— So he's one of those. I'll have to take the fight seriously.

The goblin, still staggering, clenches his fists and lifts his hands to his neck in a fighting stance.

— Well, since you're like this and your only weapon has been destroyed, to make things fairer I'm going to fight without mine as well.

— DON'T UNDERESTIMATE HIM YOUNG PRINCE! END THE FIGHT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE!

Skadi exclaimed in the background, insisting that Nork put an end to the clash.

The prince then looks at Skadi and starts waving in his direction, letting out a long laugh.

— hahaha! No need to worry man, it'll be over soon! hahaha!

Sssshhhh

While still looking in the direction of his companions. The creature launched a quick cross towards his head. Luckily, Nork saw the blow coming at a glance and dodged it at the last moment, still hitting a few strands of his hair.

He takes a somersault and steps backwards.

"Grr! He's still got strength left then”.

“I have to take this fight seriously or else...”.

Again he pulls something out of his pocket, this time a grizzly bear skin.

— For the weak, sinful, insignificant, mortal man that I am, I bow down before you. By the power and grace of the Great Goddess, grant me the power to strike down the evil before me.

And his appearance changes again. This time his skin darkens and the muscles in his arms and legs increase in size.

— Hahaha you're stranger than you look. What a boy full of surprises.

And in an instant, at the same time, the two of them go at each other.

— HAAAA!!!

— HAAAA!!!

When they get close enough, they start exchanging punches at an astonishing speed.

At the same time as defending, they were attacking. At the same time as they hit, they were hit. This went on for several seconds.

— What in God's name is going on? I can't see a thing.

Skadi complains to Bragi.

— Bragi, can you see if Mr. Nork is winning?

— I can't see anything Skadi! What I see are just flashes of the two of them fighting each other. I can't distinguish who's winning!

Bragi responds nervously while not taking his eyes off the fight for an instant.

But then...

Punf !!!

Finding a gap between the exchange of punches, Nork lands an uppercut. A straight punch from below.

The giant creature can't take it and falls brutally to the ground, arms outstretched.

Seizing his chance, Nork prepares to strike the last blow. Suddenly...

— No No No!!!

The group of Goblins intervened in the fight. Standing between the two fighters, they stretch out their arms to stop the young prince from attacking.

— We got the message. You don't have to go on, we don't want you to hurt our leader any more. We will surrender.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

Panting and tired, Nork looks at the small group of frightened Goblins.

— So he was your leader, huh, well done. Since I won the dispute he made, you now belong to us. You will go with us to the kingdom of Grishwolds.

He turns to where Skadi and Bragi and their men were.

— MEN!!! HUZZUAH!!!

The entire human army responds with emotion. Raising their helmets and weapons, they give Nork a standing ovation.

HUZZUAH!!!

. . . .

. . .

. .

.

After a long walk they arrive with their prisoners in the city of Eragon, capital of the Grishwolds.

The city was completely surrounded by a long, dense stone wall that seemed to touch the sky.

The first sight they see when they arrive is of the massive and imposing Eragon City Gate, which was affectionately nicknamed DraigPaw, meaning something like 'dragon's paw'. The gate protected the city from any attack or invasion and was only rarely opened for reasons of extreme necessity, as it would take 50 men to open a small gap in the gate for just a few people to pass through.

Bragi quickly takes the lead, stepping ahead of the others.

— GUARDS!!! OPEN THE GATE!!! WE'RE HERE!!!

There were creaks, thuds of boots and footsteps towards the gate.

...

Four minutes passed without anything happening. The wait made Nork restless.

— Can we still get in today?

— Calm down Prince, opening that gate is a complicated task. It's not something you can do with two or three men. They must be looking for the rest of the guards to help open it.

And then...

The creaking of locks and wooden boards announced that ,the gate was opening.

— Finally!

Nork lets out a sigh of relief and relaxes his shoulders.

A small gap opens in the gate and then they enter. A large cloud of dust fell over them.

— Cof, cof... I'll have to ask Rei to clean up that entrance.

Skadi said while coughing.

— Man, my clothes were so clean, I'm going to have to wash it again.

— Wash your mouth out too, not even a swamp dragon has breath like that rsrs.

Parallel conversations are starting to break out among the army.

And then, when the dust finally clears, and they enter the city.

Eragon reveals himself.

It didn't look like it from the outside, but Eragon was an immense city, full of houses, buildings, forests, full of water canals that cut through the city from end to end. It was a rich, clean and prosperous city, where people from all over the world came to try their luck in seeking a better life.

You could already see it at the entrance. A long line of traders stretched past the gate, with a huge variety of things, from metal jars and pots to horses and building materials. Everything could be found there.

Further along on the right was the guard and security post, where most of the guards stayed when they weren't working.The guards were divided into classes:

* Guarda Lygad

* Guarda Tarian

* Guarda Lance

Guarda Lygad are the people who keep watch over the city. They stand above the walls watching everything that happens outside it and are responsible for opening the DraigPaw gate.

Guarda Tarian are the people who maintain security and law in the city. They are the guards who maintain order and peace in the city, helping or punishing in certain cases.

Guarda lance these are the strongest, most famous and highest status guards. They provide security for the most important people in the city, such as the king and his guests.

As the citizens say, they are the eyes, shield and spear of the city.

Further on was Eragon's famous adventurers' guild. A vast campus with numerous buildings and employees. The adventurers' guild was an institution for exploration, hunting, searching, innovation and, when necessary, defense and attack.

Younger people were looking for a career there. It was an adventurer's profession. Exploring the world by doing tasks, fighting monsters, finding dungeons, discovering powers, hunting magical beasts and so on. Along with a small chance of getting rich from some of these things.

The entire ground of the city was completely paved with stones and bricks of the highest possible quality, which connected with each other towards the middle of the city, where a majestic building emerged, the fountain of Brân and Branwen. It was a splendid fountain that flowed non-stop with water, and above it, two statues of a man and a woman.

A couple who, according to legend, had created and saved the city of Eragon several times. One of these legends says that the couple saved the city from hordes of monsters from the north. Using their water powers, they created the water channels that surround the city, and with the help of the army of the time, and their powers, they eliminated each of the invading monsters.

A figure from the past known by everyone to this day, there isn't a person in Eragon who doesn't know both of them. As a sign of respect, those who litter or throw garbage near or in the city's waterways are severely punished.

The richest and most important people were concentrated in the middle of the city, where there was the greatest flow of people and where the large and prominent castle of King Ramses and Queen Gytha, Prince Nork's father and mother, stood.

— Bragi, take the prisoners to the prison. And then take a shower, okay? You're rotten hehehe.

— Okay, what about you Prince Nork, where are you going?

Nork and Bragi stared at each other for a few seconds in a not very friendly way.

— I have business with the king, Bragi. You know what.

— Please, we've been over this. It's stupid. Don't bother the king with unnecessary things. He's already in a terrible mood.

Bragi replied. But Nork didn't seem to want to listen.

— Don't meddle in my affairs with my father, you hear?

— bye!

Said the prince. Turning his back, he set off in the direction of the castle.

— Badly bred boy... fuh...