Chapter 26: The Lone Lemur

The village had no clear exit.

There wasn’t a single path leading out, no hidden trail tucked between the trees, no conveniently placed "Oops, I guess I just stumbled out" kind of escape route.

Either the goblins didn’t get many visitors, or they simply didn’t want anyone leaving without permission.

Probably both.

Letting out a quiet sigh, I rolled my shoulders and continued walking, doing my best to look like I actually had somewhere important to be. As long as I acted naturally, maybe no one would question me.

As I walked, I couldn’t help but take in the village around me.

It was... impressive.

Massive huts had been built directly into the trunks of twisting, ancient trees, while their enormous gnarled roots curled across the ground to form natural stairways.

Thick wooden platforms connected different levels of the settlement, turning the entire place into what looked like a city suspended among the trees, with bridges stretching from one towering trunk to another.

Glowing fungi clung to the bark, their eerie blue light pulsing softly through the darkness, and as the light flickered, shadows danced across the ancient wood, making the entire village feel strangely alive.

It was the kind of sight that could make even a weary traveler stop for a moment just to admire it.

I strolled past a group of goblins repairing a rickety wooden bridge, their rough hands moving with surprising coordination as they wove thick ropes through the supports and hammered uneven planks into place.

The scent of damp wood mixed with fresh moss lingered in the air, blending with the familiar sounds of the forest until a series of sharp, frantic squeaks suddenly pierced through the calm.

I frowned, my ears twitching as I came to a stop.

Those weren’t the voices of goblins, and they were definitely not human either.

The strange cries were small, panicked, and completely unfamiliar.

Curiosity quickly got the better of me, and before I knew it, I was following the sound, stepping over tangled roots and pushing aside thick patches of undergrowth as I made my way deeper into the forest.

Leaves brushed against my arms as I pushed through the undergrowth, the damp earth squishing softly beneath my feet with every step.

After a few more moments, something caught my eye, and I instinctively slowed.

It was the strangest sight I’d seen since arriving in this world.

A small gang of hunched, furry creatures with large, glowing eyes had surrounded one of their own.

At first, I thought they were simply playing, but it quickly became obvious that wasn’t the case. They weren’t just fighting.

They were ganging up on it.

A flicker of blue text appeared before my eyes, identifying the monkey-like creatures.

[Dire Lemur – Level 2]

[Dire Lemur – Level 2]

[Dire Lemur – Level 3]

The lone lemur stood its ground, snarling as it clutched a hunk of raw meat between its tiny, clawed fingers.

Its dark, bristly fur stood on end, oversized ears twitching at the slightest sound while its striped, whip-like tail lashed violently through the air in a clear warning for the others to stay back. Yet none of them paid it any mind.

Its glowing amber eyes darted from one attacker to the next, calm, sharp, and calculating, as though it had already accepted that a fight was inevitable. It wasn’t panicking. It was waiting for the first one to make a move.

Around it, the other lemurs tightened the circle, their chittering growing louder until it became an aggressive, high-pitched frenzy.

Clawed feet scraped across the dirt as lean bodies coiled like springs, every muscle tensing in anticipation before, all at once, they pounced.

The lone lemur exploded into motion with a furious snarl, lashing out with its claws and raking one attacker across the face before another lunged at it.

The little beast ducked beneath the attack, spun around, and sank its tiny fangs deep into the attacker’s tail.

Before it could even recover, a third lemur charged from the side, only to be met head-on as the stubborn creature hurled its entire body forward.

BAM!

The impact sent its opponent crashing to the ground.

"Damn..."

I couldn’t help but respect it. It was hopelessly outnumbered and clearly weaker than the rest, yet it refused to give up its meal no matter how many enemies came at it.

I liked that.

But it wasn’t enough.

One of the attackers latched onto its back, sinking its needle-like fangs deep into the lemure’s shoulder, while another grabbed its tail and yanked hard, throwing the small creature off balance.

A third darted in from the side, its sharp claws raking across the lemur’s flank, drawing another pained screech from the little guy.

It was losing.

The tiny lemur shrieked again, the high-pitched cry echoing through the forest, filled with pain, desperation, and fear as it struggled helplessly against the relentless assault.

I let out a slow breath.

Something about the scene bothered me, and I didn’t like it one bit.

Before I even realized what I was doing, my feet were already moving.

"Alright, break it up, you little gremlins."

The lemures froze in the middle of their attack, every glowing eye snapping toward me at once. The forest fell eerily silent for the briefest moment.

Then one of the little monsters threw its head back and let out a piercing screech directly into my face.

SCREEEEEECH!

Pain exploded inside my skull, followed by a violent wave of dizziness that sent the world spinning around me.

It felt as though my brain had been rattled loose inside my head, leaving me reeling before I could even process what had happened.

What the hell was that?!

Still blinking through the haze, my body reacted on instinct before my mind could catch up, and I swung at whatever had gotten close.

SMACK!

The little bastard let out a surprised squeal as it flew into the undergrowth, flipping head over heels before crashing into the dirt in a dazed heap.

It lay there twitching for a brief moment, shook its head as if trying to clear the stars from its vision, then suddenly sprang to its feet and bolted without looking back.

The other lemurs froze, their glowing eyes darting between their fallen companion and me. For a tense second, I genuinely thought they were about to swarm me all at once.

Instead, they erupted into furious screeches before scattering into the shadows, their tiny feet pattering frantically across the forest floor until the woods fell silent once more.

Turning back, I found the lone lemur still clutching its stolen meal as it stared at me.

A strange chuckling sound escaped its mouth.

Was it...