Chapter 118: Lured into Betrayal
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The din of battle raged around them, but they were silent, slipping through the chaos like phantoms.
As they approached the enemy lines, Helliana raised her hand, signaling her unit to halt. She surveyed the terrain, her keen eyes picking out the weak points in the Hobgoblin defenses.
With a nod, she led her warriors forward, weaving through the enemy ranks with practiced ease. Hobgoblins fell to their blades without a sound, their deaths unnoticed amidst the clamor of the main battle.
Their objective was to reach the rear of the Hobgoblin army and eliminate King Kraggul. The plan hinged on Warchief Kargoth\'s ability to draw the bulk of the enemy forces to him, creating the perfect diversion.
Helliana\'s unit moved swiftly and efficiently, exploiting every gap in the Hobgoblin defenses.
As they neared their target, Helliana\'s senses were on high alert. Every rustle of armor, every whisper of movement was noted and assessed.
The tension was palpable, but her resolve was unshaken. They had to succeed. Failure was not an option.
Finally, they reached the rear of the Hobgoblin lines. Helliana signaled her unit to spread out and create a perimeter. She moved forward, her eyes locked on the figure of King Kraggul atop his massive Warhog.
The Hobgoblin king was a formidable sight, clad in dark armor, his presence commanding even from a distance.
With a silent nod to her unit, Helliana advanced. The Hobgoblins guarding their king were few and far between, their attention focused on the battle ahead.
One by one, they fell to Helliana\'s blade, their deaths swift and silent. She approached King Kraggul, her heart pounding with anticipation.
This was their moment.
But as she drew closer, something felt off. The figure on the Warhog was too still, too lifeless.
Helliana\'s eyes narrowed as she closed the distance. With a swift motion, she leaped onto the massive Warhog and grabbed the figure by the shoulder, spinning it around.
To her dismay, the figure was not King Kraggul. It was an imposter, a decoy designed to draw them in. The realization hit her like a physical blow.
The real King Kraggul was nowhere to be seen!
A cry from the battlefield reached her ears, a sound of distress and confusion. Helliana\'s blood ran cold as she turned to see her unit under attack, the Hobgoblins pressing their advantage.
The cries of the Orcs echoed through the air, a chilling reminder that something had gone terribly wrong with the main force.
Helliana\'s mind raced. They had been deceived, led into a trap. The Hobgoblin king had anticipated their move and countered it.
The real King Kraggul was out there!
Father!
"Fall back!" Helliana shouted, her voice cutting through the noise of battle. "Regroup and retreat!"
Her unit moved swiftly, retreating from the enemy lines. Helliana stayed behind, covering their retreat with a flurry of strikes, her knife a blur of motion. She was adept at close combat as well as long range assault, but she specialized mostly in long range assaults.
She fought with a ferocity born of desperation, her mind racing to figure out their next move. However, they were trap and it took only second for her entire group to be annihilated.
Surrounded and cut off from the main army, General Helliana faced an overwhelming horde of Hobgoblins. Thousands of enemies encircled her, towering above on their fearsome warhogs. On foot, she was at a disadvantage.
Her trusted mount, the mighty Warmammoth, Amber, had been left behind. Its immense size would have drawn too much attention, making stealth impossible. But if she called her, Amber might hear amidst the chaos and come to her.
"How foolish of you to fall for such a simple trap," sneered a voice.
Helliana turned to see General Vargash and his troops, mounted and menacing. She was completely surrounded.
"You . . ." Sweat trickled down Helliana\'s face. "You planned this. You lured me here."
Vargash cracked his neck, his voice a guttural rumble. "You\'re strong, General Helliana. We needed to minimize our losses by isolating you. You should be honored for the special treatment."
Helliana remained calm, her eyes scanning the enemies before her. "Tell me, Hobgoblin, how did you uncover our strategy? There are countless tactics we could have used. I refuse to believe you stumbled upon this by chance or figured it out on your own."
Vargash smirked. "You\'re right, but knowing that won\'t save you now."
Helliana\'s brow furrowed as she recalled the previous night. No Orc would ever betray their race and clan; their pride was too great to be a traitor. They would rather die than commit such an act of disloyalty.
Then it hit her. Last night . . . while discussing their plans, someone had entered their tent to bring food.
General Helliana gritted her teeth in anger, her body shaking with rage. It could only be them! "Those damn lizards!"
Vargash chuckled, savoring her frustration. "Don\'t blame them too much. Our king promised to spare their lives if they cooperated with us.
"At first, they hesitated. But when we breached the Gate of Iron Maw, those lizards finally made their decision. They chose to side with our king. Smart choice."
"Smart?" Helliana spat. "Those cowards and traitors have sealed their fate to slaughter! Those fools!" She knew there was no way the Hobgoblin king would keep his promise.
The Hobgoblins intended to dominate the entire barren wasteland, and that meant exterminating everyone who wasn\'t a Goblin or Hobgoblin. Their treachery was a temporary measure, and Helliana knew the Hobgoblins would betray their newfound allies at the first opportunity.
Those foolish Lizardfolk . . . they should have never trusted the Hobgoblins! They should have never taken them in! If King Kraggul didn\'t kill them, she would do it herself.
"You shouldn\'t be worrying about those lizards, Orc. Worry about your own life," Vargash sneered, raising his hand to signal his troops to attack.
Helliana braced herself. If she was going to die here, she would take as many Hobgoblins with her, including General Vargash\'s head!