"I got another one right here!", one of the prison guards shouted.
The orc prisoner burst out of the pile of hay a fraction of a second before the guard drove his spear into him. "No weapon.", the orc said in Common, waving his hands to and fro to show they were empty.
---
Durnhold Keep, one of the main intermittent camp for orcs held prisoner after the last war. This is the camp where the legendary Thrall himself was raised in. But he was not here any longer. Not even an hour after his escape, word of Thrall's elusion spread through the other orcs held there like wildfire. Though the desire for battle was still not in them, the desire of freedom was as strong as ever. Unfortunaly the hasty call for a break-out was too random and unorganized. With Thrall missing, the Warden had raised security by calling all men in the keep to arms, and there was even less of a chance for escape now. No chance for escape... or mercy...
---
Though he never fought back, it took three soldiers to bring down the hiding orc to death with their spears. There was no remorse for killing the surrendered. In fact, the humans were smiling with pride. This was an orc they got to slay!
"Nonna' the other prisoners make it out of the walls yet.", one of the guards, Anders, said with grimness yet satsifaction.
"Hey!", Yohan shouted playfully with near out-of-breath pantings of adrenaline. "If anyone else is hiding in here, they should come out now, or expect no mercy!"
In the simple but large barnroom, the three humans stood near the only viable means of escape; the front entrance. None of the horses were in here, all of them out and mounted by knights to hunt down the one orc who had gotten away. Thrall. This left ample room in there for a few orcs who had failed to make it out to hide and avoid punishment or death temporarly. Baeldok was one of those orcs.
Baeldok fought to not grind his teeth and fangs together for fear of making any noise. But inwardly, his mind was shouting at the top of his imaginary lungs, cursing himself for being such a coward. 'If only I had a weapon', lamenting in thought. 'If there was a way to fight back and win freedom.'...
The Anders, Yohan, and Jorac, growing impatient, advanced further into the barn, when a fourth huamn joined them.
Tsao casually stepped over the slain orc at the entranceway. An eyebrow raised and the three men felt a cold chill run down their spines. Though Tsao never showed any inclination to anger or violence, he sure knew how to make someone feel very uncomfortable suddenly.
"I do not sense any more life in here. Go kill elsewhere." The General spoke quietly.
"Yes sir!" came in broken unison, and the three guards hurried out past Tsao, mail link armor chiming like metal rain as they marched quickly, pace quickened as the screams of more orcs could be heard further throughout the keep. Tsao stepped up to one of the stables and looked inside over the wooden pen door. An orc he knew, Umolg, looked up at him worriedly.
Tsao remarked, "It is not just you in here. One other." Baeldok stood up from his stall confidently, but rattled to the bone.
"It was just us two in here...", Baeldok started but then droned off, "..and Vomkar." His red eyes stared wairly to the slain orc. "If only he could have fought them off with his bare hands."
Tsao knew instantly what he was talking about. The discusson and display had come up more than once during his classes. The art of attacking and defeating your opponents unarmed. But there was little time at the moment for pondering silence.
"If you had taught us that, instead of... ethics," Baeldok practically spit out the word in Common, "we would not get slaughtered now. If only Vomkar had a fighting chance, we--"
"Silence!" Tsao shouted in a whispery voice that wouldn't leave the structure, but would strike the desired effect. Umolg looked between the two with continued worry. He was always the quiet type anyway, desiring to study more about their race's history and the shamanic roots. His greatest fear right now wasn't dying, but that he'd never get to learn this fully. So he stepped out of his hiding spot and bowed before Tsao.
"Please Master Tsao, we'll be killed here today."
Baeldok snorted. "Stop calling him that. In our day of death, have some honor."
"I agree." Tsao said without hesitation, which caused Baeldok to stop in surprise. "Today is death or freedom. I have much too long watch you suffer for Warden Blackmoore's personal goals." Tsao turned his back to the two orcs and looked outside as a pair of guards ran by. They gave the General a glance, figured he had that location secure, and continued on their way. After they passed, Tsao continued. "I should have told King Terenas of this long ago, but the Alliance was as walking on ice. Now we will all sink and drown."
Baeldok and Umolg approached Tsao further.
"But today I will do this one thing right. Let us go."
---
Jorac looked over to the paladin, Captain Quintsen, who tugged at the reins of his uneasy horse. "I don't understand."
The Captain grinned manicially over his own glee. The situation is too perfect, so much so that he tried to contain his laugh while he responded. "What's to understand? Only because the King favored his devil's tongue with words and silly poems did he get to be a General. Tsao was always too soft on non-humans."
"So, shouldn't we stop him? Those orcs an'em are gonna get away!" Anders was thirsty for more blood.
"Let them escape to the outside first." Quintsen nodded. "Then there will be no excuse for him when we catch him and bring him back for execution. He's poisoned the King's mind long enough about leaving the orcs alive. With him dead, humanity is one step closer to survival."
The soldiers at the side of the mounted Captain pumped their fists in a cheer at the wisdom of his plan.
Yohan sighed. "Good. If we kill all the orcs, maybe we can get a break and go home to our families."
The crowd of soliders liked that even more, and cheered again, this time louder.
Captain Quintsen's eyes sparked with determination. "Finally.", monologing to himself. "Finally a chance to get rid of him. He made me look like a fool in front of the Court one too many times. Once that's taken care of, Uther will have to respect me for rooting out such a high ranked traitor..."
The hunt was on.
---
Next episode! Chapter 2: Pride's Revenge: In Chaos A Panda Appears!
Posted by Tsao at 10:39 AM 11 June 2005