Corwin Benedict
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Risha Chapter 26
🕑 Added 2025-04-30 07:00:05 +0000 UTCIt hurt to walk, but Risha hid the pain as best she could. Behind her, all the goblins, kobolds, orcs and spiders stood somberly.
A large pyre burned, the smoke reaching into the sky. The first rays of the sun lit the forest leaves, barely peeking through the clouds.
The forest was quiet except for the cackles of the wood. Risha looked at it, wondering at everything. The last few conversations had her questioning all her decisions. She’d led them to their death, and they’d believed in her.
There was no speech to give, or grand ceremony to perform, they just watched the flickering flames.
A lone howl of grief echoed out, followed by more and more as the silence was broken. Risha bared her teeth and growled at the world. A rumble spread as more and more creatures voiced their anger and sadness to the world.
As the last of the wood turned to ash, Risha turned to the gathered creatures. She looked over them all, taking in all the grief that existed there.
“We will be stronger than this.”
Despite the size of the crowd, and her own quiet voice, her words spread like wildfire. They looked at her with an expression of awe she didn’t quite like, but she pushed that aside, instead raising her gaze above the crowd and walking forward towards the tents.
Her injuries protested the movement, but not a hint of pain showed on her face as she walked through the crowd. They parted for her, and bowed their heads as she walked through. But she didn’t look at them. She couldn’t.
The weight of her decisions were heavy on her shoulders, and it was everything she could do to just walk forward and keep her head high.
Behind her followed her confidants, the leaders in her growing empire. The Elder Goblins, Glo, Klu, Sun-Chaser, Truth-Seeker, and Klaz’zks in her spider form. Risha didn’t notice them behind her, but they followed all the same.
By the time she made it back to the area in front of her tent, she was sweating from keeping the pain off of her face. Waiting for her there were the spiderlings she had raised. One of them quickly made its way to her, and she collapsed against it, her stomach and back burning.
Tya quickly made her way to Risha and had the spiderling guide her to some bedding where she could apply an ointment.
The rest of Risha’s entourage spread in a semi-circle in front of Risha. They spoke quietly as she was treated by the old goblin.
After a few moments, the ointment began to take away Risha’s pain and she focused on those gathered.
“How soon will we set out?” Risha asked, her voice quieting the conversation.
“Grand Mother, I think it would be best if you stayed.” Glo said, stepping forward. “I can lead the army with Klu’s guidance.”
Risha shook her head, “No, I will go.”
Glo frowned, and Risha suspected that he would try to talk to her privately. “We are ready to set out within the hour. The Goblins break down their tents as we speak.”
“If it is not too much to ask…” Sun-Chaser started, “I believe that my people should be evolved before we go.”
Several of those around the circle glared at Sun-Chaser for suggesting the task when the Grand Mother was so obviously injured and exhausted.
Risha smiled and nodded. “Of course. Our march can wait until we are done.”
Sun-Chaser bowed her head in thanks, but she remembered the gazes of those who disagreed with her.
Risha looked around the circle until her gaze landed on Klu, “What do you know about the other clans Klu? After we take the base of the chieftain, what will they do?”
Klu stepped forward. He didn’t look at any of the others gathered, his eyes only on Risha. “There are three more clans across the mountains, but only two with access to the passage that leads to us. They constantly battle for the territory, so it’s impossible to know which one holds it now. They will be hesitant to commit too many forces as they fight their own battles. The only thing is…” Klu finally took his gaze away from Risha to look at the gathered goblins, “Every clan has their slaves.”
Risha closed her eyes as she realized what he meant, “There are goblins there. And warbeasts.”
“Yes.” Klu’s voice was grave.
She opened her eyes to look at the other Elders.
“I will not let my kind suffer as we suffered.” Risha said. Still, she looked over her people, wondering what they thought.
Many looked conflicted, while a few had strong gazes, their intentions set. Goblins supported their own. Still, it was not goblins alone that Risha looked after.
She looked to the Kobolds and the Spiders. Sun-Chaser bowed her head, her loyalty clear.
“We know, as well as you, the chains of the orcs.” Klaz’zks chittered above the goblins, with Elder Roa translating for her. “We will follow you into foreign lands to free our own.”
Risha nodded, and turned her gaze back to the gathered elders. “Does anyone here think we should stop at the mountains? We will be free.”
There was silence at her words, until finally an Elder spoke. He was an Elder that Risha recognized well.
“We would risk our lives for creatures we do not know.” Elder Kulos said. He lifted himself up as he stepped to the center of those gathered. “Already, there are too many dead, fighting for our freedom. How many more lives would we lose? When would enough be enough?”
“These are not just strangers.” Elder Oltak spoke quietly, but his voice gathered everyone’s attention. “They are goblins like you and I. They suffer as we suffered. They watch their brothers and sisters be beaten and killed. I would sacrifice myself a thousand times over for their freedom, and I believe our Grand Mother feels the same.”
Risha nodded, she would fight with her all for her people.
“Strong words, Oltak. But is your heart as strong as you say it is?” Elder Kulos walked over to the other Elder, his fiery gaze looking deep into Elder Oltak’s eyes. “When you hold a dying goblin, that you sent to their death, in your arms, will you say that it was worth it?”
Elder Oltak didn’t back down as he matched Kulos’s gaze. “If it means that there will be hundreds more freed because of his sacrifice, then yes. I will not dishonor that goblin’s sacrifice by saying anything less.”
Elder Kulos lifted himself up to continue, but Risha spoke.
“We will-” Risha paused at a sharp pain, but forced the rest of the words out, “We will hold a vote.” Risha’s pained tone cooled both of the goblin’s heads, and they looked at her with worry. “Glo,”
Glo stepped forward, bowing his head to Risha.
“Send word back to the village so that the full council can vote. Once we hear back, we will have our vote.” She raised her head and looked over the gathered creatures, “No matter what, I will march forward, even if I have to go alone. Is-” Risha grimaced at another ache of pain, “Is there anything else?”
No one spoke.
“Good. Sun-Chaser, bring your people to me. Tya, I think I need another one of those potions.”
The group slowly dispersed, every single one of them looking at Risha before leaving. Risha knew that they would not let her march alone, but she had to have them come together on this. She needed them to come together.
Tya handed her a potion which she quickly downed, ignoring the terrible smell. “What do you think. Tya?”
“We should not leave any creature at the mercy of the orcs.” Tya said, “And I will say as much. But if you were asking how I think you did, well… no goblin could ask for more.”
Risha turned to look at the old goblin, then looked away as Sun-Chaser returned with a long line of kobolds.
Risha straightened, knowing the exhaustion that was about to come over her. She’d have to sleep on one of her spiderlings during the march, but first, she’d make her way through the kobolds.
The first kobold to walk over to her was led by Leaf-Watcher, the white wolf. Her and Sun-Chaser stood next to Risha, their sharp gazes watching the kobolds as they walked over.
One by one, Risha evolved the kobolds. There were many evolutions she didn’t recognize, and she spoke with Sun-Chaser on each one before making her choice.
By the end of it, her voice was sore, but most of the kobolds had evolved. There were a few that she decided to give more time to, upon consulting with Sun-Chaser. Their options were too few or they were too young.
The new kobolds were of all different shapes and sizes, but Risha had started to figure it out a little bit, they had four main shapes? Categories? Risha wasn’t sure what to call it, but they were Lupus, Vulpine, Canis Latrans or Canina. Each had a variety of fur colors to match, but Risha wasn’t sure what they meant exactly.
Although she did see a variety of colors, there were no more White Lupus kobolds aside from Leaf-Watcher. Risha wasn’t sure what that meant. But it did make the white wolf special, and the other kobolds treated her as such, giving her as much respect as they gave Sun-Chaser.
After Risha finished with the kobolds, the army set out.
Risha kept true to her word, falling asleep on the back of one of her spiderlings as they followed the river upstream.
While Risha slept, runners were sent back and forth between the army and the village. News of their victory reached the Elders of the village, and they sent weapons and supplies ahead to the marching army. A small pack of kobold runners returned to their homes in the mountains, announcing the changes of leadership and showing off their new forms.
When the army stopped for the night, Risha was woken by the sounds of howls, barks and pained yips. The next morning, a tired and scratched up looking Sun-Chaser met her and the Elders before they set out.
She didn’t explain anything, but it was clear to Risha that the evolutions had caused a shake up in the hierarchy of the kobolds.
So they continued their march, arriving at a large village surrounded by spikes and a log wall.
Exhausted Orcs stood above the wall, watching the approaching army with fear. They were a defense force made up of the army’s defeated remnants, women that had been left behind, and orcs too young or too old to be in the warparty. They had no more warbeasts, and knew that their walls wouldn’t last long against a siege. They were terrified, but they would fight there till the very end if given no other choice.
Risha’s army set up camp far enough away that the bows and magics of the orcs would be unable to reach them.
Klu, Death Bringer Diel, and a small group of goblin warriors led by Elder Oltak set forward. Red mist formed under their feet, moving with Klu. He stood tall, his presence something to behold as he commanded everyone’s attention.
Risha had wanted to walk with them, but the Elders had convinced her to stay behind because of her injuries. She didn’t like being on the sidelines, but she had trust in Klu and in Elder Oltak.
Across from them, the defending orcs watched with awe and fear as the red mist approached. They hurried to open the gates for the approaching party, and Risha watched as they walked into the gates of the enemy.
Now Risha had to wait, and trust in Klu.
She didn’t like waiting and her injuries didn’t make things any easier.
***
Tya cackled as she shook a bunch of rough wooden cubes in her hands. The cubes were small, with strange symbols written into them. A Hunter Goblin had created a bunch of games for the little cubes, and Tya claimed that the games were spreading like fire through the army.
So, Tya, Risha and Glo sat around a small table with a view of the orc gates, shiny rocks in front of each of them. Goblins were no strangers to gambling, and it added a bit of fun to the experience. With a smile, Tya threw the dice, watching as they rolled into four matching symbols.
She drew the pile of shiny rocks in the middle towards herself, while Glo and Risha growled.
Risha decided that next time she spoke with the Grandmothers, she’d ask them for some other games. She’d seen Grand Mother Iris and Maya playing some sort of game with thin-flat tiles and she wanted to play it too.
They put more shiny rocks in the middle as Risha picked up the cubes.
Risha threw the cubes, only to turn her head as the gates to the village reopened. Hundreds of orcs stepped out of the village, then made a line on each side of the gate. As one, they laid down their weapons and got on their knees in surrender.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Tya swiping the shiny stones towards herself, and she gave a soft growl in warning.
The old goblin put the shiny stones back, but Risha could swear that one of them was missing.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t pay too much more attention as Klu and Elder Oltak stepped through the gate.
Risha motioned towards Glo, and he hurried over to her to help her stand up.
Risha put her hand on his arm, using it to steady herself as she led her army into the former base of the orcs.
The orcs remained where they kneeled, their heads bowed as she walked through them. When she entered the village itself, Klu motioned for her to follow him.
Young and old orcs peered at her through the windows of stone and clay huts as her procession made its way to the middle of the village. A multi-story house was there, built differently from the rest of the huts. It was sturdier, with ornate carvings in its walls and trellises.
Klu bowed next to her.
“The third chieftain's lands are yours, Grand Mother.”
