Back at the outpost, next Dawn:

Sebeth awoke with a groan, his body protesting every movement as he sat up in his makeshift bed. The exertions had taken their toll, and he could feel the deep aches in his muscles, a reminder of the intense battle they had fought the previous day. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stood up, wincing as he stretched his stiff limbs.

The outpost was quiet in the early morning light, the sounds of soldiers going about their duties muted by the thick wooden walls. Sebeth took a moment to gather his thoughts before stepping outside. The air was cool and crisp, a welcome change from the oppressive humidity of the day before. The mist had finally lifted, revealing the full extent of the outpost and its surroundings.

Sebeth’s men were already up, their disciplined movements a testament to their training. Despite their fatigue, they performed their tasks with precision and efficiency, their faces set in expressions of grim determination. Sebeth felt a sense of pride as he watched them work. He knew they had faced a difficult situation and had come out stronger for it.

As he walked along the post, Sebeth noticed that the guards stationed at the walls were staring off into the distance, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. He frowned, his instincts telling him that something was amiss.

Before he could ask what was happening, his question was answered as he saw them—the soldiers. About 600 strong, they were marching straight toward the outpost, their armour gleaming in the sunlight, their formation tight and disciplined. Their footsteps created a steady, rhythmic beat that echoed through the still morning air.

The sight was both impressive and intimidating, a show of force that sent a shiver down the spine of every soldier who watched. Sebeth’s men exchanged uneasy glances, their hands instinctively moving to their weapons, though they did not draw them.

Sebeth’s eyes narrowed as he took in the approaching soldiers. There was something different about these units, something that set them apart from the others he had encountered. Their movements were precise, their expressions unreadable, and there was an air of quiet confidence. This suggested they were no ordinary troops.

“What’s going on here?” Sebeth muttered to himself, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of the situation. He noticed that one of the units seemed to be carrying something with them—something Large and covered in a heavy cloth.

“Let’s see what these guys encountered,” Sebeth said aloud, his voice carrying a note of determination as he prepared to meet the approaching soldiers. Whatever was coming their way, he knew he had to be ready for anything.

The soldiers continued their march, their pace never faltering as they drew closer to the outpost. The tension in the air was palpable as all eyes focused on the mysterious unit as they finally came to a halt just outside the gates.

Sebeth stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the soldiers as they began to uncover the object they had been carrying. His heart pounded in his chest, anticipation and dread filling him as the cloth was slowly pulled away, revealing a goblin brut. After a long conversation with one of the knight captains of the group that captured the Goblin brute, Sebeth learned that the party had encountered a scouting party of 10 goblins. They dispatched them with swift blows, although one managed to elude their grasp somehow. The group refrained from chasing the one that fled as it diverged from its primary objective of regrouping at the fourth outpost. In a fortunate turn of events, they decided to spare a goblin who seemed to be their leader and had the rare ability to speak. That is the sequence of events. The detailed report was descriptive and captivating, holding the undivided attention of the entire audience gathered around Sebeth. It was funny. Sebeth mumbled to himself in his thoughts as he saw the present faces of all the men in the camp. The day prior, faces were etched with fear, but today, they sparkled with renewed energy. Sebeth wished for the festivities to carry on. However, he decided to transition and instructed his men to rotate their shifts and assemble in the main office tent for further instructions regarding the current task. As the soldiers entered the main office tent, Sebeth noticed a change in morale.

The atmosphere once tinged with anxiety, was now alive with palpable excitement, a shift likely spurred by the unexpected turn of events in their dealings with the goblins. The group enters the tent. Starting from Sebeth followed by his officers one by one at a time. sebeth did not give any pesentaries and went straight to the meat of the issue. “It looks like we have another problem brewing at outpost 4. One quite different from the one we were supposed to address.“ what kind of problem?" One of the knight captains spoke. “When we arrived, we found the outpost in a dire state. The men were barely holding the fort. A call for help had been dispatched. But unfortunately, the messenger birds were intercepted and shot down by the goblins. We did interrogate every man stationed at the base and found that they have discovered a large Goblin encampment nearby to the outpost possibly a Goblin Village or a proper settlement.“ after hearing the seventh word the group began to discuss the issue amongst one another. soon after a knight captain spoke up “what are your orders sir? should we march at the enemy now? or perhaps…“ Sebeth cut the captain's eager words. by saying “Getting drastic might lead us to lose more than gain anything. We ought to question the goblin first to gather any information that could aid us in devising a more effective strategy. Once that is completed, we shall proceed.“

The group nodded in agreement, and Sebeth's men escorted the goblin to a secluded area for a thorough interrogation. Initially hesitant, the goblin was reassured when Sebeth promised his safety and assured him that no harm would come his way. The goblin withheld all crucial information, leading to an extensive period of torture and verbal abuse. After enduring hours of torment, the goblin finally yielded, and Sebeth obtained the necessary information from the creature.

Meanwhile, back where the unknown group was engaging with the ogres,

the group was barely holding its ground. All hope seemed lost. Suddenly, a brilliant blue light started to glow, forming a spiralling torrent. As the spiral expanded, an enigmatic figure emerged from within. This unknown individual was all dressed in black, his face covered with a mask. The leader never gazed upon this man. But the man did not wait for small chatter. He went past the leader as he slit the Oger that was about to deliver a final blow on the leader. Swiftly using both of his twin daggers. As the leader was saved, the individual wasted no time. He went past the leader and began attacking every other Ogre, killing them with his twin daggers & sheer brute strength and not relying on any spell. Or so it seemed. The individual swiftly dispatched the enemies, leaving only the Ogre leader, who had been observing from a distance since the outset.

Unlike his fallen comrades, who now lay on the ground resembling minced meat, the Ogre leader was unique in his ability to wield magic. Ogres are often known for their expertise in fire magic, and this chieftain was Certainly no different. He charged towards the shadowy figure, his sharp, single-edged blade enveloped in a fiery glow. The shadowy figure, not one to waste time, countered the assault of the Ogre Leader. He imbued mana into both of his blades. This action activated the enchantment engraved on them. One of the blades glows bright red, spilling fire from its edges, while the other glows in a torrenting greenish-white hue. Both weapons clashed! A loud bang is heard as the spells and the weapons collide on the battlefield. Both the parties are pushed back. As they both know they are evenly matched in close-range combat, the Ogre Leader choose to change his tactics and instead tries using ranged attack spells. The shadowy figure dodges each of the fireballs thrown at him rather skilfully. Immersed in his work, he diligently scoured for opportunities to leverage, but none seemed evident. The shadowy figure was frustrated. He decided to end everything with a single spell. He unseats his blades in mid-combat. The oger saw this and smirked at his opponent. The person sheathed his blades & began to pour mana from his core towards his limbs, which were now empty and facing his opponent. He placed his palms right towards the Ogre Leader and began chanting words that were unintelligible to understand. The chant was long. The skilful parrying of the attacks was still going on. The chant was complete, and after a few moments passed. Two spheres of fire and wind attributes spells began to Coalesce at the centre of the palms. As the two spheres converged, a colossal sphere of fire burst forth from the palm, unleashing a vast destructive force that swept away everything in its path, including the Ogre leader.

The poor creature did not even have time to react; it was swift and destructive. The event left an indelible mark on the battlefield. The shadowy figure approached the leader and inquired about their condition. The leader then asks what he is doing here, suggesting that the leader knows his identity. Without speaking much, the shadow figure handed the leader a map plotting newer coordinates and locations where they were supposed to deliver the package. The shadowy figure finally responded.

“Hurry, they are waiting for your arrival at that location. They will not stay there for longer. If you want to finish your mission sooner rather than later, I would suggest you get there within a day.“ As the conversation ends, the shadowy figure takes one of the horses belonging to the group. He began to move in the direction the group was coming. “By the way, tell the people station at the location that Aedelric has sent you. They will know what to do with the package from there on.“ The leader of the bunch shook his head as he saw Aedelric, the Wraith in action moving into the winds.

"Just where is Aedelric headed, and what is inside the package?" The leader thought to himself as he gathered his teammates and quickly made his way towards the coordinates provided by Aedelric. "What are the higher-ups thinking by sending him here!" The leader thought to himself as he moved with his men towards his Newfound Objective.

***