IM AN ORC?

Chapter 10: A Whisper in the Shadows

After the sharp sting in Ruk’s head finally faded, it left behind a dull ache that throbbed behind his eyes and a lesson he would never forget. The failed attempt to analyze Grummok had shaken him harder than he wanted to admit. For a brief moment, he had reached toward something far beyond him, and the result had nearly broken his mind apart.

Now he understood.

Grummok was not simply another warrior sitting at the top of the clan. He was something else entirely. A monster wrapped in flesh and bone. A creature standing so high above the others that even trying to measure him had carried a punishment.

Ruk leaned against the cold stone wall of his crevice and stared into the darkness while the sounds of the cavern echoed around him. Warriors laughed around distant fires. Bones cracked. Children cried. Somewhere deeper in the tunnels, water dripped in a slow rhythm.

He closed his eyes.

A direct fight with the Alpha would be suicide.

Not now.

Maybe not for a very long time.

But the realization did not fill him with fear. If anything, it calmed him. It stripped away foolish thoughts and left only clear purpose behind. A mountain could not always be climbed head-on. Sometimes the smartest path was around it. Sometimes beneath it.

And sometimes...

You waited until the mountain collapsed on its own.

A faint smirk touched his lips.

Good.

Now he knew the shape of the world he was trapped in.

The next day passed in silence. Ruk moved through the clan like a shadow, quiet and watchful, his mind constantly turning over possibilities. Every conversation he overheard, every fight between warriors, every look exchanged near the fire pits became another piece on a board only he seemed able to see.

He still followed his usual routine. If he changed too much too quickly, others would notice. So he hunted. He scavenged. He slipped through the upper tunnels searching for prey while the stronger kobolds fought over larger kills closer to the surface.

But his purpose had changed.

Before, survival had been enough.

Now he needed leverage.

Power in the clan was not only muscle and violence. Nym had proven that. She moved differently from the others. She traded in whispers instead of claws. Information instead of blood.

And information was valuable.

But value always moved both ways.

If he wanted something from her, he needed to offer something first.

The flint knife rested against his waist, tucked securely into the leather strip he used as a belt. Every now and then his fingers brushed against the handle while he walked. The weapon felt heavier than it should have, not because of its size, but because of what it represented.

Trust.

Or at least the closest thing to trust creatures like them could give.

He still had not used it.

The edge remained perfectly clean.

Ruk pushed farther into the tunnels than ever before. The narrow passages twisted sharply through the earth, jagged stone scraping against his shoulders as he squeezed through tight spaces. His AGILITY made the difficult paths easier to navigate now. What once would have exhausted him barely slowed him down.

The darkness no longer bothered him either.

Thanks to LOW LIGHT VISION, the underground world stretched before him in shades of silver and gray. Tiny details stood out clearly now—the cracks in the rock, trails left by insects, old claw marks gouged into tunnel walls.

The deeper he went, the quieter the world became.

No voices.

No fires.

No clan.

Only the endless breathing of the mountain itself.

He passed glowing fungus growing in clusters across damp stone. Tiny pale hoppers scattered beneath his feet when he stepped too close. Strange insects clung to ceilings high above him.

Normally he would have hunted them.

Today he ignored them all.

He searched for something different.

Something rare.

Something useful.

The air slowly changed as he descended deeper underground. Heat pressed against his skin in waves. The smell of sulfur thickened until every breath tasted bitter.

Ruk slowed his pace.

The tunnel walls here looked different. Veins of black ore spread through the rock like dark roots. They swallowed what little light touched them, giving the stone an unnatural appearance. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

Curious, he pressed his fingers against the surface.

A faint vibration traveled through the rock.

His eyes narrowed.

He activated ANALYZE.

[Target: Iron Ore (Low Grade)]

[A common metallic ore. Requires extreme heat to smelt. Of little value in its raw form to the clan.]

Ruk studied the words for a moment before moving on.

Interesting.

But worthless to kobolds who barely understood fire beyond cooking meat and burning corpses.

No forges.

No blacksmiths.

No use.

Just heavy stone.

He continued deeper.

The passage narrowed sharply before opening again into another winding corridor that sloped downward at a dangerous angle. Heat rolled upward from below. Sweat formed along the back of his neck.

Then he saw it.

Ruk stopped immediately.

A crimson glow pulsed faintly in the darkness ahead.

His body tensed.

Slowly, carefully, he approached the chamber beyond the tunnel entrance.

The cavern was small, circular, and strangely beautiful. Red crystal formations jutted from the ground like rows of jagged teeth. Soft light pulsed through them steadily, bathing the chamber in deep crimson shadows.

The temperature here was warmer.

Not hot.

Comfortable.

Almost alive.

Ruk’s eyes fixed on the largest crystal.

He rested one hand on the flint knife before activating ANALYZE once more.

[Target: Heartstone Shard]

[A rare geothermal crystal that stores and radiates heat. Highly prized by creatures dwelling in deep cold regions. When crushed into powder, it becomes a potent alchemical ingredient for warmth and fire resistance potions. Weakness: Brittle. Can be shattered with sharp impact.]

For a long moment, Ruk simply stared.

Then a grin slowly spread across his face.

"This is it..." the words slipped out under his breath.

This was valuable.

Not because the clan understood it.

Because someone else would.

Nym traded information with people Ruk had never even seen. Hidden groups. Travelers. Outsiders. She would recognize the importance of something like this immediately.

And if she didn’t...

She would know somebody who did.

That alone made it useful.

Ruk crouched beside the crystal cluster carefully. Using the blunt end of his flint knife, he struck near the edge of a smaller formation.

Crack.

A shard broke loose cleanly.

Warmth spread instantly through his palm when he picked it up. Not burning heat. Gentle heat. Steady and strangely calming.

Almost like holding a living heartbeat.

He wrapped the shard carefully in an old piece of leather and tucked it safely away beneath his belt.

Now he had his offering.

The difficult part came next.

Approaching Nym directly too soon would make him look desperate. Worse, it would make him predictable. So instead of returning immediately, he spent the rest of the day hunting through the tunnels while pretending nothing had changed.

His mind remained calm.

Focused.

Patient.

By the time he finally returned to the main cavern, the sun outside had already begun to fade. Orange firelight danced across rough stone walls while warriors gathered around the center pit celebrating another successful hunt.

The smell of roasted meat filled the cavern.

Ruk slipped quietly back into his crevice unnoticed.

He ate the scraps tossed toward him without complaint while his eyes constantly moved through the crowd.

Watching.

Waiting.

Searching for the right moment.

Hours passed.

One by one, voices faded.

Fires burned lower.

Eventually the cavern filled with the heavy breathing and snoring of sleeping kobolds.

Then he saw her.

A flicker of movement near the cavern entrance.

Nym.

A small leather satchel hung over her shoulder as she moved silently through the shadows. While others slept, she prepared to disappear into the tunnels unseen.

Ruk’s heartbeat quickened.

This was the moment.

He slipped from his crevice carefully and followed. ƒгeewёbnovel.com

Not directly.

Never directly.

Instead, he moved along a parallel route using massive rock formations, broken debris piles, and discarded trash heaps as cover. Years spent stalking tiny prey through cramped tunnels had sharpened every movement he made.

Silent.

Precise.

Patient.

LOW LIGHT VISION kept her clearly visible even in the deepest shadows.

Nym moved through smaller side tunnels far from the main routes used by the clan. She never hesitated. Every turn came naturally to her. Every hidden passage seemed memorized.

Ruk found himself impressed despite himself.

She knew these tunnels better than anyone.

Like she belonged to the darkness itself.

Finally, she stopped inside a small circular chamber deep underground. The distant sounds of the clan had completely vanished here.

Quiet surrounded them.

This place was hers.

Her sanctuary.

Ruk stayed hidden for another minute with his back pressed against cold stone. He slowed his breathing carefully before finally stepping out from the shadows.

Nym did not flinch.

Did not reach for a weapon.

Slowly, calmly, she turned toward him. Her pale eyes met his through the darkness without fear.

"You are quiet." Her whisper barely disturbed the silence around them.

The sound caught him slightly off guard. It was the first time he had ever heard her voice. Soft. Controlled. Almost delicate.

"So are you." Ruk kept his own voice low.

He made no attempt to move closer.

The distance between them remained deliberate.

A sign.

Neither threat nor submission.

His hand rested lightly against the flint knife. "The blade was good flint. Sharp enough to matter."

Nym’s gaze dropped briefly toward the weapon before returning to his face.

"Sharp tools are wasted on clumsy hands."

The meaning behind her words was obvious.

She had not given him the knife because she pitied him.

She had tested him.

Ruk reached slowly into his pouch. "Then I brought something worthy of a careful mind."

He unwrapped the leather.

Crimson light spilled softly across his fingers.

For the first time since meeting her, Nym’s expression changed.

Surprise.

Small.

Quick.

But real.

Ruk tossed the Heartstone shard toward her.

She caught it effortlessly.

The red glow illuminated her face while she studied the crystal resting in her palm. Heat shimmered faintly around it.

"Heartstone..." Her voice came quieter this time. "From the deep tunnels."

Her eyes lifted slowly back toward him.

"How did you find this?"

Ruk shrugged lightly. "I search where others don’t."

Silence filled the chamber again.

Nym closed her fingers around the shard carefully, but the interest in her eyes remained.

"This is valuable."

Her expression smoothed back into neutrality.

"What do you want?"

There it was.

The real conversation.

Ruk had prepared for this moment the entire day. Ask for too much and she would pull away. Ask for too little and he would seem weak.

"Information," he answered calmly. "And an introduction."

Nym tilted her head slightly.

"Information has a price."

"I’m not asking for charity."

The firmness in his voice echoed softly through the chamber.

"I hunt. I explore. I can gather things others overlook. Rare minerals. Strange creatures. Useful resources. I give them to you."

His eyes locked onto hers.

"And in return, you tell me what you hear. What you see. You help me understand this clan."

Nym remained silent.

Thinking.

Measuring him.

Ruk could almost see the calculations happening behind her eyes. He was offering her a steady supply of rare goods. More influence. More bargaining power.

He was making himself useful.

"And the introduction?" she finally asked.

Ruk lowered his voice slightly.

"There are others unhappy with how things are. Others who think instead of simply obeying strength. I want to know who they are."

A dangerous request.

He knew it immediately.

Nym survived by protecting secrets. Asking her to reveal connections inside the clan was risky.

But he also understood something important.

People like Nym valued usefulness above loyalty.

And he had just proven useful.

Slowly, a smile spread across her lips.

Not warm.

Not friendly.

Sharp.

Interested.

"You are not a normal whelp."

A faint amusement entered her gaze.

"You are something else."

Ruk held her stare evenly.

"I survive."

The words sounded simple.

But both of them understood what they truly meant.

Nym tucked the Heartstone shard carefully into her satchel before straightening slightly.

"Very well."

Her tone became colder now. More professional.

"We have a partnership."

Ruk stayed silent, listening carefully.

"Your first piece of information," she murmured, "is that Bor is not as stupid as he pretends to be."

Ruk’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"He is paranoid. That makes him predictable."

Nym leaned lightly against the cavern wall.

"Every third day after the main hunt, he visits the fighting pits. He enjoys reminding younger warriors who stands above them."

A faint smirk touched her lips.

"Afterward, he becomes careless."

Ruk absorbed every word.

Simple information.

But valuable.

Weaknesses mattered.

Patterns mattered.

"And the introduction?" he pressed quietly.

Nym’s smile widened further.

"You already found them."

Ruk frowned slightly.

Her pale eyes gleamed in the crimson light.

"You are looking at her."

For a brief second, silence hung heavily between them.

Then understanding settled into place.

Of course.

Nym trusted no one.

She had built her network alone. Every secret. Every whisper. Every hidden exchange passed through her hands first.

And now...

She had opened the door slightly for him.

"I’ll need more Heartstone," she continued smoothly. "And anything else unusual you discover."

Business again.

Always business.

"In return, I’ll keep you informed. Bor’s movements. Grasha’s moods. Grummok’s decrees."

Her gaze sharpened.

"I will be your shadow."

Ruk’s fingers tightened slightly against the handle of his knife.

"And you," she finished softly, "will be my sword."

A slow feeling of satisfaction settled deep in his chest.

Finally.

Progress.

He gave a single nod.

"We have a deal."

Without another word, Ruk turned and disappeared back into the shadows of the tunnel. No farewell was needed.

The partnership had already begun.

As he made his way back toward his crevice, his thoughts raced endlessly. New plans formed one after another inside his mind. New possibilities. New paths forward.

For the first time since arriving in the clan, survival no longer felt like his only goal.

Now he had direction.

Purpose.

A future worth building.

When he finally settled back into his hidden corner of the cavern, his hand drifted once more toward the flint knife resting at his waist.

A sharp smile slowly spread across his face.

With Nym beside him...

He would find the perfect moment to bring Bor crashing down.