The Battle
Author: Liam and Sean Grant Đ 1998
Algrin gave the order for his men to form up, to his left the Orc assault warriors began to assemble, to his right the Goblin sword masters and beside him Arrax. Algrin drew his sword a look of grim determination across his face, "Let Elven blood stain the earth!" And with that they advanced.
As they crested the rise of the slope Algrin spotted a lone figure shrouded in black and red robes he recognised the figure as a Black Lotuseater but why was he alone.
Where were the other Elves that the scouts had reported?
Arrax motioned to the sides with two of his arms and exclaimed, "look to our flanks!" From behind two hills they emerged, from the right a band of axe men, from the left a band of spear men things were not looking good for while the spear men were the mainstay of the Elven armies the axe men were something else.
Though not counted as an elite unit by other Elves to every other they were just as deadly with their vicious battle-axes. But Agrin had not escaped the clutches of Devout claws only to be cut down by Elven axes .He was not with out his own deadly units he had the finest Orc and Goblin warbands to be found in any Blackblood army barring the emperors own, he would win this day.
This sudden appearance of Elven units was all the distraction that Thalrin needed.
His plan was going according to plan the Blackbloods had momentarily forgotten about him faced by a larger problem. Soon they would know the true meaning of the words larger problem. He grabbed the Lotus essence from beneath his robes and hurriedly consumed it he then held his staff aloft and began the ritual he spun the staff around his head the charge of magical energy in the staff growing, faster, faster until he brought the staff crashing to the ground. There was a great quaking as if the very earth itīs self might rip and tear as a towering figure erupted from the ground. The figure drew itīs self up to its full height, in its iron grip it held a Black hammer with this weapon the Golem could bring down an opponent even as formidable as the Troll that was advancing with the other Blackbloods.
Yes Thalrin thought to himself the Troll would be the first to feel the Adamantine Golemīs wrath, as if in answer to his thought the Troll raised all of its arms into the air and roared it then flung the net it was carrying at the Golem it easily fell short but was reeled back in by the Troll.
Theyīll have to do better than that thought Thalrin if they intend to defeat me. Just then he saw that the ogre commander had sent his Orcīs to take the hill that his spearmen had used as cover he cursed himself for not paying attention and immediately ordered the spearmen to dislodge them.
Although the Orcīs were also armed with spears it would be anything but a fair match as his spearmen had the numerical advantage. It was the same on the right his axemen out numbered the Goblinīs he was sure victory was within his grasp.
Then to his horror the Orcīs put aside their spears and drew bows from their backs and began to fire on the advancing spearmen. The look on his face was matched by that of the Elven spearmen as arrow after arrow tore into them within seconds.
The warband was to half its number and the leader lay dead on the ground an arrow sprouting from his throat. This was too much for the spearmen they turn and fled. Thalrin couldnīt believe it he had lost his flank with out inflicting any casualties, rage filled him he would destroy them himself, he began reciting the words for the his most potent of spells he would open a chasm under the very feet of the Orc scum. As he reached the end of the spell he lost his focus and the spell failed
Something was wrong? The Golem, he had forgotten about the Golem! Without the will of Thalrin controlling it the Golem was free to do as it pleased and it was pleased to see to see the Elven axeman standing beside him and it was even more pleased to see his skull pulped under the force of the Black hammer. Despite the fact that there was a rampaging Golem about them the axe men were undeterred and proceeded to advance upon the enemy. It was then that the Golem changed direction and headed for the Orcīs on the hill.
Thalrin desperately tried to regain control of the Golem but could not, in frustration he again attempted to cast chasm on the Orcīs but again his mind was to unfocused. What was happening if things didnīt change soon he would lose!
With a mighty roar Arrax charged into the midst of the axe men directly into the path of both the leader and the axe master. Neither had much chance to react, the leader died with a look of complete surprise on his face as Arrax eviscerated him with his gauntlet scythe then proceeded to plunge his other scythe into the side of the axe masters head. As the axe master twitched in his death spasm Arrax felt the ground shake beneath his feet and then abruptly stop. He looked back up just in time to block two bows from the other axe men he readied himself for the attack by the standard bearer but that attack never came as his opponent slipped on the gore which was now pooled around Arraxīs feet. He didnt however see the axe slicing at him until too late and it cut deeply into his side. Lucky to be alive Arrax attacked the rest of the axe men in a flurry of blows he cut down another three of their number including the standard bearer, the remaining axe men were finished off by the Goblin sword masters. As he looked around for another enemy he saw only the Lotus-eater and the Golem, the Golem was already engaged with the Orcīs and the Lotus eater was being pursued by the Goblinīs so he decide to nurse his wound and watch the Orcīs. He was impressed to see one of the Orcīs sustain a hit from the Golems hammer unharmed something that not many can brag about, the rest of the Orcīs swarmed about the Golem keeping it at bay with their spears one even injured it with this the Golem moved away. Leaving the Orcīs free to open fire on the Lotus-eater. They killed him with only one salvo. With the Lotuseater dead the Golem disappeared back into the ground. The Blackbloods had won without a single loss.
Its about time Arrax thought to himself they had lost enough to the Devout and no doubt those losses would come back to haunt them literally that was a thought that he did not like.
Comments
First version from 24.03.2008. Last Version from 24.03.2008.
