Chapter 37: Gathering of Minions

  The lizardfolk spoke in Draic, believing it to be a nguage imparted by the a dragons.

  Lizardfolk tribes living within a dragon's domain often offer tribute to gain its favor. Evil dragons, in turn, utilize lizardfolk for their own sinister purposes, turning them into raiders and pilgers.

  Thus, the old shaman made what might have been a wise judgment, drawing on araditions.

  "Let us hope so."

  "I only wish to lead our tribe… to survive."

  Seeing the valley already filling up, Ack quietly led his tribe to a more secluded er.

  Previously, they had lost over twenty members to the monsters lurking in the darkness of the caves—they could not afford further losses.

  "It will be as you wish."

  The old shaman observed the various minions moving around and said this calmly.

  Unlike ily evil races, these lizardfolk were more like cold-blooded reptiles.

  They held no traditional moral pass, sidering good and evil to be fn cepts. As true ral beings, they would kill when necessary and do whatever it took to survive.

  Meanwhile, territorial disputes tinued.

  "Raaaawr—"

  Twelve wyverns roared as they desded, g the rgest ro the valley.

  The goblins and kobolds quickly scattered, fearful of being crushed by an unwary wyvern, which would meaaih.

  But then an even louder roar echoed from above.

  The chimera, indisputably the hero of the ret battle, arrived to join the assembly, still scarred but brimming with a fierce aura, driving the wyverns away.

  Taking up a rge area for itself, the chimera y there, and no one dared approach.

  "Brainless beast."

  Langpu, standing at the forefront, gnced sidelong at the boasting chimera and deliberately adjusted his disproportionately small silver-rimmed gsses with a lofty air.

  Yet, as the official elder of the valley and the Ember ’s steward—and one of its few spellcasters—he had every right to feel superior.

  "Indeed, indeed."

  "Everyone knows you're the master’s true fidant."

  Kobold Gold-Fang squeezed o Langpu, grinning obsequiously, sycophantically praising him. Standing beside the three-meter-tall ogre mage, his own stature appeared even smaller and more hunched.

  After offending hobgoblin leader Dolo st time, Gold-Fang had resolved to g to the ogre mage’s “mighty legs.” Only by doing so could he secure his position among the kobolds and barely pete with the goblins.

  Langpu snorted, but his heart brimmed with smug satisfa.

  "Boss, I’m so hungry."

  "Is the master gonna give us meat?"

  "With so many goblins here, surely he’ll let us feast on gobli."

  The ogres discussed their hunger loudly, sending shivers down the spines of the nearby goblins, who instinctively moved further away. Some even sidered rep this to Dolo.

  Langpu’s face darkened as he saw this, smag the ogre “Big Head” on the head with his staff.

  "Eat, eat! All you think about is eating!"

  Big Head rubbed his head, looking aggrieved, and tried to speak in his defense.

  Langpu sternly called the ogres over.

  He drew a goblin figure on the ground with a stick, writing “ally” beside it in on and poio it, saying as gently as he could:

  "Now, repeat after me: ally."

  "Food!"

  The ogres shouted in unison.

  Langpu’s smile froze, and his face darkened, his grip tightening oaff as veins popped on his hand.

  Although they had been allies for some time, the goblins nearby felt even more terrified, wishing to slip away immediately lest they bee some ogre’s snack.

  Hobgoblin leader Dolo stood not far off, watg Langpu’s efforts with the ogres, and a flicker of rese crossed his small yellow eyes—after all, it was this ogre mage who had retly embarrassed him before the master.

  "Look at these ogres."

  "I wonder if their brains hold any thoughts beyond food."

  "How could creatures like this ever mahe Ember ?"

  With his arms crossed, Dolo muttered to the nearby bugbears, his voice low but clear enough for everyone nearby to hear.

  The ogres couldn’t quite uand his words, but they picked up on the mog tone, hefting their clubs and gring in response.

  "Roar! Roar!"

  "Keen to be goblin snacks?"

  The bugbears instantly formed a protective line in front of Dolo. Although not as tall as the ogres, they were just as brawny and far better trained.

  Even the regur gobliantly stepped up, standing as a relut support.

  "What’s that supposed to mean?"

  "Ugly giant, back off!"

  The ogre mage eyed Dolo coldly from behind the bugbears before saying:

  "Leader Dolo, the master already warned you st time. I hope you've learned your lesson and won’t cause trouble again."

  Though phrased as advice, Dolo took it as a veiled insult.

  He immediately fred with anger, his already red skin darkening further.

  "Langpu, what do you mean by that?"

  The ogre mage looked down at him and said, "The master personally called this gathering. If you cause trouble here—well, I don’t o spell out the sequences, do I?"

  "Hmph, we’ll see."

  "Follow me."

  Dolo shen turned and led his followers to another spot.

  His face looked especially sour.

  He hadn’t inteo csh with the ogres at su important gathering; he’d only wao score some points verbally to undermine Langpu’s influence. But instead, he had lost fatirely.

  Gold-Fang sidled up to Langpu with a few kobolds, smirking and tinuing his fttery without restraint:

  "Those rude goblins really don’t know their pce. Your wisdom is beyond anything they could hope to match."

  The kobolds found great amusement in seeing the gobli put in their pce.

  "Roar—"

  A distant, imposing roar came from above.

  Instantly, the various monsters in the valley, regardless of whether they had been bickering, shouting, or scuffling, stopped what they were doing and looked skyward.

  Silence fell over the valley; the cacophony ceased.

  From above, the red dragon desded, spreading his wings as he op the highest cliff.

  His shadow stretched out, bing his gathered minions.

  —The host of this assembly had finally arrived.