Night raid

Rogort, former head of the Hutu hireaxe band, along with his other imprisoned companions, watched in confusion and disbelief inside their cage as the camp surrounding them slowly descend into chaos.

Apparently, they number in the 50s and were all former hireaxes who got captured and imprisoned by the Traku who managed to defeat them and their previous employers during a brief battle in the past.

Yes, employers, in other words, they are an orcs version of human mercenaries, since they live in a tribal and slightly primitive society, they were paid in raw metals and other various types of items that may be of such value to the said hireaxes by their employers.

And right now, they could only watch as some of the huts and tents were caught in fire due to the ongoing chaos, screams and the clashing of blades could now be heard everywhere as the Trakus were desperately trying to fight off the shadowy figures who managed to sneak in their camp and caused as much chaos as they could.

Horses neighed and galloped towards a random direction as they were cut loose by assailants in their own crudely made stables, some Trakus were even stomped to death as they collided with the strong and fast horses who were too panicked in the chaos to even calm down.

Traku warriors ran about as the female and cubs wailed during the ongoing chaos.

One orc in particular, dressed in only a loincloth and was covered in so much dirt and grime that one could barely see him approach the cage under the cover of the darkness in the nightsky above.

It was only when he was a few meters away from the cage did a nearby Traku guard spot him whose task was only to keep watch the prisoners while their camp was engulfed in chaos.

"You!" the Traku warrior yelled in confusion as he raised his spear up and pointed it towards the unknown and strange orc.

But he was too slow, the strange orc had quickly closed the distance between them by now only a meter, sword in hand, he directly plunged it unto the guard's chest before it could even thrust at him.

The prisoners within the cage by now has watched as the strange orc pulled his sword out from the body before facing his gaze towards their direction, revealing the scarred features of Reku himself.

Immediately, Rogort and his fellow prisoners gripped the bars of their cage as they shouted out towards the strange orc in front of them.

"You! you're the one who caused all of this, right?" Rogort asked with a loud voice.

Upon hearing this, Reku smiled before resting his sword on his shoulder.

"Of course, now what are you going to do about it?" Reku responded, a smug smile on his face.

Rogort held his breath for a second as he stared down Reku before moving his gaze at the chaotic camp then moving it back towards Reku once more.

"I can sense there are only a handful of you causing this much chaos in this camp, the way I feel it, we also have a role in this camp's destruction, right?" Rogort retorted while smiling back at Reku.

'Ho?' Reku thought as he stared at Rogort.

Not bad, it seems this orc in front of him is a perceptive and cunning one.

After an entire minute of silence, Reku finally decided to speak.

"What's your name?" Reku asked.

Rogort immediately placed his thumb on his chest before answering Reku's question in a slightly dramatic fashion.

"Rogort, former leader of the Hutu hireaxe band, surely you've heard of me?" Rogort responded with a bit of enthusiasm.

But what Reku said next had immediately broken his now prideful facade.

"Never heard of you, to think you ended up as a prisoner of a small petty clan like the Traku gave me a negative impression of you." Reku responded, a stoic expression on his face.

It appears Reku seems to enjoy tormenting the caged orc in front of him despite the possible fact that this wise orc in front of him was locked up through unconventional means.

"Nevertheless," Reku continued, "You do have a role to play in this camp's destruction."

Rogort eyes immediately brighten up in relief and joy as he heard Reku's words.

'Finally, freedom is finally here! after a long time of being locked up in here, I can finally-'

But his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Reku's words.

"Though I have a condition." Reku said, raising one of his fingers and waving it in front of Rogort's face.

"Swear your allegiance to me, Reku, as your chieftain and serve me faithfully for the rest of your lives." Reku said, stretching his arms wide in a prideful fashion.

There was silence... there were no sounds except the sounds of screaming and the crackling of fire in the distance.

Rogort was scratching his chin in deep thoughts while his fellow prisoners watch, seemingly waiting for him to make the decision that would eventually change their fate.

After a few minutes of silence, Rogort finally spoke.

"I agree" Rogort said before kneeling in front of Reku, he was then followed by his fellow prisoners as they also knelt behind Rogort.

"I Rogort, alongside with my fellow warriors, pledge our allegiance to you Reku, may we serve him faithfully in perpetuity." Rogort stated with a stoic expression before standing up and facing Reku.

Reku watched the scene in front of him with a smile on his face.

'It seems he really is desperate to get out of this cage, nevertheless I would be happy to let them out if it means for them serving me for the rest of their lives.' Reku thought as he stared at Rogort who was now impatiently waiting for Reku to free them.

Since Hireaxes have been used to already of being bought and ordered by their various employers, Rogort didn't think much about being under someone's command forever and accepted Reku's condition without much thought.

Though he could betray Reku later on, that thought never even crossed his mind since orcs are also known for being proud and the one to take oaths and allegiance too seriously.

Just as Reku was about to approach the door lock of the cage, a spear suddenly flew towards him, passing through the gap of the cage and eventually found itself lodged on one of the prisoner's chest.

"Wha..?!" they all quickly gasped at the same time as they witnessed the spear struck prisoner fall on the ground below, a pool of blood starting to form below him.

Reku quickly turned his gaze towards the direction where the spear flew from and saw a group of 80 Traku warriors forming up.

"They're trying to escape!" A Traku warrior voiced out as he pointed his axe towards Reku's direction.

The Traku warriors, rage and fury imbedded on their hearts, immediately began to make their way towards the cage, waving their weapons and shouting their battle cries as they slowly began to charge at Reku.

In their eyes, it was no doubt the strange dark orc near the cage is the cause of all of this, and should and must be eliminated at all cost to prevent an attack like this from happening ever again in the future.

Rogort immediately gripped the bars of the cage as he banged his head repeatedly on it while shouting out at Reku.

"Quick! Let us out!" Rogort yelled, his fellow prisoners doing the same as they nervously glanced at the approaching Trakus.

Reku wasted no time and immediately sliced the bronze reinforced lock on the cage's door with such strength and speed, slightly surprising the other prisoners except Rogort who thought this kind of thing should be possible due to Reku's current body and size.

As the door was flung open, the 49 prisoners inside immediately poured out from the cage, grabbing any weapon they could find outside to face the incoming Trakus.

Rogort in particular has outfitted himself with the gear of the now deceased Traku guard who lie dead on the ground below.

He, alongside with the rest of the prisoners, only armed with what few sticks and sharp rocks they could gather, formed up to face the incoming Traku charge.

Reku was even slightly surprised at the fact that not a single orc was fleeing the scene, though he could see a few nervous faces here and there, it was already enough for them to receive Reku's respect.

Such courage and determination in the face of overwhelming enemies is a rarity in itself, considering the fact that they are only hireaxes, only paid to fight by their employers.

'It seems their hatred towards the Trakus also runs deep.' Reku thought as he braced himself to collide against the charging Trakus.

And just like that, 50 barely armed group of orcs found themselves facing a charging band of armed Traku warriors, little did the Trakus know they are all in for a big surprise.

(Note: it should be 51 orcs, but since one of them died by the spear attack, they were reduced to only 50 orcs, Reku included.)

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CHAPTER DONE!!