66 Valor

I looked at Graklak's wearily but ever powerful body, observing the traces of bedevilment along him. Ever since I freed his will the corruption slowed down significantly. His body deadline was pushed back a bit, it seemed corruption would rather dangerous.

"Well done commanding to all of you, and to a few foot soldiers I was rather impressed." As I said that I looked at a few of my goblins and orcs. I sent out a stream of power from myself blessing a few with more access to my energies.

"Those who do well will be treated well," I said with a benevolent smile.

My followers went onto bended knee in solemn respect as I blessed them. Pektog and the others looked at me surprised, they grew to fear and respect me even more. It was hard to believe, I went from barely beating Pektog; to dominating all of them easily.

"Collect the weapons and other items," I instructed to my army

"We have other things to deal with soon," I said in a dreary voice

Even I would rather not go against a giant race, but Asmodeus will descend. I have an aching suspicion that my answers lie with the death Qi source I am looking for. I need only one more sample before I can find the origin, even though that means fighting a giant clan.

I had already left Dazkieht to train everyone in shadow force and stealth. The goblins were especially skilled and with my blessing of shadow. They could move unseen in the inner forest, I just need them to do one thing.

After all, I had no hopes of goblins overcoming giants, I just need them to cause a little mayhem, I thought with a sadistic chuckle.

**************************

In the outskirts of the inner forest, Dazkieht was leading the shadow corps. They moved like shadows, none of the beings noticed their approach. When they were found they killed the witness in moments, assassins in the dark was an apt description of them.

They had followed Lucas' training regime from the Silent swords guild as well. With their innate nature, they turned it into a great weapon in their arsenal. They moved quickly and approached an area of large trees. They investigated the tracks when they found an abandoned camp.

"They were here." A goblin said in a low grunt

"Like that isn't obvious, that's not what we are here for." Another goblin said in a snicker

"No, it was recent, just a few hours ago." The goblin said in a cold tone, he was often ridiculed for being physically weaker than most goblins. But he was clever and capable that was why Dazkieht brought him into the unit.

"Wait what tells you that?" Another goblin said in a quizzical tone

"Tracks haven't fully disappeared, and charcoal is still fresh." The goblin said in response, the biggest point was in this terrain. The tracks tend to be obscured easily.

Regardless of the size, the populace in the forest is often on the move. Tracks get obscured ridiculously easy, he was able to make these observations in the short time he was here. For a goblin, it was no small feat to have this level of intelligence.

"Good observation Trang." Dazkieht praised

"Thank you, Commander," Trang said in respectful response, originally they were enemies. After all, they often threatened their village and even fought to the death.

But with over a half year of bonding and the common thread of Lucas, they became closer. As a race that respected strength, the barrier of hatred was chipped away in a short time. After all, there are no eternal enemies, only eternal benefits.

"The Honored One has asked us to start in the hunting spots." He said in a solemn tone, anything to do with the honored one was an act of the utmost importance!

"We understand Commander." They said as they pulled out their daggers and stabbed them into the ground.

When they were complete Ulbrag brought them around the inner forest. They found multiple abandoned campsites and even found the temporary home of the giants. They had a temporary home for their warriors that looked for food, and they had an ancestral home of sorts.

So they followed them to their main village. There were a few rudimentary structures about and a few women and children around. The village wasn't more than 40 at most with 10 active warriors. One chief that leads the warriors, which was the giant from the first encounter.

He hadn't much gotten stronger, he stayed at about the same level of strength with slightly more experience. At most he probably increased by about 1 level, which doesn't do much in inner reformation stages.

When they finished their task, they retreated out of the inner forest quickly. Returning to the village dead at night, they reported everything in and went to sleep. Trang was in the army barracks relaxing when he took out a piece of paper.

It was the paper that they all used earlier today, he looked at concentrated. It was a runic Sigil, with complex drawings embedded in it. It was a piece of art by itself and had a beautiful feel to it. But it also had a colder side to it, a deeply fundamental unfeeling structure.

One that struck the soul, a purely mathematical abstraction of a beautiful phenomenon. Nothing makes the world a sadder place than it being reduced to a few interactions. It takes away the magic of reality, and this Sigil seemed to do the same.

"What plans does the Honored One have?" He felt restless ever since the appearance of the honored one, a powerful devil offering a deal.

Such a great deal can't be without consequence, he had a strong feeling that the Honored One wasn't so honorable. He felt as though he was just a pawn in his big scheme. At times, he wondered did Pektog do this because he wanted too. Or because he was forced to obey?

After all, he lived under Pektog for a long time, he was a benevolent leader that fought for the people. He never cared for his own life, and the people responded in doing the same. But call it instinct but someone that powerful and foreign can't possibly be good.

**************************

It was a calm morning, the sun shined on me making my skin feel alive. The Lord Of Shadows basking in the sunlight how humorous I thought. Well I wasn't basking in the sunlight so much as I was enjoying the feeling of life.

Sometimes it is best to take a moment to appreciate your own existence. That might sound strange, but life is so fleeting that appreciating it now is worth it.

'Ulbrag planted the restriction, then it is time to start the plan.' I said to Drrak in a cold tone

Now that it is time to scheme, everything else is superfluous. I fiddled with some sword intent in my mind, it was the sword intent I had stored.

'It will happen soon, I will finally activate the sword code.' I said to myself, it was a vague feeling, I felt ever since I reached 49% in the Lightning sword code. I had already nearly made it halfway through the second layer of the style. The second layer is thunder manifestation, the first layer was thunder creation.

By mastering force and comprehending it's power I created lightning within myself, and with a high-level force I can manifest that power. At this point I could feel my control of the basics reaching perfection. The sword moves from the basics to sword intent, to assuming formlessness. Where the stance is lost, and the will is supreme!

I gripped my void sword and sharpened my will, as it exploded out into the village. With my powerful intent, my army was raised. Armored and ready, swords sharp my warriors awoke and bowed to me.

"TODAY WE FIGHT GIANTS!" With my decree a few twitched in fear, which was of course expected. Even I felt a twinge of fear when I first saw them.

"I will make no lies, many will die." No point in lying, I need them to be aware now.

"But for those who die, many more will live." I said in a hopeful tone.

"To subjugate the world, one must subjugate themselves! If you wish to be supreme then master yourselves. Fight with valor and you have mastered your own heart!"

With my intense words, they started to cheer. After all, we all want to show our valor, we all feel hot-blooded about protecting something. Even I felt that way a long time ago, but my vision is so much higher now. I see a far grander scale and have a much grander ambition. So such little things like valor feel insignificant to me.