by 5kops
A man appeared out of the dense foliage, his helm the conical shape of a royal soldier. One of his scouts. It was not yet time to report back to the column, so Areck assumed that the man had found something useful. One of his scouts had reported orc tracks that looked months old. That piece of useless information had cost them several hours of valuable time.
He tried to contain his excitement, telling himself that this would just be another piece of worthless information. Typical of his newfound habits, his face became an emotionless mask that hid the hope that he was wrong.
For what seemed like an eternity the man climbed the small hill that hid the Brenly forces. The scout's back was exposed, as the woods seemed to have decided not to grow on the hillside. Areck wondered how he would see this land if he were not trying to hunt down those that were trying to ravage it.
He saw for a moment the vibrant energy of the forest's essence. With such vile creatures residing in it, the aura was almost sinister.
His vision blurred and he was taken to another place:
The forest was on fire! Black husks lay twisted and smoking. Areck heard a roar overhead. He felt the heat of the fire scorching his skin.
When he looked up he saw hundreds of dragons. They were circling him.
****
Areck rocked, his breath coming quickly as he teetered in the saddle. Red-mon rode up with concern on his face. Areck brought his hand up to his nose and saw blood smeared on the dark gauntlet.
“My lord?” Redmon placed a hand on Areck’s mount. “Bring us some water,” the lieutenant ordered, seeing the blood pouring from Areck’s nose.
"What happened?" he whispered to Redmon. "I remember ... I saw the forest burning . . ."
"One moment you were staring down at Corporal Taurine, the next your eyes were vacant and you became unsteady," Redmon replied. "You almost fell out of your saddle."
"Must be from the heat," Areck said unconvincingly.
"Is my lord all right?" Captain Telmouth asked as he rode up.
Areck nodded and the captain did not press the matter. The solider handed a skin of water to Captain Telmouth who grimaced at his commander's bloody hands and passed it on to Areck.
"Thank you, Captain," Areck stammered. His head spun but his senses remained acute. "I think all the heat over the last few days finally got to
"Aye, my lord, I have been involved in plague burnings before," the captain said. "They tend to have this effect on people who are near the source."
Before another word could be uttered, the scout crested the ridge.
Areck could sense the man's nervousness. His eyes darted here and there, in tense gestures. This was the man who had reported the last set of signs. Areck knew the man was afraid that another error would cost him his life as a soldier; Bre'Dmorians were not known to be forgiving of inaccurate information, especially of common born suppliers.
Clutching his hands, the man gave a brief description: he had followed tracks southward when a motion had caught his eye. Passing through dense brush, he had come upon a clearing with several sentries posted.
"What can you tell us about the surroundings?" Redmon asked. "Were you able to spot a more reliable source . . .?"
"I saw the encampment, Lord Redmon. However, I could not get close enough to see their numbers," said the man, his eyes turning to Areck in apology.
"Any information is better than none," Captain Telmouth clapped the young man on the shoulder. "Can you give us an estimate based on the camps size?"
"At least forty creatures, including their sentries," the man replied. "From what I could see, there are at least three attack points."
"Thank you, Corporal Taurine," Areck said, dismissing the man.
"I think we should have the corporal lead us to this encampment," said Redmon. "If he is right, the creatures do not know we are here."
"I agree," said Telmouth. "It won't do us any good to charge blind. We might be able to attack from multiple locations. That could give us a great advantage."
Areck did not argue with his officers but tried to clear his head from his blackout. He felt blood soak the small rag. For a moment he remembered how real the blackout had seemed. Sensing no divine touch, he knew it was not a vision. He pushed away his absurd thoughts.
"So be it," Areck said and motioned his men forward to show he was steady.
The column followed Corporal Taurine, who trotted with trepidation past foliage and into the underbrush.
For thirty minutes the column ducked around low branches, their nerves raw, every man seeking foes behind the thick trunks. Finally Taurine held up a gloved hand, calling the procession to a halt. He brought his hand to his mouth to indicate silence and pointed at a small ridge.
Areck and his officers dismounted. He hesitated to speak. Areck motioned for Redmon and Telmouth to follow him. He left the master sergeant behind in case something went wrong.
The men pushed their way through several dense copses of underbrush and up the small hill, one of the few in the area. If orcs lurked nearby, they would be here. Taurine pointed to his eyes then up ahead to a small clearing, indicating they had arrived at the encampment.
Areck motioned his men forward while Taurine moved back down to stand guard. The trio crawled up to the ridge and peered anxiously at a thriving encampment buzzing with ores.
There must be sixty of them! Areck thought, risking a peek into the small valley to see several grunting orcs fighting over their meal. He had heard many tales of their heathen ways and brutality, but watching them eat was more chilling than he had anticipated.
He concentrated on finding the camp's weaknesses. As he took another peek he smiled at the question. These were orcs! They would not have any fortifications, nor would they choose a defensible place for a camp. Areck moved to a better vantage point.
His assumption had been right. There were no fortifications that he could see. The scout's information had also proven somewhat accurate: there were two entrances into the valley, both guarded by sentries who would shout an alarm upon attack.
Hearing Redmon sigh, Areck turned to his officers and motioned downward. He guessed that his second-in-command had been mentally prepared for this moment, however, now death loomed several feet away, he had reservations.
Areck could not help that. All he could do was ask both officers what they thought and show no sign of weakness. He recognized that each man would be scared and need to draw on his strength.
Reaching the bottom of the clearing, Areck motioned Taurine to lead them back to the column. The four men snuck through underbrush, met their company, and mounted their horses.
“Well?” Areck whispered.
Telmouth spoke. "There are at least five dozen orcs in that valley; it's much too large to be a skirmish unit. If we can successfully attack from both ends of the valley, it will be like crushing wheat into flour."
Redmon nodded in concurrence. "I believe, Captain Telmouth's assessment of the ores is correct, my lord. It looks like we have struck a wandering tribe of the ugly creatures—nothing we cannot handle."
Areck looked into each man's eyes and saw conviction. He also saw pride and hope. "Are both you in agreement that this is a wise decision?" Areck asked, knowing the answer but wanting to hear his men believed in him.
Both men nodded in agreement.
Each held a certain fire in his eyes. He had seen it before when fighting in blade master tournaments. He had felt the same feeling many times; first fear, then calm, then acceptance of one's fate, and finally a cool fire that burned to do battle.
When Areck looked back to the column and saw the nervous glances and the fire in each man's eyes, he knew they were ready. They were scared, but ready to lay down their lives.
A poetic moment, Areck thought.
Areck pointed to Telmouth. "Take your company around the right side. I will take mine to the left. When you hear an owl, charge the valley and engage the enemy in combat. I plan to crush these beasts as
a hammer crushes a walnut. When I know you have their attention, I will take my group around, seal off the valley, and flank them from behind."
"It shall be as you request, my lord." The captain saluted. "May Starsgalt show you the way." Telmouth turned his warhorse and moved over to his men, waiting for Areck to give the signal.
Satisfied, Areck turned to his second-in-command. "Redmon, you are responsible for taking two men from each company and getting to that ridge. I want you to start the attack by signaling the captain and then raining arrows down upon orcish heads," Areck continued. "When the combat becomes too involved to fire arrows, kill stragglers one-on-one. We cannot have any escapees."
Redmon shifted uneasily but did not argue. Areck knew his concern. His lieutenant had planned on being in the midst of fighting, shouting battle cries, fighting back to back with his men. However, Areck needed Redmon on high ground to cover each company.
Areck looked into Redmon's eyes with a pleading look. At once, he saw his second-in-command understand that this was a necessity. Areck felt a tingle of relief to know that Redmon understood and accepted his orders.
Some of the column shifted but no one made a sound. Areck shifted his gaze back to the captain who was issuing orders to his master sergeant.
He looked at his own men, trying to read their feelings. He wondered what they were thinking and how they could follow him, a mere squire. He shook his head in frustration and told himself that self-doubt should not be going through his mind so close to battle, that he was better than this. He was a commander. The self-praise had little effect.
Kicking the sides of his warhorse, Areck moved over to his men. He whispered their orders as Redmon picked out one of his men and two of the captains. Satisfied that everyone was in place, Areck nodded to Tel-mouth and gave the order to move out. Telmouth led his men away, as did Redmon.
Areck knew that the pair would do their jobs flawlessly. He wondered why he had ever doubted them. Then again, he had not expected to find an ally in the personal squire of Lord Vinion, a man he could almost call a friend . . . not like Arawnn, but a loyal companion nonetheless.
With a last look, Areck saw Redmon lead four men, bows slung over their shoulders, into the copse and disappear.
Areck motioned forward and led his men into position.
****
The ride was short. Orcs were creatures who thrived by sheer numbers. They were a sloppy race, having few leaders and less military strategy. However, he couldn't take the chance that an enterprising leader might patrol the fringes of the camp. The race survived through plunder, meaning they had little, if any, true skill with weapons. When fighting, orcs relied on numbers to pull down foes. This made him uneasy; in this fight his men would be outnumbered three to one.
Areck positioned his men and rode until the orc camp was in sight. He saw a pair of sentries arguing, neither paying attention to their surroundings. Most of the camp seemed to be broken into groups of five or six, all sitting around cauldrons.
To say they were ugly would be an understatement. Their skin ranged from dark green to mottled grey, tusks protruded from their lower lips, and many had large piercings. He had read that they were very strong; many stood seven feet in height and weighed several hundred pounds. Areck felt so fragile in comparison. He tried to look for their eyes, which must have been mere slits for he could not see them in the dimming light. He felt the chaos and malevolence the creatures bore. These were the antithesis to the human race, a plague on Aryth, and a race toward which Starsgalt showed mercy; none could be killed unless preceding violence was imminent. Areck wondered if that was the reason God had never intervened for this community, if He was waiting for the orcs to turn hostile.
It doesn 't matter now, he thought. I have ordered their slaughter. In my eyes, they are a threat to this region. He would deal with the consequences later.
As Areck stood mesmerized by the sentries whose argument had become a lethal duel, an orc rushed in from the far side of the valley, yelling and waving its arms. Areck's heart skipped a beat. He noticed the largest orc raise his head from his food and motion the smaller orc to him. The leader stiffened and shouted an order as its compatriot whispered something into its ear.
"May Starsgalt guide my hand," he whispered as he realized what was happening. Either the newcomer had been a guard posted farther out or a wandering hunter looking for food, but either way the orc had stumbled upon Captain Telmouth's men approaching from the other side of the valley.
Their plan was hinged on a surprise attack. If the orcs had time to prepare for an attack, they would be ready, and it would be fifty versus ten. He hoped that Redmon was already drawing bows which might at least scatter the orcs, who had started to gather themselves into an attack formation, forming two lines on either side of the road, spears extended, awaiting a cavalry charge.
Damn if. The entire camp had taken up positions, several with bows, all aimed towards the right side of the valley. With the element of surprise gone, Tel-mouth will easily be struck down.
Areck could not hesitate. He had not heard the owl's hoot from Redmon, so there was a chance the lieutenant had already been compromised.
He pulled his helmet from a strap on his saddle and unhooked his sword and shield.
"Charge!" he screamed, kicking his mount forward. His order was followed by the ancient battle yell of the Bre'Dmorian Order. "May Starsgalt guide my hand"
****
Squire Redmon Thalluvian was the first one to see an orcish scout charge into the enemy encampment, its arms flailing. He watched helplessly as the creature seemed to explain something to what must be considered the chieftain. He watched as the camp exploded into action and seemed to prepare for an attack.
Pulling his mouth into a tight line, he considered giving the signal for Captain Telmouth's riders to attack. The problem, of course, was that he knew neither of his small army's companies would be in position. If he called it out now, it would give his own position away and most likely not help the riders. His situation made him curse. What choice did he have? He could send a runner to Areck's side of the valley. . .
But what will that solve? he wondered. It would take too long, and we can ill afford to lose another body. I wonder if we can distract them enough to break their concentration. In his studies he had learned that ores, though extremely strong, were stupid. Again he wondered if he should give the signal.
Hollering won't be enough to break them out of rank, he thought. It only left him with one alternative: break Areck's orders and start firing below before the attack commenced.
Redmon motioned for the three men accompanying him to come closer.
"It looks like Captain Telmouth's forces have been detected, sirs," he said. "And I just don't know if we can get to either force and warn them." He paused for the proper words then continued, "I think our only chance is to spread out along this ridge, pick out the front ranks of their defenders, and kill a few. That might shock them enough to throw them into a disorganized frenzy."
"I think I can reach that ledge over there, my lord—" Corporal Taurine was cut off when a distant yell broke their silence.
"Charge!" Redmond heard the muted call followed by a Bre'Dmorian battle yell.
Who in Starsgalt's name is making so much noise? he wondered, drawing his bow and scrambling up the ridge. What greeted him was a shocking sight.
It seemed Areck had also been in position to see the enemy scout stumble back into camp and rather than wait had called for his men to charge. Redmon thought the move brilliant except for one problem: Areck was the only rider charging the fifty or so waiting orcs.
Redmon bit his lip and turned around. He tried to calm his mind, knowing he needed to act fast. "Stay calm, gentlemen and get your hides into position! As soon as you see a single orc react toward the knight-captain, rain down hell upon their ugly heads. Take out archers first."
None of the men said a word as they all gave small salut
es and skittered off.
****
Areck's warhorse sprung into action, nostrils flaring. As it charged for a line of archers the rest of his men were still slamming down their visors.
As an orc turned to face this new threat, Areck heard a loud whooping sound. He was shocked to realize he had left his company standing in the forest, a bold but unbelievably foolish move. He had been too excited to think. His inexperience and haste might cost him his life.
Thirty yards away, the first orc recovered its wits, drew back its bow and others followed suit. Areck saw a blur from his right as the closest orc grasped at its throat and choked on its own blood, then fell silent.
The distraction was enough to keep the rest of the orc archers from firing and forced more than several to jump out of formation and into cover. More arrows flew into the fray, but Areck's only thought was to save his men.
His horse charged into the midst of orcs and Areck's sword whistled through the air, severing an ore's head. He swung again as an archer tried to raise his bow and cleaved through the creature's weapon and arm. Another rushed forward and placed its spear on the ground, foot on the end, forming a makeshift pike. Areck shouted a signal that made the warhorse lash out with his front hooves. The orc was drilled in the chest and temple.
****
Redmon had been the first soldier to draw his bow and fire it, hitting an orc archer in the neck and killing the creature just before it had fired at his commander. With silent determination he pulled another arrow and notched it, this time aiming for an orc carrying a spear. Drawing the bow back, he let the arrow fly, but overshot to the left.
The war-chief shouted orders to his tribe and pointed into the hills. Several of their archers broke away from the main group and took cover behind the cauldrons.
He hardly noticed that Areck had reached the first ranks of the orcish forces or that several more arrows were being notched and fired next to him.