We were returning to the capital, still dazed by what had happened. The Sword God had personally intervened and chased that dragon woman away. Even though this world feels like something straight out of a fantasy game, I still couldn't fully believe that the gods of this world actually exist and get involved in it. To think there might be four more — equally powerful.
"Glory to the Sword God! Long live Zod! Long live the Queen! Long live the Kingdom of Valar!" the chants were still rising long after the battle and the encounter with Daralis.
To think that even carts full of corpses and the wounds on their bodies didn't break their spirit. Not all tribes agreed to bury their fallen on the battlefield. Every goblin family had its own customs, and some of them said their dead should be buried close to them or near temples.
If we want to survive in this damned world, we have to grow stronger. If one dragon woman almost wiped us all out, then what would happen if the name of our kingdom truly offended Valeria's uncle and he decided to attack us!? We would stand no chance.
"What do you plan to do now, Artax?" Jo'Xa'Jaru asked me. "That dragon woman will definitely come back sooner or later, and even two… hmm… lost… monsters from her army, or demons sent by her, could cause no less damage."
There was maturity and experience in his words — knowledge of how this world works. In truth, we were just hoping that the woman would get bored of this matter and leave us alone. Though to be honest, I didn't expect it. The sun would rise in the west sooner than someone who has lived so long would change their ways and become kind-hearted.
Valeria rode at the very front on Argos, returning to the capital as a victor. Mago was already waiting, along with hundreds if not thousands of goblins. I and the Lizardmen rode in the middle of the column. Doirak brought up the rear. Burdened with loot, wounded, and wagons, we moved painfully slowly. The column stretched for many kilometers, and the journey took several extra days. Well… at least I had a chance to practice summoning.
"Not bad at all! This one didn't die immediately after being summoned," San'Xa'Hu laughed at the sight of my disaster mouse, which managed to hold its form for a moment before running straight into a wolf's jaws — and getting eaten instantly.
For a moment, I felt anger. Then I remembered how Daralis had summoned that creature in the arena — first organs, blood, nerves, and only then skin and other parts. It also had very little aura and fell apart injured. Hmm… Meanwhile, Valeria's summons used the soul of the slain and only died when she allowed it or due to injuries. I had an idea!
"Give me that worm, please!" I asked one goblin who was eating that disgusting thing. He reluctantly handed it over.
I immediately crushed it under my paw, then focused a huge amount of my aura on its remains. I thought about something like its spiritual essence or soul, if it even had one, and imagined a rabbit from scratch. Although I didn't know its exact structure, I understood enough from eating so many of them. It slowly formed on the remains of the worm — I could feel it draining my aura and will. I imagined thick, firm muscles, a chest, and weak bones. After a moment, a barely breathing rabbit with short ears in disaster colors (since it consumed less aura when i summoned that way) squirmed on the ground, weak.
"Here, eat it," I said to the same goblin. "Ah, wait."
I asked the Lizardmen to help prepare it, and one of them — Jo's left hand, San being the right one — level 61 Zu'Xa'Warr, used fire magic to roast it without creating an open flame, so we wouldn't interrupt the already slow march of the column.
After a while, the bald goblin was eating decent rabbit meat and licking his lips, exchanging scraps and leftovers for valuable goods and treats with others. A shiver ran down my spine. If I could do something like this at the cost of maybe one-third of my aura, then once I grew stronger, I could feed this whole band! Ideas of massive slaughterhouses under my control and the end of famine filled my imagination.
"A tasty bite!" Zu commented, chewing on a juicy piece that quickly disappeared into his red-scaled maw. "You have a gift for summons, Artax!"
A smile appeared on my face without me even realizing it, and all the way I kept experimenting and discussing how to improve this ability. The very idea of creating life from nothing filled me with incredible excitement. It was a shame, though, that soon enough old problems and struggles of building a kingdom from nothing returned.
I saw a mass of bonfires and a crowded goblin city. Various flags waved on high fences, and the gate stood wide open. As I walked, I was greeted by various tribal delegations. Children threw flowers at me and the Lizardmen. Did they think they were my personal guard!? Nice, I guess, but at this point I'm sure even San could beat me black and blue without breaking a sweat!
That day, many funerals and speeches were held inside. People told stories of how the Sword God appeared on the battlefield to save the green race. Songs of victory were sung, and heated discussions took place with eastern goblins — many of whom came to stay close to the Queen and influence important matters. I sat by the fire with the Lizardmen, thinking about the future.
"Thank you, Lord Artax, for letting us go help our warriors!" Gege said to me, laughing happily. "It meant a lot to me…" she added, slightly saddened.
Losing most of her entire family at such a young age must have been incredibly painful. I nodded and said, "The important thing is that nothing happened to you. Valar needs goblins like you, Gege."
She brightened immediately, her white hair flowing in the wind as she ran off to play with other children, receiving a bowl of thick mushroom soup from the Lizardmen's cauldron, which she gratefully accepted.
"What kind of child is that?" Jo asked me, and I briefly told him her story, which made him smile.
"They say her village is going to merge with Mago's village. No surprise, there are so few of them left. They say their new tribe will be called the Blue Stripes, though I'm not sure if that's true. Good thing their spirit hasn't died!"
Let them merge, let them grow stronger. Before we know it, spring will end, then summer, and first frosts will come. I don't know how we'll survive like this. Constant warfare, threats from the east and orcs from the north. Soon slavers will come too, and even news of our kingdom won't scare them off…
"Great Devourer. The Queen summons you," said one hobgoblin with a black wolf mask.
Well… I've lived to see happy times. The Queen summons me. Ha!
"I'll come at once," I replied.
I said goodbye to the other revelers. Everywhere around, people were celebrating victory, Koshia's death, and the manifestation of the Sword God. They had more than enough reasons to dance and feast. I still felt the scent of incense burned over the grave of Green General Borg, the shaman Isma, and others. Poor Nut was too large to be taken with us and remained on the battlefield along with Shoma, in a separate grave worthy of their deeds.
I walked slowly through the city, which had not yet cooled down after the battle. Bonfires burned like small hearts pinned into the darkness, and between them goblins and hobgoblins danced, laughed, and shouted about victory, the Sword God, Valar, and a future that suddenly no longer looked like certain death. Someone beat barrels like drums, someone else sang off-key but with such joy it was impossible not to smile. The air smelled of roasted meat, herbs, and smoke, and all this chaos felt strangely… alive. As if for the first time in a long while, we weren't running from the end of the world.
Soon I crossed the threshold and already felt the scent of my friend. Nearby, Argos was resting, a few goblins stood guard, and a great fire burned in the center of a floor covered with boards and carpets — so beautifully patterned that they must have been bought, not woven by green hand.
"You're here!" she said to me. "Had a nice celebration?" she smiled.
She stood in just socks and slippers, wearing light night clothes and a sleeping cap — very unlike her. She looked exhausted and weakened. Not surprising after such a long battle, after reading so many reports, receiving so many oaths, attending funerals, and giving emotional speeches. She had worked hard all day. Actually, the last several weeks without rest.
"I thought you'd finally rest. Did you want something from me?" I asked calmly, though concern for her showed in my voice.
She spun on her heel and began telling me everything she had come up with on the way back from Hakku's former fortress — now the allied fortress. With passion and emotion, she described what she felt when the Sword God appeared and what passed through her mind. She also wanted to become that strong one day, so that he would speak directly to her. To achieve that, she needed to build a kingdom worthy of his patronage — or at least of his attention. In her view, one victory was not yet a great achievement.
"That's why I'm asking you, Artax! You're from… you know where…" I don't know why she keeps this secret; goblins behind the wall probably can't hear us anyway. "In your world there are supposedly countless nations and kingdoms, each with its own flag. I would like you, together with Argos and the Lizardmen, to help me create a flag and coat of arms worthy of the Kingdom of Valar. Worthy of Valar the Conqueror."
I rolled my eyes. Why can't she think of something herself? Then I felt her cold hand on me, and our eyes met. Her golden eye looked like it wanted to pierce my soul.
"I'll tell you a secret — how I avoided Daralis' tail strike," she said suddenly. "I know you won't tell anyone anyway, and you're my friend, so you should know."
I was taken aback. I mean, why would she be talking about it so suddenly?
"I don't know, maybe because you're a vampire? You're a fast race," I blurted out.
She laughed and placed her hands on her hips.
"I can see the future. For now, over a second ahead when I want to — with my right eye. It is said that only one in a hundred vampires in my Nocturne bloodline inherit this gift. Even my father didn't have it. But the legendary Valar had golden eyes in both… My left eye comes from my mother's Bloodsoule lineage, where only a few were granted such a gift — the ability of hypnosis and influence over body, mind, and soul… My father used to say I was a miracle. I thought it was more of a curse… but that was before… Now… now I think I'm grateful to the God of Darkness and my luck. Without it, I would never have survived to be here… and I would never have met you…"
It made sense… She really was some kind of miracle. That appearance. Those talents. That warrior's character and intelligence. If royalty had a personified form… it would be her. And I had nothing like that. Why did she like me so much? I didn't know.
"I don't know what to say. You're truly extraordinary," I said, slightly embarrassed. "I won't tell anyone your secret. No wonder you're so good with a sword. And you'll probably only get stronger. May the Sword God fear you," I laughed, and she laughed with me.
Soon fatigue overcame us. I promised to prepare everything before she woke up, and since she was a vampire, I had plenty of time. She drifted off to sleep in the room next door. Darkness outside, light inside. Burning logs crackled, candles melted, and I sat thinking about what would come…
Argos later approached me, and Jo'Xa'Jaru came with him. The three of us thought about what the Kingdom of Valar should be like, what symbols it should have, and how to ensure it would not disappear in the tide of history.