We packed up early in the morning because a new journey was about to begin.
In the morning, Captain Fawns gathered all of us and told us a piece of exciting news. He told us that the beastmen were suffering unprecedented hardships, and that this was most likely related to the power of darkness that we had been searching for.
For this reason, we had to pack up and prepare to set out. We had to pass through the Misty Swamp and head to the ancient beastmen's land.
The mercenaries had already started packing up the resources that could be taken away from the camp. Just the tents and food in the camp were enough to fill several large carriages.
Soon, all of us had finally packed everything that could be taken away from the camp onto the carriages. The majestic carriages and groups of mercenaries advanced toward the west of the Misty Swamp.
The journey was relatively peaceful. We didn't encounter any evil beastmen or poison spike spiders.
After traveling for about five days, we arrived at the main city of the beastmen, Sargeru, with the Iron Wolf Mercenary Group.
Sargeru meant 'City of Warriors' in the beastmen language. It was built with the blood of the beastmen's martyrs.
However, when we actually stood before the walls of the beastmen's city, what we saw was very different from what we had imagined.
"How could this be? What happened?!" Batulu said in fluent human language as he looked at the broken walls of Sargeru in shock.
"I didn't think it would be so fast," Fawns said.
Batulu didn't say anything else and quickly rushed into the city on his Frost Wolf. The beastmen on the watchtower saw the beastmen rushing over, so they didn't shoot at them with their ballistae.
However, the beastmen soon discovered a group of humans not far away. They immediately entered a state of alert. Fortunately, the group of humans stopped outside the city.
Fawns saw that Sargeru's city walls were heavily guarded and ordered the mercenaries to set up camp two and a half kilometers away from the city.
When Batulu rushed into the city, he was scared silly by the scene in front of him. He didn't think that after not returning for more than ten days, this place would become so devastated.
Burned houses, crying female beastmen, and piles of beastman corpses on the streets. All of this made Batulu's heart feel like it was being stabbed.
He arrived at the chief's hall and saw a guard covered in wounds standing guard there.
Batulu walked in and saw the orc general Bulwark and the minotaur chief sitting there with worried expressions.
Seeing Ba Tu walk in, Burke was shocked. Then, he went wild with joy and hugged Ba Tu. He couldn't believe his eyes. Ba Tu was actually still alive!
It turned out that the Wolf Knight that had gone missing when Batulu set out from the Moonblade Castle had returned to Oglu alone.
Because he was afraid of being punished, he told the Beastman Chief that the humans did not agree to send troops to aid the Beastmen. In a fit of anger, he even executed Batulu.
When Burke heard that his younger brother had been killed by a human, he was completely dumbfounded. For a moment, anger and sadness filled his heart. He begged the Orc Chief to avenge his brother.
The Orc Chief once again sent the Wolf Cavalry to the Moon Blade Fortress to demand an explanation, but this time they didn't come back with any.
There was only a well-equipped human army and the corpses of the Wolf Cavalry.
In the next three days, the human army launched a fierce attack on Ogeru.
It wasn't until the fourth day that the orc army finally couldn't withstand the fierce attacks of the humans. The city gates were broken through by the human army. The Empire's army rushed in and began to burn, kill, and pillage the orcs.
In the end, the Orc Chief Victor was captured and taken to the Moon Blade Fortress as a hostage. Along with him were a few hundred orc children. One had to know that these children were the future foundation of the Orc tribe.
The human commander had the Orc General Bulwark sign a treaty. The treaty stated that 50 carriages of gold would be handed over in a month. Otherwise, the Orc Chief and his children would all be executed.
Just as he was feeling distressed, Batulu suddenly came back.
"I'll go chop off the head of that idiot who lied about the military situation." Bulwark thought of the Wolf Knight who came back and said that Batulu was dead, but he slowly sat down.
This was because that Wolf Knight had already sacrificed himself to protect the Orc Chief during the war. This was the nature of the Orcs. They didn't have to follow the orders of their superiors, but they had to be loyal to their own people.
Every Orc was a brave warrior and worthy of respect.
Bulwark also told Batulu that after the human siege ended, the Black Tide engulfed Sargeru. Although the Orcs managed to defend Sargeru in the end, the Black Tide was just the beginning. This was only the first part of the black tide. The black tide turned out to be an army of insectoids that had appeared out of nowhere.
No one knew when the Black Tide would return, and no one knew if the Orcs could still hold on.
After Batulu understood what had happened these days, he told his brother not to worry and that everything would be fine. He had already brought reinforcements.
After hearing Batulu's explanation of the reinforcements, Bulwark fell silent for a while.
"I don't care if they're humans or elves. As long as they can help us fight against those hateful bugs and the humans of the Moon Blade Fortress, they're our friends," the Tauren Chief said after listening.
"Alright, this is a special time. We need to unite all the forces we can," General Bulwark said to his brother.
That night, Fauns came to the Orc Chief's Hall under Batulu's invitation.
On the way, Fauns saw injured Orcs everywhere. Those Orcs looked at Fauns with hostility.
"Don't mind them. After all, we were just robbed by the humans," Batulu said to Fauns.
"I can understand. I would do the same if it were me." Fauns didn't take it to heart.
When he entered the hall, Bulwark and the Tauren Chief had been waiting for him for a long time.
Bulwark sized up this tall and sturdy human. His first impression of Fauns was quite good. The Orcs were a race that revered strength. They had a natural respect for the strong.
"Hello, General Bulwark. I am the leader of the Iron Wolves Mercenary Group, Fauns."
"My brother has already introduced you to me. We are very grateful for your help. At the same time, we are willing to help you as much as we can," Bulwark said.
Just like that, the leaders of both sides met, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.
"Right now, aside from the Black Tide, the humans of the Moon Blade Fortress are also our enemies. I wonder if you can stand on our side, sir?" The Tauren Chief's question was a bit unfriendly.
"Right now, you don't have a choice. If the humans of the Moon Blade Fortress want to do something, they don't need to beat around the bush, do they?" Fauns countered.
"Alright, alright. Since we're going to cooperate, then the most basic thing is mutual trust. Without trust, we can't do anything," Batulu immediately said.
"We Orcs aren't without hope. We still have a bit of hope. It's just that our tribes are too scattered right now, and we each have our own way of doing things. Anyone who can reunite us Orcs will be our benefactor. We are willing to go through water and tread on fire for our benefactor, "Bulwark said.
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