The young human hesitated, his body trembling, but after a moment, he straightened his posture. His voice was shaky but resolute. "I will do it," he said.
The leader gestured to his warriors to release the human, but the boy quickly added, "But I have one condition."
The orc leader's brow furrowed, and his tone turned sharp. "Condition? You're not exactly in a position to make demands. Do you understand the situation you're in?"
The boy didn't falter this time. He raised his voice, his gaze darting to the bound humans behind him. "I'll lead them to our camp if you promise not to harm the ones that stay here. Swear it. They've already surrendered!"
The orc leader sighed deeply. His expression betrayed irritation. "Fine," he said after a moment. "Nothing will happen to them, as long as they don't cause trouble. But you—" he leaned closer, his voice lowering to a growl, "you must do exactly as these two tell you. No tricks. No games. Do you understand me?"
The boy nodded eagerly. "Yes, I understand."
The leader then turned to Naguk and Ezukar, his expression softening slightly. "I know what you're trying to do here. Your intentions are noble. But you understand the risks, don't you? This could be your last mission. Once you walk into their camp, you'll be surrounded. There's no guarantee you'll come out alive. Are you sure you want to do this?"
Ezukar nodded without hesitation. "Yes. It's worth the risk if it means we can stop this senseless killing."
Naguk clenched his fists and gave a firm nod. "I'm sure."
The leader held their gazes for a moment longer before signaling to his warriors. They hesitated but ultimately obeyed, releasing the young human. He stepped forward cautiously, rubbing his wrists where the bindings had left red marks. His eyes flickered nervously between Naguk and Ezukar.
"Follow me," he said quietly.
Naguk narrowed his eyes. "No tricks," he warned.
The boy nodded quickly. "I won't. I just want this to be over."
The three of them began their journey, stepping cautiously through the ruins and rubble of the destroyed town. The moon was already high in the sky. The air was cold making the mission even more difficult.
Naguk kept a close eye on the human, his hand never straying far from the hilt of his axe. He didn't trust the boy, no matter how sincere his words sounded. Ezukar, on the other hand, seemed more at ease, walking beside Naguk with a calm but focused expression.
"Don't try anything," Naguk said sharply as they moved. The boy glanced back at him and nodded but said nothing.
After about an hour of travel, the ruins began to thin out, and the terrain shifted to open fields dotted with patches of trees and rocky outcrops. After some time the human finally broke the silence. "We're close. Beyond that grove. That's where our camp is," he said, his voice low and uncertain.
They stopped just outside the grove. Ezukar turned to the boy. "Go and tell them about the potential ceasefire. But remember this—if you betray us, if you try anything…" He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Even if you succeed in harming us, it will only make things worse for both our people. Do you understand?"
The boy nodded. "I'll try to convince them to listen. I will."
Naguk said nothing but gave the boy a hard stare. Finally, the boy turned and began walking toward the human camp, his steps slow and deliberate. Naguk and Ezukar watched him disappear into the grove.
Naguk's hand tightened around his axe. "Let's hope he keeps his word."
Ezukar didn't respond immediately. Instead, he watched the boy's retreating figure, his eyes filled with a mixture of hope and trepidation. "He will," Ezukar said quietly, almost as if trying to convince himself. "He has to."
The two of them remained in place, their eyes fixed on the grove, waiting for whatever would come next.
The boy trudged into the human camp. The camp was alive with activity even during the night. A soldier standing near the perimeter spotted him immediately. His gaze sharpened as he stepped forward to intercept him. "Ler," the soldier barked, a note of suspicion laced in his voice. "Report."
Ler stopped in his tracks, his shoulders tense but his head held high. "I'll explain everything," he said. "But I have to speak to the commander."
The soldier's eyes narrowed, scanning Ler from head to toe. "He's busy at the moment," he replied curtly. "What happened? Why are you the only one here? Where are the others?"
Ler took a steadying breath. "Our operation failed," he admitted. "The orcs received reinforcements from a nearby camp."
The soldier tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. "And you're the only one who made it out?"
"That's why I need to speak to the commander," Ler said again, his voice resolute. "There's more to this than just the operation failing."
The soldier stared at him for a moment longer. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh. "You'd better have a damn good reason for this," he muttered before gesturing for Ler to follow. "Come on."
The soldier led Ler to a larger tent in the center of the camp, its weathered canvas reinforced with wooden stakes. Two guards flanked the entrance, their stern expressions softening into mild surprise as Ler approached. Without a word, the soldier ducked inside, leaving Ler standing in the cool evening air.
From within, muffled voices could be heard—a low murmur of discussion punctuated by the occasional sound of a pen being moved across a map. Moments later, the soldier reemerged, holding the tent flap open.
"The commander will see you," he said, stepping aside to let Ler through.
Ler entered the tent, his eyes adjusting to the dim light cast by several lanterns hung from the central pole. At the center, there was a large wooden table, and it was covered by maps of the region. Standing around the table were several officers. At the head of the table stood the commander—a broad-shouldered man with piercing gray eyes and a face etched with years of experience.
The soldier cleared his throat, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "Excuse me, sir," he said. "For interrupting, but Ler has an urgent report."
The commander glanced up, his expression impatient but curious. "Ler?" he repeated. "What's the matter? Can't you see we're in the middle of planning?"
Ler straightened his posture, his face resolute despite the tension in his body. "Sir," he began, his voice steady, "our operation has failed."
The room fell silent. The officers exchanged glances, their faces a mixture of surprise and concern. The commander's brows knit together, and he leaned forward slightly. "What?"
Ler pressed on. "We were ambushed. The orcs received reinforcements from another camp and overwhelmed us. Most of our forces were killed, and those who survived were captured."
The commander's expression darkened, his hands gripping the edge of the table. "And how did you escape?" he asked. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're here, but this seems... unlikely. Did you avoid the battle?"
Ler shook his head firmly. "No, sir," he said. "I was captured, along with the others." He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "But there was one orc—a member of the reinforcements—who intervened. He... he wants to discuss a potential ceasefire."
The commander's head snapped up. "A ceasefire?"
Ler nodded. "Yes, sir. He said that the bloodshed is unnecessary and that maybe we can stop killing each other."
A murmur rippled through the officers. The commander raised a hand to silence them. "And you believed him?" he asked.
Ler met his gaze unflinchingly. "Yes, sir," he said, his voice resolute. "It didn't look like he was trying to trick us."