Rise of the Horde

Chapter 45

With the beat of the war drums and a long blast from the battle horn, the Yohan First Battalion started their march back home and along with them were their new friends.

Chants like they were replying against each other echoed after one another as they go on their march. With their shields resting lazily on their left, they marched at the same pace, keeping a good distance from each box formation.

The other races stared in awe at the display of unity and discipline of the warriors of Yohan. Even the humans to the west and to the south were less disciplined than the orcs that they are witnessing.

High from above, a long serpentine of different races marched towards the village of Yohan. The orcs of the other tribes had a look of pride on their faces as they watch their kin on the move.

The Yohan First Battalion marched with pride as they go, chest out, broad shoulders raised and with spines as straight as a spear unlike their other brethren who had their shoulders droop low and marched sloppily in a messy rhythm.

*****

Almost two weeks of continuous march, Xiao Chen with his army and their new friends arrived at the village of Yohan. The survivors gawked at the sight that they were witnessing, they suspected that it was a human settlement instead of an orc because of the things that they saw, like the farmland to the north and the tall well-made wooden walls.

Arkhan and Galuk orcs continued on their daily business after acknowledging the presence of their chieftain and the disciplined army behind him. Rakh’ash’tha was the one at the helm who managed the village while Xiao Chen and the others were gone but he was more focus on the strange things that the chieftain introduced to him, the wonders of the modern era.

.....

Xiao Chen assembled all his orcs and informed them all with the looming threat from the east, the minions of the demon that are on a path of destruction and slaughter.

“We need to work together in order to survive!”

“No matter what race you belong!”

“Let go of old hatreds!”

....

After rallying everyone towards one goal, Xiao Chen distributed labors to the races. The kobolds and goblins in mining for ores and other useful materials. The ogres and orcs armed with huge hammers to work as stonemasons, who had no qualms about it due to their innate strength. The trolls, well the trolls were great wood workers and anything that has something to do with wood and nature, they are the experts.

Mohrios and his race became the transporters of almost everything, they were twice or thrice more powerful than the beast of burden in moving things around. Their thick and huge frames were ideal for it since they rejected Xiao Chen’s suggestion of them partaking in tearing down parts of the mountain.

Mohrios said that they won’t participate in destroying nature’s gift and risk invoking the wrath of mother nature.

Everybody, no matter the race and age, they all sweated and worked for their survival. They didn’t know what the young chieftain was up to but they had no other choice but to trust in him.

Every single day, they poured sweat and gathered what was required of them.

“What are you planning to do with all the boulders, chief?”

Sakh’arran finally can’t endure his curiosity and approached the chieftain who was at it again, busy scribbling some messy lines and wordings on a scroll that he can’t understand.

“We’re going to build a city wall!”

Xiao Chen proudly replied, looked up to Sakh’arran as he leaned and stretch his aching spine a bit then stared at the scroll in front of him a bit, making sure that everything is correct before continuing on.

“Forgive me for my rudeness chief but... That is nonsense! The pinkskins spent years after years in building their city walls before being completed, and us who knows how much time we have left before the pawns of that damn demon descends upon us!”

Sakh’arran uttered, his tone filled with anger and displeasure while eyeing the chieftain.

“This is madness! I entrusted my clan to you to honor my father’s words and in hopes of redeeming our former glory, you had earned my respect and gratitude the past months but now! I am starting to doubt whether trusting you was a mistake”

The displeased orc expressed his emotions, his worry for his clan, the burdens and shame that they must cleanse.

“Did I ever make any irrational decisions?”

“Did I make you do things that are worthless?”

“Did I... let... the... sacrifices... of... my kin... be in.. vain!?”

Xiao Chen stood up and faced the displeased orc in front of him muttering everything, word per word loudly and clearly.

The burden that was on his shoulders, it was very heavy. It was too heavy that he felt being suffocated by it, the decisions that he had to make, the plans that he had to come up with, the lives that he had to protect.

Blueish silver light blazed upon Xiao Chen’s eyes as his anger flared. He was receiving the most pressure as he is the one at the helm, a single mistake and they will all be sent to the afterlife.

Sakh’arran stared at the eyes of the chieftain, the blueish silver light in his eyes made him finally realized the blunder that he had done.

“Apologies, my chieftain. I am just worried that my clan will end in my hands. I’ll accept any punishment that you will mete out but just spare my clansmen and continue to lead them”

Sakh’arran kneeled down in front of the chieftain, with his blade laid in front of him. He was prepared to receive his punishment and he knew the retribution for his blunder was death.

“Rise and pick your blade! I have more used of you alive than dead! Redeem your clan by your own hands, that is your responsibility to your clan and not mine.”

“Remember this, no matter how impossible things are. If there is a will, there is a way. An orc’s will must be tougher than iron, engraved that in your mind”

Xiao Chen lectured Sakh’arran then sat down and continued on his work, the blueish silver haze that was on his eyes faded. Only Sakh’arran and the one peeking inside the chieftain’s tent witnessed the sudden change on Xiao Chen’s eyes.