I was possessed!

  I kept stepping forward even though I wanted to stop. I felt some strange force that completely overpowered my body.

  That cursed vampire woman was walking right beside me!

  Everyone except her marched as if heading to an execution. She, on the other hand, wore a smile, cracked jokes, and seemed completely unconcerned.

  Unbelievable! How was this miserable bunch supposed to deal with an entire stronghold ruled by an orc? For all I knew, he might be even stronger than that ncer by the raging river — and that had been anything but pleasant.

  The vampire had nearly been killed recently by just a handful of stronger humans. What if this orc commanded hundreds of hobgoblins and goblins? What if, besides wolves, he had other monstrous races under his command — or some terrifying beasts?

  I had to run.

  I nervously tried to manipute my aura, to tear myself free from the shackles of hypnosis. The girl with the strange name —Valeria— shot me an irritated gnce, and I immediately knew I wouldn’t escape on my own. Her level [ 54 ]combined with her hypnosis skills was far beyond my mental defenses.

  I shuddered to think what Zod could have done to me back in that abyss, had he wished me harm…

  I wanted to stop, but my tail pushed me forward. We were heading north along forest paths, with children and the elderly marching with us. Godo carried little Gege on his back, wheezing heavily from exhaustion. Tall grasses and uneven terrain took their toll on everyone.

  What caught my attention were the sacks some of the stronger goblins carried and the lone drums of various sizes.

  Were these fools pnning an open assault!?

  With drums and songs!?

  What were they — Teutonic Knights at Grunwald, or just lunatics!?

  There were barely a few dozen of us, and only the vampire and I had levels higher than ordinary animals. My only hope was the dark night and the mist drifting between the trees on the day of the attack. Maybe — just maybe — the hypnosis would weaken in the middle of battle and I could escape.

  That was my only hope.

  I clung to it, even though I knew this story wouldn’t end well.

  After only a few hours of marching, the first danger appeared.

  I sensed dozens of auras on our right fnk. Everyone kept walking as if nothing was wrong. Only Valeria occasionally gnced in that direction, still wearing that angelic calm. She didn’t even mention it to the goblins, as if those disturbing auras — clearly not mindless beasts — meant nothing.

  They moved in something like a formation, uneven but coordinated. Yet I sensed no bloodlust from them.

  The silver-haired woman raised her hand, and the entire group halted. Godo and several goblins in their prime gathered close together as the sounds from the right grew louder.

  I swallowed hard. Every sound, smell, and movement became sharper.

  Another miserable group of goblins emerged — also filled with children and elders, though more numerous. They looked utterly exhausted, but they didn’t seem hostile.

  A goblin with pierced ears, long hair, and blue tattoos covering his body stepped forward toward Godo and Valeria. He grinned from ear to ear, looking like a starving madman on the brink of death.

  “Godo! You didn’t think we’d let you have all the fun without us!” He burst into ughter and spped the old goblin on the back.

  Up close, he looked very young, yet when I checked him, he was level 19 — an impressive feat for a regur goblin.

  “Mago… Go back home. The riders of Hakku died in our vilge. We have no choice — but you can still live. Please… go back,” Godo pleaded.

  The vampire and I listened in silence. The goblins greeted one another like good neighbors. Some kept their distance, afraid of the wolves, but eventually even they moved closer.

  “Have you lost your mind, old man!? If that bastard finds out what happened to his men, he’ll take his rage out on us too! We’re one vilge. More than half my people are reted to yours. Your problems are our problems! Little Ganbo ran himself half to death to warn us about your pn — we barely caught up!”

  “Mago…” Godo fell silent.

  Mago kept smiling, gripping his spear, ready for battle.

  “Everyone is welcome. It’s time to end Hakku’s tyranny,” Lady Nocturne decred, cpping the other vilge’s leader on the shoulder.

  Her words carried power. Even the weakest felt it — this woman was terrifyingly strong.

  “At night, I am at my strongest. And besides — we have a Reborn one. A Hydra.”

  She looked straight at me.

  I hadn’t expected her knowledge to go that far. Until now, I thought she saw me as nothing more than a clever beast controlling its instincts. Was that why she pced such hope in me?

  “Then it’s decided! My people will lead and show the might of the Mora tribe! The Goge and Mora tribes — like in the old days — will fight side by side!”

  Morning came soon after.

  The entire group rested beneath a hill where the ground was dry, sharing out food. I noticed many goblins — especially the newcomers — gncing at me. I heard whispers and saw fear in their eyes. There were well over 150 of them now, and still they flinched whenever one of the hydra’s eyes turned their way.

  It felt awful not being able to say a single word to them. I was still under hypnosis, even my second head refused to growl or bare its fangs.

  The st time I’d sat at something like a picnic among so many people was during a school trip I foolishly joined. The guys flirted with girls so beautiful they would never have gnced at me, while I sat alone under a tree, grateful no one bullied me under the teachers’ watch.

  Pathetic.

  Even after all these years — and in another world — I still boiled inside remembering that time.

  Here, though, the silence was born of fear.

  Only Valeria and Mago weren’t afraid of me. The strong goblin even touched me, smearing me with some foul-smelling substance — apparently a blessing from their god meant to strengthen me.

  I felt nothing — except indescribable fury when that vile vampire drank my blood for the third time, ughing and thanking me as if I were a walking blood bank.

  “At midnight, we reach the target. Hakku’s stronghold lies in a valley, protected by a river to the north. Only one gate leads inside — the other three sides are fenced with towers overlooking the forest. Without dders or equipment, we can only storm the gate. If we’re lucky, the sves inside will break their chains and tip the scales. To make Hakku’s hobgoblins rebel, we must kill him — or his loyal orc guard and hobgoblin commanders!”

  Mago delivered his fiery speech, eyes bzing as he pointed at the crude battle pn id out on the ground. Stones marked towers and the gate, sticks formed fences, torn earth represented the river.

  The commanders listened, nodding — some fearful, others cking faith.

  The vampire didn’t participate. She simply yawned, sharpening her bde, admiring her bck-painted nails as if listening to a boring lecture.

  They were insane!

  A frontal assault with a makeshift battering ram was madness. Even a caveman would know this pn was doomed. Hearing that Hakku commanded even more orcs convinced me that, at best, I’d end up captured.

  All I could hope for was not killing too many of their kin so they might spare me afterward.

  Good thing Valeria couldn’t hear my thoughts like Zod — otherwise, I’d already have tasted her boot smashing my face into blood.

  Instead, I was left chewing weeds and greenery.

  These weak creatures couldn’t carry much equipment — let alone rations for a two-headed hydra. I watched Godo feed Gege, Mago repeating the pn to his people, and fear in every pair of eyes.

  They weren’t warriors. Most would die quickly.

  It would be a massacre.

  I didn’t bme them for being afraid.

  I wasn’t much braver myself. After the morning briefing, rumors of the first deserters reached my ears. Some couldn’t handle the pressure. Tales of prisoners being fyed alive and goblins fed to wolves didn’t help morale…

  Valeria sensed it.

  She gathered everyone together like a true leader. Standing tall, chest proud, she adjusted the strange sword on her back and raised her other bde high like a general before battle.

  “By the lineage of the elder vampire house Nocturne — I swear that tomorrow I will grant you freedom, just as you granted it to me.”

  She smiled widely, inhaled deeply, and shouted so all could hear:

  “May the darkness of the Misty Isles hide our steps, and may the God of Darkness close our enemies’ eyes!”

  Her hand rested on the sword behind her back.

  “This bde has never known defeat…”

  For a brief moment, I saw sadness in her eyes — then her “happy mask” returned.

  The goblins believed in victory once more.

  That night, everyone marched swiftly. No one gged behind, and no rumors of further deserters reached the front. I felt excitement among the young; the elders at the front gripped their spears tightly, adjusting arrows in their quivers as if trying to enchant them to strike true.

  Ahead, I sensed two strong auras close together — and a third about half a kilometer to the left. The vampire was no longer beside me. Though I still cked full control of my body, I could turn my head and think freely — the rest moved on instincts devoted to her.

  Soon, the two auras vanished. Not long after, the third did as well.

  She got them?

  That fast?

  Terrifying woman…

  Mago signaled with his hand. His subordinates nodded and moved closer. Hakku’s stronghold was near now — I heard loud music and felt hundreds, maybe thousands, of weak auras clustered together.

  The group spread out. Each stronger goblin was assigned to a five-man squad — units meant to fight as one body, attacking and defending together.

  Only seven squads stayed near me. Mago took command, supported by three lieutenants. My task was to guard the commander and stand in the front line beside him.

  “Stay close and bite anything that gets in our way! Lead us to victory, great forest lizard!”

  It didn’t exactly inspire me — but I appreciated his faith.

  The four of them mounted wolves and gave the signal.

  Truth be told, we were the eighth — and strongest — five-man squad.

  Over a hundred goblins — mostly sick, children, and elders — took up drums and torches. Godo led them with Gege. Horns and makeshift trumpets echoed.

  It would be a loud battle…

  Meanwhile, our forty advanced downhill toward the main gate. Trees and brush still concealed us. The wind shed our backs, fear hung thick in the air.

  Both my hearts pounded harder with every step. At one point, I imagined them leaping from my chest and chasing them through the forest.

  Behind a tree, I saw a dead hobgoblin rider — his skull split open. Nearby, the vampire sat atop a mangled wolf, examining her bloodied bde.

  She looked at me and smiled diabolically.

  Two monsters crawled from fallen bodies. A third emerged from the brush.

  “I told you,” she said, standing upright, “I am strongest at night.”

  She turned toward the city, tightening her grip. The three monsters lined up, awaiting orders.

  I heard only a whisper —

  “Under the cover of night… we will win.”