Harb sat at a table in the camp’s tactical tent with Vultag, Shendis, Dura, and Narg. An Orc named Slior stood and projected a map of the area over the table for the officers and clan officials to see. The map itself was very detailed, much more so than Harb’s simple minimap, and came from Slior’s skill, cartography.
“This is the location of clan Black Skar,” Slior said as an area to the east of their location began to brighten on the map.
“And how long does it take to get there?” Harb asked.
“We could run there by nightfall,” Slior answered.
“Where could we get to by nightfall if we simply walked?” Harb asked.
Slior looked at him quizzically. Realizing that Harb wasn’t joking, Slior motioned to the map, and a small strip brightened. “Likely somewhere in this area.”
The illuminated strip was over the halfway point to the opposing clan’s main camp. “Then we should make it there some time in the afternoon on the following day.”
“This plan is reckless!” Dura said. “Kirima has hated our clan for years. She will treat us like Goblins when she takes over our clan.”
“That’s assuming I lose,” Harb said.
“Of course you will lose! Kirima is both ruthless and powerful. She will have you dead before you can close with her.”
“I defeated you,” Harb reminded her.
Dura eyed him intensely. “Kirima is stronger and will not fight honorably.”
“How do you mean?” he asked.
“Expect her to elicit aid during the challenge,” Shendis said. “It’s rumored that another Shaman must have helped her when she fought the previous clan chief. The spells had come too fast, and the incantations that she used did not line up with what was being cast.”
Additional spells didn’t worry Harb. His nullification field spell would take care of any magic cast at him. If Kirima was willing to cheat in this fashion, then she might have a scout throw a dart at him. “Is there an antidote to the poison that the scouts use?” Harb asked.
Shendis looked confused at the abrupt change of topic but recovered quickly. “We drink tea before we battle another clan, which greatly slows the effects of the poison. A healer can remove the effects entirely if anyone is struck by many darts, and we have also devised an antidote that the scouts and soldiers carry when we battle another clan.”
“I need some of each,” Harb instructed.
“Certainly,” Shendis said.
Harb’s fortitude skill gave him some protection from poison, but it was best to be fully covered. He didn’t know the form of cheating that Kirima would employ, but the scouts seemed to be a good possibility.
“Narg, talk to the scouts. Be sure to have them watch for any tricks during the challenge and handle what they can.”
“Yes, sir!” Narg said, saluting.
“I believe that we would be better off if we came with our entire clan instead of just a strike force,” Vultag said.
“Do you fear that Kirima won’t accept the challenge and simply attack our force instead?” Harb asked.
“No.”
“Then there isn’t an issue. I want to do this as quickly as possible, and our main camp is in the other direction.”
“And if you lose?” Shendis asked.
“Then you can inform our clan that Kirima is their new chief.”
Shendis nodded while Dura let out a low growl.
“Enough! I get it, you don’t like the woman—she ate one of your pets or something. You’re going to have to get used to her being around, however, because I plan on keeping her alive as I did with you.”
Dura looked ready to have a conniption but slowly regained control of her temper. She began to smile as a thought occurred to her. “Can I be in charge of her?” she asked.
“Only if you behave.”
“Oh… I can be good.”
_________________
Harb stood outside the Black Skar camp, flanked by his retinue of advisors; another 50 Red Ear Orcs were gathered behind them. The camp was protected by some very meager fortifications. A rickety wooden palisade surrounded the camp, with a wooden gate that interrupted the surrounding wooden posts. The gate itself looked sturdy, but if he were planning an attack, Harb would breach the fence-like wall before trying to assault the front gate.
Orcs began to pour out of the camp as soon as the gate opened. They formed a semicircle around the Red Ear group. Once the Orcs were in position, a group of five walked through their ranks to stand opposite Harb. The group consisted of two females dressed as Shamans, an officer, and two hulking, axe-bearing Orcs that stood between Harb and the other three. Harb had been briefed, and he knew that the woman in the middle was Kirima, the clan leader. The captain was called Tredbak, and the head Shaman was Shadbauh.
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“Why do you bother me, Dura?” Kirima sneered. “Did you come for more training? You lacked the ability to learn half of what I tried to teach you.”
“The leader of clan Red Ear issues a challenge to the leader of clan Black Skar,” Harb called out before Dura had a chance to retort. “The victor will be the chief of both clans.”
“Is this what you have come for?” Kirima called back. “Have you lost your tongue? Why does this one speak for you?”
“I speak for myself. I’m the leader of this clan.”
“You let a soldier best you, Dura? You truly learned nothing from me. He does look impressive—I may keep him as a plaything?”
“Do you accept the challenge then?” Harb asked, unshouldering his weapon and walking towards Kirima.
In response, Kirima strode past the two soldiers between her and Harb, and she began to cast a spell. She stopped, pointed her palm towards the Dire Orc, and finished her incantation. A cloud of greenish-brown gas erupted from her hand and engulfed Harb before he was half-way to her. The cloud had no effect on Harb, and a notification revealed that his spell nullification field had prevented the infectious cloud spell.
Kirima had already begun to cast another spell, and once Harb came within 50 feet of her, she released it. Snow and ice blasted harmlessly around Harb as he closed on the Shaman. A quick check of his interface listed winter blast as the countered spell.
“What is this treachery?” Kirima screamed, backing up as she began another spell.
“He is no easy meat, Kirima,” Dura taunted.
Mist flowed out of the ground around Kirima, and it quickly became thick enough that visibility was severely hampered, as if driving in dense fog. Harb’s vision was also impaired. Neither his nullification nor his dark vision seemed to be of use against the mist. He continued forward until he heard heavy footfalls coming towards him. Harb waited, readied his axe, and took up a defensive stance. The hulking form of one of the bodyguards became visible, and upon seeing Harb, the Orc swung his axe, which had begun to glow with the power of a special move. Harb backed away and was barely able to evade the strike. Knowing that there was another bodyguard in the area, Harb didn’t go on the offensive immediately. After a few moments, the other hulk came into view. This one began a cleave special move, and Harb simply sidestepped the maneuver.
As they fought, the mist slowly dissipated, and Harb could see farther away. He couldn’t make out anyone other than his two opponents, but the visibility was certainly improving. Axes clashed, and Harb did his best to not be outflanked by the pair, and while he had taken a few wounds, he had administered worse to the Orcs. The level upgrades have really improved my fighting ability. He did his best to focus his attacks on just one of the Orcs, who was now very bloody and starting to flag. Harb liked his chances in a one-on-one fight, but he felt that he needed to extract himself from the two brutes before they got in a severe strike.
There was murmuring all around, but despite that, Harb thought that he could hear Kirima chanting. He turned his attention in that direction and activated his flicker ability. His location shifted, and he could now just make out Kirima waving her hands as part of her next spell. Her eyes went wide when she saw him, and her motions quickened and became more frantic. Harb ran to close the distance in case she was preparing another mist cloud. He never found out, because he reached her and struck her on the head with the side of his battle axe before she could complete it.
Kirima crumpled to the ground. Harb noted that she still had almost 40 percent of her HP left, but she was now under a debuff that rendered her unconscious.
He slung the inert body over his shoulder and walked out of the mist. When he made it out enough to see some of the gathered crowd, he called out, “Clan Black Skar, I am your new chief!” The members of the clan stood still, and most of them had shocked expressions on their faces. Then a cheer erupted from the Red Ear Orcs to his left. He turned and walked towards them, but stopped when the two Orcs that he had fought in the mist emerged far enough to be seen. “Stand down, boys!” he said, pointing at them with his axe.
As they stalked towards him, Dura yelled to the crowd, “I knew that Kirima would cheat!”
“The challenge is over,” Vultag said. “Harbinger is your new leader.”
The two guards looked around and noted that the other Orcs from their clan were not coming to the aid of the fallen Kirima. The heavily wounded man dropped his axe to the ground, and the other man followed suit a moment later.
Harb resumed his walk towards the Red Ear group, and when he reached the two Shamans, he set Kirima down. “Bind and gag her.” While his commands were being carried out, he used his finger talon to take a blood sample from the unconscious woman. He filled a vial and drank the contents before refilling it with more of the former chief’s blood.
When she was fully bound, Harb asked, “Will she be able to cast like that?”
“I don’t know of any spell that could be cast in that state, but there are abilities and skills that she could use,” Shendis said.
“Then heal her enough to get her to wake up.”
Shendis nodded and began to cast. As Kirima began to rouse, the captain and head Shaman of the Black Skar Orcs approached the group. “That was impressive,” said the captain.
“Thank you… Tredbak, is it?” Harb asked, remembering the name from his earlier briefing. The man nodded and offered a salute. “Is this lot going to cause any problems?”
“No, although if you leave that one alive, she will definitely cause you problems.”
Kirima began to rouse and stared up with fury in her eyes. She struggled and tried to speak. “Remove the gag,” Harb commanded.
“She will try something for certain,” Dura said.
“If she does, you may knock her out again.”
Dura looked down, gave the woman a wicked half smile, and then nodded to Harb.
When the gag was removed, Kirima spit on the ground and scowled. “You are a fool! I will destroy you.” She looked like a rabid animal, but Harb decided to poke her anyway.
“I am a fool who bested your personal guards,” he said and began to slowly circle her. She gnashed her teeth as she watched him circle her. “I am a fool who easily defeated you. I am a fool who now commands two clans.” He stopped in front of her and dismissed his protection spell so that he could cast force of will. “I am a fool who decides whether you live or die.” Her blood was now coursing through his body—his blood magic quickly transforming it into power. “Do you wish to live?” Kirima still looked at him with murder in her eyes, but she averted them under his intense stare. “Kiss my feet,” he ordered her, and he intensified the command with his spell.
Kirima struggled against the command for only a moment before she succumbed and fell prostrate before him, kissing his feet. The three other Shaman women gasped audibly at the display, and Tredbak looked down in disbelief. The soldiers and scouts from the Red Ear clan cheered in triumph, and the members of the Black Skar clan began to salute Harb; more than a few dropped to a knee.
“How does the fool taste?” he asked quietly, and Kirima began to whimper. “That’s enough, my pet.” Kirima pulled back abruptly at the command but kept her eyes on the ground.
He turned to the others. “Remove her bonds, and let’s see this camp.”