The Villagers, their bodies, were not found. When they arrived, the source of the b.l.o.o.d.y scent was a mere few drops in a secluded area out of view of the village.

Whatever happened here, it was planned and executed with precision, an ambush.

The Red Kobold landed first in the area, looking around. His tongue flickered from his mouth as the others landed on either side of him. "A look of a struggle here," the observation was quick and simple.

The White scaled kobold rested its eyes on a pair of heavy rocks paired with chain links. Throwing weapons to weigh down enemies, bound their legs or to throw around one's neck.

"They were taken..." The Blue scaled kobold uttered as they looked over the amount of blood that was at the scene. There wasn't enough for a fatal wound. Though there was no telling how much damage could've been done internally.

"Based on findings, they must be alive. Some of them," the green scale added to the list of observations they were sounding off.

The others began to move around in the gra.s.s, sifting through it. Soon they were able to find tracks, human boots. It was clear this was not the work of their slightly larger brethren, the Lizardmen who were currently living in the area near the lake at the base of the mountains.

"There had to have been twenty people in this area, humans or humanoids. They used nonlethal weapons," the white scale pointed out as he picked up a dart covered in a poison that merely knocked out targets rather than killing them.

"Based on the evidence, slavers probably." The Green one scratched his snout as he walked over to a tree, running his fingers across it. There was a triangle carved into the tree. A symbol, which probably had some sort of significance to someone.

"This could be a spot used for taking villagers?"

"Unlikely, this would've been noticed before, I hope."

The Brown scaled Kobold wadded over towards a bush and peered inside of it, as the branches appeared disturbed. Blood, there was no b.l.o.o.d.y scent in the bush, but there was a helmet.

Reaching down, they plucked the item out from the bush and observed it.

Bronze, leather and sc.r.a.p iron. It was a poor man's helmet, made from left over material, likely stolen from a smithy or just makes.h.i.+ft. Its workmans.h.i.+p was moderate, low leveled, flimsy and primitive.

"I found something," the brown one looked over towards the others who were all checking their surroundings. "It's a helmet of some-kind, it's weak."

The black scaled Kobold approached the brown one and looked over the helmet, sniffing it once and then sniffing at the air as he pointed his snout in the air. "Male, mid-forties… Rotten Teeth, hygienically challenged, diseased."

"Mmmm..." The Brown one nodded light at the observations the other kobold could find from the hormonal and biological residue left behind on the helmet.

"Their scent leads towards the mountainous region in the direction of a human city." They began to add before turning its head as they heard something heading in their direction.

The area began to shake slightly. All of them became curious at this moment, but they knew their orders. "There is an unknown creature heading in our direction," the white kobold reported as he began to flat his wings.

The Pink one nodded, flapping their wings as well.

The winged Kobolds collected all the evidence in the area, and began to take off from the ground. The moment they raised from the ground, their eyes rested on a large hamster who was standing on its hind legs at the edge of the forest.

It was looking around, before looking directly up at them. Its tail swaying erect behind it, as if it was trying to choose its target. An overlapping voice erupted from its lips. "You were all able to raise from the ground in time to avoid my grand senses, admirable, it is."

The Kobolds then all looked at one another, before looking down at the giant hamster.

"A giant rodent?"

"It does look like one."

"Does it taste good?"

"Don't know, but it definitely appears to have one fierce and untamed att.i.tude."

"Perhaps our Queen will allow us to dispatch it later?"

"Perhaps… It will feed us for days," the Red scaled one laughed at this as the other kobolds were having this conversation. "Though it is rather cute..."

"...Now, trespa.s.sers of my territory." Its voice began to boom up towards its flying adversaries, "If you leave now, I will not give chase in respect of your admirable instincts!"

"… This rodent is looking down on us."

"It shouldn't look down on the Queens Guard!"

"Enri's honor is at ste-" They heard another flapping sound behind them. A larger dragon appearing and encircling them, it was Jack in his true ArchMirage form with its Amethyst scales reflecting the light in glistening sparkles.

"Return to the Village and report," Jack barked his orders as they all watched him, before nodding and back tailing it away from the forest. He was much stronger than them and they were capable of sensing it. Though they gave no respectful response other than some squeaks of acknowledgement.

Letting out a sigh, Jack's eyes turned down towards the creature which was watching him with big beady eyes. It was cute, adorable even. Though that tail swinging side to side behind its back looked like a very dangerous vegetable, a spear of asparagus.

"How strange..." Diving down, the Dragon would land on all fours several meters away from the giant Hamster who was about ready to charge him with it's tail at the ready.

"Confident, you are! Staying as your allies flee my might, they are!"

Jack was slightly amused by its use of words, almost chuckling out loud as he began to wad towards the creature with his own tail swaying behind him. His mane of colorful feathers spreading beneath his neck. "You are not the one who took our missing villagers, are you?"

The hamster stopped for a moment and blinked, "This Wise King of the Forest would not dare take defenseless creatures. No reason, there is!"

Rolling his jaw in amus.e.m.e.nt, Jack flicked his tail to the side as he spread his wings slightly before folding them down at his sides. "Wise King of the Forest, aye? You're but a Giant Jungle Hamster..."

"What!? Could it be that you know of my species, that you do!?" For a moment the hamster was elated, its tail flicking side to side behind its back. At that moment, the hamster was at its most vulnerable.

"Obviously..." Jack clucked his tongue on the top of his mouth, "Though… You're the first I've seen in this area." He was rather curious about its t.i.tle, it didn't seem all that smart. It just looked like a giant ball of fur with whiskers and buck teeth.

"Finally! If there are others of my species, I want to know, that I do!" The creature leaned towards him, unfazed by his draconic form. "If I don't make offspring, I am a failure of a living creature, I am..."

"Hm..." Jack tilted his head to the side, looking over the creature. "You're far too large to mate with the ones I've seen. They're smaller than my hand," he lifted one of his front talons.

"I see, that I do..." The elating feeling fled immediately as the creature depressed and pitched its head down in shame. "How unfortunate, that it is.."

"However..." Jack interrupted the Hamster as it was about to say something more, "If you fight me, you will die, and hence you will never have the chance to find a mate."

The Hamster glared at him suddenly, already regaining its will to fight!

"Your threats are meaningless Dragon, they are! This one can take you on, I can!" Charging forward, barreling towards Jack in the form of a ball, it was building up a vast amount of speed.

Jack shook his head slightly and with a single heavy thrust of his wings, he was airborne, just high enough to land directly on top of the rolling creature and pressing it to the ground with his own density alone!

"Failure to comply will result in your termination, it will!" Jack barked mockingly as the hamster unfolded beneath him. Glaring at him again as he stood on its stomach, his talons resting under its neck.

Suddenly strange symbols on its hide lit up in various colors, magic was being used.

"Interesting… You can use magic," Jack uttered as fire b.a.l.l.s, ice bolts and lightning attacks dissipated off of his scales. They did no damage to him whatsoever. "You are a specimen worth keeping..."

The Hamster's eyes widened seeing the magic attacks it was launching at Jack were dissipating hopelessly off of the dragon's hide. It couldn't move and it was pinned down. Despite how big they were, they couldn't move an inch.

"Wise King of the Forest, swear your fealty to me as my Va.s.sal."

"Va.s.sal..." The Hamster stared up at the creatures on top of it. Not sure what to make of this being. That was until, when it blinked, it was no longer a Dragon.

A young man with dark toned skin and vibrant amethyst eyes stood on its fuzzy underside, with a staff in hand, staring solemnly down at it. Yet despite the change in his size, the Hamster couldn't move.

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"A dragon, you are not! A powerful magic user, you are!? Elaborate deception, this is..." The monster furrowed its brows at him.

"Will you join me?" Jack asked again as he took a tender steak out from his inventory, as if conjuring food, and held it out for the creature. "Our Territories will grow and your name will be known far beyond that of the Great Forest of Tob..."

"My name is already known, it is!"

Jack creased his brows, unamused.

"Surrender, I do!" The Hamster squealed as he began to increase the pressure holding it down to the ground. It could barely flail beneath him as its little hands began to move about in distress.

"Good… Good..." A small chuckle escaped his lips before turning his head to look towards the Village. "Now, we're going to be heading back to the Village, so you can meet the people."

"As you command Kakka, I will do!"

Jack pursed his lips slightly at being called a Lord, it wasn't something he was used to at all, even when it came to his Guardians and lesser NPCs. "Call me Graham, " Jack didn't hesitate to demand as he then hopped off the side of the Hamster. "Now Wise King, would you like to see true Magic...?"