The hunger gnawing inside his stomach grew louder as a feral growl escaped his throat. "Hopefully some of them carried food. Actually now that I think about it I don't even know what I have." Frustration built up inside him as he realised that he had no memory of what they had packed.

From miles away, he could make out the silhouettes of three winged creatures soaring through the air. Their scaly skin glinted in the afternoon sun, and huge wings sprouted from their front arms. Spikes of iridescent scales ran down their backs, ending in huge talons. Even from his distant viewpoint, he could see their giant wingspan dwarfing the buildings below.

He peered out of the circular opening, and his eyes were met with a never-ending view of cityscape. In the foreground, he saw piles of rubble and mountains of debris where homes and businesses used to stand. Further away, majestic castles towered over the city, standing out amongst the dilapidation. But far off in the horizon, one castle dwarfed them all. The ancient keep was majestic and imposing, with its high walls and pointed turrets, but what made it stand out was the black spire that ascended beside it. Reaching higher than any other structure, it broke through the clouds as if attempting to touch heaven.

He frantically searched the room, hoping to find anything that could help him escape. His gaze landed on a small, circular hole in the stone wall across the room from the giant. His heart raced as he sprinted towards it and peered inside, only to discover an unexpected sight.

He slowly inched himself up, pushing himself off the cold, hard ground with a grunt of effort. He felt dazed, and his head throbbed. Reaching up for his head, he felt thick metal plates of armor and a helmet that covered his entire face. Frantically he yanked it off, feeling a warm wetness on his fingertips- blood. He stared at his hand in disbelief.

At the far end of the room, a giant corpse slumped against the wall. It was a sight of terror and awe – the giant was an unbelievable size, as if it were a goliath, barely able to fit in the vast room. Its tattered leather clothing hung off its frame, and it still clung to a large tree, seemingly used as a club. Multiple swords jutted out from its body, and its left leg was definitely broken. Around it lay some twenty corpses, their chain mail and armor clinking softly in the silence, their hands still grasped around their swords and axes even in death.

He lay still, the pain gradually receding from his body. He opened his eyes and was confronted with a grisly scene: the walls of the room were splattered and smeared with dried blood, and the air was thick with a metallic smell.

He opened his eyes, as if through mud, and was met with a throbbing ache that was not confined to just one spot on his body. It seemed to be pulsing from his very core, growing in intensity as it worked its way up to his head, where it became a hammering, insistent pain.

The Strongest Goblin is one of the best fantasy novels I have ever read. The story is captivating, and the writing is beautiful. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy novels.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up this book, but I was pleasantly surprised! The Bookstore Mage is a delightful fantasy novel that had me hooked from the very first page. Lucien, the main character, is a likeable and relatable protagonist who is thrust into a world of magic and mystery following the death of his grandfather. I loved watching him grow and change as he learned more about his grandfather's magical abilities, and the supporting cast of characters were all well-developed and entertaining. The story was fast-paced and engaging, and I found myself eager to find out what would happen next. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun read!

When's the next chapter coming?