By the Riverside

"We should be by the central plains now," the caravan leader declared, scratching his beard, positively, "Things are to get quite lively from now on!"

That was all Arsec needed to silently hop out of Mesui's boar and into Malimali's wool, skillfully climbing on top of the bison's back.

"Tell me if it bothers you, Malimali!"

"BAAAAEEEEUN!"

The young man smiled and settled comfortably on the giant bison’s thick, maned coat. From this elevated position, the world unfolded before him in a way he had never seen. Mesui’s three little cubs had also clambered up, perching atop Malimali’s head, their laughter ringing out as they played in the soft red mane. 

Arsec took a moment to examine them and noticed that their shapes were different. They looked like rodentmen all right, but there was a skinny one resembling a squirrel, which nervously trembled with excitement, playing around another, larger and fluffier cub, which looked more serene, its cheeks and chin bloating like a woodchuck's, and the last was more serious looking and stoic prairie dog, watching over the horizon with a frowned look. This last one glanced at Arsec and nodded respectfully, something that Arsec did not know how to respond to. 

The caravan moved steadily along the riverside, following a natural trade road that wound through the vast steppe. As they passed by, shepherds and traders looked up at the towering bison with a mix of awe and fear. Yet, the youngest goblins, drawn by Malimali’s gentle nature and the cubs' cuteness, little by little approached with wide eyes and curious smiles.

From his vantage point, Arsec could see the steppe in all its lively expanse. The river, shimmering under the midday sun, traced a silver path through the endless grasslands. Herders guided their flocks close to the water’s edge, and other travelers nodded in greeting as they passed. The steppe was now more alive, teeming with the energy of many lives moving in harmony with the land.

“I’ve never seen the steppe look so lively, Malimali are you seeing this?” Arsec murmured, more to himself than anyone else. 

"BAEEEEEEEEUUHN" the bison bellowed, flustering the cubs.

The sight was overwhelming for someone who had spent most of his life in the quiet, secluded pastures of the Tulag goblins. As he looked out over the landscape, Arsec’s mind turned to the caravan leader’s impromptu explanation of the land. The Tulags controlled the grassland frontier with the Rodentmen Mountains, an expanse southeast of the Great Steppe. Arsec had always known Chief Tulag's territory to be the edge of civilization, where the steppe gave way to the wildlands of the rodent tribes and where the goblins there served as protectors of the land. But now, as the caravan journeyed further, he was starting to grasp just how vast the goblin territories truly were.

To the northeast, the Koltans held sway, policing the great steppe and defending it from more forms of wilderkin and trade with the Orc tribes of the tundra. The Koltans’ lands were rougher, more rugged, a natural barrier against the more savage threats that lurked beyond.

But the Kenets, the greatest of the goblin clans, ruled the heart of the steppe. They controlled the center and western regions, where the grasslands met the Great Mosalian Sea. Arsec had heard tales of the trade that flowed from the Genie Sultans of the deserts beyond the sea, their exotic goods carried by ships to the goblin ports—in fact, Arsec now suspected the ruined carpet from Mesui's mother came from those parts. To the South, between the sea and the central plains were the Crestlands, dominated by the ogre kingdom of Kalad, a realm of towering peaks and formidable horned warriors.

These were just stories to Arsec before, fragments of a world he had never seen. But now, with the endless horizon stretching out before him and the bustling life of the steppe all around, he was beginning to understand the vastness of the world he was part of.

Narwa, riding alongside Malimali, was unusually quiet. Normally, she would have had something to say about the bustling activity around them or the curious glances thrown their way. But today, her attention seemed fixed on the distant grasslands, her gaze far away, lost in the endless horizon.

Arsec noticed her silence and glanced down, seeing the tension in her posture. She seemed distant, her usual sharp wit and quick remarks absent, replaced by a quiet that felt heavy with unspoken thoughts. He considered asking her what was on her mind but hesitated, not wanting to intrude.

Instead, he let the moment pass, the rhythmic motion of Malimali’s stride and the gentle murmur of the river filling the space between them. The caravan pressed on, the vibrant life of the steppe swirling around them, but Narwa remained locked in her own world, her thoughts as distant as the horizon she stared at.

As the caravan continued its steady pace along the riverside, Mesui found herself growing increasingly concerned with the affairs of the group. The burden of her role as a princess weighed heavily on her mind, more so with each passing mile. She felt a rising need to step up, to lead with the authority and wisdom expected of her. Yet, as her gaze drifted to Arsec, perched atop Malimali’s broad back, laughing with her cubs, a pang of longing tugged at her heart. Would her carefree days ever return, she wondered, or was she destined to carry the mantle of responsibility forever?

These thoughts swirled in her mind, her eyes drawn to the horizon where the land met the sky. But her wandering thoughts were interrupted when something caught her attention. On a prominent rocky hill by the river, a stone construct loomed above the tall grass, its presence commanding. The grass around it seemed to dance more intensely, as if stirred by unseen forces, and Mesui understood that this place held deeper meaning.

She narrowed her eyes, studying the structure with growing curiosity and reverence as they got closer to it. It was a shrine, its stones weathered by time and the elements, yet still standing strong against the backdrop of the steppe. The caravan leader noticed her gaze and rode up beside her.

“That there,” he said, nodding towards the shrine, “is a sacred place for the herders, princess. They’ve erected it by the river for tender winds and opportune rains to bless the pastures. A place of prayer and offering, to ensure the land remains fertile and their flocks thrive.”

Mesui absorbed his words, her mind briefly shifting from the worries of leadership to the simple yet profound connection these people had with the land and the Twin. She felt a pull to explore the shrine, to understand its significance more deeply. 

With a decisive tug on the reins, she called out to her boar, “Come, my boy!” and urged him forward, riding ahead of the caravan.

Arsec and Narwa noticed her sudden departure but paid little heed, but Arsec was lost in the wonder of the steppe and it did not seem to be urgent, while Narwa remained absorbed in her own distant thoughts. As Mesui sped toward the shrine, her mind momentarily cleared of its burdens, she allowed herself to be carried by the wind, if only for a fleeting moment.

Mesui dismounted her boar with a fluid motion, her feet sinking slightly into the soft earth. The shrine stood before her, a rough-hewn monolith, its surface worn by the elements. Moss and grass clung to its base, and deep cracks marred the stone, tracing ancient patterns that depicted two circles joined by curving lines, a symbol of the winds. She approached it reverently, the weight of the world momentarily lifted from her shoulders. Closing her eyes, she let the cool gushes of wind brush against her skin, the whispers of the steppe filling her ears.

She inhaled deeply, feeling the power of the place, and then, with a soft voice, she uttered a prayer. “Blessed Twin Sisters of Winds,” she began, “I ask for your guidance. I do not know what path lies ahead for me after Makeb. Please, show me the way.”

The wind seemed to still for a moment, as if holding its breath, and Mesui felt a calm settle over her. She lingered in that peace, letting her uncertainty drift away. But as she opened her eyes, the tranquility shattered.

In the distance, a line of boar riders appeared, dark figures silhouetted against the sky. They moved with alarming speed, bearing down on a group of goblins far off across the plains. Mesui’s breath caught in her throat as she watched, horrified, as the riders lowered their spears and charged the unsuspecting goblins.

Her heart pounded in her chest, and a cold dread seized her. Without hesitation, she spun around, her voice trembling as she called out, “Arsec! Narwa!” 

She barely waited for them to respond before scrambling back onto her boar, urgency driving her every move.

As she mounted once more, her eyes remained fixed on the distant violence, the riders’ spears gleaming in the light as they cut down the goblins. The peaceful winds she had felt moments ago now seemed cruelly indifferent, carrying the distant cries of the fallen. Mesui’s heart raced as she witnessed the brutal attack unfold in the distance, but her initial shock turned into a fierce resolve—she could not just stand by and watch as the goblins were slaughtered.

Without a second thought, she called out, “Arsec! Narwa! Hurry!!” Her voice trembled, but there was no hesitation in her actions. She mounted her boar again, gripping the reins tightly, and spurred the beast forward, her eyes fixed on the distant figures.

Arsec, understanding her intent, felt a surge of urgency. He quickly yelled, “Malimali, charge!” The giant bison responded instantly, its powerful muscles tensing as it broke into a sudden, thunderous gallop. The force of the movement pulled Arsec’s head back, but he held on tightly, determined to keep pace with Mesui.

Narwa, seeing their desperate rush, wasted no time. With a quick, agile leap, she pounced onto the bison’s thick wool, using its dense coat as a handhold to climb atop its broad back. As Malimali staggered under the sudden burst of speed, Narwa found her balance and crouched low, her eyes locked on the horizon where the violence was unfolding.

The three of them surged forward, their mounts thundering across the steppe, driven by a shared urgency to reach the victims before it was too late. The wind whipped past them, the sound of pounding hooves and the bison’s heavy breath filling the air as they raced against time. Mesui’s mind raced with thoughts of how to stop the riders, how to save those goblins from their fate.

The distance between them and the scene of the attack closed rapidly, but every second felt like an eternity. Mesui’s heart pounded in her chest, her determination growing stronger with each passing moment. She wouldn’t let fear hold her back; she was a princess, and she had a duty to protect the vulnerable.

By the time Mesui reached the scene, the damage had already been done. Bodies lay strewn across the grass, their lifeless forms a stark contrast to the peaceful landscape they had so recently traveled. Mesui dismounted swiftly, her heart heavy with the weight of what she had witnessed. Arsec and Narwa arrived shortly after, Malimali skidding to a halt as they took in the grisly scene and dismounted. Narwa began to smell the area, her head moving from the ground to the air.

"What happened to them?" Arsec said, uneasy by the scene, feeling weak by the legs, "Blessed Flame, who would do this?"

Narwa looked at him, and grunted, "Feeling weak after seeing some blood, Stinky? You were not that affected by death back in the mountains."

"It's different, Narwa, it's just different..."

"How so? I bet that spear of yours caused more damage to the rodents back then than these wounds."

"I was trying to save Chief Tulag and the other goblins from mutated rodents that would have torn me to pieces had I not defended myself... Wait are you really going to argue about that? I mean we faced a monster like Voidmaw and you say I..."

"Easy, human, I'm just pointing out the fact you seem distressed by seeing little blood," Narwa shrugged.

"Little blood! This is... this is clearly a massacre!" Arsec said, turning around and crossing his arms. 

Narwa drew closer to the scene.

"Bodies are still warm," she said. 

"Oh please, Narwa..." Arsec complained, disgusted by Narwa's cold approach to the situation.

"There is no stench as of yet, no bugs flying..."

"I just said 'please!'... Come on now!" 

"However... there's this... scent..."

"Scent?" Arsec asked, "Look at the bodies... they're goblins all right, they're all dead! What scent could possibly disturb y—"

Arsec's voice cut off as he noticed the bodies. Mesui was about to voice her condemnation of the brutal act too when that thing caught her eye as well. 

The dead goblins’ skin had an unnatural pallor, their veins starkly visible beneath the surface, darkened to a sickly black. Goblin skin ranged from various types of green, from mint or lime colors to darker tones like seaweed or moss, some even touching the limits of brown. This pale gray skin on the dead looked sickening, unhealthy. Her confusion deepened when she noticed that some of them wore black bandanas tied around their foreheads, the fabric covering their eyes. On the bandanas was an unsettling sigil: a white eye on a black field.

"That's..." Mesui uttered.

A cold shiver ran down Mesui’s spine as memories of her struggle to contain her frenzied father flashed before her eyes. The fear and helplessness of that moment resurfaced, making her recoil instinctively. Her hand flew to the hilt of her short sword, and she drew it with a trembling resolve, her eyes scanning the scene with newfound wariness.

Arsec, too, was struck by the sight. The eerie symbolism of the bandanas brought back memories of their battle with Voidmaw. A gnawing doubt crept into his mind.

"Impossible, there is no way Voidmaw survived—" His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a cold, weak grip on his leg. He turned subtly, his heart pounding as he looked down.

One of the goblins, a young female with her face obscured by one of those sinister bandanas, clung to him with a deathly hold. Her lips curled into an unnatural grin, her breath labored and shallow. “Cycloth... Cycloth...” she murmured, her voice barely a whisper, yet filled with an unsettling fervor. She repeated the word like a chant, her body trembling until she finally let out a final breath and went limp, her life slipping away.

Arsec stepped back, shaken by the experience. He struggled to comprehend the meaning behind the word, his mind racing with the implications. Before he could dwell on it further, Narwa, who had been meticulously surveying the perimeter, let out a low, guttural growl. Her instincts flared with alarm as she spotted movement on a nearby hill.

The riders had returned.

They stood in a silent, menacing line atop the hill, their figures silhouetted against the sky. Narwa's growl grew louder, more urgent, as she tried to alert her companions. The air grew thick with tension as Mesui, Arsec, and Narwa realized that they were far from safe. 

One of the riders broke formation, descending the hill slowly on a massive boar that bristled with armor. The beast's pads were adorned with teal sigils, a clear mark of allegiance to the Kenet dynasty. The rider herself, a female goblin clad in matching lamellar teal armor, guided the boar with steady precision until she halted at a safe distance from the three travelers. Her presence was commanding, her gaze sharp and unyielding as she surveyed them.

With a swift motion, she pointed her spear at them, her voice cold and authoritative. “State your identities,” she demanded, her eyes flickering over each of them with suspicion. “And what in the Blessed Winds is that enormous beast?” She nodded towards Malimali, her expression betraying a mix of curiosity and caution.

The goblin’s grip on her spear tightened, her eyes narrowing. “I held my hand because your skin bears no marks of corruption, and your demeanor is... sound,” she continued, her tone filled with a warning edge. “But do not mistake my restraint for trust. If you have been tainted by the black demon, I will not hesitate to strike you down where you stand.”

The weight of her words hung heavily in the air, as Mesui, Arsec, and Narwa exchanged tense glances, the gravity of the situation settling over them. The rider's piercing gaze made it clear that this was no idle threat, supported by the tensed bows and arrows backing her up.

Mesui took a step forward, her voice steady but tinged with the authority of her lineage. “I am Mesui, daughter of Chief Tulag,” she declared, her tone firm yet respectful, "This is Arsec, the beast you mention is his mount, a bison from a distant land... and this is Narwa."

"A clan princess?" the goblin warrior echoed, "What business does a member of the Tulag clan, no less the daughter of the very great Tulag, have on the central plains? You don't dress like a tribal princess..." 

Mesui ignored that last comment, “We are on the usual journey to pay tribute to the Khan. We mean no harm. But what I saw…” She paused, glancing at the bodies strewn across the ground, her expression hardening. “I witnessed your riders attack this group of goblins mercilessly. It incenses me to think that goblins would murder their own under the watch of the great Khan.”

The goblin warrior shook her head, "Well, you're certainly not from these parts, else you would know what has transpired in the Khan's domains for the last four days."

The female goblin's hardened demeanor softened slightly, though her face showed signs of weariness and deep concern. She studied Mesui for a long moment before lifting her hand and ordering the others to stand down.

"Regardless, princess or not, I mean to ill-intent against the Tulag clan, since you do look to be part of it by the looks of that black boar, so pardon any signs of hostility I or my riders may have shown, it's just that... the skies have dimmed in recent days, and the nights have been leaning on the nightmarish. I am Captain Abagai of the Khan's 10th  Tumen, under General Akrumei. This Zuun of a hundred warriors is under my direct command."

Mesui stumbled to remember proper protocol, "C-captain, may the winds guide you!"

"And you," Abagai said before her face turned to the dead, “Those you see lying here were goblins no more,” she said, her words somber. “They abandoned all sense of honor and self on the night that... black and demonic object crossed the steppes' sky and... entranced all those hypnotized by its uncanny gaze. It corrupted our animals, twisted the minds of our herders and hunters, and turned all of them... these once honorable goblins, into frenzied beasts. They attack anyone who is not sharing their madness, kill those who resist more, and take those who gave up as prisoners to any high places to corrupt them at night.”

"Sounds like Voidmaw's work all right..." Narwa noted.

The rider’s gaze swept over the fallen, her eyes filled with resigned sorrow. “Thus, General Akrumei of the Khan's Chosen ordered the Horde to scour the central plains, to purge it of the frenzied ones—the afflicted who have fallen under the black demon’s madness. It pains me to say that they are beyond saving, lost to us, and to let them live would be a betrayal to all goblinkind. This is no joy to us, princess, but a grim duty we must carry out.”

Her words hung heavy in the air, as Mesui processed the full gravity of the situation. The tension in the air remained, but there was now a shared understanding of the grim necessity behind the rider's actions.

Arsec shifted uneasily as he gripped his spear, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. His voice was cautious but steady as he spoke. “We’ve faced something similar by the rodentmen territory,” he began, drawing the rider’s attention. “Frenzied rodentmen—they were transformed into something else, something unnatural. But for the goblins afflicted by Cycloth, we found a way to restrain them. They’re bedridden now, not roaming the plains or causing harm. We didn’t have to kill them.”

Abagai's eyes narrowed as she took in Arsec's words, her expression hardening with a mix of suspicion and disbelief. “Restrain them?” she echoed, her tone sharp, then chuckling, “You speak of restraining those touched by the black demon as if it were a simple task. They attack when taken out of their twisted trance or their chants... I had to put ten of my riders to the sword because they would attack the others without provocation, killing two and wounding five of the sane ones," She took a closer look, and her eyes widened, "Why are you, a young human with a very black lance and a... strange steed to your name, speaking directly to a servant of the Khan’s realm? Orcs and Ogres, even Genies from beyond the sea come and go of their own accord... yet I've never seen a free human roam the steppe, just those who serve in Makeb—as slaves!”

Arsec felt as if those words had pinched a wound in his heart, his mouth silenced by the authoritative and puncturing words from the goblin commander, he tried to speak up, forcing himself to retort, but the words would not come out. Even worse, his once-collected and confident thoughts froze—no, they vanished. He just gripped his spear and remained silent.

I am not a slave anymore! This simple thought crossed his mind. However, his mind also desperately recoiled to what he knew best to do when confronted by imposing goblins. 

Just comply...

I am not a slave anymore!

Just be silent...

But I am not like that!

The rider's grip tightened on her spear, her eyes narrowing further as she turned to Mesui. “With all due respect, Princess, you should know better than to let your servant speak for you.”

Malimali sensed its master's distress and hummed, then aggressively bellowed at the female goblin.

Arsec sensed his steed's aggravation and gently tapped its head, "It's all right, let's not go there..." He said. However, he felt bad for acting so collected. In truth, he wanted to stand up.

Mesui frowned at the warrior, "He's no servant of mine, he's a friend and a traveling companion in our journey to Makeb."

Arsec heard those words, but no amount of consolation from his friend would make him feel better. It had always been the same—Mesui would treat him like a friend, but she was always on top, saying what they should do, lest he be considered a rebellious servant. Even if Mesui never saw it that way, Chief Tulag, Lady Tulag, their Squire, all of them would.  It seemed they, and the clan by extension, would hate him for daring to be more interesting than them, more interesting than goblin traditions, more interesting than inheriting the clan. 

"That would certainly be a first," Captain Abagai said, "For all I've known, only human slaves are shipped to these parts from the other side of the sea."

"Well, if that's what he is, he is the first free human in these parts, live with it or you may as well face us now," Mesui said, looking at Arsec worried. The young man sighed, swallowing all of his thoughts and nodding with a small, gentle smile—the gentlest smile he could muster.

The warrior took a deep breath, clearly shaken by Mesui's words, but then she bowed her head, "Whatever you choose to do with those under you, it is none of this captain's business... I formally request, however, that you retreat from this place immediately, my Zuun unit will gather the corpses and burn them."

"Burn them?" Narwa asked, "Why not let nature take them back and their bodies fertilize the land?"

"It is a goblin tradition, they burn them and then let the winds carry the ashes as a symbol of giving up their all into the hands of the Twin Sisters..."

"Ashes carried by the wind do not give way for grass and insects to feed themselves... this is utterly disgu—" Narwa said.

"Oooh! What great insights you have, you Stoaty Stoat!" Arsec exclaimed, forgetting about his internal struggles and reflexively enveloping the masked girl by the neck and pressing so that the words would not come out, "I bet the goblins know what they are doing!"

"Lgleet meeh goooough!" Narwa demanded as her thin hands sought to free her neck from Arsec's inhuman grip.

Mesui and the captain looked confused at the scene as Narwa elbowed Arsec's stomach, freeing herself, she then proceeded to lock onto the young man's shoulder and grapple him down across her body with intense force, cracking the ground.

"Woah!" Abagai said, now sweating, "Is he going to be okay? Was that feeble-looking girl that strong before?"

"You have no idea," Mesui said, annoyed, "Guys, chill out! Let's not do this again!"

Arsec let out a gasp, catching his breath quickly before pulling Narwa down with one of her legs and forcing her down. Narwa kicked him away as icy blue embers began to form and playful giggles uttered beneath her mask. Arsec's body dragged away considerably across the ground before he dug his fist and halted.

"That human... what's with his resilience?" Abagai asked, shockingly.

"I said knock it off, guys!" Mesui yelled. 

Arsec stood up and stretched his hands and arms, "All right, I know now to never shut you up like that... but there's no way I'm leaving things like this," he flexed his arms and prepared to run, "I have some pent up frustrations to let go, y'know?" he muttered to himself. 

Narwa cackled, waving her hands, "I'm right here, Stinky! Come at me!" 

"Blasted winds!" Mesui cursed.

Both of them leaped forward at each other, Narwa sprung her hands open like paws ready to lunge at her foe as Arsec sought to examine her moves before clashing seeking a weakness that would finish the scuffle.

"Oh no, no no no no no!" Mesui said, readying an arrow and aiming at the ground between them, "Have some common sense guys!"

"P-princess! An arrow might be too much, you may hurt them or kill them!" The captain commented, a bit worried, "Let my warriors  break them apart..."

"They'll be fine!" Mesui said annoyingly, "One arrow won't harm them even if it's aimed at their head!"

"Heh? Blessed winds, what in the Twins' name is happening?" the captain said.

Mesui's thoughts were a whirlpool of embarrassment, frustration, and annoyance. However, a small prayer that the arrow may stop their bout. She had seen Narwa become this supernatural monster that would haunt little goblins in their nightmares, and Arsec had endured the powerful bites of mutated rodents and lived unscathed. Her heart had long pondered if her place would be among these... demigods, and whether she would fit more as a goblin princess.

But then, like an answer to her prayers, one of the small rodent cubs jumped out of Malimali's back. She was the heaviest of the three, and the one displaying the typical rodent teeth the most, her appearance leaning more unto one of a woodchuck, with chunky cheeks and a chubby chin.

"Prrreeeeeeee!" she exclaimed, her little but furry paws wide open as her body suspended itself in the air.

Mesui shot the arrow towards the ground, hoping that the incoming shot would make them stop. The fluffy cub's two-dot sigil on her forehead gleamed intensely, and her body was then engulfed by a green light, becoming a bolt that shot itself into the flying arrow. The arrow seemed to receive new momentum as it was too engulfed by the green light and it darted with new power towards its target. 

Arsec and Narwa were almost close to each other, but the light arrow crashed down and there was an explosion of green winds that pushed them a few meters away.

"Wha—!" Arsec and Narwa exclaimed.

"What?" the captain said, looking at Mesui.

The goblin princess' hand was then marked by a glowing sigil with the little cub's face, and another two round shades formed as well as if that sigil was one of three arranged in a triangular shape.

The winds dissipated, and a spectral, lime green woodchuck, dressed in long ceremonial clothes and armed with one huge fan, appeared. Before Arsec or Narwa could react with further shock, the ghostly woodchuck swept her fan and created a wave of mighty winds that pushed them further.

"Prreeeee!" she exclaimed, its tiny and sweet voice unchanged despite her hulking appearance.

"Mesui, that was you?" Arsec said, his face a mix of pride and shock.

"Look at her hand," Narwa said, "that cub manifested because of that arrow!"

The other two cubs jumped excitedly as if cheering for their sibling.

Mesui turned to the captain, staggering to find a good explanation for all of this show, but she found the goblin warrior dismounted and bending the knee entirely.

"My lady princess!" she exclaimed, her head pitted to the ground, "You carry the blessings of the Twin Sisters! Forgive me for my rudeness!"

Mesui noticed how the other goblins on the hill echoed their commander's actions.

"No, no no no, wait, wait!" She yelled, "Raise your heads, you are proud goblin warriors of the Kenet clan, save your knees for the great Khan!"

The captain stood up, and the others followed suit, "As you wish, princess, it's just that... before such visions of power, who could stand on their two feet before the manifestation of the goddesses' instrument?" she declared, her voice speaking so fast Mesui could barely understand, "My family has been a long-time follower of the Blessed Winds' tenets, serving in shrines and helping the sages, I have learned to distinguish common winds from the riding will of the Sisters across the skies, and—!" 

"Calm down, captain! I am a goblin, just like you!" Mesui said.

The earth trembled violently, a deep rumble that shook the ground beneath their feet, causing the trio to stagger. Cracks splintered across the earth, jagged fissures yawning open as if the very ground sought to swallow the corpses whole. The bodies of the fallen goblins began to slide toward the dark crevices, pulled by an unseen force as the earth itself seemed to hunger for them.

"Oh no!" the captain exclaimed, her eyes widening in horror. She sprinted to her boar, leaping onto its back with practiced agility. "We took too long, their blood...! Hyah!" She spurred the boar into a frenzied gallop, racing back toward her unit, her spear raised skyward. "Archers! Ready!"

The trio stood frozen, their eyes locked on the macabre scene unfolding before them. The bodies disappeared into the darkness of the crevices, swallowed whole by the churning earth.

"Narwa," Arsec called out, his voice tight with urgency as he gripped his spear, "is this similar to what happened at the rodent shrine?"

Narwa's gaze was fixed on the fissures, her sharp eyes narrowing. "No..." she muttered, her voice low and tense. "This is not the Verdant Fang... this is... something else!"

A sudden movement caught their attention. Two slithering black shapes breached the surface, writhing and twisting as they emerged from the crevices. They were grotesque, their forms reminiscent of oversized maggots, the kind that feast on decaying flesh. Black, viscous liquid oozed from their leech-like mouths as they mutated before their eyes, sprouting tiny, malformed arms to drag themselves forward. Their screeches pierced the air, a sound of agonizing pain and twisted rage.

"BAAAAEEEEUHN!" Malimali roared, the massive bison pawing the ground, ready to charge at the horrific creatures.

"Stand back, Malimali!" Arsec shouted, his voice urgent as he reached out to the beast. "Your legs will fall into one of these crevices! Go back to the caravan!"

But the bison's protective instincts were strong, its body tensed and ready to unleash its fury on the abominations before them. Arsec could feel the tension in the air, the fear and uncertainty gripping them all as the earth continued to shake and the monstrous creatures drew closer.

As the captain ranted orders to the entire troop, Mesui, Arsec, and Narwa shared a quick glance, a silent acknowledgment passing between them. They had faced darkness before, in the form of Voidmaw and his vile hordes. This was Cycloth’s work—his twisted hand reshaping the world into something monstrous.

One of the mutated worms lunged forward, its maw gaping wide as it spat a stream of corrosive acid directly at Mesui. Without a moment to think, she instinctively crossed her arms in front of her, bracing for the impact. But before the acid could reach her, the spectral woodchuck materialized between them, its massive fan unfurling to intercept the attack. The acid sizzled and hissed against the enchanted fan, but the woodchuck held firm.

Mesui blinked in surprise, realizing that the woodchuck had acted on her instinct. She glanced at her hand, and as she gestured, the woodchuck mirrored her movement, deflecting another strike. A newfound confidence welled up inside her, and she quickly nocked an arrow, aiming true at the beast. "Protect me!" she commanded, and the woodchuck responded, warding off the creature's onslaught with its gusts of wind as Mesui loosed arrow after arrow, her aim steady.

Arsec, meanwhile, leaped high into the air with a powerful thrust of his legs, his black spear glinting in the dim light. He descended with force, driving the spear deep into the second worm, pinning it to the ground. The creature writhed and shrieked, its grotesque form wriggling to break free. But Narwa was already in motion, her form shifting as her hands transformed into the deadly claws of a stoat. She moved with lethal precision, her claws carving into the worm’s head, tearing through its blackened flesh until it gave way with a sickening crack. With a final, ferocious strike, she drove her claws into the creature’s skull, delivering a fatal blow that silenced its screeches forever.

As the worm’s body convulsed in its death throes, Arsec landed beside Narwa, the ground shaking beneath their feet. His gaze turned to the remaining worm, now fully focused on Mesui and the woodchuck’s relentless barrage of arrows and wind blasts. Without hesitation, Arsec invoked, “So-sha-nim!” The name echoed with power, and red flames erupted around him, encircling his form like a fiery aura.

Gripping his black spear tightly, Arsec hurled it with all his might, the weapon blazing a trail of fire as it flew through the air. The spear struck true, embedding itself deep into the final worm’s flesh. The creature let out an agonized squeal, thrashing violently as the flames consumed it from within.

Narwa, sensing the opening, gathered her strength and lunged forward. With a powerful swipe of her stoat claws, she struck the worm’s head, shattering its twisted form in a burst of energy. The worm’s body collapsed, its life extinguished by the combined might of the trio.

The battlefield grew still, the only sounds the crackling of the red flames as they consumed the remains of the corrupted creatures. The goblin riders, who had watched the battle unfold with a mix of awe and trepidation, looked on as Arsec approached the two fallen bodies. He extended his spear, touching the bodies, and the flames obeyed, surging forth to envelop the corpses. The red fire roared, burning with an intensity that left nothing but ash in its wake.

When it was all done, little red embers floated around the cracked land.

Captain Abagai lowered her spear and relaxed, her expression a mixture of respect and wariness.

"Captain," one of her warriors leaned forward, "what is the meaning of this?"

The female goblin smiled, still confused as to what she had witnessed, "It seems..."

She hesitated, unsure of what to say, but given that she valued her spiritual life, she felt as if she needed to say something meaningful.

"...It seems as if we're witnessing a new age of heroes," she finally declared.

"Captain?" the warrior asked, not jumping on the occasion as she did.

"Look around, lieutenant," she said, pointing to an amassed cavalry of one-hundred-strong warriors, fully armed, all of them confused, "last time we faced corrupted animals like that, it cost us the entire Zuun to bring them down. The princess just came out unscathed from the worm's acid... and the two pale youngsters brought them down on what would've cost us dozens of goblins pulling down with spears and arrows."

The goblin saw his superior shuddering as her eyes widened upon recreating the scene, "Mm, my lady... are you all right?"

"It's all right, lieutenant," she said, coming to her senses, "...Listen, bring ten of your best riders and gather our wounded. We'll escort them to Makeb."

"You want a full Arban to protect sixteen wounded?" the lieutenant doubted, "I know we're close to the riverside and to the Khan's city, but my lady..."

"Don't you worry, lieutenant, we'll simply join the caravan these three belong to..." 

As the captain said that, the lieutenant looked a the trio, then back at his superior, finally understanding what she planned, "As you wish," he pounced his chest, and turned to their back, glancing at the one-hundred-strong army that had stood there, awaiting orders, while Arsec, Mesui, and Narwa did all the work. 

Having said that, the captain sighed, one last train of thought remaining, "Now where is this caravan?"

Her worries disappeared upon seeing a halted caravan by the riverside, with one particularly alarmed old goblin shouting and ranting things to his subordinates as he scrambled to join Princess Mesui.

The captain smiled, turning to the trio down the slope. Narwa had ambushed Arsec and grappled him across the cracks, but then she was ambushed by Malimali, who rammed her and sent her flying, her body twirling in the air and sticking her head in the mud. Arsec spat dirt as Narwa tapped her mask to remove the dirt. Mesui let out a huge sigh, followed by laughter, as the woodchuck reverted back to its miniature form and rushed to hug her master, followed by the other two rodent cubs. 

The captain's smile suddenly became an unsure grin, "Blessed winds... will this be okay?"