mean they¡¯re expertly made by Wala and Dran, but still.¡¯
[You will get here eventually.]
¡®I know I know¡though it really was cool how they showed up out of nowhere¡though it¡¯s kind of a security risk that they were just hiding this close to us, and we knew nothing about it...¡¯
[That is most likely the reason why Geedi¡¯s fists are clenched as tight as they are right now.]
¡®Hm...? Oh, your right¡best to leave her alone in that state.¡¯
[Are you sure?]
¡®Yes, the last time I tried to tell her it was okay, she went off on a lengthy speech about how she was weak and that she will do everything to get strong enough to protect me better. Then she went off on a training montage and came back as a Tier 3 Hobgoblin, plus the large scar across her abdomen, that proves she almost died.
¡®Can¡¯t have that happening again.¡¯
[That is fair.]
¡®Anyway, I live that fancy dressing team and their mysterious way alone for now¡these Orcs¡they are testing my patience. I think we need to accelerate the plan a bit. Previously I thought it would be a problem to incorporate everyone, but we are strong enough now. There¡¯s no reason why we should leave any Goblin tribes alone in the plains anymore.¡¯
[I understand your frustration, but that might not be the best path forward. Moving one tribe might be fine, but all of them? It would take time. And of the Orcs caught wind of it before we are done¡that type of battle would be too much for the tribe. You¡¯re the only one in 4th Cycle, and only two others are 3rd Cycle.
[I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve realized it by now, but you improve way faster than the others. It¡¯s going to take time for the entire group to be strong enough to handle the plains and everything it might bring. Just be patient Rick.]
¡®I know¡I know¡but seeing Jala get hit¡¡¯
[Your aura is leaking again.]
¡°Ah my apologies everyone. I¡¯ll restrain my au¡ra¡¡±
¡®Velora look at them! All those new Goblins, their eyes are sparkling! Especially that big one¡Rogu! Look at his eyes!¡¯
[¡.]
¡®I don¡¯t know how you don¡¯t see it¡
¡®Though that got me thinking¡wouldn¡¯t having them here help with getting all the Goblins out of the plains?¡¯
[Their strength would help of course, but we still don¡¯t know how strong the Orcs are. Let alone the other races living in the plains. I recommend taking more time to think this over.]
¡®¡I will wait. At least until we make it back to the Village. Oh, here comes Jala now. His face is still bruised¡Velora¡I know what we just discussed¡but this is the last time I will sit idly by and watch a Goblin get beat down like this in front me. Never again.¡¯
[I understand.]
Eventually Jala found his way to the spot in the forest where Rick and the rest were waiting.
¡°Ah Ric¡er no its Chief now right, sorry. Thank you for upholding your promise to wait and not attack no matter what you saw. It was close to the time of tribute collection, and I didn¡¯t want them to see us sending Goblins into the forest, and potentially spot you.¡±
¡°Enough of that Jala, how are you? Why didn¡¯t you bandage the wound?¡±
¡°Ah if they come back and see it bandaged so soon, it might set them off. Better to wait a few days.¡±
¡°No. Get yourself proper medical care now.¡±
¡°Chief I understand how you feel, and I appreciate it bu¡-¡±
¡°Jala.¡±
[Your aua is lea¡-]
¡®Let it leak.¡¯
¡°¡I understand Chief.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
¡®I changed my mind, Velora. If starting this war early makes me a fool, then I¡¯ll be a fool, but I can¡¯t stand to see this type of behavior anymore. Not accepting medical help, because you¡¯re scared of retaliation? That¡¯s insane Velora. No more¡no more¡¡¯
Chapter Seventy Four (Book 2)
[I understand Rick. I¡¯ll refocus my thoughts to the direction you have chosen.]
¡®You¡¯re not going to fight me on this?¡¯
[My sole purpose is to help you on your journey. No matter what it is.]
¡®I see¡please never stop proving input Velora, I value everything thing you say whether I agree or not.¡¯
[Of course. Somone has to tell you to train.]
¡®Ugh. Moving on now, I¡¯m going to try and incorporate big guy over there and the rest of his team.¡¯
[I believe they will be more than willing to do pretty much anything you ask.]
¡®We¡¯ll see about that.¡¯
¡°Rogu was it? I changed my mind. I might have a task for you all. Are you all willing to help?¡±
Slam
¡®Oh, my goodness¡Why did he slam his fist against his chest that hard¡¡¯
¡°We are here to serve my Lord. Say the word and I will bathe these plains in the blood of Orcs.¡±
¡®¡All the extra things are going to take some getting used to¡and here I just finally got used to be calling Chief, but I have to respond to his dedication in kind.¡¯
¡°Good. But we won¡¯t be bathing these lands in blood just yet. We don¡¯t have enough information. I need to know how many tribes are in the plains, I need to know our enemies, there are other races that would likely help the Orcs if it came to war, no not if, it would come to war. I will not forgive them for what they¡¯ve done to my people. Is this something you can help me with Rogu?¡±
¡°Yes my Lord. Kris, Krel, go investigate the Orcs, I want to know everything about them. Ra, go find every single tribe of our people. Do not dally.¡±
The three members that were called out immediately bowed towards Rick, before saluting Rogu. Though just as they were about to set out¡
¡°Wait! Your lives are more important than the mission. If it is too dangerous, come back immediately.¡±
All three pairs of eyes locked on to Rick, and they bowed once more before departing.
¡®Bowing¡yeah this is definitely going to take some getting used to isn¡¯t it Velora.¡¯
[Likely so. I expect there will be many things that would take some getting used to as you meet more Goblins from the 14 Clans.]
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¡®Yeah the 14 Clans¡¡¯
[You should probably inform Jala of what¡¯s going on. He looks a little frightened.]
¡®Ah I kind of forgot about him.¡¯
[I know.]
¡°Ah Jala, sorry got kind of distracted there. From now on, things will be changing very fast in the plains. But before we get into that, I think we have some introductions in order. Jala this is Rogu, Rogu this is Jala. Jala here is a leader of sorts in the tribe before us, while Rogu is a General from distant lands. We¡¯re all Goblins here so let¡¯s be friends.¡±
¡°This is all a bit much, but it¡¯s nice to meet you Rogu.¡±
¡°Likewise, Jala.¡±
¡°Good...that¡¯s those two¡but I don¡¯t know the rest of you. Please introduce yourselves.¡±
The rest of the Royal Retrieval team went on to introduce themselves to Rick and Jala. Of course, all of the introductions were really intended for Rick, but they didn¡¯t mind Jala¡¯s presence, nor did they mind the Royal Guards¡who were watching all of them like hawks.
Though as the introductions finished up¡both Rick and Jala couldn¡¯t help getting shocked at everything they heard. All the different titles¡all the different clans¡and this wasn¡¯t even all of them.
Eventually, all of the introductions were over, and it was time for the crux of the discussion.
¡°I think we¡¯ll be waiting for a while, so let¡¯s talk. Jala, you can go back for now, get your tribe prepared for the potential of all of them having to leave here in the next few days. I know it¡¯s short notice, but we may need to move quickly.¡±
Jala seemed like he had so much he wanted to say, but he eventually just bit his tongue and left. It wasn¡¯t like he was scared to disagree with Rick or anything like that, but he truly took Rick to be his Leader, and with that came a certain level of trust in him. He would bank on that trust for now.
And with that Only Rick, Geedi and the rest of the Royal Guards, and Rogu and the Royal Retrieval team remained.
¡°So Rogu, this mission to bring back your Future King. How are you so sure that¡¯s me?¡±
¡°My Lord, it would be best for me to start form the beginning to explain¡¡±
Rogu then began a long talk in which he explained many things to Rick. He began with the Stones of Birth. He wasn¡¯t able to explain the science behind it, but he did let Rick know they began glowing many months ago, and after the timeline was broken down to him, he of course timed it up with the day he woke in the cave as a Goblin.
Though he kept that to himself¡and Velora of course.
Rogu continued on about how the Chiefs from all the Clans gathered in the Central Clan and discussed the plan of action. It was imperative that they sent out a force to recover their new King. After long discussions, that force ended up being Rogu and the others. Perhaps if time wasn¡¯t of the essence, the force might¡¯ve been different, but they were confident in the group. All put together for their different abilities and most of all their selflessness.
Finally, Rogu mentioned the Goblin Blood Stone. He described its purpose and how they had used it to track Rick down. All in all, it was quite the story.
¡°So, your goal is to bring me back huh¡and if I don¡¯t want to leave?¡±
¡°That¡I am not sure¡ I don¡¯t want to go against your words, but it is important to bring you to the clans. There are thousands of Goblins awaiting the return of a King. Your return My Lord.¡±
¡®Ahh¡those are some heavy words Velora¡¡¯
[They are indeed, but isn¡¯t this what you wanted? They would be the foundation of your future Kingdom of Goblins.]
¡®I know that...but am I just supposed to abandon everything I¡¯ve built here? Everything we¡¯ve started?¡¯
[Perhaps, perhaps not. These are the types of decisions you will need to make in the future. Being a King is not an easy thing Rick. There will be hard choices. This is just the first of many more.]
¡®Sigh¡I know¡I know¡¡¯
¡°I would love to return with you to the Clans Rogu, but I cannot abandon the Goblins here, and based on the journey you have only barely described to me¡it doesn¡¯t sound like a journey tens and tens of Goblins could make. I can¡¯t leave Rogu. I can¡¯t leave my tribe. At least not now.¡±
Chapter Seventy Five (Book 2)
There was a moment of silence as everyone digested Rick¡¯s words. They were heavy. How could Rogu not understand where he was coming from? This was supposed to be the Future Leader of all Goblins. Of course he would not want to abandon his people, that¡¯s the type of quality that would be needed as a King, especially the King of a race that is seen as just mere monsters to be culled whenever possible.
A King who would abandon them at the drop of a hat, would not last long upon his throne. So, on one hand Rogu was happy¡but on the other he was severely conflicted. While he didn¡¯t expect Rick to abandon his people¡Rick was the Future King of ALL Goblins. And that included the 14 Clans. Just as the tribes here needed him, the Goblins in the Dark Lands of Mir needed him too.
While Rogu was deep in his thoughts, Rick finally started speaking again.
¡°I mentioned it at the end there Rogu, but the key is not now. I want to visit the Clans, in fact I want to create a place where all Goblins can safely call it home without worry, but the Goblins here are not ready. Based on everything you have explained to me Rogu, you all are a lot more advanced than what we have here and can afford to defend yourselves. We can¡¯t do that yet.
¡°Which is why I¡¯m asking you to wait. Wait until the tribes here are strong enough to stand on their own. Only then can I leave them for as long as you need me to. Is that alright with you Rogu?¡±
¡°I have received your order My Lord.¡±
¡®Yep, still cringey.¡¯
[Get used to it.]
¡®I know I know.¡¯
¡°Good¡now let¡¯s see what we can do in the meantime. Are you able to contact the Clans at all?¡±
¡°Ah yes, we can contact them, but not in an easy manner, and it takes a lot of energy to accomplish so we only do it in emergency situations. Which we haven¡¯t had so far.¡±
¡°Please explain.¡±
¡°Teral come forward.¡±
¡°Yes Captain.¡±
¡°Explain the process to the Lord.¡±
¡°With pleasure Captain.¡± After nodding to Rogu, Teral then turned to face Rick.
¡°My Lord, through this device, I am able to send a short message back to the Clans. We cannot receive anything in return, and once the energy inside has been used, it would take weeks to recharge. Weeks of a constant input of mana.¡±
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What Teral brought out was a small grey disk. It didn¡¯t have any particularly amazing visual features. Just a small grey desk that was mostly flat. It had a few dings and imperfections, showing just how old it might be.
¡°Wow¡how do you use it?¡±
¡°My Lord, I have to activate it by infusing a large amount of mana at once, and then once it¡¯s on, I have a short window to say my message and it will be delivered on the other side to a device that looks similar to this one, but it is only for receiving messages.¡±
¡°That is amazing¡did you all make this?¡±
¡°Many years ago yes, Goblins did know how to make them¡but only a few remain today, and no one knows how to make them anymore. We do spend a lot of time researching them, but due to the few we have remaining, we are hesitant to take one apart to further the research. I apologize for this My Lord.¡±
¡°No no please don¡¯t apologize. I was just curious about the disk. It¡¯s really cool, and I¡¯m sure since Goblins knew how to make it once, we¡¯ll figure it out again eventually. Though the message. We need to let the Clans know you all are safe, and I have been found. Through this next part I¡¯ll leave it up to you Rogu. Would you like to return the Clans, maybe perhaps leaving someone here to guide me when it¡¯s time? Or would you all be okay with staying here for an extended period of time. Until I deem the tribes strong enough to handle my absence for over a year.¡±
¡°My Lord, I will stay as long as you¡¯d have me.¡±
¡°Good good¡now for the message. Please tell them that you have found me, we are safe, and that you all will be delayed for some time. What do you think Rogu? Should we say anything else?¡±
¡°My Lord, I believe that should be enough.¡±
¡°Good, please go ahead Teral.¡±
¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±
Teral then closed her eyes as she held the small grey disk in her hands. She took a few deep breaths before a large amount of mana began pooling together within the tall Maglin¡¯s body. Of course this was not something the others could see; they could only sense the gathering of mana. Some more than others.
Not worrying about what others see or not see, Teral continued with the accumulation of mana within her, for a bit longer. Slowly pooling it all together before opening her eyes and immediately unleashed the accumulated mana into the disk. Normally this action would¡¯ve likely resulted in a dangerous situation with all of that energy being released all at once, but instead of any sort of explosion, the small disk seemed to almost greedily drink up every last bit of mana that Teral poured in.
It flashed blue for a moment and then went dark before the blue light came back ever so faintly in the center of the grey disk. Teral immediately began speaking.
¡°We have found the Future King, we are safe. We will be delayed in returning. Drukha¡±
¡®Dru what? What the hell was that?¡¯
[I am not sure; I believe it to be another language though.]
¡®Another language? I thought I could understand everything.¡¯
[Perhaps there are things that could change that.]
¡®Hmm, might as well just ask her.¡¯
After Teral finished her message, a few moments passed before the blue light in the middle of the disk flickered abruptly for a second or two until it completely died out and the disk went dormant once more.
¡°It is done My Lord.¡±
¡°Good job Teral..but quick question, what was it you said at the end there?¡±
¡°Drukha My Lord?¡±
¡°Yeah that.¡±
¡°It is of the Old Goblin Tongue, and it means safe. It is a way of confirming the message being sent back wasn¡¯t forced.¡±
¡°Ohh that¡¯s cool too, oh what would you have said if there was some danger involved?¡±
¡°In that situation, I would¡¯ve said Thraguk, which means danger.¡±
¡®This is kinda cool Velora, I wanna learn this Old Goblin Tongue thing!¡¯
[I¡¯m sure they¡¯d be willing to teach, but I don¡¯t know if you¡¯d truly be willing to learn.]
Chapter Seventy Six (Book 2)
¡°Alright, we got that out of the way. Hopefully that¡¯s good enough to keep the Clans happy for a bit and not worry too much about you all¡¯s return. Now for what¡¯s next.
¡°Rogu, I¡¯m tired of seeing the Goblins here live under oppression. I want to free every single tribe that is living here and bring them back to the place I called home. I am not sure which direction you came from, but I have a home a couple months of travel away from here. That¡¯s where I¡¯d like everyone to be.
¡°Though perhaps this next part is selfish of me, but I don¡¯t plan on letting the Orcs off for everything they¡¯ve done. They need to suffer the consequences of practically enslaving my people. Then from there, I simply want to grow. Both myself and the tribe. This fight with the Orcs could last a while and I¡¯m not sure how many of them are there, but we will definitely need to be stronger. Until then, you and your group are the strongest Goblins we have Rogu, so I hope you all can help me out here.¡±
[It is now 1600]
¡°Of course, My Lord, my sword is yours to command, along with the rest of my team.¡±
¡®This Rogu fella is so dependable. Deep down I¡¯m a little worried about this die hard loyalty since we just met, but I¡¯m not going to complain about it for now. What do you think Velora?¡¯
[As previously mentioned, I believe you are for more important to the Goblins than we previously thought. The fact that your very race itself is ¡®Royal¡¯ by nature already says a lot. It is not out of the question to assume your depends on the very existence of having a Royal at the helm. Though I will need more information to form a more definitive answer.]
¡®¡.You know sometimes I forget how smart you are.¡¯
[Not sure why.]
¡®That attitude right there is why!¡¯
[I don¡¯t follow.]
¡®I¡whatever.¡¯
While Rick was bickering with Velora...the message sent by Teral had reached the clans. In a small room located in a building that was in the center of the Saug Clan, there was a Maglin who was one of the many others who were charged with being in this room.
There wasn''t much of anything located in the room. Just a small wooden desk and it''s accompanying chair. The Maglin who sat in this chair, was extremely focused on of the three items on the desk.
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There was a small item that appeared to be a writing utensil of sorts, and with it a sheet of what appeared to be the pale hide of some animal. Though the target of the Maglin''s focus was of course the Grey Disk in the center of the desk.
This disk was monitored day in and day out without fail. For the team that would be sending messages back was carrying out a mission that was of grave importtance, and in the situation a message was sent, it would need to be received, recorded and sent up through the proper channels immediately.
It was now that the disk abruptly whirred to life.
The Maglin nearly jumped, but their training took over quickly. Which was good since the voice of Teral soon sounded in the room.
"We have found the Future King, we are safe. We will be delayed in returning. Drukha."
The Maglin didn''t waste anytime after that and quickly wrote down every single word she heard. Of course she made sure to write the word Drukha in large letters at the top of the page.
After completing her task, she rushed out of the room to where another Maglin stood waiting for a situation like this to occur. No words were said, the hide was handed over and the Maglin moved with conviction towards their destination. It was still within the same building, and a few moments later, the Maglin was bursting through the doors that led to an office of sorts.
This action would usually be met with punishment, as the person who sat in this office was none other than the Cheiftess of the Saug Clan, Chieftess Yalg.
She looked up from her desk, and stuck her hand out. She of all people knew that her subordinates would never be this disrespectful lest the situation called for it, and she of course knew that there was a mission of grave importance being carried out at the moment, and it has been almost a year since they received word from the team. So a message was likely any moment now.
She recieved a message and only took a moment to read it before speaking aloud.
"Send the word to the other Clans. All Leaders are to gather in the Central Clans immediately. Royal Related."
Her orders were passed on, and various Goblins moved about to being them to fruition.
Two days later and the last of Chiefs had gathered in the Central Clan once more.
"We should send more support."
"Are you sure thats worth the risk? We don''t know the troubles the team went through to find the King, but a little over 9months have passed before we got word back. That means they had to travel thorugh many hostile lands to find him. Should we reallt risk another team to make that journey?"
"Hmm are you saying that our Future King isn''t worth that level of risk Darug? Why the hell should we hold back in our support? We need to being the future back safely. No amount of risk is too much in this situation."
"No Rogu of course not, I just caution us to not risk the lives of our brethren needlessly."
The Chiefs went back and forth for quite some time before a decision was made.
"Are we all in a agreement? 3 General equivalents will be sent to reinforce the Future King. Speed will be paramount, so the fastest and stealthiest we have will be sent. Any last disagreements?"
No one made any movements to speak.
"Good, Lets move quickly."
Chapter Seventy Seven (Book 2)
POV Rick
On the day Teral sent the message¡
[It is now 1700.]
¡®Thank you Velora, and oh look, that Loruk guy is finally back.¡±
¡°Oh, I see you caught a boar. Good Job Loruk let¡¯s eat guys.¡±
The small gathering of Goblins didn¡¯t waste any time butchering the boar and getting a small fire going.
They ate and chatted amongst each other as the day turned into the evening and the evening turned to night. Hours passed as they were waiting for the return of the three that were sent to scout.
Eventually it was far into the night that someone finally returned.
[It is now 2300.]
¡®That late already huh. I¡¯m surprised no one has gone to sleep yet. Though I¡¯m sure everyone is tired.¡¯
[Food and conversation seem to be keeping everyone going. Though I do recommend some rest at some point.]
¡®Your probably right.¡¯
¡°My Lord, someone is approaching.¡±
¡°Hm?¡±
¡®What the hell, I don¡¯t see anyone.¡¯
[Spread your mana out like we¡¯ve been practicing.]
¡®Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Alright let¡¯s see¡hm¡I can¡¯t really spread it that far yet¡ah! Yeah, there we go, someone really is approaching from the plains. Damn Rogu¡¯s range must be really far, which makes sense, I guess. Now who is this.¡¯
[I believe his name was Ra.]
¡®Now that I think about it, what a cool name. Anyway, he was the one sent to go investigate the other tribes, right?¡¯
[Yes, he was.]
Eventually Ra made his way back to the group. He looked a little exhausted, but fine for the most part.
Rogu was the first one to approach him.
¡°Good job on returning Ra, what did you find?¡±
¡°Captain, I ran all over the outer periphery of this side of a massive river. If we keep heading to the right of this tribe, you will find 3 more tribes exactly like this one, but after some point, the plains end, and lands meet water. I quickly circled all the way back and headed to the left where 2 more tribes could be found before the plains ended at the mountain range in the distance.
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¡°At that point, I decided to venture a bit more inwards, where I began to run into these groups of feathered beings. I am not sure what they are called, but at that point I thought it best to come back and here I am.¡±
¡°I see¡good job Ra, get some rest. My Lord, what would you like to do?¡±
¡°For now, nothing, everyone should get some rest, we will talk in the morning. That means you too Geedi.¡±
¡°¡Understood Chief.¡±
Rick stayed seated where he was, watches were set up and others drifted away into sleep. Rogu was up as well, but he simply leaned up against a tree with his eyes closed, as he paid attention to the surroundings. As a Tier 5 Goblin, his stamina levels were simply off the charts, and it would be no issue for him to stay up for a few days.
¡®So, there are 6 total tribes in the plains huh¡that number doesn¡¯t add up. Did we get a letter from Jala last time telling us there was more than that?¡¯
[Yes, the letter mentioned 8 total tribes. Though he wasn¡¯t sure, that was just a somewhat educated guess from him.]
¡®I¡¯m sure there was a reason that he thought there were 8¡so the fact that we have 6 now means something happened¡¡¯
[Don¡¯t think about it too much Rick, focus on what¡¯s in front of you.]
¡®¡Your right. So, 7 tribes. Probably around 20-30 each, which means we could be working with around 200 Goblins here. That¡¯s a lot of Goblins to safely move from here all the way back to the village. Though while I think that¡¯s accomplishable, the problem would be after that.
¡®After that we would have little to no presence in the plains. And fighting a war while having to wait two months for support is no bueno, but at the same time¡even if we could have troops close by, I don¡¯t think the Goblins would be strong enough to fight head-to-head to head with the Orcs. Without taking Rogu¡¯s team into account we only have one Tier 4, two Tier 3s, and a few tens of Tier 2s. That¡¯s probably nowhere near enough to contend in an actual war with Orcs, and whoever else would help them.
¡®So¡what then? If we can¡¯t go head-to-head with a stronger force, but I need them gone nonetheless, what are out options?¡¯
[You can attempt to sneak into Orc camp and remove the leader. Or perhaps try to lure them into the forest and employ various guerrilla tactics. Though I recommend waiting on the Goblins sent to scout the Orcs return. Once we have information on them, we can come with a plan accordingly.]
¡®Sigh¡your probably right. And there¡¯s that sleeping monster in the lake as well¡the Goblins back home know not to deal go near, if possible, but who knows when it will wake up? And let¡¯s not forget the fox¡I still don¡¯t know how strong it is, but I refuse to go and check¡oh wait a second¡I wonder if Rogu and the others met the fox? I¡¯ll ask in the morning¡¡¯
[Is everything alright Rick?]
¡®Hm...? Ah yeah everything¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just feeling a little stressed. Maybe more stressed than I expected to feel, I guess. This scope of this whole thing is starting to grow wider and wider, and while I definitely still want this, the reality of the situation is sometimes different from what you expected, and that¡¯s how I feel right now.
¡®I¡¯m currently planning to uproot over 200 Goblins and ask them to move away from what they¡¯ve known this whole time, and potentially expose my entire tribe and all of these Goblins to war and bloodshed. That¡¯s a big decision Velora¡It wasn¡¯t that long ago that I was just a regular person on earth, now I¡¯m here liberating Goblins and pledging to kill Orcs.¡¯
[I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a problem to have these thoughts, I believe the key is to not ignore them, and make sure you try to deal with them. Talking about them like this is probably a good idea going forward.]
¡®¡.There you go again being smart¡but your right. Thank you, Velora.¡¯
[Of course.]
Chapter Seventy Eight (Book 2)
[It is now 0700.]
¡®Damn I barely slept¡I feel fine, but a good night is important! Or at least¡¯s that¡¯s what my mom used to pester me about¡anyway, we need to actually come up with a real plan. I have a few ideas, and we¡¯ve talked about a couple things here and there, but no actual plan as of yet. We¡¯re waiting for the Goblins to come back with information on the Orcs, but we should still be able to do something about the tribes at the moment no?
¡®The sooner I can move them back home, the sooner they all will be safe. Though I don¡¯t think I can go back myself anytime soon. I need to be here, and we need to get started on a small outpost that¡¯s closer to the Plains. Maybe about two weeks of travel from here? What do you think?¡¯
[That sounds logical, though I highly recommend conferring with Rogu. He introduced himself as a General and thus should theoretically be well versed in military strategy.]
¡®Hm, that¡¯s actually a good idea Velora, you¡¯re on a roll lately¡now let¡¯s see, do you think he¡¯s awake? He¡¯s just leaning against that tree with his eyes closed. Geedi¡¯s awake with a few of the guards, and that Loruk guy is also awake. Should I let them sleep some more? Hmm, how about a small test? Well not an actual test, just a feeler to see who else is awake. Yeah, let¡¯s do it.¡¯
¡°Good morning Geedi, and good morning to anyone else who is awake.¡±
¡°Good morning Chief, were you able to rest well?¡±
¡°Yeah, it was good enough thank you. Yourself?¡±
¡°Good as well, thank you Chief.¡±
If someone looked at the scene, maybe someone would wonder why Rick wasn¡¯t greeting the rest of his Royal Guards, but it was something they themselves decided to do. They believed they had to earn the right to talk to Rick, because they were his guards, but they were weak. He was on Tier 4, but only one of them stood on Tier 3 at the moment and it was Geedi. Even Geedi herself has been limiting her speech as much as possible. She finally made it Tier 3, yet she still couldn¡¯t use any magic at all.
Despite the fact the Kida assured her that she was making progress, it was still hard for her to accept being weak. Of course, that thought kind of cemented itself further when Rogu showed up. She couldn¡¯t sense him approach at all, and she instinctively knew neither her nor her guards were a match for him, that was already bad by itself, but then the rest of his team showed up and they were all stronger too.
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She couldn¡¯t help but feel extremely inferior. Thus, although she wanted to talk to Rick a lot more than what she was currently doing, it was a punishment and motivation to grow stronger by having a limit on conversation. Of course this was all communicated to Rick, and he just kind of went along with it, but it was still hard on them.
Now while was dealing with her inner dilemma, Rogu who hadn¡¯t slept a bit the entire night, was dealing with one of his own. He didn¡¯t understand the ¡®Good Morning¡¯ phrase used by Rick.
He knew that it was morning, but the good part didn¡¯t make sense to him. Did something happen that he wasn¡¯t aware of? But he was awake all night and paid attention to every single rustle in the bushes. So, what was it? He noticed that Geedi seemed to understand what Rick meant, which brought him more confusion. These types of thoughts flashed through his mind at blistering speed before he finally decided to ¡®wake up¡¯ and ask Rick a question.
¡°My Lord¡this ¡®Good Morning¡¯, what does it mean?¡±
¡®Oh, would you look at that. They don¡¯t say good morning back in the clans.¡¯
¡°It just a greeting used in the morning. No real special meaning behind it, just a greeting.¡±
¡°I see, then, Good Morning to you as well My Lord.¡±
The other members of the Royal Retrieval who were still ¡®sleeping¡¯, quickly ¡®woke up¡¯, and gave their series of Good Mornings as well. Rick didn¡¯t know it yet, but he just sparked another revolution for Goblin Kind. Centered around saying good morning¡
¡°Now Rogu, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re awake. You mentioned you were a General. Are you experienced in fighting large battles and coming up with tactics?¡±
Rogu seemed to perk up at the mention of his title before responding.
¡°Of course, My Lord! I have led many grueling battles in both attack and defense against the dark creatures of Mir many times.¡±
¡®Wait what, the dark creatures of Mir? Doesn¡¯t that sound scary Velora?¡¯
[Perhaps, but this is not the time.]
¡®I know your scared, no need to hide it, but your right.¡¯
¡°Erm, I see. Then what do you recommend we do about the tribes? My current plan is to have all of them evacuate back to my village, but I would like to build an Outpost close to the plains so that we can still maintain a presence here so that we¡¯re better equipped to fight the Orcs without everyone having to travel two months to get to and from the plains and the village.¡±
Rogu paused for a moment to consider the words from Rick and then responded.
¡°My Lord, it would depend on a few things. Do you want to expand into the plains? Or are you simply building the Outpost for Goblins to stay temporarily? That answer is important. If you¡¯re planning on expanding, then this Outpost will need to be strong enough to withstand sieges and large enough to house a large number of warriors and support. If it is a temporary building, then something easily taken apart and sabotaged would be best. We would not want to build a sturdy building just for our enemies to move in after we leave. There are a few other things to consider but that¡¯s the main point. Do you want to expand into the plains? The answer to that question will determine a lot about how we move forward My Lord.¡±
¡®Do I want to expand in the plains huh¡¡¯
Chapter Seventy Nine (Book 2)
¡®Hmm, I do think I need to expand in the plains¡but I don¡¯t think now¡¯s the time.¡¯
¡°I would indeed like to expand into the plains, but now¡¯s not the time for that. We aren¡¯t ready to be conquerors just yet. For now, just something that house a couple Goblins. This won¡¯t be an all-out war just yet, for we just need a staging ground. How does that sound?¡±
¡°I understand your thoughts My Lord. Then for now I recommend building this Outpost as soon as possible. Once we begin evacuating the tribes, it will only be a matter of time before Orcs catch wind of this.¡±
¡°Ah build it right away huh¡that means I will need to get Wala and Dran here, but it¡¯s going to take two months to reach them, and then two months to bring them back¡hmmm.¡±
¡°My Lord if I may¡¡±
¡°Of course, go ahead.¡±
¡°We could have this Outpost up no more than two weeks. Perhaps less with more hands.¡±
¡°Two weeks? Is that enough time to build something big enough to house around 30 Goblins? I know you said it should be easy to take it all down, but that doesn¡¯t mean it should be flimsy right?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry My Lord it will be fine, isn¡¯t that right Ulgri?¡±
¡°Ah Yes Captain! My Lord, we don¡¯t have the types of materials needed to make something truly special but I¡¯m confident I can design something that fits your needs perfectly! We will not let you down.¡±
¡®Oh, they¡¯re serious¡¡¯
[We¡¯ve already seen what the Goblins back home can do with a limited time, it only makes sense to assume stronger, more experienced Goblins can do even more in the same amount of time or even less.]
¡®That¡¯s true, I guess. Welp let¡¯s get them some more help then.¡¯
¡°Alright Ulgri and Rogu. I¡¯ll trust you and take your word for it but let¡¯s get you some help. Geedi, send someone to Jala¡¯s tribe. Tell him I need a few Goblins who are able to help build. Oh yeah, I also forgot to ask if they¡¯re doing okay on food, please find that out as well.¡±
¡°On it Chief! You! You heard the words of the Chief, go.¡±
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The member of the Royal Guard that was signaled out, nodded to Geedi and Rick before taking off towards the Tribe.
¡®Sigh¡sometimes I really don¡¯t understand them. Why do I need to talk to Geedi instead of just asking the guard that myself? And if I tried to just go to the tribe myself, they would all make a fuss and ask me to let them do it instead. I tried complaining initially but they wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer, so I just let them be, but man it¡¯s all so weird sometimes.¡¯
[It¡¯s good you let them be, they appear very passionate about all of this, and it¡¯s to benefit you anyway, so don¡¯t complain too much.]
¡®Yeah, yeah I know don¡¯t worry.¡¯
Before long the Guard Geedi sent, was soon seen running back towards the group, only this time he had around 10 Goblins with him. The tribe wasn¡¯t even 30 Goblins strong, so 10 was a good amount of them. Of course, Jala himself was at the forefront of the group.
They eventually made it to Rick and the others.
Thanks for coming Jala, if you¡¯re here to help build please talk with Ulgri here she¡¯ll help you out oh and I almost forgot, Rogu, the Outpost should be a few days, maybe a whole week¡¯s travel away from here. I don¡¯t want it to be right at the edge of the plains. If the Orcs decide to follow us, then they need to bully within the forest.
¡°Understood My Lord, Loruk and Sarug, you two stay here. The rest of you with me.¡±
Rick watched on as Rogu and the others marched off deeper in the woods. Rick himself was still a little worried about what type of Outpost he¡¯d see when he went to check on the results. He also wouldn¡¯t mind going off to help, but Geedi would throw another fit.
The woes of being a loved leader.
¡
¡®It feels like someone is talking about me again¡¡¯
[I didn¡¯t hear or sense anything. What are you talking about?]
¡®Ah you wouldn¡¯t get it.¡¯
[¡]
¡®Are you judging me Velora?¡¯
[Not at all.]
¡°Um Chief, you sent someone to ask how we¡¯re doing on food right? We¡¯re okay for now, since we were able to prepare well in advance for the tribute.¡±
¡°Ahem, I see. Well Jala, no more tributes alright? No more tributes, ever again Jala. I won¡¯t listen to any arguments. Now with that being said, are you sure you all have enough food? So that everyone can eat their fill, right? I¡¯m not sure when exactly we will be leaving but it likely won¡¯t be today, but don¡¯t try to ration anything. The forest is bountiful, and I will provide meat if you need it. Make sure everyone can eat their fill alright Jala?¡±
¡°¡I understand Chief, no more tributes and the everyone in the tribe will eat their fill.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good Jala, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll have someone deliver a boar or something before the day is over!¡±
With that, Jala went on his way. He was a bit skeptical at first, but hope had taken a strong root in him at this point. Ever since Ms. Gala passed away a few months ago, the entire tribe essentially looked up to him for everything. He was prepared to lead until it was his turn to go, but the stress was definitely mounting. He told Rick he had food, but that would only be true if they rationed every single piece of it. If everyone were to eat their fill, it would all run out by tonight.
He didn¡¯t show it, but Jala was truly happy. When was the last time he got a chance to eat till his stomach was truly full? The answer was never. He would make sure the entire tribe ate till they couldn¡¯t walk today.
Chapter Eighty (Book 2)
A few hours after Rogu and others left, and someone had long since delivered a few dead beasts to Jala¡¯s tribe.
Rick was just sitting there in silence. Well silence to everyone else, but he was busy having a conversation with Velora.
¡®Can¡¯t believe I¡¯m just now remembering to do this, but Velora can you please bring up Rogu¡¯s Status? And why didn¡¯t you remind me about this.?¡¯
[Understood, and you didn¡¯t ask me to remind you.]
¡®Fair I guess.¡¯
{Name - Rogu}
{Age - 17}
{Race - Supreme Hobgoblin}
{Tier 5)
¡®Ah still no numbers! When are they coming back Velora, I really miss having them.¡¯
[As always, I am still working on it. This was something that was done by a higher power. It¡¯s going to take some time for me to undo whatever it is that was done. Though I do believe in continuing to scan and as many beings at various level of strength, especially your own race, we will eventually get to where we need to be, to one day bring the numerical data back.]
¡®Sorry, you¡¯re right. I should probably focus on the things at hand. 17 years of age¡I really want to laugh and say he¡¯s just a teenager but, considering how fast Goblins reach adulthood, he is not young at all. I don¡¯t really know what the comparison would be for a human, but that¡¯s significant. I¡¯ll have to keep that in mind when I see the ages of other Goblins.
¡®¡Though¡I¡¯m technically still older than him¡does that make an old man??¡¯
[I don¡¯t believe so.]
¡®Thank you for your support, Velora, it is appreciated.¡¯
[Of course.]
¡®Now his race, that¡¯s new¡a Supreme Hobgoblin huh¡that¡¯s pretty cool. Actually, that¡¯s more than pretty cool¡It literally says Supreme. I wonder what he can do differently than the rest of us. Guess we¡¯ll find out soon enough. Though while he is supreme, Jala and Geedi are still being called Hobgoblins on their status as Tier 3s, while Kida and Zargi who are both still Tier 2s, are called Elite MagiGoblins. Even Wala and Dran also get that Elite moniker in front of their names.
¡®I wonder if it goes away when they hit Tier 3 or do, they still keep it? Either way, being called a Greater Hobgoblin really does sound cool. I¡¯m only a little bit envious that their races get to change while mine just says Royal Goblin the whole time. Oh, and my tattoos cover my entire upper body with the exception of my head now. Still not sure how I feel about that.
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¡®Anyway, let¡¯s scan that Loruk guy next, please.¡¯
[Understood.]
{Name - Loruk}
{Age - 11}
{Race ¨C Greater Hobgoblin}
{Tier 4}
¡®So, he¡¯s 6 years younger than Rogu and a Tier 4. I wonder how long it took for him to be Tier 4 and Rogu to reach Tier 5. Will have to talk about with them at some point, actually we¡¯ll have to talk to them at some point about a lot of things. Considering that the clans seem a lot more advanced than the rest of us.
¡®Now¡at Tier 4, he¡¯s a Greater Hobgoblin. I¡¯m really starting to get a little jealous of these names. Not too jealous¡just a little bit. Now can you bring up the status of one the Maglins that left?¡¯
[Understood.]
{Name - Teral}
{Age - 11}
{Race ¨C Arcane Maglin}
{Tier 4}
¡®A Arcane Maglin huh¡that sounds kind of elite¡Velora is it a problem that I¡¯m now getting really jealous of these evolutionary names?¡¯
[Yes, you should be proud of the fact that your subordinates are strong and are evolving into powerful forms instead of being jealous of the names of their races. You are a Royal. Do not forget that.]
¡®You know what¡your right. I was just joking a bit, but you¡¯re still right. Though even though your right¡those names are still really cool sounding and I¡¯m excited to see what the higher Tiers are called. Like those Chiefs, in talking with Rogu we learned that they are Tier 6, surely, they have a cool name too. Now for the last one, please bring up the TinkGoblin¡¯s status.¡¯
[Understood, and the names are indeed interesting.]
¡®Ah see you get it!¡¯
{Name - Ulgri}
{Age - 12}
{Race ¨C Arcane TinkGoblin}
{Tier 4}
¡®The arcane moniker is back. I wonder why TinkGoblins and Maglins both get the Arcane moniker but not the ¡®normal¡¯ Goblin? At tier 3 we get access to mana, and now that I¡¯m Tier 4 that connection to mana that we just begin to develop at Tier 3 becomes really strong. So why are normal Goblins just given ¡®Greater¡¯ while the other two both get Arcane? It¡¯s kind of weird and interesting at the same time. Something to ask about later.
¡®That¡¯s pretty much it though¡very interesting stuff. Honestly cannot wait for numbers to be back so that I can really see the difference between myself and Rogu. Just how big is the gap between us I wonder?¡¯
[Spread your senses out.]
¡®Hm? Got it.¡¯
¡
¡®Someone is approaching¡wait no¡two people are approaching¡from the left.¡¯
¡°People are approaching from our left.¡±
That was all Rick said and Geedi and the Royal Guards sprang into action. Geedi got close to Rick, while the others spread themselves out in a circular formation with Rick at the center and spears were drawn. Loruk and Surgsha both followed suit and went to the front of the group, while Rick stood up.
Though just as Rick was standing up, he felt something else¡
¡®No¡it¡¯s not two¡it¡¯s three...Five? I can¡¯t tell and they are approaching fast!¡¯
¡°It¡¯s more than two! Be ready to fight!¡±
It only took a few moments after that for Rick and the other Tier 4s to see Kris and Krel to bursting through the forest and rapidly approaching the area they were in, and it only took a few seconds after that for Rick, Loruk and Surgsha to notice that they were being chased. By Orcs.
Chapter Eighty One (Book 2)
¡°Orcs!!!! Royal Guards!!! With me!!¡±
That was what Rick yelled out the second he noticed the approaching Orcs. His Royal Guards heard his shout and responded in kind. They quickly changed their formation and lined up behind him as he moved to the front of the group. Geedi was behind him and to his right while another guard flanked his left. The rest of them filled on either side behind him, forming what looked to be a wedge or arrow formation.
Of course, this was something Rick and Velora came up with, when faced with the conundrum of fighting together with his Royal Guards. Their entire purpose was to protect him, and it wasn¡¯t a reach to expect them to die for his sake. In fact, in most places, it would be considered an honor to die protecting your Liege.
Though that was not a thought Rick had preached to his Goblins, but despite that they still understood that they should be protecting him at all costs and when it was time for them to finally follow Rick around the forest, they ran into the problem of trying to protect Rick and not allowing him to fight the way he wished.
But it was more than just that. Rick didn¡¯t necessarily want anyone dying for his sake. He didn¡¯t think he was worth anyone dying to protect him, which created the problem. Rick wanted to fight for himself, and protect his Royal Guards, while Geedi and the others wanted nothing more than to be the ones doing the protecting.
Thus, the arrow/wedge formation. Rick would be the point and the lead, while the others would be right there with him.
Of course, this didn¡¯t include Loruk and Surgsha, but Rick didn¡¯t forget them.
¡°You two! With me! Protect our wings!¡±
They weren¡¯t part of the formation, but they were seasoned fighters. Loruk went to the left of the formation and Surgsha moved to the right. Now with weapons drawn, formation situated and Kris and Krel rapidly approaching, the Orcs themselves could finally be seen by all, and every last one of the Royal Guards tensed up a bit.
They were used to fighting monsters in the forest and sparring with each other. But fighting another race like Orcs? One¡¯s that wielded weapons? Ones that were bigger than all of them? This was new, this was different, and despite all of their training in the forest, it would be a miracle to expect them to be truly battle hardened warriors that won¡¯t cower in the face of a superior force.
Rick noticed this as well, and it was at this moment Loruk, Surgsha, Kris, Krel and even the Orcs saw something they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
¡°Do not fear them! You¡¯re with me!¡±
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After saying that, Rick who had a wooden spear fit for his size in his right hand, turned his left palm down to the ground and then beautiful yet absolutely deadly flames sprung out from his palm. It poured out until it reached the ground and then spread out to his sides and rear as it covered the entire group of Goblins.
They felt stronger, braver, and their brodies grew limber and ready to strike.
Everyone other than the Royal Goblins who have seen and felt this effect before, were shocked down to their cores. Although Kris, Krel and the Orcs couldn¡¯t feel the effect, the Orcs felt a primal fear deep within them.
Something about the flames evoked a deep fear from the core of their beings. A few knees almost buckled as they ran, and their charge appeared to slow down for a bit before another yell was heard.
¡°Petty tricks from weaklings!!! Kill them all!!!¡±
It was an Orc at the front of the charging group, who ran with a large mace in his hand.
Though apart from helping to refocus his fellow Orcs, that shout caused an already Rick to reach a boiling point, and as his anger rose, so too did his flames.
They surged and grew around him and the group as he yelled out once more.
¡°Charge!!!! Leave none alive!!!¡±
Although he didn¡¯t realize it at the moment, his words were imbued with mana and the presence of a Royal. Speaking of presence, it roared out into the surroundings as the anger of a Royal made itself known. How could a born Royal be normal? How could their anger be regular?
It was far from it.
Rick took off running, with a few Goblins in tow, all of whom could feel the anger of their leader which began to weigh in the atmosphere. It didn¡¯t affect them in the slightest physically, but it seemed to also make them angrier than usual instead.
Now with the empowerment from the flames and presence of Rick wafting through the atmosphere, the Goblins followed after their leader with invigorated shouts.
No one knew the Tiers of the approaching Orcs who numbered in the 10s at least, but none cared. Especially not Rick, who didn¡¯t even bother sparing Kris or Krel a single glance as he blazed past them at his full speed, and once he felt like he was in range, he leaped over 7 feet in the air towards the encroaching Orcs, and with a spear coated in green fire, came crashing down as he roared at the top of his lungs.
¡°ARGHHHHH!!!!!¡±
A cloud of green flames immediately spread throughout the area and the screams of Orcs could soon be heard throughout the forest.
The exact number of Orcs present numbered 15 and now two of them were dead. Their bodies lay scorched at the feet of Rick.
Though he didn¡¯t dwell on his small victory as the other Goblins rushed in behind him, with Geedi giving out orders as she entered the fray.
¡°Triangle!!!¡±
Another practiced command, which called for 3 Goblins to surround one opponent with one on three different points around the target, forming a sort of triangle. Of course, it wasn¡¯t enough of them to do that with every Orc present, but they weren¡¯t alone. Loruk soon rushed in, with sword unlike anything Rick¡¯s tribe could produce, and Surgsha wasn¡¯t too far behind with a pair of short swords dancing within her fingertips.
Rick himself quickly realized the leader of the Orcs wasn¡¯t one of whom who died to his preemptive strike and he dashed towards his direction. Only this time he had no spear as it broke in the previous clash.
Wala and Dran were definitely able to improve their weaponry, but they still lacked the ability to make something that could truly withstand the force of a Tier 4 Goblin.
So, Rick only rushed ahead with his fists as his main weapons.
They were coated in green flames.
Chapter Eighty Two (Book 2)
[Rick every single one of them are Tier 4! The Royal Guards aren¡¯t strong enough to handle this!]
¡®Dammit!¡¯
¡°GEEDI !! RETREAT NOW! All of you! RETREAT¡±
¡°Don¡¯t let a single one escape! Chase them all down! Goblins dare raise a blade at us? Kill one of our own?! The Warlord will kill us twice over if we don¡¯t bring back their heads!¡±
¡°SHUT THE FUCK UP! I WILL KILL YOU NEXT SWINE! GEEDI I SAID TO RETREAT NOW!¡±
Geedi and the rest of the Royal Guards who were in the middle of trying to set up their triangle formation to comabt the Orcs, hesitated for a few moments after Rick told them to leave. How could they do that? Their whole purpose was to protect him and he was telling them to leave?
It was conflicting, but only for a few moments. They had never seen Rick so angry¡so bloodthirsty¡so¡full of wrath. He was usually so happy, and full of joy with them. But at the moment he looked anything but joyful. The flames around his fists seemingly blazed with the intent to kill. They seemed ravenous even. The green fire a complete opposite of the serene nature of a lush green forest.
But of course that wasn¡¯t the only thing that made the Royal Guards leave despite their unwillingness to do so.
It was the power in Ricks voice. Rick didn¡¯t know this yet, but it would truly be hard to find a Goblin that would disobey an order from a Royal. It was only right that the authority they held within their race be unmatched. Especially when that order is being imbued with essence of power only a Royal Goblin would possess.
Though despite them eventually retreating with haste¡hesitation was hesitation. And against a Tier 4 opponent? Hesitation could prove catastrophic and it did.
After giving the order to retreat and cursing at a Orc, Rick didnt just sit back and watch it all happen. Nor did the Orcs.
They rushed forward the power of a Tier 4 while rushed in instead to be block instead of his initial thought of going after the leader of the group. Loruk, Surgsha, along with Kris and Krel who were both wounded also stepped in to help secure the retreat of the guards.
They didn¡¯t need to be ordered and would never leave their Future King to fight on his own in the first place.
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But reality was always the biggest reminder of one¡¯s weakness.
They were outnumbered and two of their members were already weakened. It wouldn¡¯t have have a been a problem to block them if Geedi and the others were already a distance away, but they had rushed into the battle directly with Rick and were already in the midst of moving to attack the Orcs, so the distance between wasn¡¯t large to begin with.
One of the Guards, a male covered in furs from beats he hunted himself was a bit slower than the rest and before he even realized what was happening a sword neared his neck.
Velora noticed and called out to Rick.
¡°NOOO STOP!!!!¡±
Rick cried out as he moved to reach the Goblin, but while his words would¡¯ve been listened intently by Goblins¡since when did Orcs have that same inclination? The answer was never.
*Thud*
The head of the Goblin landed almost landed on the ground with a soft thud. The eyes on the Goblin head, wide with shock.
The chaos of the battlefield seemingly coming to a hault as the sound of the head reaching the ground resounded in Rick¡¯s ears numbers times over.
His steps slowed and Velora went silent. As Rick took in the scene before him.
Rick had been in this new world for quite some time now. He had adapted, learned about the world, embraced his new people, had laughs, create goals, been angry, seen new things he had only ready about in books¡but the death of a fellow Goblin? He had yet to experience it this vividly.
He heard yet to watch one of his people die in battle. Right before his eyes, without the ability to help him.
Time to seemed to slow as Rick finally began to process the scene he just witnessed.
It was at this period that one would need to remember the description of Rick¡¯s Magic.
{ A Goblin''s Wrath ¨C Your Chosen Element is now the fire that drives your armies to victory on any battlefield. Burn your enemies to cinder with the fires that dwell within the heart of every Goblin. Your mana will now strictly be attributed to Goblin Fire, and it will have the added effect of causing the minds of your opponents to break down, leading them to become uncontrollable, attacking both friend and foe. }
{ Any Goblin touched by your fire will feel strengthened for a limited time, before being weakened once the duration expires. }
{ The strength of your fire grows alongside you. }
{ Beware the Wrath of the King of Goblins }
It was the last line of the description that one would need to remember in order to understand what was about to take place.
Beware the Wrath of the King of Goblins.
It was then that Rick let out a gut wrenching roar.
"ARGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!"
It shook the forest around him, as the eyeballs now blalzed with green fire and the flames themselves quickly danced with wild abandon in every direction with him as the center. Nothing was untouched in his vicinity. The nearby Goblins felt stronger than ever before, the Orcs were all fighting with Zeal and deadliness now became mad and began attacking each other. The ground beneath their feet became scorched and the trees and bushes began to burn.
Only Goblin-Kind would ever be safe from the Wrath of the King of Goblins.
Though while the Orcs were in the process of attacking each other, Rick would not allow them to kill each other.
Their lives were his to claim.
Chapter Eighty Three (Book 2)
Rogu and the others who left to go start working on the outpost Rick wished for, weren¡¯t very far when Kris and Krel returned. It hadn¡¯t even been a day since they had departed, so they were still only a couple hours away from the location.
Especially Rogu.
Who never intended to stay for the entire building of the outpost in the first place. His plan was just to help break ground on the project and secure the area before heading back towards Rick. And unlike he would usually do, he wasn¡¯t leading the procession from the front, in fact he was hanging back about 30 yards behind the group which wasn¡¯t moving that fast in the first place.
So even though they had been travelling for hours, they hadn¡¯t gone all that far since most of the group was made up Tier 0 and 1 Goblins. Now combined that combined with Rogu¡¯s distance from the group and his own natural senses befitting that of a Supreme Hobgoblin, it was no shocker that he heard the screams of Rick, or that he felt the aura that Rick was releasing in waves.
Rogu¡¯s expression tightened the second he both heard and felt what he had. He quickly barked out some orders.
¡°Continue onwards and get the Outpost built with waste! The Future King is in trouble! I¡¯ll be returning on my own!¡±
Of course, the second he said that all the Goblins present, especially the ones that were on his team, wanted to turn around and run with him. Of course, who could blame them? Protecting Rick, the person who will one day be crowned their King was both an honor and a necessity to them. It must be done, but they knew that they couldn¡¯t compare to the impact of Rogu, plus regardless of any of that, his orders were absolute.
So, they pressed on with clenched fists while Rogu turned around and began rushing at breakneck speed towards Rick.
His natural superior strength to his lesser Tiered counter parts already set him far apart in terms of speed, but he then empowered his body with mana, and he was rushing through forest at a blistering pace.
If he continued at this pace, he would cut what would be a 6-hour journey for a Tier 0 Goblin down to just a few minutes.
Of course¡when it came to battle a few minutes was a truly long time.
~~~
With green flames reaching from his fists to his elbows, Rick rampaged through the battlefield with a mad light in his eyes. He delivered punch after punch to even more maddened Orcs who were busy trying to kill each other with reckless abandon.
His fists danced through the battle like fireflies flying through the night sky. Though unlike fireflies, the fists of Rick were connecting and leaving a gory mess after each connection.
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Rick took off towards an Orc that had his back facing him, and with a roar he drove his flaming fist straight through his back, through his spine, and all the out of the other side. He quickly pulled his fist back, pushed the Orc¡¯s body to the side and lunged straight at the Orc he was fighting before quickly dodging the Orc was already in the process of delivering and sent a fist straight at his head, bursting his skull in the process.
This berserk like atmosphere and rampage went on for a few more minutes, with the other Goblins having very little room to interfere or play a part.
By the end of it all, Rick was standing in the middle of the battle with a body in his hand.
This was the scene Rogu saw once he appeared.
It lit a fire in him.
To see his one¡¯s King or leader, standing victorious in the middle of a battlefield surrounded by the bodies of his enemies, was a sight most warriors would enjoy and be empowered by, Rogu of course was no different.
But he wouldn¡¯t allow himself to be distracted by the jubilation he felt in this moment. This was indeed a battlefield. One that wasn¡¯t planned nor foreseen. An error on his part.
Though before Rogu could make his way towards Rick and apologize for his mistakes. Rick dropped the body in his hand and started speaking.
¡°Kris and Krel come here. Rogu, it¡¯s good you made it back. Take the others and evacuate all Goblin tribes right now. Bring every single Goblin in the plains here. If you run into Orcs or any of the other races and they pose a problem, then kill them. No mercy. All Goblins need to be evacuated immediately. Geedi take the Royal Goblins and the fallen body of your member and go back to the tribe. Once there do not leave. Do not let Jaba and the others leave either. You all are not strong enough. Do not complain, just do it. This is not your battle. Move now.¡±
Geedi would¡¯ve likely hesitated and complained about staying, but the tone in Rick¡¯s voice plus the fact he even went out of his way to tell her not to complain told her enough. Even Rogu would¡¯ve liked to give his insight here, but if nothing else he was a General, and if a General wasn¡¯t going to follow the orders of his King, then he was no General at all.
So, after a series of ¡°Yes, My Lord, and Yes, Chief¡±, a small team of Hobgoblins led by Rogu departed to the plains to carry out Rick¡¯s orders, while Geedi and the others quickly gathered the body of their fallen companion and began the two-month trek back home to the tribe.
The only remaining Goblins in the clearing were Rick and of course Kris and Krel who he told to remain behind.
Both of whom were silently kneeling just a few feet away.
¡°Rest first, we will talk in a moment.¡±
Was all Rick said to them before he himself took a seat right where he was standing among the bodies.
[Are you sure sending them away to evacuate the tribes now is the right idea? We could¡¯ve waited until we got information from Kris and Krel.]
¡®No. The Orcs were able to send out an entire squad of Tier 4 Orcs just to chase two Goblins. They are strong. And regardless of what information they have. The chances that the Orcs have some inclination that stronger Goblins have arrived in the plains is high enough. Waiting any longer is too risky. Rogu is a Tier 5. I¡¯m willing to bet on the fact he can handle most threats.
¡®It¡¯s not like we have other forces to back him up with. This battle just proved to me that strength matters more than I realized. Throwing tens of weak Goblins at a singular Tier 4 would be nothing but a massacre. So, there is no use in waiting. I also have no more patience for them.¡¯
Chapter Eighty Four (Book 2)
By now the sun had set, and darkness had begun to take over the sky. Rick spent an hour or two just resting silently. And apart from the initial conversation he had with Velora, there wasn¡¯t many thoughts being circulated in his mind at the moment.
He was just there sitting motionlessly the entire time.
Until right this second when he stood calmly, and walked over to the two Goblins who were resting silently as well.
POV Rick
¡°So, are you two rested enough to talk?¡±
¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± It was Kris who spoke up first.
¡°Good, now¡what happened out there?¡±
¡°I will explain it all by myself for a smoother flow, is that alright My Lord?¡±
¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±
¡°Thank you My Lord. I will start by saying that we never made it deep into Orc territory. We were barely at the edge of what we believe their lands are before we were detected. We took off from here and headed north from the tribe next to us, and we continued that way for a bit. On the way north we passed by a few patrols of what appeared to be Tier 3 Orcs, and we also passed by a few scattered patrols of these bird-like beings. They appeared to be made up of Tier 2 and 3 creatures.
¡°Both groups were easy enough being detected by and we progressed at a steady rate. Taking note of many things along the way. We eventually ran into a settlement for the bird-like creatures, and it was perhaps a few hundred of them present in the settlement. We didn¡¯t go in the settlement, nor did we get particularly close, but from what we could tell, the majority of them were below Tier 3 while a selection of them were Tier 3, and even fewer Tier 4.
¡°These are just rough estimates based on what we sensed and saw, so our initial findings could be off. We didn¡¯t observe them for long, but one of the things we noticed was their interactions with the Orcs. Although they weren¡¯t treated or spoken to in the same way our brethren were, the Orcs didn¡¯t seem to treat them all the way like equals would either. Or at least that¡¯s how it appeared to us.
¡°It was after we progressed from there that the problems began. The number of Orcs began to rise significantly the more we travelled, and we passed by two small camps of them. Both camps had around 10 Tier 3 Orcs each and it seemed like staging points for all the tributes they¡¯ve collected. Again, we were able to get pass them with relative ease, but then we made it a bit further and found a larger camp. We though this was the main camp of the Orcs, so we decided to enter it.
¡°We quickly learned this was not their main camp, after overhearing many conversations referencing some type of War chief, who we presume to be their leader. This was troubling because the entire camp was filled with Tier 4 Orcs and even though we wanted to get more information, we didn¡¯t want to risk being discovered. Though it seems we underestimated the Orcs a bit. No one saw us, but I believe we were identified by smell, and before we knew it a squad of them was upon us and we had no choice but to run.
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¡°We did our best to lead them away, and run towards the mountain, before heading back towards the forest and attempting to lose them there, but to no avail. The only reason we returned is because of your order to return alive. I apologize for leading enemies to you My Lord.¡±
¡°No reason to apologize, you both did good. Thank you for returning alive. If you haven¡¯t eaten yet, please head to the tribe next to us. Jala should have some food.¡±
¡°My Lord, we cannot leave you unprotected.¡± This time it was Krel who spoke up.
¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll be waiting here; you guys can go ahead.¡±
[Look at them Rick, they really don¡¯t want to leave you. You already made Geedi and the others leave as well, don¡¯t do it to them too.]
¡®Fine¡your probably right.¡¯
¡°Fine both of you come with me. We¡¯re going to visit Jala.¡±
¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±
¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±
¡®Sigh this is only going to get worse when I finally reach the clan right?¡¯
[Most likely. I¡¯m sure they will be a massive expansion of the Royal Guards, or perhaps an entire separate division in place just to attend to you.]
¡®Hmm, I wonder¡though it¡¯s going to be a long time until I get a chance to visit the clans anyway. Plus, now that I think about it a bit, it¡¯s not very feasible to grow a force here, and then worry about a force a significant distance away like the clans. Either we all need to move there, or they need to move here, but based on the information Rogu has given us, both of those options are impossible. Do you think space magic is a thing?¡¯
[Possibly. The tool that allowed Teral to send a message over what is likely to be hundreds of miles back to the clan, implies there are ways to have long distance travel of some sorts. Perhaps space magic is at play in some capacity.]
¡®That makes sense. Hopefully we can come up with a way to create some sort of portal to connect both places so that we don¡¯t have to worry about the distance any longer.¡¯
[Perhaps that something a Maglin at the higher levels will be able to assist with.]
¡®Perhaps.¡¯
Eventually, Rick and the two Goblins following silently at his side arrived at the tribe in the dark of night. The tribe was mostly quiet with most of the Goblins sleeping, but there was 1 Goblin standing watch and after spotting Rick and recognizing who exactly he spotted, he gave them a really big wave and after the wave was returned by Rick he took off towards one of the tents in the small tribe.
Before long, Jala was seen coming along with the lone Goblin who was on watch.
¡°Ah sorry to wake you up Jala, it kind of slipped my mind that you all would be asleep at this time. Actually¡now that I think about it, I forgot to send someone to inform you of what¡¯s about to happen. C¡¯mon let¡¯s find somewhere to sit we have a lot to discuss.¡±
Chapter Eighty Five (BOOK 2)
After Rick sat Jala down and explained everything that happened today and what would likely be happening from now, or at least in the short term, he left and went back to the small little clearing.
He then tried to gather all the bodies of the Orc corpses but Kris and Krel ending up almost begging him to allow them to do it, and both of them worked quickly to get all of them piled up.
Once the pile was ready, Rick set it ablaze but in a controlled manner.
Eventually all the bodies were burned up and the night atmosphere was calm once again.
¡®Jala was a little shocked and frightened huh Velora.¡¯
[I¡¯d say he was a bit more than a little frightened.]
¡®Hm you think so?¡¯
[Rick he threw up. Twice.]
¡®Well¡¡¯
[Then he fainted.]
¡®Um¡.¡¯
[Then proceeded to throw up again once he woke up.]
¡®Okay fine I get it, he was extremely frightened. Well I guess it makes sense in a way. He has lived his whole life under oppression from Orcs, and all the Goblins who came before him lived the same life, so it¡¯s been generations of oppression that he¡¯s faced.
¡®Yet out of nowhere, a new Goblin shows up out of what was supposed to be a deadly forest for Goblins and gives him hope of a better life about eventually leaving the plains, then fast forward a bit and more Goblins he¡¯s never seen before show up at his doorstep about a mission to take me back to some faraway lands.
And then to add fuel to the fire¡his oppressors were not only near his home in force¡but they were massacred by the very Goblins he hoped would lead him away from here¡yup I can see how that would cause him a lot of stress in the moment.
[It¡¯s good that you realize.]
¡®Yeah yeah yeah¡wait whats that over there?¡¯
[It appears Rogu and the others have returned, wait no I am wrong. Only the Greater Hobgoblins Loruk and Surgsha are accompanying the group of Goblins. Will you go greet them?]
¡®No, if they need me, they know where I am, no need to bother them¡I¡¯m a little curious about why its only those two traveling with the group but based on what I can see from here they don¡¯t look to be wounded or anything.¡¯
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¡..
Going back to after shortly after Rogu left with the remaining members of the Royal Retrieval Team¡
POV Rogu
¡°You said his flames were empowering you?¡±
¡°Yes Captain¡I felt strong¡stronger than I¡¯ve ever felt before.¡±
¡°Wow¡you felt this too Surgsha?¡±
¡°Yes Captain, it really was an amazing feeling. To be strengthened by the Future King himself! Though¡I did feel a bit weakened afterwards, but it wasn¡¯t too bad. Just means theres a cost to get that strength. It still feels amazing though and I would do it a million times if the Future King wished for it.¡±
¡°¡and then after one of his Royal Guards died, he essentially went berserk, and the Orcs went mad, and he proceeded to brutally destroy them?¡±
¡°Yes Captain. It was a beautiful sight to watch our Future King enact his wrath on the Orcs. They don¡¯t deserve a shred of our mercy.¡±
¡®Dammit¡I missed it all. To be able to watch him in all his glory, dismantling his enemies. Not only that¡but to be strengthened by him as well! I am jealous¡I shouldn¡¯t feel jealous of my brethren but I am. I too would like to witness the Future King in action. Dammit. I really do hope we find Orcs on this mission. I need to release this frustration.¡¯
¡°Captain.¡±
¡°Hm?¡±
¡°Was it the best decision to leave the Future King with only Kris and Krel? He sent away his Royal Guards, and the others are traveling into the forest to build an Outpost. Shouldn¡¯t we have stayed behind? Or perhaps all travel together?¡±
¡°You make good points Loruk, and while I am currently the Captain of the Royal Retrieval Team, first and foremost I am a General. A General has to know when it wise to advise, versus when it would be better to simply follow orders. In serving my father for all these years, there are things I¡¯ve picked up on, to help guide these choices.
¡°And based the look the Future King was giving me, and the tone of his voice, I knew in that moment I was simply to follow the orders I was given. And there is no greater authority to me, than the words of our Future King. Does that answer your question?¡±
¡°Yes it does, thank you Captain.¡±
The small group continued their journey westwards from Jala¡¯s tribe, and eventually they came upon the first tribe in this direction.
¡°Captain¡¡±
¡°I see them¡Three Orcs. 1 Tier 4, and 2 Tier 3s. They don¡¯t seem to be collecting tributes of any kind. Just patrolling the area. Hm. Let¡¯s assume they have means of communication, and there are others nearby. Take them out the Tier 3s quickly and quietly. I will handle the Tier 4.¡±
No response was needed, and the team did indeed move quickly and quietly, and before the Orcs even truly realized what had come down on them, two of them were breathing no more, and the lone Tier 4 was missing his arms and his neck was firmly in the grasp of Rogu.
¡°Loruk, Surgsha, find the elder of the tribe, calm them down, figure out what they know and prepare them for the move. Do not hurt or scare our brethren unnecessarily but we have no time to waste so be a bit forceful if you must.¡±
¡°Yes Captain.¡±
¡°Yes Captain.¡±
¡°Now you¡nod once if you speak my tongue.¡±
*A Frantic Nod follows.*
¡°Good¡let¡¯s have a chat. From this point on, nod once for yes, and twice for no. Understood? Good. Are there more of you in the area?¡±
*Nod*
¡°Stronger than Tier 4?¡±
*Nod¡Nod¡±
¡°I see. Are they in the other tribe?¡±
*Nod*
Rogu then snapped his neck and dropped him to the floor.
¡®Hmm, let¡¯s assume there is one stronger than Tier 4. I¡¯m confident in my ability to kill a Tier 5 Orc, but Tier 6 would be a fight to the death but I can likely cause severe injuries. Anything higher than Tier 6 is a death sentence. Alright I know what to do.¡¯
Chapter Eighty Six (Book 2)
After getting the answers he needed from the Orc, Rogu met up with Loruk and Surgsha who had already had the tribe gathered, packing only valuables for the journey ahead.
¡°Loruk, did anyone in the tribe know anything?¡±
¡°Captain, they mentioned a team of Orcs came by and asked questions about other Goblins, and after beating a few of them for answers they didn¡¯t have, a couple of them stayed behind while the others left.¡±
¡°Beating a few of them huh¡Lead them to Jala¡¯s tribe we have no time to waste.¡±
¡°What about you Captain? Shouldn¡¯t we do this together?¡±
¡°That would waste too much time.¡±
¡°But Capta-¡¡±
¡°Loruk. You are the Vice-Captain of the Royal Retrieval, and due to that your questioning will get a pass. But at this moment, I am acting as a General to the Future King of Goblins. Do you understand what that means?¡±
¡°¡Yes Sir.¡±
¡°Good, then carry out your orders.¡±
¡°Yes Sir.¡±
Immediately following that discussion, Loruk and Surgsha departed to Jala¡¯s with the tribe in tow, meanwhile Rogu was getting his thoughts in order as he watched them leave.
POV Rogu
¡®Loruk¡¯s head is in the right place, so I won¡¯t fault him for his questions, and that is part of his role as the Vice-Captain of the Royal Retrieval team, but this was different. My orders were from the Future King himself. I am not acting as the Captain of that team at this point in time.
¡®Currently, I am what I always have been. A General. The pinnacle of the army that is to serve under the Future King of Goblins. And just like there are times when a General should not question their Liege, there are times when a General¡¯s orders should be followed with haste. This is one of those times, and Loruk understands this as well. All he needed was a reminder.
¡®Now¡let¡¯s go see what awaits me at the next tribe.¡¯
By now it was dark, and Rogu used that to his advantage to make his way to the next tribe. It was not the easiest thing in the world to hide a frame as large as his in these wide open plains, but it being the dark of night helped a long way. And with his speed, it only took him 5ish minutes to reach the next tribe, and what he saw almost made him lose the grip he had on his own mind and body.
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There were many Goblins strewn around the tribe. Beaten, bruised, and unmoving. It was hard to tell if they were dead or alive, but it hardly made a difference to Rogu whether they were alive or not.
Just the fact they were being beaten like dogs was enough for him to want to commit a massacre. Again, Rogu was aware of the treatment Goblins received outside of the Lands of Mir, but rarely ever left those lands, and in that place, Goblins couldn¡¯t be bullied like this without a war starting, a war that his father himself would lead. So, despite the knowledge that this happened in more places than just these plains, it was another matter altogether to see it so clearly.
Though instead of continuing to get angry, Rogu smiled.
One of the orders that was given was to show no mercy, and it was an order he planned to follow thoroughly.
Of course, Rogu would always do his best to maintain the level of professionalism and discipline expected from an official General, regardless of any internal emotional turmoil they may or not be going through.
There were only five enemies before him. Or at least only five he could see within the tribe itself. He could easily extend his senses using mana to entire surrounding area, and uncover any hidden dangers nearby, but if what his instincts were saying to him was correct, then the one Orc he had his eye was sure to be a bit above the rest, and likely strong enough to detect the use of his mana sense.
¡®Hmm, five Orcs. Four of them are wearing typical brown armor, while the one who seems to be overseeing everything, is wearing all black armor. Armor that appears from over here to be a touch above the rest. Just that alone would hint at a higher level of strength.
¡®Though, there is a chance I¡¯m not close enough to tell¡but I¡¯m not getting the feeling I get from my father. Or even of that Fox. There are plenty of things back home that make my instincts scream in fear and this Orc does not provide that same feeling, but all that means is that it is most likely not above Tier 5. Good.
¡®Now. What¡¯s the best way forward. It is unlikely I can sneak up on it, and I don¡¯t want to cause any more harm to the tribe by recklessly charging in. Which means it would be better to bring it away from here. So¡my only option is that.¡¯
Rogu unsheathed his sword. If Rick was perhaps more familiar with swords, he would have likened the sword to a large Dao Sword. The blade itself was roughly 5 ft in length alone, and the hilt seemed to be made out of some kind of intricate wood. There was only one design etched into the blade.
It read ¡®KRAGNAR¡¯.
To most, it would mean nothing¡but to those who spoke the old tongue of Goblins. It would mean one thing. War.
¡®Kragnar¡we move again. Let us finally put this body of mine to work in the name of the Future King of Goblins!¡¯
Unless one was a Maglin, other Goblins would never be able to fully utilize every single element to the same capacity and efficiency. There would always be one. One that they would be able to grow in strength and understanding with above the others.
Rogu quickly channeled a portion of his mana at the tip of his sword, and very quickly a small orange ball began to form. So as not to make the ball too big, he cut off the supply of mana yet maintained control of the ball that was now rotating at the tip of his sword. Due to the darkness, it didn¡¯t take the Orcs very long to notice a light in the distance, but before they could act, Rogu swung his sword in a downward motion and the ball went flying at a blistering speed in the direction of the Orcs.
Of course, the Orc in all black armor dodged rather easily, but the attack was never meant for him.
The small ball of fire crashed into one of the other Orcs, causing a small explosion that was enough to throw the Orc in the distance.
¡°You dirty PIGS! COME AND TASTE MY BLADE.¡± An excited Rogu.
Chapter Eighty Seven (Book 2)
POV Rogu
Rogu would have much rather to keep this operation as quiet as possible. It would have been a far better scenario if he could take out the Orcs both quickly and silently. Leaving no room for any type of communications to be sent out, or potential nearby reinforcements to come. But Rogu learned a long time ago that in times of war, it was best to prepare to work with the worst of circumstances, and this wouldn¡¯t even begin to compare to the worst situations he had been in. Of course that was only on a surface level.
Rogu considered this mission the most important one he had ever received. A spot that was previously held by the Royal Retrieval mission. But how could that compare to being given direct orders from his Future King to rescue his people and crush his enemies? The answer was it couldn¡¯t.
Since hiding was no longer necessary after his provocation to the Orcs, Rogu spread his out his Mana Sense as wide as he could and smiled immediately after doing do.
¡®There are none nearby, at least no Tier 5 and below. Though that is still no reason to play around. The sooner I get this done, the faster I can evacuate the tribe and get back to the others. It¡¯s a good thing my provocation seemed to work.¡¯
¡°YOU FUCKING GOBLIN! WHO THE FUCK GAVE YOU THE CONFIDENCE TO STAND AGAINST YOUR MASTERS! IF YOU WANT TO DIE SO BAD I WILL GLADY SHOW YOU WHY ORCS RULE THESE PLAINS! WARCHIEF GIVE ME STRENGTH!!¡±
The Orc who was exploding with fury, drew a mace from his waist, a mace whose spikes glistened with a red glow with the night sky as backdrop. He then charged out of the tribe with a speed that almost didn¡¯t match his large size. The glow of the mace began to get brighter as the Orc took large powerful yet fast strides in his black armor towards Rogu.
Of course, Rogu wasn¡¯t standing still in this moment either.
¡®The others stayed behind in the tribe huh. No matter, at least there won¡¯t be any pests to worry about. Though that mace¡it looks a bit troublesome. I¡¯ve seen something similar from those vile bastards deep in the Forgotten Vale, if it¡¯s the same thing, it would good if too never let that mace touch me.
¡®Not that I was planning to.¡¯
Rogu who already had sword unsheathed, flooded his body with mana, empowering every cell in his body at the same time, and that flood of mana didn¡¯t stop at just his body. It flowed through him and into his sword as well, and very quickly bright orange flames coated the edge of his sword.
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Rogu then took off in a charge of his own and it was akin to two unstoppable forces charging at each preparing to engage in a cataclysmic clash that would decimate the area for miles on end.
Though this was obviously something Rogu didn¡¯t want. A clash of that stature could potentially end in his favor, and maybe even end the battle in one move, but the tribe he was tasked to evacuate wouldn¡¯t escape that type of collision unscathed. He did not want to have to explain to his Liege that his powers played a part in eliminating the people he was supposed to be helping.
What a shameful experience that would be.
So, when Rogu and the Orc neared each other, the Orc promptly took a wide swing with his mace, which by this point had reached the apex of its eerie red glow. His swing was packed full of the intent to fully destroy Rogu, but Rogu had other plans.
Instead of engaging with the Orc before him, he only planned on dodging from the very beginning, which is exactly what he did.
By stepping sharply to the left, he got out of the way of the mace before his own sword burst forth with power, aiming towards the now exposed side of the Orc who screamed out at him the second he dodged.
¡°COWARD!¡±
No warrior liked being called a coward, but what reason did Rogu have to care about that? His mission was absolute so pressed on. A searing blade rapidly approached the side of the Orc and just as the slightest part of the blade met the skin of the Orc, he managed to bring his mace over in time to block the blade from going any further and a loud ring followed suit with the clash of weapons generating billowing winds.
Of course, Rogu didn¡¯t expect to kill the Orc with that one strike so before the Orc could disengage. He muttered a word.
¡°Urzhak¡±
And the flames around his sword intensified instantly before it exploded with power. The Orc screamed out in pain as it jumped away from the flame¡¯s area of influence. Though it did not escape completely unscathed.
Starting from the point of that wound, the entire side of the Orc¡¯s body was now charred black.
There was a reason Rogu was confident in his ability to fight any Tier 5 Orc. Ever since he could walk, he had been fighting life and death battles throughout the Dark Lands of Mir. Against truly harrowing creatures who sought to feast on his fellow Goblins. The lands the Goblin Clans called home and been secured long before he was born, but it was a never-ending battle to ensure they remained secured. They ruled Goblin Lands, but Goblins were far from the rulers of the Dark Lands of Mir.
He could tell from the very second, he laid eyes on the Orcs in the tribe. These people were bullies than true battle tested warriors. Their eyes didn¡¯t have the same look as warriors who had to fight tooth and nail for the survival of their people. He would never lose to someone like that, not while on the same level of power.
From that point the battle didn¡¯t last very long. With one side of the Orc essentially useless, his battle prowess was more than cut in half, and in front of a being like Rogu, that was essentially a death sentence.
Chapter Eighty Eight (Book 2)
POV Rogu
¡®Hm, that takes care of that. That bastard had the strength of a Tier 5, but he lacked true fighting ability. I wonder just how long they have been living as rulers of this area and bulling the weak while having that piss poor level of ability.
¡®Truly a shame. It is a good thing the Future King wants them gone. They don¡¯t deserve their seat of power. Hm, I should bring the mace back. The Future King will want to know what it is.¡¯
Rogu took hold of the mace, while being careful not to touch any of the spikes. Of course, along the way back to the tribe he repeated to himself more than a few times that taking this mace was not a trophy to show in front of Rick¡ Anyway, he made it back to the tribe where he was promptly attacked by the remaining Orcs who had stayed behind.
They witnessed the battle and knew they likely weren¡¯t his match, but they foolishly assumed he would be weakened, and thought an ambush would work. They were foolish indeed.
Rogu didn¡¯t waste any time dealing with the Orcs and a short time later the tribe was just filled with the gasps and shock of around 25 Goblins.
¡°Who¡¯s in charge?¡±
Rogu¡¯s voice boomed around the tribe and a short time later an older Maglin stepped forward.
¡°I¡¯m the one in charge sir¡¡±
¡°No need to be frightened Elder, I¡¯m a Goblin just like you and everyone else here. My name is Rogu, and I have been sent to evacuate your tribe. I know this is sudden, but please trust me on this. You don¡¯t have to worry about Orcs anymore.¡±
¡°You¡¯re a Goblin¡? But¡¡±
¡°Elder listen we don¡¯t have time, pack up your necessities and come with me. We need to leave now. All of your questions will be answered in time.¡±
It was no surprise that the Elder and even the other Goblins doubted their eyes and when it came to Rogu.
He looked and felt like a Goblin, but they had never seen a Goblin that large, that strong, such beautiful armor, and most of all he was casting magic! To their knowledge only Maglins had the ability to cast magic. Yet here was a ¡®normal¡¯ Goblin right in front of them casting more powerful magic than any Maglin among them had ever cast. Something the elder Maglin knew all too well. Which is why his next question wasn¡¯t a surprise when you considered all of that.
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¡°Are you¡are you, our King?¡±
Rogu was about to rush them a bit more forcefully until he heard the question.
¡°Hahahah!! Your King? Elder, if you want to meet your King then you need to get moving now. He is the one who ordered this evacuation. Now, gather your tribe.¡±
The Elder finally relented and began getting his fellow tribe members in order. Which wasn¡¯t that hard since they were already nearby and listening as the Elder and Rogu conversed. And seeing as how they didn¡¯t have many ¡®valuables¡¯ in the first place, it didn¡¯t take them very long until they all moved as one big group with Rogu and the forefront.
It took them more than a couple hours, but they eventually reached Jala¡¯s tribe where Loruk and Surgsha were waiting for Rogu. They both considered moving along to the next tribe but made the decision to wait for Rogu. They even decided against going to visit Rick, thinking it would probably better to wait until the mission was completed.
After Rogu arrived with 25 Goblins in tow, everyone very quickly realized a problem. The tribe was too small to hold two other tribes as well. Especially on such short notice. Of course, who was still up in the middle of the night was watching and saw the problem as well.
POV Rick
¡®I honestly didn¡¯t think this far ahead¡all of them can¡¯t stay there.¡¯
[I figured as much. You were in an emotional state, so it only makes sense you didn¡¯t quite think things through.]
¡®¡Your being rude again Velora.¡¯
[Not sure what you¡¯re referring to.]
¡®Whatever, still need to figure out what to do about all of these Goblins.¡¯
[Why not just send them all to the outpost being built in the forest? They would be able to help with the building process, while also settling there until they can be transported back to the village. Though the village would eventually need to be expanded as well, but I believe it is more equipped to handle that sort of rapid expansion with the likes of Gala and Dran present]
¡®That surprisingly makes a lot of sense.¡¯
[Surprisingly?]
¡®Ah erm no, I didn¡¯t mean it that way¡¡¯
[I see. Now about the surprisingly good idea?]
¡®You¡¯re giving me attitude now? Fine fine, your extremely well thought out plan seems to be the only reliable solution we have at the moment. I think it would be the right thing to do. My only question would be who¡¯s going to take them there? Only Rogu knows the way to wherever they were, and I don¡¯t want to leave the area, but at the same time I¡¯d rather not have Rogu, and the others leave either.¡¯
[I¡¯m sure you can convince one of Kris or Krel to leave with the Goblins, then you can just travel to the other tribes alongside Rogu, since you can send the rest of Jala¡¯s tribe as well.]
¡®Ah! That¡¯s a great idea! Yeah, who says I just have to sit here the whole time? Let¡¯s get Rogu before he leaves.¡¯
[I think he¡¯s already heading this way.]
¡®Oh well that makes things easier. Huh¡why is he carrying a large mace?¡¯
[It is likely he got it from the enemy.]
¡®The enemy huh¡so they did indeed run into Orcs.¡¯
[Yes, it appears so.]
¡®And judging from the fact he is coming back with a weapon, and the tribe was safely evacuated, no mercy was shown.¡¯
[That also appears correct.]
¡®Good.¡¯
Annoucement
So I was planning on waiting until after Book 2 to announce this, but I think this is fine. My plans for ''Why a Goblin?''.
First of all thnak you all for reading this book of mine, as it was the first book I ever truly tried to write and it''s still wild to me that people actually enjoy it. Real actual people! Mind blowing!
Book 1 of WAG was only about 66K words and Book 2 will only be slightly longer. I currently envision about 3 more books after this one for a total of 5 Books in the WAG series. So with that being said, I eventually want to (self) publish Book 1 and likewise for Book 2-5 Unless I manage to somehow get signed by a Publisher lol, but as of right now, one of my goals for 2025 is to get Book 1 Published! Honestly I tried this early last year when I didn''t understand much about publishing a book and a lot of lessons were learned. So I won''t be rushing this, and I''ll take my time and do it right because you guys deserve that from me.
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You guys will be updated along the way and will be the first to know when things are happening. I really hope WAG can have real success as a published novel so that I may continue to pursue writing the type of books you guys will enjoy! I do plan on getting an Audiobook done as well but those are really expensive haha so a long way to go until that point.
Now for the first real update in this process... I have finally found an Artist that I like and I have offcially commisioned them to create a differnt Book Cover for WAG. I will also getting character illustrations done as well! Rick first, then perhaps Jaba or Geedi second? Who knows.
Thats all for this annoucement, thank you all for reading enjoying the Gang Green journey with me :)
Chapter Eighty Nine (Book 2)
¡°My Lord. There are some things you should know. As you have already realized, we have evacuated the two tribes to the west and brought them here as ordered, but both tribes had Orcs occupying them. The first tribe just had 1 Tier 4, but the second tribe had a Tier 5 Orc in its midst.
¡°It posed no problem as I managed to draw it away from the tribe and deal with the problem. This Mace was its weapon of choice. The Mace itself had a power that resembled something perilous I have encountered before. I believe if this mace manages to draw blood while being empowered by mana, it will cause that wound to bleed profusely. I have seen it happen before, and I t is not pretty sight My Lord. It will be something to monitor and be wary of as we continue to fight the Orcs.
¡°Of course, that isn¡¯t the only problem. The fact a Tier 5 Orc was present is likely more of a bigger problem. They are aware of some type of other presence in the plains. Likely due to the squad that chased after Kris and Krel that hadn¡¯t returned, and now that the Tier 5 Orc won¡¯t return, their suspicions will be raised further, and the number of Orcs in the area could reach a number we aren¡¯t ready for, especially since we aren¡¯t even fully aware of their exact numbers.¡±
¡°I see¡¡±
¡®Hm, Rogu makes some good points, but that¡¯s all the more reason why I will join them on the mission to evacuate everyone.¡¯
[Are you sure you¡¯re ready to fight Tier 5 Orcs? Rogu will be with you of course, but what if there is more than one Tier 5? What will you do?]
¡®Then I will fight it, and I will kill it. If I¡¯m willing to send Rogu off to do my bidding, then I need to be willing to fight right alongside him. I can¡¯t order these Goblins to do things if I wouldn¡¯t want to do those things myself. I don¡¯t want to lead like that. I know that¡¯s how Geedi and the others kind of want me to lead but they should know by now that, it will never be like that unless they forcefully tie me to a throne! Ahem¡With that being said¡I don¡¯t plan on giving up my precious Goblin life so easily. Please bring up my status.¡¯
[Understood.]
{Name - Rick}
{Age - 21}
{Race - Royal Goblin}
{Element ¨C Goblin Fire}
{Tier 4)
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{Essence - 0}
{Evo Points - 625/2160}
{Skills}
{Velora}
¡®Hm, I had 25 Evo Points before this all began, and the only things I¡¯ve killed recently were those 15 Tier 4 Orcs. So, after some quick math¡carry the one¡cross my Is¡dot my Ts¡40! Each kill gave me around 40 Evo Points. Still a genius.¡¯
[¡]
¡®Don¡¯t judge me Velora! Anyway, it shouldn¡¯t take that long for me to reach Tier 5 if we continue to run into squads of Tier 4 Orcs, and if that previous engagement was anything to go by¡I am stronger than them even though we are in the same Tier. And though it was a little unfortunate that I sent Geedi and the others home, this is really not their battlefield, and this new information affirms that. They would probably turn to mush if a Tier 5 Orc even breathed too hard in their direction.
¡®I¡¯m sure they will use this as motivation to get stronger, I just hope Geedi doesn¡¯t venture too far east in the forest. Close to the lake the beats are only Tier 1s and 2s, but that¡¯s the direction we met our first Tier 4 in¡that damn porcupine. Anyway, all I can do is trust she won¡¯t do that and if she thinks about doing it, then Jaba and the others can talk her out of it.
¡®I worry too much, let¡¯s focus on the situation at hand. Kris and Krel will lead the others to the Outpost, I hope Rogu can describe the general direction they were headed in enough for them to follow, and once they are there, they will come back with a few of the other Tier 4s. While they are gone, Rogu, Loruk, Surgsha and I will move to the next tribe, evacuate it and return here to see if the Kris, Krel and the others have made it back yet, then send two of them off with the evacuated tribe¡.wait no, what if they aren¡¯t back yet¡then we won¡¯t have the extra numbers to evacuate the tribe to the Outpost while moving to the other tribes. Hm¡what to do¡¡¯
[Just evacuate all the remaining tribes together, and the move them all at once towards the Outpost.]
¡®¡Wouldn¡¯t that be too big of a group traveling around?¡¯
[Perhaps, but even though lower Tiered Goblins can¡¯t run as fast as you or Rogu, that doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t run at all.]
¡®Decent point¡hm, alright we¡¯ll go with that. Plus, it¡¯s not like we can¡¯t make decisions of the fly depending on how the situation changes. Let key the others in the plan.¡¯
Rick then called over Loruk and Surgsha and once everyone was gathered, he explained the plans he came up with. Rogu then confirmed he remembered the way and could accurately describe it to Kris and Krel who also confirmed they¡¯d be more than able to find the trail of the others without issue. They were also reminded by Rick to wait amongst the tree line and not to enter the soon to be empty tribe.
Once everything was finalized, they all walked down to the tribe and let Jala, and the other two tribe elders know what was about to happen. Rick felt about uprooting them like this constantly, but he knew it was best for them. A small period of stress, for a better tomorrow.
Or at least that¡¯s what Rick believed and was hoping for. A better tomorrow for Gang Green.
Anyway, things moved quickly from there. The now one large tribe took a few moments to get their things in order before leaving with Kris and Krel to find the Outpost. They would remain there for some time until it was time to move to the Village, and then eventually only a small fighting force will remain at the Outpost.
Chapter Ninety (Book 2)
It was finally time to leave since everything was now in order, and Rick, Rogu, Loruk and Surgsha departed eastward from Jala¡¯s tribe. They rushed through the plains quickly with the night sky still rich with darkness that helped them to maintain their stealth as they ran.
¡®Velora, I feel like a spy on a secret mission.¡¯
[You need to remain focused and take this seriously Rick.]
¡®I¡¯m both focused and taking things very seriously, but it doesn¡¯t help that I feel like a spy. Here I am with a small squad of other Goblins, silently running through the plains in search of my brethren to help them evacuate. Oh wait, I don¡¯t feel like a spy, I feel like a special ops agent.¡¯
[I hesitate to ask, but what is a special ops agent?]
¡®I¡¯m glad you asked. A special ops agent is someone who carries out secret and very important missions for their country. The type of missions that would have grave consequences for the agent and their country if it failed. There¡¯s probably more to it than that, but that¡¯s the general gist of it. Any questions?¡¯
[No. We are approaching the tribe.]
¡®I see that. Hm¡I can¡¯t sense any Orcs, and everything looks fine. Weird.¡¯
¡°Rogu, I believe your senses can reach further than mine, can you sense any Orcs?¡±
¡°No, My Lord, I can¡¯t sense anything other than our brethren.¡±
¡°Hm¡interesting, well let¡¯s not let our guard down too much. We¡¯ll inform them of what¡¯s to come and to prepare, before moving on to the next tribe.¡±
And that¡¯s precisely what happened.
There were three other tribes in this direction and not a single one had the presence of Orcs. Not one. They reached the second tribe and after informing them about the move and to pack up, they promptly moved on to the third and final tribe in this direction. Once there they were quickly informed about what was happening and a short while later, they were packed and all of them turned around and began heading back.
They were prepared to face the Orcs on the way back, but there was nothing. Even though they had to move slower due to the now bigger group, not a single Orc was spotted as they made it to the second tribe.
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It didn¡¯t stop there. By the time they made it to the first tribe they stopped at on the journey the mood was a little odd. They all should¡¯ve been happy that there were no Orcs, and no danger faced, but it didn¡¯t quite make sense.
Something was off.
¡®Velora¡something is definitely wrong right?¡¯
[It is indeed possible that something is wrong. Though there could be a possibility that they only focused their forces towards the tribes on the west because that¡¯s the direction that Kris and Krel escaped from. Though despite that, I would operate with the understanding that they are planning something.]
¡®Hm, good points all around. On one hand, I¡¯m gonna hope they just sent all they had to the west in search of Kris and Krel, but on the other, I think there¡¯s absolutely going to be something in store for us. It¡¯s been more than a couple hours now since Rogu killed a Tier 5 Orc, and the idea that they wouldn¡¯t respond in some way shape or form by now doesn¡¯t add up.¡¯
¡°Rogu¡what do you think about this? The fact that we haven¡¯t seen a single Orc this entire time?¡±
¡°My Lord, I think you are right to question it. Something is off. I believe it¡¯s best we prepare for some type of engagement happening soon. The chances of an ambush waiting for us at Jala¡¯s tribe are high.¡±
¡°An ambush waiting for us at Jala¡¯s tribe huh¡¡±
Rick then stood up and looked around for a bit, before standing still as he turned to face the forest.
The forest that had extended all the way to where the third tribe was located, and it even went a little past it. So, it was without a doubt it was also here, where they stood in the first tribe.
The Nameless Forest.
The same Nameless Forest that Rick and the others had come from.
Rick stared at it for a while longer. It was still dark, apart from a few mumbles and hushed whispers here and there, no one was talking.
[It is now 0300.]
Of course, Velora was talking as well.
Eventually, it was like a lightbulb finally came alight in Rick¡¯s head.
¡®Ah¡why don¡¯t we just go in the forest from now. If there¡¯s a chance there¡¯s an ambush waiting for us at the end of journey back, why don¡¯t we just avoid it completely, and head straight into the forest from now¡¡¯
[That is a sound plan. An ambush is likely only effective if one is unaware. There is of course a chance that we are overthinking it, but there is no harm in practicing caution.]
¡®I appreciate the vote of confidence Velora.¡¯
[Of course.]
Rick then proceeded to explain his plan to the others, and Rogu was all for it. After making sure the now 80ish Goblins they had following them understood what was to happen, the entire group pivoted and moved in the direction of the forest.
After making it into the forest, they walked in a bit deeper so as not to be easily seen, and quickly headed west towards where Kris and Krel were supposed to be waiting.
Sometime later, the entire group made it, and they found Kris, Krel, and a few other members of the Royal Retrieval team waiting for them as well. Only Sarug and Ulgri were missing as they were needed to back with the Outpost team, who still hadn¡¯t begun any sort of building and were still heading deeper into the forest.
Though¡it wasn¡¯t only the other members of the Royal Retrieval team that Rick and the others came back to see.
¡®Verlora¡this wasn¡¯t something as simple as an ambush¡¡¯
[No. it doesn¡¯t appear so.]
¡®This¡this is a small army.¡¯
Chapter Ninety One (Book 2)
Rick and the others looked at the scene before them quite somberly. It was something of an eye opener for them. With the goblins back home at the village, and the combined total of all the Goblins that were evacuated from the Plains, the total wouldn¡¯t reach close to 500.
It wouldn¡¯t even reach half of that.
And 500 is an important number because that¡¯s the number of Orcs that were gathered in the area which was once Jala¡¯s tribe. Although they had evacuated with some of their goods, and a few tents, the tribe was still largely intact when Rick departed from the area.
Now it has been replaced by much larger tents, battlements that were being set up at this very moment, and there were various other things being built as Rich watched it all with clenched fists.
The Orcs weren¡¯t playing around any longer, and they were now flexing their muscles and proving why they had ruled these plains with an iron fist for generations, and why they would likely continue to rule it for generations to come. Unless of course someone had a say about it¡
POV Rick
¡°My Lord, your orders?¡±
¡®My orders huh¡what do you think Velora. What should my orders be in this situation. Behind me stands a few Tiers 4 Goblins, and one Tier 5. A few tens of Tier 0 Goblins, and a handful of Tier 1s. Ahead of me stands what looks to be a few hundred Orcs of various shapes and sizes. From here alone I can tell there are more than just a few Tier 4 Orcs among the group and based on what I can see and feel, there are more than likely a few Tier 5s as well.
¡®That¡¯s the current situation, so what orders am I expected to give Velora? There¡¯s not a single Orc in that field that¡¯s weaker than Tier 3, and it even looks like they¡¯re even beginning to build a smithy. They are preparing for a proper war effort. Yet here we are, not even finished with building our village yet and it¡¯s two months away from here.
¡®Is it worth it to even continue building the Outpost? If this entire force stormed into the forest, would it even have a chance at survival? We really are out of our scope here, but I refuse to try and even order the Goblins to fight against this. How can I even ask Rogu to fight against this?
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¡®He¡¯s been calling me his Future King, and even the My Lord stuff, but this is different. This is the reality of war. We killed a few of them and now they have deemed time to retaliate and unlike in the movies, they¡¯re not going to just keep sending small squads to get wiped out one at a time until they are none left.
¡®No¡the second they realized something was wrong they came out in force. A force we have no hope of fighting against. Not without sacrificing every single Goblins standing behind me. And even then, there¡¯s no hope in even getting on top. So, what are my orders, Velora? What else can they be other than retreating with our tail between our legs?¡¯
[There is no harm in retreating. You knew this war would be a hard fought one the second you decided to start it.]
¡®I know¡I know. It¡¯s a bit much to see what were up against in force like this. And the scary part isn¡¯t even what we see here. What¡¯s scary is what we don¡¯t see. There are other races in the Plains, and the Orcs definitely number far more than this. We have our work cut out for us don¡¯t we Velora.¡¯
[We do, but we knew that and will be ready for it. Rogu has been silently waiting for your orders, you should probably respond.]
¡®Your right.¡¯
¡°My orders Rogu, are to retreat. This is not a battle we can fight at the moment. We are better off retreating and come up with a different strategy.¡±
¡°Understood My Lord, now if I may speak out of turn for moment. I believe this is the correct decision My Lord. Retreating is a part of war and knowing when to retreat is sometimes the most important ability of any strategist or commander. This war is not over My Lord. We will regroup and plan accordingly. My only suggestion is to potentially create a group of scouts that will monitor the activity of the Orcs.
¡°It would be too late to come up with a plan and counter strategy if they suddenly show up at our doorstep without warning.¡±
¡°Thank you for the kind words Rogu, it helps. We¡¯ll work on scouts as soon as we can. For now, let¡¯s retreat, while watching our backs.¡±
Rick and the others then began walking away with Rick at the font of the group with Kris and Krel alongside him to lead him to the were the Outpost group¡¯s direction, and Rogu was picking up the rear, keeping a careful eye on the Orc camp they were slowly moving away from.
¡.
¡°So those green bastards are running away after all huh¡are you sure we can¡¯t just go after them right now? Only a few of them have any real strength, we could kill them before daybreak and get home in time for breakfast.¡±
¡°You know what the War Chief said. We can¡¯t enter the forest until he sends words. Apparently, he made a deal a long time ago with something that lives in the forest to never enter it. If you want to go against the War Chief then go right ahead, but I won¡¯t stick up for you.¡±
¡°Tch always the loyal dog.¡±
¡°Say that again and see if you don¡¯t lose a limb.¡±
¡°You think I¡¯m scared of you?¡±
¡°Both of you shut the fuck up. The War Chief will be here in a few weeks, and if someone¡¯s head is going to roll, it won¡¯t be mine.¡±
Chapter Ninety Two (Book Two)
Rick and the entire group slowly but surely made their way throughout the forest, and after an hour of traveling it wasn¡¯t hard to realize that the Orcs weren¡¯t following.
It was around this time that Rick shifted from the front of the group and joined Rogu in the rear.
POV Rick
¡°Rogu, we have talked about it a bit, but never quite had the chance to really discuss things. You came here to take me back to the Goblin Clans, because I¡¯m a Royal and the Future King of Goblins, right?¡±
¡°Yes, My Lord. That was and still is the primary focus of my mission. You must visit the Clans; it is just a matter of when.¡±
¡°I see, and to visit the Clans, It will be roughly a year of travel, right?¡±
¡°Yes, give or take. There are various places that we must avoid at all costs, and things could change dramatically at any point that may extend or shorten the entire journey. But it is best to plan for close to a year.¡±
¡°I understand that, but why me? Are there no other Royals? Why not elect one of your Chiefs perhaps?¡±
¡°My Lord, it is much deeper than that. You are special. Goblins cannot thrive without a Goblin King or Queen at our helm. It is impossible. Our race has many advantages, with our versatility and the fact that we grow much faster than others in more ways than one, but there cons as well¡
¡°How much do you know about the Tiers of power in this world My Lord?¡±
¡°Hmm, not much, I guess. Thats just the level that someone evolved to, right?¡±
¡°You¡¯re not wrong My Lord, but there is more to it as well. What about the races that don¡¯t evolve? Like humans for example. They don¡¯t evolve or gain strength in the way that Goblins and other monsters or monster races do. Yet they are also judged by the same Tiers of Power, I won¡¯t dive into how a human gets stronger since I¡¯m not knowledgeable enough about it, but what I will say is that they aren¡¯t born with caps to their power.
¡°No one knows how strong the strongest human is, at least Goblin of Dark Lands of Mir do not know, but we do know they can keep growing, and there are at least 10 known Tiers of Power.
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¡°It is important to know that because regular Goblins cannot evolve past Tier 7.¡±
¡°What.?!¡±
¡°That is the unfortunate truth for us My Lord. We can never reach Tier 8 or anything above it. That is simply the hard limit of our race. Except for one person. The Monarch of Goblins is the Goblin in history that is known to be able to evolve to Tier 10. A level of power that demands respect all over this continent. No one would be able to force us to bow or hide away in unfavorable places if a Tier 10 King stood at our forefront.
¡°Though it gets even deeper than that. Even though our cap is Tier 7, it is not one we can reach without drinking the blood of the King or Queen, in a sacred ritual passed down among our people. So even the current Chiefs will never advance to Tier 7 without a Monarch to assist them. That is why you are so important to us My Lord.
¡°If it wasn¡¯t so perilous of a journey, we would have marched every single clan here to greet you. It is also why you must be protected without fail and returned to the Clans so that you maybe be crowned as soon as possible. If the humans found out about your presence, they would spare no cost to ensure you didn¡¯t live long enough to grow. Goblins are not a part of the known acknowledged Monster Races. We are seen simply as monsters to be killed and hunted for parts. Infestation to be taken out lest we grow too much. Beginner quests for new hunters to wet their eyes. Having a Monarch would change that, and just any Monarch, but one that was a true powerhouse would force them to respect us or start a war to remove us. Both of which are better situations than the lives we live now. Because at least with powerhouse at our help and a host of Tier 7 Goblins at his back, we would have a chance to not only fight but secure a true place in this world. So, to answer your earlier question, no My Lord, there are no other Royals apart from you. At least not on this continent.¡±
¡®That¡¯s¡that¡¯s a lot to digest¡¡¯
[One thing at a time Rick.]
¡®Your right, one thing at a time.¡¯
¡°Rogu thank for that explanation, there¡¯s a lot to unpack there but I understand the gravity of the situation now, and a lot more regarding the importance of my position. But I¡¯ll start with one thing at a time. You mentioned not on this continent. Are there others?¡±
¡°Yes, My Lord, we Goblins know of two other continents besides this one. We don¡¯t know their exact location or how far they are from here, we just know they exist.¡±
¡°And there is a chance that there are other Royal Goblins on those continents, right?¡±
¡°Hmmm, potentially My Lord. No one has been able to confirm just how far the reach of the Stones of Power are. We are confident that it can reach every corner of this continent, but it is hard to confirm if that is the case for the others.¡±
¡°So, what would be the process if another Royal showed up claiming to be our King? Would me and that Royal have to fight it out?¡±
¡°Honestly My Lord I am not sure. Perhaps my father or some of the other Chiefs will have such knowledge. There are records that even I am not allowed access to.¡±
¡°Records that you aren¡¯t allowed access to huh¡I¡¯d love to read those.¡±
¡°No one would be able to stop you from doing so My Lord.¡±
Chapter Ninety Three (Book 2)
¡®No one would be able to stop me huh¡The more and more I talk to Rogu, the more and more the reality of my position is setting in. A King Velora. A King. And it wouldn¡¯t be just a King to a country, but to an entire race! An entire race depending on me to lead them. To bear their burdens, to protect their rights, to secure their futures, all of it would be on my shoulders Velora.¡¯
[It¡¯s a good thing you are understanding the scope of your responsibility Rick. I know you¡¯ve always had goals to bring Goblins to the top, but it¡¯s a bit more weight on your shoulders when it is expected of you to do that. Especially when it¡¯s heard so plainly.]
¡®No, you¡¯re right. You¡¯re completely right. I¡¯m not getting cold feet though, it¡¯s just a lot to hear the scope of everything all at once like this.¡¯
[That is a logical reaction you¡¯re having, but you aren¡¯t alone Rick. You have countless other Goblins willing to help you advance, grow, and complete your duties as King. This isn¡¯t a burden you have to carry all by yourself, because you also have me.]
¡®Are you bragging on yourself Velora?¡¯
[No, I am simply stating the facts.]
¡®Whatever you say Velora, but either way you¡¯re right, I do have help and I¡¯m not alone in the journey. Nor it is a journey I plan on giving up on halfway, but¡there is something I¡¯m worried about. BLOOD?!!! What did Rogu mean by giving them my blood?! I took everything in me not to make a face when he said that.¡¯
[It¡¯s likely not as bad as you think it is. It¡¯s perhaps just a few drops needed. You will be able to handle that without issue.]
¡®But what if it¡¯s more? What if they need a whole bucket of it?¡¯
[Why not just ask Rogu.]
¡®Good point¡¡¯
¡°Rogu, a question for you.¡±
¡°Anything My Lord.¡±
¡°How much blood would take it help the Goblins evolve past Tier 6?¡±
¡°I am actually not sure My Lord. This ritual has not happened in a very long time, and no one alive in the Clans have ever witnessed it, but it is apart of our recorded history, and it has been proven over many generations that reaching Tier 7 is impossible without intervention, and according to our records, that intervention is the ritual with the Monarch.¡±
¡°I see¡ah something I¡¯ve been wondering. Why did you initially refer to me as the Future King? If there are no other Royals, can¡¯t I be crowned here? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s 100% required that I do that in the Clans right? There are Goblins here too.¡±
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¡°Unfortunately, My Lord, there is a reason for it. It is more than a simple crowning or coronation, there is an actual ritual involved with the process, and it is not that I am able to perform her since I don¡¯t actually know it. In fact, it is a very secretive process, and it is not wildly advertised within the Clan who knows it and who doesn¡¯t. It is thought that all the Chiefs know it, but that is not the case, and it is only passed down verbally to a select few.
¡°The only reason I know this is because I am my father¡¯s heir, and it was passed down to him. Though it is no guarantee that it is also passed down to me.¡±
¡°Hmm, I see. There are a lot of Rituals among our people huh.¡±
¡°It seems My Lord. They have been passed down for generations upon generations.¡±
¡°That¡¯s amazing¡but I understand. I will do my best to travel to the Clans as soon as possible.¡±
¡°That¡¯s all I can ask for My Lord.¡±
¡°Mm. Though you mentioned something earlier that I¡¯m a bit curious about. You mentioned Monster Races, and that we¡¯re not a part of the officially recognized. Who is able to officially recognize races? That doesn''t seem right to me.¡±
¡°It is the Continental Conference My Lord. It happens once every 10 years with every officially recognized race on the Continent. Based on our small understanding, it has nothing to do with alliances or anything of the sort, in fact we believe sometimes wars start from the conference, and they can also be ceased there as well.
¡°We don¡¯t know all the topics that are discussed at the conference, but we do know it involves every official race on the Continent. Goblins have never been invited to such a conference. In fact, long before I was born, there were attempts to be able to attend and we are dismissed as monsters and hunted, with the latter still happening today.¡±
¡°I see¡and these other Monster Races, they don¡¯t try to speak up for us?¡±
¡°Goblins have no allies that I can speak of My Lord. Maybe some races would be more so inclined to tolerate us or ignore us, but none of them will ever consider us allies. In most circles we are looked down upon and treated like dirt. Even the nicest of people become vile creatures when forced to deal with Goblins.¡±
¡°Even the nicest of people become hostile when it comes to us huh¡¡±
Rick and the others kept walking and moving along for quite some time before they finally ran into traces of the group and by the time it reached morning they had found the others.
From there the group progressed steadily deeper into the forest as they planned to find the perfect location about a week away from the plains to build the Outpost. Of course, the awareness of the group hadn¡¯t dropped at all, and scouts were being sent out at regular intervals just to verify if the Orcs had entered the forest or not.
Though even after traveling for a full week, there was nothing. Not a single peep from the Orcs the entire time.
If anything, the only weird thing about this journey came from Rick.
Apart from his initial talk with Rogu, he hadn¡¯t spoken much after that. He just silently walked with the group, and he always seemed to be thinking about something else. Even as the groups took breaks to rest or eat, he mostly stayed silent.
Rogu could easily tell there was a lot going on in his mind and instructed the others to leave him be until he is ready to talk again. It was to be expected that a lot would be on his mind after this.
And he felt it was a good thing that he was taking the time out to think and consider his options instead of making a decision that didn¡¯t have much thought to it.
Of course, only time will tell what Rick¡¯s thoughts in this moment will mean for the future.
¡®Velora, I¡¯m telling you, we need a spy department!¡¯
¡Only time will tell.
Chapter Ninety Four (Book 2)
¡®Okay Velora it was a joke, I don¡¯t think we can have spies yet anyway, but we definitely need to have some sort of an official scouting department. I think with having Kris and Krel here they can spend quite a bit of time teaching anyone who wants to be help with scouting.¡¯
[I agree that they would likely help fast track the growth of any Goblin aiming to be scouts.]
¡®Though that last part is something I¡¯m thinking about heavily at the moment. I want the Goblins to be able to do whatever it is they want to do, but it¡¯s kind of hard to accomplish that with our small numbers. For where we are currently at, we would need to make sure that all Goblins are being placed into roles and positions that actually help out with our current objectives.
¡®I really hope when this is all over that Goblins will be able to live whatever life they want. For now, I have no choice but to prepare them for war. A war that I started. Even though I don¡¯t regret it, and I think it was the right decision, at the end of the day it¡¯s still a war that I started. One that has already claimed the life of a Goblin, and one that has a good chance of claiming a few more.¡¯
Sigh¡
¡®Can¡¯t let it bring me down too much, handle what I can I handle and get strong enough to ensure no one dies and end this war by myself. Alright, back to department talk¡so we have two squads that are being led by Tars and Dal, we have a building division led by Dran, and a magical division led by Kida.
¡®All of them will need more people, but the creation of a dedicated scout division is a must. And then our process needs to change a bit¡I don¡¯t think we have enough time to grow big enough in size to really combat the Orcs, so instead of trying get more Goblins, we need to focus on getting all the Goblins we have now much stronger, and that includes myself. That one camp we saw had multiple Tier 5 Orcs while we only had one. One that isn¡¯t even permanently here. I will eventually need to leave with him, and I¡¯m sure he misses his home.
¡®But until he leaves, I¡¯m going to need all the help I can get, and I think I know what that will be. Training. He can train the others. Particularly the squads that follow Dal and Tars. Those two squads will be our main fighting force, actually it would be good to include Geedi and the Royal Guards in that training as well. Geedi probably won¡¯t like it, but they need to get far stronger if they want to follow me around in battle. As it stands right now, they are far too weak and will only hold me back in a fight. While Teral can help Kida and the magical division learn more about well, magic. And of course, Ulgri can help with the builders. Actually¡now that I¡¯m thinking about it. All groups can use some training. The Royal Guards, the Animal Tenders with the rabbit farm, even my two aides, I guess? Yeah, everyone could use some training.¡¯
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[Your plans seem sound except for a few things. Who is going to remain at this Outpost? I know you mentioned a few Goblins would stay while the others continued on, but it is still around two months of travel between this prospective Outpost and the village. Which means if the Orcs truly entered the forest and the Outpost was attacked, it would take someone two months to reach the village to notify the rest of you, then another two months to travel back to the Outpost to provide assistance. That doesn¡¯t seem viable. This is something I¡¯ve been considering since it was brought up, and it only now that we laid eyes on an actual camp of Orcs preparing for war do I understand that this Outpost idea is not the best.
[Unless Rogu and the others are kept there the entire time, anyone else stationed at the Outpost will likely be killed by the Orcs before they could even consider escaping. Of course, these are only estimations that I am making, and I could be judging this situation incorrectly, but it seems to be likely. There is one thing that I remain confused about, and it is their lack of a reaction when we saw them in Jala¡¯s tribe.
[If we could sense them, then it is wise to assume they could sense us as well. So why didn¡¯t they pursue?]
¡®You kind of threw a lot at me all at once, but I think I agree¡the Outpost might not be such a good idea after all¡perhaps we should just head back to the tribe? I guess that¡¯s probably the best idea since even if our entire force of Goblins were here, we still wouldn¡¯t compare to the group they brought with them.
¡®They were strong enough to wipe out our budding village twice over. Of course, I¡¯m sure with Rogu, myself and the others we would be able to eliminate a few of them, but not enough to truly put a significant dent in their forces.
¡®We can revisit the Outpost idea when our forces can match up, and we can truly leave a proper force at the location that won¡¯t get wiped out before they can retreat if need be. Though I guess by that point it would be better to have multiple Outposts in the area. Well either way there¡¯s a lot to figure out going forward, and I need to find the right balance between getting stronger as fast as possible versus rushing things too much and making one too many mistakes.¡¯
[I¡¯m sure you will figure it out and then find the best path forward. I recommend immediately speaking to Rogu and go from there. He has proven himself to be knowledgeable and I don¡¯t see why we shouldn¡¯t continue to make use of his knowledge as much as possible.]
¡®Yeah good idea¡I¡¯ll do that right now actually.¡¯
New Cover!
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Quick Update for you, we finally have a new Cover!
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Hm, I need a minimum of 500! Characters to post this... so Just gonna spam....please ignore the next couple lines haha.
Spammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Is that enough?
Chapter Ninety Five (Book 2)
After finalizing his new plans between himself and Velora, Rick went up to Rogu and explained his decision. Rogu to the slight surprise of Rick revealed he had the same concerns, and was just waiting for a good time to bring them up since Rick looked to be deep in concentration for quite sometime. So he held back.
After getting past that, Rick explained all his plans for the future. The training, the departments, and of course what it would take for him to travel back to the Clan.
This conversation wasn¡¯t necessarily a quick one and the two talked for some time. Afterwards they both agreed that some type of announcement should be made to all the traveling Goblins. They were all practically rushed out of their homes and then would be essentially forced to march for over two months to a place they¡¯d never been before. Yet apart from a few initial complaints and grumblings that were expected the Goblins had all agreed and have been moving as directed silently and without complaint. Although not a single tribe in the plains was being ruled through the force of other Goblins, the cemented rule of the strongest leads hadn¡¯t gone anywhere. So it was quite easy in their minds to simply fall in line when much stronger Goblins showed themselves.
Though, while Rick understood this, he didn¡¯t want to lead this way. He believed it was only right that the Goblins were properly informed of the situation they found themselves in. So during the current break, which came after a day of travel, Rick quickly found himself in the center of the temporary break site with all eyes focused in his direction.
Credit to Rick, he appeared quite calm and collected despite the many eyes staring in his direction.
POV Rick
¡®There are quite a bit of Goblins here huh Velora¡¡¯
[This is not the first time you¡¯ve given a speech in front of a large group.]
¡®Yes, that¡¯s true but I was Chief in all of those group talks, it was different¡¯
[Yes, and now you¡¯re a Future King, is this how you plan on behaving when speaking a crowd of hundreds of thousands?]
¡®You really know how to hit where it hurts¡ah whatever I was going to speak anyway, just a little nervous thats all.¡¯
[Mhm.]
¡°Ahem. Some of you know me already, but for those who don¡¯t my name is Rick. I¡¯m a Goblin just like you all. I¡¯m the Chief of a tribe somewhat far from here much deeper in the forest, and a while back I left my tribe with the hope of eventually finding more Goblins. I eventually did, a TinkGoblin by the name of Dran. I was really excited to meet Dran, because that¡¯s also when I learned they were other types of Goblins! It was really surprising, but then of course it all came crashing down when I learned why Dran was living alone in a cave. His tribe back in the plains had been burned down. By Orcs. I had finally found other Goblins only to hear they were being oppressed by Orcs and other races. And just recently I was able to witness this oppression first hand.
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"I decided that can¡¯t continue.
"I can¡¯t sit down or stand idle as I watch my brethren be bullied and treated like dirt. I can¡¯t do it. So I put a stop to it. With the help of a group of Goblins who came from even farther than I did, we were able to successfully fight the Orcs in the area and stop the immediate threat, but of course the root of the problem remained. There were many more Orcs in the Plains. Way too many to fight all at once so we had to leave, and of course that included you all. We went to every known tribe in the plains and evacuated them.
"The plan is to take all of you back with me to where I live, and ensure you get to live a much better life than you have lived till now. You will not have to worry about food, about giving tributes, about being attacked for no reason, about accidentally reaching the next Tier and then being kidnapped for it! You won¡¯t have to worry about it any of it. The only thing I ask of you is to be good Goblins to each other, and never be afraid to tell me your worries.
"Now with that being said¡what exactly is going to happen when we get to your new home? First I will explain a few things. There are a couple different options for ¡®work¡¯. There are two squads which make up our main fighting force. From there we have a magical department, a building department, a scouting department, Royal Guards, Animal Tenders, Village Workers and I guess Royal Aides¡anyway those are currently the available options for you all to join be a part of once you make it. More details will be provided about each of them as this journey goes on, as we have plenty of time to talk but are there any immediate questions?¡±
A somewhat thin Maglin raised his hand.
¡°Ah ask away.¡±
¡°What are the Royal Guards?¡±
¡°Ahh¡this is a bit embarrassing for me to talk about but they are basically a force dedicated to protecting me.¡±
¡°I see¡thank you.¡±
¡°Of course, anymore questions?¡±
¡°What are Royal Aides?¡±
This was asked by another male Maglin.
¡°Another embarrassing question, haha¡but they are basically my helpers.¡±
¡°Thank you sir.¡±
¡°¡Of Course¡Anymore questions?¡±
No one raised their hands or spoke out any longer and Rick took that as his notice to end the discussion and walk away.
¡°Alright, that¡¯s everything. Please don¡¯t hesitate to come find me if you need me and ask questions. We have a long journey ahead of us so there is plenty of time to ask questions. Thank you.¡±
¡.
¡®So how¡¯d I do?¡¯
[I¡¯d say you were adequate enough.]
¡®That doesn¡¯t sound like a compliment Velora, I thought I did well¡but royal guard and aides question were a little embarrassing. Especially since both of those groups were essentially started by others. Sigh ¡®
[You could¡¯ve handled those questions better without getting flustered.]
¡®So picky.¡¯
Chapter Ninety Six (Book 2)
True to his word, Rick answered questions from any and all Goblins who approached him throughout the journey. This coupled with many breaks, and a few fights with beasts either by going out to hunt them for food, or a couple foolish ones attacking the large group, made up the entire journey this far.
And it was in that manner that over three weeks had passed, and they were nearly at the midway point on the journey to the Goblin Village. There was nothing amiss, no danger, nothing out of the ordinary, just nothing.
Though something was happening, nonetheless.
At the location where Jala¡¯s tribe once stood was now a full-fledged war camp. There are hundreds of Orcs strolling about all over the area constantly. All of them seemingly waiting for something or someone. The other races in the Plains weren¡¯t oblivious to the change and the impromptu war camp that was stood up over the last month or so, but no one was brave enough to investigate.
Although some of the ¡®superior¡¯ races could walk through the plains with their heads held high, there wasn¡¯t any doubt who the uncontested rulers of the Iris River Plains were. And once they were seen building and occupying a war camp, alarm bells would always trigger in the minds of the other races living in the Plains.
The Orcs rarely stood up war camps directly in the plains, and those in the know would be aware that the Orcs have been kept busy by something else entirely for quite some time now. So, the fact they were sparing the resources to stand a war camp up on the edge of the Nameless Forest spoke volumes. The Orcs were serious about this.
So, it was no surprise to the members of the camp who had been waiting all this time, to see a horse approaching them from deeper in the Plains.
What was surprising was the fact it was just one horse.
The War Chief never rode alone.
POV Orkush
¡®Thats just one rider¡is the War Chief not coming anymore?¡¯
¡°That¡¯s not the War Chief.¡±
¡°Of course it¡¯s not the War Chief you blasted idiot. But who the hell is it.¡±
¡°Both of you shut up.¡±
Eventually silence descended on the camp as everyone watched the lone Orc rider approach on his horse and after a few minutes he reached the camp where he was greeted by all the Tier 5 Orcs in the camp.
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¡°Where is the War Chief?¡±
¡°I was sent to let you know the War Chief will can¡¯t come at the moment because he is being held up at the border.¡±
¡°So why are we here still? We need to go support the War Chief. Who cares about Goblins. We can come back and crush them later.¡±
¡°You are to stay here and wait.¡±
¡°For Goblins? They aren¡¯t even worth this much effort.¡±
¡°Should I tell the War Chief you¡¯re questioning him?¡±
¡
¡°No? Good. The War Chief is still coming after the border is taken care of. He says the Goblins must be put in their place so that is exactly what will happen. Just wait.¡±
The Tier 5 Goblins, along with the rest of the camp, who were all watching, remained quiet as the Orc rider who never even dismounted his horse began riding away from the direction he came.
It was only after he was fully out of earshot did the camp finally gain some life again.
¡°So. Are we going to stay here? And let all those Goblins run away from us?¡±
¡°Someone has to stay here. What if the War Chief comes before we come back? I don¡¯t want to be in the pits.¡±
¡°But what if when he show¡¯s up, instead of finding us doing nothing, we welcome him with the heads of Goblins?¡±
¡®They both make a good point¡what should we do. I¡¯m tired of just sitting here doing nothing, when our prey is escaping from us. It¡¯s just a bunch of filthy Goblins. It shouldn¡¯t take long for us to kill them and come back. Plus based on what the messenger said, the War Chief is not going to be coming back for a while. It could be months before he shows up.
¡®We have already been waiting for weeks¡but all of us really can¡¯t go¡¡±
¡°Alright. Some of us will go. 100 Captains, and 100 Squad Orcs. Plus¡one of us. I know both of you want to go, but only one of us can go. But if the War Chief comes back before you return, you will likely be punished. So, who wants to go?¡±
The three Tier 5 Orcs proceeded to argue about who should for quite some time until they finally reached a conclusion.
Which was basically Orkush threatening to kill the other two. All three of them were of the same Tier, but they both knew they weren¡¯t a match for him. So, with plenty of resignation and regret the other two Orcs eventually allowed Orkush to be the one to leave. After that It didn¡¯t take him very long to gather 200 Orc strong contingent and depart from the camp.
200 Orcs. Half of them were Tier 4, while the other half were Tier 3.
That is the force of Orcs were now descending into the Nameless Forest in search of Goblins. Of course Rick and the others were over three weeks of travel away by this point, but Rick and others were going to stop moving forward once they reached the village, and due to the size of the group, they left many traces of their journey on the forest, so if someone knew were to look, it wouldn¡¯t take them very long to find the path of Rick and the others, and follow them all the way to the Village.
Of course, things could never be that simple.
A few moments after the entire group of Orcs disappeared into the forest, something stirred in its sleep.
Over two months of travel away from the Orcs, was a giant lake. One that Rick has learned to stay away from and even warned others from approaching it.
Deep, very deep at the bottom of the lake, a truly massive beast who had been slumbering without movement began to move.
Slowly but surely different parts of its massive body began to twitch here and there as it began to wake up.
Eventually in the darkness on the bottom of the lake¡one of it¡¯s eyes slowly began to open.
Chapter Ninety Seven
POV ???
¡®Hmm¡I feel sluggish¡that means¡I woke earlier than I planned¡what cau¡hm? Goblins? Where there Goblins here when I went to sleep? I don¡¯t remember¡but¡that wouldn¡¯t have woken me up. The fox? He is still in the north. Hm¡.ah¡I see¡Orcs.
¡®Have I slept so long that they have forgotten my existence? No¡that shouldn¡¯t be the case. I intended to sleep for at least 10 years and that hasn¡¯t been the case since I am up early. So, it can¡¯t have been that they forgot about me.
¡®So. They simply forgot their place.¡¯
The large being began to move about, and eventually it lifted its large body off the lake floor and began to swim upwards.
Rick and the others could clearly tell the lake was massive. Even calling it a lake was quite an understatement with just how large it was. The fact that it completely divided different sides of the forest from each other, causing anyone wanting to go to the other side to have to walk quite the distance.
But of course, that was just the size anyone would be able to see. What most couldn¡¯t see was the actual depth of the lake. It was well over 1000 feet deep. Something most couldn¡¯t fathom unless they actually experienced it themselves. That is why it was no surprise that the lake was able to comfortably hold the body of the creature now leisurely swimming upwards.
It was more than able to extend the entirety of its 150ft long body than continued to rise upwards.
The beast was entirely covered in a deep shade of beautiful blue, azure scales that were reminiscent of the sky itself. From its elongated head that contained its light blue slit irises, and where a mouth filled with teeth sharp to limbs with ease, all the way down to end of its tail.
It was a giant Serpent.
And despite the depth of the lake and the water pressure that such a depth would have, it did nothing to impede the creature and a few short moments later, it¡¯s head slow broke the through the top of the lake before the rest of its body soon followed as it continued to rise above the lake and up over the trees themselves before it stopped.
Of course, it wasn¡¯t hiding its body massive body at all, which meant it could be seen from the quite the distance.
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That distance of course fell within the range of the Goblins who weren¡¯t that far from the lake in the first place.
Both Tars¡¯ and Dal¡¯s squads have been staying at the village instead of taking turns to go out recently since they wanted to be ready to move as a group should Rick need them. In fact, they were all strongly considering heading in the direction of the plains anyway. Jaba knew those strange Goblins who showed up were far stronger than them, and part of him felt like they were trustworthy enough, but another part of him wanted to bring the whole village to the plains to support Rick.
So, it wasn¡¯t a surprising thing that there were a lot of Goblins out and about the village at the moment. Some of them were training, while others were working on the building projects Wala and Dran were headlining. There were even a few who were getting ready to head to the rabbit farm.
Of course, that was until one of the Goblins screamed out in absolute horror.
¡°AHHHHHH!!!¡±
All of the Goblins in the village stopped what they were doing and ran towards the screaming Goblin only to see what it was also seeing.
A few of them even got weak in the knees and collapsed to the ground that very moment.
Jaba himself eventually noticed and finally laid eyes on the body of the massive Serpent in the distance.
¡°GET IN THE CAVE, GET IN THE CAVE!! NOW!! GET IN THE CAVE!! HELP THOSE WHO CAN¡¯T MOVE!! KIDA SHOOT THE FLARE¡±
Jaba even as his knees threatened to collapse themselves, continued to scream at all his brethren to gather and run into the cave. More than a few of the weaker Goblins collapsed out of fear and had to be carried in a hurry to the cave.
Kida, while frantic, of course still did as asked and conjured a small fireball that she shot into the sky.
This was something implemented by Rick to alert any Goblins who weren¡¯t in the immediate area that something happened, and they needed to return immediately.
In this situation it was the scouts who needed to see the flare, but it was almost pointless since they were already sprinting with everything they had back to the cave.
In only a few minutes, the once small yet busy village and the nearby areas became abandoned and devoid of any Goblins for the first time in a very long time. Once Jaba realized that all Goblins were accounted for, he and the strongest of them moved a large and thick wooden wall-like structure in front of the cave entrance to close it, then a few large pieces of stone left over from dead golems were stacked behind it.
The entire village of Goblins were now shaken beyond reason as they hunkered down inside the cave. Afraid for their lives.
Of course, no one knew with 100% certainty if this was the monster that Rick said slept inside the lake but the chances of it being so was high.
Jaba in particular sat in silence as he absorbed this fact.
They had been living so close to danger this entire time.
Just looking at the beast evoked a sort of primal fear in all of them that simply couldn¡¯t be controlled.
¡.
Of course, the Serpent watched all of this happen silently as it found it all a little amusing.
¡°Are you going to stop scaring them?¡±
The massive Serpent looked down to see a fox standing calmly as it looked up towards him.
¡°Fox.¡± A deep rumbling face echoed in the area as the Serpent finally spoke for the first time since waking up.
¡°Snake.¡±
Chapter Ninety Eight (Book 2)
¡°What do you want fox.¡±
¡°Why are you bullying the Goblins?¡±
¡°All I did was wake up.¡±
¡°Restrain your aura.¡±
¡°Is that command fox?¡±
The fox didn¡¯t respond and just stared at the giant Serpent impassively.
¡°Fine. Where is the little pup? Did it leave the forest?¡±
The natural aura that emanating from the Serpent was retracted and from the Goblins to many different beasts in the area finally sighed a breath of relief as it no longer felt like there were a moment away from death.
¡°The pup forgot its place.¡±
That was all the fox needed to say for the Serpent to understand what happened.
¡°I see. Why do you care for the Goblins?¡±
¡°They are interesting.¡±
¡°Hmm¡it seems so. A community of Goblins. There have been many changes while I slept. I can even smell a lot more Goblins heading this way. Along with the smell of Orcs.
¡°Tell me fox. Why are Orcs entering this forest? Did I not forbid them from doing so? Is it you¡¯re doing?¡±
¡°No.¡±
¡°I see. I¡¯ll leave the Goblins alone. For now.¡±
The Serpent then fully made its way out of the lake, displacing a amount of water as it slithered out of the lake and onto land. It lowered itself a bit more to the ground and began moving in the direction of the Plains.
Of course, this was also the direction that Rick and his large group were walking towards the village from, while the Orcs only recently entered the forest were moving in the direction.
The fox watched it leave for a few moments before disappearing as well.
¡.
Around the time the Serpent exited the lake.
¡°I¡¯m telling you Velora, I¡-what is that¡Velora¡do you feel this as well?¡±
[No, I don¡¯t feel anything. Describe the feeling.]
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¡®it¡¯s hard to describe¡it¡¯s just a feeling, perhaps one that¡¯s even slightly ominous. Part of me thinks this is my imagination playing tricks on me due to stress, but I¡¯m confident I feel something. Just don¡¯t know what exactly.¡¯
[Rick, look at Rogu.]
¡®Got it¡why does he look so distraught? Like he seen some sort of ghost.¡¯
[Perhaps he felt the feeling as well.]
¡®Ah yeah he really might¡¯ve.¡¯
¡°Rogu. What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°Ah My Lord. I apologize for my appearance, but a powerful beast has just made its presence known. I am not sure what it is or exactly how strong it is, but it is without a doubt a powerful creature My Lord, at least on the level of the fox. The presence is coming from the direction we are headed in My Lord.¡±
¡°The same level as the fox¡huh. That is something¡¡±
¡®Velora. Do you think it¡¯s the monster that lives in the lake?¡¯
[There is a high probability of that happening. We knew there would always be a chance of whatever slept in lake to wake up at any moment. This could¡¯ve been that moment.]
¡®Dammit. I want to run all the way back to the village right this second.¡¯
[It is likely not wise to do that.]
¡®I know¡I know. We can¡¯t abandon the Goblins here and we have no idea if and when Orcs will show up. All I can do is hope my home is safe and Jaba managed to bring everyone into the caves in time. It is something we practiced for in case this very situation happened¡sigh.¡¯
[I believe Jaba will handle it accordingly.]
¡®I hope so. Though while I know we can¡¯t and won¡¯t abandon the Goblins here, that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t increase the speed of our travels even by just a bit more. Geedi and the Royal Guards shouldn¡¯t be that much farther than us, we need to try and catch up. If Jaba followed our evacuation plans, then the village would be empty right now, and depending on the situation it would be empty for weeks as everyone bunkers down in the cave. So, there is chance Geedi, and the rest might encounter whatever beast that showed up on their own, without any support.
¡®We need to do our best to avoid that.¡¯
¡°Rogu, we will be traveling a bit faster. The village could be in trouble, and we are still around a month away. We have to make up as much ground as possible.¡±
¡°Understood My Lord, it will happen.¡±
And true to his word, Rogu had the entire group speed up. They weren¡¯t exactly running, but they were no longer walking leisurely. Rick didn¡¯t want to strain them too much, but they definitely had to move faster.
Of course, what Rick or any of Goblins didn¡¯t know what as that they were now in somewhat of a precarious situation.
From one side, a powerful Serpent that was big and strong enough to wipe them all out was now heading their way with intentions still unknown.
While on the other side, a massive contingent of Orcs was speedily heading their way. Although the group was bigger than Rick¡¯s group of Goblins, overall, it was far stronger and thus it moved faster.
100 Tier 3 Orcs, 100 Tier 4 Orcs, and 1 Tier 5 Orc. All warriors by trade and not completely unfamiliar with long treks such as this. While Rick¡¯s group had contained a majority of Tier 0 and Tier 1 Goblins, their speed couldn¡¯t be quite compared.
And due to the number of footprints, trails and temporary camps set up by the Goblins, the Orcs barely spent any time tracking and literally spent almost every waking moment blazing a path along the trail.
Orkush, the only Tier 5 Orc present did not accept anything less that that. He was pushing them as hard as they could go. He was desperate to wipe the Goblins off the face of the world and return with their heads to lay at the feet of his War Chief. He was chasing the glory that something of that magnitude would bring.
Though, he had no idea that what awaited him at the end the path he was on wasn¡¯t glory¡
Of course, it would be quite a while before he truly realizes the error of his ways.
Chapter Ninety Nine (Book Two)
Two weeks passed by in a flash, and very quickly things were about to pick up. Rick and his large group of Goblins continued to push their pace as best as he could without driving them all to death but no matter how much he pushed, Geedi and the Royal Guards were nowhere in sight.
It wasn¡¯t that surprising since it was likely they were pushing themselves as well. In fact, that is exactly what they there doing, and due to that it was no shock that out of the three groups that were currently traversing through the west side of the Nameless Forest, they were the first to run into the Serpent.
POV ???
¡®More Goblins. They are just as weak as the ones from before. My mind is still a bit foggy, but I hardly remember these many Goblins living in this forest. Though something I do remember quite clearly¡is that Orcs don¡¯t like Goblins. Is that why they¡¯ve entered the forest despite my presence?
¡®Even if that was the case, It is still no excuse.
Though what should I do with these Goblins? They collapsed the second I revealed myself in front of them. Only one of them is even still standing if only barely.
¡®I will ignore them. I have restrained my presence, yet they were unable to stand firm just from my sight alone. Pitiful.¡¯
The massive serpent continued to slither past the unmoving Royal Guards. They made no noise, made no movements and just sat there scared down to their very bones. It wasn¡¯t until long after the Serpent left their lines of sight did Geedi finally fell down alongside her fellow Royal Guards.
It then took many deep breaths to calm her heart down.
POV Geedi
¡°The Chief¡it¡¯s heading in the direction of the Chief¡wha¡what do I do¡AHHH!!! IM WEAK!! WHY AM I SO WEAK! I CAN DO NOTHING TO HELP EVEN THOUGH THE CHIEF IS IN DANGER!!!¡±
Geedi cried out in the middle of the forest as the reality of her situation weighed down on her. It¡¯s been nagging her for quite some time now, and she has down her best to put it at the back of her head so that she could remained focused and carry out her duties, but this interaction with the Serpent was just a bit much for her.
She broke down and cried for the first time in her young life as the emotions of the situation overwhelmed her.
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The other Royal Guards eventually got hold of themselves and watched on for a few moments as the reality of the situation dawned on them too.
They were far too weak to do only the job they were meant to do. And unfortunately for them, the world wasn¡¯t just going to sit and wait for them to get stronger.
Both Geedi and the Royal Guards continued to sit there in self-pity for a few more minutes before Geedi finally spoke again.
¡°¡We will do as the Chief said and go home. Then we will train until we die or get stronger. Let¡¯s go.¡±
It didn¡¯t take long after that for them to get back on their feet and move forward.
¡
While Geedi and the others were continuing on to the Village, the Serpent continued to press forward.
Though that wasn¡¯t the individual on the move.
¡
Going back to the plains at the location of the war camp.
The entire camp was in scramble mode as every able hands was moving around with high intensity to ensure everything in the camp was as it was supposed to be.
They were scrambling because they got lazy over the last few weeks after being forced to sit around and do nothing.
But now that laziness was coming back to bite them.
The War Cheif and his personal forces could now be seen in the distance riding with purpose towards the war camp.
Leading the group of Orc riders was a Orc that was far bigger than his counterparts.
If standing, he would reach a towering height of around 6¡¯8 and his shoulders seemed broad enough to carry the weight of the world. His brutish physique and the many scars that were abundant across his body only worked together to add to the image of a fearsome and powerful leader.
This was the Orc who ruled the Iris River Plains with an iron fist and his words were never met with questions, only actions. Life in the plains moved as he willed and there was not a single being in the plains who could hope to question it without losing at least a pound of flesh in return.
This was the War Chief of the Orcs.
It didn¡¯t take very long before he made it to the war camp.
A frown immediately was plastered across his face after he noticed the camp was smaller than he expected.
¡°You.¡±
¡°Yes, War Chief.¡±
¡°Was there a battle here?¡±
¡°No sir.¡±
An immense pressure immediately descended on the area as the War Chief¡¯s frown quickly morphed into anger.
¡°Then why are there Orcs missing? Where is Orkush? Was my order to gather ignored? Am I being taken for a fool? Do you all no longer respect me?¡±
¡°War¡Chief¡Orkush¡left¡he entered¡the¡forest.¡±
The Tier 5 Orc that was answering questions had to talk through the pressure placed on them and could barely get out his words, but the second he finished talking the pressure that was on the camp seemed to multiply 10-fold.
The War Chief then roared out.
¡°HE DID WHAT?!!!
¡°THAT FOOL!!!!!¡±
The Wad Chief roared out a few more times after that in anger as the pressure directed at the camp only steadily increased as every single Orc was now being pressed into the ground while feeling like their bones were being crushed.
This went for a few more moments before it abruptly stopped as if it was never there, and the War Chief took a few deep breaths to calm themselves down, though the fury was still present, and his voice seemed to be laced with danger as he spoke.
¡°One of you go back to the border and tell them stall for a long as possible. Retreat if necessary.
¡°The rest of you. Get ready for war.¡±
Chapter One Hundred (Book Two)
The situation in the Nameless Forest was very quickly reaching a crescendo of sorts. Very quickly, an array of individuals would soon be coming together in one point.
The Serpent that just unknowingly broke down and simultaneously motivated Rick¡¯s Royal Guards, was getting closer and closer to meeting Rick who himself was still pushing to try and reach Geedi¡¯s group.
And there was of course Orkush, who was rushing as fast he could with his group of Orcs in an effort to eliminate all of the Goblins from out of the forest.
Though what he didn¡¯t realize was that the entire War Camp he left behind had now entered the forest and was moving forward with utmost determination. But there was one individual missing from the War Camp.
The War Chief.
After giving proper motivation to the War Camp, he left his horse with them and departed ahead of the group and blazed off into the forest. He was the only one who knew the type of repercussions they had invited upon themselves. Orcs were barred from entering the Nameless Forest due to mistakes made in the past, and doing so now would bring the wrath of the Dreadful Serpent upon the Orcs and the Iris River Plains.
POV War Chief
¡°Dammit. If Orkush doesn¡¯t spend a year in the pits, then I¡¯m not the War Chief. I do not fear that slithering bastard, but we cannot afford to start another war with something that strong while those spineless cowards are bearing down on our borders.
¡°Dammit all.¡±
The War Chief continued to curse the situation as he blitzed through the forest at a speed that would be unimaginable for Rick and even Rogu. It was the speed and power of a being that was firmly within the 7th Tier of strength. A Tier that was matched by the Serpent and the fox, both of whom had been sitting in that Tier for many years at this point. That showed the level of power that was currently converging on Ricks location.
A Tier 7 Orc to his back, a Tier 7 Serpent to his front, with dozens of lives in his hands, and hundreds of Orcs set to reap them. It would soon come time to earn his prove his worth as a Royal among his race.
For now, Rick continued to press on¡
5 Days Later¡
POV Rick
¡°Rogu, I think it¡¯s unlikely that we catch up to Geedi. If we haven¡¯t caught sight of them yet, it¡¯s probably because they¡¯re pushing as well, and since it¡¯s only a few of them they can move a lot faster than we can. It¡¯s no use in pushing the group any further. Let everyone rest.¡±
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¡°Understood My Lord.¡±
¡®Velora I¡¯m worried. I really am. What if the reason we haven¡¯t seen Geedi, and the others yet is because something has already got to them?¡¯
[There¡¯s no use in worrying Rick. Continue to push forward. Trust in your Royal Guards. And control what you can control.]
¡®Sigh¡I know you¡¯re right¡but that won¡¯t stop me from worrying. That¡¯s all I can do.¡¯
[That is understandable. Do not let worrisome thoughts cloud your judgment though. You have a duty to not just Geedi, but to all Goblins to remain focused.]
¡®I know Velora, I know. I understand what¡¯s at stake here and I will do my utmost best to ensure the safety and prosperity for all Goblins.¡¯
[It is good you unde-...Rick!!! LOOK BEHIND YOU!!!]
Before Rick could even fully grasp Velora¡¯s words and act on them, he quickly heard a loud roar from Rogu.
¡°GRUNAK!!!!!¡±
Rick had no idea what that meant of course and by the time he turned around to see what was happening, every single member of the Royal Retrieval Team was surrounding Rick with weapons drawn and every single one of them was prepared to lay down their lives for the sake of Rick escaping from the situation that had now befallen them.
The Serpent had arrived.
[Rick be wary! This being is far stronger than any of us! I can¡¯t even scan it!]
¡®Is that what was sleeping in the lake? I didn¡¯t need Velora to tell me that it could kill me without a problem. I looked around and apart from Rogu¡¯s and his team and myself, all the Goblins were weak in the knees and distraught with fear. In fact, now that I¡¯m looking at them clearly even the Goblins from Rogu¡¯s team looked fearful as they stood around me in protection mode. They were just handling it better.
¡®Though for some reason I wasn¡¯t feeling fear¡in fact it was hard to explain exactly what I was feeling as I watched the massive Serpent approach us. I felt strangely calm, but at the same I felt a rising anger swelling up from deep within me as if I¡¯ve never been more offended. Of course there was something else mixed in with that as well. Weakness. I felt weaker than ever before. Here I was being treated like a helpless princess and all I could do was stand here.
¡®Despite my emotional state, the slithering continued and eventually the beast was upon and then it slowly rose its head up from the ground as it towered above us. That was then followed by a deep rumbling voice that shook the forest around us.¡¯
¡°Hmm more Goblins. Most of you are weak as the ones from before, but a few of you have some fight.¡±
¡®I took in the words of the massive Serpent calmy as it stared all of us down, moving its eyes all around our group before settling on me.¡¯
¡°They are protecting you. You must be their leader. Even though you are not the strongest among them. How odd. Hmmm.¡±
¡®After his latest comments, I noticed Rogu shifting ever so slightly, and I could feel the mana in his body slowly building to a point of explosion. He was going to try and sacrifice himself wasn¡¯t he¡the anger along with the growing feeling of weakness continued to rise within me.¡¯
[Calm down Rick, you are now help if you lose control of your thoughts. We need to be careful here. It hasn¡¯t attacked us, and we don¡¯t need to antagonize it further. Calm down Rick.]
¡®Antagonize it? Hasn¡¯t it antagonized us? Look at the state of my people Velora. Look at them. What would you have me do?¡¯
Chapter One Hundred and One (Book 2)
¡®I didn¡¯t bother waiting for a response from Velora and I looked up at the massive Serpent. I didn¡¯t need anyone to speak for me, and I would rather fight with all I had than watch Rogu try to sacrifice himself.¡¯
¡°They are protecting me, because I¡¯m a bit different from my peers. Do you mean us harm?¡±
[Rick¡are you sure about this?]
¡®I can¡¯t cower here Velora. If the King of Goblins can¡¯t stand tall in the face of danger, then how can I ask my fellow Goblins to do it?¡¯
[You are more important than them. Goblins cannot advance as a race without the presence of a Monarch. That¡¯s why they are willing to sacrifice themselves for you, Rick. Don¡¯t let that be lost on you.]
¡®It still doesn¡¯t sit right with me Velora.¡¯
The rumbling of a chuckle that was released by the Serpent snapped Rick out of his conversation with Velora.
¡°Hahaha. Do I mean you harm. Not yet. You should thank the Fox. Though, there is a fool who doesn¡¯t know their place who will be here shortly that would like to bring you harm. I wonder if I should let him.¡±
¡®Wait, what is it talking about? There is someone coming who wants to bring us harm? An Orc? So, we¡¯re surrounded? It even asked if it should let them bring us harm¡Velora can you sense anything around us?¡¯
[No. Nothing at all!]
¡°Rogu! Can you sense anything around us?¡±
¡°No, My Lord!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t bother, neither of you are strong enough to sense them. Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t be long before they arrive. Now in the meantime¡the stronger one called you Lord¡I find that interesting. Why would a Goblin be referred to as Lord? Especially by someone stronger.
¡°Especially in the presence of myself. Who are you to be called Lord in front of me?¡±
¡°I already told you who I am.¡±
A rumbling laughter shook the forest for a moment before the Serpent spoke again.
¡°Do you not fear me Goblin? Do you think I won¡¯t kill you all right this second?¡±
¡°¡Do you mean us harm?¡±
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¡°And if I did? Goblin.¡±
¡°Then we will fight.¡±
¡°We will fight, is it? The Fox was right. Goblins are interesting. Hmm, the fool is here.¡±
Rick immediately looked all over the forest expecting to see a group of Orcs closing in on them, but no matter how much he looked he never saw anything.
Of course, that was only until the person the Serpent mentioned quite literally crashed down in between the gathering of Goblins, and the Serpent itself.
The person in question took one hard look at the Goblins before letting out an annoyed grunt and then turned to face the Serpent.
¡°My soldiers made a mistake. They did not know of the agreement.¡±
¡®Velora¡that¡¯s¡that¡¯s an Orc, right?¡¯
[Yes, I believe so. It might be safe to assume that it might be their leader. He seems to be speaking on equal footing with the creature before us.]
¡®Velora. Let alone the creature before us. That Orc isn¡¯t something we can fight. I can feel it in my body. We will die. A dog¡¯s death.¡¯
[Then do your best to ensure a fight doesn¡¯t happen today. And based on his opening words to the Serpent, things aren¡¯t so simple.]
¡°And whose fault is that Orc? Do you think pitiful excuse will work?¡±
¡°Do not push it snake. I admitted my fault. That should be enough for you.¡±
¡°Or. What. Orc.¡±
¡°I do not fear you. Snake.¡±
¡°That is the second time I have heard that today¡have I slept for so long that my name has been forgotten? I? DO YOU NEED A REMINDER OF WHO I AM YOU PITIFUL CREATURE?!¡±
The empowered voice of the Serpent not only reverberated throughout the forest for miles, but it also lingered in the air as a feeling of oppression began to envelop the area.
All of the Goblins below Tier 4 immediately began to fall to their knees. Unable to stand up in the face of such overwhelming power.
Rogu and the rest of the Royal Retrieval Team gritted their teeth and held on. Every single one of them is still at the peak of their readiness and focuses with nothing but the will to protect and guard Rick with everything they had at the forefront of their minds.
¡®VELORA LOOK AT MY GOBLINS!! LOOK AT MY PEOPLE!! I CAN¡¯T JUST SIT HERE AND DO NOTHING AS THEY ARE FORCED TO BEND THEIR KNEES.¡¯
[RICK THINIK OF THE BIGGER PICTURE! THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH TAKING A STEP BACK NOW SO THAT YOU CAN LIVE TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY! YOU ARE NO HELP TO THEM DEAD.]
While Rick was going through inner turmoil, he was unknowingly releasing the presence of a Royal Goblin in the area.
It was fueled by his wrath and heartache for the Goblins before him and before he realized, it flooded the area and although it was nowhere near as potent enough to combat against the presence of the Tier 7 Serpent, it was enough to grant the Goblins with him a slight reprieve from the pressure. They weren¡¯t able to stand again, but the pressure bearing down on them was held back to some extent.
Both the War Chief and the Serpent immediately shot a sharp look towards Rick.
With the gaze of the War Chief narrowing dangerously.
¡°As I said before. I do NOT fear you Snake. And I will leave this forest after ridding it of its infestation. We seek no quarrel with you.¡±
The War Chief released the hold onto its own presence, pushing the Serpents back ever so slightly before turning to face the Goblins.
¡°Did I give you permission? Did you pay the price for transgressing against me? Do you think your apology, or your so-called lack of fear, is enough to sway my decision? Leave. Immediately. The next time an Orc enters this forest without my permission I will visit you myself. I will not ask twice.¡±
Chapter One Hundred and Two (Book 2)
The War Chief paused his steps. If one of his many Orc subordinates were watching at the moment they would be surprised. The War Chief had not only allowed someone else to stop their steps, but he had also chosen to remain silent instead of immediately lashing out.
The War Chief then closed its eyes as it stood still in the forest for what felt like an eternity.
By the time it had finally reopened its eyes, the entire demeanor of the War Chief had shifted to one of calm.
Though despite his outward appearance, it was not very hard to feel the fury wafting off of his body.
He never looked back towards the Serpent, nor did he look towards Rick and the others, if anything he seemed to be looking at nothing at all.
Then in a very abrupt fashion, he simply vanished from his position and disappeared.
Of course, he didn¡¯t just simply vanish, he was just moving at a speed that most of the individuals in the area couldn¡¯t comprehend. All except for one.
The Serpent narrowed its eyes, as it watched in the distance the rapidly moving body of the War Chief.
After seeing what the War Chief was up to, it looked away and focused on the Goblins still standing before it.
It looked at them for a few moments.
¡°There will be a war.¡±
That was all it said before it picked up its larger body off the ground and turned around from the way it came.
It eventually began picking up speed, clearly no longer caring about the forest around it. It took a while, but eventually it too left the sights of the Goblins who were practically frozen stiff from the situation that just transpired.
For who knows how long, it truly felt as if a fight between the two monsters would break out right then and there, fighting with no regard for the surroundings and the individuals around them.
Or perhaps one of them would even lash out towards the Goblins, the Orc looked ready to do exactly that. And who knows what the Serpent was going to do even after the War Chief left the area? It was impossible to tell.
It was only now after both of them left that Rick visibly relaxed as the tension slowly left his body.
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Of course it was not only him. Rogu and the other members of the Royal Retrieval team also seemed to slump down as the built-up tension slowly seeped out of their bodies. Even though they didn¡¯t move or fight, the mana in their bodies continuously revolved with rapid force, so that they could be ready to act at any moment should the need arise. That alone required immense concentration and focus and drained their stamina rapidly.
It was a testament to all the hard work they did to reach this point to be able to maintain that state for so long despite the situation at hand.
But with that comes the drawbacks, which is what they were feeling right now. All the fatigue that they had forcefully pushed aside came roaring back the second their control loosened. It was highly improbable that anyone of them could fight at full power in the next few moments should something happened. Except for Rogu, that is.
He was not a Supreme Hobgoblin for nothing.
He walked over to where Rick was standing, simply looking at the spot the War Chief had stood.
¡°My Lord. I made a mistake. I should not have referred to you as such in the presence of a potential enemy.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it Rogu. There was no winning in that type of situation. We are all still alive and that¡¯s all that matters. My only worry is what to do from here. We do not live far from the lake, and it will be quite a task to move the entire village from where it is.
¡°We cannot control the Serpent, and we are not strong enough to stop it from destroying us at the drop of a hat¡but we also cannot continue to linger here. Jaba and the others should still be in the cave as we speak. We can¡¯t abandon them. Even Geedi, there is a chance she and the guards ran into the Serpent, yet we haven¡¯t seen any signs of them¡have everyone rest up as much as possible. We will leave the second the group recovers.¡±
¡°I understand My Lord.¡±
¡®We somehow survived Velora...¡¯
[We did, though I still believe it would be wise for you to work on your anger. It could cost you in the future.]
¡®I know¡but for some reason, I can¡¯t bear to witness other Goblins in danger or being humiliated and feel nothing about it.¡¯
[It is expected that you will feel something, but it should not be an excuse for rash decisions. Decisions that could lead to the demise of not only you but the Goblins you want to protect or help.]
¡®I understand that, and I don¡¯t disagree with you, but it¡¯s more than that Velora, it¡¯s a lot more than that. I don¡¯t know how to quite explain it, but something seems to come over me in moments like that, and the level of anger I feel seems to multiply ten times over. I simply can¡¯t cope with the idea of seeing things like that.¡¯
[Hm. There is a chance that there is something more at play here than we might¡¯ve initially realized.]
¡®What do you mean?¡¯
[It could have something to do with your race. You are a Royal Goblin. It might not be too much of a stretch to say that you might be wired to inherently feel stronger emotions than perhaps you typically would when the topic is related to the well-being of the members of your race.]
¡®That¡that kind of makes sense. It would explain everything that happened recently, even going as far back as when Dran first told me about the situation in the plains. I practically exploded with anger. I thought it was only right that I was so angry considering the situation and the fact that I fully accepted my place a Goblin, but this theory would probably make more sense.¡¯
[If that¡¯s the case, then that¡¯s all the more reason to be able to control your emotions better and reign in your anger when it is needed. You cannot let it control you.]
¡®Your right¡your right.¡¯
Chapter One Hundred and Three (Book Two)
Meanwhile in another part of the forest, the War Chief had just arrived at his first stop. Still silent still the epitome of calm yet nurtured fury. The War Chief had ¡®calmly¡¯ landed amongst a group of Orcs.
A group of Orcs who had not moved from their location for the past few hours due to the first visit of the War Chief when he first passed through the area in his effort to reach the location of the Serpent.
The Orcs themselves were fearing for their lives in the current moment. The anger of the War Chief was extremely evident on his first visit, since he immediately started yelling about the foolish behavior of Orkush, and he didn¡¯t waste any time slamming his head into the ground before promptly leaving.
But this time was different.
They could feel it.
Orkush could feel it even more so.
He knew more about the behaviors of the War Chief than the rest of the rank and file Orcs. He knew the War Chief essentially had levels to his anger, and while the first few of them were quick to be reached and didn¡¯t quite differentiate from each other, with the only thing that really set them apart was just how much the War Chief yelled or punished them, but there was a phase that none of the upper echelon of the Orcs wanted to see. It is one that is rarely surfaced.
Yet it is always waiting.
Slumbering with both eagerness and unwillingness at the same time.
It was the peak of the anger of the War Chief.
It was when his behavior is the most refined, yet also unpredictable.
Though despite the unpredictability of the War Chief¡¯s actions at the moment, Orkush knew of one thing that would always take place.
Death.
Death would sweep through wherever the War Chief decided to lay his fury.
He was called the War Chief for a reason.
It was not an empty title.
Among Orcs he was the epitome of war. Their very own strategist, slaughterer, conqueror, and everything else. It was him who embodied and truly lived any and everything that had to deal with war.
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But when he reached the peak of his anger, there was one facet of war that came to the forefront before anything else.
Slaughter.
Unbridled and unchecked slaughter.
Orkush, who was perhaps the most fearful of dying after the first visit of the War Chief, stood with back straight and his mind clear of all doubts.
His fear hadn¡¯t been erased, but he now knew it was no longer about fearing a lengthy time in the pits. His only worry would be at what point his death came. In Orkush¡¯s mind, it was not a question of ¡®If¡¯ death would come, but simply a matter of when. Death would come for him.
Once he accepted his line of reasoning, it was easier to somewhat calm trembling of his heart, and the unwillingness filling his bones.
It was then the War Chief spoke.
A voice that lacked the expected wrath and finely matched the calmness of his outward appearance.
¡°Return. Immediately.¡±
No one asked any questions, no one hesitated. The words of the War Chief were met with nothing but action. All of the Orcs present simply turned around from their current position and began marching back with haste.
Moving much faster than when Orkush was pushing them now that gaze of the War Chief was at their backs.
Only¡it wasn¡¯t.
The War Chief had long since vanished from his position, but no Orc was brave enough to turn to check if he was still there. So, they marched on as if he was right behind them the entire time.
¡
A few moments later, the War Chief reappeared in front of a different army. The one that entered the forest with him.
The leaders of that force immediately recognized the shift in demeanor of the War Chief and a solemn mood descended on the group.
They all collectively wondered just what could have caused his anger to reach such a point, but no one dared to ask.
Eventually the War Chief spoke, and the same scene from previously played itself out.
The Orcs were ordered to return and every single one of them immediately turned back towards the way they came from and promptly began moving to the exit of the forest.
The War Chief vanished once more, reappearing outside of the forest where he stood silently for hours.
Watching the forest.
The second group soon made it out and the War Chief left them with the orders to wait for the first group and then return back to Orc Lands.
After saying his piece, the War Chief vanished again, only this time his destination wasn¡¯t the forest, or even moving deeper into the Iris River Plains.
It was towards the mountains themselves.
The massive mountain range that stretched from deep within the forest, to will into the Iris River Plains. Essentially acting as a natural border for whatever was on the other side.
The War Chief eventually reached the foot of the mountains, and after taking a glance upwards, he quickly found the spot he was looking for and began scaling the mountain before him.
It didn¡¯t take him very long to reach the spot he sought. It was essentially a large cave opening seemingly carved into the mountain by special means.
The cave was large, though some light shone through, the deeper parts of the cave were as dark as it was large.
The War Chief walked in for a few steps before he stopped out of nowhere, casting a narrow gaze into the darkness.
He hadn¡¯t said anything yet, but a voice could be heard coming from the darkness of the cave.
¡°Why have you come here?¡±
¡°To strike a deal.¡±
The words of the Orc were met with silence for a few moments, before powerful steps sounded out and very quickly a massive talon stepped out from the darkness.
¡°What kind of deal?¡±
¡°The kind that kills.¡±
¡°¡Tell me more.¡±
Chapter One Hundred and Four (Book Two)
Time passed and before Rick and very quickly Rick and the others came across something they had been inwardly and perhaps outwardly for some, afraid of.
The lake.
Once the lake was in the sight, they knew they were finally home, well Rick did since for the majority of the group it was their first time coming here but eventually passed the word down that they were basically home, which itself caused some unrest among the group because they were stopped for quite some time now.
If they were basically home, why weren¡¯t they moving forward? They weren¡¯t complaining, they all just found the situation odd.
POV Rick
¡®Should I warn everyone now or wait till we all get to the Village?¡¯
[Are you aiming to avoid widespread panic by not telling them now?]
¡®Yes, that¡¯s exactly it. They¡¯re going to all know about the terror sleeping in the lake eventually, but no need to worry them as we make this last stretch until we get to the Village.¡¯
[Then stick with that choice. It¡¯s likely a good idea not to worry them. Though how do you think the decision you came to recently will be received by the entire group?]
¡®The decision to continue living this close to the lake huh¡yeah some of them might be unhappy about it, but I think it makes sense to stay. Not only would it require a lot of effort to actually move, where would we even go? If we head deeper in the north then we¡¯d be in the fox¡¯s territory, if we head to the west, we¡¯d be much closer to the Orcs, and even though the beasts near the lake in the east are weak, we will need to move far deeper, and plenty of Tier 4s can be found the deeper we go.
¡®That would essentially be a death sentence for most of the Goblins here. So, it¡¯s either turtling up in the cave and trying to expand the insides without causing a cave in on top of our heads, continuing the status quo and expanding the Village as necessary.
¡®We can¡¯t run forever Velora, and there¡¯s also the fact I need to head to the lands of the Clans at some point, that¡¯s not something I can put off forever considering the importance of it all. And trying to find somewhere new to live whilst trying to prepare to leave for a significant amount of time doesn¡¯t sound like a fun situation.
¡®We are better off hunkering down here and growing as much and as we safely as we can. Of course, we still need to be ready in case the Serpent attacks but the only thing we can do there is get stronger. We have to get stronger. Practically nothing else matters until we can be strong enough to stand on our own two feet.¡¯
[Sounds logical enough.]
¡
After a few more moments of observing the lake and not seeing the Serpent, Rick finally led the group towards the Village. With the only signs of something moving around the area was the large swath of land that was practically flattened by the underbelly of the Serpent, and there was also the amount of water that spilled over into the banks around the lake.
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Rick made it to the Village just in time to see Geedi, the Royal Guards, and Jaba leading everyone out of the cave into the Village. Of course, since Rick could see them, then they could all see him. They were all shocked. Especially Geedi. She knew the goal was always to come back with a few Goblins from the Tribes and repeat this process multiple times in the coming months, but there was obviously a lot more than a ¡®few¡¯ Goblins following Rick into the Village.
Of course, the shock in all of their expression only lasted but a moment before it was promptly overtaken by Joy.
¡°CHIEEFFFF!!!¡±
It was practically screamed out by everyone in the Village as the Goblins closest to Rick left whatever they were doing and ran up towards him.
It wasn¡¯t hard to guess that Rick was truly loved in the Village.
A few moments were quickly spent greeting each other and ensuring that everyone was accounted for. The death of the Royal Guard was brought up, and things were put in place for it, then majority of the group got busy with trying to make sure all of the Goblins who came from the plains had somewhere to rest and food to eat.
Needless to say, a visit to the rabbits, and a few other hunts were quickly carried out so that there was more than enough food for everyone to eat their fill.
After some time, Rick found himself with Geedi, Jaba, Tars, Sigi, Lagi, Kida, Dran, Wala, and Rogu with the Royal Retrieval team Goblins all sitting in the conference room that Jaba once greeted the Rogu in.
There were many things to discuss.
¡°First things first, we need ensure there is enough places to sleep for everyone here. I know it¡¯s a lot, but I felt we had no choice¡¡±
After saying that, Rick gave a summary of the events that took place in the Plains, to explain to the others where all of these Goblin had showed up from.
He continued..
¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯re all here. I apologize Dran and Wala, but we need to rapidly move forward our plans to add more housing in the Village, thankfully with the influx of all of these Goblins, you will have plenty of workers available.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it Chief, we¡¯ll get it done!¡±
Dran gave a reassuring thumbs up to go with Wala¡¯s declaration. A gesture he learned from Rick of course.
¡°Thank you, we should also ramp up the Rabbit Farm so that it could sustain a group as big as ours¡those are the easier things we have to talk about. Let¡¯s move on to the harder ones.
¡°As you heard in the story, and most of you got to see or experience firsthand, the monster in the lake showed itself recently. We now know just what type of force we¡¯re dealing with here. It was a monster that could probably easily wipe us all out if it chose to do so. Yet we¡¯re going to continue to remain here.
¡°We have nowhere reasonably to go in a short time, and it would bring us far more problems to head somewhere else than it would be remain here. We will stay and we will focus all of our efforts into getting stronger individually and as a group. We can¡¯t run forever.
¡°Goblins are strong and the monster living in the lake and the Orcs to the west will come to learn that soon. There will be a lot of intense training in the coming days. We have no idea when the Orcs will attack but I believe they will, but that means we don¡¯t know exactly how much time we have for the group to grow.
¡°That is why all training will be intense so that more of you can get stronger in a short period of time. I won¡¯t force anyone to train or to even fight in the war, I¡¯ll do my best to ensure I can shoulder it by myself when it starts.
¡°Though there are two groups that won¡¯t apply to.
¡°The Royal Guards, and the squads. Geedi. The Royal Guards are weak, too weak to fight in this battle. It is not your fault, but sometimes life isn¡¯t fair. My Royal Guards cannot remain weak so training will be mandatory for you all. In fact, you all will be directly under Rogu. Is that still alright with you Rogu?¡±
¡°Yes My Lord! I will ensure they are quickly befitting of the title of your Royal Guards,¡±
¡°Good. What about you Geedi? Are you alright with that?¡±
¡°Yes Chief!¡±
¡
After that, Rick and everyone else spent a few more hours finalizing all of their plans to enact in the short term. The Village will be bursting with action for quite some time, as the preparations for a War began.
Chapter One Hundred and Five (Book Two)
The atmosphere in the village could be said to be rather tense over the last couple of days. Rick and the others had done their best to calm the fears of the Village and reaffirm to everyone that things will be okay, but it wasn¡¯t that easy.
Although the Goblins weren¡¯t running around, confused and causing widespread panic, everyone was now aware of the danger. Even the Tier 0 ¡®normal¡¯ Goblins had a decent understanding of the type of danger they were now in.
So, while there was no panic, there was instead a high level of focus and determination being spread throughout the Village. Every single Goblin no matter the Tier was extremely busy doing one thing or the other. Whether it was hunting, building, training, or whatever else there were no slackers. While this level of focus wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing for the tribe.
Rogu was the first to point out the potential risks that this type of mentality could bring if held for too long. Putting in that level of focus and intensity without a break and proper rest would result in a lot of built-up stress that would never get properly handled. It is the cause of a lot of mistakes and small issues that will slowly build up over time until it causes a much larger problem that would be harder to solve.
A great example of this is exactly what happened during the showdown between the War Chief and the Serpent. Rogu and the Royal Retrieval team essentially did nothing the entire time but were immensely drained by the end of it all due to just how stressed they were in such a high intensity situation.
Rick wanted to avoid that.
¡.
¡®Scan it, Velora.¡¯
[Understood.]
{Name - ???}
{Age - ???}
{Race ¨C Windleg Stag}
{Tier 4}
¡®Another type of deer huh, there¡¯s quite a few of them in this forest. Though this is the first time I¡¯ve seen this one. A Windleg Stag¡what do you think Velora? Probably has something to do with speed or something along those lines, right? I mean look at its horns. They grow up then curve backwards. Its legs are long, and its body is sleeker than a typical deer despite its size. It has to mean it¡¯s built for speed.¡¯
[I believe you answered your own question. But your deductions sound reasonable.]
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¡®No time for your sass at the moment. Ulgri is working to get a small-scale smithy set up so we smelt the cores of the Golems and hopefully be able to make me a proper spear, but that will be a while¡for now all I have are my fists pretty much. So how will I fight this Stag?
¡®I¡¯m going to assume it¡¯s faster than me considering I¡¯m a massive hunk of a Royal Goblin and it literally has Wind in its name, but I¡¯m willing to bet I¡¯m far stronger than it. I can take a charge¡probably.¡¯
[Are you sure that¡¯s wise?]
¡®I don¡¯t want to spend a large amount of time chasing after it, if it decides to run, nor do I want to take too long in this fight. I need to get as many fights and kills as possible, then we will feast tonight!¡¯
[And your positive a feast during this situation with the Serpent and the Orc is a good idea?]
¡®Ask me again after I kill this Stag.¡¯
Rick darted out from behind the thick foliage he had been hiding behind and the Stag spotted him instantly. It turned to face Rick¡¯s direction, and its nostrils immediately began flaring, while something seemed to be gathering at its hooves.
It was wind. Wind was quite literally gathering around its hooves.
¡®Velora¡this might be more dangerous than I planned for. I figured it would be fast just based on its name, but there is ACTUAL wind at its hooves.¡¯
[It¡¯s coming!]
¡®I see it!¡¯
The Stag took off with a powerful kick of its legs, and its large yet slender frame shot forward with immense speed. Faster than anything Rick himself could muster. The wind that was previously gathered was urging it forward even more as it shot towards Rick.
The distance between them was well over 40 ft, and of course, there were trees, bushes and many things on the forest floor, but none of them was of any true hindrance to the Stag.
In barely a couple seconds its curved horns that sat atop a now lowered head was heading straight for the chest of Rick who had planted his feet as best as he could and held his arms out to hopefully stop the charge of the Stag.
The horns of the Stag quickly made contact with Rick.
BOOM!!
A loud crash resounded in the area, and a massive amount of dust, dirt, and various debris flew into the air, as Rick was driven backwards around 15 feet, even crashing into and destroying a tree during the process.
As the dust cleared, only one thing could be heard in the area.
The loud bucking and wailing of the Windleg Stag.
Its horns were in the firm grip of the Goblin it believed should¡¯ve been easy to ram through.
But it did no such thing.
While it managed to drive Rick back and even caused a few bruises and cuts on his chest that drew blood, that was the extent of the injuries Rick suffered.
He had failed to clasp onto the horns of the Stag before it reached him, but thankfully his body was far stronger than the average Tier 4 Goblin, and it was able to tank the charge of the Stag long enough for him to grip the horns and hold them firmly in place until the momentum of the charge ended.
Rick then looked down at the bucking Stag in his grips, and with a grin on his face he roared...
¡°HAAAHHHHH!!!¡±
Before picking up the massive beast and slamming it down into ground. The Stag was definitely disoriented, and Rick was primed and ready to deliver a finishing blow but just as he was about to do so, he turned around just in time to see the paw of a creature that would quite easily dwarf him in size if it stood up on its hind legs.
¡®Velora!!¡¯
[On it!]
{Name - ??}
{Age - ??}
{Race ¨C Heavy Bear}
{Tier ¨C 4}
¡®A heavy bear huh?!¡¯
¡°COME THEN!¡±
Chapter One Hundred and Six (Book Two)
¡®Dammit Velora, I wish you could come out here and help me carry them.¡¯
[Unfortunately, that is not a part of my capabilities.]
¡®I¡¯m sure it¡¯s very unfortunate.¡¯
[I¡¯m sure if you allowed the Goblins that wanted to follow you all the way out here, then you would have had the help you needed.]
¡®I definitely couldn''t do that. It would serve them no purpose to be here trying to protect me when there were other things they could be doing to get stronger. That¡¯s not what we need at the moment.¡¯
[Is that why you had to yell at them? That was the first time you¡¯ve raised your voice at any of them, yet we haven¡¯t talked about it since. You even raised your voice at Rogu. Somone who is far stronger than you and could likely kill you quite easily. Are we sure that it was the right decision to do so?]
Rick, who was dragging the dead Windleg Stag in one hand, the Heavy Bear in the other, and even had the body of a small yet very much still a Tier 4 Wolf slung over his shoulder, paused his steps in silence. He stood still for a few minutes as he thought about the question Velora just asked and thought back to his emotions at the time, and how he felt.
¡®Your right Velora. I never want to make a habit of yelling at anyone that isn¡¯t an enemy. Especially not my fellow Goblins. They don¡¯t deserve that, and I will apologize, but I had to get my point across Velora. I was not the priority, if they followed me around, not only would my training be hindered but so would theirs. I will lead from the front Velora, and they need to be able to understand that.
¡®I probably shouldn¡¯t have been yelling at them, but I didn¡¯t know what else to do about it. They were practically arguing with me about being allowed to protect me. I don¡¯t even know how to explain the weirdness of that.¡¯
[Your points are sound Rick, but It appears to me you are not truly looking at from their point of view.]
¡®I am Velora, I understand. Important figures need to be protected I get it. I recognize the importance of who I am and what I mean to the race, I get it. But they need me to be a powerhouse, Velora. Somone who can stand toe to toe with all the other powerful people out there. Strong enough that my Goblins can walk with their heads held high without fear of being hunted just due to nothing but fear of me. That¡¯s what I want Velora, no¡that¡¯s what I need. I need it, they need it. But I can¡¯t accomplish that by being coddled all the time. That¡¯s not my job. Or at least that¡¯s not what It needs to be right now.
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¡®They need time to train and Rogu and the others are perfect for that. We don¡¯t know when the Orcs are coming back. It could be tomorrow, or it could be days from now. They can¡¯t be wasting time worrying about me Velora. It¡¯s just not the best time to do that.¡¯
[I still think you don¡¯t get it Rick.]
¡®Please explain.¡¯
[You¡¯re not just their Future King Rick. You¡¯re not just someone to lead them. You are far more than that to them. You¡¯re the hope for a better future, you¡¯re their light in the darkness, you¡¯re the reason that they can hope for a better life one day. It¡¯s you. You give them life Rick. It is likely that you haven¡¯t truly noticed they look in their eyes when they look at you.
[It is a look of reverence, and as long as you don¡¯t do anything to toss that reverence to the side, they would likely do anything for you.
[I believe there is a strong chance that protecting you isn¡¯t a chore, or a task to be completed for them. It is highly likely that they consider it not only an honor, but something that must be done at all costs. They are ready to die for you, to make sure no matter what happens you will continue to live so that the Goblins still alive can still have hope. It¡¯s all on you Rick. All of their hopes and dreams. They rest on your shoulders.
[So why would they ever be okay with allowing you to enter harms way without support? Although our time with him has been relatively short, I do not believe Rogu is a fool. Nor do I think he is ignoring the fact you need to grow stronger. Yet it took you raising your voice for him to back off from assigning at least one guard to follow you around. That was likely a very hard decision for him, but he respects your station and authority, Rick. Don¡¯t make this anymore hard on them, I think this is one scenario you should compromise in.
[At least one person should be with you. Even if they are weaker, you should always have support. It will be training for them as well.]
¡®Sigh¡You make it sound like I¡¯m a bad person, but I think I understand better now¡and honestly even though I do, it will always be hard for me to view myself in the way you described. I¡¯m just lil ol¡¯ Rick man. I¡¯ll always just be Rick. I can cope with being a leader of sorts, but a savior? I don¡¯t know if that will ever truly sink in and register as my reality. Especially not now¡Sigh¡I get it though. Along with my apology to everyone, I¡¯ll be sure to compromise and ensure one of them can come with me when I leave the Village. Maybe that Loruk guy.
¡®Anyway, does that work for you Velora?¡¯
[Yes, it does, but it was never for me. I will always support you, but I¡¯m sure Rogu and the others will be a lot happier knowing there is at least one person who will follow you around until the Royal Guards can shoulder that burden on their own.]
You¡¯re probably right.¡¯
[As always.]
¡®Sigh¡¯
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Chapter One Hundred and Seven (Book Two)
After a couple hours of dragging the bodies of his kills through the forest, Rick could finally see the Village again.
Of course, this then meant the others who were still in the Village at this could see him as well.
¡°Chief! Hey, come help the Chief!¡¯
It was Jaba who spotted Rick first, and after he called out a number of other Goblins rushed out to meet him, and from there he finally got some help and with the bodies he was lugging along. Though¡he wasn¡¯t as tired as his complaints to Velora made it seem.
[You¡¯re perfectly fine. You didn¡¯t need any help at all, yet you complained the entire walk back. Look at Jaba, he looks way more tired than you. You should be following his example.]
¡®I¡¯m just doing a good job hiding it!¡¯
[Mhm. It is now 1600.]
¡®Thank you. Wow Jaba¡¯
¡°Chief how was it? Had a good training?¡¯¡±
¡°Yeah, it was good. What about you? You look drained.¡±
¡°Ah yeah¡after being the one to do all the training, it¡¯s been different to be on the under side of it, and Miss Sarug is not giving us any breaks at all. She is only letting us break this soon because of the feast you have planned. Will you be adding the meat from the beasts you brought to the feast¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t realize Sarug was such tough trainer¡well I believe in you Jaba keep it up, and yeah it will be added to the feast.¡±
¡°Got it, I¡¯ll make sure they get cleaned up. And I¡¯ll do my best Chief.¡±
¡°Ah has Rogu and the others returned yet?¡±
¡°Not yet.¡±
¡°I see¡well you know where to find me if you need anything Jaba.¡±
After a few parting words, and handing off the bodies he brought, Rick soon disappeared into one of the small buildings in the Village. A Village that was growing in size seemingly each day. If it was up to Rick, he would still be living in a tent in the cave, but Dran and Wala found that to be unacceptable, and thus a small house was made next to the conference room building. One just for Rick.
It was quite simple inside, consisting of just two small rooms, one to sleep, and one that was essentially an office and no windows since it was so close to everything else, but there was already talk of upgrading it the second Ulgri saw it, and it took some pleading from Rick to convince her to focus on other things, but the small home was perfect in Rick¡¯s eyes¡of course with the exception of not having modern toilets but he ad long since gotten used to that.
He quickly found himself sitting at his relatively simple desk.
¡®Bring up my status please Velora.¡¯
{Name - Rick}
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{Age - 21}
{Race - Royal Goblin}
{Element ¨C Goblin Fire}
{Tier 4)
{Essence - 120} Absorb? Yes/No
{Evo Points - 825/2160}
{Skills}
{Velora}
¡®Absorb.¡¯
A few slightly uncomfortable moments later¡
[Completed.]
{Name - Rick}
{Age - 21}
{Race - Royal Goblin}
{Element ¨C Goblin Fire}
{Tier 4)
{Essence - 0}
{Evo Points - 945/2160}
{Skills}
{Velora}
¡®I¡¯m getting closer Velora, but I don¡¯t know if it will be enough. I think I might need to take some risks.¡¯
[What type of Risks?]
¡®Fighting a Tier 5 beast type of Risk¡¡¯
[Rick.]
¡®I know Velora. Trust me, I know, but you just as much as I do that not a single one of us would be able to defeat the Orc that showed up that day. Even if all of us ganged up on him, we would all simply die¡I could feel it in my bones just as how much of a difference in power there was between us.
¡®Even if I manage to reach Tier 5 before he attacks again, it will mean next to nothing. Unless there¡¯s some hidden power up at Tier 5 that you¡¯re not telling me about then all that would do is put me on par with his generals. That won¡¯t be good enough Velora. I need to be at least strong enough to be somewhat of a deterrent. To make sure it¡¯s not beneficial to attack me, and that¡¯s the bare minimum. It would be best if I could match his strength but that sounds extremely unrealistic. And that¡¯s not even considering the Serpent, who could come out of it¡¯s lake and attack us at any moment¡
¡®For now, I need to make a push to Tier 6. I know I¡¯m barely halfway to Tier 5, but if I fight Tier 5 beasts, I can expedite that process, and then at Tier 5 maybe I could find something at Tier 6¡¡¯
[Have you really put thought into this Rick?]
¡®I have. I¡¯m already able to fight the Tier 4 beasts in the forest by myself without much issue, and that¡¯s without a weapon, and not using my element as much as possible. When I used it on the Orcs a few months ago, I was able to decimate an entire squad of Tier 4 Orcs by myself. I can fight above my power Velora. I am not a typical Tier 4.
¡®Plus¡I¡¯ll be bringing Loruk remember? That has to count for something.¡¯
[If you explained everything you just said to me to Rogu, he would likely toss all his morals aside and follow you with the entire Royal Retrieval team regardless of your wishes.]
¡®Which is exactly why I won¡¯t tell him.¡¯
[¡And where would we be finding Tier 5 beats Rick? We have only found Tier 4 beasts so far.]
¡®Well. I will go talk to the fox.¡¯
[The fox, who can also choose to attack you all at any moment?]
¡®That¡¯s the one.¡¯
[Fine. I¡¯ve given enough lectures today.]
¡®Glad to have you on board.¡¯
Knock Knock
¡°Chief! Rogu and the others are back!¡±
¡°Thank you Jaba, I¡¯m coming!¡±
¡®Alright¡time to apologize to everyone. Should be fine right?¡¯
[Yes, I¡¯m sure they will appreciate it.]
¡®Yeah I think so too.¡¯
Chapter One Hundred and Eight (Book Two)
Rick quickly found himself out of his small home and made his way over to Rogu and the group that was with him. Of course, it was Geedi and the rest of the Royal Guards.
¡®Velora, look at them. Rogu looks perfectly fine of course, but the rest of them look like they¡¯ve been through a war. What the hell has he been doing with them?¡¯
[Training them like you¡¯ve asked.]
¡®Well yeah, but sheesh.¡¯
[Stop staring and go greet them.]
¡®Ahem.¡¯
¡°Welcome back guys how was it?¡±
¡°It was good My Lord. Growing significant Tiers will be hard as that will always take time, but they are becoming better fighters and learning how to work as a team to protect their target above all else. They are strong Goblins.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good to hear Rogu, thanks as always for your help in all of this. Geedi? What about you?¡±
¡°It was good Chief. We are training hard.¡±
¡°That¡¯s nice to hear as well. Alright, rest up for a bit, the feast will start soon.¡±
Rogu, Geedi, and the rest of the Royal Guards acknowledged Rick after he spoke then left to do exactly as he had asked, meanwhile Rick himself went to go help with feast prep. He wasn¡¯t a cook by any means, but all they were doing was butchering the meat and then roasting it over a fire. There wasn¡¯t much else to do.
Eventually time passed and it was feasting time.
The food was laid out and a wildly appealing aroma filled the atmosphere. Over a hundred Goblins were gathered and a lot of them had smiles on their faces as they watched Rick walk to the front of the group, and as he did any side conversation quickly stopped as all eyes were focused on him.
¡®Velora, these big speeches are becoming more common as they days go by. I need it to stop.¡¯
[This is the job of a leader. Do not forget you said you wanted to apologize to the group. This is the best way to do that, unless you plan on apologizing to them individually.]
¡®Yeah, I know, just venting¡Alright let¡¯s get it over with.¡¯
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¡°Ahem¡Before I get into anything else, these is something I have to do first. And that¡¯s to apologize to you all.¡±
Out of all the Goblins watching, only Rogu and the others form the Royal Retrieval team had a big reaction to what Rick just said. Apologize? That was not something their Future King should be doing so lightly. Especially not to such a big group.
Of course, that was not to say that this gesture from Rick wouldn¡¯t be appreciated by Jaba and the others, but while evolving helped their intelligence significantly, there would always be things they didn¡¯t know, and this was one of them.
The weight and the power that is held within the words from a Monarch. It was heavier than they could ever realize with their current knowledge. Some might say the words of a leader are only as valuable as the respect that leader is given, and while that could be seen as true, those words will always carry some form of weight to the individuals that are being led.
That notion is even more apparent when that leader or Monarch could have thousands of individuals move at their every beck and call, and this was the very position that Rick was in.
Even though he was thousands of miles away from the Clans, Rogu knew without a shadow of doubt that if Rick had Teral send the word for Danger back to the Clans, then practically every Chief would throw caution to the wind and wouldn¡¯t hesitate to fight death itself if it meant they would be able to reach their Future King.
Such was the importance of Rick, and thus importance of his every word.
And why an apology from such a being was not one to be taken for granted.
That was why Rogu remained quiet even though he wouldn¡¯t want Rick to apologize like this, but he knew it wasn¡¯t his place to stop him, nor was it anyone else¡¯s.
Of course, Rick himself also wasn¡¯t aware of this¡he was from a different world and was familiar with seeing Leaders of various companies, sports organizations, and even nations give speeches where they apologized in some shape or form, so it didn¡¯t seem all too out of place for him, and he just continued with his speech not knowing the impact it would leave on Rogu in particular.
¡°I let my emotions get the best of me, and I wrongfully raised my voice at some of you when they were just trying to help me and make sure I¡¯d be protected. I know I¡¯m the Leader of this little Village of ours, but it doesn¡¯t mean I should be abusing that power to be rude to you all. That¡¯s not how I want to lead and I¡¯m apologizing for that. I am sorry.¡±
The area was silent for a bit, but it was the few the Tier 0 ¡®normal¡¯ Goblins that remained that screamed out first in their typical Goblin Gibberish. Their shouts could be translated to ¡®Thank you Chief!¡¯ And before long the rest of the Village joined in, and Rick couldn¡¯t help but blush.
¡®Velora, they need to stop.¡¯
[Just take it in and embrace it.]
Eventually Rick got tired of the embarrassment and calmed everyone down so that he could finish the speech.
¡°Thank you for understanding, but we got a few more things to discuss. All of you should be aware of the situation by now, and that we have no idea when things will change, but I promise I will do my best to protect this village with everything I have. I know every single one of you have been working hard to improve or making the Village better and stronger, but do not skip rest.
¡°No matter what happens, if we beat ourselves too much then we won¡¯t be able to fight the way we need to when the time comes. Don¡¯t lost focus, and all of us, including me, will keep working hard, but try not to let the stress overwhelm you. We will get through this. I promise.
¡°That¡¯s enough of that though so¡Let¡¯s Eat!!!¡±
Chapter One Hundred and Nine (Book Two)
The feast roared on into the night, and although there wasn¡¯t any alcohol involved, it didn¡¯t stop the Goblins from having a raucous night. If the current situation was compared to the morning, one would immediately be able to tell that the tension that seemed to linger in the air had long since dissipated as the night went on and roast meat was passed around until every Goblin in the Village could genuinely claim to be full.
Even the Guards who were still posted in the cave were fed before eventually being relieved so that they could enjoy the festivities as well.
It was a good night.
But of course, that night had to pass.
¡°So Rogu, I know I apologized last night, but to take it a step further, if Loruk is alright with it, he could follow me around as I continue my own training. Of course, I don¡¯t expect him to be there and do nothing. He will be training too.¡±
¡°My Lord. First of all, let me once again express how much your apology means to me. I don¡¯t deserve it, and I swear it will never be forgotten. Never. I promise. Loruk will be honored to be your guard as you further your training, and I¡¯m sure he will have to work hard to contain himself once he learns of it.¡±
¡°No worries at all Rogu, alright let¡¯s go give him the good news then.¡±
¡.
Eventually Rick could be seen walking towards the northern part of the forest with a Tier 4 Goblin trailing a respectable distance behind him.
¡®Why is following me and not walking next to me?¡¯
[It probably has something to do with respect of some sort. Walking next to you could imply that you two are on equal footing.]
¡®So complicated. If that¡¯s the case, then he is equal to me. We¡¯re both Tier 4 Goblins.¡¯
[Rick, you know that it¡¯s not so simple.]
¡®I know, I know just complaining.¡¯
¡°Loruk.¡±
¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±
¡°We¡¯re going to visit the Fox. You¡¯ve already met it right?¡±
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¡°Yes, I have My Lord. When we first arrived at the forest, it greeted us.¡±
¡°Alright, it¡¯s good that you already met it. Don¡¯t do anything weird alright? We¡¯ll be fine.¡±
¡°Understood My Lord.¡±
[It¡¯s not too late to turn back Rick. Even if the Fox doesn¡¯t do anything to you or Loruk, I still don¡¯t think it¡¯s wise to go seek out Tier 5 Beasts. You have seen firsthand just how much power is stored within Rogu¡¯s body. Do you think that¡¯s something you are ready to fight against?]
¡®Velora, we discussed this. What if that level of an Orc is in front of me? I¡¯m not na?ve enough to not know that life can be very unfair, let alone a war. We still don¡¯t know the extent of the Orc¡¯s forces. What if they attack us with nothing but Tier 4s and up? What the hell would we be doing then? We would have no choice but to be slaughtered. I have to take Risks Velora. I have to. I have no choice. It¡¯s either I risk it all now for a chance to survive what¡¯s to come or be safe and not take the type of risks where my life is on the line and just hope for the best when the time comes. I can¡¯t do that Velora. I won¡¯t do that.¡¯
[I understand.]
¡®Thank you.¡¯
¡.
Rick continued to walk up around to the northern part of the forest, whilst doing his best to ignore looking towards the left that was to his right. Though Loruk was the complete opposite of Rick in that sense. He periodically stared at the lake intently as if preparing himself to attack the water itself if it looked funny in his eyes.
He knew of the terror that dwelled within, but he was determined to not let anything touch Rick if he could avoid it¡
POV Loruk
¡®I was chosen to be our Future King¡¯s personal Guard. I can¡¯t miss this opportunity, and I especially can¡¯t allow harm to come to him. My father would be the proudest man in all of the Clans if he heard I was the Personal Guard to the Future King himself! And I would get to train alongside him!
¡®I truly hope Captain Rogu won¡¯t hold it against me. I know for a fact he would much rather do this than train the so called Royal Guards. They are a failure in my eyes. While I do understand that they don¡¯t have the same history and training we do back home, but to die while protecting the Future King, should be expected. Yet they let one death shake them. That is unacceptable.
¡®The Future King deserves better. Not a group of guards who flinch at the sight of death. I truly hope Captain Rogu is able to make something out of them. In the meantime, I will do my best to prove to the Future King that I would be a good fit for the position. Even if that wretched Serpent comes out of the lake, I will not hesitate to lay my life down for the survival of the Future King.
¡®Though¡based on our interactions thus far. I¡¯m confident that he would likely stay and fight alongside me. It warms my heart, and it is not my place to order him around, but I don¡¯t think the Captain fully explained to him the importance he holds for our race. He must live at all costs. He must be selfish. His life is worth more than mine is. Such is the life of the Monarch of Goblins.
¡®I can only hope that he is able to understand that with time, and once he finally meets my father and the other Chiefs, they will properly express it to him.¡¯
¡°Loruk, be ready.¡±
¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±
¡®The fox could sh¡-¡¯
¡°Ah you have finally visited again. It¡¯s been too long. I told you it¡¯s a bit boring to have no one to talk to, didn¡¯t I? You should come more often.¡±
Chapter One Hundred and Ten (Book Two)
POV Rick
¡®I really hate that he can just pop up out of the blue like that and I can¡¯t sense anything at all about it.¡¯
[All the more reason to be wary.]
¡®I know.¡¯
¡°I apologize; I¡¯ll do my best to visit more in the future.¡±
¡°Good. Now I don¡¯t think you came this time for the sake of talking. What do you want?¡±
¡®Alright, the moment of truth.¡¯
¡°I would like to know if you know the location of any Tier 5 Beasts.¡±
¡°Sure, I do. Why do you want to know them?¡±
¡°It will help with my training.¡±
¡°Heh. Based on what I can sense, you¡¯re still just a Tier 4 Goblin aren¡¯t you? Yet you want to fight something a full Tier higher. Why?¡±
¡®He really loves asking additional questions, doesn¡¯t he?¡¯
[He did say he wants to talk. He is probably enjoying this.]
¡®I¡¯m not.¡¯
[You chose this, stop hesitating and answer the fox.]
¡°The Orcs. We think there is a chance that they will be attacking in full force some time in the future, and if I¡¯m still Tier 4 at that time I won¡¯t be able to help very much. So, I need to take certain risks to make sure I can be strong enough to fight against the Orcs.¡±
¡°Ohh I see, but little Goblin¡if that Orc truly does attack in full force with his goal being to kill you, then Tier 5 won¡¯t be enough to save you. What will you do then¡±
¡°Then I will aim for Tier 6, and I will keep fighting to get as strong as possible as quickly as possible before the Orc gets here.¡±
¡°I see. Well, it¡¯s your life. The are plenty of Tier 5 beasts in the forest, but they tend to leave far in the East. As the North is my domain, the south is not that big, and the West is considered too close to the plains. And of course, none of them dare to get too close to the Lake. Well, none of the older ones at least. Only you Goblins and weaker creatures who don¡¯t any better still wander near that Lake. Very interesting.
¡°Anyway, that¡¯s your answer. Travel for a couple days East of the Lake and you will find your Tier 5s. It would be a shame if you died so be careful little Goblin.¡±
After saying that last line, the fox vanished without waiting for a reply or a thank you of any kind.
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¡®A couple days east huh. I guess I have no choice. Which means I¡¯ll probably have to spend some time away from the Village while I do this. It wouldn¡¯t make sense to travel back and forth after each kill since that¡¯s days of travel I¡¯d have to factor in. So, let¡¯s see if we can spend a week or two there and see how it goes?¡¯
[If you¡¯re dead set on doing this, then that seems like a viable solution. I would recommend letting Rogu and Jaba know your updated plans though. You don¡¯t necessarily need to tell them that you are fighting Tier 5s, but the whole Village will likely come running if your gone for more than a day.]
¡®Alright that makes sense, I¡¯ll let them know I¡¯ll be deep in the Eastern side of the forest and won¡¯t be returning for a week or two. And I won¡¯t go further than a couple days¡¯ worth of travel since someone will need to come get me if the Orcs are spotted. It¡¯s good thing we have Maglins that are apart from the scout groups now so that they can shoot signals from a distance. We won¡¯t need to wait weeks for someone to come all the way back to let us know that Orcs have been spotted.¡¯
[Yes, that¡¯s a good point. I think your bases will be covered after giving the update to Rogu and Jaba, and with you not being more than a couple days away, you should be fine. All that¡¯s left is to not only find a Tier 5 beast, but to actually survive the fight, let alone killing it.]
¡®We¡¯ll be fine.¡¯
[I hope so.]
Rick then departed from the Northen section of the forest with Loruk trailing behind him and made his way back to the Village. Both Jaba and Rogu had already left, but that didn¡¯t mean the Village was empty. The builders who always busy were present which meant Wala, Dran and Ulgri were all in the Village.
Rick made sure to leave his message with them, before leaving with Loruk and heading to the Eastern section of the forest.
Rick didn¡¯t bother stopping to fight any Tier 4s as he thought that was a waste of very important energy at the moment. So, both him and Loruk just continued moving East the entire time, stopping only to eat or for a very short break, or to avoid a potential needless fight.
And eventually they continued like this for over two and a half days when Rick and Loruk finally had to truly pause their steps.
¡®Velora.¡¯
[Coming up.]
{Name - ??}
{Age - ??}
{Race ¨C Barclaw}
{Tier ¨C 5}
¡®Hm, I can see it¡¯s status¡¡¯
[Indeed, but this isn¡¯t a race we¡¯ve seen before. It looks quite formidable.]
¡®You¡¯re right, we definitely haven¡¯t seen a massive bear/wolf hybrid-looking beast that looks as if it is covered in tree bark from head to eat with massive claws that likely extended about a foot on all four paws.¡¯
[Would it be best to skip it and see if we could find something else that might be more recognizable?]
¡®No, I can¡¯t waste time hoping to find the perfect target. I will deal with whatever I find. So, let¡¯s think about it. It¡¯s large and it¡¯s probably safe to assume that a single swipe with one of its paws could potentially be fatal. So, I can¡¯t treat it like I did the stag for one. Which will be a bit challenging since I don¡¯t have a weapon, and I do the most damage up close and personal.
¡®Then there is its fur? Or maybe it¡¯s hide? I don¡¯t know what to call that, but it really just looks like tree bark. Which means it probably doubles as armor.
¡®Hm¡tree bark¡
¡®Do you¡think it burns like tree bark¡?¡¯
[That possibility exists. Regardless, your flames will be a massive factor in whether you survive this battle. That and making sure you don¡¯t get hit by its claws.]
¡®Alright, no use waiting any longer then. Let¡¯s go show it the wrath of a Royal.¡¯
Chapter One Hundred and Eleven (Book Two)
¡°Loruk, what¡¯s your element?¡±
¡°I can use the water element My Lord, but forgive me, I am not proficient with it.¡±
¡®The water element¡that might work against my fire a bit. Hm¡what do you think Velora?¡¯
[He mentioned he isn¡¯t proficient with it, so perhaps the impact won¡¯t be that heavy if it comes into contact with your flames. Even if that¡¯s the case, it would be better to avoid and perhaps have him do something simple. Like making the ground wet enough to cause slippage of some sort.]
¡®Ah that¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯ll just save that for a last resort. I¡¯m going to try and fight this thing by myself first.¡¯
[I suppose I shouldn¡¯t have expected anything less.]
¡®Glad you¡¯re coming around.¡¯
¡°Loruk, your just support for right now. Hang back but be prepared to act if need be. Sound good?¡±
¡°I understand My Lord.¡±
¡°Oh wait, you said you¡¯re not proficient with your element, but are you able to at least put some water on the ground? Enough to soak it and make it soft or muddy?¡±
¡°I am confident that I can do at least that much My Lord.¡±
¡°Good, just be ready.¡±
After having a conversation at a low whisper with Loruk, Rick began to navigate towards the Barclaw. It was sitting down, in a small clearing, appearing to be taking a short rest on its stomach with its head resting on its massive paws.
Rick was not particularly close to the massive beast initially, as he didn¡¯t want to test the senses of a Tier 5 beast, but he knew he would have to get close eventually, but at the same time he didn¡¯t want to lose the advantage of surprise that he had right now.
So, Rick began to slowly gather the flames in the palms of his hands and began molding them in an arrow-like structure. While being Tier 4 granted a lot more control over his mana than he did at Tier 3, and the fact he was Royal also granted him more power and better talent regarding said mana, he was not a Maglin.
So, the process still took a few moments despite his advantages.
Though by the time he was done, a proper arrow-like structure was formed, and he held it steady for a moment before shooting it forward as if it was shot from a high powered crossbow.
The flame arrow whistled through the air and Barclaw seemed to sense it at that moment and a loud grumbling could be heard in the area as the large beast began to slowly wake up. Of course, Rick wasn¡¯t just standing idle as the arrow flew and the Barclaw began waking up.
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He quickly broke out into a full sprint towards the Barclaw, and before it fully woke up the arrow struck it into its bark-like skin, and it immediately caught aflame.
The Barclaw which was slow to move until that very moment, suddenly bellowed out a cry of pain and practically sprang to its feet as the yellow eyes that sat deep into its skull suddenly gained a tint of red as it turned with a speed that betrayed its size to face the oncoming Rick who was much closer now.
The Barclaw, with a hide still covered in still growing green flames, let out a deep roar that shook the immediate the area and took off in a charge towards Rick, while the fire continued to spread on its back.
[RICK BE READY!!]
¡®I¡¯M READY!¡¯
Rick immediately covered his fists in flames and as the two drew closer together the Barclaw swiped out with a ferocious paw and its claws seemed to be on o runway straight towards Rick¡¯s head.
Rick ducked under the paw in the same way a boxer would duck under the oncoming jab of another boxer. He then closed the distance further a delivered a powerful blow to the lower jaw of the Barclaw, which of course was still covered in the bark-like hide of the Barclaw.
¡°DAMMIT THAT HURTS!¡±
[Don¡¯t stop punching!]
¡°ARGHH!!¡±
Rick roared out as he kept delivering punch after punch to the jaw of the Barclaw who appeared to be dazed for a moment as the fire on its back eventually spread to the rest of its massive body and once it found its way to his face it seemed to shock the Barclaw out of its daze and it let out another loud bellow before jumping back away from Rick.
With a body covered in green flames, eyes red with maddened rage, and a jaw cracked in multiple places. The Barclaw no longer seemed to care about the pain it was in, as a rush of mana began gathering at the tips of its claws and before Rick could react to the change the Barclaw stood up on its hind legs and rapidly swiped out with its front paws in a X shape in front of its chest.
6 slashes seemed to materialize in the air and immediately flew rapidly towards Rick.
[RICK DOGE!!!]
¡°ARGHH!!¡±
Rick did his best to jump to the side but he wasn¡¯t able to fully get out of the way, and his left arm was caught by the slashes and from his shoulder to his elbow three massive gashes could be seen, and they didn¡¯t waste any time in bleeding profusely.
[Rick!!]
¡°MY LORD!¡±
¡°FUCKK!¡±
Three different reactions took place that very second as Rick stumbled but managed to remain on his feet. He glared at the Barclaw for a moment before immediately turning around and running towards Loruk.
¡°Loruk! Get ready!¡±
The Barclaw didn¡¯t need any other invitation, and it immediately took OFF in a mad sprint towards Rick, roaring loudly as it did so.
A determined Loruk could be seen with a focused expression on his face as he extended both hands towards Rick and waited for his moment to act.
¡°Now Loruk!!¡±
Rick yelled as he approached and Loruk didn¡¯t hesitate to release all the water he could on the path before him and the forest ground was quickly soaked as a large stream of water was dropped on top of it.
Once Rick verified that it was sufficiently soaked, he yelled out at Loruk to run while he himself approached the wet area and jumped over it.
Perhaps if the Barclaw was in its right mind, it would¡¯ve stopped running or maybe even ran around the area but in its mad flame induce rage, it simply continued running, and promptly lost its footing, causing it to slip and slam into the ground and sliding a couple feet due to the force it was running with.
Rick, who was waiting a few feet away could be seen leaping into the sky and he then coated the soles of his feet in more flames before falling down while making sure to stomp as hard as he could on the head of the beast.
A loud break could be heard in the forest as the neck of the Barclaw snapped on impact, and it¡¯s massive body instantly went limp.
Chapter One Hundred and Twelve (Book Two)
[Rick¡your arm.]
¡®It will be fine.¡¯
¡°My Lord¡your arm. I apologize for not being strong enough to protect you. I can apply medical measures.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine Loruk you did good.¡±
¡°My Lord¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine. Really.¡±
¡°I understand, thank you My Lord.¡±
¡®Velora show me my status.¡¯
[Showing.]
{Name - Rick}
{Age - 21}
{Race - Royal Goblin}
{Element ¨C Goblin Fire}
{Tier 4)
{Essence - 240} Absorb?
{Evo Points - 945/2160}
{Skills}
{Velora}
¡®240 Essence from one kill. I would have to kill six tier 4 beasts to accomplish the same thing. This was the right decision after all. Plus, the essence will help heal my arm.¡¯
[Yes, you gained a lot of essence, but nearly lost that arm, let alone your life. No amount of essence would likely bring either of them back. Fighting six Tier 4 monsters would have been far safer. I am not trying to convince you to stop. Just informing you.]
¡®I appreciate it, Velora. Now let¡¯s absorb the essence, you can take a bit for yourself.¡¯
¡®Understood.¡¯
???
After that initial battle with the Barclaw, Rick spent roughly another two weeks in the area and fought and successfully defeated three more Tier 5 beasts, bringing his total Evo Points to 1800 out of a total of 2160. Of course, this number did not reflect all the essence earned as some had been absorbed by Velora.
Either way¡He was close.
So very close to Tier 5.
And he would have tried to find another Tier 5 to fight tooth and nail against, but even he had to admit that both him and Loruk were exhausted beyond reason.
Not a single one his battles had been easy, and the injuries were only continuing to pile up. It was mainly Velora that was pushing him to go back, but the fact that Loruk doesn¡¯t have the same healing capabilities played a role as well.
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So, eventually a couple of days passed as they slowly made their way back to the Village, only arriving in the deep of the night on the fourth day.
It then took some convincing that they were fine and only needed rest before the entire Village was almost woken up once the few that were awake noticed their arrival.
They remained in the Village for just two nights so that Rick could check in on everyone and to make sure everything was going alright.
Well as alright as they could be given the situation.
After the two nights were over, Rick and Loruk was once again back deep into the Eastern part of the Forest, on the hunt for their next life and death battle.
It actually took another two weeks of searching and fighting to finally accomplish what he needed.
{Name - Rick}
{Age - 21}
{Race - Royal Goblin}
{Element ¨C Goblin Fire}
{Tier 4)
{Essence - 0}
{Evo Points - 2160/2160} Evolve?
{Skills}
{Velora}
¡®Finally!!¡¯
[Finally indeed. I finally get a break form watching you nearly die over the last couple of weeks.]
¡®It wasn¡¯t that bad¡¡¯
[Rick. The horn of that Morkan was barely a few inches of piercing through your head.]
¡®That was a weird situation! Who would¡¯ve thought that weird looking plant was actually a hidden monster disguised as a collection of bushes!¡¯
[And the beast that nearly bit out your throat?]
¡®Wolves aren¡¯t supposed to be able to fly Velora, that was a weird one as well.¡¯
[It wasn¡¯t a wolf. It was a Sky Falon.]
¡®It was a wolf with wings, no matter what it¡¯s called. What the hell was it doing in a tree anyway. Weird stuff I¡¯m telling you.¡¯
[Do you want me to continue listing out all the ways you could¡¯ve died?]
¡®No..no¡I think I get it. Let¡¯s head back home, shall we?¡¯
[Mhm.]
¡°Let¡¯s go Loruk. We¡¯re heading back.¡±
¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±
???
Rick and Loruk eventually made their back to the Village and Rick immediately went to his abode and didn¡¯t waste anytime before triggering his evolution.
The entire Village was aware of what was happening, and not a single Goblin was training or building anything at the moment.
In fact, the Village was essentially on lockdown¡on orders of both Rogu and Jaba.
¡°Recall everyone! I don¡¯t want a single thing to disturb the Chief during this time!¡±
While Jaba continued to give out a string of orders Rogu had the entire Royal Retrieval team gathered.
¡°I will stand guard in front of his home. I need everyone else to create a perimeter around the entire Village. As our good friend Jaba said, nothing will be allowed to interrupt this process. I don¡¯t care what it is, nothing will be allowed to interrupt. Are we clear?¡±
The Royal Retrieval team members, and in particular Loruk, responded with grim determination as they quickly left to their posts.
No one knew exactly how long it would take for Rick to evolve, but Jaba did let them know that it took roughly a day for him to complete his Tier 4 Evolution, which was longer than when Rick first completed his Tier 3 Evolution.
So, they were prepared to maintain these positions for more than a day since it was safe to assume this evolution would be longer than the previous one.
Eventually the Village settled into a tense state as Rick who was not informed about any of this went through his evolution.
One day passed.
Rick showed no signs of waking up, and meals were delivered by rovers that Jaba had put in place.
Two days passed.
The Village continued to keep watch.
Waiting patiently for the leader.
Three days passed.
The lake in this distance rippled wildly for a few moments and a large head slowly began to rise out of it.
It was followed by a loud rumbling voice that resounded in the surrounding area.
¡°Hmm, so it¡¯s an evolution. One potent enough for me to sense while sleeping. Interesting¡¡±
Rogu of course heard the voice immediately and a grave expression took to his face before drawing his sword and rushing towards the forefront of the Village,
He dared not stop any further, just in case he invited danger that wasn¡¯t coming in the first place, but if he felt the Serpent encroaching on the Village, he would take the battle towards it, to avoid any disturbance to Rick.
Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen (Book Two)
Only the head of the Serpent had left the water, but due to its massive size, that was still more than a few feet out of the lake, so it could see quite the distance.
Especially when one factored in the strength of its eyes, and the powerful senses it held that could be spread far and wide.
So, it was no surprise to know that the Serpent could practically ¡®see¡¯ the Village in its entirety. It could see all of the Goblins standing guard, and it could see the small abode that Rick was holed up in. It could not necessarily see Rick inside of it, but the presence that Rick was emitting could be seen clear as day.
Then there was, of course, Rogu. Who was standing at the front of the Village with his sword drawn and a fierce expression on his face.
The Serpent found it all mildly amusing.
It slowly rose up out of the lake, but instead of rising to its full height, it lowered itself to the ground and began moving towards the Village.
It surprisingly tried to avoid destroying as many trees as it could but some of them couldn¡¯t be avoided, and very quickly a wide path was made in the forest as it slithered towards the Village.
Of course, no matter how low to the ground it stayed, it was still a massive beast. One that wasn¡¯t so easily missed, especially not with the destruction it left in its wake from simply moving around.
So Rogu could see the approach, and his guard was raised to the max.
The rest of the Village was in a similar state, as tensions continued to rise, and weapons were raised as well over a hundred Goblins were ready to defend and protect their Chief/Future King.
Of course, as much as they were ready and willing to fight in defense of Rick, reality wouldn¡¯t simply bend its rules for their wishes.
A small group of Tier 0 to Tier 4 Goblins would stand no chance of protecting Rick from almost every single Tier 7 being in existence. Especially not one as powerful as the Serpent who now approached.
No amount of grit and tenacity would allow them to bridge that gap. It was simply an insurmountable wall of power that they had no chance of climbing or getting through.
The Goblins weren¡¯t stupid.
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They knew this as well.
But in their minds, it was quite obvious that they would at least try to fight instead of just rolling over and dying.
It was harder for Goblins of the Plains to truly embody this mentality, but when they thought back to the oppression they faced, and how life was prior to being freed. Being freed by Rick specifically, their hearts hardened and their determinations because fierce.
Rogu knew about this gap in power more than the rest of them did.
Which made sense.
He was the strongest Goblin in the Village, and Tier 5 was a relatively respectable level of strength in any part of the Continent.
He knew the type of gap that was present in the jump from Tier 4 to Tier 5, and he knew just how much of a gap there was between himself and his father.
It was not one to be laughed at.
Yet his father was only Tier 6.
While the Serpent approaching the Village was without a shadow of as doubt above that.
Rogu could feel the difference in power quite clearly.
His instincts that have been trained and honed over many battles across a number of years had never once stopped screaming at him to run away.
This was not an opponent, he should be standing his ground and fighting.
He needed to run, he needed to hide, he needed to escape and only return if he had managed to achieve that same level of power.
Yet, through a powerful will, and a strong sense of loyalty and duty, Rogu remained steadfast.
He didn¡¯t need anyone to tell him that he had no chance of killing the Serpent, and thus that was never his intention.
All he had in mind was the same intention as when he was face to face with the Fox, or when the Serpent first approached them all in the forest.
His life for the life and future of the Future King.
To him his life should be worth at least that.
No¡it had to be worth at least that.
For there was no other choice.
He needed to sacrifice himself to cause a big enough injury that would give time for everyone else to escape.
That was all he could do.
Yet¡while grit and tenacity weren¡¯t enough to truly change reality in the face of overwhelming power.
That didn¡¯t necessarily mean reality needed changing in the first place.
As the Serpent came into full view, and slightly raised its head off the ground as in took in the sights of the Village.
Rogu wasn¡¯t too far from it at this point, and the Goblins in the Village began to sweat profusely with some of them unable to avoid falling to their knees.
The Serpent then turned its gaze towards Rogu.
¡°Don¡¯t do anything foolish Goblin. If I wished for your or your people¡¯s death, then I would have it.
¡°At the moment¡I only wish to observe. Do not force me to change the focus of my thoughts.¡±
Rogu didn¡¯t allow himself to lower his alertness for even a second, but he did allow himself to lower his sword.
If he could avoid any form of battle with this creature, then he would do so in a heartbeat.
Not necessarily to preserve his own life, but to ensure that no harm befalls his Future King.
Of course, the Serpent watched as Rogu lowered his sword without uttering a reply, and then refocused his gaze towards the house that Rick was undertaking his evolution in.
Oblivious to all that was happening around him, and oblivious to the fact that Rogu, who was once again ready to sacrifice his life, was once again able to keep ahold of it.
Maybe if he was aware he would tell Rogu he needed to stop being so ready to become a sacrifice...
114. War of Dalor (Book Two)
Eventually even the Fox showed up. It didn¡¯t say anything, but it appeared next to the Serpent, who only paid it a small glance before refocusing on the Village.
Of course, Rogu noticed the fox as well, and while his stress and trepidation deepened further, he too said nothing.
Rogu was only standing, waiting patiently for this to all be over and these two to leave.
He was under no delusion that when Rick woke up, he would suddenly be able to compare with Tier 7 beasts, but he knew Rick would without a doubt be stronger than himself.
While he would still be lacking in overall fighting since just to the disparity in number of battles fought in total, Rogu was very confident in the fact that Rick would be in a different league altogether simply based on the facts.
For one, he was a Royal, the sole Royal of their race. Not by votes, or feelings, but by the law of nature itself. It was his literal birthright.
It meant he would always have certain advantages that the rest of them wouldn¡¯t. It only made sense for it to be that way since he was in fact their Future King, otherwise what worth would that title even have?
Anyway, even though he knew Rick would be stronger than himself in terms of pure power, it would still be nothing in the face of the two beasts standing not too far from him.
So, all he could do was hope.
Now while all of this was happening in Rick¡¯s Village, there just as important things happening in the Plains as well¡
???
¡°Is the army ready?¡±
¡°Yes, War Chief!¡±
¡°Advance, and don¡¯t bother thinking about retreating.¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
The war Chief who was standing in the middle of a camp, had finally given the order he had waited to give in the past couple of weeks.
Which was how long it took for him to gather all of his forces from across the Plains and get a fully fleshed out army staged and ready for war.
Thousands of Orcs were gathered.
Roughly 6-7000 of them to be specific.
Barring a few hundred Orcs that wouldn¡¯t be apart of this force for a few different reasons, this was practically the total amount of Orcs that lived in the Iris River Plains.
In the grand scheme of things, this was a paltry number of combatants when compared to the powerful hegemons who lived in other parts of the Continent.
Even the Goblins, who lived far away in the Dark Lands of Mir, easily dwarfed this number when it came to total population.
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And of course, this was not the total number of Orcs on the continent, just the ones who lived in the Plains.
But despite all of that, there was a difference between Orcs, the Goblins in the Dark Lands of Mir, other powers on the Continent, or even the opponents the gathered army were marching towards.
Orcs were built for war.
The concept of non-combatants wasn¡¯t in their score of understanding.
If you were an Orc, you were a warrior.
Of course, there were blacksmiths and other positions among them, but anything else would always be second to fighting. War was their nature.
One that the small Nation of Dalor would now come to find out in earnest.
They were a coastal nation, with their entire northern and western borders being bordered by the ocean.
Only their Eastern and parts of their Southern border touched upon land. The Iris River Plains were to their East, and to their Southeast was the Jagged Edge Mountain Ridge, and within it, dwelled a small but powerful enclave of Dwarves.
In this entire region, those Dwarves were there only allies, and the only group they engaged with when it came to trade.
Now to their southwest, lay a large archipelago, with the largest island among them, being in equal in size to all of Dalor.
These were the Fraconian Islands.
A Nation of islands that were currently ruled by Isla. A man with an ambition that was as wide as the ocean itself.
Part of that ambition was not only to maintain the rule of the Fraconian Islands, but to have control over the mainland as well.
Once he rose to power, his first order of business was to invade the Nation of Dalor, and due to the fact the Dalorians didn¡¯t have a single person that reached Tier 7, it was not hard for him to enforce his will on the small Nation, since he himself was firmly at the Peak of Tier 7.
On the surface, Dalor seemed like they maintained their freedom and autonomy after Isla left, but it was somewhat of an open ¡®secret¡¯ that the Royal Family of Dalor were nothing but servants to Isla, and the Fraconian Islands.
They were forced to pay yearly tributes and move to the whims and desires of the Fraconian Leader.
That was only two years ago.
When a man by the name of Radol broke through to Tier 7 himself.
He did it far away from the land of Dalor, only returning once he had sufficient strength.
He was not someone from the line of the Royal Family and he almost had to forcefully take control of his home Nation.
What stopped it from turning into a Civil War was the fact the once prideful military leaders of the Nation, and even the people, backed the rule of Radol.
Once firmly in the seat of power it didn¡¯t take very long for him to make sweeping changes. With one of which was to cease all tributes.
And that was when the problems for the Nation of Dalor got worse.
Isla obviously did not take too kindly to what happened and immediately started a war with Dalor, which of course was expected by Radol.
What he didn¡¯t account for were the Orcs who swelled in the Plains to their East.
He didn¡¯t know that they were also paying tribute to the Orcs as well. In fact, almost no one in the nation was aware of that. It was a secret of the Royal Family.
Paying tribute to monsters? That was inconceivable.
What wasn¡¯t inconceivable though¡was the Orc¡¯s strength. The War Chief reacted the same as Isla did. He started a war.
It looked for a very long time that Dalor would cease to become a Nation due to have a war on two fronts.
That was until Admiral Prag broke through to Tier 7. The current longest serving Admiral in Dalor.
If had attempted to do that before, then Isla would¡¯ve found out quick enough to pay a visit to Dalor and remove him before he could cause problems.
Now that Dalor was once again ruled by Dalorians, Prag didn¡¯t have to fear retribution and was able to not only safely break through, but then to bolster his Nation¡¯s strength and help to not only push back the Orcs but also take ground away from them in the Plains.
The Old Admiral had been a strong warrior for decades and his expertise and newfound strength had proven quite difficult to handle by the Orcs.
Until now.
The War Chief had done something that harmed his pride and went against his very core.
He asked for help.
Although it was in the form of deal.
It was help nonetheless.
Flying high above the advancing Orc Army, was a powerful creature with rough, and deeply brown scales.
A Rygern.
If Rick was here to see it, he would think it was a Wyvern of some sort that was covered in rock-like scales.
The Dalorians trembled.
115. A Greeting of Laughter (Book Two)
Since the Dalorians had managed to capture ground in the Plains, a military camp was built some distance away from their walls.
Admiral Prag was stationed here, and he looked on to the approaching army and the flying monster in the skies with a grim expression.
He didn¡¯t need someone to tell him that Dalor was now going to be stuck between a rock and a hard place.
On one side there were the Fraconians, with whom the young King was successfully pushing back, but not enough to be considered winning. Then on this side there were the Orcs. Before the Admiral managed to break through the situation was utterly dire, and it was only upon reaching the 7th Tier and using decades of experience to outmaneuver the Orcs that they were able to push back.
But the situation had changed.
Dalor only two had two Tier 7 combatants.
Now they were faced with three.
The Admiral stood up in the camp, and through gritted teeth, sounded the order to retreat.
Because of this, they would lose all of the hard fought progress they made until this point as they backed off all the way to back inside their Nation¡¯s walls.
Of course, the Rygern, and the pursuing Orc Army, wouldn¡¯t let them off so easily. They wanted to send a message. One that would be both physically and emotionally hard to recover from.
At the behest of the War Chief, the army stormed into the camp at blistering speed and tore into the retreating rear of the enemy.
The Admiral of course did his best to shield his people, but the Rygern wasn¡¯t giving him the chance to breathe.
It swooped down many times, striking its mighty talons directly at the waiting Admiral and pushing him back.
If that was it, then things wouldn¡¯t be too terrible, but the powerful wind that was generated from the wings of the Rygern tore in the backs of the retreating Dalorians.
The Admiral created shields of water in an effort to protect as many of his people as he could, but doing so while fighting the Rygern was a strain even for him.
By the time the Dalorians had managed to get behind their walls, the Admiral himself had picked up a few new wounds, some more vital than others and more than a few hundred of his people had perished.
The message from the Orcs was well received.
Since the War Chief himself didn¡¯t move a muscle the entire time.
That alone was another message by itself.
The [Check Name] landed next to the War Chief stayed in the rear for the entire duration of the battle and was now calmly watching his army return after devastation the enemy.
¡°We could¡¯ve finished them off. Why didn¡¯t you join.¡±
The War Chief slowly turned his gaze towards the Rygern, who towered over him. He stared at it for a few moments. Almost as if he was deciding if the Rygern was worth a response.
¡°¡Their time will come. These humans¡they fight differently when pushed too far too quickly. We don¡¯t have time for a siege.
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¡°For now¡there is a pest that is in much more need of death.¡± The words of the War Chief seemed to be laced with venom when he spoke about the Goblins who he was forced to let go a few months ago.
¡°And that prideful snake¡he too will get his due.¡±
¡°Fine. When do we move?¡±
¡°Soon. We will move soon.¡±
¡°¡I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±
The Rygern then lifted off from the ground with a loud flap of its wings before flying off into the direction of the mountains.
Of course, even he made sure to avoid dwarven airspace as he traversed the area.
Meanwhile the War Chief watched as his army began settling into the now abandoned camp of the Dalorians.
His face was perpetually in the constant scowl by this point and the other Orcs were practically walking on pins and needles as they carried out their duties with rapt attention.
By now it was nightfall, and while the Dalorians hadn¡¯t left the confines of their Nation, many of them were stationed along their walls, with bows and other means of long distance warfare.
They were ready and waiting for a siege.
A siege that would not come.
The War Chief was now in a tent with a few of his Generals.
¡°You.¡± He pointed towards one of his generals.
A Tier 6 Orc by the name of Mukra.
¡°Yes, War Chief.¡±
¡°Take a 1000. Move to the Forest. Do. Not. Enter.¡±
Power radiated around the room as the War Chief made his intentions known.
The Orcs quickly moved as they were told and began picking and choosing who would be a part of the 1000.
While there were doing that¡
The War Chief slowly left the tent.
Walking forward calmly until the men guarding the walls could just barely make it out his figure, as the light from their torches flickered around him.
Power immediately began gathering around him.
Large waves of mana, along with the powerful Will of a Tier 7 Being began gathering in droves.
Many alarms and shouts began sounding on the wall as even they could tell that something was about to happen¡
And it did.
The War Chief let out a grunt before vanishing from his spot, instantly reappearing at the walls of the Nation and delivering a massive blow with nothing but his fist.
BOOOOOOOM!!!
That entire section of the wall exploded as stone and debris flew everywhere.
Admiral Prag, who had long since heard the commotion, was arriving in time just to see the War Chief delivering a fist covered in a red aura to his face.
Another loud crash resounded.
Only there was no follow up as the Massive Orc that was the War Chief only grunted once more in frustration before leaving altogether as the Nation of Dalor began waking up.
They would only find destruction, and an even more injured Admiral Prag.
Of course, while that was happening, Mukra had long since gathered the required Orcs and using the dark of night, and the destruction caused by the War Chief, departed with none the wiser.
Their destination being the Nameless Forest
It would take them a few weeks to reach it.
A few weeks before the war that Rick and every other Goblin in the area were doing their best to prepare for.
A war that would sear itself into the mind of Rick for the rest of his life.
Speaking of Rick¡It was now three full days that had passed for his evolution.
The tension in the Village hadn¡¯t dropped for even a moment.
Part of the reason was to of course be ready to protect Rick at a moment¡¯s notice. While the other part was because neither the Serpent nor the Fox had left since they arrived.
Just remaining in their positions and calmly observing the evolution taking place.
Which is why, they were the first ones to sense when Rick eyes slowly began to flutter.
And they were the first ones to sense when they slowly but surely opened¡
And finally¡they were the first ones to sense the powerful thrum of power that seemingly exploded out of Rick.
Woosh!
A few Goblins stumbled, trees were shaken, and eyes of both the Serpent and the Fox narrowed suspiciously¡of course to Rogu¡they looked more dangerous than suspicious.
He too felt the power that came from Rick and likely continued for a few miles form that area, causing the trees to shake as if a strong wind just came by.
And as much as he wanted to rush to Rick¡¯s side at the moment, he knew he was serving his Future King best here. Standing guard in the face of two Tier 7 beings.
Rick who was still feeling very groggy¡slowly sat up in his home¡.slowing feeling a vast power welling up in his body¡slowly feeling where that power was coming from.
He took a deep breath.
Then brought up his status.
¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!¡±
A loud laugh began to resound in the area in true Rick fashion.
The Future King of Goblins woke up and greeted the watching Goblins and the spectating Tier 7 beings with a boisterous laugh.
Though¡if Rick knew it would be a long time before he got to laugh like that again, he perhaps would¡¯ve laughed longer¡
~ Book Two End ~
116. Ruknar (Book Three)
~ Start of Book 3 ~
While a particular Goblin was only just waking up after taking three days to complete an evolution.
Many different things were happening both near and far.
The Orcs had just completed a devastating attack on the eastern walls of the Dalorian Kingdom. Not only had they killed hundreds of Dalorians in a battle under the sun, but the Orc War Chief also proceeded to kill a few more, destroy a large part of their wall, and deliver further injures to Admiral Prag in a separate battle under the moon.
It was a truly devasting two pronged attack that ensured the Dalorians would need to spend some time to recover from injuries, grieve their loved ones, and repair a much needed eastern wall.
In the War Chief¡¯s mind, it would give them time.
Time to go wage an entirely different war.
A war on Goblins.
???
In another part of the world, three Tier 5 Goblins were traveling towards their goal at a speed much faster than their predecessors. The Royal Retrieval Team.
Two of the three Goblins were the only two Generals of the Shadow Goblin Clan, and as this mission demanded equal parts of speed and stealth, it was only right the Generals of the Clan most proficient in the combination of both aspects.
Along with them came a General from the Central Clan. The younger brother of the current Chief.
The three of them together were a powerful trio of Goblins yet despite their power¡even them had to tread carefully as they traversed through human lands.
Desperate to meet their Future King¡
???
POV Rick
¡®Uh¡damn¡why do I feel so groggy¡I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever felt this dazed after an evolution¡
¡®Oh wait¡an evolution¡status!!¡¯
Ding!
{The Markings of Royalty cannot be looked down upon}
{Receive Ruknar }
¡°HAHAHAHA!!!¡±
¡®Velora, are you seeing this? The Markings of Royalty cannot be looked down upon! I have no idea what that word means, but it sounds powerful right?¡¯
¡
¡®Velora?¡¯
¡
¡®Alright, I¡¯m sorry for immediately greeting you upon waking up and thank you for watching over me during the evolution, can you please speak to me again now?¡¯
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¡
¡.
¡®Status¡¡¯
{Name - Rick}
{Age - 21}
{Race - Royal Goblin}
{Element ¨C Goblin Fire}
{Tier 5)
{Essence - 0}
{Evo Points - 0/12960}
{Skills}
{Velora} (Dormant)
¡®Dormant¡Velora is dormant¡does this mean she is evolving as well¡¡¯
¡®But there was no warning. Nothing at all. I don¡¯t even think she knew that she was evolving. So, could it be something else¡? Did something happen to her?
¡®¡No¡she¡¯s just evolving. It will probably take some time and then she¡¯ll return like normal¡yeah, no problem at all¡¡¯
Rick sat there in silence for a few uncomfortable moments. It had been a long time. A very long time since there was no voice in his head to keep him company.
And it took a few seconds, but he eventually felt alone. The happiness at evolving slowly slithering away as his thoughts were his and his alone once more.
¡®Who would¡¯ve thought that I would miss Velora¡¯s voice in my head so much. It¡¯s weird because I¡¯ve lived most of my life without anyone else¡¯s presence in my head, yet instead of feeling things were back to normal¡it just feels empty¡
¡®Sigh¡Alright, I can¡¯t sit on my but and be depressed forever, now what is this Ruknar thing- Oh¡the second I said that word, something popped up in front of me.¡¯
{Activate Ruknar?} Yes/No
¡®Well, let¡¯s think about this for a moment. I have no idea what activating this would do, which means It¡¯s probably not a good idea to activate it right now¡
¡®So, I¡¯ll say no for now, but I¡®m definitely excited to try it out considering the message it came with The markings of Royalty can¡¯t be looked down on or something like that right. Surely that has to do something with these tattoos of mine.
¡®Literally no other Goblins have them, and until now they haven¡¯t really done anything other than making me look a bit cooler than the other Goblins. Man, even Rogu doesn¡¯t have tats. Alright, I¡¯ll go outside and test it out in the forest or something.¡¯
As if right on cue, a calm knock and a firm voice sounded at Rick¡¯s door.
¡°Chief, is everything alright?¡±
It was the voice of Jaba that spoke up. One that had a slight tinge of worry laced behind a tone of confidence.
¡°Ah Jaba! It¡¯s good to hear from you man, yeah everything¡¯s fine! Give me a sec I¡¯ll be right out.¡±
Rick promptly responded before abruptly, trying to stand up as if he previously did.
But things were not as how they previously were. The large Goblin practically stumbled to the floor. It seems this evolution had changed more than one thing.
¡®What the hell?¡¯ Rick said, as he finally took in the situation of his body.
First of all, starting at his Tier 2 evolution and all the way till the previous Tier, Rick had grown to be just around 6¡¯3 in height.
He had somewhat of a hulking build, with large bulging muscles, and a beautiful array of black tattoos that started at his shoulders and seemingly danced in a tribal like pattern down his arms, his entire chest and a large part of his back.
But all of that had changed with this evolution to Tier 5.
Gone was the already massive, brute of a Goblin, in its place, a much taller but remarkably refined Royal Goblin stood in its place.
He now stood at a staggering six feet and seven inches. Not a smidge lower or higher.
His muscles, rippling with even more power than they had before, were now compact and tightly woven amongst themselves. Rick¡¯s figure was chiseled, refined, compact, and no one would dare to say he lacked power.
For it clear as day that a single punch from would shatter almost anything it was aimed at. Or so it seemed at least.
Being a Royal was more than just a title.
It was more than just something that commanded a little respect.
Especially when your race itself carried the air of Royalty.
It didn¡¯t command respect. It was expected. It would be given. It didn¡¯t need to be earned. You simply had no choice but to pay your respect to one of such nature.
That is the air of power that now exuded from Rick.
That was his birthright and the core of his being shining forth.
The air and exuberance of Royalty.
¡®What the hell happened to me? And why do I have the body of some type of flimsy pretty boy?!¡¯
117. Watching (Book Three)
After spending a few moments almost irritably adjusting the hides he wore because they no longer fit, he ended up finally leaving the comfort of his now seemingly smaller abode with a bare chest, and weirdly fitting pants.
Of course, Jaba who had been waiting patiently this whole time was the first to see him, and he had to remind himself more than once to not look so shocked.
Jaba wasn¡¯t alone in this, and by the time Rick fully left the entrance of his home, having to duck to do so, almost every Goblin in the vicinity could see him in full now, and there were plenty of Goblins who didn¡¯t have the self-control Jaba had.
A multitude of mouths were now hanging wide open as they took in the sight that was their Future King/Chief.
He was still very much a Goblin, but his new build combined with the refined air that seemed to cling to him, and the power that could be felt by looking at him, he no longer seemed like just another Goblin like the rest of them.
Of course, he was never a Goblin like the rest of them, but this was the first time they were able to truly see and feel a qualitive difference between himself of the rest of them.
Perhaps if this was a different species, humans, dwarves, or even some branches of elves for example, then it might¡¯ve been someone expected and even perhaps accepted for some of them to feel jealously as they stared at Rick.
That was the type of atmosphere that surrounded Rick at the moment. Even as he stood there in oddly shaped hides that clearly no longer fit. There would be almost no one that would disagree that a small bit of jealousy is only right for the occasion.
Of course, that wasn¡¯t the case for the Goblins at all.
They felt only thing.
Reverence.
Not in the sense that Rick should now be worshipped now or anything of that nature, but they could feel the admiration for him from deep within their bodies.
It was almost like it was only right that they gave him their unquestioned respect and unwavering loyalty.
Again, this was not akin to worship in some sort of religious format, and all of the Goblins were free to think and do as they wished. There was no brainwashing, charming, or any abilities that had to deal with the mental faculties of the Goblins at play here.
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But the Goblins present knew one thing for certain.
This was their leader.
No one else.
Though¡no Goblin felt the level of reverence that was coursing through Rogu at the moment.
Even the members of the Royal Retrieval team weren¡¯t necessarily feeling what Rogu was. While they knew a lot, they simply weren¡¯t at a high enough level to be in the know about a few things that were only privy to the Chiefs and their respective Generals.
Rogu, who was a General and in the son of Chief, knew enough to realize the significance of what just took place.
Things that he wouldn¡¯t carelessly think about, let alone speak aloud.
It took every bone in his body to stop himself from kneeling.
Even as Rick grew more and more uncomfortable under all the gazes and scrutiny pointed at him, Rogu didn¡¯t seem to care. This was to be his King! It was only right that he took a knee.
But he simply couldn¡¯t.
Not when the Serpent and the Fox were both still present. In fact, although their expressions didn¡¯t show it, both of them were equally shocked at what they saw in Rick.
If Rogu tightened his grip on his sword any further, it would probably crumble.
Yet neither of the visiting Tier 7s paid him any mind. Instead, they focused even more on Rick.
As the two Tier 7 hegemons of this forest, they had not only been at and past Tier 5 themselves but had also witnessed countless other fail to reach it, successfully reach it, and even pass it in rear occasions.
Yet neither their own, nor any other they¡¯ve witnessed seemed able to compare to the Young Goblin before them.
The Fox found it interesting, but the Serpent¡the Serpent had a lot on its mind¡
Meanwhile, the man or Goblin of the hour had paused upon walking out of the house as he took in a multitude of different things.
POV Rick
¡®Now why is everyone staring¡so much¡wait¡before that¡.the world feels different. Like really different. My senses¡they have improved significantly. It¡¯s practically night and day compared to how I viewed the world before.
¡®I didn¡¯t have to actively spread anything, this is just what I¡¯m capable of doing passively.
¡®It makes so I can almost practically feel the mana radiation off the different objects and people around me.
¡®And with these new and improved senses of mine, it makes a lot easier to not only see and hear the reactions of those around me, but I can almost feel their emotions. It¡¯s like the mana itself reacts ever so slightly to it.
¡®Kida never really mentioned anything like this before¡I wonder if Maglins can sense this as well¡
¡®Though I¡¯ll have to ask her another time, since there are currently two bright and powerful pieces of mana I can sense just outside of the Village.
¡®I can quite literally feel their level of power down to the very core of my being.
¡®So much so, that there is no doubt in my mind that they could wipe floor with me in a heartbeat and send me packing straight to Goblin Heaven.
¡®I¡¯ve gotten stronger¡but it feels like the gap between them and me has only gotten wider¡sigh¡well I can¡¯t leave them waiting for too long. I just wish everyone else would stop staring¡¡¯
Rick then began walking to the area the Fox and the Serpent were, while Jaba, who actually had quite a few questions to ask him, and had arranged food since Rick hadn¡¯t been eating the entire time, was still struggling to keep himself together.
In fact, it was like the whole village was still frozen as they watched Rick walk.
118. Intentions (Book Three)
Doing his best to ignore the stares as he walked, Rick eventually made his way towards the Tier 7 beasts.
The other members of the Royal Retrieval team were probably the first to get out of their stupor and they quickly fell in behind Rick. Of course, Rick noticed but didn¡¯t say anything.
What was interesting though, was the reaction of Geedi and other members of the Royal Guard. Seeing the members of the Royal Retrieval Team wake up and fall in line behind Rick without even thinking about while she and others were still shocked by Rick¡¯s appearance was a bit of a slight knock to her confidence.
Because of that, she was planning to just stay where she was, but another member of the Royal Guards grabbed her and pulled her along. She wanted to fight against it, but the whole group began to push her forward and before long, the Royal Guards were also behind Rick.
As they drew closer to the Serpent in particular who was restraining his presence greatly but not completely, the weaker members of the group began to feel it, and knees could be seen trembling.
Of course that was only until Rick, who suddenly had much greater control of his presence, began using it to shield the group behind him. It further grew the suspicion in the eyes of the Serpent.
Something that Rogu noticed once more, but he did nothing other than falling in place behind Rick.
It was clear that this was no longer his stage, and all of his actions would now be dictated by those of Rick. Such was his place as a General. As he displayed previously, there was a time to give counsel, and there was time to simply fall in line.
This current situation was of the latter variety.
Eventually, Rick and the group behind him stopped walking and faced the Serpent and the Fox. The Serpent who seemed to rise back up a few notches as if to further assert its dominance, and the Fox who was simply lounging nearby¡as if watching a good show.
POV Rick
¡®I don¡¯t know why everyone decided to follow me, but whatever, I¡¯m not this overgrown snake pressure them¡.actually they probably followed me to show support. I¡¯ll have to thank them all later.
¡®Now¡are they just going to stare at me without saying anything? Should I say something?
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¡®What would I even say¡¡°Welcome to my humble Village how can I help you?¡±, no that would be stupid. Wait a minute¡why are they even here in the first place? I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m just now thinking about this, but why are they even here.
¡®The only thing of note that happened recently was¡my evolution¡so my evolution brought them here? What do you think Vel¡ah. Hm. She¡¯s not back yet. Right then.
¡®¡Anyway, it was probably my evolution that brought them here, but how is that possible? Did I do something while I was unconscious?¡¯
¡°It¡¯s good to see you again little Goblin¡well perhaps not so little anymore. I guess you were able to successfully survive against those Tier 5s you sought out.¡±
¡®So, the Fox decided to speak up first huh.¡¯
¡°Good to see you too. Yeah, I manage to survive.¡±
¡®Honestly, I didn¡¯t know what else to say to that. Even though I know Velora would probably agree with him¡
¡®He didn¡¯t even bother responding to me, just lying there with an odd expression on his face. It was almost as if it was amused at everything that was happening. Even though I don¡¯t really know what exactly was happening here¡¡¯
¡°Goblin.¡±
The large rumbling voice of the Serpent resounded in the area¡
¡®Now the Serpent finally speaks¡¡¯
¡°What are you? You are no normal Goblin.¡±
¡°¡I¡¯m a Goblin.¡±
¡°Do not take me for a fool Goblin. I have been alive for many years, and I have seen many things. There has been a creature who caused so much commotion on their evolution to the next Tier. Especially not Tier 5, and especially not a Goblin. What. Are. You.¡±
The tone of the Serpent seemed to drop several levels lower as it stared at Rick with narrowed eyes.
¡°He¡¯s right you know Goblin. You cause a stir when your evolution ended. Even when it began, I could sense something was amiss even from my home in the north part of the forest. It wasn¡¯t normal.¡±
¡®Before just believing them outright, I took a look behind me and without even asking Rogu nodded as if he could understand exactly what I wanted to know. They weren¡¯t lying.
¡®What type of commotion could I have possibly caused to draw the attention of two Tier 7s?
¡®¡Better yet, what the hell am I going to tell them? I already said I was a Goblin and that wasn¡¯t taken very well. Do I tell them I¡¯m supposed to be the Future King of Goblins? I can¡¯t say that right. Yeah, definitely can¡¯t¡At least not immediately.¡¯
¡°¡I don¡¯t know.¡±
¡°¡You don¡¯t know¡?¡±
¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know. I do know that I¡¯m different, and I¡¯m not just a regular Goblin, but I don¡¯t know exactly what I am. That¡¯s all I can tell you, because I don¡¯t know another answer.¡±
¡®I watched on as the Fox dropped its amused expression for a moment as it narrowed its eyes at Rogu. Rogu did tell me about the interaction it had with the Fox when he first reached the forest, so it knows.
¡®It definitely knows that they traveled here for an important reason, and it¡¯s probably guessing that the important reason is me.
¡®Either way¡it didn¡¯t say anything, and the Serpent simply stared at me as if it was trying to smell the lie floating in the air.¡¯
¡°Fine¡then tell me Goblin. You continue to seek out strength and power. You will likely continue to seek out opponents to fight in an effort to grow stronger. You will likely continue to try and grow this¡settlement of yours.
¡°What are your intentions in this forest?¡±
¡®My intentions huh¡¡¯
119. You Will Leave (Book Three)
¡®What are my intentions huh. Well, I¡¯ve kind of been joking yet also not joking with Velora about taking gang green to the top. I¡¯ve even talked about making a kingdom for Goblins. Neither of those have really changed but I guess the meaning behind them has changed somewhat.
¡®When I first came here, I was filled with a lot of excitement and aspirations for growing our little settlement of Goblins, but things are different now.
¡®A lot different¡
¡®I¡¯ve learned a whole lot of things when it came to Goblins and our place in this world. It¡¯s not a nice one from my perspective. It¡¯s not nice from any Goblin¡¯s perspective.
¡®Unless it¡¯s in obscure places like this forest that lack the presence of humans and other sentient races, then Goblins aren¡¯t respected.
¡®We¡¯re seen as simple monsters. Things to be hunted for resources, or pests to be removed from areas another group wishes to exist in. And that¡¯s not even taking into account the travesty that¡¯s been going on in the Iris River Plains.
¡®Goblins not only had to pay some type of tribute, which in all honesty isn¡¯t the worst thing in the world. It can be treated as a tax of sorts. If the Orcs were providing protection, and a small tribute was collected as payment, then it would be hard to find too much fault there.
¡®But no¡it wasn¡¯t that simple at all.
¡®The actual reality of it all was far more sinister¡
¡®Sigh¡So what are my intentions then eh.¡¯
After deliberating for a few moments, Rick looked up at the Serpent with seemingly a new found conviction present in his eyes.
¡°My intentions are to bring a better life for a Goblins. Not just the ones in this forest, but everywhere. A place for all Goblins to call home, a place that all Goblins can live freely, a place where Goblins don¡¯t need to fear the presence of Orcs or any other race or person for that matter.
¡°That¡¯s my intention.
¡°A better life for Goblins.¡±
There was a momentary silence as the words from Rick sunk into the surroundings.
The Goblins of course resonated deeply with everything he stated.
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Rogu and the others from the Clans felt it even more so because they were more in tune with the situations of Goblins across the continent.
Of course, this was not to belittle the Goblins who had to live through generations of torment form the Orcs, but there were likely millions of Goblins on the continent.
Some of them had lives like Jaba and the original tribe before Rick came into play, while some had lives akin to the ones in the plains. But there were definitely plenty of others who had it far worse than even the Goblins in the plains did.
The Goblins continued to watch on from behind Rick with intensity in their eyes. The Fox continued to seem as if it was watching a show play out, and the Serpent¡The Serpent remained silent as it stared at Rick.
There was no discernable expression gracing its face.
Just staring until it finally spoke.
¡°A better life¡so¡you to grow your little settlement to be a place for Goblins far and wide is it¡
¡°¡What if say no?
¡°What if I no longer desire your presence in this forest?
¡°What if I wanted you gone?¡±
The Serpent paused as the tone in its voice dropped to a level of iciness it hadn¡¯t reached before.
¡°Haven¡¯t you wondered why the Orcs are not welcomed here? Why are there no other communities save your own?
¡°It is by my will.
¡°I do not like to be bothered Goblin, and over there have been a few such as yourself who have sought to develop this forest.
¡°But I found it all a bother, so they were removed. It was either they left, or they were destroyed. You and your Goblins are reaching the point of being bothersome.
¡°I do not care if you continue to grow in strength. But a safe haven for Goblins? You will have to find a new one. This is not your home. It is mine.
¡°And you have also invited war here. One that you won¡¯t survive if you remain. So, listen well Goblin.
¡°You will leave before the Orcs reach here, or you will leave during the war when you realize you are far more outmatched that you can ever imagine, or you will leave if you manage to survive the devastation you have brought upon yourself.
¡°It matters not to me the manner in which you will leave but know that you will.¡±
???
The silence in the area was so low it was almost deafening. It felt as if even the air in the area chilled to fevering degrees as the Serpent allowed some of its restrained aura to leak out, causing even the Goblins who remained in the Village to feel the fear course through their bodies.
The Fox who had been watching with an amused glint in its eye hand long since lost it and now looked towards the Serpent with a hint of something else in its eyes¡a hint of anger perhaps.
But as fast as it appeared, it was only there for a moment before the Fox vanished from the area altogether.
Not caring about the ending of this conflict any longer.
The disappearance of the Fox didn¡¯t do anything to lighten the mood or bring life back to the area.
In fact, it seemed to only grow worse as the Goblins remained utter silent, all eyes focused on Rick.
Who himself had his eyes closed.
The Serpent observed all of this but didn¡¯t say a word.
Simply lifting its large body up and turning around and heading back towards the lake. Leaving a new path of destruction in its wake.
Even after the Serpent left, Rick himself didn¡¯t speak. His eyes remaining closed and at some point, even his fists, which had bawled up during the Serpents speech, were now hanging loosely at his side.
By the time Rick opened his eyes again, they were still.
He was far calmer than one would expect in this situation.
120. Dont Doubt (Book Three)
¡®Calm down Rick. Relax. Don¡¯t let him get to you. Don¡¯t do something you¡¯re going to regret. You¡¯re not strong enough. We¡¯re not strong enough yet. Keep it in. Accept his words.
¡®You cannot fight him. You won¡¯t survive the fight. The Goblins won¡¯t make it. Don¡¯t do it.¡¯
Rick kept repeating these words in his head throughout the entire speech of the Serpent. Doing his best to ensure he didn¡¯t lash out because of the anger festering deep within him.
Even the Goblins that stood behind Rick had to work hard to curb the anger they were feeling.
And how could you blame them? Rogu himself was ready to throw all caution to the wind to defend the honor of his Future King. To witness that level of disrespect and not be able to lift a finger was a large knock to his pride.
He was a General among Goblins, and he was too weak to fulfil his role.
Not to mention the thoughts going through the minds of Jaba, Dal, Tars, and especially Geedi.
Nobody was happy, yet not a singe one of them voiced their thoughts. Rick was still silent after all.
POV Rick
¡®Alright¡I¡¯m calm. I am upset. No¡I am seething with deep anger on behalf of my people, and I wanted to rip that Serpent into small pieces of sushi¡but¡I¡¯m calm.
¡®Calm enough to know that this isn¡¯t the right time to fight that Serpent. I need to focus on that situation at hand. The livelihood of the Goblins behind me matters more than my emotions.
¡®So, let¡¯s think Rick. Think back on everything the Serpent said. Think back on each word and meaning behind it all.
¡®Think¡
¡®It wants us to leave this forest, because we are building up a community here and it finds it a bother. It also mentioned the war. Saying we probably won¡¯t survive or something along those lines.
¡®¡Hmm, I need to discuss it.¡¯
It was only now that Rick finally opened his eyes and turned around to face the Goblins behind him.
¡°We¡¯ll be fine guys. Don¡¯t let this affect you. Our time to defend ourselves from the Orcs is coming and that¡¯s all we need to focus on. Rogu, do me a favor and grab Jaba, afterwards please meet me in the conference room.¡±
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Rick didn¡¯t wait around for a response and promptly began making his way towards the conference room in the Village. He was still being stared at, but he paid them no mind, nor did he seem all that uncomfortable under their stares.
Instead, he walked with a determined gait and concealed fury bubbling within his eyes.
A few moments later¡Rick, Jaba, and Rogu could be seen sitting in the small conference room.
¡°We need to change things a bit. The Serpent wants us gone. It gave us an ultimatum. So, we can leave now or stay and fight the Orcs and leave then. Or¡we stand our ground and fight both the Orcs and the Serpent.
¡°What are your thoughts?¡±
Jaba spoke up first.
¡°Chief¡I¡¡±
¡°Speak your mind Jaba, you¡¯re my right hand man, I trust you. So please don¡¯t hesitate, that¡¯s why you¡¯re here.¡±
Unbeknownst to Rick and even Jaba in a way, some of the confidence that Jaba initially had as Rick¡¯s second in command had waned ever slightly after Rick¡¯s newest evolution.
Jaba was once the leader of the small tribe and he was even stronger than Rick at the time, yet as time passed the gap between them only grew wider and wider. Jaba wasn¡¯t jealous by any means, but a small part of him began to feel a bit inadequate when it came to his position.
But the words Rick just spoke helped to give Jaba the slight push he didn¡¯t even realize he needed. He was Rick¡¯s second in command, and he needed to act like it.
¡°Chief, I want us stay here and continue to build on what we have, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea. All of our Goblins have worked hard to train and grow, but we are nowhere close to matching the force that you mentioned was waiting in the remains of Kida and the other¡¯s old tribe.
¡°Then there is that one Orc you mentioned to us¡the one that confronted the Serpent in the forest.
¡°I¡don¡¯t think we can fight with Orc Chief¡I don¡¯t think we can fight this war at all.¡±
¡®Is this how they all feel¡? Have I just started a war that not a single one of them wanted? But what was I supposed to do? Leave them alone in the plains to suffer¡maybe¡maybe there could have been another way¡maybe I should have waited¡¡¯
¡°My Lord. Do not doubt yourself. It is not your fault that the Orcs have chosen war in your effort to free your people. We do not deserve to be treated in the way the Goblins of the Plains were succumbed to.
¡°¡Please forgive me for the words I am about to say. The position you hold is not a easy one My Lord. You will have to make decisions that are hard. Decisions that can cause significant pain to your people. Yet, you will have to firm your heart and push on.
¡°If someone threatens our sovereignty, it is your responsibility to deal with it My Lord. In some cases, that might mean verbal negotiations of some sort, or perhaps a show of force to act as deterrence to the enemy, but in others¡that will require war My Lord.
¡°War.
¡°And in times of war¡it is the responsibility to not only live and fight with strength and honor for you and our race as a whole, but it is also our responsibility to die for that cause as well. To live and die with the sole goal of making sure our future generations can just focus on living.
¡°To ensure your seat of power never ends up empty.
¡°To ensure that you have the means to preserve the sovereignty that was threatened.
¡°That is the burden you must bear My Lord. The burden of power and leadership is not a light one. So, don¡¯t doubt yourself. Please.¡±
121. Confirm... (Book Three)
POV Rick
¡®Goblins have to live and die for me and the cause, and I shouldn¡¯t doubt myself huh¡sigh¡alright, pull yourself together Rick. I can¡¯t have Velora come back to see me as a depressed Goblin. I¡¯ll confront this situation and any situation that comes after it headfirst.¡¯
¡°Thank you Jaba for your input, I understand. Thank you for the insight as well Rogu, I needed that. There are some things I don¡¯t necessarily agree with some of it, but I understand where you¡¯re coming from.
¡°So, let¡¯s move forward a bit. What do you think about this impending war and the comments from the Serpent. Do you agree with Jaba?¡±
The large Goblin paused as if to consider his words for a moment.
¡°My Lord, I think Jaba has a point. You should be able to feel it much clearer now. The difference between us and the two Tier 7s who we were just faced with.
¡°You might not be able to clearly remember the feeling that came from the Orc in the forest My Lord, but I do. It was no less than the Serpent. It even felt like more than the Serpent at times.
¡°There is not a single Goblin Chief in the Dark Lands of Mir, who can defeat that Orc My Lord. Not one. In fact, it would likely take all of them to accomplish that, and a few of them might still die.
¡°That¡¯s the difference between the Tiers My Lord. The higher the Tier, the wider the gap. And this is not a gap that can be bridged by just a Tier 2 and 3 Goblins, and a handful of Tier 4s.
¡°If we fight this war¡a lot of Goblins will die. Though¡I am confident in the fact that I can buy you a few seconds to escape¡but that will be all that I am capable of.¡±
The mood in the conference turned somber as both Rogu and Jaba gave Rick their opinions regarding the potential war that is nearing their doorsteps at each passing moment.
¡®So, both of them felt this way¡yet not only were they willing to fight alongside me in this deadly war. They were willing to die not alongside me¡but in an effort to buy me time to escape¡¡¯
¡°Heh...¡± Rick let out a seemingly self-deprecating chuckle.
¡°My Lord?¡±
¡°¡It¡¯s nothing Rogu. I understand. Thank you. Both of you. But I have a request.¡±
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Both Rogu and Jaba became even more attentive than they already were.
¡°If you truly feel that I¡¯m about to do something stupid. Please tell me. I¡¯m not the smartest Goblin in the world and I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll make plenty of mistakes. So please¡tell me.¡±
Both Rogu and Jaba hesitated for a bit, Rogu more so than Jaba, but eventually they agreed to do as such.
¡°Good. I need to think about all of this for a bit, tell Loruk to wait for me on the eastern side of the Village, I¡¯ll be there in a moment.¡±
¡®Watching both Rogu and Jaba leave the room, all I could think about was my foolishness. Not the decision to free all the Goblins in the Plains, but the decision to think I could ever stay here and fight.
¡®Just how much of an idiot I was to think to think that I could genuinely fight that Orc and protect all these Goblins at the same time.
¡®And to make things worst¡it wouldn¡¯t be just that one Orc coming. There would be hundreds of them.
¡®Hundreds of Orcs.
¡®¡Alright. That¡¯s enough self-bullying. Rogu is right. I will have tough decisions to make. This won¡¯t be the last time I¡¯ll have to decide something of significant importance for the rest of my race.
¡®I have to be able to face reality and confront the situation headfirst like I said I would¡okay. I¡¯ll go test this power of mine and clear my head for a moment. Then we can decide the way forward. I just wish Velora was here to give some advice¡or to talk¡¡¯
???
Rick then calmly left the small conference room, which was a bit cramped at his current size, though he wouldn¡¯t complain of course.
He then quickly strode over towards the eastern side of the village where a dutiful Loruk was standing at attention the entire time.
The rest of the village had eventually broken out of their staring when Rick entered the conference room, but it almost seemed to pick back the moment Rick came within sight once more.
Only this time Jaba was able to control himself and then get everyone else to focus on whatever task they were supposed to be doing.
Ignoring all of that, Rick began making his way east once more.
If he was going to test his power, then he would test it against foes he once struggled with.
So, it was only fitting that the first beast he was able to find that caught his attention was another Barclaw.
Of course, a part of him wondered why Tier 5 Barclaws were so common in the area, but that was only a fleeting thought. He found exactly what he was looking for and he would be able to test himself fully.
¡°Loruk. Stay here. Don¡¯t help no matter what.¡± Rick said to Loruk.
¡°Understood My Lord.¡± Loruk responded without even a hint of hesitation. He had no doubts regarding the outcome of this battle.
And based on the actions of Rick at the moment.
Neither did he.
Rick didn¡¯t bother hiding his presence or trying to sneak towards the beast.
He just stood up to his full height and began walking with determined steps in the direction of the resting Barclaw.
Of course, the Barclaw noticed and quickly rose to its feet. Flaring its nostrils in a threatening manner and preparing a charge in the direction of Rick.
Rick simply smiled. His walk unperturbed.
And just as the Barclaw began his charge.
Rick uttered one word.
¡°Ruknar¡±
Of course, much to Rick¡¯s annoyance and slight embarrassment¡nothing happened because he had to click {Yes} to confirm activation¡
Though the second it activated¡
Rick¡¯s Tattoos thrummed with power.
Echoing loudly in the area.
Doom!
122. Ancestors (Book Three)
Rick¡¯s Tattoos began glowing a feint green shade as massive amounts of power began coursing through his veins like a raging torrent of water.
It filled him with so much power that even Loruk, who stood some distance away, could feel it. The weight of it all was practically suffocating the area Rick stood in.
This level of increase wasn¡¯t normal by any means.
It was then a notification flashed across Rick¡¯s face.
POV Rick
{Receive the Power of your Ancestors}
¡®Receive the power of my ancestors huh. I really wish Velora was here to see this. Like this feeling¡ all of this power¡ it feels invigorating. I need to make sure I don¡¯t get drunk on this ability of mine.
¡®Especially since I know for a fact that even this newfound power, it would still not be enough to defeat the enemies that will be attacking the Village in the future.
¡®I haven¡¯t fought one yet, but I think at most I can likely defeat something at Tier Six. And even that would likely be a hard fought battle with my life on the line. Unfortunately, what we must face if we want to stay here is a step above that.
¡®And that¡¯s just taking myself into account. What about all the Goblins below me? The only Tier Fours we have are the members of the Royal Retrieval Team. We barely even have Tier Threes.
¡®Most of them wouldn¡¯t even survive the fallout of a battle that large and ferocious. Tch. I know what I have to do dammit. But it doesn¡¯t make me happy at all. To have to pack up our things and run.
¡®All because we were weak. I¡¯ve spent enough time here already to know that might makes right. It was true during my first days in this world when I was scared to hunt Horned Rabbits, and it¡¯s true now well over a year later when massive sleeping Serpents are able to just wake up and evict me from an area.
¡®Simply because it is stronger than us.
¡®This is vexing.¡¯
¡°My Lord¡I apologize for interrupting, but the beast is getting closer.¡±
¡®Hm? Oh, it really is close. Then let¡¯s just meet it.
¡®Not wasting any more time, I took off in a mad sprint. An annoyed expression still gracing my face¡but when I really looked at the charging Barclaw¡ It looked fearful. I didn¡¯t even know a face covered in the bark-like skin could even make a fearful expression.
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¡®It didn¡¯t stop either of our charges though, and only a couple seconds later we made impact.¡¯
BOOOOOOM!!!!!
¡®Dirt, rocks, nearby bushes, and all manner of things quite literally went flying as the impact of our collision immediately brought destruction upon the entire area. Almost nothing was left spared and Loruk himself even had to dodge some of the debris that flew in his direction. Thankfully he wasn¡¯t really hurt.
¡®As for me, I wasn¡¯t injured at all apart from a few superficial scratches on my skin.
¡®Though¡I couldn¡¯t say the same thing for the Barclaw. It was quite literally sent flying. A few trees that had the unfortunate opportunity of being in the path it flew were broken as its large body crashed into the surroundings before eventually coming to a halt.¡¯
WARRRRHHHHHH!!!
¡®It continuously wailed out in pain as it laid there in a heap of bushes. I walked over to see that most of the outer layer of its skin had been broken off and it was bleeding profusely from multiple places in its body. Even its neck was positioned awkwardly, yet it was somehow still alive.
¡®I put it out of its misery.
¡°Let¡¯s go Loruk. We have a busy day ahead of us.¡±
¡°Coming, My Lord.¡±
¡®Or at least that was the plan until not long after we started walking away, the power that was coursing through my veins without impediment this whole time suddenly gave way, and it¡¯s place an equal amount of weakness washed over me.¡¯
¡°My Lord! Are you hurt?!¡±
¡®Honestly, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m hurt. I think this is the consequence of using that power. I think I had it going for roughly fifteen-ish minutes before it suddenly disappeared.¡¯
¡°I¡¯m fine Loruk. I just need a moment.¡±
¡®He still looked a little worried, but I won¡¯t hold it against him. I literally fell to my knees when the weakness took me. It wasn¡¯t necessarily that I was so weak that I couldn¡¯t stand, but the suddenness of it was too much for me to bear and my knees gave out.
¡®Which means I need to be very careful of using this in battle. I can already tell if I was prepared for the weakness to come, it would still cause me to be sluggish at the wrong time.
¡®It took probably another fifteen minutes before I felt fine again. I grinned. That was more than a worthy trade off, I think. Fifteen minutes of seemingly unbridled power, for fifteen minutes of weakness afterwards.
¡®That¡¯s something I can handle.
¡®After getting back to full strength, I roamed the forest for the rest of the day. It was partly to continue more tests, and partly to vent a bit of frustration along with clearing my head from the conversation I had with the Serpent, and the conversation that followed with Rogu and Jaba.
¡®I needed it. Badly I think. Especially with Velora still being Dormant and not having a place to truly vent my thoughts and that voice that tries to keep me grounded. I guess I didn¡¯t realize how mad I needed her huh.
¡®Sigh.
¡®After the Barclaw I was only able to find one more Tier Five beast and it was some type of Deer looking thing. I was able to defeat it quite easily even without using the power of my Ancestors to handle it.
¡®It seems like with my Tier Four state where I was stronger than all the Tier Fours around me, the same thing carried into Tier Five.
¡®Yet it¡¯s still not enough for my goals. Whatever, it¡¯s time to go back. I need to plan our immediate future with the others.¡¯
123. Armor (Book Three)
It took another two days for Rick to make it back to the Village.
He stopped by the rabbit farm on the way back to check the current numbers, and after confirming the farm now held roughly over 50 rabbits he left.
It was important to have plenty of rations in times of war, something even Rick knew. Especially with what he had in mind to discuss.
A discussion that would have to wait since a good portion of the Village was out training and only a few of the dedicated builders remained. At the moment that was TinkGoblins and essentially the muscle that worked with them.
One of those TinkGoblins was Wala.
She was a part of the original group of Goblins that Rick rescued from the Plains last year. She had been working on a personal project of hers for many weeks now. A project that almost all the Goblins of the Village were aware of except for one main Goblin.
That was Rick of course.
The project was intended to be kept a secret from him as Wala wanted to surprise him. The reason why so many other Goblins knew about it was due to the fact she had requested help from a number of them. Whether it was procuring materials, helping with the actual physical part, or even providing advice, which mainly came from Ulgri, the Tier Four TinkGoblin.
She initially planned on working on this project of hers for a while longer, but seeing Rick walk around in mismatched hides and what not that barely fit him any longer, had been a big motivator to finish ahead of time.
Even though she had to make a few adjustments due to Rick¡¯s new frame, she eventually completed it.
The project was a fine set of leather armor.
It was complete with a chest plate, bracers, and the pants to match.
The major pieces of the armor set was made out of the same color leather from multiple slain Tier Three Deer. The inner parts of the chest plate was lined with soft furs and the shoulder flaps that would cover his shoulders had three Saber Ostrich fangs on each side,
For added armor, and one of the last additions. The first Barclaw that Rick brought back was stripped of all its bark-like outer layer, and it was instead fashioned on to the front and back of the chest plate.
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Both the bracers of the pants had similar additions of the bark-like layer.
The final addition to the armor was beautiful black coat that came off the body of a massive Tier Four wolf that Rogu himself had procured when he heard of the project that Wala had started.
So, when Rick arrived in the Village that morning, and word of his arrival reach her ears, there was no surprise at the fact that she immediately went to find him.
Rick, who was none the wiser, was just casually strolling through the Village heading to his abode once he realized the lack of all the Goblins he wanted to talk to, was a little surprised to see Wala running at him from one of the newer buildings in the Village.
???
POV Rick
¡®Is that Wala? Why is she running. Well, she looks somewhat excited, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything bad.¡¯
¡°CHIEF!! Come! I have something to show you!¡±
¡®She was always a little loud for her small size, but she seems particularly excited right now. Hmmm, now I¡¯m getting excited.¡¯
¡°Show the way Wala!¡±
¡®Wala led me over to the west side of the budding Village that was still being expanded on even now. Looking at all the Goblins working with smiles on their face as they worked hard to build their own homes.
¡®Building up a place that would truly be their own. A place where they wouldn¡¯t face persecution.
¡®Dammit.
¡®¡Let¡¯s just focus on Wala before the thought of what¡¯s coming ruins my mood too much.
¡®The building wasn¡¯t very far as the Village itself wasn¡¯t all that big yet, so we reached it. It was essentially a small shed, but for TinkGoblin it was more than enough apparently. Of course, if it was up to me, they should get one massive workshop for themselves.
¡®Anyway, the second I walked into the shed, I saw something that made my eyes widen, and surprise colored my face.
¡®Standing in the center of the room was an armor stand that held a beautiful set of leather armor.¡¯
¡°This is for you Chief! It took a while to make, but everyone in the Village helped. Especially Sister Ulgri!¡±
¡°This is for me¡?¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
¡®She looked way more excited than I did, but that¡¯s because I was holding back all the joy building up within. The armor really looked beautiful. Strong too. I was planning on fashioning some new clothes for myself at some point, but I definitely wouldn¡¯t have made something like this¡
¡®And the coat¡ I¡¯m finally getting my very own fur coat. Velora is going to be sooo shocked when she sees my new outfit.
¡®Actually, probably not, but I¡¯ll pretend she is.
¡®Anyway, Wala and the others really outdid themselves. This looks regal even.¡¯
¡°Thank you Wala I appreciate it a lot. I don¡¯t have to walk around like this anymore.¡±
¡°Of course, Chief! It¡¯s something the whole Village helped with! Mr. Rogu hunted the wolf your coat was made from himself! I¡¯m glad you like it, please put it on so that I can make sure it fits! I¡¯ll be waiting outside!¡±
¡®Well, let me not leave her waiting. I took my time taking the coat and armor off the stand, before slowing and carefully putting everything on.
¡®Wow¡it fits perfectly and these furs, why are they so comfortable. Even the pants are comfortable.
¡®But what are these little claps around the neck and chest area? Oh, wait I¡¯m dumb it¡¯s for the coat.
¡®Damn they thought of everything huh.¡¯
It was then a notification flashed across Rick¡¯s face.
{Velora is now Active}
¡®VELORAAAAAA!!!!!!!¡¯
Annoucement !
STUBBING!!
A dreaded word, and one I used to hate seeing on stories I was letting build up so I could binge them lol, but here we are. I can''t believe I''m amout to officially do the same thing... It''s a weird moment for me, as I once (FOOLISHLY) tried to self pub Book 1 of this story and it was somewhat of a rude awakening lol. I made sooo many mistakes with that process and I learned a whole lot about the editing and business side of things that made me realize just how bad of a decision that was.
I''ve took those lessons to heart and I think I''m in a much better position to finally publish my work for all to see. It''s kind of surreal and I honesly wouldn''t of evev dreamed of doing this without the support from every single one of you! I know the story was kind of rough around the edges but, we somehow made it, and Book Three is here being released on Royal Road who would''ve thought?
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So I want to give all of you a big heartfelt thanks for supporting this book so far and I hope to recieve your continued support once the books goes live... ON MAY 01, 2025!!!
It will be through KDP, so Kindle Ebook and even Paperback will be available immediately.
I plan to publish Book Two roughly 2-5 months after Book One. Hopefully around the three month mark.
NOTE - The edited chapters of Book 1 (1-54) were re-uploaded for you all to see before stubbing, and the final proofread version is what will be published along with a little short story at the end of the book :)
Thank you once again for your support and I hope you all will continue to enjoy reading my book just as much as I''ve enjoyed writing it!