Chapter 16: The Kobold Escape

  Another half month passed, and snowfkes began to drift down Storm High Cliffs.

  The Rock Fortress now stood tall at the entrance of the "Ember ," blog all intruders.

  The goblins, sensitive to the cold, huddled together in makeshift camps within the valley for warmth, while the ogres had slightly better aodations, occupying rge caves where they snored loudly in their slumber.

  Cassius y in a half-slumber in the Giant’s Maw Cave, yawning out sulfurous breaths that filled the cave with smoke.

  Red dragons are naturally drawn to warmth, and the geothermal heat within the cave made it hard for him to leave.

  Several wyverns lingered he cave entrance, supposedly to guard their master, but really to bask in the warmth seeping from within.

  Cassius allowed this zy dispy of loyalty without ent.

  Langpu had found a cozy and hidden cavern to serve as his library, where he spent his days studying his colle of books, stantly menting to Cassius about the goblin army’s weakness and their inability to rob any human caravans for new books.

  "Aroo—"

  The wyverns cirg above let out a howl.

  That sou—someone roag.

  Cassius perked up, pushing himself up with his limbs, shaking out his wings before leaving the cave and s into the sky.

  Over the past few weeks, he had dotle besides sleep or study spells within the cave.

  On the food front, the hobgoblins led a well-trained hunting squad, trapping several mammoths and delivering one specifically to the Giant’s Maw Cave.

  Life for the red dragon was a matter of stretg out his cws and having everything he needed delivered.

  Just when he was feeling the pangs of boredom, a diversioed itself.

  The wyverns clustered he entrance quickly scrambled out of his way, bowing their heads respectfully and creating a clear path for him, following closely behind.

  As Cassius flew to the valley entrand looked down upon the visitors in front of Rock Fortress, his i waned.

  At the gate, there was a group of sy, small humanoids, about a hundred of them.

  Covered in scales ranging from dark brown to bck, with heads resembling a blend on and dog, and small pale horns on their foreheads—these were kobolds, cave-dwelliilian humanoids that often revered evil dragons as demigods.

  This group of kobolds was clearly in poor dition; many bore wounds and bloodstains, huddling together in fear beh the gate, chattering noisily.

  Cassius could dis the Draiguage in their yelping, though it sounded more like chaotic barking.

  "It’s the mighty dragon!"

  "It really is a dragon!"

  A kobold struggled to raise its head, catg sight of the red dragon above, a out a cry of awe.

  "We are saved!"

  At once, all the kobolds colpsed to their knees, muttering muddled Draic like reverent worshippers witnessing a miracle.

  "Boom—"

  The red dragon desded with a thundering crash, sending snow scattering around the gate.

  "Why have you e?" (in Draic)

  Uhe bloodline’s a pressure, the kobolds remained prostrate, uo look up.

  After a moment, a slightly sturdier kobold pushed through the group and stumbled forward.

  It threw itself at the red dragon’s feet, barking out Draic with a tohat verged on sobbing: "Great Dragon, we’ve e to seek refuge with you—"

  The red dragon coldly looked down at the tiny creature, as if a mere flick of his body could turn it into a smear on the ground.

  These kobolds supposedly shared a sliver on blood in their lineage and had a natural ination to serve evil dragons. However, their strength was negligible, and with goblins avaible as substitutes, they held little value to him.

  Seeing ion from the dragon, the kobold dared to raise its head slightly, its expression deeply sorrowful: "Our kin were all devoured by that monster, leaving only a few of us. We felt your powerful presend came to pledge ourselves to you."

  The mention of a "monster" piqued Cassius’s i.

  "If I take you in, what you kobolds offer me?"

  The kobold’s eyes gleamed at this sign of hope, and it quickly answered, "Gold! We bring you lots of gold!"

  "Our eribe once lived in a mine, ensved by human smugglers to dig fold. We know the mine's yout, the veins' paths, and the richest deposits."

  The kobolds behind it nodded fervently.

  "Yes, yes."

  "That’s right, I used to dig up gold the size of my head every day."

  "Great Dragon, you must accept us."

  Cassius’s i deepened.

  Gold was valuable everywhere. With enough gold, he could obtain all manner of traband from humans, including ons and magical texts, accelerating his influence.

  If he couldn’t buy what he wanted, it would simply mean he needed mold.

  Additionally, the kobolds’ tale involved this so-called "monster."

  Cassius pressed further: "Tell me more about this monster. What kind of creature is it?"

  At this, the kobold leader’s face betrayed unmistakable fear, and the rest of the kobolds erupted into anxious chatter, with some of the more frightened ones even bursting into tears.

  The kobold leader calmed itself before speaking slowly: "Master, please believe what I am about to tell you."

  The red dragon did not object to the term and gave a slight nod.

  The kobold seemed lost in terrifying memories, its voice trembling: "It was a truly terrifyi. Its body was as big as a hill, and its mouth was... bigger than a cave. It could swallow ten kobolds in one gulp."

  Its voice quivered as it spoke.

  "In the mi was everywhere like a shadow. No matter where we hid, that monster would find us. Our tribe once had over seven hundred kobolds, but they were all... eaten. Not even bones were left."

  The kobold was visibly shaken.

  "I had to devise a plex pn to lead over a hundred of my kin out through a secret tunnel." It exhaled deeply, seeming to relive the terror.

  As it fis story, the kobolds behind it huddled closer, too afraid to make a sound.

  "So, this monster… is rger thahe red dragon asked, intrigued.

  The kobold leader broke into a cold sweat, struggling to respond.

  In its mind, dragohe most proud and ruthless of creatures; a single misstep in words could spell certaih.

  "Speak the truth," Cassius anded impatiently.

  "Y-yes," the kobold stammered, trembling, even closing its eyes.

  "What is your name?"

  "Gold-Fang."

  When no fatal strike came, the kobold leader exhaled in relief, fshing a servile smile that revealed a promi gold tooth in its mouth.