Rise of the Horde

Darkness was already fast approaching when Khao'khen led the trolls back to their new camp. Along the way they met up with the Verakhs who were done stalking their enemies for the day and it's the other squads turn to monitor them.

Arriving at their new camp, Khao'khen spread his gaze around and spotter the concealed watchtower among the sharp rocks. He wordlessly headed towards the tower and, using his burly arms, he started climbing up the ladder, which was made of thick branches being held together by multiple vines and a few ropes to help to secure it better.

Khao'khen could feel a little lightheaded after not having a proper rest for some time, but he just ignored it and continued climbing up the ladder. When he was finally atop the watchtower, he could see the long line of Ereians entering their new camp, which was not far away from the forest of boulders and rocks.

They secured one side of their camp against the rocks while the other three sides were surrounded by the low-lying wall made of rocks that they have gathered from the forest of boulders and rocks and wood that they brought with them in their wagons. He nodded his head, as the view was really a great advantage to them. They could see their enemies, but they can't see them. They were still clueless on where he and his warriors are at and where they will be coming from.

From where he was standing at, he could spot a silhouette of a gigantic creature flying towards them. He strained his eyes as he stared at it coming towards them with great speed. His focus was all on the flying creature and didn't notice Dughmar who also climbed up the tower and stood beside him as he also craned his neck up and had his eyes on the flying creature.

Khao'khen already had a hunch about who or what it might be, but he still signalled his warriors to prepare, just in case that he was mistaken. The trolls were quick to rearm themselves with new javelins as they replenished their ammunition and positioned themselves among the rocks. The Rhakaddon Cavalry, who were with Khao'khen, rode their steeds as they sallied out to a distance to prepare for a charge towards their suspected foe.

Tightening his grip on his weapon, Khao'khen prepared to meet the flying creature if it was not what he thought it was. His eyes trailed the flying creature as it started to dive towards them. Its form started to become clearer and Khao'khen finally was able to figure out what it was. It was a gigantic eagle and the color of its feathers; he knew it very well.

Khao'khen signalled for the trolls to stand down and lower their javelins which they have prepared to attack the flying creature.

"It's Draeghanna! Stand down!" he shouted as he jumped down from the watchtower. Dust and small rocks went up to the air after he landed on the ground and the watchtower shook a bit which forced Dughmar to grab onto something to secure himself on top of the tower.

Draeghanna jumped down from the back of her summon and smiled towards their chieftain. She just came from a long trip of scouting the areas of the endless sands that was close to them. More than a week of scouting and maintaining her summon really took a toll on her, and the exhaustion that she felt was twice more than what she experiences after engaging in battles.

"How are you feeling?" Khao'khen asked as he noticed the fatigued look on Draeghanna's despite her smile. He was worried about her condition and felt guilty about sending her out on such a mission. The past few days, or probably weeks, Draeghanna was out scouring the endless sands for a sign of another army or reinforcement of the Ereians that they have discovered and are harassing currently.

"I'm fine,chief. There are no other enemy nearby in our immediate surroundings, but I spotted a bigger army being assembled somewhere to the far south. It seems like the Ereians are preparing for a massive invasion and are gathering their forces together." Draeghanna reported as she bowed her head a bit to pay respect to their chieftain.

"You worked hard... You can now take your much needed rest..." Khao'khen muttered as he turned around and went towards his makeshift office inside their new camp. His mind was a bit of a mess after going through such things for the past few days of no proper sleep.

*****

Inside the camp of the Ereians, Siroh and Badz started to dissiminate the news that Khao'khen had told them. The camp was now starting to be divided into two factions, as Khao'khen had planned. His plans were to divide and conquer and also win the favor of the other Ereians to stand by his side and help him in aiding Adhalia to have his revenge against the royal family that currently rules the Ereian Kingdom.

"Is what you say is true?"

"The monsters would spare us?"

"Is it reliable?"

"Can we trust their words?"

"Won't we just be killed without a fight?"

"Are you sure that they will spare us?"

"It might be just a rouse to divide our strength."

Such things were thrown to Siroh and Badz, to which they replied by sharing what they have experienced with their supposed to be foes. They shared what they heard, what they have seen and what they went through. The two of them also went to the extent of explaining the possible reason of what they are fighting for right now and also the possible reason that their enemies might be more than what they have seen.

Baron Husani and Baron Masud were together in a sort of meeting as they decide on how to properly tackle the current problem that they have.

"Are we just going to stay and sit here to take the hit or we should go out and be the one to bring the fight to them?" Lord Husani suggested as he stared at his co-commander,replied, who was staring at the map in front of them.

"What do you say? Let's go out and hunt them..." Lord Husani continued as his voice was laced with anger and he clenched his palms into a fist.

"If... We only know where they are... They are really good at concealing themselves and this is not our lands... Well... It's technically still part of our lands but none among us have been here for many years and became familiar with the surroundings." Lord Masud calmly replied, as he really had no idea how to deal with their current problem at hand. If they were just normal orcs and trolls, then they wouldn't be such a headache but the problem is, they aren't just normal orcs and trolls and maybe there are more of them that they still haven't seen like goblins, ogres and other monsters that might have allied together to deal with them.

Baron Masud could understand why Lord Husani was in a rush to engage against their enemies. He would too if he was in his shoes. No one would want to be an incomplete man like how he was now.

"So... What do we do? We just stay here and wait for them? Wait for them to attack us and leave the initiative to them!?" Baron Husani stood up from his chair and slammed down his clenched fist on the table in front of them, which sent the chalice, bottles and food that was served to them flying.

"Calm down... We have to think this through properly..." Lord Masud tried to calm down Baron Husani, who was staring at him with bloodshot eyes.

"You do what you want and I'll do what I want... I'll take my soldiers with me and hunt down those bastards." Baron Husani finally lost it and snapped towards his fellow Baron as he turned around and headed out of the tent.

"Don't do this, Lord Husani... This will just give our enemies an advantage against us if we split our forces." Baron Masud tried to calm him down, but to no avail as his fellow Lord ignore his words and continued on his way.

Baron Masud gritted his teeth in annoyance as he watched the back of Baron Husani getting further and further away. He brought his hands on his head as he massaged his temples; he was having a terrible headache as he just don't have to think about their foes but also about his now idiotic friend after losing one of his heads.

*****

Inside his makeshift office, Khao'khen's thoughts were disturbed when a member of the Rumbling Clan came in to report of his findings from the watchtower.

"So more than half of our enemies went out of their camp in battle formation?" Khao'khen asked just to make sure of what he just hear to which the warrior who reported to him just nodded his head in reply.

Khao'khen smiled as this was a splendid chance for him to reduce the numbers of their enemies more. He quickly dismissed the warrior in front of him and instructed him to spread the word for them to get ready for another assault.