Rise of the Horde

“The Lord is waiting for you in his chambers.” A personal guard of the baron came towards him and led him inside the castle. The place was silent with only the sounds of the guards patrolling around echoing throughout the place. Makalani kept his gaze forward as he had no time to appreciate the intricate designs of the place but he can’t help but take a second glimpse of the shiny armors that were placed along their path.

After alighting the uneven stares towards the upper floors of the castle, they arrived in front of the Baron’s chambers which had guards in almost every corner of the floor that they were at. The place was dimly lit with only the torches along the walls providing light but the darkness doesn’t seem to bother the guards who were stationed there as they remained unmoving in their place.

“I’ve brought him to you, my lord.” The guard leading Makalani spoke as they stood in front of the door of their master’s chambers. A fit of coughing originating from inside the room was what they got as an answer at first but then a hoarse voice came saying “Let him in.” followed.

The guard pushed open the door and made way for the guest of the baron as he bowed his head. Makalani entered the room without a word and the guard that led him to this place gently closed the door. The sound of the guards’ footsteps that was getting further and further away could soon be heard and the spy headed towards the figure who was sitting on the edge of his bed who was coughing badly.

“What information do you bring me?” Lord Masud questioned as he gestured for his servants to make themselves scarce. The servants who were also infected with the disease of their master bowed their heads as they headed towards the small door that is clearly newly created and exited the room as they headed towards wherever that small door leads them to.

“Not good, I guess.” The lord continued as he observed the facial expression of his most trusted spy that he had planted in the capital. Makalani stared at the sorry figure of the baron, wrapped up in bandages from head with many places oozing out a sticky liquid. The spy of the baron nodded his head in answer to the lord’s question and his face was clearly wanting to ask what happened to the baron but he can’t find the right words to say.

After a fit of cough, Baron Masud turned towards Makalani and a heavy escapade his lips. “I don’t know how I got it. I just reached a ghost town and decided to burn it down to the ground to deny those orcs a good place to camp and then this happened.” He gestured towards himself as he really didn’t know how he got such an illness. “So, what information made you personally come here and judging by your appearance, it seems to be really important as you looked like you haven’t had a proper rest for days and you looked quite uglier than before.” The baron broke into a light chuckle as he tried to ease his own pain.

.....

“The king has sent his hounds to get you and he stripped you of your nobility because of your failure in the north.” Makalani directly reported the urgent information with the first words that came into his mind.

“I knew I can’t escape being punish for my failure but to actually send his hounds to get me.” Another heavy sigh came from the baron as he had already accepted his fate. He was prepared to lose his head just to appease their current king but he didn’t expect that he would actually send his hounds. Whenever those hounds of his came, it would be the end if everything in the place that they are sent at since they would take every piece of meat from that place till there were only bones left.

Baron Masud knew of the origins of the hounds of the former prince now their king as he was also present when they raided the hideout of those bastards. Commander Lastam and his troops were originally bandits who frequently raided the villages between the capital and the former territory of the House of Darkhariss and stretched all the way near his own territory in some instances. There bandit group had numerous members which forced the recent leader of the House of Darkhariss to seek aid from his neighboring nobles for help to put an end to them.

A lot of soldiers were sacrificed to put down the group of Lastam and they were supposedly to be executed via beheading when that damn prince came to their rescue. The rumor that the bandit group of Lastam was actually under the directions of the prince spread around the kingdom which was then fortified by the fact that the former bandit leader became a commander of the kingdom which infuriated many nobles but they can’t do anything to the prince since he was a royalty.

“I guess my house will follow the footsteps of the Darkhariss.” The baron muttered to himself as he stared at the stone floor of his room. “But before that, I’ll slay as many of his hounds as I can to spare the others of their savagery.” He continued.

“Take my daughter out of here tonight.” He ordered as he stood up.

“What about your wives and mistresses?” Makalani questioned as he was prepared to assist the baron in case, he falls down with how unsteady his steps were.

“Bring that wife of mine along then...And go grabbed that chest over there. That should be enough to let my daughter live a pleasurable life.” Baron Masud pointed towards one of the chests that were in one corner of the room.

“I’ll live them in your care…old friend.” The ill noble turned his gaze towards his most trusted spy as his eyes were filled with determination. Makalani was about to approach him and give him a hug but the baron used the scabbard of his blade to maintain the distance between them.

“As much as I wanted to embrace you, I can’t. Less you get infected with my illness and have the possibility of it being inflicted on my daughter too.” Baron Masud shook his head as he turned towards the door of his chambers to let his soldiers know that the hounds of the king was heading for them.

The tranquility of the night was disturbed by the sounds of rapid footsteps going to and fro around the castle then the town as soldiers moved about as they prepared the defenses for the arrival of the hounds.