Somewhere I can belong

Chapter 3

Defiant to the end

Disclaimer: Same as always and then some, know this and be forewarned this is my first attempt at writing an action scene.

The sickening crunch that accompanied Quinn's food as he brought it down into the tall grass broke the serenity of the grove. Glancing to the left and the right he quickly realized he was in the midst of a massacre, bones and rusted armor poked out from the lush green grass. Tensing Quinn drew his scimitar and shield, he had no spells prepared, nudging a helmeted skull over he noticed quickly that it had at one time belonged to an orc, moving from skeleton to skeleton all were orcish…save for one. Two skeletons lay entwined as if in a lovers embrace, save one had two feet of a scimitar blade apparently stained black from blood stuck out of its back.

"Well where there's a blade there's a hand," sheathing his blade and dropping his shield Quinn pulled the skeleton off of the blade to find an elven skeleton underneath. "Whoever you were, you did not die easily." Several dark arrows were stuck into the rib cage and the collarbone had a large wedge gouged out of it. The elf's left hand clutched a broken chain, it was a symbol of Grumush, momentarily confused till in his minds eye Quinn saw the battle unfold, the elf had fallen back, firing arrows while retreating. Spells erupted from the cairn stones striking down many, and another orc fell as a badger lunged towards him and tore into his chest but the orcs kept moving forward regardless of their losses crying out to Grumush, casting the bow aside and drawing a scimitar and shifting a shield from its back to left hand the elf waited for the leading orc.

Dodging aside a thrust from the leading orc the elf twirled his scimitar above his head to give it more power and brought downward towards the orcs unguarded neck, black blood sprayed from the severed jugular as the leading orc fell. The loss of their comrade did not unnerve the band the least as they howled and closed, two more closed for combat and the elf had alternated between parries and stabs and slashes waiting for an opening and found it, drawing the orcs in close the elf slammed his shield into the left orcs chin, essentially giving the orc an uppercut that severed several veins and opening up his windpipe. The other orc followed up with an overhead swing howling. The elf swung her blade upward and bracing it with the now shield less left hand, momentarily stalling the orc's momentum, again the elf went to the orcs right side slicing down the orcs arms and gliding behind the orc to deliver a savage backhand strike that cut through flesh, muscle and gristle and bone severing its head.

The moment of victory was forgotten as several arrows whizzed past the elves barely missing their target. With a roar the next trio of orcs rushed to engage, heedless of the arrows being fired under their leaders direction. Sparring a glance at the unconscious orc and the shield the elf made a quick decision, turning to the down orc the elf delivered a coup de grace, but did not recover the shield, Instead the elf closed its eyes for a moment concentrating and then snapped his eyes open and held out her left hand as a flaming blade magically appeared in her left hand, and screaming out a battle cry the elf charged the coming orcs.

Quinn mind reeled trying to keep track of the elf's actions, but they were almost to fast and in most cases were to fast to follow. To the elf it was a dance striking high to the right side an orc then rolling its wrist to strike from behind an attempted block. The flaming blade seared flesh and started hair on fire, but for all the skill of the elf with its blades that did not stop arrows from striking and piercing the elf's hide armor.

The largest orc let out a guttural laugh seeing the arrows pierce the armor and strike the flesh of the elf, but the elf did not cry out in pain or even flinch. A sly grin appeared on her face, Quinn quickly realized what he had done; her skin was no longer pale and smooth but thick and rough like the skin of a tree. From then on the action just became to difficult to follow as the elf closed for combat and dispatched the last of the archers. All the while the largest orc's voice echoed out with laughter and shouts of. "Strike deep swing hard. Save a piece of the fairy for me."

Breathing hard the elf regarded her race enemy, he had not moved or helped his comrades in anyway, and unlike the rest of the invaders he stood and waited. He had unbuckled a massive battle axe and glared at her menacingly and spoke in guttural common, "Their lives meant nothing to me, they were means to end, they weakened you. You are no match for one who holds the blessing of Grumush."

She met his stare and spoke defiantly, "This grove in under my protection, and you shall share the same fate as the rest of those who violate its sanctity."

With that said they clashed, the battle raged through the grove, as the orc had called upon his god's aid and the one eyed beast had responded, he moved faster, struck harder, and never tired. Her flaming blade had long since vanished and she could not spare the time to call forth another one, she swore her arm was nearly broken after she had blocked one of the orc's powerful swings. The shock of the blow had thrown her back two faces and left her sprawled upon the ground, the roc followed through with his momentum and brought his axe swinging downward, only but rolling away at the last moment did she save herself from losing and arm. The blade still caught her arm and left a deep cut that bled freely. Rising form the near amputation the elf knew in her own heart that she would die here fighting this orc, her wounds and exhaustion were making it harder to ward off his overpowering attacks. "I will die here, but I will win this fight." She yelled defiantly in elvish and charged the orc as it was pulling its axe free from the ground.

The orc had no time to remove his axe, and instead drew a short sword and made ready with another overhand swing to slay the elf. As she neared the orc all she thought about was the charm of the orcs one-eyed bastard god, it was on a chain but would it be strong enough for her plan to work. Her strength was failing and this was her only and last chance to slay this beast. The two combatants closed distance within a few seconds, the elves blue hair billowing in the wind as slobber and spit flew from the orcs gaping maw. In that moment there was a similarity that bound the two, both were fully dedicated to killing the other, but only the elf was expecting to die.

The orcs blade came down slashing into the collarbone slicing through the armor and shattering bone, at the same time the elf's hand had lunged out grabbing the totem of Grumush and pulled the stinking orc towards her as she put the last of her strength into a wild stab. Pain screamed through the elf's body but she would not let go and the moment of unbalance followed by the sheer power of his overhead swing brought the orc careening forward and as the toppled on top of one another the scimitar broke through the orcs enchantments and dove deep in and out of the orcs midsection. He died with surprise on his face as if not sure why he had lost.

She could feel her life draining away, but she regretted nothing, she had fulfilled her duty and defended the grove to her last breath. Chuckling through the pain she added, "Thank your god for me for helping to kill you, you waste of life." With that said her vision clouded and she felt cold, but oddly at peace as she saw another elf approach her smiling before the darkness overcame her.

Rohan's ramblings:

I hope the action sequence was all right. I could picture it in my mind but had trouble putting it to pen, or in this case type. The moves I was attempting to describe are part of the sinawalli's and dequeradas styles I study in Inayan System of Escrima. It's a fun time and hopefully soon I'll be testing for my second level. Until then.