Chapter 5

The sky was dark, a muddy red twilight peeked out from underneath unnaturally inky clouds. Plumes of smoke rose up and seemed to feed the tenebrous skyline. Frank felt like he had to hurry, that time was running out. He stood on a building, gutted to a skeleton of its former self. It reminded him of what he saw in war footage or video games. He never thought he would be standing amongst the wreckage of a building nearly toppled to rubble. It felt both real and unreal, almost too overwhelming. But he didn't have time. 

His gaze swept to his right, shadows were moving around a corner, illuminated by a fire raging in a nearby building. With a thought, Frank was in a fire escape and overlooking a strange group. Large, burly green and gray figures, wearing animal skins and armored helmets. With just a look, the alien figures were identifiable to him, and that was before he got sight of the slightly curved tusks protruding from their lower jaws. Orcs.

The sight of them brought bile to Frank's throat. A quick countdown and a quiet breath. Frank took the time to draw a blade from his side, a sword. He didn't look at it, he would trust this blade to get the job done without even a glance, even if it were caked in blood and flesh.

Another breath, this time he was behind the advancing party. The monsters in the rear stole a glance back and looked at him. No. Through him. There were two, they looked back, each released a guttural call as if by routine

"Ahau!" came one, echoed by the other. Frank stole forward, shadowing them. He knew they gave a signal akin to "Clear!", and weren't prepared for what was to come. As the group were rounding the corner, he struck quickly. First he ran his sword through the spine of the orc on the left, then when his ally turned to see what was going on, Frank already had his blade drawn across the other's throat. Neither saw the steel that took their lives, [Total Invisibility] covered Frank's weapon just as well as his body and clothing. 

When the two bodies hit the floor, Frank was to the side of the band rounding the corner. He silently crept closer, one of the more observant of the orcs noticed his friends weren't behind him. He fell back to see what they were doing. Frank took the opportunity to match his footfalls. Long steps, taking care not to crunch any rubble underfoot. When the curious orc found his friends, all the noise that came from his tusked mouth was a choked gasp and gurgling blood. 5 left, including what appeared to be a shaman and an older veteran decorated in heavy armor. Frank took a moment to search the satchel of the curious orc, and struck gold. He held a pair of small sealed clay pots in his hand, shaped like small gourds that barely fit in his hand when held together.

He concentrated on the items and a screen exactly like the one he had dealt with earlier appeared in his vision.

'Beekarsh Pot

A small clay container with carefully drawn symbols painted by a practiced hand. Inside is a chamber filled with a pungent, flammable oil, and a small compartment in the top holding a ball of fire charged crystal. The runes outside the pot keep the ball in the container from getting too hot, however when the pot is thrown and the seals broken, the crystal will violently ignite and a small iron ball suspended by a string inside the oil will smash the inside of the pot to expose the flammable oil to the crystal, resulting in a fiery explosion

The orc that created this pot wished for it and all of its brothers to burn the humans that took her husband from his family. Her prayers for fires from her high chieftain to bring suffering to mankind fuel the feverish production of explosives for Orcish warbands'

'This will do nicely, the perfect distraction.'

'What? Why am I here? Why am I fighting? Where am I? How am I fighting Orcs?' Frank thought to himself. 'They look so real, I could feel the exact moment their bodies went limp when I killed them. Is this a dream? There's no way this is really happening'

"This place is a battlefield on Earth, where you may someday find yourself when faced with the enemy. This is what will come to pass, a battle for the survival of the Earth and its people against foreign invaders who would see you wiped from existence. The Apocalypse comes, the true reality of the universe will be revealed to all of mankind and a new struggle will be born to your people.

These beings before you and at your feet are among the many enemies you will face on your journey. You are among the first to awaken, and many will follow you. If you so choose, you may lead them, or you may serve from the front lines. No matter your choices, you must fight" The same mysterious voice once against rang out inside Frank's head. 

'Just who the fuck are you, anyway?' Frank thought, unable to speak

"Who we are is of no importance, what matters is that you must learn the signs of the coming Apocalypse, learn where the rifts open and meet the enemy where they dare impede upon the Earth so they do not establish a presence in this realm"

While Frank puzzled over what kind of crazy dream he was having, his dream self resumed what he was doing. He snuck beside the one clueless orc that was in formation beside curious orc. He was still keeping close with his party, but that didn't matter. Frank had already thinned them out. He cut the spine of the clueless orc, right as his team noticed his unnatural pose was the result of an attack. The orc captain in the heavy armor called out to his remaining squad in their tongue.

"Shashuk aga! Hurrak oonz!" The remaining 2 orc warriors held their shields up in the direction of their fallen comrade and quickly backed away to form up with their captain and shaman. The shaman was concentrating and swirling a gnarled spear with bone charms bound up about 3/4 of the way up the shaft. The air thickened and crackled around him, and when his allies were close enough he released the energy he was working with.

A large pale green dome of transparent energy surrounded the whole band of 4, and Frank who had appeared in place behind the shaman, still invisible. He could take his time while the barrier gave the orcs a false sense of security. They expected him to still be outside of it and waiting to launch another attack. One of the lesser orcs began chattering away to his ally, though Frank wasn't sure what they were saying, he could tell the chatty orc was scared.

With his teleport cooldown almost finished, Frank took hold of one of the beekarsh pots he stole off the corpse from earlier. He threw it at the heavy captain and quickly cut the throat of the grey skinned shaman before he could utter another chant. The barrier was down now and their morale broken. The 2 shield orcs knew they were finished.

Then their captain recovered from his shock, still burning he charged, arms wide trying to find Frank. A warcry spewed froth from his lips and the shield orcs found their resolve again. Of course Frank wasn't going to give it to them so easy. A reflexive teleport behind the pair was followed by a stab through the lungs of the chatty orc, whose friend deflected Frank's next thrust with his shield.

The more agile shield orc quickly grabbed the human intruder, breaking his stealth. 

"Jukka jukka, hurrak! Numam!" The orc laughed and spit in Frank's face. Dream or not, this was about to get hairy.