Chapter 537: The Warrior and Shaman (Patreon)

The tavern doors swung open and a blue goblin wrapped in a cloak of white petals walked in, silencing the cacophony of voices. The goblin chieftains all stared at him as he walked past their tables. Some had pride in their eyes, others reverence, while a few had nothing but distrust and skepticism. Stryg held his head high as he walked past, ignoring all their glances, and focused his gaze on the two sitting at the head table at the back of the room. A dire goblin and a woman dressed in the blue silks of an arch-shaman, the Lunar Elects.

Behind Stryg walked three others, Arden, Elayne, and Melfyn. Not a single chieftain dared meet the Guardian of the Sylvan’s gaze. Melfyn kept close to Stryg, hoping not to draw the attention of the chieftains. Elayne followed behind the others, serving like a shadow.

Stopping a few paces from the Lunar Elects, Stryg bowed with a small flourish, careful to not bow too low. “The chieftain of the Ebon Tribe greets the Eyes and the Hands of the Watcher.”

“The Ebon Tribe?” asked Lumi with a slight frown. “Are you not a son of Blood Fang?”

“I am, but I am also the father of the Ebon Tribe, the first Sylvan tribe of Hollow Shade.”

Lumi leaned back on her chair and tapped her hand on the table thoughtfully. “A Sylvan tribe only becomes a tribe when recognized by the Lunar Elects.”

“And I recognize the Ebon Tribe. Enough with the games, Lumi.” Lykos stood up from his chair, walked around the table, and patted Stryg’s shoulders. The dire goblin met his gaze with a grin. “I’m glad you are safe, War Master.”

Stryg matched his grin. “As I am of you, Warrior Elect.”

Lykos glanced at Elayne who stood straight with her arms behind her back, her stern expression reminiscent of his own.

“Elayne. The War Master seems to not have a scratch on him… well done.”

“I was only following my path, Father. As is expected of every Sylvan.”

Lykos’ gaze softened. “Is that so?”

“Thank you for bringing them to us, my chieftain,” interrupted Lumi.

Arden inclined his head slightly, “Shaman Elect.” He walked off to the bar and a goblin offered him a mug of ale, but he ignored her and grabbed an entire bottle. He sat in the corner of the room where the shadows cast were darkest and watched the scene unfold.

Lumi couldn’t help but smile wryly. Arden had always been this way, ever since they were children in the Frost Whisper tribe. Very little held any interest to him, though as Guardian he still made sure to be aware of the Elects’ affairs.

“So, who is this youngling you brought with you?” asked Lumi.

“This is Melfyn, father of the Cinder Brood Tribe,” answered Stryg.

Lumi frowned. “A youngling founded his own tribe? I can accept that you founded your own tribe, War Master, but this— this is unprecedented. How can a youngling act as chieftain?”

“I’m sixteen,” said Melfyn defensively.

Stryg gleaned at him and shook his head subtly.

“Exactly, a youngling,” snapped Lumi.

“Hollow Shade isn’t like Vulture Woods. The goblins here do not know our ways. And yet, Melfyn carries the heart of the Sylvan. From the day I met him, he stood in the defense of his fellow goblins against a creature twice his size. Melfyn and the Cinderbrood’s warriors were on the Shade Wall two nights ago, defending this city and their goblin-kin from the invaders.” Stryg met Lumi’s gaze without shying away, “I may not have grown up in Evenfall, but in my tribe risking one’s life to defend your own against all odds is a symbol of honor.”

“That it may be…” said Lumi. “Where is Aurelia? I’d like to hear her opinion on this matter of Cinder Brood.”

“First Mother Aurelia was injured during the battle. She is currently resting and will not join us tonight,” said Stryg. He tried to keep his voice calm, but a trace of pain slipped out.

“‘The Blooded’ was injured? What sort of monster could have done that?” asked Lykos with surprise.

“The kind that killed dragons,” Stryg replied.

“Ah… I see. Did she kill it?”

“I did,” said Stryg darkly.

Lykos saw the anger smoldering in his eyes and nodded. “A good kill.”

Lumi smirked. “I’d expect no less from the Mother Moon’s ‘Chosen.’ Now that you’re here, we can finally begin today’s meeting—”

“Hey, stop! You can’t go in there!” yelled a muffled voice.

The tavern’s door slammed open with a bang and Gale barged in, two fellow scarlet-cloaked vampires at her side. They took in the room with a glance, and zone in on a stunned Stryg.

Even as the chieftains drew their weapons, the vampires strode forward and quickly surrounded Stryg in a loose circle.

Elayne’s face turned bright red with anger. “What are you doing!? I told you to stay outside!” she whispered harshly.

“Apologies for the intrusion,” said Gale. “Some of the guards thought a couple of vampires standing outside was too dangerous to let slide by. They threatened to remove us from the premises. So we did what we had to.”

“Tell me you didn’t kill them,” Stryg whispered. Those guards no doubt belonged to one of the Elects. The last thing he needed right now was to anger the Sylvan council.

“We merely incapacitated them, my lord,” said one of the vampires.

Stryg glanced at their swords still sheathed at their waists. At least the goblins weren’t dead. That was something. A vampire killing a goblin would look very bad in front of the gathering of chieftains.

Lumi pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t even want to even ask… War Master, who in the blazes are these three vampires?”

“We are the Shield of Veres,” Gale replied proudly without missing a beat.

“The Shield of—? What the fuck are you talking about? Am I supposed to know what that even means?” 

Gale blinked. “Um, usually our name precedes itself…”

Lumi sighed, “If it was anyone else I’d already have ripped these idiots apart with a spell, but they seem to be with you, War Master. What is this?”

“They are my bodyguards and they are no threat to anyone here, especially the Elects,” said Stryg while glancing at Arden in the corner.

The Sylvan Guardian sipped his bottle of spirits, but his yellow eyes had already turned a feline bright green.

“I thought Elayne is the captain of your honor guard? Did she approve of these vampires?” said Lykos with a disapproving glance at his daughter.

Elayne frowned, “They are not mine. It seems our War Master had his own guards from his time in Holo’s Shade.”

“Vampires aren’t particularly intelligent, but they are physically stronger than any chromatic species in the realm.” Lykos stroked his chin, “Overall I can see why you chose them, War Master.”

“Did he just call us stupid?” muttered Gale.

Her cousin leaned towards her and whispered, “I think he called us the ‘muscle.’”

“The surprises don’t seem to stop with you, do they, War Master? You are lucky I find you— interesting.” Lumi gestured towards Melfyn, “I’ll let the youngling stand as a chieftain tonight, though he will have to prove himself in a trial of adulthood if he is to continue being chieftain of his tribe.”

“Agreed,” said Lykos.

“Thank you, Lunar Elects, I will strive to meet your expectations,” Melfyn bowed deeply. “May the Mother Moon’s silver light always bless you both.”

“At least this one has proper manners.” Lumi glanced at the vampires, “Unlike these… what are they exactly?”

“Shields of Veres…” said Gale dryly.

“Yes, a couple of bloody shields, who as I can see, aren’t carrying any shields, only swords. You are right, Lykos, they aren’t very bright.”

Gale took a deep breath and wiped her blonde hair back before looking at Stryg, a single question on her gaze. “Permission to duel her?”

“No,” said Stryg.

“You’d lose, vampire,” said Lumi with calm confidence.

Gale narrowed her scarlet eyes but did not respond.

“Well,” Lumi clapped her hands. “Enough with introductions. Onto the main matter at hand. War Master, when you spoke to us in the Silver Hall about the state of affairs for our goblin-kin cousins in Holo’s Shade I did not believe you. But now that we are here, I realize it is even worse than your story.”

“The goblins here are treated as bad as the Nameless,” said Lykos.

“The lords of the city have no honor. Goblins have no future here and yet many of the ones we’ve spoken to do not wish to leave the city. It is their home, or so they say.”

Stryg was inclined to agree with the latter statement. The goblins of this city knew little to nothing about Lunis, the only home they and their ancestors had known was Hollow Shade.

“Which brings us to our main point.” Lumi leaned forward, hands clasped, “We cannot ignore the plight of our goblin-kin and since they do not wish to leave, the Warrior Elect and I have decided.”

“We will liberate the city,” said Lykos.

Stryg furrowed his brow. “Wait, what?”

Lykos raised his clenched fist. “Whether out of malice or sheer incompetence, the lords of this city have failed to protect our goblin cousins. Even after they slaughtered our ancestors and razed Lunis, and dragged our people here to work like chattel. Even after three centuries, goblins are still mistreated. We will not stand by and let it continue.”

The chieftains roared in agreement.

Stryg laughed indignantly. “This is ridiculous! We just fought a battle and now you want to wage a new one?”

“We fought to protect our kin and we find out now they are still in danger. Did you not just say protecting our own was the symbol of a Sylvan’s honor?” Lykos stood to his feet, “We failed to protect our kin for three hundred years! But not anymore!”

The chieftains all stood up with him and shouted war cries.

Gale and the others looked at Stryg worriedly. 

Lykos smiled wide, his eyes filled with fire. “What say you, War Master!?”

“I say we can’t go to war. We didn’t save this city just to destroy it.”

“Save this city?” Lykos frowned. “We came here to save our goblin-kin.”

Lumi narrowed her eyes, “War Master, did you bring the entire Sylvan army here to save these— others?”

Stryg shook his head. “I came here to save the goblins of Hollow Shade, my tribe, and my friends… It’s true, there are bad people in this city, people who’d rather see a goblin below their heel than standing next to them, but there are also good people here.” He glanced at Gale, “I have found kindness in this city where I’ve been undeserving of it.” He turned back to the Elects, “If you go to war against this city good people will die. Innocent goblins and others alike.”

Lykos slammed his fist on the table, “Did our ancestors not die when Lunis was attacked? Were they not innocent? What had they done to deserve all-out slaughter?”

Lumi sighed, “I understand your concerns, Stryg. But these people, these Holo’s Shaders have treated our goblin cousins like mongrels. Three centuries! They had three hundred years to change their ways, but they did no such thing. This city doesn’t deserve our mercy.”

“It’s true, some lords treat goblins like mongrels, but they also treat everyone else like mongrels, it doesn’t matter if you’re a goblin or not. The strong rule the weak. The predator hunts the prey, that is the way of the forest.”

“And just like in Vulture Woods, we will protect our own, we will protect Lunis and her people,” said Lykos.

“I have personally spoken to the goblins who have lived in these homes,” said Lumi, her voice somber. “Every single one of them had a story of how they had been treated. Even though some people have shown them respect, and kindness, many others see them as lesser beings. Even humans are treated better in this place, and they aren’t even from this realm!”

“Not a single noble in this city is a goblin, our people have no voice here, no one to protect them,” said Lykos. “The lords of Holo’s Shade have taken advantage of goblins for far too long. We cannot let their crimes go unpunished.”

“Our people have a voice on the city council now,” admitted Stryg. “Me.”

“You?” Lumi narrowed her eyes. “How?”

“I am a son of House Veres, one of the Seven Ruling Families of Hollow Shade.”

“From your father’s side?” Lykos guessed. “You have placed yourself in ranks with the damn lords of this place?”

“It’s not like that—”

“What is this…?! You are the son of Blood Fang and Ebon!” growled Lumi. “You are our War Master, you are to lead the Sylvan people in times of strife. Tell me you have not chosen to side with our enemies! Tell me you did not bring us to this city for the sake of these traitorous lords and their people!?” she pointed an accusing finger at Gale.

Stryg swallowed hard, “I—”

“He did not bring anyone here. I did,” spoke a voice as cold as the winter night.

A sense of dread and relief filled Stryg’s chest as he slowly turned around and saw Lunae.




Author Announcement:

Hello,

I’ve been sick this past week, which has slowed down my writing and overall chapter releases. I’m starting to feel better, chapters will soon resume regular releases. Thank you for your patience this past week.

~Frostbird