Lord of the Foresaken
Chapter 51: DOMAIN OF POWER

Chapter 51: DOMAIN OF POWER

The morning sun cast long shadows across Goblin’s Hollow, though "Hollow" was no longer an apt description for what had become the fastest-growing sovereign territory on the continent. Where once stood crude wooden structures and muddy pathways now rose buildings of obsidian and silver, their architecture impossible by conventional standards—towers that twisted like frozen smoke, bridges that seemed to float without support, and walls that pulsed with a subtle rhythm, as though the city itself were breathing.

Reed stood atop the central spire of what his subjects now called the Convergence Citadel. His transformed body absorbed the sunlight differently than human flesh—not warming, but somehow charging, the silver veins beneath his obsidian skin glowing more intensely. Below him spread his domain, a sprawling metropolis that defied conventional understanding of what a kingdom should be.

"The Azurian delegation has arrived, my lord," said Vex, once a common goblin scout, now Reed’s Master of Intelligence. His evolution was less dramatic than Reed’s, but still remarkable—standing nearly human height, his green skin now bore intricate silver patterns, and his once-primitive speech had developed into eloquent precision. "They await your pleasure in the Reflection Chamber."

Reed nodded, his gaze still sweeping across his domain. "Another kingdom seeking alliance. They called us monsters six months ago."

"Fear is a powerful motivator for diplomacy," Vex replied with a thin smile that revealed teeth too sharp for comfort.

"And what do our people say about these alliances?"

Vex’s expression grew more serious. "The evolved goblins understand the necessity. The humans who’ve integrated into our society are more divided—some see salvation in unity, others fear we’re inviting spies and saboteurs." He hesitated. "The unmodified goblins... they simply follow your will, as always."

A pang of something like guilt rippled through Reed. The fragments’ power had dramatically altered him and those closest to him, creating a three-tiered society—the evolved goblins with enhanced intelligence and abilities, the humans who had adapted to goblin rule, and the "naturals," goblins who remained unchanged, serving the evolved with an almost religious devotion.

"Have Commander Shia join us," Reed said finally. "The Azurians respect military strength above all else."

As Vex departed, Reed leapt from the spire, allowing himself to fall hundreds of feet before his will engaged the fragments’ power. Silver light erupted around him, slowing his descent until he touched down gently in the central courtyard. Several human workers dropped to their knees instinctively while the goblin guards simply saluted, their modified armor—a bizarre but effective fusion of traditional metal plates and fragment-enhanced living tissue—gleaming in the morning light.

Reed walked through the winding corridors of the Citadel, its interior shifting subtly as he passed, responding to his presence like a living entity. The fragments had transformed not just Reed and his closest allies, but the very nature of his domain. Buildings reconstructed themselves when damaged. Defensive walls absorbed and redirected attacks. Even the crops in the surrounding fields yielded harvests that should have been impossible in this climate.

The Reflection Chamber earned its name from the perfect mirror-like surfaces covering every inch of its interior. As Reed entered, thousands of his reflection appeared from every angle, creating an intentionally disorienting effect on visitors. At the center stood four Azurian diplomats, their usual stoic demeanor cracked by visible discomfort.

"Lord Reed," the lead diplomat said, bowing deeply. "The Kingdom of Azuria extends its hand in friendship and mutual protection."

Reed studied them without speaking. Azuria had been among the first to condemn his rise to power, calling for his execution when he first claimed territory as a "monster lord." Their sudden desire for alliance was transparent—they had witnessed the destruction of three armies that had marched against Goblin’s Hollow, each defeat more decisive than the last.

"Friendship requires trust," Reed said finally, his voice echoing strangely in the chamber, as though multiple voices spoke in perfect harmony. "And trust requires honesty. Why does Azuria truly seek alliance with what your king called ’the goblin abomination’ just four months ago?"

The diplomats exchanged nervous glances, but before they could respond, the chamber doors opened again. Shia entered, and even Reed felt a surge of pride at the sight of her. Like him, she had been transformed by proximity to the fragments, though differently. Where Reed had become something like living obsidian, Shia’s evolution had turned her skin to a material resembling burnished copper, etched with runes that shifted and changed depending on her mood. Her once ragged goblin ears had elongated and sharpened, and her eyes glowed with inner fire.

"Commander Shia," the lead diplomat acknowledged, his tone unable to conceal his shock at seeing a goblin treated with such respect.

"The Azurians have brought more than their official delegation," Shia said directly to Reed, ignoring the diplomats. "Three companies of their special forces have taken position in the forests to the north, and their royal mage has been attempting to probe our outer defenses since dawn."

The diplomats’ faces drained of color.

Reed smiled, a cold expression that never reached his eyes. "It seems our discussion of trust was well-timed."

"My lord, there has been some misunderstanding—" the lead diplomat began, but fell silent as Reed raised a hand.

"No misunderstanding. Your king sent you to assess our defenses while positioning forces for a potential strike." Reed walked slowly around them, each mirror surface reflecting him differently—some showing his former human self, others his current form, still others showing possibilities of what he might yet become. "A reasonable precaution, actually. But unnecessary."

With a gesture from Reed, one wall of the chamber became transparent, revealing an exterior view of the Citadel’s outer walls. There, suspended in mid-air by threads of silver energy, hung the entirety of the Azurian special forces—over two hundred elite soldiers immobilized like insects in amber.

"Your royal mage is being treated well," Reed continued casually. "Though he may require time to recover from his... education about our defensive capabilities."

The lead diplomat swallowed hard. "Lord Reed, I am authorized to offer—"

"No," Reed interrupted. "You were authorized to offer empty promises while gathering intelligence. Those terms are no longer valid." He stopped directly in front of the diplomat. "Here are my terms: Azuria will withdraw all forces to at least twenty leagues from our borders. You will provide unrestricted passage for our merchants. You will contribute one-fifth of your grain stores to our reserves. And you will send your crown princess to reside here as our ’honored guest’ for one year."

"Impossible! The king would never—"

"The king will agree," Reed said with absolute certainty, "because the alternative is demonstration of what happens when we decide to stop being defensive." He gestured again, and the chamber darkened momentarily. When light returned, they stood no longer in the Citadel but appeared to be hovering above Azuria’s capital city.

"An illusion," the diplomat breathed.

"Is it?" Reed asked. "Tell me what you see on the central plaza, near the royal temple."

The diplomat squinted, then gasped. There, clearly visible despite the distance, was an obsidian spike that had not existed the day before—a perfect replica of the Convergence Citadel’s central spire, but scaled down and embedded directly in Azuria’s sacred ground.

"That is very real," Reed said softly. "Placed there last night while your king slept not three hundred yards away. I could have placed it in his bedchamber just as easily."

The chamber returned to normal with another gesture, leaving the diplomats visibly shaken.

"You have one day to deliver your answer," Reed concluded. "Your forces will remain our guests until then."

After the diplomats were escorted out, Shia approached Reed. "Effective," she said with approval. "Though perhaps more dramatic than necessary?"

Reed’s expression softened slightly. Only with Shia did he allow himself to show any hint of his former humanity. "They needed to understand that conventional military threats are meaningless now. We don’t have time for protracted conflicts with kingdoms that should be our allies against what’s coming."

Shia nodded, her copper features rippling with concern. "The fortification of the Netherlock sites is proceeding as planned. The evolved goblin units are adapting well to their specialized roles." She hesitated. "But something else troubles you."

Reed turned away, moving to a window that overlooked the training grounds where hundreds of goblins drilled in perfect formation—a sight unimaginable just months ago. Beyond them, human workers moved enormous blocks of fragment-enhanced stone into position along the expanding defensive walls.

"I dreamed of the Chamber of Echoes again last night," he said quietly. "The Council believes they’re manipulating events, positioning me as some prophesied savior or potential destroyer. But they’re being manipulated themselves."

"By what?"

"Not what. Who." Reed’s silver veins pulsed more intensely. "One of them—Lord Nihilum—is coming here, and I’m meant to trust his guidance." He turned back to Shia, his expression grim. "But I saw something in that dream that I don’t think I was meant to see. A shadow beneath his shadow. A purpose beyond the Council’s purpose."

Shia stepped closer, her copper hand taking his obsidian one. The contact sent visible ripples of energy where their transformed flesh met. "What will you do when he arrives?"

"Play the game," Reed replied. "Let him believe I’m following the path they’ve laid out. But I’ve been a pawn all my life—first of poverty, then of the lord system, now of cosmic entities playing at godhood." His eyes flared with silver fire. "I think it’s time they learned what happens when a pawn reaches the other side of the board."

Before Shia could respond, a tremendous boom echoed throughout the Citadel, shaking the very foundations. Alarms immediately began to sound as goblin guards rushed to battle positions.

Reed and Shia raced to the nearest observation point. In the distance, beyond the outermost defensive wall, a massive crack had appeared in the air itself—as though reality were a pane of glass that had been struck with a hammer. Through the crack poured a sickly purple light, and within that light moved shapes that hurt the eyes to look upon directly.

"Impossible," Shia whispered. "The nearest Netherlock is over a hundred leagues away."

Reed’s expression hardened as understanding dawned. "This isn’t a natural breach. Someone has forced it open. Here. Now." His hands clenched into fists as silver energy crackled around them. "They’re not testing me. They’re testing my domain."

As if in confirmation, a figure stepped through the crack—a tall, humanoid shape composed of what appeared to be absolute darkness given form. Two pinpoints of white light served as its eyes, fixing directly on Reed despite the considerable distance.

"Lord Nihilum," Reed breathed, even as the breach widened further and something vast and ancient began to push its way through—something that had been waiting for this moment for countless millennia.

The test had begun.