As Tarsas the larger of the two moons shone in the distance, an aurora of green light around the darkness of the new moon. movement was seen in the distance as the militia was called, Derreck and his men raised the newly made gate and walked across the parking lot to see a horde of orcs larger than any of them had ever seen before but Derreck knew exactly what it was, he feared it as a worst case scenario but prepared for it all the same. The mighty Tarrack Nor, orc of orcs, the great warlord of the orc lands was here, he had not been seen in a hundred years by outsiders but the old man must still be alive Derreck thought as he and his small party made up of Lady Ameila, Captain Clyde and a group of handpicked knights made their way into the mass of orcs shouting insults at them. lady Amelia at his side seemed noticeably fearful and started to cling to Derreck until she realized it and straightened showing the resolve of a royale knight while Clyde gripped his sword ready for anything as orcs threw sticks and rocks at him to provoke an attack. Finally they came to an opening in the mass of orcs where a large throne of wood and stone was being carried by 12 orcs and on top was Tarrack Nor himself, he was an old fat wrinkled carcass of an orc but with eyes that could cut through steel, the throne came crashing down with a thud and the old orc rose to step down off it, guttural shouts of praise in the orc tongue rang out as he passed by until he finally came up to Derreck and his party and said in human words with his big growling voice,

  “I hear you speak my tongue this good but I will have no misunderstanding between us, you with the dark hair, you killed a warlord of my kind as I hear, my people say you killed him good with only a knife. This I do not believe but he is dead and you are here maybe there is some truth to it. No matter, all that is true is now there is a warlord lost to my horde, and lands of my people left undefended all by your hand, so in retribution blood must be paid. But I but like the smell of this place. war here would be, different. You fight with fire and traps, and target my champions first, this is not how orcs fight. But also your eyes are fierce and you smell deep of orc blood, no doubt you would kill many more before you finally fall, but still a blood price must be paid or my seat may be questioned.”

  He called for a mighty orc, who came up from the crowd hollering like a mad man as he drew up a mighty war club and swung it inches from Derreck’s head. Derreck didn’t pay any attention to the weapon his eyes were fixed on Tarrack Nor as he waited for him to speak.

  “Now you choose your champion and we will settle this like orcs in a test of strength, choose well for it may cost you your life.”

  Derreck smiled as he pulled out a large hunting knife from his belt and told his party to back up. The orcs roared at the insult of thinking that would be all he needed to kill their champion. But old Tarrack Nor simply eyed Derreck up and down as he played the same game Derreck was, assessing all he could from this tiny human as he held back a grin.

  “You insult our honor as warriors choose again or die as you stand.” The orc champion roared as the crowd roared back for what they thought was an added effect of fear but Derreck remained calm as he removed his makeshift armor as was the custom in a champion’s duel.

  Derreck still smiling responded only looking at Tarrack Nor. “I like my choice it’s already killed one champion why not more.”

  The crowd of orcs grew silent as Tarrack Nor studied Derreck’s eyes looking for a bluff behind his boast. Then a booming laugh erupted from Tarrack Nor as he came forward to pat Derreck on the back and said.

  “You are bold warrior, orc bold I will say, to stand against a horde as fierce as mine, and my champion, by the gods even against me with only a knife you must have balls of solid rock. You will make a fine warlord.”

  The crowd of orcs and Derreck’s party all seemed stunned at this but Tarrack Nor explained.

  “True a warlord is dead and a price of blood must be paid but how many of my kind would fall to such a savage creature as you before I finally taste my vengeance. I will lose much even if I win, I can tell as much from the words of my people that warn me you are not a man of boasts but of action, I also hear from my people that you chased away the noble’s son not even leaving him armor or horse after your raid which is good now these pink bellies will trouble you no more and leave this place for you, this is also good for the horde who will hunt free in these lands again without the armored pink bellies that kill our children while we are on the hunt.”

  The realization stunned lady Ameila that’s why they attacked without warning they thought she was going to kill their children while they were away on the hunt, that is the great evils Rupert Vargas did in his lands that Captain Clyde had mentioned, it was appalling she thought.

  Derreck added. “I find no quarrel with the horde hunting these lands as long as meat is shared among my tribe as well.”

  Some orcs roared and grunted now but Tarrack Nor calmed them with a wave and said.

  “I am normally the one to speak of tribute what am I to be paid by my warlord for I rule over all the steppes before the great desert to the north.”

  Derreck thought for a moment then said. “But my noble Tarrack Nor your tribute is plain to see have you not become part of my clan as well, with fair and equal rights, to trade your goods freely in these lands, to share in our harvest and be able to settle any lands your people are willing to work for the greater good of our horde.”

  It was an unthinkable tribute to be paid by any pink belly to the horde, Derreck knew well that the orcs had been a scattered group since the before the golden age when the human church decreed that Capitos the god of judgement said that they were lesser creatures that were no better than dogs. This was a plot designed to steal orc lands in the fertile south in a kind of manifest destiny doctrine as new human kingdoms rose up from the wars of the dark ages. Since then orcs had wandered the north lands with no real home of their own and kept being forced out by ever encroaching waves of new human invaders. To have a land to call their own, fair and equal rights to live and trade., to build homes of stone instead of tents of hide, plant roots like the mighty tress of the forest so their people could blossom without the threat of war, It was more than even Tarrack Nor had dreamed of in his life but if this pink belly spoke true it was a grand bargain indeed for a share of the hunt. Tarrack Nor pulled a knife from his belt and cut a deep gash in his palm. Derreck did the same with his blade and then the two interlaced fingers and gripped each other’s hand tight as their blood mixed together and dropped to ground in their new shared land as Tarrack Nor said

  “blood of my blood, sword of my sword we are kin now.”

  When the ritual was over the orcs took to celebrating holding a grand feast in the parking lot. The night air was thick with the pungent aroma of roasting meat and the sharp tang of orcish mead. Flames flickered across the parking lot, casting long, erratic shadows that danced between the hulking figures of orcs and the humans who cautiously mingled with them.

  Derreck stood at the center of the gathering, he didn’t really have a plan when he walked across the parking lot, Tarrack Nor never appeared in his novel, there were only rumors of his presence and tales of his cunning which meant there was no way of knowing how he would react to a bid for peace but Derreck also took it as he could be reasoned with to at least minimize the bloodshed, but in the end he never dreamed Tarrack Nor would have his own plan to end the conflict. Maybe he was more cunning than even Derreck took him for.

  Derreck was now feeling the weight of his new title—Warlord of the North—settling on his shoulders, he was now one of Tarrack Nor’s four great warlords, one to each direction that he used to rule over his vast territory. Derreck hadn't sought power in this world , in fact he openly avoided it partially because he didn’t know if keep anyone else alive through all this and also because Darien Kane never had any official titles or an army to command instead he dove head first into the action when a cause seemed worthy while the troops fell in line behind him, but now he was a warlord, a king of a legendary fortress, even a noble lord in the eyes of the kings of Varinja. It seems like the gods had other plans for him past what was in his novel, and all of it felt like was a reluctant burden too say the least.

  Tarrack Nor, the towering orc warlord, approached with a sloshing goblet of the mead. His eyes, still sharp despite his years, glimmered with amusement and respect. "Drink, my new warlord," he grunted in his now sloshing human tongue. "This night is ours. Blood of my blood. Our victories are one, and our bonds the same."

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  Derreck hesitated, glancing at Lady Amelia and Captain Clyde. Amelia’s face was slowly reddening with the aid of the strong orc mead. Clyde’s hand remained close to the hilt of his sword even as he drank, though he kept a more stoic demeanor than Ameila.

  "He's right," Clyde muttered, stepping closer to Derreck. "You’ve got to show strength tonight, especially in front of the other warlords. A toast now means they'll fight with us tomorrow."

  Derreck gave a reluctant nod and took the goblet from Tarrack Nor’s massive hand. Before his incident with the Redds apple ale when he figured fuck it he was going to die anyway He hadn’t touched a drop since right after his ex left and he didn’t know if he wanted that habit again, it was a bad time for him after she was gone as he went down a downward spiral of drugs and alcohol which almost killed him, he took a second to remember the morning he woke up after trying to end it all with a handful of pills and finishing off his large bottle of Smirnoff vodka because what self-respecting alcoholic would leave behind a bottle. As he woke up to his alarm going off he crawled out of bed and looked into the mirror as he gave himself a slap to determine if he was still alive, then the worst feeling came over him he as realized he had to go to work, so he got dressed and went in not talking to anyone about what happened even long after. Shortly after that he left the drink by the wayside along with the drugs and anything else that wasn’t productive anymore.

  The mead smelled overpowering, like fermented apples left too long in the sun, but he raised it high, catching the attention of the crowd.

  “To my new orc brothers we are now kin!” Derreck bellowed in the orc tongue, his voice cutting through the noise. “To peace between clans!”

  The orcs roared in approval, their guttural cheers echoing through the night. Tarrack Nor slammed his fist into his chest and raised his own goblet, his booming laughter joining the celebration. "To Derreck of Atalantha , Warlord of the North!"

  The night was a strange contrast—humans and orcs celebrating together as if ancient grudges could be set aside so easily. Lady Amelia stood close to Derreck, her eyes scanning the crowd. She leaned in, her voice soft but urgent. "Do you really think this can last? The orcs—they’re not like us. They’re unpredictable."

  Derreck’s gaze swept over the crowd as the strength of the mead began to warp the edges of his vision. He knew from the novel that this alliance with Tarrack Nor was solid because it came from the orc of orc’s himself. The orcs respected his strength, and orc loyalty was until death but that was hard to explain to someone from this crazy world who was taught her whole life to fear them. “It has to,” he muttered. “For now.” That was a good enough explanation for the moment.

  As the feast continued, Derreck found himself seated near Tarrack Nor and the other orc warlords. They were older, scarred veterans of countless battles, their leathery skin marked with the stories of victories and defeats. One of them, a grizzled orc missing an eye, leaned forward and growled in the orc tongue, “You fight good. And you fight smart. You will make a fine warlord but can we really thrive as equals in your lands, how would such a thing even happen.”

  Derreck met his gaze, unflinching. “if you want more than to just survive on the steppes. Then we must make trade routes. Secure roads. Sell your orc crafts they are of as fine a make as can be had, all of this will make humans less fearful to trade with you and except you. But more than that, you need a home— a home one no one can take from you and this will be that place to any orc that wishes to stay here to work and defend the land.”

  The orc warlords exchanged glances. Tarrack Nor nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing as he grunted. “orcs have been without peaceful land to actually call a home since before I was born. But human lands always come with a price. Your people—will they truly allow us to live as equals?”

  “That’s up to them,” Derreck said, sipping the strong mead. “But I’ll lead those who do. And those who don’t will not have the protection of the mighty horde of Tarrack Nor, the strongest force in all Varinja, which is what my people need most.” A roar of orc approval rose up as Tarrack Nor grinned from ear to ear, maybe it was the mead but he really liked the sound of it, the mighty horde of Tarrack Nor which in the orc tongue sounded even more impressive. Derreck glanced toward the dim lights of the trade fortress, Atalantha the legend was now made real.

  The celebration roared on in a blur of mead and dancing, Lady Amelia, now more at ease, mostly from the orcish mead which was much stronger then the wine she was used to, she pulled Derreck aside. Her voice was soft but firm,

  “You sir knight don’t seem to like me very much,” she said slurring her words as she wobbled back and forth. “ I don’t know what offense I could have caused you but I solemnly apologies for it and humbly request you except my pledge to be by your side. I did not take it lightly nor do I find it unappealing and more importantly I cannot take it back, a knights word is their bond so where you go I will follow even you bid me not to I will go anyway, also if it is your intention to attend the council of kings I will accompany you to introduce you to the lords in attendance, but I do fear we will arrive late as it over 230 leagues away which would take us almost one month’s ride at full gallop”

  Derreck finally looking her in the eyes for the first time since treating her injuries said

  “My lady I assured you that with our trucks it should take two to three days at the most depending on the roads”

  The thought of all of it seemed impossible to her but with all the wonders she had seen so far she decided to believe him and nodded in acceptance.

  Ameila moved forward to say something else but stumbled momentarily, Derreck caught her before she could fall then realized how close he was. As he looked into her eyes he was flooded with emotion, beautiful green with tiny flecks of gold that sparkled in the torch light, his emotions for her were getting the better of him as she leaned in more to rest her head on his shoulder.

  Derreck tried to break the tension by saying. “We’ll leave soon enough. This alliance will give us the protection in this region making it more stable. The orcs will guard the north, and I’ll take you south to Holforth, there we will make alliances at the council of kings."

  But it was no use she was already falling asleep. Derreck scooped her up meaning only to place her down next to her knights to rest but she effortlessly wrapped her arms around him asking in a fatigued voice “can you please escort me to bed.”

  Derreck sighed as he started to carry Ameila through the crowd back to the store, Tarrack Nor suddenly approached Derreck, interrupting his thoughts that he tried his best not to entertain. The old orc slapped a heavy hand on Derreck's shoulder nearly knocking him over as he laughed. "When you leave for this council, warlord, make sure to take some of our kin with you to make a strong show of force to these pink belly kings that we are a land that is orc strong. The rest of the horde will keep the northern lands safe. we will guard what you leave behind for we are all one people now."

  Derreck met the orc's gaze as he recovered his balance. "the pink bellies will not take kindly to your people in the south."

  Tarrack Nor just laughed liking how Derreck had called them pink bellies too then he said “these pink bellies with be pissing themselves when they see our horde of pink and green march through their gates.”

  With the night deepening and the feast winding down Derreck made his way through the avenues of row apartments until he came to Ameila’s apartment in the knight quarter where the pets department used to be, Derreck pushed past the door to lay her down on her bed, Lady Ashley who slept across from her shot up startled at first to see a man their apartment then slightly embarrassed as she covered herself with her blanket as not to reveal her scant undergarments she seemed so proud of when she bought them the other day but Derreck never seemed to glance her way, he only spoke once to her in a very calming voice “ sorry to wake you, she had a bit too much mead. If she wakes up get her to drink some water and don’t let her throw up in the bed.” Derreck slowly removed Amelia’s armor as she casually groaned from being turned and picked up but Derreck didn’t mind as he almost let out a laugh at the royal knight’s defenseless state but it was over before long and Derreck apologized to Lady Ashley again for disturbing her and left as Ashley pondered why he didn’t just command her to remove Lady Ameila’s armor, then suddenly there was another rush of embarrassment as she imagined Lord Derreck undressing Lady Ameila. She buried her head in the pillow and let out a nervous scream as she tried to push the thought out of her head and rolled over trying desperately to get back to sleep as thoughts flooded her mind.

  Derreck walked through the store in the calm of night waiting for his buzz to die. This strange new world felt more familiar with each passing day especially the feeling of being around her, which he wasn’t sure he should stop even though his mind wouldn’t let him forget her fate.

  In his novel Darien Kane fought side by side with Lady Ameila, the two of them falling madly in love, which Derreck knew was partially a reflection of his own feelings about her, even though he believed he made her up. As Darien conquered the forces of Zion Lady Ameilia was killed in the battle of Holforth as Zion retreated which caused Darien to push forward cutting a path of death all the way to Cathartica, Zion’s mountain of power itself after the battle he is poisoned by an assassin and regresses to the beginning of the war where he defeats Zion again but at the cost of Ameila’s life so after Zion is defeated he commits suicide by jumping from summit of the great mountain of power at Cathartica and regresses again to the start of the war only to win against Zion again at the cost of her life. The novel ends with Darien regressing yet again but cursing the gods for forcing him to watch her die again and again so he sails into the western sea never meeting Lady Ameila or fighting Zion as he waits for the world to end at Zion’s hands.

  It was the reason Derreck tried to keep his distance from her and why he was so determined to run from store and it’s failing political struggle at the start. It was all to ensure she would stay alive, even if he had to force her away from him. But now his feelings wouldn’t let him push her out any more and there was also the weight of growing responsibility only getting heavier too. Tomorrow, he would set out for Holforth in the southern tip of the peninsula the mightiest kingdom in all of Varinja and there he would set forth events that would change the course of this war, that is if he could ally himself with the only man who might possibly sway the nobles of the peninsula to fight with him. King Thuragon, Lady Ameila’s father.