Here's Chapter 12 — filled with tension, teamwork, and a hint of something darker stirring at the edges of Elric's world.
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Chapter 12 – Goblin Raid & the Boy with a Beast
Rain fell softly over the village.
Not the heavy kind that made rivers overflow, but the quiet, misty kind that sank into your clothes and made the world feel still.
Elric stood by the wooden gate, his shirt damp, spear in hand. Chomp sat on the fencepost beside him, chewing on a pinecone like it owed him money.
"They won't attack in this weather," one guard said.
But Elric wasn't so sure.
> [Warning: Hostile Movement Detected – Goblin Pack Approaching]
He didn't say anything—just gripped his spear tighter.
---
Thirty minutes later, the screaming started.
It came from the eastern farmlands. A shriek. Then another. Then fire.
Elric didn't wait for orders.
"Let's go!" he shouted, racing toward the edge of the village with Chomp scrambling behind him and Grandpa close behind.
---
The fields were chaos.
Small, hunched figures darted through the crops—green skin slick with rain, blades glinting red in torchlight. A barn had already caught fire.
A goblin leapt from a bush toward a fleeing child—
CRACK!
A branch slammed into its face.
Elric blinked. "Chomp?!"
The raccoon stood on its hind legs, holding a stick longer than itself, teeth bared.
> [Chomp has activated: Improvised Weapon Combat Lv. 1]
"…You're insane," Elric whispered. "I love you."
He sprinted forward, heart pounding. He wasn't strong, not like Grandpa. But he didn't need to be.
He just had to stand in the way.
---
The battle lasted twenty minutes.
By the time it ended, five goblins lay dead, and two had escaped. No villagers were killed—but three were hurt.
Elric's arms shook as he dropped his stick. His shirt was torn, and his hand stung from a shallow blade nick. But he was standing.
> [You defended the innocent.]
[You've earned: 1 God Coin.]
[Beast Bond Strengthened: Chomp now trusts you more.]
Elric smiled weakly. "That's all I need."
Chomp collapsed on his chest, twitching from exhaustion.
"…You little warrior."
---
Later, sitting beside the healer's fire, Grandpa ruffled Elric's hair. "Did good, boy. You didn't hesitate."
Elric chuckled. "I hesitated a little."
"You still moved."
They sat together for a while.
Then Grandpa spoke low.
"That wasn't a normal raid."
Elric turned. "What do you mean?"
"Goblins don't organize like that. They don't strike farms. And they don't run from battle unless they're scared of something else."
Elric frowned. "So they're not the real threat?"
Grandpa's eyes narrowed. "No. They're the warning."
> [New World Merge Rate: 3%]
[Beast System Upgrade Available in 1 God Coin]
Elric opened the System Shop silently.
His fingers hovered over the next upgrade.
> [Unlock: Companion Bond II – Allows naming & training of two new beast types.]
He glanced at Chomp—now snoring in a pouch by the fire, dreaming of pinecones and goblin heads.
"Guess we're not done yet."
---
Here's Chapter 13, where Grandpa introduces a slave collar and Elric uses it on the goblin leader, forcing it into servitude to protect the village. The story will focus on Elric's growing power and the moral complexities of using such tools, along with developing more of the world's underlying threats.
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Chapter 13 – The Goblin Leader and the Collar of Command
The rain had stopped, leaving a thin mist over the battlefield. The villagers gathered near the gates, cleaning up the debris from the goblin raid. It had been a brutal skirmish, but Elric felt a certain heaviness settle in his chest as he watched the fallen goblins.
The dead were no longer just monsters—they were a part of the world. A threat, yes, but something that needed to be understood. And yet, as much as he told himself that, something in him felt uneasy.
Chomp, his loyal raccoon, had already forgotten the battle and was stuffing his face with berries. Elric looked over at Grandpa, who was busy tying ropes around the remaining goblin prisoners.
One goblin, larger than the others, was tied to a tree. His eyes were wide, his mouth swollen from where Elric had struck him earlier. The goblin leader.
"Elric," Grandpa's voice broke through his thoughts. "Come here."
Elric walked over cautiously, his heart still racing from the battle. "What's going on?"
Grandpa handed him a small, dark metal collar. It looked ancient—carved with strange symbols. "This," Grandpa said quietly, "is a slave collar. A tool from the old days. It can bind any creature to your will, forcing them into servitude."
Elric's stomach twisted. He had heard of such things, but he had never thought he'd be in a position to use one.
"I… I don't know about this, Grandpa," Elric murmured. "It feels wrong."
Grandpa's eyes were steady, but there was a hardness to them. "There's a time to show mercy, and there's a time to act decisively. The goblins have shown us their true nature—they don't fight to survive. They fight to conquer."
He looked over at the goblin leader, who was struggling against his bonds, growling low. "This one? He's not going to let us be in peace. And you know it."
Elric stared at the collar in his hand. The weight of it felt too much for his young arms. "So, what do you want me to do with him?"
Grandpa's voice softened. "We use the collar to bind him to us. He'll guard the village, and we'll force him to work for us. He'll be our eyes, our ears, and protect the others. It's not mercy, Elric. It's survival."
---
The goblin leader snarled, shaking his head violently as Elric approached him, collar in hand.
"You're making a mistake, boy," the goblin hissed. "You think this collar will make me obey? You're weak, like all humans."
Elric didn't flinch. He had heard worse from people, even those who called themselves friends. He looked at the collar one more time, then without hesitation, snapped it onto the goblin's neck.
The goblin screamed in agony as the collar tightened, its dark magic sinking into his skin. For a moment, Elric felt the weight of it—the pull on his soul. It wasn't just a collar; it was a power that could change lives forever.
But as the pain subsided, the goblin leader's eyes flickered with something new—fear, but also a strange obedience.
> [New Task Assigned: Goblin Leader, now bound by the Collar of Command]
[Mission: Protect the Village]
[Failure to comply will result in severe consequences.]
The goblin's voice changed, no longer filled with defiance. It was quieter, more submissive. "I will obey."
Grandpa nodded. "Good. Now, go and protect what you can. Report anything unusual."
Elric felt uneasy but didn't speak. It had to be done.
---
Over the next few days, the goblin leader patrolled the village perimeter. His presence unnerved the villagers, but they couldn't deny the value of the protection he provided. The goblin, now named Kragg, was forced to work with the other villagers. He built barriers, helped with repairs, and stood watch. His actions were mechanical, almost lifeless, as if the collar drained his will.
The villagers noticed the change in the atmosphere. Elric wasn't sure what to think of it himself, but every time Kragg stood by the gate, Elric couldn't help but feel the weight of his decision.
---
That night, as Elric sat with Grandpa by the fire, Chomp curled up in his lap, Grandpa spoke again.
"You did what had to be done. We can't afford to let the world show us mercy. Sometimes, we have to show others our strength, and the collar is just one way to do it."
Elric glanced at Kragg, who was sitting by the gate, his shoulders slumped.
"I feel like I'm controlling him. Is that right?" Elric asked quietly.
Grandpa's eyes softened. "It's not about control. It's about survival. And remember, you're not doing this because you like it. You're doing it to protect your people. Sometimes, we have to make hard choices."
Elric nodded, though doubt lingered in his heart.
---
Later that evening, as Elric prepared for bed, the System notification pinged again.
> [New World Merge Rate: 10%]
[Beast System Upgrade Available in 2 God Coins]
[Goblin Leader Bond Strengthened: Increased Loyalty]
Elric looked at the notification, his finger hovering over the God Coin option. He glanced at Kragg once more, who was sitting still in the night air.
The world was changing. And so was Elric.
---
Here's Chapter 14, continuing the story as Elric's journey grows darker with more complex choices and new threats emerging from the merging worlds.
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Chapter 14 – The Shifting Sands of Power
The night had settled into a quiet unease. The village, protected by the reluctant goblin leader Kragg, felt eerily calm. The air was thick with anticipation, as if something was about to change.
Elric sat alone by the fire, staring into the flames, his thoughts drifting between the recent battles, the collar around Kragg's neck, and the creeping realization that their world wasn't the only one at risk.
> [New World Merge Rate: 15%]
[Merging Worlds: Unknown threat detected.]
The notification sent a shiver down Elric's spine. Unknown threat. He had no idea what that meant, but he felt it in his bones. Things were no longer as simple as they had been. The goblins, the raids, the System—all of it was leading somewhere.
Chomp, sitting on his shoulder, sniffed the air and then jumped down, darting toward the village gates.
"Chomp!" Elric hissed, standing up quickly. He glanced over his shoulder at Kragg, who was still sitting stoically near the gate, his eyes trained on the forest beyond. "You're supposed to be guarding, not… running off."
But Chomp was already halfway across the village, his tiny paws tapping against the earth. Elric sighed, following him with quick steps.
---
The moment Elric stepped out of the village perimeter, the air shifted. The wind picked up, carrying with it the scent of something new. Something… wrong.
Chomp had stopped in front of a dark figure, crouched at the edge of the woods. It was a man, but not quite. His eyes gleamed with an unnatural, cold light, and his body was covered in strange, black tattoos that seemed to pulse with an eerie glow.
"Who are you?" Elric asked, his hand instinctively reaching for the dagger at his side.
The man looked up, and for a moment, Elric thought he saw a flicker of something ancient in his gaze. "A harbinger," the man whispered, his voice low and cracked, as if speaking were a strain. "The worlds are colliding. You've noticed it too, haven't you?"
Elric took a cautious step forward. "What do you want with us?"
The man smiled, his teeth sharp and uneven. "I'm not here for you, child. I'm here for what you've started."
---
Back at the village, Grandpa had gathered the elders. Elric was already on his way back when he saw the unusual gathering. They were all speaking in hushed tones, glancing toward the forest.
"What's going on?" Elric asked as he approached.
Grandpa, who had clearly been waiting for him, sighed. "You've met him, haven't you?"
"The harbinger?" Elric asked, his heart racing. "Who was he?"
"A messenger from beyond the veil," Grandpa said darkly. "Someone who knows about the merging worlds. The gods… they didn't tell us the full story. There's something more happening, something we're not prepared for."
Elric's mind raced. "More worlds? Is that what he meant? The world merging with others?"
Grandpa nodded grimly. "Exactly. And the thing you need to understand, Elric, is that when the worlds merge, the barriers between them break down. And with it, the creatures, the power—everything from those worlds can spill into ours. That's why we're seeing more raids, more danger."
Elric's heart pounded in his chest. "So the goblins were just the beginning?"
Grandpa's gaze turned hard. "Yes. And they won't be the last."
---
That night, as the village settled into uneasy sleep, the System pinged again.
> [Warning: Hostile Entity Approaching – Unidentified Origin]
[Merge Rate: 20%]
Elric's mind reeled. "This can't be happening."
He turned to Kragg, who was standing near the gate, watching him silently. The goblin's eyes held an emotion that was almost… human.
> [New Task Assigned: Protect the Village – Goblin Leader Kragg]
Kragg's head tilted slightly, his voice low. "I protect. But why? Why do I obey?"
Elric's chest tightened. "You obey because I gave you a chance to live. Because we need you. And right now, that's all that matters."
Kragg said nothing, but his posture seemed to relax slightly, though he still stood rigid in his role as the village's protector.
---
The next day, things took a turn. In the distance, a large black cloud gathered on the horizon, covering the sun. It moved quickly, unnaturally fast, like something pulling it toward the village.
Elric felt it in his bones—the world was shifting again. The goblin raids, the strange harbinger, the unease in the air… it was all connected.
"We need to prepare," Grandpa said, looking up at the sky. "Gather every able-bodied person. Build defenses. And get the children to safety."
Elric nodded, already moving to carry out the orders. But his mind was elsewhere. The harbinger's words haunted him. What have I started?
---
As the villagers scrambled to fortify the gates, Elric stood on the roof of the village hall, staring at the dark cloud in the distance. It wasn't just a storm—it was something else. And it was coming for them.
Suddenly, the System pinged again.
> [Merging Worlds Progress: 25%]
[Entity detected: Unknown origin. Hostile. The merging rate is accelerating.]
Elric's heart sank. The worlds were not just merging—they were collapsing.
And the worst part? It had all started with him.
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