Interstellar Age - #266 - 266 A Daring Ultimatum

The massacre was over almost as quickly as it had begun. Within a matter of hours, the Orcish hordes had flooded the world and brought an end to the millions of Elven Sages who sought to wage war against the so called Dark Sage.

It wasn’t even a battle, but a slaughter. After all, the Sages had not prepared any defenses, believing that they were safe from all outside contact. They were wrong, and because of this, their entire order, one which was ancient beyond living memory, was wiped from the universe.

Though there were a few stragglers hiding within the milky way galaxy, they were no longer a threat to Erich, and their whereabouts would be revealed soon enough. After all, Tia soured the vast sanctuary that the sages had built for themselves on this extra-galactic world, and found the locations of all of the surviving Sages. 

Of course, the Orcs blood lust was not sated with this simple massacre, they wanted war, and combat, not butchering a bunch of helpless lambs, and because of this, Erich was approached by the leaders of the clans he had rallied beneath the banner of his horde. Each of which were eager for more bloodshed. 

“Warchief! Did we really travel all this way, simply for something so tame? Tell me there is more battle to be waged!”

Erich was simply relieved that he had ended the threat of the Sages, and had not even thought about what would happen once the Orcs had marched to war. Now that his enemy was defeated, Erich did not know what he was supposed to do. 

Or so he initially thought, but the moment he reflected on this matter further, he knew exactly what he had to do. His army was powerful, his fleet was unstoppable. What he needed now was to bring war upon his own people, and the usurper who denied him his rightful place as emperor of all Germans. 

Thus, Erich looked to the stars, in the direction of the milky way, with a wicked grin on his handsome face, before declaring that there was indeed an actual war to be fought. 

“Patience, my brothers… Now that we have slain my enemies, we must rally our forces, and prepare for war. It will take at least a decade before we are ready to take on the Germanic Star-Empire. But when we are, I promise you all a war that you will never forget!

The throne is mine by the right, and yet a usurper sits upon it. Worse yet, he holds my lover hostage. I need time to prepare for these things… Until the day that I call upon you comes; you are all free to use your current tools to raid across the galaxy as far as you wish to go! Now let us return to the Milky Way, so that we may prepare for the day that is to come! ” 

This was exactly what the Orcs wanted to hear. After all, butchering unarmed civilians was dishonorable. But to wage war against the Galaxies greatest warriors, and emerge victorious, that was a worthy cause worth fighting for. 

Unfortunately, they would have to wait a decade before the time came to actually fight this battle. But luckily for them, their Warchief had promised them war against the galaxy in the form of their usual raiding. Thus, they were satisfied. 

The Orcs pillaged the world for everything it was worth before heading back to their ships, where they chartered a course back to the milky way galaxy. 

—

Emrys was sitting back in the capital of his empire with a nervous look on his face. It had been nearly two years since he last heard from Erich, a man who was once his protégé, but now was a challenger to the position of Supreme Leader of the Germanic Star-Empire. 

Even Lunaria did not know what had happened to the man. All they knew was that he was still alive. This was troublesome news for the both of them, as they believed Erich might be travelling across the galaxy, uniting the Orc Clans for a single purpose. To claim his rightful place on the throne of his people. 

They had no idea that Erich had travelled to a nearby satellite galaxy and purged the order of the Sages. Thus, Emrys could only take solace in the fact that he still held a significant amount of leverage over Erich.

At least if he assumed that Erich still cared about S’aleth. But if he didn’t, then holding her hostage was practically meaningless. This was a thought that Emrys would rather not have, as he stood in his office and stared at the naked Dvrakian Beauty, who was among the last of her species. 

It was at this moment that his intercom rang, and Emrys’s secretary was quick to voice her reason for contacting her superior. 

“Sir… Erich Jaeger is here to speak with you….”

Emrys could hardly believe his ears. Erich was here? In Germania? How did he manage to land on the planet while avoiding detection? It was almost unbelievable? Thus, there was a bit of an awkward tone in Emrys’s voice as he commanded his secretary to allow Erich into his office. 

“Send him in!”

Sure enough Erich barged through the doors of Emrys’ office like he was a returning hero, where he then sat down in front of the man’s desk, and grabbed hold of his drink, as if everything in this office were actually Erich’s possession. The smug look on Erich’s face drove Emrys near mad, as he instantly shouted at Erich for stealing his drink. 

“You think you can just barge in here and act as if you own this place? I don’t know where you have been these last two years, or what you have been up to! But you should be well aware of what I can do to you if you act out!” 

Erich, however, seemed like a completely different man. After all, he had been hanging out with a bunch of Orcs for two years while travelling between galaxies, and had been fighting to maintain his power nearly every day since it began. Thus, he was far more confident in his abilities, especially those of a leader. 

Instead, he continued to sip on Emrys’ drink before abruptly putting it back on the desk, where he made his demands clear. 

“I’ll give you ten years to hand over S’aleth, and step down from your position. You and I both know I am the man who was chosen to lead our people, and not you. So why don’t you end your regency already?” 

Normally Erich would never just barge into Emrys’ office and make such a demand of him. Something must have changed with the man these past few years, and thus, Emrys was far more cautious while dealing with Erich. Which was noticeable in the tone of his voice when he finally spoke. 

“And if I don’t?”

Erich simply smirked as he said this before informing Emrys of his plans, leaving out no details. Almost as if he knew he would win in an outright conflict.

“In a year, all the orc clans will be united beneath my banner, they will be equipped with the best weapons and armor in the galaxy. In five years, a new generation of half Orcs will be born, to provide order and organization to my army. And in ten years, my army will be experienced in organized warfare to the point where it will be ready to light the Empire aflame. 

One way or another, Emrys, I will have what is rightfully mine. Now you can threaten me with S’aleth’s death all you want. But I think you and I both know you don’t have the balls to go through with such a thing….” 

Emrys simply scoffed and rolled his eyes, believing Erich was still too naïve to make such demands of him, and this conceited tone was all too apparent in his voice when he made his retort. 

“Oh really? And why is that?” 

Erich’s silver eyes narrowed as a terrifying expression formed on his face. He stood up, and towered over Emrys, the man only now realizing that Erich was significantly taller than he used to be. It was then that Erich spoke the words in an ice cold voice that send shivers down Emrys’ spine. 

“Because then I will burn the Empire to the ground and everyone in it…. I’ve tolerated your threats so far, but if you really do kill the woman I love, I have no qualms wiping the Germanic race from the galaxy, and starting over with both Mirage and Erika. Who knows? We might even form a superior race, one which is filled with us so-called mutants.

You have ten years Emrys… Once that time is up, I will be coming for what is mine, and when I arrive here on Germania, I will do so with a horde of a billion screaming orcs…. Of course, I already know what choice you will make, and thus we will see whose might is superior when the time comes. Until then, I hope you change your mind, and do what is best for our people!” 

After saying this, Erich abruptly stood up and left Emrys’s office without saying another word. He would also depart from the world of Germania, and the Germanic Star-Empire as a whole, as he began his quest to unite the remaining Orc Clans, and build an army that even his own people could not stand against. 

As for Emrys, he would immediately begin enacting emergency powers, in preparation for another disaster, which would come in the form of Erich and his army of Orcs.