Today, however, it was very straightforward. Tom could sense the active runes above the Nysegard portal. The runic name was active, but the portal was closed, indicating that it could be opened. Of course, Tom did not actually need to use his senses to find the runes, as there was a very long line of D’Orcs and D’Wargs lined up and ready to charge through the portal. The team from the DCC made their way to the front of the line, Helga dropping off to join the front of her regiment.
Tom reached the Nysegard portal. He was not completely sure what to do, but he assumed it would be rather self-evident if he used the Rod of Tommus. He held the Rod up next to the lit rune, willed himself into the rune and quickly felt his being traversing the link to the Doom of Nysegard. As expected, there was a runic network of very similar design to Mount Doom. Unlike Doom, however, it was mostly unlit. The only portion of the network that was lit was that leading to the reserves, which they had been charging.
Using what he knew of Doom, he followed the network from the reserves to the elemental portals. Interestingly, they seemed perfectly intact and well preserved. It should be pretty straightforward to start them. He quickly checked out the rest of the core mechanisms and compared them to their Doom equivalents.
“So far, everything seems well preserved and in good condition,” Tom told the others.
“Open the primary Fire portal first, followed by Earth, then Air, and finally Water,” Völund instructed. “The secondaries can wait.”
“Got it.” Tom nodded his thanks. He released the flow from the mana reserves into the network leading to the Fire portal. The portal lit with mana and Tom willed it to open in the same manner he had manipulated the Elemental Portals of Doom.
Rumble.
The Fire portal turned over sluggishly. Tom prodded it again, using his own mana.
Rumble.
Rumble.
The Fire portal opened; Fire, energy, began to flow into the volcano. Tom then repeated the process with the Earth portal.
Rumble.
Rumble.
Rumble. CRAAACK!!
“Fire and Earth are now active!” Tom shouted to his crew. Cheers went up.
Rumble.
CRAAACK!! CRAAACK!! CRUNCH!!
“Air is open, and gases are heating up quickly!” Tom called. Now for Water!
Rumble.
RUMBLE.
RUMBLE!!!
“Water is open!” Tom said. He extended his senses to the surrounding region. Yes! Life! he thought to himself. He was detecting no nearby sign of the inky blackness of antimus. “We have animus in the nearby region. No nearby Unlife!” Loud cheers went up from the assembled D’Orcs, along with yaps of excitement from the D’Wargs. “I’m activating the network to allow the reserve mana and my mana to mix with the local animus and start the generators!”
“I can’t believe I’m going to see home again!” Vargg Agnoth said rather huskily behind Tom. Was that a sniffling noise? Tom wondered to himself.
KRAA…AAACK!!!!
KABOOM!!!
“Generators online!” Tom shouted as the generator combined the Four Elements together and released a giant ball of fire, magma and steam, along with shards of shattered ground, into the air. Now for the portal before him. Tom willed it open and a long hallway appeared before him. Cheers went up from the assembled D’Orcs
“Be prepared for anything. Just because there is no Unlife does not mean there is no danger!” Vargg shouted.
Tom nodded the order to Darg-Krallnom, gesturing for him to proceed.
“D’Orcs charge!” Darg-Krallnom thundered in a truly terrifying shout.
Tom stood aside as his army launched themselves screeching down the tunnel. Tom mentally followed them down the tunnel and then overtook them with his mental projection, surging ahead of his army. For them to get out, he’d need to clear the way. Time for a lava burst! He pushed the lava and magma flows upward, clearing the mouth of the volcano to give his screeching D’Orcs egress.
The last regiment member charged through. Tom gestured towards Boggy and Antefalken, and the three took off after the D’Orc army. It was time to reintroduce Nysegard to the Power of Doom!
As the screeching increased and spread, Valg belatedly recognized the terrifying war cry of hundreds of D’Orcs bursting from the mouth of the volcano. More D’Orcs than Valg had ever seen assembled together in one place in his life!
“D’Wargs!” Valg’s mother shouted upon seeing a huge outpouring of giant winged wargs in addition to the horde of D’Orcs. There were none of the legendary creatures in Nysegard. yet all knew of their legendary prowess and loyalty.
From the center of the volcano, a demon larger than any of the D’Orcs, and seemingly growing larger as it flew, burst upward through the center of the D’Orc explosion, waving a huge scepter coruscating with blue and red light.
A loud booming voice rose from above the volcano, presumably that of the ever-expanding demon.
“Nysegard! Doom is once more upon you! The forces of Mount Doom have returned to your world. Unlife shall be defeated and the Peace of Doom shall reign again!” the voice bellowed.
Everyone was shouting and yelling, and it was chaos on the ground as orcs began falling to their knees.
“I am Tommus, Heir to Orcus, Master of Doom!” the bellowing voice exclaimed.
“The Wand of Orcus!” Targh shouted, looking back at the others and pointing towards the giant demon. “He bears the Wand of Orcus! Doom has finally come!”
Valg blinked as he refocused his Eagle Sight on his many-times grandfather. Were those tears streaming from the ancient D’Orc’s eyes and down his cheeks?
Several of the newly arrived D’Orcs were descending on the village at high velocity. “Do I see a rusty old bucket of a D’Orc?” a very deep voice bellowed from the group of oncoming D’Orcs.
Valg’s grandfather turned toward the approaching D’Orc who had spoken. “Darg-Krallnom?” His grandfather asked in amazement before shouting it. “Darg-Krallnom!”
“Rust Bucket! I would have assumed you to be lich farts at this point!” Darg-Krallnom bellowed.
“By Lilith’s frigid teats! It is you! I never thought to see this day!” his grandfather bellowed before charging full speed through the air at the oncoming D’Orc. There was a loud crash as the two collided in midair, their arms embracing each other tightly in joyous reunion.
“Darg-Krallnom!” Valg’s grandfather shouted again as the two pulled apart to grin happily at each other. “I cannot believe you have survived!”
“Nor I you!” Darg-Krallnom shouted.
Valg had to resist the urge to cover his ears at the volume. He glanced up to see more D’Orcs descending on the village. He also noted other groups of D’Orcs taking off in other directions, most likely towards other towns.
“Who else is with you?” Targh asked.
“Arg-nargoloth is off to his namesake city, as I am sure are Helga Dourtooth and Vargg Agnoth,” Darg-Krallnom told his grandfather. “Unfortunately, so many are gone.” He shook his head sadly.
Targh nodded. “We’ve had some word from those who returned to the Abyss early on.”
“It’s been a long time, and there were more losses,” Darg-Krallnom said sadly. “However, things are looking good now that Lord Tommus is with us.”
Valg’s grandfather nodded. “He is the heir of Orcus?” he asked uncertainly.