The forest pressed in around them, its thick canopy swallowing most of the sunlight. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and moss. Every step sent a whisper through the undergrowth, every crack of a branch or rustle of leaves louder than it should have been in the uneasy silence..

"This place has bad news written all over it," Rika muttered.

Liliana floated slightly ahead. "They're watching," she said. "They'll strike before we see them."

Kale glanced around, his senses tuned to every shift in the environment. There was a stillness to the air that felt deliberate, like they were about to be attacked. He started to speak, but the whistle came first, a sound that sliced through the quiet, sharp and immediate.

Arrows came from all directions, streaking through the gaps in the trees. Kale didn't think. Instinct took over. He swung Aeloria's Promise, the blade moving faster than thought, catching the first arrow mid-flight and deflecting it harmlessly to the side. Another arrow followed, and another. His sword met each with precision, the clang of metal against wood ringing through the forest.

"Down!" he shouted, and Rika ducked behind a tree, while Liliana shifted into her Blood Form, the arrows passing through her harmlessly.

More arrows flew, but Kale stood firm, his sword a blur of motion as he deflected each one.

"Great!" Rika shouted as an arrow embedded itself in the tree next to her head. "Here we go again!"

"We're not here to fight!" Kale shouted. "We just want to talk!"

The Izawac attackers emerged from the trees. Their light armor, woven from hides, blended seamlessly with the forest around them. Intricately carved masks adorned with bone and painted sigils covered their faces, giving them an almost otherworldly appearance, like spirits of the woods come to exact vengeance.

"Guess they're not in a talking mood," Rika said, pulling out her warhammer.

"Why is everyone always trying to kill us?" Kale said as he ducked under a swing from a rushing warrior, deflecting the blow with his blade. He gritted his teeth. "Stop! We don't want this!"

The attackers showed no sign of stopping. They were relentless, each strike aimed to kill. Kale twisted to avoid another sword coming for his head.

"They're not listening!" Liliana's voice cut through the clash of weapons. "We either fight or we die!"

Kale's heart sank as he blocked another blow. "I don't want to kill them… we can't!"

Rika swung her warhammer in a brutal arc, shattering the arm of an attacker who had gotten too close. He fell to the ground with a scream. "They're not giving us a choice, Kale! Wake up, or we're all dead!"

Kale looked around, trying to find any opening, any sign of reason. But the Izawac attackers were ruthless, their eyes filled with nothing but hatred. Another one rushed at him, his blade raised high. Kale parried the strike, but there was no slowing them down.

"Die, you Rikada scum!" One of the attackers screamed.

Kale's resolve finally cracked. The attackers weren't going to stop. He had to protect his friends. He lashed out, striking an Izawac warrior across the chest. The man fell.

Rika grunted as she crushed an opponent with her warhammer. "It didn't have to be this way."

Another wave of warriors came at them, but the group's defense tightened. Liliana's lashed out with her blood magic, pulling blood from the fallen and shaping it into jagged spikes that tore through the advancing warriors. Rika's warhammer continued to devastate, sending shockwaves through the forest. Kale's blade moved with speed and precision, each swing fending off an opponent.

Within minutes, the ground was littered with the bodies of their fallen attackers. They hadn't wanted this, but now there was no turning back.

"They left us no other option," Liliana said.

Rika stood over the last fallen warrior, her warhammer resting on her shoulder. Blood and dust clung to her boots, and for a moment, her face was grim. Then, with a slow shake of her head, she let out a long sigh.

"Well…" she said, the corner of her mouth twitching before a big grin crept onto her face. "Looks like we're off to a good start."

Kale looked around at the fallen bodies scattered across the ground. This was never how he'd envisioned it—pleading for peace, only to be forced into a bloody fight.

"Of course this was how it was going to be," Kale said.

Rika wiped her warhammer clean on the grass. "Now what?" she asked, turning to Kale. "Do we just wait around and hope the next batch is friendlier?"

"At this rate Rothgar will have his wish," Liliana said.

Kale rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't think they're going to be too eager to tell us how to lift that curse if we keep killing their friends."

Rika sighed. "Well, maybe they should've started with talking instead of trying to kill us."

Liliana gave a dry smile. "Diplomacy does tend to go out the window when someone's swinging a blade at your head."

"Don't forget about the arrows," Kale said, "that was just plain rude. Let's hope whoever's left is a better conversationalist."

"And if not," Rika added, swinging her warhammer in a slow arc, "they get smashed."

Kale couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, I'm sure that'll help negotiations."

Rika's grin widened, unapologetic. "Hey, you never know. People tend to listen when you've got a big hammer in your hand."

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"Yes, nothing says 'let's talk' like a warhammer to the face." Liliana said.

"Let's try talking first, though," Kale said. "Just once. For fun."

Rika's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Ohhh, Kaley, you and I have very different definitions of fun!"

Kale shook his head with a small laugh. "Yeah, I'm starting to figure that out."

Liliana glanced between them. "If you two are done debating what 'fun' is, we still need to figure out our next move before more Izawac appear."

Rika rested her warhammer on her shoulder and winked at Kale. "Sure, but remember—talking's your job, the hammer's mine."

***

The forest around them began to thin, the underbrush giving way to patches of open ground scattered with brittle leaves and dry twigs. Kale moved cautiously at the front, checking every shadow. They couldn't risk being spotted again, not after the last encounter.

"Stay low," Liliana whispered as they weaved between the trees.

"Easy for you to say," Kale said.

"You know, this sneaking around isn't really my style," Rika said. "But hey, at least we're not getting shot at… yet."

Kale shot her a glance but didn't respond. They were nearing the edge of the forest now, and just beyond, the Izawac stronghold stood in the distance—massive stone walls, fortified with sharp stakes encircling what looked like a village at its heart. Smoke curled lazily into the air, and even from here, they could see guards patrolling the perimeter.

As they approached, they were immediately spotted by the guards.

"Who are you?" one of them barked, stepping forward with a hand on the hilt of his sword. His eyes narrowed, regarding them warily.

Kale raised his hands slowly. "We're here to talk. That's all."

The guard looked over the group, unconvinced. "You don't look like Rikada."

"No, we're not," Liliana replied. "We've come because we might be able to help. To turn the war."

"Why is that head talking? And why is it floating?" the guard yelled out.

Kale winced slightly, but before he could respond, Liliana, unfazed, simply raised an eyebrow and replied dryly, "It's a long story."

The guards exchanged skeptical glances, clearly suspicious. One of them muttered something under his breath, then motioned for the other to hold back. "Stay here," he said, pointing a finger at them. "I'm going to talk to the chief."

Kale and the others waited, the silence stretching uncomfortably between them and the remaining guard. Rika shifted uneasily, her hand resting on her warhammer just in case, while Liliana floated silently beside her.

"Nice place," Rika whispered.

"Just be patient," Kale muttered back.

After a long moment, the guard returned, flanked by several imposing figures—Izawac warriors, strong and intimidating, their bodies covered in tribal markings. "Follow us," the guard said gruffly, motioning for them to move. "Chief Bihiro will see you now."

They were led through the gates, and as they walked deeper into the stronghold, the eyes of the Izawac people followed them with suspicion.

After what felt like an eternity of being watched and whispered about, they were led to the heart of the stronghold, where the leader of the Izawac sat. His seat was carved from the roots of an immense, ancient tree, its gnarled and twisting limbs still brimming with life, faintly glowing with an emerald hue. His face was a canvas of intricate tribal tattoos, each marking telling a story, the patterns swirling across his skin. His sharp, calculating eyes moved over the group, not with suspicion, but with the detached appraisal of a man who had seen enough to judge quickly and without mercy.

"Why have you come here?" he asked.

Kale stepped forward, trying to keep his tone respectful. "Chief Bihiro, we need your help, and we think... we can help end the war."

Bihiro raised an eyebrow, his skepticism evident. "And why should we trust you? Why would you help us?"

Kale hesitated for a moment before answering. "We need Rothgar's help. Xeroth has returned, and his corruption is spreading. Rothgar... he's the only one strong enough to lead the defense against Xeroth."

Bihiro leaned back, and then, to Kale's surprise, he burst into laughter. "The Butcher? Helping anyone but himself? Ridiculous. Rothgar only cares for one thing—his own dominion. And Xeroth? Xeroth is a relic, a shadow of a god long forgotten. He holds no real power anymore."

Rika crossed her arms. "You don't believe us? You haven't seen what we've seen."

Bihiro turned to her, unimpressed, his expression hardening. "I know what I've seen. Rothgar's bloodstained hands, tearing through our people, ripping apart families as if they were nothing. The screams of the dying still echo in these walls, the memories burned into the minds of every living Izawac. And now you expect us to believe that he would be interested in anything but more slaughter?"

He leaned forward slightly, his tattooed face dark with contempt. "No. Rothgar has no interest in saving anything but his own pride. Xeroth is nothing but a ghost, a story to frighten children. It is Rothgar's blade that we fear."

He paused as he searched their faces for a reaction. "Tell me," he continued, his voice dripping with scorn, "why should we concern ourselves with gods and myths when a very real butcher still wages war on our people?"

Liliana came forward. "You don't understand. We're not here for Rothgar's sake. If Xeroth is back, it's not just the Rikada or the Izawac who are at risk. He will consume everything."

Bihiro remained unmoved. "Xeroth's name has been used to frighten children for generations. He is a myth, a story told to keep people in line. The real threat is the mad dog you serve, the animal who slaughtered thousands."

Kale felt the conversation slipping, frustration building inside him. "We don't serve Rothgar. We're trying to stop Xeroth before it's too late."

The chief studied them for a moment longer, then waved a hand dismissively. "If you think you can sway us with talk of gods, you're wasting your time. But if you truly wish to help, then show us proof. Until then, you have no business here."

"What if we can get Rothgar to back off? To stop the war? Kale asked.

Bihiro's eyes flared with contempt as he repeated Kale's question. "And what if you can get Rothgar to back off? To stop the war?" His lip curled in disgust, as if the very idea was an insult. "You think the beast who tore through our lands, who butchered our people like cattle, can be reasoned with? You think the monster who feasts on blood and suffering can simply be asked to 'stop'?"

He laughed harshly, the sound bitter and hollow. "Rothgar is not a man. He's a beast, a rabid dog who revels in war, in the chaos and death it brings. He doesn't just wage war, he thrives on it. The slaughter at Izokharn wasn't an act of necessity, it was an act of pleasure. You weren't there. You didn't see the way he carved through families, men, women, and children alike—his twin blades slick with innocent blood, his eyes burning with rage."

Bihiro leaned forward, his voice lowering to a deadly whisper. "He is not capable of mercy. He is not capable of reason. Even if you could get Rothgar to halt his bloody rampage, it would not be because he saw the error of his ways. It would be because he's found a new way to torment us. A new way to feed his insatiable hunger for power."

The contempt in his eyes was palpable, his face twisting in disgust as he spoke Rothgar's name. "He is a beast that wears a king's crown. He lives for the slaughter. The only thing that will stop Rothgar is when he is choking on his own blood."

"If there's even a chance, even the smallest chance to stop this bloodshed, isn't it worth trying?" Kale asked.

Bihiro rose from his throne, and his voice lowered to a growl. "You've never seen it, have you? The way he tears through villages. He revels in it, like a predator toying with its prey before the kill. Every Rikada soldier is a reflection of him, a beast in human skin, hungry for more. And now you come here, expecting us to believe that this monster can be reasoned with? That he will somehow become civilized?"

Bihiro leaned in. "And if you can't put it down, you better make sure you trap it somewhere it will never be able to get out. Cage it, chain it, bury it beneath a mountain of stone, because if you let it roam free, it will tear through everything in its way."

He stepped back, shaking his head in disdain. "That's all Rothgar is, a wild animal wrapped in steel. You think you can leash him? Control him? No. The moment you let your guard down, he'll sink his teeth into your throat. That's what beasts like him do."

"Maybe you're right," Kale said. "Maybe he is a beast. But if there's even the slightest chance we can stop this war, we have to take it."

Bihiro's eyes flickered with something unreadable, but the contempt never left his voice. "Then you are a fool. And fools who deal with beasts often find themselves devoured."

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