Gr’ex grumbled. How did he get himself stuck in this situation? He thought back to how he got here on this hard wooden floor all tied up. Where did it all go wrong?

His master, Kit’erak, had given him 24 of his goblin clan to command and ordered him to establish a foothold on this newly integrated world filled with huemons. Most of the men under his command were battle hardened warriors with only a handful of lowly weaklings that were there to be his personal bootlickers and builders.

When they arrived through the portal there was nothing but forest. The portal was in a clearing surrounded by trees, it was a perfect location to begin building a base. No huemons around to interfere before they had time to build up a strong defensive position. Gr’ex was thrilled with his luck.

“Yes, Master will be pleased, and I will be rewarded with my choice of slaves from this new world.” Gr’ex commented as he watched his men finish transporting the supplies and weapons they would need.

That was when it all went to troll shite. Gr’ex was chastising a couple of his bootlicking builders who were chopping down trees to make logs for their new base. They had nearly dropped a tree right on top of him. Just as he was about to unleash a few curses of agony on the two, one of his scouts rushed in.

The scout clearly ran all the way here and was completely out of breath as he tried to talk as he kept pointing back the way he came. “B-b-be-be-b-b-b-b...”

In frustration Gr’ex yelled at the scout. “Out with it you fool!”

“B-bear... b-big... bear... big bear, really big bear!” The scout stammered out as he kept pointing back the way he came.

That was all the warning they got before the massive Mutated Forest Bear charged into the clearing and roared.

ROARRR!!!

His men were shocked, and it took them a moment to move into action. The bear bowled over multiple goblins to get to the tasty morsel that ran from it. The poor scout tried to reach out to Gr’ex in the hope his boss would help him, but Gr’ex just pushed the scout in the bear’s charging direction.

“I don’t have to outrun that bear just you.” Gr’ex sneered.

A few of the goblin warriors were able to get in good blows on the bear’s right side as it initially ignored them so it could kill the prey that dared to run from it.

The scout had just enough time to look up into the bear’s gapping maw before the monster clamped down and bit the goblin in two. Its initial hunter instincts satisfied; it turned its ire on the insects attacking it.

The bear’s massive claw swung out and separated arms from their owners and split one goblin in two.

Gr’ex had to do something otherwise his unit would be gone, and he would be next. He started casting curse after curse all from the safety of a tree. Once he had enough damage over time (DOT) spells on the mutated forest bear, he started throwing dark bolts at the bear’s weakened right side.

After a few dark bolts Gr’ex used a magic spell, his master had taught him. The spell was called Eldritch Fire. It was a tier 5 spell and would use up all his remaining mana. Focusing as hard as he could, Gr’ex cast the spell. Green fire shot out and hit his target on its right side. The spell seemed to splash on impact. Wherever the spell hit it seemed to melt the flesh away.

The mutated bear was on its hind legs swatting his men away like flies. However, even a swarm of flies can hurt a large beast. The bear cried out in agony as it swiped faster and faster. Until the combination of the Eldritch Fire, curses, and weapons attacks finally took their toll.

Stolen story; please report.

Sadly, for the remaining goblin warriors they were caught underneath the bear when it collapsed on top of them, killing the instantly.

“Idiots! I am surrounded by idiots!” Gr’ex complained as he got down from his perch on the tree, he was using to better attack the bear. ‘Yes, that’s it, it had nothing to do with getting away from the bear at all!’ Gr’ex thought as he made his way to the dead bear.

There were only two bootlickers left, the rest of his force was dead or dying. Those wounded would cry out for help.

“You!” Gr’ex pointed to the two remaining goblins who had vacant looks on their faces.

“Yes, great Gr’ex?!” They both replied.

“Pick up a weapon and go around and put these wastes of goblin flesh out of my misery. I can’t stand listening to their whining and complaining!” Gr’ex ordered.

“S-sir... they are dying.” On one his remaining two men said.

“Yes, but clearly not fast enough. So, go! Besides the added death energy will help me as I recover my mana.” Gr’ex pointed in the direction of his dying men.

Order given, Gr’ex no longer cared. His mind was focused on the other high-level spell his master taught him. Animate Greater Undead Minion. Perhaps Gr’ex’s luck was improving. With this corpse he could finally have a powerful undead minion that would be far more powerful than his worthless warriors.

———-

Everything was great and all was right with the universe according to Gr’ex. He now had a powerful undead minion and could finally call himself a proper necromancer. Sure, his mana still had a long way to go to refill, but so what, Gr’ex did not care. Any creature that dared to cross him would die thanks to his new favorite minion.

The goblin caster knew they needed to find either slave labor to build a foothold or take over an existing base. Gr’ex figured either option would not be very difficult. He just needed to find some huemons. That was why he was using his Life Sense necklace.

It took some time to sort out all the life signs in the forest. It was rather annoying. “Too much life in this place. We will have to change that once we take it over.”

“Yes, great Gr’ex!” Both goblins said in response. They had learned the hard way how cruel their commander was, and they had zero intention to end up as snacks for his new pet.

The magical necklace led them to a structure built out of tree logs.

“This will serve as a base for now. I sense life within. Time for my new minion to show me how amazing it is.” Gr’ex said as he mentally commanded the Undead Mutated Forest Bear to take down the door so they could introduce themselves to the inhabitant.

———-

Gr’ex just looked over at the unconscious form of his new master. “How was I supposed to know he had impressive, ranged weapons or that powerful lighting spell. If I had not been so low on mana my shield might’ve held out longer, but no, he smacked me around like I was nothing. Me, the great Gr’ex taken out by a level 1 huemon. All because I had no mana. My mana is still not fully recharged.”

Gr’ex tried to better position himself to be as comfortable as was possible, but it was difficult to say the least. “How did a level 1 have such powerful magic or weapons at his disposal? His luck must be off the charts.”

Moving as best he could, Gr’ex surveyed the room. Only a few feet away from the goblin he could see some well-built furniture with what looked like very comfortable padding on it. “Why couldn’t he have dropped me off on one of those.”

Still grumbling at his lot in life Gr’ex continued to move and look around as best he could. The place was clearly a home for a king. “Perhaps that is why I was defeated. If this level 1 huemon, well level 10 now, was royalty that would explain how he beat me. True royal huemons were granted authority by their God, it was not something anyone of us that serve the Dark can ignore.”

The possibly royal huemon, no, Gr’ex would not accept anything less. The one who bested him had to be a true royal huemon. Gr’ex watched his new master as his body glowed and periodically twitched or morphed then would shift back. “Creepy. I wonder what magic core he absorbed. I didn’t get a chance to inspect it before the light blinded me and it was gone.”

After the giant magical core was gone his new master looked like he morphed and changed but the light was too bright to make out into what. Then out of nowhere the huemon dropped from his place floating in the air. “What kind of power makes you float in the air like that? Maybe aeromancy? Nah it was too bright. Maybe Storm magic with lightning. Nah, that would not explain the golden glow. Whatever it was, it is clear he was compatible and will survive.”

Just then Gr’ex got a cramp in his neck from trying to remain twisted for so long to watch the huemon. “Owwww! Hells’ bells! I hope this guy wakes up soon! Pins and needles!!!”