Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Prologue
Deep in the great forest of Gradia, which encompasses a large area of Khallasia, many animals and monsters roam. From the simple rat to gargantuan ogres. The food chain in the forest sprawls across many species, branching off in multiple directions. Everything is food for something else. Even the apex predators are a scrumptious meal for humans, elves, and other sapient species, which in turn could be the predator’s meal, should something go wrong for them. One species of mention in the food chain is the Orcs and the other is Goblins. The Goblins have skin tones ranging from green to brown, are short in stature, frail, and known for being hideous. They form large groups, trying to hunt anything they find, large or small, wild or sapient. They also reproduce like bunnies, being able to do so with any species they can get their hands on. They hunt and kidnap the female of any sapient species they find and use them to breed. This urge to do so is built into their DNA, a compulsion they are not in control of.
Orcs are similar to Goblins, feeling the same urges, the only salient differences are their appearance and physic. Orcs are known to have skin tones of various greens and opposite to Goblins, are massive in height, with bulging muscles, and have two tusk-like teeth that extend out of their mouths. Their faces are not as disfigured as Goblins, making them the better looking of the two. Some even have hair, like that of other sapient races.
Both are considered to be semi-sapient, but this is solely due to the superiority the other sapient races feel they have over them, classing them as monsters and just mindless creatures. While they have the compulsion to follow in their urges and need to hunt and kill, they can form groups, and have a hierarchy, a leader. They know when to fight and when to run. They are able to complete similar feats to that of other sapient races.
Withing both races, there are males and females. The differences between the genders are generally just the reproductive equipment. The split in the population is somewhere close to 70% males to 30% females, one of the reasons why the males Orcs and Goblins look to other races to breed with, as there are just not enough females.
Not long ago in Khallasia, a large event took place in one of the largest human cities. This even required the Nobles from all around the world, from many of the races to travel to the city. The event was a massive alliance between the races, in order to stop wars before they start. It also meant that should one be attacked, the others would need to come to their aid, and that should they wish to attack another race, they could all join in the fight as one.
A few days before the event, many nobles set about in their carriages to travel to the city. One such noble was the young elven princess of one of the largest kingdoms, who in her journey was attacked by assassins. Who had sent them was not known, and to this day it is still a mystery. Whether it was one of the other races, or from within the Eleven race itself is unknown.
The attack happened on the outskirts of the human city they were travelling to, likely less than a day left to reach it. During the attack, the knights guarding her fought bravely, fending off the attackers. They sent a runner to the capital to send for help, who thankfully managed to make it out of the ambush. The battle was fierce with many deaths, assassins and knights alike, which ended with only a few assassins alive. As they went to complete their job and kill the princess, they were ironically attacked themselves.
Goblins and Orcs left the tree line and went for the group. They were by no means working together to attack them. It was put coincidence that both races were at this location.
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In this new battle, being highly skilled the assassins killed many foes, Goblins and Orcs alike. But the urge driven races had the numbers and they were eventually overwhelmed.
The two groups then searched through the battle, grabbing knights and assassins to take them away, likely to use as food. After a while, they reached the carriage.
Opening the door they found the prize, the elven princess, in all her glory. This though sparked a bit of conflict between the Goblins and Orcs over who would take her. This though ended as quickly as it started, with the Orcs winning sending the goblins fleeing, having made use of their stature and strength, who quickly hauled the princess away.
While this was going on, the runner made it to the city and explained the situation. While it was an elven noble being attacked, and not a human one, the human king had to act. With this even being used to form an alliance between several races, it would not end well if the human king just left the elven princess to die.
He put together dozens of knights and sent them to find the princess. Travelling fast and hard with their horses, they managed the carriage in a few hours. On the battlefield, they found the knights, assassins, Goblins and Orcs, and pieced together what had happened. Two blood trails were nearby, so splitting up, both were quickly followed.
After some more travelling, both groups reached their respective foe’s camp and slaughtered all that they could find. Within the Orc camp, they were able to rescue the princess, who thankfully had not been there long enough to be hurt.
The elven king and queen, who were delayed in their travel, having sent their daughter ahead, reached the human city a day later. After hearing the story, they were deeply overjoyed for their daughter’s safe return. They thanked the human king profusely, vowing that they were in his debt. But while it was all joyful now that the situation had been resolved, the culprits behind the initial attack were quickly forgotten, in favour of the monsters that had done the kidnapping and ended the fight. It also sparked a change in atmosphere, once the remaining Nobles arrived, leading to the alliance turning in a different direction.
While talks of non-aggression packs and defensive treaties were made, a new topic was brought up. The attack was detailed to all that attended, leading to a new agreement being made. The eradiation of Goblins and Orcs.
All of the kingdoms pulled together a vast sum of money, and it was put into removing the scourge that was these two races. Some went to the soldiers in their own kingdoms to bring about hunting parties to deal with the threat, but most went to set up posting in all of the adventurer guilds.
When it was all finalized, and the funding and posting had been made, adventures, hunters and soldiers got to work. Over time, all across the world, they focused on hunting down goblins and orcs, slaughtering them to near extinction. Many of the goblins and orcs that were not found, ended up being killed by animals and monsters that had managed to increase in numbers due to hunters and adventures focus shifting.
The goblins and orc numbers dwindled, and the only ones to survive were the ones that won the lottery with natural selection. Some of these beings were smarter than the usual goblin and orc, learning how to survive in the forest and evade humans. Others were more physically able, using their skill and body to survive. Many of them were also able to fight against their urges, the main thing that is their downfall.
They hid from humans and the like, fighting, surviving and grouping in areas different to their norm, venturing deep into the forests, some even using caves and treetops where able.
They bred in secret, hidden from the rest of the world, building up their numbers again. In these groups, leaders were formed, and while some just wanted to survive, others had revenge on their minds.
While she did not know it, this was the world that Olivia would soon find herself in. What she did in this new world, and how she did it would all be up to her…