The balance had been shattered. The orcs had made their bold move, and now nothing stood in their path. This wasn't just one mine under siege—it was a massive operation, all happening in a tight window of time. Kraghul understood the threat Vrognut represented. He knew any orc who hadn't clashed with him before would react just like Kragg had, with a mix of fear and fury.

Back home, Kraghul had grown restless. Sitting around bored him to no end. He wanted to stretch his legs, to feel the thrill of battle. This raid was the perfect workout, even if he knew the risks. Consequences? They could wait. Adventure called louder.

Kragg and Kraghul, along with a handful of tough orcs, set off for the last two mines. They figured Drekk would be at one of them—probably the spot where the action was hottest.

Kragg headed straight there to handle Drekk himself. That way, no one could mess with their takeover of the other mines. Plus, Vrognut was supposed to be lurking around too. Kragg shouldn't have gone solo. Shava was meant to back him up, but she vanished without a trace. Borg was missing too. Weird, especially with everything on the line like this.

Kraghul took the other path, aiming for the mine where Byung hung out. He was dying to meet this goblin everyone whispered about. The way Kragg described him—sneaky, deadly, unpredictable—made Kraghul's blood pump faster. He knew it'd be as enemies, but that only added to the excitement.

Kragg reached his target first. He stared at the scene, puzzled. The mine looked like it had just survived a brutal storm. Goblins scurried around, bandaging wounds, picking up broken tools. It was chaos, like they were licking their injuries after a fierce fight. Kragg's orcs flanked him, axes ready, but there was no need to charge in yet. The goblins already seemed beaten down, defeated.

Torgzit spotted them right away. He eyed their armor, the way they gripped their weapons—clear signs of war. His heart sank. Speaking for Drekk, since he knew he couldn't stop these brutes alone, Torgzit stepped forward.

"You've come to kill us?" His voice cracked a bit, but he held steady.

Kragg scanned the area, his massive frame casting a shadow.

"We've come to demand your submission," he growled low, eyes darting from goblin to goblin.

"Where's the one called Drekk? And Vrognut?" Kragg pressed. This mess screamed Vrognut's style.

Kraghul's old tales painted him as a monster who didn't care about goblin lives. Kragg swung off his horse with a thud. His orcs exchanged glances—why talk when they could crush?

The plan was simple: subdue them, force the goblins to dig and toil just for the orcs. No more serving other races.

Torgzit winced, his jaw throbbing from some fresh bruise. But he strung his words together without pausing.

"If it's their heads you want, you're too late." He gestured weakly at the wreckage.

"And you've got nothing to worry about here. We've lost enough already. Take whatever you need and go."

He didn't realize this wasn't a quick loot-and-leave. It was an occupation. Vrognut had already culled the weak ones, leaving the survivors shaken. They'd seen how easily they could be tossed aside, like trash.

Kragg frowned. This complicated things. The whole strategy was to split up the dangers—handle each threat alone. Spreading forces kept the big guns isolated. But now? They were all crammed in one spot. With Byung possibly in the mix, who knew what chaos could erupt? It wouldn't be a clean sweep.

"Is that so? How generous," Kragg said with a smirk. He waved to his orcs.

"Secure the mine."

Perfect timing, really. The goblins were trapped now, squeezed from both sides. Before, they could slip out, scout old spots. Now? Even stepping outside felt impossible.

-

Meanwhile, Kraghul faced the tougher challenge. Most of the enemy's strength was piled here, including Vrognut's goblin crew. They rolled up to the entrance, but the guards blocked the way. Smart move—they needed permission to let anyone in.

"Go! Leave now!" one goblin snarled, jabbing a spear.

Kraghul glanced back, brow furrowed. Were these tiny pests really barking orders at him? He came from a world where fists and blades spoke first. Violence was the universal tongue.

"Step aside," another goblin muttered, barely audible.

Kraghul's eyes sparkled with glee. Then Vrognut stepped into view, and that glee exploded.

"Vrognut! You're alive!" Kraghul boomed, voice dripping with joy. Anyone listening might think they were old pals reuniting.

Vrognut smirked. "Looks like we had the same idea."

Kraghul's grin widened, but his eyes burned with murder. "Did we?"

To Kraghul's shock, Vrognut waved the goblins aside. "Let them in."

The goblins hesitated but obeyed. Kraghul didn't budge. Trap? Bluff? Either way, no need to rush into jaws.

"How do you plan to fight us if you won't even enter?" Vrognut taunted, arms crossed.

Kraghul chuckled. "Such a kind invite. And here I thought all goblins were idiots."

Vrognut glanced around. His orcs had already encircled the mine. They could smash in anytime. So why the delay? His presence forced caution. The orcs played it safe now.

But Vrognut here? That threw plans off. He was supposed to be with Drekk at the other mine. Unless Kragg sent Kraghul into a setup on purpose.

Kraghul knew stepping inside meant disaster. They'd be outnumbered, outmaneuvered. Better to surround and starve them out. Turn it into a waiting game. If all went smooth, the other mines would fall soon.

"What do you want?" Drekk joined, voice sharp.

"We want Vrognut," Kraghul stated flat. Clear sign he and Kragg weren't on the exact same page. But they helped each other anyway. This wasn't all, though.

"…And Byung."

"Byung? He's not yours to take." Drekk eyed Kraghul.

"Everything here will be ours soon. Why not start with the best?" Kraghul laughed.

"You orcs think you're kings. But step in, and see who rules," Vrognut stepped closer, voice low.

Kraghul's muscles tensed. Tempting. So tempting. But smart won wars, not brute rushes.

"We'll wait. Starve you. Break you slow." Kraghul wasn't hiding his plans from them.

The goblins shifted uneasily. Food reserves were low and with Vrognut's arrival, they had more mouths to feed.

"You should all sleep with one eye open, I heard that one is a cannibal," Kraghul said, pointing right at Vrognut.

This would instill fear into their hearts.

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