The Witherbark Trolls' Refusal

At the first light of the next day, the troop began their march. After packing up the camp, they continued southward, crossing the river. Guided by scouts, they followed a clear path through the forest toward the northwest, bypassing Jintha'Alor to head first for the Witherbark Trolls' village of Shadra'Alor.

The Witherbark Trolls were a tribe inferior to the Vilebranch Trolls, which was why Zul'ra chose them as the first point of contact in the Hinterlands. Dakkalai and Lostro both agreed with this, and while Hamia was somewhat reluctant, he had no other choice.

Inside Shadra'Alor, Zul'ra followed Lostro and the others to meet the Witherbark leader, Jaka. Jaka did not express strong opposition to the reconstruction of the Amani Empire, but he made it clear that he would not abandon his tribe's independence.

Although they did not achieve the desired result, neither side resorted to conflict. Lostro politely requested to stay in Shadra'Alor, and Jaka did not object, stating only that they should not mind the threat posed by the Wildhammer Dwarves.

After leaving those words, Jaka quickly departed the Hinterlands, returning to the Witherbark Trolls' main lair, Witherbark Village, located in the Arathi Highlands south of the Hinterlands. Shadra'Alor was merely a village outpost for them in the Hinterlands, and many Witherbark Trolls seemed to have relocated to the mountains in the southeast to attend to some business.

Whatever the Witherbark Trolls were doing was not their concern for now. Zul'ra, Lostro, Dakkalai, and the reluctant Hamia held a small meeting to discuss the situation ahead; the Witherbark Trolls' resistance to unification was not a good sign.

"If you ask me, we must first wipe out those Smolderthorn guys to show our strength; only then can we convince them." Hamia proposed this with a vicious expression, though his heart felt a bitter sting. The Witherbark had bluntly rejected the Amani, yet the Amani were still here deliberating—why hadn't he just refused Zul'jin back then!

"I disagree. The Witherbark have already rejected us, and the Vilebranch likely won't accept us either. The Smolderthorn tribe is the one we should be courting," Zul'ra countered.

"But that's not what we agreed upon beforehand. Those Smolderthorn traitors must be wiped out," Hamia said, growing agitated.

"Why are you so obsessed with wiping out the Smolderthorn? When did they become traitors? Hamia, can you explain that!" Zul'ra asked in a measured tone.

"Do you even need to ask? Those traitors are with the Orcs. They remain allied with the Orcs and have forgotten they are part of the Trolls. Is that not treason? The Orcs broke their promise and didn't help us take back the forest; they all deserve to die," Hamia snapped, his voice bordering on manic.

"Indeed, the Orcs deserve to die. But why are you so obsessed? Is it hatred for the Orcs, or some deeper motive? Or perhaps, seeing the Witherbark, you regret agreeing to stand under the Amani banner?" Zul'ra glanced at the serious-looking Dakkalai, his words causing Hamia's expression to change drastically.

"I didn't! You're talking nonsense! I'm angry because, because my tribe suffered heavy casualties. You know how much we suffered in the Thalas Mountains and the North Valley." Hearing Zul'ra's words, Hamia's face paled, and he turned to explain himself to the stern Dakkalai.

"Don't look at me for explanations, Hamia." Dakkalai watched Hamia, who was trying to justify himself, and gave a slight shake of his head before delivering a line that made the other man's face go slack.

"You'd better go back to Zul'Aman and explain it to Zul'jin!" Lostro's gaze shifted in surprise at Dakkalai's words. Zul'ra watched the big man's expression from the side, feeling a sense of surprise toward Dakkalai—this guy wasn't just a simple brute after all!

"Then, then what about the troops? After the war, I will..." Hamia began, his eyes darting around in a panic, but he was interrupted before he could finish.

"No. I want you back in Zul'Aman by tomorrow. The troops will be taken over by me, Lostro, and Zul'ra. We will win over the Smolderthorn and handle the Vilebranch and Witherbark as circumstances dictate. No Forest Trolls can resist the Amani's call." Dakkalai made the decision with a blank expression, shattering Hamia's fantasy of stalling for time.

"I..." Hamia opened his mouth slightly, but his words were cut off.

"Do you understand?" Dakkalai interrupted the Mossflayer Trolls leader's defense, his voice heavy.

"Dakkalai..." Hamia looked at the cold, hard man, a nameless fire igniting in his heart, still hoping to offer some explanation.

"Don't talk to me." Dakkalai looked at the helpless man, feeling a sudden sense of satisfaction and reverence; this was the prestige of Zul'jin.

"Dakkalai, why..." Hamia felt an unbearable rage. His hands trembled uncontrollably, and he reached for the dagger at his waist. Why wouldn't this guy listen to his explanation?

"Soldiers..." Dakkalai turned his head to call out to the tent, but before he could finish, he felt a weight lunging at him. Before the weight could hit, however, he felt it being knocked away.

"Hamia, there's no need to be so impulsive." Zul'ra threw his body into Hamia, knocking him away from Dakkalai.

"Kill him! Kill him now, Lostro!" Dakkalai, still shaken, looked at the man who had been knocked away and immediately called out to Zul'ra and signaled to Lostro.

Facing Dakkalai's shout, the newly landed Hamia's eyes darkened, and he prepared to rush out of the tent. But he was blocked by Lostro, and just as he prepared to raise his dagger to force him back, he was caught by the wrist.

"Hamia, there's no need for this!" Zul'ra reached out and grabbed the wrist holding the dagger, attempting to persuade him. However, the Mossflayer Troll clearly had no intention of listening, struggling and kicking to break free.

Watching the man flailing, Zul'ra lost his patience. With a swing of his arm and a hook of his leg, he hoisted the man up by his wrist and slammed him hard onto the ground like a sack of grain, then snatched the dagger from his hand while he was still dazed.

"Kill him quickly." Dakkalai looked at the man lying on the ground like a sack and spoke sharply to Zul'ra. But before he could finish, he was stunned by the dagger Zul'ra threw at his feet.

"Why don't you do it yourself? After you kill him, how do you intend to deal with his clansmen?" Zul'ra threw the dagger in front of Dakkalai. He had intended to finish the guy off, but now he didn't want to.

"But leaving him alive will give him the chance to stir up a bigger rebellion," Dakkalai insisted.

"Then we just won't give him the chance." Zul'ra tilted his head slightly, looking at the soldiers rushing toward the tent, looking bewildered.

"You lot, take Hamia into custody. Tie him up. Tell me, what do you want to do?" Dakkalai said irritably, letting the trolls enter to bind Hamia.

"Tomorrow morning, you take a hundred men and stay here to guard him. Lostro and I will take eight hundred soldiers, including the three hundred Mossflayer, to contact the Smolderthorn tribe. Once we establish contact, we will return to Zul'Aman immediately. We cannot go back without having accomplished anything," Zul'ra proposed a simple plan.

"In that case, I think I should go with you instead!" Dakkalai's thoughts shifted slightly, and he made a change; he didn't trust Lostro and Zul'ra being together.

"Fine." Zul'ra looked at the man who had volunteered to leave with him and smiled in agreement.