The next three days were a constant repeat, fight, eat, fight, eat, fight, eat then sleep. Of course I didn't waste my days on just fighting. At nights I snuck near the shamans tent listening in on the recites. Soon I found out that the reason those Orcs from before froze when I shouted was because I instinctively used the curse "Fear."
The days passed and eyes were starting to lay on me. The chief, Kackle, a level 4 warrior started to watch me, observing me. I could just tell he was going to snag me up the instant I level up. Right now, I'm level 1 and ever since the second day of fighting my strength hasn't risen. Which basically means I'm only a few days before I'm ripe for picking.
Kackle was an Orc of and Orc, a brute that gets his way through strength. Not by way of leadership or any sort of respectable way, a stupid and dumb Orc. But, it felt weird thinking like that, I call him a stupid and dumb and use the word Orc. But, I'm an Orc too, I'm basically talking about my own race as inferior to me.
Whatever reason I had for belittling my own kind wasn't of importance to me right now. I needed to leave and leave with no one catching me. I spoke to Riaz and told her my plan, it was nice and simple. All Riaz had to do was keep the herd quite.
I enacted on my plan, the final fight of the day I took it very light but shouted to make it seem as if I was trying, even taking a few hits to really sell it. I also made sure I was in the very middle of the brawl so that no one could tell very easily what I was doing. Right before the gong rang I ripped off the clothes from a few of the Orcs laying on the floor.
Using these clothes I poured a few bowls of porridge and had little bags of porridge for the road. I then waited until night. In the very middle of night I began sneaking around the village, searching for the armory. There it was but of course there was a guard, I noticed this guard kept fading in and out of sleep. Taking his drowsiness to my advantage I snuck around the back, sliding under the tent and then I was in.
There were a few well made weapons but knowing the vengeful tendency of Orcs I made sure to take a small sword that was already rusted. After my small heist I took all my belongings, found Riaz's herd that was nearby and began moving. Riaz having very powerful leadership made my get away extremely easy. The heard moved as one solid foundation, scaring off any predators that may be lurking around. When the sun finally began to rise I saw an odd sight.
It was a dark cloud close to the ground. At first I thought nothing of it, as it seemed weird but not very dangerous. I even looked to Riaz to make sure, since she gallantly riding these plains I had no worries. I was wrong, we neared the this cloud and it was a mistake we wouldn't forget.
The cloud wasn't just any cloud, it was full mosquitoes the size of my hand. Before it was too late I shouted for the herd to lay down as the cloud passes. In unison we did, the cloud passed over us like a raging storm and after a short few moments of clear skies we got up. I checked the surrounding area, I made sure there weren't any more of these mosquitoes near.
I gave a head count, unfortunately we were missing a few. 5 of our herd fell to this cloud, they were mature and some of our best. Giving them a good farewell we mourned and moved on. Their memory will live. Riaz was hurt by this the most, they were apart of the same generation after all. 15 years gone in an instant.
After a little more of a ride we came across a small pond with a tree as shade. Riaz made sure there wasn't anything lurking in the waters and I made sure that someone didn't make a home in the tree. After a quick drink I passed a bit of the porridge around as quick snack for everyone, this is how I found out Riaz and the herd were omnivores.
As everyone was grazing I decided to climb the tree so I could get a better view, scanning around the most I saw were the plains of the savannah, a tree here and there as well. But, making sure I followed the path I could make out a village, slightly larger than the one I was just at but also smaller than the one I was born in. After making sure Riaz and everyone was ready to move our herd of 10 went swiftly, even our foals were keeping up now.
"Riaz, its been 2 weeks together, this is an amazing life."
Riaz responded by picking up the pace, letting the winds flow through my hair as we cut through the grass like wind. A great perk in having a level 2 partner.
Soon we arrived at this village, as suspected there were indeed a few guards at the gates. I went through almost an identical conversation to the one before. Of course with my persuasion I went into the village under the same pretense. "Small kid looking for food".
As I was fighting, eyes laid on me even faster than before. This time not by the chief but by the shaman. She was a level 4 shaman from what I've heard from the guards and it seems her previous apprentice died after attempting a dungeon with their group. Instead of running from this forced mentorship I decided to work with it.
She approached me, "Hey kid, would you like to learn some skills?" Of course I was curious, I simply stepped up to her and nodded yes. "I know you can be vocal, lets not try to pretend."
"Yes, I would love to learn some skills."
"That is much more like it." She then guided me into her tent. She was much older than my mother yet also weaker, it looks like the difference in talent was showcased here. But, where she lacked in talent, she gained in experience. Her library of curse books were much larger and her equipment was much better suited for her. All my mom wore was warriors armor and just had a level 2 grimoire.
This Shaman on the other hand, was far more calculated. Even with the gap in level she might just be able to beat my mom. She slowly scanned her books of curses and pulled one out. She laid it on the ground, the old leather of the cover with the tattered pages makes it seem as if someone read the books thousands of times.
"Fear - the curse of fear makes your enemies more susceptible to attacks, if used by a chanting mage this skill is almost sure to place the enemy in a state of fear so powerful they might not even react to a punch to their face."
"Kid, you've got this curse down already and your barely 8, either you've got a talent never before seen in a child or your a Dark Orc. Either way you are special. I wouldn't like to see your talent wasted like I have mine, all of these books in this room, the charms and clothes on my body. I only got these when we were lucky enough to find a dungeon with it all. But, that was only 20 years ago, I'm 80. Truly I'm at my wits end and I have no successor anymore."
"I understand, I'm young but I'm not stupid. I would love to have a teacher with as much dedication as you. You remind me of my mother, she was a shaman like you, kind, intelligent and nothing like the brutes most Orcs are. If anything you didn't even have to ask me to be your student, I truly would've been listening in or attempted to steal your books."
She shed a tear, it ran down her dry and course face but there it was. A smile rose as well, it showcased her wrinkles that were forgotten by time. Honestly I didn't expect this from an elder shaman like her, their prideful, egotistical, arrogant and more. But, she's humble and didn't force the mentorship, it was an offer, one I could've rejected. I want to be like that one day.
"You remind me so much of myself, I'll make it certain your wings will be admired by all. I hope I live long enough to bask in your glory."
The next coming days she began truly teaching me about all sorts of things such as the classes one takes up.
"Each class has their benefits and each class has their flaws, the real question is, what you would like to do? As once you truly decide in your heart there is no going back. Fear not of only picking one class as you'll have your main class and your sub class. Your main class being at full strength and your sub being at half."
"Marksmen, using bow, crossbows or guns. They are the most deadly at a range with their main flaw being that they don't have an ultimate."
"Tamers, as it sounds you tame creatures and use them for battle whether you tame them by force or friendship the choice is yours."
"Fighters Or Martial Artist, powerful with their fist but are limited to the scroll they can acquire, their main benefit being that their scrolls have higher quality than even mages scrolls."
"Mages, by far the most versatile class with so many spells that there isn't something you cant do, the only problem being that you either have to find these scrolls or buy them."
"Warriors, almost all Orcs are pure warriors, a versatile class where you create your own moves and your own ultimate."
"Which will you decide on my student."
This couldn't have been a harder choice, each and every single one of these classes are powerful. If I choose a mage their ultimate's are far superior than a warrior and they a larger variety since you don't have to stick with just one Ultimate, although its a good choice but probably wont be my main. Being a martial artist in the Orc continent will be difficult as the scrolls are extremely race. I could be a tamer but it seems lackluster. Whether its the competitive Orc in me or if I just feel it the best choice it didn't matter. I had my choice set, I began the small ritual in which I choose my official class.
I began to meditate, going deep within my own conscious. I envisioned the classes with symbols. The Marksmen with a bow, The Tamer with a lion, The Fighter with a fist, The Mage with a staff and The Warrior with the sword. I chose to main class as a Warrior and sub class as a Mage.
A smile popped on my masters face as I chose my classes. "Its a perfect fit for you." I thought so too, I already planned exactly what my ultimate would be.
It will be fit for a war.