Within a short time, all Druids had been evacuated; only one exception occurred during this time. The green-haired man, whose limping had relatively decreased after the treatment he received, was quite insistent on staying with them.
"My coming with you will make your job easier; I assume your route is the druid settlement in the center of the continent!"
Nafız's care was truly extraordinary; the man who resembled an empty tin can just the previous day had now become capable of undertaking the long journey.
"I learned the way, and I know the locations of the enemy's bases too; tell me, what benefit can you provide me!"
The duo's destination was the settlement of the druids under siege; it was normal for them not to want to risk carrying an extra burden with them.
"Sir, my father is Yinhorn, the Fourth Root of the druid council. I am actually a person sent outside the shield to take our call for help to the new orc lord."
With the end of his words, the female orc directed her burning gaze into the young druid's eyes. The green-haired man felt as if these two blood-red glints were peeling his soul, scrutinizing every single one of his secrets.
"If you stay close, I can protect your life; if you attempt to do something stupid and play the hero..."
Nafız didn't finish her words; there was no need to, everyone understood what she meant.
"Burn down the entire outpost after taking these trash with you too; take care to leave no trace behind!"
"As you command!"
When the three members of the Elite Ten gave their head salutes with respect, the tone in their voices would cause the captive soldiers to pale another shade; how respectful these warriors, who forced them to tremble in fear with just their looks, were toward the frail female orc.
While the time approached noon, black clouds were multiplying in the sky where the outpost used to be; after starting to gather slowly at the tip of a grayish column, they were gently releasing themselves into the endless blueness.
"Commander, the entire outpost is in flames!"
"Put it out quickly, you idiots!"
The long hair of the woman standing proudly atop her fully armored horse was being swept by the effect of the blowing wind; if we put aside the harsh words she said to the messenger in front of her, this person had a naive face capable of taking a human to dream worlds.
"They have fled long ago; judging by the situation, they either killed the soldiers and druids or abducted them to the Orc Steppes!"
What she heard wouldn't please the commander at all, whose breasts rose and fell despite her metal armor; after giving a look to her assistant, she turned to the thousand-person force waiting behind her and shouted.
"You will search all four sides; your target is two orcs, one a frail female, the other a hulking male! You may execute them where you find them!"
"Some of you scan the section up to the border of the Orc Steppes; if you find orcs, druids, or captive soldiers, just kill them!"
The female commander had turned into a powder keg; although the information she received stated that there were two attackers on the outpost, it wasn't possible for her to believe this.
According to her, all of this was a plan of the new lord of the Orc Steppes; the two orcs he said he exiled coming directly to the Wild Swamp and starting an attack was the biggest proof of this idea of hers.
Actually, this was the thought of not only her but many people; how could the Orc Lord exile two people from their motherland, one being his grandfather and the other the hero of the new orc society?
While the troops of the commander drowning in thoughts were conducting search operations ceaselessly, the captive soldiers and druids had already set foot on the lands of the Orc Steppes. In these moments, there was activity inside the Karsak Trade City as well; two people were discussing the results of the first examinations of the people in the shells full of healing water brought by the giant bird.
"City Lord, the wounded who arrived are no longer in life-threatening danger, only we need to talk about what we need to do hereafter!"
"Abgesandte, hand over all matters related to the city to your subordinates; I want you to focus only on these people, especially on the child who lost all his limbs!"
Kitapkurdu was the person currently carrying the title of Lord of the Karsak City; he was conveying his requests to the small child who had once come to his tribe as an envoy and was now his right hand.
"Lord Kitapkurdu, except for the unfortunate child, the others are not a problem, but we no longer have many experts on the treatment and rehabilitation of a human who hasn't completed his development yet."
While summarizing the situation, Abgesandte was actually pointing out a bitter truth; with Khan's return, the city had suffered a great loss of power. The prominent figures, knowing their faults, had fled to the Machine Region without looking back during the three-day deadline granted to make a decision.
"There is my master's mark on this child; we will do whatever it takes and overcome this task!"
He was also aware that they were suffering from a resource shortage; he had come to the head of a difficult task, not a rose garden. Fortunately, the bond between them and Parthenia and Nikonya was getting stronger day by day; he was sure they could get help regarding this matter.
While these were happening in the ice-covered city, three people stuck between dense vegetation and vines far away were trying to advance with difficulty.
"Alyon, when do you plan to think of using that power animal?"
Thanks to her small body, Nafız was passing comfortably even through small and narrow areas; the green-haired man next to her could advance in the same way, but her friend was in a state where he couldn't even take a step without struggling with the axe in his hand.
"Pehlivan's eyes and brows are playing too much; we will fall out with each other before taking two steps!"
Upon Alyon's words, his friend would burst into great laughter; actually, one reason she brought up the subject was the search for a topic to have fun with along the way.
"He beats you up, doesn't he? What a man you are; getting beaten by your own power animal!"
The face of the hulking orc had suddenly fallen; in these moments when he let his lower lip hang, he swung his axe with all his might at the branches coming before him.
"We tried just once more; let this road finish, I will teach him a lesson!"
After speaking loudly, Alyon continued to murmur; he got angry as he grumbled, and as he got angry, he shattered the obstacles blocking the road.
Thanks to this, a dialogue would start between the other duo, who began to make headway quite comfortably.
"We haven't learned your name yet, druid!"
Nafız would wake the green-haired man, traveling beside them silently, from the dream world he plunged into by hitting his shoulder.
"My name is Rigasamos, sir!"
"What did you say, say it again!"
"Rigasamos!"
Unable to understand exactly what he said as a result of the druid's muffled voice and producing some letters from his throat, Nafız would make the man say his name a few more times.
"I will call you Green; I can't memorize that difficult name for a day or two!"
Indeed, combining the information they received from the young soldier with the skills of the druid they used as a guide, they had advanced rapidly toward their targets without suffering any attacks.
As the female orc guessed, at the dawn of the third day, they had managed to see the dazzling brightness of the shield surrounding the druid settlement, albeit from afar.
"Sir, I know it's not my place, but what is the purpose of the powder you sprinkled on the places we passed along the way?"
Alyon had never neglected to sprinkle the object inside the bags he received from his friend while entering the continent as told to him; although this situation constantly occupied Green's mind, it would take three days for him to gather his courage.
"If the people in your council are wise, these powders will be the salvation of your continent; in a contrary situation, the end of a civilization!"