Shame of despair

The morning sun had just touched the treetops when the camp was already buzzing with life.

The orcs were waking up, tightening the straps on their armor, checking their weapons.

Today, they awaited orders once more.

Kano stood on an elevation—a makeshift platform of stacked stones.

His gaze swept over the camp.

Men. Women. Children. The elderly.

Kano took a deep breath.

He felt their eyes upon him.

He couldn't afford to make a mistake.

They believed in him.

They believed he would give them a home.

He wouldn't let them down.

He would do it.

—"Listen to me!"

The voices quieted.

Even the wind seemed to halt, waiting for his words.

—"You have strength, but until now, you've only been wanderers. You survived by fleeing. But never again."

—"From this day, you will build not just a camp. You will build the future."

—"Your city. Your HOME."

The orcs exchanged glances.

They expected the usual words—"Fight," "Conquer," "Destroy."

But Kano was talking about something more.

—"I'll divide you into groups. Each of you will work toward a common goal."

—"Group 1 – Ore and metal mining.

You need weapons, armor, tools. Without metal, we'll build nothing."

Grimtar will lead the search for the deposits."

—"Group 2 – Hunting.

We need food. We need pelts for warmth, dried meat for supplies.

You are responsible for feeding the city."

—"Group 3 – Woodworking and resources.

We need wood for construction. The forest must be our ally, not our enemy.

Build fortifications, cut logs, prepare materials."

Kano looked at the faces of the orcs.

They listened to him as an army listens to its general.

This was no longer a horde merely surviving.

This was a community.

—"You know your tasks. Go."

Grimtar slammed his shield loudly, signaling.

The orcs scattered, each to their work.

Kano lowered his head and sighed in relief.

—"Was this your first time commanding an army?"

It was Naira's voice.

She stood nearby, arms crossed, a slight mocking gleam in her eyes.

—"Did it look that way?" Kano asked.

—"It looked like you weren't some boy who won a title by chance."

—"It looked like you were a true leader."

Kano caught her gaze.

Something had changed in her eyes.

He didn't yet understand what, but he felt it.

Elgot approached, yawning loudly.

—"You speak beautifully, but you won't build a city without land."

Kano pointed into the distance.

— "We'll find it. And that's where we'll begin construction."

Naira smiled slyly.

— "Well then, let's go find our new home."

The discovery of the ruins. The first sense of danger.

The forest stretched out before them.

Dense thickets, seemingly endless, suddenly parted, revealing a majestic view.

They saw the city.

Once great, mighty, magnificent.

Now—dead.

Tall towers that rose above the trees were entwined with vines.

Massive walls that once protected this place were covered in thick moss.

Buildings that had withstood time were wrapped in tree roots.

As if nature itself had swallowed the city whole.

Kano stopped, gazing at the ruins.

Something… wasn't right.

He could feel it in the air.

In the silence.

In the way the wind shifted direction, as if whispering something in his ears.

Naira spoke first.

— "Well, well..."

Judging by her expression, she too felt the tension.

Elgot approached one of the stone walls, touching it with the tips of his fingers.

— "This place was grand… once."

His gaze drifted over the faint symbols on the stone.

Letters he had never seen before in the world.

His fingers barely brushed against them—then he recoiled sharply.

Kano noticed his pupils dilating.

— "What's wrong?"

Elgot silently stared at the wall.

He slowly stepped back.

— "Everyone died here."

The orcs, who had already begun investigating the ruins, froze.

Even they felt the chill in the air.

Kano stepped closer.

— "Who killed them?"

Elgot stared intently at the inscriptions.

— "No one. They just… vanished."

— "What do you mean—vanished?"

Elgot slowly turned to Kano.

— "Have you ever seen a city fall without a fight? No bodies? No blood?"

Kano fell silent.

His skin prickled.

He scanned the ruins once more.

No bodies. No signs of battle.

Only… greenery.

Too much greenery.

As if nature itself had decided to bury this place.

Grimtar, standing aside, let out a loud breath.

— "So, the city is free. We can build here."

Elgot turned to him with a mocking grin.

— "Of course, why not? Just take a dead city for yourself and don't ask why it became this way. Brilliant plan!"

Grimtar scowled.

— "You're a mage. If there's a curse, you'll feel it, right?"

Elgot fell silent.

His fingers brushed against the wall…

He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.

Nothing.

No magic.

No trace of a curse.

But...

Something wasn't right.

Elgot slowly looked at Kano.

— "I don't know what happened here, but… I'll tell you one thing."

— "If something killed the inhabitants of this city—it's still here."

Kano ran his tongue over his dry lips.

For a moment, he felt… a gaze.

As if someone was watching him.

He spun around sharply—no one.

Only trees.

Only the vines wrapping around the columns.

Only the thick roots pushing through the stone…

Dust hung in the air like mist.

The stones, fallen centuries ago, lay here in silent repose.

But today, everything had changed.

The first strike.

Kano picked up a shard of stone, raised it, and threw it away.

A dull sound—the boulder hit the ground.

The second strike.

He bent down, grabbed another shard, and threw it forcefully towards the ruins.

The stone shattered into pieces.

The third strike.

He swung his sword sharply and sliced through the thick vines hanging from the building's arch.

A massive weight of plants fell, raising a cloud of dust.

The orcs froze.

They were watching him.

They didn't understand.

They were waiting for words.

Kano straightened his back, brushing dust off his shoulder.

— "What are you waiting for?"—his voice sounded as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

— "Get to work."

And then...

One of the warriors bent down, picked up a stone, and threw it away.

Another strike.

And another.

The orcs came to life.

Boulder by boulder, shard by shard—they cleared the square.

Clouds of dust rose, axes cleaved through the old wood.

The builders replaced the warriors.

They were no longer a broken horde of exiles.

They were becoming a people.

Kano watched them.

Yesterday, they had seen themselves as ruthless predators.

Today, they were creators.

His people. His army. His future.

His fist slowly clenched.

He was no longer just surviving.

He was creating a legend.

Naira watched everything, leaning against the wall of the ruins.

Her lips twitched into a familiar smile.

— "Look at him," she said to Lianel, who stood beside her.

Lianel caught her gaze and grimaced.

— "Starting again?"

— "Can't you see?"

"He doesn't even realize what he's creating."

Lianel turned her gaze to Kano, who was lifting a massive beam, helping to secure the first foundation for the building.

He was no longer the guy who had just stumbled here by chance.

He was the one making history.

Selina quietly added:

— "And that's the scariest part."

Naira looked at her, surprised.

Selina simply smiled, shaking her head.

— "Because belief is what creates legends."

And then... the first thunder.

A deep, distant sound, rolling in like a wave.

Kano lifted his head.

On the horizon—black clouds.

The wind changed direction.

Dark shadows slowly crept through the dense forest surrounding the ruins.

The leaves began to rustle.

The feeling in the air shifted.

Kano felt something cold crawl down his spine.

Something invisible, but... alive.

His gaze fell again on the vines that twisted around the stones of the ruins.

Too much greenery.

He stared harder...

As if... the roots were moving?

The sun dipped below the horizon, and the sky turned a deep violet.

The camp already had fires burning.

Smoke slowly rose into the air, dissolving among the tall trees.

The orcs had gathered in a large circle, forming a living wall around the fire.

Strong warriors, tired but content.

The women, who had worked alongside the men all day, sat nearby.

The old and children listened carefully, their eyes burning with curiosity.

Kano sat in the center, on a large stone that had accidentally become his throne.

On his left—Naira, Lianel, and Selina.

On his right—Elgot, already holding a glass with some dark drink.

In front of him stood Grimtar.

The old orc wiped his forehead, stared at Kano, and crossed his arms over his chest.

— "Today, we cleared almost half of the square. Tomorrow, we can start fortifying and laying the first buildings."

Kano nodded.

— "What resources did we find?"

Grimtar shifted his gaze to several large bags lying nearby.

— "Iron ore, bronze, a little silver. And something else."

— "What exactly?"

— "I don't know. We couldn't identify it."

Kano rubbed his chin.

— "When Rudgard returns, we'll show him. He knows how to handle it."

— "Alright."

Grimtar stepped back, and Kano turned his gaze to the others.

— "What about provisions?"

The hunters, sitting in the second row, stood up.

— "The hunt was successful," one of them said. "We'll have enough meat for a week, if we don't waste it."

— "Good," Kano nodded. "Get to preserving it."

Everything was going according to plan.

They would survive.

But that wasn't enough.

— "We need to think not just about tomorrow," Kano spoke up. "We need the future."

The orcs exchanged glances.

— "What do you mean, Chief?" one of the warriors asked.

— "You won't have to wander anymore. You won't just survive. You will live."

A deep silence fell.

Kano stood up.

— "This city will be our home. A place where you can raise your children without fearing that tomorrow you'll have to run."

Someone nodded.

Some still doubted.

— "You won't have temporary tents. You'll have sturdy houses. Like the humans."

This was news to them.

Orcs, who had lived their entire lives in tents, suddenly imagined stone walls and strong roofs over their heads.

— "We'll have grain," Kano continued. "We'll have workshops, smithies, places to rest."

— "Like the humans?" muttered one of the old orcs.

Kano looked at him.

— "No. Better."

It sounded so definitive that even the oldest orcs paused to consider it.

And then the silence was broken by a low hum.

Kano's stomach betrayed him, growling loudly.

Everyone laughed.

One of the orc women sitting nearby stood up, took a bowl of meat, and placed it in front of Kano.

He glanced at her, took the bowl, and raised it slightly.

— "Eat, everyone."

The warriors took the food.

The fire burned brightly, and metal plates clattered.

For the first time in a long while, the place didn't feel like a wild camp, but something more.

Kano saw it.

Naira, Lianel, and Selina saw it too.

They silently watched him.

Watched how this boy was changing.

Watched how he was changing the world around him.

There was something... right about it.

Was it chance?

Or fate?

They already knew the answer.

Kano, however, didn't understand it yet.

He simply leaned back and listened as Elgot began telling an old legend.

His voice rose over the fire, intertwining with the night wind.

And there was something magical about it.

The night enveloped the camp in soft darkness.

The sky was speckled with stars, and the moon hung high above the ruins, casting long shadows on the ancient stones.

The fire crackled, sending red glows onto the orcs' faces.

Here, by the fire, for the first time in a long while, they didn't feel like mere survivors.

They were together.

The conversations quieted when Elgot spoke.

He sat, his leg crossed over the other, thoughtfully turning a wooden stick in his hands.

His voice was low and steady, like the whisper of ancient winds.

— "This place… has a history."

Kano shifted his gaze toward him.

The girls also tensed.

Elgot looked at the ruins beyond the firelight.

— "You're asking why this city is dead? I don't know the exact answer. But I know one thing… it didn't die from war."

The orcs whispered among themselves.

— "This is not the place where armies broke their spears and swords. Not the place where kings fell or victorious flags were raised."

His fingers traced the ground, drawing faint lines.

— "This city... simply vanished."

The air grew heavier.

Even the wind, which had been playing between the branches, grew silent.

— "You speak in riddles," one of the orcs muttered.

— "Maybe," Elgot smiled faintly. "But don't the ruins themselves seem too… peaceful to you?"

Kano remembered that feeling.

Too much greenery.

Too quiet.

— "I've seen cities like this before," Elgot continued. "Cities where no one is left, except for forgotten shadows."

— "And what happened to their inhabitants?" Kano asked.

Elgot raised his eyes, his gaze shining in the firelight.

— "They were erased."

Kano felt a shiver crawl down his spine.

The orcs exchanged glances.

Some gripped their weapons tighter.

Elgot sighed.

— "I'm not saying it happened here. But one thing I know for sure…"

He turned his head, his eyes sweeping over the ruins.

— "Nature only takes back what it has lost hope of returning."

Silence.

Kano stared into the darkness beyond the fire.

Nothing.

No movement.

But the feeling…

Something was wrong.

Naira crossed her arms over her chest.

— "If everything is so terrifying here, why are we still here?"

Elgot sighed wearily.

— "Because your chief isn't afraid of stories."

Kano remained silent.

He simply stared into the darkness.

It felt as if it was staring back.

Night enveloped the camp, wrapping it in thick darkness.

The fire was dying down, casting ghostly shadows on the ruins towering around them.

After Elgot's story, the orcs were quiet.

Each one had sunk into their thoughts, trying to shake off the eerie feeling that had settled in after his words.

Kano sat on his stone throne, his gaze fixed on the fire.

Something in his chest tightened.

It wasn't just fatigue.

He had felt it even when he first saw the ruins.

This city… had been waiting for them.

Or for something else.

Naira moved closer and sat down beside him.

— "You're not sleeping."

— "You too."

She sighed.

— "After a story like that? I doubt anyone will sleep soundly tonight."

Kano turned his gaze to her.

Her face in the half-light seemed sharper, more defined.

Her eyes, usually radiating confidence and playfulness, were now serious.

— "Is something wrong, Kano?"

— "I'm just thinking."

— "About what?"

— "About this place."

She looked at him closely.

— "You're still doubting?"

— "It's not that."

Kano looked at the ruins, lost in the darkness.

They seemed... alive.

The roots pushing through the stone, the vines hanging from the walls.

All of it felt too... right.

As if the earth itself was swallowing the city, hiding it from the world.

— "Do you feel it?"

Naira furrowed her brow.

— "What exactly?"

Kano took a deep breath.

The air was thick with moisture and the scent of leaves.

Dampness.

Silence.

No sounds of the night.

No birds, no crickets, no rustling of small animals in the grass.

The wind had stopped.

The night... was breathing.

His hand instinctively reached for his sword.

— "Someone is listening to us."

Naira drew her dagger, her gaze sharpening instantly.

She stared into the darkness, into the undergrowth, into the ruins.

— "I don't see anything."

— "Neither do I."

But he knew that didn't mean there was no one there.

Somewhere deep in the forest, beyond the ruins, something cracked.

A branch?

A foot stepping on an old root?

Or just a trick of the mind?

Kano caught himself breathing deeper, slower.

Listening.

But the night remained silent.

He looked back at the vines hanging from the walls.

They were still.

But...

Hadn't they been positioned slightly differently earlier?

He closed his eyes for a moment.

When he opened them again—everything was as it was before.

But the chill down his spine didn't fade.

— "Stay alert," Kano said.

Naira nodded, tightening her grip on the dagger.

The night continued to breathe.

And they didn't know who was breathing along with it.