Betrayal

[_pok_ 1768]

The Betrayal

Pok groaned as he leaned back in his chair, his old bones crack and pop as he rests against the soft red cushions. He stares into the fire and thinks back to times of old. Hanseti had betrayed him, no, his nation. He snarled and kept staring he thought about the fight earlier that week, the Orcs that perished and the Dwarves that were smashed. He felt no remorse, only anger and hatred. He tapped his foot against the stone lining of the throne. Pok thought back to his younger years, when he was just a Nob in the Krughai. He remembered fighting alongside Gauis and the noble Teutonic Order as they defended San Jezal from invaders. He remembered trying to help Gauis ward off the rebellion that infected Galahar like a plague. He then began to wonder if Mirtok remembered any of this. He tried to remember if Mirtok was even there.

Mirtok had always seemed strange to Pok. Especially since meeting with Godfrey in Malins Welcome. At the meeting Godfrey mentioned the strange circumstances regarding Mirtok’s physical appearances. He was a ghoul of some sort due to a freak accident. It all confused Pok and he put it aside for awhile. Now it returned to his mind and this time he cared. Had Mirtok just been toying with Pok the entire time? How long had he planned to aid Salvus. He growled softly, keeping his eyes focused on the fire in front of him. He looked to his right where he caught sight of his war axe, Bumbullaum which again seemed to call him over to listen to its ancient tales. Pok slowly rose from his chair, groaning again from the cracking and popping of bones and trudged his way over to the ancient axe. He hoisted it from its resting place and returned to his throne. He held it up against his ear and began to listen.

Ugluk sat discouraged and without hope on top of the broken walls of his camp. He looked down at his axe then back at the setting sun. He looked around him and frowned as he saw the dead Orcs of his war band. His eyes flashed blood red as he threw his axe at the ground and let out an ear-splitting roar. He jumped from his perch and stomped his feet down into the burnt dirt below him. He hoisted his axe back up from the ground and whistled. His most reliable bull Sulmus stormed its way to Ugluk. Ugluk mounted his bull and took his whip from his belt. He raised the whip and whiped the creature as hard as he could. Sulmus took off like a streak of lightning and stampeded toward the southern plains.

As the moon rose to its highest point in the sky Ugluk could see the soft glow of the Phol War Band’s camp. The Orcs inside the camp were in a deep slumber as Ugluk approached the gates of the camp. He quietly dismounted Sulmus and walked around the camp. He pulled Bumbullaum from its resting place on his back and began to hack carefully at the poorly constructed walls of the camp. After three minutes of hacking at the walls, the wood and stone fell in with a loud crash and Ugluk jumped through. The Phol would have woken up on a normal night but this night was not a normal night. Earlier in the morning the Phols raided and burned the Ugluk War Band camp to the ground slaughtering all but Ugluk and a few of his cubs. Ugluk had sent the cubs away to stay with Angbad and his War Band so he could deal with the Phols. Ugluk tiptoed his way into the center of the camp where he let out a loud roar. The Phol warriors rose from their tents, axes and swords in hand waiting to see who the foreigner in their camp was. Many were shocked to see Ugluk in their own camp. One pointed and shouted at the hole that Ugluk made and then shouted curses at Ugluk. Ugluk just stared at the Nob of their War Band. “Where is Phol?”

The Nob raised his axe and prepared to confront Ugluk, “He is not here right now. But you can take whatever it is you want up with me.” Ugluk shrugged and threw Bumbullaum with such ferocity and force that it took the Nob by surprise and hit him right in the chest. Ugluk pounced on top of the Nob and hoisted his axe from his lifeless chest. Ugluk turned and faced the crowd of warriors that were about ready to kill him. One of the Orcs roared and they all charged Ugluk at once. Ugluk swung his axe rapidly and ferociously at the Orcs. He hacked and slashed at arms and legs cutting down any Orc that got close enough. He cleaved the head of one Orc off as another jumped on Ugluks back. The Orc stabbed at Ugluk with his dagger, piercing his shoulder and upper back. Ugluk roared and flung himself to the ground, smashing the Orc beneath his weight. He hopped back up to face the rest while stomping his foot into the crippled Orc’s face. He cut down five more of the warriors before they retreated out of the hole Ugluk made.

Ugluk groaned and clutched his right shoulder where he had been stabbed five times. He set his axe on his back. He raised an unlit torch from his belt and put it over one of the fires inside one of the smaller tents. The torch lit and Ugluk put it against that tent. The tent was engulfed in the flames almost as quickly as Ugluk lit the torch. Ugluk put the torch against the wooden gate of the camp and then again to the other set of tents. As Ugluk left out the hole he made to get in, the entire camp was now being scorched by fire. His revenge had been swift.

Pok rose again from his chair and set the axe back on its special rack. He hobbled back to his throne and sat back against the cushions. He groaned and thought about the ancient story. He had not heard that one from Bumbullaum before. Revenge. Ugluk had done it quickly and without remorse. Pok would do the same to Mirtok and the people of Hanseti. The ancient ice fields would melt as the inferno that was the Orcs of Strigzgoi came upon its lands.

Mirtok would regret the day he crossed the Orcs and would beg for mercy. Something he would not be getting. Pok slammed his fist against the stone frame of his throne and let out a mighty roar. He thought of the death of Mirtok and personally finishing him off himself. He stared out at the fire and grinned.

[Acornlad 206]

*Nroca thinks of the speech Mirtok wrote and his betrayal to the nations*

Dey will pay fur dere betrayul. Da nashun haz been scouted agh I gruk a way uv attackin dem tu gid past dere wallz. Blah da wurds agh planz will be mayd. We shud dizcuz an attuck ad a Wargoth Council.