Shuja helped everyone get in line to wait for their turn to relieve themselves. She was particularly cautious of the men who were trying to peak at the women. She made sure she stood between the line and nipped out any dissidents.
It wasn't long before the men started to holler at the women. One of them that finished tried to scale up a large boulder that overlooked the crevice. Shuja spotted the little pervert and jumped after him. She grabbed him by the neck and planned to make an example of him in front of the other men.
Sun was listening to May's story, but the commotion caught his attention. "Oh, sorry, but it looks like I have to give Shuja a hand. Or rather stop her hand from hitting that kid."
Sun got up and ran towards the crowd. May watch Sun intervene, saving the goblin from Shuja, but he also scolded the goblin, warning him to control himself or face the consequences. Or rather, face the Shuja's wrath. Shuja was annoyed that Sun stepped in for the goblin. Showing generosity from time to time is fine, but if he lets the men act like uncontrollable animals, then it could lead to more trouble. Men from their tribe are the complete opposite of their rival tribe, Razin. They lack the discipline to control themselves while being greedy and controlling. Sun needs to flex his dominance over the tribe if he wants to make sure the men stay in line.
But Shuja knows Sun isn't that type of goblin. He is too kind. Most goblins would have taken the opportunity to abuse their power, but he didn't. This gave Shuja mixed feelings. She liked the kindness part of Sun, but she also wished he was harsher because his kindness could be the end of him. And she doesn't know what she'll do if Sun disappears from her life.
Sun was aware of this problem. He knew that social inequality existed in the tribe, but he wasn't sure how to fix the problem. He could increase his influence over their life just as he did before, but he had to so they could prepare for the impending troll attack and the harsh winter. Without a boogeyman to force the tribe to follow him to survive, then they will see Sun's actions as tyranny just as Tama saw Cala's rule to be unfair.
But he could improve their quality of life. Sun just needs to figure out how before he could begin to reform. For now, Sun is only focused on one thing, and that is to exit the cave and arrive at their final destination. There he will begin his plan to take over their rival tribe.
Mary watched the two bicker at one another after leaving the goblins waiting in line. Shuja bonked Sun's head while talking to him so casually. May was envious of Shuja's position. Not only can she spend most of her time with Sun, but she has near equal standing with Sun. And there was also the fact she was not a full woman. Flute told her that she had no chance with any man, let alone the most powerful man. She could not give anything to Sun; she could only take away. She is just like winter, cold and barren without anything to give to the goblins besides hardship. May raised her legs and buried her face on her knees. She wants to have the chance, but she can't.
Cast noticed the young lady trying to hide her sorrow. And he knew the source of her anguish. Sun and Shuja were talking to each other like friends would. But an aura of uneasiness leaked from them. As if there was more between them. Cast understood May, but she needs to accept reality. She is but a meager goblin without the ability to give life, while Shuja is a strong, well-endowed conqueror. May can't hope to win.
While the legions were busy, some of the goblins that finished walked towards the edge of the light. They stared at the empty void with anxiety and frustration. They regret leaving their tribe and entering the cave, but they also want to get to their new home as quickly as possible, even if it means spilling the blood of their enemies.
Looking through the darkness, the goblins saw red light glowing beyond the black. Out of curiosity, one of the youngest goblins stepped outside the light and approached towards the red light as slow as possible. Suddenly, the light multiplied surrounding the goblin, who peed his pants from fear. But they had no interest in the child. Beyond the border of the light, they saw three light shining brighter than the large glowing mushroom sheltering them from the surrounding darkness.
Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
Without hesitation, they leaped forward, flying towards their targets. The goblins saw the red light appear before them, and the mushroom's gentle light revealed their hideous body. The perytons have arrived, and they are seeking to satiate their hunger.
The legions quickly mobilized surrounding the goblins and protecting them with their shield. Shuja and Sun charged at the beasts and pulled those too far from the legions towards safety. Luckily for them, they had no reason to worry about the other goblins, because the two of them are the main course meal for the perytons.
A peryton charged towards Shuja, but she took her club and smashed the perytons' skull inward. She continued to swing her club, killing each peryton with one swift blow to the head. But they were beginning to swarm her in all directions. One of them snuck behind and jabbed its long antlers through her hind legs.
Shuja fought furiously, grabbing the peryton behind her and pinning it to the ground while flailing her club in front and above of her. The perytons grew cautious of her swing after witnessing their packmates get killed with one blow. They surrounded her, waiting for the right time to strike. "Come at me! I fucking dare you!" She yelled
Sun had a much easier time dealing with the perytons. Sun's longsword extended his reach further, keeping the perytons at bay. One of the perytons flying above him dive-bomb towards Sun, but when it reached him, Sun's sword stopped it in its tracks. He raised his sword high in the air and caught the beast. The sword penetrated though is wing and chest, breaking the antlers and bones in the process. The peryton's nose reached the crossguard while the tip of the sword poked out the tail of the beast.
Sun thought it was his win, but he soon realized the peryton did not meaninglessly kill itself as its blood splattered across his face. Its lifeless body was not stuck on his sword, and its sacrifice was not in vain. The pack swarmed him. Sun tried to swing his sword, but the peryton's weight was nearly breaking it apart. "You sly animals!" He slammed his sword against a charging peryton before letting go and catching another one with one hand. The perytons charged in striking Sun's body with their antlers. He used the dead perytons on him to block most of their attacks. But soon, the shield made of corpses will be destroyed, leaving his blood-soaked body defenseless.
Meanwhile, some of the perytons ignored the two in favor of the large circle guarded by the legions and their sheild. Within the circle was a bright light shining through the mass of flesh. The perytons soured above them, picking up goblins with their talons, hoping to grab the light. The goblins that were grabbed in the air tried to fight back, but they were thrown away like trash. They kept searching for their preferred prey until there was barely any goblins left in the circle.
Finally, they found their prey. A peryton grabbed May by the shoulder and another by the legs. "No, Chief! Help, help, May!" The legions watched helplessly as the perytons flew closer to the mushroom's cap.
"No! May!" Sun yelled in desperation. He wrestled his way out the bodies and grabbed a peryton by its antlers and threw at May's attackers. The perytons got hit and dropped May. "Catch her!" He yelled at his legions. They managed to catch her in time, only to be surrounded by the perytons. "Dammit, I need to go and save them." But before he could run towards them, a peryton jabbed its antlers on Sun's legs. "Fuck!" He screamed in agony before falling to his knees.
Another peryton landed on the ground in front of Sun and charged towards him. "Sun, watch out!" Shuja yelled while wrestling several perytons off her. Sun reached for his sword to try and block the attack, but it was too late.
Blood exploded on his chest with the peryton's antlers poking out of the body. But it was not Sun's body that the peryton penetrated, but it was Cast. "Cast protect Chief. Cheif... carry... Cast." Cast said while blood flooded out of his mouth before eventually dying.
"Cast," Sun said quietly. Then his face turned in anger. "AAAAHHHH!" Sun grabbed the peryton's head and used his light spell to blind the animal. The intense light burned the animal's sensitive retina. Then he grabbed his sword and let his mana flowed out of his body and into his sword, coating it in thick blue light. "Get out of my face!" Sun turned his body around, slammed the peryton behind him with his sword.
The dead body stuck on his sword began to emit smoke. Eventually, the blue light grew intensely brighter until his sword spontaneously ignited. Sun's emotional state, combined with his mana and knowledge of light spell, ignited his mana into flame. Sun stood up and faced the perytons attacking his tribe. The perytons saw his blood-soaked body and the fire in his hand and realized the vast difference in strength between them. But despite the gap, they did not run because they knew he would hunt them down, so they rushed towards him. The pack will kill him first before they could kill them.
But they couldn't even reach him. "Get down!" Sun yelled to everyone before swinging his sword at the perytons charging towards him. The sword slashed the air launching a wave of mana so hot it was on fire, and it burned everything it touched except for the mushroom's stem. The perytons dropped from the air like snow falling from the rook, but their bodies were charred black.
Sun rested his body on his sword before grabbing the last blind peryton. He removed Cast's body from its antlers. The peryton tried to retaliate by biting Sun, but he shoved his sword down its throat burning it from the inside out.
Then he collapsed on his knee, hugging Cast's lifeless body close to his chest. "I wasn't strong enough," He murmured to himself, "I'm sorry. Goddammit!" Shuja knows it all too well, the feeling of seeing someone you cared about die in front of you. She hugged him while cried out his frustration. "I am going to get stronger. I have to get stronger."
May watched as Shuja comfort Sun. Something she could not do.