Snak's Arc

Chapter 3 of 6

Snak walked beyond his training ground to where the land dropped into valleys and rose into jagged peaks. Young orcs would need to learn more than what his bunker could teach. The mountain passes to the north would forge their endurance. The rocky cliffs would teach them to climb under fire. He studied the terrain and saw a dozen training opportunities. This world would make them strong if they were willing to push through the pain. He turned back toward his compound and stopped. The training ground sat ready, but no one knew it existed yet. Young orcs wouldn't just appear because he built walls and set up training dummies. He needed a way to call them here, to let them know when training began. Snak walked to the forge bunker and searched through the supplies he'd gathered. His hand closed around a long curved horn. Bone formed the mouthpiece, worn smooth from use. Green crystalline ridges ran along its length, catching the light. He carried it outside and tested the sound. The blast echoed across the valleys and bounced off the mountain walls. Any orc within miles would hear that call. He gripped the war horn tighter. When the time came to start training, he would blow it at dawn. They would come, or they wouldn't. But at least now they would know where to find him. The war horn would bring them, but they needed something else once they arrived. Something to show them that the training here meant something real. Snak hauled a massive stone pillar from the quarry near the western edge of his land. The brownish burgundy stone stood taller than him. He set it upright near the entrance to the training bunker. Green crystal veins ran through the rock, glowing soft in the daylight. He would carve names into this pillar. Every orc who completed his hardest challenges would be marked here forever. Young ones would see those names and know that warriors had stood where they stood. They would know that this training ground produced fighters worth remembering. Snak ran his hand across the smooth surface. The pillar would fill with names over time. Each one would push the next student to work harder, to prove they belonged among those who came before. Warriors needed more than training and honor. They needed a place to gather after the work was done. Snak began construction on a tavern at the far end of the compound. The curved brownish burgundy stone walls rose quickly under his experienced hands. He shaped archways and hung glowing vines across them, their soft light welcoming in the evening. Inside, he mounted battle trophies on the walls. Broken enemy weapons, torn banners, shields marked with claw strikes. Young orcs would drink here after brutal training days. They would share stories of their progress and their failures. They would build bonds that held strong in real combat. Snak set the last stone in place and stepped back. The training ground was complete. He had built a place where young orcs could become warriors. Now he just needed them to show up.