The world still slumbered beneath the veil of morning mist. The air was cool, filled with the scent of dying embers from the night watch. A light fog lay on the ground, draping the camp in an almost invisible blanket.
Kano slowly opened his eyes, feeling the fresh air seep into the tent. He sat up, pushed aside the blanket, and stepped outside.
The camp was already waking up. Orcs, accustomed to hard work, had begun their tasks long before dawn. Some were chopping wood, others sharpening weapons, while others lit new fires. What had once been a chaotic, wild place was slowly taking the shape of a proper city.
Kano inhaled deeply.
"City of the Horde... I wonder how this will turn out."
Near the caravan preparing to depart for Drachenfest, a few adventurers stood. They looked exhausted, as though they hadn't slept all night.
Kano approached them, scanning each one with a quick glance.
— "So, lads, ready to head out?" he said with a smile.
The adventurers exchanged looks, catching their breath. One of them nodded uncertainly.
— "On the road..."
Two burly orcs, without any show of emotion, climbed into the carts, almost breaking them under their weight. The humans stared at them tensely, but said nothing.
Kano watched as the caravan began its journey. The animals pulling it were much stronger than horses and moved three times faster. The carts almost flew over the plain, and soon their silhouettes disappeared over the horizon.
— "Well, now we can get ready for our own journey," Kano muttered.
— "Oh, finally decided to do something, huh?" came a familiar voice.
Kano didn't even flinch. He was used to this old mage appearing out of nowhere, like a shadow.
Elgot stood behind him, arms crossed over his chest. His eyes glinted with a cunning light, and his smile hinted at yet another dose of irony.
— "So, chief, what's the plan?" he asked mockingly. "Are we fighting a demon today, or have you thought of something more interesting?"
Kano rolled his eyes.
— "No, old man. Get ready. When Rudgard arrives, we'll head to the dwarves for some boots."
Elgot widened his eyes.
— "And just how do you plan to leave your beloved orcs behind?"
Kano grinned slyly.
— "I've got a plan."
Elgot turned his gaze to the camp, where the orcs were already hard at work.
— "Oooo... This is interesting..." he drawled.
The morning sun rose over the horizon, gradually illuminating the camp. But the orcs' gazes weren't fixed on the east, but rather on the west, where thick dust rose from behind the hills.
It wasn't the wind.
It was a rumble.
At first distant, barely audible. But it quickly grew louder. The ground trembled, the stones under Kano's feet faintly shuddered.
The western horizon came alive.
The deep humming mixed with the clattering of metal and the heavy pounding of hooves.
Their short, stocky figures were encased in heavy armor, and beneath them, a herd of massive battle rams charged forward.
Their horns were enormous, massive, bent backward, with metal plates at the ends that could crush even stone.
The carts trailing behind were also pulled by these rams.
Though smaller than horses, the animals moved much faster, pulling carts filled with tools, barrels, and metal constructs with effortless ease.
The caravan charged from the west like an avalanche, about to overwhelm the camp.
The orcs froze.
Some, not understanding what was happening, were already reaching for their weapons.
But Kano stood calmly.
When the caravan halted near the camp, a cloud of dust rose from beneath the wheels. The dwarves didn't rush to dismount, carefully assessing the area. Their hard, distrustful eyes slid over the orcs, just as the orcs' gazes slid over them.
Rudgard, the tallest of his kin, leapt down from his ram, his boots sinking into the cracked earth.
He slowly approached Kano.
— "I see you've really become the orc chieftain," he grumbled, lifting his head to look the young man in the eyes.
Kano smiled.
— "Did you think I was joking?"
Rudgard grunted.
— "Well, now you've actually done something worth noticing. But I don't think you realize what you're dealing with."
Behind them, the dwarves had already begun unloading the carts. The orcs watched them—alert, but with a certain curiosity.
Kano glanced at them and spoke loudly, so everyone could hear:
— "Your city will flow with gold once the orcs have wiped out every monster in these lands!"
The dwarves' eyes gleamed with greed—clearly, the idea appealed to them.
Rudgard stepped closer.
— "Alright, we're willing to build. But there's a condition."
Kano crossed his arms.
— "Go on, surprise me."
The dwarf threw a heavy glance at the orcs.
— "They have to listen to us in everything."
Tension.
Several orcs clenched their jaws, some unconsciously placing their hands on the handles of their weapons.
Kano didn't even flinch.
— "That's how it will be."
The dwarves froze. They expected resistance. But Kano understood that without their expertise, nothing would be built.
He turned to one of the orcs.
— "Gather everyone."
The orc silently bowed and went off to carry out the order.
In a few minutes, the entire tribe was gathered at the center of the camp.
The camp fell silent. All the orcs, from the oldest warriors to the young hunters, stood before Kano. Their faces were serious, hard, eyes alert. They waited.
The dwarves stood to the side, arms crossed over their chests. Their expressions remained unreadable, but they listened intently.
Kano took a slow step forward. His figure stood out against the dawn sky.
He surveyed the warriors, making each of them feel his gaze, and only then spoke:
— "You are the Horde. You've always been warriors. You've lived by war. You've died in battles and risen from the ashes again. But tell me—every time you won, what came next?"
Silence.
Kano clenched his fists.
— "You survived. But you never had a home. You wandered from battle to battle, from wasteland to ruin. You were mighty, but always on the brink of extinction."
He raised his hand and sharply pointed to the ground beneath him.
— "But now you have a chance to change all of that."
He slowly walked before the crowd, making each one feel his presence.
— "Today begins a new era. You are no longer just warriors. You are a people. And you will have a city that no one will ever be able to destroy."
A roar of voices rolled through the crowd. Some grunted approval, others began to speak amongst themselves.
Kano waited a few seconds and continued:
— "You are strong. You are powerful. But to survive, you must be wise."
His gaze fixed on the dwarves.
— "These little bearded creatures know how to build fortresses that won't fall even before legions. They know how to make it so your children will have a home. So you won't have to wander the wastelands anymore."
He raised his hand, and all fell silent.
— "From today, you will listen to the dwarves just as you listen to me."
Tension.
Kano narrowed his eyes.
— "If anyone disagrees—feel free to pick up your weapons and leave right now. But know this: the next time you meet the Horde, it will be stronger than ever. And it will crush you."
No one moved.
Some clenched their fists, others stared at the ground. But no one stepped forward.
Kano slowly nodded.
— "Grimtar!"
The old chieftain stepped forward, his figure standing out among the warriors.
— "You will rule this city. From now on, you are the Great Blade of the Horde."
Grimtar widened his eyes.
— "But... you're the chieftain!"
Kano smiled.
— "I met you when I was on my mission. I accidentally became your chieftain. But I'm not the one who'll stay here."
The orcs froze.
— "I gave you a home. You'll have a fortress that no one will defeat. But I must move on."
Grimtar slowly lowered his head, accepting the responsibility.
— "Will you return?"
Kano smiled.
— "We'll definitely keep in touch. You'll give me a bul, won't you?"
Grimtar bowed.
— "Anything you want, Chief."
The orcs roared, greeting their new leader. The matter was settled.
Kano remained on the elevated ground, watching as the camp began to live its new life. The dwarves were giving orders, the orcs were obeying, and work began. But there was still one more thing he had to resolve.
He turned his gaze to the crowd and spoke loudly:
— "I will leave my women here. They will help you in everything they can."
A wave of surprise rippled through the crowd. The orcs exchanged looks, some even gaping in shock. But the reaction of the women was much stronger.
Naira tensed, her lips pressing into a straight line. Lianel crossed her arms, while Selina widened her eyes. They were silent, but their anger was palpable in the air.
Kano ignored it and continued:
— "Naira will maintain order in the camp. Anyone who doesn't obey will answer to her."
A wave of whispers spread through the orc ranks. They already knew what it meant to provoke Naira's wrath.
Kano turned his gaze to Lianel.
— "Lianel will teach you to shoot with bows. I want the Horde to be not just strong, but also smart."
The dwarves nodded approvingly.
Kano looked at Selina, who stood silently, her head slightly lowered.
— "Selina will help with the wounded. She's a healer. And I don't want any of you dying early because of stupidity."
The orcs were silent. They had nothing to say—an order was an order.
As everyone began to disperse, Kano felt a storm brewing behind him. He slowly turned around and saw the three women staring at him intently.
Naira had her arms crossed over her chest, her breasts slightly quivering with a deep breath. Lianel was looking at him with narrowed eyes, while Selina appeared confused, though an unspoken question trembled on her lips.
Naira spoke first:
— "Are you serious?"
Kano only smiled.
They stood before him in dresses that accentuated their figures even more. Naira wore a black silk dress that clung to her full breasts, with a deep neckline. Lianel wore a dark green dress that highlighted her flexible body, with a long slit on her thigh revealing her toned leg. Selina, the most innocent of them all, was in a white dress that almost shimmered in the light, making her image a seductive trap.
Kano sighed heavily.
— "They still need supervision."
— "Supervision?! You're leaving us among orcs because you want to run away?" Lianel narrowed her eyes.
Kano raised an eyebrow.
— "Run away? You know me."
Naira clenched her fists.
— "This is madness."
— "Listen. This is temporary. I'll be back."
The girls remained silent, but their anger was palpable in the air.
"I can feel this rage even at the tips of my ears..."
The camp was no longer the chaotic gathering of warriors it had been just yesterday. The orcs were working alongside the dwarves, laying the first stones of future structures, digging a trench for defense, setting up a forge. Even those who had been against working with the bearded ones were either accepting it or silently following orders.
Kano stood at the edge of the hill, surveying the bustling work below. The sun had already climbed high, warming the earth, and the air was thick with the scent of dust, metal, and wood.
— "Great Chieftain," came the rough voice behind him.
Kano turned his head. Rudgard, the dwarf in heavy armor, was approaching, covered in dust from unloading the caravan. But what caught his attention was what Rudgard was carrying—something wrapped in cloth.
— "What's happened?" Kano sensed the dwarf looked unusually serious.
Rudgard placed the wrapped object before him.
— "We can't leave today."
Kano raised an eyebrow.
— "And why not?"
The dwarf crossed his arms.
— "How are you going to march without a sword?"
Kano glanced at his side, where his sword should have been—but there was only a broken shard. He had shattered it in the battle with the main ent, and since then had been using whatever came to hand.
He shrugged.
— "I'll take a new one."
Rudgard chuckled hoarsely.
— "A new one…? No, boy. We'll forge you a new one. But not from the junk that others carry."
The dwarf unwrapped the cloth, and Kano saw the dark gray ore, which seemed to absorb the light around it.
— "What is this?"
Rudgard smiled, stroking the material with his hand.
— "Mithril."
Kano raised his eyebrows.
— "And what's so special about it?"
The dwarves around them laughed as though hearing something absurd.
— "Boy, this is a metal that's ten times stronger than steel. And it conducts magic better."
Kano sighed.
— "Great. But magical spells don't really help me."
Rudgard grunted.
— "It will be the simplest… but at the same time, the strongest."
The dwarves behind them were already busy at the forge, stoking the bellows. The orcs, watching them, made mocking comments but didn't interfere with the work.
Then suddenly, one of the orcs, a burly warrior from the Bloodblades tribe, stepped forward and boldly said:
— "Chieftain, we want to work with metal too."
Kano raised his gaze to him.
— "Is something wrong?"
— "The dwarves won't let us into the forge," the orc scowled, cracking his knuckles. "We want to help too."
Rudgard grimaced, but Kano only smiled.
— "Rudgard, what if these orcs teach you something?"
The dwarf gritted his teeth, muttering something unintelligible, then waved his hand.
— "Fine, let them in! But if they break my hammer, I'll send them to the mines!"
The orcs roared with excitement and immediately headed to the forge.
Kano had barely taken a few steps to the side when he heard loud curses coming from the forge.
— "NO, DON'T POUR IT THERE, YOU MORON!" one of the dwarves shouted. "HAVE YOU EVER SEEN REAL FORGING?!"
— "I'VE SEEN MORE SWORDS THAN YOU'VE EVER MELTED IRON!" roared the orc.
Kano smiled.
"Well, this is going to be interesting."