Rising, the recently dead gathered up their weapons and converged upon the big chief. They were broken things, each moving with limp arms or legs that made them less than ideal warriors, but the gasps from the crowd assured Gnak that they were getting the message. The big chief, unafraid of the smaller beings, began stomping upon them, crushing them to shattered bits beneath him. But it was the delay, the valuable purchased time, that Gnak needed.
“Look Orcs. See big chief. See big chief’s way. Him big. Crush those small. But gods no happy. Gods say Gnak take big chief power. Show Orcs new way!”
And with his words he knew that it was time to cast the dice. His gamble, two-fold, had reached the point of no return. With the hope that the big chief relied on his size alone, and had lost the real skills of fighting long ago, Gnak prayed that his assumption was right as he reached out his hand and summoned the ball of glowing light from the big chief. In that moment the big chief did two things, as Gnak watched as sure defeat was replaced by a chance at victory.
Freezing as the big chief turned to seek out Gnak once again, now that all the revived captains were dead again, he shimmered with a pop and shrank back to normal size. Gnak had been right. Without will, the god giving the big chief power cut off its supply and the giant was reduced to just another average Orc. But Gnak could not kill him this way. Not frozen. There was no pride in it. As soon as the Orc shrank, Gnak returned its essence and watched as the Orc showed both confusion and pain upon his face. Tripping as he came, the former big chief went down in a heap, a howl of pain escaping him.
Looking to its cause, Gnak saw that his blade in the man’s ankle, that previously had shown no effect, now caused devastating damage. Sticking out both sides of the joint, the thick blade twisted as the Orc fell, catching in the sand and slicing the Orc’s opposite ankle as well. Rolling quickly, the big chief yanked the blade free from his joint with a roar and rose to his feet chanting.
Gnak recognized the prayer for what it was, and rushed the big chief. Colliding, both men crashed to the ground in a heap, their limbs entangled, as Gnak found himself beneath the brute who suddenly got much heavier. Then, as if struck by a boulder, Gnak’s head was bashed aside as both ears rang, his head bouncing off both sides of his helm. Down rained another blow, smashing his body down into the sand, his armor the only thing preventing his bones and guts from being crushed. The big chief was big again.
Crushing blow after crushing blow fell upon Gnak, rattling his bones as all thought but panic escaped him. Trying to escape, he was pounded over and over relentlessly, his body bouncing off the ground, as his armor began to give under the assault. Denting here and folding there, his armor began to dig into his flesh, as his head smashed again and again against the sides of his helm. His sight went black, only to return as his hearing seemed to change in volume with each blow.
Taking another hit, Gnak spat blood from his mouth, trying to clear his airway to breathe, and still the blows came. Then, it was as if it stopped suddenly as Gnak no longer strained to breathe, the pressure and pain of his body relenting as both darkness and light enveloped him.
“Don’t you do it, Gnak!” Jen’s voice shouted at him.
“No do what?” Gnak asked, his mind filled with a numbing fog.
“Don’t you give up. You’re so close.”
“Close what? Give what?” Gnak asked confused.
“He is nearly defeated. Don’t just lay there and die. Fight back!” Jen demanded.
“How defeated? Is big. Too big.”
“So make him small. All the Orcs need is to see him defeated. As long as his body dies, you win, Gnak.”
Again Gnak’s head bashed the side of his helm with a sickly thud, as Jen was torn away from him again. Blood ran freely from both his ears and mouth, and his left arm refused to move no matter how hard he tried. Another blow smashed against his chest, driving out what little air he had managed to suck into his lungs. But Gnak clung to life, even if only because Jen told him to. He wondered, if when he died, if the various orbs he had collected would leave his body like his own would? And then it hit him. Stupid Orc brain.
Gathering his thoughts, Gnak lifted his right arm, uncurling his broken fingers, and summoned to him the orb of the big chief once more. With an audible pop the weight atop him lessened, as Gnak selected another orb from amongst those he had collected. Pitting his will against the orb, he pressed it into place as the now average sized Orc began to spasm and jerk, falling from atop Gnak to land in the sand.
Rolling to his side as pain lanced throughout his body, Gnak pressed himself up to his knees and remained there, wobbling uneasily. Tilting his head forward, he used what fingers he could muster to pry the helm from his head and, letting it fall into the sand, he looked out amongst the Orcs gathered there. Coughing and sputtering, he vomited up the blood blocking his airways as the convulsing Orc beside him grew still, its eyes popping open. Taking a deep breath despite the pain it caused, Gnak looked upon those who watched intently with his one eye.
“Orcs see. Gnak god more power big chief god. Gnak take big chief power. Kill big chief.”
Turning upon his knees unsteadily as the Orc beside him failed to rise with the injuries to its ankle, Gnak watched as the Orc raised its hands before its face, turning them this way and that, obviously confused. Picking up his blade that had been beneath his fallen body, Gnak stabbed out one time, the body of his foe leaning into him with the blow. Both weak beyond measure, with their heads nearly touching, Gnak looked into the Orc’s face, now filled with betrayal, before he spoke.
“Gnak sorry Bota. Bota good Orc. Do Orcs good thing now,” he whispered.
Yanking the blade free, Gnak watched as the body of the big chief fell into the sand, a thunderous roar rising from the tens of thousands gathered, as more than a handful of Orcs rushed towards him. Though Gnak did not see what followed as finally his body gave out, and collapsing, his vision went dark as a peaceful dream took him.
The room was dark and damp, with moss and mold clinging to nearly every surface of the stone walls. Moisture glistened upon every surface, and Gnak recognized the room from his meeting with the goddess Ishanya. Though he knew that this time she was not present. He could not feel her.
Turning, Gnak’s jaw fell slack as he registered the other that shared the room with him. She was small, perhaps a little over four feet. Her hair was pulled loosely over one shoulder, and she stood in the dark room smiling up at him as if no other in the world could make her as happy as she was now.
“Hi, Gnak!” Jen exclaimed as she ran to him, wrapping her arms about his waist. Reaching down, Gnak hefted the small child, beneath her arms and pulled her to his chest in an embrace. It was a good feeling to hold her there, though he had never done such a thing ever before in his life.
Pushing back from his chest, she looked into his face and grinned a happy grin before she began to talk in her small musical voice.
“You did it, Gnak! You killed the big chief!”
“Gnak cheat, but win,” Gnak admitted.
“But you’ve done it. You’ve united the Orc clans. Now you can teach them to worship Ishanya and you can fulfill your oath.”
“Gnak think no,” he said, his grin straightening into a hard line.
“Why Gnak? Why can’t you do it?” she asked almost pleadingly.
“Gnak think Gnak dead. Jen dead, Jen here. Gnak dead, Gnak here.”
Shaking her small head she giggled, and looked at him with her best mock-stern expression. Raising one hand, she wagged a finger in his face very seriously before she spoke.
“You are not dead, Gnak. Right now, because you made many good decisions, a healer is repairing your body so that you may rise again and lead the Orcs to a better future. I am here because Ishanya wills it. Perhaps she is rewarding you for the deeds you have done. But don’t you ever think that you are dead again. Don’t you ever give up, Gnak. You hear me?”
Gnak found it odd to feel so puny before the sma
ll girl, let alone listen to her scolding him as if her were a child. But even so, he found meaning in her words. If Ishanya gave him this reward for uniting the clans, would she give him back Jen for real when he created for her a fortress, temples, and an army like Thurr had never seen before? Could he save Jen and his people at the same time? Was that what the goddess was offering him?
“Gnak hear Jen. Jen smart. Help Gnak much. Gnak no give up. Keep fight. Promise.”
“Good! I’m glad that you see things my way, Gnak. But the world needs you now so you have to go back.”
Gnak felt the tug and watched as the edges of the room began to swirl in his vision, and strange sounds began to invade the place.
“Will Gnak see Jen more?” he asked.
“I’m sure we will be reunited eventually, Gnak. Just don’t stop fighting.”
Then she was gone as the room twisted in upon itself and bright light erupted before his eye, causing him to cinch it tightly closed before blinking several times to adjust to the brightness. When the glowing hands were removed from his face, he looked up at the many expressions of those pressed around him. These were the Orcs who had come to his aid. They could have easily killed him while he was down and claimed the title of Chief for themselves, but something had stayed their hands.
Testing his body, Gnak rose to a sitting position before clenching and unclenching his hands and flexing his many muscles. Grinning a proud, tusky grin, he rose to his feet and appraised those around him. Many were the former chiefs of other clans conquered by himself or the big chief. Others were smaller Orcs, with bright light in their eyes. All of them had come to his aid for their own reasons, and Gnak took that as a sign that he was on the right track. Turning to his shaman, he looked knowingly at the boy in the Orc’s body and reaching up he patted him on the shoulder.
Looking around, he saw tents in all directions spanning out as far as he could see.
“While the Orcsie was taking a nap, more Orcsies come and see dead big chief. They come and kneel. They join without even a fight,” the familiar voice said.
Turning, Gnak looked to the goblin king and was both surprised and amused by what he saw. There, what had been behind him stood two, not one goblin, both with crowns of gold upon each of their heads. One he recognized, the other he did not.
Bowing his head slightly to his small ally, he watched as the goblin jerked his head to the side several times, his eyes widening as if to say something without using words. Grinning, Gnak stole the orb of will from the second goblin king, effectively paralyzing him as his original ally pounced upon the non-moving foe, driving a twisted goblin blade straight through the man’s heart.
Rising and dusting off his hands, the goblin king smiled wickedly before bending over and retrieving his fallen peer’s crown.
“Well, that settles that problem. Can we get on with it then?” the goblin king smirked.
Nodding, Gnak took the goblin’s meaning. He had the might of his Orcs and nearly ten thousand goblins, but there was much more to do. Goblins bred like rabbits. There were dozens of cities, each with their own kings and armies. Gnak would need to collect them all. In his vision he commanded the trolls too. That was yet another task he had yet to complete. No. His work did not end here. It was time to unite all of his neighbors and create for Ishanya a monstrous army of the likes never seen before upon the face of Thurr.
-END
THREE KINGS
AGE OF THE GODS, VOLUME X
ORC DESTINY, BOOK THREE
THE BLOOD AND BROTHERHOOD SAGA
PROLOGUE
Conquering both Catunga, a rite of passage for his people, and his own despair at the loss of the human girl called Jen, Gnak found himself blessed by a god unknown to his race. With power from Ishanya he tried to resurrect the human girl, only to watch the flesh rot from her bones as she was once again torn from his grasp. Defeated, he summoned into himself the small girl’s will, and clung to it like a precious memory.
With the desire to please the new god he served, Gnak vowed to unite his people and teach them of her ways. Though secretly, he hoped that he would also learn how to bring back the small human girl who had saved his life.
Killing his own father, the chief of the Gathos clan, Gnak led his people to join the big chief and fight a war against the humans to the north. Using the war to his advantage, he began uniting other clans to his own cause before the humans arrived on the battlefield. After a single battle the orc forces were decimated and Gnak, barely escaping with his life, had learned new abilities of his magical powers. Escaping the clutches of death, he returned to his people and rose again with the help of yet another human, to challenge the big chief and unite the clans.
Now, having successfully killed the big chief, Gnak claimed the title for his own, but his oath to the dark goddess has not yet been fulfilled. And time is running short.
CHAPTER ONE
Sand filtered up between the bones that were his toes as he strode up the slope to its crest. With fleas biting at his flesh, causing bumps to arise that each brought the desire to scratch, Gnak struggled to ignore the urge as he peered across the distance before him. From here the landscape was an ocean of orange and gold sand that stretched on for miles, its infinitive sparkling facets lost only between the wave-like dunes in the distance. Lazily, the sun sank lower and lower into the sky, casting beams of brilliance sparkling across untold distances, telling him that the night was just beginning as wisps of smoke crept overhead from behind him.
Though the scents of roasting meats enticed him, causing his mouth to water nearly uncontrollably, he struggled to focus upon his current dilemma. Just days before, he had slain the big chief, and claimed the orc’s title for his own, but his work was as yet far from complete. Unite the orcs, Ishanya had told him. Teach them of her worship and create for the goddess an army of the likes Thurr had never seen before. Gnak had only managed one of three thus far. But that was not what stilled him this night. At least, not entirely. No. Tonight he sought the opinion of another, and hoped that with it he could come to a solution that was as of yet out of the realm of his knowledge. He hoped Jen would answer his call. They hadn’t spoken in too long. He wanted… no… needed to hear her voice. It was soothing to him. Calming.
It had been more than a week since he claimed his new title, and the vast change in ideals was taking time for everyone to adjust to. He now commanded what he believed to be the whole of the orc nation, though just the evening before a small clan of stragglers had arrived. His army now numbered nearly twenty thousand, and that was not including the near ten thousand goblins currently at his disposal. But even with thirty thousand troops, the deeds required of him by the goddess seemed too much. Too far. Too distant. Gnak felt the urge to bring the goddess’s desires to pass as soon as was possible, though he knew not what caused the anxiety that drove him.
The first day and night had been the worst, with more than a dozen would-be attackers falling to his magical abilities. They each had hopes of claiming the title of big chief for themselves, but Gnak had survived every would-be assassin with help from his clan shaman. Though the boy in an orc shell was not really an orc, or a shaman, or even belonged to the Gathos clan for that matter, his healing power and loyalty had already become an asset, no matter what his own motives were.
Over the next days Gnak had spoken to his people about the abilities given to him by Ishanya. He had instructed them to pray to her and give themselves wholly to her cause. He encouraged them to ask her for power, and each night they all prayed as one clan to the dark goddess. For now his orc and goblin horde went through the motions, but he knew inside that they would soon see what he saw.
His captains, all of them newly named, forced his will upon his people, molding them into a single clan with a single purpose. Repetition, he learned all too soon, was the key to change. Tell them, show them, and do with them, that which you wanted them to do, and eventually they would learn.
Change was hard for
the orcs, but Gnak had faith that if they continued as they had these last few nights, all that was revealed to him in his visions would come to pass. But for such things to happen he needed to achieve the impossible and even as the most powerful among his kind, Gnak was uncertain if he had the strength and intelligence required to pull it off. Only Jen could ease his fears. So he called to her again as he had done several times since climbing atop the hill of sand.
“Jen, Gnak need talk.”
“I’m here,” came the small, musical response.
“Gnak not know what do.”
“You don’t know what to do about what?” Jen asked from within his head.
“Make vision real, Gnak need all goblins, all trolls.”
“Then you need to conquer them, silly.”
“How Gnak conquer? Many die. Make weaker,” Gnak responded aloud.
“You have an army now, Gnak. Go from one goblin city to the next. Most will probably surrender to your superior force, and those that don’t you can easily crush. Once you have the goblins you can move on to the trolls,” Jen advised.
For long moments Gnak pondered her plan, and it was not long before he decided that she was probably right. Even so, he did not feel that it was the correct solution to his problem. He felt that the time to complete all that Ishanya wanted was growing nearer by the moment. The time of his judgment was upon him, and he had not yet performed the tasks he was sworn to before the goddess.
Seeking out and moving from one goblin city to the next would take months, perhaps even years. His desire to see the tasks completed was too urgent. Whatever feeling it was inside him that drove the need to see it through, and quickly, told him that this was not the way. There had to be another option.
“Gnak think this too slow. Need fast. Ishanya no wait for Gnak,” he replied finally.
Age of the Gods: The Complete, twelve novel, fantasy series (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) Page 163
