The Terror

The two death knights, their bony forms mounted on fiery skeleton horses, spurred their otherworldly steeds into action. With a resounding clatter of bone and an eerie, crackling of flames, they galloped forward.

Endowed with the heightened senses of death knights, they quickly homed in on the nearby centaur tribe. Recent clashes with an eight-eyed giant spider had put the centaurs on high alert, with many patrolling the outskirts to prevent further sneak attacks.

"Ronan! Have you seen Firenze? The guard rotation is about to change, but I can't find him anywhere!" one centaur, Ronan, called out to his companion.

"He was summoned by the seer. I heard the seer saw ominous signs in the stars," Ronan replied, his fingers tightening around his bow and arrows. His voice quivered with unease. "Bane, I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling… Wait, what's that?"

Before he could finish his sentence, Ronan suddenly exclaimed, and his bow and arrow transformed into a full moon as he released a shot into the distance.

Bane pivoted quickly upon hearing the exclamation, his keen centaur senses alerted. He immediately spotted a startling sight. Emerging from the depths of the forest, two warhorses ablaze with flames charged toward them, bearing two heavily armored warriors.

"Enemy attack!" Bane bellowed, but before he could react, Ronan's arrow had already reached the enemy. To their astonishment, the arrow left only a small white mark on the enemy's armor.

"This can't be!" Ronan exclaimed in disbelief. Centaur arrows were imbued with potent magic, and it was rare for ordinary armor to withstand their impact. How could these warriors' armor be so resilient?

Artel, watching from the shadows, remained unfazed. After all, it was enchanted armor, meticulously designed to withstand a wide range of threats. Without such protection, these undead knights would hardly pose a challenge.

"Retreat!" Ronan immediately began to backpedal, his horse-like lower body granting him incredible agility. However, Bane, still reeling from the shocking encounter, lagged behind. As he attempted to react, two death knights bore down on him.

One of the death knights unsheathed a colossal sword from behind and swung it at Bane. Desperately, Bane tried to block the strike with his bow and arrow.

Regrettably, it was a futile effort. The death knight's sword cleaved through Bane's bow with ease, and with terrifying swiftness, it sliced his throat. A strange black light flickered on the blade, and Bane's wound rapidly withered and decayed.

"No..." Bane gasped, collapsing to the ground, lifeless.

The two death knights pursued Ronan, charging into the centaur tribe, inciting panic and chaos among the centaurs.

In the aftermath of the skirmish, mysterious footprints materialized on the ground, leading to Bane's lifeless body. A collection bucket materialized out of thin air, and a scarlet stream of blood flowed from the wound, gathering in the container.

Artel was cautious not to attract too much attention, especially from the ever-watchful Dumbledore. Time was of the essence, so he employed his magic to expedite the collection process, even if it meant sacrificing a bit of quality for swiftness.

Amidst the centaur tribe, the air was filled with the cacophony of screams and shouts as chaos reigned supreme. A tense battle unfolded as dozens of centaurs encircled the two imposing death knights, their massive forms casting an ominous shadow over the tumultuous scene. In the midst of this mayhem, two centaurs, adorned as priests, channeled their healing magic, striving to mend the grievous wounds inflicted on their fellow warriors.

While the foal and mare sought refuge under the vigilant protection of two centaur warriors, gradually distancing themselves from the violent clash, Artel's focus remained unwavering. According to Saruman's experimental notes, the blood of centaur warriors held the potential to bolster powerful orcs, gifting them the combat skills of these seasoned fighters.

The centaur warriors, towering figures in their own right, united their strengths to confront the two death knights. Some of the most formidable centaurs were almost on par in size with the imposing undead. Realizing that their arrows were futile against the resilient death knights, the centaurs armed themselves with spears and swords, a collective determination to bring down these unholy invaders fuelling their efforts.

Although the death knights were undeniably formidable, their numbers were finite, a vulnerability that became evident as the battle raged on. Their once-imposing armor slowly but surely succumbed to the relentless onslaught. However, the centaurs paid a heavy price for their defiance, with at least ten of their own losing their lives in the struggle.

"Go to hell!!" Fezelen, one of the valiant centaur warriors, roared. His bulging muscles betrayed the intensity of the moment as he hoisted a sharp spear high, driving it into the vulnerable gap in the death knight's helmet, thrusting it directly into the creature's eye sockets.

"Nice job, Fezelen!" The other centaurs shouted in exhilaration, celebrating the momentary triumph. Fezelen, his breath heavy, heaved with exhaustion. But before he could utter a word, an eerie dread filled the air, and he sensed an impending threat. With no time to react, the death knight he had just impaled with his spear swung its sword, swiftly beheading Fezelen in a single, brutal motion.

A ghastly sight unfolded as the headless centaur's lifeless body crumpled to the ground. The horrifying realization struck like a thunderbolt: "They are undead!! They are dead creatures!!" cried one of the priests. The centaurs were struck by a profound horror as the truth settled in. They had successfully breached the enemy's armor, only to discover that beneath it lay undead entities, impervious to pain and indifferent to their injuries. What was worse, these undead were under the control of humans.

Even if they managed to vanquish the two undead creatures before them, it would be a hollow victory. The true challenge lay in confronting the individuals who wielded control over these sinister beings. Had they sacrificed the lives of so many of their brethren merely to combat two undead? The centaurs faced a dire predicament as the grim reality of their situation became glaringly apparent.

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