Gul’dan cowered, thinking fast. He had known Doomhammer could become a problem. The powerful orc warrior was too intelligent, too honorable, too noble to be easily swayed or controlled. He had been second to Blackhand, the powerful Blackrock leader Gul’dan had chosen as his puppet for the Horde leadership. Blackhand had been an extremely powerful fighter but had thought himself clever and thus had been easily controlled. Gul’dan and his Shadow Council had been the real powers, and Gul’dan had ruled the council as easily as he did their warchief.
But not Doomhammer. He had refused to follow, carving his own path with reckless abandon equaled only by his loyalty to their people. Clearly he had seen what occurred behind the scenes, witnessed what he considered corruption. And when he had finally seen enough, when he could endure no more, he had acted.
Clearly Doomhammer had chosen his moment carefully. With Gul’dan out of the way, Blackhand had been vulnerable. How he had discovered the Shadow Council’s location was unclear, but obviously he had done so and then had eliminated most of them. Leaving Gul’dan, Cho’gall, and who knew what others.
And now he stood over Gul’dan, hammer raised, ready to destroy him as well.
“Wait!” Gul’dan cried out, both hands raising automatically to shield his face and head from harm. “Please, I beg you!”
That made Doomhammer pause. “You, the mighty Gul’dan, beg? Very well, dog, beg! Beg for your life!” The hammer had not lowered, but at least it had not fallen. Yet.
“I—” Gul’dan hated him then, hated him with a passion he had never known for anything but power itself. Yet he knew what he had to do. Doomhammer hated him as well, for orchestrating his old friend Durotan’s death and for transforming their people from peaceful hunters to raving warmongers. Given even the slightest excuse, that hammer would smash his skull in, coating itself with his blood and hair and brain. He could not allow that to happen.
“I bow to your might, Orgrim Doomhammer,” he managed at last, pronouncing each word clearly and loud enough that all those nearby could hear him. “I acknowledge you as warchief of the Horde, and I pledge myself to you. I will obey you in all things.”
