Chapter 89: Thunder

*Date: 33,480 Second Quarter - Iron Confederacy Border, Safe Hollow Town*

The morning air hung heavy with mist, veiling Safe Hollow in silver haze. From the forge to the outer fences, the town hummed with quiet tension. The laughter of yesterday had dulled. Every whisper now ended with a glance toward the northern ridge.

Demir felt it too. That prickling weight at the back of his neck, the sense of being watched. The wolf's warning still echoed in his ears from the night before.

He stood outside the forge, fastening the straps of his gauntlets. The scent of coal still clung to his hair and clothes.

"Something's coming," he murmured.

Marven appeared beside him, bow in hand, eyes sharp as flint. "You feel it too, huh?"

Demir nodded toward the forest edge. A dark shape stood waiting there. Not Asena this time, but a horse. A massive black stallion, its coat gleaming like polished obsidian. Eyes fierce and wild. Muscles rippling under sleek fur.

It pawed at the earth, breath steaming in the cool air, as if daring Demir to approach.

Marven blinked. "I've never seen it before. It's not one of ours."

Demir took a cautious step forward. The horse's ears flicked, and it snorted, stamping hard enough to shake the ground.

He raised his hands slowly, palms out. "Easy... I'm not here to fight."

Marven muttered, "You sure you're not cursed to attract wild beasts?"

"Starting to think I am."

Demir extended his hand, palm open and steady. "You're a fine one, huh? Strong legs, fast eyes... you'd outrun that beastling easy."

The horse eyed him, breathing hard. Nostrils flaring. Demir reached into his pouch and pulled out a slice of dried apple from his lunch. "Peace offering."

The stallion hesitated. Head turning slightly, considering. Then took a step closer. Another.

Its breath brushed his fingers, hot and damp.

Marven whispered, "Don't spook him..."

Demir's fingers brushed the horse's muzzle. And the beast suddenly snorted, jerking its head violently, sending him stumbling backward into the dirt. His back hit hard, driving the air from his lungs.

Marven burst into laughter. "Oh, that's the universe paying you back for flirting with wolves."

Demir spat out a leaf, standing up and brushing dirt from his pants. "Yeah, hilarious. I will try again though. Maybe Not today."

After the dark horse vanished into the trees, Marven and Demir started looking for their true objective. Goblin scouts.

"Tracks, broken branches, missing critters. I'd bet my anvil we're being scouted," Demir said.

Marven smirked faintly. "You and that wolf should start a detective agency."

Demir didn't laugh. His expression was serious, eyes scanning the treeline. "Let's take a walk. If they're getting closer, I want to see them before they see us."

They left Safe Hollow behind. Two figures cutting through the foggy woods. Birds scattered ahead of them as they followed the northern trail, where Asena's howl had come from the night before. The mist clung to everything, turning the forest into a ghostly maze.

By noon, they reached a clearing near a shallow creek. Water burbled over smooth stones. Demir crouched, running his hand along the mud. The earth was soft, freshly disturbed.

"Fresh," he muttered. "At least three, maybe four goblins. Moving fast. See the indent? They're riding something."

Marven knelt beside him, studying the tracks with practiced eyes. "Beastlings. Those ugly half-bred wolves they saddle up on."

Demir nodded grimly. "They're scouting ahead of a bigger force."

The realization hit both of them at the same time. The same kind of scouts that had preceded the last goblin camp. The same pattern.

Marven exhaled sharply. "We have to warn Roderic."

Before Demir could answer, a low growl rolled through the trees. Not deep like Asena's. Shorter, harsher. More guttural.

The brush ahead shifted, branches snapping.

Six goblins emerged, three riding squat, mutated wolfish beasts. The other three clutched jagged spears, sniffing the air with wrinkled noses.

"Humanz..." one hissed in broken Common. "Smell forge fire... safe place nearby..."

Demir drew Wolf's Vow, the blade flashing in the dim light. The orichalcum sang as it left the sheath. "Guess they found us first."

The clearing erupted in chaos.

Marven's arrow struck first, taking the rider clean off his beastling mount. The creature shrieked, thrashing wildly, claws tearing at the earth. The remaining goblins lunged forward, jabbering and cackling in their harsh tongue.

Demir met the first spear with his shield, sparks bursting where metal met metal. The second goblin tried to flank him. And found his face split open by Thunder Edge. The crackling arc of energy cleaved through the air, felling two trees behind it. Wood exploded into splinters.

The final goblin turned to flee. "Run! Run! Humanz strong! Tell chief! Tell chief!"

"Not this time," Demir growled.

He lunged, but the goblin jumped onto the beastling's back, snapping its reins hard. The creature darted away, scuttling through the forest with unnatural speed. Its claws barely touched the ground.

Marven's arrows whistled through the air, but the goblin ducked low, vanishing between the trees like smoke.

Demir swore under his breath. "Two got away."

Marven pulled her hood down, glaring at the blood on her sleeve. "We have to get back. If he reaches their camp..."

"Then Safe Hollow won't stay safe much longer."

They ran back through the forest, following the goblin's trail. Only to stop short at the forest's edge. The dark horse appeared again, stepping from the mist like a phantom. Steam rose from its nostrils. It came eye to eye with Demir, neither moving.

Demir walked up to the beast slowly, eyes locked. "I won't let you get away this time," he said to himself.

This time, he stood firm. When the horse tried to pull away, Demir moved with it, keeping calm, murmuring softly. His voice was steady, rhythmic. "I need you. We need you." The words were whispered, almost a prayer.

After what felt like an hour of silent negotiation but was only a couple minutes, the stallion finally let him stroke its neck. The fur was warm, alive under his palm.

"Got you," Demir whispered. "I'll call you... Thunder."

Marven raised an eyebrow. "Why Thunder? It's black as night."

He smiled faintly. "Because... because it will be."

He swung onto the horse's back. The stallion surged forward, the world blurring into streaks of green and brown. "He will be my thunder bringing Storm Demir."

He drew Wolf's Vow one-handed. Reckless, stupid, but necessary.

Marven pointed out the way the goblins ran. "Be careful!"

"I want to try my luck. You return to town," Demir called back.

Demir rode Thunder at full speed along the goblin's route. Wind whipped his face. Branches reached like claws.

He ducked low branches, sparks flying as his blade clipped bark. The mounted goblin glanced back, shrieking orders in its harsh language. The second scout lagged behind, limping hard, one leg dragging.

Demir caught up just enough to swing. The sword's edge slashed the air, lightning sparking. And the goblin went down with a scream, tumbling into a fallen log. Its body went still.

The beastling rider turned sharply, trying to lose him in the trees. The creature was fast, impossibly agile.

Demir's horse, wild and unbroken, didn't slow. It leapt a ravine, landed rough, almost throwing Demir forward. His heart hammered. He gripped the mane with white knuckles.

The goblin rider looked back again. Eyes wide, realizing the human was still there. Still coming.

Demir swung for the mount's flank. The hit glanced off scales, and the beastling bucked violently.

"Hold on!"

The world twisted.

Demir and the goblin both went flying, tumbling down a slope. Crashing through leaves and rocks until the world stopped spinning. Everything was pain and confusion.

He hit the ground hard, breath gone, head ringing. His sword landed a few meters away, half-buried in dirt and moss.

The goblin was slower to rise, dazed but snarling. Blood dripped from its mouth. It raised its spear, hands trembling. And Demir lunged first, catching it mid-motion. Wolf's Vow crackled with power, and the strike cleaved the spear and half the goblin's arm.

It tried to crawl, hissing through its teeth in pain. "Chief... will come... many... many..."

Demir raised the blade, but stopped when it spoke, voice trembling with fear and defiance.

"You... can't stop us... too many..."

Demir's jaw tightened. "We'll see."

He struck. Quick, clean, final. The light left the goblin's eyes.

By the time he dragged himself back up the slope, muscles screaming, the horse was waiting. Covered in dirt and sweat, nostrils flaring, but alive. It stood like a statue.

Demir stared at it for a long moment. "You didn't leave."

The horse snorted, as if insulted by the suggestion.

Demir laughed weakly, the sound raw. "Alright then. Guess we're partners now."

He picked up his sword, wiped the blood off with a leaf, and swung into the saddle. "You're still Thunder. Deal with it."

The horse neighed softly. Maybe in agreement, maybe in protest. Hard to tell.

When he returned to Safe Hollow hours later, the townsfolk gathered to meet him. Whispering as he dismounted, bloodied and exhausted. His armor was scratched, clothes torn.

Selene brought out a water bowl, grinning. "You're gonna end up with a zoo at this rate."

"Working on it," Demir said, rubbing the horse's neck. The animal leaned into his touch. "At least this one doesn't bite... yet."

The mood was light for a moment, but the memory of the fleeing goblin gnawed at him. The warning echoed in his mind.

Too many. They're coming.