Chapter 18 Dire Consequences that Awaited Me if I Failed in My Task.

Rakrak's lips curled into a sinister grin, and he let out a malicious chuckle.

"Oh no, shitty slave. Only the most useless of the slaves get the job of being caretakers. And you, Hermit, for you, I have a better job. You see, the breeding farm is flourishing - good walls for defense, a well-working hatchery, and the sheds nearly built. What we need now is someone to scout the surrounding area."

I felt a chill run down my spine as Rakrak's words sank in.

"You see," he continued, "I was informed by one of my guards that you were picked up in the forest while he was looking for separated slaves from our group. That means you know the ways of the forest. You’ve survived out there. So, you will be our scout. I will have you scout the area for me. Of course, you can't refuse. Otherwise, I might make you or your precious hatchlings suffer."

The sheer terror of his threat was like a knife twisting in my gut. I gasped, a terrified squeal escaping my trembling lips.

"Master, please! Not the hatchlings! They've already suffered so much, so much! I’ll do it, I promise I’ll do it! Just please, don't hurt the little ones. Please!"

Rakrak's laughter was cold and unfeeling.

"Good, very good, slave. That’s what I like to hear. You’ll be going out tomorrow morning, early. Prepare yourself."

As Rakrak walked away, his cruel laughter echoed in my ears. My heart was heavy with the dread of what lay ahead, and the thought of the hatchlings, vulnerable and innocent, left me in a state of unbearable anguish. The fear of failing in my new role gnawed at me, mingling with the sorrow for the hatchlings' fate.

The night that followed was a torment of sleeplessness and anxiety. My mind raced with images of the hatchlings, their pitiful cries echoing in my thoughts. I curled into a tight ball, clutching at my meaty ears, trying to find solace in the small, fleeting comfort of my own body. The thought of leaving them, even for a moment, felt like a betrayal. Yet, I had no choice. Rakrak’s threat was a sword hanging over us all, and I had to obey.

Throughout the night, I wrestled with my thoughts. I mumbled to myself in fits of desperation, grasping at any idea, any plan that could save me from this hell. Maybe, just maybe, I could slip away from the breeding farm, vanish into the wild, and somehow find my way back to Grub, Grill, and our old group in the open plains. A flicker of hope would ignite for a moment, but it would die just as quickly under the weight of reality. I was no hero. No savior. No Kaka.

My head pounded as I repeated the idea like a chant, hoping that if I said it enough, it would make sense. I’d take the hatchlings - those poor, innocent younglings - tuck them under my arms and run. But the more I thought about it, the more it fell apart. How could I protect them? I can't even protect myself. The forest was a death trap, an endless expanse of nightmares and blood-soaked beasts lurking in every shadow. I couldn't even survive alone, how could I ever hope to keep the hatchlings safe?

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the waves of despair that crashed over me. I wanted to be brave, to be like Kaka. But I wasn’t. I was just a miserable, cowardly slave - a weak, wretched excuse for a goblin. My hands shook as I imagined carrying those fragile hatchlings through the forest, only to have them snatched away by the first predator we came across. I could see it so clearly - they ripped from my arms, their tiny, helpless bodies torn apart, just like Kaka was.

I sobbed, my chest heaving with a mixture of frustration and fear. I wasn’t strong like Kaka. He would have known what to do. He would have fought tooth and nail, risking his life for the sake of the others. He would have stood tall, brave, and unyielding, in the face of whatever horrors came his way. But I? I couldn’t even protect myself, let alone anyone else.

 My thoughts kept spiraling, like a festering wound, reminding me again and again how worthless I was. I hated myself for even thinking I could make a difference. I hated that I had survived while others had died.

I lay on the ground, curled into myself, rocking back and forth, wallowing in my self-pity. The breeding farm felt like it was closing in on me, suffocating me under the weight of my failures. I didn’t deserve to live. It should have been me who died, not Kaka.

Morning came with the cruel clarity of a new day. The sky was an unfeeling expanse, a cold blue that seemed to mock my suffering. As I prepared to leave, the weight of my impending task pressed heavily upon me. Each step toward the forest was laden with the dread of what lay ahead and the fear of what I was leaving behind.

 Rakrak stood by the gates, his imposing figure silhouetted against the bleak backdrop of the breeding farm. His cold eyes gleamed with a ruthless intensity as he addressed me, his voice like the crack of a whip.

“Listen good, slave,” he snarled, his lips curling back to reveal jagged, yellowed teeth. 

“No wandering’ like a lost pup, no coming’ back with weak excuses. You go past the farm, deep into the forest. Scout it good. I wanna know what’s out there—other goblin camps, nasty beast nests, villages of soft-skins, whatever. You find ‘em, you mark ‘em.”

He leaned in closer, his breath reeking of rot and menace, his eyes boring into mine like daggers. 

“You see any groups that might talk instead of fight, you make contact. Use that tiny brain of yours. We need allies, or we need to know who’s gonna stab us in the back. But you mess this up, you stumble into a slaughter, and I’ll skin you alive myself.”

His voice dropped lower, a growl rumbling deep in his chest. 

“But if you come back with nothing’, if you waste my time with empty hands, you and those squeaking’ hatchlings of yours’ll pay. Oh, you’ll pay good. I’ll toss those little runts out into the forest, let ‘em fend for themselves. The shadows’ll take ‘em, or the beasts’ll tear ‘em apart. Either way, they’re dead, and it’ll be on you.”

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in, his lips twisting into a cruel smirk. 

“You got ‘til the moon’s full and high. Bring me something useful, or you’ll wish you never crawled outta your hole. Understood?”

I nodded, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat. I dared not meet Rakrak’s gaze directly, knowing that any sign of defiance or weakness would only provoke further cruelty.

“Yes, Master Rakrak,” I managed to croak out. I struggled to keep my voice steady, forcing myself to speak with the little courage I could muster.

 “I understand your orders. I’ll make sure to gather the information you need and return with something of value.”

There was no room for error, no space for hesitation. Rakrak’s cruel promise was a stark reminder of the dire consequences that awaited me if I failed in my task. The weight of his words settled heavily on my shoulders as I prepared to venture into the unforgiving wilderness, knowing that my survival - and the lives of those under my care - hinged on the success of this perilous mission.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself as I left. Outside the gates, the forest seemed to close in around me with a malevolent presence. My heart pounded, and every snap of a twig or rustle of leaves made me jump, each sound amplifying my fear. The memories of the forest’s horrors - the monstrous creatures, the excruciating pain inflicted by them, and the constant threat of death - came crashing back with brutal clarity. My scars, still raw and tender, throbbed with a dull ache, a reminder of my past suffering.

I was naked, without any protection, dressed only in grime and filth. The dirt caked onto my skin, mixing with the dried blood and sweat, forming a crusty layer. I clutched a stick in my trembling hands, my only means of defense and a symbol of my desperate attempt to survive. The stick was rough and splintered, barely functional but better than nothing. I started walking in random directions, driven only by a gut feeling and the instinct to find something - anything - that might fulfill Rakrak’s cruel demands.

At first, as I stepped out of the breeding farm’s gates, I clung desperately to its walls like a frightened hatchling to its caretaker. I mapped the surrounding area around the breeding farm. The thought of leaving the relative safety of the farm and stepping into the wild, unknown terror of the forest gnawed at my mind. I had seen what lurked in those woods - creatures that tore flesh as easily as a wolf tears into a rabbit. But Rakrak’s orders rang loud in my ears. If I came back empty-handed, if I failed to find camps, nests, or any sign of life... then my death, and the death of my hatchlings, would be slow and unspeakable.

 Every step I took was shallow and quiet, my heart pounding against my chest as I peered through the thick undergrowth. The twisted trees cast long shadows over me, their gnarled branches resembling skeletal hands reaching out from the darkness, ready to pull me in. Every rustle of leaves made me jump. Every snap of a twig sent my pulse skyrocketing. I crawled on my belly like a worm, pressing myself into the dirt, trying to become one with the ground to avoid the eyes of any creature that might be lurking in the depths of the forest.

Hours passed. Hours of crawling, skulking, and trembling. And still, I found nothing. No camps. No nests. No villages. Just the unyielding silence of the forest and the sound of my ragged breathing. The familiar sight of the breeding farm walls had long since faded behind me, swallowed by the vast sea of trees. I was alone. The creeping sense of isolation was like a dagger in my mind, twisting and grinding deeper with every passing minute.