Respite for Death

"Who is it? Where did this arrow come from?"

The young commander, who ran out of the tent he had fallen into, was scanning his surroundings with his eyes. With his armor on, it was so evident that he hadn't taken such a severe blow.

"Hey noisy, I'm here! Let this be a warning to you; shut up! Otherwise, if I go down, I will open that armor like a tin can and run you naked against the slope!"

The soldiers on the walls made the city shaken with their laughter; they had never laughed so much during the long siege.

After the female orc spoke, things started to get interesting. Hammer Tooth, who had been yelling until then, could not open his mouth and utter a word. After the siege commander returned to his tent, Alyon relaxed a little and listed his instructions.

"Soldiers guarding the city valiantly, what you did will be honored in orc and human history. Grind your teeth a little more; it's time to get a handle on this!"

After completing their words, they did not neglect to give morale to the orc and human soldiers who fought with Nafız by walking along the wall. Along the way, they met some familiar faces.

"Old man, what are you doing here with your warriors?"

Instructor Morrison and the city's gladiators also took a break from their work for a while to defend their place. The school rushed to the front; without making any distinction between rivals.

"Nafız, Alyon, where have you been? We were beginning to think you escaped after causing us trouble!"

As their leader spoke, the gladiators gathered behind him. The men, specializing in close combat, served as a supply unit at the front.

"We had a small job. We got it done, and we came. You are also very energetic; let the siege be over; I am thinking of going to the arena with all of you one by one!"

Alyon spoke cheerfully, but the gladiators, deciphering the meaning of the words, immediately walked away. Who would want to fight someone who just misfired all their opponents?

Later in the day, as night fell, a strategic meeting took place in the city lord's castle. The officers of the orc tribe and the heads of the three noble families of the city sought a solution to the siege.

"The path to be followed is clear. We will mobilize our forces in the arid region, trap the enemy in front of the walls, and destroy it with a double-sided attack!"

The Blood God Nafiz was looking to end the siege with an attack, so he adopted the fastest route in his mind. The people at the table were welcoming to the idea, and one after another, they expressed their support. Only Chief Alyon remained silent, and after a while of looking ahead, he spoke calmly.

"My opinion is that we cut off the supply of the siege army. Having run out of food and ammunition, the enemy will have to retreat."

Alyon supported his idea by pointing out the losses and the bad image of the city. This view was plausible, as the leaders of the three noble families had come to the point of choosing between a bloody war and defense.

"As you say! If that army is still in the same place by the end of the forty solstices, I will personally make sure that not a single one of them is breathing!"

During the meeting, Nafız took a step back, but she guessed that Alyon had a different reservation in mind, although she did not publicly express it. For a long time, the details of the overall plan agreed upon were discussed, ending the meeting almost as the first light of morning appeared.

When Alyon, who got up quickly, left the room as if he was running away, Nafız followed him.

"You can't run away; come here. How would we shed blood? Let's take out the bean under your tongue!"

His friend caught the big orc trying to get away from the environment before he took ten steps.

"Let's go somewhere quiet. Since you're so curious, let me explain."

There was no unusual development behind the walls, though the two orcs were still marching towards one of the castle's outer gardens. The siege armies, which flocked relentlessly, would return when they hit the city walls, and after a while, they would attack again.

Only the young commander, who made the battlefield moan with his voice, was stuck in his tent. Although the army was told he was interested in new offensive plans, their senior commander knew Hammer Tooth was a stalemate.

The arrow he had taken to his head the previous day may not have caused a physical wound, but it had broken the young commander's pride and courage. He couldn't take down the person who would make such a hit from that distance in a duel. One of the people he constantly summoned to the square was probably stronger than him.

The thoughts were driving him crazy. Nobody had dealt with him since he was an adult. He didn't need to worry about it even though he only bent his wrist in front of one person because that person was his father.

When Alyon and Nafız moved to a place where they could be sure that no one was listening to them, the burly chief began to talk.

"Nafız, the Glacial Zone is where the military power of our great enemy grows. The orc at their head is the war chief of Braveheart's time. He is my master's father's best friend and his instructor!"

The Blood God spoke with a sudden sigh of relief when her friend's words were finished.

"What does talking about the past have to do with it?"

"You don't understand, we will both suffer great losses with a war we wage here, and if White Bear's son dies, we will be in terrible trouble!"

If anyone else had heard Alyon's words, they might have thought the big orc was scared, but Nafız had spent enough time with him to know that couldn't be true.

"Tell the truth, does an inner voice want to come face to face with the Glacial Realm Orc Tribe Chief?

The female orc slurred her mind; the matter needed to be clarified. The biggest obstacle to solving a problem is hidden intentions.

"I have different plans regarding the capture of that region. If the siege army returns on its own, I will be happy!"

"As I said earlier, there are thirty-nine solstices left. They will decide their destiny!"

By the time the duo had finished speaking, there were unenlightened points ahead, but today's solution was clear. They will either do or die!

By the ten solstice anniversary of the meeting, the siege continued, but the violence of the attacks had noticeably diminished. Now there was only war during the day, and the nights passed in peace.

On the thirtieth solstice, the soldiers who went up to the walls with the first light of the morning could not believe their eyes. Their enemies were sitting in front of their tents, staring at them. The news fell on the headquarters like a bomb, and as it was understood from the giant cauldrons that had not boiled for a while, the siege army had begun to struggle with hunger.

"Your people have ten solstices left. Armies await my command to fight!"

Nafız was trying to make her friend helpless. The Blood God wanted blood, looking forward to the day when the two armies would clash.

"Hammer Tooth! I call you orc kin! Before it's too late, take your army and go!"

Even though Alyon called out to the enemy commander, he would not answer because the young man could not get out of his depression. Although his warriors were exhausted, he was determined to continue the siege, counting on the help that would come.

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Do not interrupt when your enemy is making a mistake.

Napoleon Bonaparte