"What's up, lovebirds!"
While the face of one of the duo seeing Nafız smiled, the other tensed up in fear.
"Don't be scared, girl, I won't mess with you anymore; whatever I did until today was all for your development, for you to become a better warrior. I'm doing you my last favor too; here, take this, a gift that will level you up."
When the worn-out leather-bound book was extended to her, the female orc was in astonishment. She took it hesitantly and started turning its pages slowly. When Yarmagül, whose expression changed every time, finished skimming, she could barely hold herself back from screaming with joy.
They were the original manuscripts of the technique her brother compiled for her. From its creator's pen, down to the finest detail. It was an incredible gesture; the female orc, not in a position to question where this came from at that moment, hugged Nafız enthusiastically, with whom she had been in tension since the first day they met.
"Easy! Are you trying to break my back with that hug; it hurt a lot, take your hand off!"
Although Nafız treated it as a joke, Yarmagül's grip was enough to beat a normal person to a pulp; she needed someone like Çekiçdöven. Like a pot finding its lid, the two young ones would continue to have fun.
The wedding ended and life returned to normal; the restructuring process of the armies was taking place. The core members coming from the Sacred Lands set off on the return journey; Kitapkurdu was also going to the Arid Region. His knowledge was needed to open the mines he sealed with poison.
"Ma'am, we are leaving the city in a moment. Do you have any orders for us?"
When her two students came to say goodbye to Nafız, they found her in a quite cheerful state. She was spending time with Eftelya in the mansion of the Partheni family.
"These books are for you, little one. You know our goal; I expect creative inventions from you. Don't let me down in this regard!"
Kitapkurdu immediately took the mountain of books created by his master into his interspatial ring; these were more valuable than all the jewels in the world for him.
"Sangre, my first blood warrior! These parchments are yours; you have to work tirelessly to use your sharpened senses in the most efficient way!"
The orc wandering with a giant bow on his back wouldn't have any trouble in this regard. The most efficient way to satisfy his nature, which became wilder day by day, was through continuous combat training.
"Little lady, we won't be able to see each other for a while. Don't think I will get you out of my mind; I am always by your side in the difficult and noble task you undertook, volunteering as your supporter!"
Eftelya blushed at Alyon's son's words. The young girl, whose cheeks turned red, averted her eyes and could only say "okay!"
Only an army of fifty thousand people under Çekiçdöven's command remained in Parthenia. Their young commander was working them to the bone with the pain of losing the war. Exercises starting with the first lights of the morning sometimes lasted until the middle of the night.
More than a month passed since the wedding. While Yarmagül was in a sweet rush, Alyon and Çekiçdöven were busy biting their nails. The gestation period of orcs didn't exceed fifteen day-cycles, but the female orc had been pregnant for almost exactly thirty day-cycles.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
The two male orcs behind the big door were pacing up and down. They were in excitement as if they were giving birth themselves. With every scream coming, their hearts leaped into their mouths, their speed increased, then the door opened in panic.
"Sir, a baby boy was born, but the mother's condition is not good!"
The speaker was the head of the midwives delivering the children of noble families. Whatever helplessness she had fallen into, she had thrown herself out in haste.
Upon what Alyon and Çekiçdöven saw entering inside, their knees would give way; Yarmagül lying on the bed was like a mummy whose tomb lid had been opened.
It was as if all life force was drained from her body, her flesh had disappeared. Her bead-like eyes inside her eye sockets were in a state where they could be taken if one reached out a hand. While the baby's cries made the place groan, Nafız also entered the room.
The place was in chaos; doctors were arguing in panic for treatment methods. It seemed the female orc didn't have much time left; she lifted her head with her last strength to see her loved ones and could only cast a sad glance.
Nafız was the only person who could maintain her cool demeanor. Rushing to the female orc's side, she tried to understand what was happening. Indeed, the situation was dire; it seemed the baby had given his mother a hard time at the moment of birth.
Leaving the side of the exhausted mother, Nafız rushed towards the basket where the newborn orc was. The crying baby wouldn't shut up; every scream was accompanied by a moan from his mother. The Blood God, observing the baby for a short time, took out a cover covered with symbols and runes from her ring and covered Alyon's grandson.
The baby stopped crying at that moment; his weak breaths weren't even heard unless one was very careful.
"What are you doing, Nafız? Why did the baby go silent?"
When one of the two sounds in the environment was gone, Çekiçdöven saw the female orc beside his child. Alyon, witnessing the situation, called out to his friend.
"As I guessed! If we were a little later, it could have been the end of the road for Yarmagül!"
Nafız, muttering while shaking her head, started applying the mixture in the form of slime to the body of the mother orc groaning in pain. First, she covered her head with a thick layer; after this, the moans would lighten a bit more.
"Quick, empty the mixture into Dilber's healing water. If it's not ready within two hundred breaths, whoever is responsible should kill themselves before I find them!"
The Blood God was very serious! After taking out the water inside a large shell from her storage space, she continued the process of applying medicine to Yarmagül's feet and groin.
The ingredients in the recipe were simple substances; Nafız herself would add the main components after they were thrown into the water. When the mother who had just given birth was laid in the healing bath, the painful expression on her face slowly started to dissipate. Nafız, after wiping the sweat accumulating on her forehead, shouted looking at Alyon and Çekiçdöven.
"Everyone out except you two! Let alone waiting at the door, if anyone approaches fifty steps, not even their families will remain alive!"
The threat was huge! Considering the person it came from, questioning its reality was equivalent to committing suicide. The doctor, midwife, servants rushed out the door hastily; Nafız stumbled and barely threw herself onto the bed.
"Hey! Hey! What happened to you now, speak up!"
"Wait a bit, foghorn voice, I'm dizzy. What kind of monster is that brat of yours?"
The two men standing looked at each other not knowing what to do; it wasn't possible for them to make sense of what was happening. Fortunately, Nafız was able to stand up in a short time and walked slowly towards the duo.
"Gentlemen, the true king of the Orc Steppes has just been born; get well soon to us all!"
"Please explain what happened already; every word of yours is a separate riddle!"
Alyon could only come to his senses after understanding his daughter's life was not in danger; he wanted to learn the events experienced.
"The child was sucking his mother's life force; even though the umbilical cord was cut, he had no intention of stopping. The object I covered him with is used to prevent absorbing energy; by closing the exits in Yarmagül's body too, I was able to cut the communication between them completely."
Nafız was swaying slightly; she paused for a few breaths and continued explaining.
"Currently, he is using his ability unconsciously; he would continue this action even if it would harm himself. He stole a large amount of aura even from me. If it weren't for the cover, before he consumed us or his body exploded, we might have had to kill the baby!"
The situation was very serious; the combination of two bloodline powers had revealed a completely different ability. The baby was born with the skill to steal others' life force; it was pure luck that this gift he couldn't control didn't become his disaster.
The series of events starting from Mora and Alyon meeting each other had ended with Nafız covering him with the enchanted cover last. Perhaps a momentary thought passing through a man's mind had saved the life of this newborn baby a hundred years later.
"What will we do now? Can the baby get stronger if he doesn't absorb energy? Can we feed him with wild creature essences?"
His grandson was practically a living miracle, but he had to be fed somehow. Alyon said the first idea that came to his mind.
"Wow, live long with your mind! It means the time has come to use the last piece remaining with us of that horned cuckold!"