I do not own the rights to For Honor, Having said that Enjoy!
Chapter 13. A Cornered Wolf
Arrows flew Past William and Emily as they ran up the stairs into the fishing hut. William tripped and slammed into the ground as Emily ran in and grabbed him off the ground.
"your shoulder!" William noticed the blood trickling down from the stump of the arrow and shook his head.
"we have more pressing matters, getting through this alive should be the current issue" Emily tried to take a better look at the wound but William brushed her off and spun his sword as he looked around, Gregor and Higur weren't with them as William looked out seeing people scrambling to get out the way. Emily looked behind them and tapped his shoulder. William spun around and readied his sword as he noticed a Raider and Berserker chuckled to themselves as they charged Emily and William.
Higur and Gregor ducked underneath one of the drop bridges. Higur looked to his left and tapped Gregor's shoulder.
"the ladder!" Gregor nodded as they clambered up the ladder and jumped up to look around, Gregor climbed up the ladder and looked over to the bridge and took a deep breath before he charged at the archers. Higur smiled as he followed in suit. Gregor slammed the end of his spike into the first Arvher catching the others attention just in time for Higur to slam his sword right through the torso of another.
William caught the end of the massive Dane axe by hilt of his sword and made it follow doen and slam into the wood before he headbutted the raider who looked like he was wearing another mans face. Emily tossed one of the axes from the berserker aside as she slid her sword right into his ribcage. William winced under his helmet as the Raider shrugged the hit off and did it to him slamming the metal right into his forehead. In a daze William watched careful as the raider from the side but switched his motion and slammed the bottom of the axe into William head again. He watched the cycle until he watched him make a tell again getting William to catch his axe. The head slammed into the floorboards hard as William game at him with an uppercut knocking the raider off balance forcing him to back up into a post behind him. William brought his sword above his head as he brought it down. The raider raised a hand to stop but it didn't work as the sword sliced right through his forearm before it landed right into his bicep.
Gregor was taken back in force as a warlord took him with his shield as Higur caught him just in time. He caught a hold of the warlord by the neck and threw him back as Gregor fell down in front of him. Higur held out his hand which Gregor took as he was taken off the ground. Higur patted him on the back as the warlord got up himself and looked at the two in anger, more then it seemed we was before. Higur heard running as he looked up at the bridge and saw a shaman at the end of the bridge smiling a wicked smile and looked to her right. Higurs eyes grew wide as she sidestepped to the right and pulled some sort of lever getting Higur to roll back just time for the bodies and the Warlord to scream in surprise as he dropped down the cliff side to the rocks and icy water below. The shaman laughed as she watched Higur and Gregor almost pace back and forth as she walked away and out of sight. Gregor placed a hand on his shoulder getting Higurs attention.
"thanks" Higur nodded as he looked over to the other side. "looks like we can get over there, lets see if we can get across. Hignur nodded as he followed the massive man over another bridge and smiled as they surprisingly saw William and Emily running out and over to the bridge. Before they stopped and looked at the two new arrivals.
"didn't see what happened to you too, thought you would still be down there" Gregor shook his head as Higur readjusted the massive claymore on his shoulder.
"we're still here William no worries about that" William nodded as he looked at his shoulder and winced before he pointed to the other side.
"we need to get to the gates and push through, ill stay here with the main force and hold the line in the kill lane, Gregor, you and the others get to the top and make sure they can't retreat or hold up behind the gates. So, we can roll the main force through." Gregor and Emily nodded as they ran off, as William was about to run back the way to the lower levels when he was stopped by Higur.
"the Shaman, she's dangerous" William removed his helmet and looked Higur in the eye.
"in what way?"
"Bjura is more of an animal rather then human, she will use every trick she has if it means getting you on the ground"
"How do you know her?"
"we had seen each other on the battlefield and the aftermath of each other's work" William nodded as he put his helmet back on and the two men went about their jobs.
William looked around as Vikings came right up to him before he began to make short work of them. none of them seemed to stack up to a real threat for him before they all seemed to spread like a wave revealing two different threats. William looked at a Shaman who seemed more content with just growling and looking at him while she licked her lips and then the Warlord following her beat his sword against his shield be he spun it around and readied himself. William pulled his sword from his side and readied himself before he felt a slight twinge of pain in his shoulder. The Warlord came first as he jumped at William, his sword coming down right at him as the shaman stood up and readied herself. William overpowered the warlord as he brought his sword to match his attackers, sliding past some of the armor on his chest easily enough to cut him, how deep was still unclear but he still made his mark.
The shaman leapt and screamed as she slammed her whole weight into William knocking him off balance and into the stone wall behind him. William saw her axe coming from the right and tried to move before he noticed the warlords sword coming from the other side as well. William moved his sword to parry the Warlord as he braced his side feeling the axe slam against his chest armor before she pulled it away and screamed again before she pulled back and reared onto her haunches ready to spring again. William slammed his head onto the Warlords knocking him away just in time to stop the Shaman's axe again this time getting her face to face.
"Shaman kill… shaman kill knight!" William threw her off him as he caught his breath and looked at the two relentless enemies in front of him. he looked back at the wall behind him and looked at the amount of blood he was losing before he slammed his sword into the ground for a moment causing the warlord and shaman to stand in momentary silence as he took his helmet off, his dark almost black brown hair matted to his head as blood trickled down and he picked his sword up before he rolled his neck getting it to pop in at least four places.
William looked at the Shaman with fury and anger as he pointed his sword at her then the Warlord.
The shaman took a step back as the warlord moved in slowly. William unfazed by him spun his sword before the warlord came down from the top. The shaman charged William and was about to leap before William parried the warlord again and grabbed his chest before he tossed him in the way of the Shaman and knocked them into each other, sending them to the ground. William brought his blade down as the shaman moved just in time for the blade to pierce through and slam into the ground underneath the warlord. He screamed in pain as William twisted his blade before he ripped it out and pointed it to the shaman who grew slightly frantic. William felt a sting in his shoulder as he decided it was enough and went onto the offensive as he charged the shaman, his sword coming right down as the shaman barley had enough time to move to the right, William brought the sword down and spun as the sword leapt from the ground and right at the shaman who again moved just in the nick of time. William began to arch into a heavy attack but stopped, getting another stinging feeling in his back, the shaman was taken back as she looked in slight horror before William shrugged the pain off and caught the shaman as she sidestepped again, William grabbed ahold of her and tossed her behind him, knocking into the stone wall.
William acted extremely fast as he grabbed ahold of the bleeding Viking on the ground, raising him to his feet before he tossed him onto the shaman pinning her onto the wall and then the ground.
Sayori and Kastumoto ran through the gauntlet, past the massive stone faces and into the small funnel into the main half circle hearing steel clash and grunts. They ran ahead of the reinforcements as the began to watch William walking over to the pinned Shaman the fear setting into her face before William took a deep breath and raised his sword above the two and slammed it into the Warlord again, the man screamed as he was stabbed once more before the shaman screamed herself, the blade piercing through the bigger body and into hers. William pulled it out and grabbed ahold of the body, tossing ot off the shaman he grabbed her off the ground and threw her back into the wall. Blood trickled from his shoulder and her stomach as William kicked her knocking her down and forcing her to slide down as she sat on the wall. William raised his sword from his right side as he swept it slicing right through her neck and forcing her head to drop.
Sayori looked at William with concern, the blood had reached his hips as it stained his standards before she cleared her throat the reinforcement running past them to clash with a fresh batch of Vikings as the began to skirmish the battlefield. William straightened himself out but stopped as he felt the pain in his back. Sayori and Kastumoto walked over to William, Kastumoto raised his hand to other people behind him.
"get the surgeon!" William shook his head as he felt very lightheaded for a moment.
"I'm fine"
"no, you're not my friend"
"just a little bleeding, I'll live" Kastumoto looked over to Sayori who nodded in approval.
"William, you have three arrows in your back" William took a step back as Kastumoto walked behind him and placed a slight touch on two points in his back making him wince.
"that's two"
"the third is broken" Sayori looked at William as she took off her mask nodding confirming what was just said as three black arrows stuck out of Williams back, two intact as the third was broken off at the middle but still attached by the smallest splinters. William nodded as he put his sword in his scabbard before he fell forwards.
Emily ran along side Gregor as they charged up the line and into the gates behind the kill area just in time as the gates shut right behind Higur who came up the rear. They looked around and dove for cover behind some crates as Vikings were everywhere behind the gates. Emily looked over her shoulder as higur looked above some crates and shrugged it off and walked out behind them.
"what are you doing?" Gregor whispered as Higur winked at them and smiled as he walked closer to the other Vikings and acted normal. Emily and Gregor looked at him as walked over to the stairs leading up to the gate controls. Gregor readjusted on his heel causing his armor to clink together, stopping a raider from going to the gate forcing him to look around. Gregor looked to Emily and gestured for her sword before he took it and half handed it ready to strike. Higur walked up with no effort as the two Vikings on top of the controls looked at him and nodded. Before they heard a horn sound and they went back to work on the controls. The gates swung open as people poured in and others ran out, Gregor cursed under his breath as the raider remained and came closer.
Gregor readied himself as the raider came around the crate and looked over to the two of them sitting there. Gregor lunged and struck at the raider, landing the tip of the blade right into the raiders neck forcing a gurgle of blood to drip from his mouth as he began to fall. Gregor and Emily both caught the man and dragged him out of sight hoping nobody looked over to where they wre as the gates began to close but stopped. They both looked up at the sight of Higur fist fighting one of the men next to the winch's as the other was trying to slide off his sword.
"fuck" Gregor leapt from the crates, his halberd in hand as he charged up the way making sure that any extra Vikings didn't join the fight on Higur. Emily rounded the crates and clashed her sword with a Valkyrie just in time to stop her from striking Gregor in the back. Emily deflected the spear and came from the right as she hit the Valkyries shield, lodging it deep into the shield before she yanked the shield away from her. Emily ripped her sword free and charged the Valkyrie, she brought her sword down right into her shoulder blade. She brought her sword out of her shoulder and grabbed ahold of her bringing in right into her chest before she let her body drop to the floor. Emily began to walk away as she felt something rip into her leg forcing her to yelp in pain.
Gregor slammed the end of his Halberd into the back of a foot soldier causing him to howl in pain before he was taken from the ground and thrown of his shoulder. Gregor ran up to Higur just in time for the man he was fighting, fell from the third story right onto the ground with a thud.
"we need to get the gates up" Gregor nodded as he put his Halberd on a beam close by and grabbed the other side of the gate wench and began to pull it open. Higur took a spear and slammed it into the gears, forcing it to stay open.
Kastumoto looked up and saw the gates open and stay that way before he looked over to the foot soldiers arriving into the mouth and shouted at them, getting their attention.
"go for the keep!" he ran along the path, stopping as a small group of Viking solders ran out, they looked at him and dropped their swords Kastumoto raised his Nodachi at them forcing them to drop to the ground, on their knees and raised their hands, men rushed past Kastumoto who lowered his blade and watched them running into the keep. Gregor and Higur walked out of the keep past the men rushing in with Emily between them, limping on one leg. "what happened?"
"someone got the best of her and nicked her calf, after some rest she'll live" Emily nodded as they walked past Kastumoto. Gregor looked around the battlefield as they limped Emily back and turned to Higur.
"make sure she gets to camp"
"where are you going?" Higur took Emily as Gregor lowered her arm off of him.
"to make sure we take the keep" Higur nodded as he walked down with Emily, as Gregor ran back to Kastumoto. Gregor stopped his pace as Kastumoto looked over hos shoulder and noticed Gregor.
"where is William?"
"wounded, Sayori and the surgeon took him to tend to the wounds. Gregor nodded and looked around, hearing a small outburst of steel clashing with another. Gregor gripped his Halberd tighter as he looked to the keep and sighed at the sound of the horns.
Forward Camp: 2 Days later.
Gregor walked into Emily's tent, her leg wrapped and propped up as she laid in her bed. She looked up from her book and tried to get out of her bed but stopped when Gregor sat down next to her.
"how's William?" Gregor smiled as he looked at the book she closed before he turned back to her.
"it's a miracle that the only Arrow that did any serious damage was the one in his shoulder, the other three barley pierced his plate and at most the scars wont stay" Emily nodded as she looked at her leg.
"don't you think this is overdoing it?" Gregor chuckled and smiled before he nodded.
"I mean the gash was a little deep but yeah you should be okay to walk around" the tent flaps opened as Higur walked in and took a sip of his horn he brought in with him and walked over to them.
"the keep is ours now, the Vikings who surrendered are asking to be sparred" Gregor looked at Emily before they both looked back at Gregor.
"shouldn't that be up to William?" Higur nodded as he took a sip.
"he's not awake, and I'm fairly drunk and might fall asleep out of this tent before I get the chance" Gregor chuckled as Emily stifled her own laugh before Higur walked over to the entrance. "in case I don't make it" Gregor and Emily nodded before he walked out. Gregor stood up and walked to the entrance looking out seeing Higur sit down on a stool and immediately fall down passed out letting his cup spill onto the ground. Gregor shook his head as he looked over to Emily and walked back.
"I don't want to take up to much of your time then, ill let you get some rest" Emily smiled at him as she picked up her book again.
"thanks for getting me out of the keep, I don't know if I thanked you for that" Gregor stopped and turned back around to look at Emily.
"I think you did, but it was nothing" Gregor smiled at Emily and felt his hand clench as he looked at her in the candlelight, her hair was in a loose braid but a lot of strands were still loose around her forehead, slightly framing her face before she tucked some of them behind her head. Gregor straightned himself and unclenched his fist as she looked at him slightly puzzled.
"are you okay?" Gregor nodded as he scratched the side of his head.
"just thoughts I guess"
"well be careful with those, they can keep you up if your not careful" Gregor smiled as he turned around and walked out of the tent.
William woke up feeling the pain in his shoulder pinchi him as he rose from his bed. He looked at the wrappings and sighed as they stayed white rather then be stained with blood. He swung his legs over the side of his bedding and went for a shirt and his boots before he walked over to the tent flap. Gregor sat down at the fire next to the sleeping pile that is Higur and rose when he saw his friend. William smiled at him and gestured him to sit back down as he did the same on the opposite side of the fire.
"hows the shoulder?"
"I'm able to swing a sword if that's what you mean" Gregor smiled as a man walked up to them holding a note.
"news from Himura, sir" William took the note and read it as the man walked off.
"how's news from behind us" William read the note and handed it to Gregor.
"all seems to be operating smoothly, save the fact that Kastumoto's family wants him to come home" Gregor chuckled as he read the note and stood up.
"ill just give this to Kastumoto then shall I?" William nodded as Gregor held up his hand and clasped with his before he walked off leaving William at the fire. William walked into Emily's tent seeing she was still up a few hours later, her nose still in a book.
Leave it to you, in the middle of a campaign to catch up on your novels" Emily looked up and began to sit up and put the book down.
"well being in a bed for a few days, makes you wish you could do something else" William smiled and walked over to her.
"I heard you got hurt, three arrows in your back" William shrugged it off and moved his shoulder, wincing a little before he sat down.
"I'm still able to swing a sword and it'll take more than a few arrows to stop me"
"I know what you mean, I'm glad your okay" William nodded his head, pointed to her leg still wrapped.
"think you can walk on it?"
"are you kidding? you'll have to separate my arm before I step down, I'm still in this William"
"good I'm glad, I couldn't keep this up without you and the others" Emily blushed slightly but got control of herself.
"I don't know if Gregor told you but the Vikings who surrendered are asking about what will happen to them?"
"when Higur wakes up let him know as long as they swear not to try and take back the keep or the gauntlet they are free to return home" Emily's smile dropped as she looked at him with serious on her face.
"don't you think letting these men and women go a little drastic?" William nodded as he looked back at her.
"a little, but I also know from Higur how Ivar get his power and most of the people who fight for him are doing it against wishes" William readjusted his shoulder as he looked at Emily. "Ivar kills the people in charge and kills any who refuses to fight for him, fear isn't a good way to keep power"
"I know but, I mean what about those who are loyal to him? I doubt everyone is afraid of Ivar the bloodletter"
"I have yet to meet someone who is" Emily began to speak before she nodded in agreement and stifled a yawn. "get some sleep Emily, we can talk in the morning" William stood up and looked at Emily who moved the book from her bed and nodded.
"Ill try but no promises" William chuckled as he walked out of the tent and back into the night
Elsewhere
Heavy boots clinked and clacked as boats pulled onto shore, banners waved in the wind as the people holding them grunted in plate helmets. A man in full chainmail and plated arms walked along the coast watching the boats before he lowered his cowl and took off the helmet underneath. A woman with a shaved head and a symbol branded into her forehead walked up and bowed before the man.
"The fallen legion is under your command, my lord they pledge to aid us" the man smiled as his yellow teeth shone in the moonlight. The woman rose slowly as two man bound was brought before him and slammed into the ground.
"They follow the wolf my lord, claims they are scouts" the man walked closer and grabbed one of them by the throat and brought him up, he took a dagger in his hand and slowly drove it into the man's throat forcing blood to spill onto the plates gauntlet. He dropped the man and pulled his sword from his belt before he spun it and pointed it to the other man.
"Who are you?" He took a deep breath as he forced the other scout to his feet and quickly stabbed him in the heart. The scout began to struggle as the world grew a little darker.
"Death… I'm Death"
As always feel free to leave any comments or reviews you got for me and I hope you enjoyed! Have a good one and stay safe!