During the night duties of the sentries stationed on the eastern walls of Nethergrass city, spots of torchlight suddenly popped out in the distance.
A group of travelers treaded the bloodstained road leading to the city as they passed through the scorched carcasses that piled like mountains on either side of the black road.
These mountains of carcasses were not inferior in size to the ones that buried the Desolate Crow Clan.
However, they were not scorched by ordinary flames.
As the group made their way through the cleared path on the road, the slight tremors of their movements quickly caused several scorched carcasses to crumple into black ashes.
"Stop! Why have you come to Nethergrass City at this hour? State your business here, travelers!" a sentry demanded firmly.
"We've come as messengers of Lord Balzacs, here to deliver good news to His Highness, the Second Prince, from the Desolate Crow Clan!" Lord Jorn hollered back clearly for the sentries to hear.
"Messengers?" the sentry muttered with surprise.
However, it did not take long before the sentry frowned with doubt and barked, "Why are there so many of you?! His Highness does not require the service of so many messengers!"
"That is exactly the good news we bring! These are some of the fine warriors of the Desolate Crow Clan, here to assist His Highness's rights to the throne!" Lord Jorn shouted before adding, "Lord Balzacs had tasked me to deliver them to the Second Prince after their submission!"
"Oh? Is that so?" the sentry exclaimed before nodded with pleasant surprise, "That is indeed good news. The Second Prince will definitely be delighted to hear it."
"Alright, open the gates! Let them through!"
The sentries were quickly convinced with a few words before the Desolate Crow Clan's group were permitted entry to the city.
Shortly after, the sentry gradually made his way down the wall and patted Lord Jorn on the shoulders pleasantly.
"It's great that you have joined us. We will soon be fighting as brothers together for a just cause," the sentry spoke before he suddenly creased his brows and asked, "What happened to the last messenger? Why are you the messenger this time?"
"The last messenger is dead," Lord Jorn stated honestly and calmly as if he was just stating a matter of fact that had nothing to do with him.
However, the last messenger was indeed killed by him when the person arrived shortly after the Desolate Crow Clan began their rebuilding process.
Nevertheless, the news of the dead messenger came as a shock to the sentry as he immediately retreated a step with surprise and alarm.
"What?" the sentry exclaimed before asking with an inquisitive gaze, "Why would the last messenger suddenly die? How did he die?"
"The last messenger died on a woman's stomach. He was too indulgent in his carnal desires and became careless enough to have a woman slip his throat in his sleep," Lord Jorn bullshitted with a straight face.
"This, in turns, led to Lord Balzacs becoming enraged and slaughtered thousands of lives before the Desolate Crow Clan finally submitted due to fear."
"Hahaha, is that right?" the sentry laughed heartily before he said with disdain, "Since that is the case, that messenger deserved to die. But at least, there was meaning to his pathetic death."
"Wait until the Desolate Crow Clan's Clan Leader and elders about their clan's submission. Oh, I am sure the look on their stubborn faces will be a lovely sight to see!"
"This brother, may I ask where they are being held?" Lord Jorn asked politely.
"Hm?" the sentry quickly became suspicious again as he frowned and questioned inquisitively, "And why do you need to know that?"
"It's like this; we were also given another task by Lord Balzacs to report the news of the Desolate Crow Clan's surrender to the clan leader and elders. Lord Balzacs believed that this sort of news would be enough to shake their belief and lead to their following submission."
"Oh? That does seem like a plausible tactic. As expected of Lord Balzacs!" the sentry nodded with praise.
His solemness was quickly dispelled once more as he put on a lighthearted smile and said, "the Desolate Crow Clan's leader and elders are being held in the underground prison beside the training ground."
"However, you should report to His Highness and receive his approval first before carrying out your follow task. After all, if your actions somehow displease the Second Prince, you will lose your life just like that," the sentry warned.
"I got it," Lord Jorn nodded and said, "Thanks, brother."
"Don't mention it. We will be comrades-in-arms in the future."
Shortly after, Jorn led his elite clansmen away from the city gates and headed deep into the city.
It was not long before they discovered the dispirited look of the Desolate Netherbird tribesmen and other beastmen living in the city and sensed the oppressiveness of the place.
"It seems like the Second Prince is truly unfit to rule if the people of his city is in this state…" an elite clansman quietly whispered as he observed his surrounding.
"That sentry before was quite gullible to have given vital information so easily. Nevertheless, he is serious and honest with his work. If possible, I want to avoid as many casualties as possible when we make our escape with the clan leader and elders," Lord Jorn mentioned.
"Lord Jorn is right," another elite clansman agreed with a nod and said, "The Second Prince is bad, but the people and soldiers are innocent."
Nevertheless, when push comes to shove, they will still do what they need to do to guarantee the Desolate Crow Clan's best interest in mind.
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Darkmoon Tribe, Barrenrock Courtyard
Leon was gradually awakened from his deep meditation to a sudden commotion growing outside in the tribe before discovering Aria beside him.
"How long have you been here?" Leon asked with a warm smile, having understood her silent gesture as not a speck of dust could be seen on his body.
"Only a few hours," Aria smiled back.
Of course, this was a few hours after she found him and not how long her husband had actually been meditating in the courtyard.