On the deeper part of the forest, the air was cold and heavy with tension. The faint cries of distant beasts echoed in the distance. It was there that Skitz, along with his captains and vice-captains, rode cautiously through the mist-covered woods, following the faint traces of the ominous aura they had felt earlier.

Krivex glanced around. "Isn't this the territory of that cursed Lizardmen tribe? Don't tell me some god actually descended here," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "Maybe we should turn back before something bad happens."

Skitz grinned, his sharp teeth flashing. "Relax. If it's really a god, we'll just run for our lives," he said casually, though his eyes were alert. "I'll go check it out myself first. You all stay behind and keep your distance. If anything feels off, you know the signal."

The others nodded, gripping their weapons tightly.

Skitz led them deeper into the forest, moving like a shadow through the trees. He knew this place well, the paths, the scent of the soil, even the faint hum of mana that lingered in the air.

This was once his home, the place where he was born, long before he met their Lord.

After a while, he raised a hand, signaling the group to stop. "Wait here," he said quietly. "You know the plan. If things go wrong, don't hesitate."

He took a deep breath, activated Whispering Veil, and vanished completely into the shadows. Without another word, Skitz slipped deeper into the heart of the forest, toward the source of that ominous pulse.

The forest grew darker as Skitz moved silently through the trees, his form melting into the shadows.

When he finally reached the edge of a clearing near a mountain cave, his eyes narrowed.

Hundreds of lizardmen and different kinds of monsters crowded the area, standing unnaturally still. Their bodies were covered in pale, grayish skin, as if drained of life itself. Yet their eyes glowed faintly red, filled with mindless fury.

Among them were dozens of towering Lizardman Champions and Juggernauts, their muscular frames and jagged weapons marking them as powerful beings. Skitz instantly recognized their strength, monsters equal to Knight Apprentices and even Quasi-Knights.

But what truly drew his attention was the center of the gathering. There, surrounded by eerie mist, stood four lizardmen cloaked in ritual markings.

"High Priests…" Skitz muttered under his breath. They were True Knight-level beings.

And then, his eyes landed on the one standing in the middle. Its presence was overwhelming, darker and stronger than the rest.

"That one…" Skitz whispered to himself.

He remembered that face, the sharp fangs, the golden eyes, the scars along its jaw. It was the ruler of this forest, the same being that once fought the Orc Lord and claimed dominance after defeating him. A cursed monster… like him.

Skitz's expression turned grim. 'What in the hell happened to you?' he thought, his hand tightening on his weapon as he continued to watch from the shadows.

A cold shiver ran down Skitz's spine when the lizardman in the center suddenly turned its head toward him. Its glowing red eyes locked straight onto the shadows where he stood.

'No way… he can see me?' Skitz thought, his heartbeat quickening. He hadn't made a single sound, Whispering Veil was perfect, not even the sharpest monsters could sense him. And yet, the creature was staring directly at him.

A low growl escaped from the lizardman's throat. Then, without warning, it hurled its massive black spear with terrifying speed.

Whish!

"Woah!" Skitz cursed as he leapt aside, the spear cutting through the air and slamming into a tree behind him with a deafening crack. The trunk split in half, sending splinters flying.

Landing on one knee, Skitz glanced at the shattered remains of the tree, then back at the creature. 'He could sense me? No… he knew I was here.'

He narrowed his eyes, scanning the area again. There was no divine pressure, no hint of descending gods or hidden presences, only that twisted, corrupted energy spreading through the clearing.

'There's no god descending… and no strong monsters nearby either,' he thought, tightening his grip on his weapon. 'We can handle this.'

Raising his hand, Skitz gathered chaotic mana into his palm. The air shimmered, then burst into a violent explosion of dark crimson light shaped like an arrow, shooting straight into the sky.

From far away, the captains and vice-captains looked up as the flare bloomed like a twisted firework.

"The signal!" Krivex shouted, grinning.

An arrow-shaped explosion meant only one thing, attack.

Without hesitation, the group spurred their mounts forward, thundering through the forest toward Skitz's location.

…..

Before the captains could reach him, the forest was already alive with chaos.

Explosions of dirt and splashes of blood filled the clearing as Skitz darted between the horde of pale lizardmen. The monsters roared mindlessly, lunging with claws and spears, yet their movements were wild and sloppy.

Skitz sidestepped a thrust before cutting through the attacker's neck. He barely had time to breathe before another dozen came rushing from behind.

Then, the ground trembled. A black arrow-shaped blast tore through the trees as Skitz's allies finally arrived.

"Vice Leader!" Krivex shouted, leaping down from his boar mount and swinging his blade in one clean arc, splitting two lizardmen in half.

The others followed right behind, Aren, Skarn, Kaeldron, and the rest of the captains and vice-captains. Their formation tightened instantly, honed from countless battles.

"Be careful!" Skitz yelled, deflecting another blow. "Something's not right about them! They're not like the cursed lizardmen with Naxxiriss' Blessing, these ones don't talk, don't even recognize us!"

Krivex frowned as he parried a strike. "You're right… their movements are strange, like they're fighting on instinct alone."

Skitz's eyes locked onto the center of the battlefield, the four towering Lizardman High Priests radiating an oppressive aura. Each was surrounded by faint, swirling energy, their eyes glowing an eerie crimson.

"Those four are the strongest," Skitz said, pointing toward them. "I'll take the one in the middle. Shade, with me."

The black beast let out a deep roar in response, its eyes glinting with excitement before it charged forward at Skitz's side.

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