Renegade's Dominion

Ty was still trying to calm the Goblins, attempting to ease their troubled minds and prove to them there was nothing to fear. Unfortunately, it wasn't going well. You could even say it was a total miss, so far, so tense.

The fear hadn't left their faces. In fact, it had dug itself in deeper. They were picturing a grim future, one where the protector they had come to rely on had suddenly disappeared, leaving them exposed, defenseless, and alone. That fear was crippling.

He knew pleading alone wouldn't do the trick. Words could only go so far, especially with creatures who valued instinct over speech. What they needed was certainty. Not promises, not reassurances, but proof. The same undeniable presence that had drawn them to him in the first place.

So Ty released a concentrated pulse of his aura, letting it pour from his core and flood the area around him.

The reaction was immediate. As the wave of energy passed over them, the Goblins' panic dissipated like smoke in the wind. Shoulders dropped. Tension melted away. Just as he had anticipated.

Any other race, be it humans, elves, or something more refined, would likely have read his calm demeanor as confidence, seen his posture and presence as reason enough to feel safe. But not these creatures.

These were Goblins, monsters who lived by a different logic. Their decisions weren't guided by intellect or reason. They judged by presence, by force, by aura. To them, strength wasn't something spoken, it was something sensed. Their unspoken rule was simple: Show me how powerful you are, and I'll know if I should follow you, fear you, or to oppose you.

Ty sighed quietly. He had to keep reminding himself: their language wasn't words. It was pressure. Energy. Dominance.

"Now you see, guys," he began with a slight grin, "there's nothing t—"

His words were cut short by a distant, high-pitched scream.

A Goblin's voice,shaking, terrified, and unmistakably in pain,ripped through the quiet.

The group's attention snapped toward the direction of the cry, instincts taking over. Bertha bolted ahead, sprinting at full speed. Ty followed close behind, with the rest of the settlement racing to keep up.

Whatever he expected, this wasn't it.

They arrived to find no battle, no enemy ambush, just a heartbreaking sight.

Braham and Rhoda had returned. Draped across their backs were unconscious Goblins, limp, lifeless, unmoving.

"Quickly!" Ty ordered, urgency thick in his voice.

The Goblins scrambled into action, carefully lifting the wounded from the wolves' backs and lowering them gently to the ground. Ty dropped to his knees beside one of them, his heart thudding in his chest.

"What happened?" he asked, eyes darting between Rhoda and Braham.

It was the Elder Goblin who answered. "Great one... their bodies bear claw marks."

Ty's stomach dropped.

He shifted his focus to the fallen. The wounds were undeniable long, jagged slashes across their backs and sides. Whatever attacked them didn't just intend to scare. This was bloodshed. This was war.

His thoughts ran fast, reminding him there was more as he looked to the wolves to ask, . "Kaiden. Where is he?!"

He looked to the wolves for answers, desperation sharp in his gaze. The injured Goblins couldn't respond in their current state, but the wolves, they could offer him an answer.

Their solemn, unwavering gazes gave him everything he needed to know.

Kaiden is still out there. Fighting.

Ty understood instantly. While Rhoda and Braham had withdrawn with the injured, Kaiden had stayed behind with a few Goblins, holding the line against whatever this threat was.

But there was something else, a low whimper broke through the tense silence.

He turned to Rhoda.

She was trembling.

Ty moved closer, eyes narrowing as he examined her side. And then he saw it, the wound. A savage claw mark ripped across her abdomen. Blood, long dried, had stained her once-radiant blue fur. The injury was deep, possibly serious.

Panic clawed at his chest. Things were happening too fast, faster than his brains could endure. Still, Ty managed. By linking his thoughts to what mattered most, he managed to hold on to his awareness.

Prioritize waht should matter?! Kaiden is still in danger.

While some had managed to escape, others hadn't. And if Rhoda was this badly hurt even with Kaiden and Braham at her side, then the threat they were facing wasn't one he could take lightly. The enemy was strong, even for Kaiden. Too strong for Ty to leave the outcome to chance.

He needed to act.

Just as he was about to issue his commands, Rhoda's legs gave out and she collapsed. Her breathing was shallow. Her body, once tense with resolve, had given in to exhaustion and blood loss.

Ty rushed to her side, scooping her large frame into his arms and carrying her into the shelter. He laid her down with care, arranging her body for comfort.

"Bring the wounded inside! Get them off the ground, line them side by side. Keep watch over every single one!" he barked.

He turned back to the others.

"Braham, take me to the fight. Now!"

The wolf gave a nod of understanding.

"Bertha!" Ty's voice rang out. "Guard the settlement with everything you've got! Elder, I'm leaving you in charge here."

Without wasting another moment, Ty shifted, his human form melting into his massive wolf shape, powerful and daunting. With Braham leading the way, he launched forward, paws pounding against the dirt as they sprinted toward danger.

The thought of bringing Goblins with him surfaced briefly. But he dismissed it. Without weapons or combat strength, they would only slow him down. He couldn't afford liabilities in a battle like this, not now.

Another idea flickered through his mind: Elder's Howl.

His new Extra Skill, unlike Alpha's Howl, could summon more than just tamed Blumund wolves. It allowed him to call upon Alpha-level wolves, something the previous version couldn't do. He could summon Kaiden back, right now, and keep him safe.

But at what cost?

Doing so would leave the Goblins out there stranded. Alone. Exposed. If he pulled Kaiden away, they'd be defenseless.

'No... I can't do that.'

They had come to him, pleading for protection. To abandon them now, to choose convenience over commitment would be a betrayal of everything he claimed to stand for. He wouldn't allow himself to become that kind of person. Even if the world demanded cruelty and cold calculation, he would choose a different path.

He would not let this world twist him into something unrecognizable.

His decision was made.

'Kaiden. The Goblins. I'm coming for you all.'

He ran harder, each step propelled by fury, fear, and resolve. His massive frame cut through the wilderness like a phantom, his presence radiating unwavering determination.

He wouldn't let another fall.

Not if he could help it.

At any cost, Tyberius would protect them.

So he vowed, chasing the echo of battle, the blood in the air, and the hope that he wasn't too late.