Greed: All For What? - Chapter 1746: Taste My Axe.

Axec beaconed to her challengers, who were huddled in a corner, and said, “Come and taste my axe.”

Her appearance set the crowd of audience alight. They began cheering and roaring. So they picked up a single chant, “Blood for power.”

The crowd wanted blood. They roared for it with fervent desperation. The fresh morning air was soon filled with a thrumming beat of potential violence. It is not for the fainthearted. But the orcs are not faint of heart. This is their tradition.

It is their custom to bear witness to the spilling of blood. It was so before the advent of the gods and after their departure. The strongest orcs will prove their mettle by spilling their blood or that of the obstacles to their claim of chieftaincy.

This cry for violence usually fills the challengers with bloodlust. But not this time. This time, there was solemnity among the challengers. None of them took up Axec’s challenge to come and taste her axe. In fact, they were busy arguing amongst themselves, not fighting.

They were arguing in hushed tones, which eventually led to some stepping forward into the arena. They did so only to drop their weapons. Then they returned to the crowd to watch as bystanders.

The implications of their actions were clear. They were surrendering before battle. It is a shameful thing to do as warriors, but it is only reasonable to do so when a god is involved. It is only right for mortals to capitulate to the whims of their god. There is nothing shameful about that.

It was understandable that they would think that Warshaw was insane two days ago. But enough time has passed for them to acquire some information that has put their worldview under intense questioning. This is the sort of questioning that makes the claim that Warshaw is crazy very shaky.

They heard about the miracles that occurred these past few days, and some of them even witnessed them. It was the miracle of the acceptance of offerings. It is also what is causing the disagreement amongst the councilmen.

Some of them had already decided to give up. But they also decided to advise others to surrender too, but they were met with resistance.

At the end of the day, many of them decided to surrender. The gods might not have returned, but they felt it was not worth it to anger a god for the slim chance of becoming chief.

If there was a god, then they would surely die if they went ahead with the challenge. And if there isn’t a god, they might die in the challenge, as only one person can win and become chief. So the only way to secure their life and afterlife is not to challenge the chosen of the gods.

Only one of them didn’t give up. He thought he was the strongest and that the position was his. He wasn’t willing to be scared away by some rumors. After all, if the gods were real and angry with him, they would have struck him dead already.

Maybe the gods truly want to use him as a scapegoat, or they want him to prove himself in battle. Either way, if the gods are angry with him, he will surely die. So he would rather take his chances in battle.

So Torko stepped onto the stage. Unlike the others, he didn’t drop his weapon. Instead, he gripped his spiked club tightly and sneered at Axec. He displayed his tusk disdainfully and said, “Unlike the others, I am made of stronger stuff.”

Axec raised her axe and said, “That is good. You will make for a great sacrifice to the 9 Crowns when I am done with you.”

Warshaw had already been carried away by the shout for blood. She didn’t bother with the customary ritual and was quick to give permission for the start of the challenge.

She screamed at the top of her lungs, “Begin!!!”

The shout of the shaman made the two combatants rush towards each other. Torko was wielding a large club adorned with sharp spikes. A single hit-even a glacing blow-could be deliberating. He decided to maximize his chance of scoring a hit by producing a wide horizontal swing at Axec aimed at her chest.

Axec, who was rushing forward, stopped in her tracks and stepped back. The club passed in front of her. She stepped forward to take advantage of the opening, only for Torko to kick forward.

She stepped sideways to avoid the kick while swinging her axe blade downwards to cleave his leg. Torko swiveled sideways to avoid her axe while simultaneously slamming his shoulder into her.

The clash pushed her away. It didn’t cower her though. She jumped towards him after collecting herself. Torko’s club was waiting for her.

He struck as if to impale her with his club. This caused it to meet the axe in its downward slash. The two weapons struck each other briefly. There was no winner in the clash, but Axec had to jump back again because Torko kicked at her again.

She evaded his large leg, aiming for her leg, but it delayed her attack and allowed Torko to step forward and bring his club around for another swing at her. This time she was too close to avoid the swing. She had to use the handle of her axe to block the blow.

The two weapons clashed, and Axec didn’t take a step back. Torko was surprised. He didn’t expect a younger orc to be on par with him in terms of strength. But he was a seasoned warrior. He adapted immediately by using his other hand to punch Axec’s face.

Axec didn’t expect the punch but she was already pushing Torko before it happened. She was wielding her axe with both arms to block the swing while Torko was only using one hand. The support of both of her hands made it so that she gained an advantage over Torko when she pushed. He was forced back and had to retract his punch to stabilize himself.