Chapter 4 – Lordamere
"What do you mean Ogrim escaped?"
Captain Mallius Crownguard entered the command tent just as the words were spoken. They came from Commander Ravensblood, a fierce older woman from Stromgrade who ruled the internment camp with a swift and harsh justice. She was livid as she stared down her second in command, Captain Pierce.
Pierce was sweating as he gave his report. "The attack was expertly executed, sir. A dozen orc warriors hit us by surprise. We killed half of them, but they did manage to breech the western wall. I haven't seen orcs move with this kind of precision since the war." Pierce was not a man Mallius respected. A noble-born from Hearthglen, he had paid for his commission and believed that rank alone was reason enough for him to lead men in battle. He had been in charge of logistics during the war, leading companies of supply wagons and requisitioning stores of food and wine. Today's raid was certainly the closest he had ever come to real bloodshed.
"Ah, captain Crownguard. So nice of you to join us. Where have you been?"
"Interrogating the prisoner. Only one of the enemy survived long enough to be captured. He said nothing, and died several minutes ago."
"So you didn't learn anything from him? Who he was? How many more of them are waiting to strike at us?"
"It was not a complete loss, Commander." Mallius dropped a medallion onto the commander's desk. It was a blue stone, inlaid with a white wolf's head."
"A clan insignia? I don't recognize it."
"Nor do I. And I've seen a great many symbols of the Horde. Bleeding Hollow, Shattered Hand, Twilight Hammer… but I've never seen this one."
"A new orc clan?" Pierce practically turned white. "Could they have reopened the Dark Portal?"
"Don't be ridiculous." The commander snapped. "We would have heard from Neitherguarde Keep if that was the case. As it stands, we will assume this attack was orchestrated by remnants of the original horde as a diversion."
"A diversion?" Mallius asked. "I doubt that. It seems to me that they were trying to free the prisoners."
"With what? A dozen orcs?" Pierce said. "Captain, please be serious. We have two hundred soldiers stationed here, and over eight hundred captives. How would they even get the prisoners away before the cavalry overran them? And where would they escape to? How would they feed them? No, it seems obvious to me that they came to free Doomhamer."
"Who they were and why they attacked does not matter. They escaped on foot with the Warchief. Captain Pierce, take the entire cavalry and find them. Captain Crownguard, as the only paladin I have at the moment, you will go with them.
"Yes sir!" Both men saluted and left immediately.