“Zander said he will meet you near the ridge.“ Za'kereth yelled at Nim as he was nearing the edge of the clearing.
Nim didn't turn around, all he did was wave to convey that he had heard.
The evening light was fading when Nim and Zander came into view, with six bows trained on them.
“I'm glad that you are all paying attention, but the first one that shoots at me loses a leg.” Nim said quite seriously. That would have normally brought a laugh from the men, but they noticed that there were no others with the two, and they knew what that meant. No one wanted to ask, because everyone knew. The question however needed to be voiced.
“What about the patrol?” Elandria asked.
Nim simply shook his head.
“We found Paul, most of him. No sign of Traville though. My guess is they took him back for questioning.” Zander went to his gear and removed the few weapons he carried with him. Victor thought that Traville wouldn't talk. What he didn't realize, and what everyone else did, was that Zander really meant torture, when he said question. The Dracairei were known for their questioning techniques, and they knew that the man wouldn't survive the night. Whether he talked or not.
“We scouted the area however.” Nim stepped into the roll he had left years before. He would mourn the dead when there was time, for now however, there was work to be done. “We will break camp an hour after midnight. That gives us about four hours of rest, I expect you to take it. I know I will.”
Zander took out a roll of parchment from a case he carried on his back, and handed it to Sergeant McDowell. “Here is a map of the ravine. There is a lot of blood orcs down there. I couldn't get a good look in the tunnels they have though, there was a magic ward on them. Do what you can with this, I'm going to take Nim's advice and rest.” With that he went over to his gear and laid down.
Victor had been trying to do as little as possible that evening, but he knew he had to get some sleep. Several others went to their places they had laid out for sleeping, and followed suit. The rest went over the map Zander had given McDowell, or stood watch.
Victor was tired, but he didn't think he would be able to sleep. Only a few minutes after he lay down though, he was out.
“Welcome,” Victor heard, and looked up. He found himself in a room decorated in red murals. Scenes of depravity were depicted all about him. On a dais in front of him stood two men near a large basin. The first thing he noticed about them were their blood red robes.
“Hello Victor.” The other man said. Victor didn't like the fact that the man knew his name. The man who spoke first was an older man, his head was cleanly shaved, and his grin sent a chill through Victor. The second man was much younger, and had more of a trapped dog look, as if any wrong move could mean his death. It was obvious to Victor that the old man was the master, of the younger. He just didn't enjoy the fact of knowing he was a cruel teacher.
“I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage.” Victor said with a wry smile.
“Ah yes, forgive my rudeness.” The older one said with his mordant grin. “My young companion is Temendri, and I am called Yandarian. We are of the order of Relikos.”
“Blood Mages.” Victor snarled.
Yandarian nodded. “Most call us thus. We are glad that you finally chose to fall asleep. If you hadn't, all of your friends would be dead by morning.” He said this with such conviction that Victor knew the man was quite sure what he said was true. Victor's eyes narrowed as he examined these two men.
“What does my falling asleep have to do with anything?”
“Why Victor. It is the only time that we can penetrate the defenses someone has set upon you. They have been upon you since your birth. Now, as to what your falling to sleep has to do with your friends survival, it's very simple. Sometime early this morning, your friends will assault the outpost we have let the Blood Orcs establish. There is, within the caves, a rune of transport. We have a company of Dracani and Magnus Dracani ready for transport to the location. There are also a handful of Dracairei already inside the encampment. Your friends are good, but even they cannot withstand that many Dracair and three hundred orcs.” The old mage spoke of his friends death, as one would speak of the weather over tea.
Victor didn't like where this conversation was going. These were men that belonged to the order that had taken Shaylyn away from him. In fact, from the way these two talked, it was probably one, if not both, of them. He considered all of the possibilities of where this conversation could be going, and one possibility kept coming to the forefront.
“You want me to come to you, or you will kill my friends.” Victor stated. It was not a question, he knew it was the only possible reason why they would be doing this. He just didn't understand why. What do they want me for?
“You are very astute for one your age. I wish that I could train you myself.” Temendri was visibly shaking now, and Victor knew that the man saw Victor as a threat to his position. Yandarian looked over at his young apprentice and smiled. “I'm afraid however, that is not my job. That… is reserved for another.”
“You must listen to me very carefully. There is a secret cave a dozen paces southwest of the path into the ravine. If you sneak away from your friends when the action has begun, and go to this cave, we will not send in our troops, and the Dracairei will be recalled.” Victor scowled as Yandarian spoke. “Not only this, but I shall have one of them aid your friends escape from the inside before he leaves.” With that, the scowl faltered.
“Why would you help?” Victor asked cautiously.
“My dear friend, they are unimportant. We only used them so that you would come. What do we care if a few orcs die. Besides, some of your party will still, in all probability, die by the hands of the orcs. They may not be entirely bright, but they are not unskilled in war.” Temendri said nearly gleefully.
Yandarian scowled at his counterpart. “It is true, some may die still, but that is better than all of them. It is also likely that your friends on the inside will survive, where as they would die first should you not come, and the rest of your party and yourself would soon join them. You must not tell anyone of this.”
Victor, time to get up.
“It appears the time draws near.” Yandarian said with a face like stone. Victor wanted to yell at the man, to tell him to burn in the nine hells, but he felt himself being pulled away.
“Victor, wake up.”
He felt a soft kick on his side, and sat up.
“What's wrong? Bad dream?” Zander said as he stopped himself from kicking Victor's side again.
“Yeah, something like that.” Victor said as he got his gear together.
Chapter 21
Friends Lost
Year 3043 AGD
Month of Ragnós
Fourth Second Day
Continent of Terroval
Southwest of Asylum
Blood Orc Encampment
Olivia awoke to the familiar cries of despair. Those cries however were not what had awakened her. There was another sound coming from outside her cell, from farther down the tunnels. She stood slowly, and walked cautiously towards the cell door. She was glad to see the guard. He was the one thing down here that seemed solid.
When they had been captured, which had been about a month ago by Olivia's estimation, their captors didn't care much about them. She knew that whoever was in charge had ordered that they not be killed, but that had left a lot of room in the minds of some of the orcs. Luckily for her and the other women, the massive guard which stood in front of their cage now didn't care much for those thoughts.
It had been late in the night on the third day of their imprisonment. Two orcs had opened the door to the cell quietly, and slithered in. From the slavering looks they were directing towards the women, the people knew what they were after. Olivia's brother had tried to stop the brutes, but for his trouble he was thrown against one of the rock walls, and fell to an unconscious heap.
Olivia remembered that clammy hand as it had cl
osed around her wrist, and lifted her easily to her feet. She also remembered his other hand probing lustily before he heard his companion grunt behind him. The offending Orc dropped her, and turned around to see what was happening to his companion. She grinned as she thought about what that Orc had seen. One of the largest fists she had ever heard of coming straight for his head. The orc that had been groping her flew past as she jumped out of the way, and hit the wall twice as hard as her brother had.
She remembered the large Orcs apologetic look as he grabbed the other two Orcs by the scruff of the neck and tossed them from the cell. On any of the other Orc faces she had seen it would have been an odd expression, but the large Orc that had saved her had much softer features than his companions. She had found a few occasions to get a few words in with the large man when he was alone on guard duty, but could only get a few words out of the Orc. So it was now, one of those occasions where he was alone on duty, and she felt relieved as she moved up to the door.
“What's going on?” Olivia asked quietly.
“Probably just some fight over something stupid.” The large Orc said as he shrugged.
“You told me that you were different from the other Orcs last time we spoke, what did you mean?”
“No,” He said chidingly. “I said I was nothing like these savages. Why, is none of your business.” He looked at her as if she were trying to trick him into something, and he wasn't going to bite.
“Well, if it is a sensitive subject, I withdraw my question.” Olivia apologized.
“It's not sensitive.” The large man said softly. “It's just not talked about.” He turned back toward the outer door to the cell, and continued. “You know the three men that came to your camp before you were captured?” She nodded, and he went on. “Well, the only reason we captured you was to capture those three.”
“So, they are down here somewhere too?” Olivia asked sounding defeated.
“Yes, they were captured a few days after you. Do not fear however, they are merely pawns, as are your people. From what I understand you were the bait to catch them, so that we could use them to catch someone else.” The large Orc's face scrunched up in an expression of pain as he went through that thought.
“What does this have to do with you being different?” She asked, trying to bring him back on subject.
“I'm getting to that.” He said chidingly. “Well, the dwarf with them, is named Dunnagan Stormhammer. He is something of a legend in my village.” When he saw that she didn't know the name, he sighed and went on. “You see, when he was younger, and in the wardens that patrol the mountains of the north, his patrol happened upon a small town under siege. A blood Orc tribe had decided that the town looked like easy pickings, and so the chief ordered the raid. They were not expecting a patrol of Wardens however, and the resistance met was more than expected. The chief knew that they were winning though, and didn't pull his men back. They would have razed that village, but the goddess Cypheria wouldn't allow it that day. Her messenger came from the line of wardens, that was slowly faltering. His body pulsed with a glow of holy energy, and the axe he held in his hand soon ran red with the blood of my kin.”
The large Orc wore a mask of reverence as he spoke of that day.
“Soon, the holy fires erupted amongst the Orcs, and the light of the gods came down upon the villagers, revitalizing, and even resurrecting the fallen. Those Orcs that came away from that fight were changed. No longer did they lust for the blood of the enemy, and no longer did they fall prey to their base instincts.” He looked down at Olivia and saw that her attention was rapt in his story. “Over the years, we have gathered many worldly travelers, and other Orcs that thought as we did. We could not however allow the other tribes to know how we thought, so every year some of us are sent to join in the battles.”
He was forlorn, and Olivia knew then that he was truly different from the rest of the Orcs in the camp.
“What is your name?” She asked unexpectedly.
The large Orc looked at her with surprise.
“I am called Tha'tuk here, but my village knows me as Thaddius. Thaddius Relegaus.” He said proudly.
“Pleased to meet you Thaddius, I am Olivia Little. My friends call me Olive.” She held out her hand, and he took it, shaking hands. Their conversation was cut short however as the fighting outside grew in intensity.
*****
Shawnrik felt as if he was a new person. He lumbered down the hallway throwing orcs around like they were rag-dolls. His companions had no complaints with him leading the charge. It had only been a half an hour ago that Tallion, the Dracair Assassin, had come and unlocked their cage telling them to give him a few minutes to leave himself before they broke out. Shawnrik's first reaction had been to lunge for the man and throttle him, but Ashur changed his momentum enough so that he just hit the bars of the cage instead.
“This may be a trap, but that is no way to repay someone for lettin' us out Shawny.” Dunnagan had chided.
Shawnrik grasped the bars, and then walked back to the upraised rock in the back of the cell and sat down. He noticed that no one had moved, even Tallion, and he followed the three men's gazes, and noticed that the metal of the bars had impressions of his hands in them.
Tallion let out a throaty hiss that must have been a laugh, and he tossed the keys into the cell.
“Not that you need them.” The Dracairei said as he looked at Shawnrik with amazement, before leaving the room.
It was that strength that he was using now to find their equipment, and the other people he knew were trapped down here. They had searched a dozen rooms, and gotten into twice that many fights. Shawnrik was clumsier than he remembered being, and knew he would have to retrain himself to get used to his new size, but his strength more than made up for any lack of mobility.
He burst through another room and let out a sigh as he saw the huddled forms inside of one of the cells. Guarding the cell however, was one of the biggest orcs he had seen thus far. He started to charge the beast, and the orc assumed a defensive crouch.
“Stop!” The girl at the door of the cell yelled.
Shawnrik's footsteps faltered, and he caught himself before falling face first into the dirt. He looked to see who had spoken, and recognized the girl he had gone on a walk with. Her hair was a mess, and her clothes were beyond dirty, but he couldn't mistake her for anyone else.
“Olivia?” Shawnrik asked softly, eyeing the orc wearily.
She looked at him as if she had never seen him before, and then comprehension dawned upon her features.
“Shawnrik?” She asked softly. “Is that you.”
At that moment, he felt more than embarrassed as he looked upon the beautiful girl a year older than himself. He knew then that he would never be received the same again. Where a boy of barely fourteen had been only a few weeks ago, a young man larger than most full grown men now stood. His look of abashment didn't last long however as his companions came in the door behind him and reminded him of where they were.
“What are ye doin' lad?” Dunnagan asked as he viewed the situation.
Shawnrik saw a change come over the Orc as Dunnagan came into the room, and he realized that the large man wasn't an enemy.
“Do you have the key?” Shawnrik asked the large Orc.
“No, but I know where we can find it.” Thaddius started to move toward the door, but Shawnrik stopped him with his hand on the man's chest.
“No need.” Shawnrik stated simply.
Shawnrik walked over to the cell door and motioned Olivia to move back. He was surprised at how easy it was. The door seemed to want to come off of it's hinges, and he tossed it aside. From inside the cell, he heard the murmurs of amazement, and fear. From behind him, he heard the Orc's intake of breath, and Dunnagan laughing. The thing that hit him the most though was the fear the people in the cage had projected toward him. It did not bother him long however as Olivia ran out of the cell and jumped to throw her arms around Shawnrik's neck. He had been
surprised, but he had caught her, and she had then kissed him solidly.
“Thank you.” She said simply, his massive arms still wrapped around her.
He had been surprised when he managed to blink. He stood there looking at the girl, and she at him, until he heard three throats clearing behind them. Looking abashed, he gently put her down, and turned around. Olivia walked in front of him, and brought him to Thaddius.
“This is Thaddius, Shawnrik. Thaddius, this is Shawnrik.” Olivia noted the air of mistrust between the two. “Thaddius protected us while we were down here Shawnrik, if it wasn't for him…”
Her voice trailed off, and Shawnrik saw the expression on the Orc's face, and knew what she was talking about. Shawnrik put his hand out and the two men grasped hands.
“Ahh good, now that the introductions be nearly complete, ye think that we could get out of the encampment controlled by a lot of blood thirsty Orcs that want to kill us?” Dunnagan said, and then added. “No offense meant Thaddius.”
“None taken sir.” Thaddius said reverently.
“Some coming down the hall.” Ashur whispered from the doorway.
“I'll be gettin' these people ready, ye two can take care of the easy part.” Dunnagan said with a wink.
“I'll help you Mr. Stormhammer.” The large orc said, and the three men turned to him, surprised that he knew Dunnagan's name. Noticing the looks the men were giving him, Thaddius said. “I'll explain later.”
The subject was dropped when Shawnrik and Ashur ran out the door to meet the charge.
*****
Nim ran through the dark tunnels, with Zander at his side, and he heard the footsteps of more of their men behind them. The light had been coming up as they reached the entrance to the cave. The morning had been bloody, and it wasn't over yet. The chaos of battle always annoyed Nim, but he also thrived on it. The first part had gone simply, and many of the Orcs had died before they had a chance to wake up. It had been one unusually alert Orc that ruined the morning however.
Victor Deus (Heritage of the Blood Book 1) Page 35
