Chapter 4: Chapter 04: The Alpha
Everything transpired in a blink. In the next instant, a herd of colossal, fifteen-foot-tall, three-thousand-pound bison thundered towards the valley.
Their muscular bodies were encased in thick, coarse fur that ranged in color from deep chestnut to earthy tones. Along their backs and flanks, massive, curved horns shimmered with an azure hue, their fiery orange eyes blazed with fury.
Bison Chargers were renowned for their exceptional speed and agility despite their immense size. When they charged, their hooves barely skimmed the ground. In mere seconds, every obstacle in their path, every tree, and rock, vanished, shattered into countless fragments. There were roughly twenty Bison, and as they drew closer.
"ATTAACK!" roared Korgath. Those positioned on the cliff commenced hurling their spears at the stampeding herd. The spears proved nearly ineffective. Bison Chargers possessed an uncanny ability – while charging, they generated an invisible shield or barrier that rendered them impervious to harm. The only way to strike them was from the side. However...
"I call upon the spirits of the ancestors to aid me against my foes."
A brown aura began coalescing around Chief Korgath, who stood at the forefront of the warriors. Magic, or what orcs preferred to term it, 'The spirits or power of the ancestors.'
When an orc transitioned into adulthood and demonstrated their worth in a trial, the tribe conducted a ritual known as 'Connecting with the past.' During this ceremony, the newly minted orc warrior would entreat the spirits of the tribe's ancestors, who would bestow upon them blessings in the form of power. At least, that was their interpretation. In essence, it was an awakening ceremony to unlock their magical abilities.
The catch, however, was that orcs, at least initially, required the spirits to awaken their powers and a tribe to perform these rituals, as each tribe possessed its own unique magic.
The Stonehand's magic, as the name implied, granted them the ability to transform a portion of their body into extraordinarily resilient stone. Primarily their hands, but some, like Korgath, could transform their entire body.
Holding his ground, Chief Korgath extended his left hand as he assumed a fighting stance. His right arm transformed into solid stone and was positioned slightly back. He fixated on the approaching herd of Bison wreaking havoc in their path. He didn't flinch or budge; he stood resolute like an impenetrable wall.
The incoming herd neared, and the warriors positioned above were attempting to weaken them and inflict as much damage as possible. However, it wasn't enough as the herd obliterated everything that came into contact with them.
Closing his eyes, Korgath inhaled deeply, absorbing the sounds, feeling the earth beneath him, the wind that gently brushed against his thick green skin. The moment he sensed the gathering of his aura around his right fist.
"UGAAAAHH!"
He unleashed a devastating blow. Korgath's brown aura materialized into the form of a giant fist, smashing through the barrier generated by the herd's charge. The barrier shattered instantly, and the lead Bison's head exploded from the sheer force of the impact. As it fell, the formation of the Bison was disrupted.
"SLAY THEM ALL!"
Korgath bellowed to his warriors, who immediately sprang into action. With their formation broken, the Bison were now easy prey. Armed with spears and axes, they charged, stabbing and slashing everything in their path.
It didn't take long for the orcs to slay more than half of the Bison. Some managed to regain their footing, but without utilizing their most potent ability – to charge – these Bison offered minimal resistance. Yes, they managed to gore one or two orcs with their massive horns, but that was all as the other warriors would easily take them down from behind.
Meanwhile, Azrakar was busy atop the cliff, supplying the warriors with their never-ending yelling for spears. He was mesmerized by the power of the Chief. 'He's as strong as I remember'
This was the second time Azrakar had witnessed the Chief's powers, the first being when he saved him all those years ago when he was young.
'Maybe me should ask him again to let me participate in da ritual?'
Being an outsider, Azrakar was forbidden from participating in the awakening rituals by the elder shamans who were responsible for conducting the ceremony.
'But even if they allowed me, I'm older now; my chances of awakening my powers are low.'
The awakening typically occurred between the ages of twelve and fourteen, before the orc reached maturity, granting them the best possible chance to awaken and receive a potent power.
It was well-known that any attempt at awakening past that age had an extremely low chance of success, and Azrakar was already eighteen.
"SPEAR!" A warrior bellowed, snapping Azrakar from his reverie; he glanced at the orc. He was one of those who enjoyed constantly reminding Azrakar about his weakness, pummeling him repeatedly whenever the Chieftain wasn't around.
Azrakar tightened his grip on the spear; he was standing behind him; the orc left his back exposed and vulnerable to Azrakar as he was looking for his next target to throw his spear at.
For a moment Azrakar contemplated impaling the orc through the back of his head with the spear until the spear burst out of his mouth, however.
'There is no honor in that.' He shook his head, throwing that thought, no matter what happened, Azrakar never stabbed someone in the back or used a dishonorable tactic. He always tried to face head-on, resulting in taking more beatings in the process.
'I prefer to die than to live without honor.' He offered the orc a spear and placed five more beside him, then hurried back to retrieve more.
In the meantime, Korgath was scrutinizing his warriors; by now, they had slain most of the Bisons, and by the looks of it, this year's hunt was the most bountiful in many years. Just the meat would ensure the Clan's survival through the winter, and if they managed it well, perhaps the entire year.
However, Korgath wasn't happy at all. 'Where is he? Where is that damned Alpha?'
What they had slain so far was merely a standard Bison charger; the Alpha was nowhere to be seen. Korgath was about to call for the two scouts who claimed that they spotted the alpha when he felt it.
The earth beneath him began to tremble slightly, the air grew colder, and the sounds faded, the atmosphere turned strange, and everyone sensed it. Something was approaching, and it was approaching with force.
ROAAARR!!
The ground trembled beneath their feet as a deafening roar echoed through the valley. Chief Korgath and his warriors turned their attention to the source of the disturbance. Emerging from the tree line at the edge of the valley was a colossal creature, unlike anything they had ever encountered before.
It was the Alpha Bison Charger.
The Alpha was a behemoth, easily twice the size of the regular Bisons they had been facing. Its muscular body was covered in even thicker, more imposing fur, the fur above his head and his back was a different color, blue much like his enormous horns, however, his left horn was missing half of it.
"At last, prepare yourself, warriors!" Korgath roared, rallying his troops. Unfortunately, the Alpha didn't charge and just stood motionless.
The air around him seemed to pulsate with an ominous energy. Runes can be seen glowing all over his horns, casting an energetic light in the surroundings, followed by the blue fur.
Rumble. Rumble
The earth quaked once more, and the tension in the valley grew thicker. Korgath knew that this creature possessed extraordinary power, and their usual tactics might not be enough to defeat it.
Just as they were preparing for another onslaught, their attention was drawn skyward. Above them, the clouds had darkened, and a sense of impending doom hung heavily in the air.
"I-Impossible!" A collective gasp escaped the orc warriors as they beheld a sight that defied belief
A colossal Bison-head made from pure lightning descended from the skies, crackling with electrical energy. Its eyes glowed with an eerie blue light, and its horns were like jagged bolts of lightning. It emitted a deafening roar that echoed through the valley, shaking the very ground beneath them.
Rumble. Rumble.
"Brace yourselves," Korgath yelled, snapping the orcs from their shock.
Without hesitation, they immediately began sprinting in the opposite direction, fleeing from this certain death. Soon…
BOOOOM!!
A deafening explosion rocked the valley as the Lightning Bison descended with unimaginable force. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the ground, toppling trees, and scattering debris in all directions. Azrakar and the orcs on the cliff of the valley were sent flying backward from the sheer force
ROOAAR
The Alpha didn't stop at this; he let out a mighty roar.
Quack. Quack
Answering his call, another herd of Bison chargers emerged from behind him; their numbers were beyond count, and they immediately charged at the orcs.
"By the ancestors, did he plan this?" Chief Korgath roared as he and his remaining warriors scrambled to regain their footing.
The bison herd split into three groups. The largest of the three charged into the valley to Korgath's location, the other two flanking the entrance, looking for a path to the orcs above. It didn't take them long to locate the path and begin their ascent.
Surprising everyone, they managed to climb. The Bisons acted in a strange, unnatural way as if they were possessed.
The Bisons were relentless, smashing obstacles—rocks, trees, or anything in between—with repeated blows until they forced open a path for them to go up.
And when the ground was too high for them, they used their massive horns as grappling hooks, hoisting themselves upwards. Some Bisons got their horns snapped under the immense weight, yet they didn't care.
'Me Time to leave' Azrakar realized that the Bisons would soon reach their location, and he had no desire to linger.
'UGHH' With a grunt, he yanked a spearhead from his thigh; when the shockwave sent him flying, he was unlucky and smashed on top of the crate that held the stone spears.
Azrakar didn't stick around for a second and quickly disappeared into the tree line behind him. After all, if a seasoned orc warrior with all of his strength and might, struggles to defeat just one Bison charger, what hope did a weak orc like him, devoid of magical power and proper training, have?
After a few minutes of agonizing hobble, Azrakar slumped against a tree to catch his breath. However, his respite was short-lived. The sounds of heavy footfalls and crashing trees filled the air behind him.
He spun around, searching for the source of the noise. Seeing nothing, his gaze was drawn to something else – a crimson stain. He'd left a trail of blood behind him, a beacon from his wounded thigh.
'Damn it,' he cursed, 'They're tracking me, following the scent of blood.'
Azrakar forced himself back into motion, desperately trying to evade the Bisons. If just one of them caught him, then it's the end of him.
Heart beating faster! Azrakar's walking speed improved when the pain lessened slightly, even if he was a weak orc he's still an orc, and orcs adapt extremely well, more specifically with wounds and injuries, it's extremely rare for an orc to die from blood loss as their bodies heal themselves relatively fast.
"WHAT!" Azrakar exclaimed; what he saw before him didn't look so good in his eyes.
The path has ended. Nothing in front of him but a cliff. He peered down, seeing only a swirling mist below.
'Me, Need to find another path.'
Thump. Thump.
The unmistakable sound of heavy hooves resonated from behind. Azrakar didn't need to turn to know; he could almost feel the hot breath and the thundering presence of the pursuing bison.
With a surge of determination, Azrakar turned to face his pursuers, gripping the shattered spearhead. Although he was far from being a warrior like Chief Korgath or any Orc for that matter. He still possessed the fierce spirit of an orc. Azrakar refused to meet his end without a fight.
ROAR!
The bison, however, didn't grant him the opportunity. It charged immediately.
Azrakar planned to dodge to the side since there was a cliff behind him, and the Bisons couldn't maneuver well during a charge. There was a good chance that he could lure the Bison to fall off the cliff; all he needed was the right moment.
But then…
Rumble. Rumble.
A deafening crack of thunder echoed through the sky, halting the bison's charge in its tracks. Perhaps mistaking it for a command from his Alpha, given its ability to control lightning.
Raising his head, Azrakar saw a blue lightning in the sky, and that lightning was aimed directly at him.
"WHAT! NO STOP–"
BOOOM!
His scream was drowned out as the lightning struck the ground with a deafening boom. The resulting explosion sent both Azrakar and the bison hurtling off the cliff and into the swirling mist below. The last thing Azrakar registered before darkness consumed him was a black box of some kind slamming into his face.
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