^Let’s increase my strength. I need more power.^ Arad smiled, walking out of the giant cave with a belly full of meat.

Strength 21 => strength 22

He clenched his fist with a smile, “Let’s go back. They should be waiting for me.” Arad smiled and started running.

***

On the other side of the forest, A brown-haired woman walked down a stinky cave, ignoring the goblins working around. She lifted her hand, igniting a purple flame as went deeper.

“Eris, you have returned,” A deep voice growled as two purple eyes glowed in the darkness.

Eris sighed, “I did indeed, Father,” She sat on a stone, glaring at the massive purple dragon coiled in the large cavern.

“Let me guess. The twins slipped from your hand. Even though I told you how important they were,” The dragon growled, lifting his head.

“I know, but I couldn’t help it. Claug came out of nowhere and killed that stray wolf,” Eris growled, scratching her head, “Damn it, seven years plan went up in smoke like a cremated corpse.”

“Claug, what brought that crazy bitch there? Shouldn’t she be watching and gawking at human noble ladies’ drama from her spy crystals?” The dragon looked at Eris.

“How could I know,” She sighed, looking at the back of the cavern. She could see a red drakaina chained to the walls. “You have your own hobbies like her, shouldn’t you know?”

“Humph!” Eris’s father snorted, “I snatched her in the forest. It’s none of your business. I Killed her mate and one of her wyrmlings. The last one escaped, so I didn’t bother with it,”

Eris stood, “A purple dragon doesn’t just take the powers of red and blue dragons. You mix their nasty traits as well,” She started walking away.

“Wait. There is something I need you to do around here.” The dragon growled, standing up.

“The Deianira family. I can sense their daughter around here,” He pointed at the cave entrance, “She’s a blond elf with green eyes, bring her to me alive.”

“Deianira? The wind family?” Eris looked back at her father, “Yeah. Her blood is essential if I want my plan to work.”

Eris looked back at her father, scratching her chin, “The elvish necklace. I heard that the humans stole it from the elves. Is that why you need her?”

“Where did you hear about the necklace?” The dragon growled, glaring at her.

“In Rita. Some people in the thief guild were saying that an adventuring party under the leadership of a man named Gojo was trying to steal it back from the royal capital.” Eris growled, “I should have tracked that more.”

“It doesn’t matter. Taking the necklace from the humans is as simple as walking in and grabbing it. My problem is harnessing its power,” The dragon growled, “Damn that Deianira woman, she sent her daughter away from me at the expense of everything.”

“Fine, I will take a walk to the nearby human village and tell you if I found anything, you stay hidden for now.” Eris waved her hand, “Can I take control of the goblins? Using them as a distraction would work perfectly.”

“Do what you like, but I will charge once we find the Deianira girl. I don’t want her slipping out of my hand,”

“Just don’t interfere,” Eris walked out, glaring back at her father and the drakaina he kept in the back.

“If she’s around, she must be in the village. Now how do I make sure no one strong is around her?” Eris smiled, looking at the wiggling goblins.

“I know,” She giggled, “Separate into two groups, the small one head to the east and build a new nest, and the rest remain here but hide.”

Eris glared at the goblins, “I want three-quarters here and the rest in the east.” I won’t repeat it a third time, you idiots,”

She walked back into the cave and stared at the goblins, “Where does Father keep his food?”

“From here, Lady Eris,” A goblin guided her deeper into the cave.

Inside a large chamber, Eris found three chained women and seven men. “The master says women taste sweet, while men are savory.”

Eris sighed, “Father always had a sweet tooth like a red dragon. I guess I can only use men,” She dragged one of the men outside the cave.

Eris smiled, pulling her wand Fire Sigil. She cast a small spell, and the man rolled on the ground, howling in agony. 𝘦𝘯.𝘰𝘳𝘨

This is a simple spell that Eris made. It is lightning to stimulate nerves for pain, as well as fire to burn the flesh beneath the skin in the shape of a sigil.

“Go to the village and find a blond elvish woman with green eyes. Try and find what her weapon and class are. Trick them to send everyone into a goblin nest in the east except her.” Eris smiled.

“What?” The wiggled on the ground, crying as he felt an agonizing burn on his back.

“I don’t care what you tell them or what story you make.”

CRACK! Eris kicked the man in the face, breaking one of his tooths, “I engrained my spell beneath your skin. No mage could detect or dispel it beside me.” She smiled, sitting on a stone.

“If you want me to remove it,” She waved her wand, and the man howled again in pain, writhing on the ground like a dying worm.

“Then make it happen. I want the elf woman alone in the village.” Eris pointed toward the village with her wand. “Hurry up,”

The man stood and turned around, about to run to the village.

GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! The pain returned, and he fell on his face.

Eris laughed, “Sorry, I wanted to remind you one last time. You better make it happen.”

She finally released the man from his agonizing, pain and let him leave toward the village.

***

Back in the village, Arad, Aella, Jack, and Lydia sat around a table at the inn facing Isdis and her guard captain. “How are we going to find the goblins?” Arad asked.