Fallen Crown (Orc Destiny Volume II) (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) (4 page)

Bota had helped him plan as best they were able. Gnak was
surprised to find that the Orc seemed receptive of his newfound ideals, and
even had a few of his own to add. Together they had decided that they needed a
more disciplined clan. Not that the clan was out of control, but when Gnak had
seen the goblin troops maneuver nearly a month ago, he had been impressed. His
description of the goblin troops impressed Bota as well. Both wanted to
replicate what the goblins had done, only with more precision and conformity.
Gnak wanted his clan to stand out among all the clans. To stand proud. He
wanted them to be the best prepared. The best equipped. He wanted them to be
envied by the other clans and make them want to be more like his Gathos clan.
But their biggest plans would have to wait until after the battle. Then they
could really make a difference.

Turning his attention back to his clan, he looked at the
many loaded handcarts as his own tent began being disassembled behind him.
Around a great shrine of bone in the middle of the clearing where their camp
had been, stood nearly every Orc of his clan. Not knowing what to do with the
shrine, or how to pray to a human god, the Orcs simply stood staring at the
thing. Gnak needed to guide them.

Striding among his people, he felt more than watched as a
pair of his captains fell into step behind and off to each side of him. Bota
already awaited from among their people. Nearing the shrine Gnak raised his
hands, and all mumbles and grunts fell silent, all eyes falling upon him.

“Great Gathos clan. We mighty. We strong. We proud. But
there more. Ishanya mightier. She stronger. She prouder. For her power we
serve. I chief. I serve Ishanya. You serve too. Ishanya make Gathos clan
stronger than all clan. Go say Orcs to Ishanya, we want her strength. We want
her power. We serve Ishanya and teach other Orcs serve Ishanya. You pray
Ishanya, make deal. Tell Goddess you serve you want power. Not just for self,
but for clan, for Orc. Make Orc better.” Gnak said and watched as his Orcs
began mumbling random phrases in the general direction of the shrine.

It was new to them. Prayer was not an odd concept, but even
so, there was no words taught for prayer. Orcs asked for power and gave blood.
It had always been so. Now Gnak needed them to do more. Not only pray, but
share the name of Ishanya and tell of her to others. But it was already apparent
that his clan would need more structure.

“Gathos clan. Hear chief words. Say words to Ishanya;” he
paused as the vast majority seemed to understand. “Mighty Ishanya. Gnak pray
you give power. Gnak pray you make Orc better. For this Gnak serve. For this
Gnak proud. For this Gnak tell more Orc of you power. This Gnak swear.”

When he finished his simple prayer he listened as his tribe
began to repeat it back, substituting their own names, first in a jumble, and
then all together as a single voice. The power behind so many voices had a
staggering effect when working together, and many an Orc opened its eyes wide
at hearing all of their voices combined. Gnak took advantage.

“You see Gathos clan. We mighty. We work together, we more
mighty. Gods hear Gathos clan like they hear Gnak when he call them. Come,
Orcs. We go war.”

With that, the congregation of Orcs turned and began
collecting their carts and litters of supplies. Gnak rushed ahead to the front
of his tribe in time to witness a pair of his new captains leading four other
Orcs with empty carts away from the main group. Gnak hoped the goblins had not
been too greedy, and watched his men leave to carry out his orders.

But it was Gnak’s other captains that became the immediate
centers of attention as they began grunting and barking orders at the clan
members, instructing them to fall into specific positions and maintain them as
they traveled. It was slow going at first, with Orcs wanting to move at random,
each choosing their own pace. Each of them wanting to be the fastest and
strongest Orc, the first to arrive to battle. But with his many captains, that
very first night, the Gathos clan began to move as one unit, with one purpose,
and one destination. For the whole of the night Gnak lead his people across the
sand in silence. There was a great deal of unknown awaiting him in the days to
come. He had no way to prepare for things he did not know. And for the first
time in his entire life, Gnak was afraid. Not for himself, but for his people
and his plans. He did not want to fail them as he had failed Jen.

Morning came, and with it Gnak called a halt to his
procession. Though they had traveled at a steady pace the entire night, he had
purposely slowed them, buying time. Giving his orders, they were quickly relayed
and immediately carts began being unpacked. Though the Orcs would only be
raising temporary dwellings to spend the day within, it was apparent that again
he would need to intervene.

As carts were unloaded, they were shoved aside with no
thought as to care or placement. Tents were beginning to be erected at random,
and Gnak thought that perhaps this was another opportunity for improvement.

Shouting and grunting, he brought the camp being erected
around him to a halt. His captains, whose names he had not yet learned, rushed
to his side. Bending to the sand beneath him, he drew a circle in the sand.

“This for fire. This for Ishanya,” he stated

Then, around the circle he drew several boxes, creating a
square-like pattern with rounded corners and spaces between them.

“My tent. You tents,” Gnak said, pointing to the boxes and
then his captains.

Putting his finger to the sand again, he created another
ring of boxes in yet a larger square around the first and then another around
that followed by yet another.

“These clan.”

Then he rose, his captains nodding their understanding and
approval before they each turned and began shouting orders. Gnak watched as
tents in various states of erection were summarily torn down once more and
relocated. It was a process that would normally have taken only minutes,
setting tents at random, but on this day Gnak watched the sun rising into the
sky for three hours as his captains pushed his clan into order. When finally
the camp was suitably erected, Gnak stood outside the camp, admiring their
work.

It was not an unbelievable feat. It was not a magnificent
creation. But it was an accomplishment, and one that he was proud of. Deciding
to admire the camp from all sides, Gnak began to walk the outer perimeter as
Bota and his captains came to join him. Together they trudged through the soft
sand, appraising what they had done.

From outside the camp, one could see through and through the
camp to the other side from between the rings of tents. At the camp center was
a space reserved for a fire or shrine that would be visible from all angles of
approach. Better yet, from the center of the camp, a single guard could see out
in all directions simply by turning around. The implications were astounding.
Simple organization could free up dozens of Orcs for other tasks, who would
normally be needed as guards. Even a weak or old Orc, one who would normally be
killed lest they become a burden on the clan, could stand watch and sound the
alarm if needed.

For many to live, some would have to die. Gnak knew it to be
true. Jen had even told him so. But now, he could also see that it was true
that only a few could save the many. If, and only if, the few could usher the
many into a new life of organization and cooperation. Gnak grinned a tusky grin
and stomped through the sand into the center ring of camp, where a tent had
been erected for him. Giving his orders for a single pair of captains to serve
as watch, the rest, including himself, retired for the day to get some rest,
but he did not yet plan to sleep.

Instead, giving in to the craving he was forced to deny for
the whole of the march, Gnak reached inward and began to caress the power
within him that was Jen. Many times it would take long minutes or even hours to
summon her voice, but this time Gnak was surprised when her voice came so
suddenly.

“Hello, Gnak. Or should I call you Chief?”

“Gnak good. But Chief good too.”

“Does your new title suit you?” Jen’s voice asked.

“Chief good. Teach Orcs. Make better.”

“Is it working?”

“Yes, Gnak think. Make new captains. Make new ways. Is
better.”

“Good, Gnak. I’m glad your progress is going well. How are
your preparations for war coming?”

Gnak found the question a bit disturbing. He and Jen had not
discussed the war. He had not managed to speak to her since claiming the
position of chief, yet somehow she knew.

“How know Jen of war?” Gnak asked.

“I’m dead, Gnak, but I still know things and hear things.
It’s different now, and things get confused, but I
am
still here.”

For a long moment Gnak thought over her response. It made
sense, he supposed. She had not technically left. He figured, in the end, that
it was probably a good thing if she could still experience the world around
them. She would have more useful input as well.

“Have you learned to use your power?” Jen asked.

“No yet. Need time.”

“Do you think Ishanya wants you to delay? I doubt the gods
have much patience when they tell us to do something.”

“Gnak not want fail. Need learn magic.”

“If you are going to war it might be better you learn before
you get there.”

“Jen right. Gnak need learn. Not know how learn.”

“I didn’t know how either, Gnak. I just tried over and over
again.”

“Jen magic different. Gnak magic different.”

“Yes, but like my dad always said about raking hay, practice
makes perfect.”

“Gnak try learn.”

“That’s good, Gnak, I hope you get t….”

Again she was gone. Gnak gnashed his teeth. She was right,
of course. But beyond that, perhaps if he did learn to use his magic he would
be able to better communicate with her as well. Determined to experiment as
soon as he was able, he laid down upon the bundle of furs making up his bed and
thought a while about how to perform such experiments without putting his clan
in danger. Eventually, decided upon a plan, he slept throughout most of the
heat of the day until he awoke suddenly, his eyes popping open as a blade was
pressed firmly to his throat.

CHAPTER FOUR

Though panic threatened to take him, Gnak focused on the Orc
towering above him. The blade at his throat was a crude Orc blade, designed for
basic stabbing and slashing, its thick steel blackened by heat and animal fat.
His eyes finally focusing, he recognized Daku, a former captain to his father,
and could see light coming in from what should have been the back of the tent.
The Orc had obviously cut his way in from the side opposite those captains
standing guard. Gnak tried to think how best to react, but was at a loss. The
Orc above him held his head down with one massive hand and held the blade
against his throat with the other. If he shouted, he would die. If he moved he
would die. The only thing Gnak did not know, was why the Orc had not yet killed
him. But he did not wait long for the answer.

“Gnak no chief. Gnak demon. Daku kill demon. Bring much
honor. Make chief. Daku better chief, Gnak. Gnak want change Orc. Orc mighty.
No change Orc.”

Gnak knew the Orc’s rant would not last long, but
nonetheless he was forced to endure the ramblings of the Orc who feared change
and mourned the loss of his position. Fortunately he did not have to wait long
for the Orc to run out of things to say. But when he did, things turned
immediately for the worse.

Gnak felt as the Orc first pressed the blade against his
neck roughly as warm wetness dribbled down and around his neck, and just as the
Orc began to drag the rough blade across his throat to finish the job, Gnak
panicked and reacted by instinct. In an effort to strike his assailant, he
smashed his hand into the chest of the Orc leaning over him. Though his
open-palmed strike was not sufficient to cause damage, such was the blow that
Daku was driven up, relieving the pressure upon the blade, and back, causing
him to become off balance. But that was not what caused Gnak to gasp.

In the instant his hand touched the bare chest of his enemy,
something wondrous happened. It was as if a veil had been yanked from before
his eyes, and not only could he see the inner light of his attacker, but he
could feel it upon his fingertips as he struck Daku. He grasped at it with a
growl of rage and felt as the warm light gave way, tearing from his attacker as
he wrapped his fingers around it.

Instead of retaliating, Daku froze, a blank expression upon
his face as all the light in his eyes faded. From the front of the tent, both
of Gnak’s captains on guard duty burst through the flaps. Though Gnak should
have been focused on his captains and Daku, as the two Orcs sworn to him hacked
the would-be assassin to the ground viciously, regardless of the fact that Daku
made no move to defend himself, instead he looked first into the palm of his
hand and then to his captains.

Like Daku, both of his captains had a small inner light
within them. He could see it plain as a beam of sunlight through the clouds.
Though he did not know how it had happened, or what had brought about the
change, Gnak knew that this would define everything he did from this day
forward. Raising a hand, he called for his captains to relent in their butchery
of Daku. Then, with naught but curiosity and confusion, he rose from his bed of
furs and walked out of the tent, blood still dribbling from his neck wound
which was luckily little more than a scratch.

Though it was still day, it was just barely so. Most Orcs
remained in their tents, yet there were a few that wandered about the camp
seeing to minor tasks or personal needs. Each of them had an inner light. Each
of them glowed like Daku and his captains. Though it took his heart near an
hour to finally calm in his chest, and just as long for his mind to slow back
to a reasonable level, eventually he was able to think more rationally. He
recalled the entire attack over and over, and only stumbled upon one
conclusion. His vision had changed when he had touched Daku. His attacker had
been the first living person he had laid a hand upon since he had spoken with
the goddess weeks ago. Sure, he had touched Jen, but she had not truly been
alive. He had touched his father too, but only after having severed his head.
It had to have been the physical contact that had triggered this change in him.
Gnak wondered what else might have changed. Now he
really
needed to
experiment. Once again, Jen had been right.