The dawn broke gray and heavy, with a thick shroud of mist clinging to tempest's walls. The great gates creaked open with a low groan. For the first time in months, a force this size marched out in unity. Warriors bore the banners of the Tempest Guild, their armor faintly etched with glowing runes, glinting dully in the early light. Behind them moved those hardened by loss—their faces etched with grief and vengeance.Aditya Roy led the column, calm and vast, a steady wind swirling faintly around him. Beside him, Jiya strode alert, her spear strapped across her back. Veer moved close, eyes sharp as he scanned each face.Ashish walked with clenched fists, his gaze burning with silent fury. At his side, a boy with a colder presence kept to himself. His black eyes held no warmth—only a sharp, calculated edge Veer could not ignore.The march was hushed, boots crunching on the cracked earth, the soft rattle of steel the only sound. Villagers watched them depart—some whispered prayers, others wept quietly. The air hung heavy with hope and dread.By midday, the land began to change.Forests yielded to twisted, ash-blackened trees. The ground bore deep claw marks where war wolves had hunted. Broken carts and abandoned weapons littered their path—grim reminders of caravans lost.Jiya muttered, "This place reeks of them." She gripped her spear tightly.Veer nodded, scanning the thick treeline. "Feels like they're watching."Ashish finally spoke. "They are. Orcs never leave their hunting grounds unguarded. If we see nothing… it means they want us deeper in."His words drew uneasy glances, but Aditya's calm voice cut through."Good. Let them wait. We'll tear them from their holes when the time comes."Late afternoon brought the first attack.A guttural war horn echoed from the ridges—a bone-chilling sound that stilled seasoned warriors for a moment. Then the forest erupted.Orc scouts charged down the slopes, green-skinned and war-painted, blades raised high. War wolves leapt alongside them, snarling, their eyes glowing a fierce red."Formation!" shouted an tempest captain.Steel met steel as the front line locked shields, forcing orcs into a bottleneck. War wolves darted for the flanks, but Veer unleashed a sudden burst of energy. His shield of energy flared, forcing one wolf to yelp and recoil.Ashish fought with ferocity, fists glowing as he felled orc after orc—each punch fueled by memories of his lost sister. Veer instinctively covered him, guarding his side.The cold boy moved with sharp precision. His blade cut swiftly, a silent shadow eliminating enemies without hesitation. Yet his face showed no emotion, eyes never wavering.Within minutes, the scouts lay dead, war wolves retreating into the forest's shadow."They weren't trying to kill us," Aditya said grimly, wiping blood from his blade. "They were testing."
Night fell as the raid reached the disaster zone's heart.A campfire crackled among raised tents. Warriors sat in small clusters—some traded stories, others laughed quietly, and some stared silently into the flames.Veer sat beside Ashish, offering him a waterskin."You fight like you've waited your whole life for this day," Veer said softly.Ashish chuckled bitterly. "Maybe I have." His eyes flickered with unspoken pain.The cold boy remained apart, polishing his blade with steady hands.The night was heavy and still, but beneath it, Veer sensed a thousand untold stories waiting in the dark.Somewhere beyond, in the shadowed forest, the orcs watched—patient, calculating, preparing.The real hunt had just begun.