Orc Wars 2 : Lazarus

Chapter 87 - Kalthu

"Shhh!! If you value your lives. I will explain later."

"Come."

The group marched away from the gates and into the Stronghold proper. The Lord Commander set a fast pace. This was serious business, he had to talk to the ghost lords before they met the royal Necromancer, for meet him they will. He was sure Mallarq would see to that and try to use them or worse.

The group only slowed down when they had reached their destination, a secluded barracks by the looks of it.

"Secure the perimeter! No one is allowed within twenty standard paces. Check for spies," he bellowed. They all knew who he meant, the Imperial guards.

"Sir!!" Yet not less than three looked uncertainly at their superior as they moved into position. A few stole surreptitious glances at the two fragile beings in their midst that they had just concealed from the public.

Humans!! Here, Now. It was a bad omen.

"Stand strong. I will find out what is going on, then there will be a briefing. Stay alert."

"Sir?"

"Yes, Jarrakg?"

"Be careful of them, Sir," Jarrakg, his loyal second-in-command said before turning away smartly on his heels to check the others.

"You worry too much. I can take care of myself."

Once alone with the gatekeepers, the Lord Commander turned his full attention to them. This was going to be very interesting and potentially dangerous. The Overlord was agitated, cornered and desperate. Anything could set him off. The Land was in political turmoil and Mallarg, the Necromancer was growing bolder. He was barely concealing his desires and was now growing strong enough to openly wrest power with his Imperial warriors. The ghost lords had come at a perilous time indeed.

"Constantine! Lazarus! Greetings! Forgive me for the rude welcome earlier but it was necessary."

The gatekeepers smiled in relief. "Kalthu! Well met!"

"It is o'kay my large grey friend but you will explain, yes?"

Kalthu, the orc prince who had befriended the gatekeepers in Season one sobered. "I am afraid you have come in troubled times. Your coming here now will be seen as a very bad omen."

"Who us? Why?" Constantine was affronted. "Me? A bad omen? Never!"

"Be at ease Kalthu, we are here for our own reasons. We are not interested in your political strife. It has nothing to do with us," said Lazarus. "We will complete our quest and leave."

"No friend, your very presence here threatens our existence."

"Huh? Why?"

Kalthu looked around, catching his second-in command alertly keeping an eye on him. Jarrakg gave a slight nod to his superior indicating that all was secured and continued his rounds. Kalthu hunkered down so that he was levelled with the smaller humans.

"Because, we are at war. A silent sneaky war, but still a war," he said shaking his head in disgust. "I prefer an open war with good honest fighting myself, not this subterfuge and underhanded tricks."

"What has this got to do with us?" Lazarus asked.

"Because you will tip the balance of our war. There is an obscure ancient prophesy that says human ghost lords will come and that when they appear, all will be destroyed," the grey orc begun. "You are officially, the destroyers of world as we know it."

"We are soooo not the destroyers of your realm, orc," the Red Warlock said indignantly. "We are only here for Lazarus' quest and maybe some sight-seeing, not to destroy your home. Your prophesy does not concern us, orc prince."