Page 4 of Steel & Thunder
“Hold the fuck on—guilty of what? Why the hell are we even being held here? What gives you the authority? What did we even do?” The words spill out of my mouth like a petulant child.
“Are you being serious?” Any cheerfulness in his tone has vanished. “Trespassing, destruction of property, attacking a group of seven rangers. From what I understand, you barely even attempted to speak with them, just drew your swords and blasted fire everywhere.” I turn to glare at Nate, who sheepishly ignores my eyes. “Three of our best officers are currently at the same healer as your friends being treated for burns and other injuries. Now, I am not quite sure what your group thought you were doing, but I can tell you that your options on what you do next are very limited.”
My mind starts reeling at his words. What the fuck have we gotten into? “What… What happens after the hearing?”
“Well, no matter what I think you can expect to do some time behind bars.” I hear Corrine gasp behind me. “Most likely, if you accept your guilt, you can expect imprisonment for no more than six months. However, if you decide to argue a defense—and I would not recommend it—you may be looking at a few years at minimum if you were to lose.” Naruk speaks plainly as he lays everything on the table.
“Six months?!” Corrine sounds like she’s near tears.
“Holy shit,” Nate barely whispers.
“Those are our only options? Months or years in jail? That’s not… Please, it was just a misunderstanding.” Okay, that sounded a little pathetic.
“Misunderstandings do not typically end with someone having their arms and torso covered in serious burns, Mister David.” He says my name with a hint of disdain.
“There has to be something else.” Six months in an orc prison? Would we even survive that? I mean, look at where they’re keeping us now. I’m pretty sure that puddle in the corner is Nate’s piss.
“I am not sure what you would have me do.” He looks put out.
“Aren’t you guys supposed to be all about fighting and battle? Survival of the fittest? Isn’t there some other way we can resolve this?” I am totally just pulling stuff out of my ass now.
“Do you not feel that being knocked unconscious and waking up in a jail cell already did that?” Good to see sarcasm is a universal language.
“That was hardly a fair fight. Too many people in one room, and it’s not like either side was prepared for it.” Not to mention the loud piercing sound shooting through my head. “We certainly didn’t go in there expecting to fight a bunch of fucking orcs. I just want a rematch.” He flinches at the word fucking. I really need to learn to watch my mouth sometimes. But orcs love a fight, right? I’m trying to mentally comb through every story about orcs I’ve ever been told. Even the fairy tales. There’s something on the tip of my tongue...
He looks even more annoyed now. “What exactly do you think we—”
“Trial by combat!” That’s the term I was looking for! Maybe it was a bard singing in a tavern or a story one of the old generals at the academy told…I just remember a story about an orc king ordering two of his subjects to fight to the death to resolve something. Strength and honor and blood and blah blah.
“Trial by…” He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Why would you think we—” He cuts himself off, suddenly lost in thought. “Actually, there may be...something. The Nagul Uzu’gor. I think in your language it would be called…” He pauses, looking for the words. “The Ritual of Steel and Thunder.”
“What is it?” Those words may as well be gibberish to me.
“A trial by combat, as requested.” His tone is... I’m not sure. It’s not annoyed, but it also isn’t friendly. “The captive fights his captor, in this case the captain of the group you attacked. He would first have to accept the challenge—which he is not required to do—and if he did and you won, you and the rest of your party would go free. However, if you lost…” He smiles at me darkly, letting the unspoken answer hang in the air. Death. It’s a fight to the death. “Your friends would also still be brought before the council.”
I squeeze the cell bars, thinking. Six months versus a fight to the death? The two hardly seem equal. But could we even make it that long in an orc prison? No one knows we’re here or where here is, exactly. Hell, most people don’t even know I’m on this side of the world. “But if I win, that’s it? All five of us are free? We get all our stuff back too?”
“Likely minus some fines, but ritual or no, you would receive your belongings back once you and your friends are released.” He nods his head.
I wish I had Adam and Liss here to talk to. I could use some advice. They’d probably fight better than me too. If they’re even still alive right now. No, I can’t... I won’t let us die in here. I can do this. I may not be as strong as I used to be, but I’m still a good fighter. Hell, I was handling those orcs in the ruins better than anyone else before I got knocked out, and there won’t be a stupid magic box giving me a headache this time either. “I’ll do it.” Another gasp from Corrine.
“Are you sure?” Naruk eyes me up and down. “There is no backing out once it has begun.”
“I’m sure.” My voice is confident because I’m confident. I got this.
“Very well. I will let the rangers know. If the captain accepts your challenge, someone will be out to collect you to begin preparations. Good luck.” His tone is less creepy and back to friendly, and he gives me a smile and a small bow before turning to leave.
I exhale once he is out of earshot, running my hand through my hair.
“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Nate asks, worry evident in his voice.
I take another breath, mustering up my most confident smile before nodding at Nate and Corrine. “Yeah. I’m getting us out of here.”
Chapter Two
Nathaniel, Corrine, and I sit silently in our cell, the tension thick in the air. No one has tried to talk me out of it though. Just an awkward silence—they want to get out of here as bad as I do. For my part, I do my best not to overthink things. The more I think about it, the more I might try to talk myself out of it, and I’m determined to get us out of here. True to Naruk’s word, the orc guard returns about an hour later.
“Captain Ironstorm accept challenge.” Well, if that isn’t an incredibly intimidating name, even in broken-sounding Common. He unlocks the door with a key, cuffing me in manacles before leading me out.
