While still standing at the elevated area outside the kobolds tribe, the two brothers started to discuss about the things that Will had discovered in his tracking of the ogres earlier.
“Wild dwarfs you say?”
“Well, I thought so first, but now I don’t quite know”
Will had said about the dwarfs that the two ogres were carrying at the time, and like his younger brother, Lucas also could not identify what type of dwarf those are “Wait, maybe they are half-blood?”
“Hal-blood? Well that might be, or they can also be a new type that we don’t know” Will jumped at one rock nearby “But what intrigues me, is what the ogres want with these dwarfs“
“Maybe is from then that the iron weapons are coming” said the dragon Laydown near the rock that his brother was, funny enough even lying down he still was pretty big “The thing is how the ogres are able to act organized like that”
“Well this world seems to follow fantasy rules” said the wolf lying at the top of the rock "So if go by this, there is only one answer to why the ogres are acting like this”
“”Wizard Ogres””
Normal ogres are not the brightest when it comes to intelligence, having pretty simple mind sets that resemble that of caveman, they can form groups similar to tribes among themselves. With some of them even being able to talk normally, but if you think that they can be organized, well, you are thought it wrong.
But as the saying goes, there is always exception’s.
Wizard ogres are rare breeds that are birthed with higher intelligence, higher than even normal humans, thing that made them have a good affinity with the magic arts, hence the name wizard ogres.
The control over normal ogre plus their increased intelligence made them the best choices of leader among the ogres, and probably the only ones that would be able to make this oversized caveman, act in an organized form like this without any problem.
“Well if that is the case, thing might get tricky depending on the enemy power” said Lucas
“I also thought so, but judging by the strength of the ogre of earlier, I would say this wizard is probably not that strong” said the wolf
“If he was, he probably would had control more strong ogres. I also thought so when I killed the chasing ogres before”
The wolf that was sitting at the top of the rock gave a stretched followed by a yawn “So what we are going to do, attack now or wait?”
“Dahru said that that another attack should happen tonight” said Lucas
“So we wait?”
“We wait”
----------------------------------------
The orange glow that had permeated the sky had already disappeared, signaling that the time had passed and now as night.
The kobolds tribe different from other nights, now hold many torches ablaze across the wall, this something that you normally would not see at the wild land. With predators and other dangers hiding at every corner, have so many torches would make any tribe become a beacon in the middle of the dark, plus the fact that most magic creatures can see better at the dark than humans, made so that his scene became a are one at the Wild lands.
“Chief Dahru”
Dahru that was standing at the top of the walls while overlooking the tribe turned around when he heard the warrior kobold “Had all the torches been lit?”
The warrior was a only a bit shorter than Dahru, with one meter and ninety he was taller than most kobolds, he was Rokdo one of the wall guards of the tribe, and also the one who had greeted Dahru earlier when he had come to see the Dragon Lord, being also one of the first kobolds to swear allegiance to Lucas and his brother.
“Yes, all of them had been lit” answered Rokdo
“Perfect, just as the Wolf Lord had instructed” said Dahru with a praising nod at the warrior.
The warrior heard the chief praise and gave a light smile, he looked at the illuminated tribe and with slight hesitation he asked “Chief Dahru, do you know why the Wolf Lord had order us to light all this torches?”
Earlier when the night had fallen, Will the one that the kobolds call Wolf Lord came to the chief Dahru with an assignment, he lit a torch using his flames and said to use that to lit other torches across the entire tribe.
Although confused the kobolds had followed as said and lit many torches across the tribe, and after they came to see the illuminated tribe many woman and children could not help to exclaim in wonder. After all, they generally don’t have so many torches lit at night like this, as it would attract unwanted attention to the tribe, but now seeing their tribe shining with the flames light made a smile appear in the face of many.
“I had asked him the same thing” Dahru turned around and looked at the forest outside the walls “He said that was to make us see better the show tonight”
…
The night breeze passed through the dark wild lands, but different from other nights in a certain clearing a new scene could be seen.
The kobolds tribe that normally would be shrouded in darkness and silence at this hour, was now shining brightly through the night. The kobolds that in the past few days had sleep under the pressure of the ogre’s attack’s, now are standing awake at the walls of their tribe, not even one of them showed any expression of fear.
“Ooorrgh”
Suddenly the silence of the night as cut short, a very familiar bellow to the kobolds came to their ears, followed by another, then another. The trees at the distance started to change from their calm to sway to a more violently shake, as if there something very tall passing through it, fortunately or not they didn’t need to wait much before seeing what was coming.
“Ooorrgh”
“Ooorrgh”
“Ooorrgh”
With almost three meters tall fat but muscular ogres walked one after another from the darkness of the forest, as they stepped at the illuminated area, it became more clear the difference between this bunch at normal ogres.
Gone are the tree maces, in their place iron maces that could be considered two-handed weapons to normal creatures, are being held like they weight nothing by the ogres. Their bare chests and shoulder’s, are now covered by iron armor composed of meshed iron plates.
A group of more than a hundred of ogres armed with iron weapon and armor, appeared before the kobolds tribe.
….
“Hu-‘
“What…”
“Heavens look at this”
“Gods!”
The sound of gasps could be heard from the kobolds at the wall in the moment that the horde of ogres appeared, the fear that they had suppressed until now became visible again. But how could they not when a horde of more than a hundred armed ogres appeared before you.
“Everyone calm down!” said the tribe chief Dahru that was also standing at the walls “There is no need for fear! We are not the same as before, now we have the protection of a Dragon Lord. What is a bunch of ogres before this type of godly power?!”
As if they had heard the voice of god himself, all kobolds started to calm down at the mention of the Dragon Lord. That look of fear that had briefly adorned their faces had changed to one of calmness, that’s is right, they thought, with a dragon at their side, what could possibly harm them?.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
‘This is the power of a Dragon’ thought Dahru as he see the change of his tribe at the mentio of the Dragon Lord, proving to him once more, the level of power that a dragon had over kobolds.
…
“Huh?”
Amidst the horde of ogres one of them in particular stood among his peers, all the ogres could be seen wearing armor that more looked like meshed iron plates, and only him used a more proper armor. He also used two maces instead of one, maces that also are more refined than the others.
Most ogres although fat are actually pretty muscular, this one in the other hand had no fat whatsoever, only hard steel muscles, plus the large beard at his face made him look like a commander among the ogre.
“Why they are not screaming?” asked the ogre “Why they had lit torches, had they been waiting us?”
Wizard ogres are not the only smart ones among the ogre’s, some other ogres would also develop a more sharp mind as they grow, and the muscular ogre clearly as one of them.
The moment than he saw the kobolds tribe shining through the night he had already got suspicious, and was he got closer the tribe wall, and saw that the kobolds are not in alarm as they had been at the previous assaults, the feeling that something wrong was happening only got stronger
“Ooorrgh”
“Ooorrgh”
“Ooorrgh”
As we thought about the situation the ogres around of him stared to become agitated, many of them started to bawl in fear, with some even dropping their weapons at the ground.
“What?!”
Even the muscular ogre started to feel agitated, a burring feeling started to appear on the back of his head, it was like a predator was staring him down from the dark, and the only thing he could was feel the eyes of the hunter burning holes through his head.
“How is this possible?” he asked himself as he looked at the kobolds tribe wall in trepidation, unfortunately to him that was just the beginning, as a pressure bigger than everything that he had ever felt spread through area,
“Hum!”
The pressure that slammed at him was so big that even made him falter, barely been able to restrain himself from falling in the ground, the commander ogre felt all the hairs in his body rising, a tingling feeling came to him “It could be?”
Swiftly he looked at the sky, but he only thing that the was able to see was a flash of white/blue lightning, before he could realize he was already hit.
“Ooorrgh!”
“Ooorrgh!”
“Ooorrgh!”
The lightning fell in the middle of the ogre horde, and then like a spider web it spread it to all the ogres. All of the ogres that are hit started to scream, even the commander ogre started to scream, the only thing strange the he felt, that although lightning was around his body he didn’t feel any damage apart of not been able to move.
“Well, you all certainly came prepared to conquer the tribe. But unfortunately for you now this tribe is under our protection”
A voice filed with power ranged at the area, and the commander ogre that was still covered in lightning suddenly had his vision blocked by the shadow of a big creature.
The light of the lightning cast a shadow over the creature body, with only his lightning filled eyes showing.
“Now you’re going to answer some of my questions”
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Outside of the forest a group of small sized hills could be found, and if one walked a few minutes across these hills he would be able to see what appear to be wall made of wood.
Made from the giant trees at the forest, the wall stood at more than twelve meters tall, with a big gate at the front adorned with the skulls of magic creatures, and watch towers at both sides, this was the blood fang ogre tribe.
This tribe had started to prosper in recent times thanks to the appearance of wizard ogre, that using of is more thoughtful mind, made a good revamp at the tribe, thing that was visible just looking at the walls protecting the tribe.
Ogres have herculean levels of strength that made lifting things that would normally need the help of machine, in something trivial as lifting a small stick. This coupled with the mind of the wizard ogre, made them able to build a wall around their tribe, bigger and sturdier than most human village walls.
Though the inside the tribe was still a far cry of the organization of a human village, things are clearly in a good direction.
…
Inside the ogre’s tribe there is a cave, and just outside of cave a pair of big ogres armed with two-handed iron hammer could be found. Entering the cave one would see that it’s actually a type of fortress inside, it various natural caves and paths, with a few of them appearing to be man-made.
Clink
Clink
Cling
In the depths of cave one would start to hear the sound of metalwork, and feel the heat of burning fire.
In one of the natural rooms of the cave a forge was been built, many kobolds could be seen carrying huge chunks of ore to one side, while in the other side a group of around ten dwarfs melted the ores and started to forge big sized weapons and pieces of armor.
One thing word mentioning is that all of them without exception had a somehow tired expression on their faces. But although tired they could not stop working, as was just need a quick glance at the door direction to see to see two ogres standing guard, and with two more outside, any escape thought would vanish just as fast as they came.
One of the kobolds with slight more old appearance that the others, with strange markings painted at his skin, and an older but more well maintained tunic at his waist that others, walked to one of the dwarfs working on a more secluded workbench “Hard day, my friend Thalgrim?”
Wearing a leather apron, a sleeves shirt that showed his hardened muscle, and a long well-groomed white beard, the dwarf in question also had a more old appearance compared to others. He that was working on piece armor looked back at kobold and without stopping swing the hammer said “Nah, I’ve had worse. And you?”
“I feel better now, knowing that our time here will not last long” said the old kobold with relieved voice.
Thalgrim the old dwarf looked at the kobold with an eyebrow raised “Not last long? what has got into you Kam, thinking of dying already?”
“Have you not felt that the ogres had gotten more nervous recently?” asked the old kobold named Kam.
“I have felt it. So what?”
“I had a felt the presence of a great Lord coming from the south” Kam said with great reverence on his voice “The wizard most had felt it too”
Thalgrim hammer stopped the moment he heard Lord coming from Kam mouth. He had already lived for a long time, and he know that only one being can be called Lord by a old kobold like Kam with such reverence.
“A Lord you say” he resumed his hammer swings “How the chances of he really coming here
?”
“If we go by what the spirits told med, really big”
“Uhm” Thalgrim stayed silent thinking, and after a minute he stopped his hammer, looked at Kam and said “If your Lord really do came and freed my people from this place, I Thalgrim, would not mind offering him my services alongside you”
Kam smiled “Don’t worry, I’m sure he will came”
“Huh”
----------------------------------------
“What is the weapons progress?”
In another room of the cave a scene very different was occurring.
The room was more decorated than the others, having red magic creatures skin plastered across the floor and walls and illuminated by torches, balcony’s with books, crystals, herbs and other magic items.
And at the center of the room a throne adorned with magic creatures bones could be seen, and sitting at the throne a somehow imposing figure of a woman could be seen.
With more than two meters tall, tanned skin wearing a mage tunic made of animal skin with the front open her barely covered body, arms and legs adorned with rare gems, a necklace made of bone at the neck. Short blond hair with sharp green eyes, the tall woman sitting at the throne is Valerie the chief of the blood fang tribe, and also wizard ogre.
Wizard Ogre are very rare among the ogres, the unusual smart ogre is considered by some to be the result of a crossbreed that happen a long time ago, between an ogre and an ancient type of human. Wizard ogres by chance are born with this old bloodline awaken, thing that result in their high intelligence and affinity with magic arts, and also explain why wizard ogres have a more close to humans appearance than other ogres.
Valerie is a good example, as she looks more like a giant human woman than an actual ogre.
“Tribe chief we already are going at the full capacity that our current numbers permit, please have patience” answered a young dwarf that was kneeling at before the throne.
“Increased the production” ordered Valerie with a stern voice “I already sent Orok with a horde of warriors to capture a few more workers. Numbers will not be a problem”
“Yes Tribe leader” answered the young dwarf with a somehow quivering voice, before bowing and leaving the room.
‘Why this had to happen now?’ thought Valerie helpless.
Things in her life had gone fairly well in recent times, she had been able to led her tribe to a more prosperous time, trainings new warriors and find better equipment’s, and even her power had come to grow recently. But one day she suddenly started to feel a very strong presence coming from the south, one that she had never felt before.
And to make things worse, earlier two of her men’s had reported hearing the roar of a very strong being, that honestly made them feel fear from the bottom of their hearts.
Normally she would had scold-them for the cowardice, but she knew that a very strong presence had settle in the south.
“I only hope that this powerful being will not come here so soon”
BOOM
BOOM
“OOOORGHH!”
BOOM
Suddenly the room started to shake, the whole cave started to shake, loud screams of terror came from her tribesmen outside. She was about to cast a probing spell when someone came to her room.
“Orok?!”
The muscular ogre commander Orok came to the throne room, but different from the sure looking commander that had departed, this Orok had a more tired and resigned look “Tribe Leader, the two Great Lords are waiting from you outside”
“Great Lord?” a bad premonition came to her when hearing her best man in this stete saying something like that “What great Lords?, Orok what happened in the kobold tribe”
“The two Great Lords said that they will explain everything” Orok looked at Valerie with a pleading look ”You do not want to anger them, so please came with me”
….
As they walked close to the cave entrance, the bad feeling that she had felt earlier only grew stronger and stronger. And when Valerie walked out of the cave her worst nightmares came to her sight.
Suffocating heat
A wall of dark red fire surrounded the tribe building, the tribe gate and many watch towers now laid ruined at the ground with dark red flames consuming them until nothing left.
Unequaled pressure
A pressure big than everything she had felt spread through all the corners of the tribe, many of the ogres at the tribe are kneeling at the ground shakings without been able to rise, and some of them even had white/blue lightning around them like chains pinning them down.
“So you are the famous wizard ogre”
She looked up, and what she saw as the visage of two powerful beings staring her down from up the hill where her cave was located.
One was a Dragon with gray lightning filled eyes.
And the other was as Wolf with burning red eyes.
“My name is Lucas, and this one is my brother Will. And I think we have some things to discuss"