The forest was tense. The atmosphere of the dark, tranquil clearing conflicted with the sight before him. Nug was surrounded, the monstrous bears now closing in with savage growls, their claws scraping the earth.
But far away in the shadows, Daku eased forward, his mind drifting back to the Half-Orc in the cage, an unspoken question lingering. He recalled how Gabbas, on their way to the woods, had been cautious, silent, always watching, always guarding. The Band leader had carefully instructed his underlings to be quiet at night, his eyes never leaving the cage where that boy was kept.
Daku slept while Gabbas didn't. He never really got a look at the boy in the cage. That's all he knew him as. The boy in the cage. He knew from conversations during downtime that he was a Half-Orc. He was fed raw meat and kept in the middle of the caravan. Out of curiosity, he tried to sneak a glance. He was met with a hard backhand. Even now, memories of his uncle were never good ones. There was another side he didn't see. He just didn't remember ever seeing it.
Daku's brow furrowed as he crept closer, the faint murmur of laughter drifting toward him. The deep, Ire accent echoed, sharp and taunting. "I can smell fear, you know," the boy's voice carried through the air, mocking.
Daku hesitated, heart pounding, unsure if this was some trap. But the sight of the boy, large, with wild red hair and a grin too confident for his age, made him tighten his grip on his freshly made spear. The large boy's grip tightened on the bars, yet even at this vantage point couldn't seem to break them. The rusty cage threatened to break, but didn't. It must have been an enchantment, he was sure.
He whispered, voice trembling slightly, "Who are you? Where are you from?"
The boy turned, eyes gleaming with mischief, bright, sharp, daring. "Me? I'm from the highlands in the Emerald Isle. You smell like a Xin." He shifted his weight. "The eyes." He made a motion across his face. "That helps too."
He frowned. Ires of any kind were a bit too frank. Glancing at Nug in a sprint pushed him forward.
"Didn't know the highlanders mixed with the Orc races?"
The cage shook. "Not really. See, me mum was an orc, a fine fighter, although she wasn't exactly loyal to her kind. They keep making mistakes, these orcs do. Me dad? Just some trader passing through. Highlanders value purity. So do Orcs…" The cage shook. "Ended up being left on me own, lucky me, eh?"
Daku's brows shot up. "Your father was human?"
The boy chuckled. "Yeah. Sucks for me, didn't it? Not that I mind too much. Humans, orcs, everyone's got their dark side. Just means I can do whatever I want."
Daku's fists clenched, his voice rising with simmering anger. "My mother was human, and in the end, she wasn't kind either. Doesn't mean I can just go and do what I want. Seems irresponsible, don't you think?"
The boy snorted, shaking his head. "So, you had a human mother? Guess that's why you're so soft. Who cares? It's all the same, humans, orcs, monsters, everyone's just vicious when the moment hits."
"That's not true," Daku growled, tightening his stance. "Humans aren't all evil. Neither are orcs. We're more than just what you see on the surface."
The boy laughed again, a full, wild sound. "You? Trying to preach? You're just as scared as that moron who fell from the tree. That's why you wanna save your friend. 'Cause deep down, you know you're no different from him, weak, hiding behind big words and hopes."
Daku's jaw tightened. "Enough. I'm leaving this place. And I'll figure something out. I'm not here for your games."
The boy's grin flickered, then he paused. His expression shifted, eyes narrowing with sharp intent. "Fine. But if you want me to help, I've got one condition."
Daku's eyes narrowed. "What condition?"
A crooked smile stretched across the boy's face. "If I do this on a gambit, then I get to leave. And I get a chance to kill you both afterward."
Daku's eyes widened. The gambit was a dangerous trick, a power through the muses that set a task, a mission, upon the user regardless of their will. If he agreed, he might be unleashing something he'd regret.
The boy's grin widened, sensing the power within himself, seeing the fear in Daku's eyes. "Let's do it. But first…" He turned to Nug, who was still battling in the distance, fighting desperately against the bear pack. "I'll save your friend, but after that. The real fun begins."
Without hesitation, Daku unlocked the cage with a trembling hand. The boy's smile grew even wider, an explosion of wild, unchecked strength that made Daku wary.
He was tall, barely sixteen, but his frame was colossal, muscles pulsing beneath his red hair, a kilt wrapped around his waist, and open-toed boots revealing battle-scarred feet. His expression was fierce, almost beyond his years, and his presence radiated immeasurable strength.
Please put in your name
He took out his Muse Book, a worn red tome, black in some areas with a slash through the middle. He smiled, looking at the bears who seemed more like prey from Daku's vantage point.
"I'm Tuk," he said, voice thick with promise and menace. "And it'll be the last name you ever see. Wait till I save your friend. Then, the real fun begins."