As another corpse was absorbed, the pool of darkness bubbled. The two days of feeding it elven corpses were finally over. What once was a mere puddle was now a rather large lake of darkness.
The rotting stench reached his nose, making him wince each time he dared get close. The other tribes should be successful with their task too.
"Tis time. Da Destiny manifest," Um'Am said, grinning. He reached for his horn and brought it to his mouth.
The piercing sound of his horn echoed through the forest.
The purpose of the pools eluded him, the benefactor had never failed them. His leadership was and would be instrumental in the coming reconquest of their lands.
However, he would not be kept in the dark for long.
The pool erupted in a grotesque geyser.
A sense of unease invaded him, his fur stood up. Is someone watching me?
Men clad in shadow.
Humans? It did not matter, spies would not prevent the coming storm.
The gayser slowly retreated, and from the lake an army of grotesque, faceless monstrosities appeared.
They had spindly bodies, and their faces were hollow, from them dripped the same liquid the lake was made of.
Just seeing these monsters, one thing was clear.
These monsters were not Laleyn's creation. They were a product of something much worse, yet, despite it. They were monsters, and thus deserving of reverence.
"May Lady Laleyn guide our claws toward the elven throats," He prayed.
However, this was not the entire force that the benefactor promised. He headed over to his camp, the forest around it was cleared, leaving enough space for a large force to arrive.
A petal of twilight rose fell onto the field and the Shrouded figure was once again standing in front of him.
"I suppose congratulations are in order, chieftain."
He bowed. "Tis an honor. Where is the rest of the army?"
"All in due time," The figure spoke, its spectral eye turning purple. "The great inquisitor had made sure that many monsters were not killed, but instead repurposed. They, too, will serve our goal."
"Monsters…" He mused. It was an honor to fight side by side with their patron's creations.
"Yes, your armies of beastmen and monsters will be teleported to key positions. Elves will never know what hit them."
The strange man chuckled. "The remaining forces will storm the southern border, and nobody will come to save their elven lives."
Um'Am couldn't help but smile. "What about the Dragon Lord Zm'aj? Had he not promised his support?"
"He will arrive once you strike your target. Your target is Onost, Trample everything before it."
Onost. He grumbled. It was their most sacred ancestral site, now encased in stone of elven animals.
The shrouded man disappeared and a sea of twilight petals fell upon the ground.
A magical circle appeared over the field.
The space tore open, and his force arrived at long last. Various tribesmen from berserkers to massive hulking brutes, awaited the chance for glory and the variety of monsters provided by the benefactor and the blessing of their goddess.
From the screamers and besomars, to even a single argus and multiple bauks.
The besomars were terrifying creatures born of wrath, their head resembled a horrible disfigured deer head with horns protruding from every side, their body was that of a muscular, hunched humanoid.
Bauk was a creature of darkness, preying and hunting anyone who abandoned their home or delved too deeply into the darkness. They were terrifying, yet revered.
His tribe often would leave offerings so that the creature would not attack their villages.
However, what impressed him the most was that their lady's grace allowed them to fight side by side with an Argus.
The entity capable of reducing the greater dragons spawned by Zm'aj into a puddle of melted flesh.
He had never seen one in his life, until today that was. "Such an honor, our lady blesses us this day!"
The elves would lose, not even their champion would repel this assault.
His eyes landed on his tribsemen, they were all ready and armed with the weapons of the night.
The berserkers separated, and Um'am entered his tent. Leaning against a tree stump was a great axe made of an unknown black material.
He leaned down and picked up the weapon. It was as heavy as a tree stump, yet he could sense the power emanating from it.
After a moment of admiration he put the weapon on his shoulder and walked toward his warriors.
They put their hands on their chest while he passed to the front of the newly summoned army.
Benefactor truly is amazing. The entire army teleported so deep into the elven territory.
He cleared his throat and raised his arm into the air. "Dis is the day when we will take what belongs to us. Feast on elven flesh, take their treasures, capture them. I care not what you do, but retake our ancestral homeland!"
A roar erupted from the army, his ears perked up. The spies are gone, good. Let them put up their meager resistance. Laleyn is on our side.
The twilight petals swirled around them, a testament to their benefactor's mighty presence.
Humans could be respected; they were powerful and dependable. Despite their puny forms, similar to those of the elves, yet contrary to the elves, they were not cattle. They were terrifying warriors, much like his tribe.
"We fight this day. We fight to either reclaim our land, or to die for it! Go forth, my warriors, make the elves pay!" He shouted, and the roars of approval echoed through the forest, making the very earth beneath them quake.
He pointed his axe toward the horizon, and his army of beasts and monsters charged forward, followed by the spindly monstrosities of the black pools.
The monsters and brutes took the charge, trampling trees, small vegetation, and any small critter unfortunate enough to stand in a path of the mighty horde.
Following them were casters and berserkers, which included Um'am himself, and protecting their flanks were monsters of dark water.
Soon, the nation of elves would fall.