The Last Primal

The steadily approaching army of Temple Guards gradually increased their pace as they got closer to the lined-up resistance. As they reached closer and closer, so did their march eventually turned into a full-blown charge. Their rush made them break their previous formation, the Core Group has left behind the still steadily marching two battalions of Temple-Guard swordsmen groups.

In the end, when it was only a couple dozen yards left between the two sides, the Core Group had long since left behind the still steadily marching other two parts of their invasive forces. Yet they did not hesitate but continued with their rush as one massive cohesive unit.

Their lances were already held firmly in their hands and raised in front of their bodies, they were looking like a rushing giant mass of monster getting ready to skewer its opponent in the next second.

Aiden was watching with a firm, stern expression as the battle was just about to erupt. Dismissing the system's screens briefly, he was clenching his fists, trying to mask his agitated state as much as he could.

Yet, he couldn't completely hide his worry, not from the Captain's he was still connected to, at the very least. They could each feel their leader's worry, their heartfelt emotions as they surged through the mysterious link they each shared, causing their hearts to be instantly filled with warmth. 

Even for Madam Dara, who was very close to getting in position herself, could feel the gentle care from the man, she had already decided to give her heart, body, and soul to. She couldn't help but smile alluringly at the empty air and heave a longer sigh, causing a wave of shock and bafflement to spread through her small army of girls in the process.

Yet, she didn't bother explaining herself to her Daughters, but instead silently waved at them, motioning to resume their action. Time was ticking, and they needed to be ready to reach their position swiftly, lest they want the events to play out in a much more disastrous way.

As they resumed their mission and were silently getting ready to get into the ambushing, flanking position, they were unaware of the fact that their location was already discovered by the very figure they were hoping to catch unawares.

Still, maybe it was due to the whims of fate, and despite being told by their Monstrous Master, the Captain assigned to the task of welcoming their uninvited guests, Ixorak eventually conceded to the suggestions of his peers and was getting ready to lead a small group of soldiers backward towards the outer reaches of Ugburg, the slums district and get some random heads to offer up to his Lord. 

The thought of his lord's words might have been the truth, did not cross his mind anymore. Instead, he was now convinced that he had received a sort of test, punishment as well as an opportunity to prove his mettle and quick wit.

In the end, he took merely twenty of his most trusted, loyal warriors, watching as the main army was about to clash with the front line of giant, tower shields of the enemy, he sighed with a displeased look on his face. 

He was somewhat regretful as he was forced to skip out on such a battle. Even though they did not expect too much of a challenge, Ixorak's blood was boiling at the mere thought of it. Still, he could only push these emotions down, and forcefully calm himself down before he slowly, gradually returned his mind to the present.

With one last sigh, he glanced at the now distant back line of his army, frowning at the sigh of the giant armored robust looking figure sitting atop his throne at the very back, carried by a group of slaves as if he was some lord and not just a warmonger assigned to this conquest by the High Priest.

In the end, he decided against saying a word. Even though the deep, displeased frown was more than enough of a tell of his true feelings, he decided not to voice them, lest that monster would somewhat take wind of them.

Instead, Ixorak turned around after a shake of his head, facing his lined up small group of twenty-strong force, he sighed deeply before speaking up.

"[Reptilian] Friends… Our great lord, the glorious General Zokor has decided to exempt us from the imminent battle. Instead, the great leader with his quick thinking has blessed us with this unique task, a special mission!" He shouted, his voice resounding in the area around them. 

Unbeknownst to him and to his men, they weren't the only audience for the Temple Guard Skink Captain's speech. Not too far from his location, just hiding behind the corner of a nearby corner of the exit of the long-winded tunnel system, Madam Dara and his Daughters were lying in wait, watching them with great interest. 

Maybe it was an attempt to mask his own feelings, but Captain Ixorak's speech was so loud, that even from behind the corner wall, the group of assassins could clearly hear and listen to each of his words. 

They decided not to act, and instead hear what this supposed captain was tasked to do. Even now, after just a brief greeting, the ladies' bodies turned stiff upon hearing the name of the dreaded warlord leading the army. 

General Zokor, was a terrifying figure, feared equally by all in Ugburg, and even far away from it. The brutal, bloodthirsty monster, loved to refer to himself as the Fist, the appointed might, the means to enact the Ancient One's strength.

He was unlike any of his peers. Zokor reveled in the heat of battle. The more brutal it was, the more of his enemies' blood he could bathe in, the happier he was, the crazier he turned.

'If that crazy son of a…' Madam Dara sighed as she heard the name, wincing at the unpleasant memories of her past. Taking a sigh, she forced her mind to calm down, and raised her right palm in the air, silencing the rest of her daughters, so that they could continue listening to the skink captain as he resumed his speech.

After all, they still needed to figure out why were this select small group of warriors decided to stay behind and what their purpose was.

…

"[Reptilian] Friends!" Ixorak raised his hands in the air, as he took the attention and focus back to himself and quieted the group down. He looked at the many frowns, and even scowls appearing on his brethren's faces, and couldn't help but reveal an awful-looking, troubled smile.

"[Reptilian] Friends!" He repeated his previous call, looking over his men once slowly. "The General had decided that simply crushing the enemy was not enough. We need to instill fear in the minds of the wretched, and make them understand once and for all, that resistance is futile!"

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