Naguk exchanged a few final words with their leaders before nodding toward the next group. Urul and Zurgha stepped forward, their teams following closely. They began laying out detailed terrain maps of Greymaw Keep, pointing out potential ambush points and chokeholds for their operation.
Eliss let out an exaggerated sigh. "Ugh... it's not us yet? How long is this going to take?"
Just then, when Amukelo was about to asnwer, an orc broke away from one of the groups that were still waiting, and made his way toward them. He said, "I's because our team will be leaving Grenskar tomorrow. Other teams will be heading off immediately, that's why they're first." Eliss tensed slightly, casting Amukelo a wary glance, but Amukelo remained calm.
The orc extended a hand toward Amukelo. "My name is Xulgag. We'll be working together for the next two weeks. Nice to meet you."
Amukelo shook his hand firmly. "Amukelo. Good to meet you."
Eliss hesitated for a moment, but when Xulgag turned his gaze to her, she quickly composed herself and shook his hand. "Eliss Covingfield."
Xulgag raised an eyebrow. "Covingfield? That must be a noble family name, isn't it?"
Eliss let out an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of her neck. "Yeah, it so happens that I am a noble."
Amukelo smirked. "If it weren't for her family name, you'd never guess. She's not exactly the picture of aristocracy."
Eliss turned to him with mock offense. She swatted his shoulder. "You're insufferable."
Xulgag then continued. "So, what brings a noble to our lands? Especially working for someone else? You know him before, right?"
Amukelo took the lead in answering. "Eliss had never met Naguk before this. I met him during my travels. He was badly injured, and we ended up traveling together for a while. He had a way to get me where I needed to go, and in exchange, I didn't let him bleed out."
Xulgag nodded thoughtfully. "That's no small thing, though. When Naguk went missing, everyone thought it was the end for the Thunderjaw tribe's ambitions. Your intervention kept that from happening, whether or not you meant it as a favor."
Amukelo raised his hands defensively. "Look, I've said it before, and I'll say it again—your friend Ghak was right. It was purely transactional. I don't deserve credit for anything beyond that."
Xulgag smiled faintly, studying Amukelo for a moment before asking, "So, what made you decide to come here? It's no secret that our nation is dangerous for outsiders, especially for those unfamiliar with the terrain."
Amukelo hesitated for a moment, glancing at Eliss. "It's a long story," he began. "We were... compelled to leave Elandria, and we figured Ghorzaan would offer the kind of experiences we were looking for."
Eliss snorted. "By 'experiences,' he means near-death experiences every other day."
Xulgag laughed. "That's Ghorzaan. No place like it if you're looking to test your limits—or meet an untimely end."
The conversation flowed from there, with Xulgag asking questions about their journey, their encounters with other monsters, and even their thoughts on orcish culture.
After what felt like an eternity, Urul's and Zurgha's teams finished their strategy session and left the room, their faces set with grim determination. Finally, Naguk turned his attention to everyone else left. "Now, let's discuss our plan."
Naguk gestured for them to come closer to the table. "You'll be traveling with me to Blazewatch tomorrow. Our goal there is to rally support from the local populace. We'll spend one night in the town, and I'll give a speech the next morning to solidify my position as the candidate they should back. After the speech, we'll leave immediately to avoid giving my opponents any opportunity to sabotage us."
He looked directly at Amukelo and Eliss. "Your role is to ensure my safety and reinforce our group during this campaign. The journey between towns can be treacherous, and we can't rule out attempts on my life. I need people I can trust to handle threats quickly and efficiently."
Amukelo nodded. "Understood. We'll be ready."
Naguk's gaze softened slightly. "Good. Make sure to prepare only what's necessary for the journey. We'll be moving quickly, and I don't want to be slowed down by excess baggage. You can leave anything you don't need in one of our storage rooms here—no need to pay for extra space at the inn."
Amukelo inclined his head in thanks. "Appreciate that."
With that, Naguk dismissed them, leaving the room to finalize their own preparations.
The next morning, Amukelo and Eliss carefully packed their belongings, ensuring they carried only what they needed for the mission. They left their excess gear in the storage room Naguk had provided.
Once ready, they left the inn and made their way back to the same building where they'd met Naguk the previous day. The orcs already stood ready. Naguk himself looked even more imposing than usual. He attacked a massive axe to his missing arm.
As they approached, Naguk scanned the group. "Is everyone present?" His voice carried the weight of command, and the orcs responded with unwavering attention.
He turned to Mor first. "Anyone missing from your group?"
Mor shook her head. "No, sir. Everyone's here."
Naguk nodded, then directed his gaze to Xulgag. "What about your team?"
"Present," Xulgag said crisply, standing tall.
Finally, Naguk addressed Tidgug, "Everyone is accounted for."
Satisfied, Naguk turned to the group as a whole. "Good. In that case, we are heading to Blazewatch. Let's move."
As they marched the terrain quickly shifted from dusty roads to uneven rocky paths, with jagged stones poking out from the ground and occasional clusters of dead, thorny plants scattered across the landscape.
After several hours, the calm was broken by a distant, guttural screech. Amukelo stiffened, gripping his sword's hilt instinctively.
Naguk raised a hand, halting the group. "Octoraptors are coming," he said grimly.
The orcs shifted into defensive stances, most of them appearing unconcerned by the warning. Amukelo and Eliss, however, braced themselves.
From the shadows of a nearby rocky outcrop, three grotesque creatures burst forth. They looked like giant lizards, but their corpses were covered in segmented armor, and they had eight limbs, also covered by armor. Each had a scorpion-like tail with poison dripping from the top of it. Their faces were flat, almost skeletal, with rows of razor-sharp teeth exposed in menacing snarls.
The first Octoraptor lunged directly at Naguk. He met its charge head-on, raising his axe-arm to intercept its snapping jaws. The beast raised its tail to strike, but a sudden earth wall erupted from the ground, blocking its path. Without missing a beat, Naguk shoved the creature's head aside and swung his axe in a wide arc. The blade severed its head cleanly.
Amukelo faced the second Octoraptor. He barely managed to sidestep its initial attack, as its jaw missed him by inches. The creature swung its tail at him, and Amukelo ducked under the strike, rolling to the side and slashing at its lower body as he rose to his feet.
The Octoraptor spun around, raising a limb to strike Amukelo. He was momentarily off-balance, but before the blow could land, jagged ice spikes erupted from the ground beneath the creature, piercing its exposed belly. The beast let out a guttural shriek, momentarily stunned. Amukelo seized the opportunity, redirecting the creature's raised limb and delivering a powerful slash across its neck. His blade didn't cut all the way through, and the Octoraptor reared back, raising its tail for another strike.
Eliss cast a water shield between Amukelo and the creature. The tail slammed into the shield, and pierced it with slowed momentum, but then the water froze and shattered into sharp pieces severing its tail. The creature howled in pain, and Amukelo pushed harder, finally severing its head with a final push.
Amukelo turned to see the third Octoraptor. It was already being handled by the other orcs, who worked together to finish the creature quickly. Within moments, its lifeless body hit the ground, joining its fallen kin.
Naguk approached Amukelo and Eliss,. "Good job. You handled yourselves well," he said simply, nodding toward them.