began to fan out amidst the battlefield. The two groups made quick work of plundering the site, and soon the heavily armed group was ready to move out.
They went silently through the forest, the heavy orcs trying to match the almost feather-light step of the goblin clansmen. While a bargain had been struck by the leaders, tensions inevitably ran high as the group covered ground. It was obvious that not all of the goblins were supportive of their leader’s decision to join up with the orcs instead of murdering them and looting their corpses. The orcs were able to pick up on those attitudes and reacted with an almost indignant hostility. However, everything was held in check by the two leaders, who kept watchful eyes on their warriors and reproachful scowls on their faces.
The band of warriors carried on this way until well into the night, neither group willing to show weakness. Though eventually the longer stride of the orcs began to tell, and the goblins started to lag more and more behind. Seeing the situation as a potential breakup of the newly formed alliance, both Ghalik and the goblin chief agreed to call a halt for a time. Relieved, the exhausted warriors of both parties sank to the ground, too glad to be off their feet to remember to be hostile to each other.
Ma-Gur sat with his back to a tree and watched through tired eyes as Ghalik and the armored goblin talked. He wondered what the two creatures discussed, noticing that they often referred to a drawing or map of some sort they had drawn in the tough dirt. Personally he wasn’t overly concerned with what the two discussed. He found that he trusted the old wizard to do what was best, be it a decision that meant his survival or death in battle. He was a warrior without a tribe. Just a warrior, whose one purpose was to fight and die. He was comfortable with that role. He was an orc, and one of the few remaining in the world who knew what that meant. What did these goblins think, he wondered. They had likely never seen such a display as they had witnessed earlier in the day. Perhaps it wasn’t awe or the need for aid that had stayed their hands, perhaps it was fear.
The thought struck him like the blow of a hammer. That was it! They were afraid. He looked around at the goblin warriors, noticing for the first time that they were all men. Many of them were bearing well-concealed wounds, as if this force had seen battle not too many days before. A similar fate must have befallen the goblins as well as the Angir. The younglings and women slaughtered while the majority of the warriors were away. Now that he was paying attention he could almost detect the slight bitter scent of fear and defeat. It was a feeling that had been nagging at him all night. A palpable fear had crept insidiously into these lands.
Ma-Gur looked closer at the crude map that the two leaders were pouring over. He could just make out the sticks and stones that must have represented their combined forces. He could also see what appeared to be a battle line sweeping across the map in their direction. He grunted derisively as he turned his head and closed his eyes for sleep. Let them come.
The first rays of dawn filtered through the trees not long after, shining upon skin and armor until the heat and light awakened the sleeping warriors. They rose to their feet, shaking the sleep from their bodies as they prepared to move on. Soon all were roused and standing, the order was given, and the day’s journey began.
The orcs had regained much of their spent strength from their pursuit and battle with the knights. What vitality had been leeched away by the Gor-Angir seemed to be well on the way to being replenished. Though many of the orc’s eyes had a reddish tint that never faded as long as they lived, a reminder of their past and likely future.
The day carried on much like the previous one, the orcs and goblins marching quietly along, putting mile after mile behind them. They rested at the end of the
They went silently through the forest, the heavy orcs trying to match the almost feather-light step of the goblin clansmen. While a bargain had been struck by the leaders, tensions inevitably ran high as the group covered ground. It was obvious that not all of the goblins were supportive of their leader’s decision to join up with the orcs instead of murdering them and looting their corpses. The orcs were able to pick up on those attitudes and reacted with an almost indignant hostility. However, everything was held in check by the two leaders, who kept watchful eyes on their warriors and reproachful scowls on their faces.
The band of warriors carried on this way until well into the night, neither group willing to show weakness. Though eventually the longer stride of the orcs began to tell, and the goblins started to lag more and more behind. Seeing the situation as a potential breakup of the newly formed alliance, both Ghalik and the goblin chief agreed to call a halt for a time. Relieved, the exhausted warriors of both parties sank to the ground, too glad to be off their feet to remember to be hostile to each other.
Ma-Gur sat with his back to a tree and watched through tired eyes as Ghalik and the armored goblin talked. He wondered what the two creatures discussed, noticing that they often referred to a drawing or map of some sort they had drawn in the tough dirt. Personally he wasn’t overly concerned with what the two discussed. He found that he trusted the old wizard to do what was best, be it a decision that meant his survival or death in battle. He was a warrior without a tribe. Just a warrior, whose one purpose was to fight and die. He was comfortable with that role. He was an orc, and one of the few remaining in the world who knew what that meant. What did these goblins think, he wondered. They had likely never seen such a display as they had witnessed earlier in the day. Perhaps it wasn’t awe or the need for aid that had stayed their hands, perhaps it was fear.
The thought struck him like the blow of a hammer. That was it! They were afraid. He looked around at the goblin warriors, noticing for the first time that they were all men. Many of them were bearing well-concealed wounds, as if this force had seen battle not too many days before. A similar fate must have befallen the goblins as well as the Angir. The younglings and women slaughtered while the majority of the warriors were away. Now that he was paying attention he could almost detect the slight bitter scent of fear and defeat. It was a feeling that had been nagging at him all night. A palpable fear had crept insidiously into these lands.
Ma-Gur looked closer at the crude map that the two leaders were pouring over. He could just make out the sticks and stones that must have represented their combined forces. He could also see what appeared to be a battle line sweeping across the map in their direction. He grunted derisively as he turned his head and closed his eyes for sleep. Let them come.
The first rays of dawn filtered through the trees not long after, shining upon skin and armor until the heat and light awakened the sleeping warriors. They rose to their feet, shaking the sleep from their bodies as they prepared to move on. Soon all were roused and standing, the order was given, and the day’s journey began.
The orcs had regained much of their spent strength from their pursuit and battle with the knights. What vitality had been leeched away by the Gor-Angir seemed to be well on the way to being replenished. Though many of the orc’s eyes had a reddish tint that never faded as long as they lived, a reminder of their past and likely future.
The day carried on much like the previous one, the orcs and goblins marching quietly along, putting mile after mile behind them. They rested at the end of the
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