I Can See Evolution Paths

The Yan Goblins slowly lowered their weapons, one by one, the tension in the rocks around them dissolving into something closer to disbelief. Luka stepped forward first, and an elderly Goblin near the front gasped.

"Luka?" he said.

Luka smiled through tears. "Elder Raja," she said.

The old Goblin laughed with relief and pulled her into a tight hug. Within moments, the entire Su Tribe was reuniting with the Yan Tribe around them. Old friends embraced. Family members found each other after what must have felt like far too long. Hunters clasped forearms, and children stared curiously at the newcomers standing among the rocks.

Raku laughed, wiping at his eyes. "I honestly thought," he started, unable to finish the sentence.

Mara quietly wiped her own eyes. "I’m just glad," she said.

Arthur stayed near the back of the group, watching. Observing. Something about the scene felt strange to him, though not dangerous. Just wrong, in a way he couldn’t quite place yet.

He looked slowly around the village. Unlike the Mu Tribe, the Yan Tribe wasn’t rebuilding anything. Unlike the Su Tribe, nothing here had been destroyed at all. The houses stood complete. The fences stood upright and undamaged. Storage sheds sat full to the brim. Smoke rose peacefully from cooking fires scattered throughout the village. Children chased each other between the buildings, laughing. Several elderly Goblins sat beneath a tree, absorbed in a board game. One Goblin quietly repaired a fishing net. Another carved a small wooden toy, humming to himself.

Arthur blinked.

Sun walked over to stand beside him. "What’s wrong?" he asked.

Arthur kept looking around at the untouched village. "Doesn’t this feel," he said slowly, "too normal?"

Sun followed his gaze, and his expression shifted the longer he looked. "Now that you mention it," he said. "...Where are the repairs?"

Arthur looked over. "What?"

Sun pointed toward the nearest house. "No patched roofs, broken fences or any cracks in the building."

Arthur slowly looked around again.

He hadn’t noticed but every village he’d seen since arriving in the Secret Realm had scars. The Mu Tribe had to rebuild almost everything.

The Su Tribe had lost everything.

But here? Nothing looked damaged at all, it was if it was untouched.

Arthur’s eyes narrowed. "You’re right."

Sun folded his arms. "This place looks like it was never attacked."

Arthur kept looking.

The village gates stood completely open.

Nobody had bothered closing them.

Several hunters leaned their spears against a nearby wall while chatting casually with one another. A basket filled with freshly picked fruit sat outside one house, completely unattended.

Even drying strips of meat hung in the open air. No one seemed worried about attracting beasts.

Arthur frowned. "They’re not acting like people living beside three apex predator territories."

Sun slowly nodded. "They’re acting like beasts don’t exist."

Neither of them liked that thought.

Later, everyone gathered in the village square. The Yan Tribe prepared food for the newcomers, and the atmosphere grew warm, almost celebratory.

Arthur finally asked the question that had been sitting in the back of his mind since they arrived. "So," he said, looking around. "Where’s your Guardian Spirit?"

Silence fell over the gathering. The Yan Tribe members exchanged confused looks with each other.

Elder Raja tilted his head slowly. "Guardian Spirit?" he asked.

Arthur blinked. "Yes," he said. "The one protecting your tribe."

Raja’s smile slowly faded. "Our Guardian," he said, "died over a hundred years ago."

Silence.

Arthur looked toward Luka.

She nodded slowly. "That’s true," she said. "Even Voro mentioned it."

Several Mu Tribe Goblins nodded. "He said the Yan Guardian disappeared long ago," one of them added.

Arthur frowned. "Then," he said, "who’s protecting this place?"

Nobody answered.

Sun finally broke the silence. "Wait," he said, pointing back toward the valley behind them. "We just watched hundreds of apex predators fighting outside." He looked around at the Yan Tribe. "You don’t have a Guardian. So how are you still alive?"

The Yan Tribe members simply looked at one another.

Then Elder Raja smiled. "We’ve been lucky," he said.

Arthur blinked. "Lucky?"

One Mu Hunter tilted his head. "Are you guys sure it’s luck? And not a power like how our Prophet can see the future?"

Several Yan Goblins looked toward Arthur. "...Prophet?"

Another Mu Hunter smiled proudly. "He always notices things the rest of us miss. And could even see the future!"

Arthur simply stood there with a faint smile.

Sun looked at him. "You’re not going to say anything?"

Arthur shrugged. "It won’t change anything."

Sun blinked. "You’ve given up?"

Arthur nodded. "Well it’s not like I minded. It’s amusing at this point."

Sun stared at him. "You know this will only get worse."

"Can it?"

"They can spread it to other tribes."

"Oh... Well I will just accept it. Besides, arguing only makes it worse."

"Why is this! The area you are reasonable about!"

"I’m always reasonable!"

The Goblin Historian nodded solemnly. "Agreed. Our Prophet has always been wise."

Sun immediately pointed at him. "You!"

The Historian looked pleasantly surprised. "Yes?"

"You’re the main reason this is happening!"

The Historian smiled. "I’ve been told I have a gift."

Sun buried his face in his hands. "This is becoming an actual religion..."

One young Yan Hunter whispered to another. "He really did all of that?"

"Of course. He will help you guys evolve as well."

"T-Then I hope he notices me."

"Me as well!"

Sun looked skyward. "...We’re too late."

"Moving on, are you really telling us you guys have never been lucky enough to avoid attacks?" Athena asked in shock.

Raja nodded as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. "For over a hundred years," he said. "No beast has entered our village."

Arthur looked at Raja carefully. "You really believe it was just luck?"

Raja smiled gently. "My father called it luck." He looked toward the peaceful village. "My grandfather called it luck."

A quiet chuckle escaped him. "So. I suppose I do too."

One Hunter added, "Besides, even without our luck. The beasts always turn away."

Another nodded. "They never cross the eastern ridge."

An elderly Goblin laughed. "My grandfather used to say even the wind avoids disturbing our sleep," he said.

The children giggled at that.

One little Goblin raised his hand proudly. "I’ve never even seen a beast!" he said.

Arthur froze. "What?"

The child nodded enthusiastically. "They’re always really far away," he said.

Sun slowly turned toward Raja. "You’re telling me," he said, "an entire generation has never seen a beast?"

Raja nodded. "Several," he said. "The only beasts we have delt with are other goblins."

Athena immediately shook her head. "No," she said.

Everyone looked toward her.

She adjusted her glasses. "That’s impossible," she said.

The Yan Tribe looked confused.

Athena began counting off on her fingers. "The valley outside contains at least three apex predator territories," she said. "There are aerial predators or even natural disasters." She looked around the peaceful village. "You should have been destroyed dozens of times."

Mara gently tapped her shoulder. "Athena," she said.

Athena sighed. "Right," she said. She bowed slightly toward the Yan Tribe. "I’m sorry. But this doesn’t make sense."

Sun nodded immediately. "She’s right," he said. "I’ve hunted my whole life. There isn’t a place beasts simply ignore."

Another Yan Hunter scratched his head. "Maybe they just don’t like us," he said.

Several Yan Goblins laughed at that.

Athena looked completely unconvinced. "That is somehow an even worse explanation," she said.

The Yan Tribe simply shrugged. "It’s worked so far," one of them said.

Everyone continued talking, offering theories, trying to make sense of it. Nobody found an answer. The Yan Tribe accepted their good fortune as something entirely ordinary, while everyone else struggled to believe any of it.

Arthur smiled at Athena. "You look bothered."

Athena looked at him. "I am."

"I thought you liked mysteries."

"I do." She adjusted her glasses. "I dislike mysteries that ignore logic."

Arthur chuckled. "So this is bothering you."

"...Very much."

"I am surprised you haven’t gone crazy ."

"I’m close to it... I’ve already listed twelve impossible things."

Sun looked over. "Twelve?"

Athena frowned. "I’m still counting."

Arthur glanced toward Vedas. The Goblin Commander had remained quiet throughout the entire discussion, listening far more than he had spoken.

Arthur smiled. "Vedas," he said.

Vedas looked over. "Yes?"

Arthur nodded toward the Yan Tribe. "Go," he said.

Vedas blinked. "Go?"

Arthur chuckled. "Go talk to them," he said. "The Mu Tribe already follows you. The Su Tribe is beginning to trust you." He looked around at the Yan Tribe, several of whom kept stealing curious glances toward the Goblin Commander. "They’re probably wondering about you too."

"Are you sure?"

Arthur pointed.

Three Yan children immediately hid behind a barrel.

A Hunter quickly looked away.

An old Goblin pretended he hadn’t been staring.

Arthur smiled. "See?"

Vedas watched them for another second. "I see."

Sun grinned. "They’ve probably never seen a Goblin Commander before."

Mithra smiled. "And now they get to meet one."

Vedas trembled and looked some more.

One little Goblin whispered to his mother. "He’s huge," he said.

Another child’s eyes sparkled. "Is that really a Goblin Commander?" she asked.

The mother quietly nodded. "I think so," she said.

Arthur laughed. "See?" he said. "They’re already interested."

Vedas looked uncertain. "What should I say?"

Sun grinned immediately. "Anything," he said. "You’ve got the hardest part done."

Vedas tilted his head. "Which is?"

"They already think you’re impressive," Sun said.

Mithra smiled. "Just be yourself," she said.

Athena nodded. "Besides," she said, "if all three tribes are going to work together in the future, they should know each other."

Vedas looked toward Arthur. "And you?"

Arthur glanced around the peaceful village once more. "I want to look around," he said. "Something about this place doesn’t make sense."

Vedas followed his gaze before nodding. "Very well," he said.

He turned toward the Yan Tribe. There was a brief moment of silence, and then Elder Raja smiled warmly.

"Commander," he said.

Vedas bowed his head politely. "Elder," he said.

Raja laughed. "Come," he said. "I’d like to hear about the world outside."

One by one, the Yan Hunters gathered around Vedas, some asking about the Mu Tribe, others asking about the Su Tribe. One young Hunter hesitated before finally speaking up.

"Is it," he started, "hard being a Commander?"

Vedas thought seriously about the question. "Yes," he said. "But I’m not alone." He glanced toward Arthur in the distance. "I have companions."

Arthur smiled faintly before turning away. "Good," he murmured.

Sun looked at him. "You planned that," he said.

Arthur shrugged. "He’s the Goblin King candidate," he said. "If all three tribes are going to become one someday, they should know their future leader."

Sun looked over at Vedas, already surrounded by curious Yan Goblins hanging on his every word. A smile spread across his face. "Looks like he’s doing just fine," he said.

Arthur nodded. "Exactly," he said.

He quietly walked away from the gathering. Not because he was bored but because he was curious. His eyes wandered across every corner of the village.

No claw marks.

No signs of repairs.

Arthur frowned. "Really, nothing."

Mithra watched him examine everything. "What are you looking for?"

Arthur crouched beside one of the stone walls. "I don’t know. I’m trying to find..." He searched for the right word. "Evidence?"

He stood again and slowly continued walking. His eyes drifted toward the pathways and the dirt roads were covered in footprints.

Goblins and carts.

Everything looked normal and then something caught his attention.

Flowers.

Small blue flowers growing along both sides of the path.

Arthur stopped and he slowly crouched beside them. Not one stem had been bent or one petal had been crushed. Even near the village entrance, where hundreds of Goblins had walked over the years...

The flowers remained untouched.

Arthur reached out carefully. "...That’s strange."

Mithra walked over. "You found something?"

Arthur slowly stood. "Not yet." His eyes remained fixed on the flowers. "But... I think everyone’s overlooking something."

Mithra smiled. "So. We’re investigating?"

Arthur grinned. "Definitely."

Just then warmth spread through his left hand.

Arthur looked down.

The King’s Mark began to glow before a familiar golden trail appeared once again. Unlike before, it didn’t lead past the village to the back of the village and toward a field of wildflowers that nobody seemed to pay any attention to.

Arthur’s smile widened. "There you are."

Mithra blinked. "There?"

Arthur nodded without taking his eyes off the glowing trail. "I don’t know what it’s but you’ve been hiding from everyone."

Without another word, he began walking.

Mithra followed immediately.