Rumors in the Dark

The scent of burning wood drifted through the air as night settled over my settlement. The goblins continued their training well into the evening, sparring under the flickering torchlight. The crude wooden dummies had already begun to show signs of wear, some splintering under repeated strikes. It didn't matter. The important thing was that they were learning. They were growing stronger.

I stood at the edge of the camp, watching my forces evolve. My B-rank Guardian remained stationed near the clearing, its massive form looming like a silent guardian of the wilds. The goblins had taken to its presence as a sign of strength, their confidence bolstered knowing it stood with them. The training grounds had already made an impact, turning undisciplined goblins into something resembling an actual fighting force. But I knew this wasn't enough.

I needed more.

The Shadeborn approached from the shadows, her presence barely disturbing the air around her. She moved like a ghost, her violet eyes gleaming faintly under the torchlight. "The first deserters have come," she said simply.

I turned to face her fully. "Already?"

She gave a slow nod. "Word travels fast, even in places like this. Carridan's rule is not as absolute as he likes to believe. There are those who would rather fight for something new than serve under a master who barely knows their names."

That was interesting. I had assumed Carridan's forces were well-disciplined, but if men were already abandoning him, then cracks were already forming in his hold over the region.

"How many?" I asked.

"Three," she answered. "Scouts. Not full soldiers, but they know the land. And they know how to avoid being seen."

Scouts could be useful—not just as fighters, but as informants. They had likely spent time in and around Carridan's other holdings, meaning they knew his routes, his defenses, and his weaknesses.

"Where are they?"

She motioned toward the tree line. "Waiting just beyond the perimeter. They do not trust you yet."

I exhaled and adjusted my grip on my spear. "Then let's change that."

Moving past the outermost torches, I stepped into the darker part of the woods where the Shadeborn had led me. My goblin scout had already positioned himself nearby, watching the newcomers carefully. Three figures emerged from the shadows as I approached—lean men wrapped in tattered cloaks, their expressions wary. They carried simple weapons—short swords and daggers, nothing of real quality—but their eyes were sharp, always scanning, always watching.

One of them, a man with a scar running down his cheek, took a step forward. "You're the one they've been whispering about," he said, his voice rough from years of travel.

"I am," I answered. "And you're the first to come looking for me."

He studied me carefully, his gaze flicking to my Guardian in the distance, then to the goblins training behind me. "This… isn't what I expected," he admitted.

I smirked. "What were you expecting?"

"More chaos. More desperation," he said. "Not something… structured."

That was good. It meant they could already see the difference between what I was building and the lawlessness of the wild lands.

"You've left Carridan's service," I said, getting straight to the point. "Why?"

The scarred man exhaled. "Because he doesn't care about the men who fight for him. He doesn't pay well. Doesn't feed us well. Doesn't even know half of us by name. We risk our lives for a lord who wouldn't notice if we died in a ditch."

I nodded slowly. "And now you're here."

"We're here because we heard whispers that something new was rising in the wilds. That an outsider had come, one who wasn't just another warlord playing at power," he said. His gaze hardened slightly. "But we didn't come to be used and discarded like before. We came to see if this is worth fighting for."

I met his stare, letting the silence stretch between us. This was a test. Not just for them, but for me. I could recruit them easily, but that wouldn't make them loyal. If I wanted them to truly serve, they had to believe in what we were building.

"You're right to be cautious," I said. "I won't lie to you. This isn't a safe path. We're going to war—maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon. Carridan will come for us when he realizes we exist. But when that time comes, we won't just survive. We'll win."

The second deserter, a younger man with dark hair and a lean build, crossed his arms. "And what makes you so sure?"

I gestured toward the camp. "Because I don't rely on fear. I don't rule through force alone. I build. I strengthen. And I make sure that those who follow me become stronger than they ever were before."

The scarred man glanced at the training grounds, where goblins continued sparring under Gorak's watchful eye. He looked back at me, his expression unreadable for a long moment. Then, he let out a breath.

"Then we're in."

The system chimed.

[New Recruits Gained: 3 Human Scouts]

- Increases Scouting Efficiency

- Unlocks Human Weapon Training

I smirked. "Then let's get started."

Bringing them into the camp, I introduced them to Gorak, who looked them over with his usual skepticism but didn't argue. The goblins gave them a few wary glances but didn't outright challenge them. This was new territory for both sides—humans and goblins fighting together. It was going to take time for trust to form.

That night, the camp was more alive than it had ever been. The goblins trained harder, knowing that humans were now among them, pushing them to prove themselves. The scouts adjusted quickly, showing the goblins tricks on how to track, move silently, and fight with precision rather than brute strength. It wasn't just about adding numbers—it was about refining our forces into something better.

The Shadeborn watched from the shadows, her gaze flicking toward me. "You handled that well," she said.

"They're not just soldiers. They're a foundation," I said.

She nodded, but there was something unreadable in her expression. "Be careful. Power attracts more than just followers. It attracts threats."

I exhaled. "I know."

A soft chime in my system signaled an update.

[Optional Quest Completed: Strength in Numbers]

+100 Gold Earned

New Bonus Unlocked: Potential Recruits from Other Factions May Arrive Over Time

This was just the beginning. More would come. More who wanted a place where they could fight for something greater than a careless lord's