The southern border of the Black Forest.
As Orion prepared to leave his territory, a swirl of emotions churned within him—excitement, unease, fear, and a strange eagerness to face the unknown. It was a complex mix, difficult to put into words.
"Dear Orion, the scouts report that we're approaching Thunderwood Forest!" Lilith called out, her voice carrying a hint of excitement. With Delilah staying behind to oversee the horde, Lilith had taken over intelligence and logistics. For someone stepping out of the Black Forest for the first time, every piece of information was a novelty.
"Pass the order: we're heading to the Gathering Grounds," Orion instructed.
Lilith nodded and summoned a succubus bloodline warrior to relay the command. Behind Orion, Onyx and Thundar followed closely. Like Lilith, Thundar was also leaving the Black Forest for the first time, and he had many questions for Onyx.
"Prophet, how do we fight an invasion war like this?" Thundar asked, his voice low as he glanced at Orion's back.
"Invasions are about one thing: resources. Use any means necessary to seize them," Onyx replied, his tone calm but firm. "Remember—any means necessary." Experience tales at
Onyx's bluntness struck a chord with Thundar, who suddenly understood why Orion had insisted on training the cannon fodder troops and the cave spider units. Everything was about maximizing resource acquisition.
"Ah…" Thundar sighed, his thoughts heavy. Onyx seemed like he wanted to say more but ultimately chose to remain silent.
---
Half a Month Later
Orion led his bloodline warriors through forests and across rivers, encountering no significant obstacles. Eventually, they arrived at the Gathering Grounds, where two other factions had already assembled.
To the west stood Slagor of the Poison Dragon Swamp, his forces exuding a toxic, oppressive aura. To the east was Soraya, the Scorpion Queen of the Desert Oasis, her troops disciplined and radiating a deadly elegance. The two factions clearly didn't get along, as they avoided any interaction with each other.
Orion's arrival immediately drew their attention. Soraya, in particular, seemed intrigued. She had heard of the Stoneheart Horde's victory over the elemental beings Lumi and Gustalon and was curious about how Orion had managed it.
After exchanging a glance with her High Priestess, Soraya dismounted from her giant scorpion and began walking toward Orion's forces alone.
Orion, however, was surprised by something else: Lord Gareth's faction was nowhere to be seen.
He had deliberately delayed his march by two days, hoping to observe Gareth's forces and gauge her attitude toward him. Yet, Gareth's main forces were absent. The only sign of her presence was her messenger, Arden, circling above on his Storm Vulture.
When Arden saw that all three factions had gathered, he descended and delivered Gareth's orders.
"By the command of Lord Gareth, Orion, Soraya, and Slagor, your invasion routes remain unchanged. Lord Gareth expects you to swiftly conquer Stormrage City and Thunder Beast City, then rendezvous with her forces at Thunderpeak Mountain."
Orion, Soraya, and Slagor all nodded silently, none of them bothering to respond. Arden's brow twitched in irritation, but he held his tongue. After a brief exchange of whispers with Slagor, Arden mounted his Storm Vulture and flew south.
"Chieftain Orion, let's form an alliance," Soraya said suddenly, stepping closer to Orion. Her request was abrupt, but her tone was calm and confident.
Soraya's gaze was fixed on Orion, her curiosity evident. She was determined to learn how this giant had managed to repel the icy northern invaders. Her unique, intoxicating scent wafted toward Orion, who couldn't help but take a deep breath, savoring it.
From his experience, Orion could tell that Soraya was likely a virgin—she had never been with a man before.
"Oh, Your Majesty, what kind of alliance are you proposing?" Orion asked, his tone playful as he continued to enjoy her scent.
Soraya smiled seductively, unfazed by Orion's behavior. "Let's stand together against future invasions from the Icefields. What do you think?"
Her large, expressive eyes locked onto Orion's, waiting for his response.
"Not interested," Orion replied bluntly, catching Soraya off guard.
"Your Majesty, your people's inaction during the last Icefield invasion cost the Black Forest dearly. I have no interest in allying with someone who abandons their supposed allies," Orion said, his tone cold.
Soraya opened her mouth to explain, but when her eyes met Orion's, she realized he didn't trust her. Any attempt to justify her actions would be futile.
"Chieftain Orion, please reconsider. My people had their reasons for staying out of the last conflict," Soraya said, her voice softening.
Orion shook his head and turned his attention to Slagor, who was approaching. Soraya sighed and walked away, her chance to negotiate slipping through her fingers.
---
"Orion, let's merge our forces," Slagor suggested as he approached, his tone casual but his eyes cautious.
Orion smirked. "Merge our forces? What's in it for me?"
"You can take most of the spoils, just leave me a small portion of what you don't need," Slagor replied with a placating grin, quickly adding, "Of course, we'll share the burden of the fighting."
Orion's smirk deepened. He saw through Slagor's ploy—this was a man who was both clever and cowardly. Orion decided it was time to fully bring Slagor under his control.
"Fine. Last time we worked together, it went well. Let's do it again," Orion said. "But this time, your troops will be integrated into my command. They'll follow my orders."
"Agreed!" Slagor said without hesitation. His forces had been absorbed into the Stoneheart Horde before, so his warriors were already accustomed to following Orion's lead.
---
Over the next half-day, Slagor's troops were seamlessly integrated into Orion's cannon fodder troops. Once the preparations were complete, the combined forces began their march toward Thunderhawk City.
As they traveled, Slagor sidled up to Orion, his expression thoughtful.
"Chieftain Orion, don't you think this invasion feels… off?" Slagor asked cautiously.
Orion glanced at him. "Go on."
Slagor looked around to ensure no one was listening before lowering his voice. "Think about it. We were just invaded last year. Logically, we should be focusing on recovery, not launching another invasion."
"Doesn't it feel like we're being set up to fail?"
Slagor's words struck a chord. Even someone as cautious as Slagor could see the flaws in this campaign. There was no way Lord Gareth hadn't noticed them as well.
So why had she initiated the invasion? The answer was simple: Gareth had her own agenda. She was either pursuing something urgent or trying to eliminate someone.
And Orion was an obvious target.
Orion shook his head, offering no response. His silence left Slagor puzzled and uneasy.