The underground refuge was silent except for the sound of steady breathing. Ashar surveyed the room, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. He had led his people to safety, but for how long? The Orcs were still out there, furious, and this was just a temporary haven.
"Do you think they'll follow us here?" Rylah asked, her voice low, eyes flicking toward the narrow passageway that led to the surface.
"They'll try," Ashar replied, his jaw tight. "But we'll be ready. This place was built for a siege."
Rylah nodded, but the tension in her shoulders didn't ease. "We've held them off before. But now... now they know what we're capable of. They'll come at us with everything they've got."
"We'll be ready," Ashar repeated, though his voice lacked the conviction he wished he had. He had a plan, but it wasn't perfect. Nothing was.
As he turned to address the rest of his people, he couldn't ignore the fear in their eyes. The weight of responsibility pressed heavily on him, but this wasn't just his burden anymore. The survivors looked to him for guidance, and he couldn't afford to show doubt.
"We have breathing room for now," Ashar began, his voice steady as he surveyed the people in the underground refuge. "But we cannot rest for long. The Orcs will come. They won't let us slip away so easily."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the room. His people were exhausted, but they had come a long way since their escape. Many of them were still recovering from their time as slaves—both physically and mentally. They had known little but hardship and torment, and now, they were faced with the harsh reality of war.
Ashar clenched his fists. There was no time for weakness, no time for hesitation. He had to lead them. For better or worse, he was their king now.
"We will prepare," he continued, his voice growing stronger. "We will train. We will fortify this refuge. And when the time is right, we will take the fight back to the Orcs. We will show them that they can't break us."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "And we will not be alone. There are other villages out there. We can unite them. If we stand together, we will be stronger than they could ever imagine."
Rylah stepped forward, her eyes narrowed as she looked at Ashar. "Do you really think the neighboring villages will join us? After everything the Orcs have done, after everything we've been through?"
Ashar met her gaze, his expression unwavering. "We have to make them see that the Orcs won't stop until they've destroyed all of us. The humans who are left—those who haven't been enslaved—are just waiting for someone to lead them. If we show them that there's hope, they'll follow."
Rylah didn't say anything for a long moment, but Ashar could see the flicker of doubt in her eyes. It wasn't easy to ask people to risk everything again, not after the horrors they had already endured. But they had no choice. The Orcs were not just going to go away.
"We'll need food, weapons, supplies," Rylah said after a beat. "And we can't afford to waste time. Our people are hungry, and the longer we stay down here, the harder it will be to maintain morale."
"I know," Ashar said, the weight of responsibility settling heavily on his shoulders. "We'll send scouting parties to gather supplies. I'll talk to the village leaders—we can't do this alone."
"We'll need more than just food," Rylah added, her voice quiet but resolute. "We need allies. Real allies. People who can fight, who will fight with us."
Ashar nodded. "I know."
***
Over the next few days, Ashar and Rylah worked tirelessly to rebuild their forces. They had the stronghold—now they needed to fill it with more than just survivors. The stronghold wasn't just a place to hide; it had to be a base of operations. If they were going to strike at the Orcs again, they needed an army, one strong enough to take the fight to the enemy.
Scouting parties were sent out to search for supplies—food, weapons, anything they could use. Ashar knew the Orcs would be watching the area, but they couldn't afford to be cautious. They needed the resources to sustain their army for the long fight ahead.
While the scouts were away, Ashar focused on training the survivors. Many were weak, malnourished, and traumatized by their time as slaves. But they were survivors, and they had something that the Orcs didn't: determination. With that, they could build something stronger than just an army—they could forge a force that was fueled by the desire to never again live in chains.
"I'll need every one of you to work as hard as you can," Ashar told the gathered group one morning. "This isn't going to be easy, but it's our only chance."
The soldiers he trained were a mix of the old guard—those who had fought with him during the escape—and the new recruits—people who had survived but never fought before. Some were older, their bodies bent by years of labor. Some were younger, their eyes bright with the fire of rebellion.
Among them were those who had once been slaves, their bodies thin but resilient. Ashar could see it in their eyes—the same look he had seen in himself during their escape. The fire of vengeance was there. The fire to reclaim what had been stolen.
Over the days that followed, Ashar pushed them harder. They had no time to waste. Their bodies ached, their minds were worn thin, but he wouldn't let them stop. He couldn't afford to.
***
As they continued training, Ashar knew the next step was to reach out to the neighboring human villages. The Orcs had kept the humans divided for years, using fear and violence to ensure their subjugation. But now, there was hope. Ashar had the chance to unite the people who had been scattered across the land.
He gathered a small group of trusted leaders from the nearby settlements and set out to meet with them. It was a risk, but it was necessary. If they didn't unite, they wouldn't stand a chance against the Orcs.
When Ashar arrived at the first village, the leader, a woman named Kendra, eyed him with suspicion.
"You say you're ready to fight the Orcs," Kendra said, her voice flat. "But after everything they've done, why would we risk everything to join you?"
Ashar met her gaze steadily. "Because if we don't, the Orcs will come for us all. We are stronger together. And this is our chance to strike back. We can't keep running."
Kendra seemed to consider his words, her expression unreadable. After a long silence, she nodded. "We'll join you. But we'll need weapons, food... and assurances that we won't be left to fight alone when the time comes."
"We'll stand with you," Ashar promised. "This is a fight for all of us. Together, we'll win."