"Hey, Rynne, have you seen Zarra? I need to talk to her." Lance tapped on Rynne's shoulder, walking to her side.
"She left early today, something about scouting a new area."
"Is that so… no problem then."
"Now that you're here, come let's train. I was just about to begin." Rynne said, the look in her eyes giving little room for denial.
Lance resigned and followed behind without arguing or excuses. Even though he had been trying to develop himself in other areas of magic, learning from both Mira and Lia, he had seen no progress at all. With those results, he would be better off training with Rynne and trying to improve himself physically.
…
Elsewhere, where Zarra and her scouts were, Zarra came to a sudden pause mid-step. Her scouts mirrored her movements, their sharp eyes scanning the dense foliage around them.
"What's wrong?" one of the younger scouts whispered, gripping his dagger tightly.
"Something's nearby," Zarra muttered, her voice low. "Stay alert."
The rustling came first, followed by a series of gruff, panicked shouts and growls. Zarra motioned for the scouts to spread out, slipping silently through the underbrush toward the commotion.
As they crept closer, the scene unfolded before them. A stout figure with a thick beard and a gleaming axe was surrounded by snarling wolves, their yellow eyes fixed on their prey as their snouts scrunched up, showing their sharp canines that could tear through skin and flesh easily.
The figure swung the axe with precision, fending off the beasts, but it was clear he was getting tired, despite having being able to avoid any visible injury so far.
"A dwarf," Zarra whispered, her brow furrowing.
"What do we do?" the young scout asked.
Zarra thought about it for a short while before answering, "We help."
With a sharp whistle, Zarra signaled the attack, while simultaneously drawing attention towards her direction, giving the others an opening to launch a surprise attack.
The goblin scouts burst from the trees, their movements swift and coordinated. One scout launched a spear that struck a wolf in its flank, sending it yelping into the underbrush. Another darted forward to engage the nearest beast, their small but sharp blade finding its mark.
Zarra herself leapt toward the largest wolf, her dagger flashing as she landed a precise strike. The remaining wolves, startled by the sudden assault, retreated into the forest with growls of frustration.
The dwarf blinked, his chest heaving as he stared at his unexpected saviors. "Well… that's not somethin' you see every day," he muttered, his voice gruff. He dropped to one knee, the exhaustion getting to him.
"You're welcome," Zarra said dryly, sheathing her dagger. "Come on. You're coming with us." She said.
The other goblins appeared surprised when they heard what she said, but no one objected, and instead they remained quiet.
The dwarf himself looked spent of his energy, he was too tired to want to argue or fight back.
"Cease your worries, if we wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already." Zarra said.
Despite the Dwarf's exhaustion, they left there immediately before the wolves returned.
…
As they came to the walls surrounding the camp, the dwarf was more than surprised, his mouth even gaping wide for a moment before he controlled himself. As he walked inside, the sight that greeted him was rather surprising.
He stood awkwardly near the center of the camp as word was sent to Lance, his eyes darting from one goblin to the next. The tribe gave him a wide berth, their expressions ranging from curiosity to distrust.
"This is your ruler, then?" the dwarf asked, his tone tinged with disbelief as Zarra introduced him to Lance. "A human?"
Lance extended a hand, offering a welcoming smile. "My name is Lance. Nice to meet you."
The dwarf squinted at him, ignoring the hand. "A human rulin' goblins. That's… somethin' I never thought I'd see. And you don't even speak 'common'? How's that work?"
Lance glanced at Zarra, who translated the dwarf's words. His smile tightened. "It works because I don't need to speak 'common' to lead them."
Zarra relayed Lance's response, and the dwarf let out a gruff chuckle. "Fair enough. Name's Tharok. A blacksmith by trade, and one of the best, if I say so meself."
With Zarra and the translator, Lance and Tharok discussed briefly before Lance let him be for the moment while he discussed with his elders.
Tharok's initial skepticism only grew as he wandered the camp, muttering to himself about goblins and humans. However, his grumbling came to an abrupt halt when he reached Kaeli's forge.
Kaeli was bent over her workbench, shaping a piece of metal with precision. The forge's heat cast a warm glow over her determined features, and the rhythmic clang of her hammer filled the air.
Tharok's bushy eyebrows shot up as he approached, his sharp eyes narrowing as he inspected the weapons and tools scattered around the forge.
"This is your work?" he asked, his tone incredulous.
Kaeli glanced up, wiping sweat from her brow. "Who's asking?"
"Tharok," he said, crossing his arms. "Blacksmith by trade, and I'll be damned if this ain't some of the finest craftsmanship I've seen in years… for your level, of course."
Kaeli smirked, leaning against her workbench. "Coming from a dwarf, I'll take that as a compliment."
Tharok picked up one of Kaeli's weapons, a sleek, balanced blade that gleamed in the light. He turned it over in his hands, muttering under his breath as he examined the craftsmanship.
"The weight's a bit off," he said finally. "Edge is sharp enough to shave with. And the balance—how'd you manage this with the scraps you've got here?"
Kaeli shrugged, her smirk widening. "Skill and creativity. You'd be amazed what you can do with a little ingenuity."
Tharok grunted, clearly impressed despite himself. "You're wasted here, lass. You should be workin' in a proper forge, not this… ramshackle setup."
Kaeli's smirk faded, her tone turning defensive. "This 'ramshackle setup' gets the job done. And it's not just about the tools..."
Tharok held up his hands immediately. "Easy now. I didn't mean any disrespect. Just sayin'—with better materials, you could create masterpieces. I've seen talents, and you're by far the most impressive."
"Hmmm,,,"
Lance arrived just as the exchange was heating up.
"Everything okay here?" he asked, glancing between Kaeli and Tharok.
"Fine," Kaeli said, though her tone was clipped.
"Better than fine," Tharok said, his tone thoughtful. "Your smith here's got talent—real talent. If she had better materials to work with…"
"We've been working on that," Lance said, his mind flashing to the recent trade with the beastkin. "If you're willing to help, we could use someone with your experience. Of course, until you're well enough to leave."
Tharok scratched his beard, his expression skeptical. "Workin' with goblins ain't exactly somethin' I ever thought I'd do."
"But you've seen what we're capable of," Lance said, his voice steady. "This isn't just a mere goblin tribe."
Tharok studied Lance for a long moment, then glanced back at Kaeli. "Fine. I'll stick around for a bit. But only because I'm curious to see what this lass can do with proper materials."
Kaeli's smirk returned, her tone laced with challenge. "Heh, right."
As the day wore on, Tharok and Kaeli began working side by side, the forge coming alive with the clang of metal and bursts of fiery light. The usual sounds that carried over the camp became even more intense.
Despite his initial prejudice, Tharok couldn't hide his admiration for Kaeli's skill, and their tentative partnership began to take shape.
Later that evening, as the camp settled into its usual rhythm, Lance sat by the fire with Lia and Zarra, reflecting on the day's events.
Zarra leaned backwards, a tired sigh escaping her lips, "a dwarf working with goblins," she said, shaking her head. "Didn't think I'd see the day."
"Neither did he," Lance said with a chuckle. "But this is a good thing. We're stronger with him here."
Lia nodded, her yellow eyes thoughtful. "If he stays, it could open doors for more alliances. The dwarves are known for their craftsmanship and trade networks."
"Let's take it one step at a time," Lance said. "For now, we focus on making the most of what we've got."
"Yeah."
"I have to say, Zarra, that was some quick thinking you did there." Lance said, his voice full of praise.
"Well, you've been planning tactics for connections with other races, so when I saw the opportunity, I had to take it."
"Ohh, so that's how it is?" Lia remarked, a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Come on, rub my head, I want to rest from my hard work today. I'm smart, aren't I?" Zarra said, laying her head on Lance.
"Of course, you are."