The Smolderthorn Tribe's Decision

The next morning, Lostro stayed behind at Shadra'Alor with one hundred men to guard Hamia, while Zul'ra and Dakkalai led eight hundred troops from Shadra'Alor along the forest paths toward the eastern coast to find the Viletooth Trolls.

Targeted by the Witherbark Trolls and the Vilebranch, the Viletooth Trolls had been forced to take refuge at Sea-Watch Cliff on the eastern coast. Their situation was dire, so when the Amani Empire extended an olive branch, their chieftain, Chieftain Broken-Tooth, accepted almost immediately, expressing a willingness to join the Amani Empire, albeit with one condition.

"The Vilebranch priestess Hex, that wicked woman, is constantly capturing my people to sacrifice them to an evil god. Our Viletooth Trolls are on the verge of extinction. We hope the Amani can lend us a hand, eliminate that evil woman, and resolve our crisis." The female troll, whose face was almost entirely obscured by a wolf-head cowl save for a green chin, looked at Zul'ra and Dakkalai with expectant eyes.

"An evil god? What kind of evil god?" Ignoring the stiffening expression on Dakkalai's face, Zul'ra asked the chieftain, whose face remained hidden beneath her wolf-head cowl.

"He is known as the Soulflayer, also called the protector and destroyer of the Gurubashi. I know that name—the evil entity that the trolls once united to oppose." Seeing Zul'ra's inquiry, Chieftain Broken-Tooth replied quickly.

"Hakkar?" Dakkalai blurted out the name.

"Yes, that is the name. Hex has betrayed the honor of our ancestors, and we cannot let her succeed." Seeing Dakkalai speak the name of the Soulflayer, Chieftain Broken-Tooth nodded with a hint of fear, using inflammatory language to explain.

"We do not have the strength to oppose a god." Zul'ra looked at the grim-faced Dakkalai and then at Chieftain Broken-Tooth, noting that this rare female chieftain possessed quite a talent for rhetoric.

"We don't have to confront him directly. Hex is currently only performing sacrifices. We only need to kill her to sever one of the Soulflayer's tentacles in this realm and reclaim the honor of our ancestors." Chieftain Broken-Tooth argued persuasively; if the Soulflayer truly existed, her Viletooth tribe would have been wiped out entirely rather than merely seeking refuge.

"If that is the case, then perhaps it is not so difficult." Zul'ra mused quietly after hearing her words. Helping the Viletooth Trolls and gaining some reputation for himself seemed like a manageable task.

"You have a way..." Dakkalai had felt relieved when Zul'ra told Chieftain Broken-Tooth they lacked the power to fight Hakkar, as he had no desire to waste time on such a matter. But hearing the sudden shift in the man's tone, he couldn't help but widen his eyes.

"Of course, just killing Hex alone." Zul'ra tilted his head slightly, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.

"But she is a priestess of the Vilebranch, standing atop the altar in Jintha'Alor. Do you have the confidence to make us storm Jintha'Alor?" Dakkalai couldn't help but stare. Jintha'Alor was a city no less formidable than Zul'Aman, and in terms of architectural grandeur, it far surpassed it.

"There is no need to storm Jintha'Alor. We just need to lure her out." Zul'ra shrugged indifferently. Why bother with a siege to kill Hex when baiting her out was far better?

"How do we lure her?" Dakkalai felt his head spinning. That priestess wasn't a fool; why would she walk into a trap?

"Have you forgotten why we are here? We can do exactly what we did with Jaka and lure her out of Jintha'Alor." Zul'ra moved his tusks, offering an example. Dakkalai's eyes lit up at the mention; an obvious trap would be spotted, but making a trap look like anything but a trap was the key.

"That is a good idea." Dakkalai nodded repeatedly, admitting it was a brilliant plan.

"You have met Jaka?" Chieftain Broken-Tooth, listening from the side, felt her gaze shift beneath her wolf-head cowl. Before these Amani had arrived, they had already met with those of the Witherbark.

"Yes, we have already met with the Witherbark side." Zul'ra looked at the observant chieftain without denying her words. Dakkalai, standing beside him, looked awkward; not only had they met the Witherbark, but their original intention had been to wipe out the Viletooth, a plan that now seemed like a joke.

"According to Zul'jin's wishes, the plan was to wipe out the entire Viletooth tribe and then win over the Vilebranch and Witherbark. Many of our people hate you because you sympathize with the Orcs, and they hate the Orcs, believing they failed to uphold their agreement with us." Zul'ra continued calmly, ignoring Dakkalai's increasingly embarrassed expression.

"But..." Chieftain Broken-Tooth started to speak, hearing Zul'ra's words. The Horde had indeed failed to keep their promise, but the one who had led everyone to accept the Horde's invitation was Zul'jin himself. Surely he had to take responsibility for that?

"No need to say more. The Orcs did fail to uphold their agreement with us. They were reckless and brutal, handing away a victory that was within their grasp. We have reason to hate them, but at the same time, I have seen something precious in them." Zul'ra raised a hand to stop her.

"For instance, unity. Our people have walked this land, and we have had our glory, but we have also been silent for thousands of years, oppressed by Humans and Elves. Those Orcs, the moment they arrived in this world, swept through the Humans, Elves, and Dwarves because they were united enough. Their race spoke with a single voice."

"Zul'jin has realized this as well, which is why the banner of the Amani Empire will fly once more. All Forest Trolls must gather under this banner." Dakkalai, watching the calm Zul'ra and the contemplative Chieftain Broken-Tooth, couldn't help but speak up.

"That is correct. Following Zul'jin's orders, we have come here. Chieftain, you must make a choice: join the path to reclaiming our glory, or continue to linger here in misery, where even sympathy for the Orcs is useless." Zul'ra looked at Dakkalai, who was eager to assert Zul'jin's presence, then turned to Chieftain Broken-Tooth, signaling for her to decide.

"I must say, this grand goal has moved me. If we can truly find the glory that belongs to us, then the Viletooth are willing to offer everything." Chieftain Broken-Tooth raised her gaze to look at the tall, upright troll before her, squaring her shoulders and striking her chest with her right hand to signal her decision.

"Remember your decision. Now, Dakkalai and I will handle the Vilebranch tribe's act of sacrificing to an evil god." Zul'ra looked at the female troll in the wolf-head cowl, then turned to Dakkalai.

"Dakkalai, you will go to Jintha'Alor yourself."

"I go myself?" Dakkalai looked at the man who was ordering him around, caught off guard.

"Yes, go to Jintha'Alor yourself. Tell Hex, tell her our intentions. Tell her to come personally to join us in wiping out the Viletooth and stand under the banner of the Amani Empire. Tell me, you aren't afraid, are you?" Zul'ra nodded, finalizing the plan, then shifted his tone to challenge Dakkalai.

"Of course not." Hearing Zul'ra's words, the pride of a warrior made Dakkalai shake his head immediately.