Chapter 10 - Orcs are coming

The herald announced Damien's entrance to the hall. He walked straight up the dais and sat on his throne.

His face was unsightly as he saw only two of his scouts returned. Turning to his trusty Chief of Guards, he asked:

"Where are the rest?"

Argus was quiet.

"Men, tell me what happened in detail. Not a thing to be missed" Damien said. 

The scouts recounted that their group initially took two days to get through the overpass. 

They then split up to quickly cover a bigger area. But without knowing how, they quickly lost more than half their group.

On the fifth day, the ten men scout was left with four men and they were determined to find out what was hunting them.

Hence they set up a bait system. One man in front and another quietly hid further behind and both teams went in different directions.

What they saw was horrifying for lack of better words.

Two fully grown orcs jumped the guy in front. One hand grabbed at the neck and then twisted it. After which they looked around and failing to find the tracker hidden way behind, they left with the bodies.

Both scouts had similar experiences. Of the ten men scout team, only two returned, pale faced, scared and trembling non-stop as they recalled the scenes.

Everyone in the room knew what would happen to those poor souls. They would be food. There were even some weaker men puking and fainting. 

The fear of orcs was deeply rooted.

Stories of how those vile beings ate humans alive bit by bit was horrible to imagine.

There were many graphic descriptions of how the orcs loved to eat young human flesh especially babies 

Since the dawn of times, humans and orcs in this world will always be at odds.

Kiel can sense the palpitating fears starting to spread throughout the hall.

Everyone was panicking, especially the weaker men and women. Some were mumbling incoherently like madmen while others kept running around like headless chickens.

Seeing that things were going out of control, Damien hollered.

"ENOUGH!!!"

"We still have a chance. Men prepare for WAR."

Kiel stood at the side and simply said

"Hold up, you guys do not stand a chance."

Everyone turned to look at him. In their eyes, Kiel could see some were already filled with despair, some were begging for salvation while others were filled with fighting spirit grasping at what little chance they had at surviving.

"Then how do we survive? What must we do?"

One of the ministers asked fearfully.

Looked like they had bought that Kiel was an apostle, he continued:

"None of you men will be able to survive fighting the Orcs head on. 

Not against a horde of them.

Now you all still have time. But you must use them wisely.

Would you be willing to hear my counsel?"

"I will hear it, but that is all I will promise."

Damien answered and gazed at Kiel thoughtfully. 

He seemed like he had planned to fight to the last man.

"We strengthen our position here."

Kiel simply said.

"How?" Argus, the Chief of Guards, asked anxiously.

Kiel sighed, this will be a long speech.

"First let me be clear, there is no running away.

Either we all fight and survive or it would be total annihilation for us.

The orcs are natural born fighters and trackers. 

As you know, one of them can easily kill five of you. They are bigger, stronger, faster and are natural born fighters. How many of you think you can take on a monster like that? 

Now, imagine a whole horde of them coming towards you like the waves of the sea. 

Do you think you stand a chance?

You think you could run?

Hah.. not a chance.

These orcs can smell better than a wolf, run faster than the horses, they can see at night and have sensitive hearing. They are excellent hunters and trackers. 

Do you think you miserable lot had a chance of getting away?

NONE!!!!

No common mortal stands a chance, alone."

The crowd gasped in fear.

"However, they are mortals too….

They can be killed.

And we can kill them if we make sufficient preparations.

1. Clear out at least 1 km of trees around the walls.

2. Make the city wall thicker, wider, stronger

3. Deepen and widen the moat

4. Change your gate, reinforce the hinges and use thicker wood.

5. Build a drawbridge

6. Add defense tower on your city walls

7. Conscript every able bodied man and woman for the war efforts

8 . Those who can fight will train and level up

9. Those who can't will support the fighting group

10. Everyone must contribute.

11. Occasionally I would lead some animals over the mountain pass.

I will lead those animals deep into their territory and release these animals so the Orcs can be pacified and extend the time we have.

If you have expert counter trackers or scouts I would appreciate the help if he's willing to brave dangers with me.

I will also need some men to help me set up massive traps so when they try to cross the mountain we can kill a good chunk of them.

Don't live in the illusion that this was not going to happen.

They will come eventually I promise you that!

But they will come and fight with us on our terms.

That is our only chance.

And when they come, pray and fight hard.

I can't promise everyone will live. I can only give you a fighting chance.

So you can die with dignity."

Kiel finished his long winded speech and kept quiet. He was quietly watching for the expression of the city lord and the rest of the people in the hall.

Observing everyone's expression in detail. Nothing seemed out of place.

Damien took a deep breath and after deliberating for a while and finding that Kiel's suggestions were actually pretty awesome, he said in his deep voice:

" We will follow your arrangements"

After everything was over Kiel returned to his room and lay down on his bed. He knew this would be the last time he could sleep comfortably.