Blood and Bargains

Robert led Thornton and the others toward the goblin cave, his excitement barely contained. The thought of all the loot waiting for him from the goblins' corpses made him quicken his pace. The weight of his sword felt lighter at his side, as though it, too, was eager for what lay ahead. His mind raced with possibilities of what treasures they might find—gems, rare items, perhaps even something of magical value. The last raid had been fruitful, but Robert knew there was more to be had, and he wasn't one to leave anything behind.

"My lord, don't forget you promised to let me kill anything we find in the cave," Thornton reminded him, his voice deep and gravelly, like rocks grinding together. Robert had indeed made that promise, though he was beginning to regret it. Thornton was obsessed with killing, and his constant chatter about it was starting to grate on Robert's nerves.

"Yes, yes, I remember," Robert replied with a wave of his hand, trying to brush off the man's bloodthirsty enthusiasm. He cast a glance at Thornton, who was nearly trembling with anticipation, his broad shoulders tense, and his eyes gleaming with a feral light. Robert had to admit, the man was good in a fight, but his obsession with death was unnerving.

They trudged on, the path becoming more familiar with each step. The forest around them was thick and dark, the trees towering like ancient sentinels, their branches intertwining above, blotting out most of the sunlight. The air was damp, carrying the earthy scent of moss and decaying leaves. The sound of a nearby stream finally reached their ears, a clear sign that they were halfway there. The group paused briefly to take in the surroundings, but the silence soon became oppressive.

Bored by the lack of conversation, Robert made the mistake of engaging in small talk with Thornton. "So, how was it growing up in the mountains?" he asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably. His voice echoed awkwardly in the stillness of the forest.

"It was great—so many enemies to fight. It was endless fun!" Thornton blurted out, his voice booming with enthusiasm. Every word that left his mouth seemed to reverberate through the trees as if he were a beast roaring into the wilderness.

Robert raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "I don't mean to be rude, but how is fighting to the death every day any fun?" He couldn't hide his curiosity, though he regretted asking almost immediately.

"This is why you plainers are so weak. You don't know anything about getting stronger," Thornton retorted, his tone dismissive. He said the word "plainers" as though it were a curse, a disdainful sneer curling his lips.

Plainer? Is that some kind of slur? Robert wondered, a flicker of irritation crossing his features. "Are you trying to offend me?" he asked, a hint of challenge in his voice.

"Not trying to do anything—just stating mere facts," Thornton replied with a shrug, his expression unreadable.

Robert couldn't help but feel his anger rise at Thornton's snarky response. "You're just a stupid barbarian. What do you know about facts?"

Thornton's face turned a deep shade of red, his hands clenching into fists. "A stupid barbarian who could snap you in half," he growled, his voice low and threatening.

Despite the tension, Robert didn't take the threat to heart. He knew Thornton wouldn't dare lay a finger on him—though there was always that lingering doubt. The rest of the way to the cave was filled with bickering, the two of them arguing like an old married couple. The soldiers trailing behind them couldn't help but stifle their laughter, amused by the back-and-forth between their lord and his unruly companion.

Finally, they reached their destination. The mouth of the goblin cave loomed before them, dark and foreboding. The men hesitated for a moment, taking in the scene of the massacre that had taken place just a day ago. The stench of death hit them like a physical blow, and they all instinctively covered their noses. The air was thick with the smell of blood and decay, and the ground was stained with the dried remnants of the previous battle.

"Move deeper into the cave," Robert commanded, his voice steady despite the gruesome sight. "Gather all the dead goblins into a pile. Thornton, you stand guard and make sure no unwanted guests come in."

Thornton grunted in response, taking his position at the entrance of the cave. His hand rested on the hilt of his massive sword, his eyes scanning the forest edge for any signs of movement. The man seemed to thrive in the midst of death, his senses on high alert, as though he were eager for another fight.

Robert, on the other hand, was more interested in the loot. He was actually quite excited to be back, as he hadn't really gotten a chance to explore the cave fully before. The last time they were here, the battle had been too chaotic, and he'd only managed to grab a few things before they had to retreat.

As he walked deeper into the cave, the air grew cooler, and the walls began to close in, the passage narrowing into a series of twisting tunnels. He passed by various primitive weapons—rusty swords, chipped axes, and crude spears—none of which seemed worth his time. But then, he came upon a room that made his heart skip a beat. It was filled with pearls and gems, scattered across the floor like discarded pebbles. The goblins clearly had no idea of the value of what they were hoarding.

Without wasting time, Robert began gathering the treasures, placing them into his inventory with swift, practiced movements. You know what they say—another man's trash is another's treasure, he thought to himself with a smirk. He wondered if the goblins had even known the true value of what they had been sitting on, or if it was just shiny trinkets to them.

Continuing his scavenging hunt, Robert entered another chamber, one that had a more ominous feel to it. The air was heavy with an unidentifiable scent—something ancient and foreboding. It was the room of the now-dead shaman. In the center stood a large wooden pole, intricately carved with countless beasts, each one depicted in various poses of aggression. The pole radiated a faint, eerie glow, as if it held some kind of power.

This must be important, Robert thought, carefully placing it in his inventory as well. He made a mental note to study it later—there was something about it that intrigued him. Perhaps it held some magical properties, or maybe it was a relic of some ancient ritual. Either way, it was coming with him.

Making his way back to the main area of the cave, Robert saw the soldiers hard at work, piling up all the bodies as instructed. The pile grew higher with each passing minute, a grotesque mountain of lifeless goblin bodies.

Not wanting to look lazy in front of his men, Robert joined in, helping to move the bodies as well. However, as he hefted a particularly heavy goblin onto the pile, an idea popped into his mind—why work harder when you can work smarter? Focusing his mind, he activated his telekinesis, testing it on one of the corpses. It floated up effortlessly, hovering in the air before him.

Seeing that his telekinesis was strong enough to lift a corpse, new ideas began flooding into his mind. He could use this ability for so much more than just moving bodies. As time went by, all the goblins were gathered into the pile, the task completed far more efficiently than if he had relied on brute strength alone.

Finally, the moment he had been waiting for arrived—the looting of the goblin corpses.

[Would you like to loot goblin corpses?]

"Yes," Robert said in his head, his heart pounding with anticipation.

The pile of bodies shimmered and began to dissolve, transforming into tangible items before his eyes. The soldiers watched in awe, their eyes wide with disbelief. Their lord had powers that bordered on the divine—how else could he explain what they had just witnessed?

[Received: 150 units of goblin parts, 25 units of goblin cores (bronze tier), Barracks blueprint, 20 units of paralyzing poison, Scent Tracker skill book]

Robert grinned as he placed all the items into his inventory. The haul was better than he had expected. Already getting sick of the smell, he decided it was time to leave the cave. As he stepped outside, the fresh air hit him like a blessing, washing away the stench of death that had clung to him.

His relief was short-lived. Before him, Thornton stood covered in blood, his chest heaving from exertion. Around him lay a pack of dead wolves, their bodies torn and mangled, evidence of a brutal fight.

"Well, you did what I asked of you, but why are you so messy?" Robert asked, a note of disgust in his voice as he took in the carnage.

"Fighting is messy, but I wouldn't expect someone like you to know that," Thornton snapped back, his voice laced with irritation.

Ignoring him completely, Robert decided to loot the wolves. He wasn't about to let anything go to waste, especially when resources were scarce.

[Received: 20 units of grassland wolf meat, 10 units of wolf hide, grassland pendant]

Well, at least there's food for the troops when we get back, Robert thought to himself. The wolf meat would provide a much-needed feast for the men, and the hides could be used for clothing or trade. They started making their

way back to the village, the mood noticeably more tense than before.

"Why didn't I think of this earlier?" Thornton suddenly shouted, breaking the uneasy silence.

"Can you keep your voice down? We don't want anybody to know we're here," Robert hissed, unable to believe how reckless Thornton was being.

"Why do I care? Anybody that comes near me will get split in half," Thornton responded, his tone as cavalier as ever.

"Is that all you think about, you damn brute?" Robert said angrily, his patience finally wearing thin. Thornton ignored him, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Anyway, I think we should host a fighting competition in the village. The winner gets to fight me," Thornton suggested, a broad grin spreading across his face as he imagined the challenge.

Robert couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Absolutely—" he paused, making Thornton's grin widen "—not. And stop talking to me," Robert finished, cutting off the conversation.

They finally made it back to the village, the sight of the familiar buildings bringing a sense of relief to Robert. He couldn't wait to get away from that damned brute. Spotting Sabas near the village center, Robert made a beeline for him.

"He's your problem now. Bye," Robert said quickly, before Sabas could even respond.

Sabas looked shocked by the sudden handoff. "What do you mean, my lord?" he called after Robert, but it was too late—Robert had already disappeared into the village hall, eager to put some distance between himself and Thornton.

Inside, he found Eugene waiting for him, a worried expression on his face. "My lord, there are several problems I need to address. First is the lack of any fortifications. What are we supposed to do in case of an attack?" Eugene's tone was urgent, his concern evident.

"That won't be the case much longer. If you would excuse me, I have many things to do. We'll talk about this later," Robert replied dismissively. He had more pressing matters to attend to, and fortifications would soon be the least of their worries.

Entering his room, Robert closed the door behind him, eager to check his messages. He opened the lord chat, scrolling through until he found the Goblin Lord's messages.

{I have a couple of things that might interest you.}

{As long as it's not too expensive, I'll hear you out,} Robert replied, his curiosity piqued.

{200 units of goblin parts for the same price as last time.}

{Deal. Do you have any more of those cores? I've got another blueprint you might like—it's a storage house.}

{I'll give you five for the storage house.}

{Done.}

800 units of wood appeared in Robert's inventory, enough to build the wall and a couple of other buildings. Robert couldn't help but smile. Things were finally falling into place.

Walking outside, he could hear Sabas and Thornton arguing in the distance, their voices rising and falling in a heated exchange. Robert decided not to get involved; he had more important things to do. He focused his mind, drawing on the wood in his inventory. Slowly, the wood began to materialize around the village perimeter, forming a sturdy, 2-meter-tall wall that encircled the entire clearing.

The villagers stared in awe as the wall sprang up seemingly out of nowhere. Where did this wall come from? they all wondered, their eyes wide with amazement.

But Robert wasn't done yet. Already in the flow of things, he constructed the barracks and the storage room as well, using up the last of his wood. Only 150 units remained, but it was worth it. The village was finally taking shape, and with the new fortifications, they would be safe from any attacks.

As Robert stepped back to admire his work, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. They were on their way to becoming a force to be reckoned with, and this was only the beginning.