Fallen Crown (Orc Destiny Volume II) (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) by Jeremy Laszlo Page A
Authors: Jeremy Laszlo
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lives
had been the opposite. He hoped he could rely on them when the time came that
he needed to.
“To save many, Gnak have plan. No send, fight fast. Like go
join big chief, Gathos go slow to fight. Let more clan go first. Gathos go
last. Few die. Less die make Gathos strongest clan. Gathos make strongest, be
easy join more clans. See Gnak plan?”
It really was simple. Delay when attacking to let the other
clans take the brunt of the damage. There was no pride in it, but eventually,
taking the least casualties, his clan would become the strongest. Already they
were twelve hundred strong, and over six thousand with the goblins. If he could
gather another clan or two to his cause he would be strong enough to challenge
any other, except perhaps the clan of the big chief. But that concern would have
to wait.
Looking to all of his captains and allies one by one he
accepted their nods, and rising he left the tent with them as the sun dipped
below the horizon beyond. The fires in the human camp had been fed, growing
immense, casting dancing light in all directions. The twisted shadows of the
humans among the fires seemed to stretch across the valley in long serpentine
forms of darkness, but that was only an illusion, and Gnak quickly dismissed it
from his thoughts when he heard the sound.
From across the soon-to-be battlefield, a great cacophony of
howls arose, joining together as one, causing goose pimples to form on Gnak’s
flesh. Several of his clan, both Orc and goblin, visibly shuddered at the
sound. He could not help but wonder what horror the humans brought with them,
though the night did not reveal them. Instead, only half an hour later, even
from across the valley, hundreds of prowling sets of glowing eyes moved among
the shadows where the fires could not reach. Gnak watched the eyes, and watched
still as small contingents set forth across the dark valley from his own side.
The big chief was sending troops to harass the enemy and starve them of rest.
It was a good plan.
Watching through the darkness he and all his clan, like
every other, watched as the small bands of Orcs and goblins closed the distance
between themselves and the humans. Closer and closer they crept in the night,
careful to avoid the light where humans could see them. Gnak watched as the
first group grew dangerously close to the human guards, but never did they
reach their target. Out of the darkness the humans’ beasts came, springing onto
their foes with tooth and claw. The beasts were nothing the Orcs had ever seen
before, all feral rage and bristling fur, and within minutes every one of the
parties sent to harass the humans was reduced to mangled flesh. Some of his
kinsmen were left alive, their bodies torn to bits, as they screamed in pain,
calling to their comrades for help. No help came.
Throughout the night the big chief sent parties to test the
humans’ defenses, and again and again they were tore limb from limb. It seemed
the humans had allies of their own, and they were vicious creatures with
strength and size to rival the Orcs’. Gnak did not know what to think of the
creatures, only that he wanted to keep his men away from them at all costs. But
when morning came, all hopes of delaying or ending the battle before it started
were dashed.
Light spread across the sky to chase away darkness, as the
shadows of the mountains to the east shrank with every given moment. Thin,
wispy clouds, sailed high in the heavens as birds flew in great flocks, all
headed beyond the mountains to the south. Gnak watched as the human army began
to stir across the valley, and he was caught off guard when the first deep note
of the Orcish war drum broke the silence to carry across the still morning air.
The big chief intended to attack during the day when humans were less
vulnerable? Gnak wondered if the leader of many clans was a big a fool as his
plans made Gnak believe.
Again and again the note crashed through the air, being
picked up and joined
had been the opposite. He hoped he could rely on them when the time came that
he needed to.
“To save many, Gnak have plan. No send, fight fast. Like go
join big chief, Gathos go slow to fight. Let more clan go first. Gathos go
last. Few die. Less die make Gathos strongest clan. Gathos make strongest, be
easy join more clans. See Gnak plan?”
It really was simple. Delay when attacking to let the other
clans take the brunt of the damage. There was no pride in it, but eventually,
taking the least casualties, his clan would become the strongest. Already they
were twelve hundred strong, and over six thousand with the goblins. If he could
gather another clan or two to his cause he would be strong enough to challenge
any other, except perhaps the clan of the big chief. But that concern would have
to wait.
Looking to all of his captains and allies one by one he
accepted their nods, and rising he left the tent with them as the sun dipped
below the horizon beyond. The fires in the human camp had been fed, growing
immense, casting dancing light in all directions. The twisted shadows of the
humans among the fires seemed to stretch across the valley in long serpentine
forms of darkness, but that was only an illusion, and Gnak quickly dismissed it
from his thoughts when he heard the sound.
From across the soon-to-be battlefield, a great cacophony of
howls arose, joining together as one, causing goose pimples to form on Gnak’s
flesh. Several of his clan, both Orc and goblin, visibly shuddered at the
sound. He could not help but wonder what horror the humans brought with them,
though the night did not reveal them. Instead, only half an hour later, even
from across the valley, hundreds of prowling sets of glowing eyes moved among
the shadows where the fires could not reach. Gnak watched the eyes, and watched
still as small contingents set forth across the dark valley from his own side.
The big chief was sending troops to harass the enemy and starve them of rest.
It was a good plan.
Watching through the darkness he and all his clan, like
every other, watched as the small bands of Orcs and goblins closed the distance
between themselves and the humans. Closer and closer they crept in the night,
careful to avoid the light where humans could see them. Gnak watched as the
first group grew dangerously close to the human guards, but never did they
reach their target. Out of the darkness the humans’ beasts came, springing onto
their foes with tooth and claw. The beasts were nothing the Orcs had ever seen
before, all feral rage and bristling fur, and within minutes every one of the
parties sent to harass the humans was reduced to mangled flesh. Some of his
kinsmen were left alive, their bodies torn to bits, as they screamed in pain,
calling to their comrades for help. No help came.
Throughout the night the big chief sent parties to test the
humans’ defenses, and again and again they were tore limb from limb. It seemed
the humans had allies of their own, and they were vicious creatures with
strength and size to rival the Orcs’. Gnak did not know what to think of the
creatures, only that he wanted to keep his men away from them at all costs. But
when morning came, all hopes of delaying or ending the battle before it started
were dashed.
Light spread across the sky to chase away darkness, as the
shadows of the mountains to the east shrank with every given moment. Thin,
wispy clouds, sailed high in the heavens as birds flew in great flocks, all
headed beyond the mountains to the south. Gnak watched as the human army began
to stir across the valley, and he was caught off guard when the first deep note
of the Orcish war drum broke the silence to carry across the still morning air.
The big chief intended to attack during the day when humans were less
vulnerable? Gnak wondered if the leader of many clans was a big a fool as his
plans made Gnak believe.
Again and again the note crashed through the air, being
picked up and joined
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