[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.The earth responded.The ground beneath the encampment began to tremble, and small shocks rippledout from the center.Before Thrall s eyes, earth broke and heaved, the mighty stone wall encircling thecamp shattering and falling into small pieces.Screams assaulted Thrall s ears, not battle cries or epithets,but cries of genuine terror.He steeled himself against a quick rush of pity.These knights came at theorder of Blackmoore.More than likely they had been instructed to slay as many orcs as possible,imprison all they did not slay, and capture Thrall in order to return him to a life of slavery.They hadchosen to follow those orders, and for that, they would pay with their lives.The earth buckled.The screaming was drowned out by the terrible roar of collapsing buildings andshattering stone.And then, almost as quickly as it had come, the noises ceased.Thrall stood and regarded the rubble that had once been an internment camp for his people.A few softmoans came from under the debris, but Thrall hardened his heart.His own people were wounded, weremoaning.He would tend to them.He took a moment to close his eyes and offer his gratitude to Earth, then turned and hastened to wherehis people were gathering.This moment was always chaotic, but it seemed to Thrall to be even less organized than usual.Even ashe ran up the hilly ground, Hellscream was hurrying to meet him. It s Doomhammer, Hellscream rasped. You had better hurry. Thrall s heart leaped.Not Doomhammer.Surely he could not be in danger.He followed whereHellscream led, shoving his way through a thick cluster of jabbering orcs to where Orgrim Doomhammerlay propped up sideways against the base of a tree.Thrall gasped, horrified.At least two feet of a broken lance extended from Doomhammer s broad back.As Thrall stared, frozen for a moment by the sight, Doomhammer s two personal attendants struggled toremove the circular breastplate.Now Thrall could see, poking through the black gambeson thatcushioned the heavy armor, the reddened, glistening tip of the lance.It had impaled Doomhammer withsuch force that it had gone clear through his body, completely piercing the back plate and denting thebreastplate from the inside.Drek Thar was kneeling next to Doomhammer, and he turned his blind eyes up to Thrall s.He shook hishead slightly, then rose and stepped back.Blood seemed to roar in Thrall s ears, and it was only dimly that he heard the mighty warrior calling hisname.Stumbling in shock, Thrall approached and knelt beside Doomhammer. The blow was a coward s blow, Doomhammer rasped.Blood trickled from his mouth. I was struckfrom behind. My lord, said Thrall, miserably.Doomhammer waved him to silence. I need your help, Thrall.In two things.You must carry on what we have begun.I led the Horde once.It is not my destiny to do so again. He grimaced, shuddered, and continued. Yours is the title ofWarchief, Thrall, son of D-Durotan.You will wear my armor, and carry my hammer. Doomhammer reached out to Thrall, and Thrall grasped the bloody, armored hand with his own. Youknow what to do.They are in your care now.I could not.have hoped for a better heir.Your fatherwould be so proud.help me. With hands that trembled, Thrall turned to assist the two younger orcs in removing, piece by piece, thearmor that had always been associated with Orgrim Doomhammer.But the lance that still protruded fromOrgrim s back would not permit the removal of the rest of the armor. That is the second thing, growled Doomhammer.There was a small crowd clustered around the fallenhero, and more were coming up every moment. It is shame enough that I die from a coward s strike, he said. I will not leave my life with this piece of human treachery still in my body. One hand went tothe point of the lance.The fingers fluttered weakly, and the hand fell. I have tried to pull it out myself, butI lack the strength.Hurry, Thrall.Do this for me. Thrall felt as though his chest were being crushed by an unseen hand.He nodded.Steeling himselfagainst the pain that he knew he would need to cause his friend and mentor, he closed his armoredfingers about the tip, pressing into Doomhammer s flesh.Doomhammer cried out, in anger as much as in pain. Pull! he cried.Closing his eyes, Thrall pulled.The blood-soaked shaft came forward a few inches.The sound thatDoomhammer made almost broke Thrall s heart. Again! the mighty warrior cried.Thrall took a deep breath and pulled, willing himself to remove the entire shaft this time.It came free with such suddenness that he stumbled backward.Black-red blood now gushed freely from the fatal hole in Doomhammer s belly.Standing beside Thrall,Hellscream whispered, I saw it happen.It was before you caused the horses to desert their masters.Hewas single-handedly battling eight of them, all on horseback.It was the bravest thing I have ever seen. Thrall nodded dumbly, then knelt beside Doomhammer s side. Great leader, whispered Thrall, so thatonly Doomhammer could hear, I am afraid.I am not worthy to wear your armor and wield yourweapon. No one breathes who is worthier, said Doomhammer in a soft, wet voice. You will lead them.tovictory.and you will lead them.to peace. The eyes closed, and Doomhammer fell forward onto Thrall.Thrall caught him, and held him close for along moment.He felt a hand on his shoulder.It was Drek Thar, who slipped a hand beneath Thrall s armand helped him rise. They are watching, Drek Thar said to Thrall, speaking very softly. They must not lose heart.Youmust put on the armor at once, and show them that they have a new chieftain. Sir, said one of the orcs who had overheard Drek Thar s words, the armor. He swallowed. The plate that was pierced it will need to be replaced. No, said Thrall. It will not.Before the next battle you will hammer it back into shape, but I will keepthe plate.In honor of Orgrim Doomhammer, who gave his life to free his people. He stood and let them place the armor on, grieving privately but publicly showing a brave face.Thegathered crowd watched, hushed and reverent.Drek Thar s advice had been sound; this was the rightthing to do.He bent, picked up the enormous hammer, and swung it over his head. Orgrim Doomhammer has named me Warchief, he cried. It is a title I would not have sought, but Ihave no choice.I have been named, and so I will obey.Who will follow me to lead our people tofreedom? A cry rose up, raw and filled with grief for the passing of their leader.Yet it was a sound of hope aswell, and as Thrall stood, bearing aloft the famous weapon of Doomhammer, he knew in his heart that,despite the odds, victory would indeed be theirs.SEVENTEENIt was raw with grief and fueled by anger that Thrall marched up to where Langston fought against theimplacable tree roots in a desperate attempt to sit up.He shrank back when Thrall arrived, wearing the legendary black plate mail and towering over him.Hiseyes were wide with fear. I should kill you, said Thrall, darkly
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Tematy
IndexRaymond L. Cohn Mass Migration Under Sail, European Immigration to the Antebellum United States (2002)
Amey Stone, Mike Brewster The King of Capital, Sandy Weill and the Making of Citigroup (2002)
John Ruston Pagan Anne Orthwood's Bastard, Sex and Law in Early Virginia (2002)
Thomas Vale Fire, Native Peoples, and the Natural Landscape (2002)
Anita Vickers The New Nation, 1783 1816 (2002)
Harold Bloom Aldous Huxley (2002)
Jeffries Sabrina Lord 02 Zakazane uczucie(1)
Christie Golden Warcraft Le Chef de la Rebellion
§ GimĂŠnez Bartlett Alicia Tam, gdzie nikt cię nie znajdzie
Katarzyna Grochola Cykl Żaby i anioły (1) Nigdy w życiu