Hinterland Fortress

by Ron Smorynski

  "Alright," Rhyal said, stepping to block Ligo's exit. "We shall be on our way."

  Orgro nodded.

  In the mire, the party marched through the mist. Ender was ahead of the rest. Ligo was on the small cart with the four goats. Silas marched beside it. Rugrah walked in the rear. Rhyal was in front, keeping a keen eye on Ender for any hand signals.

  Ender easily followed the wagon wheel tracks heading southeast into the mire. It traversed up along dry mounds and down through murky waters.

  Ender knelt and examined a large dig of earth and many laid branches.

  The rest caught up shortly.

  "Is it a trap? An ambush?!" Ligo called out from the cart, standing up to the height of everyone else.

  "Ney, the wagons got stuck here in the mud," Ender said.

  A swirl of water nearby gurgled up some bones. They were orc bones.

  "Eww..." Ligo realized.

  "Attacked by grabbers no doubt," Ender noticed. "They have been slowed greatly, having to push the wagons through the mire."

  "Perfect!" Ligo shouted back.

  "Shhhh!" Rhyal responded.

  Ender continued on.

  They trudged for awhile through the mounds taken by the wagons. It was obvious the raiding party of orcs chose the highest, most solid ground. Occasionally, the large paws of the warg that accompanied the orcs was seen.

  "Ohhh, big fella," Ligo noticed. Silas examined it closer, nodding concern.

  Rugrah growled slightly, feeling where his wounds once were.

  "Hey half-orc, how'd you survive the attack? They let you go?" Ligo asked facetiously.

  "No, I run away. Manfolk surrender. All killed," Rugrah replied.

  Ligo thought a moment about that. Rhyal listened.

  Silas added, "Orcs hate half-orcs twice as much as manfolk. They kill them in far worse ways than men. Rugrah knew surrendering was a death sentence."

  Ligo shivered, a chill ran up his short, squat yet quite nimble spine.

  "Run. Big kroko jump out. Got orc. I hide. More orcs come, think I dead. Hurt bad but I run away. Rugrah no surrender!" Rugrah said. He rubbed where his major wound was. It had healed with the potion, but Rugrah still acted as if it were there. He was not used to being healed magically.

  "We are not far," Ender said, coming back to them. "They are very slow. Best we camp here tonight, then catch up with them in the morrow."

  They found a decent mound to camp on and started a small fire. Ligo had a pot and was making a small stew. "I should charge the lot of you, you know." He glared but kept cooking. "Wish we had some meat!"

  Just then, they heard splashing and saw Rugrah at the edge of the water. He pulled in a small grabber and was stabbing it to death. It was like a small turtle looking thing, with a soft shell and a beak. Out of its sides were many long curling tentacles, some with talons to grab with. This one was small enough that Rugrah quickly killed it. He looked back at the party as he chewed on a tentacle.

  "Meat," Ligo muttered.

  Soon enough, many tentacles were on the cue, over the fire, singing and roasting. Silas and Ender set up the warning strings that Ligo provided.

  Ligo slapped Rugrah's anxious paws. "Not yet! Roast and stew. Don't worry! Patience."

  Rugrah shrugged and slowly turned the spit.

  Rhyal sat aside, having her own small candle atop a rotted log. She opened the scroll case very carefully. She wanted to keep everything dry. She realized the earth was too wet. She stood up, taking her candle, and went to the cart. Ligo noticed what she was doing.

  She placed the scrolls out on the cart. It was practically empty except for Ligo's belongings. Two were empty scrolls but with magician marks. She realized she could copy and enchant two of her spells in there, to cast later. This was very helpful. She did not have the powers of a wizard to cast spell after spell. It was exhausting and draining. These could store two that she could unravel and cast when she chose. It would only take her an hour for each, enough time in the night after she meditated.

  Then she sensed a third scroll in the case. It was stuck within, smaller, folded and had rough edges. She sensed its mild dweomer. She opened it and saw it was an actual spell. Her eyes widened. What a find! Hidden in a plain scroll case. She recognized the papers as being torn out from a small spell book, not unlike her own.

  How it came to be, she did not know. She examined the symbols and hand gestures. It was an illusion spell. She recognized the flowing symbols, like an elf wrote it in a florid arrangement. And the ink washes reminded her of the essence of manipulation. It was to make one change in form to appear as something else. It wasn't powerful, changing all manner of self, but something close, and in this world, that was enough. She saw the possibilities. She could change into an orc! Something of the same build, something she had seen enough to be. Plus she knew orc.

  She had much work and studying to do, and began.

  The next day, they packed up. Ender was awake and watching. Ligo directed Rugrah and Silas to pack the gear and warning contraption. It was just the string on spikes with metal clankers.

  "How far are they?" Ligo asked.

  Ender re-examined the tracks ahead, just to remind himself and for the joy of it. "We will catch up to them by nightfall, if not sooner. Surely they will get stuck again."

  "Just be careful!" Ligo said. "I won't be too close to save you. I'm staying back you know. And don't forget to use your enchanted things."

  Rhyal rolled up her scrolls, figuring out where to keep them. She went up to Ender. "I have prepared a new enchantment. I can appear as an orc or similar."

  "Sounds risky."

  "Scout them out for you, cause a distraction, something," Rhyal figured.

  Ender nodded, "Let us keep it in mind." Ender stopped and peered at the others. "We should tell them, so they do not attack you if you are in disguise."

  "Hm, no," Rhyal thought. "Let us surprise them with my little charm."

  Ender stared at her a moment, a snigger suddenly shot out of him. He moved on to hide his expression.

  Silas peered at them as they went, unsure. He pulled out a small stone and sharpened his blades as they begun to march.

  The orcs were not hard to find. They were arguing over how to lay the bramble under the wheels. The first wagon was stuck in the water. Several orcs were guarding them on the perimeter from the denizens of the swamp. These orcs had spears and thrust them at any swirl they perceived. They looked busy.

  There were a few orcs tearing bramble from nearby growths and slogging back, tossing the branches down. A couple more were sticking them around the wheels. A bugbear held onto the reigns of the oxen, pulling them when the orcs howled out. The bugbear was bigger and had thick tufts of fur. Much of its skin was exposed, worn of its fur from chaffing belts and armour or from its maligned skin.

  The warg trotted around with its tough yet sinewy looking orc rider. That orc yelled, "Hurry it up fools! Puts your backs into it!"

  The bramble collectors and the wagon pushers responded with howls. The ones behind the loaded wagon were bigger. They pushed with great strength.

  Ender watched them from a distance. Behind him, an orc came out, pulling Rugrah along.

  The orc on the warg spotted them first. He barked and pointed, turning his big wolf toward the new arrivals. The other orcs dealing with the wagon turned to see, but were exhausted.

  Rugrah stumbled along. The orc waved victory as he pushed Rugrah. But then, Rugrah grabbed the weapon from the orc's hand and beat him and stumbled away.

  The orc rider howled in fury and raced his warg across the mounds and splashing ponds. He raced past the orc even as his own warg growled at the strange orc. But he did not care for his anger was to get to Rugrah, who stumbled along.

  Hidden behind bramble, Ender fired his arrow at the warg. The strange orc turned and blasted the warg and rider with flames. Rugrah turned ready to be attacked.

  The warg wretched in pain. The rider fell off, full of burnt skin
and cringed in death throes.

  Rugrah saw his chance and swung at the warg, giving it a big gash. It snarled, but was soon blasted by a fire bolt which ended it in a smoldering furry heap.

  The other orcs by the wagon all snarled and growled in anger, hurrying to their weapons. The bugbear seethed with anger and slunk around the mounds.

  Ender knew it was there but lost sight of it. There was plenty of mist, mounds, and bramble about to hide its approach. He knew he had to listen for water and mud steps.

  Rhyal re-appeared from her orc disguise. She hurried back to the safety of numbers. Silas came up to Ender, ready with his sword and shield. "Good show," he said, seeing the dead warg and rider.

  Rugrah waited for Rhyal then came back with her. Rugrah and Silas guarded the pathway, ready for them to attack.

  Ligo hurried forth, "Don't forget this!" He tossed Rugrah a small shield. He hobbled back behind Ender and Rhyal. "And don't forget your potions!"

  Ender nodded and was about to put oil on his blades, but saw how sharp they already were. He remembered the smith telling him, he had sharpened them so much, the first few cuts would be deadly indeed. Instead, he alighted himself of the dust.

  It twinkled down upon him, forming all around. He felt it seem to seal him in something magical. He wasn't sure what, but knew he wanted to stand upfront and fight.

  The orcs came, charging along. Two had bows and fired them. Ender returned fire behind the shield wall of Silas and Rugrah.

  Rhyal fired her flames at them. Both fell from arrows and flame soon enough.

  It did not deter the other orcs. A big one with a battle axe came lumbering through the mud, charging straight at Rugrah. Another with a polearm came to strike Silas. Two more were right behind them, but would have difficulty attacking unless they stepped into the murky waters. One did, thrashing in the water to get around. Ender fired at him up close. The orc fell with an arrow in him.

  Rugrah took the hit of the battle axe. His shield helped but he wasn't used to it and the blade still came through. He growled in pain and pushed the blade out from outright killing him. Silas deftly blocked the orc with the polearm and swung his sword in return, cutting the orc badly but not killing it.

  Another with a sword leaped in. It got crowded and the two orcs bumped each other. Silas took advantage and felled the polearm one.

  The bigger orc with the axe swung again at Rugrah and the half-orc went down with a gaping wound.

  "No!" Ligo yelped. He rustled in his cart to get his crossbow. "Poor fellow!"

  Rhyal rushed up and put her hand forth, blasting the large orc and several behind it with flames. One leapt away, into the water, as three got burned badly.

  Ender took advantage of it, tossing his bow and rushing in to slice them up. Indeed his blades cut deep, instantly killing two of the burnt orcs.

  There were still five orcs to deal with, all stomping forward. One was a big one, pushing the others on. It had a large battle axe that looked well made.

  Ender remembered: where was the bugbear? He had no time to look. Silas bested another orc after it hit his shield. He was a careful fighter, a veteran who didn't swing wild or take chances.

  Rhyal fired another bolt of flames, striking an orc in the rear. Poor Rugrah lay still below them. He looked quite dead.

  Rhyal then saw the bugbear. It could not get in close without revealing itself, but hid behind bramble and chucked one of its javelins at Silas. It missed. Silas was unaware as he defended against two orcs, one with sword and shield, the other with a long polearm.

  Ender struck well, dropping another orc. But the big one was now upon him. It swung its giant axe at him. Ender's aura of defense sparked as dust fluttered outward.

  Rhyal stepped to the side, careful in the muck. She fired a bolt at the bugbear. It growled, revealing itself and angry it was exposed. It chucked its javelin at Rhyal. She dodged it. It pulled out a large stone club and lumbered forward.

  Ligo tried firing his crossbow into the fray but the melee was getting tight. He didn't want to risk hitting his own in the back.

  Silas took a hit by the large polearm. It came slamming down across his helm and shoulder. The damage was minimal against his armour but he surely felt his arm weaken. He managed to puncture back, wounding the orc. Still it was difficult, the orc with the sword slashed in, causing him to be cautious.

  Ender sliced the large orc, dealing grave wounds. He felt his swords were crisp and sharp. The big orc look dismayed as it swung wildly against him.

  Rhyal pulled out a scroll. She had her engulfing flame spell written on it. She knew she had to use it. The fighting was too much for them. They were being worn down.

  She stepped between Ender and Silas and read out the words as they disappeared and the element of fire unleashed. She aimed the spray at the big orc and the bugbear coming up from behind. The big orc fell in the blast, burnt and still bleeding from Ender's wounds. The bugbear ducked, but still got singed.

  The other orcs felt the heat but were unscathed. They growled in anger at their fallen brethren. Silas took advantage and hacked furiously into one, killing it. Ender pushed forward, attacking the bugbear as it swung its heavy club. Ender's magical dust, once again, blasted out in a flurry, causing the strike to bounce off. Ender cut the bugbear up enough that it wanted to flee.

  Ender found an opportunity to slash at its back. It was tough enough that it kept going. Rhyal finally shot it with fire and it fell dead.

  This was enough defeat for the last orc such that he tried turning to flee but was cut down by Silas.

  Ligo's lone bolt fired off at its back. He missed. He smiled coy, but no one noticed. They were too exhausted and exasperated.

  "We are victorious," Rhyal sighed, looking past them, to see if there were anymore. "Victorious!" she repeated.

  "Yes!" Ligo leapt off the cart and hurried over.

  "Are you hurt?" she asked Ender.

  He nodded, "A bit, but nothing I can't heal."

  Silas wiped off his sword and limped a bit more than usual. He had no cuts but was surely filled with contusions and bruises under his armour. He definitely needed rest.

  "Careful!" Rhyal warned. She crouched down to Rugrah.

  Ender came to feel for a heartbeat. "It's too late. He's gone."

  "He fought admirably, played his role well," Silas said calmly, searching the orcs for coins and checking their weapons. None looked valuable or of note. He stood up. "We can't bury him here?"

  "We'll put him in the wagon if we can," Rhyal offered.

  "I doubt he has any kin here, in the Evermire," Ender realized.

  "Or any kin at all?" Ligo figured.

  "We'll take him to Orgro. Let him..." It was all Rhyal could think to say. All looked sad, but knew this was the land of the Evermire.

  "He was brave," Silas finally said.

  All nodded.

  "I'll tend to him," Silas added.

  Everyone nodded and began searching the dead.

  The large orc had a nice battle axe, nothing any of them used. It was man made but affixed with orc wrappings and had the rusted unkept look. Ender also noticed a vial amongst the big one's trappings. He sniffed it. "A healing potion!" Ender took that and picked up the battleaxe. He put it in the cart.

  Ligo rushed through the mud to the wagons. "Whooh hooh!"

  "Oh oh oh!" Ligo clapped and rubbed his hands. He saw the tired oxen stuck in the mud. "We gotta get these out!"

  "Should we rest?" Rhyal proffered.

  "Not here!" Silas said. "This path leads to a bugbear stockade! Bugbears could be coming. We wouldn't want to meet any more of them today!"

  "Let us get those wagons turned about quickly and drawn back to Hinterland," Ender said.

  13. Pay Off

  It was an arduous task. Ender healed himself and Silas. This gave them fortitude to help get the one wagon clear. The other had not yet traversed the dire mud. So Rhyal merely turned the oxen around. The trail back was decently dry e
xcept the one area closer to Hinterland. The orcs had laid down bramble to cover the sinking mud. If careful, they should be able to run the wagons across it.

  Everyone looked tired and worn, laboring to get the wagon free from the muck. They returned to Rugrah's body and saw that the grabbers and krokodills had already come. They had pulled the orc bodies and Rugrah's into the swamp. It was a rampage of swamp beasts scavenging the dead.

  "Oh," Rhyal gasped.

  For one of the krokos was drake in size, massive. It cared not for the living when the dead was to be had.

  "Well, he is certainly buried now," Silas sighed.

  They quickly led the wagons through. The beasts were too busy fighting each other for the dead.

  They made it back to Hinterland Fortress. They came out of the mist and the tower guard rang a bell. Orgro and the merchants were the first to rush out the gate. He waved in utter joy at seeing the two wagons and oxen. He pulled his hair like some crazed mongrel.

  "Hmph! Look at that crazed mongrel!" Ligo spat, standing atop a wagon, holding the reins to the first one. Silas managed the second. Rhyal guided the cart with the four goats. Ender walked with her.

  Rhyal gave the goats to Ender and walked up to Ligo's wagon. "Ligo, I want you to give him his wagons and supplies."

  "What? Rhyal, this is our big pay off!"

  "No Ligo, they have no coin. They need these to keep their business going. Let them have this. Let them build up trade. They will call for us again. We have enough coin to stick around until they do."

  "That is ridiculous. They have coin. I know it!"

  "Do as I say, or I will look for work elsewhere," Rhyal said firmly and turned back to Ender.

  Ligo gritted his teeth and scowled as he stared at Orgro. His face turned red. Orgro jumped up and down, tears actually poured from his half-orc visage. He ran toward them as they arrived on the dry land of the mound.

  The other merchants rushed forth as well. Orgro opened his coin purse, shivering in joy and pulling out a few gold coins. "Take it."

  Ligo adroitly stepped off the wagon. He took one gold coin from Orgro and flipped it to Silas. He then turned back to Orgro. "Take your wagons. We'll be resting in the inn until needed."