Rising Shadows: The Fight for Freedom I

Chapter 25: Transformation

This fellow is not merely skilled in martial arts! His oratory is equally impressive! Amidst a throng of cavalry, Darn drew his weapon and fervently shouted, and amidst the blood-soaked slogans, he gained a new understanding of Captain Gerald, who had forcibly conscripted him.

At last, the final orc fell, succumbing to the lightning-fast strike of the sixth-tier cavalry captain, and then, the fervor of the crowd reached a fever pitch.

Darn was exhilarated, not for the battles and slaughters of the past ten days, but because he finally had a reason for fighting and killing.

Regardless of how I arrived here or the bizarre events that have transpired, I am now a valiant warrior fighting for the honor of the kingdom, and the safety of the realm rests in my hands! Slay the orcs!

With sword in hand, Darn approached the recently fallen orc. Following Captain Gerald's orders, he intended to carve out some so-called "beef" for himself and his comrades. However, to Darn's surprise, the orc, who had been struck in the chest by Gerald's sword, was still alive, barely clinging to life with a faint breath!

"Not dead yet? Very well, let me send this horned beast to hell!"

Gazing at the mangled orc, Darn clearly discerned its face, marred by mud and blood, with grotesque wrinkles and a fierce glare. Everything reminded Darn that this was a terrifying beast from the Nagalan Prairie, and facing such a creature, he instinctively aimed his heavy sword at the orc's chest.

Raising the sword coldly and mercilessly, he thrust it toward the orc's heart. Just as Darn's blade was about to pierce the orc's shaggy chest, he noticed the orc's pupils suddenly constrict, and then, a low yet remarkably clear voice suddenly reached Darn's ears, while the orc's expression shifted from ferocity to one of ease and pride!

"I am a glorious orc, not a beast! I fight for survival, not for desire!"

Hmm!? As the heavy sword plunged deep into the orc's chest, a figure of a human civilian flashed through Darn's mind, a figure that had once displayed a similarly unyielding expression beneath his own blade...

As time passed, Darn encountered more and more orcs-bull-headed orcs that grazed on grass, centaurs that consumed both meat and vegetables, and wolf riders that thrived on flesh. Various orc tribes emerged from the depths of the Nagalan Prairie, all heading toward the southern human kingdoms.

Relentless assaults and attacks ensued, yet in the face of the ever-growing tide of orcs, Darn and his comrades felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness, for the number of orcs from the Nagalan Prairie was simply too vast compared to their dwindling cavalry of two hundred.

Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands-these orcs, driven by instinct, migrated toward the human kingdoms like streams merging into a river, growing ever larger until they formed an endless ocean of orcs before the cavalry.

Under the duress of drought and thirst, each orc tribe resolutely advanced toward the human kingdoms, which had not been affected by the drought. Some tribes could not endure until they reached the land of water and green grass, vanishing along the long migration route, but many more orcs arrived at the very doorstep of the Kingdom of Bylins!

As countless elderly and weak orcs fell, and numerous tribes declined and perished, what emerged instead were large tribes that had absorbed many strong orcs. Faced with these massive tribes, whose numbers far exceeded those of the cavalry, the riders realized they could no longer harass the orcs.

Perhaps we should retreat, return to Ditlan, and join forces with the numerous infantry! Darn thought, as he rode behind a tribe of orcs that numbered over two thousand.

Since three days ago, Captain Gerald's cavalry had not launched a single attack-not out of desire, but out of necessity.

Confronted with the ever-increasing and increasingly formidable orc tribes, all the cavalry, including Gerald, no longer believed they could break through the enemy lines. If they launched an assault without the ability to retreat swiftly, disaster would undoubtedly await them.

"Alright, alright! Since there's no opportunity, let's follow them from a distance, keeping these damned beasts on their toes so they can't focus on their journey! Or perhaps, by following closely, we might find a chance to strike!" Gerald finally conceded and altered his strategy.

Yet even while trailing the orcs from afar, the cavalry found no opportunities. They were astonished to discover that as the orc numbers grew, their vigilance seemed to increase significantly. On another night, the cavalry's attempt at a surprise attack was detected early.

It was a disastrous ambush; the cavalry quietly dismounted to advance, but when they were still seven or eight hundred meters away from an orc tribe, they were startled to see several orcs raising alarms. Soon after, a large group of orcs stood ready for battle before the cavalry!

"This is terrible! These creatures have become clever! They've even learned to send scouts! And they're sending them so far!" Gerald, retreating in dismay, expressed his displeasure, and Darn felt equally disheartened, having toiled for half the night without any success.

But what displeased Gerald and left all the cavalry feeling grim was yet to come. As time went on, the orcs' vigilance not only increased, but their marching formations and encampment methods became increasingly organized, resembling a trained human army!

"What on earth is happening!? Why do these orcs suddenly feel so unfamiliar to me?"

As another day dawned, while the cavalry trailed the orcs as usual, they suddenly realized they could no longer swagger behind them as they had the day before; those orcs had dispatched a contingent to drive them away!

Seeing the robust orcs, who were not at all shorter than the mounted cavalry and wielding wooden clubs tied with massive stones, charging toward them, the cavalry, astonished, had no choice but to retreat.

"Engaging a horde of beasts head-on is the folly of a fool! And losing my elite cavalry for such a rabble is simply not worth it!"

Gerald, uttering these words, had forgotten that over the course of a month, more than forty cavalrymen had fallen on the prairie, and those riders had undoubtedly become food for the keen-scented, all-consuming orcs!

Ultimately, the cavalry abandoned their increasingly futile harassment tactics due to an order from Major General Matteus. Two messengers, having traversed numerous orc tribes, finally reached Gerald's cavalry and announced the news that brought joy to all the riders.

"Captain Gerald, you and your men no longer need to follow these orcs; the commander requests that you meet with him immediately!" The messenger promptly read the order in front of the cavalry.

"Is that so? Is our entire detachment returning, or just ours?" A flicker of surprise crossed Captain Gerald's eyes as he cautiously inquired of the messenger.

"All are to return; the commander has dispatched messengers to all cavalry detachments. I believe many have already returned to Bylins!" the messenger replied.

Oh, I see! What new plan does the general have? Contemplating the intent behind Matteus's orders, Captain Gerald issued the command for a retreat.

Ah, splendid! Finally, we need not wander aimlessly on the prairie! Like his comrades, Darn immediately turned his horse around, and then, under the guidance of the two messengers, all the cavalry thundered away.

At a pace much faster than usual, Gerald's cavalry traversed the vast prairie, circumventing one orc tribe after another. Two days later, they returned to the territory of the Ditlan Province. However, even though they had set foot on the land of the Kingdom of Bylins, the cavalry still caught glimpses of the orcs, for they had already emerged from the Nagalan Prairie!

Although the number of orcs seen by the cavalry, including Darn, was not large and they were scattered among abandoned human villages, every rider suddenly lost the excitement of finally returning to human territory, for each one knew that countless orcs were rolling in behind them.