17 Orsinium

1197, Outside Orsinium – the City of Orcs,

It was a magnificent city and the capital of Orcs of East&West in The Nandini Forest.

Gandhi was a HobGoblin Jarl Borg of a small goblin tribe in the center of The Nandini Forest, before an Orc hunting party massacred his small tribe and captured him as a slave to sell in Orsinium.

He was bought by an Orc Chieftain of Eastern Nandini Forest, and worked as a mining slave in one of the silver mines the Orc Chieftain owned near the City of Orcs.

Gandhi stood at the very end of the line of Goblin slaves, with several paces separating him from the next Goblin, watching the orc slaver pacing from one end of the line to the other.

As the orc slaver passed by each of the goblin slaves, they would subconsciously try to stand straighter as if there wasn't even a single curve in their spine. Not standing straight enough, fidgeting and even blinking while the orc was passing by could be grounds for a whipping.

Back when they were all captured from their respective tribes whether it was a Goblin Warrior, HobGoblin or Goblin Nobel, this sort of hazing was a part of the submissive training in their respective slave camps. The batches of goblin slaves would often be shuffled internally to break up any possible relationships and right afterwards, the orc in charge of the newly formed batch would pace in front of them in a re-enactment of some primitive dominance ritual. The slaves would be conditioned to stand straight, motionless and unblinking as a sign of submission.

It was supposed to make takeover much simpler for their subsequent Orc owners.

Gandhi observed it all, finding it ironic that the Goblins standing the straightest, had the least steel in their spines. He felt angry, but powerless at his current situation. He knew why there were no Dragonborn, Troll or Beastkin slaves but the slave camp were full of Goblins, Rodents and Kobold slaves instead. It was because their respective races were weak, and had no Grade 3 or 4 existence to protect or shield them.

Finally satisfied by the performance of the goblin slaves, the orc slaver walked up to Gandhi, the only Goblin whose eyes held flickers of emotions in the sea of unblinking, emotionless goblin slave's group. Towering over the goblin's diminutive form with his 2.25 meter tall frame, he stopped in front of him yet Gandhi kept his eyes on the ground.

A large hand gripped his hair and jerked his head back, forcing him to look up into the eyes of the orc slaver while he said.

"What? You hate us? Wanna run away?"

Gandhi replied while concealing his desire to slit the orc slaver's throat behind a scared expression.

"No, Orc Master."

The orc slaver clicked his tongue, obviously regretful that he hadn't been able to trip the goblin slave up on how he was to be addressed. He pouted, causing his grotesque face to distort further.

His eyes flashed with a cruel light, as he said.

"Smart goblins ain't any fun, but since you're so smart, I'll do you a big favor."

Dragging Gandhi to the front of the line of goblin slaves, he barked out.

"Listen up, you worthless Goblins! Today, he gets to carry whatever you mine to the cart."

Carrying the baskets laden with ore to the cart was the most strenuous part of the job and Gandhi had to do it in the place of all the other goblin slaves.

Gandhi replied, maintaining his nervous façade.

"Thank you, Orc Master."

The orc slaver seemed to lose all interest at his servile attitude and with a contemptuous snort, he released his grip on Gandhi's hair with a push, sending him sprawling on the ground.

Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode away.

It didn't take long for the goblin slaves to get their pickaxes and make their way down the tunnel and start their day with mining as Gandhi following behind them.

Ignoring all goblin slaves, Gandhi silently walked up to one of the baskets that had been filled and bent down to lift it up. With clenching of jaws, bulging veins and rapid breathing, he put each step before the other towards the cart, dumped the contents of the basket into it, returned to the Goblin miners, exchanged a full basket for the empty one, then walked back towards the cart.

Again, and again… and again.

He was a HobGoblin, and he was more powerful than a normal Goblin Warrior. This wasn't the time for desperation. It was the time to go all-out. He will not succumb to his pitiful circumstances. He will stay alive, become stronger and help the Goblins stand tall and proud in this world. His heart only had a small hope of the emergence of a 3rd Grade Goblin from their race, but it was still there.

This was just the beginning of his journey.

It was the time for a brave heart, a firm mind and perseverance.

The other goblin slaves had been deriving sadistic pleasure from watching him struggle. Some had even used this feeling as a motivation to work faster. The more ore they mined, the more baskets Gandhi would have to carry. That was the kind of thought driving them to work.

They even taunted him when he came to pick up their basket.

Slowly but surely, they grew silent as they watched this lone HobGoblin, work tirelessly without complaint even when there was no hope for their pitiful existences. Shame welled up in their hearts and they turned away from the warm image of the Hobgoblin in their cold and dark world, unable to keep watching any longer.

Yet their ears couldn't help but pick up the sound of his steady footsteps no matter how loudly and vigorously they used their pickaxes to mine. Each step seemed to tread upon their heart, guiding its rhythm.

Caught up in that mood, the goblin slaves watched silently as one basket after another was emptied into the cart. They had an inexplicable feeling that they would gain something if Gandhi succeeded.

The final basket.

Gandhi's steps seemed heavier, more ponderous, very unstable.

'Do it.'

'Just a few more steps.'

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'Come on.'

The goblins silently encouraged him in their hearts.

Then, Gandhi began to walk the final three steps.

One.

Two.

Three Steps.

The moment he dumped the contents of the basket.

All the goblin slaves broke out in cheers.

Yet, there was no change in the expression of Gandhi's face. For they were all still slaves of the Orcs.

'The future of the Goblins must be free.'