Chapter 98: The Middle Ground.
Ka’z sat at the edge of his secret cave base on the hill, his legs hanging over the rocky ledge as he stared into the empty sky. There were no stars tonight and not even a moon to provide light, leaving the forest below swallowed by darkness. Under normal circumstances the darkness would have been almost oppressive, but kobolds were creatures of the night, and Ka’z had long since grown accustomed to seeing through it.
The faint outlines of the trees stretched endlessly before him, swaying gently whenever the evening wind passed through their branches. Yet despite the peaceful scenery, his mind remained anything but calm. The argument with Tu’ka kept replaying in his head, every word returning with painful clarity. Each time he remembered Tu’ka calling his dream selfish, his irritation returned, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
"That jerk!" Ka’z cursed as he clenched his fist tightly.
He squeezed hard enough for his claws to dig into his palm, but the pain did little to distract him from his thoughts. He knew Tu’ka had been afraid, but that did not make the words any less infuriating. Ka’z had spent his entire life dreaming about what he could accomplish in this new world, and now that dream had finally seemed within reach.
Why did everyone insist on looking at everything through the lens of fear?
"That’s no way to speak about your brother."
Buzz!
Ka’z immediately jumped to his feet and spun around. His heart skipped when he saw the enormous salamander standing behind him, and for a moment his body instinctively tensed as though another enemy had appeared. It took him a second to recognize Kong’gong, despite the unmistakable white goatee hanging from the creature’s enormous jaw. The sight still unnerved him.
Seeing the old kobold in his salamander form was like looking at an entirely different creature.
"Come on... You can’t go around looking like that. It’s scary!" Ka’z complained, his hand pressing against his chest as he tried to calm his heartbeat.
Kong’gong only chuckled as he walked closer, his massive body moving with surprising ease despite his size.
"I can only maintain it for twenty four hours, and it’s only in this form that I can see. It’s only natural I won’t give up this chance to see the world. It’s going to be a year before I can get this chance again." Kong’gong explained as he approached the edge.
Ka’z glanced at the salamander’s emerald eyes and realized how different the old kobold looked when he could actually see. There was something almost youthful in his expression, despite the enormous body and ancient voice.
Slowly, the two sat beside each other and stared across the vast forest.
"But why can’t you use this form more than once?" Ka’z asked.
Kong’gong smiled faintly before explaining the nature of the Magic Oath. He explained that the power did not come without sacrifice and that the conditions placed upon an oath were absolute. The more valuable the request, the greater the price demanded in return. Ka’z listened without interrupting, but by the time Kong’gong finished explaining his own oath, the young kobold was visibly shaken. The concept sounded absurd, almost like something from a myth, yet the proof was sitting beside him.
"So you lost your eyes because of the oath and gained thrice your power level once a year." Ka’z muttered, still trying to process it. Kong’gong nodded.
"That is the simplest way to explain it."
"Have you seen other Magic Oaths?" Ka’z asked curiously.
Kong’gong nodded again. "As an adventurer, I had one in my team, and he was the one who taught me about Magic Oaths."
A bitter smile briefly touched his lips as memories from a distant period of his life surfaced.
"He gave up his ability to use every affinity except fire. In exchange, his mastery over fire became extraordinary. He became so powerful that people eventually nicknamed him the Fire Tyrant."
"Interesting..." Ka’z muttered thoughtfully.
His mind immediately began working through the possibilities. If Magic Oaths could alter the limitations of magic, perhaps there was a way to use one without suffering the consequences that came with Blood Magic. The thought remained in his mind for several seconds before he finally voiced it.
"Can I use it to prevent myself from losing my Orthodox elements?"
Kong’gong turned toward him in surprise.
For a moment he said nothing. His large hand eventually reached over and gently patted Ka’z on the head. His emerald eyes lingered on the streaks of red already appearing among Ka’z’s hair. Kong’gong had noticed the changes. Ka’z had been relying on the Blood element more heavily than he realized, and the transformation was already beginning to show.
"It is possible," Kong’gong admitted, "but the condition is most likely going to be crippling. That is not a small request."
Ka’z slowly nodded. He had expected that answer. He was not even certain he would pursue such an oath, but knowing that the possibility existed was enough for now. He could think about the price later.
For several minutes, the two remained silent, listening to the wind moving through the trees below. Eventually, Kong’gong broke the silence again.
"You had your first big disagreement today with your friends." There was a faint smile in his voice.
Ka’z’s eyes narrowed immediately as he folded his arms across his chest. "You were listening?"
Kong’gong shrugged casually. "I was in the area."
"He’s just a coward." Ka’z looked back toward the forest with an irritated expression. "I can’t believe I wasted time thinking he was brave. Even Kurg isn’t that much of a coward."
Kong’gong laughed. The sound immediately irritated Ka’z.
"What’s so funny?"
"Have you considered that he’s just tired of seeing his friends and family die?"
Ka’z’s expression hardened. He shrugged Kong’gong’s hand off his head and rose to his feet.
"It’s not the quantity of life we live but the quality that matters!" Ka’z argued, his voice carrying more emotion than before. "How can someone be satisfied with a life where the feeling of fresh air blowing against your skin is a luxury?"
He clenched his fists.
"I would rather die a second time than live such an empty life!"
Kong’gong’s eyes widened.
For the briefest moment, the old kobold stared at Ka’z with genuine confusion. There was something strange about the way the boy had phrased that sentence, something that did not sound like a simple expression. But Kong’gong quickly pushed the thought aside and focused on the meaning behind it. Ka’z was not simply being rebellious. He genuinely believed that a life spent hiding was not worth living.
Kong’gong understood that feeling more than Ka’z realized.
"And what happens if no one is willing to leave the caves?" Kong’gong asked. "Will you abandon everyone and live out your dream alone?"
Ka’z opened his mouth. He almost answered immediately but it never left his lips.
The thought of actually doing it suddenly felt different from saying it. He imagined himself standing on the surface with a village surrounding him, the wind against his scales and the open sky above him, yet there was no Za’r laughing nearby. No Ru’k arguing with Kurg. No Tu’ka silently walking beside him. No Tong’a teaching the younger generation. No O’nil watching over the colony. The dream suddenly felt hollow.
The village had never been about him alone. That was what made it a dream in the first place.
"I understand," Kong’gong said quietly. "When I wanted to leave the cave and see the world outside forty years ago, my best friend Bong was against it. We had a nasty fight, and I ended up leaving to live out my dream alone."
Ka’z slowly looked toward him.
Kong’gong’s emerald eyes had become distant. His expression was no longer the relaxed one he had worn throughout their conversation. Instead, his gaze seemed fixed on something far beyond the forest.
"When I came back and saw Bong’s grave, I felt like killing myself." His voice became quieter. "Like I didn’t deserve to live because I... I killed Bong. Not the humans. I did."
Ka’z’s eyes widened.
Tears had begun gathering in Kong’gong’s eyes. The sight was so unexpected that Ka’z did not know what to say.
"And on that very day, I died too." Kong’gong’s voice cracked. "The world has been nothing but bland and empty ever since. Even though you kids have brought some color into my life, I can never shake off the guilt until the day I die."
He lowered his head.
Ka’z stared at him silently.
For the first time, he understood why Kong’gong had been so protective of the younger generation. Why the old kobold had been willing to stay in that lonely chamber to protect them. Kong’gong was not simply trying to keep them safe because he was afraid of the outside world.
He was paying for the mistake he had made.
Ka’z imagined returning to the colony one day and finding his friends graves. He imagined walking through empty tunnels that once echoed with their voices.
The thought alone made his chest ache.
If he ever left his friends behind and returned to find them dead, he honestly did not know if he would have the strength to keep living.
"Then what should I do?"
The anger had disappeared from Ka’z’s voice. He slowly sat beside Kong’gong again.
"You and Tu’ka cannot make the same mistake Bong and I made," Kong’gong said. "Two dreams can coexist. If the cave keeps them safe, then don’t take away the cave. Just give them an option they can alternate with until they finally feel confident and comfortable with the outside world."
Ka’z lowered his head and thought about it.
He did not need to force everyone onto the surface. He simply needed to make the surface safe enough that they could choose it.
His eyes slowly brightened.
"What if we start building our village at the entrance of the cave, with big walls surrounding it? That way it will just feel like an extension of the cave. If there is any danger, they can always run back into the cave."
Kong’gong’s expression softened. He reached over and patted Ka’z’s head again.
"And there is our middle ground."
A small smile appeared on his face.
As long as he lived, he would not allow the younger generation to repeat the mistake he had made. They would have the safety of the cave and the freedom of the surface. They would not be forced to choose between survival and living.
Slowly, Kong’gong rose to his feet and stretched his shoulders before letting out a quiet sigh.
"I’ll talk to Tu’ka too and get him to open his mind." He turned away and began walking down the path.
He had taken only three steps when he stopped and looked over his shoulder.
"Our colony is blessed to have you, and Tud’or would have been proud of what you achieved today. I want you to know that."
Then he continued walking.
Ka’z did not respond and he did not turn around either.
He simply sat there, staring into the darkness as his eyes began burning. The moment Kong’gong mentioned Tud’or, the memories returned.
How could Ka’z not cry?
How could he pretend that Tud’or’s sacrifice meant nothing?
How could he be selfish enough to abandon the very people Tud’or had died protecting?
His fingers slowly tightened against his knees as tears finally slipped down his cheeks.
In his previous life, nobody had noticed when he disappeared. Nobody had been waiting for him. Nobody had been devastated by his absence.
He had died forgotten. Now he had people who would cry if he died.
People he loved and people who loved him.
This life was not his alone to live.
"Tell Tu’ka I’m sorry for what I said. I didn’t mean it that way."
Kong’gong stopped again and a warm smile slowly spread across his face.
"I’m sure he knows... I’m sure he knows."
The old kobold continued walking into the darkness.