Chapter 45: Negotiations

Cassian listened quietly as the Bone Worm relayed what it had just witnessed within the Orc Chief’s tent.

​Originally, he had instructed the Bone Worm to draw directly upon his infinite mana reserves.

Supported by that limitless ocean of energy, the creature had been able to divide itself far beyond its normal limits, spawning countless near-microscopic fragments.

​The objective had been simple: get close to the Orc Chief.

​Not for an assassination, that would have been impossible, as any hint of genuine hostile intent would immediately alert a warrior of her caliber.

No, Cassian had simply wanted an open line of communication with the ruler of the Dominion.

​Admittedly, he hadn’t expected the Bone Worm to stumble upon something quite so personal.

​Unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately—the scout had witnessed a secret she would kill to protect, accidentally blowing its cover in the process.

​Cassian chuckled softly, turning toward the small Bone Worm resting on his shoulder. "Continue with the plan."

​The worm immediately straightened its segmented body. "Yes, my Lord."

​Back inside the luxurious tent, Morghanna’s elite guards reacted instantly to the sudden, explosive surge of gravitational pressure.

​"Chief! Are you alright?!" their voices shouted from outside the entry flap, accompanied by the heavy sound of approaching armor.

​Morghanna’s eye twitched violently. The absolute last thing she needed right now was a group of hulking Orcs barging into her bathhouse.

​She quickly suppressed her erupting aura. "I’m fine."

​The guards hesitated at the entrance. "Chief—"

​"I said I’m fine." The sheer ice in her voice cut through the heavy fabric, freezing them in their tracks.

​"...Understood, Chief." The footsteps gradually retreated into the night.

​Only after confirming they were gone did Morghanna release a slow, stabilizing breath.

​Then, she noticed a subtle movement.

​A tiny, skeletal worm was crawling casually across the floorboards toward her.

​The Orc Chief’s eye twitched again. "You insect..."

​A child-like telepathic voice attempted to speak directly into her mind: "My Lord—"

​BOOM!

​The worm instantly exploded into a red cloud of paste. Morghanna hadn’t even looked at it, yet ten times the force necessary had been brought down like a hammer.

​Yet a second later, another tiny worm emerged from a small gap beneath the tent floor, establishing a fresh telepathic bridge.

​Morghanna’s hand moved like lightning, snatching a massive battleaxe from the nearby rack.

​WHOOSH!

​CRASH!

​The heavy weapon descended with terrifying speed, splitting the wooden floorboards in half with a massive fissure.

​The worm vanished into dust. The sheer, concentrated shockwave alone would have pulverized a normal creature.

​Morghanna clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white. "I swear... if I see another worm—"

​At that exact moment, dozens of tiny, bone-plated worms crawled out from every shadow in the tent.

​Silence descended.

​Morghanna stared blankly at the floor. The worms stared back.

​Then more emerged. And more. And more.

​They flowed steadily through tiny cracks in the wood, under heavy furniture, through the stitching of her hide walls, and along the overhead support beams.

​Individually, they were insignificant, harmless and pathetic. But gathered together, they resembled an unstoppable, infinite infestation that simply refused to acknowledge the concept of death.

​Morghanna slowly pinched the bridge of her nose, fighting off a mounting headache.

​She could destroy them, easily. The problem was that she was beginning to realize it wouldn’t matter in the slightest; every time one died, another took its place. Judging by their sheer persistence, she was fairly certain hundreds more were already burrowing toward her quarters.

​A blue vein throbbed on her forehead.

​Eventually, she let out a long, defeated exhale.

​"...Fine."

​The oppressive gravitational pressure in the room finally dissipated, and the army of tiny worms stopped moving in unison.

​Morghanna looked down at them. The worms looked up at her.

​For several long seconds, nobody made a sound.

​Finally, the Chief spoke, her tone flat and exhausted: "Alright. I’m listening."

​She walked back toward her bedchamber. A moment later, she slipped into a regal black-and-gold robe lined with thick Mana Beast fur. The garment was simple, yet striking.

​After ensuring she was properly covered, she sat down on the edge of the bed frame and folded her arms over her chest.

​Her glowing crimson eyes narrowed to razor-sharp slits.

​"If this turns out to be a complete waste of my time..."

​The gravity in the chamber subtly surged, cracking the floorboards beneath her feet.

​"...I will personally hunt down your Lord, and I will make sure he regrets the day he ever decided to contact me."

​The army of worms remained completely silent and motionless, waiting patiently for instructions, waiting for their Lord.

....

Cassian listened quietly as the Bone Worm informed him that the Orc Chief was finally willing to negotiate.

​A faint, sharp smile appeared on his face. Good. That saved him the trouble of sending another hundred worms into her bathhouse.

​Leaning back slightly against a weathered tombstone, he established a direct telepathic bridge through the swarm, issuing his directives with cold precision.

​The Bone Worm faithfully relayed every word.

​Morghanna sat upon the edge of her bed, her arms folded tightly over her chest as she stared down at the countless tiny worms gathered before her.

​Then, a clear mental voice echoed directly inside her mind:

​’Chief Morghanna Bloodtusk III.’

​The voice was calm, controlled, and devoid of emotion, completely unlike the childish, teasing tone from earlier.

​’I will keep this simple.’

​Morghanna narrowed her eyes, remaining silent.

​’You currently possess one of my summons,’ the voice stated plainly. ’Return her.’

​The Orc Chief barked out a harsh, mocking laugh. "So that’s what this ridiculous farce is about."

​She rested her chin upon her hand, a cruel smirk touching her lips. "And if I refuse?"

​The swarm of worms remained completely motionless.

​Then, the voice returned, still calm, still entirely unbothered.

​’Then I will consider it an act of treason.’

​The atmosphere within the tent shifted instantly.

​Morghanna blinked in disbelief, before her smirk widened into a dangerous, bloodthirsty smile. "Treason?"

​Her crimson eyes gleamed with lethal intent. "That’s a remarkably bold threat coming from a coward hiding behind a Sanctuary Veil. You act as though you’ve already conquered my Dominion."

​Her words dripped with venomous mockery. "A Lord too terrified to show his face wishes to threaten me? How amusing."

​A low telepathic chuckle echoed through her mind, filled with genuine amusement.

​The smile on Morghanna’s face slowly faded.

​’You misunderstand something,’ the voice continued.

​Every single worm in the room raised its head simultaneously, locking their empty sockets onto her.

​’The Veil does not protect me from the Orcs. It protects the Orcs from me.’

​Dead silence blanketed the room. The sheer, absolute confidence behind the statement was suffocating.

​Morghanna’s eyes narrowed to razor-sharp slits.

​’Do not mistake me for the pathetic Lords you’ve encountered before,’ Cassian’s voice pressed on. ’I have no intention of hiding behind walls forever, nor do I intend to spend years slowly growing stronger while praying my enemies remain weak.’

​The ambient temperature inside the tent seemed to plummet.

​’If your warriors kill my summons... I will summon more. If they destroy my army... I will build another. If they invade my territory... I will return the favor tenfold.’

​Morghanna’s smile vanished completely.

​The voice remained eerily serene, yet every word carried a chilling, unshakeable certainty.

​’You may defeat my soldiers. You may even destroy everything I currently possess. But understand this, Morghanna...’

​A brief, heavy pause hung in the air.

​’...the moment this becomes personal—the moment you start taking pieces from me that cannot be replaced—I will make certain the cost is paid in full.’

​The worms’ crimson soul flames flickered brightly.

​’And when that day comes... pray you kill me first. Because if you don’t... all hell will break loose.’

​Silence followed, complete, suffocating silence. Even the muffled sounds of the guards outside felt distant and irrelevant.

​Morghanna stared blankly at the swarm, her crimson eyes completely unreadable.

​​One by one, the tiny worms turned away, crawling silently into floorboard cracks, dark shadows, and small hide openings as they retreated from her quarters.

​Morghanna watched them disappear, her face hardening into a mask of pure, murderous focus.