Unq’Rul stood in a decent sized clinically clean room that opened off a larger main room. There were several such rooms that bordered his original in-between space laboratory. For Unq’Rul had learned to bend the in-between space to his will.

“I can create and stabilize such spaces for my work.” He stated to his king. “This space is where I have moved my study materials.” All around them, on the floor, on the desk, on the shabby shelves, and even on his on chair, there were books and scrolls. Strewn about seemingly without care. Some of these books were written by Unq’Rul himself, but most were written by other races. Each a study into magic or a primer book of spells that taught basics.

Unq’Rul was far past most of these books. The only book that held any reverence was the large tomb that was on a pedestal alone. This was the book that taught him about the in-between. It’s pages now filled with side notes here and there made by Unq’Rul. Expanding upon the failed works of some human that had been captured by the orcs years ago. These expanded notes were of great pride to the Orc-mage. It is what made this book his. He had taken this failure and transformed it, with the help of his insightful dreams, into a great work of mastery. This book and a few others are what had vaulted Unq’Rul far above his peers. ‘And if Ruk’Kesh had not been chosen by our god as well, I would have ended his life and taken charge long ago.’ He had thought once. Now he kept that thought bottled up, it was blasphemous toward Kesh.

Ruk’Kesh just grunted unimpressed with the room he was being shown.

“Yes well,” He coughed knowing Ruk’Kesh did not know the power of books. “This room to me, is as your throne room to you.”

Ruk’Kesh nodded slightly once. More to placate the mage. Ruk’Kesh was not as stupid as he played on. He had a few of his own books hidden in his private chambers. Some story books from children, some were works about plays or sonnets, more on philosophy. They had taught Ruk’Kesh to hide out in the open. The stories and ballads had taught him of schemers and evil individuals, who would bend others to their will. He himself was working on a magic Unq’Rul had missed. Though he had hidden all these things from other at his god’s behest. ‘Unq’Rul would shit if he knew I understood most of this. Or even the fact that I knew what behest meant.’ A very small dark smile formed slowly on Ruk’Kesh’s lips.

They turned and moved back into the main room.

Unq’Rul was going to do the spells to transform the latest group of their weakened race into the berserker-orcs of the new age.

These altered orcs were smarter, which was nice. The caves smelled a lot better now that more and more normal orcs were altered. They were able to learn and care about cleanliness. They were able to plan and think on their feet. Well at least until they unleased their true nature. Then they became an unthinking uncaring war machine, hell’s bent on tearing their enemies apart. They also kept their lesser kin in check. Forcing them to do the cleaning of the caves.

Things had progressed so well; their clan had even bent a ‘kill of ogres’ to their ranks. He liked that human term. It was a naming thing humans did to classify large groups of animals or creatures. A ‘kill of ogres’ meant there were more than twenty in the pack. Still, he would teach the humans a lesson for how they had named the orcs. A ‘grouping’. His people were a grouping! He would tear their world asunder and teach them orcs were a massacre. Not just a grouping or even a kill.

Ruk’Kesh sat in a chair that had been brought from his own room, so he could sit, while watching the show.

Unq’Rul could not fathom why their god-chief even bothered to participate. He had shown all the signs of disbelief when Ruk’Kesh had said he wanted to sit in. He did not know of Ruk’Kesh’s own desire to learn, to grow, to become truly greater than other. And that meant becoming better at magic than this mage. Ruk’Kesh would learn all his secrets. Then Ruk’Kesh would hold all the power, with little need for others, beyond their usefulness as a war machine. He had heard Unq’Rul wonder if it was just to watch the ‘light show’.

He grunted again. It had taken a lot of will-power to not kill the mage when he heard that muttering. But he had to play it stupid. He was just the “muscle” after all.

Unq’Rul heard a growly snicker behind him as he worked on his preparations. He still couldn’t fathom why Ruk’Kesh was here.

There were thirty-three orcs strapped to the tables today. Some shivering in fear, most uncaring or too stupid to care, one was even sleeping.

Around each table were bound living things. Be it humanoid, animal or monster. Each table had at least one thinking being, one monster and the rest were used for fuel. This was the one limitation of the spell, they needed intelligent beings. Monsters and the animals were easy to acquire.

With his preparations complete, Unq’Rul began his spell. First was the summoning of the mind spikes. It was a mass spell that created, in this case, thirty-three small spikes attached to a silver magic thread which in turn was attached to a skull plate. Each skull plate moved to rest on an orcs head, controlled by the chanting of Unq’Rul. Then as one the spikes whipped forth and pierced the temples of the humanoids, slamming home just into the brain. A brief dull grey flash and the whimpering in the room stopped. The now mindless humanoids going quiet, comatose. Unq’Rul stopped his chant. There were gasps of enlightenment from upon the tables now. That always made Unq’Rul sneer. Orcs learning of their ignorance.

Then he once again took up a chant very similar to his first. This time however the magic silver cords had a spike on each end. They simultaneously stabbed into orcs and the monsters at each table. This time there was a flow of red light, from monster to orc. This caused the orcs on the tables and the monsters on the floor to wail. It took only a few seconds for the monsters to become husks and the orcs’ bodies to transform. Their muscles and bodies grew at a very rapid rate, bodies twisting and bulging, popping, and cracking. Then it was over. Now all that could be heard was the grunted pants from now much larger and stronger orcs on the tables.

The living things around the tables were now dried out husks. Even the humanoids were drained to fuel the second spell.

‘Here it comes.’ Unq’Rul thought with a sigh.

Thirty-two orcs broke their binding, first just one then the others following suit after.

‘Always with the breaking. Even with enhanced brains.’ Unq’Rul shook his head. Except…

There was one snore.

Unq’Rul grunted and had one of the orcs wake the fool and unstrap him. How he managed to sleep through that change was beyond mystery. Though upon looking, the orc who was already a round beast of a thing, did not look much changed.

Then there was a grunt from behind. Unq’Rul had forgotten Ruk’Kesh was here. He turned to the massively muscled towering orc and smiled one hand stretched toward his creations as if showing them off.

“Mmm, Impressive.” Was all Ruk’Kesh grunted out. ‘I will need his notes after all he sighed internally.’ The chant was a lot more complicated than he had hoped it would be. Still. It was impressive. There were more applications than just this for such magics. Ruk’Kesh’s mind wandered as his face portrayed his usual mean blank look.

“Yes, my king. Thank you for saying so.” Unq’Rul playing the servant role well. Still hoping Ruk’Kesh would fall out of favor so he, Unq’Rul could take over the horde.

“How long till you’re done?” Ruk’Kesh grunted out.

“We need more intelligent beings. We always have a surplus of fuel and monsters. Another month or two if things go well. Though the lands near the mountains have been over pillaged. Humanoids are avoiding them.” Unq’Rul answered ushering the newly re-created orcs out of his domain.

“The other side of the mountain then. How long until our kin break through to that side?” Ruk’Kesh asked as Unq’Rul joined his side and the two began to walk toward the exit to the caves.

“The ogres have helped greatly with that effort. Two weeks.”

Ruk’Kesh nodded slowly, mulling over the timetable. The stormy season would be coming soon. While humanoids could dampen the effects around their lands to a decent degree, the orcs could not. They would have to wait for the season to pass. They needed time to collect more humans anyway, there was not real loss of time.

Ruk’Kesh nodded understanding more than he knew Unq’Rul gave him credit for. “The spell, you made copies in case of an accident?” Ruk’Kesh asked hoping his small show of intelligent question would be glossed over.

Without so much as a stutter Unq’Rul answered him after they exited into the smaller cave-like room that was Unq’Rul’s original Laboratory. “Yes, my king.”

“Mmm. Give me one for safe keeping.” He grunted.

“Of course, my king. That is… the safe thing to do.” Unq’Rul was going to say wise, but it didn’t fit.

Ruk’Kesh hid a smile at Unq’Rul’s ignorance.

The two split off and went to their own duties. There was still much to do.

Then once the storms passed, the real storm would begin.