The blood and dust got into his eyes, blinding Learn. He cried out as a vicious kick connected to his stomach, then another one to his shoulder. He curled up into a ball, but they didn’t let up. Rage — Rage, Learn had saved Rage when his wounds would see the man dead, snarled and landed a vicious blow on the side of Learn’s head. Tears sprung to his eyes, and when the red faded his vision cleared.

His vision had become a dark tunnel, and through it he saw Conquer standing, watching dispassionately as his son was beaten into a bloody pulp before him; all for the crime of being different. For the crime of saying that Orcs could be more.

Learn was headed out on a long journey again. But this time, he had clothing with him, a pack on his back, and people to travel with him. This time, he was heading back into the Red Desert. This time, he was a hero, a leader.

Everything felt fake, and Learn didn’t like it. He didn’t want to leave Shrike. His friends were here, the Mage’s Forum was here. Lysselia and Lrfshmn had rushed his graduation, on the basis of his tremendous feat beyond the shield wall, the magics he had controlled without a word or a wave. Everyone in Shrike knew about him now, the orc who was the strongest mage in the Forum. Only he and Celeste knew all of that was a lie, a trick.

Most of his people had begun the trek, outfitted with food and supplies from Shrike’s merchants. It wasn’t due to their charitable hearts and overwhelming kindness; The Red Desert was beginning its existence as a unified nation owing a healthy amount of debt to the nearest city.

Learn agreed to this twofold: his people would have an easy journey back, and the debt ensured continued trading between the Red Desert and Shrike. Every tie mattered, every agreement bound the two closer together. Shrike was the Red Desert’s portal to acceptance by the Spread Lands at large. Barbur and Pashosh, the two largest human kingdoms on the continent, had ignored the letters Learn had sent, and Unten, the home of the dwarves, was too far to matter. Other than those, the only powers in the Spread Lands that mattered were Gblyntnn and the Tamed Wilds, the former of which didn’t appear to have a cohesive government, and the latter of which refused any and all international disputes.

Two of them, Learn thought, two of them will be enough. If the Red Desert was recognized by at least two other nations, they stood a real chance of acceptance. He thought that Unten was the most likely, as they were historically quick to agree to other nations’ demands to avoid bloodshed.

But Learn recognized that his worries were for far off in the future. He had no idea how to create a lasting government. He had no idea how to establish farms, how to create currencies. All of the small, fiddly things he would have to do in order to bring up the quality of life for the orcs.

He would have help, of course. Already, Wreck and some others had formed a makeshift council, many of whom’s members were former heads of clan. They all listened to Learn, but he had insisted that they take back some of their own leadership, take some of the burden from him. They knew what their families needed better than Learn did. They knew how their people would react, and how to best help them.

It had barely taken a tenday before the council had forced a makeshift crown upon Learn, a wrought-iron band, uneven and heavy. One by one, they knelt before him, one by one they pledged their allegiance to him. It seemed the intermingling between them and Shrike had already given them new ideas. He held no title, and yet in the orcs’ estimation, he was the greatest among them.

He bore the pressure, as well as the weight upon his brow, with a quiet discomfort.

At last, the majority of the orcs had departed toward the Red Desert. Learn, along with several guards, were taking up the rear.

“When will you be back?” Alvin asked. The young dwarf had tried to insist on joining Learn on his journey, only desisting after a night full of arguing, the debate going past the rising of the sun. Eventually Learn had gotten Al to agree that the dwarf could do more here, influencing the common folk.

“Don’t know.” Learn answered. “Might be a while.”

Alvin sighed, and reached up to pat Learn on the back.

“I know you have to do what you can for your people, but I’m really going to miss you, Learn.” Learn nodded, looking out toward the sunset. He didn’t want to meet Alvin’s eyes, didn’t want the dwarf to see the wetness there. He nodded sharply, rather than saying anything.

“And I’m sorry the others couldn’t be here.” Alvin continued. “Lgthpt and Celeste are dealing with the Herald Hawks. A lot of them aren’t happy that Shrike is letting in orcs after all that fighting. Celeste is spending all of her time shutting down dissidents, and Lgthpt is… well, she thinks she’s helping. And you know how Best gets. As soon as the battle was over, she disappeared somewhere. I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t find her.”

“Yes.” Learn answered. The two stood silently for a pause, before Alvin shook his head and walked back into the city proper. Learn watched as his friend went.

Learn sighed, blinking away half-formed tears. He shook his head, and motioned to the guards who had stayed with him. When they followed, he began the walk toward the Red Desert in earnest.

Tired, satisfied, and pensive toward a future that was all too in his control, Learn began the long trek back home.

End of Book One