Academy of Magic, Capital of Neira. Morning

Professor Kleir walked around the class, gathering his thoughts.

- “Class, today we shall learn about another form of creatures. Most of them already know them, either from fairy tales, adventurers talking to each other, or from your families saying that they have problem with these particular creatures. We will talk about the Ogre-kin.

Ogre-kin comes in various forms and shapes. Usually, when you say ogre you mean 3 meter tall, bulky, fat war machine using clubs, maces and hammers as their only weapon of choice. But actually, ogre-kin is a family of creatures far more diversified than one could think. The weakest, smallest, easiest to kill and most common kind of ogre-kin are goblins. These small (around 0.7-1 meter tall), usually savage creatures are lowest in the Ogre-kin hierarchy. Treated by their stronger brothers and cousins like garbage they are forced to do the most disrespectful jobs and tasks. This is also why many of them run (or at least try) away forming their own smaller villages or camps, they survive by hunting smaller mammals or/and attacking at night travelers and smaller villages. Oh, of course just like humans can they take different classes like rogues, warriors or mages. There are many variations among the goblins themselves, like forest goblins, cave goblins, black goblins and so on. When a goblin would obtain enough life experience, they would turn (usually) into hobgoblins – their taller (around 1.5 meter), stronger, faster and smarter cousins.“

He moved back to his table to gaze over his students which were scribbling down notes. Good. He would surely ask about the ogre-kin on his next exam.

- “I mentioned the process of [turning] into a stronger individual. You know what I mean right? Anyone?”

A single hand was raised. Morgana’s. The witch that Zariel Whiteraven asked him to help with her studies. So… he suggested that she should start attending lessons at the academy. To provide both her and Zariel maximum amount of privacy, he recommended her as a special student (student recommended by a teacher). This way he could hide her connections with Zariel – avoiding unnecessary fuss and giving her possibility to enter the Library whenever she would desire (excluding the section forbidden for students, of course).

Ah, when she asked him what was in the restricted section and he answered “dark arts” she completely lost her interest [Oh] she replied [Well, I think I already know everything about those, so nothing lost. Let’s focus on basic studies sir, please]

- “Miss Le Fay?”

- “Yes. There are two known forms of creatures achieving higher state of both consciousness AND/OR power. Evolution – the process that last millennials and more – by adaptation of generations of certain races it passes certain traits onto their offspring. These process, as mentioned is slow and not rapid. For example foxes living on the desert would have bigger ears comparing them to the same race living in forest which allows them to keep their body temperature lower.

The other kind is also called evolution, yet many scientist use the term ®evolution. Unlike evolution - ®evolution can generally only be seen on one specific creature of a whole tribe which was extremely active in their struggles of staying alive. After accumulating enough of, so called, life experience they could rank up in their society. It is said that almost every living being can ®evolve. Even humans.”

- “Very well, miss Le Fay. Of course, both processes could be explained much, much more deeper and broader, yet very skillfully you explained to us the basic differences… Now, as everyone know what we are talking about… where were we? Ah, yes. Hobgoblins…

And after the Hobgoblin ®evolution, the next tier gives actual diversity. Forest (hob)goblins pretty often ®evolve into trolls, mountain into giants and cave into ogres.

One have to bear in mind that just as the process of ®evolution is still a mystery and not every aspect of it is know, the irregular variation of every creature may occur. Most of already mentioned ogres-kin are more or less intelligent, thus able to create a basic form of civilization, yet there a known variations of savage, brute ogres-kin. One of them are so called bone-gnawers – form of degenerative ®evolution, where cave (hob)goblins would become smaller, yet much stronger and faster form of goblins, armored in form of natural armor and much sharper claws and fangs. Completely adapted to live in darkness with the ability to climb even completely vertical walls.

Oh, but the family of ogre-kin is much, much bigger! For example, do you know that one of theories says that behemoths and goliaths – bane of every novice adventurer are also high tier evolution of goblins? Cyclopes, titans and mythical hecatoncheires are also said to be ®evolutions of giants, and as it was already said – giants comes from cave goblins.

Do you see? Goblins! Lowest of the low! With enough struggles could become fear-spreading monster able to eradicate towns by themselves…” old man saw one hand raised into the air “… what now?!”

- “Professor! Two questions. One: if goblins have such frightening ability, how it is that our civilization still stands, and Two: new student said that humans also can evolve. How it is that we can see so many hobgoblins and ogres around, yet none evolved human.”

- “Miss Le Fey? Your answer please?”

- “On the first question: I already said that each ®evolution requires frightening amount of life experience and only a few individuals have strong enough motivation to gather it. Let’s say that on every hundred goblin ONE would turn into hobgoblin. On every hundred hobgoblin ONE would turn into ogre. After every revolution the amount of needed experience increases dramatically. This is why we don’t have to be afraid for our civilization to collapse. Beast like hecatoncheires are extremely rare cases, maybe one per era would appear. Behemoths and Goliaths prefers living in forests and mountains, far away from civilization. It is rare for one of them to attack a village… yet if village isn’t protected well, then yes - One of such creatures is more than enough to wipe out hundreds of farmers in a day.

Answering the second question: it was said that process of ®evolution is helping a creature to adapt. Goblins living in forest would generate needed experience to evolve much, much faster than humans living in safe, comfortable cities. Goblins have to hunt their pray, bring it to their camp avoiding bigger predators lured by smell of blood and THEN they could consume it. Humans only need to take a stroll down the alley and buy already prepared food at a local inn. Humans evolving are extremely rare, for they don’t have a big reason to adapt as savage beast. One of theories says, that humans instead of adapting themselves to their environment started adapting environment to themselves. Actually, after I came to this city I have only seen one evolved human…”

- “WHAT!?” Kleir roared “EVOLVED HUMAN!? HERE!? IN THIS CITY!? CAN’T BE! WHERE!? WHEN!?!

- “… On the other hand I could be mistaken…” demoness tried calming the situation down. She wasn’t aware that the high-human she met was holding his real identity a secret.

After a few more moments, when Kleir got convinced that Morgana was a bit too eager to call stronger individual as evolved humans, he in a bit disappointed tone kept talking about goblins. Right now, he was talking about rare cases of Ogre-kin-lords being born.

Yet at the same time when Morgana said that she had seen one evolved-human in the city, a completely-not-related-event-happened. Jericho, the guild leader, previous owner of strongest human – title, sneezed.

- “M..Mister Jeremy, something happened? Are you ill?” Elana asked him with a concerned tone as she raised her head. Right now she was sitting on the floor stretching her body

- “Oh! No, sweetie! We have a saying that when you sneeze it means that somewhere, someone is talking about you! Ah, in the time when I was still young there were moments that I couldn’t take a quest, because I was sneezing so much! MUA-HA-HA! I am pretty sure that there is a beautiful woman talking about me right now!” MUA-HA-HA!”

Well, technically he was right.

Road between Capital of Neira and Red Mountain. Same time

- “Good job, lads, it was nice that these lovely bastards died so quickly… On the other hand, it is good that we have that brat with us…” Florian pointed with his head in my direction “… things could have become much uglier if these bastard would sneak upon ous when we would be sleeping. See this blowgun? We usually leave one guardian to stay awake at night. These bastard are sending poisoned darts that almost immediately immobilizes the target-guard. Then they take their sweet time cutting throats. Nasty little fuckers. Yet, to be honest, I am confused. Five hobgoblins and one night-troll. They hate each other. There is no way that they would simply work together… something is fishy here….”

- “Then I have an offer – maybe you would move your fucking ass instead of talking about useless shit and bragging around, especially as you didn’t kill anyone…” I snorted half joking and half insulting him.

When Florian started ordering his people around Gisele did what Gisele would do. She rushed at the sneaking enemies with her twins war axes in hands. I allowed myself to quickly follow. We killed some hobgoblins, but one of the hideous creature managed to run past us charging right at the dwarf-prince. It didn’t run far, thought. Two bolts from the crossbows stopped its assault pretty quickly leaving the beast to bleed to death, still, our companions weren’t kind enough to let it peacefully die. They tore it into pieces using hammers and axes.

Yup. Ogres and dwarfs certainly are not friends. Especially as Florian commanded to pack their heads into bags.

We moved further to the West.

- “Ogres so far from the mountains… so far from the mountains…” world best craftsman kept talking to himself biting on his finger. “BOYS! Keep crossbows and axes near. After scouts usually raid follows!”

Thankfully, in next two days we met no other green skins.

- “HALT!” Dwarf sitting behind the gate on the path yelled “Before you lies the land of dwarfs! State your business traveler!”

- “Oh, I am more than fucking sure that this is where land of dwarfs lies, I would be at least offended if you would move my house to a different location during my absence!” Florian yelled back “OPEN THE GATES YOU FUCKING MAGGOT! Florian Stoneheart returned home!”

- “The prince is back?” another voice could be heard

- “Well, over hundred years passed, but he is still as grumpy as I remember. Even more, when he was leaving he called me maggot too… that would be him…”

- “OF COURSE THAT’S ME, THARIK! YOU SON OF A GOAT!”

- “That’s him. I am sure. No further verification will be needed.”

- “So, should we open the gates?”

- “I wonder… it was so peaceful without him around…”

- “I CAN FUCKING HEAR YOU!”

- “Tsh. Open. The King has been in a awful mood lately, maybe if he would see his 2nd son he would turn his anger on him instead on us…”

The gates did open showing the way into the valley leading higher into the mountains.

- “Hm? a Human and… a Lizard-kin? Are they traveling with you, prince?”

- “No, you fucking brainless son of an ogre! We just happened to stay in same fucking carriage going in the same fucking direction… OF COURSE WE ARE TRAVELING TOGETHER!” then the eyes of my companion laid on an emblem on guard’s helmet “No way! You got promoted?! YOU!? What did you do, you old bastard!? Slept with my mother!?”

- “Be careful with these jokes, prince, especially around your father… lately he doesn’t treats such jokes lightly. And also no. I happened to kill some ogres. Nothing much, but after we send 100 heads to the palace promotion this is what was send in return.”

- “… Good to see you, old fart.”

- “I would love to say same thing, yet lately I try to lie a bit less…”

They burst into laugh as if they had just said the best jokes ever and gave each other a hug.

So that’s how relations between dwarfs looks like. Interesting.

- “Also, you need to guard your outpost better. We met a scout-team on our way here.”

- “Tsh. Mountains are full of these bastards. We have no idea how or why, but those sons of the goats are everywhere. EVERYWHERE! Your father even sends Bulldozers to patrol main routes.”

Prince whistled with admiration

- “Bulldozers?” I asked as I simply had no idea what were they talking about

- “Berserkers, kid, but not just mindless idiots weaving their axes around. Do you remember as I was talking how useless meteoric armors are? These bastards are the only one that can actually put them in right use. One of such means like hundred other dwarfs. If you would see red armors passing you, just move aside, be kind, and buy them a drink. Don’t look at them, don’t talk to them if they won’t talk to your first… Don’t breath at them… Don’t even think about them.”

- “Keighorn has fallen.”

- “What?!”

- “Ogres.”

- “Fuck. Father didn’t react?”

- “Couldn’t. He did send reinforcements to Bar’atuum and Gweil’attar. Fucker attacked three places at the same time. They have never been as active and arrogant before. Your father is mobilizing the clans. You came in right time to witness war.”

- “War? Against fucking green-skin? Aren’t you treating them a bit too serious?”

- “No. Not at all. You really have no idea what is happening, don’t you? a Ogre king has been born. He united tribes and formed a few marching armies. Fucker has brain between his ears.”

- “… fuck. Fuck. Fuck FUCK. Hey, brat. I am afraid that your armor will have to wait a little. I know exactly what he will tell me to do. He will want me to forge weapons for his solider, and may the Gaia swear in my name, I would do it even if he wouldn’t ask. I won’t let my brothers march into the battlefield wielding fucking pickaxes. I am sorry, friends, but I am afraid I have to ask you to return…”

Me and Gisele look at each other. I asked the question despite the fact that I didn’t say a word.

- “Hmph. I ride all this way because you told me how wonderful you food is…” Gisele pouted

- “Hey! Lass, this is a serious thing! I doubt that we would have time to feast before…”

- “I think you wrongly interpreted what Gisele said. She said that she wants your food. And she will have your food, even if she would have to earn it. Also, I am sure that you could use help of Magician and front liner, do you?”

- “I am grateful for your offer, but there is only two of you…”

- “No. The two of us in more than enough. How many magicians do you have?”

- “… You know that dwarfs can’t use magic… runes is all we have…”

- “Great. Lead the way to your father. In the end I feel bad for not paying you for your armor. Also, it would like nice in my CV if I would add that I was taking part at war.”

- “In your what?!”

- “Never mind. Just lead the way.”

A city in the mountain surely is breathtaking. The insides were illuminated with thousands of crystals sprouting off the walls and ceiling making it almost as bright as the outside. In the middle of the semi-empty mountain the tall pillar was reaching the tip of mountain. In this pillar a palace was carved into the stone. From this pillar hundreds of bridges was creating a complex formation building a city. The capital of humans was so boring, build only in two dimensions, this city actually had floors.

- “Tactical perfection.” Florain said proudly. “The only entrance in here, at the bottom, which means that defenders can shoot you down from above. The only way to conquer is, is to keep climbing higher and higher, yet on every stair leading to the higher storey we have a small gate that can be quickly shut. If you won’t charge at the gates, you will be shot down by rangers from higher levels, if you would charge…” he pointed on ballistas placed on elevation on both sides of the gate. “These beauties can shot 10 bolts in 10 seconds, reloading takes a minute. You think it is not much? Did I mention that each bold is one meter long metal arrow able to pierce wooden wall one meter thick? No battering ram would ever come near it… Eh, if only other cities had the same defense… Keighorn would still be a lively place, just as it used to be…”

We kept climbing, stopping occasionally so the prince could share insult with his people before hugging them friendly and resuming climbing.

One floor, two floors, three floors, four… Five floors, six floors… And we were in the middle of the construction.

- “Ok. We are here.”

- “I am sure that we still have some way to the peak…”

- “The hell do you think that throne room is at peak? It’s the heart of mountain – in the middle!”

- “But you said that to conquer it you need to reach the top level, so I thought…”

- “At the top level there is a forte, from which we could keep shooting enemies down. Throne room is where people comes with petitions, so to provide the best access it would be located in the middle. Think before speaking!” Florian just rolled his eyes.

We moved past a huge, wide bridge leading to the gates that could let two grown up dragons walk into the palace at the same time. On every side there were huge monuments of dwarfs sculpted in stone armor and axes.

- “And these are my great ancestors” he continued after seeing my curios expression “Falith, son of Frathrion – enchanter of runes, Frathrion son of Frahir – great commander, Frahir son of…”

I already managed to forget the name of the first ancestor he named. Still, as I knew that families and beards are important things for every dwarf I kept pretending curiosity. I even asked a question or two.

When we entered the palace fear grasped my heart. Reason? It was completely made out of gold (maybe only gold plated, but still it was shinning and sparkling).

Why was I frightened then? Guyz, do you remember that I am traveling with a dragon, DO YOU? I quickly look at Gisele.

She was drooling, her eyes were opened wide and she was breathing as a certain Sith Lord after a close meeting with lava.

- “Gis, honey, put yourself together! Do you hear me?” I grabbed her shoulders and started shaking. To no avail.

- “Prince Florian?” a grey haired and bearded dwarf in robes that was just passing by asked “May the Gaia pinch me! It is really you! Oh, you couldn’t come in a better time, your father will surely rejoice seeing not only his son in blood but also one of the greatest craftsman returning!”

- “Good to see you, guardian of the runes. Is old fart in good health?”

- “He is, my prince, he is!... But please, restrain yourself from calling him those… names. We asked many guests from the clans and your father is one of the candidate to become a great king for the time of war… He needs to be shown respect if you don’t want to ruin his chances.”

- “Will keep that in mind. Forgive us, guardian, we will head right to him.”

- “Please do, young prince. Your appearance will surely improve his position.”

- “Friends…” he said to us “Normally these things are useless, but I am about to give you a quick lesson of dwarfish courtesy.”