CHAPTER 7

[AT THE TABLE, THE EXPRESSIONS OF THE ELDERS WERE THOSE OF A SAD ONE. NONE OF THEM SEEMED TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO SPEAK FIRST.

VYN: IS EVERYTHING ALRIGHT? I KNOW THE VILLAGE HAS BEEN DESTROYED, AS I AM SURE ALL OF THE OTHER VILLAGES WERE. I WILL DO ANYTHING IN MY POWER TO HELP YOU REBUILD. DON’T LOSE HOPE IN YOUR PEOPLE.

[THE ELDER FROM BEFORE HAD A VERY FAINT SMILE AS HE SPOKE.]

ELDER: THANK YOU, MY LORD. WE JUST NEVER IMAGINED SEEING SO MANY OF OUR PEOPLE FREE AGAIN. THIS IS NO TIME FOR IDLENESS, SO I WILL BEGIN WITH THE MEETING.

[THE ELDER STOOD AND INTRODUCED THE FIVE ACROSS FROM VYN HIMSELF, WHO WAS INCLUDED.]

ELDER: I AM PAW'D, THE ELDER OF THE VILLAGE WE ARE CURRENTLY IN. TO MY LEFT ARE BORUS AND LERA, AND TO MY RIGHT ARE DREGG AND GRACE. WE WERE EACH THE LEADERS OF OUR OWN RESPECTIVE VILLAGES AND HAD BEEN THE ONLY KOBOLDS TO BE ABLE TO FEND OFF THE HUMANOIDS BEFORE THIS MOST RECENT DISASTER. WE HAVE DECIDED THAT IT IS IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO WORK TOGETHER AS OUR OWN COUNTRY INSTEAD OF AS SEPARATE FACTIONS. WITH THAT BEING SAID, THOUGH WE HAVE MUCH WE LACK, AS OF TODAY WE DON’T EVEN HAVE ANY FOOD TO KEEP OUR PEOPLE FED. THERE IS ALSO ONE OTHER IMMEDIATE THREAT, WHICH IS THE HUMANOID'S MAIN BASE IN THE DUNGEON, WHICH NO DOUBT SAW THE SMOKE EARLIER.

VYN, I HAD NO IDEA THERE WERE OTHER BASES HERE FOR THE SLAVERS. OTHERWISE, I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN SO RECKLESS THAT I ENDANGERED THE LIVES OF SO MANY CHILDREN.

LERA: DON'T APOLOGIZE, MY LORD; IF IT WEREN’T FOR YOU, MANY OF US WOULD STILL BE ENSLAVED WORKING IN THOSE MINES UNTIL WE EVENTUALLY DIED.

DREGG - THANKS TO YOU, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A FIGHTING CHANCE NOW. WHAT WE ARE REALLY GETTING AT IS THAT THE MAIN BASE FOR THE SLAVERS WOULD BE THE BEST PLACE FOR US TO REBUILD.

VYN: OH, OKAY, THEN ARE YOU WANTING TO ASSAULT IT?

PAW’D - YOU’RE CORRECT, MY LORD, BUT NOT TO DESTROY IT. THE BASE IS ACTUALLY A VERY FANCY-LOOKING STRUCTURE MADE OF STONE, AND THE SLAVERS HAVE IT STORED WITH LOTS OF FOOD; OTHERWISE, THEY’D HAVE TO RELY ON THE FORESTS THAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY CHASING THEIR LIVES OUT OF.

GRACE, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO CLEAR OUT THIS BASE BUT FIND A WAY TO KEEP IT INTACT FOR US?

VYN: SURE, HOW FAR AWAY IS IT? AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THIS ALONE?

PAW'D: NO, MY LORD, WE WILL BE SENDING FOUR KOBOLDS WITH YOU. WE MAY NOT HAVE ANY WEAPONS OR ARMOR, BUT OUR HUNTERS WOULD LAY DOWN THEIR LIVES TO HELP SAVE THEIR PEOPLE. THE BASE IS ABOUT 10 DAYS AWAY, AND WE KOBOLDS WILL BE LEAVING HERE IN ABOUT FIVE. THIS WILL HOPEFULLY BE ENOUGH TIME FOR YOU TO MAKE YOUR MOVE AND HAVE IT READY.

VYN: YES, OF COURSE. HAVE YOUR MEN MEET ME IN AN HOUR, AND WE WILL SET OFF.[ VYN LEAVES THE ROOM WITH A WAVE ]

GRACE - ARE YOU SURE THIS ISN’T TOO MUCH TO ASK OF HIM? I KNOW YOU WANT TO CONVINCE HIM TO STAY AND LEAD US, BUT I FEAR THIS IS JUST TOO CRUEL.

PAW’D - HONESTLY, I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE BEST MOVE IS ANYMORE. IF IT WEREN’T FOR VYN, WE WOULD ALL HAVE NOW BEEN ENSLAVED, WITH NO ONE COMING TO OUR RESCUE. HE REALLY IS THE MOTHER'S CHILD.

DREGG: HE’S WHAT?!

PAW'D: YES, ACCORDING TO HIM, THE REASON THE MOTHER HAD TO LEAVE OUR WORLD AND US WAS ACTUALLY TO SAVE ANOTHER WORLD THAT HAD BEEN RULED BY A CORRUPT GOD WHO WAS HARMING HIS OWN PEOPLE. EVEN WITH HER SAVING ANOTHER WORLD, SHE STILL SENT US NOT JUST A SAVIOR BUT HER OWN SON.

BORUS, WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY ANYTHING? WE SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN TALKING TO SUCH A PERSON SO CASUALLY. HE SHOULD BE WORSHIPED BY ALL!

PAW'D: DON’T GO RUSHING INTO ANYTHING OR YOU’LL UPSET HIM. HE ALREADY MADE IT RATHER CLEAR TO ME THAT HE DOESN’T WANT SPECIAL TREATMENT. HE EVEN STATED THAT HE WAS JUST A FELLOW MONSTER. THEREFORE, OUT OF RESPECT, WE ALL MUST DO WELL TO MAKE HIM FEEL WELCOME AS ONE OF US AND NOT AS AN OUTSIDER.

DREGG: I SEE, I SEE, THEN I WILL TRUST IN HIM AS YOU DO. IF THE MOTHER REALLY SENT HER OWN SON TO SAVE US, THEN WE’D BE FOOLS TO PUSH HIM AWAY.

GRACE: HIS FLAMES FELT SO FAMILIAR FOR SOME REASON...

PAW'D: AH, YES, THAT IS BECAUSE HE ISN’T JUST ANY CREATURE; HIS MOTHER BROUGHT HIM HERE AS A FYREKIN. SADLY, THE ONLY FYREKIN THERE IS IS ONE NONETHELESS.

GRACE: OH, MY, THEN THAT WOULD EXPLAIN IT. EVEN HIS FLAMES ARE DIVINE, BUT DOES HE KNOW HIS PEOPLE’S HISTORY?

PAW'D: YES, BUT NOT OF THE TRUE DANGERS THAT REMAIN FROM SUCH A TIME. I DIDN’T HAVE THE HEART TO TELL HIM SUCH A THING.

AN HOUR HAD PASSED IN A BLINK, NOW SHOWING THE FOUR-MAN STRIKE FORCE WAITING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESTROYED VILLAGE. OAKLEY STANDS IN FRONT AS THEIR LEADER.

[VYN APPROACHED WITH HIS THREE CHILDREN IN TOW.]

VYN, ARE YOU ALL READY FOR THIS MISSION?

OAKLEY: YES, MY LORD, BUT ARE YOU SURE THAT BRINGING CHILDREN IS SAFE?

VYN - HONESTLY, IN THIS WORLD, IT DOESN’T SEEM THERE IS SUCH A THING AS SAFE. THIS WAY, I CAN BE CERTAIN OF THEIR STATUS. HONESTLY, THOUGH, DO YOU HAVE ANY SORT OF MAP FOR US?

OAKLEY: YES, MY LORD, HERE YOU GO. THEN WOULD YOU LIKE TO BEGIN OUR MARCH?

[OAKLEY HANDED VYN A TARNISHED PIECE OF PAPER THAT WAS APPARENTLY A MAP.]

VYN: SURE

THE MAP SHOWS A LARGE FOREST. NEAR THE VERY EDGE OF THE MAP WAS A MARKING AND A LABEL SAYING SLAVERS MINE; ANOTHER MARKING SAYING KOBOLD VILLAGE SAT ALONG THE EDGE NEAR IT; THEN THERE WERE A FEW MARKINGS ACROSS THE MAP THAT SIMPLY SAIDFALLEN. IN THE VERY MIDDLE OF THE MAP WAS A CIRCLE WITH THE LABEL CORE. ONE OF THE MANY MARKINGS SAYING FALLEN WAS ALONG THE WAY TO THE CORE.

IT WAS THE FIRST NIGHT OUT IN THE FOREST, AND EVERYONE WAS SITTING AROUND VYN LIKE A LITTLE CAMPFIRE. ALL THE KOBOLDS WERE SITTING AND TALKING AS THE THREE WOLFKIN LAID DOWN NEXT TO VYN. THEN ONE OF THE KOBOLDS DECIDED TO INVITE VYN TO THEIR CONVERSATION.

THE KOBOLD: DO YOU HATE HUMANS, SIR?

[THIS CAUGHT VYN OFF GUARD, HAVING BEEN LOST IN HIS OWN THOUGHTS.]

VYN: HMM, WELL, HONESTLY, I HAVEN’T GIVEN IT ANY THOUGHT. ALTHOUGH I AM A MONSTER, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I WAS A HUMAN. I EVEN SERVED IN MY COUNTRY'S MILITARY BEFORE I PASSED AND ENDED UP HERE AS A FYREKIN.

THE KOBOLD: THEN IF YOU LIKE HUMANS, WHY WOULD YOU BE FIGHTING THEM FOR OUR SAKE?

[VYN PUT HIS NUB IN THE CENTER OF HIS TINY CHEST.]

VYN: WHETHER HUMAN OR MONSTER, MY MOTHER GAVE ME THIS LIFE, AND I WILL USE IT TO PROTECT THE WEAK EVEN IF IT KILLS ME.

OAKLEY - I HOPE KOSUH DIDN’T MAKE YOU UNEASY, MY LORD. WE KOBOLDS HAVE JUST BEEN SO LONG WITHOUT OTHERS TO RELY ON. I AM SURE THEY ARE JUST WORRIED ABOUT WHERE YOU PLAN TO GO AFTER THIS MISSION.

ANOTHER KOBOLD—THAT AND THE FACT THAT A FEW OF US SAW THAT DISPLAY BETWEEN YOU AND THAT LARGE GROUP OF SLAVERS. YOU HAD A WICKED SMILE, AS THOUGH YOU WERE HAPPY TO BE TORCHING SO MANY.

OAKLEY: LARZ, THAT IS NO WAY TO SPEAK TO THE MOTHER’S CHILD! OH SHIT…

[ALL OF THE KOBOLDS SUDDENLY FROZE, STARING AT OAKLEY AS IF HE WERE A GHOST.]

KOSUH-DDDD- DID YOU SAY HE WAS THE MOTHER’S CHILD?

OAKLEY: PLEASE JUST FORGET I SAID ANYTHING! THE ELDERS SWORE IT TO SECRECY.

[THE KOBOLD IGNORED HIS REQUEST AND ALL BEGAN TO BOW BEFORE THE SMALL FLAMEOID.]

[VYN IS SOUNDING A BIT ANNOYED.]

VYN - I AM REALLY REGRETTING LETTING THAT INFORMATION SLIP.

OAKLEY: I'M SORRY, MY LORD. I PROMISE TO MAKE SURE THEY DON’T SPEAK OF THIS TO ANYONE.

[VYN APPEARS AS NOTHING MORE THAN A LARGE, FIERY SKULL AMONGST THE SLEEPING WOLFKIN.]

VYN, I WANT YOU ALL TO LISTEN CLOSELY. I AM VYN FYREKIN. THERE IS NOT A HOLY BEING IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT IF YOU PUSH ME, THERE WILL BE HELL.

[THE KOBOLD QUICKLY STUMBLED BACK, NOT KNOWING WHAT TO SAY.]

[VYN BEGAN TO SHRINK BACK INTO HIS CUTE AND ADORABLE FORM.]

VYN, THAT'S MUCH BETTER. NEVER FORGET THAT YOU’RE MONSTERS, AND BEING SUCH, YOU SHOULD NEVER FREELY LET YOUR GUARD DOWN. ESPECIALLY SINCE WE ARE BEING WATCHED RIGHT NOW.

[THE KOBOLDS SPRANG TO THEIR FEET THE MOMENT THEY HEARD THOSE WORDS, JUST IN TIME FOR A GROUP OF SLAVERS TO ATTEMPT THEIR AMBUSH.]

VYN, I NEED TWO OF YOU TO GUARD MY CHILDREN!

KOZUH AND LARZ IMMEDIATELY RUSHED OVER TO GUARD THE WOLFKIN, ALTHOUGH THEY HAD NOTHING. WHILE THE OTHER TWO CONTINUED TO FORM A LINE USING THEIR HANDS AND FISTS TO TRY AND HOLD OFF THE AMBUSH.

VYN GRABBED A PART OF HIMSELF, TEARING IT AWAY INTO A LITTLE FLAME BALL. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO THROW IT AT A SLAVER’S FACE, MELTING RIGHT THROUGH THEM AND ALLOWING OAKLEY TO GRAB THEIR DAGGERS.

[THE SMALL AMBUSH, STILL HOLDING THEIR OWN, MANAGED TO WOUND A FEW OF THE KOBOLD WHILE HOLDING A TIGHT FORMATION.]

VYN: EVERYONE FORM UP TOGETHER!

[THE KOBOLD GROUP ALL FORMED AROUND THE STILL SLEEPING WOLFKIN AS FARKAS AWOKE.]

FARKAS: ALLOW ME TO ASSIST YOU, FATHER!