Chapter 3
The inevitable
They could see them now, the large billowing cloud of dust the rode over the ground. Death was drawing near. The Dark feeling swept over Saihra like a cool breeze in a winter drift, the cold fusing with her bones and even chilling the depths of her soul. She shivered. Tatiana stood in front of her the two shining blades drawn, the moonlight bouncing of and landing near the edge of the uphill hedge just to the left of them.
"So what do we do Grelon?" Nathaniel asked the old man again who stood in the middle of the small group. He stood there, his eyes watching the dark horizon and the creatures that approached them. "Crevalk, I want you to take Saihra and Deenand over to that line of bushes. When they come close fire arrows upon them," the man said, a hint of uneasiness in his voice.
Crevalk walked over to the two archers. The man was a trained assassin that once worked for the good of the queen. Now turned against the only person he had ever taken orders from was forced to join the rebellion. His sliver short wavy hair could be seen clearly in the moonlight. His chain mail tunic rattled underneath his dark black leather tunic. His belt held up tight black cotton wool pants that had two metal sheaths that were in the shape of crescent moons that were protruding from the left side of his belt.
"Hurry we don't have much time," he urged them. Saihra looked uneasy for a second. Tatiana glanced back and saw the doubt in her eyes. She knew that Saihra did not want to go with the man. Nathaniel took out the fingerless gauntlets and put them on. They were a dark green almost the color of Cyrose's scales. A dark ruby red jewel was perched in the middle of the back hand of the gloves. It was a flexible metal that was easy for Nathaniel to bend with his fingers. Crevalk ran the two archers over to the bushes hiding and waiting. The rumbling grew louder as the riders came forth.
The breathed heavily waiting for the riders to get closer to spring the miniature ambush.
Waiting was all they could do now. The pale light of the full moon gave a small happiness to the rebels upon the vast field. Nathaniel finally drew his sword. A thin sound of metal smoothly being released from its leather prison filled the air for a split second. Now the Riders were close.
It was a scout troop, Riding amongst three humongous hogs were goblins. Their putrid scent filled the air the closer they came. Their helmeted heads only hid their ugly wrinkled features. The on thing you could see was their dim red glowing eyes, and the small leather vest covered their white chest and their pale green arms.
Three had bows ready and lifted pointing at the small group of humans before them. Nathaniel stood in fighting position his sword raised and his feet spread apart. He knew none of them was ready for the creatures that came closer.
Then the arrows flew. Without much of a second warning the creatures let their crooked arrows fly. Grelon brought up a small shield, protecting his face and most of his upper body from the three arrows. One bounced off as the other two almost hit Nicholae and Tatiana. They were startled for a moment, Nathaniel walked towards them just as two arrows whizzed by his head. The third seemed not to come at all. And he was right. On of the Goblins had been hit its dead body was sprawled on the ground. A straight thin looking piece of wood stuck out from the goblin's back. Saihra and Deenand had released their attack, it was time to fight. He strode forward brandishing the red metal blade in the air. He ran ahead of Grelon, Nicholae and Tatiana, leaving all three behind. He noticed he would be no match for the hog and stopped.
He dodged a crooked arrow, rolling out of the way of the mass pig before him. Another arrow shot at him almost hitting him in the side. Wow these things don't have good aim at all he thought as the giant pigs roared by. Nathaniel looked to Nicholae who had his twin hammers out and aimed for one of the goblins astride the back of the giant pig. One of the hogs bucked sending two of the goblins flying forward. He saw another arrow protruding from the middle of the humongous pork's forehead. It shrieked a piggish snort and died on the spot. Nathaniel smirked as he watched one of the goblins get smacked on the head by Nicholae's hammer, killing it instantly. The other two hogs ran through almost hitting Tatiana and Grelon. Grelon slashed at the nearest hogs side creating a gaping hole of dark warm blood to spill out. The pig collapsed and rolled over the goblins upon its back. A loud squeal filled up the night.
Grelon hurried to the squealing pig and thrust his sword into the hogs face. The blood poured everywhere showering the blade. The hog eyes went blank as it died. Its squeals died with it as Grelon pulled the blade from its wound. The gruff man inspected his blade and then stabbed the goblins to make sure they were dead. Tatiana ran after the second goblin from the first hog. It shot an arrow at her as it tried to get away. The arrow scraped her upper left arm leaving a tiny trail of blood and cutting into her fine white tunic. Tatiana barley felt the scratch it left and continued her pursuit. The goblin before her scrambled to get away from her as fast as it could. Nathaniel seeing, this moved forward blocking its path, his sword raised and ready. The goblin drew a crooked rusted sword from a dirty wooden sheath that hung by it belt.
Their swords clashed together. Nathaniel almost stumbled, shocked at the surprising strength the little beast had. Tatiana closed in behind the goblin and struck a deadly blow. The goblin stood still for a moment then collapsed upon the ground before Nathaniel. Its head rolling off… A fine slit where its neck had been was cleanly cut. Tatiana turned to Nathaniel, and grinned with pleasure at the help of her older brother.
Nathaniel nodded back and looked to the hiding place of Crevalk and the archers.
"No!!" he cried, as he saw the last pig rushing toward their hiding place. Arrows lined the pigs back and face but it kept going. Then Nathaniel noticed something strange. That hog was bigger than the other two, and a massive ork rode upon its back. Its steel helmet covered most of its features and a giant tattered shirt flowed upon its massive chest. An arrow stuck out of its right arm, and a giant sword was held in its right. Arrows flew past the menacing ork as it drew closer to the bushes. Crevalk leaped over the green brush and ran towards the boar and its rider, the small crescent blades shining in the light. The Ork grinned at the challenge and swung the giant sword over its head and brought it down with a menacing strike. The boar stopped suddenly as if a ferocious power had knocked it back. Crevalk stood there the blades raised over his head. The giant blade of the ork smashed down upon them. The ork was awed by such strength from a human.
Nathaniel ran forward towards them, followed by Tatiana and Nicholae. Nicholae erupted a battle cry from his throat as he charged. The Ork turned to the three humans and lifted his sword. The boar had died from the loss of too much blood. It fell over as the Ork leaped from its carcass, his legs a bright red from the blood of the boar. It landed on Crevalk's chest then kicked him out of the way toward the brush. The man laid there dazed in awe. It smirked and thrust its blade toward the nearest human. Nathaniel knocked his sword into it and somersaulted backwards from the hard blow. He lay sprawled out on the grassy field. His thoughts rolled through his mind. The force of that blow was strong, but too strong.
He had fought with orks before but their strength was nothing compared to the creatures that he fought tonight. The ork again swung at the second nearest human. Tatiana hopped over the blade which barley missed her ankle. Her boots hit the ground with a soft thud and she sprinted over towards the ork. She slashed at the orks chest leaving a gaping wound. Dark blue blood spilled over the creature's chest. It growled and punched her in the stomach, knocking the breath from her lungs. It then kicked her sending her flying into the bushes near Saihra and Deenand. The two archers were astonished and decided to do their part. They both picked up an arrow from their quivers aimed then shot.
Siahra's arrow found its mark while Deenand's almost hit Nicholae. Deenand cursed himself and strung another arrow, this time hoping it would hit the giant beast. Nicholae jumped out of the way of the oncoming arrow and threw his hammer towards the Human-like creature. Grelon watched this all commence as the heavy hammer found its mark and slammed into the Orks knee, breaking it instantly. The Ork smirked; it didn't seem to feel the blow at all! Nicholae stared astonished as the creature picked up the hammer and thrust it back, nearly hitting him in the head. The hammer rolled over the ground stopping at Grelon's feet. Grelon looked down at the hammer; he smiled as if an idea popped into his head.
Nathaniel stood back up, the red blade gleaming in his hand. The green gauntlets seemed to fuse with the sword. He clutched the sword tighter. His mind was blank he didn't know what to do. He suddenly lurched. A small earthquake knocked him back off his feet. He looked up at the where the Ork was standing. Grelon's sword was thrust into the head of the Ork. Nicholae's hammer sat upon the ground, next to the dead body of the Ork. Its body sprawled on the ground.
Had they done it, had they really won? Grelon was gasping for breath, Nicholae holding up his shield arm. "You need to rest old man, your strength isn't what it used to be," He told him.