Valakolondoum

Chapter 3

"Wake up worms!" The StableMaster's chilling voice made many people including myself jump right out of our beds. I believe I did hear a couple people yelp in surprise. I scrambled to my feet quickly trying to wipe away my early morning delirium. I took in my surroundings and noticed that the sun wasn't even up yet. It has to be at least an hour before dawn. I pray at least.

"Good morning recruits! Welcome to to your first day as a recruit of Entageni. If you thought your orientation was hard then you are not ready for what is to come. Now pay attention cause I will only say this once." In a blur StableMaster is over to a cot from which someone did not rise yet. In a swift and terrifying motion she flipped the cot over with the recruit still in it. Vemir scrambled to his feet with a look of anger. When he saw who was towering over him he shrunk back.

"What's wrong Shithead? Did I wake you?" He cowers back and lowers his head. StableMaster says nothing only turning back around to the door.

"As I was saying. . . As of now you will be overseen by Brother Ulysses. There are 350 recruits and I cannot watch you all at once. I will still be over your training, but my brother will wake you and count you before you go to sleep. He will take you to all of your lessons. I will be with you during your combat training today, so be prepared. You are on cleaning duty. Brother Ulysses take them." The other knight nods then orders us to get moving. I quickly put on my shoes then line up. Behind me comes Pip and Dezzi. I was relieved that Dezzi was not able to get behind me directly. I cannot help that her people just cause such fear in my breast. It is their fault that the land is cursed with the pestilence of The Grim. The clan that did it might be dead and gone but the Orcs as a folk simply cannot be trusted. Like the Lesser Elves they bring trouble and destruction. However Vemir is also untrustworthy even if he is a High Elf.

The knight leads us to a closet filled with brushes, buckets, and other cleaning supplies. We silently begin to take the supplies. He does not have to warn us about attempting to clean ourselves. At least he will not have to warn me. The older Valkan orders us to clean different sections of the keep. Pip, Dezzi, and I were instructed to clean the temple. When we reach the temple we begin to spread out. I take the main pathway, Pip takes the windows, and Dezzi takes the other pathways. Before this I'd only watched the servants clean the halls and the temples. Doing such labor myself gives me a whole new appreciation for them. When I have the free day I should write my parents and tell them to raise the pay of the servants. Our home is not a small one, so the pay should reflect that.

As I get closer to the alter I say some silent prayers for my fellow recruits, my Uncle, and the knights here. We are all in danger, all of us. The foolishness of the Orcs has left us all in a reality where we can all die. It makes me wonder why the Divines are allowing this to happen. What have we done to offend them so much? I would understand a year of the destruction. The first year alone was monstrous. So many died, and it was clear that Litum was offended. So many prayers and sacrifices were made in that year alone. Still The Grim and hordes persisted on destroying us. Perhaps our fighting and bloodletting will satisfy her, and she will drive back the hordes. As far as the fallen Dovan go perhaps the gods will unite again to create them or some new folk will come and take over the ancestral home of the fallen ones.

When we are done cleaning the temple Priestess Hilda came in to inspect our work. She instructs us to start cleaning the statues of The Divines. I heard the proper way of cleaning them was to not look the statue in the eye as it offends the divine it represents. That is what my servants told me what they do when they cleaned our family temple. Dezzi takes up cleaning Naviti's likeness. It did annoy me with the goddess of the land being my patron, but it is understandable why Dezzi would clean her. From our stories we are told that Naviti is the sole parent of the Orc folk. While other races were created with Naviti and other Divines she birthed the Orcs alone. Wether tribal or city Orcs always worship Naviti more than any other divine. My father never told me how we received the deep magic of Naviti, but we have always thanked her profusely for it.