A/N- Welcome to the next instalment of Orc Empire I. This story in this series is based on the premise of Doctor Who – The War Master: Self Defence by Big Finish. I've not listened to that box set but it is one I'd like to listen to sometime.

A/A/N- For this opening chapter, paragraphs and sentences in Italics indicate in-story book content.

With the author's notes over with, let's get on with the story, shall we? Just be warned that this opening chapter is quite short.

Orc Empire I: Self Defence

Chapter One – A Call For Help (From The Past)

Era 7- Year 2785, July 30th

It was a pretty miserable day as far as the weather was concerned. It had been raining for almost three weeks nonstop and there was a biting chill in the air. Every now and then, flashes of lightning would light up the sky and thunder would roar. Harry Potter found himself in the small home of a fire wizard from the Empire, who had kindly let him borrow the place whilst he was off fighting the largely Greenskin forces of Outer Heaven in the north eastern regions of the nation's core territories.

Several thousand years ago, his being in the Empire would've been next to impossible. Most of the world had believed that the Orc Emperor, Samgon Gobsger, had died during an offensive directed at the city of Nuln. He, and many of his allies, had not believed that Samgon was truly dead and, whilst Harry and his allies were eventually proven right, Samgon's disappearance had caused a huge schism. It was a schism Samgon had been able to exploit when he eventually returned from his exile.

Harry walked towards a little book shelf and picked up a book, reading the title aloud. "The Lost Races Of The World... This might be worth a read." Harry opened the book and began reading the first chapter of it.

Chapter one – The Derareen

The Derareen were rumoured to have been a race that existed in the Old World, long before the first emergence of the race of people known as Greenskins and possibly even before the modern Dwarven and Elven civilizations. It is said that the Derareen were able to switch between being flesh and blood and being ghost like beings. They were seemingly used by the other races of the world as an independent court where the most dangerous and criminal individuals the civilised races had were sent to.

They were said to have disappeared just prior to the Goblin Wars. However, it's been said that the Derareen have been sighted on occasion by people who have witnessed the most despicable minds of all societies being taken out of existence by ghost like figures.

"They would've been helpful a few thousand years ago. They could've helped deal with the outlaw uprising all those years ago." Harry remarked to himself with a bitter chuckle. He remembered that during Samgon's exile, several thousand years ago, hundreds of thousands of outlaws appeared out of nowhere and caused chaos throughout the world, carving up numerous mini kingdoms. Harry then returned to reading the book in front of him.

No one knows what happened to them but some theories say that they were somehow wiped out by another race or in some cataclysm. Other theories state that they left our universe behind, sick of what happened to the world or that they're hiding amongst the people of the world as I'm writing this, determined to never reveal themselves.

Before Harry could continue reading the book, his head suddenly exploded in pain. "Oh my head! Agh!" Harry grabbed his head, trying to alleviate the pain. "What could be happening?" The pain subsided somewhat but the room suddenly became a lot darker and Harry thought he could hear breathing. "Hello?! Is anyone there?!" Harry groaned in pain. "Get out of my head!"

The breathing continued until Harry heard a voice speak. "Harry?" The voice quietly asked. The voice had an ethereal quality to it, almost as if it was a memory come to life.

Harry felt every part of himself shiver in dread. He recognised that voice. "No...! It can't be!"

"Harry Potter, I don't know if you can hear this but I need your help." The voice pleaded.

"This version of him died!" Harry exclaimed as he continued to feel pain in his head. "It can't be him!"

"I don't have long so pay attention." The voice stressed definitively.

Harry hissed. "Samgon!" The memories of what that version of Samgon had done still felt raw but he could sense that the Samgon from the past was in some very big trouble.

"My time is running out, so I need you to help me... Before it's too late." The voice of the old Samgon said before fading out. The room then brightened up to like how it was before the voice of Samgon began speaking and the pain in Harry's head subsided. Nevertheless, Harry was unhappy with the amount of information he had to go off of.

"No! You can't end it there! I still don't know what's going on... And why call for help in the first place?!" Harry said aloud in frustration. He looked all around, trying to figure out where the source came from, although he knew in his head when the old Samgon's voice came from.

Before Harry could do anything else, he saw a portal begin to form underneath his feet. "Oh no! I don't want to go back there." He said with a look of horror on his face and a pained anger in his voice. Nevertheless, before Harry could truly react, he fell through the portal.

A/N- So a couple of character details first. So for Harry, this story takes place between The Bond of Seven and A Thing Of Beauty, whilst for Samgon, this takes place several decades after Orc Empire I: The Colony Builders.

I hope you have enjoyed this (admittedly short) chapter and please review. And Welcome to Orc Empire I: Self Defence.