Chapter 1 - Orc Attack
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I let out a slight grumble, looking around on one of the many new platforms just west of the port, in the Industrial block. As it would ironically turn out, the map the elders had given me, was a map from before the Great War, so that wasnt really much help to me.
Tossing the map aside, I continue down the catwalk of wood, watching as people down below continue to work. This sure was a huge place...compared to Windurst, at least. It was the first time I had seen a city of nothing but stone.
As I continue down the catwalk, I suddenly hear someone yell. "Watch out!"
I look upward, and notice several large boards which had fallen from a tower they were constructing, coming right towards me. Before I could move, however, a Hume suddenly comes up behind me, grabbing me, and narrowly getting me out of harms way.
I blink a couple times, wondering what in the world happened. I glance behind me as the hume who grabbed me, puts me down.
"Are you alright?" The Hume askes. I nod. "Your lucky..those could have been more than enough to kill you. My name's Casey."
"Kweh. Pleasure to meet you, Taru." I reply. About that time, two large Galkas come around, though the gate. They look around until they spot me, then immediately run over.
"Are you alright? Your not hurt, are you?" One of the bigger ones asks. Before I can reply, the Hume quickly speaks.
"He's alright, Bruno. I got him before the boards could hit him." The Galka breathes a sigh of relief. "Good...I was worried we might have killed him. A portion of the tower suddenly came loose, and we lost it."
I glance between the two, wondering a bit as the other one looks down at me. "So..he your friend or something, Casey?"
Casey shakes his head some, looking down at me. "Nope...this is the first time I've seen him. Rare to see a Taru warrior this day and age."
I nod to them a bit, smiling. "Well, I didnt want to be the same as my friends and everything..and I've just liked the sword a lot better."
As we continue to converse, two injured Elvaan knights stagger in though the west gate, one of them slumping over, dead. The other one pushes his way over to us, as a crowd starts to gather. Casey quickly runs over to the knight's side, catching him just as he's about to fall.
"My god...what's happened?" Casey asks as he lays the knight down.
"It..it was so quick...the Orcs..t..they ambushed us..in the forest..Ghelsba...outpost..ugh." the Knight says, just as he, too, slumps over, dead.
Everyone around the group whispers amongst themselves as Casey lays him down onto the ground, standing. He gives a quick look to me, a serious look on his face. "You good with a sword?"
I nod to him quickly. "Of course." Casey nods back, looking up to Bruno. "Alright. Come with us then. We've got Orcs to hunt."
Two more soldiers come up, tending to the Knights as the three of us head towards the West Gate. Knights are already gathered at the Western Entrance, several large Orcs coming towards the gate.
Elvaan Archers quickly move to the front of the group, kneeling down as they let out a barrage of arrows loose, flying though the air at the Orcs. Several of the arrows piece into the Orc's thick skin, barely phasing them as Elvaan swordsmen move to the front of the group, engaging the Orcs head on. Casey and Bruno quickly run down the stairs, into the courtyard as they go towards the gate to assist. As I follow them, one of the larger Orc's swings it arm, sending several swordsmen flying back into the courtyard, several into the stone walling of the entrance.
I pull my sword, just as one of the Orcs comes though, right towards me. I grapple down some as it swings it's fist at me. I jump up into the air, landing on the Orc's arm as it's fist slams hard into the ground. I run up it's arm, onto it's head as I jump off, spinning and slashing the Orc down it's back. As I land, the Orc, reaches for it's back, turning around, roaring. It looks down at me, angrily as it raises it's foot, trying to stomp me.
In a quick move, I roll off to the side as it's foot slams into the ground, jumping up as I slash from his stomach, up his head.
The Orc falls back, groaning as it slams onto the ground, hard, unconcious. I look over towards the others, Casey stabbing one of the Orcs in the chest with his sword, turning and slicing though another.
Bruno, however, uses his brute strength, his hands interlocked with the Orcs, the Orc pushing him back slightly. Bruno quickly pushes forward, pulling his fist back as he slams the Orc in the jaw, the Orc stumbling back, slipping on the small stairs which lead outside the city, to West Ronfaire.
The final Orcs begin to back away, retreating into the forest as more Knights and Soldiers begin to arrive. Casey wipes the green Orc blood off his sword, as he resheaths it.
"Well..that was interesting." Casey says, in a cocky mood. Bruno, looks out to the forest, laughing. "Indeed. I love when the Orcs come up here, causing trouble. Only thing is.."
Both me and Casey look up at Bruno, slightly confused. "What Bruno?" Casey asks.
"They didnt seem...content with us. Weaker than usual." Bruno replies. As he does, one of the main Elvaan Knights comes down the stairs, towards us. Bruno and Casey are the first to look at him. I glance over, seconds later.
"You three...were you the ones who defeated those last Orcs?" the Knight asks. Casey nods to him, looking to Bruno, then to me.
"Yeah." Casey replies. As he does, the Knight looks at each of us. "We've..got a problem."
Bruno crosses his arms, looking at him. "What kind of problem, sir?"
"The Orcs, it appears, werent trying to assault the city directly this time. As they attacked here, they came in though the East gate as well. They captured several children, and took off." the Knight replies. Casey looks at Bruno, Bruno at Casey.
"I knew they were up to something.." Bruno says, slightly disgruntled. Casey nods. "Well..think we should go after them?"
Bruno shrugs a bit. "I dont know..Ghelsba Outpost is Orc Central. We go in there, it's not going to be a walk in the park."
Casey nods some, scratching his chin. "...unless, our little friend here joins us." Casey looks down at me, smirking. "He showed he can handle himself easily...and besides, the Orcs usually only take their captives into the Outpost area. They rarely take them to the Fort."
Bruno looks at me, pondering a bit. I could easily tell he didnt like the idea of a Tarutaru watching his back.
"...alright.", Bruno replies, "Though this is the last time I follow you on one of your crazy crusades.."
Casey laughs some, looking at Bruno as he walks out of the gate, just outside the walls. "Well...one thing I can say though, this isnt quite a crusade this time...it's merely a rescue mission."
Bruno walks out after him, laughing sarcastically. "Hah! Like last time, when we had our asses saved by the Knights?"
"That wasnt my fault, honest. They...they just happened to show up at the wrong time, that's all."
"Yeah yeah.."
I smile some. I had barely been here a day, and already things were looking good for me. I had finally met a Galka I could stand, as well as a good-natured Hume. I run out of the gate, chasing them as they head into the forests of Ronfaire.
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I let out a slight grumble, looking around on one of the many new platforms just west of the port, in the Industrial block. As it would ironically turn out, the map the elders had given me, was a map from before the Great War, so that wasnt really much help to me.
Tossing the map aside, I continue down the catwalk of wood, watching as people down below continue to work. This sure was a huge place...compared to Windurst, at least. It was the first time I had seen a city of nothing but stone.
As I continue down the catwalk, I suddenly hear someone yell. "Watch out!"
I look upward, and notice several large boards which had fallen from a tower they were constructing, coming right towards me. Before I could move, however, a Hume suddenly comes up behind me, grabbing me, and narrowly getting me out of harms way.
I blink a couple times, wondering what in the world happened. I glance behind me as the hume who grabbed me, puts me down.
"Are you alright?" The Hume askes. I nod. "Your lucky..those could have been more than enough to kill you. My name's Casey."
"Kweh. Pleasure to meet you, Taru." I reply. About that time, two large Galkas come around, though the gate. They look around until they spot me, then immediately run over.
"Are you alright? Your not hurt, are you?" One of the bigger ones asks. Before I can reply, the Hume quickly speaks.
"He's alright, Bruno. I got him before the boards could hit him." The Galka breathes a sigh of relief. "Good...I was worried we might have killed him. A portion of the tower suddenly came loose, and we lost it."
I glance between the two, wondering a bit as the other one looks down at me. "So..he your friend or something, Casey?"
Casey shakes his head some, looking down at me. "Nope...this is the first time I've seen him. Rare to see a Taru warrior this day and age."
I nod to them a bit, smiling. "Well, I didnt want to be the same as my friends and everything..and I've just liked the sword a lot better."
As we continue to converse, two injured Elvaan knights stagger in though the west gate, one of them slumping over, dead. The other one pushes his way over to us, as a crowd starts to gather. Casey quickly runs over to the knight's side, catching him just as he's about to fall.
"My god...what's happened?" Casey asks as he lays the knight down.
"It..it was so quick...the Orcs..t..they ambushed us..in the forest..Ghelsba...outpost..ugh." the Knight says, just as he, too, slumps over, dead.
Everyone around the group whispers amongst themselves as Casey lays him down onto the ground, standing. He gives a quick look to me, a serious look on his face. "You good with a sword?"
I nod to him quickly. "Of course." Casey nods back, looking up to Bruno. "Alright. Come with us then. We've got Orcs to hunt."
Two more soldiers come up, tending to the Knights as the three of us head towards the West Gate. Knights are already gathered at the Western Entrance, several large Orcs coming towards the gate.
Elvaan Archers quickly move to the front of the group, kneeling down as they let out a barrage of arrows loose, flying though the air at the Orcs. Several of the arrows piece into the Orc's thick skin, barely phasing them as Elvaan swordsmen move to the front of the group, engaging the Orcs head on. Casey and Bruno quickly run down the stairs, into the courtyard as they go towards the gate to assist. As I follow them, one of the larger Orc's swings it arm, sending several swordsmen flying back into the courtyard, several into the stone walling of the entrance.
I pull my sword, just as one of the Orcs comes though, right towards me. I grapple down some as it swings it's fist at me. I jump up into the air, landing on the Orc's arm as it's fist slams hard into the ground. I run up it's arm, onto it's head as I jump off, spinning and slashing the Orc down it's back. As I land, the Orc, reaches for it's back, turning around, roaring. It looks down at me, angrily as it raises it's foot, trying to stomp me.
In a quick move, I roll off to the side as it's foot slams into the ground, jumping up as I slash from his stomach, up his head.
The Orc falls back, groaning as it slams onto the ground, hard, unconcious. I look over towards the others, Casey stabbing one of the Orcs in the chest with his sword, turning and slicing though another.
Bruno, however, uses his brute strength, his hands interlocked with the Orcs, the Orc pushing him back slightly. Bruno quickly pushes forward, pulling his fist back as he slams the Orc in the jaw, the Orc stumbling back, slipping on the small stairs which lead outside the city, to West Ronfaire.
The final Orcs begin to back away, retreating into the forest as more Knights and Soldiers begin to arrive. Casey wipes the green Orc blood off his sword, as he resheaths it.
"Well..that was interesting." Casey says, in a cocky mood. Bruno, looks out to the forest, laughing. "Indeed. I love when the Orcs come up here, causing trouble. Only thing is.."
Both me and Casey look up at Bruno, slightly confused. "What Bruno?" Casey asks.
"They didnt seem...content with us. Weaker than usual." Bruno replies. As he does, one of the main Elvaan Knights comes down the stairs, towards us. Bruno and Casey are the first to look at him. I glance over, seconds later.
"You three...were you the ones who defeated those last Orcs?" the Knight asks. Casey nods to him, looking to Bruno, then to me.
"Yeah." Casey replies. As he does, the Knight looks at each of us. "We've..got a problem."
Bruno crosses his arms, looking at him. "What kind of problem, sir?"
"The Orcs, it appears, werent trying to assault the city directly this time. As they attacked here, they came in though the East gate as well. They captured several children, and took off." the Knight replies. Casey looks at Bruno, Bruno at Casey.
"I knew they were up to something.." Bruno says, slightly disgruntled. Casey nods. "Well..think we should go after them?"
Bruno shrugs a bit. "I dont know..Ghelsba Outpost is Orc Central. We go in there, it's not going to be a walk in the park."
Casey nods some, scratching his chin. "...unless, our little friend here joins us." Casey looks down at me, smirking. "He showed he can handle himself easily...and besides, the Orcs usually only take their captives into the Outpost area. They rarely take them to the Fort."
Bruno looks at me, pondering a bit. I could easily tell he didnt like the idea of a Tarutaru watching his back.
"...alright.", Bruno replies, "Though this is the last time I follow you on one of your crazy crusades.."
Casey laughs some, looking at Bruno as he walks out of the gate, just outside the walls. "Well...one thing I can say though, this isnt quite a crusade this time...it's merely a rescue mission."
Bruno walks out after him, laughing sarcastically. "Hah! Like last time, when we had our asses saved by the Knights?"
"That wasnt my fault, honest. They...they just happened to show up at the wrong time, that's all."
"Yeah yeah.."
I smile some. I had barely been here a day, and already things were looking good for me. I had finally met a Galka I could stand, as well as a good-natured Hume. I run out of the gate, chasing them as they head into the forests of Ronfaire.