Chapter 145: Family

Ka’z sat quietly on a wooden stool inside the sanctuary, his broad frame making the seat look almost too small beneath him. Za’r remained pressed against his side, both of her hands wrapped around his much larger hand as she rested her head against his muscular body.

She had barely let go of him since he returned, as though some part of her still feared that if she stopped holding him, he might disappear again. The sanctuary was unusually quiet despite the excitement that had swept through the colony earlier.

Tong’a, O’nil, Ru’k, and Kurg all stared at him with genuine surprise written across their expressions. If it were not for the fifteen goblin artisans Ka’z’s team had dragged back with them, it would have been difficult to believe that Ka’z and his small team of ten warriors had slaughtered more than half of a three hundred strong goblin clan and sent the rest fleeing after completely destroying their village.

Even after hearing the story, the sheer scale of what had happened remained difficult to comprehend. Ashmork Village had truly fallen. The clan that had spent generations growing into one of the strongest forces in that part of the Evergreen Forest had been broken in a single campaign.

And with that, Tud’or had finally been avenged.

The thought seemed to settle over everyone at the same time. Their bodies gradually relaxed, and heavy frowns of satisfaction appeared across their faces as they stared toward the ceiling. Tud’or had been gone for some time, but his death had remained an open wound within Vaal’kor. Now the clan responsible for his death had been destroyed. Whatever else happened from this point onward, the old warrior could finally rest knowing that his people had answered his death.

Tong’a eventually shifted his attention back toward Ka’z, studying his crimson and black scales carefully. His old eyes moved across Ka’z’s body before settling on his face.

"Guessing from your appearance, you relied heavily on your Blood Magic, and now you can’t even use any other form of magic," Tong’a said.

Ka’z revealed a bitter smile and nodded slowly. "Against powerful foes who are physically endowed, my Orthodox magic served little to no purpose. I needed something that could make me faster, heal better, and fight more effectively, so yeah, it’s just like you said. I ended up relying on my Blood Magic a bit, and now here I am." Ka’z spread his arms apart, allowing everyone to get a proper look at what his body had become.

Za’r pulled away slightly so she could examine him properly. Her eyes moved over his scales, shoulders, arms, and face, and the more she looked, the more uncomfortable she became.

She had always known that magic could affect a kobold’s appearance. The color of their scales could change, their eyes could develop different characteristics, and their bodies could become altered by the magic they cultivated. But she had never imagined that someone’s appearance could change this dramatically after it had already been established.

"I understand why you would need the Blood Magic to fight monsters like them. That Rudor bastard was nearly impossible to beat as long as he had a source of blood. It could easily be considered one of the strongest forms of magic as long as a fresh source exists." Lan’ka’s voice rang from outside.

Before Ka’z could respond, movement near the entrance caught everyone’s attention. Lan’ka and Tu’ka had appeared at the entrance of the sanctuary, and both were staring directly at Ka’z. The moment Ka’z saw them, he immediately rose from the stool.

Lan’ka smiled and walked forward without hesitation. Ka’z barely had time to open his arms before the older kobold pulled him into a tight embrace.

"You did good, kid... I’m sure Tud’or is proud of you," Lan’ka muttered into his ear before eventually pulling away.

Ka’z smiled faintly and nodded, but his attention immediately shifted toward Tu’ka.

Tu’ka walked toward him, and the two clasped hands firmly. Neither said anything for several seconds. They simply looked at each other and smiled. There was clearly a great deal both wanted to say. Three weeks was a long time to be separated, especially after everything that had happened, but both understood that the sanctuary was not the place for a private conversation.

"I have a lot to tell you," Ka’z said.

Tu’ka nodded. "Me too," he mumbled.

The two released each other’s hands, though their eyes remained on one another for another moment.

"Grash really had a son?" Kurg’s surprised voice suddenly drew everyone’s attention back toward him and then toward Ka’z.

Tu’ka and Lan’ka also turned toward Ka’z with genuine shock. They had clearly not expected that information.

"Yes... Loki," Ka’z said, his expression becoming dull. "He wasn’t as strong as Grash, but I truly believed if you had enough time, he probably would have reached that level in a decade."

Kurg stared at him for a moment before noticing the subtle change in Ka’z’s expression. "You don’t seem happy about it," he said.

Ka’z released a heavy sigh and shook his head. "After killing so many, I don’t think this life is for me. I just want to stay here now, build a village, cultivate, and learn everything I can about the world through the Red Scripture... Have a kid or two..." He paused and looked toward Za’r.

Za’r stared at him in surprise for a moment before her cheeks immediately turned bright red. She lowered her gaze, suddenly becoming very interested in the floor beneath them.

Ka’z smiled faintly before continuing, "And just spend time with all of you..."

He walked back to his seat under everyone’s watchful gaze and sat down again. His hands came together as he rested his elbows against his knees, his eyes lowered toward the floor for several seconds before finally lifting toward them.

"Most of them didn’t even know why the entire war started. Not even Loki or the rest of the village. But still, I had to kill them because we had lost too many to turn back now..." His voice became quieter as he spoke. "I had to kill both their warriors who could fight and civilians who hugged their loved ones tightly before getting cut down. I had to kill mothers..."

Everyone’s eyes widened.

There was something different about the way Ka’z spoke about the goblins now. He was not defending them, nor was he pretending that what they had done to Vaal’kor was acceptable. But for the first time, he was speaking about them as people rather than enemies.

The way he described them forced everyone in the sanctuary to imagine the same scenes he had witnessed. Mothers holding their children. Families clinging to one another. Elderly goblins trying to protect themselves. Warriors fighting because they believed their homes were worth protecting.

Za’r slowly reached over and took Ka’z’s trembling hands between hers.

Ka’z’s gaze rose and met Tong’a’s surprised expression.

"The Greater Kobold has also been rewarding me with darker powers that I believe are corrupting me from within..." Ka’z said quietly. "I’m afraid if I go farther than this, I may become a monster that cannot be around any of you."

His eyes shifted toward Tu’ka and then toward Za’r.

"I don’t want to cross that line. That’s why it’s best I stop now and build on what I have already acquired. I have enough to make my dream a reality... So I won’t overextend."

Ka’z slowly pulled his hands away from Za’r’s grasp and stood.

"That’s why I’m glad that the colony has people like Lan’ka,bTu’ka and Kurg to fight its battles. That way, I can focus on building without fear."

The room became completely silent.

This was probably the first and only time Ka’z had opened himself up to them so completely. He had always been confident, ambitious, and frighteningly decisive whenever danger appeared. Even when everyone else was afraid, Ka’z had seemed to know exactly what needed to be done. Yet now he was admitting that there was a limit he did not want to cross.

O’nil was the first to respond.

"You have already done enough, and I believe it would even be safer for our clan if you remained with us, so I see no problem with your proposal. I believe we need a compassionate leader more than a monster, so I agree," O’nil said.

Ka’z looked at him in surprise.

"Of course..." Tong’a suddenly laughed. "Since you have visions, you can even take over as the new High Priest. We have too many warriors already. I’m too old and need to retire."

Several kobolds immediately laughed at his words.

Ka’z stared at Tong’a for a moment before a smile slowly appeared across his face. He couldn’t help himself. A quiet chuckle escaped him, and soon the entire room was filled with laughter. The heaviness that had settled over the sanctuary began to disappear, replaced by the familiar warmth Ka’z remembered from before he had left the colony for the expedition.

For a few minutes, he was no longer thinking about Ashmork. He was simply Ka’z, sitting among his people.

Eventually, Ka’z left the sanctuary and headed toward the deeper chambers of the colony. His footsteps echoed through the familiar tunnels as he passed several kobolds who greeted him warmly, many still excited about his return. The further he traveled, the quieter the colony became until eventually he reached the final turn.

He stepped through it and entered the massive clearing where Kong’gong sat waiting.

The enormous ancient kobold remained in his usual position, his eyes shut tightly and a faint smile resting on his face. He did not seem surprised by Ka’z’s arrival.

"Welcome back, kid," he chuckled.