Chapter 78: Orcheim (3)
Crockta, Kaburak, and Tiyo departed from the hot springs and headed toward the orcs’ sacred site, which was hidden deep inside a forest. The forest's scenery changed as they headed further in, and Crockta and Tiyo saw plants that they had never seen before. The green forest gradually transformed into an explosion of color with strange silver and white flowers and plants.
“I left Orcheim to travel and learn more about the world, and after wandering for a while, I eventually arrived at the coldest part of the north. It is located at the very outskirts of the north,” said Kaburak.
“Isn’t that where the dark elf territory is?” asked Crockta.
“Back then, I could handle anything with my sorcery. I didn’t have any obstacles. Haha,” laughed Kaburak.
“Did you use your powers to transform into a dark elf or something?” asked Tiyo.
“Haha, transforming is a piece of cake,” said Kaburak.
Crockta nodded. He had heard that deceiving others with transformation magic was extremely difficult and could only be done by a high-level sorcerer, so this meant that Kaburak had been a powerful sorcerer in the past.
“While traveling, I discovered something ominous there,” began Kaburak.
He had discovered a demonic entity that had been asleep for some time to recover its strength. The demonic entity had been so strong that it had raised monsters from the dead even as it slept.
Kaburak continued, “I went to the dark elves to seek help... but no one believed me once I revealed my identity.”
“Hmm...” said Crockta.
“However, that thing was about to come back to life, so I had no choice but to face it on my own. After I made my decision, I learned that the creature was a demon king. Although it had yet to fully recover its strength, it was the worst being in existence. A demon king could create an army of monsters and turn the world into hell,” said Kaburak.
If he hadn’t done anything about it, the demon king would have resurrected and destroyed not only the dark elves but also orcs and most of the other species in the northern region. It would have turned the northern region into the land of the undead.
When Kaburak later battled against the demon king, he braced himself for death and fought with everything he had. He used his family’s heirloom, the Constellation Staff, against the demon king, but it was crushed during battle.
Although Kaburak had succeeded in defeating the demon king by using up all of his powers, he had paid the price with his magic, the constellation staff, and his life span.
“I won’t be able to live that long... haha!” laughed Kaburak as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
“...!”
“After losing my powers, I wasn’t able to freely travel in the north like I used to... so I struggled to return to Orcheim. When I finally managed to get back on track, I was captured by the chiefdom’s orcs and about to be sold as a slave when I met you, Crockta!”
Crockta could tell from Kaburak’s shining eyes that he was telling the truth. Although Kaburak had omitted many details, Crockta understood that Kaburak had gone through a lot.
Kaburak was a great sorcerer who had sacrificed his life span to rescue the world. Yet, he would be forgotten in history without anyone remembering his story. His noble sacrifice wouldn’t be recorded anywhere. Crockta realized then that Kaburak was more than just a regular orc.
“How can you laugh like that?” asked Crockta.
Instead of replying, Kaburak pointed at something in front of them and announced, “We have arrived.”
Crockta raised his head to look. There was a cave in front of them that emitted a strangely refreshing energy. It was the opposite of the dark energy that he had experienced at the Forest of Monsters.
“I feel good for some reason,” expressed Tiyo.
“Hahaha, follow me,” said Kaburak.
Once they entered the cave, Crockta felt a sense of déjà vu. The tunnel inside the cave felt like the tunnel he had walked through in Orcrox’s Hall of Fame when Lenox taught him the Warrior's Commandments. The tunnel bore traces of orcs carving the insides of the cave, making a myriad of incisions to enlarge the space.
Kaburak created a flame on his fingertip to light up the way as they walked through the dark tunnel. They walked for a long time until they reached the end of the cave, where a headstone had been erected.
“That is...” muttered Crockta.
The tombstone was identical to the tombstone on which the Warrior's Commandments had been engraved. This tombstone had the same incomprehensible ancient orc language engraved onto it.
“It is our only record of God,” said Kaburak. “We don’t believe in a personal god. Gods like Goddess of Benevolence, God of Light, God of War, and Goddess of Magic are not really gods but beings stronger than us.”
Tiyo nodded. Gnomes also didn’t have a traditional religion. Most of them were atheists.
Kaburak laughed again, and the sound of his laughter echoed throughout the cave. He raised his fingertip to shine light upon the words on the tombstone. This was when Crockta noticed that the words on the tombstone were different from those in the Warrior's Commandments.
“Crockta,” called out Kaburak. His eyes were clear, and his voice was crisp. “The world is like a speck of dust consumed by the void.”
Crockta’s eyes widened in surprise. He had heard that somewhere before.
Kaburak continued, “From the perspective of the universe, the world is mostly a void, and everything alive ultimately falls.”
“...”
“Some believe in the afterlife and heaven, but even if those things exist, our lives will inevitably fall in the end.”
The demon had shouted the same ideas to torment Crockta in the past. Crockta fingered his belt, but it didn’t respond. Although the demon in Crockta’s belt and Kaburak had talked about the same void, Kaburak’s tone had been somehow kind.
“In this small and fragile world, does your ‘bul’tar’ have meaning?” he asked.
“...!”
“I killed the demon king and rescued the world. That was my honor, but Crockta, do our cries have meaning when we are smaller than specks of dust in a world that will inevitably fall? What do you think?” asked Kaburak with a smile.
Crockta couldn’t answer. If he had been asked those questions before he obtained the Belt of Despair, then he would have dismissed Kaburak’s questions as nonsensical philosophical musings. However, the demon inside the belt had instilled Crockta with the concept of emptiness. Now, Kaburak’s questions felt so elusive to Crockta, who had witnessed the truth of the world because of the demon.
‘Everything dies anyway,’ thought Crockta.
Kaburak grinned while looking at Crockta. “What do you think, Crockta?”
Crockta returned Kaburak’s gaze. Kaburak had a knowing look on his face as he continued to expose his broken teeth in a broad smile.
Crockta answered, “It doesn’t matter. Even if it’s meaningless, I will act based on my beliefs. I just do what needs to be done. Even if it’s meaningless, if it’s the path I must take, I will go,” stated Crockta.
“What if no one gives you any affirmation? What if no one recognizes what you’ve done and even opposes your beliefs?” asked Kaburak.
“My answer is the same,” said Crockta as he grinned back. “If it’s a path I must walk alone, then it will be a bit lonely, but that’s it.”
Kaburak’s expression suddenly changed. His eyes grew wide, and he began to laugh uproariously.
“Just a bit lonely... You really are an orc, Crockta,” Kaburak remarked.
Then he pointed at the tombstone and began reading it out loud, “‘He came to us as a voice and eyes. He promised us just one thing.’”
Kaburak’s loud voice echoed inside the cave. “‘That he would watch us so we wouldn’t be lonely.’”
Crockta had also heard this before somewhere. A familiar face popped up in his mind. It was Lenox.
“God, please know us. Look down at us so we won’t be lonely in keeping our honor,” Lenox had uttered those words before passing down the Warrior's Commandments.
Kaburak continued, “‘He is someone we don’t understand and can’t understand—the one who created the world and sustains it, the one who always watches over us.’”
As Crockta and Tiyo listened closely, Kaburak’s voice echoed in their minds like a spell.
“‘The one who becomes the wind and pushes our backs forward when we walk alone,’” said Kaburak. He turned his eyes away from the tombstone. “This is our god—no, our plaintive belief.”
“...”
“I sacrificed my life to save the world, but no one knows. How lonely would it be if what I did was meaningless, as you said?” said Kaburak. He then tapped Crockta’s shoulder and continued, “Thus, we can only desperately hope that someone is watching us. That there is meaning to the life and honor we lead.”
“Perhaps there is,” replied Crockta.
“That’s the nameless, forgotten god of the orcs that we believe in as we hope for meaning,” said Kaburak.
A grim silence fell over the cave.
As if trying to lift the gloomy atmosphere, Tiyo said, “We are the same. We gnomes are atheists. One gnome said if it can be understood, then it’s not worth having faith in, and if it can’t be understood, then there’s no reason to have faith in it. But sometimes, we also pray for salvation. Orcs and gnomes are similar in that regard.”
“Then Tiyo, you should also believe in our nameless god. You can also live the bul’tar life,” suggested Kaburak.
“Hmph, stop trying to convert me!”
“I’m just joking, hahaha!”
The trio continued talking about religion and the orcs’ nameless god while walking back toward the cave’s entrance. Once they were finally out, they stood outside the sacred site and observed the cave. The sacred site consisted of just a cave and a tombstone, but that simplicity was very orc-like.
“Well, we don’t know how it came to be... but it’s our only historical ruins with the mention of a god, so we call it a sacred site,” said Kaburak.
“I see,” replied Crockta.
Then he suddenly looked up at the sky. It appeared identical to the sky in real life. Sometimes when he was playing Elder Lord, he forgot that it was actually a game, and after hearing about the orcs’ faith, this world he was experiencing felt even more lifelike. Crockta couldn’t think of Kaburak, who was smiling at him, and Tiyo, who was proudly walking ahead of him, as meaningless beings in his life.
‘The nameless god... As Kaburak said, may the nameless god be watching everything from above,’ thought Crockta.
Suddenly, an arrow came flying at them from the trees.
“Again?” Tiyo rolled his body across the ground and took cover.
Meanwhile, Kaburak ran toward where the arrow had fallen, and Crockta lowered his knees and raised his greatsword in a defensive stance.
Kaburak inspected the fallen arrow and said, “This arrow does not belong to a dark elf.”
“Then whose is it?” asked Tiyo.
“It looks like the gnomes’ weapons,” replied Kaburak.
“What?” Tiyo’s eyes widened with surprise.
Just then, arrows began raining down on them, and they all quickly got down on the ground.
Then they heard an unfamiliar voice say, “So, this is the orcs’ sacred site?”
It was an alluring female voice.
“If we destroy this place, then they will be forced to come out. Capture all of them and kill them,” she ordered.
Crockta looked for the source of the voice among the trees and saw a small female gnome in armor commanding an army. Although she was tiny, she had a beautiful and seductive appearance. Her army of gnomes, all equipped with crossbows, efficiently proceeded with the plan according to her commands.
“Gnomes...” Tiyo’s expression changed, and he immediately placed his General on his shoulder.
“Tiyo?” Crockta called out to him.
However, Tiyo ignored Crockta, rolled across the ground, and fired the General.
“You who have forgotten the honor of gnomes, die!” he yelled.
The General’s iridescent magic lights charged at the gnome army. The gnomes, unable to stand their ground due to their small physiques, fell from the force of the magic bullets and tumbled to the ground. Other soldiers tried to shoot at Crockta, but Tiyo moved swiftly and disrupted their formation. Crockta then raised his greatsword and charged at the gnomes.
“Everyone, be careful!” shouted Crockta as he blocked all of the incoming arrows with his greatsword.
The gnomes struggled to re-nock their arrows, creating an opening in their defense. Before an orc warrior, that split-second opening was just a precursor to a slaying. Several gnomes equipped with heavy armor, shields, and spears went forward to block Crockta, but they were unable to overcome the size difference between them and Crockta, which was like that of David and Goliath.
“I didn’t expect there to be a gnome with an artifact,” said the gnome in command as she ground her teeth. She began shouting in Tiyo’s direction, “Hey, gnome! Why are you fighting against us even though you are a gnome? Aren’t you embarrassed?!”
“Cut the bullshit!” Tiyo sprang up.
Then he fell silent. He was startled by the sight of the gnome commander’s face.
“What a beauty...” muttered Tiyo.
The gnome commander was startled by Tiyo’s response. “...Sh-Shut up.”
Tiyo then came to his senses and said, “A-Anyway! You guys are a disgrace to gnomes for joining hands with slave traders!”
“Hmph, such outdated ideas!”
The commander and Tiyo glared at each other with raised eyebrows.
Right then, the bush next to Tiyo shook. It was an enemy. A gnome soldier emerged from the bush and charged at Tiyo with his spear.
“...Tiyo!” shouted Crockta.
The blade of the spear was approaching Tiyo’s chest.
“You idiot,” muttered Tiyo as he skillfully dodged the attack and wrapped his arm around the soldier’s neck.
“Ackkk!” the soldier cried out.
Tiyo hesitated for a second. Then his arm moved forcefully. There was the sound of bones breaking, and the gnome soldier slumped to the ground as a corpse.
“...!” Crockta was impressed by Tiyo’s exceptional martial arts skills. ‘As expected of a gnome with Bruce Lee’s physique!’
“Whew,” Tiyo uttered.
He let go of the corpse and looked up at the sky while getting lost in his thoughts. Tiyo had never killed his own species before. As the captain of Quantes’ guard, Tiyo’s job had always been to protect gnomes. He had never imagined that he would kill another gnome. Yet, the time had come, and he had done it. He had killed a gnome with his own hands.
“...that there is meaning to the life and honor we lead,” Tiyo recalled Kaburak’s words and nodded. He just had to believe that he was walking the right path.
Tiyo turned his head. The gnome soldiers flinched. They were afraid of Tiyo, who not only had a powerful artifact but had also killed a fellow soldier in an instant.
Then Tiyo’s eyes met Crockta’s, who nodded at him. Crockta’s eyes said he understood everything. Tiyo grinned back. He had a friend he could trust, so there was no need to hesitate.
“Let’s go, Crockta!” shouted Tiyo.
“Yeah!” yelled Crockta.
Tiyo placed his General on his shoulder and charged at his enemies while crying out, “Bul’taaaaar!”
New novel 𝓬hapters are published on (f)reeweb(n)ovel.com