Introduction

Welcome back to Maledicturs Terra. This is a Chain Story between myself and @lex-zaiya, meaning that we each write the parts alternatively.

If you have not read Maledictus Terra Book 1: Mortis Custos yet, it starts HERE at Part 1 and ends at Part 101 HERE. At the end of the Part 101 post you will find links to all 101 Parts!

Maledictus Terra Book 2: Sanguifex started HERE with Part 1 and ends at Part 111 HERE

The previous part by @lex-zaiya can be found HERE.

Part 18

Chieftan Lockjaw asked the questions, the venerable High Chief Kerghug Gholug seemed content to let the younger Chieftan conduct the conversation between the two parties.

"So Zreld Erd Stretmong has explained to us that more than three thousand years have passed since the time of the Mawland Tribes and that it would be unjust for us to simply demand our lands back."

"And yet, your people have awoken and they need a place to stay." Magna said.

Lockjaw inclined his head. "This is true."

"If I may ask, Chieftan. Where did all these tribes wake up? Their bodies... where were they? I would think that this many beings would be difficult to hide."

Chief Lockjaw looked puzzled and a tad embarrassed at this question. "I am no mage nor seer, what kept us and where we were... this is not something a warrior like me could possibly explain or understand."

"Zreld." High Chief Kerghug said with a wheeze.

"Yes your excellence!" Zreld jumped to his feet and came to stand before Magna between the High Chief and Chief Lockjaw. "Well, as far as I can tell, the magic that sealed us had to do with the Council of 17. They took one of our Gods with them. They managed to bind her and the Mawland Tribes took up arms against them. Unfortunately, they seemed to have expected us to gather in the location we did and a trap had been set up. We were taken away from this plane and sealed away."

Magna's head twisted only slightly to the side and her brother knew it was his time to contribute. "That does sound likely that it was a pocket plane or a plane that is rarely used. They had probably set up wards in the area you mustered in and drawn all the Tribes into a place, locking them in stasis so they cannot move or change."

The little Goblin grinned. "Indeed, that is what we thought, however, while most of us could not move inside that... plane... there was some of us who could still think during this time and they helped looking after us."

"Oh really? Who were they?" Adrian asked.

One, long fingernail tipped finger shot up and pointed over Zreld's shoulder. "Chieftan Tayo and the rest of her Kin. They seemed somehow able to retain their thoughts and even to begin moving during all this time where the rest of us could not move, think or change."

"Does that mean that the Trolls changed in some way?" Adrian asked.

The Goldin sporeseer had a pinched and serious look on his face. "Chieftan Tayo was always the most intelligent and capable of her kind..." He was interrupted by a bass groan from Tayo. Zreld paused to listen and then nodded. "She is admonishing me to be more direct... Trolls, even Tayo in that time were not known for their intelligence or wits. They had a slow wisdom and have always had a language and a culture, but they live life long and slowly. Most species thought of them as stupid. During this time of sealing, it seems that their slow speed made them immune to some of the magic that was wrought on us. They retained their consciousness and were able to move at an incredibly slow pace by concentrated will. They also have had time to converse with one another and learn in their way."

"Thus, while it was slow, they had an extremely long time to do so." Adrian added in.

Zreld nodded. "You brother is a wise young man. He has great insight." Zreld paid the compliment directly to Magna and Adrian managed to retain his composure. "Yes. So now, all the trolls of that time are... enhanced. One small blessing in this time of loss."

"Yes. Loss." Chieftan Lockjaw said, quieting the Sporeseer and his talk of magic. "We have lost our lands to time. While your Kingdom is not responsible for taking it from us by force, it occupies much of the land that we did. Now we need land again to live...."

"If we need to take our land back by force, we shall!" This was shouted by the Shield-Chief Oggha Tusk bellowed and stood up. He eyed Gorox specifically as though relishing the chance to fight the warrior, despite his earlier show of power. Most of the Chieftans nodded their heads in consent of this. All save High Chief Kerghug, Chief Lockjaw, Chief Tayo, Zreld and of course Magna could not even see Druk Tox. Above all others, that once scared her the most.

Gorox's hand tightened on the half of his hammer and Noxus placed an arm on him. The Orks bellowed in agreement and Goblins shrieked but they were stilled when Kerghug raised a long nailed finger into the air. Magna's blood stirred and her rage was stoked to hear this threat and the quantity of voices that agreed to warfare and killing of the humans that stood in their way.

"Sit Oggha." The venerable Ork commanded, a note of steel in his voice. The abruptness of the Shield-Chief's obedience was almost comical. He sat his bulk down so fast that the stool beneath him creaked.

The High Chief took a moment longer to begin speaking.

It felt like an eternity to Magna, but her pulse slowed slightly. She realized then that the same could be said for most of the greenskins who were all quiet now.

"The tribes and clans of our kin have already taken some losses." The High Chief said. "Not so many that we face extinction or so many that I think our forces do not have a chance to fight against quite a large Kingdom if it needs be." He looked down to his left and his right at the Chiefs, he caught an eye or two and they quickly lowered their gazes. He did not look down at the High Chief of the Goblinkin was seated.

"But those who seek to start a new war, when they already fighting one... are fools." He said this deliberately, finishing on the last work while looking at Oggha before turning toward Magna. "The undead have assaulted us and they attempt to raise our dead. We did not allow that. How do these undead relate to you?"

"They are our enemies." Magna said simply. "The less humans and greenskins die, the less it feeds their number and the safer we are. My mother, the Queen has bade me negotiate for a settlement of your tribes that borders our Kingdom. There are lands to the North West that I believe are suitable to your Orc-kin and similar. This territory belongs to our Kingdom of Dragonshold and we give that freely to you. Because of our own battles against the undead, we have concentrated the survivors in villages and towns to the east and south."

She turned to look in the direction of Druk Tox, the High Chief of the Goblin-kin. "Derric of Loghaven has his forest to our Western side, south of that are swamps I believe will be what the Goblin-kin would find preferable." Magna thought she saw the tip of a long nose tip in a kurt nod.

She turned back to High Chief Kerghug. "There is a territory to the north of what we offer you. They are mountains and hills some of your various kin may find to their liking."

The High Chief nodded slowly. "Do you request anything in return?"

"We wish only to establish good relations with you, without the need for bloodshed and to have strong neighbours to protect each other's flank against the armies of evil." Magna said.

"The Shieldwall!" Gorma blurted out, grinning widely. Her father gave her a stern look and her smile disappeared and she looked down at her toes, embarrassed. Magna saw that the Orc woman's face flushed a deeper green.

"What my daughter says is true." Chief Lockjaw said. "What you have described is the shieldwall. Where a warrior may find strength in those beside him. But to form a shieldwall, one must have trust. Warriors fight for years together to perfect it. In this case, nations... that need to know one another."

The High Chief of the Orcs nodded and other Chiefs grunted their assertions.

"I know that we have only just met." Magna said. "But I have a measure of your kind already." She glanced at Gorma. "And I can feel clearly the spirit of warriors within you. I can see and feel the unity and strength of your tribes and in that, I have an idea that you have much honour and respect for your Tribes and your Tribes have great loyalty to their Chiefs. Upon your oaths, I would believe you."

Lockjaw grinned, as did most of the Chiefs. Master Pattoq did not and continued to scowl, yet he nodded kurtly. Oggha seemed quite impressed.

This time Magna realized that the only face that did not seem enraptured by her words was the High Chief of the Orc kin again. He looked dour and tired and did not show anger, nor disdain, nor friendliness. He remained neutral in all things.

"You speak of Gods." Mortis spoke, drawing faces in his direction. "Zreld mentioned Innana and Tumuz. Chief Lockjaw mentioned Bellum. You are predominatly warriors. How do these Gods relate to you?"

Zreld answered the question. "Innana is the Spawn-Mother, the custodian of greenskin family. She is the one that was taken. Tumuz, the tinkerer, the torturer, the thief is a God of the Goblin kin that represents our kin's wit and speed."

"And Bellum is the War God!" Oggha bellowed impatiently. "He who is King of Warriors! Master of Battle! Breaker of Shields!" A cheer went up from the assembled Orcs and most of the Goblins too, save for the usual suspects, Kerghug, Pattoq and the invisible Drak Tox.

Mortis stood slowly, sothat he caused no alarm. "Splendid!" He boomed out in his other-voice, the voice of Bellum. "To find such a strong conviction in mortals! Diplomacy aside, I that resides with this Death Knight, am He! Mortis is my vessel, a great warrior who fought against the Ice cold undeath and the raging zealots fo the flame who fought one another to take control of this land! Mortis smote them and so gained the attention of myself and true followers!"

At this High Chief Kerghug's features were finally in a position that betrayed strong emotion: Astonishment.

"You are He?"

"I am He! The King of Warrior! The Breaker of Shields! Master of Battle!"

You're up again @lex-zaiya!

Thank you for reading!

Here is an explanation of Chain Stories and here is the current Chainstory Library

Vetitum Nemus

by @zakludick	by @lex-zaiya
----	Part 1
Part 2	Part 3
Part 4	Part 5
Part 6	Part 7
Part 8	Part 9
Part 10	Part 11
Part 12	Part 13
Part 14	Part 15
Part 16	Part 17
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