by Ed Montalvo
“What the hell is that?” Rem shouted.
“Dregous,” she answered.
“He lives!” a second roaring followed.
“Who lives?” Lehoneh asked from behind an Ork Rem dropped.
“Dregous,” Tatiana answered as others came to her aid.
Seeker removed her daggers from the dead Orks' shoulder. “Oh… gratitude my lady,” Tuke said.
“My pleasure,” they stood together readying for more Orks as they came.
The group held the Orks at bay but the larger number began to wear them down. They formed a circle with the Elves joining them to form a final stand when arrows suddenly rained on the Orks. They fell in large numbers.
Juilan shouted, “Reinforcements!”
The tied changed dramatically against the Orks. It wasn’t long before it ended. Lehoneh ignored the ones fleeing when he realized his sister was missing. Tatiana prayed Dregous was uninjured as she looked for him, but only found his staff. The princess picked it up, studied it, then looked around, he was nowhere.
“Praise the Gods,” Tuke was relieved for the Ork's retreat and the Grey Elf reinforcements.
***
Dregous studied the dead Ork as he sat against the tree. The combination of the hammer and spellcasting drained him more than he realized. A distant whimpering caught his attention while he caught his breath. An Ork carrying Mirehnah away. He reached for his staff, but it wasn’t there. The prince quickly glanced around and didn’t see it. “The hell with it,” he tucked his arm to nurse his ribs and pursued them.
Dregous wasn’t aware of how far they traveled, only that he no longer heard the fighting. The pale version of his mother’s warning replayed in his mind. When he first dreamt of her, it was only a dream. Now, he heard her while awake, an awaking dream.
The Ork stop and smirked at Dregous. “Whay jou chaase? We alliez, huh?” understand his common tongue was challenging.
The Ork surprised her, “Lehoneh was right,” she glared at Dregous.
He glanced between them and sensed other Orks approaching. There was no way out. If he and the Grey Elf princess were to survive, he would have to bluff his way through. “You attacked too soon,” he gambled.
“Scroo says ttack en elves ome ou.”
“Wrong!” Dregous growled. “It said, attack when the sun is down,” he lied. He looked around and saw the others stop. I need time, Dregous thought.
Mirehnah realized, he knew the message, “You knew what was in the scroll,” she accused. “Will you join them to rape me as well?” she shouted through her tears. “The Ayrian princess trusted you…,” she wept as the Orks chuckled.
Dregous felt guilty, “A pleasing prospect, I must admit,” he lied convincingly.
She gasped, “I thought you different… I was wrong… you are lost and disgusting,” she spat. “I only wish the princess was here to see who you truly…” she started. The Ork shook her to silence.
“Where do you take her?” Dregous asked.
“To Uriiilaaah…,” his face wrinkled at the pronunciation, “Ureeliiah,” he mispronounced again.
“Great lady Urilah?” Dregous recognized her butchered name. She always opposed his father in the past, and at court functions, regardless of how small the matter.
“Huh,” he grumbled with a nod.
“I have new orders, I am to take her, you are to mislead the patrolling Elves,” Dregous said.
“No, she says bing hur…” he started.
Mirehnah prayed her brother would find her and kill this Drouwen. It seemed he wanted her to himself. She regretted giving him the benefit of the doubt.
“I have my orders here,” he revealed the scroll Lehoneh handed him. “The Elves caught the idiot before I,” Dregous explained.
Lehoneh gave him that… HE is with them.
“Shoo mee,” he demanded.
In pretended annoyance, he took advantage to focus, and sent her a telepathic message, “Mirehnah, run away when I say.” Then tossed the scroll high in the air to distract them, “Here,” and quickly scanned for a clearing. Two meters away was a patch of lush green grass. The Ork watched the case as it sailed.
For a brief moment she heard his voice in her mind, it startled her, then studied him, wondering what he was up to. He wanted her to run, if so, where? They would easily grab her again. Then she realized Dregous gave her two clear right eye winks. Mirehnah winked back. Her eyes widened when he glanced at a plush green patch of grass and wondered, is he trying to rescue me?
The sub-commander caught the case. The mage took advantage and discretely cast a missile spell. Another read the scroll while he looked at it. Twelve Orks surrounded them, except directly behind the Dark Elf Prince.
He was fortunate if an Ork could read, it was slow. Dregous targeted the sub-commander’s face with a missile spell, hoping he’d release Mirehnah. The confusion Ork allowed him to cast another spell before they could react.
The area suddenly turned black, “Now!” he shouted in Elven then jumped to the grass patch.
She pushed the sub-commander against the Ork with the scroll. The large brute stumbled and fell, the other managed to keep his balance. She hoped she headed to the designated spot. The only thing she knew for sure was that she could see the Orks charging the direction where they saw the Dark Elf. “They head to you!” she shouted in elven.
The Orks couldn’t see clearly, “Keep running straight,” he whispered as he stepped to the clearing, then cast his protection. Mirehnah followed his instructions. He braced himself and caught her. She panicked pushing at him, “It is I my lady, it is I.” he said quickly. She eased as he took her hand. “I will lead you, then we run.”
“I thought you…,” she breathed.
Dregous interrupted, “I needed you to believe my deceit….”
The Orks beat the ground with their weapons as they closed in. “Go, run that way and do not stop…” he started.
“What of you,” she whispered.
“I will distract them,” he said.
“We both can run,” she demanded softly.
She heard a slight chuckle, “The crown must be preserved my lady,” he took her hand and pointed the direction for her, “Now go your highness,” he ordered.
“I can order you.”
His voice was firm but soft, “Only my Angel can command me.” He regretted confessing openly his loyalty and affection for the Ayrian princess.
She leaned, ready to run when she realized he addressed her as a noble, “How did you know?”
“I will explain later,” he said, then thought, If I live. She hesitated then ran. The Orks heard her and headed her general direction. Dregous cast a light spell and formed it to look like a small wall of fire to discourage pursuit.
An uncomfortable ping struck Dregous stomach then suddenly blinded by the brightness. What in the hell happened? The spell was supposed to last until I remove it, he thought. The prince struggled to see when he saw the Orks shielding their eyes.
“Good, eh?” asked a raspy voice behind the Dark Elf.
Before him, stood an elder Ork dressed in rags, a rope belt. The rope sported thongs with small human and Elven skulls tied at the end of each one. His headdress adorned more of the same skulls, but smaller. He held an odd-looking wand or short staff firmly. It was an Ork shaman. Though limited in casting, their spells rarely failed.
“Do not force me to kill you,” Dregous warned.
It laughed. The Orks felt confident now that their shaman joined them, “Se who die firs,” he continued chanting.
Dregous cast a webbing spell, recalling his modified version. On its completion, he extended his hands to the shaman and nothing happened. “What?” Dregous wondered softly. Some Orks crouched, others covered their heads, some peeked from behind their shields. They feared the power of Drouwen magic. When nothing happened, they laughed nervously as the shaman chanted.
He realized what the shaman was doing and recalled his mother’s lesson
. Shaman’s and priests summon forces beyond those mages use. Their chants enable them to channel energy to protect them against enchantments or spells while driving their own forces into a frenzy to crush their enemies.
The seconds felt like minutes as he desperately considered his next move. He knew as long as the shaman persists the chanting, his spells wouldn’t work, and the Orks would soon attack him. They began shouting their battle cries. “Do or die,” Dregous whispered, threw his dagger at the Shaman then cast an arcing flame spell at the sub-commander's face. He didn’t care if the dagger stuck or not. All he needed to do was distract him long enough to cast another spell.
The flat side of the blade slapped the shamans’ chest spinning off to the side. The sting distracted him long enough for Dregous to cast his missile spell, and target his mouth. The Shaman stumbled back and fumbled for his medicine pouch. The Orks were building to a frenzy when they started charging.
Dregous only defense was against their vision. They were ten meters away when he cast a fog spell, then laughed at the Orks as it rapidly expanded beyond the mage. “Come and breathe my poison!” he bluffed loudly.
With the discontinued chant and the rapidly expanding alleged toxic fog, the Orks stopped. The mist frightened them into uncertainty.
Dregous crouch low, near the edge of the mist watching their legs. To add to the chaos, he cast a twinkling light spell forming a fire stream, arcing from the mist in random directions.
The Orks grunted and wail stepping away from the flames and mist. From behind Dregous, the shaman started chanting again. The mage quickly cast a missile spell striking his face, and cast it twice more. Four dark fiery orbs crushed his throat. He felt the minor spell drain and guilt for killing again. The old Ork grasped his neck and tried to fan himself more air. He couldn’t breathe. Dregous pushed him out of the mist as he wheezed and hissed. Stumbling out of the fog, the shaman weakly fell to his knees. He reached out for the others to aid him as one approached.
“Touch him and you too will be poisoned,” Dregous shouted.
Chapter 13
I do not understand how in the devil’s abyss, does he manage to get aid! That little shit has the greatest fortune. I was all but certain the Grey Elves would have killed him. That would have given me the freedom to focus on other matters. I just learned the unholy bastard befriends them!
The great lady Urilah of house Tu’deforontug
The Ork frightfully pulled away from the shaman as he glanced between the mist and the old Shaman. With bulging eyes, he hissed and croaked, then fell face first, onto a large stone embedded in the earth and died. Seeing their shaman died shortly after exiting the mist made them sure it was poison. Their reaction bought the mage time. Had it not been for his convenient bluff, they would have stormed the mist and killed him.
Dregous pondered his escape while drawing his remaining long dagger and cast a shock spell on it, then peeked through the edge of the mist to get his bearing. A couple of hardy Orks braved near the mist and began hooting when they spotted him.
He saw no protective gear on their legs and retreated into the fog. Dregous leaned out with his dagger and in rapid succession thrust its crotch. The enchantment on the dagger shocked the Ork. It shrieked then dropped. The remaining Orks retreated further from the fog.
“Would you like your dagger back?” whispered a voice in Dregous’s ear.
Startled, he whirled around and found only mist. “No,” he hissed and guessed it was Asmatorre, the demon he freed some months ago.
“Death on swift wings, the duke of doom, the destroyer of light,” it wasn’t the demon, it was the taunting voice of the undead witch.
“Ge hir!” shouted an Ork commander.
The Dark Elf prince prepared a missile spell and readied himself to fight. The taunting witch was in the back of his mind. “Ti!”
***
The bright sky stung Mirehnah’s eyes as she ran. When she glanced back, a void consumed the area. It was a darkness that consumed that part of the world. It extended high to the tree canopy and many meters wide. The edge of the void faded like wisps of smoke.
The dark abyss frightened her to no end, “How dreadful,” Mirehnah whispered. She couldn’t see their heat patterns. Then the darkness vanished.
It took her a few moments to find Dregous. He cast a spell and threw something at an old Ork, then extended his hand. A fog rapidly spread from the Drouwen mage, swallowing him. When the Ork sub-commander ordered the others to find her she readied to run.
The remaining Orks charged him as he cast a webbing spell. He cocooned the first few and nearby trees.
An Ork threw his ax striking Dregous’s back. It had no effect. Stunned, Dregous extended his hand releasing two missiles at the Ork. He recast, another two missiles rendered him still.
The remaining four retreated. Mirehnah was surprised the mage fended them off. She had no idea how dreadful Drouwen magic could be. He looked frightful as he fought them furiously.
Dregous cast another twinkling light spell, forming a small wall of fire behind the retreating Orks, making them panic. Mirehnah didn’t understand what he was doing, but she heard him. He looked exhausted as he addressed the fleeing Orks in their tongue, “There is no place you can hide, where I cannot find and devour you!”
***
Lehoneh followed the Orks tracks, “This way,” he pointed. Tatiana feared what they would find.
Minutes later, Lehoneh had difficulty with the tracks. Tatiana stepped ahead a few short meters grasping her pommel impatiently when she heard a faint shouting in the distance. She whipped around shushing them hastily. They silenced. Tuke was about to speak when they heard someone shout in another language. Lehoneh understood, “What?”
Tatiana recognized the voice, “That is him,” she said excitedly looking back at them and noticed Lehoneh’s face, “What is wrong?” she drew her sword.
“It is what he said princess,” Lehoneh answered. Tatiana didn’t want to waste time, Dregous sounded as though he was in trouble. She didn’t think twice and ran to his aid, recalling the last time she hesitated.
Tuke was on her heels, with Seeker and Rem in tow. Lehoneh watched them, then he and his kinsmen followed.
***
The sub-commander pressed his knuckles on his desk as he leaned. A quick glance in his field command base. A glisten from the raw sapphire in the walls reminded him of his lordship’s wealth. “How many great houses joined Urilah’s forces?” he asked, then examined the scroll Hogah handed him.
“Our last reports stated three great houses,” Hogah answered.
“Safe to say there may be more,” he turned away, “Do you not agree?”
Hogah wanted to inform his sub-commander of his lordships’ last words. Then thought against it. His final orders haunted him. It has been days since their exodus, that he rested. Most of them had little sleep. “Perhaps the scroll has information.”
“It does not.”
“Mayhaps, how to find the Prince?” Hogah hoped.
The sub-commander’s grim expression clued him, there was no such instruction. He roughly rested a hand on his sword hilt as he stepped beside Hogah and firmly grabbed his shoulder as he passed. “It does not.”
“What about the…” Hogah studied him and realized no one else knew how to find him. The young knight felt he would come across his Prince because his Lordship said so.
Sub-commander interrupted, “The masters’ mages and clerics seek him as we speak…” he trailed off as he stopped.
Hogah felt as though someone slapped his face. He addressed his lordship as master, a demeaning title, an insult, by Drouwen standards.
“Sir… are you well?” asked one of Hogah’s subordinates.
He snapped back, “I am… I must speak to the others.”
“Sir?”
“Gather the unit,” Hogah ordered. “There are questions requiring answers.”
“Sir,” and off he went.
***
“No my dear. He stands to lose greater than I,” she quick-paced through the tunneled maze the human thieves and assassins built and used to escape constables.
“How so?” he asked.
She stopped with a whirl, “You dare?” she hissed, resting a hand on the pommel of her punish wand.
He immediately dropped to his knees, “No great lady, I only seek your wellbeing,” he answered.
She smiled wickedly, “My dear, I just may take you to play,” she teased. They navigated the catacombs to the end, Saug-fah signed one to Check.
Her second escort stepped forward to inspect the door for traps. Their world afforded them no quarters for the complacent. Though they’ve entered through this door earlier, no Drouwen ever chanced it would be trap free. Someone may take the opportunity to set one when they exit. He examined the opening, then signed, ‘All clear my lady.’ Slowly her escort opened the door as light poured in. They grimmest against the brightness.
Saug-fah regarded him plainly. She decided to magically transport back and not chance being spotted, “Take your places,” and drew a thin metallic rod from a leather scabbard on her thigh as she parted her legs.
Both males dropped to their knees to either side. They wrapped their arms around her legs, her favorite rested his hand on her crotch while drawing his sword. The other facing her rear with hand on her bottom.
She glanced at them then smiled, then extended her hands up as she uttered, “Breivah.” The tip of the rod flashed forming a four-pointed star. Within a blink of an eye, a glow rapidly enclosed them and vanished.
***
Urilah’s chest swelled with pride for defeating the most powerful and feared house of the empire. Noise beyond the thrown rooms’ main doors grabbed her attention. A female messenger rushed with a scroll case. She kneeled before the new empress. Urilah retrieved it and read the scroll, “Good news I trust?” Chadzi stood aside. Her commanders entered the throne room.