Mikhailis trudged back into the goblin fortress, his body aching and bruised all over from the intense battle with Vyrelda. His joints felt stiff, his muscles throbbed with every step, and his armor had more dents than he cared to count. He held his head high, though, his eyes scanning the fort with a feigned confidence that belied the exhaustion weighing him down.
The goblin warriors that crowded the pathway into the fortress took one look at his beaten-up condition and moved aside, making way for him. Some of them grunted in what sounded like approval. In the goblin culture, bruises and signs of exhaustion were seen as marks of bravery. It didn't matter to them that Mikhailis had ordered a retreat; in their eyes, he had fought and survived, and that was worthy of respect.
