"There's a human encampment," Nox said to Orbul. “Not too far from here.”

  Orbul's massive frame tensed, his bone jewelry clinking as he gripped his weapon. The orc chief's eyes gleamed with bloodlust. "We strike now. Their blood will nourish the ground by morning."

  Nox raised a hand, declining the request. "No. We rest first. Exhausted warriors make careless mistakes."

  "Humans don't deserve our caution," Orbul scoffed, his tusks gleaming in the firelight. "They're weak. Let's crush them while they sleep."

  "Patience, Orbul," Nox commanded, his tone deepening. "Lady Kiyo's tactical mind will serve us better than brute force alone. She’s asleep, so let’s wait until morning."

  Orbul's nostrils fred as he inhaled sharply, clearly frustrated. His jewel-adorned bone neckce rattled as his chest expanded.

  "I promise you'll have your time, Orbul," Nox added.

  Something in Orbul's expression shifted at the promise. He understood the weight of an oath from Qornaroth's avatar. "Very well, my lord," he conceded with a respectful nod, though his massive hands still clenched and unclenched with anticipation.

  Nox moved away from the imposing orc, settling near the communal bonfire that had burned down to glowing embers. He stretched out on his back, his eyes fixed on the vast expanse of stars above, before drifting off to sleep.

  *****

  Nox awakened to the sensation of something soft cradling his head. His eyes fluttered open to meet Lady Kiyo's gaze, her nine magnificent tails fanned out behind her like a peacock's dispy. The blue silk of her yukata rustled gently in the morning breeze.

  "Did my lord sleep well?" she asked, her voice melodic yet tinged with an undercurrent of sadness. Despite her warm smile, Nox noticed her eyes were swollen and reddened.

  He wanted to ask if she also slept well, but instead chose to simply nod in response to her question.

  Nearby, Orbul's loud snores reverberated through the morning air. The orc chief had finally succumbed to exhaustion, likely after spending most of the night vigintly watching for human spies.

  "I found a human encampment yesterday," Nox said, carefully shifting his position to sit upright. "What would be our best approach?"

  Lady Kiyo folded her hands primly in her p, the sleeves of her yukata draping elegantly. "It is not my pce to decide, my lord. You are Qornaroth's chosen—the strategy should be yours."

  Nox shook his head. "You can think up a much better strategy than me. I trust your judgment."

  Lady Kiyo's eyes widened momentarily before she regained her composure, smoothing her yukata with her hands. As she was thinking, the only sounds accompanying their strategic discussion were Orbul's persistent snoring and the ambient bustle of daily vilge life.

  After a thoughtful silence, Lady Kiyo spoke: "I see two viable paths." She held up one slender finger. "First, we could deploy Orbul's orcs to raze the encampment while you oversee the attack." A second finger rose to join the first. "Alternatively, you could strike alone. The humans haven't encountered you before. Your presence would sow confusion and terror. Some would flee to fetch reinforcements, giving us the perfect opportunity to wipe the whole force with our combined strength."

  Nox frowned. "Orbul didn't bring his entire army. This is merely, in his words, a trial run."

  "It will suffice," Lady Kiyo assured him, her tails swishing confidently behind her. "Orbul himself is a formidable opponent. It would require several of their most skilled knights to bring him down." She leaned closer, lowering her voice. "And despite his... attitude, we Foxians working together with the Orcs could shift the bance decisively in our favor."

  Nox considered both options. He crossed his arms and tapped his fingers. "The second pn," he decided finally. "I'll attack alone."

  As he rose to his feet, Lady Kiyo pced a gentle hand on his arm. "One more thing, my lord." Her eyes drifted toward the slumbering Orbul. "Consider bringing back a few human females. Just to make sure Orbul’s mood doesn't get ruined, and to honour your end of the bargain."

  The request made Nox's stomach clench, but he nodded before departing. As he made his way through the forest toward the human encampment, he mentally repeated Lady Kiyo's instructions: cause chaos, allow some to escape, capture female humans.

  A few moments ter, Nox reached the outskirts of the human camp. Guards in armor patrolled its perimeter while others cooked breakfast or maintained weapons. They seemed to be preparing for something, perhaps another assault on demon territories in the coming days.

  Nox clenched his fists as doubt briefly clouded his mind. These were humans, like he had once been. But the thought of reuniting with Angelica in this world steeled his resolve. Any sacrifice was worth that prize.

  He strode directly toward the nearest guards, ignoring their shouts of warning. One raised a spear while the other reached for a horn to sound the arm.

  Nox moved with inhuman speed. His fist connected with the first guard's sternum, sending the man hurtling through the air. The guard's body crashed through tents and supply crates before coming to rest at the center of the camp, drawing shocked cries from the other humans.

  "Demon!" someone screamed as Nox's horns became visible in the morning light. "A demon is attacking us!"

  Chaos erupted instantly. Some soldiers charged toward him with weapons drawn, while others rang arm bells and shouted for reinforcements. Nox dispatched his attackers with fluid movements, his supernatural strength rendering their armor useless. Bodies flew through the air; blood spattered the trampled grass.

  As he fought, Nox scanned the battlefield for two things: the camp's commander and potential female captives.

  "Retreat!" a voice bellowed from somewhere in the camp. "Fall back! Find the captain and bring reinforcements!"

  Several soldiers broke away from the skirmish, racing toward the edge of the camp where horses and carriages waited. Nox allowed them to flee, exactly as Lady Kiyo had instructed.

  Within minutes, the center of the encampment was littered with bodies. Those humans still alive were too badly injured to pose any threat. In the distance, Nox spotted the st few carriages being hastily loaded. Most contained wounded knights, but one held several civilians—camp followers and support staff trying to escape the sughter.

  Hesitation gripped him again as he watched the terrified faces of the civilians. Capturing non-combatants and delivering them to the Orcs felt wrong. But then Angelica's face fshed in his mind.

  "For Angelica," he murmured before unching himself skyward.

  The civilians screamed as Nox descended upon their carriage like a dark angel. He selected two women—neither too young nor too old—and seized them by their waists. Their screams intensified as their feet left the ground, their hands beating uselessly against his demonic strength as he carried them into the sky.

  "Please!" one sobbed. "My children, they need me!"

  Nox shut his mind to their pleas, focusing instead on the flight back to the foxian vilge. The women's struggles gradually weakened as the altitude and terror drained their energy.

  Lady Kiyo and Orbul awaited him at the vilge's edge. Nox descended, the terrified women still clutched in his grip. "The attack was successful," he reported. "Some escaped to call for their captain and reinforcements, exactly as pnned."

  Lady Kiyo nodded approvingly. "I've informed Orbul of our strategy."

  Nox gnced at the orc chief, expecting a furious orc. Instead, Orbul appeared surprisingly calm.

  "You're not angry?" Nox asked.

  Orbul's lips peeled back in a cunning smile. "Sometimes, it is wiser to let small game flee if it means catching greater prey ter."

  Nox blinked, still surprised by the orc's way of thinking. This wasn't the typical orc he’d read in fantasy books back in his world.

  Orbul's gaze shifted to Nox's captives. "What are those?"

  Nox lifted the women higher, presenting them to Orbul and Lady Kiyo. The humans trembled uncontrolbly, tears streaming down their dirt-smudged faces.

  A wide grin split Orbul's face, revealing yellowed tusks. "Not enough for my warriors," he rumbled, "but I am pleased you honor our agreement."

  "The reinforcements will likely be male soldiers," Nox said. "The civilian women were already evacuating shortly after I arrived."

  Lady Kiyo's tails swayed thoughtfully behind her. "In my experience, human armies occasionally include female knights, though they are rare." She tapped her chin with one finger. "If that isn't sufficient, we can extract information about nearby human settlements from our captives."

  Orbul's ughter boomed across the vilge, startling nearby foxian children. He snatched the women from Nox's grasp, their whimpers intensifying at the orc's touch. With a casual gesture, he summoned one of his subordinates and handed the captives over.

  "When should we expect these reinforcements?" Orbul asked with excitement.

  Lady Kiyo's eyes narrowed in calcution. "Several days, at minimum. They must travel to their main garrison and back." Her tails flicked with anticipation. "In the meantime, we can scavenge the abandoned camp for supplies and prepare our ambush."

  Both Nox and Orbul nodded in agreement.. As the trio turned to enter the vilge proper, Nox felt Qornaroth's mark burn pleasantly against his skin, a sign that his patron approved of the chaos he had sown.

  Nightly_Imagine