Chapter Forty-Four: Hymn of the Silver Moon

In the forest, a large number of goblins were trudging along, burdened with bundles of every shape and size strapped to their backs.

"Vol, I’m telling you, the climate up north is much harsher than ours, and game is scarce. How could there possibly be a powerful tribe up there?" Isidor complained to Vol.

As one of the tribe’s elders, Isidor was only two years younger than the old chieftain. The years had worn away his sharpness, leaving him cautious and conservative. He didn’t approve of this expedition, but Vol had pushed for it forcefully, and the old chieftain was curious enough to want to try, so Isidor had reluctantly agreed.

"Uncle Isidor, don’t worry. That warrior is very formidable," Vol replied calmly, though resentment simmered in his heart, a smile fixed on his face.

"From what you’ve described, those goblins are merely tribal warriors, hardly elite. Surely you know, defeating such enemies isn’t difficult. That tribe you speak of may not be all that strong," Isidor continued, even more nagging than Vol had expected.

Vol felt the pressure mounting. Since his older brother, the previous leader, had died in battle not long ago, Vol had inherited the position through his mother. To say there were no dissenting voices in the tribe would be a lie—Isidor, right in front of him, was one of them.

He truly wanted to do well, and worked tirelessly, but a recent goblin raid on his hunting party had shattered his reputation.

Vol knew most of Isidor’s criticisms were valid, but stubborn pride made him cling to Sun Licheng as a lifeline.

If he could find a powerful tribe and form an alliance, their strength would increase dramatically, restoring the tribe’s former glory.

With this hope, he had persuaded his mother to agree to an alliance with the mysterious tribe.

"Sigh..."

As they were about to emerge from the woods, arriving at the place where he first met Sun Licheng, Vol let out a deep breath.

"I hope things will go as I’ve wished," he thought to himself, but Isidor’s voice, buzzing like a fly, sounded again in his ears.

Vol’s mood grew darker.

...

A whistle sounded, and the Wolf King came to Sun Licheng’s side. He held a curved blade, six javelins strapped to his back, and leapt skillfully onto the wolf.

"Mr. Nimblehands, take your crossbow and cover us from behind. Don’t reveal yourself for now," Sun Licheng called out loudly, then urged the Wolf King toward the forest.

Soon, he arrived beside Dogmeat. Though he suspected it was Vol bringing his goblins, he was wary it might be goblins instead—after all, he had killed more than a dozen of their men!

Hearing the hiss of compressed air behind him, Sun Licheng knew Nimblehands had arrived. Everyone quickly prepared for battle.

Time pressed on tensely. About ten minutes later, a goblin emerged from the woods, carrying an enormous pack and wielding a spear.

Sun Licheng saw he didn’t resemble a goblin, so he quietly ordered everyone to stay alert and not act rashly.

Soon, more and more goblins poured out of the woods, and he spotted Vol again.

Seeing Vol, Sun Licheng relaxed. Though the goblins were numerous, their gear clearly wasn’t for war.

He quietly told Dogmeat to signal Nimblehands to stay hidden and then stowed his weapons, mounted the Wolf King, and rode toward Vol’s group.

As he drew closer, Sun Licheng noticed among the goblins were more than ten females. To his surprise, these women were not as hideous as the males—at least, they weren’t worse than the ugliest celebrities he knew. Among them, one young girl stood out; she was beautiful, almost elfin, though she was short.

"How strange… Aren’t goblins supposed to be hideous? Could these be descendants of the Goblin Empire?" Sun Licheng wondered, his mind full of questions.

The goblins were startled by the imposing gray wolf, and the males quickly seized their weapons, forming a cylindrical formation to protect the women in the center.

"They move fast—much better than those goblins," Sun Licheng marveled. These goblins could indeed be called elite.

Vol recognized Sun Licheng astride the Wolf King, relaxed, and put away his weapon, signaling his tribesmen not to panic. He walked alone to Sun Licheng.

Looking at the towering gray wolf, Vol was thrilled. He hadn’t expected Sun Licheng’s tribe to be so strong, able even to tame wild beasts. An alliance with such a tribe would surely bring great benefits to the Silver Moon Tribe.

Through vigorous gestures and expressions, Sun Licheng roughly understood Vol’s intentions.

He led Vol and his people to a large clearing, watching as they began to level the ground. Soon, a six-pointed star magic array appeared before his eyes.

Now Sun Licheng could finally see the girl clearly.

She was about thirteen or fourteen, dressed in gray beast skins, her features delicate and graceful, with pointed ears and large, lively eyes.

According to Vol’s introduction, she was his daughter, devoted to serving the Moon Goddess in their tribe. As for her name, the limits of his heroic power prevented him from understanding it.

"This is Vol’s daughter?" Sun Licheng looked at Vol in confusion. He wanted to ask, "Why are you so ugly while your daughter is so beautiful? Is she really your child?"

After the magic array was finished, the women withdrew, and Vol invited Sun Licheng to wait beside the array.

After a while, the sound of drums resonated. Sun Licheng turned to see a goblin beating a wooden drum.

With the drumbeats, six goblin women and the girl returned.

The girl had changed clothes, dressed in ceremonial attire, wearing a crown of branches adorned with beautiful feathers, a necklace of animal bones around her neck, and her pelts now soft and splendid.

The six women sat on six stars, while the girl walked to the center of the magic array.

Standing tall, she raised her hands to the sky and began speaking continuously. The other goblins knelt, and the atmosphere became solemn and sacred.

Her voice was clear and gentle—though he couldn’t understand the words, it was very pleasing.

"These must be prayers," Sun Licheng guessed.

After finishing the prayers, the girl began to sing.

Her song was vast and majestic, echoing across the wilds. As she sang, the whole space seemed to stir; Sun Licheng was astounded, even more so when a milky white light slowly radiated from the girl, growing brighter with her song.

The white light spread, enveloping Sun Licheng.

He was a bit afraid but quickly realized he felt not discomfort, but a pleasant warmth, and relaxed.

"O god of the sky, grant us abundance in food and clothing. I sing for you. Silver Moon Goddess, our master, we thank you for your blessings..."

Suddenly, Sun Licheng realized he could understand every word clearly—not the hazy comprehension of his heroic power, but as if he’d always known the language.

He had witnessed another form of magic.

When the song ended, Sun Licheng was still savoring it as the girl approached him.

"Mighty hero, can you understand my words now?" the girl asked.

Sun Licheng nodded excitedly. "It’s incredible! What is this song?" he asked eagerly.

"This is the hymn of the Silver Moon Goddess," the girl replied proudly.