Chapter 20: Chapter 18: They Rise

The connection between a rider and their drake is indescribable. The bonding of two souls in a mixing of life and love. When a drake suffers pain, their rider feels that same pain. There are, of course, mental protections you can create to protect yourself, but even those will not stop the deep torture that is the loss of your companion in battle. Do not take my lessons lightly, or you will suffer.

-Edward, Drake-Rider Commander and Instructor at the Imperial Military Academy

High Goblin Scout Dilo held onto the tree tight, his grip pushing into the bark as he held his breath.

Under him, a scouting party of orcs walked carefully through the undergrowth. The party was five orcs strong, with two chained spiders being ridden by orcs. The orc riders were covered in reddish-brown paint… At least Dilo hoped it was paint. The orcs moved cautiously, almost as if they were searching for something. Dilo doesn't know how they’d caught the Goblin’s trail. But this wasn’t good. Glo and the Grand Mother need to know that the orcs had started to move.

Dilo looked up, meeting eyes with the Goblin Hunter Kyra and the Spider-Tamer Fon. The Ambush Hunter Spider that accompanied them blended in with the tree so completely, that it took a moment for Dilo to find it right next to the Spider-Tamer.

Dilo had the best eyesight out of all of them, so he held his fingers up, signaling exactly how many orcs were in the area. The other two goblins nodded, while the spider didn’t make any acknowledgement.

The orc leader held his hand up, stopping the whole party. He looked around warily, his nose flaring as he took a deep breath. Dilo’s party had covered themselves in plants to cover their smell, but it wasn’t a perfect cover.

Dilo slowly released his grip from the tree, trusting his feet on the branch below him to keep his balance. He reached down and pulled an arrow from his quiver.

He drew back his bow, and out of the corner of his eyes he saw the other two goblins doing the same. If it did turn into a fight, they couldn’t afford for it to last long. Dilo knew that there were other orc scouting parties and the full advance party of the Orc army not too far behind them.

The orc looked up, and Dilo released his arrow, one of his evolution’s skills empowering it. The arrow shot from his bow with a powerful force, instantly penetrating one of the spider riders and into the chitin of his spider. The force behind the arrow pushed the spider into the ground and cracked its chitin.

The two arrows of his comrades instantly followed his as pulled back another arrow.

The party below them fell into chaos as their leader was instantly slain and their spider riders taken out. They reached for their own bows, but the Ambush Hunter spider landing on top of one of the other spiders and instantly killing it threw their party into further chaos.

Dilo drew another arrow and let it fly, the supernatural force behind it punching through yet another orc.

The two surviving orcs ran after that, but arrows quickly found their backs, and they fell into the grass.

Dilo dropped to the forest floor, looking over his two fellow goblins as they landed beside him. Hunter Kyra’s arm hung loosely at her side, bleeding heavily from an arrow the orcs must’ve gotten off, but other than that, they were unharmed.

“Fon, get on Siks.” Dilo ordered, motioning towards the ambush spider that accompanied them. “We have to let Risha and Glo know that they’re moving. Kyra and I will be right behind you.”

Fon didn’t argue as he mounted the spider. He looked at the other two goblins for a long moment before speaking. “Don’t die.”

Then he was off, the spider moving quickly through the underbrush. Dilo met Kyra’s eyes. There were tears in her eyes, and both of them couldn’t help but look at the blood dripping from her wound.

Dilo wished that he could’ve sent her with Siks, but the blood was a trail that they couldn’t afford to leave.

Still, Dilo would not abandon her. He reached into his bag and quickly wrapped her wound with a spider silk bandage.

“You should leave.” Kyra said, her hand resting on his. “Kyra won’t be able to escape their trackers.”

Dilo shook his head. “There’s a river to the south. We’ll use it to mask your trail. Don’t give up.”

Kyra squeezed his hand, then leaned into his shoulder. “Kyra is happy to die for her people.”

Dilo stood up, and forced her to stand up with him. “Kyra isn’t dead yet. Trust Dilo.”

Kyra nodded, then they were off, running through the underbrush.

***

Another month passed as the goblin city slowly expanded. Hunters slowly came back with more and more small goblin villages, ranging from just ten goblins to a hundred goblins strong.

Their farmland expanded as they hurried to feed and train all of the new mouths. Thankfully, the advice of the Grand Mothers and the power of their evolutions allowed them to keep up with the increases. The first Goblin Farmers evolved as well, helping with the problem.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Risha trained every day, quickly catching up with the teachings of Klu. He still outmatched her with his experience, but she constantly surprised him with her tricks.

The kobolds and goblins still had some minor hostilities, with duels constantly popping up between the goblin warriors and evolved kobolds. Slowly, they were starting to get along, but Earth-Shaker wasn’t making it any easier, with his hostility towards Risha clear to see for anyone with eyes.

Risha was training in the fields when a commotion spread through the goblins and kobolds of the city. Risha hurried to the sight of the commotion to see an exhausted spider collapsed on the floor, its rider suffering many cuts and arrow wounds.

The rider gasped for air, but smiled when he caught sight of Risha, Glo close behind her.

“The orcs. They’re moving.” Fon said, then he collapsed.

Risha looked at a random warrior, “find Tya!”

The warrior didn’t hesitate as he took off running.

The Elders were quickly gathered around the spider and its rider as Tya worked her magic. The Elders parted to make room as the Spider Queen stepped lightly through them, her black chitin stark against the light of the day.

The spider-tamer stirred under Tya’s care, his eyes fluttering open. He sat up quickly, looking around at the gathered goblins. His gaze caught on Earth-Shaker and Sun-Chaser who had joined the gathering. Eventually his gaze settled on Risha. He tried to stand up, but Tya gently pushed him back down.

Fon bowed his head to Risha, “Grand Mother, the orcs have started marching.”

The gathered monsters were silent at the news.

A lump formed in Risha’s throat and she quickly swallowed it. “How far away are they?”

“The front of their army should arrive in a few weeks. The rest of the war-party is less than a week behind them.” Fon motioned towards the spider accompanying them. “They’ve been sending scouting parties ahead. Siks and I, we lost the last one a week or so ago.”

Risha looked at everyone gathered, her eyes meeting the serious gazes of every goblin, kobold, and spider present. Eventually her eyes met Glo’s. He looked at her with pure confidence, and she felt herself harden.

She stepped forward, puffed her chest out, then howled as loud as she could. Glo joined her, then the other Elders. Sun-Chaser joined her, and the kobolds joined in. The howl spread through the whole city, creating a wave of sound that caused every bird for miles around to take flight. Risha noticed the only one not to join in was Earth-Shaker, instead his gaze stayed calmly on her.

The sound died out, and Risha spoke loudly for all to hear. “We ride to our battlefield in the morning. Prepare everything you can.”

Risha turned away from the group and walked away. Her heart hammered inside of her chest, but she did her best not to show her fear as she walked to the pit where this all started.

No one followed her as they all ran off to make their own preparations.

Risha dropped into her pit. Her gaze moved over her children, fast asleep. She reached out, and grabbed an old staff that leaned against the walls of the pit. She was tired of waiting, and every part of her desired to leave to the battlefield that waited for her people.

She ran her hand down the length of her staff, feeling all the familiar imperfections that marked the staff she’d used before she evolved.

Thump.

The staff hit the ground with a quiet force that was echoed by the very energy running through her body.

Thump.

The spiders stirred, their limbs stretching as they were called from their slumber.

Thump.

Webs snapped as the much larger spiders extended their long legs covered in purple fur.

Thump.

Hundreds of legs moved at once.

Thump.

The bodies of the spider rose from their webs, their joints creaking from disuse.

Thump.

Hundreds of eyes stared at her as a feral grin spread across her face.

Thump.

Their legs joined hers in rhythm with her staff. The sound of great beasts emerging from their slumber spread to the other pits.

Thump.

It was finally time. A wild grin spread across Risha’s face as all of her children joined her in waking the army they had gathered.

Thump.

Thump.

They fought for their freedom. They fought for her people. They fought for themselves.

Thump.

Thump.

Soon they would sate themselves on orc blood. Soon they would be free of their overseers.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

THUMP.

Risha stopped, and every spider matched her. She looked into the eyes of her children.

“Welcome back. I missed you.”

The spiders chittered, then they swarmed her, rubbing their heads and legs against her. Risha laughed as she ran her hands through their soft purple fur.

All across the goblin city, the spiders woke from their deep slumber. They were greeted by the Spider Tamers and the evolved spiders that had watched over them while they slept.

The city moved with the goblins who grabbed their weapons, armor and supplies. In the middle of it all, Glo stood, surrounded by twenty goblins who were constantly running up to and away from him as he organized and ordered them to their next tasks.

On the other side of the city, Alpha kobolds gathered with their packs in front of Earth-Shaker. He barked orders at them, while Sun-Chaser watched on with a complicated gaze.

Sun-Chaser sat behind and to the left of Earth-Shaker, her hands subconsciously clenching and unclenching.

Risha’s words echoed through her mind as she watched all of her unevolved cousins mindlessly follow the words of their alphas.

“Someday, if you desire, your people could become more.”

Her gaze moved to Earth-Shaker, the rightful ruler of their people, and she wondered.

What could her people become?