The trail back to the camp was long and arduous. Pushing the wagons and carts when stuck in the mud became the norm, as Rokan ordered his men to hunt for food instead of using what they had plundered. The men obeyed diligently, by now respecting the goblin's authority.

Nojus and the Huani were left in charge of gathering food and keeping an eye out for any enemies that may be tailing them, while the hobgoblins were in charge of the goods. Six wagons and four carts filled to the brim with everything they needed to turn the rundown camp into a proper place they could defend and use to grow in numbers.

A trip of almost a week now threatened to become two weeks to get back. And with each passing night, the cold wind and rain grew harsher, more unforgiving.

However, the spirits of the war band were higher than ever, and now that language was not a barrier both races spoke with each other and shared the occasional jug of ale. It was on one of those cold, stormy nights that Jorr glanced at Rokan, sitting far away from them, from the warmth of any fire, looking at the rain with his jaded expression, his eyes almost closed as if he were about to drift off into a deep sleep.

"A strange warrior," Nojus says, he is sitting next to Jorr, enjoying the warmth of the campfire along with a few men occupied with sharing their anecdotes with each other "Despite his many victories, he always looks as if he had been defeated, was him like that always?"

"I don't know, maybe. I know him as much as you do"

"I have not asked, why do you follow this goblin?"

"Well," Jorr pushes his hair back, away from his face, leaning on the ground a bit more "One of his kind attacked my home and that of many other hobgoblins. Killed those that opposed him, and made the others into his subordinates. Rokan knows this goblin and has promised to help us kill him and free my people"

"Ah, a broken warrior then" After a few seconds of silence Nojus receives a light punch on his arm, he turns to Jorr "What?"

"Explain what you mean, for my people a broken warrior is, literal. You know, the type of man that needs someone to wipe his ass or carry him around, maybe chew his food" The chuckle.

"For us Huani, who were bred to be warriors, we never stop being warriors. So long as we have a mouth to bite, or a hand to hold a weapon, we can fight"

"And if they cut your arms and legs, and sew your mouth shut? Bash 'em with your heads?" With another chuckle, Jorr takes a sip from his water skin.

"Even if we lose everything we still fight. And it is those men that we call broken warriors. They can be the best of all their clan, but there is no greater purpose behind their swings than a weak idea, or simply the thrill of battle. No family to protect, no home to safeguard, no house to go back to" Nojus looks at Rokan "Like a sword without a handle, try to approach it, and you will get hurt"

"Ah, I think I know what you mean, for us those are Berserkers. It is a great honor, you live for the fight and only the fight. Warriors dressed in fur, get lost in animalistic bloodlust and kill foe and ally alike during the frenzy of battle. But even if it is a great honor, it is also a curse. Berserkers do not marry, or own houses, much less are the heads of any group or people"

"To be the perfect warrior means to live only going from battle to battle. Odium warns us of this"

"Prince of wrath and passion, right?"

"Correct. What gods do you worship?"

"Ah, none. My people prefer to pray to those that came before us. Our ancestors and the spirits of the land. I do not"

"And why is that so? In this uncertain world, it is comforting to know there is a greater force trying to put some order into all this chaos"

"Precisely for that. If gods send the rain to stop wildfires then that means those same gods make the wildfires to begin with. Why would I pray for someone to save me if they allowed me to be in a situation where I need saving? Why are there wars and murder? Hunger and sickness? To me, it is a waste of time. I thought you were not religious"

"And I told you I was not, which remains true. I'm just spilling what the elders of my clan always told us" Nojus remains silent for a moment, but Jorr could tell he meant to say more, so he didn't speak until Nojus opened his mouth again" I guess I just want to believe a little bit. Not for me, for my daughter"

"...I'm sorry. The bandits?"

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"Yes. My clan did not support women being fighters, but she was born one. So when a band of bandits comes and attacks us the first thing she does is rush to our tent and grab my old bow...I found her dead laying next to three corpses" Nojus smiles a bit, but it is heavy with pain "I hope there is a god. I hope there are many, and that even right now they are fighting over her, to make her choose them, so that they may have the strongest warrior in their heavens"

"If she was anything like her father, I'm sure she is causing a lot of trouble up there, no wonder there are so many thunders" Jorr and Nojus share a fleeting joyful stare "But" Jorr looks away, at the couple sitting alone near a small campfire "The human, doesn't it bother to have him among us? We could kill him"

"Initially. But he was a captive among the bandits, apparently, he is smart and they needed him. He convinced them to stay away from Lina, as well as not just kill us all"

"And yet you still ended up as slaves"

"And he was there with us too. Made sure we weren't beaten too much, and even convinced the guards to grant us extra rations or let the sick rest, so as long as Lina loves him and he is no trouble, I'm fine with him"

"You are a strong man, Nojus. When I first met Rokan he freed me and I immediately tried to kill him, couldn't care less his reason to save us, I just wanted to kill something"

"You lost too, may I ask?"

"No"

Nojus and Jorr remain silent, the former staring at the fire, the latter laying on the ground and closing his eyes, ready to get some sleep. And as time passed the laughs and sound of voices died out, and only a few were left awake. Among them, the couple, who no longer cuddled together like before, and Lina seemed more annoyed than lovestruck.

"Come on, Lina I swear I will never push you to it again, I don't know what came over me" Andrei begs forgiveness, giving her a nervous smile.

"I told you, it's fine. Just don't ever touch me like that, especially if women are being raped nearby" Lina throws daggers at Andrei, and he leans a bit further away "You know this, and yet you still tried to- Just, swear to me that you will never try again"

"I swear. I'm really sorry" Andrei then leans closer "I will do my best to keep myself under control, no matter how beautiful you are" Ah, the smallest hint of a smile on Lina's face, he leans closer " Every time I see you, the beauty of your face puts me in a trance. I will never repeat my mistake, but you can't ask me not to try and at least convince you. I long for the day we can be united like men and women"

He grabs her hands in his and they look into each other eyes. Lina seems to give in a bit and finally moves closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. He puts his arm around her and squeezes her closer a bit.

"You can try, but only to convince me. Give me a little bit of time, alright? And at least some privacy greater than a tent" The couple stays silent for some time, enjoying each other's warmth and company until Lina lays eyes on the distant Rokan "What do you think about the goblin?"

"The goblin?" The question took him by surprise, disdain growing in his voice "Bastard is too smart. Every meal he eats is served from the same pot we all eat, so I can't poison him. And both his bowl and cup are in his tent, so I can't poison that either, and I have the suspicion he is onto me" He moves a bit apart from Lina, and she sits straight, turning to him "You...have not told him anything about me?"

"What?" She frowns a bit "Of course I have not!"

"Shh! I was just wondering, you two have spent a bit of time with each other after all. Training and you have gone to his tent on a few occasions, so who knows? Maybe you said something without noticing"

"Well I didn't say anything about you to him, and If you ask thanks to what a few idiots whisper then I will bite you. I would rather die than allow him to do with me as he wishes, disgusting bastard keeps trying to spy on me"

"I will find a way to kill him, I just need time to earn his trust"

"...Maybe it would be better if you stopped. Trying to kill him I mean"

"Why? Killing him is the only way for us to free your people from his influence and guide them back to the Tsardom, where we could find refuge among another clan, and live a new life" Andrei replies, indignation strong in his words.

"Andrei, Rokan is mighty. He could easily kill you, or Nojus, I actually doubt there is anyone here capable of fighting and surviving against him. If you try to poison him and fail, and he knows it was you, he will kill you"

"Oh I know how mighty he is" Andrei grabs Lina's face, his thumb caressing her still bruised lip "There are still some marks there, he is a fucking monster"

"...Andrei, maybe we are wrong?" Her words are met with deafening silence as he now moves away, letting go of her hands.

"Lina, he killed an innocent village and raped their women. You saw him brutalize that defenseless man, butchering him like a madman"

"Yes, but he did not rape the women, in fact, he seems to feel guilt for what he has allowed to happen, for the raid and everything else" Receiving an incredulous look from Andrei, she continues "Just look at him. When fought he barely defended himself, it was almost as if he WANTED me to hurt him"

"Great, the goblin is crazy, who would have guessed"

"You are not listening, I think at one point he wanted me to kill him even" Her words seem to finally reach Andrei, as he turns his disbelief and displeasure into confusion "I have been thinking about it. He easily pushed me away once I choked him for long enough, even after every punch I gave him"

"So, you say he wanted you to hit him like what? Self-punishment?"

"It felt like that"

"Lina...you are a kind woman. Too kind, he is a goblin. He probably has gone mad, so even if he seems civilized or he knows how to speak clearly it doesn't mean he is anything more than that, a goblin. He enjoys killing, and raping" Andrei grabs Lina's hands again, his tone softer, almost as if he spoke to a child " Let me handle this, alright?"

"Alright" Lina replies after some time in pensive silence.

"Thanks, now" Andrei lays down on the ground "Come, let's sleep a bit"

Lina agrees and lays down next to him, Andrei embraces her from behind and while she smiles at his touch it is a fleeting expression. Her eyes look at Rokan one more time. Her mind was occupied with wondering just what type of goblin he was, and if there was more to that monster than meets the eye.