Noah had about ten seconds to make a move before he lost his freedom. He looked around, judging his chances. He could see five other orcs, all equipped like his captor. Even if he did have superior stats to them, he had learned firsthand how easy it could be to take down a stronger opponent. He looked at his fellow captives, to his horror it wasn’t just men they had taken. One look at the children sealed the deal. If he acted now and failed, it would put them at risk. He had to wait until he was certain he could get them all. He allowed the female orc to bind his wrists which were connected to each of the other prisoners and take his pack. He stumbled as soon she let go of him. They have to think I’m weak. He glanced at the others. They were thin and dirty, many of them in the rags that remained from their Earthen clothes. They didn’t look like they would be able to muster much of a fight.
“Where are they taking us?” I asked the man bound to my left once the orc had walked away. He shook his head but kept his eyes on the ground. By the time he heard the crack, it was too late.
“Agh!” Noah yelped in surprise more than pain. A different orc male, strutted up to him, glaring menacingly into his eyes.
“No talking!” He yelled, spit spraying into Noah’s face. He nodded. Weak. It was an interesting thought for the situation he found himself in and yet he couldn’t help it. He had been wrestling monsters with no more than a fang, making this orc’s attempt at intimidation feel pitiful. If it wasn’t for his ankle he would make his move now. When he considered their strength, he had done so with rankings in mind, but now he realized how silly that was. He doubted these orcs were even irons. He paused as he remembered his encounter with the elf, Balkendar. He had been ready to kill or take his companions without a second thought, but immediately begged forgiveness when Noah showed up. Would the same thing work here? Maybe. If things got out of hand he would test that out, but until then he would buy his time and heal.
A rope was attached to their bindings and they were instructed to drag the beasts behind them. If not for his foot he could have shouldered a majority of the load, but as it was, he struggled to keep up. At first, the orcs had jeered at him, calling him a cripple and laughing raucously. Then he began falling behind, tripping and being dragged. They tried to motivate him to pick up the pace but it soon became clear that he was simply unable to keep up with his injury. Internally, Noah watched as his tormentors gathered to discuss how to best deal with him.
“You want me to heal that pig?” One of the female orcs screeched, throwing her hands into the air. The other one made placating gestures.
“We have a quota and if we don’t get back before the end of tomorrow we are both dead.” The more diplomatic one explained. The healer grunted and began to walk toward Noah.
“On the ground, swine!” She yelled, her voice rough and congested. He hurriedly complied, stretching his legs in front of him. She grabbed ahold of his ankle and he winced at her rough treatment. Her eyebrows raised a bit as she inspected it.
“How did you manage to stay conscious with such a splintered bone?” She asked, a tinge of respect entering her voice. He didn’t answer as she didn’t seem to be looking for one. Soon a familiar warmth pulsed into his foot followed by an excruciating pain that he attributed to the aforementioned splinters. She didn’t sing like Julie, something he was most grateful for. Instead, she just seemed to focus on his ankle. He could feel the bits and pieces of his foot being put back together, and the pain slowly faded away. The healer finished, looking a bit worn out by the experience, and rejoined the others. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
“Move!” The annoying male orc yelled. Together they started forward, everyone finding it remarkably easier to pull their burden than before. Noah was elated. He was pretty sure that he could get free at any time, and even save the others. The only thing that kept him from doing so were the words he had overheard. Wherever they were headed would have more of his people, and he intended to save them all.
The march continued through the night, and the orcs seemed to be able to navigate without any issues. His fellow captives, however, were struggling. When a small woman in front of him fell, he picked up the slack, then again, and again. The orcs were in a hurry and responded quickly when someone started to lag, so Noah did his best to keep that from happening. The night eventually turned to day, and his legs were burning with the increased effort. Far in the distance, he saw smoke rising into the sky in uniform ribbons. We’re close. The slavers seemed eager to return and began barking at the humans to increase the pace. Someone in front of him started crying, and his heart wrenched in indecision. This would be the last chance to save this small group before potentially losing the opportunity. If there’s a chance to save them all, I have to take it. He reminded himself, deciding to settle for carrying a bit more of the load.
It was several hours later when they arrived at an astonishing sight. In front of him stood a real village on flat, level ground. There were over a dozen buildings that he could see, with a large opening leading deeper into the mountain. It looked as if a large chunk of the mountain had been chiseled away to accommodate the construction. A sheer wall at the far side of the town while the slope continued on either side. There were no walls around the settlement, but each building was made of a sturdy, dark-colored brick. They were brought into the center of town, where they deposited the animal carcasses. A large male orc, covered in studded armor and wearing a massive hammer, stood watch over their proceedings. As Noah looked at him he got a different sense than the others. While they were sinister and rough, they also felt weak or insubstantial to him. When he looked at this orc though, it was as if he was more real than the others. Iron. He realized. This was the first time he had seen another person of a higher caste, and it was clear that this orc would be his primary obstacle. There was even a chance that he was one of the orcs on the rankings. Any giant can be brought down.
He seemed to escape notice from their spectator and was ushered to a walled-in corner of the village that butted up against the mountain. They were pushed unceremoniously into the holding area and chunks of stone were moved to cover the entrance. He gasped as he took in the conditions of the people. There were maybe twenty people in total if he counted the seven others he had traveled with. They had the hollow eyes of hopelessness and he wondered just how long they had been there. He walked across the area to an older man who was sitting against the wall, hoping to chat with him. The man briefly met his eyes and shook his head ever so slightly. Enforced silence? Here? Noah walked a bit away and sat down against the wall. Within seconds he was fast asleep.
He woke to someone shaking his shoulder, and he could make out the face of the man he had approached earlier. The man leaned in close and whispered into his ear.
“They don’t like us talking, and they hassle everyone if they see us communicating with each other.” He explained. “The name’s Bob, kid” Noah nodded at him, giving him a smile.
“What are they doing with us here?” He whispered back.
“Thankfully, little so far,” he said, “The first thing they did was get everyone to level 10 though. Then they forced us to select non-combatant, explaining that they would know if we didn’t. Now they just have us spend our days making trinkets and sewing.” Bob paused.
“While they haven’t done anything particularly bad, some of the others are starting to break. A few of us have been here for a couple weeks and its having its toll.” Noah listened, taking it all in. He would break them out as soon as he saw an opportunity.
“Bob–” Noah was interrupted by the sound of a loud horn ringing through the night. Bob’s eyes went wide.
“That’s not good.”