Rise of the Horde

A bit over half an hour of march away from the outskirts of Baron Ragab's territory was the camp of Khao'khen and his warriors. They were just waiting for the arrival of the First Kanikarr Corps and the siege weapons.

He was almost certain that the following battles would be sieges. After all, their enemies have lost again and again against them in pitched battles. They should have already wised up and avoid confronting his horde and their allies on an open battlefield.

"Chief, they have arrived." Gur'kan came to report. He saw the chieftain staring at the map spread out on the makeshift table.

The chieftain nodded his head. "Inform everyone to be at the ready. We will move out in the morning," he ordered.

As Gur'kan turned to leave, Khao'khen's gaze returned to the map that was in front of him. Thanks to the scouting of the Warghen Clan, almost the entire layout of the baron's territory was known by them.

Adhalia had already sent her most trusted person to deliver the message to the baron. Zaraki the Black had already left very early in the morning and should have already arrived at his destination.

He did a bit of observation, and he was really glad that he did. There was no information about the appearance of Commander Barika in town.

According to the original plan, he was supposed to enter the castle without much problem. But what they have not accounted for was the presence of the Commander Barika.

The figure of Barika was an imposing figure. His body was like a tree trunk, strong and without an ounce of fat. The soldiers of the baron were dwarfed in his presence. He was in full armour, his helm with a red mane which distinguishes him from the men he leads and he had a wild beard. His eyes were hidden behind his frown, and the only non-metal thing he wore was the cape on his back.

Barika was a man who stood at a seven inches over six feet in height, his body was well toned, almost to the point of being ripped. His long hair, as black as a moonless night, was tied behind him, each strand of hair twisting into an intricate braid. His eyes were like a night dark abyss, no emotion and no light was shown. It was as if his eyes were void of those emotions.

And if Barika was in town, then that would mean that the Ereian Royal Army is not far away.

Inside the town, Zaraki headed towards the slums. He was going to seek out the aid of the agents of the Eye in the Shadows to get inside the residence of the baron. He knew that the Eye in the Shadows was his only hope of gaining entry into the baron's castle.

Zaraki moved through the slums with ease, his dark cloak blending into the shadows. The Eye in the Shadows had eyes and ears all over the town, and he was counting on their help.

Finally, he reached the rundown building that served as the secret headquarters of the Eye in the Shadows. He knocked on the door, and a small peephole slid open, revealing a pair of suspicious eyes.

"What do you want?" a voice growled.

"I need to speak to your leader," Zaraki replied. "It's a matter of utmost urgency."

The eyes disappeared from the peephole, and there was a long pause before the door creaked open. Zaraki stepped inside the dimly lit room, his hand on the hilt of his sword. A group of armed men immediately surrounded him, all of them eyeing him warily.

"I need your help," Zaraki said, his voice steady. "I need to get inside the castle of Baron Ragab."

The men exchanged glances, and one of them stepped forward. "And why should we help you?" he asked.

"Because of this," Zaraki replied as he showed them the token that he had in his possession. "I am on an errand under the command of the young miss to deliver a message to the baron."

The men murmured among themselves, and finally, the leader stepped forward. "Very well," he said. "We will help you. But it won't be easy. You'll have to pass through several layers of security to get inside that castle."

"I understand," Zaraki said. "What do I have to do?"

The leader leaned in close to Zaraki and whispered the plan into his ear. It involved dressing up as a servant and sneaking into the castle through a secret tunnel that led to the kitchens. From there, he would have to make his way to the baron's chambers undetected.

Zaraki nodded, "I'll do it."

The leader handed him a set of clothes and a map of the castle. Zaraki quickly changed into the servant's attire and made his way towards the castle.

He passed through the first layer of security without much trouble, but as he approached the kitchen, he heard voices. He peeked through a crack in the door and saw two guards chatting while they ate their dinner.

Zaraki knew he couldn't risk being seen, so he waited until the guards finished eating and left the room. Although there was a small chance, they might recognize him as a new face and ask questions. He quickly made his way through the kitchen and into the hallway. It was a small chance, but such a chance might lead to his cover being blown.

The map helped him navigate the castle's maze-like structure, and he finally made it to the baron's chambers. But as he reached for the doorknob, he heard footsteps approaching.

He quickly hid behind a nearby tapestry and peeked through the fabric. He saw two guards passing by.

Zaraki knew he couldn't risk being caught, so he waited until the guards left before making his move. He slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was lavishly decorated with expensive tapestries and fine furniture. In the center of the room stood a large four-poster bed, and on it was the baron himself, snoring loudly.

Zaraki made his way towards the bed and pulled out the message that Adhalia had entrusted him with. He placed it on the bedside table, making sure it was visible to the baron when he woke up.

As he turned to leave, he heard a noise behind him. He quickly spun around, drawing his sword, and saw that the baron had woken up and was reaching for his own sword.

Zaraki lunged forward, his sword meeting the baron's with a loud clang. They exchanged blows, but Zaraki was no match for the baron's skill. He was quickly disarmed and thrown to the ground.

The baron raised his sword, ready to strike the killing blow, but suddenly, he paused. His eyes widened as he saw the token that Zaraki had dropped during their fight.

"Where did you get this?" the baron asked, picking up the token.

"I was sent by Adhalia to deliver a message," Zaraki replied, gasping for breath.

The baron looked at the token again, then back at Zaraki. "Adhalia sent you?"

Zaraki nodded, and the baron slowly lowered his sword.

"So the rumors are true, she is still alive," a smile crept up to the lips of the baron. "Ha! I take it that she wants me to join forces with her to take down that mad king?"

Zaraki took a deep breath and stood up, relieved that the baron had not killed him. "Yes, that is correct," he replied.

The baron sheathed his sword and walked over to his desk, where he sat down and began to read the message. As he read, his expression turned from calm to surprise.

"I see," he muttered under his breath. "She managed to gain a formidable ally. The king is in a lot of trouble now."

Finally, the baron looked up at Zaraki. "Tell Adhalia that I will join forces with her. But I can't do it openly."

Zaraki raised an eyebrow, curious. "And why is that?"

"You should already be aware that Barika is in town," the baron replied,"And even the king's most powerful warrior is on his way here as we speak with an army. " 𝐛𝗲𝐝𝗻𝗼𝘃𝐞𝗹．𝗻𝐞𝘁

Zaraki nodded. "I will deliver the message,"he said. "Thank you for your help, Baron."

With that, Zaraki swiftly left the room and headed out of the castle. He knew that time was of the essence and that he needed to deliver the message to Adhalia as soon as possible. As he ran through the dark streets of the city, he could feel the tension in the air. He knew that the upcoming battle would be a hard one.

*****

The camp of Khao'khen was bustling with activity as his warriors and their allies prepared to move out. Warriors were gathering their gear and falling into formation. The support units were loading up the supplies, and the things needed onto the transport.

As he surveyed his camp, Khao'khen couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. His warriors were the best-trained in the land, and he knew that they would make quick work of the enemy forces if they were still foolish enough to face them in open field.

Exhausted and thirsty, Zaraki arrived at the camp. "Where is the chief?" he questioned the first Ereian that he saw in a hurry.

"Uhmm...Inside his tent," the man replied with a confused face. "He should be with the miss and the other commanders."

Zaraki briskly walked towards the tent of the chieftain.

As he approached, he could hear the sound of voices coming from inside. He took a deep breath to steady himself before entering. Inside, he saw Khao'khen seated at a table with Adhalia and the other commanders of the allied forces.

"Zaraki," Adhalia said, looking up from the map they were studying. "You're back. What news do you bring?"

Zaraki took a moment to catch his breath before replying, "The baron is on our side, but he can't openly declare it. And there's more. The king's army should be already inside the baron's castle under the lead of Barika and Ishaq."

The room fell silent as everyone processed the news. Adhalia was the first to speak. "That man and the men under him are going to be a huge problem."

Khao'khen nodded in agreement. There was no need to mention his name, as everyone already knew who Adhalia meant. Barika and his men could be ignored, but not Ishaq and his men.