Ascendant of Aldrya

by Northwest Grant

  Nigel wasn't sure how the orcs would react, so he waited. Apparently they weren't sure what to do either. Some orcs moved into the ring, but they stopped. Another clubbed Emma, catching her on the shoulder and sending her sprawling forward. He wanted to rush to her defense, but he couldn't fight all of them. All the Broadnoses were talking at once.

  Emma's hands were free, Nigel noticed. Apparently his work on the ropes had helped her work herself the rest of the way free, and she had cast a spell at the crucial moment while the orcs were too focused on the contest to be watching her. The orc who clubbed her was grabbing the ropes and trying to retie her. Nigel stayed where he was, but it took an effort.

  Gragoth stepped forward, lifting his axe high in the air with his one remaining good hand. "Leave her be! Back away or fight me!"

  Emma straightened. Apparently she hadn't been hit too hard.

  "They cheated," yelled one orc.

  "So who is your chief now?" Gragoth yelled to make himself heard over the chatter. "You saw them fight! The bull man barely touched him. But he was moving so slow he looked like he was going to fall asleep, before the witch cast her spell. Why is that?"

  "Humans are weak!" shouted out one orc unhelpfully.

  "Not this human," said an orc. "He fought at the village battle. He slew many of us. And he did not tire. He fought through mighty blows." Nigel recognized the orc as the one they'd interrogated and released.

  "They poisoned him!" yelled an orc.

  "Or there was magic. But how?"

  "How is this possible, witch?" Gragoth asked Khoraja. "Hush, and hear the witch's answer."

  The orcs quieted. Khoraja spoke. "A poison spell could be cast on both swords. Another spell cast before the fight would make the minotaur immune."

  "And how can we test that?"

  "Nick someone with a sword, and wait," said Khoraja.

  "If anyone wishes to challenge the human's victory," said Gragoth, slicing Khoraja's bonds with his axe. "Perhaps they should volunteer to be cut, and then we will all see the effects. It might not be fatal. Who knows?"

  "We are tired of being ruled by others," said another orc.

  "Nightwolf is your chief, by your rules," Gragoth responded. "Come to taste the blade."

  One orc walked forward. Nigel watched him pick up the sword Mocono had dropped. He ran it across his arm, showing everyone his blood.

  "Let's cut the gnome, too," suggested one orc.

  "No," squeaked Dulvet. "I can do many things for you. Don't hurt me!"

  "Oh, it's just a small cut, little gnome," said Gragoth.

  "Noooo. I'll do anything! Don't--"

  "I think you have your proof," said Gragoth.

  "Oh, shit," said the orc that had cut himself. The crowd hushed.

  "Broadnoses," Nigel said. "I have a solution. Listen." He'd been about to say if you will listen to me, but he didn't think the orcs appreciated deference.

  "We're listening, human," said the one who had been in charge of the fight. "You cheated, even if Mocono and Dulvet cheated too."

  "He didn't ask to have that spell cast on him," said Gragoth. "Even though he needed it. The dishonor of cheating is not on his shoulders."

  "A good point. Very well. Speak, Nightwolf."

  "You're tired of having humans and minotaurs and others rule you. As your chief, I issue these laws. One, that no non-orc will ever be allowed to rule you again. Second, that I, Emma, and Khoraja be given the right of safe passage here, and the women shall be released. Third, that Gragoth become your chief immediately."

  "Can we still fuck them?" asked an orc.

  "Hell, no," said Nigel. A murmur started up. Even if the orcs rebelled, on that he was inflexible. "But you can kill the gnome."

  The orcs looked at each other. Nigel suspected they didn't know how to rule by consensus, and voting on things wasn't really their way, either.

  Gragoth spoke up. "You don't really want to fuck them, anyway. Elves are soft and break before they can be fucked hard and well. And the wombs of humans and elves are no good for growing orc babies. You have lost orcs by fighting humans and have lost strong orcs by challenging minotaurs. You need many strong babies now. They will grow up fast and strong. We need to have an orgy and knock up every orc wench in this camp."

  Nigel raised an eyebrow but said nothing. The orcs had started clapping. Gragoth's speech appealed to them.

  The officiant stepped forward. "I declare Nightwolf to be the winner of the challenge. As our chief, he issued his rules, and now Gragoth rules us."

  "Heal our brave friend over there, Emma," Gragoth said, pointing to the orc that cut himself, who was now sitting on the ground holding his head affected by the wound. And then heal me." Gragoth said.

  Emma stood, stretched, and chanted. The orc glowed, and his wound faded, but didn't disappear. Another spell did the trick. Then she approached Gragoth and healed him with just one casting.

  Gragoth tightened both hands around his axe and grinned. "Good witch. I wanted to brag of your skill at fucking, but I didn't think that would end well."

  "Good call," Emma said.

  Gragoth turned to the Broadnoses. "Let our guests stay in the chief's hut until morning. I don't think a good orc orgy would suit them."

  "Should we cut the gnome with the sword?" asked an orc eagerly, holding it.

  "No!" squeaked Dulvet.

  "No," said Gragoth.

  "I can be useful to you," said Dulvet, brightening.

  "I'm more concerned about poisoning you," Gragoth said. "We eat the gnome for dinner tonight!"

  The orc's cheers muffled Dulvet's objections, which were many.

  "We will talk in the morning," Gragoth said to Nigel, Emma, and Khoraja. "You will sleep in the chief's hut until then. I don't intend to get any sleep at all." Gragoth grinned. "Between challenges and the village attack, there are about two Broadnose women for every Broadnose man. And more for the Broadnose chief." He signaled to an orc and barked an order, and the orc nodded and gestured to Nigel. The orc led them to a small round building with a thatched roof.

  "Stay in there," said the orc. Once he spoke, Nigel recognized him as the one who had spoken earlier. "Unless you want us to stuff you with our cocks," he added hopefully.

  "Uh, no thanks," said Emma. "I appreciate a good time as much as anyone, but I'm tired and, er, have a headache. Offer appreciated though."

  "No," said Khoraja. "And also, hell no."

  Nigel didn't feel he had to express his own disinterest.

  The floor of the hut was full of fur, and it smelled better than anyplace else in the orc village had. It didn't smell good, but it didn't smell as bad. There was a big wooden chair at one end, and a small table next to it, but no other furniture, just a few cushions.

  The orc closed the door.

  Emma smiled wanly. She cast another healing spell, this time on herself. "Nice job, getting me untied, Nightwolf. You saved the day again."

  "I think it was you who saved the day, Emma."

  "Always the modesty," said Emma. "I owe you a blowjob. Or five."

  Nigel sniffed the air. He wouldn't turn that offer down in many circumstances, but the stench was overpowering. "When we get back to town, I'll take you up on that."

  "I'm right here," Khoraja said.

  "You're welcome to give him a blowjob, too," said Emma. "If your mouth isn't too fragile for human cock."

  "I can--" Khoraja started, and then stopped. "The best thing we can do now is get some rest." She sat down and grabbed a cushion. She eyed the fur on the floor doubtfully, and then stretched out on it, putting her head on the cushion.

  An orc opened the door to toss in their packs and Nigel's sword and shield. In the dark outside Nigel could see orc bodies moving around, and he could hear the sounds of grunting and squealing, but he couldn't make out what was going on. The orc left without saying a word, shutting the door behind him.

  Emma looked at Nigel with a question on her face. Perhaps she was wondering
if he wanted a blowjob now, but the atmosphere was decidedly unerotic to him. "Sleep sounds like a good idea."

  "We should take watches, just in case a disgruntled orc thinks murdering us in our sleep is a good idea," Khoraja said.

  Nigel wasn't worried about being murdered. The orcs obeyed their own rules, and they seemed to have a highly developed, possibly over-developed sense of honor. "I'll go first. You two get rest."

  Emma lay down by Khoraja and closed her eyes. Nigel sat. He was tired, but he doubted he'd be able to sleep soon, anyway. He stared at the door. Loud voices and, as the night drew longer, moans and screams could be heard from outside. The sounds of orcs having a good time, I suppose. He glanced over at the girls. They were asleep, but Khoraja had rolled over and put her hand around Emma's waist. Nigel smiled. It was good to see them getting along.

  #

  The hut lacked windows, so Nigel was unaware it was morning until Gragoth opened the door and let the light of dawn in. Gragoth was not alone. Beside him, Khoraja sat up, instantly awake and ready. Emma moaned and put her arm across her eyes to block off the light. Nigel reached for his sword, and then his eyes adjusted and he realized that Gragoth's companions were not armed warriors but naked orc women, their green bodies glistening with sweat and possibly other fluids.

  "Hey," said Gragoth. He had one arm around both women, and one of them was stroking him through the kilt he was wearing. If you ignored the tusks, and the body builder physique, the orc women were sexy in a kind of exotic, green-skinned way. They were almost identical, down to the mohawk haircuts, but one's hair was brown and the others was black.

  "Good morning," said Nigel.

  "I want to thank you, Nightwolf. You will ever be welcome among the Broadnoses. Is there anything I can do for you?"

  Nigel thought about it. The darker-haired orc woman started nibbling on Gragoth's neck, and her lighter friend went to her knees to lift her chief's kilt and put his cock into her mouth. The kilt soon obscured the action again, but it made it hard to concentrate. Oddly, Gragoth paid neither of them any attention, his gaze still focused on Nightwolf.

  "Want to fuck an orc or two?" offered Gragoth. "This one has a mouth like you wouldn't believe, and after the buggering they got last night, I think you'll slide right into a slut's ass. Just no knocking them up."

  "Um, no, but thank you."

  "Don't find orcs attractive?" Gragoth pressed. The orc sucking his cock made loud slurping sounds.

  "Actually," Nigel replied truthfully, "I do. But I'm still on a mission. Deluca wasn't here, so I still want to find him and kill him before he causes more trouble."

  "Yah. We, uh, talked to the gnome before he died. I drew a map." Gragoth handed Nigel a piece of what he supposed was parchment. It was thick, not fine like the stuff you bought in a store, more like leather than paper, but on one side of a map was drawn in reddish brown ink. "Hard to go from talking to a map. But it gives you an idea. The X is where Deluca came from. A tower in the Burning Wastes. Good luck. Hang on a second, I'm about to blow my load." Gragoth grabbed the head of the orc going down on him, and his body tensed for a few moments. Then he pushed the girl away, and the other orc woman knelt down beside her.

  "Share," Gragoth said, and the two women kissed, with lots of tongue and biting. Gragoth sat down on the furs and faced Nigel, Emma, and Khoraja while the two orc women were lip-locked.

  Nigel looked at the map. It was crude, but it gave him something to go on. "We'll track him down."

  "The Broadnoses want revenge, Nightwolf. No. Not want. Need. Need to get their pride back, and their honor. Promise me this -- that when the time for a showdown comes, you call on us to aid you."

  "I can't promise you that," Nigel said. "If the chance comes, and he's vulnerable, we won't wait. But if possible -- yes."

  "Who does Deluca have with him?" asked Khoraja.

  "Some soldiers. And at least one demon from the wastes, probably more." Gragoth said. "The gnome said we'd never do him in without his help. Sniveling little coward, he roasted still pleading for his life."

  "Mages?" Khoraja asked.

  "No, Dulvet was his only mage. Deluca has a little summoning magic, but he's not a full-blown wizard."

  "Priests? Healers of any kind?"

  "Not that Dulvet knew about."

  "Did you really eat him?" asked Nigel.

  "Do you really want to know?" asked Gragoth.

  "No, he doesn't," said Emma. "At least not while I'm around."

  "Consorting with demons is a good path to power," Khoraja mused. "Deluca will be extra dangerous."

  Emma gave her a funny look.

  "I'm not saying I'd do it." Khoraja put up her hands in mock surrender. "Just that it's effective."

  One of the orc women, the darker-haired one, crawled over and lifted Gragoth's kilt. He batted her away. "This is the life, eh? More head then I know what to do with. Maybe they think if they blow me enough it'll stop me from knocking them up, but there's little chance of that."

  "Lovely," Khoraja said sarcastically.

  "So what's your next step, Nightwolf?" Gragoth asked.

  "Back to the village to get a new fourth, I suppose, so we can follow the map and find Deluca."

  Gragoth laughed. "I like it. Always another fight, the way I have been. I'd be jealous of you, if I wasn't more jealous of me. Time to do my fighting with my other sword for a while, if you know what I mean."

  Nigel followed the metaphor just fine.

  "Nightwolf, would you like me to suck your cock now?" Emma asked. "I'd be happy to kiss Khoraja and share your seed with her after you come."

  Nigel blinked.

  "Go for it," Gragoth said. "I might even indulge myself." He grabbed the black-haired orc by the hair and pulled her over.

  Nigel loved everything about that scenario. Watching the orc girl give head and then kiss the other girl had been hot. Feeling Emma's mouth on his own cock would be exquisite. And watching her kiss Khoraja would be awesome, too. But he noticed Khoraja had her hand over her face and was taking deep breaths to stay calm. Not everyone was into it.

  "Maybe on a future visit," Nigel said. "For now, we should be going."

  Gragoth chuckled. "I can tell you like the idea. I do not know why humans are afraid of their instincts." He let go of the raven-haired orc and pushed her toward the furs. "Fine. Get your stuff and get going. You'll have an escort to the edge of Broadnose territory, just in case some young orc without honor gets a stupid idea in their head."

  They didn't have a lot to pack. It wasn't as if they put everything in drawers in a hotel room. They were ready in minutes.

  Gragoth offered his hand. Nigel clasped it firmly. For a moment their eyes locked. "Good luck, brother," said Gragoth, "You are always welcome here. With or without your women."

  Nigel nodded. "Thank you, brother," he said, thinking Gragoth was by far stranger than any brother he had dreamed of having as a kid.

  True to his word, Gragoth gave them an escort of two orcs, one of which was the one they'd questioned in the village. They walked down the hill almost in silence. He didn't want to talk plans in front of the orcs, in case Deluca still had sympathisers, and the orcs didn't seem to want to say much. Only at the edge of the hills did an orc speak.

  "You would make a good orc," he said to Nigel.

  "Um, thanks," Nigel said. He wasn't sure the orc would appreciate being told he would make a good human. The orcs turned around and walked away.

  "Thank you," said Khoraja, when they were making their way through the brush. "I, too, could tell that you were turned on by Gragoth's idea. I appreciate that you didn't take him up on it. Although ..."

  "Although?" asked Nigel.

  "It would have been okay. If all I had to do was watch."

  "That," Emma said. "Can be arranged. I like to be watched."

  "Why does that not surprise me?" asked Khoraja.

  "Because I'm not repressed like you?" asked Emma.

  "Ladies," said Nigel
. The idea of Emma blowing him and Khoraja watching turned him on, but he still didn't want to listen to them bicker.

  "I'm less repressed than you think," Khoraja said. "Sister."

  Emma smiled. "I look forward to finding out more about that, sister."

  Khoraja shrugged and turned away.

  CHAPTER NINE

  "What's that?" There was a rumbling in the brush. Nigel turned his head. Three large cats were watching them. They were sleek, with a form halfway between that of a leopard and a tiger, and with the tan fur of lions. Emma and Khoraja froze. The cats were watching them; there wasn't any chance of continuing unnoticed.

  "Should I fireball them?" asked Khoraja.

  It was tempting. The cats were definitely big enough to give humans trouble, and neither Khoraja nor Emma had much in the way of physical defenses. There was an advantage to striking first. But the cats seemed content to watch at the moment, and if the fireball didn't kill them, it might enrage them. Besides Nigel didn't want to kill animals wantonly. He realized there had been a shift in his thinking. In a game, sure -- kill the mobs, get the experience points. And here, too, they might improve their skills. But it bothered him that the quests Windstar had given him seemed to center on slaughtering things for personal improvement. That was a great game mechanism, because game mobs didn't have feelings or lives. But he didn't think of his existence on Aldrya as a game anymore. "No. Let's keep see what they do. If they pounce, we can defend ourselves."

  The cats didn't seem inclined to attack. Instead, they took a path parallel to the one Nigel and the women were taking, stalking through the brush almost as easily as the party moved along the path. One was smaller than the others, and curiously, the larger ones followed it rather than the other way around. Occasionally that brought them closer, and sometimes they were far away, disappearing from sight entirely when bushes crowded the edge of the path. Something glinted in the large one's mouth, but they could never see out what it was. It was unnerving, and everyone was on full alert.