“They need your commandment, Warchief. They look to you for leadership.”

  “Do not call me that. I am just Koruk. It was good enough a month ago and it should be good enough now.” Koruk bit back. Semthak frowned, the features of his face caught in sharp relief by the flickering firelight.

  “No, you aren’t. Not any more.” A kindly voice said beside him. Koruk pulled his cheek out of his palm to look up at Kiwai’s soft features. “You are Warchief Koruk, of the Broken Tooth Horde. You need to believe that, for their sake. For our sake.”

  “I did not ask for this.”

  “But you have it all the same. They say amongst my people, that the greatest of men do not seek power. They have power thrust upon them.”

  “You’ve done pretty well I think.” Moktark remarked. He stood with his arms crossed, looking into the darkness.

  “Four hundred are dead. We are trapped underground without food.”

  “But nearly ten thousand still live, plus Hemust’s Rock Crushers.” Kiwai said. His voice burned with a zeal that Koruk wouldn’t have imagined was possible from the small man. “They owe their lives to you, and they know this. They have a blood debt to you. Their lives are yours.”

  “That’s not really how it works with us orcs.” Koruk said, not believing the words even as they exited his mouth.

  “Nevertheless…” Semthak said, punctuating his sentence with a cough. “They are awaiting your command.”

  Koruk slowly rose to his feet. He felt tired. Old. As if years of his youth had been lost somewhere, and he didn’t know where he’d misplaced them.

  “Then I will command them. Thank you, Kiwai. All of you. Without you, my friends, I would be lost in the dark without a light to guide me.”

  “Not like we’d let you down now little brother.” Moktark grinned. “Guess you’re not so little anymore.”

  “We will get to Zernthod, one way or another. Even if we have to walk through the bowels of the earth to get there.”

  Koruk brought the plan to Hemust, and with the easy agreement of the Rock Crusher warchief, it was set in motion. There seemed few other options available other than the delve deeper into the darkness, and hope that they could find some passage north amongst the winding passages.

  “When we were traveling near Broken Lookout, there were all those tunnels in the cliffs along the old road.” Moktark said, scratching his hairy chin. His short chinstrap had begun to expand into a scraggly beard over the course of their adventures. “I figure, probably a good chance they link up with these ones.”

  “Might be the only chance we have. Unless we can source some more food…” Semthak said, letting his sentence trail off.

  “Wonder if humans are good eating?” Moktark said. “What? Don’t look at me like that. I doubt I’m the only one thinking it.”

  “How will we find our way?” Koruk asked softly, almost to himself. “How did Orcus find his way?”

  “It’s a shame we can’t ask him.” Semthak said. He bit into a mushroom, and his lip curled in distaste but he kept chewing. “If that oracle was still around, maybe it could have sent us a vision showing how to get there.”

  Koruk didn’t acknowledge the comment, but something about it stuck in his mind. If only they hadn’t killed the oracle, maybe the humans would never have come. Maybe all of this death could have been avoided.

  Soft footsteps announced visitors, and Koruk shook off his thoughts for the time being. A group of imps were approaching, led by Kiwai. The young imp bowed gracefully to him, and the others imitated the gesture. One of their number, a woman if Koruk guessed right, stepped forward.

  “Warchief of the Orcs, may the sun and moon bless you this day.”

  “I don’t think any of us are going to be blessed by the sun or moon anytime soon, but thanks all the same.” Koruk said. “What is your name?”

  “Zaalah. I speak for those with me, and I come to say that we will not be accompanying you on your quest through the darkness.”

  “Given that the cave mouth has several tons of rocks stuffed into it, you might find that difficult.” Koruk said, perhaps unkindly he thought in hindsight.

  “We believe we have found a passage that may lead above ground. We shall depart, and from the surface try to make our way back to our sandskimmers. We must warn our people of the return of the sky demons, and make ready for war.”

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  “What makes you think the humans won’t be waiting for you the moment you step outside?” Moktark said, shaking his head.

  “It’s our thought that a small group maybe be able to go unnoticed.” Kiwai said. “If we succeed, we will return.”

  “You intend to go with them, Kiwai?” Koruk asked. He felt something sink in his stomach. He suddenly realized how much he had come to rely on the imp’s company in his party.

  “It is I who knows the most about the demons. I bore witness to the destruction of the oracle and watched them at Brittle Teeth. They have asked for my council.”

  Koruk winced at the mention of the destruction of the oracle. He gritted his teeth, thinking that he might have been directly responsible for this nightmare they found themselves in. He had been such a fool to trust the human.

  “You will be missed. You fought well in the last battle.” Moktark said. “Probably wouldn’t have made it if not for your help.”

  Koruk noticed something shining in the darkness. Semthak was holding something in his hand. The Heart of Stone from the temple, Koruk realized. He’d seen the old orc fidgeting with the thing on numerous occasions. It seemed to calm his nerves.

  The world seemed to fall away for an instant as Koruk gazed into the stone. Even now it glowed dimly, and as he felt it pull him in he thought he could see a flicker of movement at the edge of his vision. A whisper at the boundary of his hearing. A presence that seemed both a familiar friend and an alien threat.

  Semthak noticed him staring, and quickly hid the stone, dropping it back into the pouch he kept it in. Koruk quickly averted his gaze.

  “… will stay behind to council your warriors. We are both surprised and impressed by the zeal with which you fight the demons. Rest assured that you do not stand alone. We will return to bring our wrath upon the invaders!”

  Zaalah turned to leave, and with a parting glance Kiwai followed suit.

  “Wait.” Koruk said. The imps halted, and turned to face him again. “I would speak to Kiwai alone, with my companions.”

  Zaalah bowed, and led her retinue out of the chamber, leaving Kiwai alone with the orcs.

  “I am sorry. I know this is sudden…” Kiwai began.

  “We need to return to the temple.” Koruk said. The words felt strange leaving his lips, as though they were carried there by some will not his own. He knew that they were correct though.

  “The temple…?” Kiwai breathed.

  “What are you talking about?” Semthak said. “The temple is ruined.”

  “I… I don’t know. I just know, we need to go back. I think we might be able to put things right again.”

  “Are you feeling alright little brother?” Moktark asked.

  “Look even if we wanted to go prancing off to that sun baked hellscape again, we have duties here. The horde needs us. It needs you.” Semthak said.

  “What good am I here?” Koruk shot with sudden anger. “I know nothing about leading an army! I nearly led it to its doom just yesterday! I’m no warchief. But I know I can put things right. I can… feel it in my heart. Please…”

  Semthak produced the Heart of Stone. It had ceased to glimmer in the dark, and looked like nothing so much as a dull lump of rock in his hand. He gazed at it for a long moment.

  “I know you can lad.”

  He tossed the stone into the air, and Koruk caught it easily.

  “What?”

  “It’s the rock. You don’t think you’re the only one it’s been whispering to do you? Thing’s been weighing heavy in my pocket for ages now.”

  “How long did…” Koruk asked, his words trailing off.

  “Oh I don’t know. I’ve been feeling it for awhile, like an unease that’s been building I guess. Never really understood what it meant until now. But yeah, more I think about it, more I think you’re right.” Semthak said. He pointed to the stone. “I think that thing wants to go home.”

  “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “An old man gets a funny feeling in his gut and you expect him to tell the world about it? I thought it was just indigestion.”

  “You’re both crazy.” Moktark said under his breath.

  “For all of time the oracle has stopped the sky demons.” Kiwai said. “If even the faintest echo of it still exists, it must be heeded!”

  “Make that three of you.”

  “We should leave at once.” Koruk said.

  “No lad.” Semthak said, smiling. “Zernthod is my home. I can’t leave them now. I’m going to see this through, one way or the other.”

  “Moktark…”

  Koruk felt a hand rest on his shoulder.

  “You’ve grown into a strong warrior, little broth… Koruk. The black temple was always your quest. I was just along for the ride.” Moktark said kindly. “Besides, me with my bad ankle, I’d only slow you down. Sounds to me like if you’re going to do whatever it is you’re going to do, time is of the essence.”

  “Someone will need to lead the horde.” Koruk said, his voice barely a whisper. “Lead them to victory, Warchief Moktark.”

  “Well someone has to.” Moktark laughed. “Leave them to me. Those humans aren’t going to know what hit them.”

  “Thank you.” Koruk said. He glanced at the stone in his palm one last time before pocketing it. “Thank you all.”

  Koruk steeled his jaw, and turned to leave, and when he did so, he felt he left behind a part of himself in that dark underground chamber.