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

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

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

Silver grimaced as she looked at Bronze and Grahl covered in wounds. The only injuries that she sustained were emotional and mental ones; the shadow of the incident was still in the corners of her mind, making her feel an intense fear and disgust. However, for the most part, she had been protected by these two. Bronze had used his magic to help her escape and although she was eventually caught, the tortures that her brother endured as a result were enough to break her heart. Her tears would involuntarily flow whenever she caught sight of Bronze. Then there was Grahlgar. He had fought and killed the orc warriors, but he had suffered a lot in the end. When Silver looked back on her own inability and weakness, it made her angry. She didn’t always want to be the one being protected. The resolve that she and Bronze had to gain strength was reinforced by this

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

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

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

~~~~~~~~~~

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

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

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

“We both know I lost the right to call myself that, Halogi.”

“You never lost any rights, you simply lost your home.”

“That’s the same thing.”

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

“That not what I meant…”

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

“...You’re right.”

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

“Halogi, there is something I need to ask of you…”

“Of course.”

“Will you let Grahlgar come here?”

“For what?”

“To learn of course.”

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

“Grahl needs to learn how to make weapons. Arboryth could teach him some things, but there is no one more skilled than you in crafting and forging amongst the five of us. Grahlgar doesn’t have much talent for magic, so he will need to rely on his skills and equipment to compensate. As for how he’ll get down here, you could just give him a blessing. Aqua and I will create a barrier scroll for Grahl to use when I take him here. Then while the barrier is active, you can give him the blessing. As King of the Eldthursar, it shouldn’t be difficult to grant him Fire’s Boon.”

“First of all, don’t you think that you’re being a bit too cautious? Does the boy really need to learn all of this? In the end, I think you’re making the boy bite off more than he can chew. Second, I suppose I could grant him Fire’s Boon, but only if he passes my test.”

“I don’t take chances with Grahl’s life and on top of that, who in their right mind is going to make weapons and armor for an ogre? It’s a matter of practicality for him to at least learn how to maintain his equipment. And Grahl will pass any test you can think of. I have confidence in him.”

“Haha, you’ve certainly made your point. Anyway, it seems we’ve come to an agreement. Bring the boy ‘round and we’ll see what he’s made of.”

“Thank you, Halogi, I really appreciate it. Well then, I will take my leave.”

Sylvia curtsied as she prepared herself to depart.

“Wait! There’s something that I have to ask of you…”

“What is it?”

“Are you going to tell the boy what happened to his parents? The truth, I mean.”

“.....”

At that instant, Sylvia’s expression became conflicted.

“...It would be best if Aqua were the one to tell him.”

“I see. Well, could you relay a word of advice to her for me?”

“Sure.”

“Don’t underestimate the boy. I’m sure his heart isn’t so narrow that he would look down on her, or blame her for it. She should just tell him the truth and I’m sure the boy will understand.”

“How can you be so sure when you haven’t even spent any time with him?”

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

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

“Understood. I will definitely relay your words to her.”

“Thank you. Now then, I won’t keep you any longer. I bid thee farewell, Lady Valkyrie.”

“And I you, Lord Eldthursar.”

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

“The little ones…have died?”

Unlike Sylvia and the others, Halogi shared an intimate connection with the lesser spirits of his element that lived in the forest. A piece of his consciousness was connected to the spirits so that they could show him what was happening on the surface. Since he couldn’t leave this place, using the spirits as his eyes and ears above was the next best thing. However, due to the sudden destruction of those little fire spirits, he felt that sudden pain. The fact that such a thing occurred worried him. What could have possibly happened?

~~~~~~~~~~

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

“The ogre should stay here.”

A goblin said frankly.

“But Grahl is the one who saved us. Don’t you think that the shaman would want to hear about that?”

“Silver is right. The shaman would only ask to see him later on anyway.”

Stick nodded in agreement, then looked over to Grahl. He was stunned to see that most of the grievous wounds that he had suffered earlier had either closed or shrank significantly. While he couldn’t tell the condition of Grahlgar’s internal injuries, he seemed to be doing much better. Stick could only lament the difference between the constitution of an ogre and a goblin. There was simply no comparison.

“Is it alright with you Grahl? You don’t have to come with us to meet the shaman, I would understand it.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll go.”

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

It didn’t take long for the group to be ushered into the burrows and directly taken into the gathering hall within. The burrows were tall enough to accommodate the little ogre. The gathering hall was more like a great cavern, big enough to fit the entire goblin tribe which numbered in the thousands. Along the walls of the cavern there were skulls of various creatures including basilisks, chimeras, orcs and even ogres. Each was enshrined within its own special altar. Rather than trophies of war, it seemed that the skulls held positions of honor and worship. The gathering hall held a solemn air that definitely brought a sense of immense pressure.

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

“Rust!!”

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

“Clear the path.”

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

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

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

“Rust, Silver...I’m sorry that I was so powerless…”

“Bronze...it’s not your fault...you did your best to protect me.”

“I don’t know what happened, but I’m proud of you. You endured and you protected Silver and Stick.”

“Actually--”

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

“Grahl…”

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

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

A vigorous voice echoed throughout the gathering hall and when the goblins heard it, they all bowed their heads in respect. The crowd split once more, allowing a well built hobgoblin to pass through. The hobgoblin had short white hair, jade green eyes and a number of scars zigzagging across his body. One probably wouldn’t guess it, but this simply dressed hobgoblin was actually the chief of the tribe. Admittedly his size was a bit bigger than the average hobgoblin, but he certainly didn’t possess the air of a chief. However, based on the gazes of fervent respect, it was obvious that this chief held a high position in the hearts of his tribesmen.

“I didn’t do anything worth thanking. Bronze and Silver are my friends, protecting your friends is something that you’re supposed to do.”

“Indeed, what you said couldn’t be more true. That is why we also have a score to settle with the orcs. But before that, allow me to introduce myself. I am the goblin chief, Iron Grip and this is our tribe’s shaman, Old Stone.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

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

“Chief Iron Grip!”

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

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

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

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

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

“What?”

“You must join the others on the warpath.”

Stick was about to reply when Rust cut in,

“Chief, you mean--”

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

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

“Yes.”

The goblin chief gave a brimming smile and said,

“Good.”

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

“Please, just stay here where it’s safe…”

“But…”

“Please…”

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

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

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

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