‘Now that I think about it..maybe I was a little rash when I sent Shawk ahead without us..sigh..he would’ve been the perfect ride to take us back! No option but to just fly all the way back myself then…Hmm, I suppose we will have to carry these three as well since they wouldn’t be able to keep up.’

“We will be flying towards the clan at full speed, please point me in the exact direction needed to head straight there. No need to worry about avoiding territories of anything lingering about.”

“My Lord, the clan is roughly 3000 miles east of this location.”

“A mile..? How big is a mile? That was not a part of the knowledge I woke up with.”

Not batting an eye or even considering for a moment to belittle her Lord, Laiya was quick to respond, as it was apart of their training for this mission to know the Lord will be lacking knowledge about seemingly common things while still knowing others, such as knowing how to fight, how strong he was even how to accurately and efficiently make use of that strength or even being able to perfectly speak the language.

“My Lord, from this location to that log which has a blue plant growing out of it is about a mile.”

Said Laiya, as she pointed to a log in the distance.

“Well..If that's a mile..and the clan is 3000 of these miles away...and considering how fast and strong Shawk should be…isn’t he already at the clan??” The Lord muttered with a puzzling expression on his face.

~ A couple of moments prior ~

‘The Lord of shadows has finally returned! FINALLY!! The entire forest of shadows has waited for this for thousands of years!! AND I DARED TO ATTACK HIM!! THE VERY FIRST IMPRESSION I MADE ON THE LORD OF SHADOWS WAS TO ATTACK HIM!!!! What a foolish beast you are Shawk!! Ahhh…and even though I have committed a grave sin, he has still given me the chance to right this wrong. I will make sure the people who dared to attack the Lord’s people feel nothing but terror before they permanently perish from this world’

“SKREEEEEECHH !!!”

Shawk let out a powerful cry that reverbated in the forest around him as he swiftly made his way to the clan with determination.

It only took but a few flaps of his gigantic wings before the Umbra Clan came into full view.

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While it was called a Clan, the Umbra was akin to a very small country. Down below Shawk, and located inside a massive valley spanning thousands miles in width was a sprawling city where over 500,000 Umbra lived out their lives. A city with a circular shape that was encased in modest walls barely eight feet in height, and buildings made out of a refined gray stone, harvested from the mountains that bordered the valley and likewise the Forest of Shadows behind the city.

While the number of the residents in the city was a drop in the bucket compared to other races like humans who were numbered in the billions, they made up for their lacking population with their individual strength and extremely long lifespans even without the boost they would get in their lifespan when growing stronger. Even if the individual Umbra was weak, they could still live for around 1000 years without issue, though most would agree that there was no such thing as a weak Umbra.

It only took a moment for alarms around this lone city to begin blaring as Shawk allowed his presence to be felt by all, and before even a full second could pass roughly fifteen figures shot up into the sky from the city towards Shawk. Though they remained a respectful distance away from him.

An Elder Umbra stepped forward, while the rest stood ready behind him, clearly prepared to fight should things escalate.

“Great Shadow Beast, why have you descended upon our lands? To my knowledge we have done no wrong upon your domain.”

“Fear not fellow beings of the Shadow. I was sent here by the Lord himself. I allowed you to feel my presence to know I am no threat, but I must leave now, I can sense the filthy individuals my Lord wanted me to enact his will upon at the entrance of the valley. The Lord should be coming soon, prepare for his return.”

And with that Shawk took off once more, careful not to let the powerful gusts caused by his wings harm the Umbra before him, nor the city and surroundings beneath him. Oh and of course he also left fifteen very shocked and confused Umbra elders standing there in the sky with mouths agape.

It took another moment to pass before the Elder that stood at the front to speak once more.

“Did..did..d-d-d..did he say the..Lord..?”

“Yes..I believe he did..”

“So that feeling we felt earlier?..”

“That was probably the...but..wouldn’t young Laiya have contacted us if the L-L-L..orddd was awake..?”

“The Royal Guards..they..they could’ve easily stopped her.”

“True..and that massive Hawk, a rank 8 Shadow Beast..who else would they acknowledge as their Lord..?”

“That is true as well..I think.. I think we should prepare for the return..of the..of The Lord of Umbra.”

After that comment from one of the gathering Elders was made, the rest immediately sprang into action with an almost uncontrolled reverence seeping into their movements.

And so just like that a city that was in a state of alertness and ready for battle suddenly shifted to one of frantic worry with every able bodied Umbra scrambling about to prepare for something that was almost a forgotten ritual, the birth and immediate coronation of the Lord of Umbra.

Of course while all of that was transpiring, Shawk had long since reached the entrance of the valley leading to the city and of course the Forest of Shadows, and there he saw something that made his blood boil.

A contingent of knights dispatched from wherever were actively burning the trees and setting up large barricades at the mouth of the valley. Not too far behind them were large tents set up clearly meaning the group would be here for a while.

It only took a moment until Shawk couldn’t take it any longer and bellowed out a cry that shook the bodies of everyone beneath them, even the small squadron of Umbra warriors who weren't too far away watching all of this happening without the ability to intervene.

“WHAT GIVES YOU THE GALL TO BURN MY LORD’S LANDS?! YOU SHALL KNOW DARKNESS!”

And just like that, the entrance of the valley descended into darkness.