Outsiders 22.3

The Orc from the Poster, Part 3

Perched on the stump of a tree he'd toppled with his bare hands, still dripping with the carnage of the urks he'd killed and surrounded by fresh bodies, Grognak Urk-Slayer began his story.

"Orcs belong to Xykesh. Long time ago, Xykesh belong to orcs. Many tribes call Xykesh home, making war and art and food and babies. But then come dragon, and dragon bring dark times. 

"Where dragon go, monsters fall from sky. Orcs fight them. Dragon make dragon men to fight orcs. Orcs fight them. This not new. Always, orcs fight, and grow strong. Orcs stronger than things dragon brings. But orcs not stronger than dragon.

"Dragon kill orcs in battle and in home. But dragon no break orcs in battle or home. Dragon knows orcs strong. So dragon change orcs."

At this, Grognak's expression darkened, showing just a hint of the fury Valerie had seen from while he fought.

"Dragon make orcs into sick things. Small things. Weak things. Dragon make weak things army for dragon. Humans call new things urks. Orcs call new things Dead. Orcs good people. Strong people. Dead are not orcs. Dead have no mind, no heart, no strength. Dead empty."

The mangled remains of the urks still surrounded them, and Valerie found herself considering them with new understanding—and new horror. She'd long known there was something wrong with urks. They were too lifeless. Too much like a pale imitation of orcs she'd seen.

If she understood Grognak, they were artificial. Like orcs, but twisted into something malleable and expendable. And Digax, or someone working for him, had done that to . . . it couldn't have been all the orcs in Xykesh. She'd seen true orcs besides Grognak. But Grognak said Xykesh had been their home, that it had belonged to them. For it to go from their homeland to what it was today, the numbers must have been staggering.

There was no other word for it. The orcs had been the victims of a genocide. And Digax and his Chosen were parading the remains as a personal, slavishly obedient army.

Grognak's fury was starting to make sense.

"But why target the urks then?" Valerie asked. "If they're just empty creations, then why . . . all of this?"

"Dead insult to orcs. Unsacred. Unclean. Dead weak and empty, like sick wolves. Dead shame orcs and suffer to live. Grognak end shame and suffering. Grognak prove orcs still strong."

He said it as proudly and confidently as he had everything else, but there was an undercurrent to his words, a slump to his shoulders. There was a hint of sadness in him, and it struck Valerie that hunting down scores of twisted, lifeless mockeries of your own people must be an awful way to live.

And probably a lonely one.

The memory of Grognak in battle was still fresh in Valerie's mind, but the same instincts that had once compelled her to help a surly hellborn she'd found in a cage now pushed her toward the massive orc in front of her. She wanted to help him. To understand him.

"But why just the urks?" she asked. Grognak had targeted them almost exclusively. For a man whose people had been wronged by an entire regime, he was incredibly selective."Why not Digax, or the Chosen? The ones really responsible for the urks?"

Grognak shook his head like he was talking to a particularly naive child. "Grognak smart. Grognak strong, but Grognak one Grognak. Grognak fights what Grognak can."

"I saw you fight. You're strong enough to handle more than just urks," Valerie said. "Frankly, you're stronger than anyone has any right to physically be."

"Grognak is orc," he said, as if he was pointing out the obvious.

"I've met orcs. They're strong, but they're nowhere near you."

Grognak grunted and nodded, conceding the point. "Grognak is also Grognak."

Valerie had been trying to steer the conversation in the direction of a recruitment pitch—it was what they'd come here to do, afterall, even if she thought she was the last person that should be doing it—but that managed to derail her train of thought.

"What do you mean?"

"Soul of orc strength, and strength of orc soul," the orc said, slapping a fist to his chest. "Grognak full of more Life than any orc, so Grognak soul strong."

Valerie blinked. "That . . . doesn't make any sense."

"Grognak always make sense," Grognak said. "Small Girl knows what Grognak speaks. Small Girl use Death like Grognak use Life."

A puzzle piece clicked into place for Valerie's mind. "You're talking about lifeforce. Presence and Absence."

"Grognak already speak this," he said, sounding impatient. "Grognak full of Life for strong body and stronger soul. Small Girl turn Life to Death, make enemies weak."

"I've been looking everywhere for information about this, how—how do you know this? How do you do what you do?" Valerie asked, everything else about their situation momentarily forgotten.

"Grognak smart," the orc said, as if that explained everything. Valerie had to try hard not to let her frustration show on her face.

"Right, yes. But—"

Valerie. Arden's voice snapped into Valerie's mind, clear and present as if he were standing behind her. I've spoken to all the others; our hunting parties are all converging on the same position. What's your status?

Valerie felt her mentally voice stutter as she tried to reorient her thoughts to her original task. She'd let herself get distracted. S-south by southeast from my initial route. I found Grognak. He killed the hunting party I was following.

You're where they're headed then. We're following as fast as we can, but they'll reach you first. Take cover.

"Grognak," Valerie said. "There's more of the Chosen's forces coming here. Urks and elites. They're here for you."

"Grognak already speak this," Grognak said, standing up. "No more time talk, Small Girl. Grognak must fight. Dead must die."

Valerie loaded her wristbow. "I have friends coming to help. We just have to hold out until they get here."

"Grognak is enough."

Valerie wasn't sure that was true. Grognak had been a force of destruction in the previous fight, but he was staring down four times as many enemies this time, and unlike before, he wouldn't be taking them by surprise.

"Well, even if you are, you're not fighting them alone," Valerie said.

Grognak sent a shudder down her spine by breaking out into a massive, bloodthirsty grin.