Chapter 262: My people

While the girls were on their way towards safety, finally leaving the orc's territory, at the other side in a mysterious, tall structure serving as the core of their settlement a fight just broke out between an agitated and fed-up goblin shaman and an unknown, dark green-skinned, humanoid creature.

The goblin shaman's body that was covered with strange markings made of tribal markings was glowing in a beautiful, multi-colored glamor. The animal heads that covered specific points on his body were all activated transferring the mystical power these enchantments contained to the little creature.

He was already taller and stronger than the rest of his tribe, but with the power, he gained through his tribal enchantments he now way surpassed the supposed limits of his race. 

The goblin's previously bloodshot eyes gradually changed, the black iris faded, seemingly vanishing from existence. At the same time, his pearl-white sclera glimmered in a platinum-luster. His relatively short, ebony-black hair rapidly grew, covering his entire head, reaching shoulder-length and flittering in the air due to the constantly radiating, swirling aura of energy that surrounded his also transformed body.

His muscles contorted and stretched, the mass multiplying at a visual pace. His height also grew with the added weight, at around half a head, towering over at least one and a half over the younglings that looked at their master with frightened looks from behind. 

The younglings, the boy and the girl that Aiden randomly picked out just to seem more convincing in his 'play' from the tribe when he first visited them. His golden eyes, that despite the enraged goblin shaman turning more and more powerful each passing limit, remained calm, glanced at them, causing a friendly, but familiar-looking smile to appear on his face unbeknownst to him.

Feeling the unknown figure's gaze, the younglings fearfully turned to match it, afraid to offend this obviously high-profile leader. However, when they looked at him and saw his unmistakable golden eyes, and lush, long, black hair they gasped in surprise. They looked at each other, trying to confirm with their eyes if the other one also realized the same thing. Could it be that this creature was their great benefactor? The powerful goblin? 

No, it can't be! He was a goblin, but this creature is clearly not! But then, who is he, and why does he seem so familiar despite everything? They were both confused, clear about their incredulous gazes as they kept swapping their heads from the creature to the other one, completely forgetting their master, the current leader of their tribe.

They were only reminded of him when he finally finished powering up. His full-powered, complete aura was released from the depths of his body with an explosive bluster, engulfing the entirety of the room they were placed in.

The shaman roared fiercely looking at the ceiling before he slowly lowered his gaze, matching the golden eyes of the strange creature. While he looked like a crazed beast, he still had his sanity, and when he saw the completely calm, smiling expression on the target of his pent-up frustration, he was surprised.

He expected him to be scared, frightened, or maybe enraged by the blatant disrespect he was showing to someone of a higher 'standing' in the horde. But this guy did not show any of that. No, he was completely calm, as if all of this power was nothing in front of his eyes.

This just fueled his already tempestuous rage. He was about to charge into battle when the creature simply raised his right index finger in the air as if warning the shaman of great incoming danger.

However, in the next moment, as the creature opened his eyes and began to speak, his rage rapidly began to subside and transform into a whirling, churning mixture of shock, surprise, and at the end of his speech, joy.

"[Goblin] Now, now my dear leader. I would advise you against showing this much hostility to me. Just because I have reached a higher stage in evolution, and my physique is slightly changed, you forgot everything we talked about only a few weeks ago? I have to say, I'm disappointed…" Aiden spoke with a faked grievance on his face. Lowering his gaze, he looked at the ground for a moment, shaking his head lightly in the process.

A single moment later, the youths saw as his expression rapidly changed. With a mischievous smirk, a glint zapped through his golden eyes. He moved his already extended right hand, opening his palm, looking towards the sky, or in this case, the ceiling. Suddenly, without as much as a warning, a familiar object, the gnarled stick with the large red gemstone appeared, causing yet another shock to the trio of goblins.

"[Goblin] Y-young master?! I-is that really you?" The female goblin, mustering all the courage she could, stepped forward, looking at the creature with hopeful eyes. For the first time since the arrival of the brutes, he saw the light. His beloved master, the true master that selected her and her newest brother out from the hundreds of others have come to rescue them! It was hard to truly accept this reality, after all, this was something she dared not even dream about.

The creature, Aiden turned to look at the goblin girl with a kind, friendly smiling expression. Instead of answering, he extended his left hand towards him inviting him to come closer. At the same time, he tapped into his [Draconic Heritage]. His eyes suddenly lit up, glowing in their recognizable golden glory.

This was the reassurance they needed. The still empowered but cautious goblin shaman finally could calm down. This creature was the young lord that once visited them! Although at the time, they did not leave on the best of terms, but over time, he realized that the lush, long-haired goblin lord was truly the first of their kind that did not come with any ill intentions. Even the two youngsters he assigned to his care turned out to be great candidates. They were now both his disciples, his treasured, dear students. His previously arrogant, haughty attitude calmed down as he continued interacting with these younglings…

As he kept thinking, inwardly reminiscing about his grand change in the short time the young master left them and the time when these savage monsters showed up, he didn't even notice that his face gradually changed. The platinum color from his eyes faded, his black iris and normal, white sclera returned. The glow subsided from his markings, his muscle-mass lost their additional, extra weight and his height also normalized.

He didn't notice any of that, nor the fact that his gaze slowly turned hazy, and that a few droplets of tear began to escape from the corners of his eyes. His knees wobbled, the goblin shaman fell on his knees.

"[Goblin] Y-young master! It is really you! You really came!" He cried out, letting all the pent-up frustration and emotion burst forth from the depths of his heart.

"[Goblin] Young master!" The two younglings, recognizing their beloved master rushed forward at the same time, almost pushing Aiden to the ground as they jumped at him. Without any restraint, they both hugged their beloved young master with such ferocity and emotion that Aiden didn't know what to do with. 

True, Aiden was glad to see them safe and sound, even if for him, that visit he made wasn't done with the best intentions in his mind at the time. But just like all the other life forms, he absorbed previously, Aiden's mentality slowly started to change. The various forms of life he took slowly, subconsciously started affecting his own mind. Just like how he got his thirst for battle and carnage from that mutated bipedal wolf creature, the Worgen, the other life forms also affected his thinking. Now, with the mentality of a true leader, the Primal Goblin Lord, he had more love and care for these goblins than before.

At the same time, his anger and hatred towards these so-called 'leaders' of the tribe grew at an alarming rate… Where he previously only wanted to spy on them and gain the information needed for the completion of his quest, now he wanted to punish all those responsible for the mistreatment of his people.

'My people?' The thought that would have seemed alien to him previously, was now almost natural. As he hugged back the two younglings, his facial muscles relaxed, he gently embraced them. 

'Yes, they are my people…' He reaffirmed himself as he enjoyed the love and affection he was shown.

They stood there for almost a minute, before albeit reluctantly, the two younglings let go of their beloved young master. 

Walking towards the large bed on the other side of the room, Aiden plopped down on it. Shifting his gaze, he looked at the still shaking and sobbing goblin leader just in front of him.

"[Goblin] Now then…" He spoke up, as the smile vanished from his face, replaced by a somber, solemn look. "Tell me, what has happened to you guys, after I left. How did you all end up here as… prisoners, I presume?"

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Please read the author's note just below! Thanks! Small update on my condition.