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World: MSS - Loading...
"Speech"
"Thoughts"
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The orcs left us alone until morning.
Most of the slaves slept along with their own factions, sticking to themselves. Some groups kept watch, but it was unnecessary, our captors changed shifts and a new group of orc warriors observed us. I somehow doubted that they’d allow any one slave group to attack another in the cover of night. One change that I noted was that the Dwarf who lost against the lizard lost some of his members, they had either defected to either the lizardman’s or to another group. Some of them had come to us but Lety refused them citing her earlier reason.
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“Because those who came to me just now all wanted me to save them, Lock Slaveborn.” She smiled. “I cannot help everyone.”
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It was admirable in a way, L’teya would never turn away because of someone’s race or lack of strength. Rather she turned people away because of who they were. I imagined that each of the different factions that were forming had different standards for who could join them and who couldn’t. For example, it seemed the Lizardman was looking for people with prior experience in battle. On the other hand, the human group only accepted humans.
“If I were in their position, what should I look for?”
I laughed at myself.
Loner by nature and a newcomer to this world to boot. Who was I to think about people wanting to be in a group with me?
“I’ll be lucky to survive today.”
They didn’t serve us breakfast and most of us just ended up washing up at the well, which was quickly drying out. With a hundred people sharing this for washing and cleaning, it would be gone by the end of the day today. Most large groups avoided each other even at the well but smaller groups came and went freely.
Luckily the orcs had plans for us. It wasn’t the glasses-elf who came to break the news to us, but an orc warrior. I could tell right away from the amount of armor and warpaint that he was a high ranking officer in the Samak Horde.
“You Chosen should be honored. Today we will treat your wounds and lead you to our war camp. In there you will find everything you need to serve the Horde.” He kept his sentences short and precise.
The warriors herded us until we were roughly in a line. They didn’t bother enforcing marching orders, we just walked as one big group of people, surrounded by the green-skinned warriors. We walked towards a crevice in the canyon walls that I hadn’t noticed before.
“Finally I’ll get to see what’s outside of this canyon.”
Walking through the opening was a different experience altogether. So far I’d only seen orc warriors with large weapons bordering on colossal. These warriors were tall and built like a freight truck, their muscles compensating for most of their mass. On either side of the cliffs, there were ledges serving as footholds and temporary resting places. On some of those ledges were orcs, clad in black bandages from head to toe except their eyes. They crouched above and around us, blending with the long shadows of the afternoon.
One of them leaped down from the ledges and spoke with the orc leading the procession briefly.
“How many.”
“100. 17 heavily wounded and 31 lightly wounded.”
The orc, who I assumed was a gatekeeper, made a hand signal in the sky and the other shadow-clad warriors melted back into the shadows. By the time I looked back, the gatekeeper was gone. The lead orc continued to lead us through the canyon for another half an hour. Most of us were silent except a select few.
Growl.
“Hey. I’m hungry. How long until our mealtime?” L’teya asked one of the orc guards closest to us, rubbing her stomach.
“Does she have no fear?” These warriors had seen us fight together last night and I had the irrational fear of me being punished along with her.
Luckily the orc guard ignored her and kept us walking. The rest of the trip was uneventful. Soon we were out of the canyons and I finally got a look at where the orcs had been leading us.
It was a large village with tall stone walls in the reddish color of the Samak Desert. I saw a few buildings that were tall enough to peek above the city walls, and from what I could see every single structure had been built out of bricks. There were eight watch towers with archers on it and from the closest one, I could tell that it wasn’t just orcish archers guarding the city but elven and beastman as well. There was only one huge double-door gate that led into the city and we were standing in front of it. The door was carved out of stone and I could only imagine the resources that went into moving this thing. Ornate artwork had been carved into the door, depicting scenes of battle involving orcs, dragons and other monsters.
There was no ceremony, the door began to open by itself.
“It could be powered by magic.” I reasoned.
My thoughts stopped when I saw what lay inside the city.
Skeletons.
Starving children.
Diseased vagrants wandering the streets.
Topped off by the smell of rot and death that came leaking out.
I hesitated as did all the other slaves who were with me.
“Is this where we’re going to be living?”
“Come.” The leading orcish warrior ordered and continued walking. Against our will, we all obeyed.
I saw other slaves, not from our group, walking throughout the city. I saw the occasional orc warrior pass by, shooting us a curious look. I had no doubt about it, I had seen this place before.
“This is the Samak Horde’s main city. But it wasn’t like this.” The Samak Horde was one of the largest orcish warbands and one of the strongest military powers in the Samak Desert besides the beastman and the humans. When I had seen this city in the game, it had been overflowing with merchants, water and proud orc warriors. Now it was filled with slaves and the air of stagnating death.
“This might not be the MSS that I once knew.” I would have to keep that in mind, everything that I could use was valuable information.
They led us to the center of the city, continuing to pass by scenes that were familiar to me. The marketplace was barren except a few orc street vendors and the residential areas had most of their windows and doors barred shut. In the center of the city was the tallest building, surrounded by four pillars. It was shaped like an upside down U, the crevice serving as a huge opening.
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Warchief Thoktur was waiting for us.
Just like before, he stood on a stage surrounded by his honor guard. Now that I was used to seeing orcish faces so much, I could tell the difference between them as well as their possible ranks. I was busy filing away information when Thoktur placed a hand on the same crystal orb he used to speak to us before.
“Welcome potential warriors! You have received the honor of being chosen to serve the great Samak Horde!”
The orcs cheered.
I grimaced.
“As promised, you will all receive training. Some of you will even receive Cores should you prove yourselves further.” He said gravely.
Without even looking around, I could tell that the eyes of the slaves would be alight with hunger. I was practically salivating myself. I absently noticed that the glasses wearing elf was all the way at the corner of the stage and he was ordering other slaves about, preparing something.
“But first, we require an oath. An oath of allegiance to the Horde.” Thoktur gestured and the elf approached our group of slaves.
They were holding collars in their hands.
I had never seen them before in MSS.
“What the fuck…”
I could immediately tell that these had been tampered with magically. They weren’t just regular steel, there were bluish-green runes etched all around the metal band. Instinctively, I knew that once these were put on, they couldn’t come off. Ever been in a situation where you knew something was coming but you were helpless to avoid it? Like a split second before a car collision? That’s how I felt.
I would end up putting these collars on.
“Pledge yourselves to the Horde. Prove yourselves and once you are recognized as a warrior, you will be allowed to take these off.”
“The elf is the only slave not wearing the collar.” I kicked myself for not noticing it before. All the slaves who were doing menial labor had a collar on their neck, while others like the glasses-elf had no such thing.
While I had been furiously thinking, the orc warriors had been taking the collars and placing them on our necks. Most of us did not resist.
Except Lety.
“This is no such thing for a warrior! This is a farce! Fight me! I challenge you!” She struggled against her orc captor.
But he was a fully recognized warrior of the Samak Horde, rank and file or not. He most likely absorbed a Core or two. She was Coreless. He didn’t struggle much as he used one hand to hold her hands behind her back and handed off the collar to another orc who collared her.
L’teya deflated immediately.
“Why didn’t they kill her?” I had to wonder.
Sure, we were more valuable before but she had practically challenged them.
The children in the streets, the lack of life in the city. There were probably no gold trading hands inside the city walls. They had captured slaves and were going to use them as soldiers, for something specific that they couldn’t expect orcs to do. In addition, now as Slaves, this group of one hundred was treated much better than before. Almost like we were no longer expendable. I could only come to one conclusion.
“This city is dying.”
Whatever the orcs were going through, it was something they themselves or the current slaves couldn’t handle. I felt a smirk stretch across my face.
“This is a chance.” A semblance of control returned to me.
They needed me for something and if they were going to use us as soldiers I would have plenty of opportunities to act freely. If I played my cards right…
“I could get stronger than them without them even realizing what was happening.” A city being suffocated by lack of food, water and funds should have scared me.
But I could only see opportunity. In the 14 years I spent playing MSS, if I learnt anything it was this.
The more freedom a player character could have inside the city, the more powerful they could become.
Secrets would be more easily available. Hidden equipment would be left unsupervised. There would be gaps in watches and security. If I could have freedom to move about at night, I could gather power. Slowly, but it would become drastic over time.
“As long as I survive through whatever tests these orcs throw at me, I can grow stronger.”
Snap
Clink
Click
The collar closed around my neck. But I didn’t resist or pay it any mind. This was a new item that I had never seen before but if it was magic, chances were that it could come off in the same way: by using magic.
Once all of us had been collared, Thoktur continued.
“Now! There is no time to rest! The Cursed Sun still beats down on us and there are still hours left in the day! I bid you luck, warriors!”
Thoktur raised one fist into the air and gave a short warcry with his honor guard and the warriors following suit. He turned back and stepped off from the stage, disappearing into the temple.
“Tch. If I can get to the temple and get my hands on some of the equipment…” I rubbed the collar on my neck, the cold metal soothing in the desert heat.
The glasses-elf was explaining to us where we’d be sleeping and where we should report to in the morning. In fact, he said he’ll lead us there right now.
Behind the temple were the temple grounds, though to the orcs religion and combat were one and the same. The grounds was a barren place of dirt and sand with racks of wooden and steel weapons on the side. The orc who had led our procession had been waiting there for us.
We spent the next hour learning how to march and stand in formation. I could tell from the way he approached it that it was a formality. While we had been training, more warriors showed up to watch. After our training the glasses-elf took over and explained more things to us.
“Training here at sundown. After marching training, you may pick up a weapon and ask any of the individual orcs here for training. Some of them are instructors.” He pushed the glasses up his nose. “I am also an instructor and I look forward to… instructing you.”
Remembering how he killed the beastman without mercy back at the canyon, I doubted he would attract many eager students. I was glad as I heard him explain that the weapons in the courtyard were free for us to take, however. I had been growing increasingly worried about my lack of a sword.
“Now, you may take your weapons and go to the instructor. Meals are provided at the barracks twice a day, where you will be sleeping and spending most of your time. Though I doubt you’d have much free time.”
He let us be and most of us headed straight to the weapons rack. Dozens of slaves picked up the spear or the same battle axes as L’teya. It seems that their battles had left an impression on most of us.
But I remained firm by my decision, picking up the sword and shield.
I had to think far. Even if my survival wasn’t guaranteed, I had to think of the possible future where I did manage to get free and was in a position to make choices for my own future. I picked up a sword and shield again which were in a considerably better condition than the ones from before.
Now to find an instructor…
Looking around the courtyard, I saw instructors for spears, axes, warhammers and even a bow.
“Isn’t there a sword and shield instructor?” I frowned as I continued to look.
There wasn’t any. The closest one I found was an instructor who used a warhammer and shield, and another who used a greatsword.
“Tch.” I clicked my tongue.
“Maybe I should just pick up the spear or axe. [Aura] would work fine with those-”
“Are you looking for someone to train you in the art of the sword, young one?”
Startled, I turned around to find the source of the voice.
Sitting on a wooden stool and leaning on a cane was an ancient looking orc. His dark green skin was mottled and gray, his hair had all but fallen out leaving patches of skin sunburnt in this desert. He wore dirty robes, stained with filth and splotches, which hung loose on his skinny frame. His wrists were bound together in manacles connected to each other, impossibly large for his frame. But the most striking thing of all were his eyes, which were clouded over.
The orc was blind.
Compared to the other instructors who wore armor and had a physique more typical of a warrior, this orc was obviously homeless.
I ignored him, turning to walk away.
“A 100 years ago I was taken under tutelage by the Sword Saint himself. Now I speak to the winds, hoping that someone would hear my plea and take on my sword, lest our art be lost to the ages.”
I froze.
Did I just hear him say the [Sword Saint]?
“Most think me mad. But truly truly I tell you, I traveled as one of the Sword Saint’s three disciples. Hear my cry, for I dream of redemption but there is no road forward.”
I slowly turned around.
The orc was whispering by now.
“The path of death whispers to me, sweet tales of blood and bone. But I must resist for I carry on the will of all the swords that came before. Hear me, O young flame.”
I rolled my eyes and decided to humor him.
“Name.”
The orc stopped his manic whispering and looked up, though I knew he could see nothing. Whenever he shuffled his feet to turn towards the sound of my voice, I could see that his ankles were bound in the same way as his wrists.
“Tell me your name and the Sword Sage’s name.”
I knew the name of the [Sword Sage]. I wouldn’t correct him of course but atleast I wouldn’t have any what-ifs lying around in my head. It must have been the gamer in me, so used to talking to every NPC, exploring every crevice and breaking random boxes. I just had to be 100% sure before I moved on.
“My name is Arrosh Bloodedge. And my master, the [Sword Saint], was named, forgive my unworthy lips for saying your name Master, was Nearnigh, the sword that brings eternal sleep.”
“...”
I couldn’t say a thing.
Because I recognized those names.
Nearnigh, the [Sword Saint] was an optional boss of SS-grade difficulty.
Arrosh Bloodedge was one of his three stooges that were required to be defeated if you wanted to get to Nearnigh.
I could be sure of one thing now though.
“This isn’t the MSS I know. This is World: Mountain, Sea and Sky 100 years in the future.”
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Name: Lock Slaveborn
Race: Human
Age: 24
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Level: 3
Stats
[Physical]: 2
[Mental]: 1
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Spirit Core Slots Available: 1
Spirit Cores: N/A
Skills: N/A
Achievements: Sword Saint Candidate* (Pending)