The Whisper of Life [Gay Orcs]

Part 2

The orc demon hybrid elder never thought of himself as a master of magic. While he could perform magical feats unlike any other orc, his magical knowledge covered the basics, only, especially compared to magical users from the rest of the world. Even with access to the memories of his past reincarnations, magic usage hadn't evolved in the land of the orcs. Every scrap of magic brought over from the trading expeditions was a great, valuable addition to the orcs' knowledge. Finding such knowledge, however, was extremely rare, not because it wasn't sold, but because Ore had explicitly instructed his orcs to showcase no weakness, and the lack of magical prowess was a weakness the king didn't want the world to know and exploit. There had been discussions amongst the elders, the King, and the captain of the trading expeditions, about having more frequent visits to the outside world, but Ore shot them down every time, reminding his people that more frequent requests for trades would increase the risk of orc secrets being exposed, and a sudden interest in magic, would raise suspicions for sure.

Ore sat there, with the book still open on the title page, dumbfounded. This was, single handedly, the most important piece of magic that could ever fall into their hands. This could answer so many questions, create so many solutions, that is, if this magic was real, and if Ore could perform it. "This is definitely high magic.. How did.. How could someone part with this? Were they done with it? Or.. I need to know every detail." he thought, as he sprung up on his feet, and nearly ran out of the grove, and courtyard. When he realized that he could be seen, he stopped, and adopted a more leisurely pace. There was no need to frighten any orc he passed by.

As a tradition, the sailors and their captain would go to an inn and have a massive feast, to celebrate their successful voyage. Other townsfolk would join, but it was mostly the orcs who went on the voyage that partake in the celebrations. When Ore walked in, he found the sailors already half drunk, singing out of tune to a song the poor bard was trying to perform and not have derailed, as the feast was halfway over. Spotting the captain of the ship, Ore walked over, and sat beside him. Immediately a pitcher of wine was brought over for him, as some drunk sailors began chanting, "My King.. My King..", in the most drunk way imaginable. The older orc had to admit that it was a funny sight, and he let out a robust, barking laugh, which made the rest of the orcs laugh alongside him.

When the laughter died down, and the drunk men focused their murky minds to the singing bard again, Ore turned to the captain. 'I need you to tell me exactly how you got that book, captain. What did you trade for it, and who gave it to you.' asked the orc king, his voice low, but clearly demanding. He saw the orc captain turn his gaze back to him, with a frown on his face. 'My king.. I told you already. When we visited a town to trade with, I found the book within the things we received. Much like the cats from two years ago..' explained the captain, recalling a previous incident that they still dealt with. Two years ago, on the exact same day, the trading ship returned, with an apparent feline infestation. No one recalled how the cats had entered the ship's hull, or from where, but once they did, they came to stay. Ever since then, the cats roam the streets of the capital, constantly reproducing, and feasting on the rodents that dwell outside the city walls.

Despite the best of efforts from all the orc residents to eradicate the creatures that seemed to invade their town, the cats were persistent. Their playful nature, and their independence made them good companions, though they often found themselves in trouble with the wolves. For as long as orcs existed, wolves were always their hunting partners, their companions, and friends, and their own playful nature made them want to play with the cats, even when cats didn't want to. 'Unlike that incident, my friend, we are talking about higher magic, unlike anything I have ever seen. I can't just write it off as an honest mistake from a hapless human you came upon.' he explained, taking a gulp from his pitcher. The orc captain was slowly realizing the seriousness of the situation, and he motioned for Ore to follow him outside.