by Xander Jade
“If I haven’t said it in a while, Max, you’re the fuckin man!!” Sean shouted.
“I’ll concur with that sentiment, Alpha. I’m jealous, actually most of us are. All you have to do is walk by them and the females start fawning over you,” Pete said.
“All right, everyone, settle down. Ladies, you can leer at him after he gets out of this. Guys, the jealousy can wait. Our Alpha is about to put his life on the line for all of us. Now, get your fuckin heads in the game,” Soph growled.
I didn’t know what that shit was about and shook my head as I brought out my copies to play.
‘All right ladies and gentlemen, let’s go.’
We started walking out onto the battlefield, and through my link, I told my weres one more thing before I left.
‘Listen up! No matter what happens, you stay your asses right where they are until we dispose of the wens. Everybody understand?’ Nobody said anything back. ‘I’m not going to fuckin repeat myself.’
Obviously, they didn’t want to follow that command, but relented, saying they understood.
‘Okay guys, let them know we’re here.’
We reared back and roared. You should have seen the faces on the soldiers; it was priceless. Both armies started backing away from each other, not knowing who this new foe was. The humans got into formation and retreated to the town. The wens came out to the front of their battalion and screeched at us. I assumed this was some kind of challenge. They didn’t know what to think about eleven sibas, a fire elemental, a yikarian, and a kodiak walking towards them.
I started out at a trot, then picked up speed, and noticed that my vision went white again. I looked around to find lightning crackling around my bodies, so I made a slight change, and made it so that the others were protected by the lightning too. I concentrated on separating my psyche while running, which wasn’t easy to do. Besides the ten different thoughts about protecting my compadres, one hung there as we came closer to the ugly fuckers. I glanced at the sky, saw it get black, and knew we were about to kick some ass. All of us were sprinting while lightning crackled around us. The wens ran at us to try and intercept.
***
The Army of Races watched Max and his copies walk down to the battlefield after he gave them his last order to stay put. None of them liked that order. Everyone started communicating through their telepathy link.
‘Does anybody else think that last order was bullshit?’ Rachel asked.
‘We all did. But it’s not like we can help at the moment, those wens would tear us apart,’ Sean replied angrily.
‘I know, I just hate sitting here while Alpha is about to go somewhere that we can’t,’ Rachel responded.
‘Rachel, when this is over, come talk to me. I have something to ask you,’ Cass said.
‘Sure thing, Cass.’
‘Something is happening. Is everyone seeing this shit? How the hell is he doing that?’ Pete asked.
Max and his crew were covered in lightning, then the sky rumbled, and thunder rolled through the battlefield. They all looked up to see a pitch-black sky, lightning moving along the clouds, about to explode out.
‘I don’t know, but it looks like a storm is brewing,’ Sean answered.
The two sides were sprinting towards each other like juggernauts, and when they met in the middle of the battlefield, the world felt like it just stopped. The sky parted and at least two dozen bolts of lightning struck the area around where the gauntlets met. Loud explosions shook the earth and knocked everyone over. Dirt and grass exploded all around Max’s crew. It took a few minutes for the dust and debris to clear. When everyone looked upon the clearing, a white dome of fire was crackling with energy and flames flowing through it. Everyone was shocked still. Nobody moved or spoke for a couple more minutes.
‘Max? Max, can you hear me?’ Cass asked.
‘Husband, can you hear us?’ Sasha asked with concern in her voice.
‘Alpha, please answer us!’ Val pleaded, but there was no reply.
‘Reaper? Hercules? Someone fucking answer us!’ Soph growled.
Everyone was tense, eyes glowing, and ready to get into the battle.
‘Cass, what do we do?’ Sean reluctantly asked.
‘We wait until my husband comes out of that fucking cage, and then we kill them all,’ she answered the beta.
It was a few minutes later when the dome flickered, then disappeared. Max and his crew were standing in the middle of twenty big piles of ash. They were covered in white fire, eyes glowing white, and they looked pissed.
***
I looked over at the Army of Races and sighed. ‘Damn, that’s going to leave a mark.’
‘Max! Oh, thank the goddess, you’re okay,’ Cass squealed for joy.
‘There you are my sexy shifter,’ Val said.
‘Is everything okay, Max?’ Soph asked.
I grunted.
The invading army was hesitant, not understanding what happened to the wens. The draugrs and ogres started advancing towards me and my crew. There were goblins and ghouls behind them, but the orcs just stood there. On the other side, the BlackCrest army was stunned to see the creatures who had come to their rescue and couldn’t get it together to advance toward the other army.
‘Everyone, shift and join the fucking party!!’
All of the weres shifted, and I somehow felt their shifts, so I let their Alpha command his pack. My copies and I roared, which set off the army of weres. Howls, roars, and screeches filled the air as they came down to take the army head on. My orcs were right in the mix getting some revenge with every kill.
I should make something known. When you have a few weres in one place, you have an advantage over some. But when you have an army of weres, you can take care of any invading army. That’s what we did. We decimated their entire army, except the orcs, who didn’t lift a blade towards us.
When the last body hit the ground, I let go of my magic and sucked my copies back into me before shifting back to my human avatar. When the process was complete, Sig and Nespea went back into their tattoos. I got dressed and went to find my girls.
“Ladies, are you well?”
“Yes baby, nothing to it,” Soph replied.
“We are well, husband,” Cass responded and the others nodded.
“Cass, will you take the girls to my parent’s house? I’ll meet you there.”
“Wow, we get to meet the parents, ladies. He must be serious about us!” Val purred and the others giggled.
“Ladies, my parents don’t know anything that’s been going on in the last few months. Please, gently explain to them about what’s happened to me, and our relationship. My mom is going to kill me anyway when she finds out that she’s a grandmother and she didn’t even know about it.”
“We will, love. Handle your business and meet us there,” Cass answered.
“Yeah, and don’t take any shit from those asshole knights,” Leena replied. I nodded, kissed them goodbye, then went to find Gurak.
“Gurak, are you well?”
“Yes, my liege. We took some injuries, but nothing fatal,” he answered.
“Good, come with me. Tavoria and Racar as well. We’re going to visit those orcs.”
They bowed. Gurak barked an order, then they followed me to the horde of orcs that were waiting. My peeps had them surrounded so they couldn’t move unless they wanted to die. We came up to the leader and I stopped right in front of him. The orc leader was about 6’5”, broad shouldered and muscular. He carried a shield with a massive axe on his back. I was staring him down. I could tell he didn’t like me right in his face, but I would kill him if he made the wrong move.
I heard some commotion behind me, people yelling, and arguing. Looking over my shoulder, I saw a few knights talking to my people and decided to let my Inner Circle handle them.
I turned to the orc. “What’s your name?”
He didn’t move or blink.
“Do you speak common?”
Still nothin
g, so I turned to Gurak.
“Talk to him in your language to see if he will speak to me.”
Gurak barked something I couldn’t translate. One day I would have to learn that language. They were in a constant dialogue for a few minutes. My soldiers were tense, ready to move in a moment’s notice. The weres hadn’t shifted back yet, which was good for me.
“My liege, he won’t tell me anything, and thinks we’re traitors for obeying your authority. He says they all would rather die than follow you.”
I shook my head, thinking what an idiot. I heard more yelling and arguing behind me, so I turned back to see a score of soldiers belonging to the king arguing with Sean and Rachel.
‘Rachel, what the fuck is their problem?’
‘Alpha, they want you to move so they can kill those orcs. We told them to fuck off and let you do your thing, but the assholes won’t listen.’
‘I’ll be there in a few, just keep them there.’
‘Yes, my Alpha.’
I turned my attention back to the orc leader and Gurak, Tavoria, and Racar standing beside him.
“Gurak, ask him who his second is, and if he doesn’t talk to me, I’ll kill him.”
He nodded and started back in the orcish language, telling numbnuts what I wanted.
“He won’t tell me who his second is, my liege,” Gurak told me.
I nodded and scanned the horde watching their faces, trying to determine if they’d surrender or die. “Gurak, can most of your kin speak common?”
“Yes, we learn that at a young age.”
“Okay, then I know they can understand me.” He nodded but didn’t respond.
I shouted to them, “Who is second in command here?” I waited, but silence was the only answer I got. “If you don’t answer me, someone will die every minute until I get my answers.” Still silence, I guessed the assholes wanted to play show and tell. Thinking of what I wanted to do, I figured a show of power would make them start talking. So, I walked over to the leader and stared at him.
“Last chance, motherfucker.”
He just smiled, awaiting my move. I nodded, then before he could react, I threw a right cross and hit him in the temple. He fell over like a sack of potatoes and face planted onto the hard ground. The other orcs around him were about to move, but my weres growled menacingly, and they stayed put. I pulled the axe off his back, looked straight at the other orcs, and cut their leader’s head off right in front of them. There were shouts of alarm all around me, but I didn’t care.
“Now, who is second? If you don’t tell me, I’m going to pick my next victim.”
They barked at each other, panicking, but still didn’t talk to me. I shook my head, grabbed the next shithead beside me, and slit his throat. Blood gushed out of his wound, and he was dead before he hit the ground.
“I can do this all day long until I get some fuckin answers. Second. NOW!!”
The panicked looks on their faces were priceless, but then one of them spoke.
“He was second,” the orc said as he pointed to the fucker I just killed.
Oops! Oh well!
I nodded and asked, “Who’s in charge now?”
“I am.”
“What clan are you from and are they enslaved?”
He looked at Gurak and nodded. “Yes, my clan name is Chogir.”
“What’s your name?”
“Dul.”
“Okay, I will give your clan the same terms I offered Gurak and the others.”
There were loud shouts of contempt from behind me and I sighed loudly. I guess someone else was about to get laid out.
“Gurak, I’m going to need to take care of those idiots behind me. Explain to this guy what I want and expect. Have them deliberate with each other. Let me know when they come to a decision.”
He bowed to me as I was leaving. I shouted, “Weres, if any of these orcs get out of hand, kill em.”
They howled their understanding. I walked over to where Sean and Rachel were located. I saw a knight bellowing something at them, but my people weren’t backing down.
“What’s the problem, guys?”
“I’ll tell you the problem, asshole. You’re in cahoots with those orc fuckers. You’re in violation of the law and therefore under arrest. Come quietly, or by force, doesn’t matter to me,” the knight snarled.
As calmly as I could I answered, “What is your name, knight?”
“Sir Richard Face, a commander of King William’s army.”
I laughed out loud and asked, “Wait. Wait. Wait. Your name is Dick Face?”
Everyone around us busted out laughing except his entourage.
“Laugh all you want, but you’re still coming with me,” Dick Face commanded.
“Did you hit your head or something? I’m not going anywhere with you, and if you don’t calm down, I’ll knock your ass out like I did that orc over there.”
I walked over and bent down to stare at him. He was about 6’2”, with a pretty boy face, and dark hair.
“Now…look around Dick Face, and notice that you’re surrounded.” I let those words sink in, and he looked around to see his score of men had wolves, lions, jaguars, and orcs staring them down. He gulped loudly and looked back at me with hate in his eyes.
“You know, I would think you would be grateful for us saving your asses, but I see the ‘noble’ coming out of you. Always so quick to judge, never to thank, and don’t understand what’s right in front of them. You think you’re better than everyone not born with noble blood. I never understood that, you bleed just like the rest of us. Where are you stationed at and who sent you here?”
He stood defiantly, not wanting to answer my questions. “Fine. Gordon!” I shouted and looked for him.
He came up to me and smirked like he always did. Dick Face’s jaw dropped, and Gordon bowed deeply.
“My liege, what can I do for you?”
I stared at him with a blank face. Then he started chuckling until he saw Dick Face and he spoke, “Ah, Sir Richard, what are you doing down here?”
“Lord Ackley, we have been looking for you and your men for months. We got word you went missing on a mission. Duke and Lady Ackley have been consumed with grief. There hasn’t been any word of you being found. Where have you been, sir? Have these hoodlums been keeping you captive?”
Gordon looked a bit solemn for a few moments at the idea of the grief he has caused his parents. He took a breath and stared at the knight. “Sir Richard, you have no idea who this individual is, and definitely don’t know when to shut your mouth.”
“I don’t understand, sir,” Dick Face replied.
“You’re right, you don’t understand. This man can kill you and your men with a thought, or have his loyal army peel the skin off your bones. If he asks you a question, you need to answer it,” Gordon answered.
I glared at Gordon after his rant, and he had the gall to shrug.
I groaned and told Dick Face, “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to take your men and setup a perimeter around BlackCrest until I’m done with the orcs behind us. Gordon will give your assignments. Good day gentlemen and ladies.”
I bowed my head and went back to the orcs, my weres in tow. Gurak, Tavoria, and Dul were talking when I came up beside them.
“Dul, have you come to a decision?”
“We have but want to ask some questions first.”
“Okay.”
“Is it true that you’re the leader of your tribe?’
“Yes”
“You have different races in your city? You treat everyone the same?”
“Yes, and yes.”
“You train and give jobs to orcs?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you like that?”
“Hmm…I care not for your skin color or race. We help each other in SafeHaven. What’s our motto, Gurak?”
“SafeHaven is the motto. It means we help those persecuted and in need. We give them a safe place to live.”
“Thank you, Gurak.”
The orc in front of me bowed his head and thanked me. “If you will have us, we will join your tribe.”
I nodded and answered, “Gurak, you told them the consequences if they get out of line or betray us?" He nodded and I continued, “Welcome Dul, how many did you bring with you?”
“Around a hundred fighters.”
“Hmm…okay, do you know anything about the raid on Oakenshore?”
“No sir.”
“Okay, you will follow under the command of Gurak. Tavoria and Racar are his seconds.” He nodded and I turned to my friend. “Gurak, take command of these soldiers, get to know them. If they get out of line, you know what to do. Set up a perimeter. We leave on the morrow.”
“Yes sir!”
He barked some orders and the orcs fell into line. I turned around to see others staring at me.
“What?”
They laughed and shook their heads. “You’re like a magnet, people just flood to your banner,” Frank said.
“What the fuck does that mean?”
Sean replied, “It means you’re a leader they want to follow. A commander that will lead his army, a chief that will guide his people, and a ruler that his people will give their life for.”
I grumbled, “Don’t start with that shit. I’m just me, plain old Max. I don’t know anything about ruling, leading, or commanding.”
They stared at me blankly and Jacob answered, “Max, there isn’t anything plain about you. You may think these things about yourself, but we see your true self. Those qualities Sean described are yours down to a crossed t and a dotted i. You may have started out just wanting to save us and help in the beginning. You took us in, not knowing who we were, and in fact, didn’t care what we were. Something changed in you; we all saw it. All that was needed was a spark to ignite, and since then, a torch has been lit, and it shines bright. There would be no SafeHaven without you. I for one am happy to know and serve you.” I nodded and smiled at him.
“He’s right my liege, the quicker you accept your destiny, the better,” Gordon spoke out. I didn’t realize he was near, I guess he finished giving the knights their orders.