My planet is infested with Goblins

Noah expected to return to his quarters after Commander Garran finished explaining the basic mission, but the older man instead led him farther into the military section of the estate. They passed several reinforced corridors before entering a much larger briefing chamber than the one Noah had seen earlier.

A circular tactical table occupied most of the room, and above it floated a detailed projection of the Kingdom of Caldris. Rivers, forests, mountain ranges, roads, fortresses, cities, and provincial borders were all marked in different colors. Four other young planetary lords were already waiting around the table, each studying the map in silence or speaking quietly with one another.

Garran entered without announcing himself, yet the room immediately became quieter. Noah took an empty position near the eastern side of the projection while Garran moved to the head of the table. He did not waste time with formal introductions beyond what was necessary.

The first young lord was Cassiel Rhyne, a broad-shouldered young man whose family belonged to one of the subordinate noble houses serving Aelwyn. His awakened species were Stonebacks, powerful humanoids known for thick skin, physical strength, and a tendency toward heavily armored infantry.

Selene Var stood across from him, her starting species identified as Sylvans, slender forest-dwelling humanoids with strong eyesight and a natural aptitude for scouting and archery.

Toren Malvek commanded Ironhorns, large horned humanoids whose size and strength made them particularly suited for shock formations. The final participant, Mira Solenne, possessed a civilization of Burrowkin, smaller humanoids whose greatest strengths lay in engineering, excavation, fortifications, and logistics.

When Garran reached Noah, he gave no additional explanation beyond what he already knew.

"Noah. Starting species: goblins."

Cassiel looked toward him with immediate interest.

"Goblins?"

Noah met his gaze.

"Yes."

Cassiel glanced briefly at Garran and then back toward Noah.

"You are bringing them into an invasion?"

"They are enough to fight in this mission."

Cassiel appeared as though he wanted to ask what that meant, but Garran spoke before he could continue.

"You can compare species after the operation. For now, I suggest you focus on the kingdom you are about to invade."

The projection expanded until Caldris filled nearly the entire space above the table. The kingdom was larger than Noah had initially imagined. Mountain ranges protected sections of its northern and eastern borders, while broad plains dominated much of the west. Several major rivers crossed the southern and central regions before converging near densely populated agricultural districts. Roads linked fortified cities with dozens of smaller towns, castles, and noble estates. The royal capital stood close to the center of the kingdom, positioned where several trade roads and river routes intersected.

Garran raised one hand and five differently colored sections appeared across the map.

"You are all fighting Caldris. You are not being assigned separate kingdoms."

Cassiel leaned forward slightly.

"All five of us?"

"All five."

Garran pointed toward the divided map.

"Caldris is large enough to support multiple simultaneous campaigns. The family wants each of you operating on a separate front so that we can judge your ability to conduct an invasion without allowing one strong participant to carry everyone else."

The northern region brightened first.

"Cassiel, you take the north."

Several mountain passes and fortified towns appeared in greater detail.

"The northern frontier contains heavy fortifications built around the passes. Caldris expects attacks from neighboring states there, so the local nobles maintain permanent garrisons and numerous castles. Your Stonebacks should be useful in direct fighting, but do not assume physical strength makes the walls crumble."

Cassiel smiled faintly.

"I prefer fighting agains walled enemies it makes it easier to destroy them."

Garran gave him a flat look.

The southern section illuminated next.

"Selene, you take the south. Forests, wetlands, farmland, and multiple river systems. Your Sylvans should have an advantage in reconnaissance, but the region also produces a significant portion of Caldris’s food. Expect the crown to defend it aggressively once they understand what is happening."

Selene nodded and immediately began studying the rivers.

The western plains highlighted afterward.

"Toren, west. Open ground, major roads, wealthy noble estates, and the largest concentration of Caldris cavalry outside the royal territories."

Toren folded his arms.

"That sounds manageable."

Garran ignored the confidence in his tone and moved to the next position.

"Mira, your assignment is different."

A small isolated area deeper inside Caldris illuminated.

"The family installed one portal farther inland than the others. Your Burrowkin will enter behind several defensive lines. Your primary role is disruption. Roads, supply depots, bridges, messenger routes, and fortified logistical centers. You will force Caldris to divert troops inward while the others attack from the borders."

Mira studied the position carefully.

"If I am discovered before establishing defenses, I could be surrounded."

"Yes."

Garran did not soften the answer.

"That is why you were given the assignment."

Finally, the eastern frontier illuminated.

"Noah, east."

The projection shifted closer. Mountains dominated the outer region, but lower valleys opened into dense forests farther west. Several rivers crossed the terrain before joining larger waterways deeper inside Caldris. Three major roads descended from the eastern frontier toward the interior, and each was protected by fortified settlements.

Garran indicated the first defensive line.

"Your portal is concealed inside an Aelwyn facility beyond these mountains. Caldris maintains several frontier forts and a regional army responsible for the eastern provinces. Your task is to break that defense and continue advancing until the eastern military structure can no longer function."

Noah studied the map without replying immediately. The kingdom had designed the frontier to stop armies moving through predictable roads and passes. A conventional invasion would likely collide with one fortress after another, giving Caldris time to summon reinforcements from the interior.

Garran continued.

"Do not misunderstand the mission. Capturing one fort does not mean you have completed your assignment. You are responsible for the eastern front. When you finish, Caldris should no longer possess an eastern military position capable of organized resistance."

Noah nodded.

"What is the overall condition for success?"

Garran returned the projection to the entire kingdom.

"Caldris does not need to cease existing. We are not asking you to occupy every village, burn every castle, or slaughter every noble family. The operation ends successfully when the crown loses the ability or willingness to continue organized resistance."

He pointed toward the central capital.

"That can happen in several ways. Destroy enough of its armies. Capture important cities. Break communication between the capital and the provinces. Force major nobles to surrender. Capture the king if the opportunity appears. How you accomplish it is your problem."

Selene looked toward the five operational regions.

"So the attacks begin together?"

"The attacks should be closely coordinated that Caldris cannot concentrate on one of you before the others become problems."

Garran moved several markers representing royal troops around the map.

"The kingdom can mobilize a substantial army, but most of that strength is distributed between nobles, frontier garrisons, and regional forces. If only one of you attacks, the crown can gather troops against that front. If five armies appear from different directions, the king must decide in which direction to direct their attention first."

Toren smiled.

"And if I finish my front before the others?"

"You may reinforce another participant after your objective is secured."

Cassiel looked toward Noah briefly.

"So we can interfere with another front."

"You can assist."

Garran’s tone sharpened.

"If you abandon your assigned region because you think stealing someone else’s victory will make you look impressive, I will personally ensure your evaluation explains exactly what happened."

The projection changed again as several divine symbols appeared above Caldris. Noah recognized the three names from his private briefing: Asterion, Kharos, and Elira.

Garran pointed toward them.

"The same rule applies to all of you. Your followers conduct the invasion. You do not personally descend simply because destroying mortal formations would be convenient."

Cassiel raised a hand slightly.

"And if Kharos shows up on one of our fronts?"

"If he observes, you observe. If he blesses soldiers, you judge whether your forces can handle the result. If he personally descends and starts destroying your army, you may respond."

Cassiel smiled.

"So I can fight him."

Garran looked at him for several seconds.

"You may fight him."

The distinction in his wording caused Cassiel’s smile to fade slightly.

Garran continued.

"Local technology does not determine divine strength. Do not look at a knight with a steel sword and conclude the god he worships must also be primitive. Some of these beings may have been accumulating power longer than your families have been preparing you for awakening."

Mira asked the question Noah had already considered.

"If multiple gods intervene against one front?"

"Contact the supervisors. The other planetary lords may also assist if doing so is reasonable, but nobody is expected to abandon an entire campaign because another lord encountered a problem."

Noah understood the structure. Their armies were expected to solve mortal problems. Direct divine intervention was reserved for threats beyond what those armies could realistically confront.

Garran removed the divine markers and replaced them with portal locations.

"You now need to select your forces."

The room became noticeably more attentive.

"The portals are stable and can transport large numbers. That does not mean you should treat capacity as an invitation to deploy every follower capable of holding a weapon."

Noah just smiled as it was what in his mind. That was the playstyle of the goblins overwhelm the enemies with numbers.

He looked around the table.

"Transportation is solved. You still need to acquire food. You need to command your troops. Disease outbreak may happen. The more troops you bring, the more supplies you need every day."

Cassiel spoke first.

"I can field several thousand Stonebacks immediately."

Garran shrugged.

"You can field ten times that if you want. The question is whether you can feed them after they leave the portal."

Selene asked for access to the southern agricultural maps before committing to numbers. Mira wanted geological information around her portal. Toren requested details on enemy cavalry and road widths.

Noah said nothing.

Garran did not know what existed on his planet beyond the fact that goblins were his starting species and that he had received time acceleration. The commander had no knowledge of the four continental empires, their military traditions, or how far their institutions had developed during the accelerated centuries. Noah saw no reason to explain any of that yet.

Instead, he studied the eastern frontier.

Dense forests covered much of the lower terrain. Rivers cut between fortified roads. The climate was warmer than the north and wetter than the western plains. Caldris had clearly built its defenses around controlling mountain approaches and major crossings.

Noah immediately thought of the Viridian Empire.

Its soldiers had spent generations fighting through jungles, wetlands, river valleys, and heavily forested territory. Viridian armies understood how to move supplies through difficult environments and how to operate away from broad roads. Their engineers had extensive experience with bridges, river transport, fortified camps, and campaigns where terrain killed careless armies as efficiently as enemies did.

More importantly, one empire would be enough.

Noah saw no reason to create a mixed expedition from all four continental powers. Coordinating Varkesh, Skargrim, Viridian, and Luminous officers in their first foreign war would create unnecessary complications. Their commanders belonged to separate imperial traditions and had spent centuries viewing one another as rival powers. Combining them merely to destroy one portion of a medieval kingdom would be excessive.

Caldris’s eastern army represented only one front of a kingdom already being attacked from five directions.

The Viridian Empire alone possessed far more military strength than Noah intended to deploy.

Garran eventually looked toward him.

"You have been quiet."

"I am thinking."

"About numbers?"

"About what kind of army I need."

Garran gave a small nod.

"That should come before numbers."

Cassiel glanced toward Noah again.

"You still planning to use goblins?"

Noah looked at him.

"Yes."

"How many?"

"I have not decided yet."

Cassiel seemed amused.

Noah ignored him and returned his attention to the map.

Garran enlarged the eastern region further.

"Three major roads connect the frontier to the interior. Caldris expects an invading army to use them. The eastern commanders maintain strongpoints around each route."

Noah traced one road with his eyes before looking toward the rivers branching south of it.

"If I do not use the road?"

Garran gave no immediate answer.

"That is your decision."

Noah studied the terrain again. Some fortresses could potentially be bypassed rather than assaulted. If the Viridian army moved through terrain Caldris considered unsuitable for large formations, they might reach deeper supply lines before the defenders understood the direction of the invasion.

He would need proper intelligence first.

Garran opened access to the detailed files.

"You have several hours. Review population centers, garrison estimates, roads, rivers, weather, known nobles, agricultural areas, and anything else you believe matters. After that, the portals begin opening."

The other planetary lords immediately started separating into their designated workstations.

Before Noah moved, Garran addressed all five one final time.

"Caldris believes the greatest threats to its borders are neighboring kingdoms it has fought for generations. In a few hours, armies from five different worlds will appear around it."

He let the statement settle.

"Do not waste the surprise."

Noah looked once more at the eastern frontier before turning part of his awareness toward his own planet. Far away, beneath a different sky, the Viridian Empire continued living without any knowledge that its god was about to change its understanding of existence.

For centuries, Viridian armies had fought other goblins for rivers, jungles, cities, and imperial territory. They had defeated rebellions, neighboring states, rival dynasties, and eventually every power capable of challenging their continental rule.

Now Noah intended to select only one of his planet’s four empires for the first war beyond their world.

The others would remain untouched.

For Caldris’s eastern front, Noah believed the Viridian Empire would be more than enough.

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