Introduction

Welcome back to Maledicturs Terra. This is a Chain Story between myself and @lex-zaiya, meaning that we each write the parts alternatively.

If you have not read Maledictus Terra Book 1: Mortis Custos yet, it starts HERE at Part 1 and ends at Part 101 HERE. At the end of the Part 101 post you will find links to all 101 Parts!

Maledictus Terra Book 2: Sanguifex started HERE with Part 1 and ends at Part 111 HERE

The previous part by @lex-zaiya can be found HERE.

Part 32

Magna woke up and rubbed her temples. Her head throbbed.

The Greenskin feast had lasted late into the night, or early in the morning and she had had more to drink than she had ever done before. For the sake of diplomacy of course. She would not want to be seen as impolite.

Now she paid the price of that as she tried to sit on her horse with a look of what she hoped spoke of strength and poise. She felt like wet garbage.

The party were mounted up, all except for Derric of course, who would change into wolf form and would easily keep up with the party.

High Chief Kerghug Gholug stood before the party. He was old, but even at his age, he was tall. He must have been a massive and powerful Orc in his youth. Only Chief Durbul Lockjaw and Shield-Chief Oggha were taller than the old leader. Of course they were all absolutely dwarfed by Chief Tayo, who for the first time was standing on her feet. She had not been at the feast.

While the Orcs looked up at the party that had mounted up on their horses, Tayo looked down at them all. What was muscle and skin was covered in a hide so tough and craggy, that it looked like stone.

"The Council speeds you on your way for your Quest." The old High Chief was saying. "Not only shall this establish peace and alliance between ourselves and the humans of Dragonshold, but it will return to us a Goddess of old. The Tribes will prosper and the Kingdom shall have won a grand ally for all days to come!"

Chief Durbul took a step forward. "I pledge one of my warriors from my war horde to this quest, for the Crimson Hammer Tribe stands at the vouching Clan of this alliance. The Warrior is my own daughter, Gorma, which you know well."

They all knew this already of course, but there was a bit of ceremony that needed to be observed here. Magna could not believe that these Orcs could stand in the hot morning sun as they did. They did not look at all worse for wear.

There was a sound of something moving fast in their direction. Magna thought that it did not sound solid enough to be hoof beats galloping towards them. Instead it sounded more like Derric when he ran as a beast.

Sure enough a monstrous wolf-like creature rounded a row of tents and sprinted toward them. Riding on the back of this beast was an Orc warrior garbed in full armor and holding a shield in one hand.

There were no reigns or a saddle, but the warrior's legs were drawn together in a pinch and the warrior looked like they had incredible balance.

It was clear from the ornate axe at her belt, who it was, but as she drew next to her father, Gorma opened her Orcish helm and grinned at Magna and the rest of the party.

"It shall be an honour to ride and fight alongside you! For the Goddess Inanna!" Gorma raised a fist into the air.

The motion and attitude was infectious. Magna did not know if it was appropriate or not, but it felt right to her. Her own fist pumped into the air above her head and despite her pounding head she repeated the dedication. "For the Goddess Inanna!"

The Orc Chiefs looked surprised. After a glance shared between Durbul and Oggha, they followed suit ar Kerghug raised his large and gnarled fist. "For the Goddess Innana!" The trio roared.

Almost as one, Magna's party, even Mortis and Vetrix raised they fists into the air. "For the Goddess Innana!"

Gorma was grinning and she was yelling with Magna's party. Beyond the party, the Orc encampment erupted in the salute. There had already been any onlookers, but Orcs, Goblins, Bugbears and Trolls could all be seen coming nearer. Their faces were smiling, their roars fierce and proud and their fists in the air.

To continued praise and salutes Magna led her party out of the Greenskin camp and on the way back home. Somehow her headache was gone. She did not know if it was just the exhilaration or something else, but she felt good.

Behind Magna came Gorox and Mortis, then Adrian and Noxus. Derric came sprinting ahead to run beside her. Magna noticed with a slight twinge of irritation that Vitex was riding on Derric's back. Though it made her feel a little better to see that the Goddess seemed to have shrunk and appeared like a child.

Also drawing forward and coming up on her other side came Gorma. The Orc woman still had her helmet open. Magna noticed that this warg that Gorma was different to a wolf like Derric emulated due to its long legs. The two women were riding at the same sort of height.

Gorma grinned at Magna and thumped her breastplate with a fist. "That was well done. It was not custom for a non-worshipper of Inanna to raise that praise, but your conviction and power was convincing!"

Magan thumped her own chest. "I believe in this quest and the sanctity of the Goddess Inanna. If another of the Old Pantheon can return then our world will be safer from the Outsiders."

"Outsiders?"

"Indeed, it is a long story. Perhaps my brother will explain it to you sometime." Magna grinned as she saw the Orc woman's reaction. There was a slight flush to her cheeks. This one was definitely interested in her brother. Which was also so peculiar. The woman was clearly a warrior at heart, axe and shield, combat and hardship.

All the things her father would have wanted his son to be. Instead Adrian was something else entirely... and yet...

She looked over her shoulder at her twin.

Prince Adrian was not looking to where his horse was going. Nor did he seem to notice where Gorma and Magna were. He was lost in thought. As Magan watched, he pulled a book from his back and a quill appeared in his hand and he was writing something into the book.

Magna smiled. Indeed. He must be very different to Gorma than the usual Orc male. This would be interesting to watch. Though she was not sure her mother would approve.

You're up again @lex-zaiya!

Thank you for reading!

Here is an explanation of Chain Stories and here is the current Chainstory Library

Vetitum Nemus

by @zakludick	by @lex-zaiya
----	Part 1
Part 2	Part 3
Part 4	Part 5
Part 6	Part 7
Part 8	Part 9
Part 10	Part 11
Part 12	Part 13
Part 14	Part 15
Part 16	Part 17
Part 18	Part 19
Part 20	Part 21
Part 22	Part 23
Book 24	Book 25
Part 26	Part 27
Part 28	Part 29
Part 30	Part 31
You are here!	Coming soon!

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Cheers!
@zakludick

Hive South Africa