Gribnox was anxious but realized a lot of unnatural things were beginning to happen since Byung arrived, but this could mean there were forces aware of this.
It was no secret there was a mole within their ranks, but since they were reporting to a superior goblin, they didn't have a problem with this because it was within their race. But what if they were reporting to someone else entirely?
Murkfang was sitting in front of the orc named Borg. Everything about him was intimidating, but he didn't strike the same fear he felt from Drekk.
Drekk was a true killer on that note, and since he knew what he was capable of, it added to that sense of danger.
However, nothing was known about the orc before him, and there was no bloodlust oozing from either of them.
And there was something he had over them—this was wisdom, unlike the naive goblins.
"I apologize for coming here suddenly," Borg started off the conversation, but he was here approximately the same time as the attack that had occurred at the other mine.
The logical suspicion lay on the orc before him. Murkfang suspected him and had his goblins on standby should he attempt anything.
He knew he would lose a score of them, but they would bring him down no doubt because he was just an orc.
"What do you want?" Murkfang questioned, no beating around the bush.
"I have come with a proposal," Borg said, and just about then, Gribnox walked in.
"A proposal? Why did you not hand in a prior notice like your people always do?" Murkfang questioned.
Borg paused for a second, taking into account that whatever came out of his mouth had the potential to escalate the situation.
"My race? We are of the same line," Borg shot it down, but this wasn't the opinion he held when he was speaking to his fellow orc.
He hated the goblins because they were perverse versions of their superior race, and the thought of them reproducing with his race made him repulsed beyond belief.
But he was doing a good job keeping it under wraps because Murkfang had no idea how he felt.
"Lineage? Last I checked, you orcs hated us…" Gribnox chipped in.
"That is a strong word," Borg said with a light laugh, downplaying whatever it was these goblins were displaying.
And unfortunately, it was working because they couldn't connect the dots.
It was also impossible for whoever attacked to be here even with a horse.
However, there was a possibility he had a hand in it.
Murkfang couldn't get a read on him whatsoever but also knew his limitations.
"Borkle!" Murkfang screamed at the top of his lungs, startling Gribnox as there was no reason for such a shout from him.
Borkle barged in, but the orc didn't react to this because he was confident in himself.
He could take these out without much of a fuss; from their body language alone, he could tell they weren't strong enough to put a scratch on him.
"Yes, boss!" Borkle said, but he didn't take any offensive stance.
"Get me 402," Murkfang said, but Gribnox raised a finger to interrupt this action.
"What is it, Gribnox?" Murkfang questioned with a raised brow, wondering why he was being interrupted.
"He has a name," Gribnox said with a smirk, almost satisfied he was the only one who knew it.
"A name? But the naming ceremony hasn't been held," Murkfang thought to himself. He didn't say it out loud because they had a guest here but planned to check his partner when all of this was over.
"He goes by the name Byung," Gribnox revealed, and this was the first thing that got a reaction from Borg.
This wasn't the name of a goblin, so there was no way it was bestowed onto him from a goblin. So how did he get this name? Why did it sound so human?
Borg realized he might have stepped into something that could show signs the goblins were no longer simple-minded creatures.
They were evolving, but either way, he was going to meet this strange goblin nonetheless.
In a different place, enclosed and secured, it felt like a military camp more than anything, and it was led by none other than Drekk.
Drekk was a powerful man who had amassed wealth, but this was because—unlike the others so focused on mining—
he was outsourcing foot soldiers to carry out certain security tasks no one wished to do. But this was an excuse for his goblins to gain experience.
This was a good excuse, but he was the one in charge of this place, so there was no authority over him except the goblin king.
The most powerful being—but no one had seen his face, and his existence was often considered a myth to keep the goblins in check.
Drekk heard about the attack, and this was the line he knew would eventually be crossed.
People underestimated what his race could do, but this would never have happened if they hadn't forsaken how they were over 1,000 years ago.
They were a race of warriors who conquered and reaped what they sowed, forcefully replenishing their numbers.
However, it didn't change the fact that they would have gone extinct if they had carried on this way.
This was why they took this approach, and it had worked because they were slowly growing in numbers.
They were no longer on the brink of extinction and had more than replenished their numbers. But Drekk wanted to see if this would prompt the goblin king into action.