Chapter 12: Let There be Fireball !

Ren

"You guys got the plan?" Kosh asks quietly.

The group nods.

"Okay," Eris says shaking her hands. "Once I do this there isn't turning back."

"Let's do this," Ren says.

Warm air envelopes Eris as she reaches out her hand. A drop of fire dots the tip of her finger and shoots out to land on top of the 5 orcs sparring and cheering.

The orcs scream in agony. Some fall to the ground as they are wearing metal that sears into their skin. Others are quick to die and lay in a heap of burning flesh. Billows of smoke fill the air as the group looks on. Everyone at the ready for any who manages to make it out.

Ren hears shouting inside the tavern as they stomp towards the door. One of the orcs stands in the now open doorway and scans the area. The Orc is the biggest they've seen so far. Scars mark his face and what Ren can see of his arms. His big frame blocks the entirety of the doorway. He is wearing an almost complete set of armor. He lets out a huge roar as he sees most of his men now laying on the ground. Two have managed to escape the ball of death but just barely. A glittering orb encases the massive orc. The orc growls and beats at it, unable to break the barrier, causing the orc to turn his attention towards Renimil.

Kith runs towards one of the remaining orcs. The orc puts up his arms, a feeble attempt to block. Kith stabs his blade directly through his stomach. Using his foot, he kicks him off his blade and the orc crashes to the ground.

The other singed survivor looks at his companion, while distracted Kosh throws his dagger and it lodges in the survivor's eye. Kosh walks over to retrieve his blade. Kosh, Kith, and Eris now turn their attention to the hulking orc standing in the doorway.

"If eyes could talk fight, I'm pretty sure we would be dead. You got this right, Kith?" he scoffs.

The orc continues to look at him. Fury is evident on his face.

Renimil looks to Kith, the same fury on his face. The orc turns his attention towards Kith and begins to speak in orcish.

"I will be coming for you, half breed." He says between clenched teeth. "Right after I snap your mages in half. The pretty one first," he says with a smile. The other orcs behind him, holler and grunt their approval.

Ren shivers and Kith twist his blade around in his hand.

"You're too weak to take on my mages. Look at what one," he tilts his head in Eris' direction, "can do. All your other men are dead. They should have had a better leader."

"It's falling," Ren shouts.

The shimmering sphere dissipates and Kith rushes the orc but is backhanded away. Kith skids to a stop on his feet a few feet.

Eris' body is enclosed in a blaze, moving wildly. Her eyes pools of crimson liquid fire. A small orb of fire appears in her hand and she flings it at the orc. It sizzles on contact and the orc looks down and laughs. "Puny human." He responds.

Some of the orcs inside try to test a window to see if they could fit through them, but it proves to be too small an exit point.

The color begins to drain somewhat from the orc, making him appear a sickly ashen-gray and Ren feels a rush of vitality wash over him and he breaths in deeply. His eyes black with no signs of white. Purple smoke rises from them.

Kith rushes him again this time striking the orc with his blade, from the orc's shoulder diagonally across his neck and face. The brunt of the damage to his shoulder is shielded by the orc's armor. A gash opens on his neck, dripping down under his breastmail. The tip of the blade pierced above the orc's lip splitting it in two.

Kosh sprints towards the massive orc in a zigzag and swipes him on the backs of his knees causing the orc to stagger. Kosh flips back to a safer distance.

The orc bellows and rushes Renimil. In the middle of Renimil dodging away, the orc grabs him by the leg. The orc lifts him up as he dangles in front of him. With the other hand, the orc punches Ren in the face. Ren is forced backward and slams against a tree. Blood gushing from his nose. Renimil is pretty sure it's broken. Involuntary and maybe somewhat voluntary tears well in his eyes. He winces as he gets to his feet, instinctively reaching for his back.

One of the orcs inside makes it out of the door, but Kith clotheslines him and he falls to the ground.

Electricity crackles around Eris's hands. The electric charge hits the orc on the ground and causes him to convulse as the electric current snaps to the next orc behind him.

The second orc electrocuted, shakes and slings curses at Eris as he barrels towards her. He jabs her with his javelin. The fire around her engulfs him. He drops his weapon and tries to roll on the ground to snuff it out but to no avail. Unable to get out of the way fast enough, she takes the whole brunt of the attack, stumbling and clasping her side as crimson seeps between her fingers. Magic usage and damage cause her to gasp for air, beads of sweat rolling down the side of her face.

Another smaller orc leaves the tavern to run at Kosh, dodging he counters with his bloodletting Kukri.

The last remaining orc leaves the building and makes his way over towards Eris.

Ren now back on his feet, begins to feel vitality rush over him again as the color drains even more from the beefy orc. Blackness once again fills his eyes.

Kith rages towards the orc beating down Renimil. Kith slashes at his back and circles in front of him to shield the wizard.

Kosh stabs the smaller orc in quick session as the orc falls to his knees barely clinging to life.

The massive orc is now seething as Kith stands in his way of defeating the black wizard behind him. He is now badly battered and Ren knows it's only a matter of time before the orc will be dead. Come on Kith. Even though he can heal himself, the shit still hurts initially. The orc now unsheathes his weapon and strikes out at Kith. It hits his shoulder but Kith barely acknowledges it.

Eris takes a deep breath as electricity pours out of her hitting the two Orcs next to her and Kosh. One dies and the other taunts and curses her between his teeth, spit spewing from his mouth, which stops suddenly as Kosh rams his blade to the hilt into the orc's back. The orc looks down, surprise depicted on his face. Kosh slowly dislodges his knife and the orc falls to a knee.

The orc in the doorway tries to get to his feet but is singed and bleeding out profusely.

The backstabbed orc makes a flimsy attempt to swing his sword at Eris but misses.

Dark smoke circles around Renimil, whipping up his hair. He steps over a bit to get a clear shot of his target. Streams of blackness shoot from his fingertips and encompass the massive orc.

Kith slams down his falchion on the orc's shoulder. Red liquid erupting out and creating a pool on the ground.

"I've got this guy." Eris nods with her head. Kosh pivots and runs to where the massive orc is. He rushes up the orc leaping in the air, he grabs the shoulder of the orc and slices his throat. He stumbles around, hands on his throat.

Kith walks over to the orc. "As I said, could have had a better leader." With that, Kith kicks him to the ground, blood gurgling out of his mouth.

Eris finishes off her guy and the one in the doorway. As she is still bleeding, Kith hands her a vial and walks her inside the tavern to a stool.

They all take a few minutes to collect themselves as Kosh walks over to the building the other gnomes are in, then returns.

Ren sits down at the makeshift bar and grabs a bottle to down some of it.

"As much as I hate to say it since I'm ridiculously exhausted. We should get going, make camp closer to our next target." Ren wipes his mouth after downing another gulp. He walks over to Kith and hands him the bottle.

Kith takes a swig, offering it to Kosh. "You guys did well."

"Not bad for a magic user, huh?" Eris says with a grin.

They all chuckle.