Swamp of Death

CHAPTER 63

Two days had passed since Grodish, Roshnak and Uggut left Zhinnaeg. Soft, muddy, rain sodden ground was sticking to the soles of their boots, somewhat hindering their movement. Still, the orcs were determined to reach the destination as fast as possible. Besides having just a quick rest last night, they were on the move for the entire time.

Slight slope was coming down at an angle, into a small, narrow valley, overgrown with thick, lush grass and shrub. Not more than a couple of hundred yards long, the valley was cut off by a completely vertical, slick cliff, high as the skies itself. There, in the corner, hidden in fern and moss, was barely visible gap in between the stones. It was an entrance into a gorge, only Uggut knew about.

It wasn't long, before they were again walking over the rocky grounds. Narrow canyon twisted and turned, like some kind of snake. Uniformed, smooth creases along the gorge walls, told Roshnak that a river flew through it, a long time ago. The water must have been eroding the bed for thousand of years, creating these magnificent, natural made etchings. The canyon suddenly ended in the mountain. Low, wide aperture in the rocks led into a medium sized, oval cave, forking into two deep, dark tunnels. Dripping sounds of water came from somewhere in the distance.

"Where to now?" Grodish asked.

"Left tunnel is heading straight into the town center." Uggut retorted "But, I..."

Zhinnaeg sorcerer suddenly stopped. His face turned white out of fear. He wouldn't even dare to breathe, let alone move, as he found himself face to face with a large, brown bear.

"Ursu, what are you doing here?" Grodish asked, smiling.

Quietly mumbling, bear ingratiatingly brushed against the half-orc, heading towards his master. Uggut wasn't expecting this at all. His legs trembled from fear. He had to sit down.

"Damn it! Goblin beat us to it." Roshnak said in anger "We need to move, perhaps we are not too late."

Out of worn out, leather pouch, attached to his thick belt, shaman carefully took out a small, wooden figurine of a bear. He placed it on the ground, whispering several odd rhymes. Figurine suddenly flashed, at the same exact moment, as Ursu began to fade away. It took only a couple of seconds, before the large, black bear completely disappeared from this world.

"W...where did it go?" Uggut asked warily.

"Somewhere, he could rest." Roshnak retorted, heading towards that same tunnel, bear just came from "Quickly, follow me. Perhaps there's still time."

Led by the shaman's example, Grodish boldly rushed into the dark tunnel, waving Uggut to follow. Small cave wasn't much longer than fifty yards. Daylight at the end of the passageway helped them go through with ease. Cave widened out, into a small, oval square. It was paved in black, coarse cobblestones, surrounded from all the sides with tall, smooth cliffs. Beside that exit they came from, Grodish counted at least a dozen more.

Small group of orcs, marching in unison, went past them in silence. They were covered in shabby, well worn, goat hides. They were barefooted and filthy. With their heads held low, it seemed as if they weren't even noticing them. Orcs soon disappeared into one of the tunnels.

"Are we going after them?" Uggut was too shy to ask.

Roshnak nodded, as he decided to follow them close. Narrow, slippery staircase was heading up, into a new corridor, not more than twenty yards long. They've kept a safe distance from that group of orcs, passing through a series of different tunnels. Until they've reached a small, opened door, leading outside. Sudden, strange hum could be heard, as the orcs went through. It lasted just for a couple of seconds, disappearing as it appeared. There was only silence.

Roshnak decisively walked through the door, finding himself standing in the middle of huge, grandiose arena. They must've been surrounded by tens of thousands of orcs. Gallery was carved inside the cliffs in the shape of a horseshoe, stretching over a thousand yards. Despite being completely filled, stands seemed eerily devoid of presence. Orcs looked disinterested, obtusely staring at the arena, unaware of anything happening around them. They looked far from being alive.

But they were breathing. Roshnak checked a couple of those closest to him. He immediately noticed their eyes. Blurry and white, as if they were lifeless. Shaman knew of spirits possessing spells, and from his experience, it almost always meant, there is something dark and evil behind it. Someone very powerful was controlling these Khoill folks.

Could this be the doing of that mystical pearl, Uggut spoke of earlier. Tall, scrawny looking orc, strutting around the altar, down there in the arena, might've known the answer to that. It was then that Roshnak noticed a small figure, led by two orcs approaching the altar. The figure was a goblin. With his hands tied to his back, it seemed he was in a lot of trouble.

"If I am not mistaken, that is the goblin king." Grodish whispered in the shaman's ear.

Roshnak nodded.

"Come, we must find the entrance into the arena."