The sun slowly dipped below the horizon, dyeing the sky in shades of dark orange.
Miles north of Amberfall lay a dense forest known as the Beryl Woods. The forest had stood long before the city was founded. Its name came from the faint green glow that could sometimes be seen beneath its canopy, especially at night.
No human settlements took root at the edge of these woods. Those who entered often spoke of losing their sense of direction, as if the forest itself shifted around them. These woods were the home of orcs. It was one of the many major orc settlements in the region.
They did not build cities or raise great walls. Instead, they lived deep within the forest, in scattered clans. Their villages were hidden beneath thick canopies or carved into the roots of ancient trees.
Magus Holden was the fourth Mana Core Magus dispatched by the Cult of Bones. His task was to assemble the undead horde at the edge of Beryl Woods and attack Amberfall from the north.
