The commotion from the fighting drew elves from the other caves. As more and more gathered, they started ganging up on the goblin to try and overwhelm her with their numbers. But, despite their advantage, the gauntlets' power helped her defeat them all with ease.
"Haaaah. . . Haaah. . . Haaah. . ."
When it was all over, the miners hid themselves in the shadows of the cavern while the goblin caught her breath. As she looked around they all avoided her gaze. Although their oppressors now laid dead before them, the one who'd killed them now stood before them surrounded by the piles of their corpses.
Some of the miners dared to peak out to examine the goblin. But when their eyes met they would immediately pull back into their hiding spots. Yes, she was one of their own, but they'd just witnessed her massacre without a sign of mercy. There were no predators in this world that could match what she'd done.
The goblin understood this fear and wanted to console them. However, her gaze found the miner who she'd tried to protect before Oto had summoned her. She rushed over to examine him, causing the miners to disperse away from them.
The miner lay against the wall with his head drooping forward with multiple streams of blood trickling down his swollen face. If he was scared of her like the rest, he must not have had the strength to flee, let alone defend himself.
"Cough! . . . COUGH! COUGH!" The miner's sudden cough released more blood which splattered across his mouth.
The goblin didn't need to see any more, she knew that he wasn't long for this world. There wasn't anything she could do to change that. But, after a lifetime of torment and enslavement, the miner finally had a chance to know freedom and wouldn't have long to enjoy it. She was going to do something about that.
The miner may not of had much time left, but he was owed at least a taste of his freedom from the mine. The goblin carefully pushed her hands under him and lifted the miner up into her arms. She then carried him into the tunnels. The rest of the miners cautiously followed from behind, careful to keep their distance.
The two proceeded through the twists and turns of the caves. Eventually, the goblin spotted a faint glow down one of the tunnels that stood out from the torchlight around her. She followed the light and it grew brighter with each step she took. Then turning a corner, she found the cave's entrance.
Outside, the sun hung high in the sky shining above a towering forest. Because the cave's entrance was high up on the slope of a mountain, the goblin could see the lush green of the trees spread out all across the horizon.
The miner shifted in the goblin's arms, flinching away from exposure to the full radiance of the light. But when his eyes adjusted he turned back and saw the world beyond the mines. Something mystical stirred within the goblins as they looked upon the woodlands. The sensation felt as if the forest itself was embracing their souls and welcoming them home.
The allure was difficult to look away from as the goblin turned her head to look at the miner. She couldn't be sure how much he was able to see with the swelling around his eyes, but the tear rolling down his cheek told her what he could see was enough. She also discovered the other goblins standing beside them, just as mesmerized as they were.
The miner tried lifting his arm to reach out toward the draw of the forest. He only managed to do so for a few moments before it fell limp with the rest of his body.
Her goal achieved, the goblin lowered the miner's corpse to the ground and began to cover him with the loose rocks around her on the ground. Then another hand lowered itself down beside her's. One of the goblins had brought over one of the rocks to help her. The rest of the goblins had also started to follow their example and helped to bury the miner.
[ You have been appointed the leader of a new race. ]
[ Please register your race's name. ]
[ _ ]
The notification appeared as the goblin continued to lay stones on the grave. The leader of a new race? She had noticed that the other goblins were starting to look at her differently. Though, at the time, she'd assumed that it was admiration and growing trust, but apparently they were choosing to submit themselves to her leadership.
The goblin was unsure whether or not she could lead them, but she did know that the rest of the elves would eventually come for them after they found out about what had happened today. Even before that, the goblins wouldn't be safe. The forest may have been calling to them, but within it the elves prowled, hunting for goblins to capture and imprison in their mines. She decided that if they would follow her, she'd protect them.
All that remained was the name of their race. 'Goblin' was only being used out of habit, but it was still the only name the elves had labeled them with. The goblin pondered this query, continuously reminiscing on the history she'd been awoken to and was reminded of her race's misfortune at the hands of the elves. They hadn't just stolen their home and abused them, they'd made them believe that was supposed to be their lives. All to satisfy their own selfish desires.
When she looked back to the woodlands before her, the goblin did so with newfound purpose. She intent to take back her home and wouldn't let anyone keep her from it. With this passion, the goblin found the inspiration for her race's new name. A name she would use to take from her foes as they'd taken from them.
With a strong satisfaction and spirit, the goblin declared the new name for her race.
The Dark Elves.