Silence reigned among the leaders for a few moments before Drogil's cautious voice broke it:
"But what if he isn't inexperienced? What if he's similar to that vile human, Edric?"
The name struck like a nail to the mind. Edric... that human commander who had inflicted bitter defeats upon the orcs—not with brute strength, but with cunning and deception.
Gerom narrowed his eyes at Drogil, then said with confidence, "Even if he is, no commander can lead an army in unfamiliar territory without making mistakes. We'll make him commit one, then strike."
Yet the worry did not leave Drogil's eyes, for he knew that wars were not won by strength alone, but by the right decisions at critical moments.
At that point, Akar, Gerom's advisor, stepped in with a measured tone, carefully observing the leaders as he spoke:
"Of course, we must remain cautious. This new commander wasn't sent without reason. It's clear that strategic changes are being implemented in the garrison near the human army. If these changes are well-thought-out, it might be wiser to test their defenses first before launching a direct assault."
Kargas Banok frowned, slamming his fist violently onto the table, causing drops of wine to splash from the leaders' goblets:
"Test their defenses? Nonsense! We won't discover their true strength until we're immersed in battle. Orcs don't test—we attack!"
Murmurs rose among the leaders, splitting them between those who supported Akar's logic and those drawn to Kargas's fiery zeal. The tension rose, and the air grew heavy—almost as if a battle would erupt among them before it ever began with the humans.
But Akar remained calm. He looked at Kargas, unfazed, then said in a firm, steady voice:
"Your recklessness could cost us dearly, Kargas. Fighting with bravery doesn't mean leaping to your doom."
It was clear that Akar's words didn't sit well with Kargas, but before he could respond, Gerom raised his hand, signaling for silence. He turned to Akar and asked in a quiet yet tense tone:
"What are you thinking?"
Akar gave a faint smile, stepped forward, then said confidently:
"Instead of attacking them directly, why not make them come to us?"
Silence fell once more, until Drogil broke it, curiosity in his voice:
"Explain further, Akar."
Akar stepped forward to the table and pointed at the fortress map, drawn in rough lines over an animal hide. He traced his finger along the difficult paths leading to the castle, then said:
"If their strategy relies on fortification, as Baron Edric once did, then we need to create an emergency within the fortress that forces them to come out. A besieged army cannot hold out for long without supplies—especially if it's mentally worn down."
Gerom looked on with interest, then asked, "You're suggesting we wear them down instead of launching a direct assault?"
Akar nodded," Exactly. We'll begin with infiltration missions targeting food stores and creating internal unrest. If we plant chaos inside, we'll spread anxiety among the troops. A hungry, exhausted soldier doesn't fight with the same efficiency."
Silence fell over the leaders for a moment before Kargas Banok growled angrily: "Act like rats? This plan is an insult! Orcs don't resort to such tricks!"
Before the tension could rise further, Gerom interjected with a firm tone: "We're not acting like rats—we're acting like hunters. A clever hunter doesn't chase his prey recklessly; he drives it into a trap."
Drogil spoke up, beginning to understand the idea: "But even with supply shortages, they might choose to hold out. What if they wait for reinforcements?"
Akar didn't hesitate to respond: "That's why we won't give them time to rest. We'll keep them off balance. We'll dispatch small orc squads to ambush supply convoys, sow fear among the soldiers, and make them feel hunted—even behind their own walls. Eventually, they'll lose control. And then... we strike the killing blow."
Gerom looked at the rest of the commanders, then said in a low but resolute voice: "This plan requires patience—but it may save us many losses. What do you all think?"
A moment of silence passed before Kragas growled, crossing his arms with a disgruntled tone:
"I hate these complicated plans... So, it's better that it succeeds, or I'll throw you in with those humans to become food for the young in the tribe."
Akar smiled with a slight sarcasm, then said:
"Don't worry about the plan. It's better you start think about getting food for your little ones elsewhere, Kragas."
A faint laugh echoed among the leaders...
......
Upon the orcs' arrival at the target area, they stood at the edge of the hills overlooking the human fortress, watching it silently from the shadows.
It wasn't just an ordinary camp; it was a well-fortified stronghold, surrounded by rugged terrain and towering cliffs, providing it with a natural defense that was almost impenetrable.
Beneath the flickering torchlights atop the towers, the human soldiers stood alert, cautiously watching the surrounding mountains.
Perhaps they felt something, maybe their instincts were warning them, but they hadn't yet realized that the storm was forming around them.
Ghorom and the rest of the orcs watched carefully.
This wasn't just a watch point; it was a strategic location controlling a narrow passage, one of the most important defensive points on the northern borders.
Any army trying to breach the northern kingdom through this border area would have to get past this fortress first.
One of the "Zerg Light" members, watching through his simple scope, whispered:
"The number of soldiers is more than expected... They aren't just a small detachment replacing Edric's forces temporarily, but possibly a permanent defensive force until the war ends."
Galmar mumbled, thinking aloud:
"This means their leader understands the importance of this point. He's not just another noble hiding behind his walls; he's someone who knows war well."
What made matters worse was that the fortress was not in a state of relaxation; on the contrary, it was illuminated with strong torches, and the guards were patrolling the walls with clear discipline. The watchtowers were teeming with archers, their eyes scanning the darkness for any suspicious movement.
Akar tapped a short military spear made of iron bars and cowhide against the palm of his hand, a look of mild disappointment on his face.
Then he muttered under his breath:
"I thought we'd be facing a new opponent, but I didn't expect the situation to be this bad."
Akar stepped back quietly, then turned to his men who were waiting for his orders.
He didn't waste any time and ordered the bringing of Garon from the "Lightfoot" clan, one of the best scouts in stealth and night maneuvers.
As soon as Garon stood before him, Akar assigned him a delicate task: infiltrating the fortress and causing chaos within it, with a focus on burning the food supplies.
With firmness, Akar spoke in a low but commanding voice:
"The first phase begins now. Garon, I want you to move with your scouts in small groups, no more than five per group.Sneak through the hills, infiltrate the area around the fortress, gather information, and observe the movements of the guards. We need to know their patrols, their gaps, their weak points."
Garon bowed his head, then whispered with confidence:
"We'll have all the information before dawn."
Akar glanced at another group of warriors. These weren't scouts, but specialists in sabotage and stealth.
He gestured to their leader, a huge man who moved with surprising agility, named Rakshir, known for his ability to carry out dirty operations with high efficiency.
"Rakshir, get your men ready. When we have enough information, you'll be the first to move. Your mission is clear: chaos inside the fortress. I want them to feel the danger not just from the outside, but from within as well."
Rakshir smiled a savage grin, then spoke in a hoarse voice:
"We'll make them wish they were never born."
But Akar raised his finger in warning:
"Don't fight the soldiers without reason. Our goal isn't combat now, but destabilization. Burn the supplies, sabotage the wells. Make everyone in the fortress doubt the stability and leadership of the fort..."
After the failure of the direct assault, Akar had established, in the previous months, a special unit of elite infiltrators, distinct from the ordinary teams typically led by average scouts.
Akar's teams were composed of three to five shadow squads, each led by an Orc from the "Lightfoot" clan, giving them double the stealth capability, but at the cost of something else.
Through these squads, Akar had achieved remarkable successes and established a formidable reputation within the forces under the command of Ghorom, increasing his reliance on him.
When the order was issued, the infiltrators, under Akar's leadership, moved toward the area where the fortress was located.
Moments later, Galmar signaled for his team to move cautiously to a better position. They crept through the rocks and slopes, trying to get closer without being detected.
The leaders exchanged glances. The plan was becoming clearer, and it seemed to be heading toward something they had never tried before. Even the Orcs themselves were not used to this kind of psychological warfare, but everyone understood it was necessary in this battle.
Ghorom looked at Akar and spoke in a scrutinizing tone:
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
Akar didn't deny it, but merely gave a slight smile and said in a calm voice:
"I'm just exploiting their weaknesses. Humans think they're the masters of strategy, but they haven't faced an Orc who knows how to play their game."
As Akar, the commander's advisor, knew very well the importance of this ironclad fortress.
It had only recently fallen into the hands of these forces, meaning its defenses were still unstable.
This was what made him support the commander's decision to fight this battle.
However, unlike some eager commanders, Akar didn't underestimate this fortress.
He had previously participated in devising numerous plans to capture it and had tasted the bitterness of failure many times.
In the beginning, the Orcs made a fatal mistake by underestimating their enemy, believing that the small number of defenders meant an easy victory.
But the previous commander of the fortress relied on one of the most annoying strategies: defense as a form of offense, entrenched behind walls, a tactic that became well-known among Orcs as the "Turtle Citadel."
Akar knew very well that delaying the capture of this fortress would give the defenders enough time to adapt their strategies for defending the stronghold, and they might even imitate 'Edric', making the future assault more costly.
Even if these forces weren't as fierce as the previous ones, time would work in their favor.
Therefore, capturing the "Iron Fortress" now, before they completed their preparations, was a rare opportunity that shouldn't be squandered. This was why it was crucial to take the Iron Fortress now before the Orcs lost their advantage.
"A starving army... means a battle won before it begins."
The night began to pass slowly, with the scouts moving silently between the rocks, blending with the shadows, while Akar sat atop a high hill, silently observing the fortress.
A few hours passed, just before dawn, when Garun and his men began returning one by one, sneaking silently through the rocks and shadows.
Some carried maps they had quickly drawn of the guards' patrols, while others brought whispers they had overheard from inside the castle.
Garun stood before Akhar, his eyes glowing with the excitement of a hunter returning with precious prey.
"It's a bit harder than I thought," he said in a low voice, then continued, pointing to one of the maps. "The guard patrols are regular, but they rely on specific, unchanging routes. There's still a narrow passage behind the castle, one they may not have noticed yet, but it's not wide enough for an army to pass through. Still, a small team could sneak through it."
Akhar silently pondered the information, while Gharum folded his arms and said seriously, "What about the soldiers? Did you find anything interesting?"
Garun motioned to one of his men, who said, "Most of the soldiers are on alert, but they are clearly inexperienced, except for the leaders and officers who often shout and direct them.
The soldiers are likely a group of farmers. We heard some of the guards complaining about lack of sleep due to the long night shifts. They still seem unaccustomed to this and their experience in the army is probably limited."
Akhar smiled in satisfaction and turned to Rakshir, saying, "It seems it's time to spread a little chaos."
Rakshir didn't wait for another command. He nodded, then disappeared with his men into the darkness, heading toward the castle to carry out their sabotage tasks.
As time passed, signs of chaos began to appear. Screams erupted in various parts of the castle, torches were knocked over, and a fire was started in one of the stores.
A sudden noise broke the silence of the dawn. It wasn't a full-scale attack, but a series of small events that were enough to destabilize the cohesion of the garrison.
In the training yard within the castle, where many of the soldiers slept to prepare for any sudden battle, the soldiers were jolted awake by the sound of the alarm.
"Fire in the store!" shouted one of the guards as he ran toward the source of the smoke.
"Who did this? Have enemies infiltrated the castle?" the garrison commander shouted, ordering reinforcements to be sent.
But Akhar, watching from a distance, simply smiled.
Only moments passed before the sound of horns echoed through the castle, followed by anxious shouts.
This time, however, it wasn't a sign of chaos, but of preparation.