Chapter 52: Lines and Signal
The sky was still pale when Borin started shouting again.
"Alright, spread out! This place is turning into a maze!" he barked, pointing at the village map scratched into a wooden board.
He stood in the center with a few goblins and two golems around him. One of them held a basket of stones, the other held a shovel. With their help, Borin was slowly reshaping the village. He added paths between houses using packed dirt and stone, even planned open areas for farming and training.
Caelen watched from a distance, arms crossed. "He really took over."
Zira passed him, carrying a sack of nails. "That's Borin. Bossy, but smart."
Near the fields, Garin wiped sweat from his forehead as he worked with six goblins. They were learning how to plant rows, collect eggs, clean tools, and cook with what they had. Garin crouched beside one and showed how to cover seeds with just enough soil.
"Not too deep," he said. "Or they'll never grow."
One young goblin nodded, tongue out in focus. "Like this?"
Garin smiled. "Better. You'll feed this whole place before long."
On the edge of the village, Zira and Elira prepared to leave. Elira checked her daggers while Zira packed dried food into a pouch.
"You sure you want to come?" Elira asked.