Is It Ambition Or A Lust For Power

[the 1 bow 1112]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ9OWMsJBTk

 

An unusual bucket of rain thudded into the typically blistering desert sands within the territory of the Iron Uzg. A strange silence hung in the air, only to be broken by the occasional clap of thunder booming from the sky. Wargoth Kahn’Braduk marched through his city, Mokraghul, flanked by his second in command, Ghaz. They passed the many faces of the Braduk clan who were busy working, aiding in their home’s construction even in such torrential weather. Arriving at his keep, the two large orcs prodded up the steps into the throne hall and then into the trophy room. It was ensconced with various skulls, as well as weapons and artefacts.

 

“Has Drax and his scouts got any word on the Ugluk boy?” The Wargoth asked. His brother shook his head.

 

“No, and no word from the Gorkils about Nux either.” Ghaz said. Kahn grunted, looking around the room.

 

“Have them double their efforts, I wou--…” Kahn paused, looking at the frame where the famed mace of Mokrag was supposed to be residing. It was not there.

 

“So. You are the one who leads them.” A deep, yet slightly withered voice called out from a dark corner of the room. A gigantic figure emerged, nearly 14ft tall, with green skin as dark as pitch, a beard reaching his stomach and ghostly pale eyes. He held the mace tightly in his huge hands.

 

“Ghazkull.” Kahn said. He looked to his brother, Ghaz, “Leave us.” Ghaz glared at Ghazkull, noticing a striking resemblence before leaving the room. “Arent you dead?” The Monster Slayer asked the old orc.

 

“Not yet.” Ghazkull, brother of the famed Braduk leader Mokrag, had taken command after he had died. He ruled the Braduk clan throughout Anthos, and saw it reach its peak in membership, the orcs of Braduk at one point out numbering the orcs of the Warnation. Through all his success however, his reign is clouded by the fact that when Ghazkull suddenly disappeared, the Braduk clan quickly followed suit.

 

“Where have you been all these years” Kahn asked, re-adjusting his grip on the legendary Hammer of Braduk.

 

“I received a calling, from Mokrag. It led me to the farthest corner of Anthos, then, it led me here.”

 

“This is how you justify abandoning your people? You received a calling?”

 

“Yes. I did not want to leave, but I was absent a choice.”

 

“Well, whats done is done. I rebuilt the clan, picked up you and your son’s pieces. I have achieved rank of Wargoth, and have led the clan to becoming one of the most powerful in the Iron Uzg.”

 

“Iron Uzg?”

 

“It is the name of the War Nation now.”

 

“Hur, whos the Rex?”

 

“Vrogash, son of Vrogak.”

 

“Vrogak? He lives?”

 

“No, he passed of an illness not too long ago.”

 

“Hrm. He was an honourable orc. I remember him, when he was a young Targoth. You spoke of my son, Thurak. Is he alive?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Is he apart of the clan?”

 

“No. When you left, and the clan died out, many of the surviving Braduks formed the Yar clan. Thurak resides with them, a prominent shaman.”

 

“Yar clan. You should command them to rejoin the Braduks, now that you have brought them back. They still belong to this clan.” Ghazkull said, as if giving an order. Kahn grunted, scoffed and shook his head.

 

“I will do no such thing, old orc. They carved out their own niche, through your inhibitions to lead. They are one of the most honourable clans that exist.” Kahn rebutted.

 

“If you say so. But, I want to speak with Thurak. Try and make peace. I left big shoes for him to fill, and he needs to know I do not hold him accountable for what happened.”

 

“That can be arranged.”

 

The following morning, the current and former Braduk Wargoth’s travelled from their sands to Laz-Dur, capital of the Iron Uzg. Kahn had arranged for Thurak to meet them there. When Thurak arrived, there was an elongated silence, shock and awe. When someone finally spoke, things began quite smoothly. However, as Thurak quickly began to find Ghazkull’s reasoning for abandoning the clan, less than satisfactory, the two began to quarrel and tensions began to rise. Eventually, a fight ensued.

 

Thurak struck Ghazkull, over and over, yet the giant orc refused to fight back, for a time. Years of pent up aggression flowed from the Yar Shaman to his father, and it was only when Thurak insulted Ghazkull’s manhood, did the ancient Braduk return fire. The two traded punches, back and forth before Ghazkull caught Thurak in a headlock. The shaman pushed his father back, directly into Kahn. In retaliation, Kahn moved around behind Thurak and struck him over the back of his skull with the Hammer of Braduk, knocking him unconscious instantly.

 

“You would interrupt and honour klomp!” Ghazkull shouted, growling.

 

“There is no honour here you misbegotten elder! You two squabble like children, forgetting you are father and son!” Ghazkull spat on the ground, leaving the area. Kahn looked to a grunt, who had watched the altercation. His knees buckled when the rageful eyes of the Wargoth met his. “Make sure Thurak does not die.”

 

Back at the Braduk city, the entire clan had gathered, watching their leader and the old orc argue, quite violently.

 

“You forget, Ghazkull, you have no authority here. I rebuilt a clan left in ruin after you went off to gallop in the fields from some ‘calling’.” Kahn shouted, his blue eyes simmering with a slight red haze. Ghazkull stopped dead in his tracks.

 

“You watch your skah’n tongue boy. You flaunt your leadership and your title, you forget what it means to be a Braduk. A Braduk gives no skah, about the dealings of others. We deal with ourselves alone.”

 

“And that is why we have died out, so skah’n often you fool! I will not allow my people to go extinct again. We are of the Iron Uzg. And I have earned, everything that I have. I became a Wargoth through work, testing and proving myself. And how did you do it? Kissing the arse of Yak’Lur? The Rex who ran?!” Ghazkull snarled as Kahn shouted, and the behemoth drew the Mace of Mokrag. In reponse, Kahn drew the Hammer of Braduk.

 

“You have an unquenchable lust for power. You are not worthy of the title you hold.”

 

“You have forgotten what it means to lead Ghazkull. You call it a lust, I call it ambition.”

 

“I challenge you for your title, Kahn, Wargoth of Clan Braduk, in a klomp that shall not end until one of us lies lifeless in the sand.” Ghazkull proclaimed, the area around the city falling silent. The clan watched their leader, wondering what his next move would be.

 

“You ask me to kill you.” Kahn said.

 

“No. I command you to try. You are the blood of Orgrim. Let us see you put you warrior heritage to a final test.” The Braduks formed a circle around the two, they cheered for their Wargoth but watched with a sense of uneasiness, for they knew, that Ghazkull was once their leader as well.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-FRBnMidSQ

 

The battle commenced, Kahn leapt forward with his signature speed, and struck Ghazkull on the hip with his hammer. The blow was shockingly powerful, yet Ghazkull merely shrugged it off, and returned a strike, launching the mace into Kahn’s torso. The old orcs strength was immense, and had not faded in his age. Ghazkull moved forward, sending a flurry of swings at Kahn, who managed to block each of them yet could not mount any offence as the ferocity of the attacks meant Kahns attention had to be focused on defence. Ghazkull managed to knock the hammer out of Kahn’s grasp, and struck him across the face with the mace. The huge orc then used his iron clad fist to punch the Wargoth square in the face, sending him onto his back. Yet, Kahn did not remain on the ground for long, as he rolled back onto his feet and sprung up, superman punching Ghazkull. The headshot resulted in Ghazkull stumbling back, off balance. Kahn pressed forward, tackling him to the ground with a vicious spear tackle. Now ontop of him, Kahn began laying haymaker punches into Ghazkulls ancient face, his head then bouncing off the sand.

 

Before long however, Ghazkull pushed himself up and tossed Kahn across the ground, running forward then kicking him in the ribs. Ghazkull wiped blood from his mouth, and moved over to his brother’s mace. Raising it, he remembered his time as a chieftain, and let out a sigh. The former Wargoth moved to the current one, and brought the mace up. As be swung it down, Kahn grabbed his hammer, using it to parry the strike. A thunder of stone and metal boomed throughout the desert as the two weapons collided at such a velocity. With the weapons still entwined, Kahn rose to his feet and headbutted Ghazkull. He shoved him back, and swung the hammer into his jaw, then again against his temple, and again dead straight between the eyes. Ghazkull tried to swing at Kahn, who ducked underneath and swung again, this time the hammer colliding with Ghazkulls torso. The Wargoth moved behind the giant, and in one solid swing, struck the back of Ghazkull’s neck, who collapsed forward onto the ground, gasping for air.

 

“GOLOK!” Kahn shouted, and his goblin servant Larty wun eye emerged from the crowd, handing Kahn his golok machete, The Ugluk hair parter, which had once belonged to Ghazkull aswell. Kahn rolled the large orc over, and looked into his eyes and as he droved the machete deep into his heart. Ghazkulls body shook violently for a few seconds, and it almost seemed as if a wolf’s howl emitted from the wound. Ghazkulls eyes glazed over with a purple haze, and a flock of horned ravens passed over the sky all in one motion. Another Braduk had entered the spirit realm.

 

“What would you do with the body boss?” Larty asked. Kahn sighed.

 

“Prepare a pyre. He was our leader once.”

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alfOw_Rs6d8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltxFrFUFB5o&index=41&list=PLA5C6AFDF5A49D373

 

The wood of the pyre began to cackle and split as the fire climbed up it, reaching the large corpse laying ontop. Kahn looked at his people from next to the pile of wood, letting out another grunt.

 

“Brothers, sisters. Many of you did not know this orc well. But you all must respect him. He took on a role that many would crumble beneath once undertaken, and succeeded. His eventual demise as a leader does not overshadow his achievements, let that be known. Yet, he, like many of those who lead before me, believed, the old way, is the only way. Braduks have never before concerned themselves with the Orc nation. They never sought to climb any higher than their station, and were happy scraping at what others would give them. I would not have it so. Ghazkull called it a lust for power. I call it ambition, and a desire to see my people, all of you, ascend to heights never before seen in the Braduk clan.” The Rhino Lords cheered for their leader, and as he watched the fire burn, his mind was drowned in thought. Kahn’s eldest son, Krom, walked over to him, looked up at his father.

 

“Father, are you ok?”

 

“Yes, Krom. But when I looked into his eyes…I saw someone who wanted to die.”

 

“Do not worry about it father. You will take care of us, you have taken us this far.” Kahn smiled at his son, placing a hand on his shoulder.

 

“I would see us taken further.”

[KoTo 610]

Moved to the Archive. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.