Fallen Crown (Orc Destiny Volume II) (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) by Jeremy Laszlo
Authors: Jeremy Laszlo
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at an alarming rate. If
something did not change soon, he would be forced to take drastic measures in
order to sustain his people.
Each night thereafter, he led his people in prayer to
Ishanya, and asked that she bring them change. With each new addition their
prayers became louder, and after just nine more nights, it seemed she had heard
them. Change had come.
CHAPTER NINE
The sun still blazed in the sky outside when Gnak was roused
from his bed of furs. A great roar sounding from all around him broke the
relative silence, to then echo once again off the mountains behind. Springing
from his bed he rushed outside, forgoing even his armor to see what had caused
the commotion. Following the gazes of his people, he looked out across the
valley below them to the highest point upon the opposite, cliff-like wall. Atop
it stood near a hundred of the armored humans, all atop the great white mounts
they rode. Behind them, and to either side, tents were being erected in a tight
row, obscuring just how large a force was marching to the field. Damned smart
humans.
Over the following hours the human camp grew and grew. Rows
of tents obscured nearly the entire face of that highest point across the
valley. Humans could be seen running this way and that, and before long a
perimeter of fires and guards were set as hundreds of eyes looked back across
the great void at the Orcs and their allies. Gnak was filled with anxiety.
Rushing back into his tent, knowing everyone outside was
distracted, he pulled forth Jen’s orb from his body and called to her softly.
“Jen, Gnak want talk you.”
“What about?” she answered immediately, as if she had been
awaiting his call.
“Humans come. Big war soon. Many die.”
“It can’t be stopped?”
“No way, Gnak see.”
“Then you have to do like Ishanya told you. Do what you can
for the Orcs. Keep them safe so you can bring them together and make believers
of them.”
“Gnak know this. Not know how,” Gnak said, sounding as if he
were on the verge of defeat.
“You can’t save them all, Gnak, and to save some you might
have to make sacrifices.”
“What sacrifices? Kill humans for Ishanya?”
“No, not literally, Gnak. You might have to sacrifice pride
to save them.”
“Run away? Gnak no can run. Orcs no trust weak chief.”
“Not run away, but perhaps be slower than the rest to rush
into battle. Let others take the brunt of the damage.”
Gnak thought it over a minute and then grinned into the
empty tent.
“Is good plan. Make clan wait. Just small time. Let others
in front. Gnak like.”
“I am glad to be of service, chief Gnak,” she replied
playfully. “How comes Ishanya’s desires?”
“Gnak have three clan, make one. Grow double, grow more.”
“More than double? That is good news, Gnak.”
“Yes is good. Gnak must go now. Need make plan with
captains.”
“OK, Gnak, keep yourself safe. Remember, your life is
precious too. Maybe even more precious than others.”
“Gnak remember. Gnak fight smart. No like Orc.”
Jen did not reply back. She had again gone beyond his reach.
But the conversation had made Gnak feel more at ease. He had a simple plan to
help spare the lives of his troops, and he had Jen’s belief in him that he
could do what it was that he sought to.
Turning, he strode to the flap of his tent, and poking his
head through he told the captains outside to gather their peers as well as Bota
and the goblin king for a meeting. Ducking back inside, he waited nearly an
hour for all to arrive. The camp had grown so much it was becoming more
difficult to locate one another.
“All here know what Ishanya want Gnak do. All here know Gnak
want save Orc, make Orc better. Gnak want save goblin too. Troll too. Ishanya want
Gnak make better. Bring many clan, make one. Many race one camp. Gnak want this
too…”
He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. All in
his tent were smart. They understood what he meant even if their whole
something did not change soon, he would be forced to take drastic measures in
order to sustain his people.
Each night thereafter, he led his people in prayer to
Ishanya, and asked that she bring them change. With each new addition their
prayers became louder, and after just nine more nights, it seemed she had heard
them. Change had come.
CHAPTER NINE
The sun still blazed in the sky outside when Gnak was roused
from his bed of furs. A great roar sounding from all around him broke the
relative silence, to then echo once again off the mountains behind. Springing
from his bed he rushed outside, forgoing even his armor to see what had caused
the commotion. Following the gazes of his people, he looked out across the
valley below them to the highest point upon the opposite, cliff-like wall. Atop
it stood near a hundred of the armored humans, all atop the great white mounts
they rode. Behind them, and to either side, tents were being erected in a tight
row, obscuring just how large a force was marching to the field. Damned smart
humans.
Over the following hours the human camp grew and grew. Rows
of tents obscured nearly the entire face of that highest point across the
valley. Humans could be seen running this way and that, and before long a
perimeter of fires and guards were set as hundreds of eyes looked back across
the great void at the Orcs and their allies. Gnak was filled with anxiety.
Rushing back into his tent, knowing everyone outside was
distracted, he pulled forth Jen’s orb from his body and called to her softly.
“Jen, Gnak want talk you.”
“What about?” she answered immediately, as if she had been
awaiting his call.
“Humans come. Big war soon. Many die.”
“It can’t be stopped?”
“No way, Gnak see.”
“Then you have to do like Ishanya told you. Do what you can
for the Orcs. Keep them safe so you can bring them together and make believers
of them.”
“Gnak know this. Not know how,” Gnak said, sounding as if he
were on the verge of defeat.
“You can’t save them all, Gnak, and to save some you might
have to make sacrifices.”
“What sacrifices? Kill humans for Ishanya?”
“No, not literally, Gnak. You might have to sacrifice pride
to save them.”
“Run away? Gnak no can run. Orcs no trust weak chief.”
“Not run away, but perhaps be slower than the rest to rush
into battle. Let others take the brunt of the damage.”
Gnak thought it over a minute and then grinned into the
empty tent.
“Is good plan. Make clan wait. Just small time. Let others
in front. Gnak like.”
“I am glad to be of service, chief Gnak,” she replied
playfully. “How comes Ishanya’s desires?”
“Gnak have three clan, make one. Grow double, grow more.”
“More than double? That is good news, Gnak.”
“Yes is good. Gnak must go now. Need make plan with
captains.”
“OK, Gnak, keep yourself safe. Remember, your life is
precious too. Maybe even more precious than others.”
“Gnak remember. Gnak fight smart. No like Orc.”
Jen did not reply back. She had again gone beyond his reach.
But the conversation had made Gnak feel more at ease. He had a simple plan to
help spare the lives of his troops, and he had Jen’s belief in him that he
could do what it was that he sought to.
Turning, he strode to the flap of his tent, and poking his
head through he told the captains outside to gather their peers as well as Bota
and the goblin king for a meeting. Ducking back inside, he waited nearly an
hour for all to arrive. The camp had grown so much it was becoming more
difficult to locate one another.
“All here know what Ishanya want Gnak do. All here know Gnak
want save Orc, make Orc better. Gnak want save goblin too. Troll too. Ishanya want
Gnak make better. Bring many clan, make one. Many race one camp. Gnak want this
too…”
He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. All in
his tent were smart. They understood what he meant even if their whole
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