"Elyra!" The simultaneous screams of Seraphine and Katheren pierced through the cavern as they watched the little owl being tossed into the snake pit. They struggled fiercely, attempting to rush to her aid, only to be forcefully held down by the serpent-men, powerless to do anything but watch the stone slab close over the hole.
"Enough, tell me, where are the other two?" The serpent queen's gaze returned to the captain, pressing him.
"We didn't catch them, my queen. Instead, we sent two warriors to lead them away," the captain responded respectfully.
"What? Did you not understand my orders? I wanted them all captured, their blood to avenge my daughter!" The queen's wrath bore down on him.
"My queen, please, it wasn't our intention to let them escape," the captain uttered, attempting to explain. "Those men are extraordinary, dressed as rangers, and we feared our numbers insufficient to confront them directly."
The captain nodded towards Seraphine and Katheren, "Nevertheless, this witch's magic claimed the lives of a dozen of our warriors."
"A witch?" The queen glanced skeptically at Seraphine. "Why would a witch come here?"
"I am no witch. I am a merfolk sanctuary guardian. My companions and I have a vital mission to the titan fortress!" Seraphine declared defiantly.
"Merfolk, yes, I know of your kind," the queen acknowledged with a nod.
Seraphine's heart lifted, hoping for a reprieve, but the queen's sneer quashed it. "What does that matter to me? I care not for your purpose here. I seek only vengeance for my daughter!"
Her eyes fixed on the captain, she demanded, "How do you plan to capture those two men?"
"We've left a trail for them to follow, they will come here, and then we shall swarm them, shredding them to pieces to appease my daughter's soul," the captain assured confidently.
"Cleverer than you look," she conceded, waving him off. "Separate these two women and keep them confined. Ensure they don't escape."
The captain bowed and ordered the guards to drag Seraphine and Katheren out of the cavern.
Outside, Grayson and Morven observed the serpent encampment, hidden behind a boulder. The camp was strategically placed at the forest's edge, guarding the valley's only exit, with serpent-men patrolling like sentries.
"The serpent-kin of Ice Isle are said to be formidable, and it appears rightly so," Morven whispered to Grayson.
"These are likely just one of their tribes. The serpent-kin's power surely exceeds this. If the titan king is considered the emperor of Ice Isle, then the serpent queen must be its sovereign," Grayson deduced, eyeing the nearest sentries. "These are but the duke's guards."
"No matter their rank, we can't overcome so many," Morven frowned.
"Indeed, we have two options: sneak past them or draw them away," Grayson stated, turning to Morven.
"Surely, you don't expect me to divert this horde?" Morven balked.
"No, the opposite," Grayson corrected. "I'll draw them off. You go in and save them."
Morven shook his head, "You can't. They'll block the entire valley. You won't make it out!"
Before Grayson could reply, the cries of a young creature echoed from the forest, and he motioned for Morven to follow as they stealthily approached the source.
They came upon a snowy-white yeti cub, lost and calling out plaintively.
"We could use it," Grayson suggested, looking back at Morven.
"It's too risky. The serpent-men will eat that little one in one bite," Morven said uneasily.
Yet, as a thunderous roar answered the cub's cries, Grayson didn't hesitate. He scooped up the yeti and dashed towards the serpent encampment.
The cub's wails drew the ire of the adult yetis. Amidst the chaos, Grayson hurled the cub into the center of the camp. The startled youngling's shrieks drew the serpent-men, who closed in, ready to strike.
Just then, an adult yeti barrelled out from the woods, seeing its cub in peril. With a guttural roar, it charged at the serpent-men.
The serpent-men, confident in their numbers, swarmed the yeti. Outnumbered and wounded, the yeti's anguished cries mingled with the cub's terrified screams.
Morven, hidden behind the boulder, his heart heavy with guilt, whispered, "Are we not monsters for doing this?"
Grayson remained unfazed, his composure as unyielding as ever. Suddenly, more roars emerged from the forest.
"They come…"
With Grayson's words, a horde of enraged yetis stormed the serpent camp, their white furs a stark contrast to the ensuing bloodshed.
Rising from his cover, Grayson's tone was as cold as the landscape. "In nature, it's survival of the fittest. To live, we must be unscrupulous. The forest has no place for the merciful, and compassion won't save our friends."
With that, he stepped out from behind the boulder, Morven trailing with mixed emotions. He couldn't help but ponder the ruthless calm Grayson always maintained.
But reflection had to wait. Swords drawn, they used the distraction to cross the encampment, dodging additional serpent-men, until they reached the cavern holding Seraphine and Katheren.
Only a few guards remained at its entrance. With a signal from Grayson, they charged, swiftly dispatching the serpent-men and pressing toward the pitch-black cavern.
As they readied to enter, a band of serpent-men, led by the captain, surrounded them. "Clever, but wrong," he snarled, unsheathing four long knives. "You thought to exploit chaos to breach our stronghold? Grave mistake!"