▪️B A L D U R▪️

"Kill it!" I ordered the Orc soldier.

The long steel blade sliced through the air and severed the goblin's head before it even knew what was going on. 

Green sticky blood stained the ground and the corpse was then dragged away to join the rest in the burning pile. Wrinkling my nose, my frown deepened as I watched the dark smoke waft up into the sky.

It had been over a week now since I entered this damned forest!

"And nothing to fucking show for it!" I cursed under my breath while marching past our tents to head down to the lake.

When one of the returning Orc parties had arrived at the castle, blowing the horn to signal the sighting of fae, I had not expected to be in the Black Forest for this long. But unfortunately, I could not deny the evidence that there had been fae roaming around the area and though their magic had been weak, there were clear signs that they were growing stronger.

In one particular area we had stumbled upon, the trees had been cleared with the use of enchantments, and the markings on the scorched ground were clearly fae.

The goblins we had killed claimed that Alaric had been the cause of the great tremor. Even though those disgusting creatures were known for their lies, I was not so arrogant as not to err on the side of caution.

I had a kingdom to protect after all.

If Alaric had indeed managed to tap into magic that somehow allowed him to cause such a disturbance in the forest, I needed to find him as soon as possible!

"Fucking hell!" I muttered.

I had sent letters via raven to Khagra, keeping him updated of what was going on and left specific instructions not to let anyone know about the likelihood that the fae's magic might be returning. The last thing I needed was causing a panic throughout the castle and the kingdom on a whole.

Either way, we had defeated the fae once before, we could do it again.

Although, if I could prevent war from returning to the Isle of Wrobel, I would do everything in my power to stop it. After many years of nonstop conflict, my ancestors had managed eradicate the fae, the survivors scattering about the large island, living among themselves.

I often wondered why the Orcs had not hunted down and killed every last fae. But like myself, the Orc King at the time did not believe in condemning an entire species for the crimes enforced by their leaders. Though, had my father been alive back then, as King, he would have ordered ever fae; man, woman, and child to be killed.

Tilting my head up towards the sky, I let out a deep sigh while watching the sunset, admiring the various colours that littered across the firmament.

My mind then drifted to Izara, as it often had during the day.

Khagra had been keeping me up to date on her progress, letting me know about all her accomplishments while I had been away. I felt a small pang in my chest, hating that I was missing those moments with her, wanting nothing more than to be at her side while she crossed the various milestones.

I was jealous of Khagra, for he got to bask in her presence every day.

At the thought, I found myself chuckling softly, thinking about how different my opinion was of Izara as compared to when we first met. Even though it had been weeks since I fully acknowledged my attraction towards her, the intensity of the emotions I had developed for her never ceased to surprise me.

Now that I was not focused on hating her, I really could see the amazing person she was.

There was no doubt in my mind that Izara would make a beautiful Amphitere rider. Given the connection she seemed to have with nature and wildlife, I just knew that once she bonded with an Amphitere, there would be no separating them.

Hell, the way Gnarg acted around her, one would swear that he was her Vharg, the traitor!

Not that I could blame him though.

Izara just had a natural pull to her, one where people and animals seemed to want to be around her. Now that she had magic, it would seem that part of her would only grow to be more alluring, even though I knew many were a bit apprehensive around her.

Which I could understand, since we did not know if she had inherited all my abilities.

Nonetheless, soul-sucking powers or not, I found myself eager to explore the growing attraction between us. But first, I needed to make sure that the fae were not a serious threat to our very existence.

The acrid stench of burning flesh pulled me from my thoughts.

Refocusing on the information we had obtained, if what the goblins had said was true, then we should stumble upon a small fae encampment within the next day or so. It was alleged that they had made a small camp near the entrance of an old abandoned mining cave. Our Vhargs had already picked up the scent, confirming that there were indeed fae nearby and I made plans with the other Orcs in the raiding party on what our approach would be.

The following day, we rode before the sun could shine its light upon the isle.

Our Vhargs were agile, their feet almost soundless on the forest floor while they zipped through the trees. Wanting to keep the element of surprise, we withheld our usual battle cries, travelling in relative silence.

As we neared closer to the cave, Gnarg huffed out, letting me know that the smell of fae had indeed gotten stronger.

With our destination in sight, we speed up, planning to ambush the fae all at once. However, when we crossed over the ridge and rode down towards the entrance of the cave, there was nothing there.

What the hell? I thought, a scowl creasing my brow.

The Vhargs were going crazy!

They were pacing up and down, their movements agitated, and howled as the scent of fae excited them. They were confused as to why there was no prey to be found. Jumping off Gnarg, I stormed across the field, my eyes quickly scanning the environs. The locs of my hair whipped behind me at the quickness with which I turned my head in various directions.

Near the entrance of the cave, I noticed large glowing rune markings that had been carved into the stone and I immediately stopped in my tracks.

My entire body stiffened, my eyes narrowing.

It was not uncommon to see smaller markings in areas where the fae had settled down. For to practice their magic, they usually needed to place runes on nearby surfaces.

Where the Orcs used hand motions, the fae used written emblems.

The problem with the symbols by the cave was that the markings staring blatantly back at me had not been seen in five hundred years. The realisation of what I was looking at caused my skin to prickle with unease.

"No..." I whispered.

I now understood why the Vhargs had been smelling fae, when there were clearly none in sight. An incantation had been cast to hide their whereabouts, and judging from the residual glow of the runes, it was a powerful spell at that.

But how was this even possible?

From the look of the camp site and the remains of what had been left behind, whomever was here had already left days earlier. Meaning that they were several steps ahead of us and I did not like it.

Especially more so now that they were apparently able to use such magic.

Momentarily closing my eyes, I let out a ragged breath as a barrage of thoughts rushed through my mind. It would seem that the fae's power really was returning.

"Anu's beard!" I cursed.

————— ▲ —————

It would be yet another three weeks before I returned to the castle, my mind still full of unanswered questions.

We had long lost the scent of the fae deep within the Black Forest.

Even though we had not been prepared to travel so far into the thick and dense forestry, our raiding party pushed forward. We needed answers and had been desperate to find anything that could give us some insight into who exactly made those runes and how they had come by the magic to do so.

Unfortunately, as hard as we searched, we had found nothing.

If I knew anything at all about Alaric, it was that he was cunning and would do anything to restore his family's honour. So, if the Fae King had indeed been able to tap into some form of magic, I realised that it would only be a matter of time before his kind waged war against the Orcs in the hope to regain control over the humans and the isle on a whole.

After ensuring that Gnarg would be taken care of, I left the stables and headed towards the main castle.

I stank of death and desperation and I longed for a proper bath, yearning to soak my aching muscles. But needing to find Khagra, I opted for a quick rinse off instead, enjoying the sensation of scrubbing the last few days' worth of grime off my skin and hair.

Once I had dried off and changed into a clean set of clothing, I sighed in contentment, feeling like a brand-new person.

Based on the letters I had exchanged with both Khagra and Izara, I knew that around this time, I would find them training down by the river. It was something they started doing daily since my departure and they would train from the evening well into the night.

Not wanting to alert them of my presence, I stealthily made my way through the gardens, being sure to use the wide barks of the trees to hide myself.

As I neared the river, the sounds of magic, as well as that of metal clashing together wafted through the air. Along with it, I heard Izara shouting, the annoyance in her voice causing a smile on my face.

"Stop going easy on me, Khagra!"

My best friend huffed out, "I'm not! But I also won't recklessly endanger your life!"

"How am I supposed to help you and Baldur, if you don't come at me with all of your magic?" Izara countered.

I let out a sigh at her question.

Even though I had not wanted her to find out, Izara knew about the incident in the Black Forest. According to Khagra, she had apparently suspected that something was wrong and would beg him incessantly to tell her what was going on, her concern for me almost driving her into a frenzy.

Wanting to calm her down, he stated that we should tell her, and so, upon granting him permission, he had explained everything involving the missing fae and the runes.

My thoughts were pushed aside when Khagra spoke.

"If I came at you with all of my magic, you'd die, Izara. I can acknowledge your strength, but you cannot best me, at least not yet. Besides what are you talking about, helping Baldur and I, with what?"

"With the upcoming war that is to be had, if there is one," she replied.

Khagra snorted, "There will be no war and if by the off chance there is, you certainly will not be participating!"

From my position, I could see them more clearly now, standing in front of the other, their weapons drawn. From the way their heated glares focused on each other, if looks could kill, they would probably have both already been dead.

Although, from their glowers, I could not tell if they wanted to kill or fuck each other.

The two of them looked ready to go to war and I was surprised to see Izara wielding a cutlass. I assumed that the weapon must have been specially made for her as the short broad sabre fit in her hand perfectly.

Under the light of the moon, I admired the slightly curved blade which had been sharpened on the cutting edge. That same edge was pointing directly at Khagra and I was impressed by the confidence with which she wielded the weapon.

What surprised me even more was when she unexpectedly lunged at him. The force with which she brought the blade down was no doubt powered with her wind magic and my eyes widened at just how much progress she had made in my absence.

"Why the hell not?" Izara swiped her weapon towards him.

"Because, it isn't your responsibility," he said while blocking her attack.

Judging by the scowl on Izara's beautiful face, she looked like she wanted to cut Khagra in half for his response. Her chest rose and fell with each deep breath that she took, her brown skin glistening with the exertion of their training.

Sneering, she spat, "Why? Because I'm human?"

"Yes, exactly..."

I inwardly groaned at his answer.

From my vantage point, I could see the way her shoulders straightened.

Knowing Izara as much as I did, it was obvious that Khagra's response had rubbed her the wrong way and only served to irritate her even more. She believed that even though humans may not have been as strong as Orcs or fae, they still had their strengths, even if they did not possess any magic.

Of course, there was more to Khagra's reasoning than her being a human.

He wanted to keep her safe.

Shit, we both did!

I knew that my best friend had feelings for Izara. What had started out as him just playfully flirting with her had slowly over time grown into something more and I could not even be mad at the thought of him falling in love with her.

For he had more than hinted at such in his letters from the way he would write about her. Just reading his words made my own feelings for her intensify, making me miss her more and more with each passing day.

Hell, if Izara could enthral someone as jaded and cold-hearted as myself, an Orc like Khagra definitely stood no chance!

But he would be cruel to her, if it meant keeping her safe.

Even though he was the seemingly the kinder, more level-headed one between the both of us, Khagra had a brutality to him that had me shifting uncomfortably in my hiding spot behind the tree.

"I'm sorry that I'm a lowly human and don't live up to the standards of the mighty Orcs–"

Interjecting, he growled, "That is not what I meant!"

"It doesn't matter what you meant, because things are different, now I have magic! Do you honestly expect me to sit and twiddle my thumbs knowing that I could be of use on the battlefield?" Izara argued while they continued to spar.

Khagra used some of his fire magic, sending a fireball at her, which she quickly deflected with the swipe of her hand, the wind fanning it back at him. She made it look so easy with the way she moved her fingers.

Fuck!

Izara was definitely a quick learner and I found myself hardening in my trousers at her agility.

It was obvious that her combat skills had vastly improved, her magic giving her an advantage, making the argument that she was human and thus not suited to stand among us invalid. Even though he may have been holding back slightly, Izara was clearly doing well on her own against Khagra, one of the strongest Orcs in all of the isle, the general of our great army and my second in command.

If pitted against a fae, there was no doubt in my mind who would win the fight. However, now with the resurgence of their magic, I was not sure how well she would fare against those in possession of such power.

Though her safety was of great priority to me, I could not ignore the fact that Izara would not be a weak opponent to face off against.

Given her resolve and drive, coupled with her need to protect those around her, I would be more than proud to have her at my side. But I would be lying if I did not admit that I would prefer her not to be involved in a war, especially one where we had no idea about the abilities of our opponent.

Not to mention the likelihood of Izara being able to absorb the life force of those around her. If she did indeed possess the ability, that was also something we would have to be on the lookout for.

"Why must you be so damn stubborn?" Khagra snarled, hurling his weapon to the ground.

Throwing her cutlass down Izara retorted, her upper lip curling, "I'm probably spending too much time with you, your pig-headedness must be rubbing off on me!"

Sensing the growing tension, I chose that moment to make my presence known.

"Well, this certainly wasn't the sort of fighting I was expecting to see when I found you two training..." I smiled, trying to lighten to mood.

I could see the relief in Khagra's hazel eyes.

This caused a soft chuckle out of me, for the irony that he had just told her she would not be suited for battle because she was a human. Yet this same human had him hesitant and unwilling to get into a verbal spat.

When Izara turned to face me, I could see the frown on her face diminish. If the sudden spark in her eyes were any indication, she was no doubt happy to see me. However, she had never been one to completely shift moods easily and so, I watched as her gaze returned to Khagra, her glare returning.

"Seems your general here disagrees with me helping if there's war to be had," she stated while crossing her arms.

"I just want you to be safe! Is that so bad?" Khagra claimed.

Waving a hand through the air, I said, "Why argue about something that we aren't even sure would happen? Yes, I know that we must prepare for all outcomes, but would our time not be better spent preparing for the enemy rather than quarrelling amongst ourselves?"

Izara wrinkled her nose slightly, the truth of my words reaching her. She softly apologised to Khagra who grumbled under his breath before issuing an apology of his own.

I swear, the two of them would be the death of me!

Clearing his throat, Khagra enquired, "How was the journey home? Did we happen to get lucky and find out anything within the last day or so?"

"Unfortunately, no..." I replied shaking my head before going on to address Izara, "I know in your letters you wrote that you were learning a lot, but I don't think I fully grasped just how far you've come."

At my words, her entire face lit up and I felt my chest tighten.

"I wanted to surprise you, show you that I've not been slacking off. As you can see, I've been working very hard, every day, doing my best to master my magic as fast as possible while also improving my fighting skills."

Khagra nodded, his eyes full of reverence as she spoke.

There was more than just adoration there though, there was also respect, a protectiveness, as well as an emotion that most certainly looked like love. Although the depth of his love, I was not sure about, but I supposed time would reveal all things.

From the glances that Izara gave Khagra, I could see that she cared about him too.

They always had a comradery about them, but there was something different. In fact, now that I paid closer attention to their interactions, I noticed that there seemed to be a visible attraction between them given their body language.

Or at least that was how it looked to me; I could be wrong.

Pushing the notion away for now, I chuckled as I listened to Izara tell me about how she managed to bring Khagra down onto his ass last week. She had used an unsuspecting wind maneuverer and I could not help but enjoy the look of happiness on her face.

"Don't laugh! She'd have gotten you too!" Khagra mumbled, the tips of his grey ears turning red as he continued, "Just wait till you spar with her, she's good!"

"Just not good enough to fight by your side, right?" Izara's tone dripped of sarcasm, her brow arching.

Rolling his eyes, Khagra sighed, "Either way, you fighting will be for the King to decide."

And just like that, my best friend put me in one hell of a predicament.

The sneaky fucker!

For that, I would definitely get him back later and I silently groused while doing my best not to cringe while Izara looked over at me expectantly.

I wanted very much to give Izara a chance to participate on the battlefield, knowing that she would be very useful, especially given her healing capabilities, which were now amplified with magic. However, there was a part of me that wanted to keep her locked away, safe from everything and I knew that I needed to deal with these new complicated emotions I felt.

But not now.

Deciding to change the subject, my right hand patted my stomach as I suggested, "How about some dinner first? I haven't eaten all day."

Thankfully, the issue was forgotten for now as we all headed back to the castle.

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A/N: The three of them... 💞

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