The two hounds descended into a frenzy of violence, their loyalty driving them to self-destruction.
It began with a low growl, a rumbling snarl that erupted into a guttural roar.
Therger of the two lunged forward with a wet, tearing CHOMP!, its jaws snapping down onto the other''s shoulder.
Flesh gave way with a sickening RIP!, spraying blood in an arc that sttered the forest floor in crimson streaks.
The smaller hound let out an agonized yelp, its voice high-pitched and broken, before retaliating with a savage bite to the throat.
CRUNCH!
Bones cracked audibly as its teeth sank deep into the vulnerable flesh.
Therger hound shook violently, trying to dislodge its attacker, its ws scrabbling at the ground with a scratching SKRRRKK! It howled in pain but didn''t relent.
Instead, it twisted its body with feral strength, tearing itself free with a wet SCHLORP!, leaving a ragged chunk of flesh dangling from the smaller hound''s jaws.
Blood gushed from the wound in spurts, steaming as it hit the cold forest air.
The smaller hound, emboldened by its strike, lunged again, this time mping onto therger one''s ear.
With a brutal jerk, it tore the ear clean off with a loud RRRRIIIIPPP!, the sound of cartge snapping reverberating through the trees.
Therger hound howled in fury, its red-stained fangs shing as it retaliated by lunging forward, teeth sinking into the smaller one''s hind leg.
A sickening POP! echoed as the joint dislocated, the limb hanging limp as therger hound dragged its opponent across the ground, smearing blood and fur in its wake.
The smaller hound, now crippled, fought back with a desperate frenzy.
Itshed out with its ws, scoring deep gashes across therger one''s face with a wet SHLICK! One w caught therger hound''s eye, and with a nauseating PLUCK!, the orb was torn free, dangling from its socket by a bloodied sinew.
Therger hound snarled louder, its fury unchecked despite the muttion.N?v(el)B\\jnn
It mmed its body into the smaller hound, pinning it to the ground with a resounding THUD!.
Its jaws closed around the smaller hound''s throat with a deep CRUNCH!, and with a savage jerk, it tore free a chunk of flesh, spraying the surrounding foliage in a dark, arterial spray.
The smaller hound gagged and coughed, blood bubbling from its throat as it scrabbled weakly at its attacker.
SNAP! SNAP! CHOMP!
Therger hound continued its assault, tearing apart its rival piece by piece. It wasn''t just a fight—it was a massacre, a grotesque disy of loyalty and savagery.
The forest seemed to echo with the sound of tearing flesh, splintering bone, and guttural growls.
Far behind, Mareen, Lira, and Volk watched the gruesome spectacle with wide eyes.
Mareen clutched Lira''s arm, her voice trembling as she said, "I-I think they''re...killing each other so we can''t follow their trail anymore. Hounds like these—they''re loyal to the death. They must''ve known we were close and decided to destroy themselves before leading us to their master."
Volk''s face twisted in fury, his teeth grinding audibly as he processed Mareen''s words. "Loyalty?" he spat.
"They wasted my time with this madness!"
Without another word, Volk surged forward, his massive legs propelling him through the forest at breakneck speed.
The ground shook under his weight as he ran, every step thundering like a war drum. Branches and vines snapped against his armor with sharp TWANGS!, but he didn''t slow.
His focus was singr—the hounds.
By the time Volk reached the mangled bodies, it was toote.
Both hounds were motionless, their bodies mutted and soaked in blood.
One had its throat torn open, the other''s skull crushed and leaking brain matter onto the dirt.
Their lifeless eyes stared nkly into the canopy above, their final act of defianceplete.
Volk roared, the sound echoing through the trees like an earthquake.
"DAMN IT!" He mmed his fists into the ground, cracking the earth beneath him. "I needed them!"
Mareen and Lira cautiously approached, their steps hesitant as they saw Volk crouched over the corpses, his massive hands trembling with barely-contained rage.
Mareen swallowed hard, her voice shaking as she said, "We...we can still figure out where he went. Let me look." Enjoy new stories from empire
Volk''s head snapped toward her, his eyes narrowing. "You''d better not waste my time again."
Mareen nodded, her fear momentarily overshadowed by determination. She knelt by the corpses, examining the ground and surrounding area with a sharp, calcting gaze.
She pointed to faint drag marks leading away from the scene. "The hounds were heading in this direction before they stopped. It''s likely that their master—the blonde man—isn''t far."
Volk rose to his feet, towering over her. "And you''re sure?"
Mareen met his gaze, swallowing her fear. "Yes. I''m sure."
Volk studied her for a moment, then nodded. "Good." He motioned for them to follow. "Let''s move. Go!"
With that, the trio set off once more.
…
The blonde man appeared in a burst of radiant light, his body spinning uncontrobly for a moment beforending with a heavy THUD! on the damp, mossy ground of the forest.
He crumpled into a heap, gasping for air as if he had just been dragged from the depths of a freezingke.
Each breath was a ragged, desperate pull, his chest rising and falling in sharp, erratic motions.
He wed at the ground with trembling fingers, curling his hands into fists as though anchoring himself to the world to steady his frantic mind.
"Damn it... damn it all..." he croaked, his voice hoarse and barely audible over the rush of blood pounding in his ears.
Beads of sweat formed on his pale skin, dripping down his temples as he tried to force his lungs to obey him. "That... thing… that monster..."
The memory of the hulking Orc shed before his mind''s eye, a towering wall of muscle and rage that seemed impervious to anything.
His heart raced at the thought, sending fresh waves of panic through his already taxed body.
He clutched his chest, doubling over as another jagged breath escaped his lips. "That wasn''t... normal. That wasn''t normal!"
For what felt like an eternity, the blonde many there, his breathing shallow and uneven, his golden curls stered to his forehead with sweat.
He tilted his head up slightly, staring at the canopy of trees above, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze.
The calm of the forest around him was at odds with the storm raging in his chest.
He finally managed to roll onto his back, his breaths bing slightly steadier.
"An Orc... from the Valley of Orcs," he whispered, his voice trembling. "There''s no other exnation. It was... too strong. Too resilient. It wasn''t just a regr brute. No, it must''ve been one of their warriors—or worse, a chieftain."
He propped himself up on his elbows, his muscles aching with the effort. "I was lucky to escape. Lucky..."
His words trailed off as he stared into the distance, his expression darkening. "But why was it there? That''s not their territory. The Valley of Orcs is leagues away. What could''ve brought one so far?"
As he muttered to himself, his mind raced withparisons, drawing on every scrap of information he''d ever learned about the Valley of Orcs and its denizens.
"Their strength... it''s said to be unparalleled. Even among the higher ranks, no human knight has ever bested one in singlebat. And their resilience... their skin alone is thick enough to turn aside des and arrows like rain on stone."
He closed his eyes, the image of Volk''s unflinching face seared into his memory. "And that one... it didn''t even notice the Tier Five spell. It was as if—no, it was something else entirely."
His breathing finally began to slow, his body sinking deeper into the soft earth beneath him.
He let out a long, shuddering sigh, trying to calm the whirlwind of thoughts threatening to consume him. "I need to report this... to Father. He''ll know what to do. He must."