"The Golden Age ends here"
"Only in the form of elusive legends, remnants of the past are recorded"
——————————
"Cough, Cough, Cough," a sudden bout of severe coughing rang out, interrupting the elf's singing. However, the elf showed no displeasure, just casting a somewhat worried glance in the direction of the cough.
The source of the cough was not a human but an aged beastman, who bore the features of a wolf all over his body, clearly a member of the Wolves. The old beastman's fur had turned silver, and his back was slightly hunched. He was continuously coughing, but his eyes remained bright and unclouded despite his condition.
Another beastman of the Bear Clan knelt beside the old wolfman, gently patting his back with a big, sturdy hand. His muscles bulged all over his body, but the act of patting the old man's back was done very gently.
With the bearman's patting, the old wolfman finally stopped coughing, although his chest was still heaving heavily. A raspy sound came from his throat.
"Elder, are you alright?" asked one of the two humans standing alongside the beastmen. The man's golden hair was neatly combed, and his tightly fitted warrior's suit was simple but clean and tidy. He looked to be around thirty years old, had a well-defined face that exuded determination and firmness, and his brows reflected clarity and fierceness, but his eyes were soft. These two starkly contrasting features on one face formed a remarkably harmonious whole. His aura was as dazzling as the sun. Without any words or actions, he naturally became the center of attention when standing in a crowd. The man and the human woman knight beside him were standing closely together, their hands held tightly until the man started to speak and they naturally let go.
"Heh heh, Kyle, my boy, don't worry about me, I'm perfectly fine," the old wolfman chuckled weakly and shook his head in response, "Our ancestors' spirits have already shown me where my journey ends. Believe me, it's not now."
"Finche, my elder, your health…" The human, Kyle stopped mid-sentence, pausing before continuing, "You shouldn't have come."
"My boy, people say you possess all the virtues like justice, bravery, kindness, and more, but looking at these virtues," the elder made a face, as if disagreeing, "an overly kind leader is not always an ideal thing."
"Respected elder, caring for the sick is not excessive kindness; it is the basic moral duty of anyone in pursuit of justice," replied Kyle.
"Presently, even I may not be the best match for me," the old wolfman retorted bravely, his voice resonating with vigor despite his frailty.
"However, you cannot deny that vigorous battles would significantly shorten your life," responded Kyle, matching the elder's tone, "You… should go back."
"Once I go back, watching you all," the elder slapped the broad shoulder of the bearman beside him, his voice as resolute as ever, "watching all you good kids risking your lives? Although we are not of the same race, and some were even former enemies, but everyone here, you're all good kids, and oh, good friends too. You cannot expect me to calmly watch you all taking risks. Where does that leave my honor? Besides, what can I do even if I return? Maybe after a year, perhaps two, die helplessly on a sickbed? Beastmen are the most thrifty race in the world. We don't waste anything, including the last days of a warrior's life."
"You don't need to say anything more; no one can prevent me from pursuing the glory of a warrior." Seeing that Kyle was about to say something, the old beastman abruptly waved his hand and turned to the elf, "I apologize beautiful lady for interrupting your performance. Please, continue."
The elf presented a beautiful smile, and with a slight nod, the sweetest notes once more filled the air.
"God returned to the heavens, no longer appearing to mortal beings"
"New life was born again, struggling to reproduce on this earth"
"Without the protection of God, predators and famine kept them awake night after night"
"To struggle for survival, they invented new weapons"
"The advent of machinery led them step by step to the pinnacle of the world"
"Towering colossuses, waving a fist that can shatter mountains"
"Flying demon ships covered the sky, obscuring the sun, and veiling the heavens"
"The resounding crystal guns made even the fiercest beasts tremble"
"With small, frail bodies, they could command the seas and fields with just a flick of their fingers"
" 'Goblin', a name they gave themselves, reflected the essence of the earth"
"The era of the goblins lasted for seven thousand years"
"For seven thousand years, they perfected the power of crystals and machinery"
"Their greedy nature eventually led to wars breaking out everywhere"
"Cataclysmic wars broke out everywhere, leaving the guardians running in all directions"
"The moans of Yarra on the brink of destruction alerted the gods in heaven, who, joining forces, brought down Divine Punishment, destroying the world"
"The second era thus met its end, the Silver Age, disappeared like smoke"
"This is slander!" Shouted a small figure by the fire, which was half the size of the others. The dark green skin, high nose, pointed ears, and shrill voice, each marked his identity as a goblin.
In the world of Yarra the goblins are physically weak, so it is rare for powerful beings to emerge from among them. But given enough time, there will be a few exceptions. The goblin in front of them was one such.