Age of the Gods: The Complete, twelve novel, fantasy series (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) (158 page)

Forced to ponder his predicament himself, he worked through various scenarios that might lead him to an end he found desirable, but realizing that Bota would not think nor act as he did, he found them each unlikely to occur. Instead, he finally decided it was best to simply see what the Orc knew, and how his mind worked.

“Bota, talk Gnak, what clan say of Gnak?”

It was apparent that Bota put thought into his answer, as a long moment of silence preceded his reply. Gnak thought this was good, as it explained the Orc’s survival in his clan. He was obviously not the strongest nor the best fighter, but if he had managed to use his mind to survive within the clan this long, he might best be used for something other than a warrior. Gnak silently thanked Jen for showing him the error of his people’s ways.

“Gnak kill giant king. Gnak kill Korx, win captain. Gnak get dead girl, talk god, bring dead girl back. Give life. All clan know this. Some clan fear Gnak. Some want captain, say Gnak dead. Hope take Gnak captain. Some want kill Gnak if come back camp.”

Gnak watched as Bota paused again, seeking the words he would use to continue. Though he now knew that there were those who wanted him dead simply to claim his title as captain, it was not a surprise. Weeks ago he would have hoped for the same. He now knew that at least some, likely those who remained that he had gone through the rite of passage known as Catunga with, would try and kill him when he returned. Realizing the power that came from the knowledge, and the ability to plan with it, he listened intently as Bota continued.

“Some clan say like chief. Gnak brave warrior. Kill giant king. Win captain. Serve god. New power. Make clan strong. But shaman say new god, new power, no good.”

Gnak knew the clan to be divided between those who would uphold his standing and title, and those who would challenge it. His peers wanted him dead to claim his title, and it seemed the shaman feared him. He had never trusted the man anyway. Gnak knew it would take a brave action to cement his position within the clan. It would take an action that was unexpected, and never before seen to allow him to make the changes among his people that he desired to. He had to use every ounce of knowledge he had gained, and every new lesson Jen had taught him to move his people forward to the end that he and his goddess desired. Though it was not yet complete, he had a plan.

“Good, Bota, words give pride. Bota give good words.”

“What Bota do? How serve?” the Orc asked.

“Gnak go camp. Bota go camp. Gnak kill chief. Gnak serve Ishanya. She want Gnak chief. Bota serve Gnak, serve Ishanya. Gnak make chief, change clan, make Bota Captain.”

Gnak watched as Bota’s expression changed once again as the understanding brought forth a look of determination upon his face. He had just been offered a position that had been unobtainable to him for the whole of his life. He was not strong enough to become a captain by the ways they were currently selected. By offering him this, he had cemented the man’s loyalty to both himself and to Ishanya.

“Gnak kill chief. Must faster!” Bota then shouted, his expression changing yet again.

Gnak did not even have time to ask why, before Bota began again.

“Clan go to war. Big chief say so. Clan chief take all Orc. Go war.”

With realization of his own striking home, Gnak leaned forward and began pumping his legs, barely noting Bota keeping pace beside him. If the clan had been called to war by the big chief, then the camp would be gone. His window of opportunity to kill the chief and save lives was dwindling. A call such as this only came with major conflicts, and major conflicts meant many would die. They had to hurry.

CHAPTER TWO

Crossing first the foothills of the mountains and then the miles of sand that stretched between the rocky hills and the desert camp of the Orcs, it was obvious that things were not as Gnak had left them weeks ago when he had fled the camp with Jen. Though day was nearing he could hear the bustle of the camp even from miles away, and could tell by its profile against the backdrop of the horizon that it had changed radically. Most of the camp had already begun tearing down their tent-like homes in preparation for marching to war.

Fires blazed all around the encampment, casting strange hues and shadows over everything, as the flames danced upwards into the sky. The smoke of the many fires was caught up by the wind coming over the mountains and carried farther south, but even with the wind at his back he could hear the grunts and shouts as the chief and his captains barked out orders to the clan.

An hour later, nearing the camp with Bota at his side, Gnak slowed to a walk as he closed the distance across the last several hundred yards towards the edge of camp. Several had taken note of his approach already, but none had taken action to move against him, nor speak to him. The camp was busy, and even those with something to gain by his demise were fearful of what powers he might have gained in his dealings with the foreign goddess. No. They would not attack him in the open. They would try to catch him unaware and strike him down

Spotting the chief across the camp, pointing one thick finger in the direction of a captain shouting orders, Gnak altered his course. If he did not delay, and challenged the chief now, he could begin restructuring his clan well before they made it to the war they were summoned to. Not to mention that any rival who would
now
dare to oppose him, would then have second thoughts about attacking him as the chief. Though he didn’t have time to worry about such thoughts at present.

Nearing the small wall that surrounded the camp, he leapt the dried mud with little effort and drew his twin blades from the scabbards contained within the backplate of his armor. Darting in between tents that were in disarray from being broken down, and dodging the Orcs performing the tasks assigned to them, Gnak slowed to an even but determined pace.

Rounding the last corner, his target again came into view. The chief was a massive Orc, a full half a foot taller than Gnak himself. His skin was taut, stretched over a muscular frame where it shone with a color somewhere between black and purple in the early morning sun. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and spittle sprayed from his lips as he growled and grunted orders at those captains nearest to him.

Stalking forward, the chief in his sight, he bent his knees slightly, lowering his center of gravity and preparing to spring. Closing the distance, foot after agonizing foot, the massive chief finally was in range.

“No!” Jen screamed from within his head. “Not yet!”

Gnak froze as the chief turned, his gaze settling upon his captain. Gnak relaxed his muscles, bowing only slightly before his chief, the confusion of Jen’s interference muddling his mind momentarily.

“Gnak return. Gnak captain. We go war. Gnak make orders. Camp move this night,” the chief grunted, his chin jutting out and nostrils flaring.

“Gnak do this,” Gnak replied and began to turn as those who had paused to watch the exchange continued on with their tasks.

“You!” the chief shouted, pointing over Gnak’s shoulder to Bota, who Gnak had momentarily forgotten. “What do you?” the Chief asked.

Without even the slightest hesitation Gnak reacted, sparing Bota the need to reply.

“Go take down Gnak tent,” Gnak ordered, turning to point a finger at Bota, mimicking the chief himself.

Then turning as Bota hurried away, he again faced the chief and looking up to the taller Orc he smirked, jutting out his own jaw.

“You see. Gnak make order. Get work done.”

With a nod and grunt of approval from the chief, Gnak turned and wandered back through the camp, pointing to various things and shouting orders to which he gave no particular care if they were carried out or not. It took overly long before he reached his own tent, so distracted by pretending to give orders that he was delayed longer than he was comfortable with.

Rounding the corner, he found Bota working to untie several layers of hides and furs from the roof of his tent in an effort to take it down. Grinning at the Orc’s obedience he raised a hand, gesturing the man to stop.

“You come,” Gnak said, before ducking inside the flaps to his tent.

Once inside, the thick layers of furs and hides that created the massive tent closed out much of the sound of the work being done around the camp outside. Turning as Bota entered, he hoped beyond hope and began to speak.

“Why no kill chief?” Gnak asked.

“Gnak say
he
kill chief, Bota kill chief?” Bota asked in confusion.

“No you Bota, Jen,” Gnak replied.

He waited long moments and had given up hope for a reply when finally one did come, though more faintly than he had ever heard her before.

“It was not the right time, Gnak. Think ahead. Plan,” Jen whispered into his mind.

“What you mean plan. Kill chief
is
plan,” Gnak responded, watching the confused look spread across Bota’s face.

“If you attack in the open and become injured, another will attack you and kill you to claim chief as their own. You have to think it through, Gnak. Be careful. Every life is pre….” And then her voice was gone.

Gnak knew the rest of her sentence. She had said it to him before. Every life was precious.
Even his
. She had told him this after saving his life when she could have let him die from infection. Again, she was reminding him to be cautious with his own life in order to save the lives of others. Bota remained looking on with his mouth wide open.

“Was Jen,” Gnak said, watching as Bota’s mouth snapped shut.

“Dead human girl?”

“Yes,”

“Gnak speak dead girl?”

“Yes.”

“What say dead girl?” Bota asked, wonder plain upon his face.

“Jen say wait kill chief. Make plan. Use plan. No get hurt.”

“Smart dead girl,” Bota replied with a nod. “What think Gnak? What plan?”

“Not know. No kill chief sleep. No honor. No pride. No wait long. No time. Need fast plan,” Gnak stated simply.

For many long minutes both he and Bota stood in the tent thinking, but it was the weaker Orc, not Gnak whose head shot up first, a wicked and cunning grin upon his face.

“Bota make plan.”

Though it did not take long for Bota to explain his thoughts to Gnak, it was more than half an hour later before he had replied. He thought through the scenario time and again, and could find little fault with the plan.

“Bota make good plan. Make chief strength, weakness. Make anger, weakness. Maybe clan learn lesson,” Gnak said, with his own wicked grin.

Then, however, he thought of the implications for Bota. If the plan did not succeed, the Orc would be seen as weak and treacherous. And would certainly be put to a dishonorable end. Something needed to be said.

“Is no pride, Bota plan. Look like pride, but no pride,” Gnak said.

“Gnak pride yes. Gnak pride, Bota pride,” the smaller Orc replied.

That was enough for Gnak. It was obvious that Bota was indeed intelligent for their kind. He knew that what he would be doing went against all current Orc beliefs. He knew that it was a shameful act. But he also knew that so long as he was not discovered, Gnak would become chief, and with it he would be granted the title of captain. Both would have an abundance of honor and pride. Smart indeed.

With no preparations to make, Gnak simply nodded to his ally, an odd thing among Orcs, and left his tent. He wondered what Jen would think of their plan. He knew that she would understand that for many to be spared the chief had to die, but he wondered about her thoughts on the morality of the plan by which they had chosen to carry out the chief’s death. He hoped she would be understanding when next they spoke.

Standing outside his tent with his massive armored arms crossed, Gnak watched as the camp was torn down around him. He was not spared the hundreds of peculiar gazes, questioning looks, or the obvious avoidance of his tent, the only one still fully erected within what was once a sprawling camp. It was only a little more than three hours later when the last tent between himself and the chief fell to the ground with a muted thud, as the poles supporting it were pulled out from beneath its weight. It took no time after that for the chief to register the still standing tent and lock eyes with the Orc who stood before it. Rage appeared on the face of the chief.

Stomping across the now nearly empty expanse of what used to be their camp, the chief came, lesser Orcs scattering to avoid his wrath. Within seconds all work in the camp stopped as all eyes turned upon what would surely be a confrontation. Gnak watched the chief come, defiance plainly upon his face.

Stopping within mere feet of Gnak, the chief loomed large before him, but Gnak did not flinch nor cower away from the Orc. Instead, he lowered his arms, jutting out his jaw, and did the unthinkable.

“What chief want? Gnak busy,” Gnak said, an obvious insult to the chief.

“Gnak no busy!” the chief shouted. “You work. Get tent down.”

“Tent stay. No want down yet. Gnak busy.”

“Take down tent or chief take down Gnak,” the chief grunted, his maw snapping open and closed, his muscles rippling beneath his taut skin.

Gnak knew he only had seconds to outsmart the chief, and wasted no time. Letting his shoulders slump slightly, he began to speak again.

“Gnak no take down tent. Can’t. Gnak more smart chief, make tent too strong. It no come down. No even chief can take down,” Gnak said, insulting both the chief’s intelligence and strength.

That was all it took. With a growl of rage the chief strode forward and Gnak stepped aside as the chief took his challenge. He
had
to. It was now a matter of pride.

Letting the chief pass, Gnak watched as the massive Orc drew his thick iron blade from his belt and hefted it in preparation for chopping through the tent’s front supports in a single blow.

“Stop!” Gnak shouted.

All watched as the chief paused and turned to sneer at Gnak.

“You see. He listen, Gnak order. Gnak new chief. Now bow on knees!” Gnak demanded of the chief.

With hatred in his eyes, the chief raised his blade anew and opened his mouth to roar, but nothing happened. With his breath escaping him, the chief staggered a step forward, away from the front of the tent, his legs buckling beneath him. The entire camp gasped.

“I, Gnak, take power. Take pride. Take honor. And take chief from Gobgob, father of Gnak,” Gnak shouted.

Lunging forward, Gnak drew both blades from his back and, using them like scissors, removed the head of the chief in a single blow. With spurts of blood shooting straight into the air, the chief’s head toppled from his shoulders to land at Gnak’s feet in the sand, his mouth still moving. His father deserved a quick death. There was no help for the injury done to his pride.

Kicking the headless body of his father over, Gnak thrust one blade down into the spine of the fallen Orc warrior, into the same wound that Bota had made spearing the chief in the back from within the tent to sever his spine. With the other blade, he stabbed down through the king’s heart, watching as the blood stopped spraying from the severed neck.

Without any sign of fear of reprisal, Gnak pulled his blades free and faced the Orcs he now would rule. Stepping upon the body of his fallen father, he grasped up the Orc’s severed head and held it high for all to see.

“Gnak kill chief. Gnak
is
chief. Gnak no shaman,” he said, his eyes seeking out and locking on those of the shaman who Bota said feared him. “Gnak chief. Have magic from new god. Gnak change, clan change. Old gods no serve clan, clan no serve old gods. Gnak serve Ishanya. Clan serve Ishanya. New god make Orcs strong. Make Orcs smart. Gnak make Orcs better.”

None cheered. None cursed him. None spat. And better, none opposed him. He knew they would come, but not in the open, not when he was ready and armed. Jen had warned him to be cautious with his life. The strongest and most ambitious would be the captains. The very same who were the most likely to oppose him. But there was nothing he could do except wait for them to come. In the meantime, he still had orders to give.

“Bring all holy bones, big fire. Captains take, make big. Make to Ishanya. All pray to Ishanya. Then we go. Back work. Pack camp.”

With nothing more to say, Gnak reached down and grasped the essence of his father that sought to escape, and pulled the small glowing orb within his own person. Striding into the tent he was met by a grinning Bota, holding a spear with a tip stained in blood.

“Bota plan work,” said Bota.

“Yes, Bota good plan. But need new plan.”

“New plan?” Bota asked.

“Need know Orcs like Bota. Smart Orcs. Need new captains.”

Within the hour Gnak had a list of a dozen Orcs who, although slightly inferior to the strongest among their race in physical prowess, had survived among their kind using their intelligence and cunning. They were not weak, simply weaker than the strongest. As such, they had little if any chance for achieving anything considered important to Orcs in their traditional sense. Gnak already knew he could more or less purchase their loyalty, and as such he sent Bota out to collect the Orcs for a meeting in his tent.