The royal palace shook violently. Stone cracked
Pillars fell
Ryu and Flare screamed as the floor beneath them crumbled. Dust and debris swallowed them whole, and the world turned black.
A New Threat
Weeks later, golden sunlight streamed through the high palace windows, but Ryu Drakheart sat motionless.
His body had healed—but his mind couldn't let go of the collapse. The sound just before the floor broke wasn't natural. It felt... intentional. Like someone wanted him gone.
As he stared at the scar on his hand, a soft knock broke his silence.
Leo stepped in.
"I knew you'd be thinking about it," Leo said. "You're right, Ryu. That collapse wasn't an accident."
Ryu's eyes narrowed. "Then someone's planning something. That was just a warning."
Leo nodded grimly. "I did some digging. One of our guards saw strange figures near the rear wall of the castle the night before the incident. Goblins. Definitely not from any nearby friendly tribe."
Ryu's brows lifted. "Goblins?
Interesting… Haven't heard from them in ages."
Leo gave a small grin. "Also—shouldn't you be back at the Academy? Are you bunking again?"
"Me?" Leo shrugged innocently. "I took a long leave. Can't leave you in this condition, can I? Besides, this is more exciting than any classroom."
Ryu smirked. "Fine. Then let's visit the goblin village ourselves."
They saddled up their Horyand—a black-scaled, dragon-horse hybrid with glowing eyes—and galloped toward the goblin borders.
As they approached the forest, smoke and shouting filled the air. They slowed their pace and hid behind the trees. Below them, chaos.
Two armies were clashing in a wide valley. One side wore tribal green markings—the Green Goblins, large in number, well-armed. The other side, with fewer but stronger-looking warriors, had glistening violet skin and venomous auras—the Purple Goblins.
"They're at war," Ryu whispered.
Leo nodded. "We shouldn't interfere. Not yet."
Suddenly, a sharp hiss sliced through the air. A burst of violet poison came hurtling toward Ryu.
"Ryu! Watch out—!"
Before Leo could react, a pink magical bubble surrounded Ryu, stopping the poison inches from his face. The bubble popped with a shimmer of glittery sparkles.
"What the hell—?"
From behind them, a cheerful voice rang out.
"BB~! You're welcome!"
Ryu turned and saw Lolia, hovering with her magic wand, giggling as usual.
"Lolia? What are you doing here!?"
"To save you, duh!" she grinned and dove into his arms with a tight hug. "You think I'd let my BB die in some random goblin war?"
Leo sighed. "She must've snuck onto our Horyand. She's been practicing invisibility spells lately."
"Leo is right!" Lolia beamed. "I'm getting good at it!"
The war below intensified—green flags clashing with violet blades.
"We should go. This is more serious than we thought," Ryu muttered.
They turned and rode back, faster than before.
The Goblin Hierarchy
Royal War Room – Later
The three of them sat at the round oak table as a magical map floated above it, glowing with territorial lines and blinking indicators.
Leo pointed to the western forest.
"We've confirmed four goblin species in this world."
He gestured toward each quadrant on the map:
Green Goblins: The most populous (over ten million). They breed rapidly, live in organized tribes, and are physically similar to humans.
Purple Goblins: Fewer (five to six million) but deadlier. They possess powerful poison magic and believe their superior strength gives them the right to rule.
Blue Goblins: The most mysterious. Said to live in the icy north, they wield frost magic and are rumored to have ancient technology.
Black Orcs: Only eight exist. Each one is a monstrous, muscular giant with high magic resistance and immense destructive power.
Ryu leaned back. "This world is more layered than I thought. But why are the green and purple clans fighting now?"
Leo tapped the table. "Leadership. Power shift. The new purple goblin leader—Zatana—believes their superior strength should give them control. She sees the greens as weaklings."
"And the green goblin leader?"
"Gargi," Leo replied. "She's a warrior queen. Half Green Goblin, half Black Orc. She inherited the strength of both. She says the greens earned what they have through discipline and trade, and she won't bow to threats."
Ryu smirked. "So it's power vs. legacy. Classic."
Leo chuckled. "Yeah. But don't count the greens out. Numbers win wars. Zatana's soldiers might be stronger, but Gargi has a full army—and strategy."
The Real Threat
"And what about us?" Ryu asked, standing up. "Are we just going to watch this war unfold?"
Leo's expression turned serious. "No. We'll get involved. But the real threat… isn't just this war."
Ryu tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
"I think the goblin war is a distraction." He walked over to the window, staring out at the dark clouds forming on the horizon. "The one who tried to kill you during the collapse... they're planning something else. Something bigger. If we don't uncover their identity soon…"
He turned, eyes locked with Ryu's.
"…we might be too late."
Ryu clenched his fists. "Then let's uncover the truth. Track every movement. Spy on every camp. I want names."
Leo grinned. "Now you're talking."
Lolia raised her hand. "And I'll be your cute invisible spy! Teehee~!"
They all smiled. But deep inside, each of them felt the shift in the air. The goblins weren't the only ones preparing for war.
The shadows were moving.
To Be Continued…