She had been part of another group of free Elves but had become separated from her kin during an ambush. Goblins had taken her alive and dragged her to one of their breeding dens. Despite the horrors she endured, Luna radiated a quiet resilience that stirred both sympathy and admiration.
Curiosity, one of my greatest weaknesses, quickly took hold of me. The entity inside her—the embodiment of everything society labeled as evil—drew my attention. My past life’s work had been dedicated to studying the unknown, and now, with Luna living under the same roof, I had the perfect opportunity to observe the curse firsthand.
For days, I delved into the workings of the curse, examining its structure and how it interacted with its host. I discovered that curses didn’t merely sit dormant—they thrived, siphoning life force from their victims to create barriers. These barriers shielded the curse from detection or purification by light magic or the body’s natural defenses.
As my understanding grew, I began to piece together the truth about Goblins and the monstrous bloodline that flowed within them.
Many species in this world could interbreed, but the results varied. Elves could have children with humans but not with Dwarves or Beastfolk. Humans, on the other hand, had the highest compatibility, though even their hybrid offspring were often sterile.
Dragons, however, were unique. Their blood held a latent power that allowed them to breed with virtually any species. Known for their lust and shapeshifting abilities, Dragons had left their mark across countless lineages.
Goblins, I realized, were the chaotic result of this interbreeding. Their traits were a patchwork quilt of the world’s races:
- Elven ears and orcish green skin,
- Beastfolk sharp teeth,
- Halfling small stature and large feet,
- Dwarven bulbous noses.
Each feature, twisted and exaggerated, hinted at their ancestry.
It all made sense now. The Goblins were cursed not because of who they were but because of what they could become. Someone, fearing the potential power of this mixed bloodline, had ensured their devolution.
Breaking down the curse, I saw that it suppressed the Goblins’ inherent traits and potential. The pseudo-soul inside the fetus was barely functional, a flickering light smothered by the curse’s grip. It was as though the cursemaker sought to erase every shred of their potential.
I was horrified. The suffering of Goblins—and the countless women like Luna—was the product of one individual’s hatred and fear. A dark mage, perhaps even a cabal, had sacrificed everything to cripple an entire race.
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Luna’s situation weighed heavily on me. I had overheard the difficult choice laid before her.
She could drink a potion to terminate the fetus, but it would leave her sterile—a devastating decision for any Elf, given their natural limit of three offspring. The alternative was to carry the child to term and kill it after birth.
Elves were deeply pro-life, cherishing all living things, but Goblins were considered an exception—a monstrous aberration. Luna’s sadness was evident whenever she looked at me, as though her mind wrestled with the choice she had to make.
I resolved to find another way.
The curse was the key. If I could break it, perhaps the child wouldn’t be a monster after all. With focus and determination, I studied the pseudo-soul in Luna’s womb.
I attacked the curse with light magic, weaving a barrier of life force around the clash to protect Luna from collateral damage. The curse resisted fiercely, but I refused to relent. Slowly, it began to unravel, the threads of dark magic disintegrating under the pressure of my will.
When the curse was gone, I turned my attention to the fetus’s genes. Without the curse suppressing them, they were unbound, a chaotic mix of dormant traits. I suppressed the ones that felt dangerous and activated those brimming with potential.
As I finished, a series of prompts flooded my vision.
You have broken "Cultist of Muiren’s Curse."
- A curse created by the joint efforts of a large cult devoted to the Evil God Muiren.
Title Gained: "Curse Breaker."
- +50% resistance to curses.
- +10% more power to light magic.
Title Gained: "Life Bless Master."
- +20% efficiency with life force.
- Your creation of a [potentially sentient female fetus] has caused a stir among even the realm of gods!
Warning: You have angered "Lesser Evil God Muiren."
- This foe is currently unaware of your location but will seek vengeance upon you.
A cold dread washed over me. I’ve made an enemy of an evil god, I thought grimly.
As if that wasn’t enough, I now faced a more immediate problem: I would have to reveal my actions to Luna. The fetus was no longer a soulless monster—it was something entirely new. Moreover, it was female, a significant deviation from Goblin norms. Luna deserved to know that the child would not be the abomination she feared.
While I wrestled with how to tell her, a bright blue and white orb appeared before me.
It hovered silently, radiating warmth and light. I felt its gaze, though it wasn’t hostile. On the contrary, the feelings it evoked were comforting, almost protective.
Before I could analyze it, the orb drifted toward Luna and disappeared into her womb.
I froze.
The fetus, which had been soulless, now had a soul. I didn’t know if this was normal for how souls were granted to unborn children, but something about it felt significant—different.
Whoever or whatever that soul belonged to wasn’t my enemy. In fact, I had the distinct impression they would become my greatest ally if they were allowed to live.
I admitted to myself that I had acted recklessly. My emotions had gotten the better of me. In my past life, I had witnessed a woman who suffered similar trauma fall into a dark depression and eventually take her own life. At the time, I had been powerless to help her.
Now, with the power to intervene, I felt compelled to act. But I had acted unilaterally, and I knew Luna might not be pleased. The fetus had initially been soulless—destined to be stillborn after the curse was removed. Now it lived, its future rewritten by my interference.
Well, I thought, here’s hoping she isn’t too mad at me.
Well, fudge! I thought. I made an enemy of an evil god. Now I had two problems! First, I had to reveal myself to talk to Luna. I had to tell her there was another choice should she choose it. I didn't know if telling her that the child would not be a monster but something "special" would make a difference. The knowledge that the baby was female would help with that as no goblin had ever been female before. Ultimately, the choice would be hers. While I was pondering, a bright white and blue orb appeared before me. It looked very similar to my soul's initial appearance and hovered there a moment. I felt its gaze, but it wasn't hostile. Heck, I even felt warm feelings from it.