Gobi went with 21 goblins. But he came back with 13 goblins and 1 orc they were able to subdue after what seemed to be a fierce battle.

“Chief – I did not die.”

“I see, Gobi. Congratulations on your accomplishment.”

“My pleasure Chief.”

I slowly approached the orc as the group of goblins led by Gobi stood guard. The orc had yellowish green skin which was much paler than that of a goblin. He had fangs bursting out from his lower chin instead of his canine teeth like Gobi. However, the orc’s fangs gave him a more tusky look as they were longer and looked more like sharp bones than teeth. The orc was a little taller than me but looked much more muscular. He had a loincloth on just like the goblins and Gobi took his double-edged stone axe he used as a weapon away.

“How many orcs are there?”

“…”

The orc looked surprised and yet he was still silent.

“Do you understand this language?”

“…”

“Do you not know this language orc?”

“Why is a human asking me if I can speak my own language?”

The orc had a sarcastic yet curious tone, as if he really wanted to learn the answer to his question. His question, I had no answer to.

“I asked how many of you are there in this forest.”

“I will not answer a human. Nor will I ever answer a goblin.”

Gobi slowly approached the orc and looked at me in the eyes to ask for permission. When I closed my eyes to give him his permission, he suddenly punched the orc in the face, causing him to spit blood on the ground.

“Think carefully, orc. You will need to answer either one of us.”

“…”

Bam! Another punch came right on the orc’s jugal bone. Yet it took couple more punches to make the orc speak.

“Around 40. There are around 40 orcs in my camp. There is another orc camp, but it is on the other end of the forest by the mountain’s reach.”

“And where is you camp.”

“…”

As Gobi was getting ready to throw in another punch, the orc gave in.

“It should take couple hours from here to the north. A handful of goblins will never be able to do anything to orcs.”

I really wanted to think this was ironic, but maybe he was right. It took 21 goblins to subdue a single orc through stealthing and we lost 7 members to him. Maybe if they were trying to kill the orc, there would be less casualties, but still 7 were a lot. Considering there are around 40 orcs, we cannot just wander into their camp.

“Gobi, make him wait outside the camp. Feed him three times a day and put 10 guards for him. Make sure he does not kill any of us or escape. In the meantime, change your hunting grounds to the south of the cave to evade other orcs patrolling the area. We should also assign couple goblins to patrol the surroundings, especially the north of the cave.”

“Yes Chief.”

“Aren’t you going to kill me human?”

“No – I will make you work. What is your name orc?”

“…?”

“I asked you your name.”

“Mhood.”

“I will make you work Mhood. We need workforce to carry the logs. You look strong enough to help.”

“Since when do humans make slaves out of orcs?”

“I do not know. I am not a human anyway.”

“What do you say? Did you grow up with goblins or something?”

“No, I called them here. I did not grow up with humans either though.”

“What do you mean you called the goblins here.”

“You will understand later.”

“….”

For couple days, there was not a single orc-sighting around the surroundings of the cave. I kept opening gates every day and our population reached around 400 goblins + 1 orc.

Some other goblins started to turn into taller, five-fingered, stronger versions of themselves with fangs like Gobi did. I figured when goblins evolved, their physical capabilities like their stamina, agility, strength, and sense of smell and sight increased. This was a good sign especially because now the hunting group could move on to bigger and stronger animals.

Meanwhile, the first generation of rabbits were giving birth today. As Gobi said, they procreate fast for sure. I wonder if goblins can mate and give birth too. The answer is probably yes since all goblins come in from that gate with a loincloth covering their genitalia.

Our current numbers were enough to attack the camp. We also had a shaman by our side who was teaching me the foundations of magic.

I had more questions the more I communicated with goblins and the orc. The first one was why the goblins that come in through the gate I open up consider me their “master” while an orc, which looked as monstrous as a goblin did not want to answer me because I am a “human”. I had my answers, of course, but I never could prove them. I assumed it was because the goblins came through the gate I opened: in a way, I summoned them – facilitated their arrival. On the other hand, Mhood was a native of this world, in which orcs have a clear animosity against humans.

Another question I had, which I believe I was able to answer with good-enough accuracy was the issue of language. Gobo, who has also evolved into a blue goblin, was trying hard to teach me the essentials of magic as he knows every day. But he was also providing me guidance with his knowledge of goblins.

“Do you know why goblins can speak better lately?”

“What do you mean Chief?”

“I mean that goblins are speaking much better these days. Before you, for two days, I brought many goblins here through the gate, but they were not able to speak as coherently as they can now. Also, when Gobi evolved, he was able to speak more fluently and coherently than others before they all started to communicate like this. I am not sure what the reason is.”

“Chief, what language are we conversing in now do you think?”

“I am not sure.”

Indeed – what was this language I was conversing in. Mhood’s words came into my mind: “Why is a human asking me if I can speak my own language?”

“Orc language?”

“Orcs too speak this language. They also speak orcish. It is the common monster language that we are speaking in now. You have been speaking in this language ever since I came here. But Gobi told me before that when he first arrived, you greeted them in human language.”

“So it was I who switched languages? And unconsciously?”

“Probably.”

Well… this explains a lot.

“But then, how did I learn this language.”

“That, I do not know Chief. There is something odd about your magic and I cannot really put my finger on what that is. That might be the reason.”