The Orc Hunting Party circled around the knights and the Sandcrawler on their massive, snarling three-headed mastiffs, known as Kra-Lan. The Orcs roared with laughter, hurling jokes at both the monstrous centipedes and the five knights trapped in their formation.One Orc, towering at 7'1, hopped down from his mount, still chuckling. He approached the knights, dropping to one knee in mock reverence as he noticed the insignias on their armor. "Ha ha! And what are you umies doing in these parts of the wasteland?" He leaned closer, eyes widening with fake awe. "Oho! Look here, fellas! We got the whole crew! A golden mane, a silver horn, two crimson shields, and oh, what's this? An Honor Guardsman! Judging by your ghastly appearance, you must be the famed Malachi of the Silent Hand."The Orcs broke into an exaggerated "ooooooh ahhhhhh" before collapsing into laughter once more, pounding the sand with their fists. One Orc laughed so hard he toppled off his Kra-Lan, only to be scolded by his three-headed mount.Despite the Orcs' uproar, the four knights remained silent, weapons at the ready, their eyes scanning the hostile surroundings. Malachi, calm and unmoved, stared straight at the mocking Orc."You seem well-informed," Malachi said, his voice steady. "It's only right that you introduce yourselves."The lead Orc, still grinning, straightened up. "You wish to know my name, Malachi?" He spread his arms wide. "Well, isn't it obvious? I am the one and only Queen Catelyn!"The Orcs burst out laughing again, some rolling on the ground in hysterics. One even mocked a curtsy, nearly getting knocked over by his mastiff's tail. Pigsly and Aedric struggled to stifle their laughter, while Rose and Aaron turned red with fury at the insult to their queen. Malachi, however, stayed stone-faced, his gaze drifting to the nearby Sandcrawler."Well, Queen Catelyn," Malachi continued coolly, "if you're here for the Sandcrawler, I won't stop you. But I kindly ask that you let us pass unharmed.""Queen Catelyn" scratched his chin, feigning deep thought. His eyes flicked between the Sandcrawler and the knights' light armor, which, though lightweight and flexible, was crafted from valuable materials that could fetch a hefty price."Hmmm, tempting offer," he mused. "But you see, I think I'd rather take those shiny armors off your corpses."Malachi's lips twitched into a smirk. "They don't stretch," he quipped.The Orc leader let out a chuckle, then unsheathed his massive axe. "No matter. I'm sure our buyers won't care."Before anyone could react, Aedric shouted, "AERO!" A gust of wind magic erupted from his hands, sending the lead Orc hurtling into the distant sand dunes.The Orcs let out a furious war cry and charged. Pigsly braced himself, raising his shield to block an incoming axe swing. With a grunt, he parried and used his weight to collapse onto another Orc, crushing him with a thud. Taking advantage, he plunged his sword into the fallen foe's neck and threw his shield into another Orc's chest.Rose leapt onto the flying shield, propelling herself upward. Using her agility, she landed gracefully on an Orc's broad shoulders, stabbing her rapier into his jugular. She flipped over another, dodging grasping hands with a burst of air magic and drove her blade into yet another Orc's throat. One massive Orc swung at her, but Rose danced away, mouthed "Too slow," as she delivered a final, deadly strike.Aedric and Aaron stood back to back as ten Orcs surrounded them. Aedric redirected an axe with one sword, then drove his other blade into an Orc's chest. Aaron parried multiple swings, his blade a blur of motion. With a swift throw, he buried his sword into an Orc's face, then yanked it back using a chain attached to the hilt, slicing off another enemy's hand.Pigsly tackled an Orc about to swing at Aedric, crushing him under his weight. With a grin, he unleashed the loudest, foulest fart in the Kingdom's history. The Orc beneath him gagged and went limp, and Aedric couldn't help but stare in disbelief."Really?" Aaron groaned. "There are better ways to fight, Pigsly!"Pigsly just shrugged. "Hey, whatever works!"Aedric shook his head, then turned his attention to three Orcs sneaking toward the horses. "SHOCK!" Electricity arced from his fingertips, stunning the Orcs and sending them convulsing to the ground. Aaron gave him an annoyed look. "You couldn't have done that earlier?"Aedric chuckled nervously. "Timing is everything!"Meanwhile, Malachi faced ten Orcs on his own. He hurled his spears, then closed his eyes. The weapons seemed to come alive, floating and striking with eerie precision, impaling each Orc in rapid succession before returning to his grip. The battlefield fell silent, save for the whispers of the wind and the last Orc's dying gasp.The knights stared, awestruck at Malachi's skill. The Honor Guardsman approached the Sandcrawler, placing a gentle hand on its wet exterior. "Go on, my friend," he whispered. "Live to thrive another day."The Sandcrawler burrowed back into the sand, disappearing from sight. Malachi turned to his knights. "Someone will come looking for these Orcs soon. We need to move. Now."The knights mounted their steeds, trotting off. Behind them, "Queen Catelyn" stirred, groaning as he came to. His eyes burned with fury, and his Kra-Lan snarled beside him."You will pay for this, Malachi!" he roared, his voice echoing across the dunes. "You hear me? You will pay for this!"