Shame of despair

The morning sun had just begun to peek over the mountains, painting the rocky peaks with a pale golden hue. The air was cold and thick, as if still holding the remnants of the night's nightmares. The dwarven city silently watched the travelers depart—no one stepped out into the streets to bid them farewell, no one showed any interest in their journey.

Kano felt it was more than mere reluctance to engage. People were afraid. Afraid of what lay ahead.

The caravan set off. Two carts slowly rumbled down the rocky path, flanked by steep cliffs. Ahead, Rudgard sat at the reins of the first cart, confidently holding the reins. In the second cart, Elgot held the reins, occasionally glancing at the sky as though sensing something.

Kano sat next to Lianel, staring ahead at the road.

—"Tense?" she asked quietly, not tearing her gaze from the horizon.

—"More like on edge," he replied. "This whole road... it feels different. You know, we've been traveling for a while, but the first stop with any decent conditions... and this is how it greets us."

They continued forward. The road narrowed, winding through a gorge where there would be no easy turning back.

—"The horses are on edge," Rudgard called out. "They sense something."

Kano noticed it too. The animals were nervously pawing at the ground, tossing their heads as if trying to flee.

Suddenly, everything around them was swallowed by mist. It crawled from the depths of the gorge like the tendrils of some ancient creature, gradually enveloping the caravan.

Kano felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. This was no ordinary morning fog. It was thick, like a wall, and moved unnaturally fast.

—"Stop!" Elgot commanded.

The carts slowly came to a halt.

Kano stared into the white veil, his heart racing.

In the silence, something was there.

Something awaited them in the mist.

The air grew heavy.

The road narrowed further, squeezing the caravan between the stone walls of the gorge. The cliffs towered around them, scarred with deep gashes—marks of ancient battles. It seemed as though the very earth remembered the blood spilled here many years ago.

Kano felt it first.

Not a sound. Not a movement. Presence.

Something had changed in the air, making it thicker, filled with something invisible but powerful.

The horses suddenly stopped.

Their ears flicked, their eyes widened, and their hooves, which had just moments ago moved confidently, now trembled in place.

Kano lifted his head and breathed deeply. A familiar feeling stirred within him—the same one that had warned him of danger in the darkest moments of his life.

—"Something's wrong," he whispered.

Rudgard tugged the reins sharply.

—"Damn, the horses won't move..." he muttered, trying to calm the animals.

Kano unclenched his fingers and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

He sensed them before he saw them.

Shadows hiding between the rocks. Heavy, powerful auras pressing in, tightening the space around them. A predatory tension that sliced through the morning mist.

And then they appeared.

Figures emerged from the gorge.

Gigantic, muscular, with pale green skin that glowed in the sun's rays.

Their tusks jutted from their jaws, and their eyes burned with a yellowish light.

Orcs.

They didn't rush. They didn't shout or raise their weapons at once.

They knew they had already won, even before the battle had begun.

From all sides—emerging from the rocks, from the ledges, from the shadows of the gorge—they came in droves, slowly surrounding the caravan.

Rudgard stood up in the cart, pulling out his axe.

—"To arms! We're trapped!" His voice cut through the morning silence.

Kano leapt from the cart, his feet finding ground instantly. He felt his muscles tense, his skin break out in a cold sweat.

Elgot stood behind, his gaze narrowed.

—"Pale-green skin, tusks, that build..." His voice was almost calm, but there was an icy edge of realization in it. "These are orcs."

The orcs roared.

The earth trembled from their voices, echoing through the cliffs.

Kano felt the air thicken, as if the very space around them was constricting under the weight of an alien force.

His fingers instinctively closed around the hilt of his sword.

They were surrounded.

And then—movement.

From the first cart, like a flash of lightning, Naira leaped.

—"I'll kill anyone who stands in my way!"

Her voice was thunderous. Her battle aura flared like fire, engulfing her body and lifting the dust from the ground beneath her feet.

The orcs froze.

They recognized her.

And then, from the crowd, their leader stepped forward.

He was massive. Taller than all the others, with dark green skin covered in battle scars. His long tusks were sharpened, and in his massive hand, he gripped a colossal battle axe.

He looked at Naira... and smiled.

—"Who do I see? A little mutt thrown out of the clan? You'll die today."

Naira took a step forward, her battle aura pulsing, tearing apart the tension between the two sides. Her fists clenched, and true fire of rage blazed in her eyes.

—"I challenge you to a fight for these disgusting words!" Her voice shattered the heavy silence of the gorge.

The giant orc only laughed. His massive hand tightened around the axe's handle, gleaming in the morning light.

—"You're no warrior, Naira, you're prey. You have no right to challenge me!"

Behind the orcs, loud laughter erupted—they reveled in the humiliation of the girl who, in their eyes, had lost both her honor and her place in the clan.

Kano watched Naira. Her body trembled with fury, but she didn't take a step back. Her teeth were clenched, and her hands twitched as though they were about to grasp her weapon at any moment.

Elgot, standing off to the side, glanced at the orcs thoughtfully and took a few steps forward.

—"How about a duel?" His voice was calm, almost indifferent.

The orc leader raised his yellow eyes to him.

—"A duel?" He shot a skeptical glance at the elf.

Elgot sighed and theatrically waved his hand.

—"You're proud warriors, aren't you? Not a band of thieves attacking from the shadows? Then prove it. One-on-one. The winner decides the fate of us all."

The orcs burst into laughter again, but this time, the other warriors quieted down more quickly. The leader pondered. It was clear he understood that an ambush wouldn't bring them honor.

—"Well..." He spat to the side. "I'm fine with that. Who's your fighter?"

Before Kano could even blink, he felt a strong shove in his back.

—"He is."

Elgot shoved him with all his might, pushing him two steps toward the orc leader.

Kano barely managed to keep his balance, slowly raising his head.

The enormous orc looked down at him and gave a self-satisfied grunt.

—"Really? This weakling?"

Kano felt his blood boil. He shot a sharp look at Elgot, who was smiling carelessly.

—"Here's your training, boy. Good luck!"

Kano muttered a curse under his breath.