The core felt heavier in Damra's hands than it looked, like it carried its own gravity. Damra braced instinctively, both arms tightening as the sphere pulsed once, then calmed, as if it recognized it was being returned to its rightful perch.
"Consider it done, also, the Red Orc tribe…"
Damra's tone shifted mid-sentence. The smile stayed, but it tightened at the edges. That was never a good sign.
Ludwig frowned, "What about them?"
His stomach dropped before the answer came. That was the problem with being right: dread arrived early.
"They've stopped nearby, seem like doing constant days of waging war was too taxing on their bodies. They're up by the river."
Relief and urgency hit Ludwig at the same time. They're resting. Good. They're at the river. Bad. The river was supposed to be their leverage. If the enemy drank clean water now, they'd hit the mountain harder later.
"Shit, I needed to set up poison."
