In a smokey bar, Jukzuk, Gorzoc, and a rotund Orc with a large belly sat at a corner table, each with their backs to the wall... They took turns taking drags from the hooka that sat in the middle of the table, as each blew smoke rings in the air and long cuts from their tankards.

"Say Jukky... What's wrong with your kid's back?" The potbelly Orc asked, with smoke billowing from his nose like a dragon.

"Ever heard of the human tool called the cat O' nine tails?" Jukzuk asked as he took the grommet for the next hit.

"Can't say that I have... Sounds stupid. Who's ever heard of a cat with nine tails?" The large Orc laughed in response, as he asked.

"There are many strange creatures in this world, Morbash..." Gorzoc took the grommet from Jukzuk, as he spat his words toward the Orc sitting with them.

"You only ever call me by my name when you're in a foul mood... Gory."

"Well, as the rich bastard at the table, you don't know something... I find it hard to believe." Gorzoc continued.

"I've never sold nor bought a cat of nine tails, so I don't know anything about it... However, if you're telling me it can make me money, I'll look into it."

"I doubt it, Mormor... It's a torture device used by humans. My son was treated quite terribly by the humans during his time with them."

"Oh... Well, at least he isn't contagious." Morbash took the grommet from Gorzoc and took a hit, He blew three rings into the air as he continued, "Seems to be the talk among the betting crowd when they saw his back... The other half are making bets to the effect of 'Is Princess Demze his mate,'" Morbash again took another hit, "I tell ya," Morbash coughed and took another puff, "I can spread the word he's not catching, but it seems the big fellow under the arena already said it wasn't a sickness."

Jukzuk and Gorzoc both furrowed their brows as they continued to watch Morbash.

"...Wot?"

"Pass the friggin smoke, you fat bastard!" Gorzoc yelled in a low voice.

"Oh!? My fault, hahaha. My fault," Morbash coughed again while laughing as he passed the grommet to Jukzuk.

Jukzuk, in turn, took his hit and held the smoke, as he passed it to Gorzoc.

Jukzuk released the smoke in a rolling ball as it released into the air above, "Look, Varbuk has decided that Gun-Gun is stronger than first thought... So he's going to turn up the heat."

"How much are we talking?" Gorzoc took his hit. Morbash expected the take the grommet, but Gorzoc ignored him while waiting for Jukzuk.

"The fool just sent word before I walked in that the next match will be three non-cultivating humans against Gun-Gun."

Gorzoc starting coughing in mid-hit, as he tossed the grommet to Morbash.

"Cough! Cough! What is that fool thinking! You go up by one, not fucking two! I thought the dip for brains wanted to forge the boy into a tool of war... Not get him killed in the third match!" Gorzoc slammed his fist on the table, rattling the hooka and tankards.

All talk, chatter, and sound abruptly stopped, as all eyes bar peered toward Gorzoc and his loud voice among the other two.

Morbash stood up, as he called out to one of the bar Orcesses, "Haha, heated arguments, free round on me to everyone!"

A collective cheer rang out, while some stated that Morbash was a generous fool, with the clatter of tankard colliding. The bar Orcesses nodded and started to fill up new tankards to replace those that were just downed.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Morbash sat back down as he took another hit, smoke rolled from his words as he chastised Gorzoc, "Damn it, Gory, you're costing me money!"

Gorzoc frowned, as he forced his anger into his belly, "I'm sorry, Mormor..." Gorzoc sighed.

Morbash laughed, as he looked to Jukzuk, "What's the plan?"

Jukzuk drained his own tankard and held it up. Noted by the bar Orcesses, he spoke slowly, "Gory... It's time to teach Gun-Gun cultivation."

"Whoa, hey now... I thought the idea was to get him some martial experience and then teach him," Gorzoc countered.

"That was before Chief dummy decided to triple the threat... I know this is more than just forging Gun-Gun into a warrior... This is a threat to me, that if I don't do what he wants... Well... History will repeat itself." Jukzuk frowned, as he stared down at his empty tankard.

"I see..." Gorzoc nodded slowly.

"Look at it a different way. You can teach the boy both cultivation and the art of war... You don't have to be so single-minded." Morbash added as he finished the last of the smoke. He sighed as he again attempted to pull more from the hooka, in vain.

"...I guess We have no choice, but to try." Jukzuk agreed.

"Look... I've been training Orcs since I left the field over fifty years ago... Orcs aren't easy to eat more than one thing at a time," Gorzoc continued.

"That's pretty shitty to say about us, Gory..." Morbash finally gave up on the hooka and put the grommet back in its holder.

"Truth hurts! I didn't make the rules." Gorzoc finished his tankard, just in time for the bar Orcesses to bring three filled tankards to the table.

Each of them took another tankard, as the bar Orcesses took away the empties.

"Honestly, Gun-Gun is a lot smarter that he lets on... From what I see with his interactions with Hellie and Demze... Expecially Demze is that he doesn't correct her that he's dumb. I would call that lowkey, but I can only surmise that it was his survival skill from among the humans. No one wants a smart thrall, slave, or even peasant." Jukzuk finished.

After a bit of thought, Gorzoc drained the tankard and slammed it down, "Fine! I'll try it, but if the boy fucks up his cultivation or hits deprivation, it's on your heads, the both of you!"

"Actually... I might have something for that..." Morbash spoke slowly.

""...Wot...?"" Both Jukzuk and Gorzoc spoke together, as they both looked deeply at Morbash.

"I just so happened to come into possession of a rare potion. I take it both of you have heard of the 'Pot of Pox' or 'POP' as some of the fancy youngins say now."

"Jukky, what the hell is Pot of Pox?"

"I'm not surprised... It's a rather hard potion to obtain... Just where did you get it?" Jukzuk asked Morbash.

"This one comes from the Darkdream Clan, itself!"

"Ah, so that's where you've been..."

"Well... I only went out to play a bit. Who knew this old Orc still had enough stamina to satisfy a priestess of the Darkdream."

"You would give up a rare item gained by courting a pristess of the Darkdream for Gun-Gun... Why?" Jukzuk furrowed his brows. Morbash was good to his friends, but you don't get rich by giving things away for free.

"If used... If that is! In the future the boy becomes something... I will need his services. Think of this as a favor between friends." Morbash smiled, "I also happen to have a 'Pot of Burning Love.'"

"So that's how you please a priestess of the Darkdream!" Jukzuk laughed, trying to drink from his tankard, but failing.

"If that's what I think it is..." Gorzoc looked left, right, and left again, before whispering, "Pass that."

"It's going to cost ya, brother Gory."

"Fuck... Whatever, pass it anyway, Shoragah wants another child... And if she does, then Yazganna wants one too." Gorzoc sighed.

"Not as young as you once were?"

"Fuck you, Mormor. I'll pay whatever you're asking!"

Jukzuk stopped attempting to drink as he continued to laugh at the two.

"My eldest son has been fancying your second eldest daughter for a long time now. It seems her father disapproves of an Orc that... As I quote, 'That boy sits behind a desk and pushes a quill. He's no red-blooded Orc."

"Really..."

"Really-Really."

"Fine, whatever... Your quill pushing waterlily of a son can marry, Glasha... If she approves." Gorzoc finally sighed.

"Excellent! This is a cause for celebration!" Morbash gave a deep belly laugh, as he popped Gorzoc on the shoulder.

"Whatever, celebrate the birth of my new children first, give me the pot, and I'm off!"

*******

While Xa'Gun's Elders were deciding his training and future, he had long entered his burrow and shed his clothing. Leather trousers, undergarments, followed by his greaves and sandals.

Finally, he entered his shower area, ready to bathe.

Xa'Gun then worked the water system that had been installed, allowing water to fall from something called a showerhead above him. It was like standing in the rain but indoors. It was exceedingly novel, and extremely luxurious for him, considered that just a little over half a year ago, he was being reprimanded for getting an extra bucket of water...

Xa'Gun had already soaped and scrubbed, as shown by his adopted father, Jukzuk, while he now stood under the showerhead allowing the water to wash over him deep in thought about his situation and those around him.