Fallen Crown (Orc Destiny Volume II) (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) (6 page)

Needing to witness as much as possible himself, he rushed
ahead as his clan mates spread wide, creating a path for him. He well expected
the fox with a hole in its chest to have expired once again, and was not
surprised when he found that his thoughts had been true. The animal had
deteriorated quickly with the previous day’s hot sun and flies, and now it
seemed it had met its end.

Laying in its cage, the beast did not move, as maggots
crawled about its wound and mouth. It was a sick bloated thing, the skin so
inflated that it moved independent from the muscles and sinew beneath. Even so,
Gnak could see the spark within it and caught it as it moved to depart. Holding
the tiny ball of light in his hand, he again pressed it to the beast and felt
it bind there, though the sensation was weak. The disgusting animal’s mouth
moved, its swollen tongue lolling about as its milky eyes wandered this way and
that. It was alive again. If you could call it that. Only this was not the only
issue requiring his attention as two of his captains quickly pointed out

Beside the first cage sat another of the same crude
construction. Within the cage was the fox that Gnak had removed the orb from
and left in a trance-like state. Though it remained in an upright position,
having not moved in days, it had stayed that way when it had died. Though none
could be certain
when
that had been, as it appeared still to be living,
with eyes open and in an upright position. Its orb of light was gone, having
left sometime prior without his notice. Lifting the cage, the fox tilted to one
side and fell over, stiff as the wood the cart it was carried upon was made of.
Tossing the cage back into the cart, Gnak then looked at the third fox he had
performed a test upon. This was the fox he had choked to death and then
restored. Though it was also not in the best of shape, it remained alive. It
was beginning to show signs of bloat, proving to Gnak that it too was no longer
living, but without an actual open wound it at least lasted longer than its
peers. Even so it acted unnaturally, its head jerking this way and that while
its ears moved about, independent from one another. Turning, Gnak strode away
from the cart to resume his position at the head of the line. Time was ever
running shorter, but at least he had learned something new.

It appeared that after life, the will he restored to a beast
did not linger long, lasting only as long as the body lasted. But so too was
the opposite true. Without the will he had the ability to remove from the
creatures, the body no longer desired life, and so too would perish in little
time. There had to be more to it than this. What use was the power the goddess
had given him if only to make the dead linger long enough to rot? Then he
realized it. It might not be all she had intended, but was at least some small
part of what it was the goddess had given him.

Ishanya had told him to unite his people and guide them into
her worship. She told him to create for her an army unlike anything ever seen
before upon Thurr. And she had given him the key he needed to make it possible!
It was his own stupid Orc brain that had missed the obvious!

To take over an Orc clan was as simple as challenging and
killing its chief, just as he had done with his own clan. Sure, there would be
those among the new clan that would likely try and kill a newcomer to take the
role themselves, but Gnak no longer had to fight them. Not really. All he had
to do is touch the chief of any given clan and pull from the Orc his will.
Then, when he was without the will to do anything, stuck in the trance Gnak had
seen several times already, he could be killed with ease. All Gnak had to do
was get close enough to touch anyone who stood in the way of his plans.

Of course he would have to make it
look
like a
challenge. Perhaps he would insult those he planned to kill just as he touched
them. It was the simplest solution in the world. He knew there had to be more
to his power than just this, but it was enough to do as Ishanya wished. It was
enough to unite his people and possibly save them from themselves. Excited,
Gnak strode through the sand the remainder of the night, only half alert to
what he was doing. To share his excitement with her, knowing now that she at
least had some connection with the world, Gnak reached inward and stroked the
essence that was Jen within him. They were finally a step closer.

The third night after his experiments, the last of his test
foxes died after it had bloated so far that its belly had ruptured during the
day. After that it did not last long. Sending out a pair of his captains to
scout ahead, Gnak waited impatiently for their return. He knew that their
destination grew near. The Orc camp they were supposed to join with the
gathering Orc army could not be much farther. It was only four hours before his
captains returned.

Gnak watched them come rushing over the dune ahead, and
halted his clan’s march as they raced to meet him. The looks upon their faces
told him much about what lay ahead, but even so, he listened patiently after
asking them what they had found.

“Gathos clan march, next night reach big chief,” the first
captain stated.

“No many miles to camp,” the second added.

Gnak realized that he really needed to learn their names. He
owed them as much.

“Big chief, many clans. Have scouts. Scouts find Gathos,”
the first added.

So that was it. Time was up. Just miles ahead lay their
destination, and with it the big chief and many clans of Orcs. Not only were
they less than one night’s travel away, but there were scouts out and about who
would surely note their approach. Gnak needed time to think. Time to plan. With
nothing better in mind, he gave the order to set camp and strode off into the night,
waving off his captains who sought to follow in case he needed a guard.

Nervous, he sought out Jen and began caressing her, hoping
to rouse her. It had been days since he last heard her voice and he felt alone,
even
knowing
that her presence was still with him. He wanted to discuss
his predicament with her, and see what she would suggest. Jen always knew the
smart thing to do. He was too new to her ways to fully understand, but she
could help him and he knew it.

Over and over he called out to her in the night, whispering
her name into the wind. All the while he summoned her power to his hand and
held it there, stroking it lightly. He watched as the night grew brighter and
finally the sun broke the horizon ahead. Still he tried to summon her.

It was a full two hours into the day when he again pleaded
into the air for her to answer him when she finally responded.

“Jen, Gnak need help,” Gnak begged.

“Well hello, Gnak. What seems to be your trouble?”

“Jen! Thank gods, you come!”

“Not gods, Gnak. Ishanya. I couldn’t be here talking to you
if it hadn’t been for her.”

“Yes. Yes. Thank Ishanya,” Gnak agreed.

“Why are you so anxious, Gnak?” Jen asked inside his head.

“Big chief close. No time finish plan.”

“Close enough to see you?”

“Much close. Scouts see.

“Have they seen you yet?”

“Not know.”

“Why not just turn around and go back until you have had
enough time?”

“No run. Is no honor. Clan no…” Gnak paused, seeking a word
to convey his thought.

“Understand?” Jen suggested.

“Yes. Clan no understand run.”

“Then stay where you are. What will the big chief do? Will
he come to you?”

“Not know. Maybe send captain. Maybe no.”

“Then what do you have to lose? Wait and see what happens.
Sometimes the best plan is to do nothing at all.”

“Jen smart.”

“Why thank you, Gnak. You’re not too bad yourself,” she
replied with a giggle.

Gnak realized he had not heard her laugh since she was
alive.
Really
alive. The sound made him feel lighter, as if his problem
was already diminished.

For hours Jen remained with him this time, and Gnak spent
more than half the day sitting atop a dune speaking with her. He described the
plan he had made to collect the armor from the mountain pass, along with the
gold he had stashed in the crack up on the wall of the pass. He explained how
his men would then take both the armor and the gold to the goblin king that he
had dealt with when capturing the giant. Using the gold as payment, his men
would have the armor altered to suit as many of his Orcs as possible. That of
course was if the goblins did not simply kill the Orcs and take both the gold
and the armor.

He told her of his experiments with the foxes, and his
discoveries that were a result of those experiments. Though to his
disappointment, she did not sound overly excited when he told her that he one day
hoped to find her a suitable body and restore her to life yet again. Perhaps
the two deaths she had already experienced were yet too fresh in her memory.
Gnak had no way of knowing, and did not wish to upset her by asking.

They discussed his ability to easily dispatch other chiefs
in order to claim their clans and unite the Orcs, and this she took interest
in, though warned him to be cautious when choosing the moment to strike. Such
an attack could trigger a larger battle and many could die.

Jen made several suggestions, and warned Gnak about several
ideas he had and what future implications they might bring if he did not think
his actions through. She encouraged him to continue to test his abilities, and
maybe even use them to infiltrate the big chief’s own clan. It was devious.
Every bit of it. But she showed him that every path she spoke of would save
lives in the end. Lives he could then teach and guide to Ishanya. It was the
end she told him to focus on.
Plan ahead
, she reminded him, but also
told him that a plan did not always involve action or force. Gnak weighed her
every word carefully, and when he finally decided that it was time for him to
return to his people he told her goodbye in his own way, and promised he would
talk to her again soon.

Returning to camp, Gnak found the place in a commotion.
Where he had expected to find most in their tents resting for the day, instead
there was a surging mob. Below he could make out a small group of unfamiliar
looking Orcs surrounded by his own clan, and it appeared as if things were on
the verge of violence. As of yet, only his captains and Bota knew of his desire
to kill as few Orcs as was possible. The rest of his people had yet to
subscribe to such beliefs.

Feeling as the sand gave way beneath him with each powerful
stride, Gnak rushed to the edge of his camp, the midday sun hot on his neck and
shoulders. Nearing the crowd of Orcs, they noted his approach and made way for
him, as he walked straight up to the first Orc who did not belong to his
people. Poking the brute in the chest with one large finger, he scowled at the
man, gnashing his teeth menacingly. The Orc, who had been right in the middle
of an insult, froze, his words caught in his mouth. Gnak leaned towards the Orc
and, pressing both of his huge hands to the man’s chest, he shoved with all his
might, throwing the Orc backwards as its two fellows watched on in shock. The
Orc landed without so much as a grunt, its limbs still positioned as if it
stood, making it appear even more frightful than Gnak had intended. Even so, he
puffed out his chest and jutted out his jaw as he turned to face the remaining
two.

“More Orc talk bad Gathos clan?” Gnak demanded.

“What Gathos chief do?” the bigger of the remaining Orcs
demanded in return, gesturing to his fallen clan member.

“Gnak take puny Orc’s life. Give back if Gnak want. No for
now. You talk. Tell Gnak why come!”

Gnak felt more than saw as the whole crowd around him leaned
forward, listening intently. His clan had done well not to harm the Orcs. Gnak
knew well already what their reason for coming was. But he was playing safe.
Being smart. Gathering information.

“Big chief send us talk. Tell Gathos come,” the remaining
Orc that until now had been silent said.

“Gathos does come. We no hurry. Have much carry. Is heavy,”
Gnak sneered.

“Then Gathos weak. Big chief no ask. Is order. Gathos come
now,” the larger Orc grunted, then spat in the sand at Gnak’s feet.

It was all Gnak could do to restrain himself at the insult.
His life as an Orc, and Orc mentality, told him to draw his blades and kill the
Orc, but he knew it was not the way. He did, however, intend to teach the Orc a
lesson.

In one swift movement, Gnak lunged forward and dropped into
a roll as he swept his leg out, tearing his opponent’s legs from beneath him.
As the Orc’s legs shot out from under it, it flipped backwards in the air as
Gnak regained his feet just in time to punch the Orc full in the face, driving
it forcefully to the ground upon its back. Without sound or motion the Orc lay,
seemingly lifeless in the loose desert sand. Grunting and rising to his full
height, Gnak tucked away the orb that was the Orc’s essence.

Turning, he strode the two paces to the third emissary of
the big chief and stood only inches away from the man. Leaning in even closer,
he brought his face within an inch of the other Orc’s, and glaring, he gave his
final warning.

“Talk bad Gathos clan, Gnak lay Orc beside others.”

With an angry sneer, the Orc grunted his understanding. Gnak
waited a moment, letting his hot breath blast the Orc in the face, before
finally taking a step back and looking down upon the slightly smaller Orc.

“Gnak let you take Orcs. Gnak give back life. You go. We
come. Gathos no hurry, yes?”

Turning once more, Gnak nodded to his captains and striding
forward he bent briefly and touched both of the Orcs. He had thought to swap
them, giving each the other’s body, but thought it best not to reveal all of
his tricks just yet.