Chapter 7: The Warrior's Shadow

The Goblin Warrior's towering frame loomed menacingly, his spiked club resting lazily on his shoulder. His yellow eyes glinted with malice as he sneered at the hatchling.

"How dare you come here to collect my fee," the warrior growled, his deep voice echoing across the rocky terrain. "I've killed lizards like you countless times before. Do you know who I am? I'm from the Rusty Stone Tribe! No other tribe name strikes as much fear and dominance as ours!"

The smaller goblins behind the hatchling cowered, their low murmurs carrying faint whispers of "Rusty Stone." The warrior's words clearly carried weight among them.

The hatchling tilted his head slightly, his glowing eyes narrowing. "Rusty Stone Tribe, huh?" he said, his voice calm, almost disinterested. "Not bad. Not bad at all. But…"

The Goblin Warrior's brow furrowed as the hatchling continued, his tone sharpening.

"Have you heard of the Void Reaver Tribe?"

The warrior froze, the name striking like a blade through his confident demeanor. For a moment, his sneer faltered, and his grip on the club tightened.

Behind the hatchling, the smaller goblins gasped audibly, their whispers growing frantic.

"Void Reaver Tribe…" one muttered.

"Such a tribe exists…?" another whispered, wide-eyed.

The Goblin Warrior quickly cleared his throat, his yellow eyes darting nervously to the hatchling before narrowing again. "Tch. Void Reaver, you say?" he growled, forcing a laugh. "You think throwing around some fancy name will intimidate me?"

"Does it?" the hatchling asked, his smirk widening.

The warrior flinched ever so slightly, the faintest bead of sweat forming on his brow.

The hatchling took a step forward, his claws scraping against the rocky ground. "Let me ask you something," he said, his voice low but sharp. "Do you think you're strong?"

The Goblin Warrior straightened, his sneer returning with forced bravado. "Of course I'm strong!" he barked. "Can't you see how dark my skin is? It's a mark of power and superiority!"

The hatchling chuckled softly, lifting his own claw into the faint light. His dark, nearly black scales shimmered ominously in the dim surroundings.

"Interesting," he said. "Because my scales are darker than yours. And where I come from? Everyone looks like this."

The Goblin Warrior's eyes flickered between the hatchling's scales and his own skin. His forced calm wavered, his fingers tightening around the club as his chest rose and fell unevenly.

"Now," the hatchling continued, his voice dropping to a near-growl, "do you think you can handle the consequences of crossing someone like me… or my tribe?"

The silence that followed was deafening. The Goblin Warrior said nothing, his breathing shallow as his grip on the club faltered. Behind the hatchling, the smaller goblins held their breaths, their wide eyes darting between the two figures.

The silence was broken once again by the high-pitched, enthusiastic voice of the young goblin.

"Sir Lord is unstoppable!"

The hatchling turned to see the young goblin stepping forward, its small frame practically vibrating with energy.

"Do you know what Sir Lord did?" the young goblin exclaimed, its wide eyes gleaming with excitement. "He fought a Clawstalker! The dangerous, terrifying Clawstalker!"

The Goblin Warrior's sneer faltered, his eyes narrowing slightly. "A… Clawstalker?"

"Yes!" the young goblin chirped, already moving into an exaggerated reenactment. "It roared and snarled, trying to tear Sir Lord apart, but Sir Lord didn't even flinch!"

The goblin took a dramatic step forward, puffing out its chest and raising its chin high. It mimicked walking slowly, each step deliberate, its face scrunched into an exaggerated look of cold determination.

"Sir Lord walked like this!" it declared, its voice rising with excitement. "Silent! Calm! His eyes were like fire, and his claws were ready to strike!"

The smaller goblins gasped, watching the young goblin's performance with rapt attention.

"The Clawstalker charged!" the young goblin continued, pretending to crouch like a predator. "But Sir Lord didn't move. He just stood there, like a mountain, waiting for the right moment!"

The Goblin Warrior's hand tightened around his club, his knuckles turning white.

"And then…" The young goblin froze dramatically, holding its breath for effect before shouting, "BAM! Sir Lord struck with such force that the Clawstalker didn't know what hit it!"

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

The young goblin mimicked clawing at the air, spinning and stumbling as if imitating a dying beast.

"Blood everywhere!" it cried, throwing its arms wide. "The Clawstalker tried to escape, but Sir Lord walked after it, silently, like death itself!"

The Goblin Warrior's eyes flickered nervously to the hatchling, who stood still, his glowing eyes locked on the warrior. The tension in the air grew heavier, the smaller goblins whispering in awe.

The young goblin struck a triumphant pose, arms stretched wide as it finished its exaggerated retelling. For a moment, there was silence.

Then, the other goblins erupted into applause.

"Yes! Sir Lord is amazing!"

"Did you see that acting?"

"Just like a real warrior!"

They clapped their hands, stomped their feet, and cheered with excitement. Some even began mimicking the young goblin's dramatic movements, pretending to walk silently and strike imaginary foes.

The hatchling blinked, utterly dumbfounded.

What… is happening?

He glanced at the clapping goblins, their wide eyes filled with admiration. Are they… praising him for the acting or for me?

His gaze flicked back to the young goblin, who was now bowing theatrically, soaking in the applause. The hatchling's lips twitched, fighting back a smirk.

Sure. This is exactly how it happened. I totally walked silently like a 'mountain of death' and didn't scream at all.

His tail swished slightly, his internal monologue dripping with sarcasm. Maybe I should hire this kid to write my autobiography.

The young goblin spun around, grinning up at him with unabashed pride. "Was I good, Sir Lord? Did I tell it right?"

The hatchling tilted his head, his glowing eyes narrowing slightly as he stared at the goblin. "…Close enough," he muttered.

The Goblin Warrior, however, wasn't as amused. His eyes darted nervously between the cheering goblins and the hatchling, his once-confident demeanor crumbling under the combined weight of the exaggerated tale and the unwavering presence of the supposed "Void Reaver."

The hatchling took another step forward, his claws clicking against the stone. "Now, where were we?" he said calmly, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade.

The goblins immediately fell silent, their applause dying as quickly as it had started.

The hatchling's claws clicked against the stone as he stepped closer to the Goblin Warrior, his glowing eyes fixed on the larger goblin.

"So," the hatchling said, his tone calm but sharp, "why do you collect taxes from these people?"

The Goblin Warrior hesitated, his grip tightening around the club. "To… to protect them," he muttered, his voice quieter than before.

"Protect them?" the hatchling repeated, tilting his head slightly. "Protect them from what?"

The Goblin Warrior's mouth opened, but before he could respond, the hatchling cut him off.

"Protect them from the Clawstalker that terrorized them?" the hatchling growled, his voice rising slightly. "Did you?"

The Goblin Warrior stiffened, his mouth snapping shut. He didn't answer.

The hatchling's tail swayed behind him as he stepped even closer, his glowing eyes narrowing. "I did," he said coldly. "I protected them. I fought that beast. I bled for them. And because of that, I can't even take their gratitude or collect a single tax?"

The Goblin Warrior's gaze fell to the ground, his confidence crumbling entirely under the hatchling's words. His shoulders slumped, and he lowered his head in shame, unable to meet the hatchling's piercing stare.

The hatchling's claws clicked against the rocky ground as he took one final step forward. "Go," he snarled. "Go and tell your lord this: If you or he ever steps foot here again, I will rip you apart and show no mercy."

He paused, his glowing eyes glinting with menace. "And when you describe me," he continued, his voice icy and deliberate, "don't forget to mention what you saw here today. Tell him how small and scrawny I am—but also tell him what I've done."

The Goblin Warrior swallowed hard, his trembling hands loosening their grip on the club. Without another word, he turned and retreated, his massive frame shrinking as he disappeared into the shadows.

The smaller goblins erupted into whispers, their wide eyes fixed on the hatchling. He stood still, his glowing gaze lingering on the cave's entrance long after the warrior had gone.