CH 17.1

Told you guys it wouldn’t be long.

Bash’s memories of General Baraben were still as vivid as the day he lived them.

The now undead Orc was one of the most memorable figures in the Hero’s life.

From the day he was born, he had stood head and shoulders above his peers.

He was a childhood friend and trusted confidant of the current Orc King Nemesis, and served as the de facto leader of all Orc clans that previously lived within Siwanasi Forest.

A warrior whose name was known far and wide in Orc Country.

He fought like a maniac on the battlefield; a humongous berserker who swung a massive war hammer with otherworldly dexterity and strength.

All Orcs admired the way he expressed the core tenets of Orcish philosophy through his sheer savagery and courage.

Bash was no exception.

The first time Bash met General Baraben was shortly after he had begun actively going out to battle.

He had faced death many times, and now counted among those considered fully-fledged warriors, but at the time, he was no better than any other ordinary Orc that had lived through similar experiences.

Back then, Bash’s unit had been assigned to Baranben’s army.

It was following a fierce battle.

The Orcs managed to eek out a victory in the end, but most of Bash’s comrades were killed in action.

It was then that the General appeared before the now Hero, who was eating in front of a bonfire, tending to his wounds.

As soon as he saw him, he said:

“You! You’re truly a sight to behold!”

He let out a hearty, cheerful laugh, roughly patted Bash on his back, and left.

The latter felt rather awkward, being put in the spot like that, but he was also overjoyed.

Gereral Baraben – the General Baraben had just told him he was impressed by his actions. How could he possibly not be happy?

The second time they met was when Bash was beginning to make a name for himself among the Orcs.

He had cemented his reputation as an exceptional warrior, but he was nowhere near the top just yet.

Even so, he was selected as one of the General’s direct bodyguards.

Though a lofty sounding position, his actions and orders did not differ much from what he usually did as a regular foot soldier.

Just like he always had, Bash took part in the battle and rampaged near the also rampaging Baraben.

Right before that fight, the General had gathered his men to give them a speech.

It was a compilation of tales from his life that he often told to get his troops and himself pumped up before battle.

Yet, it was also a summary of Orcish warfare history.

He recounted how he had been fighting alongside Nemesis ever since they were children.

Sometimes he had helped, and others he had been helped. As the King’s companion, he had always been there, fighting to protect the Orcs’ pride.

So went the story.

That was the day Bash decided.

He wanted to be just like Baraben.

The third and final time the two met was during the final defense of Siwanasi Forest.

That day, the General did not cheerfully smile the way he usually did.

All the signs pointed towards the Orcs losing this confrontation.

But nonetheless, he was ready and willing to fight until the end, no matter the outcome.

Elves bearing down from the West.

Humans sieging from the East.

Pincered between two major forces and with a sparse few troops remaining, the situation looked dire.

Yet he did not lose his will to fight.

Bash did not speak to General Baraben on that night.

He just gave him a silent look, nodded, and calmly went to the front.

There, he encountered the Elven Archmage Thunder Sonia, and the two fought.

Although having won, the Orc Hero had sustained grievous wounds and would have to flee for several days, holing up in the depths of the forest in an anemic daze.

Had Zell not found the cave he was hiding in, he might not be alive today.

They were not true Orcs.

The Orcs had been defeated. That was a fact.

They had lost the war, brokered for peace, and were now heading down the path towards a different future than the one they had envisioned during the war.

Their progress had been slow and tedious.

But still, Bash followed the decision of the Orc King Nemesis.

It was his duty as the Hero of the Orcs.

A bunch of former Orcs, now zombies, were fighting with the Elves with whom the real Orcs were trying to establish friendly relations.

It was obvious that the right choice would be to side with the Elves, no matter the reason behind their conflict.

Moreover, the female Elf he was gunning for was in trouble.

There was no need to hesitate any longer.

(Mister! Mister! Now’s your chance! You saw that Elf that was hugging Breeze just a few moments ago! Wouldn’t you like that? She liked him because he was cool! If you can show this girl right here how cool and reliable you are, she’ll definitely fall for you! This is your time to shine! This is your shot!)

Is what Zell was whispering into the Hero’s ear.