by Marcus Sloss
The commander of the tenth went about organizing his troops. I pulled four stout dvaren I knew were capable of handling ogre and added myself to the front line to make five. I had them borrow four pikes from tenth company. I would use a spear since I had more reach from long arms and height. I then put my fire wives Ruby, Doris, and Eva right behind them. I added Fae and Victoria to the second line for earth and air mages. For the final line, I had five elvath archers.
“Okay see this formation. Five dvaren, fire then earth with air mages, and finally five elvath archers with water and healing. Make as many as you can. If you find yourself outside a formation you are on backup waiting with the mounts. Hurry up and get organized.” I ordered and they obeyed.
It was time consuming, and there were more than a few angry dvaren at being left out. There was no avoiding it unless I went a few rows deep. I did not want that so I let them complain. I waved my team forward until we were behind the first team of the tenth company.
The tenth commander ordered that initial squad of fifteen into the cavern and we followed behind. Torches were pulled out by the mage column and they ensured nothing was too bright. I observed the cutout cave as we progressed. There was fresh dirt around the entrance that piled over older dirt. None of the digging was near the outside leading me to believe there was a lot to this path. The cavern did not get larger as it wound down into Vin. There were marks on the walls where weapons were dragged against the surface.
Ogre tracks for certain. Everything I understood about them was they were solitary unless you found a breeding nest. Even then it was not too many clumped together. I had to admit I was a tad nervous. It was one thing for me to slay a few ogres in the open. It was another to fight them in their own homes. The flickering torchlight revealed very little besides the squad in front of us.
We hit a (Y) in the tunnel and when the group ahead went left I took my squad right. I was hoping the units behind us would stagger also. The tunnel wound left around a bend. That bend transitioned into a steep downward spiral.
“Why is this here?” Ruby muttered.
“It is still big enough for ogres…” I said letting my reply hang in the air at the implications.
Our squad wound deeper until I saw an opening. I held a hand up and halted the formation. I pointed to a small elvath archer in the back row and waved her forward. With two fingers I pointed to my eyes then the cavern. She crept forward while I saw the squad following behind us notice we were frozen.
Two tediously slow minutes passed when the elvath returned silently.
“There is a single ogre in here. A small stream is silently flowing right after the cavern opens. There is a lot here though. I think more ogres live further down and this is a trade hub of some sort. There are forty goblins in here mining the cavern. I cannot see a scenario where you get past the working goblins and kill the ogre before an alarm is…”
A mighty roar erupted from a side tunnel. The sound of battle reached our ears as it echoed our way. That was our signal. I raced out of the spiral tunnel and into a cavern the size of Dais. It was cluttered with every imaginable piece of trash an ogre could ever desire. As we flooded into the dimly lit opening I saw the back of the ogre running for the noise of the battle. I heard the twang of elvath bows picking off goblins in here that were mining the exterior walls. I had a long way to run to catch up to that ogre. There was little to do but to follow it down that path.
“Hurry up, our allies may need us. Run hard, run fast,” I said without shouting. I needed to get to the enemy with my squad. I dialed back my speed as my inner impatient child screamed to get their first. It did not help I thirsted for the blood of my foes. We ran across the cavern that was cluttered with piles of scrap metal, bones, and rocks.
I arrived at the tunnel the ogre left and waited for my squad to form around me. It went forward a dozen feet then up. We marched quickly as a solid line. As we neared the lip of the incline I saw the top of the ogre’s head. When I had a good line of sight on the back of its skull I hurled my spear. There was a thunk as it embedded into the cranium. The giant teetered and then fell forward. As we exited into a new cavern I was dismayed.
There were thousands of orcs with dozens of ogres in here. This was no ogre nest this was something else. Their attention luckily was on a sealed off tunnel. I saw a few dvaren bodies being joyfully torn apart by our foes. I retrieved my spear and probably should have left it. The extra motion was enough for an orc to finally notice us. A war cry was shouted.
“Retreat! Solidify this tunnel!” I said and we raced back into the tunnel we came from. Fae quickly cast earth magic and converted the opening into a thick wall. I turned our squad formation around and heard battle from where we came. As we trotted down the decline we arrived back in the original massive opening. What I saw worried me.
The squad that was behind us had turtled inside a solid box that the earth mage had defensively created. Outside it four ogres pounded at the clay material desperate to get in. Around them were thousands of orcs. I did not have time to ponder where all these troops had arrived from. The first tunnel we had entered from to get to this one had a third squad fighting to maintain the opening. That suddenly shifted when the earth mage sealed it off. That meant our two squads were now the primary target and we were trapped. I knew we couldn’t survive in that tunnel with both ends closed. We had to fight. Hopefully, the third squad would push out if I could free the second.
I reached back and snatched Ruby. I tossed her on my shoulders as we charged the ogres around our turtled allies. “Vole!” I commanded.
The lava that spewed from her hands coated the ogres and melted at their skin. I tossed her back down and then scooped up Fae. We had to stop the influx of enemy troops. There were two more tunnels leading into here. I thew Fae over my shoulder and ran so she could get a good line of sight at the points the enemy were pouring in from.
I dumped aura into my legs and hunkered behind my shield. The first entrance was a few thousand feet away with only a sporadic few orcs between us until we got close. I poured on the speed and bolted across the floor. I had to dodge piles of junk and enemies. I had managed to turn Fae so she could see ahead of us. An ogre charged from the right and she erected a wall in his path. He smashed through it but stumbled and fell forward from the impact. I shouldered an orc and sent her flying. I only saw female orcs in settlements. This whole situation was confusing me. We bounded with incredible speed when I saw the tunnel that descended deeper into Vin become solid rock.
“Perfect!” I shouted above the noise of the orcs crying WARGGGG to their war god. There was one more tunnel they were entering from and it was, of course, on the other side of the massive dig out. There were far more troops this way too. A side swing of an orc sword clashed against my shield. He bellowed a war cry and I kept running. I was getting tired from the exertion while carrying Fae. In armor, she weighed enough that it mattered over long distances. There was no giving in. There was no option to slow. We pounded across the distanced while I smashed into more of my foes sending them flying. A clump of enemies was blocking our path when Fae grew a stalagmite and then severed it. The crash of it slamming into the enemy formation sent me stumbling. I tried to recover but tumbled in a roll while I cradled my wife to my chest.
When I slowed I saw a large veteran orc racing to capitalize on my fall. I spun my crossbow from my hip and drilled a shaft into his chest. He staggered and I shifted my focus to Fae. She was in a daze. I flung her into the air and caught her with my sword arm. I increased my speed to a run and we finally got close enough. The wall formed and Fae passed out. I saw she was bleeding from her broken left arm and bone protruded. I dared not heal her right now.
I ran back for our fire mages who were holding the line. The turtled earth mage had cut windows out and the elvath were raining arrows into the surrounding ogres and orcs. I saw a wall form in front of my squad as the other earth mage bought them time. I did not run for my squad or the others. In
stead, I went for the third one that had walled off the retreat.
I couldn’t reach the wall. There was only one thing I could think of. The orcs and ogres pounding at the closed exit turned to face my approach. I paused my forward run with a stuttering skid and then laid down. My inner core radiated in fury from expending my purple aura. I pulled at the green and startled Fae awake with a healing that sent me into a brief blackness. Luckily I knew I would only temporarily pass out.
Fae scanned the situation. “Open the wall.” She did as I commanded. I whirled an air spell in front of my face. “We need you down here, stop the retreat! Push forward!”
That was all I could get off as the enemy neared us. Fae boxed us in thick earth magic clay. The charging enemy crashed into it as it suddenly appeared. Thankfully it held. I saw Fae add more thickness until she passed out. This time from not from injury but from aura exhaustion. I utilized the reprieve to get back on my feet. I stood over my wife as the enemy pounded at the clay protecting us.
I reached deep into my core and felt it regenerating quickly. The exhaustion was flowing out of my body as my inner center rebuilt itself. This was new. It must be the work of adding Sion to my soul. Normally I grew tired and extremely fatigued to the point of sleeping extra hours after aura exertion. I felt on fire right now as my aura colors collided and multiplied. I slowed the crashing tendrils and brought the chaos back to a bright ball. I was suddenly alive with power. I had unwittingly unlocked my portion of Sion in my core. Endless energy flowed into me somehow. The power was invigorating and I grinned in satisfaction.
The sound of fists and weapons digging at our clay stopped. I reached the earth with my palm and willed a window. The result was a rush of air and clang of battle as I changed the structure. I leapt out of the window and stabbed an orc with its back to me. I quickly recovered from my jump and raced to the box. I willed my brown aura to change the window into a tiny set of holes for air. Knowing Fae was safe I could do what I did best. Slaughter my foes.
I felt my red aura burning brightly. I lacked catalysts to cast fireballs yet the magic called to me. I found an ogre directing orcs to the front of the battle. My two fists clenched in hatred. I pulled them together and willed the fire magic. My hand sprung apart as a red inferno generated between my palms. When it was the size of a fist I hurled with purple strength from my center. The result was catastrophic. It shot out of my hands and instantly burst the ogre’s head down the middle. The skull never slowed the spell and it smashed into the back half of the cavern with a resounding boom. The heat of the explosion washed over me and burned my exposed hands and feet. I healed myself and went to killing Horde with my sword and shield. Every foe I found recovering or agonizing from my burns I ended. My speed was as rapid as my strikes were lethal. I had so much aura regenerating I added more speed and more strength to my swipe. Hundreds died by my hands as I was relentless in my task. My swings were so powerful bodies burst from the force of my swings. I showered the cavern in blood as I cut into the enemy.
I broke the sound barrier a few times as I rained destruction on my foes. I saw more squads of allies entering the fight by my squad. My focus was on these outer orcs who were still trying to get to my allies. Soon I slowed as the targets I chased were shot down with elvath arrows. I paced in agitation, then anger. The blood I had strewn across the dirt and piles of junk was not enough. My soul demanded more. I raged in frustration that there were none left to defile.
“Easy… Gryff… My Emperor…” Ruby said while cautiously approaching my blood drenched body.
“I am here… I want the entire division down here. And order Siliq to go to Uharain Hold. Tell her to send every battle ready dvaren here. Tell them there are mines swarming with Horde ready for the slaughter. Run!” I shouted and she bolted for the surface. “Battle lines form with our backs to the exit. Seven hells. If I ever see another unit cut off from their exit I will execute you myself. Let this be your one and only warning. Get in formation and prepare for the plugged tunnels to open. If the Horde spills out you will fight until you die. Fear not, I will be at your side.”
I went to the point I wanted the lines to form. I performed a brown spell that raised a three foot wall for us to stand behind. I then surveyed the junk piles behind the wall. I closed my eyes and focused on my core. I opened pits below the rubbish and heard it fall into the newly created holes. I covered them as one. When I opened my eyes Victoria was staring at me in shock as she approached.
“I guess I figured out what Sion’s soul blessed me with. The regeneration of my aura and ability to cast without catalysts. My powers are truly unlocked now.” I said as we waited. More troops from the tenth company were added to our numbers. “You did a good job back there. How many did we lose?”
“Two of the four dvaren are dead and the others are being healed from near death now. The formation held for long enough it seems. Thank you. Your fire spell diverted attackers and killed so many trying to get to us.” Victoria said and kissed my cheek. She wiped the blood off her lips. “I am going to see to our wife Fae while you hold the line. If battle resumes I will join you.”
I did not watch her leave. Instead, I focused on the downward tunnel as a pickaxe punched a hole in the wall. The enemy was making progress. Our formation continued to grow as troops made it to us. Then the drums echoed from far in the tunnel system. My division was here and dismounted. Good whatever this place was, it was soon to feel my wrath. I grew bored and removed the three foot wall. When I stepped forward our line walked in pace with me. Additional troops were pouring in when General Halsad, Virtue, Colonel Prixal, and Yvette approached. I was not expecting Yvette or Virtue to be here. I had left them in Fernlan to deal with the human influx.
“By the creator Gryff, you are glowing. I have read of the divine irradiating aura when in battle. What happened?” Virtue asked as he walked around me. “You are pulling from the storage of Vin. Incredible!”
I raised my brows in confusion at this statement. Is that what was giving me super aura? I reached into my core and studied it. It was a harmonious ball of colors. I saw nothing. Wait, there! It was a loose tiny flicker of a tendril that was from elsewhere. I expended some brown energy by making a new small pedestal. I focused intently on that sliver of aura. I waited and when it arrived it was not sent back. A torrent opened up that was so dense it overwhelmed me as it rocketed into my core. My body accepted what it could and the rest rotated around me.
Virtue reached out with his hand and pulled the excess aura deep into his core. The old shaman shivered, shook, and collapsed. The ground opened up and he shot into the void and he vanished.
“Uh… What just happened.” Yvette asked
“Virtue got swallowed by Vin. I think he is fine. He’ll probably come back young or with more magic or something. The tendrils were not hostile. Who knows though,” I said with a shrug. “Maybe they added him as a replacement battery for Sion. I don’t sense him near anymore so wherever he is it is far away.”
“That is cold Gryff. You are friends.” Yvette started, then I saw it light up to her that I was concerned. I was not going to admit I was in front of my dvaren general and colonel. “What is going on down here?”
I shrugged because I did not have a good answer.
“The other tunnel is sealed. I think we should extend as a combined force. We can always open another front if we need to. The tenth lost forty seven, forty four dvaren, two mages, and a thrown rock from an ogre decapitated an elvath. You lost two. Not great so far and I would like to proceed…” Colonel Prixal was cut off as the hole in the far wall burst.
An ogre had used a wooden ram of some sort to open the tunnel. Arrows whizzed across the distance into his eyes. He fell over, clogging the narrow passageway. As orcs tried to climb over the body they were filled with arrows. The dead stacked on the dead until no orcs could get through. The initial war cries had turned to silence. I guessed they were waiting for a leader to give new orders. A fireball shook the
pyramid of the dead.
“Freeze that pile!” I commanded. Sure enough, it was frozen. “Forward march. Earth mages give the archers a platform to fire into the tunnel. I want that shaman dropped.”
I walked to the bodies that were frozen in death and solid in ice. I broke a finger off a dead orc and tossed it to the ground. While I waited I made a game of ripping digits from hands. It was a boring game. I hungered for blood and wondered if there was something wrong with me. Then Yvette came beside me and started slicing ears off with her dagger. Aww… She saw me lusting for her and looked concerned. Yvette knew I would mount her right here if I wanted to.
The stack of bodies leaned our direction as they were tipped over in one solid block. The archers unleashed and a half dozen orcs with long pikes died. I lost my patience. With purple aura raging through my body I rocketed over the dead. I felt a few arrows ping off my armor. The friendly fire did not anger me as I knew I was the idiot jumping in the way. I landed on an angle with my shield covering my front. I pushed hard off the ground to soar into the tunnel. I felt an air bubble weakly try to stop me. I burst through it and knocked a shaman down. He was stunned in a daze. His eyes grew confused as I bypassed him while leaving him alive. I saw an arrow point spike out of his forehead. The fool shaman had to of known there were master archers at the top of the ramp. I certainly did.
An orc challenged me and I removed his arm as I shoulder checked him. A young ogre only ten feet tall timidly ran at me with a club. I finished the orc off by burying my shield in its chest. I dodged the first club swing. The second swing I caught his wrist. Correction, her wrist. I clamped down and shattered the bone. The club smacked loudly against the ground. I gave her a slave contract only because she looked like she was fighting to die with honor. When she accepted I grabbed an arrow racing for her ear. I caught it just in time and snapped it.
“This one goes to Iceshore. She will help train icraws and yetis. They need to know ogres and she is the right age to get acclimated to our alliance.” Yvette grabbed her hand herself and Ruby slid into the spot she vacated. We had stopped at a small landing pad where I saw the first tracks of a minecart rail system. We were in a mine. Okay but who was in charge, where was the mined stuff going, and why were they still working even with us closing the portal. “Virtue you there? Vin can I have my shaman back? I got questions.”
