Rise of the Horde

Chapter 208: Chapter 20

Khao’khen was stretching his limbs outside his tent as he twirled around a long wooden staff and moved around as if he was attacking an imaginary opponent. He stabbed with one of his staff as he shouted his lungs out to squeeze as much power from his aching muscles then spun around before slashing down the length of his weapon in front of him to strike down his non-existing foe. Moving around his tent while executing strike after strike, his forehead was now covered in sweat and his breathing became ragged. His limbs were now trembling but he continued and endured the pain assaulting his body, his wounds have now almost healed fully but it still stings if he moves too much and uses too much strength as what he was now doing.

He turned around as he jumped and brought down his staff in a vertical strike putting all his weight and power behind it. Dust and a gust of wind blew out from where his strike landed and obscured his vision. When the dust finally settled, the tip of his staff was barely touching the ground and never actually touched it but the force behind his strike was powerful enough to create a gust of wind and send dust flying everywhere. After seeing the outcome of his attack, his knees finally buckled as he dropped down to one knee and his trembling hands loosened their grip on the staff making it fall to the ground with an audible thud. He was panting and sweat covered his face but a satisfied smile was on his lips as he endured the pain that was assaulting his senses.

By his estimate, his fighting prowess was almost fully restored and only a few days of rest was all he needed before he can set out once again and be in the front line. He breathed out a mouthful of air then stood up from his kneeling position after recovering his strength. His limbs were still shaking albeit it’s no longer noticeable unlike a few moments ago which looked like he was having a seizure with how much his limbs were shaking.

He grabbed his staff and carried it with him. Glancing around their almost empty camp, he decided to take a stroll around. There were only a few orcs and trolls around as almost all of those who can engage in battle are out stalking the Ereians for an opportunity to strike. Those who remained in the camp were mostly wounded and only a few of them are a hundred percent in combat. Khao’khen proceeded to walk around the camp and headed towards the edge of their camp.

After reaching the edge of the camp, he spotted trolls on guard duty as they paced around the entrance to their camp. The four trolls were equipped with six javelins each with two on each hand and the rest were carried on their back in a huge quiver to accommodate the size of the javelins. Khao’khen didn’t want to disturb the trolls and turned around to head back inside their camp. He was walking aimlessly around the camp, lost in his thoughts on what should he do next.

This new world that he was thrown into, the new identity that he now had, his purpose in this place, and many more other things plagued his mind as he wasn’t preoccupied with something that needs his immediate attention unlike before when he was busy leading those who followed him, planning and directing the creation of a city, training his warriors, establishing a steady supply of food and water, eliminating immediate threats that will jeopardize all his works and many other things that needed his aid.

There is also the existence of the enigmatic system that he can’t make head or tails of. It is shrouded in mystery that kept him on puzzling him. Sometimes it would be so active and sometimes it would just seemingly disappear and remain silent throughout, no matter whatever he was doing.

.....

‘How does the system that accompanied him works? What are the secrets behind it? What was its purpose or what is it for? Why did it attach itself to him? Who created it?’ And many more questions were also constantly popping out in his mind.

He felt like he was being used by someone through the system to do his bidding and gave him rewards like how would a master act towards his pet that follows his commands. It was a constant struggle for him in his daily life just to remain sane as the things and events that he was experiencing were something that he can’t fathom. Creatures that he thought didn’t exist were now everywhere, living, roaming around and interacting with him.

He has been plunged into a battle one after the other and his life is constantly being threatened to be extinguished which somehow kept him busy and put at the back of his mind all the thoughts and questions that he has about his new life. After waking up, the first thing that he saw was blood and carnage, although primitive in form it still didn’t ease his sense of danger as he struggled to survive. Diving into the memories of the previous owner of the body that he now occupies, he discovered that they have something in common. Both of them were betrayed by those who they cared for and considered to be their brothers.

The previous owner of the body that he now occupies belonged to a good warrior of the Drakkar Tribe who was considered to be one the best fighter of the tribe below their chieftain. But before all that, he was just a common orc whose parents died early in an assault from the long ears of the north and dreamed of becoming a great warrior just like those of their legendary ancestors who fought with the dark creatures of destruction and the scheming vile ones on almost equal ground and seek retribution for his fallen parents.

He was the same age as the firstborn of the Drakkar Chieftain and a year older than his secondborn. The two sons of their chieftain were of the same generation of warriors like him who went through all the rites of the tribe together. Hunting and raiding, the three of them were always together and all three of them were great warriors of the tribe by their right and were backed up by their achievements in battle and hunts. Them being always together in their most glorious moments as they fought together for their tribe bloomed into a close bond. The two sons of the chieftain treated him as their blood brother and the Drakkar Chieftain named him as one of his sons despite not being of his own flesh and blood.