Risha pulled her cloak tighter around her, her breath misting in the cold mountain air. She twisted her fingers, drawing her mana to create a small flame between her hands. The flame illuminated the many eyes of the spiderlings hanging onto her body.

Klaz’zks and Diel the Death Bringer stood beside her, looking at the landslide that blocked their path through the mountain pass. Leaf-Watcher lead goblins, orcs and kobolds in moving the snow and rocks, while four snow spiders and five of her spiderlings carried the debris away from the path.

A young orc ran through the snow, sliding on a little ice before catching himself. He quickly adjusted his stance and continued up to where Risha was standing.

He slowed as Klaz’zks’s gaze landed on him, and bowed his head to the three of them.

“Grand Mother.” The young orc said, “The path is just about cleared. Leaf-Watcher says that you should head down now.”

“How much longer until we’re out of the mountains?” Risha asked.

The young orc looked around at the scenery, his eyes narrowing in thought. “Shouldn’t be more than a day as long as the weather holds.”

“Thanks, Ovin.”

The orc nodded before running back towards the working warriors. Ovin was one of the few orcs who regularly traveled through the pass, and had been their guide for the three day journey. It should have just been two days, but monsters that had moved their nests and multiple landslides had delayed them immensely.

Klaz’zks stopped suddenly, her humanoid hand grabbing Risha’s arm. Risha turned to look at the spider, then followed her gaze up.

Risha froze as she met the eyes of something higher in the mountain. Its serpentine eyes watched them coldly from the shadows of a cave and Risha caught the glimmer of scales surrounding a snout larger than Risha.

The creature gazed into Risha’s eyes for a long moment, before retreating deeper into its cave.

Risha let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, while all of the spiderlings on her body shivered. Next to her, long chitinous limbs retreated into Klaz’zks’s body.

“Maybe we should’ve traveled through the tunnels.” Risha said quietly.

“Diel.” Klaz’zks said, “Do you know what that was?”

Diel shook his head, his eyes staying on the cliffs above them. “I’ve heard tales of the things that live in these mountains, but the passage has always been safe. The worst we’ve encountered are ice lizards or snow trolls. Nothing like… that.”

Risha looked at the cliff-face beside them. It might be possible to climb up it on the back of one of her spiderlings, but there’s no guarantee that the thing would be friendly, and Risha had no desire to provoke it.

There were only fifty odd warriors traveling through the pass with Risha along with five of her spiderlings and three of the regular spiders including Klaz’zks. They were an advance party to secure and scout the other side while Glo trained the army back home. Risha wasn’t sure that this small party would be able to kill a creature like that without serious damages, especially in this cold unfamiliar terrain.

She turned away from the cave and continued to the path that had been made through the landslide.

The rest of their travel down the mountain was uneventful, and Risha never caught sight of the creature again.

Ovin, the young orc, frowned when he caught sight of smoke near the base camp at the foot of the mountain, his feet slowing.

“What’s wrong?” Diel asked the younger orc.

“There shouldn’t be anyone waiting at the camp yet.” Ovin said. “They’re at least a few weeks early.”

Risha shared a look with Klaz’zks. Risha waved down Leaf-Watcher, who hurried over to their small group.

“Send a scout ahead. Ovin thinks there’s something off about the camp.” Leaf-Watcher nodded and waved over a familiar pair of goblin.

Dilo and Kyra, the high goblins that had warned them of the orcs crossing the river, immediately set out ahead of their party.

Risha’s people set up camp while they waited and Risha found herself focusing on the smoke while standing on the edge of their camp.

Klaz’zks stood beside her, and Risha was surprised to see Diel not with her. Risha rarely saw the spider without the orc these days.

“The trees feel different here.” Risha said. “They’re younger.”

Klaz’zks nodded. “The air is warmer too.”

“Where’d Diel go?” Risha asked.

“He’s speaking with the other orcs about the tribes here. He’s never crossed the passage before.” Klaz’zks stayed quiet for a long moment, her gaze also on the smoke. “You smell it too, don’t you? The blood in the air.”

Risha frowned, it was faint enough that she’d hoped it was her imagination, but with the spider confirming it, Risha felt a sense of unease.

“Look through the smoke.” Risha said, baring her teeth. “I wasn’t sure, but…”

Klaz’zks squinted, before frowning. “Vultures.”

Risha stood up tall, and placed her hand on the sword at her waist. “I don’t like waiting. Have everyone prepare for battle, we’re moving.”

Klaz’zks bowed her head and turned towards the resting troops.

Risha’s people quickly mustered themselves and set off towards the camp. Silence was a necessity as they didn’t know who they marched towards.

Halfway towards the smoke, Risha caught sight of the two goblins that they’d sent ahead. She stopped and raised her hand, immediately pausing their slow march.

Dilo immediately went towards her, and bowed before giving his report.

A small group of orcs had been slaughtered inside and around the camp, but their attackers weren’t other orcs. Dilo had caught sight of humanoid creatures wearing armor. They were light-skinned, with different color eyes. Many of them had smaller ears, but a few had pointier ones that pointed to the sky.

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There were at least twenty of them, but Kyra had heard more inside the former homes of the orcs.

Why the orcs were here in the first place, they didn’t know. The homes should’ve been abandoned for a few more weeks, when trade and diplomacy started up between the orc tribes again. Instead the orcs had been here to be slaughtered by this unknown enemy. Unknown to the goblins at least.

But Risha knew. She’d seen others like them. Humans and elves. Risha didn’t know that there were any this close, but they were the only creatures that matched the description given to her.

Risha knew only a few things about these creatures, namely that they did not evolve, instead having something they called “classes.”

Risha didn’t like this new information. She had planned to walk over and reclaim the camp from whatever had made its home there. But she did not wish to make enemies of the humans, as she liked Emperess Shyanne quite a lot. She didn’t care as much about the elves, but she’d seen the home of their Grand Mother, and despite her attitude towards the elf, she’d felt the power that the Elven Grand Mother had wielded.

Risha thought long and hard before motioning to Leaf-Watcher. “Surround their camp, but keep our forces hidden. I am going to try to talk with them.”

Leaf-Watcher followed her orders as they approached, leaving Risha alone to try to speak with the enemy forces.

The forest had been cleared around the camp, leaving a small hill where visibility was clear. The camp itself had a small stone wall and several clay huts with one larger building in the center.

In the tree tops closest to the camp, Klaz’zks and her spiderling prepared themselves, ready to jump in if things went wrong.

Risha walked forward, her spiderlings hiding under her cloak. Risha wore her cloak around the purple chitinous armor of her crafters. She didn’t wear her helmet, wanting the humans to see her face.

She walked out of the trees and into the open ground with her hands raised. Immediately, one of the human sentries caught sight of her and shouted at his friends. He drew his bow back, but hesitated.

“Risha wishes to speak with your leader!” Risha yelled out to the sentry.

More humans and elves gathered along the wall of their camp, while other moved to the windows of their building.

They argued about something inside, but Risha couldn’t hear it. Finally, a human male stepped on top of the wall.

“What do you want?” The man yelled over to her.

“To speak with you.”

“I have nothing to say to a monster.”

Even at this distance, Risha could see that the man’s eyes were hard, powered by a hatred that Risha knew well.

She hesitated, unsure what to say. She was a monster, but she did not wish to fight the humans.

“If you have nothing else to say, I’ll have my men shoot you right now.” The spiderlings on her body quivered with anger, but Risha kept her calm.

“If you shoot, you will die.” Risha held the man’s gaze, telling him that she wasn’t bluffing.

The man looked uncertain. He peered through the woods, but her people were expert hunters and had hidden themselves well. “Prove it.”

Risha raised her hand, and the spiders moved, their limbs visible through the trees. All across the woodland, goblins, kobolds and orcs stepped forward, revealing themselves. Risha lowered her hand, and the creatures disappeared into the forest, hiding themselves once more.

The man had a strong face, but Risha could see the fear in his eyes.

The man stepped down from the wall, and Risha could hear more arguing inside the camp.

Finally, three creatures walked out through the gate in their wall. Two were humans, while the third was a dark skinned elf. Risha wondered if their class changed their skin or if they evolved that way somehow.

They walked halfway to Risha before stopping. The same man who had been shouting at Risha crossed his arms, his gaze scanning the trees warily.

Risha walked up to them and stood a few paces away.

“What do you want, monster?” The man said.

Risha frowned at the curtness of the humans tone. “My name is Risha.”

The man shifted, but kept his gaze on her, “I’m Ryan. This is Devon and Lochlin.” He pointed first to the other human, then to the elf.

The second man nodded his head in greeting, but the elf stared at Risha with narrowed eyes. Risha didn’t like the way he looked at her, as if she were less than the elf.

She stepped towards the elf and the humans reached for their weapons. The elf fully drew his sword, stopping her movement.

“Back off, systemless mongrel.” The elf said to Risha.

Ryan put his hand on the elf’s sword arm. “Calm, Lochlin. We don’t want to fight here.”

Risha didn’t lower her gaze or show any fear as she looked at the sword pointed in her direction. It was beautifully forged, the sword reflecting the midday light and shining silver. Runes traveled its length that Risha didn’t recognize. The spiders hiding under her cloak bristled in anger, but they wouldn’t move without her say-so.

Risha looked into the hateful eyes of the creature. It reminded her of the hatred towards the orcs, except this was different. He looked at her like she wasn’t a person, just a crazed animal that should be put down.

It shocked Risha.

She’d never seen this kind of emotion from someone. Even the orcs valued goblins as slaves.

She turned her gaze away from the elf, and back to the human named Ryan. “Your elf is very rude” Risha paused, “and stupid.”

“You-!” The elf looked ready to attack her, but Ryan held his arm in a death grip.

“Lochlin! Calm down.” A power entered the man’s voice and the elf froze. With a glare towards Risha, he resheathed his sword.

Ryan stared at the elf for a moment longer before turning back to Risha. “I’m sorry. We’ve never talked to a… you’re a goblin, right?”

Risha’s blood pumped from a desire to kill the disrespectful elf. She kept her face neutral and simply nodded.

“We’ve been fighting a long campaign against the orcs, and are understandably on edge.” Ryan smiled slightly, and Risha had to force herself to recognize it as a regular smile and not a sign of aggression.

His explanation told her why the orcs had been slaughtered here. Risha felt a muted sorrow at their needless death. They were orcs, but Risha had still hoped to convince them to her side.

“I’ve never seen a goblin like you before. Are you an ally to the orcs?”

“No. Risha is not their ally.” Risha said, her thoughts focusing from the bloodlust that had started to cloud her eyes. “You have not seen a goblin like me before, because the orcs slaughter us when we evolve like this. I rule the nation across the mountains.”

The three of them shared a long look, communicating with each other silently.

Ryan turned to look at her. “What do you want?”

Risha wasn’t sure what she wanted. She hadn’t been expecting to encounter the other races so soon.

“From you?” Risha looked over the humans and elves watching her. “Nothing. But.. I want to know where I can speak with the human or elf that leads you.”

Ryan frowned, but after a quick scan of the trees decided to answer. “The closest city is four days north of here.” He paused, thinking, “I would be careful if I were you, there are many adventurers and soldiers roaming these woods, fighting against the orcs and the other dangers of the depths. Many will attack you on sight.”

Four days was too long to travel until more of Risha’s forces arrived from the south. His mention of the the depths also made Risha curious. Still, there were more important matters at hand. Risha had planned to use the camp occupied by the humans as a forward base of operations, but Risha didn’t want the humans to know where they were, which meant forcing them out wasn’t an option unless she wanted to kill them all. But she didn’t want to do that.

Risha decided that it was time to leave. The elf and some of the archers in their base were itching for a fight, and she didn’t feel like tempting fate any longer.

“Thank you for your warning, Ryan.” Risha said. “We will leave for now, tell your leaders I look forward to meeting with them.”

“Right.” Ryan looked at her with suspicion as she turned around. “Until we meet again.” He called out to her.

“I will remember your names.” Risha called out without turning. “I hope you remember mine.”

She entered the forest, and continued walking. Her people pulled back with her. Her spiderlings finally crawled out from her cloak, their fuzzy bodies calming Risha. Her adrenaline had been running with her interaction with the elf, and she’d come far too close to reacting to his aggression. Part of her still wished that she had started the fight she knew she’d win.