To one with a keen eye, it would appear that the ancient city was destroyed by a fiery bombardment from above. The way the rubble and debris were distributed across the large avenues and plazas indicated the cause was from explosions. This was also evidenced by the scorch marks, long faded but still very visible. There were no skeletal remains. Where were the people? Gilreg wondered as the four made their way toward the sound of battle. The noise came just a short distance from behind a large, crumbled tower.

"Shouldn't we avoid the battle by going around it?" Raine asked.

"It may be adventurers fighting another tribe. Maybe another group of goblins. They may need our help," Gilreg responded as he crept closer to the sounds.

"Let's stab things and take their treasure!" Shaymus exclaimed.

The others could not disagree with that logic. They crept closer to the sounds of battle and stuck to the numerous hiding spots created by the collapsed buildings. They passed one slumped-over corpse with an arrow sticking out of its chest.

"Orcs," Raine whispered. Orcs were big, averaging nearly half a meter taller than goblins. They had wide flat noses and large tusks protruding from their lower lips.

"I hate orcs. They think they're better than us," growled Shaymus.

A massive plaza opened before them where numerous figures engaged in vicious combat. Many bodies of dead orcs littered the ground. The guardian's sharp, treasure-seeking eyes were able to spot the piles of remains of fallen adventurers as well. Currently, an exceptionally large orc in heavy armor was battling a group of six adventurers. The orc was wielding with deadly grace a spear with a broad blade at the end. The blade had a point and a cutting edge with rings set along its back that rattled. There were several average-sized and smaller orcs battling the adventurers, but as the four guardians arrived, these orcs were being picked off. One adventurer got hit in the head with the poleaxe and disappeared in a puff, their gear dropping to the ground with a cluttering clang. That left five adventurers versus the large orc.

"We can even the odds," Gilreg said.

"Nah, we should wait, kill whoever is left standing. Take all the Loot!" Shaymus said greedily.

"That does not seem very honorable," Nulrok commented and then quieted as Shaymus glared at him.

"That orc is either a chieftain or a prince," Raine observed. She received blank looks from her comrades, informing her they did not know what she was talking about.

"He is the largest. Orc tribes choose their leaders based on size and strength. Plus, you see the markings along his face? Those are marks of a proven warrior," she added.

"We will help. The caster is the most dangerous. Once we remove them, the others shouldn't give us much trouble," Gilreg said. He was observing the battle the whole time.

"Why should we help the orc?" Shaymus challenged.

Gilreg didn't really see that he had much time to argue. On the other hand, Shaymus was a wildcard. She may not help fight if she didn't want to. He grinned at her.

"If he is a prince, then that's a bigger reward, right?" He asked, hoping to appeal to her greed.

Shaymus smiled wickedly and drew her dagger and sword. "Who do you want me to kill?" She asked.

"The caster is using both earth magic and summoning magic," Nulrok said.

The large orc was surrounded by four warriors armed with swords and shields. The fifth adventurer stood back and cast buff spells on his comrades. The warriors wore basic padded leather armor that covered their whole body, and they wore a leather cap. Each had a wooden shield strapped to their arms and a side sword similar to the one that Shaymus carried. Gilreg's observation was accurate. They didn't appear to be particularly skilled.

They were still alive because every time the orc landed a hit on them, bits of rock and dust would fly off. Nulrok explained that earth magic was defensive in nature. The spell caster would buff the warriors with protective spells, and when they got hit, the spell absorbed the damage. The spell caster would re-cast the spell on them again so that their protection was recharged.

The large orc would attempt to close in on the caster. In response, the mage would summon up a human-shaped creature that glowed green and lacked any discernible details. The summoned creature would clumsily defend its master. It worked well enough because the thing would either get destroyed in a single hit or bump the orc back before crumbling into a mist. Nulrok explained that summoning spells require an insane amount of skill and magic to maintain. Most last less than a minute before the spell ends, and the summoned creature fades out of existence.

"That was helpful, Nulrok. Change in plans. You and Raine attack one of the fighters at the same time. Let's start reducing their numbers. Shaymus, you and I will go for the caster. I'll distract them while you sneak up…" Gilreg said and then noticed that Shaymus had already disappeared from sight.

They initiated Gilreg's plan. Nulrok struck a warrior with a fiery dart. The earth spell negated the damage and was spent. The warrior looked surprised at the arrow sticking out from his chest. The large orc seeing an advantage roared into a frenzy and laid into the three remaining warriors causing them to fall back. The caster, an elf with blue hair, looked at Gilreg in annoyance as the warrior ran toward him. The mage summoned up two green creatures for protection. One glowing creature intercepted Gilreg with a clumsy tackle. The warrior batted the thing aside with his shield and stabbed it with his sword. It felt like stabbing dough, and the creature did not disappear as it pummeled Gilreg's shield with surprising strength. With shock, Gilreg saw that the second summoned creature charged Shaymus. The elf had a keen vision to have spotted the sneaky goblin.

Another human warrior was cut down by the combination of attacks from the orc, Nulrok, and Raine. Shaymus let out a screech as the glowing creature pummeled her to the ground. She was stabbing it to little effect, and the powerful thing was crushing her. Rotating his wrist and elbow, Gilreg could deflect his attacker to the side with his shield and throw it off balance. The goblin warrior quickly charged the distance between him and Shaymus and tackled the summoned creature on top of her. It was so dense and heavy that it barely moved. But it was enough for Shaymus to scramble back. She swung her sword in a panic and sliced off the creature's block-like hand. Slashing attacks are more effective, the warrior thought.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Gilreg dropped his sword and drew his axe, and hacked at the creature's neck. The featureless head fell off, and the rest of the summoned creature disappeared. The other summoned creature had recovered its balance and struck Gilreg hard from behind. The warrior was knocked to the ground and unable to move. Gilreg braced himself for another hit. But it never came. He looked up and saw Shaymus's feet run past. He struggled to stand and saw that she had cut the creature's leg off, and it was fumbling on the ground. Shaymus didn't bother finishing it as she went after the elf mage.

Shaymus closed the distance and swung her sword with practiced skill. It struck the mage, and bits of rock and dust flew off the elf's body. To Shaymus, it felt like she was hitting a boulder, and it numbed her sword arm. The mage summoned another featureless humanoid creature, and it struck Shaymus hard in the chest, knocking the pale-eyed goblin back. Gilreg made to move and attack the elf, but the legless summoned creature on the ground had grabbed his ankle in a vice-like grip. The warrior gritted his teeth in pain as the creature was about to crush his bones. Gilreg hacked the thing's arm off, and it faded to nothing.

A fire dart slammed into the elf's chest and made the sound of striking stone. More bits of rock flew off, and the elf nimbly dodged an arrow from Raine. The remaining two human warriors were dispatched by the orc, but not before one of them landed a grievous wound to the orc's leg. The orc was kneeling on the ground and leaning heavily upon their poleaxe. Shaymus was struggling with the summoned creature, and Gilreg came to her aid by hacking off its head from behind. Nulrok and Raine jogged closer. Nulrok attempted to encase the elf's feet in ice, but the mage's resistance was too strong, and the ice magic fizzled.

"Goblins!" The elven mage spat, and the four moved to circle the adventurer.

Shaymus howled and charged. The mage summoned another creature that intercepted the pale-eyed goblin. Gilreg threw his axe, and it struck the mage painfully in the chest. The axe bounced to the floor, but it looked like it removed the last remnants of their earth spell as the mage grimaced in pain. The elf dodged a fire dart, but an arrow from Raine struck their leg. The mage stumbled back in pain and grabbed a purple pendant from around their neck.

"Don't let it break that gem!" The orc roared, but it was too late. The mage cracked the gem in the pendant and disappeared.

"A little help here!" Shaymus cried as the summoned creature's unnatural strength knocked her to the ground. In moments, the group was able to dispatch the creature.

"Where did the elf go?" Gilreg asked the orc.

"They used a Returning Gem," the orc answered in a deep voice. "Now they are back at their camp. Somewhere out there," the orc added, motioning toward the Wasteland as he stood up gingerly.

"Camp?" Nulrok asked.

"The adventurers have a sanctuary that is hidden by some cursed magic," the orc spat.

"I suspected as much," Raine said, pondering.

Gilreg introduced himself and the others to the orc and briefly explained the challenges their tribe faced with losing artifacts and increased Adventurer activity.

"The same for us. They have killed many warriors of my clan. They will come back. We must depart," the orc said.

"What were they seeking?" Raine asked.

The orc looked at her in astonishment. As if she should know. When it was clear that none of the goblins knew what Booger was talking about. The orc explained.

"They seek me. Boogerashikti, Prince of the Blood Fist Clan."

Shaymus snickered.

"What's so funny?!?" The orc prince demanded.

"Your name is Booger," the demonic goblin answered.

LATER THAT DAY

"Why do they seek you?" Gilreg asked as the goblins searched the remains for loot.

"Here you go," Nulrok said and tossed a red vial to Gilreg. The goblin warrior then handed the vial to Booger.

"You have my gratitude," the orc prince said and drank the healing potion. The wounds on his leg lessened, and he was able to walk. The prince rose to his full height, and Gilreg came to his chest.

"I am Prince Boogerashikti of the Bloodfist Clan," the orc repeated. "I have waged war against the humans, the elves, and the dwarves. My forces were pushed back here, and they feared that I would unite the tribes and raise another army. So the High Races have placed a large bounty upon my head."

"You've been beyond the Red River?" Raine asked, and Nulrok stopped what he was doing to listen in. Shaymus shrugged and continued to stuff loot into her sacks from the remains.

"Yes. My clan had lands there before we were pushed back by the High Races. I united the orc tribes and invaded their Kingdoms. We did much raiding and pillaging but were eventually stopped by the Imperium, the large human empire far to the east. We retreated to the ruins here, and they have been sending adventurers ever since after me. My clan discovered that killing and looting adventurers was more profitable than raiding their lands. Invading requires that we have to overcome their defenses, manage supply lines, and all the headaches of waging war. So now we just make a show of rallying our troops for their scouts to see," Booger said with a shrug of his massive spiked armored shoulders.

"You have no intention of marching to war?" Gilreg queried.

"By the Dreaded One, no! Adventurers carry so much more wealth on them, from good-quality weapons and magical items to precious gems and gold. It is more profitable stealing from them than raiding your average town of peasants. We trade the treasure we find from them with the Lords of the Dungeon for food and other things. We had a good living. Until the Envoys stopped showing up and the adventurers became more challenging. I do not have enough warriors to fight them for much longer."

"How many warriors do you have left?" Raine asked.

Prince Booger looked around in thought and answered with a shrug, "None."

"What?!? Your entire clan is gone?" Gilreg exclaimed.

The orc pondered a moment. The goblins could almost see the gears ticking behind Booger's eyes as he was thinking. The prince looked at the orc bodies and then counted on his thick fingers.

"Yep, it was a good run while it lasted."

"We were traveling to Haven to find out what happened to the Envoys," Nulrok chimed in.

"Oh, that is a perilous journey. Like I said. The adventures have hidden encampments out in the Wastelands. That was why they were able to raid these ruins so often and in greater numbers. I fear Haven might have fallen."

"I'm curious at the magic they are using to stay hidden," Nulrok pondered.

"Are we leaving yet?" Shaymus snarled. She had finished looting all the remains and was carrying a sack nearly twice her size.

"What is the safest way for us to get to Haven?" Raine asked.

"Uh," the orc thought a moment, tapping his chin with a thick finger. Then his face lit up. "I have decided to accompany you. Let me get my things," the prince said and wandered off into one of the partially collapsed buildings.

"Oh, he is not coming with us!" Shaymus hissed as the prince disappeared from sight.

"Why not? He is a formidable fighter," Gilreg pointed out.

"If not the brightest," Raine added.

Nulrok shrugged with indifference. The mage sat down, crossed his legs, and began to meditate to refresh his mind for future casting.

"He is an orc. I do not trust him," Shaymus growled.

The orc prince popped his tusked head out of the doorway and called out to the group.

"Do Goblins like wine? There was a time when we had many elf adventurers coming for us. They all fought with two scimitars for some strange reason and were always brooding. Anyways, they carried a lot of wine. We orcs prefer ale and the blood of our enemies. Plus, all of my warriors are dead, so I have a lot of the stuff."

"Like I was saying, we should let him join us," Shaymus said.