As the day began, Barry and his company were stationed on the walls, armored up and weapons ready. On their hands were muskets, with their pouches on their waist, placed on a belt. They were wearing leather pants and a simple shirt covered by a leather chest plate.

On their backs was a sword that was sheathed, strapped behind them.

Other companies were there on the walls. Archers, Mages, Crossbowmen, as well as other musketeers. They were all facing the enemies who were standing still.

The enemy now had siege equipment. Siege towers and ladders, catapults, and battering rams. They had tons of them.

The cannons were ready and loaded, they aimed at the siege towers, waiting for the order to fire. It was silent as the tension was high. The two faced each other, not doing a thing.

Medusa was nowhere to be seen on the walls or the grounds. He was nowhere to be found near the frontlines. At the breach and gate, tons of soldiers were prepared for anything that comes through them.

Barry was nervous about it all. There were thousands of Federation troops and only a few of them. This can only end with two possibilities, either the enemy will win or reinforcements will arrive. But the former was more likely than the latter since the supply line was cut.

He started sweating, the sight of the enemy was nerve-racking. Kyle, his friend was on another section of the wall. The silence made it bearable, the only sound that could be heard was the gust of wind.

Then, from the ranks of the enemy, an Ork came fourth, riding a dire wolf, wearing nothing but ragged fur clothes and holding a wooden horn in his right hand. The Ork had a large bulbous nose, a wide face, and a bald head. The Ork did not stop moving forward. Eventually, he reached the gate, and there, he stopped. The Ork did not care about the danger he was facing and just stood there.

“Parlay!” The Ork shouted out loud. The shout was heard by the soldiers.

“Parley?” One of the soldiers that were near the gate asked his comrade beside him.

“I think so.” His comrade replied. A man in full metal armor approached them. The man had no helmet, revealing his bald head and an eyepatch that covered his right eye. Near his waist was a sword and behind him was an iron shield. The men quickly straightened their backs and saluted.

“S-sir!” One of them shouted in disbelief. “W-what are you doing here?!”

“Open the gates.” The man ordered with a gruff voice. The soldiers nodded their heads and quickly went to work.

The man wasn’t an ordinary soldier.

He was Arthur Bornias of the Bornias family, a 41-year-old and the commander of the garrison. Arthur was a stoic and emotionless man. He had been serving in the military for over 25 years. He served in many battles and gained experience with it. From the Battle of Santa Maronia in the fields of Brundwan to the Siege of Drukshov in the lands of Kherion. He has gained many nicknames such as The Old Snapping Turtle and The Devastator of Huraghon.

He was a fearsome fighter and commander, smart and stubborn too.

Arthur proceeded to go down the stairwell and to the gate. There, he waited for the gate, which was a huge steel gate to open. The steel gate was thick, with it being at least 2 meters thick. The gate opened outwards, and a loud ear-piercing sound was heard as the metal scraped the ground.

Once the gates were wide enough for a human to go through, it stopped. Two soldiers with full metal armor and spears with shields went to Arthur. They were heavily armored which meant they were elite. On their backs were red long capes that reached down to their feet. But once they came nearer and nearer, Arthur raised his left hand, signaling them to stop.

“I don’t need bodyguards.” Arthur replied coldly as the two guards stopped moving forward. Arthur dropped his hand and proceeded to exit the fortress.

There, he met with the Ork negotiator. The Green Ork held no weapon but the wooden horn. The dire wolf was there, ready to strike but the Green Ork stopped it. Arthur took the initiative to start.

“Bold of you to come near.” Arthur started.

“Id waz nod bold, id waz merely a zign op rezpekd. Zinze id waz zdaded in ar lawz op war.” The Ork said with a raspy and deep voice. “Don’d you hab dem az well?”

“Yes, we do. We just don’t use them very much.” Arthur replied. “Now, what do you want?”

“Zurrenda. We led you and da oders lib.” The negotiator said with an emotionless tone. Arthur huffed in amusement.

“Really? You’re making me laugh.” Arthur said with a small grin on his face. The negotiator wasn’t done yet.

“We oudnumba you. Dwendy do one. Dake id or leabe id. I woubd akzepd id ip I wa you. Dink op da onez who woubd die.” The negotiator offered.

“No one has to die if you surrender yourself.” Arthur responded.

“We dried do.” The negotiator mumbled incoherently before coming to his senses and asking back. “Why don’d you do zo?”

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“Tell me, Ork, do you have a son? Or a daughter perhaps?” Arthur asked out of nowhere. This confused the Ork.

“Dis kwezdion zeemz a bid random.” The Ork negotiator said with a hint of surprise.

“No, no, it doesn’t. Just answer it.” Arthur said.

“…” The negotiator took a while before answering. “I hab a zon.”

“How old?”

“El’ven.”

“Young eh, mine’s nearly the same age.”

“Really? Zhoking.”

“Yes, and do you want to know something?” Arthur said before his face turned into a threatening and scary one. “I will protect my son until the day I die. No amount of money, threats, temptations will stop me from protecting him.”

“Zo, no deal den.” The Ork negotiator concluded.

“You’re goddamn right.” Arthur replied before turning around and heading inside.

“You know, I woud do da zame.” The Ork said, making Arthur stop walking. “My zon meanz da word do me. If I zee him hurd or anyding. I woud kill anyone who did dat to ‘em.”

“I guess I was wrong about you, guess we aren’t different after all.” Arthur said as he continued heading inside. The statement made the Ork tilt his head in confusion.

“Wad aboud ‘ev we guarandee your chi’d’s survival?” The Ork negotiator asked curiously. Arthur stopped walking, foot inside the fortress already.

“I made up my mind fifteen years ago when I pledged my allegiance to the Empire. All of us pledged our loyalty.” Arthur said without turning his head and even bothering to look at him. “Go, now.”

The Ork negotiator huffed before turning his dire wolf around and proceeded to sprint back. Arthur went inside the fortress before the gate closed. Arthur was insulted by the Ork yet, he had respect for him.

Arthur quickly faced the two guards that were standing near the gate, spears stuck on the ground. They may not look like it, but they were tired and bored out of their minds. Arthur knew it.

“You two, stay near the gate.” Arthur said as he passed them. The two suddenly recomposed their slouched shoulders as they heard Arthur. Once they recalled what Arthur said, they turned giddy. They fist-bumped using their free hands.

Arthur went to the stairwell and proceeded to go up to the wall.

The bodyguards meanwhile were just preparing with joyous energy. They were completely silent about it with no whispering or chattering at all.

On the wall, Arthur met with his second-in-command, Limere Malus, who was keenly watching the enemy. He was sweating bullets as he did so. Arthur sighed; he then spoke up.

“Lime, can you stop doing that?” Arthur said, startling Limere. Limere had on full iron armor without a helmet. He had long black hair that reached up to his neck. He was also sweating a little too much. “You need to stop your sweating.”

“S-sir!” Limere along with other soldiers that were near turned and saluted Arthur.

“You are too anxious about this Lime.” Arthur said as they lowered their arms. He went beside Limere and looked at the fields. “This is a lesson for you, never look anxious or scared, hide it.”

“Yes sir.” Limere responded. Arthur stared at the Ork negotiator that was still returning. He respected them, at least they had the decency to negotiate before a fight. Unlike a certain nation further to the northeast.

“When they attack or march, fire at will.” Arthur ordered before leaving and going down.

“You heard him, boys!” Limere shouted to the others before rushing down and following him. He followed Arthur as he passed the gate and continued to go further into the fortress. As they made their way, he saw the two bodyguards in front of the gate. They discarded their capes and readied up by boxing the air. Limere quickly went to Arthur to ask.

“Sir, why are the twins staying on the frontline?” He asked curiously.

“They want to, that’s why.” Arthur answered simply. “They aren’t in the Death Guard regiment for no reason.”

Limere gulped, he took a look behind him to see the twins who were bashing their round shields together. The shields they have had a skull carved on them, signifying that they were in fact in the Death Guard. The sides of the shield had sharp edges, making for a good makeshift cutter.

“Also.” Arthur started. “Where are the Dread Hammers?”

“They are in the second layer, sir.”

“Then why did I hear complaints about one in the first layer?” Arthur asked.

“Well, it’s him sir.”

“Him?” Arthur raised an eyebrow in confusion before coming to a realization. “Ah, him. Collin. I forgot I gave him permission.”

“Yes.”

“Now that that's over, I’ll be watching the fight on the second layer.” Arthur quickly changed the topic.

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The Ork negotiator quickly went through the ranks, with the troops moving so that he could have the space to move. He passed by many things such as siege towers, battering rams, ladders, and catapults, all ready to use.

Eventually, he reached the general’s camp where Foot was outside. Foot had a long piece of old paper with him.

The sounds of footsteps made Foot notice him. He looked at him before smiling.

“Gourd, wat’shs da newshs?“ Foot asked.

“Bad news, dey won’ surrenda.” Gourd quickly informed Foot, making him frown before sighing. Foot went inside the general’s quarters to inform Gargok.

“Sha, negoshiashonshs failed.” Foot informed. Gargok was just in bed, staring at the ceiling. His body looked exhausted, as if he hadn’t slept last night.

“Sound the War horn.” That was all Gargok said before moving from his bed to find a comfortable spot. Foot hesitantly nodded before leaving the place. He then went to Gourd to tell him the order.

“Shound da war harn.” Foot said, all down. Gourd nodded after a minute of thinking. He got his horn and sounded it. A loud deep sound echoed throughout the fields, making the humans prepare their weapons. Deep down, Foot, and Gourd hated doing it. It meant imminent death.

The Frontline then started moving, Orks, Goblins, Kobolds and all marched to the walls and the gate. Ogres pushed the siege towers as the catapults fired. Ladders were being carried by others as well. Archers started to rain down arrows.

The humans retaliated as the cannons roared, and Archers, Crossbowmen, Mages, and Musketeers fired back.

The twins who were near the gate moved back near the others, grabbing their spears and getting in a defensive position.

Evan, who was armored with leather, was near the breach. He was shaking his head, trying to calm his nerves down as the fight was beginning to start. He was further back from the breach as spearmen were in front and swordsmen in the back as backup and reinforcement.

Medusa looked down from the second layer, silently watching as chaos was beginning to stir. He gripped his hammer tightly.

The storm has arrived.

Many will die.

Many will suffer.

The siege of Fortress Veshano has begun.

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Somewhere in the third layer of the fortress, was a figure in clad armor. Every part of the body was covered in steel armor. No weaknesses or opening. The armor was not rusty nor dirty as well, but polished and clean.

The figure was looking down at the enemy. Its hands formed a tight fist. It was visibly shaking quite fast like it was angry or something.

The figure was in a room where there was a window to see the outside. There was nothing there but a hole that fits the figure well.

It was silent, no mutter or whisper, not even a huff of breath yet, there was a tiny beating sound, like a heart.

The eye holes of the helmet were pitch black with nothing to see inside.

The tiny beating sound started to beat faster. Then, the figure moved away from the window, each step making a loud clunk sound. The beating sound went slower again.

It then continued to go into the hole, going deep inside before stopping.