Smurfocalypse Chapter 55: The Forest Part 5 – The Hatchet
Timber was taking a stealth approach this mission. He had his hatchets drawn and was sneaking through the tall foliage. Timber is in full plate armor with a full helm completely covering his face. On either hip was a hatchet holster, and on his back was his two handed battle axe. He used the same skills he uses to cut wood to slay his enemy. All the strength Timber has built up working and training has paid off and although his muscles were not anywhere near as large as Hefty's, Timber was stronger than ever. It did not take long for Timber to find an outpost very similar to the one Clockwork found where there were demons sparring with each other.
"Oh good. They're weak." Timber thought as he observed their skills.
Timber watched from deep in the bushes surrounding the camp. He didn't make a sound and watched as they fought. There was a demon with a one handed axe fighting another with a lance and they were just dodging each other's attacks as the spar continued. Suddenly a Demon with a two handed axe steps up slowly and with one quick swing beheads both fighters as they fought. The heads fell to the ground followed by the rest of their bodies which were actually sent flying.
"I told you fools if I caught you fighting again I'd kill you, and that goes for the rest of you! Now get back to your posts!" The demon yelled.
The lesser demons returned to work. It seemed they were taking down the foliage in the area except for the big trees to form a camp of some sort. One of them came close to where Timber was. The demon was carrying an axe and stopped right near the bushes where Timber was hiding out and began to chop down a nearby sapling. That's when Timber reached out of the bushes, struck the demon in the head with a hatchet as it worked, and drug the body into the bushes. He didn't know how long he would be able to pick them off like that before they began to notice, but it was the approach he was choosing. He left the bushes and bolted towards the nearest tent, his heavy armor clanking about as he ran. He got behind the tent and hid when a demon came out to investigate. That demon was also struck in the head with a hatchet before it could make a sound. Timber went into the tent to find it was stacked with all sorts of different weapons. It was as though these demons were stationing war camps, but why? Timber couldn't figure it out. He hid in the armory tent for as long as he heard footsteps passing by it until exited the back way the same way he came in and ran for the nearest tent entering it immediately.
Inside the tent there were among other things such as a bed and lantern, a table with a paper on it. Timber grabbed the paper and began to read it using the lantern light as a visual aid. The paper was a list of orders for the camp including the creation of siege weapons. From what Timber read they were planning to break into the port and kill every Smurf inside. The paper was not signed, but it was informative. Timber folded it and stuck it into one of his hatchet holsters.
"They're planning on breaching the walls…" Timber thought.
He then exited the tent only to have a demon rush him with a poleax. Timber dodged the thrust and counter by swinging his hatchet into the demon's skull. More of them came as the entire camp was now aware of his presence. Timber fought enemy after enemy with ease. Just as he suspected these ones were not as strong, or Timber has just gotten stronger. The commanding demon with the axe watched as Timber cut down demon after demon with his hatchets displaying all his skill in duel wielding right there in front of his stronger opponent, but Timber was not going to battle him with hatchets. Timber returned his hatchets to their holsters on his belt and reached for his battle axe.
"If you want to breach Port Saint Smurf you'll have to kill me first!" Timber yells.
The demon smirks and raises his own battle axe.
"I was going to anyway!" The demon said.
They each swung their axe at each other and the weapons clashed creating sparks and making a loud sound of a blade hitting a blade. They immediately recoiled from each other's strength and attempted once again to swing their axes at one another, but clashed weapons yet again. This continued for four additional attempts. Timber leaped into the air and swung his axe at his opponent creating a gash in its forearm. The demon swung its own axe and Timber rolled forward to dodge it and swung his axe again causing his opponent to jump backward to avoid the attack. Then the demon picked up speed and was beginning to overpower Timber attacking more often and faster. Timber was struggling to retaliate and kept using his weapon to block attacks. The demon kicked dirt into the air creating a dust cloud and then swung its axe. The axe struck Timber in the shoulder piercing his armor and creating a gash which caused his to scream out and. He could no longer swing his two handed weapon without feeling excruciating pain due to his injury, and another attack came in and struck his chest armor piercing it, but not breaking his skin. Timber put away his battle axe and turned to make a strategic retreat, and was pursued of course.
Timber grabbed at his shoulder to assess the damage and his entire hand was covered in blood. The adrenaline was still so intense he had yet to feel the true pain this grievous injury would bring. He reached for a hatchet with his good arm and threw it towards the demon's leg which his opponent was not expecting. The hatchet dismembered his opponent, but he would have to leave it behind as he needed to get back to camp and have his wound treated by doctor. He still had the paper on him, and he was going to make sure Hefty got to see it. The demon's body magically repaired itself just as the one Clockwork fought did, but by the time it did Timber was gone even though he was leaving behind an obvious blood trail.
"I'm going to die if I don't get to Doctor…" Timber thought.
The demon he encountered was the strongest one he had ever fought, and he used to be known for taking down the larger ones back when it all started. The problem was he was leaving behind a blood trail which could potentially lead any enemies straight to the port. Timber had a choice to make. He could either go back to camp or try to get help at the risk of giving away their position, or he could lead them away by going another way at the cost of his life. Dying was not an option for Timber. He had valuable information for Hefty including instructions on how to create siege weapons out of wood. IT was for the good of the port that he make it back alive, and so Timber begins the hike back to camp.