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Chapter 16: The Escaped Goblinoid
Another half month passed, and snowflakes began to drift through the sky above Storm Ridge. Rockfort stood firm at the entrance of Ashen Hollow, a looming fortress that barred the way to any creature foolish enough to approach.
The cold-averse Goblins had hastily erected crude camps deep within the valley, huddling together for warmth. The Ogres, by contrast, fared slightly better—occupying several massive caves where they slept soundly, snoring like distant thunder.
Kai Xiusu was resting in the Giant’s Maw Cavern, stretching lazily as he yawned, exhaling thick plumes of sulfur-scented breath that filled the cavern with a smoky haze. The Red Dragon had an innate fondness for heat, and the geothermal warmth of the cave was simply too inviting to leave.
Several Wyverns, ever persistent, lounged at the cave’s mouth, claiming they were on duty—guarding the entrance, serving as sentinels for their master. But in truth, they were merely basking in the warmth. The Red Dragon, amused by their eagerness, chose to overlook their hypocrisy.
Meanwhile, Lanpu had carved out a cozy, hidden alcove to serve as his personal library. He spent his days buried in ancient tomes, endlessly grumbling to Kai Xiusu about how pitifully weak the Goblin army was—so weak, in fact, that they’d never manage to loot a single new book from any passing human caravan.
"Awooo!"
A shrill cry echoed from the sky.
That sound—someone was coming.
Kai Xiusu’s eyes snapped open. With a slow, deliberate stretch, he pushed himself up on all fours, shook out his massive wings, and stepped out into the open air, ascending into the sky.
For the past fortnight, his days had been spent either sleeping or studying spells. As for food—well, the big Goblin had led a small elite hunting party to corner a few mammoths, and one had been specifically delivered to the Giant’s Maw Cavern.
To the Red Dragon, life was one of effortless indulgence—clothes handed to him, meals brought to his maw.
But now, with nothing to occupy his immense strength and boundless destructive energy, boredom gnawed at him. And just as he was beginning to consider burning down a few nearby hills for entertainment, fate arrived on wings.
The Two-Headed Dragons piled at the cave’s mouth scrambled up in panic, bowing low with trembling limbs, clearing a path for their master. They followed closely behind as Kai Xiusu soared into the air.
But when he reached the valley’s edge and looked down at the uninvited guests before Rockfort, his interest waned.
Beneath the fortress gate stood a ragged group of about a hundred small, hunched Humanoid creatures—skinny, emaciated, and covered in scales ranging from dark brown to pitch black. Their heads were a grotesque fusion of dragon and dog, with two small, pale horns rising from their foreheads.
Goblinoid. Subterranean, reptilian humanoids, often worshiping Evil Dragons as semi-divine beings.
But these ones were in terrible shape—many wounded, bloodied, trembling as they huddled together in terrified disarray, chattering and whimpering in a chaotic frenzy.
Kai Xiusu recognized the language—Dragon Tongue—but the way they spoke it sounded like nothing so much as a chorus of barking dogs.
"It’s… it’s the Great Dragon!"
"It really is a dragon!"
One particularly weak Goblinoid strained to lift its head, catching sight of the Red Dragon in the sky. It let out a hoarse cry of shock.
"We’re saved!"
Instantly, the entire group collapsed to their knees, trembling like devotees witnessing a miracle, chanting broken, incoherent prayers in Dragon Tongue.
"Boom—!"
The Red Dragon descended with a thunderous impact, sending a spray of light snow flying from the gate’s threshold.
"Why have you come?" (in Dragon Tongue)
Under the oppressive weight of the Primordial Aura of Bloodline, the Goblinoid remained on their knees, too terrified to even glance upward.
After a long silence, one slightly larger Goblinoid pushed through the crowd, dragging itself forward with visible effort. It collapsed at the Red Dragon’s feet, voice cracking like a dog’s whine:
"Great Dragon… we’ve come to surrender ourselves to you!"
The Red Dragon stared down at the tiny creature with cold indifference, as if a mere flick of his claw could crush it into pulp.
These Goblinoid were said to carry a trace of dragon blood—naturally drawn to Evil Dragons, their instinctual allegiance unwavering. But their strength was negligible, and with Goblins readily available as disposable servants, their value to Kai Xiusu was minimal.
Seeing no reaction, the Goblinoid dared to peek up, its eyes brimming with sorrow.
"Our entire kind… they’ve all been eaten. Just us left. And when we felt your power… we knew you were our only hope."
The word Monsters caught Kai Xiusu’s attention.
A flicker of interest sparked in his golden eyes.
"What use are you to me, little Goblinoid? What can you offer?"
The creature’s eyes lit up—hope flared. It quickly scrambled to its feet and blurted out:
"Gold! We can bring you gold! So much gold!"
"We lived in the Mine Shaft. Humans—the smugglers—forced us to dig for their gold. We know every vein, every hidden chamber. We know where the richest deposits lie!"
The others chimed in frantically, echoing the plea:
"Yes, yes!"
"I’ve dug up gold the size of my head every day!"
"Great Dragon, please take us in!"
Kai Xiusu’s interest sharpened.
Gold. The universal currency of power. With enough of it, he could buy forbidden goods—weapons, armor, magical tomes—anything he needed to expand his influence. If he couldn’t acquire something, it was only because the price hadn’t been high enough.
And then there was the Monsters.
"Tell me," Kai Xiusu pressed, "what exactly is this Monster you speak of?"
The lead Goblinoid’s face paled. A ripple of fear passed through the crowd. Some whimpered. One even began to cry.
The leader took a deep breath, steadying himself before speaking in a voice trembling with dread:
"Master… you must believe me when I say this."
The Red Dragon gave no sign of objection to the title. He merely nodded once.
The Goblinoid’s voice dropped to a whisper, as if recounting a nightmare:
"It was… monstrous. Bigger than a hill. Its mouth—wider than a cave. It could swallow ten of us in one bite."
His voice cracked.
"In the Mine Shaft… it was everywhere. Like a shadow. No matter where we ran, it found us. Our tribe had seven hundred souls… and it ate them all. Not a bone left. Not even a scrap."
He shuddered.
"I barely escaped through a hidden passage… I brought only a hundred of us."
He exhaled slowly, as if releasing a breath he’d been holding for years.
Behind him, the remaining Goblinoid clung to one another, too terrified to speak.
Kai Xiusu tilted his head.
"This Monster… was it larger than me?"
The Goblinoid’s forehead broke into cold sweat. He didn’t know how to answer. In his mind, the Red Dragon was the most proud, the most brutal creature in existence. One wrong word… and he’d be dead before he could blink.
"Speak the truth," Kai Xiusu growled.
"Y-yes… it was larger," the Goblinoid stammered, eyes squeezed shut.
"What is your name?"
"Jinya."
No claw came down. No explosion of flame.
The Goblinoid opened his eyes, relief flooding his face. He grinned—revealing a single, prominent tooth, sharp and gleaming.
(End of Chapter)
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