War had finally had enough of his summoned armies failing to take out a single Goblin Village. He had spent countless hours, days, and even weeks trying to come up with a strategy to defeat these pesky goblins, but all of his efforts had been in vain. As he looked out at the village from atop the hill, War could feel the anger building inside of him. He had summoned the mightiest of his armies, but none of them had been able to overcome the Goblins' tenacity and cunning.

War knew that he needed to take matters into his own hands. He could not afford to let the Goblins continue to defy him and his army. He donned his armor and mounted his fiery red donkey, determined to put an end to this once and for all. The Goblins were again disturbed by the sounds of horns blaring repeatedly in the distance. They had grown accustomed to the sound over the past few weeks, but this time it was different. The horns were louder, and there seemed to be a sense of urgency in the blaring.

When Bob heard the horns, he interrupted his stroll through the village and ran to the wall. He was met with a terrifying sight - War in all his vicious glory, standing atop the hill. War's eyes burned with a fierce, crimson light that seemed to pierce through Bob's soul. Bob knew that they were in trouble. War was not one to be trifled with, and he had brought all of his dark powers to bear against the village. The Goblins quickly rallied their forces, preparing for the inevitable assault.

As War charged down the hill towards the village, the Goblins unleashed their fury upon him. They threw everything they had at him - rocks, spears, arrows, and even a few well-placed spells. But War was too powerful. He shrugged off their attacks as if they were mere annoyances. Bob watched in horror as War began to tear through the village, his sword cutting through Goblins like a hot knife through butter. The smell of blood and burning flesh filled the air as War continued his rampage.

Despite their best efforts, the Goblins were unable to stop War. He was a force of nature, a being of pure destruction. And in the end, the village lay in ruins, with only a handful of survivors left to tell the tale of War's wrath. As War rode away from the smoldering ruins of the village, he knew that he had finally achieved his goal. He had put an end to the Goblins once and for all, and he had done it with his own hands. But deep down, he also knew that his victory had come at a great cost. The Goblins had fought bravely, and their tenacity had earned War's respect, if not his mercy.

As War rode away from the smoldering ruins of the village, he couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness inside. He had achieved his goal, but what was the point? The village lay in ruins, and countless lives had been lost. He had always prided himself on his strength and power, but now he couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt and remorse. Despite his misgivings, War knew that he couldn't turn back time. What was done was done, and he had to live with the consequences of his actions. Orders were Orders, no matter how he felt about them. As he rode into the distance, he made a silent vow to himself that he would use his power more wisely in the future. If he were ever free from The Master.

Meanwhile, the Goblin survivors were left to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. The once-bustling village now lay in ruins, the buildings reduced to smoldering piles of rubble. The sounds of crackling flames and the acrid smell of smoke filled the air. The Goblins looked around in horror at what was once their home. But they refused to give up. They were Goblins, after all, and Goblins were nothing if not resilient. They knew they had to start picking up the pieces and begin rebuilding. However, before they could even begin to think about rebuilding, they had to search for any survivors who may have been trapped beneath the rubble.

The Goblins sifted through the ruins of their home, carefully looking for any signs of life. They called out the names of their loved ones and friends, hoping to hear a response. Their hearts sank as they came across the lifeless bodies of those who didn't make it out in time. But then, hope stirred in their chests as they heard a faint cry for help. They rushed over to the source of the sound and began digging through the rubble with all their might. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they uncovered a group of survivors huddled together, clinging to life.

The Goblins immediately sprang into action, using all their strength and resources to rescue the survivors. They carefully carried them out of the wreckage, making sure not to jostle them too much, and brought them to a safe spot where they could rest and receive medical attention. Once they had rescued all the survivors they could find, the Goblins set to work burying their dead. It was a somber task, but one they knew they had to do to give their loved ones a proper farewell. The Goblins worked tirelessly, digging graves and preparing the bodies for burial.

As they worked, the Goblins mourned the loss of their loved ones and their homes. But even in the face of such devastating tragedy, they refused to give up. They knew they had to keep moving forward and begin the process of rebuilding. And so, with heavy hearts and a fierce determination, they began to plan for the future, determined to rebuild their once-thriving village from the ground up.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

The Goblins were a somber and mournful sight as they gathered around their fallen kin. The air was heavy with grief, and tears streamed down their faces as they paid their last respects to their loved ones. Grobbit, the village elder, stood at the front of the gathering, his eyes closed in solemn reflection. It was then that they saw it, the many masts of a fleet of ships sailing down the enormous river that ran beside their village.

As they looked towards the river, they saw the unmistakable ships of the Reef Ruffians, the masters of the sail, and the most sassy swashbuckling sailors in all the land. Led by their infamous leader, Saltbeard, the Reef Ruffians were known for their boldness and bravery on the high seas. At first, the Goblins were wary of the approaching fleet. They knew that the Reef Ruffians were a fierce and proud tribe, and they had never been known to offer aid to others. But as the ships drew closer, the Goblins could see that something was different. There was a sense of urgency about the fleet, a sense of purpose that they had never seen before.

As the ships docked near the village, Saltbeard himself emerged from the largest vessel. He looked solemn, his usually boisterous demeanor replaced with a deep sadness. Grobbit approached him, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice laced with distrust.

Saltbeard looked up at him, his eyes filled with sadness. "We came to offer aid," he said. "We heard of your plight, and we wanted to help."

Grobbit looked at him skeptically. "Why?" he asked. "You've never shown any interest in helping others before."

Saltbeard's face darkened. "We know what it's like to lose our kin," he said. "We've suffered losses too, and we know how it feels. We came to offer you a safe haven in the Isles. Away from this barren and broken village. It's the least we can do."

The Goblins looked at each other, unsure of what to do. They were grateful for the offer, but they were also suspicious. They had always been taught to be wary of outsiders, and the Reef Ruffians were no exception.

Grobbit looked back at Saltbeard. "Why now?" he asked.

Saltbeard sighed heavily. "We were too late," he said. "We wanted to come sooner, but we had our own battles to fight. We were fighting endless fleets in the open seas around our home. After we won, we heard of what had happened here, we knew we had to come. We couldn't stand by and let our fellow Goblins suffer alone."

The Goblins looked at each other, their eyes filled with tears. They had lost so much, and the thought of leaving their homes was terrifying. But they knew that they had no other choice. They needed to leave this place, to start anew somewhere else.

And so, with heavy hearts, the Goblins boarded the Reef Ruffians' ships and set sail for the Isles. As they watched their village disappear behind them, they knew that they would never forget the sacrifices that had been made here. But they also knew that they had a chance for a new life, a chance to start over and build something better. And for that, they were grateful to the Reef Ruffians and their leader, Saltbeard.

Bob stood on the shore, watching as Grobbbit, Gromak, and the surviving goblins boarded the ships of the Reef Ruffians. They had come to their rescue, offering them safe passage away from the ruins of their once thriving village. It was a bittersweet moment for Bob, as he knew he had to stay behind.

"Come with us." Grobbbit asked, his voice filled with concern. "We can protect you."

"No," Bob replied firmly. "I have unfinished business here with the bastard who did this. I won't just leave it be."

"We can help," Gromak spoke up. "We are strong, and we can fight with you."

Bob paused, considering their offer. He knew that they were capable warriors, but he also knew that they were disheartened, and not capabale of a battle of this magnitude so soon after losing most of their tribes.

"I appreciate the offer," Bob said finally, "but I have to do this on my own. You need to go and recover, before your tribes are wiped off the face of this world."

Gromak nodded in understanding, and Grobbbit gave Bob a reassuring pat on the arm.

"We will not forget what you did for us," Grobbbit said. "You are always welcome among our people."

Bob watched as the ships that carried his friends and allies, sailed away to safety. He felt a pang of regret, knowing that he may never see them again, but he also knew that they needed to stay far from this fight. He turned and made his way back to the village where his friends had lost so much, and sat down to clear his mind and come up with a plan. After a while, Bob smiled and got up. He marched off into the plains outside the village and stared into the horizon.

Bob stood on a barren plain, the wind whipping through his hair and clothes, as he yelled his challenge to War. He knew he was taking a risk by challenging the Great Horseman of the Apocalypse, but he also knew he had to try. War had taken too much from too many people for far too long, and Bob was determined to put a stop to it.

He took a deep breath and yelled his challenge into the winds, his voice carrying far and wide across the plain. He felt a surge of adrenaline as he waited for War's response, wondering if he would even hear it. But then, something strange happened. The winds began to pick up, swirling around Bob with a ferocity that seemed almost otherworldly.

"If you aren't too much of a coward, show yourself!" Bob yelled, his voice echoing across the plain. "I challenge you to a duel!"

And then, out of nowhere, a figure appeared in front of him. It was War, the Great Horseman of the Apocalypse himself. He was dressed in full battle armor, his fiery donkey snorting and pawing at the ground beneath him. Bob felt a moment of fear as he looked at the imposing figure in front of him, but he quickly pushed it aside.

He had issued the challenge, and now he had to see it through.