Rise of the Horde

Chapter 36

‘It’s too cold...too cold that it burns!!!”

Xiao Chen thought, as his vision was filled with nothing but endless white. The vast expanse of thick and white snow and the unending raging hailstorm that roared in anger as the cold north wind passes by him.

‘What is going on?”

He murmured in his mind. He was like a huge block of ice, motionless and cold. Unable to move a muscle, Xiao Chen just focus his gaze on his surroundings.

Behemoths made of blocks of ice were raging all around. They were gigantic creatures that made the ground tremble with each step that they take, their feet sinking deep into the snow and leaving behind profound footprints on the ground only to be covered by thick snow in no time.

Xiao Chen spotted some of his brethren, they are orcs he was sure of it but he felt that they are somewhat different. They had the same big hulking frames packed with muscles, the ever-present tusks that juts out from their lower lip and the distinct lupine ears.

Observing closer, Xiao Chen noticed that they were wearing thick furs of animals, from the northern bears and frost wolves. Their glowing red eyes caught much of his attention, the eyes that radiated with insanity and blood thirst.

He watched the orcs that had glowing red eyes engaged the ice behemoths, they exerted so much strength that they were able to knock down the ice behemoths that had a height of around forty or thirty feet with just their bare hands.

.....

They pummeled the ice behemoths with such strength and ferocity that their ice bodies started to crack and fragment in many places.

“Og’muka...Kag’revva...Taz’maggro’nolar!!!”

The biggest of the orcs with glowing red eyes shouted, in his two hands were two battle axes that was covered in dried blood. Raising both axes with his arms, he charged forward.

He cleaved the ice behemoth with such power with his battle axes that the behemoth’s foot fractured to many pieces making it rain with ice shards. The leader of the orcs shouted in old Orcish but magically Xiao Chen understood what he meant.

“Titans nor gods...none shall stop the Redfist Tribe!!!”

The orcs dispatched the ice behemoths easily, shattering them to pieces that scattered and melded with the thick snow. The leader of the orcs turned and stared at where Xiao Chen was at.

Those eyes that shone with blood red light, oozing with madness and savagery made Xiao Chen have goosebumps all over his body even though he didn’t know if what he is seeing is real or just an illusion.

He had seen eyes of many soldiers filled with profound emotions but none came close to what the orc leader’s eyes was radiating.

Like a shattered mirror, the world and things that he saw, broke into many pieces and the vast expanse of snow and ice was nowhere to be seen. It was replaced by a magnificent hall that emitted wealth and royalty.

Taking a look around, the walls were covered aplenty with precious stones that glimmered every now and then. Looking down at his legs Xiao Chen saw his own reflection, courtesy of the solid gold flooring that was polished carefully.

Xiao Chen was in awe, ‘The one who lived and owns this place must be someone important and powerful’ he thought. He strained his eyes to try and take a glimpse of what is outside this magnificent place through the small window. Xiao Chen saw nothing but darkness.

Darkness so dark that even his ability as an orc to be able to somewhat see in darkness was useless. Glancing at the insides of the grand hall, he finally noticed a throne at the central edge of the hall, further away from where he stood.

The throne shone with blinding light with the help of the precious stones that were embedded on its silver and gold body. Its armrest was patterned after the great reptiles of the old, the gigantic scaled titans that breathed fire and terrorized the skies.

Seated on the luxurious throne was a very good-looking humanoid creature. He had a very warm smile that shone like that of the morning sun, a brownish colored skin with scales covering some part of his cheeks. An antler like horns which was adorned with golden rings and gems that grew sideways from his temples.

His furred torso was dotted with many black spots like that of a leopard. The creature’s hands ended with sharp and dangerous claws; he had a furry foot like that of big cats which shone with a clear silver light.

“Welcome to my humble abode...I am called Ozshe...the great envoy of battle”

The creature introduced himself to Xiao Chen and performed a gentleman’s bow before smiling warmly at him again.

“I can gift you with powers...powers far greater than you can imagine...the vision you just saw...that’s just one of them. I can grant you more, everything that you ever so desired, I’ll give them to you”

Ozshe softly spoke with a very gentle voice, tempting Xiao Chen with what he can give him. The friendly warm smile returned on his lips; he knew that no orc can resist the temptation of power like their ancestors.

“What’s the catch?”

Xiao Chen quickly replied which startled Ozshe a bit, it was the first time that an orc was so direct with him.

“Just swear servitude to me...and me alone...and everything will be yours”

Ozshe proudly declared thinking that he already had Xiao Chen under his control.

“Thanks, but no thanks...I have multiple ways of gaining power. Wealth I can accumulate them easily. Better luck next time”

Xiao Chen replied while shaking his head and started moving around the grand hall, seeking for a path to get out.

The great Ozshe was speechless, he stared at the curious orc roaming around his abode, curiously knocking on the walls and floors trying to look for something.

Unconvinced, Ozshe tried peeking into Xiao Chen’s past and saw the great tragedy that befall upon him. Ozshe witnessed Xiao Chen’s life, from his birth till his death and a devious smile quickly formed upon his lips.

*****

Ozshe muttered an incantation and Xiao Chen’s vision changed. He witnessed his past life playing like a movie in front of him, the emotions that he so deeply hid within the depths of his mind started surfacing again.

“Yes...yes.... that’s it...be consumed by your anger and hatred...seek vengeance for the injustice that you went through”

Ozshe’s whispering voice echoed upon Xiao Chen’s ears. Xiao Chen’s eyes started glowing bloody red just like the orcs that fought the ice behemoths.

Madness was consuming his mind; he was thirsting for vengeance. He wants those that did him the unthinkable to suffer, to suffer the pain that he went through.

“Hahaha...

Ozshe was laughing victoriously as Xiao Chen was struggling to keep his sanity in check, he was clutching his head in pain and knelt down on the golden floor. He was enduring immense pain, pain that scorched both his soul and body.

He was feeling an alternating abysmal cold and fiery hell, both making him feel excruciating pain like no other.

“Argh!!!”

Xiao Chen screamed in pain at the top of his lungs, trying to regain control of himself. He was thrashing around the majestic hall, destroying anything that he touches, bloody-red haze radiating from his eyes.

Ozshe was relishing the sweet taste of Xiao Chen’s suffering, he was feeding off from the madness that was slowly consuming the orc.

“It won’t be long now... Struggle as you might, you will never erase the hatred, pain and negative emotions that you have, no matter how deep you burry them within yourself.”

Ozshe sat down on his throne, a mocking smirk was etched on his lips as he watches Xiao Chen on his futile struggle. The great demon can feel it, the orc was nearing his limits of trying to break free from his grasp, just a little bit more and the orc was his.

The tragic fate that Xiao Chen experience played in a loop within his mind, making feel the pain of being betrayed over and over again.

He saw those who have betrayed him, laughing victoriously at what they have done. They received bountiful rewards after betraying him, the one he so dearly cared for even spat on his grave telling him how useless he is.

“Argh!!!”

“All lies!!! Everything is a lie!!!”

“They must suffer!!! They must pay for their betrayal!!!”

Xiao Chen screamed rolling around on the golden floors while clutching his head in pain. His face started bleeding from him trying to claw unto his head, trying to get rid of the pain.

The things that kept playing over and over again within his head was driving him crazy, it was eating at his soul. It was like something or someone was tugging on his soul, trying to pull it out of its vessel.

His vision was starting to crumble, he was slowly sinking into the abyss of eternal darkness.