The orcs that greeted Verc and the others were Groo, Mamon, and the other leaders; Jagan, Pol, Don, and Epona.
They stood like massive stone pillars at the edge of the treeline, their presence alone enough to make the air feel heavy. But it wasn’t just them who had known Verc was coming.
Back at the base, Kuma, the leader of the Gnolls, and the five kids who became vampire by drinking Verc’s blood had also been waiting.
Being connected to Verc with his blood, they felt him getting closer to the [Cursed Forest]. It was a strange, pulsating sensation in their chests—a rhythmic pull that told them exactly where their master was. It was like a compass made of heartbeat and shadow.
And so, they decided to send a team to greet him.
Kuma and the kids couldn’t come because they need to take care of the base. The construction was ongoing, and someone had to manage the labor and the younger ones. So they just decided to have Mamon, Groo, and the other orc leaders do it.
The six orcs had been waiting for Verc’s arrival since yesterday, in fact. They hadn’t moved from the perimeter, standing guard with a patience that only those with absolute loyalty could possess. They didn’t mind the wait; to them, the chance to welcome their lord back was worth any amount of time spent under the sun.
Verc also knows this, after all, as they were connected to him—he’s also connected to them. He could feel their spirits buzzing with excitement as he approached. Though, he can feel that he can block the connection of the others to him. He could shut that door whenever he wanted, plunging his own presence into a void where they couldn’t find him.
He just doesn’t because it’s really useful so far and doesn’t have the reason to do so. It was better to know his people were safe and ready.
Anyway, it was good that Groo and the others decided to pick up Verc. After all; the forest was dangerous.
Even for Verc, the [Cursed Forest] was a place of unpredictable malice. It wasn’t just the trees or the mist; it was the sheer density of monsters that called this dark place home. And with a lot of new members in their group—Verc thinks that it might be dangerous to let them inside the forest because of the monsters.
Verc feels confident that he can protect everyone; and he also have Tatum and Jed with him. But in his head—
’Unexpected things can happen; it’s better to be safe than sorry.’
He was just really worrying with the new members he brought with him, especially since they have a kid with them. Nara was small and vulnerable, and the last thing Verc wanted was for a stray monster to snatch her away while he was busy elsewhere.
Moving on--
"They’re under me, you don’t need to be scared with them."
Verc said that to the group, introducing the orcs to them.
The six orcs stood in line politely as Verc introduce them to the new members. It was a bizarre sight—six of one of the most feared monsters in the world standing perfectly still, their hands at their sides, trying their best not to look intimidating.
"..."
The others were still surprised by the fact that Verc has some orcs under him. They had seen him reveal his vampire nature, and they had seen him fight a little, but commanding a unit of orcs was something entirely different. It spoke of a level of authority that went beyond simple strength.
(It’s not just SOME orcs, but they don’t know that yet...)
Anyway, the group shook their heads, and although a bit wary—they don’t feel fear toward the orcs anymore. All because they trust Verc. If their savior said these monsters were friendly, then they would believe him, even if their instincts were screaming at them to run.
And so, they started introducing themselves back. Bernia stepped forward first, followed by Pwyll, then the dwarves, elves, beastwomen, and the kobolds. They kept their introductions short, their voices a bit shaky as they looked up at the massive orcs.
Anyway, that didn’t take long, and after everyone knows each others name—
"Let’s get moving, it’s best if we get to the base before the sun sets."
Verc turned to the others and stated that.
The others just nodded their heads and agreed with him. After all, Verc is the one who knows this place, they trust all of his words. The shadows of the trees were already lengthening, and the forest seemed to grow darker with every passing minute.
"Groo, go in front of the group. Mamon, you go in the back and make sure nobody is left behind and watch for ambush. The rest, each two of you protect the sides with Tatum and Jed."
Verc then turned to the orcs and said that. He was organizing them, leaving no gaps in their defense.
Then without missing a beat—
""YES, MY LORD!!!""
Groo, Mamon, and the others answered in unison; their voices echoing like a clap of thunder against the trees. The horses in the carriages jumped, and even Pwyll flinched at the volume. They were more than happy to oblige with their lord’s orders.
After being turned into a vampire and gaining more power; they realized just how strong Verc really was, and so—they came to respect him more and they all became insanely loyal. To them, Verc wasn’t just a leader; he was the one who had elevated their very existence.
"..."
Verc just looked at them.
He felt uncomfortable with how they were looking at him with eyes full of expectation and revery. It was a lot of pressure to be looked at like a god.
But he didn’t say anything about it. He just turned to the forest—
"Let’s go."
And with that simple word.
TAK—
They all entered the [Cursed Forest].
Everyone followed after Verc without a single hesitation or doubt in their minds; even the new members. They stepped off the grassy meadow and into the cool, damp shadows of the ancient trees.
*****
WHOOOSH~!!!
The atmosphere changed instantly when they got a few meters inside the forest. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and rotting leaves. Above them, the canopy was so dense that only tiny needles of light managed to pierce through, illuminating the floating dust and mist.
-KREEEEE!!!
-KIEEEE!!!
And not even a minute inside; monsters attacked the group—mostly the weird monkey monsters and the harpies.
These weren’t the kind of monsters that waited for an opening. They were monsters with low intellect, so they don’t know nor care how strong or many their enemies are—they just attack everything on their sights if they’re not the same species as them.
-KIEEEK!
A screech echoed from the high branches, and suddenly, a dozen monkey monsters with long, spindly limbs dropped from the trees. At the same time, the flapping of leathery wings signaled a group of harpies diving from the sky, their talons extended.
SWOOOSH--!
They were dozens of mosnters, and their bloodlust was strong, almost suffocating.
But still... Verc didn’t even lift a single finger.
Tatum, Jed, Groo, Mamon, Epona, Pol, Don, and Jagan took care of the monsters before they could even get close to the carriage.
BAAAM—!!!
Just now—Groo smashed about four of the monkey monsters with a single swing of his stone club onto the ground. He didn’t even use a skill; it was just raw, overwhelming strength.
He slammed the monsters so hard that they looked like insects popped on the grounds. The earth cracked under the impact, and the screeching stopped instantly.
PSSSHK-! SPLASH!
On the sides, Tatum and Jed moved like flashes of red light. They didn’t even use weapons. Their hands, hardened by their vampire transformation, sliced through the air, decapitating the harpies before the creatures could even scream.
S L A S H--!
Pol and Don worked together, their axes swinging in a rhythmic circle that created a zone of death around the middle carriages. Any monster that tried to jump the gap was sliced into pieces before it could land.
B O O O O M--SPLAK!!!
Epona and Jagan smashed the monsters’ heads with just their bare fists, making them explode with a single punch. The air rippled whenever they swung their hands.
"..."
The others, who were in the carriage, driving the carriage, and walking around the carriage—they were silent.
They couldn’t help but be surprised that the orcs and the two boys were killing off monsters from a cursed place with ease that the rest of the Arcanis avoided. They watched as blood sprayed against the dark tree trunks, and monsters that would have wiped out a human village were handled like mere nuisances.
They don’t know what to say, and their heads are currently in a mess.
Bernia gripped the hilt of her sword that was given by Verc so hard her knuckles turned white. She was a trained knight, but she realized that if she had tried to fight those monkeys, she would have struggled with just two of them. Yet Groo had crushed four like they were nothing.
Pwyll was just as stunned. He was a barbarian prince who had survived countless battles, but the speed of Tatum and Jed was beyond anything he had ever seen.
’So this is a vampire’s power...’
Pwyll thought, his eyes tracking the red blurs.
’And those orcs... they aren’t normal orcs. Their strength is absurd. Are they vampires as well?’
He added as he watched them from the side of the carriage.
Anyway, although the others were shocked, they do know that they have to stick with Verc and the others very close if they want to live in the forest.
After all, even Pwyll and Bernia who are fighters—they were sure that they will die not long after being left alone in the forest. The [Cursed Forest] wasn’t just a name; it was a meat grinder for the unprepared.
The rest knew as well. The dwarves huddled closer to the center of the path, and the kobolds stayed right beneath the shadows of the orcs, looking up at their protectors with wide, admiring eyes. Nara sat in the carriage, her hands over her ears to block out the sounds of the monsters, but she felt the steady movement of the caravan and knew she was safe.
... ... ...
As they moved deeper, the attacks didn’t stop, but they became less frequent. The monsters of the forest might be dumb, but even they started to sense the overwhelming power radiating from the group. The scent of dead harpies and monkeys followed them, acting as a grim warning to anything else lurking in the brush.
Verc rode Bong at the head of the line, his eyes scanning the path ahead. He didn’t need to look back to know Tatum and the others were doing a perfect job. He could feel every kill through the blood connection, a small spark of satisfaction vibrating in his mind every time a monster fell.
"Don’t stop. We’re almost there."
Verc said, his voice calm despite the carnage happening around them.
*****
The journey continued for a few more hours...
The trees grew even larger here, their roots forming natural walls that twisted and turned. The mist became a permanent fixture, swirling around the wheels of the carriages like ghostly hands.
But after a few hours—and just as the sun was about to go down—the oppressive atmosphere of the forest began to shift. The trees started to thin out, and the constant feeling of being watched by malevolent eyes faded.
The light of the setting sun, a deep and bruised purple, managed to filter through a clearing ahead.
TAK!
They reached the heart of the [Cursed Forest].
Where Verc’s territory was.
Tap-
The group stepped out of the dense woods and into a massive open area.
"..."
In front of them sat a sprawling base, protected by reinforced wooden walls and watchtowers. They could see figures moving about—orcs carrying lumber, and a few gnoll-looking kids running toward the gate.
"Is that... home?"
Nara whispered, sticking her head out of the carriage window.
Verc pulled on the reins, bringing Bong to a stop. He looked at the gate of his village, the place he had built from nothing.
"Welcome to our base."
Verc said, his voice finally carrying a hint of pride.
"It’s not much yet, but it’s your home now as well."
He declared.
The new members stared at the village in silence. To them, it looked like a miracle. A safe haven in the middle of hell. They saw the orcs at the gate waving, and they felt the safety of the walls.
The sun finally dipped below the horizon, but for the first time in their lives, the people behind Verc weren’t afraid of the dark.
They had finally arrived.