Rise of the Horde

"The Clan Chief would win. He is the best rider among us."

"I don't think so. He had his ass handed to him by the Tribe Chieftain multiple times before."

"That's when duelling while on foot, this one is different."

"Who knows if the Tribe Chief is hiding his skills in cavalry riding."

"I will still bet on the Clan Chief."

"I bet on the Tribe Chief."

The Rumbling Clan riders continued on their debate on who is more likely to win between the two participants of the duel. Almost all of them took part in the betting while a few of them just spectated, unsure of the outcome of the fight.

In the blink of an eye, the two participants were upon each other as they tried to push back each other while passing side by side in opposite directions. Dug'mhar grunted as he tried to shove the chieftain with his right arm, but he only managed to push him back a little.

Xiao Chen was making use of the stirrup and stood on the back of his steed with the iron rings as the platform. He almost managed to take down Dug'mhar down from his steed, but the skilled rider laid on his back after being pushed back a few inches away from his initial position.

Dug'mhar threw a quick kick on the side of Xiao Chen in an attempt to dislodge him from his steed, but to no avail. His kick solidly landed on the side of the chieftain, but he only winced from his attack and didn't fall off his steed.

The two Rhakaddons' hooves created markings on the ground as they skidded to a stop with their hooves. The two riders pulled on the reins of their steeds and turned them around to face their opponent. "How?" Dug'mhar muttered as he was confused on how did the chieftain still managed to maintain his balance after his sudden strike.

Xiao Chen massaged his side which was kicked by Dug'mhar as the lingering pain of the attack made him took on the duel more seriously. He raised his head towards Dug'mhar and grinned mischievously and raised his right hand, pointing towards the Rumbling Clan chieftain, and raised his thumb up for approval, acknowledging the skills of his foe.

The turn of events dumfounded the spectators all. They all thought that Xiao Chen would fall already after the sudden attack of their Clan Chief. They all had the same thoughts. If it were them, they would surely have fallen down already from their steed.

Looking at the chieftain, who was still atop his steed, Dug'mhar wiped the tip of his nose and made his steed charge forward once again. He was using the reins of his steed to make it run faster as he used it to whip the sides of his Rhakaddon. He leaned to one side slightly as he prepared both of his arms to push the chieftain off his steed. He thought that if one arm isn't enough, he'll use two.

Xiao Chen also made his steed charge forward and leaned forward to increase the speed of his steed while sprinting forward. A smile was plastered on his face as he was enjoying the fight, despite he was somewhat cheating by using a stirrup while his foe didn't have one.

They were finally upon each other again and Xiao Chen, being the one with the upper hand, raised his leg up as a faint which forced Dug'mhar to counter his move. The two passed by each other again with Xiao Chen having the upper hand as the Clan Chief of the Rumbling Clan defended himself from the strike of his opponent as he leaned to the other side to nullify the attack of his opponent.

The two passed by each other with no blows as Xiao Chen was nullified in landing an attack after Dug'mhar leaned to the other side. Passing by each other, the two participants turned their steeds around for another charge.

The Rhakaddon Cavalry watched as the two orcs taking part in the duel kept on safely attacking each other and still maintained their balance atop their steeds. Their Rhakaddons were already breathing heavily and Xiao Chen decided to the attack with reckless abandon as his opponent was to skilled in the art of riding than him.

Preparing himself for an all out attack. Xiao Chen placed both his hands on the back of his steed and letting go of the reins after making it charge forward. He kicked Dug'mhar many times already, but the weight behind his kicks wasn't enough to defeat his foe

The two of them charge against each other again. When the distance was close enough. Xiao Chen focused all his strength on his arms and made a dropped kick attack on Dug'mhar, who tried to shove him off his steed. His two legs landed squarely on the chest of his opponent and his full weight finally managed to dismount Dug'mhar of his steed.

The Rumbling Clan Chief was surprised by the unconventional attack of Xiao Chen, as kicking with both legs would have a high chance of him falling off his steed. Dug'mhar was sent flying by Xiao Chen's dropped kick and rolled to ground multiple times. He was left behind as his steed continued on its charge before halting by using its hooves as breaks and creating a long marking on the ground. With no rider to guide it, Dug'mhar's Rhakaddon just stood there and snorted before laying down on the ground because of exhaustion.

"The Tribe Chief Wins!"

"I won! Hahahaha... Your Prime Beef is mine!"

"YES!"

"I WON!"

The Rumbling Clan riders who betted for Xiao Chen to win cheered as those who betted on Dug'mhar were dismayed about the outcome. Xiao Chen was in no way a better rider than them, but he still managed to win against their best rider.

Turning his steed around, Xiao Chen galloped towards Dug'mhar, who was in disbelief of what just happened. He lay there with his back on the ground and staring at the clear sky whole feeling the hot temperature which made him realized that sh*t just happened. He was just defeated yet again by the chieftain just like before. What he can't accept is that he was defeated in where he really excelled at.

Xiao Chen stared down at Dug'mhar, who was staring at the sky absent minded. "I guess I won. Despite with a bit of cheating. Ah! Scratch that! I won through cheating." He declared as he patted the saddle that he was on.

It finally dawned on Dug'mhar that their was a strange contraption attach on their chieftain's steed. He sat upright and stared at the contraption and saw the iron rings where their chieftain's feet were at. "I am still a better rider than you. Without those strange things. I would have won!" Dug'mhar cheered himself up as he slowly got up to his feet.

Confused as he is, he still blamed the stirrup for the result. "I wouldn't have to lose if not for those" he pointed at the stirrup. Xiao Chen just grinned mischievously and patted his Rhakaddon on the back for a job well done.

"Get your clansmen to follow me." Xiao Chen muttered as he led his steed away, back towards the tribe. Dug'mhar scratched the back of his head before whistling to call his steed towards him. His Rhakaddon sprinted towards him and he grabbed its reins before slowly climbing up on its back as the pain of his fall still lingered.

"Follow the chief!" He shouted as he went after their chieftain despite all the pain that he was feeling. The Rhakaddon Cavalry who won the bet had smiles plastered on their faces, while those who lost were dismayed.

*****

After arriving at where Zul'jinn and his peers were at. Stirrups were handed to the riders as they tried which size fit their steeds. "This one is nice." Dug'mhar muttered as he copied his chieftain's moves and stood up on the back of his steed with the use of the iron rings as his platform. He was able to move around with his feet firmly planted on the iron rings and he could do more forms of attack with it.

Deep in the mines, the kobolds continued on their daily routine.

"Dig! Dig! Dig!"

"I dig! You dig! We all dig!"

"Sleeping is life but tunneling is lifer!"

"No ground is too hard or soft. With all my abilities, I dig and dig till I feel drowsy or hungry."

The distinct sound of the iron pickaxe hitting the ground, rocks or soil echoed all throughout the tunnels that the kobolds were at. Shrieks of the goblins also accompanied them as they carried baskets containing soil, ores, and other useful materials out of the tunnels before dumping them outside for the taurens, ogres, or orcs to collect.

The kobolds were divided into two groups. One group continue on the mining expedition along the mountains while the other bigger group tunneled to divert the flow of the Garthum River towards them. Far in the distance, a massive wall and thick wall was being constructed. A meter thick wall of concrete was slowly taking shape while a friend meters away behind it was another meter thick concrete wall was being built. A ditch was being dug up by the workers as they carried the soil from the ditch to fill the middle of the two concrete walls.