As soon as Orion's command was given, the giant warriors and Buffalofolk erupted into a frenzy, shouting and roaring as they unleashed their pent-up bloodlust. These warriors, now consumed by the thrill of battle and violence, needed an outlet for their rage.
In an instant, the Swamp Rats' settlement was engulfed in flames, thick smoke rising into the sky and spreading across the swamp. Flocks of crows and vultures circled overhead, waiting to feast on the remains of the dead.
"Prophet, look at that smoke filling the sky. Isn't it intoxicating?" Orion said, gazing upward. The billowing smoke and flames were his signal, his declaration of war to Slagor.
Prophet Onyx looked up as well, but what he saw wasn't just smoke—it was the scent of death. He realized that this new lord of the Black Forest was different from those who had come before.
Orion seemed wiser, yet colder.