by Rosie Scott
“With caveats, but yes,” I said. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Look at how emotionless they are about death.” I glanced back to where Rek was eating. The eyeless orc's corpse was being hacked up by the rest of his kin who only sought to eat now that Rek had the first bite. “These orcs will rush into battle with little regard to their safety. They will cause fear and panic. They will do significant damage to the armies they say are already waiting for us. There are only a few thousand here, Cy. If we give them what they want—battle—they are likely to be happy and continue following my rules. We will keep their army separate from ours and guard the space between to ensure our soldiers aren't at risk. Rek already freed their slaves to abide by my order. A non-orc may have stopped to think about it and argued with me about my reasons or about the merits they find in slavery. But no—Rek freed dozens of slaves simply because I told him to. There are thousands of orcs here who could help us win this war and will throw themselves willingly into immense danger if I point a finger. This is what they live for. This is what they want. If I can have orcs fighting for me against Chairel and keep my people safe all at once, you'd bet your ass I want to do it.”
Cyrus nodded and glanced at Cerin. “What are your reservations?”
Cerin sighed. “Too many to list, but Kai already knows them.”
Azazel walked up to me. “Kai, before you accept their offer, lay down some ground rules. If you fear that the orcs may commit war crimes in your service, tell them what is and is not allowed. If they worship you and will follow your orders, they may listen.”
I nodded and turned my attention to Cerin. “If you think I'm making the wrong decision, now's the time to say it.”
Cerin exhaled roughly and shook his head. “I understand why you're doing it. We need numbers. I just spent too many years fighting orcs to be happy about being around them. Our main concern should be keeping them out of the cities and our armies, Kai.”
I finally turned back to Rek. “Rek, come speak with me.”
The god immediately dropped the rest of the arm he'd been eating, and the limb landed in a puddle of blood. Rek walked over to face me. He'd been so messy with his feasting that his dark chest hair was matted with blood that drained from his face. “We go now?” he questioned.
“I can take the orcs to a battle the likes none of them have ever seen,” I began, and Rek grinned with the anticipation of it. “But I will only do so if you follow every rule I have for you. The moment an orc falls out of line—”
“I will kill them,” Rek offered.
“You can do that, Rek, but they need to follow my rules regardless. If one disobeys, I will put the blame on all of you. I will not accept any orc as part of my army if one of them misbehaves.”
Rek nodded in understanding. “Your rules?”
“No harm is to be done to my soldiers. The orcs will not pick fights, or loot, or rape. When we get to Comercio, you will follow my orders on the battlefield and stay out of the city. I will use the orcs on the field. When we take Comercio, the orcs may camp outside of it. The people and architecture within will be safe from destruction and crime.”
“They will belong to you,” Rek said. “We will not hurt them.”
I hesitated. Forming my words carefully, I said, “Each of the soldiers in this army belongs to me, Rek. Not one of them will be harmed.”
“No rape. No loot. No harm,” Rek said, his golden eyes scanning over the army behind me. “I understand those things. I don't understand the no fighting. You take us to war.”
“No fighting with my men,” I clarified. “You are joining my war against Chairel. When we get to Comercio, those human armies you said are waiting for me will be your enemies. And when we get there, you will listen to my orders on the field when it comes to who you fight and where. We are more likely to win our battles if we work together.”
“We will follow your orders,” Rek agreed. “You have given many orders in war and have had many victories.” He lifted a fist to his chest again and hit himself once. “We share in those victories.”
*
Under the never-ending shadow of the Cel Forest canopy, our massive army set up tents and sleeping bags for the night. I leaned against the smooth pearl-white trunk of a tree that acted as a border between my army and the orcish army, watching them go about their business. One orc had somehow gotten ahold of a rabbit to eat, and he held it roughly by its crushed skull. Another had the remains of the mangled body of the eyeless orc from earlier, and beside it, he tried to build a campfire out of flint and steel. Rek chewed on the flesh of one of the corpse's amputated fingers before he spit the tiny bones out to the forest floor.
“Rek,” I called. When the god turned, I motioned for him to come to me. As soon as he neared, I said, “I don't wish for the orcs to hunt while we're in the forest. We promised the Celds we would respect their rituals.”
“The Celds are weak,” Rek replied.
“Many Celds are my allies,” I said. “Do you think I would ally with the weak?” Rek immediately turned to walk back to his army, seemingly convinced by my logic. As he left, I called out, “No campfires, Rek. We risk a brushfire.”
I wasn't sure the other god heard me since he gave no response. Rek walked straight up to the orc who held the crushed rabbit, whipping a closed fist across the man's face so abruptly that many of the orcs nearby quieted and stared.
“No hunting!” Rek growled. The orc he'd hit tried to recover, sitting back up with a newly broken jawbone. The right side of the mandible had come unhinged, and the greenish skin of his face darkened with bruising. He stared back at Rek, intimidated and confused. He tossed the dead rabbit to the forest floor.
Rek moved on to the orc making the campfire. “No fire,” he commanded, pointing at the orc corpse. “Eat meat raw.”
I pushed myself off of the tree and walked straight to the orc with the broken mandible. As he watched me approach, he lowered his head in submission to me. I sat down on the ground beside him.
“You punish,” the orc said with reluctant acceptance. He grimaced in pain as he spoke.
“No,” I replied. “I heal. Lift your face.”
The orc frowned in confusion, but he did as I asked. I put a hand to his forehead, casting dull senses. He seemed surprised at its effect but said nothing as I focused on his injury, finding the exact location of the break and lining the pieces of bone back together.
“You're lucky,” I commented. “It was a clean break. It didn't shatter.”
The orc didn't reply. Perhaps he didn't understand. He stayed still and quiet as I slowly healed him. When I was finished, I said, “You will be bruised for a few days, but I healed you.”
The orc reached up, pressing his fingers into the swollen flesh. He looked at me with hope in his eyes and proclaimed, “Now we breed.”
I lifted an eyebrow and chuckled. “You and me?”
“Yes. Our babies will be strong.” He lifted an arm and flexed his muscles to prove his strength and then motioned to me. “Many magics.”
I thought about telling the orc that I was in a relationship before I decided that either wouldn't make sense or matter to him. “I have god blood running through my veins. I cannot breed.”
The orc wasn't fazed. “We try anyway.”
I laughed and stood up, motioning to the dead rabbit with a boot. “Don't let this meat go to waste.”
“No hunting,” he said.
“No more hunting,” I clarified. “This animal is already dead. Respect the life you took.”
The orc didn't seem to follow my reasoning, but he followed my order. With a guarded glance in Rek's direction, he took the rabbit back off the ground and ate it raw.
I slowly made my way back to my army. Cerin, Azazel, and Nyx had watched my exchange with the orcs for vastly different reasons. While Cerin and Azazel were guarded and concerned, Nyx seemed to find all of this hilarious. I also didn't miss the way she eyed the male orcs like she was coming up with all
sorts of naughty ideas.
I stopped walking when Rek came up to stand beside me. “Many of my kin wish to breed with you,” he informed me, motioning back to where many orcs eyed me with anticipation. “You are free to any and all of them.”
“What is the meaning of breeding in your tribe, Rek?” I questioned. “There are both males and females who wish to breed with me. It can't simply be to create kin.”
“They wish to make kin,” Rek said, “but being chosen as a mate by a leader gives them recognition. Each orc who breeds with you earns respect. It is an honor to submit to you.”
“Breeding with you also earns them respect?” I questioned. “They must know you are a god even if they don't worship you.”
Rek shrugged. “They don't care that I am a god. They know. But they don't care. They worship you.”
“You are the leader of this tribe?”
“No. I am an elder. I don't wish to be leader. I want to live forever as the last orc god.” It wasn't the first time he'd said that, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.
“How many orc gods were there?” I questioned.
“Many,” Rek replied. “Most before my time. The same as all the other gods.”
“Why are all of them dead except you?”
“We kill each other,” Rek said. “Fight for dominance. I killed and ate Bardarik to become a man. One day, Ravage found my tribe and sparked war. She ate through many of my kin before she got to me.”
“Ravage was also a cannibal?” I asked, trying to understand.
“Most orcs eat orc,” Rek replied, motioning back to where his kin ate the dead orc raw. “Meat is meat. Blood gives strength. But Ravage was the first to gain life from eating. I descended from Bardarik and Ravage. I get ax skill from Bardarik and regeneration from Ravage.”
I nodded. “Did you kill her?”
“Yes. Ravage ate most of my arm.” Rek lifted his right arm, which was currently unblemished. “I snapped her spine. She watched as I ate her legs. By the time I ate the rest of her, some had regenerated so I ate more. I had a feast that night. I sucked the marrow out of some of her bones and used the others to craft.” Rek slid a finger up the handle of his right ax, calling attention to the bone in its center, surrounded by steel. He gave me a look of pride and said, “That was when I became the last orc god.”
“Do you have to tell your body to regenerate? Or does it happen on its own?” I inquired. It was something I'd always wanted to ask a god with such powers, but I'd always been their enemy and hadn't been able to.
“As long as I feed, I heal,” Rek replied. “I don't care for magic. I know none.”
I motioned to the orc I'd healed earlier. He already finished with the rabbit, and he must have eaten it whole since there was nothing left but strands of hair on his bloody lips. “If you feast on animals, does it give you the same power?”
“Meat is meat,” Rek repeated in affirmation. “Men like to think they are different from animals. They fool themselves. The only thing that separates animal from man is language. Animals talk just like men, but in their own language. If a pig talks, I can't understand it. If a man talks, I can. If both meats are roasting over a fire, I can't tell the difference.”
I was surprised by Rek's line of thinking. Civilized society on Arrayis had moved past cannibalism and often denounced it, but the only arguments I'd ever heard against it were based in emotion, not intelligence. I remembered fighting the Blades of Meir years ago in Nahara; the visceral disgust I'd felt over their cannibalism had been born out of pure emotional reaction. The meat of people was just as nutritious as that of an animal, but people decided to bury one body and rip apart another. It was a moral complexity that didn't quite make sense, and thus, Rek's reasoning seemed like the most intelligent thing he'd said so far. Ideally, people would make decisions by a combination of their reasoning and emotion. The orcs didn't seem like the smartest race on Arrayis, but their emotionless nature led them to unwittingly make decisions that were backed up by sharp logic.
“Our cultures are very different, Rek,” I told the other god, “but I can't help but respect you. You have done well in relaying my orders to the orcs. I hope you'll continue to be the line of communication between us so we can succeed together. This will be unprecedented, you know. I have studied wars and generals all my life, and not once have the orcs allied in battle.”
Rek held a fist over his heart. “I would be honored to breed.”
I hesitated and laughed softly, trying to figure out where I'd confused him with my wording. I realized my praises had been taken the wrong way. “No—in my culture, we don't choose mates like this. I praise you as a leader and warrior, not a mate. Though I have a friend who may spend time in your camp.”
After overhearing, Nyx made her way over to us. She circled her finger around at the orc army and said to Rek, “I'll be your entertainment for the night.” She moved her gaze to me and added, “Lots of Alderi agree with me, Kai. These orcs exude muscle and skill and danger and it's enticing as hell. There'll be a whole new race of half-breeds before you know it.”
Rek tilted his head at the offer and stared at me. “You allow us to breed with your soldiers?”
“As long as it's consensual,” I replied. “And I hope the orcs consider it an honor.”
Rek appeared contemplative. As Nyx went back to our army to gather interested Alderi for her offer, the god stayed beside me. “You respect me, Kai Sera. I respect you.” Rek's statement surprised me, for he recalled the same words he had misunderstood earlier. “For many generations, we worshiped Malgor. But we could not find him. We didn't know he went south to the sands. I did not like worshiping Malgor. Ahebban fought and killed many gods. Malgor killed many gods also, but then he hid and pretended to be human. He was the god of war, but he started no wars. I thought he was weak. But you start the greatest war, and now you lead us unlike any god we ever worship before. You treat orc like kin. Our cultures are different, but we are alike.”
“I appreciate your words, but you don't have to worship me, Rek. Respect me as a leader and warrior, but I don't ask for your allegiance in worship.”
Rek frowned. “But you are our god. We worship you whether you ask for it or not.”
I exhaled slowly, realizing this was a battle of words I couldn't win. I finally changed the subject. “You came from the mountains, Rek?”
“Yes.”
“Did you ever hear of an orc named Anto Erikur?”
“No,” Rek replied. “He was a warrior?”
“Yes. The best I've ever seen. One who deserves the utmost respect and honor from his kin. I consider Anto my kin, Rek. We looked nothing alike, but I would have given my life to protect him. You know I lead the Seran Renegades. Each one of them receives my highest praise and honors. Anto was a Renegade.”
Rek looked through my camp from our distance. “Where is Anto now?”
“Anto died defending me and the other Renegades in battle,” I replied.
Rek tilted his head forward in commemoration. “The best warrior had the best death,” he said. “It is an honor to die in battle. It is better to die at the peak of your strength than to live forever and become weak.”
“Are orcs ever remembered for their deeds?” I asked him.
“Yes,” Rek replied. “Deeds in battle. Deeds as leader.”
“I would like the orcs to remember Anto, Rek,” I said. “I have already spread his legend in the history books of men. But I know orcs aren't ones for reading.”
“You treat orc like kin,” Rek repeated. “Anto was the best warrior. He was a Seran Renegade. He died in battle beside our god. Now that I know this, it is my duty to spread his legend. It will give young orcs strength to aspire to.”
I was silent for a moment as I marveled at my situation. Never before today had I considered I could come to a mutual understanding with an orc. It gave me hope that one day our separate cultures could merge and evolve for the better and never had I had a reason to
wish for that before.
Nyx and the other Alderi walked through the clearing then, passing from our army to the orcs. There were male and female Alderi who looked revved up to try something new.
“That is Nyx,” I told Rek, pointing to her as she passed. She gave the god a flirtatious wave. “Nyx is a Seran Renegade. She has my highest honor.”
New excitement flashed through the god's eyes, and he dipped his head forward in respect. “Now we breed?”
Just before I headed back to camp, I confirmed, “Now you breed.”
Fifteen
Just a day before my thirty-fifth birthday, we exited the Cel Forest and emerged onto Chairel's great central grassland. The Cel Mountains waved their greetings from the north to the right of us. Glimmering snow topped the gray pyramids of rock, cruelly teasing us with thoughts of being cool even though we baked in the blistering heat. We weren't out of the Cel Forest's shadow and wouldn't be for a while, yet it was still wretched hot. I had forgotten just how awful Chairel's High Stars could get, for Nahara had been worse, and none of the lands we'd visited since had come close to this heat.
East Caravaneer Road stretched to the west from the Cel Forest's marked path, exchanging illusion-lit trees for a wide, dirt road that would lead us straight to Comercio. Weeds sprouted through the dirt in various places, proving that the road hadn't been tended to in a while. Even though the flatter land allowed us to see for quite a distance, no traders or travelers or civilians were utilizing the road. In times of normalcy that would have been unheard of. Caravaneer Road was the busiest avenue in the world, which was why my friends and I avoided using it during our flight from Sera. But these weren't times of normalcy; they were times of war, and the eerie silence only helped to build the anticipation in my chest.
Nearly a full moon of travel lay ahead before we reached the city which was a bit of a relief. Traveling in such heat would be miserable, but our conquest of the capital would likely be in mid to late-Red Moon, when the weather was cooler and windy. Red Moon was always the best season for battlemages, but I had to remember that we would fight with mages. Every benefit the weather gave to us would also be theirs. Not since fighting the Icilic in Eteri had we faced foes with such magical power.