Looking out at the coming army a sense of hope and dread filled my very being.
Would this be enough?
As I think to myself trying to get a rough estimate of their numbers and comparing it to what I know of the orc lord and his coming army Gigith's attention turns to me, a sharp gaze cold and critical. He was deciding if I would be an ally or foe. When I wrote Gigith's character I made him to be a kind, but stern leader who could lead his men through hard battles with ease.
"Help me please! I was out chopping wood for my family when I was attacked by an orc. What is happening?"
Sitting atop his horse he slugged his bow staff over his shoulder and pointed it towards me.
"Stop this instant or you will be deemed an enemy of the capital!"
Stopping mid-stride, I stood facing his bow staff, ready to do whatever was necessary to survive. Despite having run for what seemed like forever and feeling my stamina bottom out, I could sense the change the Indomitable effect had made on my body. Instead of feeling sore from all the running and stumbling, my body was now brimming with energy, hungry for more activity. The only drawback being the headache growing from the back of my head.
"Silence with your deceit, we evacuated all nearby villages a week ago! Tell me the truth now or I shall bury you where you stand."
Shit. Looking up at Gigith there was no emotion in his eye, just the coldness of autumn brown; his stoic appearance was that of a seasoned warrior. I won't get anywhere maintaining a facade,
"I'm sorry it's just if I tell you the truth you won't believe me."
With a light chuckle Gigith maintained his stern look while saying,
"Try me. Your options are few so you might as well speak your truth."
"Ok, last night I went to sleep like normal only to wake up in the middle of nowhere. I don't know why I'm here or why the orcs are either. I had barely woken up when they... you know started trying to kill me. I'm sorry I lied, it's just.. I don't want to die"
After my pathetic statement I avoid eye contact and stare at my feet hoping that Gigith believes my story. Right now I don't have anything going for me and my number one goal is survival so if he says no I need to find some way to get behind their troops and escape.
Looking up I see Gigith's steely gaze never wavered as he considered my words. The tension in the air was palpable, and I could feel every second stretch into eternity.
"If there is any truth in your tale, you must prove it. Show me the evidence of your claims, or prepare to face the consequences of your deceit. We do not have the luxury of time, and every moment wasted could be a moment lost to the enemy. So take up arms in our fight and help us to vanquish these ungodly creatures."
"Have you seen the shape I'm in? I can barely stand how am I supposed to fight off such monsters?"
"Whether you live weak or strong, we all meet the same end. It seems you think you have the luxury of escaping."
As I glanced at Gigith, I couldn't help but wonder what my chances would be if I made a desperate run away from the army and the orcs, leaving them to battle each other. Just as I began to consider this escape, a familiar red screen flashed at the edge of my vision.
<A Side Quest Has been forcefully generated>
<Tutorial has been paused>
Due to unforeseen circumstances the Orc army and human resistance are going to war. Survive the battle and help the human army come out victorious.
Clear Condition: Defeat the Orc Lord
Penalty for failure: ???
"Okay, can I at least have a weapon?"
With a smile, Gigith's eyes flickered to the man just behind him on his right. "Give this young man a weapon, please. And keep an eye on him will you?
Not long after Gigith finished his sentence the man who had been motionless until now strode over to me on his horse and handed me a heavy steel sword.
The cold metal hilt melted into my hand as I gripped it, my glaze drifting toward the approaching swarm of orcs, now closer than ever.
Breaking from the conversation I could feel as the once headache transformed itself into the now stinging pain, that was much more than just an annoyance.
Even with adrenaline surging through me,I realized that our conversation had only lasted 2-3 minutes. I wasn't sure how much more mental energy I had left to keep the Indomitable skill active. If I had to guess, I could only maintain it for a maximum of 8 minutes—and my time was almost up.
Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted as orcs began to break through the tree line of the ravaged forest.
Come on, God, this was supposed to be a slow-paced adventure in a fantasy world. Now it's just a death game.
ROARRRRR!!
As if in response to my mental complaint, the Orc Lord let out a battle cry, a smile stretching across its face.
Today's gonna be a long day...
It's been long time, but I'm back, and better then ever! You can expect about a 1000 word update every Friday. Feel free to comment about any mistakes you notice or places that could be improved upon. I hope you are as excited as I am for the chapters to come and with that, author out.
YOU ARE READING
NAG
FantasyWhen a young authors book gets turned into reality all hell breaks loose, as he is forced to survive in a new world in the body of one of the weakest characters in his novel.
