The kitchen of the goblin den was a dimly lit room with walls made of rough, craggy stones. The only source of light was the flickering flames of the fireplace, casting eerie shadows on the wrinkled face of the old female goblin as she busied herself with preparing a meal for her son.
Her gnarled fingers moved with practiced ease as she stirred a bubbling pot of stew, adding a pinch of herbs and spices with a deft hand. She hummed a tuneless melody under her breath, her eyes shining with a fierce love for her child.
"I love you son," she said softly, turning to face the young goblin who had just entered the room. "I just want you to be happy. I'm sorry the others pick on you."
Glortax II was a small goblin, the runt of his pack, and had been bullied and ostracized from a young age. Despite this, he had always tried his best to bring his mother food, but his efforts were always thwarted by the others, who sent him to the back and denied him the chance to learn and grow.
The young goblin's face was etched with a deep sadness as he entered the room, his eyes downcast and his shoulders slumped. But as soon as he heard his mother's words, a spark of excitement lit up his features.
"What's wrong, mom?" he asked, a note of concern in his voice. "By the way, I've been promised to fight in the front lines of this war!"
Glortax's heart swelled with pride as he stood before his mother, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction knowing that his hard work had finally paid off. He couldn't help but grin as his mother's face lit up with excitement and pride.
"I'm so glad for you honey! I've always known your hard work would pay off!" she exclaimed, beaming with joy and enthusiasm. Her voice was filled with warmth and love, echoing through the room like a melody.
Glortax couldn't contain his happiness as he hugged his mother tightly, feeling her love and support envelope him. "Thanks mom! I love you," he said with a wide smile, his heart bursting with gratitude and love for his mother. But as he exited the room, a shadow loomed over him.
Goblins had suddenly appeared, their beady eyes filled with malice and greed as they surrounded his mother. Glortax's mother's heart plummeted as she realized the danger she was in, but before she could react, the goblins had begun their brutal attack. His mother's screams of pain and terror echoed through the house. The goblins mercilessly beat her to death, their sharp claws and weapons slicing through her skin like butter. Blood splattered across the walls as they cut off her head, leaving it as a gruesome trophy outside the front door.
Meanwhile, Glortax was preparing for battle, ready to defend his people against the goblin threat. But as he stepped forward to engage in combat, he realized with a sinking feeling that the one being attacked was not his people, but himself. The goblins rushed towards Glortax with weapons in their hands.
"Why are you doing this?! The only wrong thing I did was care for you all!" He said as he ran away to his mother.
Glortax sprinted down the dirt road with all his might, his breaths ragged and his heart pounding in his chest. The sky above him was a deep shade of crimson, the sun just dipping below the horizon, casting long shadows across the ground.
As he approached his home, he could see that something was terribly wrong. Smoke billowed from the thatched roof, and the sound of cackling laughter could be heard from within. With a sense of foreboding, Glortax burst through the front door, only to be greeted by a horrific sight.
His mother's lifeless body lay sprawled across the floor, her head severed from her body. The skin that should have covered her skull was missing, leaving muscle and bone exposed to the air. In place of her eyes, her teeth had been forced outwards, leaving a gaping maw where her face once was.
A guttural scream tore from Glortax's throat, his body shaking with a mix of fear and rage. "YOU MONSTERS!" he bellowed, his voice echoing off the walls.
As if in response to his cry, he felt a sudden surge of power coursing through his veins. His muscles bulged and expanded, his skin turning a deep shade of red. The goblins who had committed this atrocity scrambled to their feet, fear etched on their grotesque faces. But it was too late.
Glortax's speed had increased tenfold, and he charged at them like a raging bull. His fists connected with flesh and bone, the sickening sound of cracking bones echoing through the room. He moved like a whirlwind, his eyes locked onto his enemies. Goblins fell like wheat before a scythe, their bodies broken and bloody.
Glortax's rage fueled him, his strength increasing with each passing moment. He felt a sense of satisfaction with each goblin he destroyed, each blow taking him one step closer to avenging his mother.
Finally, after what felt like hours, the last goblin lay dead at Glortax's feet. He stood in the midst of the carnage, his chest heaving with exertion. The Catastrophe Level base of these goblins had been decimated in a single day. But even as he surveyed the destruction around him, Glortax's thoughts turned to his family. They were the only thing he cared for in this world, and now that he had a loving one, it was even more so. He vowed to protect them at all costs, no matter what it took.