Ascension of the Nephilim

The entire brigade of orcs consisted of all forms of Orc classes. Orc Brutes, Riders, Archers, Magi, and tall, level twenty Orc Primes led the caravan.

Orcs were generally more superior in strength than humans and required humans to master force energy to stand toe-to-toe with Orcs.

The entire caravan was carrying a large number of ores harvested on the mountain. Just as it was in Airom Vagat, the region of Airom Logat consisted of a united orc army hailing from different kingdoms. The caravan itself had various orc breeds coming from different tribes.

The march continued with the orcs laughing and taunting each other. Even the women orcs were very boisterous and wild that it seemed like a miracle no one was killing each other.

"Hahahaha...." A crazy laugh echoed around the area.

The laugh ran around the area and was echoing all over the place.

The orcs suddenly turned serious.

"Where is it? I don't smell anything!" One of the orcs cursed. He was at the forefront and couldn't even smell where the laugh was coming from.

"Riders! Move out!" The Orc Prime leading the team ordered.

As orcs were natural communicators with various animals, beast taming was an essential job for them.

The Orc Riders was a job for orcs that used beast taming as a foundation. Several large wolves that stood over a meter tall with long spikes like that of a porcupine began to move out. It used its smell to search the area and used its speed to chase the fast-moving sounds.

The laugh continued to run around, and the wolves couldn't smell where the enemy was. It was as if the laugh was from above. Then, all of a sudden, several more laughs were heard around the entire caravan. Some were of men, others of women.

Then strange figures emerged from the dark and began to attack the wolves that were running about.

"Enemy attack!" The orc riders shouted.

Suddenly dark bolts shot out from the darkness. Dawn had not yet broken, and so the dark bolt was not seen until it drew near. By the time the orcs could see it through their torches, it was too late.

BOOM!

A bolt struck the head of an Orc Brute, causing it to stumble down. The face looked like an arrow pierced through it.

"Dark Magic! Orc Magi! Cast illumination spells! We are fighting the undead!" The Orc Prime revealed his experience. He knew the undead had no scent, and they couldn't rely on their improved senses to search for the enemy.

The Magis quickly channeled their energy, but more bolts began to arrive from the sky.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The magis began to channel the illumination spell, and they could finally see their attacker.

It was a dark creature with oily, black skin that seemed to be alive.

It stood on top of the tree and continued to make a crazed laugh.

"Tell me where the Blood Calamity is, and I'll spare you, young ones." The creature called out in the tongue of the orcs.

"Who are you?!" The Orc Prime cursed.

"I am Cracky Batcheeks, the Black Calamity. Devourer of All! Where is the Blood Calamity that I may devour its power!" The creature spoke once more. 

In his hand, a round compact form of dark energy gathered that turned into a long spear made of darkness.

"Dark wielder!" The Orc Prime saw it and was horrified. Only the strongest and most evil of dark dependent has that ability.

"Tell me!" The dark creature urged once more.

"I don't know! The creature we call the Blood Calamity has fled inside the large mountain region in the Endless Caves!"

"If you won't answer me, then just die! Zombie horde! Attack now!"

[Oration activated.]

Suddenly, shadow ghouls and golems appeared on several fronts. One of the Spine wolves was knocked back from a malicious punch of a green golem.

"Enemy attack!"

"Argh! It's got me!"

"A horde of undead from the back!"

"Archers! Enemy archers!"

"Dentists!"

"Help! Monsters in the dark!" 

Several voices were heard shouting from different fronts of the battlefield.

The Orc Prime 

"Assume formation! Wolf pack retreat! Brutes to the front. Protect the archers and mages!

The group began to assemble into a formation. Some of their members were being attacked with archers. But the thick hide armor managed to protect them from receiving critical blows.

As the orcs finalized their formation with the caravan goods in the center, the dark being that stood up the tree glanced over at a distance.

"There you are, my enemy! Let's see which Calamity is stronger!" And then the dark being jumped from one tree to the other and disappeared from its fasts movements.

Suddenly, the shadows and golems retreated, and the orcs were left wondering what had happened.

"Orcs! Retreat! We have to keep moving! Move out now!" The Orc Prime ordered as the group hastened their horses.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the dark forest...

Kyros was standing over the one orc they managed to capture. This was the same orc that said he had survived the Blood Calamity.

"Alright. That was a good spoil. I managed to get several large ores on each caravan. They probably would notice that their haul is lacking by daybreak." Kyros smiled.

"Hunter. You were supposed to say the Orc word for Golems which is Baguzzyr. But you said Backussire, which means dentists." Kyros laughed. He had instructed each of the Coven to say a specific phrase.

The group laughed at Hunter.

"Don't worry, though. I made a lot of similar mistakes. It's a good thing that orc language is easier to say as it needs a human mouth. Unlike First Word or that other cursed language." Kyros recalled an embarrassing memory.

"We could have fought more. Your tactics would have allowed us to kill many since they would be on the defensive. We would then have all those caravans." Martha answered.

"Our purpose was to kidnap these guys. Besides, you underestimate orc hide armor. Your arrows can't do much to them. You'd run out of arrows soon. Besides, we need survivors to talk about Crachy Batcheeks. Don't worry. My plans all have their purposes." Kyros smiled.

Martha couldn't help but agree. She was impressed with Kyros's plan. 

When Kyros ordered the 'attack', he sent out his Shadow Ghouls and Golems and immediately made his team shout those phrases together.

This gave the impression that the orcs were being attacked from several sides and made the Orc Prime give orders to reform the group.

In that reorganization of ranks, everyone was focused on rushing to assume the formation. Martha was shooting arrows which caused all to run and cover. The Coven used that opportunity to capture and gag the orc that talked about the Blood Calamity and drag him out of the caravan.

The group ran to a more recluse area and finally unbounded the gagged orc. But even as they unbound him, they kept choking him so that he couldn't scream.

"Orc. You have the chance to live as long as you tell me about the Blood Calamity. If you do not fear death, look around you and see that vampires surround you. I can grant you a more painful life by turning you into one of these." Kyros released the Shadow Ghouls.

[Orations activated.]

The dark shadows emerged and bowed before Kyros.

"I'll talk! I'll talk!" The orc was terrified. Not only did this young boy know the language of orcs, but it also had the power to do dark bidding.

The orc recounted the events that transpired over the past three days.

A strange tremor occurred around the mountain, and a cave opened up. The stories that were told were similar to when Kyros was unsealed.

"Hrm? This is strange. Was there another being that rivaled you? I remember that three Nephilims were born. Could it be that another one is sealed?"

"That sounds possible. But this is scary. If that is a Nephilim, and it's the Blood Calamity, then won't that mean we are fate to fight each other? Could it be that only one Nephilim should be allowed?"

"Well... You are partly Fallen. And Fallen and most Dark Dependent devour each other to grow strong. It is normal for them to use that lifestyle and have their sons and daughters devour each other to get stronger."

"In any case... I guess I have to be careful." Kyros finally turned to the orc.

"Now... What to do to you?" Kyros smiled.

"I... Please don't kill me! I have a family!" The orc begged.

"See, Martha? He has kids too. Do you want to take away a father from his kids?" Kyros smiled and turned to Martha. 

"I know you wanted to kill more because as a soldier, you are taught, the less orcs there are, the more humans are saved. But will you kill this man?" Kyros asked once more.

Martha was silent.

"If this is for the sake of teaching me a lesson in my question earlier to kill more orcs, I already said it was for the ores. You have shown blacksmiths skills and can even do it on corpses. I just wanted better equipment." Martha answered coldly.

"Martha! That is Lord Kyros you are talking to. You might have also been the daughter of a Baron, but now we are a Coven. So show more respect to the lord!" Gregory rebuked.

Martha could only bow her head in silence.

"Anyway... I think it will be helpful for all of us if an orc accompanies our Coven. Since humans have been seen taking orc slaves and vice versa, it should be alright. So tell me or, what do you want to be? A ghoul or a vampire?" 

The orc's eyes grew dim.

"I guess... a vampire..." The orc began to weep.

"Oh, don't cry. It's not that bad. Besides, you are still alive with my power, which means you can probably procreate with your wife. Let's get her and your kids when we have time." Kyros consoled.

"Martha... You bite him as punishment for being disrespectful." Hems suggested.