Chapter 73: The Price of Rejection

Zarvessa didn’t give me a chance to recover.

She came at me again, her curved dagger flashing as she aimed for my neck.

I raised Doom Axe just in time to catch the strike, but the force behind it drove me backwards.

My bare feet scraped against the stone courtyard as I struggled to keep my balance.

She twisted her wrist, dragged the blade along the axe’s edge, and followed with a sharp kick aimed at my stomach.

I turned sideways, but her boot still caught my ribs.

Pain shot through my side as I stumbled out of the courtyard and into the open space beyond it.

By now, the commotion had attracted attention.

Red goblins were gathering from the nearby huts and workshops, some carrying tools while others had come with weapons already in hand.

They formed a loose circle around us, watching with curiosity and excitement.

A few shouted encouragement at Zarvessa, while others laughed at the sight of me trying to defend myself.

I couldn’t blame them for laughing. I was fighting completely naked, with nothing but Doom Axe in my hands. I’d laugh too.

I got pushed backwards, and soon I wasn’t so far away from where Talia and the goblins I’d come with were gathered.

They noticed the commotion and stepped closer, only to stop when they saw what was happening.

Their eyes widened as they took in my lack of clothing, the blood running down my chest, and the female chief attacking me with a dagger.

"What is going on?" Talia exclaimed.

Gunther looked equally confused. And so did the rest of the goblins, their gaze moving from me to Zarvessa, then back to me again, unable to understand how things had escalated so quickly.

I didn’t have time to explain.

Zarvessa lunged again, her dagger aimed at my abdomen.

I brought Doom Axe down to intercept it, and the weapons collided with a sharp metallic clang.

She used the opening to step inside my reach and drive her elbow towards my jaw.

I leaned back, narrowly avoiding the strike, before swinging the axe horizontally.

She ducked beneath it and swept her leg towards my ankles.

I jumped over the attack, but she was already moving.

Her dagger came up, forcing me to twist my body away as the blade passed close to my ribs.

I countered with a heavy swing, making her retreat several steps.

She stopped near the edge of the gathering crowd, her crimson hair falling across one shoulder as she regarded me with narrowed eyes.

For a brief moment, neither of us moved.

"Why don’t you calm down?" I asked, tightening my grip on Doom Axe. "You’re making a scene."

Zarvessa snarled.

Before I could say anything else, a familiar voice called out from behind her.

"Chief Zarvessa! What is happening?"

Ravok pushed through the crowd.

The tall red goblin looked from his chief to me, his expression shifting when he noticed the blood on my body and the weapon in my hands.

"Ravok," Zarvessa said without taking her eyes off me. "Detain the green goblins. Throw them into the cells."

His expression faltered.

"But, Chief, I thought you had agreed to let them..."

He didn’t get to finish.

Zarvessa moved so quickly that I barely registered her departure.

One moment she was facing me, and the next she was standing in front of Ravok.

Her dagger flashed across his throat.

His eyes widened. He staggered backwards, both hands rising to his neck as blood spilled between his fingers. He tried to speak, but only a wet, broken sound escaped him. A moment later, he collapsed onto the ground.

The surrounding goblins fell silent.

I stared at Zarvessa, momentarily caught off guard by what she had just done. She hadn’t hesitated. Ravok had been her own guard, someone who served her, yet she had killed him without the slightest sign of regret.

"Did you just kill him?" I asked.

She ignored me and turned towards the gathered red goblins.

"Did you hear my order?" she shouted. "Detain the green goblins and throw them into the cells! Anyone who resists is to be put down!"

The red goblins immediately began moving. Some rushed towards Talia’s group while others drew their weapons and spread out to surround them.

Talia stepped forward, her staff held firmly in both hands.

Gunther moved in front of Zephra and the children, while the other green goblins gathered close together.

Their expressions had changed. Whatever hope they had placed in Zarvessa’s offer of shelter was gone.

"Stay back!" Talia warned as a red goblin approached.

I couldn’t let this continue.

I had held off using my abilities, but with the way things were escalating, Zarvessa was giving me no other choice but to go all out.

I raised my free hand and activated [Thunderclad], mana surging through my body.

A layer of lightning spread across my skin, crawling over my arms, chest, and legs.

The energy gathered around my muscles, hardening into a protective coating that crackled with blue-white sparks.

The sudden release of power made several nearby goblins hesitate.

Even the ones who had been advancing towards Talia stopped to look at me.

I planted Doom Axe against the ground and faced them.

"Anyone who wants to try their luck, take another step," I said. "I’d like to see who is brave enough."

A few of the red goblins tightened their grips on their weapons, but none of them moved.

I turned back towards Zarvessa.

"This is between the two of us. Leave them out of it."

She looked at me with an expression that had become increasingly difficult to understand.

Her crimson eyes were wide, her breathing uneven, and the muscles in her face twitched as though she were struggling to contain something.

"It’s never been between the two of us," she replied. "You rejected my offer. You had the chance to stand beside me, and you threw it away."

"I told you I’m open to working with you."

"Don’t insult me!"

Her voice rang across the clearing.

"You could have had everything. You could have stood beside me, shared my power, and helped me build something greater. Instead, you chose those pathetic green goblins."

I frowned.

"I never said I wanted to be your servant. If we’re going to work together, it has to be on equal terms. Now calm down and let everyone else go."

Zarvessa’s lips curled into a furious smile.

"You still don’t...