Chapter 428: Refugees [1]
Standing atop the clan walls, Zarah and Caius watched the group of goblins gathered in the distance.
Around them stood the clan’s strongest combatants.
Below, the defensive positions had already been manned.
Siege weapons were trained on the approaching goblins, their operators waiting for a single order to fire if the situation took a turn for the worse.
No one intended to lower their guard.
The strangers, however, had stopped well outside bow range.
Rather than advancing any farther, they remained where they were with both hands raised high above their heads, making no attempt to draw weapons or move closer. It was the sort of gesture that clearly signaled they hadn’t come looking for a fight.
A long silence settled over the wall.
Finally, Gobbo spoke.
"Should we go talk to them?"
Narg answered without a moment’s hesitation.
"What if it’s a trap?"
His eyes never left the group below.
"If they want us to lower our guard, pretending to surrender would be the easiest way to do it."
Gork shook his head.
"They don’t look like warriors preparing for an ambush," he said. "They look like survivors. My guess is their settlement was attacked, and they managed to escape. And are here for help."
"You don’t know that for sure," Narg shot back immediately.
"And we’ll never know unless we speak to them," Nira said.
Her eyes remained fixed on the goblins below, who still hadn’t made a single aggressive move.
For a brief moment, no one answered.
Even Zarah found herself hesitating.
On one hand, everything about the group suggested they were harmless. Their clothing was torn, many of them were visibly injured, and even from this distance, they looked exhausted.
On the other hand, the King’s Games were approaching. This wasn’t the time to lower their guard simply because someone looked pitiful.
Sensing her uncertainty, Narg spoke up.
"We should contact Eli. This seems like the situation he’d want to handle himself."
Zarah clicked her tongue.
"I don’t think this situation warrants calling the Chief."
She glanced back toward the goblins.
"They’re battered, injured, and their levels are low. Even if they were planning something, I don’t think it’s beyond what we can handle."
She believed she could deal with this herself.
Narg, however, remained unconvinced.
If anything, her confidence only made him more uneasy.
The two stared at each other for a moment before Zarah finally shifted her attention.
She looked toward Caius.
"What do you think?"
Caius never took his eyes off the goblins in the distance.
He instinctively reached for [Foresight] once more, hoping that this time the skill would reveal something useful.
But just like every other attempt, the future remained clouded, the vision dissolving into an indistinct blur before it could form into anything meaningful.
He still didn’t know why.
That uncertainty alone was enough to make him cautious.
When the future refused to reveal itself, it was usually wiser to prepare for the worst than assume the best.
"I agree with Narg," he said at last. "Let’s contact Eli."
Before anyone could act on the suggestion, Gork suddenly spoke.
"One of them is coming this way."
Every eye shifted toward the approaching figure.
The goblin had broken away from the group and was slowly making his way toward the walls.
He wasn’t charging or holding a weapon.
Instead, he walked with a cautious shuffle, one hand raised high to show he meant no harm. Judging by his pace, he intended to stop well outside the walls and speak from a safe distance.
Caius watched him closely.
The closer the goblin came, the more his expression changed.
His brows gradually drew together. Then, in a low voice, he said,
"He’s one of Drugar’s Blessed."
That revelation immediately put everyone on edge.
It wasn’t because the goblin was powerful.
Chosen were feared for a different reason.
Their blessings often came with abilities no one could predict, making even a seemingly weak opponent capable of turning a situation upside down without warning.
The atmosphere atop the wall grew noticeably heavier.
The approaching goblin continued forward until he was close enough to be heard, then stopped on his own, keeping his raised hand where everyone could see it.
"Stop right there," Zarah called down.
He obeyed immediately.
Now that he was closer, they could examine him properly.
His armor was little more than battered scraps barely held together by worn leather straps. Mud clung to both his clothes and skin, and a bloodstained bandage was wrapped tightly around one shoulder. Dark circles hung beneath his eyes, and the exhaustion on his face looked too genuine to be easily faked.
Even so, no one lowered their guard.
Zarah studied him for another moment before speaking again.
"First, swear in Drugar’s name that you’ll speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."
The goblin didn’t hesitate.
He straightened slightly and answered in a clear voice.
"I swear in Lord Drugar’s name that I will speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."
As soon as the oath took effect, Zarah spoke again.
"State your name, your clan, and your reason for coming here."
The goblin lowered his raised hand but remained where he was.
"My name is Razak, of the Mongol Clan," he replied. "We’ve come seeking help. Our home... has been destroyed."
A frown formed on Zarah’s face.
"What happened?"
Her tone hardened.
"And be as detailed as possible."
Razak swallowed before answering.
"A high-level goblin named Raghul attacked our clan."
His voice grew quieter.
"He slaughtered almost everyone."
He glanced back at the frightened goblins waiting in the distance.
"The few you see behind me are all that remain."
"Raghul..."
Caius repeated the name under his breath, his expression immediately darkening as he instinctively exchanged a glance with Drel, who was also standing atop the wall.
Neither of them needed to say anything.
This was the goblin they had both been worried about, the very same Raghul Caius had expected would make his move sooner or later.
Razak continued, his voice growing heavier with each sentence.
"At first, they...