Two and a half years.

  That’s how long it’s been in total since Rick reached the Dark Lands of Mir.

  Rick entered the Dark Lands of Mir as a Tier Five Royal Goblin running away from the enemy who murdered or caused the deaths of many Goblins who he came to cherish.

  Goblins who he has never once forgotten and promised to avenge when the time was right.

  If he didn’t care about anything else, he would’ve ran off to the Iris River Plains the second he reached the Sixth Tier, but he no longer lived for himself and his wishes alone.

  That wasn’t one of the many benefits of being the King of a race.

  His life and his power was literally tied to all of the Goblins on the continent. He couldn’t give up on the ones in the Dark Lands of Mir, just to go avenge the lost lives of Goblins so far away.

  Especially not now…not when the Dark Lands of Mir were under attack. Not by the usual suspects, but by the humans.

  The race most Goblins around the continent fears the most.

  So Rick, who was now a mighty King, would never abandon his people in their time of need. Not now, not ever.

  …

  “What’s the situation?”

  Rick and about half of his Chiefs were standing in the biggest room in Chief Kog’s house as they talked about battle plans. Since it was one of the closest clans to the border, it was the perfect place to hold war room sessions as they prepared to face the approaching danger.

  “My King, the enemy has made camp not too far from here. They are currently in the process of settling in. We expect them to begin their way into Mir a few hours from now at the earliest, but no later than a day.

  “None of them have removed their armor.”

  Rick rubbed his chin in thought for a few moment.

  “Black One?”

  “They are currently on orders to stand put and remained hidden. The army is too close and the risk of being revealed is too high at the moment.”

  “Good, and the border guards?”

  “Successfully evacuated My King, only the best and strongest scouts we have are present on our borders at the moment.”

  “Have we got an accurate count of their numbers and overall strength yet?”

  Chief Galgo who had been answering so far, gave way to allow Chief Grul to speak. It’s been his clan’s responsibility to scout the army in detail.

  “There are 6000 strong My King. Their weakest are Tier Four, while we have confirmed at least 4 different humans at Tier Seven. From Tier Four to Tier Six we aren’t too sure of their numbers, as getting any closer would draw the attention of the Tier Sevens.”

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  ‘What do you think Velora?’

  [I think they don’t have up to date information about the strength of the Goblins dwelling in the Dark Lands of Mir. Only sending four Tier Sevens is not going to end well for them. Though…as we’ve previously discussed, the fact that they are here in the first place is troubling.]

  ‘Right on both fronts…Even with doing my best not to underestimate the enemy before me, I still wasn’t too worried about defeating them.

  ‘What I was worried about was why they were here in the first place, and what would come after defeating them. If the humans here were anything like my own people back on Earth, then there would be no way that there were going to leave us alone after this.

  ‘And the next time they came, the force behind them would supersede this one by a significant margin.

  ‘Sigh.’

  [With that being said…are you deadest on the plan we spoke about? Wouldn’t it make the situation worse?]

  ‘The situation is bad no matter which way we look at it, and Goblins of Mir are no longer pushovers. I don’t care who they are, no one is allowed to just come to us with bad intentions and then leave with their lives intact.’

  [I understand.]

  ‘Well that’s option B…first, I will at least confirm if their goal is us.’

  “Alright, then will go plan one.”

  “My King…I still think it would be best not to put you in danger like that.”

  “Then I will count on you to be ready in case something goes wrong. Can I count of you for that Chief Grul?”

  “Yes My King!”

  “Good, then plan one it is. If it fails then immediately shift to Green Death. None of them will leave here alive and if possible capture a few of their Tier Sixes. Is the vanguard on standby?”

  “They are ready for war My King.”

  “Good, and Commander Meegra. Are my Royal Guard ready?”

  “We are ready My King.”

  “Good! Then let us go welcome our guests. Remember, none of them will enter our lands, and if it’s war they want, then none of them shall leave!”

  Rick and his Chiefs departed from Chiefs Kog house and made their way to their respective locations. The Chiefs, and a standby force of 5000 elite Goblins slowly but surely got in their positions.

  If the 6000 Knights had any clue that they were being slowly surrounded then they made no actions to showcase that.

  It wasn’t until Rick himself left the shadows of the Dark Lands of Mir and slowly but openly made his way towards their camp. Of course, Commander Meegra who was now firmly a Tier Six Goblin stood just behind him, while all ten groups of the Royal Guard had taken up positions to his left, right and rear.

  It was this approach that the Knights reacted to.

  Once Rick was spotted, and a bit of power he allowed to leak could be felt, many different calls to arms sounded throughout the ranks of Knights and before long all of them were ready for battle.

  But before any order to charge could be given, Rick’s voice resounded throughout the area.

  “Humans. Welcome to the Dark Lands of Mir. You are now in Goblin controlled lands. Though I will assume you didn’t know that since you have decided to set up camp in our land.

  “Instead, I simply wanted to know why? Why have your people come here? Perhaps there is something you want deep in the Dark Lands of Mir. I wouldn’t mind helping you get it and sending you all on your way.”

  Rick did his best to smile amicably and explain his stance both openly and quietly in his opening statement.

  And it seemed to work for a bit as the Humans didn’t move for a few moments…of course it wasn’t because they were considering Rick’s offer, no…it was because he was speaking fluent Verdan. Not the common tongue of the continent, but the native language of the Verdan Kingdom.

  Even Minister Franc was a bit caught off guard as he heard the words of his native language leave the mouth of a Goblin.

  Though it seemed the thought of that…repulsed him.

  He chuckled darkly before stepping forward ahead of the army behind him.

  “I do not know what sorcery you have enacted to speak the Verdanian tongue, but it will be last time you do so. You wanted to know what we wanted right? Present your neck before me and I will show you.”

  The smile on Rick’s quickly left as an expressionless face took its place.

  “I see. Commence Green Death.”