The Monster King's Legacy - Chapter 114

Chapter 114: Realizing a Vision
The following day, a shadow passed over Lance as a gust of wind ruffled his long hair. The ground trembled slightly, signaling the arrival of Aelyndra, as she landed gracefully, her massive wings folding against her sides as she regarded Lance with her piercing golden eyes. “You’re reflecting again, aren’t you?” Aelyndra’s voice echoed in his mind, her tone equal parts uninterested and curious.

Lance chuckled softly. “Am I always that obvious? How come everyone can tell? Can you blame me though?” Lance said, a calm silence stretching over the two for a while before he spoke again. “Without you, Aelyndra, we wouldn’t have made it this far.”

The dragon tilted her head, her pride evident in the subtle way her scales caught the sunlight. “True, but don’t discount your own role. You’ve achieved something remarkable, even for a human.”

Lance took it as a compliment, understanding what she meant.

Regardless, “I still can’t believe you’re here more often now,” Lance said, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips.

The dragon let out a low rumble that sounded like a mix between a laugh and a growl. “And why not? Your people are… intriguing. Different. And besides, the food here is good.”

‘I knew it, it had to be the food…’ Lance thought to himself, smiling faintly.

Some minutes later, in the distance, Zarra could be seen running toward the hill, her smaller frame carrying a bundle of freshly cooked meat. She waved enthusiastically as she approached.

“Your lunch is here!” Zarra called, a grin on her face as usual.

Aelyndra lowered her head, sniffing the offering. “You spoil me, goblin. Keep this up, and I might just become fond of you.”

Zarra rolled her eyes playfully. “You already are, admit it.”

Honestly, Lance couldn’t tell if Zarra was daring, or if Aelyndra was gentle, their conversation always appeared like that of a young student to their teacher.

As the day went on, Aelyndra saw visit from the others as well.

Mira, ever the thoughtful one, brought herbs she believed might be beneficial to a dragon’s health. “I’m not sure if dragons get sick, but it’s better to be prepared,” she said, her green eyes filled with curiosity. Meanwhile, Kaeli arrived with a set of intricately crafted golden chains that would barely fit one of Aelyndra’s fingers.

“Not for wearing,” she explained hastily when Aelyndra raised a scaled brow, or so it appeared. “They’re ceremonial.”

Aelyndra regarded the chains with interest before huffing softly. “You’ve all gone to great lengths to impress me. I admit, it’s… appreciated.”

Lia also prepared something, her calm demeanor masking a hint of nervousness. “You’ve been a guardian to us,” she said softly, placing a golden amulet at Aelyndra’s feet. “This is a token of our gratitude.”

The dragon lowered her head, her golden eyes softening. “You’re a peculiar group,” she said, her voice tinged with amusement. “But I see why Lance values you so highly. Together, you’ve achieved something even dragons would envy.”

“Please, you flatter us… certainly, you are being kind with your words.” Lia said, waving her hands. Aelyndra only laughed it off, not saying more on that matter.

Over the following days, Aelyndra’s presence in the goblin nation became more common. She spent her time observing the people, her immense form both awe-inspiring and oddly comforting to those who had fought alongside her.

The goblin children, fearless in their curiosity, often approached her with questions. “How big were you when you were little?” one child asked, her wide eyes filled with wonder.

“Smaller than you’d think,” Aelyndra replied with a faint rumble of amusement. “But even then, I was fierce.”

“Really?! I want to be fierce too!”

“Yes! Me too!”

“Me too!”

…

In the weeks that followed after the end of the war against the demons, the goblin territory, once a small, struggling tribe fighting for survival, had transformed into a thriving beacon of hope. It had started small, but soon, the news of a sanctuary for monsters had spread far and wide, reaching the ears of various oppressed and displaced tribes of different races. They began to flock to the goblin settlement that could now be called a town or even a city, drawn by the promise of safety and acceptance.

The city, still growing, was a testament to what unity could achieve. Its towering walls stood as a symbol of strength and protection. Following the invasion of the world by the demons, a lot of smaller tribes of different races had lost their homes and people, either because it got destroyed, or because their food sources were no more and they had to move.

The orcs, inspired by Lance’s vision, sent delegations to join the sanctuary. Their strength and resilience was sure to bolster the growing army, and the fact that they too had a shaman was a great addition.

Even the ogres, a race rarely seen due to their isolation and distrust of others, sent emissaries. Their towering forms drew stares from the other races, but their surprisingly gentle demeanor and unmatched physical strength made them invaluable allies. Perhaps, the gentleness was only due to the fact that they sort help in that moment, and were smart enough not to just pick anyone for the task.

Regardless, Lance welcomed each new group that joined them personally, ensuring they felt not only safe but valued.

After much had joined them, Lance saw it fit to hold a welcoming ceremony. Of course, Aelyndra was there as always, bolstering the believe of the different races in Lance and his leadership, after all, dragons were legendary creatures, and they wouldn’t just favour anyone.

“This isn’t just my dream,” he told a newly arrived beastkin elder during a welcoming ceremony. “It’s our dream, a place where no one is judged by their race or their past, but by the strength of their character and their willingness to build something better.”

The elder, her eyes glistening with tears, bowed deeply. “You’ve done what no one else dared to even dream, Chief Lance. You’ve given us hope.”

“Please, it is only natural.” He said, consoling her briefly.

…

With their ever growing numbers, the Goblin territory now officially stretched far even into the orc lands where they still primarily resided and the now abandoned beastkin lands. For the mean time, there was still no way to cleanse the lands, but Lance had not forgotten yet.

Managing such a diverse and rapidly growing population was no small task, but Lance had built a strong foundation of leadership. Naturally, those closest to him were going to take the more important roles, managing the rest who would fall under them.

Rynne now oversaw the general military, ensuring that the sanctuary remained well-defended. A unified army had naturally formed comprising of anyone who could fight and volunteered to join. Irrespective of those who chose to join of their own volition, each race was mandated to have some of their warriors in the military. Of course, races who had the number for it like the orcs still retained a separate army, also because they lived away from the capital.

Mira, after awakening anew, was now regarded with greater regard by everyone, so she naturally became the head of anything medical. With the rapidly developing infrastructure, the medical network was expanded across every major zone, establishing clinics and training new healers from every race, who were interested. Of course, even though not all of them would be able to use healing magic or even any magic for that matter, they could still do other things like picking herbs, brewing medicines, and much more.

Zarra led the scouting and intelligence efforts, keeping the sanctuary informed of potential threats and opportunities. Her branch was in close relations with the military, though, with the way it was set up, they still answered to Lance rather than being a branch of the military.

As for Kaeli, she remained the only proper blacksmith and got her own forge, constructed to the best of the ability of the artisans, while Lia became the spiritual heart of the sanctuary, her wisdom and magic bringing solace to those in need. The temple she oversaw became a place of unity, where members of all races came to pray, reflect, and find guidance. Though she was not the most experienced shaman, the orc shaman had refused to take the role, instead, opting to teach Lia all she knew. Since she had grown old, she felt it was better to pass on what she knew to the younger generation, and since she couldn’t find an orc who possessed the gift for it, Lia was the only option.

As the sanctuary flourished, so did the perception of goblins. Once seen as outcasts and one of the lowest of monsters, goblins were now recognized as leaders of a new era.

Melina, who was better known as Liriel by Lance and others, would often visit the city, marveling at the rapid transformation each time she came around. Though, as the elves were also in their own period of transformation, there had been no talk of an official meeting between both leaders. Of course, Lance still thought that Cauldrus was the King of the Elves, and Melina played into it without shedding any light on the matter.

The sanctuary continued to grow, its influence spreading far beyond its borders. With the influence of the beastkin in particular, they were also able to form trade routes that connected the city to distant human lands, as they were the ones bordering the Wild lands occupied by the monsters.