As dusk settled over the village, I gathered the elves who wouldn't be participating in the vanguard. That meant the children and Elder Marah. She was the only elder among us, possessing a mature mind with whom I could converse, though our conversations often left much to be desired. Perhaps it was my own bias, colored by my interactions with her or the glimpses I'd had through dream-walking into her mind.
The almost-of-age elves assisted in setting up camp in the village center, where a small clearing had been made amidst the trees and grass. I abstained from organizing the camp; instead, my focus turned to the construction of the wooden walls encircling our pseudo-elven village. Traditional elven abodes were usually treehouses, rendering walls unnecessary. However, Irene insisted on their swift erection, citing the looming threat of the goblin invasion.
She was right, though it would be easily cleaved through by the goblin horde and their gifted goblins, it would still be better to have a wall than none— it helped to block the goblins' line of vision, and also the elves' line of vision inside the walls. Because of that, I could safely use my telekinesis to pick off goblins without the elves seeing me doing it.
I wouldn't want the smaller cache of the already small population of elves to aggrandize me and worship me. I would hate it, and it would be troublesome for me in the long run. I wanted the elves to have an illusion of independence… and to build their own ambitions and confidence. It would be foolish for a mastermind to force his ideas on his pawns because that would leave a mark no matter what angle I played.
To me, secrecy had always been my highest priority.
With my promise to protect the village, I took up a role in building the wall. With my powers, it was manageable, though it was evident the construction was rushed. Beyond those hastily erected defenses, I imagined Irene and her sisters engaged in a fierce battle, fighting tooth and nail against the encroaching goblin horde.
"It is good to see you here, your protection was well-appreciated," Elder Marah said, her tone carrying a hint of gratitude.
I nodded, acknowledging her words, though my expression remained guarded. "I am aware," I replied, unable to hide the flicker of distaste at the prospect of engaging in conversation with her.
Elder Marah seemed undeterred by my apparent reluctance, her gaze steady as she continued, "I know we started on the wrong foot, but I at least wish to amend that. Tell me, Lord Ivan, what is it that I can do to ease your ire… I don't remember particularly offending you."
Her words struck a chord within me, stirring a sense of introspection. With a sigh, I relented, recognizing the truth in her words. "You didn't… It is my fault for being offended by things I shouldn't be," I admitted, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders as I spoke. "The elves around these parts clearly had their own way of life, and I have no right to impose mine on you."
There was a moment of silence between us, the weight of unspoken tension lingering in the air.
Elder Marah's gaze lingered on my dark hair, her eyes searching mine as if trying to discern the truth hidden within them. "But you are an elf too just like the rest of us," she remarked, her tone gentle yet inquisitive. "As a wood elf myself, I have seen many things… You cannot be a dark elf since they have white hair and dark skin. You cannot be a firebrand either since their hair is red."
I met her gaze, maintaining the façade of nonchalance as I replied, "I am originally a wood elf, but because of my Gift, my powers, it mutated some parts of me like my hair color and eyes." It was a lie, one she seemed to eat up without question.
Elder Marah nodded, seeming to accept my explanation at face value. "Ah, the complexities of Gift," she murmured, a hint of fascination coloring her tone. "Truly, it is a wonder what it can do to us."
"Hmmm… Big hitters, there are 12 of them…"
I sensed them, about a dozen hobgoblins had begun to slither their way from the perimeter of the walls. I picked them off with telekinesis trying to pin and kill them, but they were more resilient than any carbon-based creature I've seen since coming to this world… even more resilient than Vajen Omon.
As a super, these goblins in particular had powers focused on being tough… It was interesting how generalist and unified the development of their powers was, considering that I could sense their biological structure to be almost identical to each other except few deviations depending on which weapon they used. It was time for the show to begin—
One side of the walls crumbled as a dozen hobgoblins forced their way in, their bulk and steel easily cleaving the wall apart. Panic rippled through the village as elves scrambled to defend their homes. I could hear shouts and cries mingling with the clash of weapons and the snarls of the goblin invaders.
I used my telekinesis to take hold of the elves. "Don't interfere," and with a burst of my power, I dragged them to one corner just behind me.
My telekinetic powers flared to life as I sought to neutralize the hobgoblins threatening our village. Despite their resilience, I was determined to protect my newfound home and its inhabitants.
With swift and precise movements, I hurled debris and objects at the hobgoblins, aiming for weak points and vulnerable spots in their armor. Some fell under the onslaught, while others shrugged off the attacks and continued their relentless advance.
More goblins poured from the destroyed wall, and I could see even a few of the hobgoblins I pinned down to be quickly recovering. As a show of force, telekinesis was quite a powerful tool, but like I said— I wouldn't want the adoration of the elves. I could just kill anything in front of me with my telekinesis, but that would be counterproductive if I wanted to prop Irene as the face of this village.
I had mind-controlled two beasts around this forest— the giant boar, and the giant snake. The boar was killed by the goblins already before we even realized the goblins were unto us, but not the snake… This very early morning, I had summoned the snake nearby and used my Patchwork Technology to improve it.
With a theatric flare, I called forth to the air, "Destroy them!" Though it was roundabout, I could at least avoid the direct attention of the elves if I were to delegate 'saving them' to another, in this case, a gigantic snake the length of a bus and as wide as a person: it was originally an oversized python, but now it was something else.
The air crackled with tension as the villagers watched in awe and terror as the giant snake emerged from the trees. Its scales glinted in the dim light with a deep red hue that seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly sharpness. Every time the giant snake slithered and grazed on the hobgoblins, they would bleed… And the scales were poisonous too, leaving any creature the snake touched in miserable pain.
Moreover, the snake possessed eyes that projected psychic fear… It stared out from its massive head, instilling a sense of dread in all who beheld them.
With a powerful hiss, the snake lunged forward, its jaws snapping at the nearest hobgoblin with razor-sharp teeth. The creature moved with a grace and speed that belied its immense size, weaving through the chaos of battle as if it were a natural predator stalking its prey.
I smiled, though it didn't show on my face as I was just bones on the inside of this meat suit, but it couldn't help but make me proud whenever I saw my creation thriving.
As the hobgoblins turned their attention to the new threat, the snake reared back, a low rumble emanating from its throat. Then, with a sudden burst of flame, it unleashed a torrent of fire that engulfed the goblin invaders. Screams of agony filled the air as the flames licked at their flesh, reducing them to ash in mere moments.
I was careful to kill the flames that caught the trees and the walls… My telekinesis was powerful enough to rid the flames from the walls and trees.
The villagers watched in stunned silence as the snake continued its onslaught, striking fear into the hearts of their enemies. It moved with a ferocity and determination that seemed almost sentient as if it were driven by some unseen force.
"My fellow elves, this is your Guardian Beast, truly the Red Scale…" I proudly declared.
With each passing moment, the hobgoblins were driven back, their numbers dwindling under the relentless assault of the giant snake. And as the last of the invaders fell, the villagers erupted into cheers and applause, their slithering savior coiled and arched tall amidst the wreckage of battle.