Blood dripped from my black blades as I stared at the corpses around me, each of them wearing terrified expressions as they had tried to run from the Specter.
My armor was sticky with Elven blood, my mask stained with it, my cloak drenched in it.
And yet, I myself felt nothing of the crimson liquid that painted the area around me, the sight now so dull as I looked up towards the remaining soldier, one that was a veteran and still had their wits about them.
Tall with golden hair, she dual wielded blades much like me, and she sneered as she asked "Why're you with the Horde?! Why have you betrayed your kindred like so, Specter?! WHY?!"
Her shout echoed inside the empty temple, and I tapped one of my blades against the cracked, bloodstained tile.
"I was betrayed first. Sold out for petulant reasons. I served for decades, and my reward was a false charge of treason and sent to the depths of a prison to rot for the rest of my life... Why should I NOT be with the Horde, now that they desire to conquer this forest?"
The Elf grit her teeth, her green eyes narrowed as she asked "That gave you the reason to slaughter your kindred so brutally?! They were only whelps, Specter! Wet behind the ears, naive! What did they do to deserve such a horrendous death?!"
My chuckle filled the temple, and she flinched as I flashed forwards, my body coated in my green aura.
"They're all guilty of negligence. Unworthy to bear the mantle of a soldier. Using their newfound position and influence to commit crimes towards their own people! Tell me, why should I care anyways?"
My swords arced towards her throat, and the woman just barely ducked beneath them before sending her own blades stabbing towards my stomach.
Her eyes widened as I used the pommels of my blades to slam them away, the unconventional method of blocking throwing her off guard.
I took the opening swiftly, piercing her shoulder and twisting the sword, shattering her bone and tearing apart her muscles.
She screamed in agony as she tried to wrench herself off my blade, all while her remaining arm swung her sword towards me.
Blocking it, I kicked the Elf off my sword and stared at her, saying "To me, the Elves have become no better than the Orcs. Both commit atrocities, but... under my command, the Orcs will be better. Just like my army was, I shall hold them to a standard, and if they fail to reach that standard, well..."
I walked slowly towards the Elf, who was holding her lame arm and glaring at me, and I raised my sword, finishing what I was saying.
"They will never be able to stand beneath my banner ever again. That was how it worked when I was Gwyneth of the Oak, and that is how it shall work now that I am the War Maiden."
Recognition entered her emerald eyes, but that was all she could manage as I severed her head from her shoulders, killing her instantly.
The temple was filled with silence once more, and I looked up towards where the beautiful stained glass windows depicting a holy maiden still stood, untouched and unblemished by the warfare and slaughter around it.
Flicking the blood from my blades, I sheathed them before approaching the altar, kneeling in front of it as I clasped my hands in prayer.
It just... felt wrong desecrating a holy sight like this with blood, so even though I was seldomly religious, I still offered a prayer of forgiveness for my sins, even if that meant nothing to the Deities that overlooked my world.
Even if they still felt disgusted by my actions and how self serving they were.
I was deep in thought and prayer when someone clapped their hand on my shoulder, their presence negligible.
Being jolted out of deep thought startled me, but I still drew my blades and readied myself for combat, only to see the green smirking face of Dura, the Orc War Chief looking down at me with amusement.
"Praying in the midst of a war? Quite bold, my War Maiden."
Her deep, gruff voice made my long ears tingle, and I blushed slightly as she said 'my War Maiden', only to shake my head.
She meant nothing more by that...
"Well, lapse of judgement aside, we've secured the city and are preparing to march on to Lyna Easria."
Dura leaned her muscular body against the altar, uncaring of the blood and gore that coated her bare flesh.
She seemed even more uncaring as the altar fractured slightly, lines running through the heavy stone base as it withstood her weight.
"Listen, Gwyneth. I was thinking, about what I asked you a few nights ago. What you plan on doing going forwards."
I looked over at her, rising to my feet as I waited for her to continue.
"Obviously, considering the successes so far under your command, and the drastic difference in losses that we expected, well... You are certainly going to retain the position of my War Maiden, that much is certain. What I wanted to ask, was this, Gwyneth..."
She looked down at me, her serious expressions making my heart flutter for unknown reasons as her scarred and tattooed face was shrouded in darkness.
"Will you become my woman?"
I blinked and stared at her in shock for a moment, which allowed her to keep speaking.
"I need a true heir, and not one that might not have warriors blood in them. Bula is no warrior, nor are my other slaves. As such, after thinking on it for a bit, I decided I needed a warrior to become my woman. When I realized that, you were the one that came to mind first. Elves and Orcs are surprisingly compatible, and I imagine the mixing of our blood would produce a rather strong child."
My heart was pounding in my chest, and my face felt hot for some reason as I stared at her, the towering War Chief still wearing a serious expression that I rarely saw on her face.
"Not only that, but I find myself rather attracted to you, Gwyneth. Graceful, deadly, smart, beautiful... You have everything I want for my wife, and then some. The thoughts of having you under me sends shivers up my spine, and makes it hard to sleep alone at night. I want to see the rest of you, the sides that only a few others have seen - if they still live, that is. I want to make you mine..."
Her voice trailed off, and she stared me straight in the eyes as she waited for me to speak, likely aware of the deep blush that permeated my face.
"I... W-What..? W-Why b-b-bring t-this up now?! I-In the m-midst of a c-campaign?!"
Snorting, the towering Orc looked towards the stained glass window and said "Why not now? What difference does it make? My feelings won't change, nor will my desires. Sure, I miss having empty balls as I mark dozens of women as my property, but that hasn't clouded my vision. I'm not saying this because I just want another hole to fill when I return home. I say this because I want a woman to stand by my side as my partner, my equal."
"S-Still..! T-This might a-affect o-our ability to w-work together going forwards!"
Dura just grinned at me, shrugging her broad shoulders as she said "I doubt that. I've been rejected before, Gwyneth. Some of which were from women I desperately wanted, and yet I've yet to find myself incapable of working with them... So, tell me. When this is all over, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
"W-What about Bula?!"
She snorted again, waving her hand dismissively as she said "You would be my wife; she'd be my concubine. When I wear you out, I'll move on to her. My appetite is voracious."
My heart twanged slightly at that, and I grew confused on why it hurt to hear her say she would bed Bula, despite me witnessing her breed the woman multiple times before.
Gnawing on my lip, I felt my face flush again as I imagined being pinned down under the weight of Dura as she ravished me, showing me just how voracious her appetite truly was...
My womb ached for that girthy cock that was hidden beneath her furs, and I was tempted to tell her to fuck me here and now, to agree and let her inseminate my greedy pussy here and now.
However, we still had a war to win, and I had people I needed to kill...
"I... W-When this is a-all over, I'll give you my a-answer, alright?"
Dura nodded, lifting herself off of the altar and smirking at me.
"That's fine. Think it over. Once you promise yourself to me, Gwyneth, there is no escape. I'll show you pleasures you've never felt before, and make it impossible for you to leave. That's what waits for you if you accept..."
She waved before exiting the temple, leaving me a blushing, unsure mess in front of the altar, my mind overheating.