The Young Chieftain

On a small, gently sloping hill, a young-looking Orc sat alone. His name was Leiluo, and he was the Chieftain of a very, very small Orc clan.

Leiluo felt the cold wind blow past him, and his heart grew heavy. He had only just inherited the position of Chieftain, and yet the harsh winter was nearly upon them. His clan still wasn't prepared.

"Chieftain! Chieftain! Something's happened!"

Watching an Orc laborer run toward him, Leiluo picked up the battle axe at his side and stood. "Delong, what happened? Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Chieftain, the warriors are making a scene in the Chieftain Hall," Delong said anxiously.

At the news, Leiluo's expression darkened. He tightened his grip on the battle axe. "Delong, take me there."

When Leiluo followed Delong back to the clan and saw the twenty-odd Orc warriors in the Chieftain Hall, his heart sank.

His father had led most of the clan's warriors out to hunt. They had encountered a Thunder Lizard stampede, and only one had survived to return and report what had happened. The warriors before him were all the fighting strength his clan had left.

He had been Chieftain for barely a day when this happened. If he handled it poorly, how could he govern the clan, let alone lead his people through the harsh winter?

"Saxi, what are you doing?" Leiluo stepped forward and challenged the burliest warrior in the group.

"Leiluo, your father was a great Chieftain and a mighty warrior. I was willing to follow him," Saxi said, his right fist pressed to his chest. Then he continued, "But you have only half Orcish blood. You're too weak to contribute to the clan, and you're not fit to be my Chieftain. As a Silver Strongman under the former Chieftain, I challenge you."

Leiluo knew the Orcs respected strength above all. Even if Saxi, the only warrior leader left, hadn't challenged him, the warriors wouldn't obey his orders until he had proven himself.

"Fine. If you think I'm weak, then let's fight a Mak'gora before the entire clan. If you win, you'll become Chieftain. If I win, all of you will obey my orders." Leiluo raised his battle axe and pointed it at Saxi and the other Orc warriors.

Mak'gora, an Orcish term meaning "honorable duel," was a one-on-one challenge between Orcs over honor or status. It could be used to contest the position of Great Chieftain, among other things. Neither side could wear armor, and each could carry only one weapon. (A Shaman blessing the weapons before the duel was permitted.) As long as each side had at least one witness, the duel usually ended with one combatant's death. By tradition, any Orc who refused this fight to the death was considered dishonorable and cast out of the clan.

"Fine. If you win, they'll all obey your orders." Saxi removed his armor, took up his warhammer, and strode toward Leiluo.

"Delong, gather the clan. Have everyone come watch the Mak'gora." Leiluo ordered him as he removed his own armor.

"Th-this... As you command, Chieftain." Delong hesitated, but beneath Leiluo's unwavering gaze, he finally set off to gather the clan.

Before long, everyone in Leiluo's clan had assembled. There were barely a hundred people. Half were female Orcs, and of the rest, half were elderly and half were children.

That was why Saxi had called Leiluo's adoptive father a great Chieftain. He had never abandoned anyone during the harsh winters, not even the elderly.

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But this great Chieftain could no longer lead the clan.

Thinking of the coming Mak'gora, Saxi's gaze hardened. Even though he's the Chieftain's son, I can't go easy on him. I must lead the clan through the winter.

"Now that everyone's here, let's begin." Seeing the clan gathered, Leiluo signaled Delong to raise the Mak'gora banner.

As soon as the banner went up, Saxi didn't bother with formalities. He charged forward and swung his warhammer at Leiluo.

When Saxi's warhammer came down, Leiluo had no intention of meeting it head-on. He dodged to the right, avoiding the powerful blow. Then he flipped his double-bladed battle axe and slammed it hard into Saxi's sturdy back.

Saxi was a warrior, but he wasn't wearing armor. The heavy blow to his back sent him stumbling forward.

But Saxi had fought the beasts of the wilderness countless times. He threw himself forward with the momentum, planted his left hand on the ground, and sprang back to his feet. Then he quickly turned to face Leiluo and took a defensive stance.

Feeling the pain in his back, Saxi was secretly shocked. That brief exchange had told him that Leiluo was faster and stronger than he was. He had underestimated the usually reserved young Chieftain.

Leiluo had gained the upper hand, but didn't press his attack. He wanted to show every Orc in the clan, decisively, that he was a powerful Chieftain who could lead them to a better life.

When Saxi still didn't attack, Leiluo felt a measure of respect for him. As expected of a warrior who had seen countless battles: even when facing an opponent he had looked down on, he could steady himself in an instant and choose the right way to defend once he felt the pressure.

Leiluo was eager to demonstrate his strength, so he stopped hesitating. He lunged forward and swung his battle axe down, without any unnecessary movement. Saxi knew he couldn't dodge the blow, so he gripped his hammer with both hands and raised it to block. But the heavy impact he expected never came.

As Saxi stood there, momentarily stunned, Leiluo hooked the axe around the hammer's shaft. He pulled with his right hand and yanked Saxi in close. Saxi tried to resist, but the strength transmitted through his grip frightened him.

Then Leiluo kicked Saxi in the knee, forcing him down onto one knee.

Leiluo released the hammer's shaft, pivoted, and swept his battle axe across Saxi's back. Saxi could only throw himself forward to avoid the strike.

But as he hit the ground, Saxi knew his chances were gone. Sure enough, Leiluo saw him fall and leaped up, gripping the axe in both hands as he brought it down on him.

Hearing the rush of wind behind him, Saxi accepted his fate and closed his eyes. Yet he felt little fear—only a faint sense of relief. A powerful Chieftain could give the clan a better life. Wasn't that why he had challenged Leiluo in the first place?

"Saxi, the clan can't afford to lose another warrior. Tomorrow, lead the warriors and go hunting with me." Saxi looked at the battle axe embedded in the ground before his eyes, then rolled onto his back. A large hand was held out to him. Saxi took it, and a tremendous force hauled him to his feet.

As the Mak'gora ended, the Orcs gathered around to celebrate the victor.

The young Orc surrounded by his clanmates still had a youthful face. Because he had half Draenei blood, he lacked the tusks the Orcs considered a source of pride, making him look somewhat weak. But the Mak'gora that had just ended had shown without a doubt that he possessed the strength to make his enemies tremble.

Saxi knew that this young Orc would lead them onward. He had seen the former Chieftain in the young Chieftain before him.