Chapter 42

With a huge bonfire lit in the center of the camp, the fallen warriors neatly arranged in their funeral pyre surrounding the bonfire in a circular fashion.

The Yohan First Battalion neatly lined up before the funeral pyres in full battle gear like they were going to engage in a battle. Those who wielded spears strike the ground with the butt end of their weapon in a slow rhythm, the ones who wielded the stabbing swords banged their shields with it.

A slow and lasting blast from the battle horns echoed through the camp as the war drums made their entrance. Slow beats accompanied from the drummers accompanied the melancholic sounds of the weapons that grieved for their fallen peers.

As the commanders started setting alight the funeral pyres, the distinct sound of bamboo tubes started resonating. Kul'tha and his group made some traditional instruments of the horde by cutting bamboos with different lengths with a sealed end at the bottom. As they strike the ground with the bamboo tubes, it produced a sometimes deep or hollow, long and short sound depending on how they covered the open end of the bamboo tubes with their hands.

Sakh'arran stood in front of the last funeral pyre and stared at the warriors of Yohan.

"Kagg'ra Thok Zorgash!"

"Zilu'ush Rakkam Gubar!"

"Kazz'gara Ak Tra'dumm!"

He yelled towards the warriors who all had their eyes in him, waiting for what their commander will say as they continued to make sounds with their weapons. It was pure old Orcish, Xiao Chen didn't know how but as time goes on, he is getting more and more familiar with it.

"These brave warriors have fallen, gone to accompany Thug'mukhen in his never-ending feast. They are gone but we shall remember, their bravery and prowess. If they get denied to Xanadu then we'll screw the gatekeeper till he lets them in... Awooh?!"

Gur'kan suddenly interrupted Sakh'arran as he slowly moved forward towards where his fellow commander was at. The warriors of Yohan enthusiastically replied to his call.

The gatekeeper or the watcher of the gates to Xanadu was one of the gods that the orcs hated because of his actions of denying brave warriors to enter. The denied souls linger outside the gates until they were let in or preyed upon the Soul Devourers that roamed the outside.

*****

After two days, Xiao Chen was waiting behind the wooden walls for the scouts to return and hoping that they bring no ill news to him.

"Chief, you might want to see this!"

Gur'kan suddenly barged into his tent in a hurry, his eyebrows lowered and knit together and eyes blinking rapidly while his hands tightly gripping the hilt of his sword.

"Lead the way"

Xiao Chen's interest got piqued by Gur'kan's behavior and followed after the obviously in a hurry commander of his. Walking briskly, Xiao Chen saw most of the Yohan First Battalion all geared up and manning the walls while the others quickly moving around towards their designated area.

Gur'kan gestured to Xiao Chen to climbed up the watch tower, curious and puzzled he climbed up. Reaching the top of the tower, Xiao Chen saw Trot'thar staring far into the distance.

Xiao Chen glanced towards where Trot'thar was looking at, what came into his sight was a low cloud of dust which can only be from the movement of a massive number of creatures. Straining his eyes as much as he could but to no avail, Xiao Chen gave up and just patiently waited for Trot'thar to report to him what he sees.

"Ugh...chief... It's our riders"

Trot'thar hesitatingly reported as he spotted the familiar faces of those in front riding wargs, they were from the Arkhan Clan.

"Our riders?"

Xiao Chen stared at Trot'thar with confusion since if it's their riders then why is there a low cloud dust behind them.

"What else do you see?"

Xiao Chen asked as he is still confused on the presence of the dust cloud, he wanted to find out if their riders were being pursued by enemies or not, so that he can give proper commands to his warriors for them to be ready to tackle the incoming danger.

*****

One of the leading riders sprinted forward with his mount and broke off from the group approaching the wooden walls. The other riders stopped a good distance away from the walls, out of range from the javelins just in case someone will mistakenly throw a spear at them.

The cloud of dust soon settled and what greeted Xiao Chen was a very rare sight, kobolds, goblins, orcs, taurens, ogres and trolls were all part of the same group. Trot'thar had his eyes wide open and jaw slightly dropped as he stared at the extremely odd sight that he was witnessing before fear took over as he remembered something.

"It's Fukarr!"

"We come with the survivors of the south!"

The rider who broke away from the odd group yelled towards the orcs who were manning the walls with weapons and shields at the ready. Confused but curious, Xiao Chen scaled down the watchtower with haste and jumped off the ladder when he was halfway down.

An almost thirty feet fall was something that could kill or injure an orc, even if he lands on his feet. Rolling forward to dissipate the force of impact upon his legs, Xiao Chen stood up like nothing happened as Gur'kan and the other nearby orcs gawked at the feat that he just did.

Dusting away the dirt that got on his arms and shaking his head side to side to get rid of the dirt that made its way to his long wild hair when he rolled on the ground, Xiao Chen proceeded towards the gates of the fort.

"Open the gates!"

Xiao Chen commanded and slowly the crude wooden gate opened like the jaws of a beast with sharp spikes scattered on its sides, making anyone hesitant to ram it open. As Xiao Chen walked outside the protection of the walls, a group of warriors wielding spears and shields accompanied him along with Sakh'arran and Gur'kan.

"What do you mean survivors?"

Xiao Chen quickly questioned as he stood ten feet away from the rider while his warriors stood in front of him at the ready, wary of the rider in front of them. By the chieftain's side on the left was Gur'kan with his weapon unsheathed while Sakh'arran riding Blackwind remained alert, observing what is going to happen.