Amukelo crouched in his hiding spot, his breathing steady, eyes locked on the enormous wolf-like creature as it prowled toward the bait he had set. He had been meticulous in his preparation, knowing that a creature like this would rely heavily on its sense of smell to detect threats. Earlier, he had rolled his cloak around the remains of one of the dead animals, masking his scent completely. He had even rubbed some of the dried blood onto his hands and armor, blending his presence with the scent of the slaughtered livestock. The beast had no idea he was there.
The massive creature approached the decoy—what it believed to be just another animal carcass—with complete confidence. It was cautious, but there was no sign of fear or hesitation in its movements. Amukelo watched every step, the muscles rippling beneath the thick fur, the glowing red eyes scanning the area for any danger, but finding none.
As soon as the beast lowered its head to inspect the 'animal' he prepared to bait it more closely, Amukelo acted. He exploded from his hiding place, his sword flashing in the moonlight as he rushed forward with practiced precision. Before the beast could react properly, Amukelo was upon it, his blade swinging in a wide arc aimed directly at its neck.
The sword connected with a heavy thud, the blade slicing through fur and muscle. A snarl of pain erupted from the creature, but the cut, though deep, was not fatal. Amukelo had held back intentionally, not aiming to kill—at least not yet. His plan was to injure the beast enough to drive it off, to track it to its lair, and see if it was acting alone or part of a larger pack.
The creature staggered back from the blow, its glowing eyes narrowing with fury. Blood dripped from the fresh wound on its neck, but it wasn't enough to weaken the beast. It stared at Amukelo, its lips curling back to reveal sharp, yellowed teeth, its gaze now burning with primal rage. For a brief moment, they stood locked in a silent battle of wills.
Then, with a snarl, the creature lunged at him.
Amukelo dodged to the side with ease, his movements fluid and deliberate. He wasn't here to engage in a brutal fight; his goal was to provoke the creature just enough to make it flee. As the beast charged past him, Amukelo swung his sword again, delivering another shallow cut to its side. The beast howled in frustration but quickly turned to face him once more, its eyes burning with hatred.
It charged again, faster this time, its massive body barreling toward him with impressive speed. But Amukelo was ready. He sidestepped the attack once more, pivoting on his heel as he delivered another slash, this time aiming for its back leg. The blade met its mark, slicing through fur and skin, but the beast was still too strong to be truly hindered.
The fight continued like this for several minutes. The creature lunged, snarling and snapping its powerful jaws, and each time, Amukelo evaded the attack with graceful precision, delivering non-lethal slashes to keep the creature on edge. Despite its size and strength, the beast posed little danger to Amukelo. Yet he knew better than to underestimate it completely; any mistake could be fatal.
Amukelo could see that the beast was growing frustrated, its movements becoming more reckless as it failed time and time again to catch him. Finally, it paused, its chest heaving, glowing red eyes boring into him with unrelenting anger. The two stood there for a long moment, tension thick in the air, the beast snarling quietly as if calculating its next move.
Then it let out a long, ear-piercing howl, the sound echoing through the fields and into the distant trees.
Suddenly, the beast lunged at him again, this time with reckless abandon. Amukelo, anticipating the move, pretended to stumble. He let his footing slip just enough to make the beast believe it had an opening, and as it closed the distance, he swung his sword once more, delivering another shallow cut across its shoulder.
The beast snarled in pain, but instead of continuing the attack, it seized the opportunity and turned to flee. Amukelo watched it bolt into the distance, its powerful limbs propelling it forward at an impressive speed. Blood from its wounds trailed behind it, marking its path, and Amukelo allowed himself a small, grim smile.
The moment the creature began to flee, Amukelo straightened himself. His 'stumble' had been a ruse, and now that the beast believed it had a chance to escape, he could follow it back to its lair. He moved quickly but carefully, staying just far enough behind the creature that it wouldn't sense him but close enough to keep the blood trail in sight.
The beast ran at a fast pace, but it was clear the injuries Amukelo had inflicted were starting to slow it down. Its movements were slightly more labored, and the blood loss was beginning to take its toll. Amukelo kept his distance, his breathing steady as he followed the winding path through the woods.
After considerable time, the beast finally began to slow. It looked around cautiously scanning the area to make sure it wasn't being followed. But it didn't spot Amukelo, who had positioned himself carefully behind a dense thicket, watching silently as the creature padded forward.
Up ahead, nestled in the shadow of a rocky hill, was a cave. The beast hesitated for a moment at the entrance of the cave, sniffing the air, its fur bristling as it scanned the surrounding forest one last time. Satisfied that it hadn't been followed, it slunk into the cave, disappearing into the darkness.
Amukelo approached the entrance of the cave with a cautious, deliberate pace. The dense forest around him had thinned, replaced by the jagged rock formations that framed the entrance like crooked teeth. The air was cooler here, and the cave seemed to exhale darkness, a sharp contrast to the moonlit night outside. His sword was drawn, the blade held close to his side as he moved silently, his senses heightened.
As he stepped inside, his eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light. Deeper into the cave, he noticed an unusual flicker of light—the unmistakable glow of a fire. The scent of burning wood drifted faintly toward him, mingling with the damp, earthy smell of the cave. Amukelo advanced cautiously, his steps careful on the uneven ground, the sound of crackling fire growing louder as he neared.
When he rounded a sharp bend, there was the beast he had been following. Its massive, furry body stood poised in front of a firepit, flames casting flickering shadows on the cave walls.
Next to the beast was a humanoid figure, but far from human. It was an orc, its green skin pale in the firelight, and its body slumped against the cave wall, clearly injured. Blood matted the orc's skin where an arm should have been—its left limb had been severed at the elbow, the wound roughly bandaged. The orc's eyes were half-closed, its face contorted in pain, but it was still alert enough to notice Amukelo's arrival. Not far from them lay the body of another beast, dead and partially decayed. Its blood had stained the ground beneath it, a grim reminder of the violence that had transpired here.
As soon as the beast Amukelo had followed into the cave noticed his presence, it reacted with a mixture of fear and aggression. It jumped back, placing itself between Amukelo and the injured orc, taking on a protective stance. Its fur bristled, and it growled, baring its sharp teeth. Its posture was defensive, not aggressive, its tail low and tucked between its legs, a clear sign of fear.
Amukelo studied the scene in silence for a moment, his grip tightening on his sword. The creature was clearly afraid, but it would still defend the orc if it felt threatened. The orc, in his current state, posed no threat—but it was an orc nonetheless, a race rarely seen in this part of Elandria.
Amukelo took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation. The orc was clearly connected to the beast, and something had driven them to terrorize the people of this region. It didn't matter what it was—he had a job to do, and his hand was already on his blade. He slowly unsheathed it, the sound of metal ringing softly in the cave.
"Well," Amukelo said, his voice cold and unyielding, "I guess I found the root of the problem."
He took a step forward, raising his sword, ready to finish the beast that had caused so much trouble. The creature tensed, its growling intensifying as it prepared to defend the orc.
But just as he was about to swing his blade, a voice interrupted him.
"Wait," the voice rasped, weak but clear. "Spare us."
Amukelo froze, weighting whether to respect his request or just finish the job. His sword remained raised, but his curiosity got the better of him, and he paused for a moment.
"Why would I do that?" Amukelo asked, his tone as cold as the steel in his hand. His eyes flicked to the orc, whose gaze was heavy with both pain and desperation. The beast still growled lowly, but its eyes betrayed its fear, standing protectively over the orc with every muscle tensed.
The orc swallowed, wincing as it tried to shift its weight, clearly struggling with its injury. "We… we are trying to get back to our nation," the orc said, its voice strained but sincere.
Amukelo's eyes narrowed, and he lowered his sword slightly. "And why should I care about that?" he asked, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "You were terrorizing the people of this area, killing livestock, threatening lives. Why should I spare you?"
The cave fell into an uneasy silence, the crackling fire the only sound breaking the tension. The orc glanced at the beast, which had stopped growling but remained alert, its gaze never leaving Amukelo. For a moment, it seemed the orc would speak, but no words came. The creature shifted uneasily, trying to find the right response, but the weight of Amukelo's words made it hesitate.