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World: MSS - Loading...
"Speech"
"Thoughts"
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These fuckers had only brought enough food for the majority of us. Not all of us. From what I could see, there was approximately enough food for maybe 60? 70 people? The wagon with the tents on it was the same. There were tents and bedrolls piled on top of one another, but nowhere near enough to house 100 people. I wasn’t the only one who noticed the lack of supplies.
“Hey! What gives! There isn’t-” The person who was speaking up shut up quick.
The glasses wearing elf had come out from the shadow of the wagon.
He did a little ta-da gesture. “Ta-da!”
Creak. Creak creak.
A third wagon rolled into view. This one had piles of firewood on it.
“At least they won’t let us die out in the cold.”
I recovered from my initial reaction of blaming the orcs. After all, I had promised myself to focus only on what can be done to make my situation better. For now, I decided to listen.
“Sorry!” The elf put his hands together and bowed in front of us, looking flustered. “I tried to get enough food for everyone but it seems some of our orc masters got a little hungry waiting for you guys!”
I heard some of the orc warriors chuckle.
“So we decided to do this the fair way. We will be performing an ancient sacred rite called Mak’gora.” He finished.
“Mak’gora? Here? Now?!”
Mak’gora was a purely orcish custom, though I knew that certain beastman and barbarian tribes practiced the same rite just under a different name. Mak’gora roughly translated to ‘Duel of Honor’, in which one individual may challenge another for… well, for anything really. From what I knew of orcish culture in MSS, they usually did it for the right to lead. But I had seen instances where the two orcish warchiefs would perform Mak’gora, and the winner’s horde took everything that belonged to the losing horde.
Traditionally these duels were to the death.
“I see your faces and you’re worried. Do not worry. No one expects any of you guys to be a full-fledged Arosh just yet.” The elf swiped one finger on the wagon, checking it for dust and blew on it.
“Arosh, another orc term. It means warrior.” I was listening intently, desperate for anything I could find that I could use to my advantage.
“You may challenge another and if you win, you will receive enough provisions for the night. Of course, when challenged you may wish to forfeit as well. But you may challenge another as many times as you like. Feel free to challenge others to Mak’gora with any number of people you wish, as long as you can find a group big enough to challenge.”
“It’s basically a team battle.” I understood the idea immediately. None of us had cores or any combat training yet. This was just another weed-out test, the stronger ones would receive shelter and food while the weaker ones would either die or be left behind.
“Oh and make sure not to finish the duel to death. Anything else will be allowed.” The elf finished, smiling wolfishly. “I’ll be standing by and watching.”
I organized what I knew about this battle that they’d organized over resources so far.
1. We were allowed to form groups or teams and engage in an all out battle
2. There was no permanent losing, you could challenge another as much as you wanted
3. No killing.
I wondered about the last rule.
“If I kill someone would they kill me or punish me? They also didn’t say anything about maiming. Not that maiming is a big deal when you have a power healer on hand. Looks like their goal for this is to create a hierarchy of who the strongest slaves are. If I want to take advantage of this, my best option would be to-”
I immediately tried to look for L’teya but I was already a step too late. Rumors about Lety’s skills in battle must have somehow spread through the camp or people had recognized her as a barbarian. People were flocking to her, asking her and the other beastgirl if they could all team up together.
“Yeah it would have been shameless to ask her after I was so cold to her anyways.”
Just like Lety, I saw a few other individuals who had attracted small crowd of their own. There was the man with the scar over his eye, who had now the biggest number of humans in his faction. The other was a tall lizard beastman with green scales over his body, except his face which was surprisingly human. I looked around and there were groups forming rapidly.
“Damn it. Do I have to try and go at this alone?”
Worst case scenario, I would simply starve and sleep without a bedroll or tent. It wasn’t the end of the world but I needed every edge I could get. But for once, I was lost.
I just didn’t have enough experience with people.
“Fuck. What am I supposed to-”
“Haha! Perhaps next time. Move aside human. Yes Yes, I understand but I already have someone else in mind.”
I heard the barbarian’s familiar voice and looked in her direction to see L’teya push the crowd aside, coming in my direction. She laughed, shoved and slapped people in the back but parted the crowd to get to me. She held out a hand.
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“You never told me your name, human. How can I repay my debts if I don’t know your name?”
I was caught completely unawares. I needed a moment to think so I gestured with my chin to the pink-haired beast girl. “What about your friend?”
“Clover. Clover Weinport.” She said sheepishly.
I had wracked my brains for a name but I could only think of the stupid orc locking the door after I had entered the tunnels.
“L-Lock.” I muttered.
“That is a good name!” Lety laughed and slammed my shoulder with her hand. I winced but did not complain.
“No family name?” The beastwoman, Clover, was less than convinced.
“...Slaveborn.” I provided.
“Goddammit, if I never even had a chance to practice lying because I never had people around me.”\
Clover’s eyes narrowed further.
“Lety, perhaps we should go somewhere else and-”
L’teya, bless her barbarian upbringing just kept on patting my shoulder.
“That is a great name, Lock Slaveborn!” She held her hand out again. “What say you to teaming up for this, Makoreah?”
“Mak’gora.” Clover corrected quietly.
I traded grips with her. “Done.”
“Ahaha! Not a man of many words!”
As soon as we traded grips, Lety turned to the people who were surrounding us, hoping to be in the same group with her.
“I am sorry but us three will be acting alone! Haha! Best of luck to you.”
The crowd grumbled but dispersed just as quickly, cutting their losses. I saw most of them rush to other groups that looked powerful. I did catch a few glares and more than a few people staring at me, trying to figure me out. I was actually wondering the same thing that they were probably wondering, why would L’teya choose to team up with me? I asked her as soon as we had a little privacy from the crowd.
“Because those who came to me just now all wanted me to save them, Lock Slaveborn.” She smiled. “I cannot help everyone. But I can help those who are willing to fight. And I saw you in the tunnels, Lock Slaveborn. You were more than willing to fight. There is a fire in your eye that reminds me of my people back home.”
“She definitely has some unique circumstances on why she ended up here.” I threw the useless thought away, now wasn’t the time to delve into backstories and NPC quests, if ever. Now was the time to plan and strategize.
“So what will we be doing?”
L’teya cupped her mouth with her hands and yelled.
“I CHALLENGE YOU! YOU, BIG MAN WITH THE SCAR! WE CHALLENGE YOU TO MAK’GORAH!”
I briefly made eye contact with Clover. I was checking to see if this was part of the plan. Unfortunately she looked just as confused and flabbergasted as I was.
“Did this barbarian just screw us over?”
I was going to suggest challenging some of the weaker looking groups that I knew we had a good chance of beating. Some of the groups were wounded, ripe for the picking. Yet, I knew deep inside that L’teya’s honor would not have allowed that sort of conniving plan. Even so, she had beaten me to the punch and enacted her own plan. But in a way, I admired what she did. She knew her strength and she was willing to trust in it, battling against the unknown.
“That’s something I need.”
The human group looked to their leader but he just smirked.
“I forfeit.” He raised a hand in mock surrender.
L’teya frowned in confusion, but I understood his plan immediately.
Why did he need to take the risk and fight us when he could just pick on a weaker group?
“Oh well, that was anticlimactic for the first battle.” The elf shrugged but some of the orc captors were glaring at the human leader. By nature, the Mak’gorah was an honored rite among their people and he had used it dishonorably.
But unlike my fears, they didn’t kill him.
“Of course they won’t. There’s only a 100 of us now and we’ve proven ourselves. They can’t just go around slaughtering us all willy nilly. It’ll have to be someone a bit more powerful than just the rank and file soldiers who wants to take things into their own hands.”
That made me think that the Samak Horde had something special planned for us, the slaves.
“Well then here you go.” The elf stayed true to his word and ordered the slaves near the wagon. The slaves moved quickly, grabbing bedrolls and just enough food for L’teya, Clover and I.
Just as I was about to grab my bedroll, I heard another challenge shouted in the night air.
Towards us.
It was the man who had tried to recruit me to join the human faction. He was holding a longsword with two other men on either side of him. They both carried spears, looking at me menacingly.
“It’s true that we can challenge those who already have food and bedrolls? And take theirs?” The man confirmed with the elf.
The elf nodded and clapped, delighted. “Exciting!” He looked at us. “What do you say?”
Just as L’teya was about to reply, I clasped my hand over her mouth.
“Mmph! Mmph!”
“Quiet.” I whispered and released her once she calmed down.
“What is it, Lock Slaveborn?” I saw the elf quirk an eyebrow at Lety’s mention of my name. “Surely you don’t think we will lose.”
I didn’t reply, studying the three men. They weren’t wounded in any way that I could see and their hungry eyes were roaming over L’teya and Clover. Regardless, I wasn’t worried about their motives or skills, I was sure that L’teya was more skilled and powerful than any random human slave. I had been studying the slaves for quite a bit now, and I realized that most of them, except a few, were regular people. Farmers, merchants, villagers and the list went on and on. These weren’t adventurers or warriors, just everyday persons.
But that was why it would be dangerous.
Why would they challenge us, knowing about Lety?
“There’s a trick.” I chewed my bottom lip and looked at the scarred man who was staring at us with intensity. “L’teya, how did you plan to end the battle?”
“Knock them out of course. The slave-elf said no killing.” She insulted the elf so casually, that the glasses-wearing elf had no chance to respond.
“That’s not good enough.” I muttered, seeing a picture form in my head. “That man is going to send men to us, three at a time until we’re tired. You can’t just knock them out.”
“What do you suggest then?” Closer chimed in finally.
“We need to send a message. So that the rest of his cronies will be too scared of us.” I couldn’t believe I was saying this. What was I, the Godfather?
“Hahaha!” The elf-barbarian laughed and slapped me on the shoulder. “I understand what you are saying! To instill fear in them!”
Her next words were delivered at normal volume and there was a weight to them. “I assure you, the message will be sent.”
I nodded. Thinking, rethinking, double-thinking and triple-thinking what I was about to say.
“Let me take that guy with the long sword.” I asked.
Lety slapped me on the back. “Done! I knew I saw the warrior’s fire in your eyes! Ahahaha!”
I swallow, my throat feeling extra dry. The moment I woke up in MSS, my choice was one of two.
Learn to kill or die like a dog.
I theorized that the elf had said ‘no killing’ because they’d heal those who were injured. Then now was the perfect opportunity for me to get real-life battle experience without fear of dying. Except I was afraid, of what though I wasn’t exactly sure.
The glasses-wearing elf must’ve grown impatient. “Well? If you’re not going to fight, then-”
“We accept!” L’teya’s voice thundered through the canyon and some of the orcs grunted in approval.
“In the game, the barbarians and the orcs were neutral to each other, plus their cultures were similar. L’teya might get some special treatment from them if she could impress them here.”
“Good! Finally some entertainment! Clear the middle!”
Just like how our captors formed a loose circle around us, the band of slaves did the same. They left the patch of flat ground in the middle empty, the reddish rock and sand disheveled from so many people having walked on it. We walked onto it and found that our opponents were already waiting for us.
“I told you you’d regret it.”
Thump.
Thump.
My heart was roaring in my ears and I thought it’d burst out of my chest. I was nervous and scared, and noticed things about him that I hadn’t seen before. How his forearms were taut with muscle, and how there was a splatter of blood on his shirt. He stood in a stance, holding the sword hilt at face level and the blade high, pointing straight upwards at the moon.
“I need a sword.” I had left mine back in the tunnels, using it to keep the rope in place.
I put out a hand towards L’teya without looking at her, keeping my eyes fixed on my own opponent.
“Lend me an axe.” She had two battleaxes.
From the corner of my eye, I saw her tilt her head in confusion.
“But these are mine? A barbarian never gives up her weapon.”
I had forgotten. Barbarians were attracted to their weapons like how crows were attracted to shiny things. They had no real love for money, except for the new shiny weapons and armors it would get them. I tried to get the glasses-wearing elf’s attention to see if I could get a spare weapon.
But when we made eye-contact, he took it as the sign that I was ready.
“Oh shi-”
“BEGIN!”