Chapter 184: New Leaders Of Vaal’kor
Ka’z, Za’r, Ru’k, Tu’ka and Kurg hastily moved through the streets toward the village square, deep frowns etched across their faces. The sudden summons had come without explanation, and judging from the number of kobolds already rushing in the same direction, whatever was happening clearly involved the entire village. Ka’z walked at the center of the group, his expression unusually serious as he tried to understand why O’nil, Tong’a and Lan’ka would call a gathering so early in the morning.
By the time they reached the village square, a large crowd had already gathered around the podium positioned before Tud’or’s statue. The moment the villagers noticed Ka’z and the others approaching, they instinctively shifted aside, creating a path for them.
Whispers followed them as they passed, but Ka’z barely paid attention. He kept his eyes fixed on the podium, where O’nil, Tong’a and Lan’ka stood together. Lady Zira was nowhere to be seen, which immediately caught his attention, but before he could wonder about her absence any further, something else entered the corner of his vision.
The Gnolls were among the crowd. Tega and the others stood slightly apart from the kobolds, watching the proceedings with quiet curiosity. Ka’z noticed them but ultimately decided to ignore them. Whatever this meeting was about, he doubted the Gnolls were the reason for it.
O’nil glanced toward Ka’z’s group and gave them a silent nod before clearing his throat. The gesture made it immediately obvious that their arrival was exactly what he had been waiting for.
The conversations throughout the square gradually died down until only the occasional murmur remained. O’nil rested both hands against the podium and looked over the gathered kobolds with a solemn expression.
"I apologize for this unexpected meeting, but we three have an important decision to make." His voice carried easily across the square, drawing everyone’s attention toward the platform.
Tong’a stood beside him with an unusually serious expression, while Lan’ka remained silent, his eyes occasionally drifting toward Ka’z.
O’nil took a slow breath before continuing. "We initially thought our home would be safe with the destruction of the Ashmork village. However, yesterday we learned of the threat of something greater in the west. Halflings and humans are working together to take over all of this Evergreen Forest."
Buzz!
The entire crowd erupted in shock. Eyes widened, heads turned and voices immediately overlapped as the villagers began discussing the revelation amongst themselves. Some looked toward the western forest as though they expected to see an army emerging from between the trees.
Others exchanged frightened glances, while several older kobolds instinctively pulled younger ones closer to them. The fear of humans had existed within Vaal’kor for generations, and merely mentioning their involvement was enough to awaken memories of everything their ancestors had suffered.
Ka’z blinked in surprise alongside Tu’ka, Za’r, Ru’k and Kurg, but not because the information about the Halflings and humans was entirely new to them. They already knew the threat was real. What surprised them was the way O’nil had presented it.
Ka’z knew enough about the situation to recognize that the statement was heavily exaggerated for reasons he could not yet understand. The Halflings were certainly working with humans, and their activities threatened the western region, but saying they were working together to take over all of Evergreen Forest was another matter entirely.
The fear of humans was the greatest fear within the Vaal’kor Clan, and throwing that fear into the middle of the Halfling crisis could only serve a particular purpose. Ka’z narrowed his eyes slightly as he studied the three elders, trying to determine where this was going.
"This is why our Child of Prophecy has been working so hard to build up our military with the goblin artisans," O’nil suddenly cried out, his voice becoming more forceful. "He has shouldered this burden alone while we have all been desperately trying to ruin his efforts to protect us!"
Buzz!
The crowd erupted again, but this time the reaction was completely different. Ka’z’s eyes widened alongside Tu’ka, Za’r, Ru’k and Kurg. None of them had expected this twist. They had all assumed the elders were going to bring up Logi’s death and use the anger surrounding the incident to punish Ka’z. Instead, O’nil had completely changed the direction of the conversation and was openly defending him.
Tu’ka stared at the podium with an expression of genuine disbelief. Only yesterday he had been standing in that very place, threatening to remove anyone who stood in Ka’z’s way. He had expected resistance from the elders, perhaps even punishment for openly challenging Lan’ka’s authority. He had never imagined that O’nil would take his words and use them to defend Ka’z in front of the entire village.
Ka’z himself was equally surprised, though for a completely different reason. He turned slightly toward Tu’ka, his brows raised. He had not realized his friend had apparently become capable of saying something useful enough to be repeated publicly.
Lan’ka stepped forward, and the movement immediately drew Ka’z’s attention. After everything that had happened between them, Ka’z had expected the current Chieftain to be the strongest voice against him. Instead, Lan’ka looked directly at the crowd and spoke with a calmness that left everyone listening.
"Just as Tu’ka said yesterday. Time and time again, Ka’z has proven why he is the Child of Prophecy. Not once has he failed. So let me ask you all. Why do we still doubt him when everything he has done is for our good?"
Buzz!
The crowd erupted once again, but this time the sound was not one of fear. Kobolds looked at one another, some slowly nodding as they considered Lan’ka’s words. Others turned their eyes toward Ka’z, as if suddenly remembering everything that had happened since he first began changing their lives.
Tu’ka remained frozen for several seconds. Hearing Lan’ka repeat his words was almost surreal. Only yesterday, the two of them had been standing on opposite sides of a political divide, with Tu’ka openly challenging Lan’ka’s authority.
Now the Chieftain was using Tu’ka’s own argument to justify a complete change in leadership. Ka’z glanced at Tu’ka again, and this time Tu’ka caught the look. Neither of them said anything, but the exchange carried enough meaning between them. Whatever had happened between the elders after they left the Chieftain Court, something had clearly changed.
"That is why we have decided to step down and let the new generation take over the leadership of Vaal’kor Village!" Tong’a announced.
Buzz!
Ka’z immediately shifted his gaze back toward the platform, his expression becoming even more shaken. Everything happening that morning was completely unexpected. He had entered the square expecting another political confrontation, perhaps another attempt to restrain his actions or punish him for killing Logi. Instead, the three elders were apparently preparing to surrender their authority.
O’nil stepped forward and looked toward the younger generation standing among the crowd.
"Tu’ka, my boy, was right. The past cannot dictate the future of the present. We are too old to face the threat that lies ahead, so doesn’t it make sense that we allow the people who are fighting that threat to be the ones leading the village?" His words carried none of the anger that had characterized the previous meeting.
There was instead a strange mixture of acceptance and resignation in his expression. Slowly, the crowd began nodding. Some of the older kobolds exchanged uneasy glances, while the younger ones watched with growing excitement. The idea of their generation taking control of the village was still difficult to comprehend, but the reasoning was difficult to dismiss.
Lan’ka turned toward Ka’z’s group, his eyes lingering on each of them before he finally spoke.
"That is why we have decided that Ru’k will stand in as the new Chieftain, Tu’ka the Chief Warrior, Za’r the Chief Priestess, while Kurg and Ka’z will serve as the Guardians. The village is now in your hands." His voice was firm, but there was something strange in his eyes as he stared at Ka’z.
Before anyone could properly react, Lan’ka turned around and walked away from the podium. Tong’a and O’nil followed him without another word, leaving the platform completely empty while the crowd remained gathered below. The three elders disappeared into the streets, leaving Ka’z and his companions standing among hundreds of kobolds who were now staring at them with expectant expressions.
Ru’k looked from the empty podium to the crowd, then back toward his friends. His mouth remained slightly open as he processed what had just happened.
"Hold on. Did we just become the leaders of this village overnight?" he muttered in disbelief.
Za’r blinked several times before looking toward the direction the elders had disappeared. "That’s crazy, especially since they were trying to punish Ka’z for killing Logi."
Tu’ka crossed his arms, still trying to comprehend how quickly everything had changed. Kurg, meanwhile, remained quiet, his eyes scanning the crowd as he seemed to realize the seriousness of what had just been handed to them.
Ru’k eventually looked toward the podium and scratched his cheek. "Erm, guys. Don’t you think we should climb the podium and give a speech?"
Tu’ka looked at him, while Kurg simply stared in disbelief at how quickly Ru’k had adapted to the situation. Ru’k’s expression slowly turned into a grin.
"Of course. As the youngest Chieftain of this clan, I guess it’s my responsibility!" he laughed excitedly.
Ka’z rolled his eyes at the sudden enthusiasm and turned away from the podium.
"Do whatever you want," he muttered before beginning to walk through the crowd.
Za’r watched him leave and immediately felt the urge to follow. She took a step forward, but Ru’k, Tu’ka and Kurg were already moving toward the podium. The crowd opened for them, and the four new leaders slowly made their way onto the platform before Tud’or’s statue. Only after reaching the top did they realize that Ka’z was nowhere among them. Za’r turned around sharply and saw him disappearing through the crowd, his back facing them as he continued walking without looking back.
"Ka’z?" Za’r called out, instinctively taking another step toward him.
Before she could move any farther, Kurg gently caught her hand and stopped her.
"We have to address everyone first. I can cover for him, but we need you to do your part here. You can find him after," he said quietly.
Za’r looked toward Ka’z’s retreating figure for several seconds, clearly torn between following him and staying behind. Eventually, she clenched her fingers around Kurg’s hand before slowly releasing it. He was right. They were no longer simply young kobolds standing beside Ka’z while he made decisions for everyone else. They were now the recognized leaders of Vaal’kor, and their actions would affect the entire village.