The aftermath of Otto the Sixth's annihilation, along with the destruction of the numerous houses that supported him, swept across Europe like wildfire through dry grass on a hot day. No one truly understood what had happened. Those who did simply remained silent and offered no comment.
Many Ministries of Magic were stunned by the incident, as the obliterated aristocrats had held influential roles in governance and decision-making structures. Consequently, numerous departments across several countries were effectively decapitated, triggering a chain reaction of internal intrigues. Everyone scrambled to snatch a lucrative position.
Amel knew I was responsible for the "cleansing" in Europe and assumed I had no further plans. On that point, he was gravely mistaken—because before I return to England, I fully intend to thin out the goblins until they come running to me, begging for a peace treaty.
Maria had gathered a wealth of information for me, deepening my understanding of goblin society—even though it was already considerable, thanks to my analysis of the memories of the goblins I'd killed. Their society operates on an extremely rigid clan structure. The most powerful clans control the banks, while the rest serve them. There is no alternative. Social mobility is nearly nonexistent. For a goblin to rise, he must possess significant magical power, an ability to procure gold by any means, and the right bloodline.
Each goblin clan has its own separate settlements, where their women and children reside. These villages are hidden not only from human wizards but also from other goblin clans, to prevent raids and annihilation. Everyone just wants to survive.
Their settlements lie in massive underground complexes or hidden valleys, concealed from human eyes by powerful artifacts and spells—for which wizards once gave their lives, hoping to make a quick fortune. Now, I possess the information that could wipe out a tenth of the goblin population.
The meeting with Maria took place beside a narrow crevice that ended in a steep drop straight into the water. But… that was only how it appeared to wizards, mages, and anyone else unaware of the hidden entrance into the underground. I know where it is—and I have the key to open it.
"How did your investigation go?"
I already knew everything, but the desire to speak hadn't left me.
"Pretty well," she exhaled. "What's the plan, my lord?"
"It's simple," I said, waving my hand as I walked up to the crevice. "We'll reach the first settlement and I'll wipe it off the face of the earth—while allowing them to trigger their alert system and call for reinforcements. Once we clear the first village, we'll wait a bit, then move on to the next. By then, I expect it'll be reinforced with goblin combat units. I'll destroy them too. Then we'll rest and continue."
"And how many such settlements are we going to destroy?" the demoness asked, clearly intrigued.
"As many as it takes until their leadership comes crawling to surrender," I told her. "That's when we'll start discussing my compensation."
"What should I do?" she asked.
"When I'm cutting, stay out of the way of my spells," I said calmly. "When I'm resting, guard me."
"Got it," the demoness nodded.
"Then, shall we?"
Slowly and calmly, I approached a small stone. Pushing it aside, I revealed a flat rock face. It might have appeared as though the stone had rested there for a thousand years—but that wasn't true. A key-spell emerged from my hand and slipped into several cracks. The rock shuddered, and the passage opened. A cool breeze drifted out from within.
"Let's go."
We stepped inside. The passage adjusted itself to our presence, making it comfortable to walk through. Within seconds, we entered a large square corridor that stretched in both directions. Behind us, the entrance sealed itself, marked by a small statue of two goblins with crossed axes.
Invisibility spells settled over both Maria and me, allowing us to reach the first settlement without trouble. Not that we truly needed them—goblins lack the spells to detect us. That's because I use knowledge from another world to conceal myself completely.
Along the way, we passed several guard posts where goblins stood watch, but none noticed us—which was definitely for the best. These goblins looked large and dangerous. Their armor alone would make many wizards think twice before attacking.
The guard posts were protected not only by spells but also by artifacts—none of which affected us—so we continued on undisturbed. The tunnels had been constructed with care, and we encountered no impassable sections. As for traps, we had no concerns—goblins don't place them on the main routes. Secret passages, though—those were often mined.
When we began to encounter branching paths, I signaled Maria to stop. She agreed mentally and retreated a few hundred meters. I proceeded alone, and after about ten minutes, emerged into an enormous hall filled with countless stalagmites hanging from the ceiling, glowing with faint magical veins. These veins, along with magical lamps of various sizes, served as the primary light sources.
At the center of the hall lay a large lake fed by two rivers—one flowing in, the other out. Scattered among the surrounding caves were entertainment buildings and various facilities. A few schools were clearly visible, along with several training grounds for young and future warriors.
Life here continued as usual.
Too bad I showed up.
"Veil of Death," I whispered.
A moment later, a black wave rippled out in all directions, annihilating every living thing in its path. At the same time, I absorbed the goblins' souls—though they didn't provide much of a power boost. Of course, if I'd absorbed this many souls earlier in my journey, it would've been a massive leap. But now… it barely registered. I didn't even feel a thrill.
Within seconds, it was over. What had once been a living village was now drowned in silence. A kingdom of corpses stretched across every level—even the water.
To stir the pot a little—to make them wonder "Who was bold enough to do this?"—I left behind a large illusion. It depicted four small goblins kneeling as an unknown figure twisted their necks. A subtle reminder: things aren't as simple or cheerful as they might seem.
I called Maria mentally.
The demoness appeared a few minutes later, examining the empty village with great interest—particularly the many corpses, which looked as though they might crumble at the slightest touch.
As a final touch, I cursed the lake, ensuring that any goblins who arrived later would find no comfort in it.
"Amazing," Maria thought aloud, knowing I would hear her.
"What's amazing?" I responded telepathically.
"Amazing that you, my lord, can clear out such a large area so quickly—and not even get tired."
"Aaah," I sent back, "That's magic, baby."
"Ahhh, my lord!"
We continued toward the next settlement, which was reportedly several times larger. After covering some distance, we stopped. I signaled Maria to guard my body while I sank into meditation, attempting to analyze the knowledge I had absorbed from the many goblins. I spent several hours searching for the local "elders." Once I located the oldest resident of that settlement, I began the analysis. I needed deeper insight into goblin society—information that could help me locate additional settlements. And surprisingly, she possessed just that.
Learning the locations of a few more goblin settlements, even if smaller, was already a satisfying bonus—because I fully intended to wipe those out too.
"All right, let's keep moving," I said to the demoness.
And we did. As we neared our destination, it became clear the goblins had discovered the destruction of the previous settlement. They were now frantically preparing to defend against an unknown attacker. Walls were being hastily erected to block off the path, but not quickly enough to isolate the city completely.
"This is going to be fun," I told Maria mentally. "You know what to do."
The demoness simply nodded and quickly moved out of the spell's blast zone. Once she reached a safe distance, I drew my wand and prepared myself. Magical energy surged around me as I readied the spell. The impact against the wall would be devastating—exactly what I needed to break through and reach the center, where I could activate the Veil.
"Ha-a-ah!" I exhaled, releasing the spell.
A small silvery orb shot from the tip of my wand. It might have looked slow, but it wasn't. The space beneath it warped, and the walls began to melt. The goblins had no time to react before the orb struck and detonated.
The boom and thunderclap were deafening. In place of the tunnel stood a hollowed-out stone sphere, perfectly shaped by the final form of the spell. None caught in the blast survived.
With a wave of my hand, magic surged again and hurled me forward. I burst into a vast open space supported by towering columns that held up the cavern ceiling. The columns themselves housed caves where goblins lived.
One young goblin pointed a finger at me—but that was the last thing he ever did.
"Veil of Death!"
The spell activated again, radiating outward and annihilating all life in its path. This time, it took a little longer for the wave to reach all the goblins in the area. As their physical bodies perished, I consumed their souls as well, further increasing my power. When the time came, the wave returned to me.
Once again, silence surrounded me. Overwhelming silence. Everything stood still, as if the city's inhabitants had vanished in an instant. And indeed—they had. My spell had exterminated every last resident of that city. But I don't consider myself guilty. No. They were the ones at fault, the ones who chose to participate in the murder of those I held dear.
I conjured an illusion similar to the one I'd left in the previous settlement—four goblins kneeling, their necks twisted by an unknown figure.
"My lord," she addressed me aloud this time. "Shall we continue moving stealthily as before, or perhaps show ourselves to them?"
"Hm…" I paused for a moment and responded mentally. "Not yet."
"Understood, my lord," she replied the same way—through thought.
After a quick bite, we continued toward the next settlement. About halfway there, I once again found the right memory shelf for analysis and gained even more knowledge about the goblin towns—and even one massive city where nearly all the goblins of Europe converge.
Along the way, we encountered little resistance, as the goblins couldn't even see me approaching. After that, it was simply a matter of invoking the Veil, which brought swift death to the entire settlement and slightly increased my power.
At one point, we took a longer break—to rest, eat, and allow the goblins some time to attempt a response. The thing is, we were nearing their great city. And that one… they would have to either defend or negotiate for. My anger toward the goblins had cooled somewhat, but I couldn't leave things unfinished.
Besides, I had begun preparing for the possibility that they might offer peace. The terms I was willing to consider were still forming in my mind, though none were especially revolutionary. At a minimum, I would accept a return to a kind of status quo—with a reduction in goblin rights and capabilities. As for what they might offer… I couldn't even imagine. And if we failed to reach an agreement, I would simply finish what I came here to do.
After resting, Maria and I resumed our advance. It wasn't especially fast, but it was steady. Along the way, I began crafting illusions and casting them at nearby goblins, sending them fleeing in terror. Those who didn't run—I killed. One spell, and their bodies slid down the wall like bloody piles of minced meat.
As we neared the city itself, I positioned myself where I could be seen by all. A lone spell flew past and struck the wall behind me, leaving a crater several meters wide. Shaking my head theatrically, I raised my wand and struck back.
My very first magical attack blasted through the wall, killing dozens of goblins. They immediately scrambled to repair the breach. Others began launching spells at me from a distance—but their attacks either missed or were neutralized by my defenses.
Surprisingly, the goblins repaired the wall with astonishing speed. If anyone knows how to build—it's goblins. Honestly, I wouldn't mind having a few hundred of them construct my future residence in Corsica.
They could clearly see their attacks were doing absolutely nothing. I remained unharmed, while they were rapidly depleting their reserves. Sending negotiators would've been a smarter choice. But they didn't. Pity. I needed to test a few spells anyway—so why not now?
The first spell—a green stream—flowed from my wand and crept slowly toward the wall. Every spot it touched rusted and crumbled under its own weight.
While that spell advanced, I launched a barrage of other destructive incantations. None proved as effective as the first. They didn't breach the wall, but they left deep cracks and craters.
"And what about this one…" I mused.
A small spark shot from my wand into the sky and burst into a multicolored firework display. It was beautiful—but not just that. Each particle of the fireworks transformed into thick arcs of lightning that tore through the city in countless places, instantly claiming dozens of lives. At the same time, the corrosion spell reached the wall—and it turned out to be very effective.
Under the influence of the green smoke, the wall began to collapse into gray sand. As the spell passed beyond the barrier, I felt a stream of souls—a trickle that quickly became a flood.
But that couldn't last. The goblins finally played their first trump card, activating some sort of artifact to seal away my spell. At the same moment, the survivors attempted to rebuild the wall—but I didn't let them.
I kicked up some dust with my boot—then transfigured all of it into massive molten boulders. With a thunderous crack as they broke the sound barrier, the stones hurtled toward the goblins attempting repairs. Within seconds, thousands of them were bombarding the wall, the ruins, and the city itself.
That spell proved very effective as well. Then again, that's always the case with transfiguration. If you can find a combat application for it, you can deal massive damage to any enemy—no matter how strong their defenses are.
With a wave of my wand, I canceled the transfiguration, returning the stones to specks of dust. But the destruction they had caused remained. That attack had done significant damage. I think that if I stopped now, it would take them a very long time to recover. But it is what it is.
Since the goblins still weren't planning to surrender, I took it as permission to try a few more spells. But just then, the caves opened—and out poured sizable squads of armored goblins, rushing to intercept me.
Too bad for them. That might have worked on many other wizards, but not on me.
All I needed was a single spell and a drop of blood to impale every charging goblin on blood-red spikes. Yes, it was blood magic—a dark art, punishable by death. But that didn't concern me. For weak wizards, the spell only targets a single enemy—if it works at all, since the target can often defend themselves. Stronger casters can hit several foes, but even then, opponents can sometimes dodge the strike.
My version, however, is self-targeting. Avoiding it takes far more than reflexes. Dodging isn't nearly enough.
No one seemed to expect the elite goblin warriors to be wiped out so quickly. And it really was quick—not even remotely difficult. I began crafting my next spell.
Above the city, storm clouds began to form. Within seconds, they flickered with lightning, crackling here and there. With another flick of the wand, the bolts began to shape themselves into the head of a Chinese dragon, which then plummeted toward the city. Its body formed from the surrounding clouds. As the dragon grew, the clouds shrank, until the entire sky had been consumed by its massive, lightning-forged form.
With the sound of a million birds screaming at once, the spell unleashed chaos upon the city, and I felt the stream of souls intensify. Oh yes—perfect.
When the energy within the spell finally dissipated, the dragon vanished. I gave the goblins a few minutes to pull themselves together. Just then, a short goblin burst through the ruins of the wall, riding a tiny donkey that moved at an absurd speed. I would've slammed both goblin and beast into the ground—if not for the white flag fluttering from the pole in his hand.
"What should we do, my lord?" Maria asked. "I can hang him from the nearest rock."
"No need," I replied, shaking my head. "He's a messenger from the goblins in the city. I think we should at least hear what he has to say."
"So be it," she agreed.
We waited for the donkey-riding goblin for another five minutes or so. When he finally arrived, he stopped at a respectful distance and dismounted. The donkey glanced at me with disinterest, then turned its backside toward me.
The goblin strode forward and planted the white flag into the stone.
"My name is Alhargangibar, and I am a messenger from the Council of Clans of the Goblin People," he said in English, almost without an accent. "I've come to speak."
"Will you be speaking for the entire Council of Clans?" I asked. "Or do you have some kind of communication artifact? I seem to recall you had something like that... it's called FullHD, isn't it?"
"I will now establish a connection with the esteemed clan leaders," he said, clearly surprised that I knew more about goblin tech than he expected.
Sure enough, he produced the familiar artifact and began configuring it. Within seconds, an image materialized—showing a table surrounded by familiar faces. These were the goblins Dumbledore had once negotiated with after the attack on their banks. They recognized me as well.
"Thank you, Alhargangibar," said the eldest goblin at the table.
The messenger gave a short bow, then quickly stepped aside.
"Timothy Jody," began the elder. "I never thought we'd meet again under such circumstances. We all believed you would become a great friend to our people—not the one who would invade our caves and destroy the future of our race."
"Yeah, right," I scoffed.
The goblin opened his mouth to respond, but I didn't give him the chance.
"Sometimes you should think before making decisions."
"What are you talking about?" he asked, momentarily caught off guard.
"Corsica. The blackmail attempt. Working with Otto the Sixth?" I listed the offenses, watching the flicker of recognition flash in his eyes. "Ring any bells?"
"No," he said, shaking his head.
But something tells me they all knew. There's no way a single faction could act in isolation from the entire people and their leadership's policy. Ugh—if only I could crack their heads open like ripe coconuts to see if they're telling the truth.
"I don't believe you," I told him. "If you can't provide proof, don't blame me for what happens next."
"Young man," the goblin began, "there's no need to threaten us. We are already very close to developing countermeasures to your spell."
"So you're not admitting your part in what happened?" I asked.
"You've made something up in your head," the goblin replied.
The spell tore from my hand and ripped the messenger apart. A second later, the communication artifact was destroyed.
"Maria," I turned to the demoness, "find the clan leaders who were on that call and take them somewhere 'safe'—but make sure they can still see what I'm about to do to their city. And do it fast. Use any methods you need—don't hold back."
"It will be done, my lord," the demoness replied, a cruel smile creeping onto her face.
Moments later, she vanished, heading straight for the city. Red fire ignited around her, and her footprints scorched into the stone, glowing faintly in her wake. Smashing through the barrier the goblins had hastily erected, Maria charged forward like a rhinoceros, unstoppable and driven, moving in a direction known only to her. Houses, bridges, barricades—everything in her path shattered, along with any goblins unfortunate enough to be in the way.
When she disappeared into one of the buildings, it promptly exploded from within. The windows blew out in fiery bursts, and even the roof lifted slightly from the pressure of the flames. Watching through her eyes, I was pleased to see her capture the clan leaders with some kind of spell and begin making her way back to me.
The goblins couldn't stop her return. Everyone who tried fell, shredded to pieces. Maria didn't even glance at them. Three minutes later, she reappeared before me. The goblins she carried looked at her with something resembling sacred terror in their eyes.
"Well, well, my little dumplings—didn't see that coming, did you?" I said. "That's how it goes… Oh well."
Then, I simply pointed my wand at the eldest goblin—the one I'd spoken to before—and struck his mind with a battering mental blow, trying to break through his defenses. I didn't succeed on the first attempt. His mental shield was surprisingly strong. Artifacts and innate abilities made his mind well-protected… a tough nut to crack.
"Maria, strip them of their artifacts."
"Of course."
It took the demoness only a few minutes. She wasn't gentle. Torn earlobes, ripped lips, broken fingers—whatever it took to remove their enchanted items. Even parts of their clothing were torn away in the process.
Off to the side, a small pile had begun to form—an assortment of bloodstained artifacts taken from the so-called "mightiest" of goblins.
My second mental attack was more aggressive—and more effective. I didn't break through on the first try, but the second strike did the job. The shards of the goblin's mental defenses scattered in all directions. To ensure they wouldn't reform, I cast a spell that destroyed both broken defenses and natural resistances. What remained was a scorched desert of thought—wide open to anyone with the will to walk through it.
I had that will—so I began digging through his mind. I moved carefully, even after confirming what I had suspected: every single member of the Council of Clans had known about the Corsica operation—and had approved it. Why so careful? Because I wanted them to live long enough to witness the death of every last soul in their beloved city.
As for the others, I didn't even bother to check. There was no need.
"So, why did you have to lie?" I asked the goblin.
"Pfaugh!" he spat at me—but the protective magic froze the spit midair. It hovered there, trembling slightly, emitting a faint grayish smoke. Poison or acid, most likely. A last-resort weapon? Not a bad one.
"Alright then," I said with a nod, and with a flick of my hand, redirected the spit toward one of his younger comrades. The goblin hissed in pain but made no sound.
"Now you will know the pain I have known," I said. "For I am Death, the Destroyer of Worlds and Lives."
It was a grandiose statement—but no one reacted. A shame.
"Maria, get them out of here," I instructed, tossing her a broom—an old one of mine.
"Of course."
She caught the broom with her magic and quickly lifted off, gaining altitude and distance. I grabbed my Lightning and surged forward as well—but this time, toward the city. Upon reaching its center, I slowly descended. Two goblins attempted to attack me, but with a single flick of the wand, a spell slammed their bodies into the wall, shattering bones and ending lives.
"Veil of Death," I said again, this time aloud—allowing myself the satisfaction of speaking the words.
***
The goblins hung suspended in the air, held by an unknown magic, and watched as the man they had once "offended" flew toward the city center to cast some kind of spell. No one yet understood how Timothy had managed to annihilate the settlements and towns along his path.
They saw him descend to the ground—almost exactly at the heart of the city. A few seconds later, a black wave began to ripple outward in all directions. That wave sent a deep, bone-chilling fear through the goblins floating in the air.
But soon after, they began to realize—one by one, their kin were dying. The time between each death was so short it seemed as though they were all being killed instantly. Within a minute, the entire city had become a graveyard.
"What is that…?" whispered one of the younger clan leaders.
"That," Maria said, a pleased smile on her face as she took in the sight before her, "is the power of my lord."
***
Returning to Maria with the goblins, I took a moment to study their shocked faces. Their emotions were a mess—confusion, fear, and uncertainty about what would happen next. Well… not all of them. The old goblin I'd been speaking with the whole time understood exactly what was coming.
"This is what happens…" I said slowly. "And now—it's your turn."
Maria lined them up in a row and stepped aside, leaving me to decide their fate.
"All right then," I began in the tone of a judge. I wasn't a judge, of course—but sometimes, it's fun to play the role. "For your crimes against Timothy Jody, you are all sentenced to death. Any last words? Suggestions? Thoughts?"
Silence.
"Well then… a terrible death to each of you."
One by one, I walked up to each goblin and executed them. I felt nothing. No pity. No hesitation. No urge to stop or forgive. Just cold, methodical action. Calmly, I turned them all into corpses. When the last one dropped, I holstered my wand.
Just like that, another part of my revenge was complete. I could have continued—could have finished clearing out the remaining goblin settlements and towns—but I had no desire to. What remained now was London, Bolshanov, and Malfoy. The latter still needed to answer for what he had done—and what he had helped cause.
"My lord, what's the next step?" Maria asked.
I cast a thoughtful glance over the dead city. It was silent. The architecture told stories of beings who had once been creative and powerful—strong enough to shape the world in their image. Their attempt to rise from the underground and claim a place under the sun might have worked—if not for one mistake. Not a single straw that broke the camel's back, but the one that shattered the spine of their entire plan… and their entire nation.
"What's next… what's next?" I repeated, almost to myself. "Good question. I think we'll return to the surface—and from there, we'll see."
"Understood."
Returning to the surface took far less time. We simply Apparated—either to Paris or Beauxbatons. I chose Paris. I still had a few things to discuss with Amel. I imagined he'd be pleased to hear the goblins were no longer a problem and could now focus on rallying his forces to reclaim the stolen wealth. I had absolutely no desire to get involved in that myself.
Once aboveground, I finally allowed myself a deep breath and a moment of rest—to sift through the valuable knowledge I had taken from the minds of the clan leaders. And let's just say—I was satisfied with the results.
The underground tunnels, though vast, had weighed heavily on me. I can say with certainty that I'd never want to live in a place like that. It wasn't interesting, and it certainly wasn't fun. I want sky above my head—sunlight.
This time, I didn't send Maria anywhere—I kept her close. When we appeared at Amel's house, we caused a bit of a stir. No one had expected me to return so quickly. Fleur, Hermione, and Isolde were thrilled to see me. Apolline, Garibelle, and Amel were pleased as well.
The girls immediately grabbed Maria and dragged her off to their room to discuss whatever it is women talk about, while I followed Amel and his wife to another room. They wanted to hear everything directly from me.
A few warming drinks appeared on a small table.
"To success?" asked the French Minister of Magic.
"To success," I nodded.
He poured the golden liquid into three glasses. We clinked them together and drank.
"Phew," Delacour exhaled. "That hit the spot."
"Agreed," I nodded.
"So, how did your plan go?" Amel asked.
"In short—I eliminated all the clan leaders, along with many of their close associates and a good number of strong, dangerous warriors."
"I see," he nodded. "And if not in short?"
"I can tell you that too."
The story took nearly half an hour, during which I recounted everything—except the Veil of Death. I described it instead as a different, similarly powerful spell, known for being extremely difficult to cast. I admitted I could perform it—but not as easily as the Veil.
"Incredible," Amel said slowly. "In just a few weeks, you've turned all of Europe upside down… and then back again. Once the news of the goblins' massive losses becomes public, many will try to capitalize on it—for knowledge or profit."
"If the Ministry is interested, I can delay releasing the locations of the goblin caches," I offered.
"Of course we're interested," he replied quickly. "I need to appease the French aristocrats, as well as others who lost valuables during the goblins' recent actions."
"Well then, now's your chance," I said with a smirk.
"Timothy," Apolline turned to me, "but why share this with others at all?"
"I believe everyone should have a hand in stripping the goblins bare," I replied calmly. "It'll help ease international tensions—and earn both you and me a few political points."
"All right," she nodded, accepting the reasoning.
"If you ask me, this all sounds pretty good," Amel agreed. "We'll get a small head start—just enough not to offend the other Ministries too much. Not bad at all."
"My thoughts exactly," I nodded.
"When do you plan to leave for London?" Amel asked.
"As soon as possible," I replied. "I'd rather not give the killer a chance to escape. That would be… unpleasant."
"You really think he's still in England?" Amel asked, sounding slightly doubtful.
"Hard to say. If he had any sense, he'd already be running—gone as deep and far as possible. But something tells me his decisions won't be the most rational."
"Will you need help?" Amel asked—formally.
"Not for now," I said, shaking my head.
"When will you return to Beauxbatons?" Amel asked. "Don't take it as pressure—I just need to know how long the school will be without its Headmaster."
"After I'm done dealing with things in England, I'll need two months to rest," I told him. "After that, I'll return to Beauxbatons—unless something else important comes up."
"You've still got your coronation ahead of you, the work in Corsica, and teaching the girls," Apolline remarked with a smirk. "You've taken on quite a lot. Can you handle it?"
"I think so," I nodded. "But I'll definitely need some rest."
"And we'll only get to dream about rest," Amel said, a touch of wistfulness in his voice. He already knew I was about to give him some coordinates—which meant long days and nights ahead, preparing a raid on goblin territory to recover what had been stolen.