Meric the Storyman: Rega and the Dragonstones
Chapter 11: Betrayal

The orc who had blown the horn walked up to Doman and asked, “Who you?”

Doman answered in orcish language, “Me Doman. New to tribe. Humans hurt me in city. Me leave. Come here. Me look for new home.”

The orc shrugged and then told another orc to get the new prisoners. He then told the rest of the orcs to get in line. “You too.” he said to Doman.

Doman got in line near the rear. Being part-human, he stood taller than the full orcs. The orc behind him grumbled, “Hate Gug. Me fight Gug soon. Me then be sub-chief.”

Doman then heard another orc reply, “Chief Wulz not like Gug. He worried that Gug fight him to be new leader.”

The first orc then said, “Me hope not. Me, Hamuk, want to kill Gug before Gug be new leader.”

“Quiet back there.” said the orc Doman suspected was named Gug. “Now you...go.” he ordered.

Rega and Dexir had been taken to a cell located in caverns in the mountains. It had taken a full day to get there. Up until now, only their weapons had been taken.

Rega had learned a little bit of orcish during his trips to the different cities. He had to deal with half-orcs on occasion, so it helped to speak orcish. From what he could tell, someone named Pyrdon would be talking to them soon enough. Until then, the orcs guarding them were instructed to not injure the prisoners.

Dexir was asleep. He had wanted to fight, even though it meant death. Rega felt bad for his friend. He, too, had wanted to fight, but something at the last moment held him back. For now, he would have to see what would happen.

He also wondered what had happened to the rest of the group. Were they trying to rescue him? If so, how?

Rega decided it was best to follow his friend’s example for now. He would talk to Pyrdon once they were taken to see him.

The brownies saw the incident with Doman, Stice, Lano and Lobaki. They saw the halflings and the human being taken away at spear-point. They also saw Doman get in line with the orcs. He would pay.

Their attention was distracted. Looking behind them, they spotted what appeared to be Dexir’s horse.

“Sub-chief Gug reporting back.” said the leader of the group of orcs to the messenger orc. “Caught rest of prisoners.”

The messenger orc sped off ahead of the orc column. He would be letting the tribe know about Gug’s return.

This confirmed Doman’s suspicion. He now knew who Gug was. He still had to meet someone named Wulz.

The orcs soon arrived at the tribe’s lair. It consisted of a series of caves built deep into the mountain range.

An orc guard, on duty at the entrance to the lair, saluted Gug as he entered. He fell back into guard posture after Gug had passed. As Doman walked by, the guard called out to him.

“You. Come here.”

Doman got out of line and walked over to him.

“Who you? Me not see you here before.”

Doman answered, “Me come with Gug. Me help get prisoners. He let me come.”

The guard was about to let him in. Then he spotted the necklace around Doman’s neck.

“Where you get necklace?” asked the guard.

“Me find it.” answered Doman nervously.

“Come with me.” said the guard. “Only one orc have necklace like that. We go see Torg.”

Doman wanted to run away, but realized it was not safe to. He had to follow through now.

The guard led Doman into the caves. Another orc took his place at the entrance. Doman saw both large and small caverns. It appeared that orc families were living in the smaller caves. He estimated that the total population must be in the hundreds.

The guard stopped at the opening of a large cavern. Another orc was guarding it. The first orc said something to the second orc, pointed to Doman and then to his necklace and then pointed inside. The second orc nodded and motioned for Doman to enter.

Inside, Doman saw about thirty orcs eating and drinking. A single orc, sitting at a table overlooking the others, looked up from his meal. The orc who had been leading Doman into the caves walked up to this orc and whispered something in his ear. This new orc looked at Doman and said something back to the guard.

“You come here.” said the guard to Doman. “Here is Torg. Tell him how you find necklace.”

Doman started walking up to Torg. He stopped when he finally saw a necklace around Torg’s neck. It looked just like his own. Looking closer, he recognized some of Torg’s features. It now became clear.

“Father.” said Doman, bowing low.

Rega awoke to the sound of his cell being unlocked. Clearing the sleep from his eyes, he saw Lobaki and the halflings being pushed into the cell. The orc then locked it back.

“Is Doman...dead?” asked Rega, not really wanting to ask that question.

“No. The pig.” answered Stice angrily. “He was the one who turned us in, the traitor.”

Rega was shocked to hear this. He knew that Doman was having nightmares. In fact, the half-orc had one several nights ago. Rega had been on watch when he heard Doman talking in his sleep. He had said something about it not being his fault. It was repeated over and over.

How could he do this to them?

“Get up, half-orc.” said Torg to Doman. “What this about me as you father?”

“Me mother gave necklace to me.” answered Doman in orcish. “She say it belong to me father. Me look for he. Me now find him.”

Torg thought for a little bit. “You sit here by me.” He then said to Doman. “You tell me about you.”

Doman was given a chair next to his father. He told Torg his name, shared some food and drink with him, and laughed at Torg’s jokes. Torg patted him on the back.

“It great honor when half-orc follow orc father.” said Torg. “You big like human and good-looking like orc.”

Torg then broke out into a fit of laughter. Other orcs who heard this also laughed. Doman smiled.

An orc guard then entered the cavern. “Sub-chief Torg. Chief Wulz summon you.”

Torg turned to Doman. “Me see you later. We talk more.” He then called up an orc from one of the tables. “You stay with son. Find him he own place.”

“Me will.” said the orc.

So, Doman followed another orc around. This one was named Oduk. Doman was assigned a small cave as his quarters. He was also shown some of the more interesting areas.

“This way go to Pyrdon.” said Oduk, pointing down a dark passageway. “Me never go that way.”

“Who Pyrdon?” asked Doman.

“He mean, nasty red dragon. He control Red Dragon Orc Clan.” answered Oduk.

Oduk pointed down another passageway, “Go this way and go to prisoner cell”...

“Pyrdon be here soon.” said Wulz, Chief of the Red Dragon Orc Clan. As his sub-chiefs, Torg and Gug were there. “Elf not be much help. Only tell us about new prisoners. Pyrdon not be happy if new prisoners not have much treasure.”

Doman was finally on his own. He knew where Rega and the rest were now being kept. The caves were extensive. Oduk had also shown him a passageway that led to a series of other passageways, eventually coming out on the other side of the mountains in the west.

Word had quickly spread about him being Torg’s son. He was greeted with much respect.

“Half-orc, how you doing?”

Doman turned and saw the orc named Hamuk. He remembered him as the one grumbling in line earlier. “Me fine. Me name Doman.” he answered.

Then it came to him. He had a plan on how to rescue his friends. It would have to be fast, especially if Pyrdon was to be here soon.

Hamuk introduced himself to Doman.

“Hamuk. Me have idea.” said Doman. “Me hear you talk about Gug...”

“I almost had it.” said Rega to Dexir, trying to pick the cells lock. “Fortunately, those stupid orcs were only worried about taking our weapons. They didn’t even see my lock picks.”

“Here comes a guard.” whispered Stice.

Rega quickly hid his tools. In a few moments, the guard walked back.

“He doesn’t give me enough time.” said Rega angrily.

“It would probably mean his head if he did.” said Dexir. “Keep trying. You may get the few seconds you need.”

“Come meet me son.” said Torg, after Gug and himself had walked out of their meeting with Wulz.

“When you have son?” asked Gug.

“He show up today.” answered Torg. “He half-orc. He honor me.”

“Me had half-orc come with me. He turn in halflings and one human. Me not have good feeling about this.” said Gug in reply.

“We go find him.” said Torg. “Then we have answers.”

The two sub-chiefs walked off together. Many orcs had seen Doman, so getting his location was simple. As they entered a cavern with several intersecting passageways, Doman and Hamuk jumped out in front of them.

“Father. Me fight you.” said Doman to his father.

“Gug. You die like pig.” said Hamuk to the other sub-chief.

A battle then broke out. All of the orcs in the area made a large circle around the four in battle. Since this was how an orc rose to be a leader, Doman’s plan was working fine.

Torg unsheathed a wicked looking scimitar. Doman had picked up a short sword. Gug had his long curved knife. Hamuk just had a regular dagger.

The half-orc again let the anger rise. With all the anger from his nightmares, all the anger for the one who hurt his mother, all the anger for him being shunned like he was, Doman attacked his father with every ounce of his being.

Torg was unprepared for this kind of attack. The fierceness in the half-orc’s blows tired him quickly. He was soon reduced to parrying just to save his life. Then, he was hit. His son got in a blow to the left leg. Limping now, he parried some more.

The next blow was worse. Doman sliced open his father’s side. Torg was losing blood very fast. The third blow was the fatal one. A head did come clean from a body, but unlike the head in his dreams, it wasn’t the head of his mother but the one from his father.

The battle between Gug and Hamuk was not as intense. Both orcs were pretty much equal so far. Hamuk gained the advantage, however, when Gug noticed Torg’s head come rolling by his feet. Hamuk acted quickly and sliced Gug’s weapon arm.

Doman, slipping away while the crowd of orcs was watching Hamuk’s and Gug’s battle, headed to the passageway that would lead him to his friends.

Hamuk got in another good blow. This one went into Gug’s belly. Gug dropped to the floor. He would be dead soon. The crowd cheered as Hamuk yelled, “To Wulz. Me fight him now.”

Hamuk took off toward the Clan Chief’s cavern.

Rega was starting to pick the lock once again when he heard a noise coming from where the guard was. In a few moments, he saw Doman come running in, keys in hand.

“You pig-face, stinking...” started Stice.

But Doman shut him up. “I am here to free you. We must be quick. When Wulz figures out what is going on, it will be dangerous for us all.”

Doman unlocked the cell door. Stice walked up to him, “You mean...it was just an act? You really didn’t betray us?”

“No I didn’t, you silly halfling.” answered Doman. “I figured that the only way to pull it off was to join them.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” said Stice.

“Apology accepted.” replied Doman. “Besides, if you had known, I might not have pulled it off. Now, we need to go. Follow me.”

“Wulz. Me here to fight you. Come out.” yelled Hamuk. He now had the scimitar Torg had been using.

The Clan Chief walked out of his personal cave. He had already been briefed about the deaths of his two sub-chiefs. He was even told about Doman’s disappearance. With his magical sword, a present from Pyrdon, Wulz walked out to meet Hamuk.

“Hamuk. This you last chance. Change mind and you live. Where you half-orc friend?” he said.

Hamuk had been too charged up to notice his partner was missing. The plan was for them to rule the clan together. Without the half-orc’s additional strength, hope was lost. Hamuk dropped his scimitar.

“Good. You smart orc. Me make you new sub-chief.” said Wulz. “Now, go find half-orc.”

Hamuk bowed down and then picked up his scimitar. As he started to leave, an orc came running up.

“Clan Chief Wulz. Prisoners gone. They not in cell.” said the orc.

Wulz was now angry. He sent orcs to all areas of the caverns to search for the prisoners. Once they had left, he went to personally sound the alarm to summon Pyrdon.

The red dragon would be very upset, but it was better he know.

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