The Devouring Knight

Eldric followed his gaze. "Elenya Solwyn, the Dawn-Blessed of the Sunlit Path Church. Some call her the empire's most radiant jewel. She's as brave as she is beautiful, they say, and she's spent years tending soldiers without hesitation… as though touched by the divine itself."

Lumberling let his eyes linger on her.

She had hair as black as midnight silk, spilling down her back in an unbroken sheet. Her skin was pale, almost luminous in the winter light, the kind that seemed to drink in and reflect the day. Her face was beautiful, as if the gods themselves had sculpted her to their own exacting pattern. Her eyes, deep and dark, held a polished clarity that revealed nothing of the thoughts behind them.

Yes, she was beautiful… but Lumberling's mind inevitably compared her to the elves, three women whose beauty wasn't simply skin-deep, but fierce and alive, carrying the weight of centuries in their gaze. His lovers. His heart stirred at the memory.

A faint smile touched his lips. 'I wonder how they're doing…'

Movement drew his attention back to Elenya just as she knelt beside the sick man. With a serene expression, she pressed her palm to his brow. A golden light blossomed from her touch.

The crowd gasped in awe.

Lumberling, however, felt something else.

It came not from the light itself, but from her presence, a pressure that pressed faintly against his senses, subtle yet undeniable. It reminded him of the high priest lizardman they had slain a month ago. Not the same oppressive malice… but still, a weight, as if the air itself acknowledged her.

His eyes narrowed slightly. 'She's not ordinary.'

'Maybe she's blessed too… though not like the heretics.'

After healing the man, the crowd swelled with fervor.

People pressed forward, hands clasped in prayer, calling her name as if it were a sacred hymn.

Some proclaimed her a saint; others recited verses from the Sunlit Path.

Near the front, a young noble, judging by the rich embroidery on his coat and the smug tilt of his chin, tried to catch her attention, offering elaborate praise and bowing so low his hat nearly touched the cobblestones. She, however, remained still and distant, her gaze unfocused, her face serene.

Lumberling felt no desire to linger.

"Let's go," He murmured, already stepping away. "We've seen enough."

They turned to leave. The crowd shifted, parting just enough for him to pass close by her.

And in that instant, something changed.

The woman's expression, calm as carved marble since the beginning, flickered. Her brow drew the faintest line, as if a thought had intruded where none had been before.

'Hm?'

She felt it, subtle, but unmistakable. The faint resonance of someone touched by a blessing, like a thread pulled taut in the air. Not the same as hers … but it was there, buried deep, almost smothered.

Her eyes swept the crowd, searching. The place where the sensation had come from was already empty.

Only the murmur of prayers and the lingering scent of incense remained.

....

By the week's end, they had returned to the goblin village. Life had settled into its usual pace, until one morning…

The village square buzzed with the shuffle of boots, clawed feet, and the rustle of feathers. Under the pale light of dawn, Lumberling stood at the center, his black armor casting long shadows across the packed dirt. One by one, his warriors and subordinates gathered in a rough circle, eyes fixed on him.

Grokk stepped forward with the wolves at his side, their hackles bristling, not out of anger, but readiness.

"You'll hold the line here," Lumberling said, meeting Grokk's gaze. "The guard unit stays with you, forty-nine strong. Three golden eagles as your eyes in the sky."

Grokk grunted in approval, pounding his chest with a heavy fist.

Lumberling's eyes shifted to Uncle Drake, Celine, Orrin, and Jen.

"You four will stay in the village. Uncle Drake, please lead the humans, you'll be acting as chief alongside Uncle Orrin."

Uncle Drake's brows lifted slightly at the request, a flicker of pride softening his weathered features. He gave a firm nod. Orrin followed with a steady nod of his own, while Celine offered a warm, encouraging smile.

His gaze shifted to Jen. He paused, studying the young beautiful woman. She stood straighter under his attention, her features sharper now, more refined, more self-assured, though the flicker in her eyes betrayed a trace of nerves.

"I'm putting you in charge of the village's day-to-day command," he continued, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "Didn't you say you wanted to be like me one day?"

Jen lifted her chin, a quiet 'hmph' escaping her as she folded her arms. "I won't fail."

The village was strong enough to stand on its own now, even without a leader, but this will be her training.

"You've got Grokk if you need backup," Lumberling added with a faint smirk. "Don't hesitate to call on him"

Grokk chuckled, low and deep.

On the other side of the square, Shade loomed in the half-light, his many legs restless. Three Hobgoblin Warriors and three Kobold Berserkers stood behind him, flanked by the militia and scout units.

"You'll reinforce the second base," Lumberling ordered. "Fifty-nine militia, forty-two scouts, and another three golden eagles. Keep the Sub-Captains sharp, train well and protect our base."

Shade dipped his head, a silent acknowledgment.

The last group, a formidable force of steel and sinew, stood ready with quiet anticipation. Four golden eagles perched silently, their sharp eyes scanning the horizon. Kobolds, hobgoblins, hunters, archers, and boar cavalry filled the ranks, a living wall of strength. At the forefront, seven Captains and six Vice-Captains stood tall. Eldric also stood among them.

"This will be our strike force," Lumberling's voice rang out clearly, reaching every ear. "Three Kobold Berserkers, four Hobgoblin Warriors, the elite squads, sixty kobolds, forty-three hobgoblins, and every hunter, archer, and rider. I will lead you personally, with Skitz and Uncle Eldric guiding the way."

Only Karnark stood apart, arms crossed.

"You stay here," Lumberling told him. "The lizardmen hatchlings need a hand that knows both strength and patience. Train them well. They'll be our teeth in the future."

"I'll see to it," Karnark replied with a steady nod, a faint smile tugging at his lips.