[It is now 1900.]

Perfect time to stop moving for today.

“Alright everyone we can stop here! It’s already dark out, so let’s take a break here and rest up for the night. Eat what you have and as always don’t worry about standing watch through the night I’ll handle it. Just be ready to go in the morning.

Kida can I talk to you before you begin sleeping?”

“Of course Mr.Rick, what do you need?”

“I just finished reviewing the contents of the documents Jala provided me. There’s just one thing I can’t wrap my head around. Why exactly is the Iris River so important to you and the races in the plains? There’s no way just providing fresh water and maybe a few fishes can be that big of a deal for us goblins right?”

“Yes, your right, it’s far more important than just fresh water and fish. I’ve never actually been to the Iris River myself, but I have been told about it. The water of the River is very special, it is filled with very high-quality mana. I was told that just one bath in the Iris River is enough to heal all of someone’s light injuries while speedily recovering their mana at the same time.

Now if instead of just a bath and you chose to instead drink the water, it would only multiply those effects further. The gifts of the Iris River don't stop there though Mr.Rick. Probably the most important feature of the Iris River is the Ice stones that can be found on the floor of the river.”

“Ice stones? What are they? I want to know everything about them.”

“To put it simply Mr.Rick, they are really tiny, blue sand-like stones that constantly gives off a cooling air. It will continue to give off that cooling air right up until it runs out of mana. Once it runs out of mana, it will be on one of us, usually us Maglins to refill it will mana. Though you can only refill each stone around three times before it will stop gathering mana and releasing that cooling air.

That’s everything I know about the stones.”

“I see...There’s still so much I don’t know about this place, and it always amazes me when I find something new. I can’t wait to actually see these stones, Kida.”

“Yes, I’m sure if you have never seen them before it will be nice once you actually get a chance to see them.”

“Now is there anything else about the Iris River that I should know?”

“Ah yes! Just one last thing, you mentioned fish earlier and there are indeed fish in the river, but they are not ordinary. Of course, I haven’t had any of the fish, nor have I had fish from anywhere else but I’m told it is a delicacy. Only the tribe leader back in the plains received the chance to taste it once due to an orc throwing a half-eaten fish at her.

If the Iris River offers anything else other than what I’ve just told you then I don’t know about it. Hopefully, with this, you see how important the Iris River is for all the races in the plains.”

“Thank you for taking your time to explain all that to me, and it definitely has opened my eyes to how important the Iris River is. It will be goblin-owned and operated soon enough. Anyway, I’ve taken up enough of your time, get some rest.”

“Anytime Mr.Rick! All of us are forever in your debt!”

And so Kida along with everyone else picked out a spot on the ground and fell asleep trusting in the ability of Rick to keep watch over them through the night. It was something they didn’t want to do at first, saying things like “The leader should get more rest than all of us!” but Rick was adamant and firm so they eventually conceded.

Rick himself was lost in his thoughts as he considered all the hills and mountains he would have to climb to attain his dream of a goblin empire. He had to grow his tribe in strength and number, then came problems with the oppressed goblins in the plains. He would have to fight a race far stronger than him in every which way. Much less the other races he might decide to help the orcs.

He also couldn’t forget about Ezekiel who could wipe out his entire tribe, and he wouldn’t be able to even save himself. Then came the mystery monster living in the lake who could come out at any time and do just as much damage as the fox in the north. It was truly a lot to have on one plate. Of course, Rick could choose to avoid all of this trouble and just live an easy life with his small tribe of goblins.

The thing is Rick loved being a goblin and being around his fellow goblins perhaps far more than a former human being should. But that’s what he was, a former human, he was now a goblin and he wanted the best for his race. With all that in mind, Rick also knew the quickest way to fix all of his problems or at the very least most of them.

It was strength. Powerful and unquestionable strength.

If he was stronger than all his enemies then no one would be able to put a stop to his dreams of goblin dominance. But he was weak. Weaker than everything and everyone who stood in his way.

Now of course Rick already Knew all of this information, but it was the first time he really took a second to just digest everything going on in his new life and all the challenges he would have to face on the path he chose. It was truly an arduous path but Rick planned to stick with it and persevere. After all, there is no gang stronger than gang green now is there?