Chapter 21 - 21

A long four column formation of orcs, marched along the almost desolate grounds of the Orcish lands, chanting and shouting as they march along.

Their outrageously long spears, clutched on their right arm, pointing proudly to the sky, like they were aiming to pierce the heavens. The circular wooden shields on their left, held steady and true, with parts of it missing. Some had huge chunks of the shield missing, others almost loosing a third of its size, the damages to their shields can attest to the battle that they had just gone through.

Chins held high, spines straightened like their trusted weapons, they stood almost the same way as their spears. Marching and maintaining that same stance, the chants was their way of relieving their boredom from the monotonous march. They are creatures born for battle and lived for battle, they always thirst for thrill and excitement.

Adhalia stared at them, wondering how did such creatures described as unruly and selfish became like this, all disciplined and united. Her gaze soon went back to the still sleeping Xiao Chen, the leader, perhaps the trainer and pillar of this well-disciplined orcs.

The unfriendly gaze of Draegh'ana was making her uncomfortable and nervous, with the slightest mistake, this unfriendly female orc might just pounced on her there and then. And reuniting with her family was the last thing on her mind before she accomplishes her vow.

*****

Finally the comfortably sleeping orc had awaken, easing Adhalia's nervousness as she had now someone to talk to and keep her mind occupied and forget the threatening glares of the female orc who had been maintaining it for many hours.

"Finally! You're awake"

She said and quickly sighed in relief, it was like she had been sitting in a chair filled sharp needles for the last few hours. The eyes of the two orcs flanking Xiao Chen made her feel like she was being watch by two dangerous predators and...she was their prey.

"What happened?"

Xiao Chen can't help but ask curiously as he notice the uncomfortable and nervous look in Adhalia's face. She behaved like a suspect being interrogated, all nervous and uncomfortable until her lawyer finally showed up to save her from her predicament, which was him.

"Ugh...they happened"

Xiao Chen was confused and glanced at Gur'kan and Draegh'ana.

"What's wrong, chief"

Gur'kan asked him with a look of confusion and Draegh'ana just kept her silence and withdrew her gaze from Adhalia.

"Ugh...what really happened?"

Xiao Chen now was more confused than before and can't help but satisfy his curiousness.

"They had been staring at me for hours with a very unfriendly look. It was like they were telling me that they can't wait to devour me alive, I don't know Orcish nor do I have the courage to speak with them even if I knew it. It seemed like they are against my very presence around you...uhm... specially that female orc...she was giving me the vibe of danger...like a cat with its tail stepped on...it seemed that I angered her quiet a lot but I can't remember doing anything against her nor have I spoken to her before. Kindly ask her of the reason while she was staring daggers at me"

Adhalia rapidly said, like a little child complaining to her elders or parents. Her cute little face looked aggrieved, like she was just punish for something that she didn't even do nor knew about. The childishness of her actions, Xiao Chen found it kinda cute, he never experienced having a sibling in his past life, so he didn't knew anything about it but Adhalia was giving her the vibe of being a little sister even though she is older than him by two years.

Orcs reach adulthood at the early age of fourteen, their bodies' development was much quicker than that of humans. Upon reaching fourteen years of age, an orc female or male can now join the adults of the tribe and the race in doing what adults are only allowed to do like joining the battles against the pinkskins.

An orc's adulthood was also when the demon's curse awakens within their blood, making them strong but also makes them bloodthirsty. Most orcs die young because of the demon's curse right after their adulthood. It was part of their adulthood ceremony where they kill their first, all orcs undergoing the ceremony would then be thrown at, on what they call 'The Pit' which resembles the humans gladiatorial arena.

In The Pit, orcs will battle against their own peers where they will be baptized by blood, only the strong survives and the weak left to die. Males and females are equal in orc society but males mostly are rulers since rarely will you find a female orc that triumphs over all the males in the tribe.

Upon noticing Adhalia's finger pointed at her, Draegh'ana can't help but glare at her then looked at Xiao Chen

"She better not be cursing or defaming me...or else I'll flatten those oversized breasts of hers"

Draegh'ana said as she glared at Adhalia again before withdrawing her gaze and just stared at the distance.

Xiao Chen was at loss for words, 'What is up with this female orc, she wasn't like this before nor ever came close to what she is behaving now' he thought. Xiao Chen's gaze went to Adhalia and was about to speak when he was suddenly alerted by the sound of the war drums, signalling the presence of possible danger.

Getting of the wagon along with Draegh'ana and Gur'kan, they rushed forward to find out what was the reason of the war drums signalling for danger.

"What's the situation?"

Xiao Chen asked as he finally reached the forefront of the marching formation and behind him was Draegh'ana and Gur'kan who were panting lightly unlike Xiao Chen who had a Haste Spell casted on himself making his walking speed almost like that of a sprint.

"A battle is up ahead chief, mounted humans are fighting against a group of ogre marauders"

Trot'thar reported, his gaze was still staring in the distance. Trot'thar's ability to see further than any orc was a huge help for Xiao Chen and his army, being able to see the enemies before they see them was a huge advantage to any army.

"Chief, the mounted humans holds a golden colored banner with a circle and a crescent moon stuck together and are being overpowered"

Trot'thar continued to report not withdrawing his gaze and observed the ongoing battle more.

MISSIONS

Available Missions

[

*Save the High Priestess {Urgent Mission}

Reward : 5000 points

: Earn the friendship of the High Priestess

Failure : Hostility of the Goddess of Light

*Save Commander Eru

Reward : 2000 points

*Slay all the Ogre Marauders

Reward : 2000 points

Failure : Survivors will come for vengeance

]

The sudden issuance of the mission by the system surprised Xiao Chen while he was still considering wheather to meddle with the ogres or not. Quickly skimming through the issued missions, he saw the penalty for failing the first mission which was the hostility of the Goddess of Light, 'Shit, are there really gods and goddesses here in this world' he thought. Earning the hostility of a god or goddess, Xiao Chen had no plans of doing so, this early.

"Battle Formations...Full Steps March"

Xiao Chen commanded then his command was soon relayed by the war drums. Clouds of dust soon rised up and gathered as the First Xin Infantry Battalion rearranged their formation as quickly as possible.

Eight rectangular in shape formations soon formed, the left most was that of the Black Tortoise group while the right most was that of the Vermillion Bird group. Eight orcs standing shoulder to shoulder, five to seven orc deep.

The quick response of the First Xin Infantry Battalion made Adhalia speechless. Her eyebrows raised and became curved and high, her pupils dilated and her jaw dropped down. There movements were swift and precise, they knew where they should be and the distances between each formations were almost similar.. 'Such disciplined quick response was unheard of, even the Ereian Royal Army that was proud of their ability to form up quickly was nowhere near the speed and neatness of the First Xin Infantry Battalion.