Chapter 156: Orcs and War (V): A Gauntlet

Szadin didn't seem particularly inclined to answer Rezar as he raised his head to look up at chief Durga. But the Vampire Necromancer was letting off a pressure that made everyone feel the need to give him an answer before this somewhat amicable party completely breaks down and some people end up experiencing the true death. Durga gave Rezar a forever glare as he answered him with a voice that spoke volumes of what he thought about Rezar.

"Anyone and everyone is welcome to participate in the grand plain games, but the truth of the matter is that you will have to pass the gauntlet that has been set, before becoming eligible to participate. You have to bring down a dragon or any dragon type creature to qualify. So if you want to join the games, there's a final expedition of orcs heading to the canyons of Toromont to go hunt down a black Wyrm. If you're so sure of yourself why don't you join them." Durga said to Rezar as he took a step back, but Rezar had his hand under his name nodding safely as he asked.

"What happens if I win?" everyone paused, the orcs mostly had a look of their face that was full of mockery, obviously none of them thought it was possible for Rezar to win or even triumph from the gauntlet.

"If you win, not only will you get to marry my daughter, as an outsider you become eligible to vie for the position of next king of the orcs, you can be part of the Battle Royale that decides the fate of this horde, turning it from a group of nomads, to an actual kingdom." Safe to say Rezar was really confused as there seemed to be quite a few inconsistencies with what was just said, however there seem to be a least violent method for him and his people to leave this place, well for them at least.

"Well if it's not too much trouble Chief Durga, can you tell me where to sign up? It's obvious that you and I will be unable to come to an agreement over the Venoik and the fact that your people came uninvited to my own lands. So how about we have a water, I'll join the gauntlet and go kill the Black Wyrm as you've called it, if I do so, then you give me the Venoik and a path to the nearest dwarf settlement. I'll even leave my people behind as political hostages of sorts, except for Screet and Brutus though, those two go everywhere with me, oh! And Tony too, he's my mount."

The Orc chief was silent for a while, frankly speaking Rezar had given an option to not have a very violent falling out right in the middle of the largest gathering of his people in a very long time. Not to mention if news of a death class holder, the bone King of all things spread or that there was a fight and orcs died, it would not affect his chances. The only way is to silently get rid of him and his people, that way even if there are wagging tongues, he wouldn't be affected much as he would have taken care of the problem and his honor will be intact. Rezar's presence here was a threat, and not one brute force would neutralize.

"I under what you said, you can go with your people, but we will keep your goods instead, you can claim it once you get back from the gauntlet. And you can actually go with the Venoik, as a gift! Sure I have threatened you with war, but there's no need to be completely on the outs with each other. Let my gifting of Roran to you, be what washes whatever bad blood that's happened between us. I pray the God of war sees you safely through this gauntlet."

[QUEST ALERT:]

[You are about to partake in the qualifying gauntlet for the Grand Plain Orc Games. Survive the hunt for the black Wyrm and come back with proof of combat/Slay the Black Wyrm./ Duration: 3 days/ Rewards: Black Wyrm Speed Train Blueprints// 1 platinum// 900,000 exp(null)]

Rezar looked at the screen in front of him in a confused manner, he shook his head as he raised his hands to the orc chief, shaking his massive hands in a friendly manner as it seemed as if they had just had an amicable deal rather than an obvious scheme or trap. The orc chief wasn't stupid, obviously Rezar knew he was out to get him, but even if he was a Necromancer that has been allowed to grow, Rezar would be unable to do anything but to go with the flow.

Escape would be impossible, and starting a fight would be suicide, because the orcs would drawn him in their numbers and fearless attacks faster than he could raise the slain as his undead. And no matter how numerous undead beings are much weaker than they were in real life when raised for the first time. At most he would be able to escape, but this mega horde would be marching for his lands soon after, leaving here if a trail of death and destruction like nothing they have ever seen.

"You and your people will have to forgive for not being able to host you, but that wouldn't be required as the gauntlet begins in two hours, so you can just be assembled with the rest of the orcs who go to hunt for the beast. But until then, please enjoy the company of Slave Master Szadin, I will have Roran brought to you soon enough." Durga said as he turned around and left, giving swift orders to his people to drag the cage Roran was in along.

Rezar had something else on his mind as he moved away, the quest he had just been given was weird as hell, and not in the quest alone, but in the fact that there were two outcomes to complete it, and the exp rewards were massive yet had null in a bracket behind it. And there was a blueprint for a train? The fuck was going on here. If it wasn't for the weird feelings he has been getting, and the way his sense seem to be changing, today would have been just any normal day, but now the quests were looking weird.

He looked to Priest as if to ask him about this, but he kept to himself because he doubted the old man would have experienced something like this. Rezar had a suspicion about what's going on, but until he was absolutely sure he didn't want to jump into conclusions. For one though he felt maybe it was his connection with death that was fucking him up, after all he wasn't fully human, maybe he had a virus or the system was glitching because of his AI melded mind. Whatever the case, it had Rezar a little worried, it would suck if he just got deleted or something like that.

"Master Szadin? If you don't mind me asking, I hear that Chief Durga's daughter is the price for whoever wins the Grand Plain Orc Games. But from the way he spoke, it seems he will also participate in the games. Will be marry his own daughter?" Kitagawa asked, trying but failing to hide the look of disgust on his face.

"Princess Xian was born when the Chief Durga's elder brother and the former chief married a snow elf from the Brown mountains. And she was one of royal blood too, increasing the prestige of the Goldbreaker clan. However the elves did not like the copulation, especially since it was forced when his elder brother had defeated the betrothed of the elven princess in battle and then proceeded to take her chastity right in front of his corpse and the eyes of her family and friends.

They were bound by their oath to do nothing, and so an orc came home with an elf for a bride, much to the pride of his great and illustrious clan. She bore him a daughter so beautiful it was said the day she was born, Elysium stood still in respect. Her people came for the princess, who happily left with them and made sure to stick her dagger as deep into the throat of her husband as she could, she denied him a chance of a warriors death, she will forever be hated for it.

Without a male heir, it was in Durga's capacity to succeed his brother and inherit all that his brother had left behind, including his other wives who unfortunately only had daughters too.

And so Princess Xian became the daughter of her uncle. But her beauty was so great that even Durga covets her, but it would be wrong for him to just take the daughter of his own brother, so he put her up as one of the prizes, but seeing how beautiful she is, she ended up being the only prize that matters. He wins then he would finally be able to bed her and at the same time spit in the face of the snow elves who have been trying to both get her back to her mother or kill her for being half orc."

Kitagawa looked at Rezar and the back at slave master and said.

"Oh!"