Post by Aleksandyr on Oct 15, 2007 13:24:30 GMT -5
Aleks felt the sweat bead on his forehead. His dread grew as he crept closer to the Orc camp. So did the smell. His eyes scanned the perimeter, carefully evaluating breach points and sentry movement. He had tracked this group for 3 days. Finally... he was close. The sentries were restless, hungry, and grumbling to one another. Perfect, Aleks smiled.
He crouched low, moving stealthily through the low bushes, until he was in range. He nocked an arrow, drew it back and centered himself. Fear hung thick in the air as the dread weighed heavier on him. The world seemed darker... more foreboding. He fought to block such feelings from his heart. He closed his eyes and concentrated on breathing.
Then he heard it. The screams. His eyes snapped open. His heart was hardened against the fear and his determination grew. He let the arrow loose and ran towards the gate. The arrow quickly impacted one of two gate guards, a clean kill. The other was startled by the attack and turned too late to see the flash of Aleks' dagger as it struck true and slit his throat. Silence followed, broken only by the screams from inside.
Within the camp, a small group of Elves were gathered, stripped, and beaten. They were to be executed, and likely consumed, as their Orc captors gathered. One in particular was strung up and whipped in front of the others. A noose was wrapped around his neck, and his hands and feet bound. The screams came not from his mouth, nor from the others waiting. Instead... they came from those brutally killed as they were marched into the fire.
In the crowd of Elven prisoners, one woman glared defiantly at her captors rather than stoically face her fate. The Orcs around her jabbed at her and pushed her around. She couldn't stop glancing at her father, the one on display. The Orc torturer was about to pull the lever to hang the Elven man. The girl, watching in horror, was about to let loose a savage cry of grief when suddenly the telltale sound of several arrows streaking across the courtyard gave her pause. One arrow impacted the side of the torturers head, the other cut the noose rope and hit the other executor between the eyes.
Aleksandyr saw her now. Zhannah. She turned to see him standing atop the wall and screamed his name instead. Aleks nocked two more arrows and let them fly towards a pair of Orcs now running towards him. He turned to another group and sent an arrow at the knee of the leading Orc who tumbled to ground and tripped up the rest of his foul kin. Aleks dropped from the wall and ran towards the Elves.
An Orc intercepted midway, more coming quickly, as Aleks quickly slashed with his short sword and dagger. The first fell quickly. He turned and threw the dagger which impacted a second in the forehead. He spun his sword and stabbed backwards through his cloak at a third coming up behind him. He dashed forward, pulling an arrow, and stabbed a fourth Orc in the eye and shot a fifth behind that one.
He reached the Elves and began releasing them. Zhannah shouted a warning in Elvish and Aleks dodged barely. He turned and threw his bow over the top of the Orc captains head, kicked his boot out at his chest and pushed. He let the bow go... and it snapped forward with a crunch against the Orcs face. The captain dropped unconscious. Aleks turned to finish releasing the captive Elves. Zhannah threw her arms around him and kissed him deeply.
"Are you ok my love?" Aleks asked quietly.
She nodded. "I am... now." Her eyes widened. "My father!"The two immediately rushed to his side. Though injured, he was alive.
An Orcish horn sounded in the distance.
Aleks looked up, and he and Zhannah met each others gaze. "There will be more." He offered, as she nodded.
"We must move quickly." She said, holding her father up as she rose to her feet.
The group armed themselves and made their way from the camp. Aleks lagged behind some, collecting his gear, and making sure of their escape. Several quicks traps at the gate and path leading from the camp and he vanished into the woods.
******** Later *********
Zhannah woke, the warmth of clean blankets and the smell of fresh flowers made her spirit brighten. The dread was gone, her wounds were healing, and her strength was returning.
"You are awake." She heard a voice beside her. Opening her eyes, she focused on the face.
"Sister?" Zhannah whispered.
Her sister smiled and nodded.
"Where am I?"
"Duillond, Zhannah. Rest now though... you will be well enough soon." She said softly.
"Where... where is Aleks?" Zhannah said sleepily.
"He has gone for the North Downs. He left a letter, and a promise to return." She stroked her sister forehead. "Do not worry sister. Your love will return to you before long."
*********** Elsewhere *********
"So you freed them?" Belledandy smiled, sharpening her knife.
Aleks nodded. His eyes scanned the horizon. "Morning comes. We must make our move. We have Orcs to kill..."
Belledandy followed her friend as he moved towards the camp in the distance. She sighed. "I best keep you alive then."
((My inexperience with fantasy writing shows, but otherwise I felt an urge. Hopefully it was enjoyable.
))
He crouched low, moving stealthily through the low bushes, until he was in range. He nocked an arrow, drew it back and centered himself. Fear hung thick in the air as the dread weighed heavier on him. The world seemed darker... more foreboding. He fought to block such feelings from his heart. He closed his eyes and concentrated on breathing.
Then he heard it. The screams. His eyes snapped open. His heart was hardened against the fear and his determination grew. He let the arrow loose and ran towards the gate. The arrow quickly impacted one of two gate guards, a clean kill. The other was startled by the attack and turned too late to see the flash of Aleks' dagger as it struck true and slit his throat. Silence followed, broken only by the screams from inside.
Within the camp, a small group of Elves were gathered, stripped, and beaten. They were to be executed, and likely consumed, as their Orc captors gathered. One in particular was strung up and whipped in front of the others. A noose was wrapped around his neck, and his hands and feet bound. The screams came not from his mouth, nor from the others waiting. Instead... they came from those brutally killed as they were marched into the fire.
In the crowd of Elven prisoners, one woman glared defiantly at her captors rather than stoically face her fate. The Orcs around her jabbed at her and pushed her around. She couldn't stop glancing at her father, the one on display. The Orc torturer was about to pull the lever to hang the Elven man. The girl, watching in horror, was about to let loose a savage cry of grief when suddenly the telltale sound of several arrows streaking across the courtyard gave her pause. One arrow impacted the side of the torturers head, the other cut the noose rope and hit the other executor between the eyes.
Aleksandyr saw her now. Zhannah. She turned to see him standing atop the wall and screamed his name instead. Aleks nocked two more arrows and let them fly towards a pair of Orcs now running towards him. He turned to another group and sent an arrow at the knee of the leading Orc who tumbled to ground and tripped up the rest of his foul kin. Aleks dropped from the wall and ran towards the Elves.
An Orc intercepted midway, more coming quickly, as Aleks quickly slashed with his short sword and dagger. The first fell quickly. He turned and threw the dagger which impacted a second in the forehead. He spun his sword and stabbed backwards through his cloak at a third coming up behind him. He dashed forward, pulling an arrow, and stabbed a fourth Orc in the eye and shot a fifth behind that one.
He reached the Elves and began releasing them. Zhannah shouted a warning in Elvish and Aleks dodged barely. He turned and threw his bow over the top of the Orc captains head, kicked his boot out at his chest and pushed. He let the bow go... and it snapped forward with a crunch against the Orcs face. The captain dropped unconscious. Aleks turned to finish releasing the captive Elves. Zhannah threw her arms around him and kissed him deeply.
"Are you ok my love?" Aleks asked quietly.
She nodded. "I am... now." Her eyes widened. "My father!"The two immediately rushed to his side. Though injured, he was alive.
An Orcish horn sounded in the distance.
Aleks looked up, and he and Zhannah met each others gaze. "There will be more." He offered, as she nodded.
"We must move quickly." She said, holding her father up as she rose to her feet.
The group armed themselves and made their way from the camp. Aleks lagged behind some, collecting his gear, and making sure of their escape. Several quicks traps at the gate and path leading from the camp and he vanished into the woods.
******** Later *********
Zhannah woke, the warmth of clean blankets and the smell of fresh flowers made her spirit brighten. The dread was gone, her wounds were healing, and her strength was returning.
"You are awake." She heard a voice beside her. Opening her eyes, she focused on the face.
"Sister?" Zhannah whispered.
Her sister smiled and nodded.
"Where am I?"
"Duillond, Zhannah. Rest now though... you will be well enough soon." She said softly.
"Where... where is Aleks?" Zhannah said sleepily.
"He has gone for the North Downs. He left a letter, and a promise to return." She stroked her sister forehead. "Do not worry sister. Your love will return to you before long."
*********** Elsewhere *********
"So you freed them?" Belledandy smiled, sharpening her knife.
Aleks nodded. His eyes scanned the horizon. "Morning comes. We must make our move. We have Orcs to kill..."
Belledandy followed her friend as he moved towards the camp in the distance. She sighed. "I best keep you alive then."
((My inexperience with fantasy writing shows, but otherwise I felt an urge. Hopefully it was enjoyable.
))
