Orcs - First Blood: Omnibus 1-3 by Stan Nicholls

Author:Stan Nicholls
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fantasy, War, Adventure, Orcs
ISBN: 9780316033701
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 1999-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

14

"It's just not natural, Stryke. Giving up their weapons isn't something orcs should be asked to do."

It was the first definite thing Haskeer had said since being reunited with the band. He sounded almost like his old self.

"We don't get into Hecklowe otherwise," Stryke explained again. "Stop making a fuss."

"Why don't we conceal a few blades?" Jup suggested.

"Bet everybody does that," Haskeer said.

Stryke noted how Haskeer even seemed to be making an effort to be reasonable with Jup. Maybe he really had changed. "They probably do. But stopping weapons going in isn't the point. It's using them in there that brings the death penalty. The Council knows that, everybody going in knows it. Even Unis and Manis know it, for the gods' sake. It's just that they don't search all visitors thoroughly. Otherwise the place would grind to a halt."

Jup interjected, "But get caught in a fight with weapons --"

"And they kill you, yes."

"So we don't hide some weapons?"

"Are you mad? An orc without a blade? Of course we smuggle some in. What we don't do, any of us . . ." he gave Haskeer a pointed look ". . . is use them without my direct order. Any orc should be able to improvise. We've got fists, feet and heads. Right?"

The band nodded and began slipping knives into boots, sleeves and helmets. Stryke chose a favourite two-edged blade. Jup did the same. Haskeer went one better. Having concealed a knife, he also wrapped a length of chain around his waist and covered it with his jerkin.

Hecklowe by day was as impressive and strange a sight as Hecklowe by night. This day, rain had given its incredibly varied architecture an oily sheen. The tops of towers, the roofs of buildings, the sloping sides of mini pyramids glistened wetly and gave off a rainbow sheen.

The band made its way to the freeport's main entrance. As usual, a multi-racial crowd was massed at the gates. Dismounting, the orcs got in line, leading their horses.

They had an interminable wait, during which Haskeer scowled menacingly at kobolds, dwarves, elves and any other species he had real or imagined grudges against. But eventually they reached the checkpoint and found themselves dealing with the silent Watchers.

Jup was first. An homunculus sentinel stood with arms outstretched waiting for his weapons. The dwarf handed over his sword, an axe, a hatchet, two daggers, a knife, a slingshot and ammo, a spiked knuckle-duster and four sharpened throwing stars.

"I'm travelling light," he told the expressionless Watcher.

By the time the rest of the band had divested themselves of similar quantities of weapons the queue was much longer and shorter on patience.

Finally the band pocketed their wooden receipt tags and were waved in.

"The Watchers seem a lot more sluggish since I was last here," Stryke observed.

Jup nodded. "The bleeding of the magic is affecting everything. Though it probably isn't as bad here as further inland. I've noticed that the power's always stronger near water. But if humans keep carrying on the way they have been, even places like this are going to be in trouble.

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