Path to Chiefdom VI

I'm left spinning at what just happened, and reaching into my mind reveals the memories I once held from Udon Gora to be almost all gone.

Leaving a hollow feeling in my chest, though without time dwell on this emptiness I look to my new band of giants and raise my hand as I had seen Wru do previously, silencing the group.

"Next, we march to the orc stronghold! And then I'll take you to our new home!" I order before starting to walk out of the shrine as the giants break camp and follow me back to the stronghold.

Our march back seems to shake the very forest as we advance to the stronghold like a herd of wild mammoths.

Gringar eventually moves to my side and asks, "Are you sure this is a good idea, Blüdtoth? Marching them to our people's gate."

"Good? Probably not, but what better way to show my might then by taming the giants and ending that coward, Yamarz." I say with a dangerous smile.

"I see, not a bad idea Blüdtoth! Yes, let us go and deal with that pitiful excuse for an orc!" Gringar says with murderous glee as we continue our march.

It takes us a little longer to return to the stronghold as despite their large gait, the giants are fairly slow, especially when traversing through heavily wooded forests.

Luckily, Gringar remembered the path Yamarz used to get us to the cave and we were able to save some time. Getting back by the late afternoon, just before the evening sun starts to dip beneath the surrounding mountains.

Though, before we even reach the gates I can hear several long horn blasts echo throughout the forest.

"Hmmm, at least the scouts are doing their job, though I'd be even more ashamed if they didn't notice the racket we were making." Gringar says, with a cocky smirk as we draw closer to the stronghold.

I pull my facemask up and prepare for another grand performance to solidify my place as a war chief.

We reach the gates, only to be greeted by a small war party of ten orcs, while the rest of the orc warriors seem to be perched atop the various watch towers inside the stronghold, bows drawn and at the ready.

However, when the ones who had fought with me against the giants previously noticed my arrival at the head of this group, they seem to hesitate as a conflict tears itself across their faces.

I hold my hand up before ordering with a commanding voice for all to hear, "Kneel!" Trying my best to infuse the power of my Shout into my voice.

To which Gringar and the giants oblige, obediently kneeling behind me. And I can see some of the younger orc warriors struggling to stand against my commanding presence, however the older warriors hold strong.

I smile confidently beneath my facemask before bellowing out for all the tribe to hear, "Yamarz is a weakling and a coward! I challenge him for the right to lead this tribe!"

This declaration seems to reverberate throughout the orcs gathered in front of me, causing several to begin whispering and chattering between each other, but I still have more to say.

"I have not only subued the giants and taken them from Malacath's Shrine, but I wield the war hammer meant for his tribute! I will break the curse plaguing our people! But what has Yamarz done? Come you coward! Face me like a true orc before I rip these walls to splinters and hang your body from the towers for the crows to feast upon!" I continue berating and railing against Yamarz for several minutes, making even the orcs within the stronghold start to waver in their convictions at their Chief's continued ambivalence to my challenge.

Before finally, "Enough! I will kill this lying outsider myself! Open the gates!" Yamarz orders as the gates to the stronghold are pulled open allowing Yamarz to step out.

However, instead of the sniveling coward I expected to find, he seems to instead hold the eyes of an unhinged madman.

"All I have to do is kill you! Kill you, take that stupid hammer! Then everything will be fine! Perfectly fine! Hahaha!" Yamarz starts to cackle maniacally, as he approaches me with his great axe drawn, murder in his eyes.

Yamarz gives a wild swing towards my head but I'm able to bring my hammer to bear, catching his blade with my handle.

However, I'm not nearly as skilled with two-handed weapons as he is, which becomes apparent when Yamarz turns his blade to slip past my guard.

Knocking my hammer from my grip before giving a heavy back handed blow across me chest with his great axe that's able to scratch my ebony half-plate armor and knock the wind from my chest staggering me.

Resisting the urge to start using magic, like my flames or ice spikes, because of Gringar's warnings about how the other orcs would view it.

Instead, I roll out of the way of Yamarz's second heavy strike to buy enough time to draw out my one-handed ebony blade.

I raise my sword high, blocking Yamarz's second strike. Using my blade to drive the great axe to my side as I push up to my feet, headbutting Yamarz to stagger him back.

I swing my sword towards Yamarz's throat only to be blocked by a set of raised orchalchim gauntlets.

Yamarz recovers from my blow, but was forced to drop his great axe after blocking my follow up strike.

Having been disarmed he lunges at me, trying to lock me in a grapple as he tries to pick me up and throw me.

I'm forced to drop my sword as I meet his grapple head on and we begin a battle of strength and wills.

With us locked together, I begin bringing my knees up to repeatedly impact Yamarz's stomach and sides, before he breaks an arm free from my grip and clocks me in the face with his armored fist.