Hinterland Fortress

by Ron Smorynski

  An orc let loose an arrow, missing the thin man.

  A sleeper suddenly jumped up. They immediately recognized an elf when they saw one, and it was probably a lady elf since all elves were lady like!

  This one splayed her hands at them, yelling "Thunder!"

  They saw a sudden burst of mud and earth ruptured between the larger orcs. Both flew off tumbling into the dark murky water to each side. One fell face down and lay still. The other tumbled in the shallows splashing with flailing arms.

  The scouts were unsure now. They fired off wild shots and fled back from whence they came.

  Ender avoided the tentacles that reached out from the dark waters. He waved two blades around but didn't want to deal with the creature. He saw as the tentacles slunk away and it swam toward the flailing orc that was thrown in. Its tentacles wrapped around the orc that began squealing like a pig before it was taken under.

  Rhyal could hear a distinct crunching sound. She cringed a bit.

  Ligo sat up. "What?"

  "Nothing Ligo, just some orcs," Rhyal said.

  Ligo shrugged and went right back to snoring.

  Ender peered into the mist, along the muddy route the scouts fled. "We can follow them."

  "Easy enough in this wetland," Rhyal said.

  Ender rushed down to the dead orc lying face down in the muddy water. He wanted to check it for coin or worth. He found a small pouch and opened it. A few coins were there. He took them. He then saw small tentacles reaching for it. He pushed the orc further into the water.

  "Orcs?" Ligo spouted, sitting up.

  "Four," Rhyal replied, packing her roll up. "Two ran off."

  "Four? And you let two get away?"

  "So we can find their hideout," Ender replied.

  "Oh, oh, okay, well, what are we waiting for!" Ligo snorted.

  Rhyal and Ender nodded. They turned off the road and headed along the muddy route. Ender sensed beasts in the water watching them. He was becoming acclimated to this mire and its creatures. He lived in one near Rhyal's elven home. It was more a marsh, peaceful with fey creatures. It did have plenty of nasty creatures to contend with too, though there was much more sun, many more bugs, and way more plant life.

  But still, the ways of water swirling around land was what Ender liked. He sensed the grabbers in the water and pulled Ligo closer. "Careful Ligo. Stay close to me."

  Ligo saw his look, then the dark murky water around them. "Oh, yes, of course!"

  They came to a large mound of mud and rocks. Up a path of solid earth was a series of rock ruins that was once a wall and look-out tower of some kind.

  "Perfect hide out. It's near the road but far enough away, perfect for collecting loot," Ligo said rubbing his small stubby hands.

  They spotted a wagon, a small one, but a manfolk wagon nonetheless. Smaller orcs were atop the rocks, several with crude bows. Several more were camped in the rocks. They sounded like larger ones as they were arguing in deep gutteral tones.

  "They come here, we fight dem here I says!"

  "We go, kill, vengeance!" another shouted.

  "No no, fight in rocks! Away from man road!"

  They had a fire and seemed to be dancing or arguing around it. Their shadows flashed across the warmly lit ruins.

  Rhyal and Ender could sense and see them much further away than their orc eyes could spot them back.

  "I'll sneak up, shoot the archers," Ender said.

  "I'll blast any who come out of the ruins," Rhyal added.

  "And I'll hide here," Ligo said, sneaking up the slope of dried earth a ways from the water.

  Along the path were bramble drying wracks and many bones and shells of swamp critters. The orcs kept busy hunting the local fauna.

  Ender easily got closer, there was plenty of cover. The orc archers were more distracted by the other orcs arguing than keeping a look out.

  He fired his bow at the closest one. It hit causing it to squawk. The other turned. It saw Ender but he was already firing again. He hit the injured one as it tried to fire one off. It fell down into the pit where the other orcs argued. The other archer fired at Ender hitting the rock he was behind.

  "Gaarrgghh! They be here!" an orc yelled.

  Another archer came from another rock, hopping over. Ender fired at the second orc missing it. He then backed away to another rock, to be a safe distance away from any flanking charges. The mound of earth, the tower ruins and wall were on, wasn't that large.

  Rhyal remained down by the edge, hiding amidst animal drying wracks. She waited till she saw several orcs charge out with axes and sharpened throwing sticks.

  She splayed her hands again and bellowed, "Thunder!"

  Again the earth in front of the pack of orcs ruptured and the orcs were blasted back and against rocks. Several slammed hard against the ruins falling dead. One rolled away as the blast took out his orc kin. Another was able to get up and throw his javelin at Rhyal. It missed terribly.

  Ender came around the back, quickly pulling out his swords. An orc just got there with a bow from hiding behind the rocks. Ender quickly dispensed with it. Another saw him and charged. Ender wasn't ready for it!

  The orc swung hard with its natural strength. Its crude axe cut into Ender's leather armour, cutting skin and making a gash.

  Rhyal blasted a bolt of fire upon a stumbling orc nearby, finishing it with an intense burn. She was still hindered from advancing as two orcs fired their arrows at her. One arrow hit her but it bounced off her enchanted protection, though it gave her a pain. The arrow twirled into the swampy waters.

  Ender stumbled back and swung one blade across the orc. It took a bad wound but was still able to swing again. This one scraped along Ender's blade, cutting his arm. Ender wasn't necessarily skilled at swinging two swords at once, but held them so he tried. He thought he could do it but had not yet understood the lightning skill needed to use two effectively.

  Still, he swung back, stabbing the orc. It crumbled under his stab. He struck it again for good measure. He had a bad wound and called upon the Lord of Light, seeking a blessing of mending. His gash sealed somewhat, keeping him from bleeding out. He gasped a bit, breathing steadily from there and gaining some sense of strength back.

  Rhyal fired another bolt of flame, blasting an orc archer. It dropped but sauntered off somewhere amidst the ruins. The other fired an arrow, hitting Rhyal. It pierced her arm. She cringed. Thankfully, it didn't go in far due to her protections and fell out as she lurched back.

  Ender saw an archer creeping amidst the ruins. It was smoking slightly, obviously from Rhyal's flame. He quickly notched his bow and fired. The orc dropped dead unaware of him. Another yelped, seeing Ender, and firing at him. He had cover in the ruins.

  Ender quickly flung his bow as he hurried over to attack the archer. He wasn't sure if there were any other orcs. His charge was risky. And low and behold a large orc lumbered forth. It was hiding within the stone encampment.

  Ender had time to react, and decided he wasn't taking them both on. He hurried back as the orc boss and his archer minion made chase.

  "Rhyal, get ready! I'm leading them to you!" Ender said in elvish.

  Rhyal stood in the open, posed with hands ready to fling a fire spell.

  Ender saw her and immediately rushed to one side. The tough orc lumbered forth seeing Rhyal posed. He charged, swinging his mighty axe upon her. She stood frozen and brave. He growled as he swung. His axe hit her, but hit nothing as the axe flew through and threw him off. She faded as an illusion before his blinking eyes.

  Ender ran around a ruin and behind the remaining archer and stabbed him from the back. Ender cut him several times until the yelping orc died.

  The tough orc stared confused. Rhyal appeared from behind a rock and blasted him with a fire bolt. The orc shrugged off the singing burn and charged at the real Rhyal.

  She had no choice but to flee as the orc swung his mighty crude axe. It cut into her noble robes, barely missing her flesh. If the blade
would have met her, it would have sunk in terribly. She felt exhausted as she twirled back in delirious panic.

  Ender charged from behind, sliced his blade into the big orc's back. It felt that slash and stumbled around, growling angrily. This gave Rhyal a chance to fire another flame into its face. It growled, blinking and snorting. It flung its weapon wildly at Ender. He dodged, encouraging Rhyal again.

  She thrust again, burning the orcs flesh. It couldn't bare the incredible pain of burns again and fainted dead.

  Both collapsed exhausted with many strains and wounds. Both kept an eye out. Were they're any more orcs? It didn't seem so.

  6. Loot & Stories

  "Whooh hooh!" Ligo yelped rushing up, squishing his tiny boots along the mud. He used a dead orc as dry land to stand on. "Lo and behold! Our first victory!" He raised a tiny fist.

  Rhyal and Ender breathed great sighs of relief. She was on her knees wincing from pain. Ender was just frazzled after the toughest fight of his life. He twirled his blades, getting a feel for them. He envisioned what he just did, recalling the fights and how he could have swung faster, using more of his body, and ignoring the fear that stilted his movements. It gave him a sense of confidence.

  "First, let's make sure there aren't any other orcs around!" Ligo said. "Oh, they're devious but cowardly. There might be a goblin or two in there as well. You alright?"

  Ender nodded he was, looking at the cut in his leathers. "A good gash, but I have blessings to heal."

  "Ah, one of those holy warriors, hey?" Ligo bemused.

  "Something like that," Ender replied. He went to Rhyal to heal her wound.

  "No, save it," Rhyal said, knowing Ender's blessings were very limited. She pulled out the healing bread and ate a portion of that. She could sense it giving her strength immediately and knew it would heal her minor abrasions and soreness with a short rest. She had never had such a physical exertion.

  Granted, they both had practiced combat fighting, his with his blades and hers with the quarterstaff. She used the wood alleviate any enchanted corruptions with steel. But the exertion during practice versus the terrifying strain of fighting for one's life was quite different.

  She thought about her casting. She did well, casting her spells immediately and against real foes. She could not cast her most powerful spell of a thunderous blast again until she meditated. She could still and easily fling fire. She liked the way flames danced and felt comfortable around the heat. She knew she wanted to enhance her control of the fire element as her main power.

  "Gobbies could be hiding in there," Ligo said, tiptoeing on top of a dead orc and trying to peer up and around the ruins. He glanced at them, hoping they'd go have a look-see. He gave a quaint smile.

  "I'll go look," Ender said.

  Ligo nodded, "I'll watch the elf fer yah."

  "I'll get up high," Rhyal said. She climbed up a ruin to get a better look. She stayed low though.

  Ender crept along. He was very adept at slinking about, especially in this kind of terrain. He seemed almost hidden even to Rhyal's elvish eyes. Ender learned the best from his mentor in the marsh.

  An orc suddenly appeared, running off into the bog, splashing most prodigiously. It sounded like a roar of water as it flailed in a panic to get away. An arrow and a bolt of flame hit it. It fell in the murky water and sank slowly. Soon enough, swamp creatures rippled around it and had their fill.

  "Yeegh," Ligo said. "Well, must be clear now!" He rubbed his hands and sauntered up to the wagon. He easily climbed in while Rhyal kept a look out.

  Ender continued looking around, creeping along through the ruins. Rhyal liked that Ligo was making a lot of noise. If anything was left, greedy and angry, they'd rush to Ligo.

  Ender waved a clear signal and crept further. Finally, he gave the okay and came back. Rhyal dropped down. Both looked at Ligo, who was opening boxes and crates.

  "Oh yeah! Radishes! Taters! Kurats!" Ligo poked his head up with a nice orange kurat in his mouth. It was quite large and he looked like a rabbit with the crunchy root. "These will get us a pretty coin! And looky here! Nails, hammers, canvas! Important stuff! Cheap in the western markets, but oh so valuable out here! It's like these investors and merchants out here have much more to spend you know!"

  "Didn't the merchants already buy this? So they'll be expecting us to return it?" Rhyal figured.

  "Mmmm... maybe, but we can always argue the point! Salvage is salvage!" Ligo said. "Look, if we sale it or return it, we'll get some coin! And... make our mark on the merchant list of hirees!" Ligo tapped his tiny hat-topped head. "See, see... as your manager, I'm thinking. I've got all the options figured out!"

  Ender and Rhyal shrugged with quaint smiles. Rhyal looked at the dead orcs, then at Ender. "You've got your wish Ender, vengeance for your family, lost long ago to vile creatures such as these."

  Ender looked down, remembering something he nearly forgot, as if it were a sad dream long ago.

  "Is that why you're here?" Ligo asked, closing the lids and packing things back in. He realized the orcs had unloaded some of the food items and tools. "Vengeance on orcs?"

  Rhyal felt a bit foolish that she revealed Ender's past or pain. Ender seemed unfazed and emotionless.

  "Didn't have to travel this far to find orcs to kill," Ligo said rightly. He continued sauntering back and forth. He was quite strong when carrying crates of loot back to the wagon.

  "Rhyal wanted to see the world," Ender responded with a coy smile.

  Rhyal chortled. "Hah! Telehistine would have been that world! You're the one who heard of these swamp tales and fixated on the quest! You and your swamp skills!"

  "Oh, and you didn't hear the Bard singing the tales of lost wizards and ancient magics!" Ender retorted.

  "Oh, the legends you've heard!" Ligo suddenly froze, dropping a crate and standing atop it. "The lost kingdoms from ages ago, were vile and powerful, all in this rich valley of gold and silver! Each was as powerful as the next! Ancient wizards and sorcerers were all vying for powers and arcane magics! They became evil and murderous they say, enslaving the races, cursing them, becoming vile abominations themselves! This land, so corrupt, even dark gods came down to wage war! And then, the Father of Light answered them all, lowering the land and letting the sea rush in, everything crashing in a great earthquake and the sea of seas flooding far and wide in an instant of utter destruction!"

  Ender and Rhyal listened as Ligo orated.

  "That legend? Bahhh! What a bunch of malarky!" Ligo stepped down, picked up the crate and set it in the wagon.

  Ender and Rhyal seemed in a foreboding dream, slowly blinking out of it.

  "Hmm..." Ligo pondered, looking about. "There are no beasts to pull the wagon!"

  He paced atop the wagon, peering about, then looked down into the campsite and pointed frantic. "They ate the poor oxen! They ate them!"

  Ender rushed toward the center encampment. He had passed through and ignored all the gruesome stuff, only looking for live orcs or goblins. Indeed, the bones and carcass of oxen were there, much of it cooked, much of it on drying wracks, and much burnt in the fire.

  "Poor creatures," Ligo sighed. "Now how we gonna get this back?"

  "Can't pull," Ender spouted.

  "Of course we can't! Pfft!" Ligo retorted.

  "The market sold some goats and carts?" Rhyal remembered.

  "Too small," Ligo replied, but thought a moment. "Suppose with four goats, we could make it back, only a day there, a day back. Doubt anything will find or care about these in this dreary swamp. Beasts won't bother it, though they'll come for the dead orcs and scattered critter bones."

  "Should we toss them into the waters," Ender figured.

  "Yes! Should," Ligo said.

  "We should rest here in the camp," Rhyal suggested.

  "After we toss the meaty things!" Ligo said, picking up small bones and tossing them out into the bog.

  After awhile, they had cleared it as best they could. They used what was left of
the bones and branches the orcs collected for their camp furnishings and made a decent fire. It was big enough to keep the critters away. But most of them were busy with the dead things they had thrown into the shallow waters.

  Ligo looked at the bags of coins and trinkets they found. "Fifty-fifty split," he mumbled as he spent a good portion of his rest splitting up it up on a crusty hide.

  Rhyal and Ender were disinterested. Rhyal meditated and Ender found a good spot atop the ruins to sleep and renew his strength. He felt the warmth of the fire rise up near him. He smelled the smoke and so he turned away from it to breathe the murky air of the mire.

  Aside from the foul creatures feeding on the corpses and carcasses, they encountered no more threats. Rested, they ate some of the oxen that wasn't too foul, and added a few cooked roots.

  While the others were still asleep, Rhyal 'awakened' from her meditation. She opened her small journal of enchantments and spells. She had written elven symbols and hand gestures. She looked at the one that symbolized waves blasting outward, but then turned it and pondered the next. It was a scrawl of flame symbols, larger than the thrown fire she was ready and able to use. It showed flames bursting forth from hands. She studied that one, feeling it invigorate her wizardly prowess.

  In the morning, Ender woke early. He swung his swords around, recounting how he fought and how he should have used his two blades correctly. He felt the swing and balance, the return and thrust. He knew he had panicked and forgot in the flurry of fighting what to do. He practiced again the footwork, torso twist, and follow through. He remembered not just the moves, but how he felt and thought during the most strenuous struggles. He would do better next time.

  "It's still a good find of coin I'd say," Ligo said. "The orcs must have gotten the bags from the poor drivers and traders of this wagon or possibly others. Just a hundred coins split evenly."

  "We'll come back with goats. Can they haul that wagon then?" Rhyal asked.

  Ligo looked at the wagon one last time. "We'll definitely need four. Should have enough coin if we split it. Their goats should be good. They're even more used to this land than the oxen."