Chapter 22: A General Meeting.
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It had been four days since the battle. Four days since she had accidentally blown up a mountain. And four days since she alienated a good number a people around her.

Feels like it can’t get much worse than this. Crystaria thought to herself, but then immediately regretted thinking that.

She let out a sigh.

“I guess it could, but I hope it doesn’t...” She said lamentation.

“Hmm? Did the Demon Lord say something?” Flannik asked.

“Nothing Flannik...” She reassured him. “Just talking to myself and regretting some decision I’ve made...”

This caused a chortle to come out of Flannik.

“Don’t we all now and then.” He told her sagely.

“Hmm...” Artemis made a noise of agreement to what Flannik had said. “It never gets easier as you get older. You realize the mistakes you made before and still repeat them, and hate yourself even more.”

“... Are you two even trying to cheer me up?” She questioned her companions.

This only prompted a laugh from both Flannik and Artemis.

“We’re just saying.” Flannik starts to say to her. “It is just natural to have regrets, or failures in life you are not proud of: we all do.”

Crystaria scoffs at that.

“Yeah? That might be true. But have either one of you gotten a bunch of your people killed, try to commit a taboo, alienate your own people, and blow up a mountain in a single day?”

At her words, Flannik and Artemis look in each other’s direction. As the make eye contact, a silent message passes through their eyes to each other.

Flannik then shrugs before turning back to the Demon Lord.

“Once or twice...” He says with a cheesy grin on his face.

“OH! That is Sooo comforting to know!” Crystaria snarks sarcastically. “At least I have something to live up to then!”

“Crysta,” Artemis calls out to her in a disappointed voice. “That wasn’t very nice.” She chides in a joking fashion.

Crystaria lifts her arms up and lets them drop gently to her sides.

“It's just... *SIGH*... I just don't know what I am doing anymore... Hell!" She said in frustration. "I'm not sure I've ever known what I've been doing! I've just been making this shit up as I've gone along for most of it." She explained as she turned back around to start walking towards their destination again. At to slow a pace for her liking.

This only got Flannik to laugh again. He laughed as much as Artemis did. She thought to herself.

"Demon Lord. No leader has all the answers. Isn't this why we're going for this visit today?" He reminded her unnecessarily.

"..." She knew what he asked was a rhetorical question, but after a bit, she decided to give him an answer to his question. "You don't need to tell me that: I know that very well... better than most... I can't believe you guys are even talking to me after you both put me through the ringer the other day..." She trailed off as she said this last part. Embarrassed at herself for what she had done.

"Demon Lord." Artemis said her title sternly, like a mother calling her naughty child. "It is done. It is over. You regret what you've done, yes?" Artemis asked her, despite knowing her answer.

"I do..." She said a little petulantly, mostly because, she was still having to receive lectures from older people in her life at her age.

Not that I don't think I deserve them...

"Then Crysta needs to forgive herself!" Artemis says in a voice that sounds one part exasperated, one part gleeful. "My friend, that is your worst quality; being to hard on yourself."

Crystaria then looks past Artemis towards the other goblins milling about camp going about their lives. Some of the goblins looking their way, had looks of trepidation that was bordering on fear, others had on differing levels of displeasure on their faces, and many more had faces of indifference as they looked, then moved on their way. Only a few even bothered to grace her with a smile at this point.

"I'm not so sure I am Artemis... At this point? I don't think I am hard enough on myself." Crystaria contradicted.

Artemis went to argue further, but Crystaria shook her head.

"Look, let us just go and talk to Flannik's niece and see if she will take the position of warchief for me." With that said, Crystaria turned and hurried at a pace that wasn't so fast that Flannik or Artemis had to run to catch up to her; but kept them from saying anything more to her.

What am I even doing?! She questioned, once again, on what her purpose was here and what she should be doing. I have magic now! I need to see if I can warp drive my way home.

As this thought passed through her mind as they were approaching the tent, she realized that this may have been her first thought of going home, since her arrival here and was transformed into a goblin.

Have I gotten so used to it now? that it is starting to feel normal? As she had this thought, she reached up to make sure her mask and hood were in place before entering. This little gesture acted as a huge reminder for her. I guess I still haven't huh?

She reached forward and gently pulled the flap to the side. As Crystaria walked inside, She saw a lightly dressed orc, with a deep dark set of auburn colored hair, which was pulled back into a ponytail. The female orc was well muscular.

VERY! muscular! She reaffirmed in her mind.

As she was staring and watching as the female continued to do push up onto the floor of the tent, both Flannik and Artemis edged around Crystaria to get inside of the tent proper. Luckily, Crystaria didn't take up much room for them to have to move around her.

"*AHEM*" Flannik cleared his throat.

As he did this, the body builder of a female Adonis starts at the sudden noise and jumps to her feet, assuming a combat stance. Her face stern, almost to the point of being chiseled and hard as stone, with a look that screamed: "Ready-to-rubble!".

But her face softened instantly as her eyes found a familiar face.

"Oranak Fannik!" She nearly shouted as she then stood straight and ran towards them.

Flannik said not a word. He just opened his arms wide as the woman flew into his arms. Despite his lesser build, he was still able to keep himself up right and not be flung back as she slammed into him for an embrace.

This heartwarming and touching seen, helped to right out Crystaria's mind, as she then shook her head clear of lustful thoughts.

Ho boy! been a while since I'd seen a hottie like that! She commented internally. After which, she gave herself another mental shake. Remember! She reminded herself. We're not interested in anyone else right now! We only have eyes for Athena.

But even as she thought this. Her mind then took on a melancholy turn, as she thought of her latest blunder with Athena.

That is, if I haven't already royally screwed my chances with her.

As a second within her thoughts go by. She was then brought back to the current reality with a noise coming from Flannik.

"Dear child." He cooed to her in orcish. "How have you been? Has your recovery been okay?" He asks her with concern.

Lirania hugs him tighter, burying her head on top of Flannik’s shoulder.

“I’m fine...” She tells him at first. “...He is gone, isn’t he?...” Lirania asks Flannik what she already suspects and knows to be true.

With her being slightly taller than Flannik. He could only nod into her shoulder.

“He is sweet heart; but he fought bravely and lasted all the way to the end. He found his warrior’s death.”

A smile graced Lirania’s face as she heard this.

“That’s good then. I can be satisfied with that.”

“I thought you might.”

After saying this, Flannik pulled back, separating Lirania and himself. He then directed her to her right, his left.

“Dear child,” Flannik began in goblin primer. “may this one...” Flannik paused as he realized that he made a mistake in the new goblin primer he was learning. “May I!” He corrected. “Introduce, the Demon Lord Crystaria.” He said as way of introduction for his niece.

As Lirania looks down at the tiny cloak wearing goblin, whose head was covered by her the hood of her cloak, and her face was covered by a sort of cloth wrapped around her face. She assessed that if it wasn’t for the fact that she had see the Demon Lord earlier, or her uncle introducing the Demon Lord to her. She might not have believed that this would be the Demon Lord. Their diminutive size beggared belief.

Her face morphed into a serious expression before speaking.

“This one was told that the Demon Lord wished to speak to me.” 

But before Crystaria could say a word Lirania continued.

“Before the Demon Lord says what they wish to say. Lirania has something she wishes to say to the Demon Lord.”

“... And that would be?...” Crystaria asked cautiously.

The next thing that happened was a swift right hook into the side of Crystaria’s face. She was propelled backwards by it’s force of the punch. Making her stagger back into Artemis.

“Lirania!” Flannik shouts, putting a restraining hand on her left arm. But she made no further attempts to attack the Demon Lord anyways.

Likewise, Crystaria saw the punch coming from a mile away. But she decided that it posed to threat to her life, and decided to just let Lirania lash out at her.

Artemis caught Crystaria as she stumbled back, but made no move to defend or help her.

“How dare you!” Screams Lirania! “How dare you try to strip the honor of those who died here that day!”

If anything, surprised Crystaria about what she was mad about, that Lirania had already learned about what Crystaria had tried to do after her first spell.

I am also a little surprised that this isn’t about me killing her father.

But after listing to Flannik for the past few days, Crystaria had learned a few things about the orcs: That they respected a leader who was strong. And that dying in combat, was viewed as the highest form of honor, for either them or their opponents.

She also learned that it was a widely held belief through all cultures, that the raising of the dead was considered a terrible taboo. That the dead should remain dead.

I guess I shouldn’t be to surprised either way. Just not sure I’ll get used to that line of thinking.

She straightened, standing up out of Artemis’s arms. The punch hadn’t hurt her. But she felt that, in one way or another, that she deserved it, and that Lirania was at least owed one.

“You’re right, you’ve heard correctly. And... I am sorry I tried to do that without thinking.”

Lirania scoffs at the Demon Lord’s words.

“Is that this one’s sorry excuse of a sorry?” Lirania accuses.

“It kinda is... I am not sorry I tried, nor do I really think my intentions were bad. But I realized I did things a little backwards and rushed a bit.” She then looked back up to stare into Lirania’s eyes. “I just wished that they didn’t have to died for the mistakes I had made. It was my fault that they had died.”

Once again, Lirania scoffs at her.

“Does the Demon Lord think so... highly of one’s self that everything is about one’s self?” Lirania struggled for the right words to use.

Crystaria's eyes go wide in surprise.

"What?! No!" She refutes.

"Then why does this one think that she is responsible that our soldiers died that day?"

"Because!... *SIGH*" Crystaria had to take a moment to sigh, because she felt like this must have been at least the forth time she had to explain why it was her fault. "Because it was my idea to make the walls to stop the orc army from attacking our village and harming our people... Because I didn't want to just let our two people clash evenly on the battle field, knowing that our side was heavily disadvantaged: And I was under the assumption that you orcs... were just here to subjugate us and kill me for the Demon Lord's power."

Lirania expelled a breath of air in a harrumph.

"This one has the last part right. Yes: we did come for the powers of the Demon Lord." Lirania then moved down to one knee to bring herself closer to the Demon Lord's eye level. "But we did not come here to subjugate the goblins. Does this one know even know why we came with an army in the first place?" She asks the Demon Lord with a look on her face that was bordering on concern.

"..." Crystaria took a breath to speak. But then realized that she had never actually bothered to learn the reason why they had brought a fighting force to begin with. She only had learned of orc's original intentions after the battle had begun, that they just wanted to kill the next demon lord to take their powers; which was currently her at the moment. "...No... I don't." She confessed after a moment of hesitation. She had learned that their warchief was originally wanting a one-on-one duel with the next demon lord. That they were going to spare the goblins; and bring them into their supposed utopia. But not the reason for bringing an army.

Lirania closes her eyes while sighing, giving a shake of her head in disappointment. She looks back up at the Demon Lord.

"These ones' brought our army, because these ones' were going off of what we used to know about goblins." She told her. "These ones' believed that the goblins were as smart or as dumb as animals. That they had barely a language, which made them just barely no different than a vermin."

If Crystaria had heckles like an animal at this point they would be standing up. She felt so insulted at what she had heard.

And I'm not even truly a goblin!

The fact that she was upset must have been apparent. Because Lirania held up a hand to forestall anything Crystaria might have said.

"Like this one has said: These ones' had." She emphasized the word she wished for the Demon Lord to focus on. "But it became clear to these ones', almost early on these ones' journey, that something had changed with goblins. These ones' noticed on the way here, that the lack of goblins meant these ones' were organizing. That is not something a goblin might normally do!" She pointed out.

Crystaria wanted to refute that. But from everything she had seen and learned from the goblins here. That they truly were not very advanced, or organized in any sort of way. Nor did they make those sorts of plans or learn for themselves, like she had been teaching them.

At least, not the majority of the goblins. Most just looked towards a leading figure to tell them what they should do. Crystaria thought to herself.

Since Crystaria hadn't said anything yet, Lirania took this as an opportunity to continue.

"There were other things too. Like how you these ones' built your wall. Or how they had learned to fight in formation! Never have goblins been organized like that!" She said with a tone of befuddlement, as she did an accusatory manner. "No." She said firmly. "These ones' are not the goblins we were taught, or had known in the past." She waved a hand towards her uncle at the latter part of statement. "These ones' have changed. Any other Demon Lord goblin may have taken his whole tribe into this battle, Or with your power, tried to kill us all."

At this point. Crystaria didn't understand or know what to think at what Lirania was saying to her. But she didn't have to wait long for an explanation.

"What this one is trying to tell the Demon Lord is: that, had it not been this one. These ones' might have had to fight almost every single goblin, to the last. Had it not been for the Demon Lord's strategies. Any other Demon Lord goblin may have done worse strategies, or had just killed us all."

Crystaria was thankful that she was wearing her face coverings once again. Because if she wasn't. It would have been more obvious to others how distressed her face had become; how scrunched up it was. How much her eyes were stinging. How very near to tears she was.

But despite the mask she wore, Lirania could see that the Demon Lord's eyes were very much swimming in her own tears. The sight of this caused Lirania's face to relax. Cracking into a half-smile. She then reached out her hand, grabbing the Demon Lord by her shoulder.

"That is why these ones' brought our strongest men. These ones' thought that we would be fighting a Demon Lord, fighting hordes of feral goblins. What this one saw while she was fighting impressed this one greatly."

"She is right Demon Lord." Flannik interjected. "Flannik too, saw that many goblins move our men after they had fallen to give them aide. After learning more about you. This- I can only conclude, that it was also your idea?” Flannik finishes his sentence with a question.

Crystaria was beyond words at this point. She could only nod her head. Fearing she might break down and start crying any minute now.

"Lirania understands that the Demon Lord thinks that she is to blame for the death of our warriors. But that is not so." She looked at the Demon Lord, straight into her watery eyes. "If it had not been you. More would be dead. Lirania is sure of it." She told the Demon Lord honestly what she thought. But then her face turned serious. "But you do well to not dare to take their honor from them!" She said as her grip on the Demon Lord's shoulder tightened an anger. "These ones' men died for their cause to make this one's father the Demon Lord! These ones' died to defend their home from us! Remember that! Not that it could have been avoided. But that it was from their sacrifices, that made it possible for us to put our weapons down." She then relaxed her grip as she finished speaking.

Her words had finally broken Crystaria. She ducked her head. Letting her tears fall in earnest. Soft gentle sobs could be heard coming from her as she wept.

Artemis laid a hand on her back. gently rubbing it to comfort her.

"See?" Artemis started speaking. "I told you that they wouldn't blame you for this. And I kept trying to tell you that you weren't wrong in your choice."

"B-B-B*HIC* B-But!" Crystaria tried to get a word out but couldn't.

"*TSK*" Artemis made a noise of disapproval. She then got onto her knees, turning Crystaria around to face her; even though she was looking down at her own feet at the moment.

"Demon Lord." Artemis said with a tone of a reproachful parent. She then pulled Crystaria into her bosom. Hugging her close to her, while wrapping her arms around her. "Listen" She instructed. "I know that this may be hard to hear. And I kept trying to tell you this in many ways. But you did the right things."

"B-B-B-" Crystaria muffled into Artemis's chest.

"Shh-Shh-Shh! just listen. I know you think that you should have done things differently. But that was after you learned about what the orcs wanted. You did everything you could do, with the information you had. Just as they did everything they could, with the information they had. Could things have been different? Yes. Could it only have come down to either you or their Warchief dying? Maybe. But Crys- Demon Lord." Artemis corrected herself there at the end. She then lifted Crystaria's head from between her breasts to look at her face. Her eyes wet with tears. Her mask stained with them as well.

"It could have been worse. Never forget that. You did more than most could have. You also got the orcs to stop fighting. You were also able to turn us goblins into a force to be reckoned with." At her words, she heard a quiet snort come from Flannik, followed by a grunt. "I have kept telling you that you need to let it go. That you need to forgive yourself. As you can see. Not even our former enemies blame you for what you were forced to do. Just accept what had to be done, then move on. Okay?" Artemis asked her in motherly way.

But despite Artemis's expectations, Crystaria reached up, pulling Artemis's hands off of her face, before pulling herself away from her. She walked backwards until she was standing equal distance from the other three in the tent.

"Artemis... I am not sure I can... I am not sure I ever will... I... I don't think of myself as a killer." She said as she looked down at her own hands. "E-E-Even though I have m-murdered." As she stared at her hands. She could almost picture how bloody they looked after she had tore the warchief's arms off. Images then followed of his severed head in her hands. How she carried it over her head. Running through the battlefield, his blood dripping down all over her face as she ran, trying her hardest to be heard to get both sides to stop their fighting. She closed her eyes to dispel the image from in-front of her.

She looked back up at the faces around her. Flannik looking at her curiously. Lirania looking at her critically, but with a neutral expression on her face. Artemis, her face was full of concern.

"This... These images I saw that day... will probably haunt me for the rest of my life... And I can only feel that I somehow, was the one to cause it."

"Demon!-" Lirania was about to go into a tirade. But Crystaria held up her hand for a moment of silence.

"..." Crystaria took a deep breath before she spoke. "I know!... I get it now... Or at least... You've all convinced me that I should at least try to forgive myself for-..." She hesitated. Her mouth having gone dry at the thoughts that pass through her mind. Gulping down a dry mouth, trying to wet her tongue, she continued. "-for everyone that died..." She said barely loud enough to be heard. "I am just not sure when I will be able to... or if I will get used to things like this... I am not a fighter. I... I don't like hurting people!" She firmly stated with conviction. She directed her gaze towards the orcs in the room. "I-... I wish to thank you for your words, Lirania. They, along with the words of encouragement from everyone else. Has given me a lot to think about. But I came here today to not talk to you about what happened that day, Or my personal feels on it. I came here to talk to you about the future."

Her words intrigued and confused Lirania.

"The future?" She asked.

"Yes." Crystaria confirmed. "I want you to be the next warchief of your people." She told her. Finally getting to the business of what she wanted to discuss with Lirania.

This just got Lirania to throw her head back in laughter. Crystaria shifted her gaze towards Flannik. Which he just gave her a shrug. After Lirania calmed down from laughing. She answered the Demon Lord by saying.

"This one refuses."

"Huh?!" Crystaria questioned her own sanity at what she had just heard.

"This one refuses. The Demon Lord has won the right to lead my people through trail by combat with my father; our Warchief. This one cannot just accept it from you!" She told her resolutely.

Flannik took a breath to speak. But Lirania swiftly reached back, slapping him in his chest. Knocking the wind out of him.

"...-W-Why?!" Crystaria finally got her question out after a minute of stunned disbelief.

"Demon Lord!" Lirania nearly shouts. “Was this seriously the question this one came to ask this one?"

"W-Well... Yes?!" Crystaria answered her.

"*SIGH* Demon Lord..." Lirania sighed in exasperation.

"What?! I was under the impression that I could hand that title off to anyone I thought was worthy?!" She directed this question more towards Flannik than to Lirania.

"You can." But she answered the Demon Lord anyways, despite her eyes looking towards her uncle.

"Then why won't-"

"Because this one has not felt like this one has earned it. This one has her own pride. This one cannot just accept the title of Warchief from the Demon Lord.”

 “Then what? Do you want it to be put to a vote or something? Because if your suggestion is to fight me for it,  and while I don’t wish to brag, it would be a pointless duel to have.”

“...-!“ Lirania inhaled to suggest something else, but a thought crossed her mind at the Demon Lord’s suggestion. Which made her smile internally. "Very well. Let us hold that so called, "Vote", as you spoke of."

"HUH?!" Crystaria was once again, reduced to the use of a single word. She could not believe her ears at what she just heard Lirania suggest.

"You won't take it directly from me? But you'll be fine with a vote?!" Crystaria couldn't understand that logic.

This only caused a smirk to play on Lirania's lips. Of course she wasn't fine with a vote to be made the role of the new Warchief. But she had a devious idea to get the Demon Lord to accept hers.

"Of course!" She said with all her years of practice at fooling her father. "The Demon Lord, has this one's word that she will accept any title given to her at the end of the vote." Lirania tried desperately to conceal her smug smile that play at the corner of her mouth.

Crystaria gave a lamenting sigh. But she knew that this had actually fallen almost within her plans, so she would take it.

"Fine." She said with very little enthusiasm. "Get your troops together and have them meet us later tonight at the village center. I also have another announcement for tonight anyways for our people. So it will be the perfect time to get this "election" over with." Crystaria couldn't believe that she was hosting a sort of election.

Guess politics fallow you everywhere. Even across space and time. She thought to herself.

Hearing this caused Lirania's grin to spread even wider.

"Excellent!" She then turned towards her uncle. "Oranak Flannik, Karu'ta-"

"Umm!" Crystaria tries to garner Lirania's attention again.

"Yes Demon Lord? what is it? This one needs to make plans to move this one's fellow troops up here."

"Yes!... But umm... Are you going to be needing Flannik for this?" She asks her with trepidation.

"..." Lirania looks at the Demon Lord critically as she is asked this. "Lirania does not need Flannik to order our troops, no. But why does this one ask?"

"Because I need him for translation purposes. I would like it, Flannik." She directed the question towards him now for inclusion. "If you would come with me for a little project we can work on together."

Flannik, looking like a deer cornered by it's hunter. He wasn't sure what to say.

"...But!" Crystaria quickly threw out. Noticing his hesitation. "If you want to spend time with your niece. Then you are more than welcome to decline. I will just need your help later."

Flannik was able to relax a little at having been given a choice in the matter. He thought about for a moment before turning towards his niece.

"Will you be fine getting our men up here alone?" He asked her in orcish for a spot of privacy.

Lirania couldn't help but be a little disappointed at his question. But she knew he had his reasons. She also knew that they would see each other soon.

I can always tell him about my date later. Lirania thought to herself.

"That is fine. If the Demon Lord needs you for something. Go finish what she needs, then come find me." She gave out an instruction to him out of habit, making sure to talk to him in orcish, as he had done to her. This caused Flannik to chuckle.

"Yes General." He said teasingly to her.

She just waved him off with her a hand.

Flannik turned back to the Demon Lord.

"Very well then. I will accompany you for this, "Translation", you needed me for." Flannik informed the Demon Lord.

"Really?! Excellent!" She then looked towards Artemis. "Artemis! would you mind to help guide Lirania here?"

Both Lirania and Artemis wanted to protest this, for vastly different reasons.

Lirania did not like the idea of having someone baby sit her, or at having someone keep an eye on her. She also felt that she didn't really need some one to show her around. She was perfectly capable of finding her own way.

Artemis on the other hand. Didn't really want to leave the Crystaria alone. Not that she didn't trust the orc with her. But it was for the fact that someone should be with her at all times as a witness. She had no doubt in her mind that Crystaria was more than capable in taking care of herself. It was one of the reasons she didn't defend or try and protect her when that upstart swung a fist at her. If the Demon Lord didn't dodge it. She felt that she had a reason not to do so.

So in the spirit of letting her do as she wishes and understanding she had a reason. Artemis decided to just nod her head.

"Of course Demon Lord. If that is your wish."

"*Pfft*! Stop it! you know how I hate formality like that!" Crystaria said with a laugh, while giving Artemis a playful glare.

"As you wish!"

Crystaria by this point knew better than to try and get the last word with Artemis. She just let the subject drop there. Lirania on the other hand went to protest.

"..."

But the glare thrown her way subtly by Artemis shut her up in her tracks. She wasn't sure why she was intimidated by her. But she also knew that when an elder gave you a look like that, it was best it heed it.

"...Yes... That will be fine." She then looked towards the Demon Lord. "Thank you for your kind thoughtfulness."

"Now don't you start too!" Crystaria warned with a playful lit. She then made her way towards the flap of the tent. "I will see you all at sundown then. Flannik, when you're ready. Come out and find me." With that she departed, hoping to give a little more privacy to the orcs. Artemis taking the cue, followed after her.

Watching their departure with interest. Lirania couldn't help but think that, not only was the Demon Lord absolutely strange, almost unhinged. That she was way to kind for someone with her position and power. But this didn't necessarily mean she disliked her. Just that she thought that the Demon Lord was beyond anything she could have imagined.

"Uncle Flannik..." She started to say in orcish with a stupefied tone.

"Yes dear child. I know. She is very unusual, I will admit that." He looked at her in eyes before continuing. "But I think she is someone who could do a fine job as a leader and a Demon Lord, given the chance." He told her.

"Hmm... I don't doubt this... But everything she does... it almost defies all reason as to how we would expect a goblin to act! She doesn't even seem like a goblin! She is also very weak in spirit, or so it would seem." Lirania starts voicing aloud her concerns and observations of her second meeting of the Demon Lord.

"Mmm. Yes.. I thought so as well." Flannik informs her. "But that is not entirely a terrible thing. From what I have observed from the last few days while you were recovering. That the goblins are no longer the creatures they once were. In a sense. They have changed to such a degree that they can't even be called the same creatures that they once were."

"..." Lirania was stunned by what her uncle was suggesting. Although it wasn't that surprising. With what she herself, had observed. "I suppose that I will get a better understanding once I interact more with this Demon Lord."

"Yes... I am sure you will." He said thoughtfully as he stroked his stubbled chin in contemplation. "In any case. While I have so much news I wish to share with you dear child!" He said to her with excitement coloring his face, unlike she had ever seen before. "It will have to wait until later. There is so much I wish to tell you about what I have learned in regards to the goblin language since we lost! It is outstanding!"

This time, Lirania was sure her uncle had finally lost his mind.

Perhaps he didn't recover from his magical backflow?

"Their language? While I admit that some of the things the Demon Lord has said are new to my ears. It can't be that-"

"Child!" Flannik said sternly. Which caused Lirania to shut up. "I do not have time to go into details; the Demon Lord is waiting on me. Just know. They have done it!"

"Done it?"

"They have made their own writing and language that can use magic!"

".............." Nothing her uncle could have said would have surprised her more she thought.

Her uncles laugh brought her out of her stunned reverie.

"I see that you understand now?" He then reached up to pat her cheeks. "You will soon get used to the Demon Lord and her eccentric ways." He warned her. He then turned as to leave.

"What is the rush?" She asked him.

"Well! I haven't know the Demon Lord long! But I know that if she has anything planned, it is worth not delaying to see!" He told her excitedly.

Lirania couldn't even believe that this was her same uncle. With how much he had hated goblins before.

"Oh! that reminds me." He turned to look at her as his hand was on the flap of the tent. "If you look southwest towards the Dark elves home. Don't be surprised."

Now what is he talking about now?!

"Why?"

He just gave her a mischievous smile.

"Because it is not there anymore."

She stood corrected. Her uncle did in fact, just surprise her again.

"Gone?!" She questioned him. He just gave her a smile.

"Her first spell that the Demon Lord cast, was to blow up the complete top half of Mount Dyarkoen. Even if it was by accident."

Without even realizing it. Lirania's mouth had completely fallen open. Which just caused her uncle to laugh at the sight of her.

"Does this one understand now? why I support the Demon Lord?" He said in goblin primer as he left through the flap of the tent.

Lirania let out a long breath of air, while running a hand through her hair as she contemplated what she was told.

"Guess that explains a lot, huh?" She said to no one but herself. She then went out side to find the elderly goblin standing there waiting for her.

"Ah the princess has come out! Let us go greet your troops~!" Artemis said flippantly.

This got Lirania's back up at being called a princess.

"Listen." She spoke firmly. "This one wishes to keep the peace if these ones' can, as the Demon Lord wishes. But do not think that this one will take an insult lightly." She warned the elder.

The older goblin just gave her a smirk with a side-eye glace in her direction. Measuring her from foot to crown. Seeing this blatant disrespect towards herself. Lirania was about to speak, but then was cut off.

"You know..." The older female goblin started speaking. "My granddaughter told me about you."

"Your? Granddaughter?" Lirania questioned her. Not really sure where this goblin was going with this.

Were all goblins just eccentric now?! Lirania started to question if she should just not even bother with trying to remember everything she was taught about goblins.

"Yeah, my darling granddaughter: she told me about how there was a fierce orc warrior in this tent; how this orc was able to stave off over a hundred goblins before she was eventually defeated like all the rest." The older goblin said with a smirk on her lips. "But I don't see it. You're not really much to look at."

More than angry. Lirania was just out right confused more than anything.

Who the fuck does this goblin think she is?! She couldn't believe the audacity of this elder goblin who had just started to insult her as soon as their were alone.

"This one does not wish to cause trouble... But if it weren't for the chance at peace... this one would challenge you here and now!" Lirania  threatened with a growl through her teeth.

"*Pfft*" The older goblin made the same the dismissing noise with her mouth as the Demon Lord had done. "This one; I, have no problems with that."

"What?!" She couldn't believe this elders words.

With a motion of her head towards the left she then said.

"There is a small training ground over their that our warriors are using for letting off some steam... Care to entertain me~?" The older female goaded.

Lirania breathed out a puff of air through her nostrils in an attempt to calm herself.

"This one does not have time for that. This one must inform their men that-"

"Oh, but we do!" The older goblin interjected. "You see. When I said our warriors. This one mean't our warriors: both mine and yours."

Startled by this. Lirania looks towards the direction of where the older female goblin had indicated with the nod of her head. Sure enough. There were a handful of orcs with some goblins all lining around what looked like a make shift sort of battling arena.

"Twas the Demon Lord's idea."

This surprised Lirania to hear this. She looked back towards the elder.

"This one thought she hated fighting?"

"She does. Or more to the point. She doesn't like it herself. But she recognizes it as a necessity... in certain cases."

Lirania got a little lost with some of the words the elder used. But she understood the jist of what she was saying.

"Since some of your men are over there. You can probably delegate some of your responsibilities to them, have them go inform the rest of your men to be here by sundown."

Lirania couldn't believe what this elder was suggesting. But now she had realized that she was being lead into challenging this goblin to a fight since the beginning.

Cleaver elder. Lirania thought with a begrudging respect.

Lirania huffed another breath of air as she realized she had been led by the nose.

"Very well... It seems as though this one wasn't going to let Lirania leave without challenging This one in someway. Then this one accepts!" She says with a smirk on her lips. "But just to give this one a fair warning! This one did not go easy on their own father; the Warchief: Lirania is the best fighter in our entire clan! Lirania will not go easy on this one, just because this one is an elder." She said with a smirk.

Artemis answered her back with a smirk of her own.

"I am counting on it."

 


 

Crystaria led Flannik down into the cave system that they had dug out; that they were still digging out. These had acted as a source of the materials needed for the cement they used in the construction of the walls. The tunnels were dark, save for the torch light that Flannik was using.

"How are you doing back there?" Crystaria asked him concerned that he might trip.

"This one... I am fine." He corrected himself as he used the wrong phrase of words. "... Is it much farther?" He asked her regrettably, for it made him sound like a like a child taken on a long journey and that he was bored. But the truth was. That these tunnels had stretched for the past half a sun-length. Or at least, he estimated they had.

The Demon Lord chuckled.

"Shouldn't be long now!" She told him. "I told you that you could have waited at the entrance."

But Flannik shook his head.

"Tis' not often that one gets to explore a goblin tunnel." Though as he said this. He understood why none bothered. With how low the ceiling was. Flannik was constantly hunched over. His back would occasionally scrap the ceiling if he wasn't paying attention."

"Hmm... I suppose." Crystaria mused. "I have lived here for months now, and have gotten used to the dark caves and being able to see in them."

Some of the times. The things the Demon Lord said confused Flannik. It almost sounded like she was suggesting that she was born recently, or that she hadn't lived here her whole life.

"AH!" The Demon Lord exclaimed. Startling Flannik from his musings. "We're close now! Almost there!"

"....." He wished to ask how she could tell. But decided it wasn't important.

After about another quarter of a sun-length had passed. They arrived at a large open area in the cave that was a large circular room beneath the mountain.

"What is this?!" Flannik was astounded by what he saw. The room must have been at least fifty yalms in height.  With a central stone pillar in the center of the room. It was also as wide as it was tall. The room stretching across a large enough expanse that it seemed that a small village could be set up here.

"This is where we dug to get the materials to build the walls." The Demon Lord informed him.

"..." He couldn't imagine how many goblins had to work together to clear all this out.

"Yeah... well... I say we... but it really was just me...” Crystaria reached into her hood to scratch the back of her head. “I might have went overboard when I dug this out."

"......" Flannik was more disappointed in himself than anything when he heard this. He should have guess that she; The Demon Lord, Had done this. "So what is it there we're here for?" He asked her.

She lifted her hand and pointed at a wall.

"That!"

Flannik held the light towards where she was pointing. A large stone, unlike the plain rock that surrounded it. Its sheen was dark in contrast to the white and greying rock it was embedding.

"Oh my!" Flannik said at the sight of it.

"Yup! Found it while I was digging. Not sure what it is? But I know that it is hard."

"Hard?" Flannik questioned.

"Yeah. Let's get closer. Then you'll see."

As they did just that. Flannik begun to notice small scratches, close to the bottom of the stone. No taller than the Demon Lord was."

"Are those?!..." He couldn't bring himself to ask. For it was to absurd to say aloud.

"Yeah..." Crystaria said with an embarrassed tone. "I tried scratching it with my... nails? Claws? Nail-claws... But well... as you can see. It just doesn't do a whole lot to it."

Contrary to her words. The grooves and scratches cut into the stone were about the length of the Demon Lords fingers.

"This... is what you would call not doing a whole lot?" He questioned more for his own sanity than asking her an actual question.

"Well yeah! I mean. I dug the rest of this room by hand. I can easily cut through the rock." As to demonstrate her words. She reached out and started to carve away the rock from the side of the stone that was entombing it. "See?"

"........." Flannik was realizing that he should not put normal logic onto what the Demon Lord does anymore.

"So? If this is what we're after? The question this one has is; why? why are we after this?" He asked her.

She turns to look at him in the eyes. The look she is giving Flannik sent an uncomfortable shiver down his spine.

I feel like I am about to hate whatever she has planned. Flannik thinks to himself.

"This is why I needed you to translate. Do you have that list I asked you to make a couple does ago?" Crystaria directs a question to Flannik. Switch the focus of topic.

"Ah! Yes!" He reaches into his back pocket to pull out a sheet of parchment that he had been keeping on him. "This is the list of their names. Sorry, but this one has not had adequate enough time to write them in your new characters but-"

"That is okay." Crystaria said, cutting off his unnecessary apology. "We're going to write them in yours."

"HUH?!”

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