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was jeopardized. I didn’t know that Snagluk would become leader, but even if one of the other orcs had been declared leader, there would’ve been pressure to have you banished. Your mother was a very strong orc, and her father, when alive, was one of the most powerful orcs in the land. Because of Shel’s father supporting our trade with humans, your father was invited to stay in Lagvon. When they fell in love, Shel petitioned your grandfather to make sure the elders and the orc leader, Quilge, would allow it.”
    Bazur remembered Quilge. The old orc leader had been a fierce and proud warrior, but he’d always treated young Bazur with kindness. Other orcs had been less kind. Childhood had been difficult for Bazur; he’d had to fight more than any orc child. Now it mattered not how well or bravely he fought or how many victories he earned on the battlefield. Bazur had tried throughout his entire life to prove he was the equal of any of the orcs, but now at the first opportunity Snagluk was sending him away. It seemed Bazur had never truly been of the stronghold in their eyes. Only an unwelcome visitor they had to allow to stay because of his mother. With her death they were removing him. Bazur partly understood, after all humans had just attacked the village, humans were the enemy. But even as he tried to justify Snagluk’s actions, Bazur could see the folly in the logic. Humans were not the enemy. The Oclesh were the enemy, they were the ones constantly raiding orc lands and now attacking defenseless women and children. It was the Oclesh actions which had drawn the orcs into the war, and now it was the Oclesh acting without honor that left Bazur without parents. The other orc strongholds still considered the kingdom of Azmarin their allies. No, this was not about all orcs hating humans; this was about Snagluk hating them. Bazur thought about what Magoza had said about the badlands surrounding Pera. Pera was a small human village in between the kingdoms of Azmarin, Draisha, Oclesh, and the orc province of Irri. The badlands were a large harsh place that divided the lands of men and orc. None of the kingdoms wanted the lands or to deal with the locals who lived there. Pera was a free-town. It owed no allegiances to Azmarin, Irri or the other surrounding kingdoms that bordered the vast wasteland, yet it had traders who did business with all. Bazur would take her advice. The badlands promised a life of hardship and welcome solitude, where he could grieve for the loss of his family. Azmarin offered suspicion and hatred, while Irri and all of Khara offered death thanks to Snagluk. “I shall pack and head for Pera. Thank you for your wise council, Magoza.” As Bazur walked away, he could not believe how quickly his life changed. That morning he felt alive and strong, like nothing could stop him, and now he felt alone and empty. His family torn from this world, his community gone. He no longer had anyone he could rely on. From here on, he was on his own.
     

2
    DRAISHA
    THE dark room was lit only by a single torch. A thick oak door and even thicker stone walls insured the conversation was for their ears only. In the middle of the room was a simple and plain desk, made of the same oak as the doors. On the other side of it sat a man. Jasper walked up and took the seat across from him. He eyed his prospective client with care. The man was dressed poorly like a commoner, ragged cloth pants and tunic with a thick hood covering his face. He obviously was trying to appear poor, but Jasper knew this to be a ruse. The man had hands as soft as a baby’s butt. Besides, no commoner had the kind of coin necessary to arrange a meeting with him. Not that it mattered to Jasper how the man dressed. If he thought it necessary to hide his identity, that was his problem. Jasper’s fees were expensive, but he was worth it. Since becoming a mercenary, he had never failed to complete a mission, and his reputation as a swordsman was fast becoming