Noah set Ga’To down and sprinted into the camp. There was a barricade of packed snow spanning between the walls with only a narrow passage to deeper in. The ground was scattered with monster corpses of all varieties, but he didn’t see another one of his tribesmen. He walked through the blood-soaked passageway and had to climb over the fallen form of a tiger-like monster to push further. On the other side he finally saw familiar faces, though the usual joviality was absent.

  “Chief! You’re alive!” Someone shouted as he stepped into view. A rush of whispers filled the enclosed space as the news spread. Noah spotted Ta’Ku and made his way over to him, followed by the rest of his group. He gave Ta’Ku a bear hug and grinned at him, despite the bleak circumstances.

  “You have no idea how glad I am to see you. What happened while I was gone?” Noah asked. Ta’Ku returned the embrace and let out a long breath.

  “We were attacked by a frenzied swarm of beasts. They seemed to be out of their minds, lashing out at anything living. It started the day after you left. At first we were able to repel them without any issue, but they grew stronger with each passing day. Eventually, we were getting overrun and worked to build a defensible position.” Ta’Ku explained.

  “I was worried this would happen. We were severely injured and became trapped on the other side of the swarm. I’m so sorry we weren’t here.” Noah replied. Ta’Ku shook his head.

  “We couldn’t have predicted this. I am only glad to see you alive, we were starting to fear the worst.” He responded.

  “What is the state of the tribe? I saw the body of one of our warriors on my way in.” Noah asked. A look of grief passed over Ta’Ku’s features.

  “He was the only casualty we experienced, but there are many grave injuries. It may be weeks before we are back to fighting strength.” Ta’Ku explained. Noah nodded, grateful that things had gone worse.

  “Where is Ro’Kar?” Noah asked.

  “He should be near the back of the cave. He was severely injured a few days ago, the same day that the warrior died. Their group was holding the fissure while the rest of us finished construction.” Noah thanked him and left to find the former chief. As he walked he could see the impact that his presence had on the tribe. There was hope in their eyes and the oppressive tension in the air had already dropped. His heart ached as he saw the mangled bodies of his people, and shame threatened to overwhelm him. There was nothing I could do. He eventually found Ro’Kar who attempted to sit up as he saw him. Noah held out his hand.

  “Please, just rest.” He said, watching as his friend winced with every move.

  “No’Ah!” He croaked, managing a pained smile. “You made it through the beast storm! What a relief, I was starting to worry that I would have to become chief again.” Noah returned his smile and knelt down next to him.

  “I heard you defended the breach. And that you lost one of your warriors in the process. Thank you.” Noah said.

  “It’s not like we were going to just let the beasts have their way. It’s only right to protect your tribe.” Ro’Kar responded. “The orc that passed died in honor, fighting with abandon for his people. When we recover, we will add him to our legends.” Noah nodded, still adjusting to the orcish way to process grief.

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  “We will sing of his valor through the night.” He replied after a moment of consideration. Ro’Kar smiled.

  “That we will. That we will.” He sighed, his eyes starting to droop. Noah patted him lightly on the arm and left him to rest. Noah wandered the dark space, looking for Un’Dal but let him be when he found his sleeping, surrounded by bloodied orcs. He must be exhausted. Seeing Un’Dal made Noah seriously consider their need for more healers. If they were going to be in constant pitched battles, they would need reliable ways to heal their injuries, and one healer wasn’t going to cut it. He returned to his group that had set up near the entrance.

  “All right everyone, we have work to do.” He started. Noting their eager looks, he continued. “First we will need to gather and prepare food, then those of you with any medical knowledge will help the others get their wounds cleaned and wrapped. The rest of us will start processing the beast corpses. We will have plenty of use for the raw materials, and the meat will keep for some time in the freezing temperatures.” He explained. They grunted their response and began to move.

  “Oh and if anyone sees a living beast, report it immediately. We will be dealing with any further attacks on the tribe personally.” He commanded. At once they were off, each ready to make themselves useful amidst the chaotic scene. Their once-open fissure had been completely closed off at one side, allowing for the defensible choke point. Noah supposed that was fine for now, but they would have to poke ventilation holes through the walls and ceiling to let the smoke escape. Just the few minutes inside the cavern had made his eyes water, even given his significant constitution.

  There were no further attacks on the camp that day, or the following as they slowly restored the area to a livable habitat. Fresh snow covered the evidence of battle, and the beast corpses were quickly becoming usable material. As the cleanup continued, they also began to drive sharpened bone stakes around the entryways to the fissure and the ledges above it. While they had limited metal, the sturdy bones of the beasts were nearly endless. A week passed and in that time there was a single attack on the camp, which Noah’s group easily dispatched. Ro’Kar was back on his feet, and the others were regaining their mobility with each day. Though the attack had been devastating, it also provided them with a massive boost in power. Many of the orcs shot up in levels, some even gaining 50 levels from the swarm. With each such attack, it became harder and harder to back them into a corner again. While most of the warriors were out of commission physically, that wasn’t true for their mental faculties. Knowing this, Noah ordered mandatory meditation for everyone in the camp. After their last month in the orc village, they were no stranger to this kind of structure and took to it with zeal.

  During the following week Ta’Ku was the next to reach the second gate, at which point he also advanced his grade. They celebrated the rise of their second Copper, and many doubled down in their efforts to ascend. By the third week, even the worst off after the attack had recovered enough to stand and so they prepared the final rite for their fallen friend. They feasted into the night, sharing stories of the brave berserker who stood in the gap, fending off hundreds - no, thousands of beasts as he protected his own. The night ended with the song of legends, where they immortalized their companion with chorus after chorus of his valiant deeds. As before, there was a settledness about that camp as they finished their final song. Once again all was right in their world, and they could take the next step forward.

  Noah and the tribe settled into a routine after that, they returned to their group tasks of hunting, scouting, and crafting. They trained their bodies and minds, and endeavored to advance. And so when the next frenzy came, just over a month later, they were ready. Several of their warriors had reached the second gate and were only needing the essence to advance their grade before they too would reach Copper. As the monsters came flooding into their fissure, their eyes were alight with possibility and they eagerly met their foes. For a full week, the battle raged on. Each day brought more powerful beasts, and each night was quiet. When the final beast succumbed to their power, they roared in victory. Four more warriors reached Copper that night.

  This pattern continued for another three months. Every six weeks they would fight off a swarm, after which they would celebrate as their warriors broke through the next threshold. After their third successful defense Noah found himself growing bored. He felt that he was starting to stagnate in their current environment, and that their progress was largely limited by the lack of natural resources nearby. For this reason he called all of his leaders together for their first council, asking that they clear their schedule to attend. When they were all present, he began.

  “It’s time.”