"Enjoy it while you can, Athgar of Athelwald," shouted Eadred as blood poured down his face. Using his shield, he pushed Athgar back. The unsteady bowyer's feet caught on some uneven ground, and he tumbled to the dirt with Eadred now looming over him.
The king struck, again and again, forcing Athgar to hold up his shield in an effort to stem the endless flow of blows, until he felt a tugging, and then the shield flew from his hands, tossed into the crowd.
Eadred, who had discarded his own shield, stood over the Fire Mage, his sword held above Athgar's face, both hands firmly on the hilt ready for the killing blow.
"It's time to put an end to this!" Eadred shouted for all to hear.
Athgar, seeing the sword hovering in front of his face, uttered a spell, the only one he could cast in so short a time. A small green flame leaped to life, and he thrust out his hand in desperation. The effect on Eadred was instantaneous; he cringed, fear filling his face. Even the spectators were shocked, many backing up, making more room for the combatants.
Athgar rose to his feet, allowing the flame to die. "I don't need my magic to defeat you, Eadred."
The king's face grew red. "I am your king!"
"You are no king!" shouted Athgar. "A true king looks after his people. All you've done is hoard wealth and see to your own comfort."
The crowd started murmuring, and Eadred looked around as if seeing them for the first time. "This is unconscionable," he shouted. "You are the one who is a traitor to your people. You have sided with the Orcs."
Athgar shifted, taking the weight off his wounded leg. "It is the Orcs who will help us win, Eadred. Can't you see that?"
"You cannot talk to me like that." The king's eyes sought out his guards. "Kill him!" he ordered.
One bodyguard stepped forward, drawing his sword, but then an arrow took him in the chest. He staggered back, gaping at his wound as he collapsed. Witnessing this, the others backed up, holding their hands away from their weapons.
Eadred cursed, then rushed forward, taking Athgar by surprise to slam into him, driving them both to the ground. They kicked up dead sticks and leaves as they rolled around, the crowd parting to allow them through. When the tumbling ceased, Athgar was once again on his back with Eadred straddling his legs, pinning him in place as he placed his sword over the heart.
Athgar, still holding his axe, moved it up, striking the king's sword, but Eadred's grip was solid, and the blade didn't waver. With nothing else to do, Athgar gripped his axe by the head, pushing up with all his might. The blade of his weapon struck upward, through the broken links of chain to sink into the king's chest, catching for a moment as it struck bone, and then he pushed harder, feeling the splatter of blood as the axe dug into flesh.
Eadred's eyes went wide in surprise, his grip weakening until the sword fell from his hands. His eyes rolled up into his head, then he slumped forward onto Athgar's prone form.
Athgar was struggling to breathe under the crushing weight until a pair of Orcs pulled the king's body off of him, and then Natalia was beside him, examining his wound. Many gathered around the couple, their voices cheering his victory.
"I'm fine," he said to her, his voice breathless.
She helped him to his feet while others crowded in, congratulating him on his victory. Somebody called out in alarm, and hands went to weapons. Moments later, the voice of Kargen boomed out across the village, "What have we here?"
"Athgar has beaten Eadred," said Raleth. "He is now our king."
"I am no king," said Athgar. "Merely a fellow Therengian who wishes to see his people safe."
Kargen pushed through the onlookers, Shaluhk by his side. It only took a moment for the shamaness to notice Athgar's wounds, and then she was moving in closer, conjuring forth her magic. The flesh knit as the magic took hold, and a sense of relief fell over Athgar. He looked up from his newly repaired wound to see expectant faces staring down at him.
"The enemy is coming," he declared. "They won't be satisfied until the last of our people lie dead. If we flee, they will only follow, chasing us down to the ends of the Continent. The time for action is now while we are still strong! We must stand with our Orc allies and rid ourselves of this threat once and for all."
The crowd was enthusiastic, but one of Eadred's guards spat on the ground. "They are led by Temple Knights," the man said. "How can we hope to defeat such men?"
Athgar looked at Natalia. "Will you lead us?"
"Me?" she replied.
"You're the battle mage. You're trained in such things."
"Very well, but only if you command the Therengians."
"Me?" said Athgar. "I'm no leader."
"Yes you are. You just haven't realized it yet. These people, YOUR people, look to you for inspiration."
"Very well," he said, "but they are OUR people, not mine alone." He returned his attention to the villagers. "As many of you know, Natalia is a battle mage, trained in the art of war since childhood. It is she who will lead us to victory."
Those assembled erupted into cheers, drowning out any further objections.
Kargen moved closer, leaning in to be heard over the noise. "We must talk, my friend. There is much to discuss."
Athgar looked around, spotting some familiar faces. "Harwath, secure those chests while we retire to plot our strategies."
"Yes, Athgar," the man replied.
* * *
"The wound is healed," said Shaluhk, "but you still suffer from blood loss. You will be weak for some time."
Kargen passed a cup across the fire to Athgar, who drank thirstily.
"I wish we had more time," said Natalia.
"So do I," said Kargen, "but the enemy is approaching. They will be upon us in a few days. We must hasten to prepare our defences."
"We must choose where to fight," said Natalia. "This village is too open."
"Zahruhl knows of a place," said Shaluhk. "A place of great magic."
"Tell us what you know," said Athgar.
"It is an ancient stone construction. Zahruhl referred to it as a gateway, but the secret of its use has been lost to the ages."
"Then how can it help us?"
"It enhances the power of magic used in its vicinity," said Shaluhk.
"All magic?"
"Primarily that of the earth," she continued. "I have heard of such things before, but never have I experienced one myself."
"What of the land thereabouts?" asked Natalia.
"That I can not say, for I have not yet seen it."
"How far to these standing stones?" asked Athgar.
"Two days," said Kargen, "maybe less."
"And the other tribes?"
"They are gathering even as we speak. Zahruhl and Kirak will join forces with us at the stones."
"You have hunters near the ruins of Ashborne," said Natalia. "Have them withdraw towards the stones only after the enemy has seen them. We must draw them into our net."
"It shall be as you wish," said Kargen. His eyes fell onto the chests that King Eadred had hoarded. "What of those?"
"I would suggest we send them to Ord-Ghadrak for safekeeping, at least for the moment."
"And if we win?"
"WHEN we win," corrected Natalia, "it will be Athgar's decision as to what we do with them."
"It belongs to the people," said Athgar. "Let it be used to purchase better weapons and armour for us all."
"All well and good for the long term," said Kargen, "but let us concentrate on the situation at hand. Such wealth will not help us at present."
"Wise words," said Natalia, "during this time of strife."
"He is always at his best during times of conflict," said Shaluhk. "He thrives on it."
"Where is Laruhk?" asked Athgar. "I thought he'd be with you."
Kargen smiled. "He is looking into something for us. A little surprise if you like."
"Are you going to tell us what it is?"
"Not until we know if it is successful. I would not like to get your hopes up.
Suffice it to say that it might give us an edge."
"Of course we're talking about my brother," said Shaluhk. "It could just as easily turn out to be nothing."
Contact
Autumn 1104 SR
* * *
Urughar pushed aside the long grass, peering into the mist. In the early morning, small patches of it clung to the lower parts of the land, giving the place an eerie feeling. Off in the distance, men came into view, heading eastward at a speed that would see them soon cross in front of the Orcs' position, which lay just to their south.
"They have quite a few archers," noted his fellow Orc.
Urughar turned to his sizable companion. Ogda was a relatively heavy individual but surprisingly agile on his feet. At the moment, his attention was on the distant warriors, but Urughar knew he feared the horsemen more than anything on foot. "We have yet to see their knights."
"I wish we had the warbows of the Red Hand," said Ogda.
"We shall, eventually. In the meantime, we will make do with what we have. It is no worse than our enemies. The archers are not our concern. Let them continue unhindered."
They watched in silence as the archers marched past.
"Why do they not send skirmishers to the side?" asked Ogda. "Do they not think us cunning?"
"They do not even know we are here," replied Urughar. "They think they are only fighting the Therengians."
His companion snorted. "It will be a big surprise to them when we strike."
"So it will, but remember, our task here is not to fight a battle, merely to strike where they are weak and then withdraw, tempting them to follow."
"But their horses can outpace us! Are we then to sacrifice ourselves?"
"Fear not, old friend, for our allies, the Stone Crushers, will keep the horses occupied elsewhere. By the time they realize what we are doing, it will be too late. We will be safely away from this place."
Urughar advanced at a crouch, moving slowly to preserve the tall grass. Ogda followed, the rest of the party strung out evenly behind them, each five paces from the last. They had thought to move forward in a line, but the risk of discovery was increased significantly with such a manoeuvre, so they decided on this simpler approach.
As he drew nearer to the edge of the grass, Urughar went prone, keeping his eyes on the distant target. This was, perhaps, the most dangerous part of the plan, but they needed an accurate count of what they faced, and so he and his hunters had been sent to gather what information they could. Lying in silence, he watched as the enemy moved past less than ten paces away.
Behind the archers walked footmen wearing light-grey tabards. The significance of this garb was lost on Urughar, but he made a mental note to bring it to the attention of others. Whoever they were, they were well-armoured, wearing the metal plates typical of knights, though they lacked the horses.
He counted more than two hundred of these warriors as they filed past, then smiled at the distant sound of approaching horses. All his life, he had been told of the Human knights. To him, they were like mythical creatures, covered in metal, and riding great beasts that fought as ferociously as the best warriors of antiquity.
The Temple Knights, when they finally came into view, were as awe-inspiring as the tales. From his vantage point on the ground, they looked massive, their great horses towering over everyone else. Their silver-plated armour gleamed in the sun while their dark grey tabards gave them a uniform appearance. The very ground seemed to shake as they rode by, leading Urughar to contemplate what it would be like to face them in battle. He had spent years confronting wild beasts on the hunt, but the thought of such adversaries chilled him.
Ogda, on the other hand, merely grunted.
"You are not impressed?" asked Urughar.
"They are not as imposing as I would have thought," the large Orc replied.
"And yet I would not wish to face them in battle."
"Nor I, but they are useless in the forest."
Urughar nodded. "So they are, but out in the open, they would be our match."
"By the Ancestors," said Ogda, "there are a lot of them. I count more than four hundred so far, and still they come. Will there be no end to it?"
Finally, the last of the Temple Knights rode into view. Behind them marched more footmen, this group looking far less uniform in their garb.
"These are not knights," said Ogda.
"True," replied Urughar, "but they wear more armour than us."
"Do you think any of that armour would fit an Orc?"
"I doubt it. The Humans are far thinner than we are. Note their weapons."
"They appear to favour spears," said Ogda. "An advantage to us once we are inside of their reach."
"Yes, but to THEIR advantage when approaching. They will be able to strike first."
Following the spear wielders came yet more footmen, these more heavily armoured, with many in chainmail and sporting a variety of swords, axes, and even hammers.
"These are the ones who will cause the most problems," said Urughar, "for they walk with purpose."
"Meaning?"
"They are more experienced warriors. That is what makes them dangerous."
A small group of mounted knights came next, then the endless stream of wagons.
"At last," said Urughar, "our targets are in sight."
He nodded to Ogda who, in turn, waved the hunters forward. They took up positions along the edge of the grass, rising as Urughar called out the command.
The first volley peppered the wagons, knocking down two men but doing little else. They held their next barrage until all were ready, then sent a hail of arrows sailing forth. This time the damage was more readily apparent, with five men taking hits.
The enemy shouted in alarm, many taking cover behind the wagons. To the east, the knights were turning around, no doubt roused by the pleas for help.
Urughar ordered one more volley, though it did little other than sink into the wood-sided wagons.
"Back," he called out.
* * *
Gahruhl knelt at the base of the huge pine to watch northward as the archers began passing her position. She looked at Karag, who sat to her right. "What do you think?"
"They have many archers," he replied, "but some of them carry strange weapons."
"Those are crossbows," said Gahruhl. "Kargen spoke of them. They are common amongst the Humans."
"Why is that?"
"It is said they are easier to use, requiring little training to master."
"Do the Humans care so little for the hunt?"
"It is not about the hunt," explained Gahruhl, "but such a weapon could be used by a man on a horse."
"Yet these men are all on foot."
"Let us be thankful. It will help us achieve our objective this day." She glanced left to where her hunters crouched, spears in hand. The Humans were less than a stone's throw away, unaware of the presence of the Orcs.
Gahruhl was thinking over her options when a lone soldier split from the rest of his cohorts, jogging towards their place of concealment.
"What is this?" asked Karag, gripping his spear tightly.
"Let us wait and see what he does," she cautioned.
The man drew closer to the trees, then slowed, fumbling with his clothes. Moments later, he halted, undoing his belt and letting out a sigh as he relieved himself of a full bladder.
The smell of urine drifted towards the Orcs. Gahruhl looked at Karag, simply nodding. In answer, the Orc hunter crept forward, drawing his long knife and leaving his spear behind.
Gahruhl shifted her attention to the archers in the distance, but they continued on their way, unfazed by their companion's absence.
Karag returned, crossbow in one hand, a quiver of bolts in the other. "It is done," he said.
"What is this?"
"I thought you might want to look at the crossbow you spoke of. These are the small arrows that it uses."
"How does one load such a weapon?"
"I have no ide
a," said Karag, "but maybe our Therengian friends can tell us more."
"The Therengians do not use crossbows."
"True, but the battle mage, Nat-Alia, is surely familiar with such things."
"I would think so, yes."
"Look," said Karag. "A small group of archers are heading our way."
"They have likely noted the absence of their comrade. I was hoping to hold the moment of our attack for a more suitable target, but it appears our plans will have to be adjusted."
"You mean to attack so soon?"
"An attack on the archers would suit our purposes just as well as others. Prepare the hunters. You may strike when ready."
Karag grinned, retrieving his spear. He turned to his fellow tribe members and waved them forward. They rose silently, moving north to the very edge of the trees, each with a spear in hand.
Gahruhl watched with an appreciative eye as the mighty hunter waited for just the right moment. She gave the command, and then they all stepped into the grassy field, hefting their spears in unison. The projectiles sailed through the air, unseen until the moment before impact. With a startled yell, they struck home, taking down five men and scattering the rest.
Karag kept his hunters where they were, waiting for the enemy to see them before ordering the withdrawal. They fell back into the woods, hardly making a sound.
The Humans, meanwhile, were yelling in alarm, drawing the attention of the main army. The rest of the archers, though slow to react, were soon swarming south to help repel the enemy.
Karag and the others streamed past Gahruhl, but the master of earth remained, her eyes locked on the Humans. The archers formed into a ragged line and began peppering the treeline with arrows. As more men joined them, they became emboldened, several advancing to get closer to their targets.
Inferno Page 27
