My mind was trapped in an icy fog, my body locked in place as if I had been turned to stone.
I could barely think, barely process what was happening, only that something unnatural had taken hold of me, of all of us.
And then, I saw him move.
The orc lord, towering and monstrous, walked forward with an eerie calmness.
His heavy steps barely made a sound, his massive frame moving with an unnatural grace.
His deep-set eyes gleamed with something that sent a cold shiver through me, not rage, not bloodlust.
Disappointment.
He stopped in front of me, staring down at me like I was an insect beneath his foot.
His head tilted slightly, his expression unreadable.
His lips curled just slightly, not quite a snarl, not quite a smirk, just an emotionless observation.
Was this it?
Was he… judging me?
My breath, if I was still breathing, felt trapped in my chest.
I couldn't move, couldn't react.