The cave was a far cry from the village they had lost. Dark, damp, and cramped, it felt more like a tomb than a home. Luke stood at the entrance, his arms crossed as he surveyed the forest beyond. The trees swayed gently in the breeze, their leaves rustling like whispers of the past. Somewhere out there, hidden among the shadows, lay the ruins of their former village. The place where so many had died.
He clenched his fists, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders. The goblins were counting on him now—Grut, Zog, Rok, and the handful of females and children who had survived. They had lost so much: their homes, their chief, and most of their males. The tribe was a shadow of what it had been, but Luke wasn’t about to let it die.
Behind him, the cave buzzed with activity. The goblins were hard at work, clearing debris and setting up makeshift shelters. Grut was directing a group of females, his voice firm but encouraging. Zog and Rok were hauling stones to reinforce the cave walls, their muscles straining under the weight. It was progress, but it wasn’t enough.
Luke turned and walked back into the cave, his boots crunching against the rocky floor. The goblins glanced up as he passed, their eyes filled with a mix of hope and fear. He gave them a reassuring nod, but his mind was already racing. They needed better tools. Stronger defenses. A way to survive in this harsh, unforgiving world.
He stopped near the fire pit, where a pile of crude stone axes lay scattered. The goblins had been using them to cut wood and gather resources, but they were slow and inefficient. Luke picked one up, testing its weight. The blade was dull, the handle rough and uneven. It would take hours to cut down a single tree with this.
“Grut,” Luke called, his voice cutting through the noise. “Bring me the mana crystals. And get Zog and Rok over here. We’ve got work to do.”
Grut hurried over, a small pouch of mana crystals clutched in his hands. Zog and Rok followed close behind, their faces smeared with dirt and sweat. Luke took the pouch and dumped the crystals onto the ground, their faint glow casting eerie shadows on the cave walls.
“What chief do?” Grut asked, tilting his head.
Luke knelt down, pulling out his Rune Pen. The translucent tool materialized in his hand, its tip glowing faintly. “We’re going to make these axes better,” he said, his voice steady. “Stronger. Faster. With these crystals, we can enchant them.”
The goblins exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of curiosity and skepticism. Luke ignored them, focusing on the task at hand. He picked up a stone axe and began etching a series of runes into the blade. The Sharpness rune was simple but effective, designed to enhance the blade’s cutting power. As he worked, the runes began to glow, their light pulsing in time with his heartbeat.
When he was done, he held up the axe, examining his work. The runes shimmered faintly, their energy flowing through the blade. “Alright,” he said, standing up. “Let’s test it.”
The goblins followed him out of the cave and into the forest. Luke stopped near a medium-sized tree, its bark rough and weathered. He raised the enchanted axe and swung it at the trunk. The blade bit deep, cutting through the wood with ease. A few more swings, and the tree toppled over, crashing to the ground with a loud thud.
The goblins stared, their mouths hanging open. Grut was the first to speak. “Chief… make axe magic?”
Luke grinned, handing the axe to Grut. “Not magic. Just a little science and a lot of hard work. Now, let’s get the others enchanted. We’ve got a lot of trees to cut down.”
The next few hours were a blur of activity. Luke enchanted the remaining axes, while Grut, Zog, and Rok practiced using them. The goblins’ initial skepticism quickly turned to excitement as they saw how much faster and easier the work became. Even the females and children joined in, gathering smaller branches and hauling them back to the cave.
As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the group made their way deeper into the forest. The enchanted axes made quick work of the trees, and soon they had a sizable pile of logs ready to be hauled back. Luke paused to wipe the sweat from his brow, his muscles aching from the effort. It was hard work, but it felt good to be making progress.
“Chief!” Rok called, his voice tinged with panic. Luke turned just in time to see a tree falling toward the group. The goblins scattered, diving for cover as the tree crashed to the ground, narrowly missing them.
Luke let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. “Everyone okay?” he asked, his voice tight with concern.
The goblins nodded, their eyes wide with fear. Luke walked over to Rok, who was still lying on the ground, his chest heaving. “You alright, Rok?”
Rok nodded shakily. “Rok sorry, chief. Rok not see tree fall.”
Luke helped him to his feet, clapping him on the shoulder. “It’s okay. Just be more careful next time. We’re a team, remember? We look out for each other.”
Rok nodded, his expression serious. “Rok remember. Rok be careful.”
Luke smiled, but his relief was short-lived. As he turned back to the pile of logs, he noticed something moving in the distance. A shadow, barely visible among the trees. He squinted, trying to get a better look, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared.
“Chief?” Grut asked, his voice low. “What wrong?”
Luke shook his head, pushing the thought aside. “Nothing. Let’s get these logs back to the cave. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
By the time they returned to the cave, the sun was beginning to set. The goblins worked together to stack the logs near the entrance, their movements quick and efficient. Luke watched them for a moment, a faint smile tugging at his lips. They were starting to come together as a team, despite everything they’d been through.
As the fire crackled in the pit, Luke sat down, his body aching with exhaustion. He pulled up his system notifications, scrolling through the updates. The enchanted axes had earned him a decent amount of Tech Points, and he’d unlocked a new blueprint for a basic forge. It was progress, but he knew they still had a long way to go.
“Chief,” Grut said, sitting down beside him. “You tired?”
Luke nodded, leaning back against the cave wall. “Yeah. But it’s a good kind of tired. We’re making progress, Grut. That’s what matters.”
Grut smiled, his sharp teeth gleaming in the firelight. “Grut happy. Goblins happy. Chief make village strong.”
Luke chuckled, ruffling Grut’s hair. “We’ll get there, buddy. One step at a time.”
The fire crackled softly, its warm glow casting flickering shadows on the cave walls. Luke sat cross-legged by the fire pit, his eyes fixed on the flames. The goblins had settled in for the night, their tired bodies sprawled across the rocky floor. Grut snored loudly nearby, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Zog and Rok were curled up together, their makeshift blankets draped over their shoulders. Even the females and children had finally drifted off, their faces peaceful in the dim light.
Luke sighed, leaning back against the cave wall. The day had been long and exhausting, but it had also been productive. The enchanted axes had made a world of difference, and the pile of logs near the cave entrance was proof of their progress. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were barely scratching the surface. The cave was a temporary solution at best. If they were going to survive, they needed more than just a few reinforced walls and a pile of wood.
He pulled up his system notifications, scrolling through the updates. The enchanted axes had earned him a decent amount of Tech Points, and he’d unlocked a new blueprint for a basic forge. It was a step in the right direction, but it wasn’t enough. They needed better tools, stronger defenses, and a way to protect themselves from whatever was out there.
Luke’s thoughts drifted back to the shadow he’d seen in the forest earlier that day. It had been fleeting, barely more than a flicker of movement, but it had left him uneasy. Was it an animal? A human scout? Or something worse? He didn’t know, and that uncertainty gnawed at him.
“Chief?” a soft voice called, pulling him from his thoughts.
Luke looked up to see one of the female goblins standing nearby, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. Her name was Lira, one of the few who had survived the attack on the village. She was young, barely more than a child, but she had a quiet strength that Luke admired.
“What is it, Lira?” he asked, his voice gentle.
“Lira… Lira scared,” she admitted, her voice trembling. “What if humans come back? What if they find us?”
Luke hesitated, unsure how to answer. He couldn’t promise her safety—not when they were so vulnerable. But he also couldn’t let her live in fear. “We’ll be ready,” he said finally. “We’re stronger now. And we’ve got each other. That’s what matters.”
Lira nodded, though her eyes still held a flicker of doubt. “Lira trust chief. Chief make us safe.”
Luke smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Get some rest, Lira. Tomorrow’s another day.”
She nodded again and shuffled back to her sleeping spot, curling up beside the others. Luke watched her for a moment, his chest tightening with guilt. He had promised to protect them, but he wasn’t sure he could keep that promise. Not yet.
The next morning, the cave was alive with activity. The goblins worked together to haul the logs inside, stacking them neatly near the fire pit. Luke oversaw the construction of a makeshift workbench, using the enchanted axes to shape the wood into planks. It was slow, tedious work, but it was progress.
“Chief!” Grut called, his voice filled with excitement. “Look!”
Luke turned to see Grut holding up a freshly carved plank, his face beaming with pride. “Grut make this! Good, yes?”
Luke inspected the plank, nodding in approval. “Good job, Grut. Keep it up, and you’ll be our best carpenter.”
Grut’s chest puffed out with pride, and he hurried back to his work, his enthusiasm contagious. The other goblins followed his lead, their movements quick and efficient. Even Zog and Rok seemed to be working harder, their competitive nature driving them to outdo each other.
Luke smiled, feeling a flicker of hope. They were starting to come together as a team, despite everything they’d been through. But that hope was short-lived.
“Chief!” a voice shouted, breaking through the noise.
Luke turned to see Grut running toward him, his face pale and his eyes wide with fear. “Grut see humans! In forest! Many humans!”
The cave fell silent, the goblins freezing in place. Luke’s heart pounded in his chest as he grabbed Grut by the shoulders. “Where? How many?”
“East!” Grut gasped, pointing toward the forest. “Grut count… maybe twenty? They come fast!”
Luke’s mind raced. Twenty humans. Armed, no doubt. And they were heading straight for the cave. He turned to the goblins, his voice firm. “Everyone, listen up! We don’t have much time. Grut, Zog, Rok—gather the others. We need to fortify the cave.”
The goblins sprang into action, their fear momentarily forgotten. Luke activated his Map function, the overlay appearing in his vision. He zoomed in on the eastern approach, noting the terrain. There’s a narrow pass here. If we can funnel them through it, we might stand a chance.
“Grut!” Luke called, motioning the goblin over. “Take a group and set up barricades here and here.” He pointed to the map, indicating key choke points. “Use whatever you can find—rocks, logs, anything.”
Grut nodded, his expression serious. “Grut do it. Make humans regret coming.”
Luke managed a faint smile. “That’s the spirit.” He turned to the others, assigning tasks and rallying their spirits. “We’ve faced worse than this. Remember the wolves? The spiders? We’re still here. And we’re not going anywhere.”
The goblins cheered, their fear replaced by determination. Luke felt a surge of pride, but it was short-lived. As the goblins scattered to their tasks, he caught Grut’s arm.
“Grut,” he said quietly, “if things go south… get the others out of here. Understand?”
Grut hesitated, then nodded. “Grut understand. But Grut stay with chief. Always.”
Luke sighed, clapping the goblin on the shoulder. “You’re a good friend, Grut. Let’s make sure we both live to see tomorrow.”
As the goblins worked, Luke kept his eyes on the map. The humans were closer now, their movements erratic. Something’s not right, he thought. They’re not marching—they’re running.
His suspicion was confirmed when a new blip appeared on the map, moving fast. Too fast. Luke zoomed in, his blood running cold. The humans weren’t just running toward the cave—they were running from something.
“Chief!” a goblin shouted, pointing to the eastern pass. “Look!”
Luke turned, his heart pounding. In the distance, he could see the humans—scattered, desperate, and clearly terrified. And behind them, something massive and dark moved through the trees, its eyes glowing like embers.
What the hell is that? Luke thought, his grip tightening on his spear. The goblins froze, their earlier confidence evaporating.
“Chief…” Grut whispered, his voice trembling. “What we do now?”
Luke took a deep breath, his mind racing. “We hold the line,” he said firmly. “And we pray that thing doesn’t notice us.”
