Chapter 384: _The Rite of Kings

BOOOMMMM!

Ambrose’s head snapped to the ceiling, which rained dust after yet another explosion outside.

"Uhm." He swallowed, eyes returning to the blind Elder. "I know you said we shouldn’t leave, but you realise if you’re under attack the enemy—"

"The human can leave." The female elder sneered in orcish. "This is orc business."

That made Ambrose blink and let out a relieved breath all at once.

For a minute he thought the blind Elder was trying to insinuate he was behind the attack.

As screams began echoing from outside, Keylath grabbed the hilt of her broadsword. "We can’t just stand in here while the enemy attacks."

"Think, Keylath," the sightless elder warned. "Why would Kharzug and his tribe decide to attack just moments after Beherath’s return?"

Silence dropped into the room.

Suddenly, Ambrose understood what the older man had been trying to drive at all this while.

"Spies." He murmured in orcish. "Your people have spies."

Keylath’s jaw tightened.

She swerved to Beherath, walking up to him with heavy strides. "This," a hand gestured at the exit, "is the rot your absence left on us."

BOOMMMM!

This time the explosion was so powerful that even Ambrose’s legs wobbled.

The fallen orc queen brushed past Beherath, drawing out her sword.

"Keylath—" An Elder tried calling her back but was too late.

She charged out.

Outside, the city was in shambles.

The Eastern wall had fallen, warriors from the Veragax tribe flooding in with bulky rhino-like mounts. They laughed, swinging torches and explosives into houses.

People ran into the streets screaming, holding their children close.

"Where is your King?!" A commander thundered. "We know he’s hiding in here."

"Beherath!" Another roared, voice making stone tremble. "You can’t hide forever. Accept your fate. Come out and fight!"

Far behind these warriors, King Kharzug sat on his mount, watching everything unfold with nothing but pure boredom. A black cape stuck to the back of his armour, billowing into the smoky wind.

He didn’t plan on killing many people today. But to get Beherath’s attention, he’d have to raze the place down. Make the people see just how useless he’s become.

"My lord." His scout spoke from a mount beside him. "Should we go deeper into the city? Perhaps the undead king—"

"Kharzug!" A feral cry pierced through the chaos like lightning.

Every warrior paused.

Striding toward the army was none other than Keylath, her grip tightening around her broadsword. The black blade already had the blood of a warrior she slew dripping off it.

Kharzug arched his brow. "Beherath’s disgraced widow." His tusks ground with amusement. "This should be interesting."

Civilians ran past the queen, a few looking back with confusion. She only stopped walking once she’d gotten a good distance away from the herd of Veragax mounts.

"Leave." She pointed the sword forward. "Unless—"

"Please." Kharzug barked a dry laugh, sitting up on his loyal mount. "Don’t embarrass yourself further. You’re in no room for bargains."

He pointed a clawed hand at the city. "Your strongest warriors are long dead. And so is your husband, who from what I hear..." Disgust flashed in his eyes, "... is back as a filthy undead."

The words struck Keylath like nails to the heart.

Noticing her distress, Kharzug went on. "I know you’re tired." A pause. "Which is why I’m here to challenge that filthy undead you’re housing. No orc tribe deserves to be ruled by such unholiness. Once I’ve destroyed him permanently, Mordak will be under my rule. You shall be protected. Respected. And you..."

His eyes scanned the woman.

Her ashen grey hair blew around her like smoke made silk. Everything from her hips to the strength in her tusks—

—She’d make a perfect addition to his mates.

"... You can rule by my side, Keylath." The words rolled out like poison wrapped in velvet. "Just hand over the undead to me. Beherath has been long gone. Allow me—"

"My, my, my..." A familiar deep voice joined the conversation just then. "All this big talk and you haven’t even properly met your opponent."

THUD.

THUD!

THUD!

Every warrior turned.

A few mounts shifted with unease, as if sensing that whoever was approaching was wrong in every sense of the word.

Ambrose walked to the scene—hands in his pockets, no weapons in sight. His eyes were reduced to bored, disinterested slits.

Walking beside him with steps that shook the ground for several meters was Beherath. The undead king had his halberd out, wisps of dark aether fluttering across his crimson skin.

Kharzug’s smirk fell.

When his scout reported the King of the Mordak tribe was back as an undead, he expected to see a withering corpse barely held together by forbidden magic.

This... was a hulking, breathing catastrophe.

Despite the distance, he could feel the raw, unbridled power emanating from him.

And that human beside him.

’I can’t... feel his aura.’ He thought to himself. ’But why do I feel like...’

Without showing any signs of power, the puny human managed to make every instinct in his being flare up.

"My Lord?" His scout called. "Is something wrong?"

Kharzug didn’t answer, his fingers tightening on the reins around his mount’s neck.

When Beherath finally stood side by side with Keylath, he bellowed. "Kharzug." A spark of remembrance flickered on his face. "Old friend. So nice of you to stop by."

Kharzug’s lips slowly curled upward.

"So..." He loosened his grip around the leather reins. "The rumours were true after all."

His gaze swept over the undead king once more, lingering upon the black wisps of Necrotic energy dancing around the halberd.

"I, Kharzug of the Veragax Tribe, invoke the Rite of Kings." His voice thundered across the battlefield. "Beherath of the Mordak Tribe... I challenge you for the right to rule."

Ambrose scoffed.

It’s always straight to the point with these people, huh?

Beherath’s massive fingers tightened around his weapon.

"So be it." With one heavy step forward, the undead king lowered his halberd until its blade scraped against the stone. "I accept."

The cheering from the Veragax warriors instantly shook the city.