Glory to the Brave (Ascend Online Book 4)

by Luke Chmilenko

  “And is that all?” Arcturus questioned with a sharp shake of his head. “Quitting this camp will buy us nothing but a delayed death once the orcs realize that their earthspeakers have escaped.”

  “Which is why we’re going to make sure that they don’t think you all did,” I replied, conjuring a small flame in my hand. “Because on our way out, we’re also going to set every single thing we can on fire, starting with this prison here.”

  With that, I then threw the flare at the building’s thatched roof, all three of us watching it sail through the air and splash across the dry surface, which promptly caught fire.

  “Hm,” Arcturus grunted his expression shifting into a vicious tooth-filled grin as the flames rapidly began to spread. “I like how you think, stranger. Perhaps we may yet taste freedom again after all.”

  “That’s the plan,” I replied confidently as we all began to move once more, the ex-slave taking to my suggestion to torch the orc camp with vengeful glee, and before long, there was a pillar of hot, choking ash rising into the sky behind us.

  “That should be enough fire!” I heard myself calling out sometime later as we’d continued our arsonous path westward through the camp, thick and heavy flames practically trailing on our heels. By my estimation, there was little chance that the orcs would be able to stop the blaze that we’d started at this point, which meant that it was time for us to focus solely on escaping.

  Lest we end up getting caught up in an inferno of our own making.

  Or worse and end up running straight into a group of orcs big enough to pin us down, I thought as we rushed through the burning camp at a near sprint, the fire nearly keeping pace with us. So far, we’d faced next to no opposition since leaving the prison, at least save for a few scattered orcs that had been too few or too low-leveled to do anything more than gape at us in surprise before being completely overwhelmed. Yet despite that, I knew that logically our luck could only stretch so far, and it was only a matter of time before something went wrong.

  Of course, it was barely a second after that thought finished crossing my mind that Amaranth’s voice filtered through my mind.

  he warned, the cat having moved ahead of us to scout our path and ensure we didn’t accidentally rush headlong into a group of orcs.

  A loud thunderclap of magic followed by a bright flash of light to the west interrupted Amaranth, all of us reflexively flinching and slowing as our heads twisted in its direction. No sooner did I shift my head did a second blast echo out, followed by a small arc of fire slashing through the sky.

  “Shit!” I cursed, hearing similar sentiments of surprise from the ursine around me at the magical display. Pausing for a moment, I mentally checked party sense, feeling the group shifting around in reaction to the spells we’d seen. “Looks like we have trouble ahead! Chances are we’re going to have to fight our way out!”

  “Good!” Arcturus shouted excitedly from my left. “The orcs deserve every ounce of suffering that we can inflict upon them and more!”

  Letting out a roar of agreement with their leader’s statement, all the other gronn put on a burst of speed as we continued to run, making our way directly towards the sounds of combat ahead. With it blurring past us, we tore through the remainder of the slave camp until we rounded a final corner and found ourselves charging straight into a large square.

  And entering the sprawling battle raging within it.

  Filled with a hailstorm of magic and flying missiles, the camp’s entrance was a veritable warzone, its ground already torn up beyond recognition and the few defensive barriers that the orcs had built smashed into kindling and set ablaze. Standing at the heart of the destruction was our entire party, all three of our separate groups having managed to reunite with one another. They were also joined with Aryana and a handful of the other resistance members, their ranks arrayed against a disorganized horde of poorly armed and armored orcs who were attempting to push them out of the camp.

  “There they are!” I shouted to the gronn as we charged onto the battlefield, entering the square from its right flank. “Let’s go before we’re swarmed!”

  Shit, we made it here just in time! I thought as I angled our approach towards the group’s right flank, spotting a cluster of orcs readying themselves for a push. I don’t know if these orcs are just trying to run from the fire or if they’re trying to defend the camp, but damn if there isn’t a lot of them here!

  Charging as fast as our legs could take us, we managed to make it nearly the entire way towards the massing orc flank before they realized that we were coming, their ranks rapidly turning around in order to meet us. Leading with a roar as our two lines met, I found myself forced to defend against a pair of sweeping weapons from an overeager orc wielding a sword and axe. Raising Splinter up high, I deflected the axe harmlessly out of my way, while catching the sword on my forearm as I closed, the thick vambrace I wore effortlessly turning it away. Then, with the entirety of my momentum still behind me, I promptly slammed into the orc’s chest, throwing my shoulder forward at the last second.

  Feeling the orc’s foul breath blow across my face as we connected, I knocked him back half a step and stabbed low with Splinter, feeling the blade pierce deep into his unarmored stomach. Stiffening in shock from the blow, the creature roared in pain before desperately attempting to pull himself off my sword, something that I was all but happy to oblige. Aiding the orc’s effort with a shove, I forced him away from me, making sure to saw the blade viciously as I pulled it free, causing a spray of dark blood to erupt from the gaping wound now in his stomach.

  Falling back with a howl, I didn’t have a chance to finish him off before another orc suddenly replaced him, a heavy cleaver forcing me to hop backward as it swept through the spot I’d just been standing. But before I could react further to my newest assailant, a thick root burst free from the ground beneath his feet and surged upwards to wrap itself around its legs and hips, Garr’s voice calling to me as they did so.

  “The roots will only hinder him!” he said to me as the orc moved to free himself, using his weapon to chop at his offending bonds. “Finish him quickly before he frees himself!”

  Not needing to be told twice, I attacked the orc without a second thought, Garr’s spell trapping his weapon before he could finish his swing. But as I did so, I recalled again the mantra that I’d spent the last day replaying over and over again in my mind, feeling it suddenly crystalize in my mind this time as I repeated it.

  Focus wholly on your opponent’s defense, their movements, their patterns, their very way of thinking, I mentally recited as I watched the orc struggle against the roots that Garr had summoned, their twisting grasp distracting him just enough so I could see my opportunity. Where you will seek a single flaw, a brief sliver in time where they are laid bare and most vulnerable. Then, when that instant is presented, strike entirely without fear or reservation in your mind, guiding the fullness of your weapon towards the battle’s end.

  Launching Splinter towards the opening the second that I spotted it, I swept the blade forward in an arc before me, stepping into the attack and adding my full weight behind it. Slicing through the air in the blink of eye, the sword lanced out towards the orc, catching him directly under the chin at the same instant as he shifted his head in response to my attack. The next thing I knew, the orc was falling backwards into the roots that had imprisoned him, a river of blood pouring free from his throat. Eyes widening at the mortal wound, my attention was then stolen by an excited fanfare that suddenly played in my ears, followed by a golden line of text appearing in my vision for a split second before vanishing.

  You have learned a new ability – [Perfect Strike]!

  I…did it? I thought at first in confusion as I saw the text appear, my surprise shifting over into exuberance as the realization fully hit me. I did it! I learned Perfect Strike! The same one that I saw from the feed!

  Letting a small whoop of joy at the accomplishment, I pro
mptly kicked the dying orc away from me, Garr’s roots already in the process of releasing it as it fell. But that short cheer was about all the time that I had to enjoy my ability at the moment, as yet another snarling orc appeared before me, uncaring of the fact that I’d managed to dispatch two of its companions in quick succession. But this time, Amaranth managed to catch the charging creature before it could even reach me, the cat slapping it mid-stride in the knee with his massive paw, instantly breaking it and sending the orc howling to the ground where a follow-up pounce and vicious bite ensured it would stay. Recovering from his attack, the two of us pressed forward with Garr and Arcturus beside us as we drove deeper into the orc flank, all sense of time vanishing as we relentlessly slashed, stabbed, and clawed our way forward.

  Finding themselves partially pinned between two attacking forces, the overtaxed and under-leveled orcs quickly devolved into panic and pulled back, allowing us to force our way through their ranks and join with the bulk of the group.

  “Lyrian! You made it!” Constantine called out as we came into range, our arrival giving the group a moment to breathe. “And you found the gronn! We were starting to get worried!”

  “Sorry! We had a few surprises along the way!” I replied as I ground to a stop, taking a second to glance around the group. “Wait, where is Senzin? You guys couldn’t find him?”

  “Not before everything went to hell!” Cassius answered back from farther up the line. “I don’t know what these slaves did to cause those explosions, but one went off practically on top of us while we were searching. It was all Berwyn and I could do to get out before we were trapped!”

  “Shit! We’re going to need to go back in to find him then!” I cursed, my attention shifting over towards Garr and Arcturus, only to see that they’d both shifted to reunite with Aryana, the woman speaking rapidly to the both of them. But before I could move to say anything else, I was interrupted by Kilgore’s shouting voice from the far end of our line.

  “We have more incoming from the west!” he announced loudly. “A large group of arakissi with orcs right behind—uh, what? Check that! We have a large group of arakissi being chased by orcs!”

  “They’re being what?” I demanded as I scrambled to rush down our line towards the scout, Amaranth following closely behind on my heels, it only taking us a handful of seconds to cross the distance.

  Once we did, however, it took me a second to see what Kilgore had meant as a group of seven robed arakissi sprinted forward from deeper in the camp, a hail of arrows and magic peppering the ground around them. Staring at the sight in confusion for a moment, I didn’t know what to make of the scene, freezing for a second in surprise.

  I don’t think those are slaves that they’re attacking, I thought as the group continued to rush forward into the square, catching brief glimpses of armor from beneath the dark robes that they all wore. As they ran, I saw one of them twist with a wand in hand and send back a blast of emerald magic towards the orcs chasing them, while another cast a spell that caused a shimmering shield to appear above them. Slaves wouldn’t be armed like that. But if they aren’t slaves, then—wait, are those more of those Sthera’s people then?

  Unfortunately, I had little time to process that thought as it was Aryana’s turn to suddenly shout from amongst our group, her words dragging me back into the moment.

  “Look, that’s Senzin right there! He escaped on his own!” she exclaimed, relief evident in her voice as she spoke, the woman wasting no time to call out to the group. “Senzin! Over here! Come this way! We will cover you!”

  Reacting instantly to the sound of her voice, I saw a red-scaled arakissi turn his head in our direction, his eyes visibly widening as he spotted us amid the scrambling horde of orcs caught halfway between retreating and attacking us. No sooner did he did so, however, did he shout something to his group, which promptly shifted in our direction without any hesitation as they began to carve through the disorganized wall of orcs separating our two groups. As they did, so did our line surge forward to meet them, once again sandwiching the orc line from two directions. This time, the orcs were in no shape to put up a solid effort against our combined push, their ranks melting away as they finally broke from under the combined onslaught and turned to flee. That movement allowed a clear line for the running group of arakissi to finally close with us, pure relief appearing on their faces as soon as they saw us.

  Relief that quickly morphed into shock, a spark of recognition appearing in their eyes.

  Wait, those aren’t Heralds either! They’re…they’re… I said numbly the moment that I was finally able to get a clear view of the onrushing group, both surprise and a loud shout from one of them causing my thoughts to trail off.

  “Holy shit! That’s Lyrian Rastler!”

  Chapter 44

  They’re adventurers! I exclaimed at the same instant that I heard one of them call out my name, the group of sprinting arakissi rushing through a gap in our line, leaving me confused about just how exactly they knew who I was. But despite that, I found that I didn’t have time to dwell on that particular thought as the orc horde chasing the fleeing group arrived, forcing us all back a step as they crashed into us.

  For the third time in what felt like just seconds, the world then fell into the mad chaos of battle as I found myself suddenly pressed by three orcs at once. Quickly dodging a chopping axe, I had just enough time to slash out at the offending limb holding the weapon with Splinter, drawing a jagged line across its flesh. But as I swept my blade out, I was forced to twist my body sideways to evade a spear thrust aimed at my stomach, the sharp tip grazing briefly across my armor before deflecting itself away. Sidestepping away from a follow-up thrust from the spear while simultaneously parrying a slash from the third orc, I worked to retaliate in kind from the barrage of attacks summoning up a surge of magic into my free hand.

  Taking only a second to finish my casting, I thrust my hand out towards my opponents, bathing all three of them in a wave of fire. Recoiling in agony from my Flameburst spell, the group’s momentum promptly vanished, and they couldn’t help but stagger back, reflexively shielding their faces in the process. That short opportunity was all that I needed to stab the spear-wielding orc in the chest with Splinter’s tip, the blade piercing directly into its heart where it sparked briefly with a surge of electricity. Like a puppet with its strings cut, the orc promptly collapsed to the ground, falling away from sight as its two companions recovered from my distraction and threw themselves towards me, hot rage written across their expressions.

  A hot rage that completely blinded them to the fact that there were others anchoring the line on either side of me.

  Reacting first as the two orcs moved to attack was Amaranth, the armored cat darting in close from beside me to land a sweeping paw swipe on the leading one’s hip, the impact alone causing a loud crack of breaking bone to echo out. But that was only the beginning of the orc’s troubles as my familiar’s claws extended themselves and pierced deep into its flesh, giving the cat the grip he needed to then yank his newfound victim towards him and off his feet. The second orc, shocked and surprised by Amaranth’s sudden appearance and subsequent dispatch of his partner, allowed his attention to hover on the cat an instant too long, completely missing the large shape that stepped forward on the other side of me.

  And the heavy bone axe that it swung through the air.

  Connecting with the side of its head, the orc never had a chance to see the axe coming before it hit with a sickening crunch, the impact nearly splitting the hapless creature’s skull in two. With its deadly work done, it only took an instant for the axe to then vanish in the direction it had come from, a heavy foot planting itself directly on the dying orc’s chest and sending it sprawling backward.

  “Hey!” a rumbling voice called out from beside me as the three dispatched orcs were replaced by another set following directly behind on their heels. “Did I hear that right? Are you really Lyrian Rastler from Virtus?”

  �
��Uh, y-yeah,” I replied back to the voice a little nervously, a quick glance in its direction revealing that it had come from a large, green-scaled lizardman that had fallen in along beside me. “W-why do you ask?”

  “Oh, man! Really?” the arakissi exclaimed in an excited voice, his axe chopping out as he spoke to take a vicious bite out of an attacking orc’s shoulder. “Because I’ve seen your feed pop up a couple times! You guys are awesome! That fight against the Beast and the shoggoth the other week…just dang! So good!”

  “Oh,” I replied as I blocked a thrust from an attacking orc and quickly riposted in kind, feeling a little stunned by the rapid flow of words that flowed out of the saurian warrior’s mouth. His reaction at seeing us, or rather me for that matter, was just about the last thing that I’d expected to experience and took a few seconds for my mind to catch up. “Well, uh, thanks! We tried our best, and I guess it all worked out!”

  “No kidding!” the lizardman exclaimed excitedly as we continued to battle the orcs, their eagerness in pressing forward rapidly waning as a pair of large magical blasts erupted from amid their ranks. “I still can’t believe it though! Here I am fighting right beside Lyrian Rastler and Virtus! I definitely didn’t expect this when I woke up today!”

  “You and me both,” I replied dryly, still unsure of what to make of the adventurer’s enthusiasm. “We didn’t even know that there were other adventurers in the area here!”

  “Neither did—” the arakissi started to say in an offhanded tone before it abruptly changed, becoming suddenly urgent. “Shit hang on a second! There were adventurers chasing us along with the orcs! Where did they go?”