After the battle, Konafar and Woo rested, while Jacko and the lizardmen searched the establishment.
****
To the south, a group of the guards, led by three northern giants, arrived just as Runit and the others set their fifth building on fire. When the giants saw them, they hurled their boulders at the warehouse and brought the structure down upon their unsuspecting heads. They ordered the goatmen to move in and capture any of them still alive.
Awret, dazed and bloodied, was getting to his feet, holding on to his six-foot glaive, that he called Authority, as the goatmen came around the bend. He glanced around the wreckage and saw the lizardmen crushed underneath the burning beams. Runit was lying face down, and he wasn’t sure if he was alive. There was nowhere left for him to go, so he stiffened his posture.
When the Hurnol creatures saw him, they stopped.
“We have plans for you, human,” one of them said.
“Oh, and what will that be?” Awret snidely responded.
“You’ll find out soon enough, when you meet the Red Knight.”
“The Red Knight? He sounds really scary,” he mocked them, holding Authority defensively.
“Capture him. The master wants him alive,” the goatman ordered.
“Not today, crossbreed,” Awret replied.
Tentatively, the twelve Hurnol began surrounding Awret. Some held nets, while others kept their eight-foot spears poised and ready. Awret knew that there was no way he was going to allow himself to be captured, so he knew that he needed to stay away from the nets. He remained very still until the goatman, directly in front of him, released his net, then he sprang into action. The warrior, from the Order of the Dragon, raced underneath the net as it sailed over his head, pushed aside a few spears, sliced one of the guards across the throat, stabbed another in the stomach, and smashed a third in the face. By the time the net landed on the ground, Awret killed two more guards and was turned around and ready. The goatmen wailed and set upon him. Awret used Authority to block, deflect, and redirect the slower weapons until he created an opening and sliced a few more guards across their throats. One goatman became so enraged he charged headlong after Awret and was greeted by his heavy glaive as it came down upon his head, splitting it like a melon. The other guards backed up.
“Anyone else want some?” Awret taunted.
The guards knew what waited for them if they ran, so they did the only thing that made sense and attacked. One after the other, they found out the hard way that their skills paled in comparison and were no match for Awret, whose years of training against longer weapons finally paid off. When the last goatman was beheaded, Awret almost collapsed from exhaustion and needed to use the glaive to keep upright.
From a safe distance, the giants enjoyed watching the inferior Hurnol fall before the human, because they viewed them as the lowest form of life and could not care less if they died. When the last of them fell, they approached the human.
Awret was breathing heavy when the ten-foot tall, big-boned giants drew near. Two of the giants, wearing brown furs and boots, cradled boulders under their left arms and carried big hammers in their right. The one in the middle wore black fur and boots and held a thick tree trunk in one hand and a wooden shield in the other. Awret swallowed hard, trying his best not to show fear as the giants stopped directly in front of him. They looked at him as if they were gauging his worth, then the one holding the tree trunk spoke.
“Human, you fight well. However, now your life must come to an end.”
Awret was surprised the creature was fluent in his tongue and sounded intelligent instead of dumb like the rest of his kind.
“You should let me go before my men arrive and we end your lives.”
“Lies, little man. Do you take me for a fool?” he said, and the giant on his left laughed.
“Yes, little human, do you take us for fools?” the giant on the right repeated.
“I say we rip him apart,” the one on the left added.
“Yes rip apart.”
“How about this, if I beat you,” Awret pointed to the giant on the right, “you let me go, or are you too scared of one little human?” There was a reason why Awret singled out one of the giants. He dealt with them before and knew they respected bravery. If they agreed to his offer, not only would it be a fair fight, but they would keep their word.
Together the giants on the left and the right looked at the one in the middle, waiting for his response.
“You’re brave, little man. I’ll give you that,” the giant said, lowering his tree weapon. He nodded to the giant on the right, who then dropped his boulder and gripped his hammer in both hands.
“Do we have a deal?”
The giant holding the hammer grinned, and the one in the middle, who appeared to be the leader, nodded.
The giant rushed Awret and brought the hammer down with the intent of smashing his head into his shoulders. Awret, bent at the knees, braced his body, and brought Authority up, blocking the attack. The giant brought the weapon back down with even more anger. When Awret blocked it again, the giant lifted his leg and kicked him in the chest, knocking him back several feet to the ground. In the next instant, the giant charged forward. Awret rolled backward and was up on his feet just in time to block several more attacks before he was grabbed by the giant’s big beefy hand and tossed over his shoulder. Awret flew headfirst into the wall of a nearby building and was knocked senseless. The giant paused to admire his work, and his brothers laughed out loud.
“Human, you’re no match for my brother,” the leader said.
Awret felt like someone dropped a castle down upon his head. He climbed to his feet and picked up his glaive.
“Look, he wants to fight some more,” the giant holding the boulder said and then laughed. “It looks like fun, can I try?”
The leader nodded. The giant dropped his boulder, gripped his hammer, and confidently walked over, while his twin walked back to stand by the one in command.
Awret was sore all over. He had a laceration in the back of his head from hitting the wall and felt dizzy from the loss of blood. Nevertheless, he would not give them the satisfaction of giving up. He remained lax, with Authority pointed downward, and waited for the giant.
The giant stopped directly in front of him and said, “Come, human, it’s time to die.”
Awret didn’t move or respond.
“Human, take your death with honor,” the giant said.
Awret didn’t answer or flinch.
The giant grew agitated and impatient. When he looked back toward his brothers, Awret rushed forward and sliced the giant across the stomach, cutting through his furs and skin quite easily. The giant grunted, turned around, and swung wildly. Awret anticipated his maneuver and ducked under the blow, then jabbed him in the stomach, piercing his abdomen. The giant yelled and grabbed the shaft, preventing him from withdrawing the weapon, then swung his hammer downward. Awret released his hold and moved out of the way just as the hammer slammed into the earth. The giant moved closer, swinging the hammer with even more resolve. He missed his target’s head when Awret fell to the ground and hit the building instead, crumbling the wall and sending debris everywhere. Awret grabbed his booted dagger and lunged upward at the giant, jabbing him between his ribs. The giant’s body bent forward and Awret plunged the knife into his neck several times until the big fellow fell to his knees and toppled over.
Awret was in the process of removing Authority from the dead giant, thinking that he’d won his freedom, when a boulder hit him in the chest and pinned him under its weight. The giant who hurled the boulder finally had enough of him and approached.
“Human, this is what you get for killing my brother.” His words fell on deaf ears when he discovered the human was already dead.
He was about to leave when he noticed another human stirring underneath the rubble. The giants grabbed him and carried him off to meet the warrior in red plate armor.
To the north, Thessor and his me
n engaged a group of guards that included giants, Chatar, and pike-wielding Hurnol. They fought them like a unit of possessed warriors. Each time the pike men thrust, they would step back, push aside their weapons, and lunge forward, covering great distance and scoring direct hits.
After the goatmen fell, they attacked and penetrated the boarmen’s defenses, killing them while only receiving minor wounds. The giants didn’t fare any better, even though they were much more skilled, they were also reckless due to their size.
By the time the battle was through, only one lizardman was dead and another was severely wounded. They were about to leave and cause havoc somewhere else when more troops came at them from all sides. Winded and breathing heavy, Thessor and his brethren hissed in delight when they saw them closing in. It was a battle they knew they wouldn’t survive but one they would relish until then.
To the east, Tonles knew it was time to enter the inn after the guards left the building in response to the black smoke billowing into the morning sky from the south.
After entering the inn, they were met by a large group of boarmen poised and ready with long swords, hammers, spiked shields, and wearing studded leather armor. They were bigger and nastier looking than the ones they’d seen walking around town. It was apparent to Tonles that they were anticipating such a rescue attempt.
“What do we have here!” the Chatar in the back said with a snort and chuckle. “Kill them,” he commanded.
The first wave of guards, numbering fourteen, engaged the intruders.
Tonles greeted the first two by cleaving them in half and then pummeled two more with the spiked end of his ax, splitting their faces apart.
Lud was next to him. His long sword, Disembowel, lived up to its reputation as it sliced a pair of stomachs open, spilling their contents onto the floor.
Fleck’s rapier and dagger technique, along with his footwork, was flawless as he parried a sword attack with the main-gauche and stabbed the guard’s throat with Enlightenment. He grinned as his enemy bled out.
Erantel toyed with another pair of boarmen before taking Reclamation and thrusting one end in the throat of one guard, then slamming the butted end into another’s chest with enough force to stop his heart.
More guards fell under Ponduit’s single-headed ax Whisper and Mao’s hard punching technique as he shattered facial bones and crushed ribcages.
Suddenly, more guards came in from the outside. Mao, Ponduit, and Fleck turned around to engage them, while Tonles, Lud, and Erantel continued their onslaught forward.
On two different occasions, Ponduit glanced over and noticed Mao struggling with his attackers and receiving several wounds. He wanted to help, but he was too busy with his own, so he did the next best thing and yelled that Mao needed help.
Mao was bleeding from several areas, and the loss of blood was causing his stamina to falter. Rapidly, he blocked one attack after another until he missed and was struck in the shoulder by a hammer. The impact shattered his collarbone and sent him to the ground, reeling in pain.
Fleck had just killed his foe when he saw Mao fall. He rushed over to help but didn’t see another guard closing in on him and was knocked to the ground. The guard was about to bring his sword down upon his head when Fleck suddenly reached up, plunged Enlightenment into his stomach, and killed him where he stood. He was on his feet again just as another Chatar came at him.
Ponduit also saw what happened to Mao, but he was too far away and did the only thing he could. He pummeled the guard’s face who stood in front of him, then heaved Whisper at the boarman standing over Mao, hitting him in the head with the ax handle. The guard was furious after being hit. When he turned, searching for the culprit, Mao punched him in the groin, causing him to double over, and clocked him in the side of his head, hitting his temples and killing him instantly. Unfortunately, for Ponduit, his act of selflessness would be his downfall when the Chatar he pummeled sliced him viciously across the stomach and ran him through, piercing his heart.
When Fleck heard his dying cries, he outmaneuvered his opponent while doing a draw cut across his throat with the rapier and then threw Fate, hitting the boarman in his chest as he was removing his weapon from Ponduit’s body.
In the front of the room, Tonles, Erantel, and Lud teamed up on the remaining guards and laid them to rest.
****
Jacko and the two lizardmen searched frantically for survivors and found some chained to the walls in the cellar. The underground room was used as a torture chamber and a morgue.
At the far end, dead bodies were piled up to the ceiling, which angered Jacko beyond words. As they were releasing the prisoners, he noticed their tattered clothes did little to hide the big bruises on their bodies, and their swollen faces bore fresh marks from recent beatings.
Once free, they assisted the prisoners up the stairs. Konafar greeted them, counted twelve men and women, and said to stay close to the group if they wanted to live. He also said they could use help and if anyone had any fighting skills, they should pick up a blade.
A semi-attractive female, with long blond hair and a slender build, stepped forward. She introduced herself as Breen, said she wanted to fight, and asked for a weapon and a change of clothing. Konafar smiled and pointed to the dead guards, indicating for her to go get what she needed.
Two emaciated-looking males followed after her and began undressing the dead. They said they’d rather die fighting their way out. Konafar admired their bravery.
Woo walked over. “I see guards down the street.”
“You just condemned us all to death,” a middle-aged man in the back said.
His comment caught Konafar’s attention. “How so?”
The man was about to answer when Breen walked over. “Then why don’t you go back downstairs, chain yourself to the wall, and wait for them,” she said.
The man looked down and didn’t respond.
“Are there anymore prisoners?” Jacko asked Breen.
“I’m not sure. After the town was sacked, they split us up.”
“All right,” Konafar began, “stay close and help those who need assistance. Those who can fight will lead. If we get separated, then continue down the main street until you reach the building with the sleeping giant outside and...”
“Sleeping giant?” someone in the crowd interrupted.
“I mean dead giant. After you enter the building, go downstairs to the lower level and through the door. From there, you’ll have to navigate your way through the tunnels until you find the exit. Hopefully, one of us will be alive to escort you to safety.”
“Do you have an army waiting?” one of the prisoners asked.
Konafar shook his head, and some of the other prisoners grumbled.
“Then why did you come after us?” another prisoner asked.
“We wanted to help when no one else would do so,” Jacko responded proudly.
“We might’ve been eventually saved by an army.”
“Then go downstairs and wait,” Konafar snapped at him. He was clearly losing his patience.
“We can’t do that. You started this whole mess, now we don’t have a choice.”
“I’ll give you a choice, you ungrateful bastard,” Konafar snapped in response, walked over, grabbed him by his torn shirt, and lifted him in the air. “HOW ABOUT I KILL YOU? WE LOST A LOT OF GOOD MEN TRYING TO SAVE YOUR ASS.” Konafar shoved him against the wall. “Does anyone else have anything to say? If so, step forward, and I’ll gladly answer your questions.”
When no one responded, he calmed down. After those who wanted to fight armed themselves and put on what little armor was of worth, they left the building.
At the eastern inn, Tonles and Lud rescued several prisoners from the upper floors, while Erantel and Lud did the same in the basement. After they were gathered in the main room, Fleck addressed them.
“Once we leave here, stay together. If you should get separated, head west and look for the building with the dead giant in front. Enter t
he basement and wait. We have another group rescuing prisoners as well. If they don’t show up after a half-hour, leave through the door and follow the tunnels. Can anyone else defend themselves?”
The group of mostly women looked at each other and, one by one, everyone nodded yes.
An elderly man walked over and picked up a sword. “It’s payback time,” he said, eyeing the blade.
Tonles smiled at him and said, “It certainly is.”
After a few more minutes of preparation, that included the prisoners arming themselves and Fleck helping Mao with a sling for his shoulder, Tonles led them out into the darkness.
****
“Give up, scaly ones,” the armored giant said to the lizards.
“Givesss up? Yousss ssshould bow downsss to our sssuperior race,” one of the lizards hissed in response.
“You’re surrounded and have nowhere to go.”
“Yousss will neversss takesss usss.”
The giant raised his great sword, indicating to the others to attack.
Instead of waiting for them, the lizardmen, led by Thessor, feinted forward, turned, and attacked the guards toward the rear. The lizardmen took heavy losses as they slashed their way through the giants’ ranks. By the time they broke free, only Thessor and one other were left alive.
The giant, angered by the scaly ones, gave chase. Thessor and his companion turned down a few streets and fought guards here and there. By the time they were safe, his kinsman was mortally wounded. Thessor regretted leaving him behind but knew that he couldn’t do anything for him. He scaled a nearby building, used the rooftops until he reached the building with the dead giant, then climbed down and entered.
Tonles and the others didn’t make it far before they encountered a large group of guards.
A Demon's Quest the Beginning of the End the Trilogy Box Set Page 23