Chapter 15 – The Guardian's Sacrifice, Lady Cass's Resolve
That very night, after the goblins achieved their aim, dragging the beautiful female knight into the dreadful forest, they returned to the goblin cave.
The knight's eyes were blindfolded, and the goblins' laughter echoed around her. The images flashing in her mind were unbearable, yet no matter how fiercely she struggled, it was all in vain.
In the darkness, a pair of golden eyes slowly opened. Altair glanced at the female knight bound to a stone and carried along, then turned back to look at the goblins present. It was time to say farewell.
Altair's gaze fell on the old Violet Goblin, and the creature seemed to understand. It approached Altair, then knelt before its emperor alongside the other goblins, chanting strange goblin blessings.
The old violet demon goblin would remain here with one of the two remaining Pale Goblins and most of the tribe, to face the wrath of humanity. This was the burden commoners bore for their emperor.
For such a lowly race, sacrifice was inevitable. The strong destroyed all before them, while the weak endured by giving up their lives.
The old Violet Goblin's abilities were beyond question, his role surpassing all others in the horde. To Altair, he was more like a father, having prepared everything for him since birth.
Here, Altair felt a warmth he had never known in the human world. Yet now he had to choose. Sacrifice a part, so the rest could survive the trials ahead. He was the emperor, and the prosperity and strength of his clan were the best comfort for all who would be lost.
At the time of Altair's birth, the old Violet Goblin had actually been at ease. The responsibility of continuing their strong bloodline was no longer the highest priority; there was no need to bring more offspring into this world only to suffer as they had.
The fragile goblins were nothing more than numbers, with no future to see. They never knew when they would die at the hands of other races, relying on others of their kind to breed and grow quickly to fill the gaps. They were the lowest of sub-humans, despised by all, hated by every clan.
The smarter one was, the deeper one understood the pain of it. Thus, when a higher being appeared, they would flock to follow without hesitation, suppressing even their own mating instincts. Instinctively, they did not want their descendants to repeat the same despair.
At this moment, the old Violet Goblin was sending off his child. But this time, it was not his child being sent to safety—he himself stayed behind with the younger ones to meet death together.
A Violet Goblin Commander and a Violet Goblin Shaman.
A Pale Goblin Warrior.
Six Goblin Knights, six Goblin Archers, six Goblin Scouts, and one Goblin Lookout.
These were all who survived and followed Altair into the central area of the Qirwood Forest. With the blessing of the old Violet Goblin and all the others, Altair, his chosen goblins, and two human women departed under the night sky, crossing Dire Wolf territory and entering the central zone.
Yet Altair did not realize that the greatest aid he had received from the old Violet Goblin was not its selfless dedication, but the replication of its genetic talent and its reproduction through a human woman. This was the foundation that would one day allow him to lead the goblin race out of the misty forest and grow ever stronger.
Carrying the sleeping Lyra, and leading twenty-two surviving goblins along with the captured female knight, Altair looked back and saw the Dire Wolves circling but not daring to approach. At dawn, smoke rose in the distance from his birthplace.
All traces of his existence vanished in fire. None knew he had ever been there, none knew they had fled. The home they left behind was no more.
"Woo! Woo!"
By morning, Lady Cass, who had been stripped and bound to a wooden board, had regained her senses. She found the goblins had stopped moving and were preparing to fight.
Altair raised his brows, set aside his heavy thoughts, and embraced the dawn of a new beginning. He ordered the goblins to lay blankets on a clean spot, then gently placed the still-sleeping Lyra there, letting her rest again.
It was the sixth day since Lyra had been captured, the fifth since she became pregnant. Her belly now swelled as though she were eight or nine months into a human pregnancy. In two and a half days, their first generation of children would be born.
The beautiful knight beside her, however—who still had the strength to resist and had slain many goblins—was not given such gentle treatment.
Altair brought a Pale Goblin and five Green Goblins, then dragged Lady Cass before him, keeping her away from the sleeping Lyra.
Bang!
Before a great tree, the goblins released her bindings and shoved her to the ground. Cassvia staggered to her feet through the pain, tearing off the cloth gag and the blindfold covering her eyes.
Soft sunlight fell upon her face. Half the world was still gray, and before her stood a strange sight: a figure with golden hair, golden eyes, platinum skin, alongside hideous goblins.
Cassvia froze. Why was there an elf here? Yet the being lacked the noble traits of the elves. He resembled a goblin in another form.
"Could this goblin have transformed into an elf?" she thought in horror.
Altair smiled. "Noble human knight, do you know why we captured you?"
Cassvia's eyes widened in shock. A goblin… speaking human tongue?
Though her body ached, her expression hardened. She stood tall, meeting Altair's gaze with unwavering resolve.
"They're only goblins. Never think I will yield!"
Weaponless, armorless, her body battered with wounds—yet the noble female knight declared: she would never surrender.