The Orc Retreat

cy 4862 Sepos 25th - 26th

Mevik Z’mmm plugs the entrance to the gatehouse tower with his skill and the formidable staff of Azael. Where the staff touches orc flesh it obliterates souls, his lethal unarmed combat skill sees off any others. Beside him his companions strive to fend off the marauders as best they can but their resolve is weakening. Limbs ache from the exertion of battle, small wounds slow them down as the orc surge continues.

At the top of the keep Taryn and Damula face a similar task. Taryn is plagued by small cuts but fights on regardless even though there is no end in sight from the orc assault. He opens the throat of an orc and grabs its tunic piling the bodies at the mouth of the opening to provide a barricade. Damula decapitates a second and follows suit, soon the orc face a grim barrier if they are to get close to their quarry.

In the gatehouse Indermere and Jindra Dar loose fire arrows at the orcs below who bring up pitch in large vats. A couple of well aimed shots ignite three of the vats and send orcs diving for cover. Many are consumed by the explosions.

Mevik is taking damage steadily but his strength holds for the moment. He sees a hulking shadow and smells vomit, urine and stale sweat as a giant ogre with two heads emerges on the spiral staircase. Kum Zum La spits a dart at the beast but the tough skin is impenetrable with his precision needles. Jindra Dar spins and fires instinctively at the ogre but his aim is poor. At that moment Mevik – engaged in hand-to-hand combat with two orcs – cannot predict the flight of the arrow. A sickening crack is heard; the sound of the arrow puncturing the warrior’s skull. Mevik is thrown forward and down the staircase, the ogre tramples over him to get to the party.

Jindra Dar and Albaron step into the breech but are immediately pushed back by the weight and momentum of the two headed ogre. They know that if the beast secures the stairway entrance the orcs will flood in behind and it will all be over. Kum Zum La gets too close to the monster, one of the heads snaps at him and takes a large chunk out of his neck. The assassin is dead before the ogre starts to chew!

Indermere is there with her axe. An incredible swing takes off the first head as Albaron cuts the monster’s ribs and groin to slow it down. The ogre yells in pain and – more importantly – remains a solid barrier preventing the orc assault. Albaron finally backhands his katana across the beast’s throat and the ogre collapses – headless – to land on the still form of Mevik below.

In the keep Taryn and Damula catch their breath. The orcs have relented for several minutes, bickering below as they try to decide how best to attack the two defenders. Strangely they are spooked by something and begin to disappear – some actually throw themselves from the keep walls in order to escape the strange newcomer.

Any hope that salvation is at hand is soon dashed. Damula senses a malevolent evil about the figure and Taryn’s spirit sense tells him that they face an enormously strong individual. The black robed tall orc is unlike the rabble they have fought for the last two days. It’s armour is the finest chainmail and it has the bearing of an orc leader.

"I am Ullanor," it says proudly, "I am lord of all the orcs in the Olshay Range. You have fought well but it is time to stop. I am here for the secret of Fire."

"We will only stop until you are all dead!" Damula says proudly.

As if seeing the woman for the first time Ullanor scowls and cannot hide his contempt for the servant of Elena. Both she and Taryn are bathed in the blood of the orcs but the lord of the orcs burns with hatred.

Taryn – however – diffuses the situation by stepping forward. "You can have the secret Ullanor but as a price you let my friends go." Damula is about to protest but Taryn silences her. The black orc lord frowns; "Is this some kind of trick?"

"No trick – my life for that of my friends."

Ullanor smiles and beckons the ranger to him. "Very well Taryn Bzar, you have yourself a deal."

Taryn takes off all his weapons and moves down to face Ullanor. Immediately the orc’s honour guard are all about him binding his hands behind his back and leading him into the courtyard.

"The battle is over!" Ullanor yells. The orcs halt immediately and gather to their leader in the middle of the courtyard. "Because of the sacrifice of this man you will live this day!" Then he spots Damula making her way along the battlement walls to be with her companions. Ullanor points a crooked finger at her; "But if I see you bitch I will hack you down!"

Damula smiles grimly at the orc but wastes no time in returning to the group.

It takes the orcs hours to depart. A mass of black filth head north with Taryn bound in the middle of it. Jindra Dar follows them at a distance and manages to keep in telepathic communication with his companions as they tend to their wounds. Indermere gathers the equipment from Mevik’s broken body and takes the staff of Azael for herself.

Sleep is what they need. That night weary bones and tired limbs gain respite from the trauma of battle. Next morning they are refreshed and stronger, Indermere manages to use her natural healing to mend herself and Albaron as the discussion over what to do starts.

"We have to rescue Taryn," Damula says firmly.

All are in agreement. When Jindra Dar tells them that the orcs are coming back to finish the job they leave the Myrid fortress and head up the mountains. Indermere finds them a suitable defensible position high in the mountains. As a ranger she knows only too well that if they are to have any chance they they must attack from above. She also knows that winter is close…in the Olshay Range winter can last six months.

In the orc camp Taryn tries to converse with Ullanor. He plays mind games with the orc until Ullanor becomes annoyed and has him gagged.

Later that afternoon Ullanor sends two hundred of his finest orc warriors up a steep incline where Damula and the rest of the party are positioned. Taryn can sense a growing madness in the orc leader, even trussed and gagged his sharp spirit sense can see that Ullanor has only one face in his mind. Damula is within and is starting to drive the orc to insanity. When she smiled at him at the keep the purity and goodness of that smile was etched into the orc mind.

It suddenly dawns on Taryn that Damula smiles with the same grace and beauty of her goddess. He takes himself back to that moment and realises that Elena was with them all along, her protective arm was around them and when Damula stared at Ullanor the full power of the smile was Elena’s. Taryn knows it haunts Ullanor and will – ultimately – drive him mad.

Even trussed and suspended between two orcs Taryn knows that the goddess has not abandoned him; indeed he feels her presence very close…