The Goblin Sacrifice

Vecna and Rax stood on the outskirts of the Venomtongue Tribe, gazing at the chaotic scene unfolding in front of them. Veradin and his group had just departed from their initial position, as the Necromancer was keen on getting the body of Zarkul Bloodfang as his undead.

The air was thick with tension as Vecna turned to Rax, a solemn expression on his face.

"Rax," Vecna began, his voice low and serious.

Rax, ever obedient, replied, "Yes, Master?"

"What I'm about to say might disturb you," Vecna warned, his crimson eyes fixed on the young Goblin. "But I intend to sacrifice the whole Venomtongue Tribe."

Rax's eyes widened in shock. "Pardon? But... Why? They would become my people under the Kingdom I will build."

Vecna's gaze remained unwavering as he observed Rax, who had grown tall and formidable for a goblin, but still shorter than him whose height was reaching a height of 193 centimeters. The transformation was remarkable, but Vecna's mind was resolute. He knew that even if Rax disagreed with his plan, there was nothing the young Goblin could do to stop it.

"To gain greater power," Vecna explained, his tone grave, "I must sacrifice the lesser power. Life is often unfair, and in this case, I need these goblins to channel the restoration of my powers. In death, they will serve a greater cause."

Rax hesitated, torn between his loyalty to Vecna and his concern for the goblins. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke, "I see. If this is for a better future, I don't mind it. It would be better if they serve your cause, rather than falling to those adventurers."

Vecna nodded in acknowledgment, relieved that Rax understood the necessity of this dark act. 

He patted the Goblin's shoulder and began to walk toward the Venomtongue Tribe, the goblins' fate sealed.

"I only want you to do something and I'll let you chill for two-three days."

"You want me to gather the Venomtongue Folks?"

Vecna didn't say anything else, his silence enough to suggest that was the plan, which made Rax look downcast, while the crazed laughter of Tusor couldn't escape the Goblin Champion's hearing.

As Vecna's footsteps carried him away, Rax remained behind a sense of heaviness in his heart. He watched his master's retreating form, knowing that Vecna had considered many options before arriving at this fateful decision. 

Meanwhile, the crazed laughter of Tusor, the tormenting voice inside Rax's mind, echoed as a constant reminder of the sinister path they were now treading.

{Remember my words, foolish brat,} Tusor taunted. {You're just another disposable object to this Vampire. He will use you, as he uses everyone around him.}

{That's the type of person your Master is. A monster without emotions, capable of stepping on everyone to achieve his dreams and goals.}

Rax clenched his fists, anger welling up within him. He was determined to prove Tusor wrong, defending Vecna against the shadow of doubt that had been cast upon him.

"Shut your mouth," Rax retorted, his voice filled with determination. "You don't know anything about him."

With his decision made, Rax braced himself for the unsettling task ahead: gathering the Venomtongue Tribe and ushering them into the jaws of an unknown fate. 

As he moved towards the tribe, he couldn't shake the feeling that this sacrifice would have far-reaching consequences in their journey, changing the course of their destinies forever.

Apart from the worried Rax, Veradin and his group had descended upon the Venomtongue Tribe like a dark storm. 

Chaos reigned as they sought to claim the lifeless body of Zarkul Bloodfang, the deceased Chieftain of the tribe. Goblins of all ages and sizes scurried in terror, trying to flee from the invaders. Fear and confusion gripped the tribe, but among the young goblins, a spark of courage ignited.

One young goblin, not yet fully grown, bore innocence in his wide eyes. He couldn't bear to watch as his tribe was overrun by these intruders. Clenching his tiny fists, he stood his ground, his determination unwavering.

"Kahl! Shan karas crey! Kahl'll ek muut sep honthri za sep marhu, ek chit raat orr!" [#A/N: (Goblin Tongue translation: You! Stop right there! You'll not tarnish the honor of the Leader, not as long as I live!)]

"This rat seems to be upset about something? Disappear from my sight before I turn you into a skeleton."

With Veradin about to unleash a powerful spell that would easily dispatch the goblin child and everyone else in the vicinity, 

"That would be enough."

Rax's presence intervened like an invisible barrier protecting the young goblin. Rax, the Goblin Champion, appeared before the Necromancer, casting a defiant shadow over the trembling child.

Veradin paused, his spell at the ready, as he regarded the brave young goblin who had stepped forward. The other members of his group watched in fascination as this unlikely protector emerged.

"It's the Goblin Hero who saved the other tribes from the Blood Monster!" one of the Goblins remarked, recognizing Rax's significant role.

News of Rax's arrival spread like wildfire throughout the Venomtongue Tribe, and goblins began to gather, drawn by the aura of safety that surrounded their hero. Soon, the square near the desolate Chieftain's Hut was filled with close to 3,000 goblins, all seeking refuge behind Rax, their messiah in this dire moment.

"What's the meaning of this? I thought we had an agreement, me and your Boss."

Veradin turned to Rax, his hostility evident in his narrowed eyes. He was reminded that Rax was no ordinary NPC; he was the "Servant" of a Player. This was a level of madness that left even the experienced players astonished.

"You do, I'm not stopping you from claiming that dead body." remarked Rax, giving the green light to Veradin, enabling him to do whatever he wanted with Zarkul's body.

This triggered some of the older generation goblins, but then he followed suit.

"I am sorry to all of you," Rax declared, his voice carrying a tinge of sadness. The initial confusion among the goblins turned into collective panic as the blood of the fallen began to stir, a gruesome precursor to what was to come.

"I am only a passerby in this storm that spreads around the Travian Sierra." ended Rax with his voice reaching a depressed timber, and the initial confusion of the Goblins turned into panic as the blood of the dead started to stir up.

The goblins, trapped in the Blood World created by Vecna, knew that their fate was hanging by a thread. Fear and despair swirled among them, and they cried out, pleading with Rax to save them from the impending doom.

"Don't blame yourself. They are just collateral damage, that would die either way as the Orc's fodder."

Unmoved by their pleas, Vecna descended, his blood-red eyes devoid of any mercy. He looked at the gathered goblins with cold, emotionless indifference. Rax's presence alone had spared them from instant annihilation, but it was clear that their time was running out.

Vecna's magic took hold, and from the ground, a sinister, blood-soaked tentacle sprouted, throwing Rax out from the sanctuary of blood he had provided. As Rax was forcibly expelled, the young goblin champion glanced back at the child who had shown such courage. He silently hoped that this would be the only instance of Vecna's twisted side.

"Hey, throw us out too," Veradin called out to Vecna, watching the horrific spectacle unfold. "I haven't turned the Boss Mob into my Undead Servant yet."

Vecna ignored the request, his gaze fixed on the terrified goblins. 

Vecna, hovering in the bloody sky with his newly formed blood wings, was an eerie and imposing sight. His eyes gleamed with an otherworldly intensity as he held the Book of Night tightly in his hand. 

The atmosphere grew heavier with each passing moment as the goblins below trembled in terror.

"Blood Missile," Vecna whispered, his voice barely audible over the wind. The words seemed to hold immense power as he invoked the dark magic within the Book of Night.

A barrage of crimson projectiles, each shaped like a twisted arrowhead, shot forth from Vecna's hand. The "Blood Missiles" streaked through the air with uncanny precision, homing in on their terrified targets below. Their malevolent purpose was unmistakable as they pierced through the goblins with ruthless efficiency.

The goblins had no chance to defend themselves, for Vecna's power was overwhelming. Their pitiful cries and pleas fell upon deaf ears as the Blood Missiles struck home. Each impact turned a goblin into a crimson mist, leaving behind nothing but a fading memory of their existence.

Fear and despair filled the air as the once-thriving Venomtongue Tribe was reduced to a blood-saturated abyss. Vecna's dark magic showed no mercy, for these goblins were nothing more than expendable pawns, sacrificed to fuel his insatiable quest for power.

Veradin and his group watched in awe as Vecna's Blood Magic unfolded before their eyes. The sheer magnitude of Vecna's power left them in a state of shock and amazement, for they had never witnessed such a display of dark sorcery.

As the last of the goblins were consumed by the crimson tide, Vecna lowered himself to the ground, his sinister smile contrasting with the now serene surroundings.

'Lamech, you had no room for complaining how I didn't do my job.'

In response to his skill activation, the crimson energy within the Book of Night surged, channeling through his outstretched hand. 

A dark, swirling vortex formed at his fingertips, drawing in the blood mist that hung heavily in the air. It twisted and contorted, taking on a sinister form, and then, with a deafening roar, the vortex unleashed its malevolent payload.

The echoes of the goblins' final moments still hung in the air, a haunting reminder of the ruthless determination of the enigmatic Vampire. 

Veradin and his group watched in awe as Vecna displayed his immense power, pulverizing the goblins with ruthless efficiency. It was a display of dark magic unlike anything they had ever witnessed.

Veradin, in particular, was filled with fervor and amazement at Vecna's capabilities. 

#Veradin: Wasn't that ghost saying that Vecna is a Vampire? So it's indeed possible for players to change races, and get greater power. 

#Pugman: You're right, I do remember that specter saying so. I wonder what Rate his class is.

#Tiger King: His Class should be Epic at most Unique.

#Buno: Huh? You actually think that someone with such power would be some loser with an Epic or Unique Class? By how his skills look, he might even pull Kraugel from his High Throne. Sky above the Sky my ass.

#Veradin: I only heard stories from the NPCs about the Legendary Heroes from the past. But, logically, someone with such power over Blood, must be in that category. A Legendary Class, for sure.

#Kiki: He reminds me of someone

#Veradin: Who?

#Kiki: Well, that would be you. 

As the conversation unfolded, Vecna descended from the blood-soaked sky, his sinister smile contrasting with the horrific aftermath he had wrought. He gazed at the Silver Wolf Guild members with an air of enigmatic intrigue, seemingly unfazed by the destruction he had caused.

Once he finished with his twisted act of annihilating a whole Goblin Tribe and filling the Blood World with blood mist, he proceeded with the next phase of his plan.

'Blood Sucking.'

With the Book of Night in his hand, he activated his 'Blood Sucking' ability. Malicious tendrils began to sprout out from his Divine Artifact, and it began to vacuum all of this blood mist, along with the blood pool under Veradin's legs.

[Lamech the Ego of the 'Book of Night' has reawakened.]

Deep within the Book of Night, Lamech, the Ego of the book, stirred from its slumber. Vecna's actions had been swift, and Lamech was quick to take notice.

"Yawn," Lamech's voice resonated within Vecna's mind. {What time is it? How long have I been asleep?}

Vecna responded, "Not long, Lamech. It's been about 15 minutes since you went to sleep."

Lamech, the dark and enigmatic entity within the Book of Night, couldn't help but be impressed. {Woah, you actually moved quickly to sacrifice a whole settlement of creatures to wake me up. That's some dedication to our Master's Legacy.}

With Lamech awake once more, Vecna, whose mana resources were depleted due to the heavy consumption of the Blood World, deactivated the ability. 

He descended to the ground and approached Veradin, who was still processing the display of dark power he had just witnessed, but he got his focus back as he activated his 'Domination' Skill to turn Zarkul Bloodfang into his Undead.

As Vecna turned his attention to Veradin, he couldn't help but be curious about the intricacies of the Necromancer Class. His crimson eyes gleamed with interest, and he posed a question to Veradin.

"Are there any limitations to your Domination Skill? Can you hypothetically build a legion of Undeads? Something like a Lich King?"

Faced with that question as he examined the Status Window of his new Servant, Veradin responded to Vecna calmly, as if they were kindred spirits.

"With my current level, my limit is two undeads. Once I get to my Second Awakening, the number might grow. My trainer also didn't expand on this subject when I asked him. As for becoming a Lich King... that's a far cry dream."

Vecna nodded, interested in the Necromancer Class and its variables. "Still decent. By the way, satisfied with the Goblin?"

"It does the job, what about you? You wiped the whole goblins for the loot or some quest?"

"Hmm? Let's say for both," responded Vecna mysteriously, as he observed the Silver Wolf Guild members.

Turning around to depart, followed by Rax who didn't say much, as if aware that the fate of the Venomtongue Tribe was sealed in stone, the Vampire stopped in his path, and asked Veradin something that had him backpedaling.

"Do you want to team up for the Orc War? From how I see things, you should be interested in the corpse of the Warchief."

"And if I am interested? Are you contesting it?"

"Hahaha, me? What use do I have for some Orc? You're the Necromancer here, if you want it, I can give it to you. Teaming up will be beneficial to both of our interests."

"Can I get some time to think about your offer?"

"What's there to think about? The answer is simple, yes or no. But, sure, you can have it. Until, tomorrow or after tomorrow. Since the Yatan Church might stir the Orcs and the War will begin."

"I get you, but I have to consult with my guild."

"Alright. I expect your response soon."

[User 'Vecna' has sent you a friend request.]

'... This guy, he for sure is a psycho. But, I don't hate it at all. I'm kind of interested in him, since I want to take my PHD research into that part of psychology.'

"Sure thing. Maybe by tomorrow, the Silver Wolf Guild will be ready at it's full-force."

[You have accepted the request.]

'Search friend: Vecna'

[Vecna - LV. 132] (Class: Undisclosed)

'Wait, what? He was in his 130s the entire time? Was I taken to be a fool all along? No way, that confidence wasn't faked. He might be like me, a Supernova on the rise.'

With their exchange concluded, Vecna and Rax continued on their path, leaving behind the remnants of the Venomtongue Tribe and the echoes of their dark encounter with the enigmatic Vampire.

Veradin, on the other hand, contemplated his newfound friend, Vecna, realizing that this was just the beginning of their intertwined destinies.

Entering the dense forest, Vecna passed a 'Return Scroll' to Rax, and both activated it's function to return to Summit's Crest, arriving in the square of the Town, being watched by two individuals in particular who waited behind.

#Viper: Vecna, what was that? And the Global Quest, is that related to the Specter you chatted about before facing the Goblin Boss?

#Viper: Also, what the heck happened to that little goblin, why he is all 'human' now?

#Vecna: It's a long story. Take Davian back to his Mansion, I'll explain it to you as we go, since I need to have a chat with Reginald Thornfield about the Orcs.

#Viper: Are you planning something crazy again?

#Vecna: Crazy? Huh, not all. I'm thinking about giving all the players a chance to become the Heroes they could never be

Viper, who used a bench to relax his tense mind from his previous encounter, couldn't help but smile devilishly as he figured out what Vecna wanted to do.

'This guy, if he can pull that off, he's crazy good. Worth of fucking-up Bloodhound so much that he lost his mind over it. He's ruthless, selling off all of the Main Group's Items that dropped in that Chamber.'

Davian was contemplating the incidents of tonight, and what marked him more was the apparition of a God who was about to kill him if not for Viper's Return Scroll. The previous image of the 'Benevolence' the Gods would show on the Mortals quickly vanished, and the ideals that Vecna had shared with him were reinforced.

'There's no need to bow your head to some useless God who only knows how to steal from you.'

'Without us, humans, they would be nothing.'

Meanwhile, before leaving behind Viper and Davian to themselves, he instructs Rax to go look out for Elysia and Maribel, who should be inside the Town's Inn based on his Map and tell them to meet him at Davian's Mansion.

"Rax, you can take your time and relax. For the following 3-6 days, I will not attack the Goblins, and if you want, I can give you the freedom to act independently and compel the Skullsplitter and Grimtooth Tribe to become your subordinates."

"Can I act independently?"

"Of course, you have your freedom to do what you see fit. However, remember what I will say to you. Your thought process should follow my interests, and especially yours as future King of the Goblins."

"Understood, Master. I'll defeat the Chieftains thoroughly, even if they become Demons, and if possible I would like to have them follow me."

"You do you, Rax. I believe in you."

It was uncertain if Vecna was trying to further reinforce his manipulation on Rax, but for the goblinoid, receiving his free reigns left him with his mind running full with ideas, and he excused himself immediately, rushing to catch Elysia and Maribel report to the Ladies about the progress done in this Campaign.

After assigning Rax with his important task, he moved using his Vampiric Agility towards the Town's Hall, straight for the Mayor's Office, where without receiving an audience made his appearance known as he stepped out from the shadows to meet Reginald Thornfield.

"Lord Vecna, you have returned," Mayor Reginald Thornfield greeted him with a mixture of hope and concern. "I hope you're not here as a harbinger of bad news."

"On the contrary, Sir Reginald," Vecna replied, his charismatic presence drawing the Mayor's attention. "Our campaign to exterminate the Goblins progresses according to the proposed schedule. However, for the unforeseeable future, I would like to propose something to you."

Mayor Thornfield's curiosity was piqued, and he nodded, agreeing to hear Vecna's proposal.

Vecna began to outline his concerns about the possibility of the Yatan Church stirring the Orcs into attacking Summit's Crest sooner than anticipated. This looming threat created a sense of urgency for the town's defenses.

"And this is where your help would be invaluable," Vecna continued. "I would like to request that you issue quests throughout the entire Region of Como, if not the entire Valoria, using your connections. These quests will be designed to attract the attention of the cursed ones, for it would be in their best interest to see the end of the Orc Warchief."

Mayor Thornfield nodded in understanding but raised a valid concern, "I understand, but issuing quests for the Cursed Ones on such a scale would be a tremendous financial burden on Summit's Crest. I doubt Davian would agree to allocate the necessary funds for such extensive actions."

Vecna smiled, revealing his cunning nature. "No, no, Sir Reginald, you have misunderstood. We won't be paying the 'Heroes' a single dime. They will receive their rewards from the Loot Stash accumulated during the Orc Campaign."

Intrigued, Mayor Thornfield leaned forward. "Continue. I want to hear your proposal on how to distribute these rewards."

Vecna's plan was straightforward and designed to prevent the heroes from taking advantage of the situation. He explained, "We will implement a simple system, akin to how the Guild Hall rewards function. The 'heroes' will be rewarded based on their merits in the war."

Mayor Thornfield's concern was now about preventing deception. "But how do we ensure that the heroes don't manipulate the system, demanding greater rewards? How will we distribute the rewards from the Loot Stash?"

Vecna offered a solution, "It's simple. The heroes will need to provide proof of their kills by presenting trophies, such as the tusks or ears of the slain Orcs. Captain Eldric will oversee the distribution of rewards based on a ledger we'll prepare in advance."

Mayor Thornfield nodded in agreement, recognizing the efficiency and fairness of Vecna's plan. With the discussion concluded, they set their sights on the impending Orc War and the intricacies of managing rewards for the heroes. 

With this discussion down, Mayor Thornfield didn't stay idle and started to contact his networking people in the various Centers of Populace, the Valoria Duchy of Duchess Basara von Saharan. 

With the right chess move, Vecna's influence extended further, but at the same time Summit's Crest braced itself for the impending conflict with the Orcs, just like how the greater community of Satisfy Players were bracing for another Top Forum Post that was Pinned by the Mod Team.

Once again Vecna made a statement that set in motion the mechanism of his audience, his forum post was the advertisement for the Quest that Reginald Thornfield Drafted for him.

[Heroes in Need (???)]