Toka's eyes sharpened, and he instantly clutched the bone-blade hilt at his waist, stepping out of the dugout.
The other two priests immediately dropped what they were holding and grabbed the short hammers placed beside them.
The brief order in the camp was broken.
The pioneers stopped their work and rushed back to their respective dwellings in a panic.
The druids also ceased their discussion. Fandal Staghelm suddenly stood up, his sharp gaze fixed on the source of the sound.
Frost Howl's massive body was fully stretched out, wings half-spread, neck held high, emitting a continuous low growl towards the camp entrance, full of strong warning.
The several Proto-Dragons around him also sensed the abnormality, becoming restless and agitated, with threatening gurgles rumbling in their throats and scales slightly bristling.
Everyone's gaze followed the direction Frost Howl was warning towards—outside the camp's simple wooden palisade gate, a small team of people stood silently in the wind and snow.
The troll leading them was wrapped in thick furs, almost blending into the snowy ground, leading a weary ice wolf mount.
Behind him were five or six equally heavily clad Ice Troll warriors.
They were travel-worn, their weapons sheathed, but their hands instinctively rested on sword hilts or spear shafts, revealing their vigilance.
It was the sudden appearance of this unfamiliar armed team that touched the sensitive nerves of the Proto-Dragons.
The newcomers seemed startled by the intense reaction of Frost Howl and the entire Proto-Dragon pack, freezing in place, warily watching the restless Proto-Dragon "priest" and his equally menacing kin behind him.
Toka walked quickly towards the troll team, his eyes narrowing, making out the blurry emblem on the leader's chest—the Resistance Alliance.
A messenger.
And, from an unexpected direction.
Ms. Zukora should be in Lukare, overwhelmed balancing various forces, striving to maintain her life's work, so why would she suddenly send an elite team here?
Toka didn't doubt her ability to gather intelligence on the Pioneer Territory; they hadn't hidden their arrival.
But sending an entire team meant the situation was serious and required a messenger of sufficient importance.
At this moment, Frost Howl's roar gradually subsided at Toka's signal, turning into a continuous, wary purr, his dragon eyes still locked onto the uninvited guests outside the gate.
Toka did not relax his vigilance; his hand remained firmly gripping the bone-blade hilt as he steadily advanced, walking directly towards the leader of the uninvited guests, who was surrounded by the small team.
Upon getting close enough, Toka finally recognized the person: Fusar, Ms. Zukora's bodyguard captain.
She was wrapped in thick furs, her face slightly blue from the cold, but her eyes remained as cold as ice, revealing no emotion.
Fusar's gaze shifted from the restless Proto-Dragon pack, finally settling on Toka.
She gave a brief bow and then spoke, "Sir Toka."
"I bring a letter from Ms. Zukora." As always, she skipped the pleasantries, directly pulling out the wax-sealed animal skin scroll and handing it over, quickly getting to the point.
Toka took the scroll; the wax seal bore the emblem of the Lukare tribe.
He frowned slightly, pressed his right thumb down hard, and the wax seal shattered instantly.
The moment the scroll unfurled, a faint fragrance wafted out. The handwriting was Ms. Zukora's own, still neat and severe, as if one could discern the veteran female's resolve at that time from every stroke. Toka's frown deepened as he read.
The letter was not long, but rather than a letter to him, it read more like Ms. Zukora's own memoir.
The letter recounted the rise of Frost Howl, how she painstakingly formed the Resistance Alliance through her cunning and prestige, and how she struggled to maintain it amidst various factions' infighting.
It mentioned the sudden emergence of the Dragon God, the subversive impact of the Battle of Gray Tooth Valley on the ZulDrak landscape. Finally, she had to admit a cruel reality: the Resistance Alliance could no longer hold on.
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