Page 39 of Orc's Pride

“They’re testing us.” Gor spoke up. “The bastards think if they keep sending scouts, that it’ll spook us into leaving or advancing to another part of the territory, leaving this one vulnerable.”

“A stupid move on their part.” I growl.

Of course, there is always room for the dark elves to be lying while they were being tortured, but the information seemed too logical. It lined up with what we’d been observing for months now, not to mention would clear us of having to worry about an army if they were indeed without one.

The table in front of me is littered with maps, sketches and small wood carved pieces that have been arranged in a formation around the bend in the trees that protects our base. If there is some kind of mass rise from the dark elves that we don’t know about despite this new information, we’ll at least be ready.

“We’ll send some scouts to the location of where the dark elves described their encampment to be. If we can verify that what has been said still rings true, then we’ll have no problem in wiping the bastards—”

Just then, the door to the room is flung open. All of us turn at the same time to look at the intruder, one of the information runners that I’d sent out weeks ago. He pants, half leaned over to rest against the door frame while a hand stretches towards me, a letter in between his fingers.

“For you, sir. From Old Malik.”

I cross the room and take it from him. It’s creased from how tightly he’d been carrying it getting back here. The back of it is sealed with a wax stamp in the shape of a symbol I don't recognize. Tearing it open, I spot the letter neatly folded inside of it.

I toss the envelope and unfold the paper, feeling the rest of my brigade crowd around me.

‘Pitha,

There’s been a breakthrough in the letters. I’ve decoded enough of them to put together a picture and it doesn't look good. Dark elves are using humans—experiments. They're being carved and hollowed out in order to lock dark magic inside of them. What becomes of them? I’m not sure. Puppets? Something else? Only more decoded letters will tell.

I suspect the humans will be used as conduits to work against us. Be on guard, they may not look any different than the humans we’ve come to know and hold dear.

I’ll be coming to the borders to discuss further with you on the matter. I suspect that we are in for trouble in the coming days.

Be prepared.

-Malik’

My blood runs cold. Conduits? Puppets for the dark elves? It all makes my head spin. Gor plucks the letter from my hands, reading it aloud to the rest of my men while I head over to the door and dismiss the runner.

What’s to come of us if we’re faced with magic-infused humans? They were a plentiful resource on this planet and could be never-ending if the dark elves decided to capture a mass quantity and breed them like livestock.

Dark elves are opportunistic in the worst ways. They would do anything to take us orcs out once and for all if it meant enslaving humanity to do so.

“Humans?” Someone behind me choked out. “What are we going to do?”

I sigh, turning back around. “We’ll keep our borders tight until we can get a clearer picture of the situation. Malik will be here in a few days.”

Iman steps forward. “What about the humans already living here? what about the spyyoubrought in and kept!”

He points a finger at me, jabbing it in my direction. The gesture has me peeling my lips back and biting out a nasty growl.

“Watch your tone.”

He ignores my warning, plowing ahead. “We need to kick them all out. What if some of them have already been infected!”

A small murmur ripples throughout the group of men, all aside from Gor.

“We aren’t going to lock up every single human here. Besides, that would also be tearing families apart as well. We’re not barbaric.”

“They can’t be trusted.” Dreft puts his hands on his hips, shaking his head. “Pitha, you know they can’t.”

I hate that with such a simple letter, everything is being turned around like this. I understand their fear and hesitation now that the truth seems to finally be revealing itself, but thatwasn’t a free invitation to round everyone up and throw them out into the cold.

“What if we hold them all in cells?” Gor spoke up. “We have an empty jail.”

“No.” I snap.