Rael rose to his feet as soon as his reserves were filled, and he'd noticed something — his Aether capacity seemed to increase every three refills, though by a very small amount. He suspected it would have to reach a certain point before he stepped into the next tier.
Stepping out from his longhouse and heading to the armory, he picked up a blade — though it was more of a saber than a sword — mostly because he didn't trust the long sword anymore. He suspected it might break during battle, and considering his bad luck, he wasn't taking that chance.
Inspecting the blade and testing his grip around it, it was actually a deviation of the famous elven blades. It was long — four feet — he didn't mind that, but it wasn't double-edged, a detail he didn't like. In fact, he didn't like sabers or blades in their entirety; he preferred swords, long swords.
Glancing down at the weapon rack he'd made clumsily with wood and flax ropes, he really didn't have a choice, for the rest of the weapons were mostly heavy melee like the axe, two maces, and just one spear. And honestly, aside from the axe, he wasn't a fan of them, mostly when they'd hinder him from performing his trump card at the moment.
He strapped the blade to his waist, turning to leave the armory, but he paused, turning his gaze to the axe again.
"Hmm, you never know," he smirked. Grabbing the axe and leaving the armory, he walked along his parted road that led to the entrances of his buildings. He just felt like doing that out of boredom. He pushed the door open to his house of alchemy even though there was just his stored food in it — roasted and dried jerky. That was the only way he could preserve all the meat he had stored. Of course, while dissecting the carcasses he made sure not to waste a lot in the process, mostly organs.
Going to a barrel, he opened the lid, picked up three oddly-shaped jerkies, then closed it back. Chewing on their hard texture, he left the house of alchemy, heading to the outskirts of his territory. Well, considering the fact he hadn't made a boundary to identify where exactly the Dominion senses stopped—
"I'll have to do that after the clearing."
After all, he saw it as useless if he didn't have a boundary ward sigil; all territories had one.
Clearing his mind of all unnecessary thoughts, he started replaying the scenario he'd come up with to get rid of the goblins. He planned on taking care of the unranked bunch first, mostly because that was the only way to go about it with his reserves or else he'd be drained dry while still in battle. But partly because of his reckless nature — he wanted to test himself undisturbed against an Aether user. Well, users, as there were three. A mad and reckless idea, but he wasn't going to lie; ever since he'd awakened using the Warmaster's manuscript, he was starting to like throwing himself into battles even without plotting, as while in battle his instincts and reflexes just goes up another level. He'd noticed that while facing the Aether warthogs. Now, maybe that was good or bad, he wasn't sure, but what was he expecting? The name of the manuscript said a lot.
Getting closer to the muddy patches that led to the goblin camp, he slowed down, as his plan was to lure either the ranked goblins or the unranked ones so he could slay them. But how else to do that than to bait them using himself?
...
(Goblin Camp)
The camp was lit with burn fires, with three tattered tents standing out — one releasing hideous noises from within. Around the entire camp, goblins slept on the floors; some quarreled and fought each other for bones, and some sat around the burn fires.
A scrawny goblin with patches of hair on his bald head sat around a burn fire close to the outskirts of the camp, groaning in annoyance as he whispered to the rest of the goblins surrounding the fire in their language:
"I knew he would hoard all the females to himself. At least a woman's flesh would do, but no, he wants everything to himself. I can't wait for the grand future our king preaches about…"
"Hmph."
A goblin much older and uglier to his side turned to him with a mocking gaze.
"You dream too much, Bara'kj. Even if that day comes, what makes you think you'd be alive or would even have a taste of a female? Haha."
"What… but we were promised—"
"Hah, look at this fool. He knows nothing."
The rest of the goblins burst into laughter.
The old one said in a lower voice, "You'd better be satisfied with the bones the blessed ones give us. Don't be gr— no… don't ask for more, or you'll be like those ones." He pointed to the stakes surrounding the camp. Aside from human heads, there were also rotting goblin heads on them.
"That's what they do to the ones who question them. They're blessed for a reason."
With that, all the rest of the goblins dropped their ugly faces in resignation. After all, it was a pity that their fellow kin — due to their nature — held the information on how to become an Aether user, so to most of the goblin population, the ranked goblins were blessed.
Rustle.
They all glanced to the left, where the sound came from.
"Bara'kj… I thought you said all the vermins were hunted down already."
"I did," Bara'kj said, getting up alongside the others.
Rustle.
"Could it be a beast?"
"If it is, we better call the blessed—"
The bush rustled and shook until a shout — and a naked human — burst out of the bushes shouting:
"Help me! There are goblins everywhe—"
He paused, widening his eyes at the gathered goblins all staring at him in return.
The goblins looked at him — mostly at his private that was dangling between his thighs.
"Ooh shit," the human said, turning back into the woods and running for his life.
The entire group of goblins stared for a minute, frozen, until Bara'kj snapped out of his shock.
"Get him!"
His words snapped the entire goblin camp out of their stupor as their instincts kicked in. They poured into the woods, most not even carrying weapons, laughing and excited. After all, whoever got the human first might gain a favor from their prince. But sadly, they had forgotten to report to their prince, who was busy in his tent — not even to the shamans, who were just stepping out, disturbed by the commotion, only to see the camp almost empty.