Fallen Crown (Orc Destiny Volume II) (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) (14 page)

“I am a new healer and your wounds are bad. I might not be
able to fix them all.”

“Is good. Fix good can. You try trick, Gnak kill. Yes?”

Again the boy nodded.

Gnak laid down upon the shaman’s floor and watched
cautiously as the boy knelt down beside him. Just as Jen had done before, the
boy tipped back his head and began to pray as light sprang across the surface
of his hands. Holding them just a fraction of an inch above his ruined flesh,
Gnak could feel the power coursing through him as the pain subsided and was
replaced with an excited giddy feeling that left him feeling drunk and happy at
the same time. For more than an hour the boy worked to restore his ear and
mouth before moving on down his chest. Another hour, and the boy fainted from
exhaustion.

Sitting up, Gnak found his hands still destroyed, but
reaching up to his face he found flesh where none had been, and a new ear and
lips now stood where his had been obliterated. Where his eye had melted within
his skull, the void was now covered by skin, sealing the wound permanently.

They let the boy sleep for several hours before the shaman
forced water down his throat and rubbed a stinky salve beneath his nose to
revive him. It worked within seconds, but even awake it was near three hours
later before the boy was recovered enough to try yet again.

Another hour of healing passed and the boy began to wobble.
This time Gnak stopped him, and told him to rest. Appraising himself once more,
he found that most of the flesh on his chest and abdomen, though terribly
scarred, was restored and the blisters and pus had subsided.

“Next hands and feet?” Gnak asked.

“I tried. I can’t,” the boy replied.

“What mean can’t?” Gnak asked.

“It’s like the tissue is dead, it won’t heal. Maybe I’m not
strong enough yet. I don’t know.”

Gnak thought it over for a minute. If healers grew stronger
as they got older, he could wear gloves and boots if he needed to, until the
boy could complete the process. No shaman he had heard of would be able to
repair such wounds. Though he was not the fine specimen of Orc kind he had been
just days before, the pain was gone already, and he was strong and could move
with ease. There was only one thing he could do.

“You stay. No try run?” Gnak asked.

“Lorentia lets me heal any I choose. If the Orcs are in need
of a healer it is my duty to stay if I am treated well. I would be happy to
learn your culture and teach you of mine,” the boy replied.

“Then is done. Gnak do as say. Make human strong. Give home.
Give woman. You teach. Show us way. Know us human gods.”

Turning, Gnak reached out his hands and summoned the wills
of both his shaman and the boy to himself. For just an instant he held them
both, pondering the morality of what he did, thinking of Jen and all she had
taught him. The shaman was wicked, and was about to kill, when he could have
simply learned from the boy. Decided, Gnak returned the orbs of will to both
the boy and the shaman, switching them with fantastic result.

Watching as both fell jerking and spasming to the ground,
Gnak waited patiently as minutes passed before gasping, both calmed, clumsily
rising from the sand. Then, leaning in close, he snatched the form of the human
boy up with one great hand and looked it dead in the eyes.

“Now you go. See if Kukta live long. Stay, Gnak kill,” Gnak
snarled at the disgusting wretch.

Then, tossing him bodily through the flap in the tent to
land outside among the Orc and goblin clan, Gnak grinned as he turned to the
other Orc in the room.

“Now you name Kukta, yes?’

The Orc nodded.

“Can Kukta still heal like this?” Gnak asked, motioning to
the Orc body before him.

Watching as the Orc leaned back its head and began to pray,
Gnak was excited to see its hands burst into light.

“Good. You new shaman. Heal Orcs. Gnak come talk much. Learn
humans. Learn gods. Kukta teach Orcs. Teach more shaman, yes?”

“Yes, Gnak. Thank you for saving my life.”

“Was right choice,” Gnak said, as he collected his armor and
left the tent.

Striding across the camp, he grunted and nodded to those of
his clan, letting them see his restored face and chest, hiding his hands within
the armor he carried. Approaching his tent, he ordered the captains that came
to guard him to gather him some boots and gloves. Come nightfall, he had clans
to conquer.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

When night came, and the land grew dark despite the millions
of stars in the sky, Gnak summoned to him his captains. Giving them orders to
seek out those clans farthest from camp, he sent them on their way with
specific instructions.

“Go camp, say need see chief. Talk chief, all clan. Tell
chief, Gnak order come. Bring clan too. No come, chief afraid Gnak. No come,
chief weak,” he explained.

Gnak knew such an insult would bring them to him. He did not
have enough time to go camp to camp before many packed up and moved on. No.
This was the proper way. While his captains were out insulting those farthest
away, Gnak could visit the camps nearer to their own. It was a simple plan, and
as such Gnak thought it had the best chance for success. Watching his captains
depart, he stalked about the camp seeking something difficult to find anywhere.
He was looking for someone loyal to join him. He knew the goblin chief would
come, but doubted the small man could hold his own against a clan of Orcs if he
needed to. Instead, he wanted at least a pair of sturdy Orcs to watch his back
lest he be attacked while confronting a chief. Then it occurred to him just who
he sought.

It took Gnak less than an hour to find the Orc he sought,
and locating the former chief he was glad to see the man before him had
recovered much from the starved state that Gnak had met him in. The man had
forsaken pride and asked for help, despite the life that his people lived.
Beyond that, Gnak had saved his life and the lives of his whole clan. No deeper
loyalty could exist as far as Gnak was concerned. Asking the Orc to join him,
and bring another who was loyal to him, he was assured of the man’s loyalty
when he agreed with determination plain on his face. Less than a quarter hour
later, and Gnak was walking out of camp accompanied by a suitable pair of Orcs
and the goblin king. No one had invited the goblin, but nonetheless he had
joined them just as they exited the town. Gnak assumed the goblin had a network
of goblin spies in his camp. He couldn’t help but wonder how he could put them
to use.

As the night progressed, Gnak and his companions traversed
the sand for nearly four hours before approaching the first of the camps that
night. It was small in comparison to their own, and even before entering the
camp it was obvious that something was wrong amongst its tents.

Like most Orc camps the sprawling gathering of tents held to
no particular design, the tents having been placed at random, and from within
the camp the sounds of shouting and ringing metal rang again and again as they
were joined from time to time by an anguished scream of pain. Drawing their
weapons, Gnak led his men into the camp cautiously to find dead Orcs strewn at
random amongst the tents. Working their way to what they presumed would be the
center of the camp, they found there a larger gathering of Orcs than any
anticipated, ringed around a group of combatants. So preoccupied by the
fighting in their own camp this clan was, that none noted their arrival and as
such Gnak strode right up to the gathering to watch the commotion.

From inside the ring of Orcs three massive members of their
race fought savagely, seemingly all against each other with no two working together.
Looking closer, Gnak realized that all three wore different markings, and the
styling of their personal garments was each different. Here before him was
something he had not anticipated. Looking past the growing ring of Orcs to the
opposite side of the tent camp, he could see a sizeable force. This clan was
being invaded by not one other but two other chiefs, who now sought to claim it
for themselves. Gnak thought it might be amusing to watch them all fight until
only one remained, but then decided against it. Here and now he could stop the
three from killing one another, and by doing so it would save Orc lives. He
knew it was the right thing to do. What he did not know, was how to approach
the situation. Then the idea hit him.

Leaving his companions behind, Gnak began to push and shove
his way to the center of the ring. Though it took several minutes, a growl, and
three angry snarls, he made his way there and stepped into the opening, where
the three chiefs battled. Instead of diving into the fray as those watching
expected him to do, instead he turned and addressed the crowd surrounding him.

“Know Gnak,” he shouted, banging his own gloved fist against
his breastplate. “Gnak Chief, Gathos clan. Gathos mighty. Gnak mighty. Have
magic!”

Then, turning, he made a big show of waving his arms and
chanting some nonsense before pointing his open hands at the three chiefs who
fought before him. All three froze as the gathered Orcs looked on in mixed
emotions of disbelief and fear, their jeers and insults silenced.

Walking up to the three battling chiefs, Gnak pointed to one
and, removing the sword from his hand, he became animated again just as Gnak
pressed one of his own blades to its throat. The Orc, confused by its
non-moving opponents and the blade pressed to his neck, could only watch as
Gnak then reanimated one of its foes who came charging towards him to end his
life. Throwing the Orc he held at his blade to the sand, Gnak froze the rushing
attacker once again, and striding around the creature he removed the sword from
its grasp before wrapping one arm around its throat, and pressed the point of
his blade to the side of its neck. Then he let it reclaim its body. The Orc,
still in mid stride, choked itself trying to finish its step before registering
Gnak and the blade at its neck. Enraged, the Orc swung back over its own
shoulder, trying to pierce Gnak with a blade that was no longer in his hand.
Even missing the blow and realizing that his weapon was gone the Orc lashed out
again and again trying to remove Gnak, until finally Gnak had had enough.

Freezing the Orc once more, Gnak, strode back around the
creature as the crowd watched on in silence.

“You see? Gnak take life,” he said, motioning to the frozen
Orc now directly before him. “Gnak give life,” he then added, pointing to the
would-be chief who remained watching from the ground. “But no take Gnak order,
Gnak kill. Gnak punish.”

With that he returned the Orc’s will just as he bashed him
in the mouth with one armored wrist, as blood and broken teeth sprayed from the
creature as he registered Gnak entirely too late. Spinning away from Gnak, he
kicked the Orc in the back, driving it to the ground with its peer. Then,
leaping atop the man as he tried to rise, Gnak stood atop his back and head as
his arms thrashed about the sand, his screams muffled.

“Gathos clan learn much. Learn new ways.”

Then he stepped off of the Orc’s back, allowing the gasping
man to roll over and breathe once again.

“No fight Gnak?” he questioned the Orc, who spat blood and
teeth before he could reply.

“No fight. You chief.”

Nodding his acceptance, Gnak turned to the final combatant
who still stood frozen. He was the biggest of the three. The best muscled, too.
He had scars on his arms and face. Signs that he liked to fight and prove himself.
This would be the one Gnak had to make the example out of. Gnak released him.

Watching as the giant Orc finished his strike that was met
by nothing but air, the brute turned and registered Gnak standing between him
and his two prior foes. Roaring his defiance the brute lunged, but Gnak
anticipated his move. Diving aside Gnak lashed out at the passing brute,
slicing the side of his knee as he passed. Both of them spinning to face one
another, each charged with a clash of steel as their blades met. Letting
himself be shoved backwards, Gnak used the moment to pull forth his second
blade.

Stepping forward to engage his enemy he swung his left blade
in a low arc aimed for the Orc’s thigh but stabbed out with the second blade
towards the Orc’s injured knee. The other Orc saw both of his attacks and,
instead of attempting to dodge, which would have ended in injury, the beast
leapt straight up into the air and kicked Gnak in the chest driving him back
once more. Gnak faltered.

No sooner did the brute land once more than it charged as
Gnak stumbled backwards, but it was just a ruse to draw the larger Orc in.
Falling backwards as his attacker leapt towards him, Gnak raised both of his
blades as he landed upon his back. Down the larger Orc came. Slapping the Orc’s
sword aside, Gnak stuck the other blade between the Orc’s ribs and rolled to
the side as it fell. Hitting the sand beneath it with a thud, the larger Orc
drove Gnak’s blade through its chest to protrude from its back.

Gurgling, the beast of a man placed both his palms upon the
sand and pressing upwards he pulled free of the soil below and rose, Gnak’s
blade still sticking from is chest. Not believing what he was seeing, Gnak dove
towards the large Orc and kicked at one of the brute’s legs, trying to bring it
down again, but the Orc sidestepped, thwarting his plan. Rolling back to his
feet, Gnak turned just in time to see the large brute hurl its blade at him,
end over end. Jerking his head aside he felt as it glanced off his head, taking
part of his newly formed ear with it. Damned Orc… that one was new.

Having had enough, Gnak charged the now unarmed Orc, but
instead of clashing with the titan once more, Gnak used another, much easier
option. Lunging aside at the last minute, Gnak reached out with one gloved hand
and grasped at the blade protruding from the Orc’s chest as he passed.
Wrenching it aside as he veered away, the large Orc screeched unnaturally just
once before its knees buckled and it fell upon its face in the sand, its heart
destroyed. All around the massive Orc, the sand darkened with the pooling of
its blood. But still Gnak was not done.