CHAPTER 221: RELOCATION

Almost an hour later, the preparations were complete. Piles of weapons, sacks of dried meat, and bundles of supplies were neatly stacked near the center of the chamber.

I had ordered them to wrap everything in bundles—it was faster that way. Moving everything at once would save time and energy compared to making endless trips back and forth. They’d followed the instruction well, tying the bundles securely with rope and setting them aside in rows, ready for transport.

Once I confirmed that everything was in order, I took a step back, glancing over the chamber one last time. "I’ll take the food and weapons ahead," I said, more to myself than anyone else.

A small goblin caught sight of me and hurried over, nearly tripping on a rope as he ran. "Chief!" he called out, panting lightly.

"Gather everyone," I told him, my tone brisk but calm. "I’ll be right back."

Without waiting for a reply, I activated [Leap]—and in the next instant, the cave blurred away from sight.

The goblin blinked at the empty space I’d just occupied before turning toward the others. "Chief said gather!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the tunnels.

The clan stirred immediately, the sound of shuffling feet and hurried voices filling the air as they began to assemble.

In the next instant, I appeared back at the new settlement with Gobbo and Zonk, both of them still disoriented from the sudden shift.

Then I returned for Zok.

Then another trip—this time carrying a bundle of weapons slung over my shoulder.

Then Narg.

At first, the goblins who were already in the new settlement froze at the sight of figures suddenly appearing out of thin air. Their hands went instinctively to their weapons, eyes wide with alarm. But as I kept reappearing—bringing more goblins, more supplies, more of our people—they began to piece it together. The confusion gave way to awe. They realized it was me—their new chief—using some sort of ability to move everyone from the old settlement here.

Trip after trip, I transported them all, until the once-empty clearing was now filled with goblins—familiar faces, reunited clans, and mounds of supplies stacked neatly near the treeline.

When I returned for the last group, only three remained: Zarah, Flogga, and the troll.

The troll towered near the back of the chamber, its thick arms crossed and its dull eyes fixed on me. I hadn’t interacted with it much—it wasn’t particularly bright, but it seemed to have found a place here. What bothered me, though, was how close it had grown to Zarah. She stood beside it, calm as ever, while it gave me a look that I didn’t quite appreciate.

It didn’t growl or move, but its stare lingered, heavy and unreadable. I couldn’t tell if it was possessive, protective, or simply curious. Whatever it was, it was annoying.

I ignored the troll’s glare and turned my attention back to Zarah, offering her a faint smile. She smiled back, that same soft, trusting expression she always had—and in the next instant, the world blurred.

A flash of light, a pull through space, and we were standing in the new settlement. The forest air hit us immediately, carrying the faint scent of moss and damp soil. She steadied herself, blinking as the surroundings came into focus.

"Stay here," I told her, brushing a bit of dust from her shoulder before stepping away.

I blinked back to the cave.

The troll was still standing where I’d left it, hulking and uneasy, its wide eyes darting toward the spot I had vanished from. When I reappeared, it flinched, taking a clumsy step backward as if expecting me to attack.

"Relax," I said, walking toward it. "You’re coming too."

Before it could react, I pressed my palm flat against its chest. Space folded around us, and in a heartbeat, the troll vanished along with me.

When we appeared in the new settlement, a wave of tension swept through the gathered goblins. The moment they saw the troll, several of them scrambled backward, their instincts screaming at them to flee.

"Easy," I said. "He’s with us."

Leaving them to process that, I blinked away once more—this time to retrieve the last one.

Flogga was waiting near the back of the cave, a large sack slung over her shoulder, filled to the brim with glass vials, herbs, and tools. She clutched it protectively, muttering something about "foolish goblins breaking her precious ingredients."

"I thought you wouldn’t come back for this old goblin," she said with a teasing smirk, the corners of her eyes creasing.

I grinned. "What do you mean? I’d never leave you behind."

She took one last look around the cave, her gaze lingering on the rough stone walls and the flickering torches. There was a strange softness in her expression—nostalgia, maybe even a touch of sadness.

"We only stayed here for a short while," Flogga said, her tone wistful. "But I’ll miss this place."

I glanced around the chamber too—the cracked walls, the dim light, the smell of damp earth—and shrugged inwardly. I won’t, I thought. But sentimentality wasn’t a luxury I could afford. "To each his own," I murmured under my breath.

"Alright," I said aloud, "let’s go."

I placed a hand on her shoulder, and with a surge of energy, space folded around us. In the blink of an eye, we were standing in the new settlement.

The contrast was striking. The air here was fresher, open, and alive with the scent of grass and distant trees. The settlement stretched wide—tents scattered across a field of green, surrounded by a forest that rustled softly with the wind. Sunlight spilled through the canopy, giving the place a calm, almost serene atmosphere.

We were all here now. Every last one of them.

I stepped forward, turning to face the gathered goblins. "Everyone," I called out, my voice cutting through the chatter. "Welcome to our new home."

Snob, Krish, and Zox erupted into cheers, stomping their feet in excitement.

But not everyone shared in the excitement.

The moment the goblins from my old clan mingled with the new arrivals, tension began to...