Survival Life as a Goblin Chapter 28 (Patreon)

Hey friends and fans! It’s been a bit, but another Tier Reward was used to update the Original Writing!

Now that the Koh Tribe has new weapons and tools, it’s time to become familiar with them and learn to use them as well as possible!

Sounds like it’s time for Koh and Ria, as the leaders of the Tribe, to show their tribesmen why they’re the leaders! Get into the sparring circle! Handicaps and four-on-one matches!

The future of the Tribe looks bright, for now, but good leaders plan for the future. What will the Koh Tribe need to do to continue their way of life?

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

-Day 347-

Koh looked at his opponents as they stood across from him. Yog, Tay, Vawa, and Nisa readied their weapons, the new steel spears that they’d gotten from Shosai and Asami yesterday. It was a four on one sparring match to help the members get used to their new weapons, and it would only be the first of many that both Koh and Ria were taking on today.

“Whenever you’re ready.” Koh beckoned his tribesmen to begin the spar with a smirk that revealed one of his fangs.

Yog spoke up before anyone could charge in. “Just to make sure… You aren’t going to use your Spirit Magic on us, right?”

Nisa, Vawa, and Tay all looked at Koh for his answer. None of them wanted to be on the opposite side of their Chieftain’s most powerful magic.

“I said I wouldn’t.” Koh reassured the four of them with a chuckle. “I even left my staff over there.” He pointed off to the side of the circle in the dirt that marked the limit of their sparring area. His newly improved Shaman Staff was stuck in the ground at the edge, like a silent observer to the upcoming spar.

“Okay! Let’s go then!” Nisa yelled out as she charged in with her spear.

Vawa was close behind her sister with her own spear. Tay and Yog decided to go to the left and right to flank Koh with their spears.

Koh drew his new shortsword and left his left hand empty. “Good tactics, so far.” He praised the four Hobgoblins as they closed in quickly.

“Got ya!” Nisa thrust her spear forward, aiming for Koh’s armored chest so that he wouldn’t be injured much at all.

Koh simply pivoted his feet and moved out of the line of the thrust.

“Huh?” Nisa’s eyes widened at the dodge.

“Watch out!” Vawa thrust her spear at Koh to buy her sister some time to reset.

“Good, good.” Koh nodded as he backstepped and Vawa’s spearhead passed through empty air too. With a snap, flames sprang to life in Koh’s left hand and he threw them like a baseball straight at Yog.

“Ack!” Yog halted his advance and raised his spear, scattering the fireball that had been heading straight for him.

Tay nearly had Koh’s back now as he thrust his spear forward. “He can still use Magic!”

Koh deflected the spearhead with his shortsword and took two quick steps to get into Tay’s guard. “Yep!” He slapped his left hand into Tay’s Scale Armor Breastplate and unleashed a small fireball point blank.

Fwoom

The flames launched Tay backwards, making the Hobgoblin stumble and fall on his ass.

“Knowing as much as you can about your opponent is very important in battle.” Koh reminded his tribesman, both the ones that he was sparring with as well as those watching the spar. Flames crackled to life in his left hand again. “You all know about my Goblin Flame ability. I’m not limited to just Spirit Magic.”

Vawa swung her spear this time, instead of going for another thrust. “Dodge this!”

“Get him!” Nisa swung her spear from the opposite direction.

Koh grinned at the teamwork and dropped into a low crouch, letting both spears swing above his head. The flames still burning within his palm were thrown at Vawa’s feet, making the female Hobgoblin stumble backwards quickly. Nisa swung her spear in the opposite direction after only second to recover from her initial swing, this time aiming low at Koh’s crouched form.

“Hup!” Koh leapt straight upwards from his crouched position with all the force that his legs could muster. The spear passed through where he’d just been and he landed on the dirt easily.

Clack

Koh’s blade met Nisa’s hastily raised spear shaft as she blocked his swing.

“Fast…” Nisa grunted as she pushed back against Koh’s strength.

“Yah!” Yog let out a battle cry as he thrust his spear towards Koh’s back.

“Hyah!” Tay was right beside Yog as he thrust his spear from the right side.

Koh grinned, the fight sparking the natural instincts of a Goblin, as he stepped back and to the left. Letting Yog’s spearhead barely brush against Nisa’s armor, while Tay’s thrust stabbed the air between Koh and Nisa. With a quick pivot and spin, flames erupted from Koh’s left hand again as he threw another fireball at Yog, nearly point blank.

“Gah!” Yog cried out as the Goblin Flame slammed into his armor and the flames made a brief cloud around him before they faded.

Tay’s eyes widened as Koh grabbed the shaft of his spear and roughly jerked him forward. “Ack!” He cried out as Koh tripped him, making Tay crash to the dirt.

Vawa swung her spear again, looking to strike Koh from behind.

“Huh?” Vawa’s eyes widened as Koh dropped low, placing his left hand on the ground while his legs bent beneath him.

Koh shot forward, his shortsword making a sharp shriek against Vawa’s armor. The blade had crossed straight across her stomach, and had this been a real fight to the death, she’d have just been given a fatal injury if not for her armor. As that thought registered to Vawa, Koh placed his left hand on her lightly scratched armor and blasted her with Goblin Flame, sending her rolling backwards along the ground and lying on her stomach a second later.

“Yah!” Nisa thrust her spear forward again, aiming to knock Koh backwards toward Yog.

“Good.” Koh saw the idea as Nisa’s thrust would be just long enough to reach him while keeping her at a safe distance from his shortsword.

Yog swung his spear in a wide arc, the blade aiming for Koh’s back. The Hobgoblin was keeping silent this time to not give away his position and intent.

Koh surprised both Nisa and Yog as he skipped to this left, moving away from Nisa’s thrust while, at the same time, putting him outside of Yog’s swing.

Shing

Spearhead met shortsword as Tay’s thrust was parried by Koh.

“Make use of your numbers advantage.” Koh nodded even as he shoved the spearhead aside and blasted Tay with a fireball of Goblin Flame.

“Gah!” Tay cried out as he rapidly backpedaled to escape the flames.

Over in the second sparring area, Ria was facing off against Ney, Ama, Myr, and Taya. Three spears and one axe, as opposed to four spears like Koh’s opponents. Another difference was the large smile, showing off her fangs, that Ria was giving her opponents as they sparred. The War Priestess was clearly in her element as she wielded her new Lightning Sword.

“Come on! You won’t win if you’re too scared to get close!” Ria laughed as she swung her sword, letting a crackling arc of lightning follow the blade.

“Says the girl throwing around lightning!” Ney shouted back as she swung her spear at Ria.

Ama agreed with Ney as she thrust her spear at Ria from the left. “She’s right, Ria!”

Ria only laughed as she backstepped to avoid the swing of the first spear, then pivoted to avoid the thrust of the second spear. She swung her sword, letting lightning fly towards Taya before spinning one-hundred-eighty degrees to block Myr’s steel battleaxe. “You closed the distance while I was distracted! Good job!” She praised the axeman before flowing her mana into her magic sword.

Zzzttt

“Ow!” Myr barked out as he staggered backwards from the shock. The haft of his axe was wood, so it didn’t conduct electricity… But that didn’t save him from the sparks that leapt from the head of his axe onto him.

“Yah!” Ney thrust her spear at Ria’s back.

“Hah!” Ama was right beside her aiming for a spot just slightly lower on Ria.

Ria felt her Battle Sense Skill practically warning her of the incoming attacks and she skipped to the right before pivoting and swinging her sword. Lightning leapt through the air and forced Ney and Ama back. “This sword really helps control the space of battle.” Ria said to herself as she was practically able to dictate just how close her opponents could get to her.

Taya swung her spear from Ria’s left and the War Priestess blocked the spearhead with her blade. “Darn it! I thought I had you!” Taya grimaced at Ria.

“Not yet!” Ria grinned as she knocked the spearhead aside and lunged forward with a stab towards Taya.

“Same to you!” Taya countered as she backstepped and brought the shaft of her spear towards Ria’s head.

Ria ducked low, letting the wooden haft miss her, only ruffling her hair as it passed overhead. Her eyes widened as her Battle Sense went off again and she shot to the right as Myr’s battleaxe came down on where she’d just been. Not letting Myr reset, Ria swung her sword and left a scratch across his armor, right over his chest where his heart was.

“Whoa!” Myr took two steps back as he processed the lethal blow he’d have taken if this was a real fight. Ria hadn’t even hit him with lightning with that strike, even though she could’ve.

Ney swung her spear at Ria from the left.

Ama swung her spear at Ria from the right.

Ria jumped straight backwards, putting herself between her sisters with a wide grin on her face.

“Crap!” Ney cried out.

“Oh no…!” Ama knew what was going to happen.

Lightning sparked from Ria’s sword as she tapped the pommel into Ama’s side and the back of the blade touched Ney’s chest.

Zzzttt

“Gah!” Ney and Ama both cried out as they hit the ground, both lightly twitching.

Taya rushed in along with Myr as the lightning faded away. A spear thrust forced Ria to backstep and, using the brief opening, Myr swung his axe towards Ria’s chest.

“Great!” Ria surprised Myr and everyone watching as she took a step forward instead of backwards. She was suddenly right in Myr’s face as his battleaxe hit nothing and his arm was caught by Ria’s left hand, keeping the axeman from using his weapon.

The magic sword scored another scratch across Myr’s armor, one that would’ve gutted him had this been a real fight. Before Myr could even fully realize that, Ria kicked out his foot and then slammed him to the ground.

“Crap!” Taya cried out as she raised a hasty block as Ria lunged at her, sword first. Blade met spear shaft ad the sisters struggled against each other for a moment. “Nnn…yah!” Taya managed to push Ria back, but not in the way she intended.

Ria had stopped meeting Taya’s force with her own. The War Priestess rocked back a bit before grabbing the shaft of the spear and forcing it down, then placing the blade of her sword against Taya’s neck.

Taya let out a sigh, feeling a bit of sweat on her face. “I yield. You win.”

“You did great, Taya!” Rias beamed at her sister as she removed her sword and looked at Ney, Ama, and Myr as they were all getting back to their feet. “You all did well! It was fun!”

“Fun, she says…” Ama groaned out as she stretched a bit.

Ney was doing the same as she stretched and flexed her hands a bit. “That magic sword is almost unfair, Ria.” She playfully pouted.

“Makes it hard to get close.” Myr nodded in agreement as he rubbed his head. “But even when we get close…it doesn’t turn out much better.”

“Still, I feel like I have a better understanding of my new spear now.” Taya said with a little smile. “Once I’m fully used to it, I don’t think we’ll lose as badly again.”

Ria giggled and waved Taya’s words away. “You all did great, I’m serious. You’re all helping me get used to my new sword too, you know?” She smiled at her weapon a little, loving that it was both useful and a gift from her Mate.

“Is it lunchtime yet?” Myr asked as his stomach rumbled.

That got a laugh from the girls as Ney looked up towards the sky to check the position of the sun.

“Looks like they’ll be starting to cook soon.” Ney said as she looked back at Myr. “You’ll have to wait a bit longer.”

Myr shrugged and rested his battleaxe over his shoulder as he walked towards the edge of the circle in the dirt. “I’ll watch the next spar while I wait then.”

-Lunch-

The smell of food was in the air as the Koh Tribe enjoyed another meal.

At the table where Ria and Koh sat with Ney, Wren, and Sae, a certain topic was brought up by the girls.

“So… Ria, when can we expect to see the next generation begin?” Ney asked with a playful grin.

Sae perked up, the Herbalist healer looking at Ria with bright, curious eyes. “Oh? Are you planning for children, Ria?”

Wren chuckled as he looked at Koh. “With the noise those two made last night, I’m sure we’ll have some little Goblits running around eventually.”

“Goblits?” Koh deadpanned at Wren for the silly name he’d come up with for Goblin children.

Ria leaned into Koh with a cute smile. “I’m sure we’ll be blessed in time.”

Koh wrapped his arm around Ria’s waist and pulled her closer. “When the time comes.” He didn’t mind the idea of children at all. “We’re certainly making progress on being even better at taking care of the Tribe’s needs thanks to our new steel tools from Shosai and Asami.”

It was true that the quality tools had seen a noticeable increase in the Koh Tribe’s hunting and gathering. Steel woodcutting axes had increased the rate that they could chop and gather firewood, building up their supply for various tasks as well as for the next winter. The machetes made harvesting bamboo easier and hacking paths through the Silua Forest had sped up as well, making it easier to get to good foraging locations for the tribe. Hunting was still going well and the new steel knives made skinning their prey easier, so they had more pelts and leather to work with for making clothing.

“We might need to take in another smaller Goblin Tribe to fully balance out our population in the future.” Sae said with a thoughtful look on her face. “A lot of us are still almost directly related, and while the former members of the Mak Tribe that we took in helped balance us balance out a bit, there are still some of us without Mate prospects.”

“True.” Ney nodded as she considered the male to female ratio and that the majority all came from the Rull Tribe originally.

Wren looked at Koh a second later. “Should we make finding another Goblin Tribe a priority this spring?” It shouldn’t be too hard to find another Tribe, even if they did have to trek a fair distance through the immense Silua Forest.

“Hmm…” Koh hummed as he thought about the population of his tribe and the disparity between males and females. “It couldn’t hurt, but we’d need to make sure that we weren’t running afoul of another Tribe’s territory on our search. We’ve all seen enough fighting against the Orcs as it is. It would be just our luck to stumble upon another Orc Tribe and initiate a tribal war if we’re not careful.”

“That could be a problem.” Ney said with a little sigh. “I don’t think we’d lose or anything; but the risk isn’t really worth it.”

“Yeah, no real reason to start a war, even if accidentally.” Ria agreed with Ney. “Securing our tribe’s place here is the most important thing to do right now. We can always increase our population with another Goblin Tribe a bit later, once we’re sure that nothing around here can remove us from our home.”

Koh nodded, fully agreeing with Ria on their current priorities. “Exactly. We should focus on meeting, or exceeding, all of the Tribe’s needs and then focus on expansion later. We’ve found a great home, let’s focus on keeping it from any that might want to take it for themselves.”

Sae giggled as a playful little smile spread over her face. “Well, as long as the rest of us girls don’t become as baby-crazy as Ria, I don’t think we’d have to worry about too any little ‘Goblits’ running around any time soon.”

“I’m not calling our little ones that.” Koh deadpanned at Sae.

Ria stuck her tongue out at Sae. “I’m not that baby-crazy.”

“You are.” Ney got in on teasing Ria with a smirk.

Wren looked amused, but smartly stayed quiet, lest he attract Ria’s wrath by accident. He simply drank from his cup, hiding his little smirk as the girls teased and argued with each other.

Koh, chuckling at the playful banter, hugged Ria into his side and kissed her cheek. “Let’s sit atop the wall tonight before bed, just the two of us.”

Ria smiled brightly at Koh. “Okay!” She snuggled into his side with a happy giggle.

“Lucky.” Sae and Ney grinned at Ria.

“I know…” Ria teased them both right back with a smile.

“So… Is there anything else we need to focus on specifically to secure our home?” Wren decided to move the conversation along again. If given the chance, the girls might just spend the rest of lunch teasing each other. “We have a good grasp of our own territory and we know, and are peaceful with, most of our neighbors.”

Koh thought about what else they needed to do to keep their home safe. “Finding out the rest of our neighbors would be a good idea. We know the Gnomes are on the other side of the mountain. Shosai and Asami are a good way beyond the pond and the bamboo grove. There should be another Orc Tribe somewhere out there as well, but we don’t know their exact location.”

“There’s always the possibility that we could have other neighbors that we don’t know about yet too.” Ria pointed out just how vast the area around their territory was. “The Silua Forest is so large that it makes it hard to know who lives where.”

“Maybe we need to make a map?” Koh had no memories of making such a thing from ‘before’. So map making would be entirely new to him as well.

“A map?” Ney clearly didn’t know the term.

Koh nodded once. “It’s drawing a certain area and then marking down everything in it. The rivers, the different locations, who lives in which territory and how big it is, good hunting and foraging areas, things like that.”

“That would be helpful.” Wren agreed, knowing just how easy it could be to get lost if you didn’t leave marks to trace your way back through the forest.

“What would we draw the map on though?” Sae asked curiously.

Ria looked to Koh. “Is there something we can make to write on?”

“We might have to see if the Gnomes have paper, or can get it from the human settlement at the far end of the mountains.” Koh thought about what avenues were open to them to acquire what they needed to make a few maps of their area of the Silua Forest.

“What’s paper?” Ney asked curiously.

Koh chuckled as he started to explain the basics that he knew of paper.

-Night-

Sitting atop the wall that surrounded their cave home, Ria and Koh looked up and admired the night sky together.

“The moon is beautiful when it’s full.” Ria smiled at the silvery moon.

“Not as beautiful as you.” Koh said as she held her close.

Ria giggled and gently nudged him. “You’re silly.”

Koh agreed with a chuckle as he left a gentle kiss on Ria’s cheek.

The two watched the moon and the stars for a while, just enjoying being together and their closeness.

It was Koh that first noticed something odd in the far distance. “Hm?” He narrowed his eyes to try and see better, but blinked in confusion at what was near the horizon. “It’s glowing?”

“What’s glowing?” Ria questioned as she looked in the direction that Koh was looking in.

“That thing.” Koh pointed at the glowing thing that was getting larger, clearly getting closer to their home, even if it was still very fair away.

Ria blinked and rubbed her eyes. “I don’t see anything, Koh.”

Koh looked between the glowing thing and Ria before it dawned on him. “That’s a Spirit?!” He focused more on the large glowing thing as it got closer.

“A Spirit?” Ria followed Koh’s gaze and tried to see the Spirit, even though it probably wasn’t possible for her.

The massive Spirit was finally close enough for Koh to make it out properly a few minutes later. It towered over even the tallest trees of the Silua Forest and possessed the form of a deer. It’s four legs seemed to make a breeze pass throughout the forest where it walked. It’s regal stature under the moonlight only made it glow more, making Koh look upon the Spirit in awe. The soft green glow of its body was matched only by the silver and gold glow from its massive antlers that would’ve casted branch-like shadows over a wide swath of the forest, if Spirits were able to cast shadows. The eyes were a soft color, reminiscent of the stars in the sky above as the immense Spirit continued its walk through the forest…or perhaps over the forest would be more appropriate for what it was doing.

[Great Nature Spirit]

Analyze worked as the massive deer Spirit got just close enough on its path across the forest.

“Great Nature Spirt?” Koh mumbled out in confusion. “It’s not aligned to any specific Element?” It was only as Koh continued to watch the titanic Spirit that he realized why it was a ‘Nature Spirit’ instead of a Plant, Earth, Light, or anything else, type of Spirit. “It’s all of them…” He breathed out in shock.

The Great Nature Spirit wasn’t aligned with any single Element, but all of them. It’s body glowed with Plant, Earth, Wind, Water, and even Fire. It’s antlers were Light, it’s eyes Darkness, and if it was winter, or storming right now, then Koh fully believed that the Spirit would have Ice and Lightning within it as well.

“Koh?” Ria said, trying to get her Mate’s attention since he hadn’t even blinked for an extended period of time. “Koh?” She lightly shook him.

“I’m here.” Koh blinked, only now realizing that he’d been staring. “Sorry… It’s just, so…amazing.” He couldn’t think of any other way to describe the Great Nature Spirit.

Ria looked at the same area that Koh was looking. “I wish I could see it too.”

Koh looked at Ria’s wistful expression and took hold of his Shaman Staff with his right hand. He focused on the Great Nature Spirit in the distance and reached out with his mana, connecting the Light Spirits form the moonlight into an ever-lengthening ‘chain’ to try and get close to the immense deer-shaped Spirit.

‘It’s so far away…’ Koh realized that just trying to reach out to the Great Nature Spirit was making his mana noticeably fall. ‘Even keeping the ‘chain’ as thin as possible so that it takes less mana isn’t going to help if this keeps up.’ He wasn’t expecting the Great Nature Spirit to suddenly stop walking and for one of its dark, starlight eyes to suddenly focus in Koh’s direction.

The Great Nature Spirit would normally never even notice most creatures within the forest it walked through. It was an existence so different from them and so high among the Spirits that it was almost never noticed at all, despite its great size and power. But on this night, the large and long connection of little Light Spirits had caught its attention long before they could hope to reach it. It simply looked in the direction of the said gathering of little Spirits and focused on the one helping them bind together so unnaturally. For just a moment, the Great Nature Spirit extended its own vast ocean of mana to lightly touch the chain of Light Spirits.

“Oh!” Ria’s eyes widened as she suddenly saw a truly MASSIVE creature appear before her eyes. It towered over the Silua Forest with an ethereal glow about it that seemed to even put the moon to shame. “A deer?” She blinked as she took in what had to be the Great Nature Spirit that Koh was seeing. “Beautiful…” She murmured out.

Koh’s grip on his Shaman Staff was tight enough to make his knuckles white. It suddenly felt as if he’d been dropped deep into the ocean, pressure crushing him from all sides. His mana nearly vanished, leaving him with a head-spinning feeling as he reeled from the force and feeling of depletion. The feeling went away in only a second, but to Koh it might as well have been a full minute or more.

The Great Nature Spirit had vanished, only visible for a second as it connected to Koh through his Shaman Skills and briefly became visible through that connection. The Spirit continued on its way, the unnatural chain of Light Spirits in the night having dispersed almost the same instant that it had shown a tiny fragment of interest in it. The Great Nature Spirit wouldn’t even recall this experience by the time the sun rose, so ancient it was…but to the two Hobgoblins that had seen it, they would remember it forever.

“Koh?” Ria noticed her Mate’s sudden change in posture as he began to slump against her.

“Did you get to see it?” Koh asked Ria softly as he leaned against her with a small smile on his tired face.

Ria’s golden eyes widened as she realized what Koh had done for her. “Y-You dummy…” She kissed his lips and pulled him into a hug. “I saw it. It was beautiful.”

Koh sighed as he enjoyed Ria’s love and affection. “I’m glad.”

“Come on.” Ria wiped away a happy tear from her eye at what Koh had done for her. “We’ll get you a Mana Tonic and then we’ll sleep.” She helped Koh to his feet and they slowly walked towards the nearby ladder.

“Sounds good.” Koh said with a tired chuckle. “I don’t think I’d survive another round of nightly activities right now.”

Ria giggled softly and helped Koh down the ladder. “We’ll save it for tomorrow night then.” She walked closely next to Koh as they headed for the cave, supporting his weight so that he could stay on his feet. “You definitely deserve a reward for letting me see that amazing Spirit.”

Koh smiled as Ria brought him into their bedroom and laid him down on their bed of furs and the large mattress beneath them. “Looking forward to it.”

“Drink.” Ria smiled down at Koh as she brought over a small bottle of the Mana Tonic that they made from the recipe that Pojun had traded them.

“Kinda bitter.” Koh mentioned after drinking the tonic.

Ria put out the small oil lamp in their bedroom and slipped into bed with Koh, cuddling up to him as she tossed the blankets over them both. “Get some sleep, Koh.” She kissed his lips softly.

“Love you, Ria.” Koh said once their lips separated.

“Love you too.” Ria returned his love with her own as they cuddled and drifted off to sleep.

-End Chapter-

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Have all of the warm and fluffy domestic bliss!

Koh sees a Spirit that he never even knew existed! A Great Nature Spirit that roams the continent-spanning Silua Forest!

It is like nature itself, being composed of every Element at the same time. Its power is great and its existence is rare to even notice, much less see!

But Koh is Koh and his Mate wanted to see the Great Nature Spirit, so he was going to try and make that happen for her! Such a doting ‘husband’ he is!

Ria gets a brief look at the Great Nature Spirit while Koh quickly experiences the negative effects of getting even a fraction of such a powerful Spirit’s attention. A Shaman he may be, but some things are FAR beyond Koh and always will be.

The world is vast, but surviving in their territory within the forest is what’s important to the Koh Tribe. And they still don’t know everything that’s around them, after all.

Seems like it’s time to make a map!

What will the Koh Tribe find around their territory?

Keep reading to find out!

Until I can update this again, later!