CHAPTER TWENTY-Six - GRom TEN-Kill

Logan caught himself before his jaw dropped all the way to the ground.He was sure he’d heard Shaman Nightcaller incorrectly. “Wait. Did you say

sister?”

The orc nodded, and Logan stood back, unsure of what to say. Everyone inthe eastern marches knew that orc woman were kept as chattel, not trainedin any craft or skill besides childbearing and taking care of a campsite. Orc women were not educated; it simply wasn’t done - ever!Nyla, however, beat him to the punch. “I thought you greenbacks nevertaught your women anything. How could one of them be a Shaman?”“Watch your tongue, girl.” The Shaman’s tone indicated his own opinionof women. “Mahl is, how you say, exception to rule? Her father was… unusualorc chief. He had his daughter taught ways of Shaman in secret. Most of tribethought him crazy – or worse. But he was Chief, and no one strong enough tounseat him.”“By time Ten-Kill became chief, his sister was already high in favor of Grummish. Others learn to... tolerate her. Or she and her brother kill them.”He paused, and spat at the ground by Nyla’s feet. “She is abomination before allof The People. But Ten-Kill strong Chief and powerful Shaman in his own right.Only Shaman more powerful in lands of The People is his sister. All who objectkeep mouth shut if they want to live.”Shaman Nightcaller, Logan saw, looked sick at the thought of what he had just told him. He was unsure of how to proceed with such a delicate subject.

Not that I care what he thinks. I just don’t want to get him any madder than he already is.

“Well, I suppose that’s beside the point,” he admitted. “Why were

your men ghting those orcs back there? What do they have to do with your

quest to stop the stealer?”“Everything! Now we know who summoned the beast! How you not realizethat?”

Of course! Nightcaller would be tracking those who summoned the Stealer as best he could. That means that…

“Tarn, do you realize what this means?“What what means?” The Shaman cut in.Realizing that these orcs were for the moment not a threat, Tonath slid hisgreat sword back into its scabbard and answered in some of the worst orcishLogan had ever heard. “Ten-Kill lead invasion of human lands. Must havesummoned beast as distraction.”

The Shaman poured forth some of the most vile curses Logan had everheard, in orcish or in any other language. “Grom Ten-Kill is many things,pinkskin, but he is no demon summoner. I can’t – won’t – believe he wouldsummon such a beast, nor condone the summoning of one.” Tonath laughed. “Funny that cleric of Grummish say his people notsummon demons.”Logan shot him a warning look, and started speaking before the knightcould continue. “What you say may be true, Shaman. But you have to admitthat it is remarkably convenient that the creature started attacking us rightafter we humans discovered that Ten-Kill has united ten clans, and that he ispreparing to launch the largest invasion of human lands in a century.” The Shaman looked blankly at Logan. “Invasion? What invasion?”“You mean you don’t know?” Tarn queried.

The Shaman shook his head. “We have been hunting the stealer for over ve

months – since the heart of season of snow. Our chief sent us out on shortestturning of sun. He tell us he learn of summoning of beast, but not say how or where he learn of it from. I thought it strange, but he is chief, so I go. I take with me two tens of warriors. I have only half a ten left now.

“We ght Mahl’s warriors many times, but this is rst time one of them

lived long enough for me to question him.” He turned to Tonath, “Nice shot,pinkskin. You pin him down and stop him without killing him. Grummishrespects your skill.”

Tonath shrugged nonchalantly. “I have years experience ghting your kind,

greenback. No offense.”“That matters not. Now, what is this invasion you speak of?”

Tarn and Logan spent the next few minutes lling in the Shaman on all

that had occurred, leaving out only the low strength of the garrison at thekeep. When Logan told him that both Tonath and Nyla had been wounded by aphysical blow from the stealer, they watched him recoil in fright as he made asign warding off evil.“You let them live!”“Of course! Why wouldn’t we?”“Touched by demon they are! You must put them down, now!” The Shamangrabbed for his axe, and Tonath muttered foul oaths as he reached for thesword on his back.Logan and Tarn exchanged glances. Then Tarn jumped up and grabbed Tonath’s arm just before he swung his sword, and Logan launched himself atthe Shaman’s legs, managing to upset his balance and knock him down. Thus

restrained, the combatants snarled at each other. Logan could barely maintainhis grip on the Shaman, who cried, “You must kill them! Kill Now! Before it toolate!”“Go ahead, greenback! Make my ever-loving day!” Tonath snarled.Logan pulled the Shaman aside as Tarn worked to calm Tonath down. Nyla, who seemed to be under control, was talking to Tonath as well, helping Tarn.

He took a moment to ash her a grateful grin and turned back to the Shaman.

“Shaman Nightcaller!” He grabbed the orc by his chin, a move which undernormal circumstances would have been suicidal. “We’ve used magic to containthe taint. We don’t know how long it will work, but for now it does. They seem tobe able to sense where the demon is, and so are leading us to it.” The shaman blinked. “You… you have magic to do this?” Logan nodded.“You must teach me. I have not that skill. The People have not that skill. Wheredoes this magic come from?”“Dwarf magic. Handed down to me by the priests of my order. But beyondmy skills to cast, alas. The spell only slows the progress of the taint; it doesn’t

stop it. We must still nd the demon and kill it, or my companions will becomedemons in the esh. You obviously know about this effect. What can you tell us

about it?”“Ugghh. Not much. Only that it happens. Those who the creature strikesbecome demons… eventually.”“How long does it take?”“It vary. I see happen to two of my warriors. One last one hand of turningsof moon, the other cycle of moon. First time, we hope it one-time affect. Now,any time one of us is wounded by beast, we put him down. Better… easier that way.”Nyla had drawn closer, listening. “Maybe for you, greenback,” she retorted.“Me, I like staying alive.”

“Well, then, little pinkskin girl, I suggest we nd way to kill beast.”

Nyla’s green eyes shone with an unholy light. “Agreed. And quickly, I’mthinking. Right now, all I want to do is rip your throat out. But that’s the demontalking, I think. Myself, I’d settle for only wounding you.”A crinkle of smile crossed the Shaman’s face. “I like your attitude, girl.Maybe I let you live today. Now come. We have much to discuss. I know not what Ten-Kill and his bitch of sister have planned, nor why he attack your