Chapter 99: Ka’z Request
That night, Ka’z eventually returned to his secret chamber and collapsed onto the haystack without bothering to think about anything else. His body was exhausted, his joints still aching from the battle, and his mind was even more exhausted from everything that had happened after the war.
The argument with Tu’ka had drained whatever strength remained in him, and although Kong’gong’s words had helped settle the storm inside his chest, Ka’z still had plenty to think about. Eventually, exhaustion won. His eyes closed, and for the first time since the battle began, he slept without dreaming of goblins, blood or the battlefield.
By morning, the entire colony was already awake.
The atmosphere inside the sanctuary was completely different from the celebrations of the previous evening. The excitement had faded, replaced by the grim work that always followed a battle.
Bodies were being carried through the tunnels one after another, and the corpses of the nearly one hundred goblins killed during the invasion were dragged out of the cave and placed in the open field beyond the entrance.
Some were carried by ropes while others were simply dragged by their feet, leaving faint trails across the earth. The kobolds did not treat the corpses with cruelty. They had killed them because they had invaded their home, but now that the fighting was over, there was no reason to desecrate the dead.
The warriors who had participated in the battle were given permission to rest. Many of them were wounded, some badly enough that they could barely walk without assistance, while others simply sat against the cave walls with exhausted expressions. Those who remained capable of working handled the bodies, repaired damaged sections of the tunnels and inspected the traps that had been triggered during the invasion. There was still much to do before the colony could return to anything resembling normal life.
Deep within the sanctuary, Lady Zira, Kong’gong, Tong’a, O’nil, Lan’ka, Tu’ka, Ru’k, Za’r and Kurg had gathered together. They sat in a loose circle around the familiar meeting area, but nobody spoke. The elders could feel the low morale hanging over the younger generation.
Kong’gong had already explained what happened after the final battle, so there was no need for anyone to ask how what was happening.
Za’r sat quietly with her head lowered, her hands resting together on her lap. She had barely slept. She had waited for Ka’z to return the previous night, sitting near the cave entrance for hours while repeatedly looking into the darkness, hoping to see his silhouette emerge from the forest. He never came. Eventually, the others had convinced her to return, but even then she could not properly rest. The dark circles beneath her eyes were obvious, and every few minutes her gaze instinctively drifted toward the entrance.
She was worried about him.
More than that, she was worried that their argument had changed something between them.
Thud!
The sound of approaching footsteps immediately drew everyone’s attention. Heads turned toward the entrance as Ka’z walked into the sanctuary. He looked considerably better than he had the previous night, although the fatigue was still visible around his eyes.
Ka’z did not stop to greet anyone. His gaze briefly swept across the room before settling on the empty space beside Za’r. He walked directly toward it and sat down.
Za’r immediately looked at him.
Her eyes searched his face, trying to determine whether he was still angry. She wanted to say something, anything, but the words refused to come. After everything that had happened between him and Tu’ka, she was afraid that perhaps he did not want to talk to her either.
Ka’z noticed her looking and gave her a small, tired smile. It was barely noticeable, but it was enough to make Za’r’s shoulders relax slightly.
Ahem!
O’nil stood and cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention toward him. The old kobold looked exhausted. The events of the past few days had clearly taken their toll, but there was still a quiet dignity in the way he stood before the colony.
"I will start by saying a big thank you to everyone who bled to keep us safe. Our home survived because of your courage. Thank you once again." O’nil’s gaze moved across the room, lingering briefly on the younger warriors before he continued. "Every person who stood between this colony and those goblins played a part in our survival, and that sacrifice will not be forgotten."
Ka’z, Lan’ka, Kong’gong and Tu’ka simply nodded. Nobody attempted to take credit or celebrate because they had all seen what it had cost.
"But our victory did not come without major losses." O’nil’s voice became heavier. "For one, we lost Tud’or alongside nearly twenty of our own two days ago. Last night, I was informed that this war claimed the lives of another five, with several others wounded."
The room became completely silent, everyone who had already heard the numbers lowered their heads.
Tud’or’s name still carried enormous weight within Vaal’kor, and the five additional deaths made the victory feel considerably less glorious.
O’nil allowed the silence to remain for several moments before continuing.
"We need to carry out a funeral, rebuild, reorganize and handle many more matters. The purpose of this meeting is to decide how and when we will carry all this out."
With that, O’nil slowly returned to his seat.
Tong’a immediately leaned forward and prepared to speak, but before he could say anything, Ka’z raised his hand. The sudden movement drew everyone’s attention.
Tong’a paused and looked at him with a hint of surprise.
"Yes, Ka’z?"
Ka’z slowly stood.
"I believe there is a more pressing matter we are yet to address, and I need to get it out there because I would love to leave as soon as possible to carry out that task."
Several confused glances passed around the room and O’nil’s brows knitted.
Tong’a gestured for him to continue.
"Okay... What is the matter?"
"The war is not yet over."
The words immediately changed the atmosphere.
Za’r lifted her head, Tu’ka’s eyes narrowed, while Lan’ka leaned forward instinctively. Even O’nil’s expression hardened.
"What makes you say that?" Lan’ka asked, his voice serious.
"A village that can muster a total of a hundred and thirty goblins can definitely muster more."
Buzz!
Lan’ka’s expression tightened. It was a simple statement, but one that carried an uncomfortable truth.
If Ashmork could send more than a hundred soldiers into another territory, then its total population had to be considerably larger. Even accounting for children, elderly goblins, craftsmen and shamans, a village capable of fielding such an army could easily possess several hundred inhabitants.
They had just killed a large portion of Ashmork’s military force but that did not mean they had destroyed Ashmork itself.
Lan’ka slowly leaned back.
He had been so consumed by the joy of their victory that he had failed to consider what would happen afterward.
"We don’t know if some goblins escaped and are already on their way to alert the rest." Ka’z continued, his voice calm but firm. "Even if there are no survivors, it is only a matter of time before the Ashmork village realizes their Chieftain is gone. I believe this is the best time to press the attack, especially now that they are not prepared or expecting a counterattack."
Buzz!
Lan’ka abruptly stood. The movement startled several people.
Ka’z looked toward him.
Lan’ka’s face was serious as he considered the proposal. Every instinct he had developed over decades of fighting told him that Ka’z was right. An enemy that had just lost its leader and a large portion of its fighting force was at its weakest immediately after the defeat. Giving them time to regroup would only make the next battle harder.
"If that’s the case, I’ll go!" Lan’ka declared.
Ka’z shook his head immediately.
"I am the second strongest person in this colony. It’s best I handle this myself with my team."
The room erupted.
"Ka’z!"
Everyone except Kong’gong reacted almost simultaneously.
Several kobolds stared at him as though he had just committed blasphemy. Za’r’s expression immediately filled with concern, while Tong’a’s face hardened.
Then laughter filled the room.
"Hahahahahaha!"
Everyone turned to see Kong’gong was laughing. The old kobold leaned back slightly, his eyes closed and a broad smile spreading across his face.
"What’s with this reaction?" Kong’gong asked. "The lad speaks no lies. He is the second most powerful member of this colony, and there is even a possibility I would lose to him if we fought outside this cave."
Silence.
The statement was far more powerful coming from Kong’gong than it would ever have been coming from Ka’z.
Several kobolds exchanged uncertain looks.
Kong’gong had never been the type to openly favor one person over another. He rarely interfered in the colony’s decisions unless absolutely necessary, and whenever disagreements arose, he preferred to remain neutral.
Yet now he was openly supporting Ka’z.
"But we still can’t let you go," Tong’a argued, his frown deepening. "It’s too dangerous."
Ka’z opened his mouth to respond, but Kong’gong spoke first.
"He stopped Grash and prevented the colony from suffering even greater casualties during the border attack."
Everyone turned toward him again.
"He was also the one who held the line and stopped the fifty man strong goblin force from marching directly into our home. He designed the traps that killed dozens of them before they ever reached our living quarters. And when the enemy finally reached our defensive line, he personally broke their formation."
Kong’gong’s voice gradually grew stronger.
"I believe Ka’z has proven to us time and time again that he is far more capable than we would like to admit."
The room fell completely silent. Even Tong’a, who still looked deeply concerned, could not immediately find an argument against him.