Rise of the Horde

Chapter 184: Chapter 18

Khao’khen was looking up ahead while squinting his eyes. He felt glad that the sentries didn’t take any precautions against them, as their low walls weren’t enough to stop their steeds. The camp of the Ereians had a low wall surrounding their camp which would give some trouble if you are on foot with those small spikes all around it, but not a problem when you are riding a mighty war beast that is covered in armor.

“Dug’mhar, follow after me!” Khao’khen shouted towards the clan chief of the Rumbling Clan as he leaned to the right side of his steed, like he was hanging on its back. He had his right foot firmly stepping on the stirrup and used his left hand to grab hold on to the back of his steed. It was quite a risky maneuver, but it would increase their chance of not being suspected of being enemy warriors to their foes.

Following after their chieftain, Dug’mhar leaned to one side of his steed, but he took it a step further as he put his left foot on the right side of the stirrup, like he was going to mount his steed. Dug’mhar crouched low on the side of his steed, which made his figure almost nonexistent. And even Khao’khen was worried that he might have fallen off from his steed, but the sight of Dug’mhar’s hands on the back of his steed eased his worries.

Khao’khen looked behind him and saw the rest of the Rhakaddon Cavalry copying Dug’mhar in the more dangerous position possible to ride in their mighty steeds. He just shook his head at their actions and looked forward towards their enemies. There is nothing he could do about how they ride their steeds, as they are more experts at it than him.

*****

“What’s wrong with the ground? It’s trembling.” a sentry informed his partner as he put his hand on the ground to get a better feel of the shaking ground. He squinted his eyes to be able to look further ahead, but the darkness that engulfed the surroundings hampered his vision and he can’t see anything besides the endless darkness.

“Ignore it... Some nocturnal creatures in the sand might be moving underground. That’s why the ground is shaking.” his partner waved his hand and dismissed the trembling ground to be nothing but just some wild sand creatures. He leaned against his spear and had his shield laid down beside him in a careless manner. He was so relaxed that his partner can’t help it but smile wryly at his actions.

.....

“We have just to watch out for those bastards that set ablaze to our supplies. My meals were cut by a quarter because of them.” he angrily muttered as he kicked the sand in front of him. The careless sentry the proceeded to spout many more cuss words directed at the Verakhs. “I wasn’t able to get some proper rest for the past nights because of them. If I ever catch them... Ooh... I am going to tear them apart with these hands and shove my spear up their ass*s.” he continued as he brought forward his spear.

“I have a bad feeling about this. The shaking of the ground has been going on for a long time already. More than a quarter of an hour.” the nervous sentry told his partner as he was really feeling uncomfortable by the continuous shaking of the ground.

“Relax! It’s nothing but just some wild creatures.” the careless sentry replied and walked forward. He stood a few meters away from his partner, then turned around and held his hands out. “See! There is nothing here.” he continued, but a sudden impact from his rear sent him flying towards his partner.

The nervous sentry looked upwards as he watch his partner flying towards him. He moved forward with open arms to catch his falling partner. He managed to catch his partner in his embrace who had blood coming out of his mouth while having a difficulty in breathing.

“What the heck is that?” he shouted as he saw the face of a Rhakaddon that was becoming bigger and bigger by the second. He had his pupils dilating as he froze in place. His limbs weren’t responding to what his brain was ordering it to do as he was engulfed by fear and just stared at the enormous creature that was on its way towards him.

Dug’mhar’s steed knocked the two sentries and sent them flying far away. “Look chief! Flying enemies... Hahahah... This perfect one taught them how to take flight and they surely fly high...” he chuckled, then pointed his weapon at the two sentries who were still falling down after being sent flying by him.

Khao’khen ignore the words of Dug’mhar, then looked behind him towards the rest of the Rhakaddon Cavalry. “Ride out! Full speed! Don’t slow down!” he shouted as he made a beeline towards the closest tent where the Ereians were hiding at.

The Ereians were still not aware of the presence of their enemies as they hid themselves in their places and waited for the signal to come out and surround their enemies. A few sentries here and there were quietly dispatched by the riders as they took them out from a distance. Bolts of iron soared to the air before going through the bodies of the unaware patrols that their camp was already infiltrated, not by those that they were expecting, but by more difficult to deal with foes.

Khao’khen was getting close to his target when an Ereian soldier came out from the tent, probably to take a leak. “Ene!...” the shout of the soldier was cut short when an iron bolt from Khao’khen went through his mouth and filled it to the brim till his throat and even stick out from behind his head. _{????????????????????????d. c????????}

He slung the crossbow behind his back and held his crescent-moon spear with both hands as he prepared himself for a powerful strike. His Rhakaddon continued on its way as it lowered its enormous head in preparation to ram through the tent and whatever was inside it. A might crash sounded as his steed cut through the tent and trampled over the soldiers who weren’t expecting an enemy to just run right through them. While passing by the panicking enemy soldiers as they were huddled up together by the tent, Khao’khen swung his weapon at them and tore apart the tent and along with it was plenty of blood and limbs from the unlucky ones who were within the reach of his weapon.

Khao’khen kicked the sides of his steed for it to continue forward, as stopping meant death, as he will surely be surrounded by many of their enemies if he stays in place. He was confident in dealing against a hundred of them, but more than that, he would surely succumb to them. He ain’t no fool to believe that he could take them all on even if he was an orc.

Chaos spread out through the camp of the Ereians as the Rumbling Clan trampled over everything and anyone that was on their way. Anything that could be destroyed, they wrecked it to pieces as they rammed through them. Anyone that was out in the open was dispatched by the reapers of the dark, which were the iron bolts that showed no bit of mercy to their targets.

“What’s happening!?” Where are the enemies!?” Baron Husani shouted as he was yet again prevented by their enemies from enjoying Tina fully. He was only wearing a robe on his body and he was fuming mad. He had his eyes totally red, his face black as lines dotted his forehead, and he was gritting his teeth in anger.

He was already prepared to enter the little beauty, but their enemies just have to come at the perfect moment to prevent him from enjoying her. He wanted to ignore the commotions going on outside but his perfectly erect weapon before that was standing proudly went limp as his fantasy was disturbed and he was brought back to reality.

“Get yourselves in line!? Form your battle-lines! You idiots! Form up!” he shouted his orders towards the Ereians, who were still running around, unsure of what to do next as their enemies wreaked havoc inside their camp.

“Get ba-....!” he wanted to bark orders, but a hand behind his head forced him down on the ground as an iron bolt barely missed his head and only managed to take away some of his hair and not his life. “Are you alright, my Lord?” a commander of the Baron’s personal army questioned as he helped his Lord up.

Baron Husani just waved his hand and dusted his robe, then turned towards their enemies that were now retreating. He threw his sword on the ground then turned back before heading inside his tent that was filled with holes and one side of it torn apart after a Rhakaddon went through it.

Riding with the cold wind of the night, Khao’khen and those with him safely retreated from inside the camp of the Ereians after causing some trouble. He had to withdraw already as he saw their enemies, slowly forming up into their battle lines to engage them and he had no plans to fight them in melee, just yet.

Khao’khen halted their retreat when they were five kilometers away from their enemies. They just went through their camp from the west and now they are somewhere on the eastern part of the sands. “Is there anyone missing!?” he shouted towards Dug’mhar, who was checking the numbers of his clansmen.

“We are still in full force, my chief.” Dug’mhar reported with all seriousness. He was smiling proudly at their victory.

“Rest for as much as you can. We will assault them again in a few hours.” Khao’khen muttered as he dismounted from his steed.