Jordi Villalobos - The Invasion Of The Sombers

The orc wizard snuck into the balcony room unseen and advanced stealthily, his hand resting on the grip of his dagger, towards the bed.

But a voice behind him said:

"I've been smelling you for a while."

"For some reason you are the king of the orcs, my lord," answered the troubled Turgarok as he turned and melted in an effusive embrace with his sovereign.

Gulrath promised his best friend, Turgarok's father, that he would look after the boy as if he were his own son if he were ever missing, and so he did: he looked after and loved Turgarok as if it were his own blood.

Initially, Gulrath had desired his protégé to continue his father's military career by one day becoming his most valued general. But as a child he showed an innate ability for sorcery, especially when it came to the domination of beasts.

But now, turned Turgarok into the greatest orc sorcerer, as well as lord and dominator of all birds, he felt very proud and fortunate to have at his disposal his countless and fabulous powers, which made him commission extremely useful missions that no other orc would have been able to carry out even with the largest army.

"Turgarok, my son," Gulrath said to his adopted son, "we have crystallized an alliance with humans that will be sealed with the marriage of your sister Lirieth to Prince Syriel. I know you will not approve of this alliance; however, I hope that at my request and in memory of Gariath, your father, you will abide by it and defend it with the same honor that you have always shown. And believe me son, this alliance is convenient for us, since now the enemy is not the humans, but the dark ones, who threaten us all and what they want most would be to see us continue weakening in the useless war that we have just concluded with this agreement."

"My Lord, I will not deny my reluctance to this alliance, but if this is your will, you can be sure that I will give my life if necessary, to abide by and defend it," replied the wizard.

"I know that it will be so and that you will fulfill with honor the mission that I am going to entrust to you, making both me and the memory of your father proud of your actions," added the king.

"Your Majesty, before you entrust me with the mission, I wish to inform you that the sombers have sent a detachment commanded by Princess Elenir to recruit dragons from the Badlands to their cause," warned Turgarok.

"I know, my son, that's what it's all about. The new alliance has agreed to send an orc and human detachment commanded jointly by Prince Syriel and your sister for the same purpose. Your mission will be to follow them, protect them and help them in the sombers so that nothing happens to them and they achieve their purpose," requested Gulrath.

"Ungrateful and difficult mission you entrust to me, father, but if that is your will, as long as I have some life left, I will do everything necessary to enforce it," promised the orc wizard.

"Believe me, son, the day will come when you will understand the why of this covenant and of your sister's union with the human prince. I am convinced that he is a man of honor and is not worthy of being accused of ending your father's life behind his back and in a cowardly manner. Besides, everyone has been surprised by your sister and the prince showing an early and sincere affection for each other. And you know that your sister is as powerful a sorceress as you are and that she would have no affection for anyone mean and dishonorable. I am going to ask just one more thing of you: do not judge Syriel by the gossip, but by his actions, and if in the end the rumor is true that he murdered your father with dishonor, I will not be the one to oppose a deserved punishment for it," said the king.

"You know the affection that I profess to my sister and if she considers to Syriel worthy of her, so will I also consider until proven otherwise. If necessary, I will help and defend her with my own life if necessary, as you ask me," said the wizard.

"Son, I know you will. Go with my blessing and my best wishes that you may accomplish your task without setbacks and with complete success. Tomorrow we will return to Teberion. Send me messenger birds to keep me informed," concluded the monarch.

After dedicating a sincere bow to his adoptive father, Turgarok jumped off the balcony and fell on the back of his hawk's saddle. They walked away as quietly as they had come, cutting the wind at great speed.

Three days after the signing of the alliance between men and orcs, a small army left Belquecia. The troop was formed by one hundred human warriors and as many orcs on foot, fifty human lancers and the same number of orcs on horseback, Baldrich and Bellamir, the orc generals Smolion and Gungaroth, Syriel and his first lieutenant Hans and Princess Lirieth as captain of the expedition.

During the first days of the march, although there were no serious altercations between men and orcs, both groups continued to look at each other with remarkable suspicion. To encourage a little harmony and companionship, on the third night of camping it occurred to Princess Lirieth that her two generals, Smolion and Gungaroth could play against Hans and Syriel in a dice game very popular among soldiers. Despite the fact that the two orc generals were not very good at living with humans, they obeyed their princess and were friendly with the two human leaders, even when they ended up losing.

Several initiatives of this nature, together with the continuous walks and shows of affection that the prince and the princess strived to constantly demonstrate, as well as the kindness that one and the other yielded, both to men and to orcs, caused the suspicions, and warriors or the two races began to interact with each other and establish frail links of friendship, or at least camaraderie.

The night before the arrival in Belvichu, men and orcs already interacted, played, drank, laughed and fought almost without distinction of race. Curiously, it was the orc generals who still showed the greatest hostility towards humans, although they were very careful not to transgress the princess's indications.

The next day they arrived safely in Belvichu, one of the oldest walled cities in Delfia and the most important in the kingdom after Belquecia.

In Belquecia the elves had always predominated, until the great elfic exodus that occurred several hundred years ago, after which it was the humans and some semielphied lineages that remained in the capital.

On the other hand, Belvichu had always been a fief of clear human predominance, but in continuous position of alliance and vassalage with Belquecia.

Lainos, the present Lord of Belvichu, received the princes and their entourage with respect and correctness, forcing himself to be friendly with the new allies and wishing the engaged couple happiness and long life. while entertaining everyone with a succulent feast.

During the two days that the princes stayed in Belvichu, they asked about the White Magician and the only thing they could make clear was that he had been gone to the Badlands for several months and who was never seen again.

The people of Belvichu shuddered and fled from the orcs when they saw them; on the contrary, the young couple of princes caused much expectation. In addition, in order to promote the coexistence with the new allies, they went out for a walk through the city, being followed with curiosity by the inhabitants and, especially by the children. The beauty of the orc princess and the happy relationship she manifested with the prince made the fearful citizens see them with eyes more favorable to the feared orcs.

As the princes passed through one of the poorest neighborhoods, they heard cries in a house accompanied by some heartbroken cries. Princess Lirieth became interested in what was going on and they told her that there was a very sick child, barely a year old, with high fevers and great coughs, who seemed about to die.