The Firstlings

Ezar stood before the dark portal nestled in the flame, listening to Thadius’s whispers from the void. The fool believed he had found power, but it was the other way around as power had found him.

“We are proceeding as planned,” Thadius reported.

“You have been given what you need,” Ezar growled, his voice grating and harsh. He had given the man collars forged in the chaos of the void, which would help subdue their adversaries. “Do not fail me, and you shall have the power you seek.”

“I will not fail,” Thadius assured firmly. “You will be notified when the time is right.”

“Go,” Ezar ordered, dismissing the whispers as Thadius’s presence faded. He turned to the open cavern smiling with wicked glee. The stupid human would be his key to the city, and then all the filthy humans would feel his wrath. He roared with laughter as he scanned his surroundings.

Several caverns had been filled with his goblin horde. Their numbers rose significantly, after gathering all the wandering souls from the slums. The amount of lost and forlorn souls trapped in the human settlement had surprised even him, giving proof of the human's wretched existence.

But they had caused him insurmountable pain to spawn.

Just thinking of it made his body tremble, but the rewards far outweighed his suffering. Scores of short, hideous green goblins, scampered across the cavern, ears flopping, as they hobbled. Crooked teeth filled their snarls as they bit and clawed at one another.

They were stronger than they looked but were stupid like children. He despised their grotesque appearance and tormented the tailless scum whenever he had the chance. His thoughts were interrupted when one of the lead goblins broke from the ranks to cower at his side.

“Master, they are ready.”

Ezar towered over the sniveling wretch kneeling before him. “You dare to interrupt my thoughts, filthy runt!” he roared, kicking the goblin across the cavern, where it landed in a heap, whimpering in fear.

He chuckled with malice as he stormed toward the side passage, heading for the pits. Their numbers had exploded, making it nearly impossible to remain undiscovered. They had recently captured some adventurers attempting to raid the labyrinth.

Ezar had ordered several pits to be filled with the abysmal sludge, oozing from the dark portal. He used the humans for a little experiment he had been eager to attempt. The Blight had shown him a way to raise their numbers even further.

Reaching the pits, the goblins in his vicinity all bowed, groveling at his feet. Ezar spat in disgust as he looked around, his red eyes full of murder. Ropes had been tied to the ceiling, suspending the humans by their feet and submerging them into the sludge-filled pits head-first.

“Bring me the prisoner!” Ezar ordered as the goblins scurried, tripping over one another as they fought to be the first to please him.

Several goblins dragged a human, bound and gagged, before him as they backed up in a hurry. Their eyes remained downcast, afraid to return his gaze and even more fearful of his wrath. Ezar noticed one goblin was a little more daring as its head was not quite as low as the others, making his heart pound and his blood boil.

“Raz,” Ezar scowled, moving forward as his aura washed through the cavern, carrying the full force of his killing intent. “Do you dare look me in the eye, filthy maggot?”

“No, Master!” Raz squealed in horror, bowing low, his head striking the dirt. “I swear… please, I swear!” He sputtered, trembling in fright.

Ezar placed his foot on the sniveling fool's head, smashing his face into the ground. “Know your place, insolent wretch,” he swore, kicking Raz into the crowd of his kin, where fists and feet began hitting and stomping him.

He would pay the price for angering their master.

They beat him senseless before dragging him away as Ezar gleamed with pride. They didn’t kill him, as he had ordered no killing of their kin as their numbers were necessary to achieve their goals. But a good beating was always encouraged and thrilling to witness.

Ezar turned to the human still bound lying at his side. Her eyes were bloodshot with snot, and tears dried on her face. She scanned their numbers with fear, gasping for breath through the gag shoved in her mouth.

He leaned down to remove the gag as she lurched, trying to back away. Several goblins swept forward, holding her firmly as he removed the covering. She gasped in fresh air as she stared at Ezar with fear and no small amount of hate.

“W… What are you?” she mumbled.

“Your salvation,” Ezar explained, towering over her. “You humans have been found wanting, so I am here to lead you to the true path.”

Her eyes drifted to the pits, and Ezar could see the trembles in her tiny frame. She knew what was to come, and he could see the hope leaving her eyes by the second. It was such a marvelous thing to watch your enemies crumble before you.

“Just kill me already,” she sobbed, refusing to look at him.

“Oh, no,” Ezar snarled. “I will give you a new life and a new purpose,” he continued, reaching forward, and grabbing her face tightly. He felt her jaw shatter under his grasp as he lashed out, striking her in the face repeatedly until it was a broken mess. But he held back as he didn’t want to kill her, just ruin her face. For some reason, it reminded him of his sisters.

Ezar barked an order as his minions tied a rope to the woman's feet and began dragging her to the pits. She tried to scream, but all that came out was a bloody gurgle as they hoisted her above the pit and began lowering her into the sludge.

Walking to the first pit, he ordered the goblins to remove the human. His body trembled in anticipation, as he didn’t fully know what to expect. Would they experience as much of a change as he had, or would it be different?

Ezar dismissed his thoughts as he didn’t have an answer for them. He only knew that the foul sludge was born from the chaos of the void and would corrupt one’s nature, or at least make it as chaotic as possible. But he didn’t know if it would work on the humans, as they were different than he and his siblings.

Peering at the cavern ceiling, he looked over the dark portal in the center of a brazier suspended above the pits. Glorious moans escaped from the void, flooding the cavern with the wonder of the Blight’s teachings. Ezar was hoping the whispers from the abyss could aid the humans in their rebirth.

There was nothing better than the truth to show the way.

Ezar gaped, staring at the figure the goblins pulled from the pit and laid before him. It was more than he could have dreamed. A dark aura poured from the hideous form like a cloud of miasma. The figure was still humanoid but dark green, with a hairless head and long pointed ears much like his own but more delicate.

Its hideous face held a perpetual scowl with sharp fangs filling its mouth. Muscles rippled across its body, which appeared almost as tall as he stood. Ezar gulped, wondering if he could even control such a beast. He marveled at what he had helped create but couldn’t keep the shiver from running down his spine.

Ezar peered closer, attempting to see the beast's Runes, but they weren’t like his minions. There was no connection enabling him to see their information. They would have to be worked with to truly understand what he had created.

He ordered the goblins to place the beasts in the holding cells until they were ready. Ezar left the pits, returning to the central cavern, and began meditating below the dais, formulating their next moves. Engrossed in the teachings from the depths of the portal, he was jolted out of his contemplation by a commotion in the outer chambers.

Ezar rose as a group of goblins charged into the cavern and kneeled before him. “What news do you bring?” he barked.

“Master, there is a group heading this way! They are silent and traverse the woods with great skill!” The lead goblin rasped.

Ezar perked up with anticipation, his heart racing. He knew others would come, but he didn’t expect them so soon. Though doubt lingered in his mind, he couldn’t contain his excitement at the thought of butchering some humans or gaining more fodder for his experiments.

Gathering the horde, they traveled the tunnels of the labyrinth, coming to the exit leading into the woods. Ezar had armed them all with crude spears dripping with the abysmal ooze. They were mundane weapons, but they were vicious and deadly.

Exiting the tunnels, he ordered them into groups as they prepared. He sent several small groups into the woods to surround their location and search for any stragglers. He had the others fall back into the tunnels, leaving him as the solitary figure standing before the entrance.

Ezar waited, his tail flicking in agitation, as a towering form began to appear in the distance. He choked back a curse, confused at what he was seeing. It was some kind of humanoid animal approaching with calm and steady steps. The beast was followed by a small group of humans with bows drawn, clearly spotting Ezar.

He stood silently as they slowly came closer, confused by what they were seeing. Ezar chuckled at their stupid faces as the large beast moved forward.

“What are you?” The beast growled, stepping forward cautiously, giving off the aura of a predator preparing to pounce.

“You are a marvelous thing,” Ezar laughed wickedly, delighted with what he saw before him. He could only imagine what such a thing would become if shown the true way, or at least if it lived. “I am your salvation,” he declared, smiling fiendishly as he raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

The beast backed up wide-eyed as the horde of goblins flowed from the labyrinth, sweeping forward in a tide of malevolence. Arrows began firing into the storm of goblins as the humans fell back, startled at what was pouring from the tunnels. The beast crouched, fur bristling as he roared in a challenge, pulling a large hand axe from his back.

Ezar felt the aura surrounding the beast condensing as the shout rippled through the horde, stunning the ones closest. But it couldn’t stop them all as the tide continued to rush in their spears, dripping with sludge as they shouted with murderous lust. The beast rushed forward, slamming into the horde with fury as he swung his axe deftly.

He could feel the beast empowering itself with its mana, and he watched as it cut apart goblins with ease. Snarling, Ezar raised his spear high as its dark surface began to shimmer, releasing pulses of chaotic energies as he activated [Blight’s Blessing]. Waves of black lightning rippled through the horde, sending them into even more of a killing frenzy.

They began to throw themselves at the beast with abandon, biting, clawing, anything to hurt him. The beast roared, lashing out wildly, as the foul spears and claws struck him from all sides. Ezar heard the humans cry out as spears pierced through their defenses, and they started falling one by one.

They tried to retreat, but the horde was too much to handle and the chaotic energies were sapping them of their strength. Ezar began to step forward slowly, smiling wide, as shouts from the forest made the rest of his horde known. The large beast started to fall back, trying to distance itself, numerous wounds dripping with black sludge.

The beast fought viciously, trying to escape, but the horde was too great. Slowly it fell to the forest floor, breathing shallowly as the goblins piled on top, stabbing and clawing. Ezar roared triumphantly as he ordered the horde to back off, hoping to keep the beast alive.

Before heading back into the labyrinth, he had the goblins bound the beast and scour the woods to ensure none had escaped. Ezar contemplated their next moves as he stormed through the tunnels leading the horde back to the primary cavern. Unless Thadius could move things more quickly, they would have to abandon the labyrinth. Upon entering the larger cavern, he sat before the dais as the goblins dragged the beast to a holding cell.

‘Just a little longer!’ He grumbled, closing his eyes in meditation, basking once again in the foul whispers from the void.