Chapter 20. The Gnoll Village

Over the next few weeks, Arthur continued studying transformation with determination, though his progress was much slower than he had expected. Every new piece of knowledge came with difficulty, and while he understood that the path of a wizard required patience, he couldn't help but feel a slight disappointment. His expectations and ambitions clashed with harsh reality.

One evening, after a long day of studying, he returned to his room and felt a strange yet familiar sensation. It was a call emanating from his spiritual world. He closed his eyes, focused, and entered his inner space.

What he saw there was beyond his expectations. The pink clouds that usually surrounded his spiritual world began to gather in one place. They churned, swirling and thickening, until they started forming a massive island.

Arthur stood in amazement, watching as the clouds solidified and took shape. The island that had just appeared was enormous—possibly larger than the entirety of his spiritual world before. Its size seemed endless, and the energy radiating from it was stronger than anything he had ever felt in this realm.

In the distance, he noticed something unusual—houses. Their shapes were irregular, blending into the island's landscape as if they had grown out of it. Even from afar, he could sense that they held history.

Arthur's heartbeat quickened. The call grew stronger, and the island beckoned to him, as if promising to reveal something important. But instead of rushing forward, he hesitated. This was something entirely new and significant—something that required caution.

He took a step back, carefully considering his next move. The island was now part of his spiritual world, but he knew that exploring it was only a matter of time.

Standing at the edge of his familiar forest, Arthur gazed at the massive island that had merged with his world. It was a breathtaking sight—the pink clouds slowly dissolving, revealing an imposing landscape. A dense forest stretched to the horizon, rising into mountains whose peaks were hidden behind thick mist. The island emanated a powerful, almost imperceptible energy, as if it were a living being.

His attention returned to the houses he had seen earlier. Now, they were clearer—dark silhouettes seemingly fused with the surrounding nature. Arthur took a deep breath, trying to suppress his excitement. This new fragment of his world was a mystery, and the presence of a village suggested that it might not be as empty as the previous territories he had conquered.

Overcoming his doubts, Arthur took his first step onto the island. The moment his foot touched the ground, he felt the air grow denser and his steps heavier. The spiritual energy here was thick and saturated, as if the island itself imposed its own rules. He couldn't control it yet, but this only fueled his determination to claim it entirely.

A narrow path led through the dense forest. The trees here were massive, their twisted trunks resembling writhing creatures in pain. The canopy allowed only a faint trickle of light to seep through, casting the island in perpetual twilight. Arthur sensed every movement around him—rustling leaves, snapping twigs, and distant sounds resembling animal howls.

He pushed forward, struggling to maintain his sense of direction. At times, he felt as though something was watching him from the shadows, but every time he turned around, there was nothing there.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the forest began to thin, and the outlines of a village emerged ahead. Even from a distance, it looked grim and foreboding. The houses, built from dark stone and rough-hewn wood, seemed to be part of the island itself. Narrow streets twisted into a chaotic labyrinth.

At the center of the village stood a small fortress, surrounded by stone walls and a moat filled with murky swamp water. A strange, oppressive aura radiated from it, making Arthur feel light-headed. This place was the island's core—its heart.

Arthur decided to move closer, keeping to the shadows. He knew this place wasn't safe. As he approached the nearest house, he heard rough voices. Peering around the corner, he saw several creatures conversing in guttural tones. They were gnolls—gaunt, hunched figures with long muzzles and fur matted with dirt and dried blood. Their eyes burned with predatory fire.

The gnolls moved through the village like hunters on constant alert. They walked with restless energy, as if fearing to stay still for too long. Their conversations were harsh and filled with threats. Occasionally, they snarled at one another, baring sharp teeth.

Hiding in the shadows, Arthur made his way toward the central square. There, in front of the fortress, a grim scene unfolded. One gnoll knelt on the ground, while another—much larger, with darker, thicker fur—stood before him. The larger one was the chieftain.

The chieftain held a massive rune-inscribed sword. He barked something in a commanding tone, and the kneeling gnoll trembled, pleading for mercy. Without hesitation, the chieftain raised his sword and struck a single, brutal blow. The surrounding gnolls howled, their cries a mix of admiration and fear.

Arthur suppressed a shiver. This brutal display made it clear just how ruthless the gnolls were. They lived in constant terror of their leader, yet they revered his strength.

Suddenly, the chieftain turned his head in Arthur's direction, sniffing the air. Arthur's heart pounded—he realized that his presence in the village was a deadly risk. He needed to retreat and plan his next move. Finding a secluded spot outside the village, he sat down and analyzed the situation.

This island was now part of his spiritual world, which meant he was destined to claim it. But the gnoll village posed a serious threat. Their strength and brutality were terrifying, and the chieftain seemed like a being capable of crushing any opposition.

Arthur decided to act cautiously. A direct assault on the village would be suicidal, so he focused on observation. Over the next few days, he studied the gnolls' behaviors and movements.

From his concealed position at the village's border, he noticed that the gnolls frequently left in small hunting parties, usually in groups of three or four. They traveled into the forest, clearly on the hunt, and returned with wild animals as their prey.

The gnolls never changed their routes, always following the same paths. This allowed Arthur to map their movements and identify potential ambush points.

He knew that even a few gnolls could be dangerous. He needed a plan to take them out one by one without alerting the entire village.

For the next several days, Arthur prepared carefully. He selected narrow forest passages where the gnolls' movement would be restricted and set up makeshift barricades of fallen branches.

One morning, he spotted a group of three gnolls leaving the village. Silently, he followed them until they ventured deep into the woods. The gnolls moved carelessly, chatting loudly and making guttural noises. Arthur knew this was his chance.

As soon as they entered a narrow passage he had prepared, Arthur activated his transformation spell. The roots of nearby trees came to life, wrapping around the legs of the closest gnoll. The creature roared, struggling, but the roots held firm.

The other two gnolls immediately turned, their eyes burning with rage. One lunged at Arthur, but he had already activated his spell. Bark spread over his skin, reinforcing his defenses. The gnoll leaped at him, but Arthur met its attack with a powerful punch, sending the creature crashing into a tree.

The third gnoll attempted to strike from the side, but Arthur swiftly countered with his sword.

Within minutes, the battle was over. The gnolls lay defeated, while Arthur remained mostly unscathed. He quickly erased any traces of the fight to avoid raising suspicion.

Over the next few days, he continued his strategy, ambushing gnoll hunting parties and varying his tactics to keep them from anticipating his attacks.

Each battle became easier, and with every victory, his confidence grew. He began to understand the gnolls' movements, their weaknesses, and how best to exploit them.

But Arthur knew his actions wouldn't go unnoticed forever. He saw that the village was growing uneasy. Patrols became larger, and their routes started to shift.

Arthur realized that if he wanted to conquer the village, he needed a grander strategy. But first, he decided to weaken their numbers even further—to ensure that when the final battle came, victory would be within his grasp.