Soon after both Erika and Norn were back to the village.
To their surprise, however, many goblins weren't sleeping.
It wasn't something unusual since goblins weren't exactly day creatures, but it was strange seeing them like that at night.
As soon as one of the "good-eye" goblins saw them coming he ran towards them...
"Enemy orc! Scout report!"
Goblin's voice was strangely coarse, even though he looked rather "cute".
To his words Norn and Erika simply raised their brows a little.
Erika only looked at Norn after it, seemingly waiting for his answer.
"Yeah, great. What a night."
His voice souned as if he was a plumber who got called to the same house for the 5th time in 3 days.
"Tell me more, how many of them, how strong they are?"
He looked at the little goblin as he said it, his gaze wasn't particularly evil or anything like that, the goblin twtiched nonetheless, lowering his head.
"I mark on stick each orc."
As he said it he took out a stick and handed it to his chief.
It was something Norn didn't expect at all from a goblin.
He didn't know how to count, yet he found a way to count.
Smartass.
After counting markings on the stick, he was somewhat dumbfounded.
"7 orcs? What the fuck are they doing here?"
He wasn't really prepared to fight that many orcs.
He didn't even know how strong they were.
More than that, what if they were strong in this world?
Yeah, many fantasy worlds portrayed them as pig-like shits that were used as food...
But some of them were basically green tanks that one wouldn't dare to meet normally.
Thus, he decided to ask the smartest person among them - Erika.
"What are orcs in this world?"
Norn's gaze was somewhat fearful as he looked at Erika.
He, of course, wasn't afraid at all.
He knew perfectly well that only some gods or whatever could rival Erika.
Even if he wasn't right, people that could be her enemy wont just appear out of nowhere.
"Dont you know what they are? Or are there several types of them?"
She asked, as if she could read Norn's mind.
"Several types."
Norn didn't bother to provide anything but that.
"Oh, those are... Imagine yourself a bigger and stronger goblin, that's all, basically."
It seemed that it was all, but she continued:
"Oh, also, they are as lustful as goblin, but they still have females in their tribes."
You think that's all?... Nope:
"Judging from the fact that there's 7 of them... It's either an envoy of some sorts or some orcs escaped from a fallen tribe."
After a little pause Norn asked:
"Why do you think so?"
He could understand her line of thinking, but he inquired because he wanted to know more about orcs.
"If those were scout there would be less manpower, if that was an exile there would only be one. An envoy is possible, but there aren't any orc tribes on the opposite side of the continent. Not that i know of at least."
Her answer didn't give Norn much information, but more questions.
"What do you mean on the other side of the continent? Is there a line of sorts or something?"
He guessed that there was a smart/stupid line that split the continent at some point that Erika reffered to.
"Well... You could say so. I dont have a map, but everything beyond this forest is "barbaric" and mainly populated by various tribes of different races. Everything that is beyond the plane belongs to either humans or elves."
Erika expained as she pointed here and there.
For you to better understand it:
The village stood near a forest which was, if you looked at it on the map, insanely big.
Said village was right on top of it, as if it was a hat.
Even further above was human & elf territory, everything on the bottom belonged to those barbaric tribese or whatever.
"Oh, makes sense, i've seen it before. Do we have anything to be afraid of though?"
He didn't really understand much since he didn't know how this continent looked.
The only thing he did understand was that forest was basically a no-go zone for now.
"I dont think so, but to be sure..."
Her voice quited down a little as she looked at the little scout goblin.
"Can you describe how those orcs looked? Any injuries, maybe they looked weak or anything like that? Their armor, weapons?"
She started questioning the scout.
When Norn was about to repeat her words, in case that goblin didn't know elvish...
"Many injury, many armor and good weapon! Strong warrior!"
He exclaimed loudly while looking at Erika.
It seemed that those goblins learned elvish in a matter of days.
"Well... I can say that as long as they're not elites from the Great Tribe i can manage"
Erika smiled awkwardly as she said it.
Even tho those smiles weren't usually a sight to see... Hers was.
"Good enough, do we go now? I think u'll be able to spot them if we simply go in the direction they're coming from."
After Norn said it, he questioned it.
Why was he sure that they were coming here? Maybe they were just passing by?..
"Wait, do we even need to go to them? Maybe they will just pass us by?"
He said immediately after his last line. It was a bit strange if you ask me.
"They walk on road!"
The scout goblin intervened to give more information.
"Oh, fair enough then."
Norn was now sure that a fight was inevitable, wanted he it or not.
"Do you need any preparaions, sweetie?"
He looked at Erika as he said it.
Norn wasn't sure if he would be of any use in the fight.
He wasn't sure that he was strong enough to battle against an orc, he didn't see their power, and after that encounter with adventurers...
Well, whatever it was he was ready to follow Erika.
"We can go right now, i've already spotted them, they dont seem that strong. Heavily malnourished as well."
Erika said with a strange gleam in her eyes. It didn't seem like anything at first...
But as Norn tried to understand what it really was he remembered that he saw it before...
What was she thinking about?..
...
Some time later Norn and Erika departed towards the orc group.
They didn't take anything with them as Erika ensured that "It'll be easy".
Why bother, then?
Norn had no reason not to believe her.
After some walking in a direction Norn never walked, which was deeper into the forest, Erika paused.
"They're not too far now, seems like one of them died."
Her gaze was somewhat gloomy as she said it.
"We need to move faster."
Before Norn could even process her words he found himself in Erika's arms.
It wasn't THAT unusual for him, as she already did something similiar before...
But now she carried him like a grocery bag, right under on of her arms.
As if his weight was nothing but a said bag...
It didn't scare him or anything, he felt surprised.
It was also somewhat pleasant for him since she tried to be gentle as she did that, placing him at a weird but cozy angle.
His eyes were directed towards her breasts that jiggled a little with each step he took.
The overall "Erika's Taxi" experience was 10/10.
Fast, reliable, pleasant.
What surprised him, however, was the fact that she leaped from place to place as she did that.
It looked like a sophisticated foot technique from some cultivation novel.
Norn almost wanted to ask Erika to teach him.
A few minutes and several kilometers later they were finally there.
To Norn's surprise Erika didn't bother to hide to launch a surprise attack.
On the contrary, she approached the orcs with him in her hands.
Was she that confident or something?
After Erika alerted the orcs about their presence here she placed Norn on the ground, whispering softly:
"Try to talk it out sweetie."
She smiled gently after she said it.
Norn was perplexed.
Why the fuck would he need several brutes that ate more in a day than he in a week?
However, after he looked at those orcs his gaze wavered.
There was a female orc among them!
More than that, those orcs had some great-looking barbarian-styled armors on top of greatswords they had in their arms!
If he could recruit them that would be of great use!
He was sure that even one of those could take on his whole goblin population!
Norn still felt somewhat strange about Erika's decision.
Even if that was beneficial, why would she let him do it? She was clearly stronger and smarter...
Was it because he was her husband or something? Did she rever him that much?
Well, it wasn't the right time to think about it anyway.
Norn came forward, still holding his sword in his arm.
As he did so, several orcs gripped their swords even harder.
The female orc, however, wasn't like that at all.
She seemed relaxed more than anything.
"Hello, friends. It seems that you've breached the border of my great tribe. Would you mind explaining your goal in doing so?"
Norn tried his best to sound at least somewhat nice as he said it.
However, his goblin nature was understood by the orcs immediately.
Why? He didn't bother to look anywhere but at the female orc.
Norn was somewhat perplexed by her existence.
She didn't look like an orc, her skin was green, yes, but her face and her body?
She looked like one of those gym-mommies, even better, if he were to be honest.
That orc lady didn't have much fat of her body, yet she was pleasant to look at.
Her face was that of a war goddess, yet without any scars at all!
More than that, as he noticed that her face was as clear as day...
Her body didn't have any either!
It wasn't that exposed, of course, but wasn't she a barbarian?
Why didn't she have any?
Whatever it was, Norn didn't have enough time to think, as he got an answer to his question...
Well, not really, but still:
"A goblin knows our language? How interesting."
It was the orc lady that answered.
She even came closer to Norn.
Of course, not too close, that would be a bit stupid.
"It's none of your concern why we are here. If we wanted to we could've squashed your little tribe, begone while you still can."
Her words weren't pleasant at all. They lacked that gentle nature that Erika had behind hers.
However, it was understandable, she was a war goddess, after all!
"Oh? I'm afriad that's not an option. You are in my tribe's territory, and i, as its chief, have a right to do whatever i want with intruders."
Norn smiled as he said it. He wasn't pleased with her answer.
Begone? It was his damn territory!
Well... It wasn't that far from it, who cares if he lied a little?
"Then i will simply squish you, little man."
Saying that, her eyes reddened.
She took our a giant sword that was bigger than Norn.
Note that she herself was tall as fuck.
Around 2 meters, which allowed her to stand above both Norn and Erika.
Other orcs, however? They were even taller than that, towering above the female orc.
Norn wasn't afraid at all. He had his own goddess on his side. Why bother about some measly orcs?
"Sweetie, tell her to stake her life at a duel."
Norn suddenly heard a whisper to his ear.
It was Erika, obviously.
"Oky"
Was his answer to her.
"My beautiful wife allows you to duel her. Stake your life and even if you lose we will gracefuly allow other orcs to leave unharmed."
Norn's smile could be seen from the north pole at this point.
He knew what Erika's plan was.
Either way, they would not lose anything!
"Oh? Your wife?"
Orc lady's eyes became even bigger than her breasts.
"Why would an elf be proud of being a goblins wife? Are you that strong?"
Her curiosity was through the roof!
"Fine, when i win both of you will be my slaves!"
She exclaimed loudly as she prepared to attack.
"Hey, chill out a little, my wife doesn't know orcish"
He glared at the big lady with a strange gaze, while delivering her message to Erika.
Her response wasn't surprising.
"Oh, sure, having some orc slaves isn't that bad for us. Tell her that i agree, but if the same conditions apply to her and her people."
Erika was almost laughing at this point.
Her expression was that of a person that was about to beat some 3rd grader in chess.
"My wife agrees, only if the same conditions apply to you and your people. If you lose - you will be our slaves."
Norn said with a proud expression, he too was laughing now.
"Good, let's start."
She didn't even think twice about it.