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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ScyldSceafing" data-source="post: 826557" data-attributes="member: 5928">Fighting the slaversThree of the first volley of arrows from Laucion's ranging found a home in one particular orc near the end of the line. At the moment that he squealed briefly, grunted and fell, fully half the orc guards were past the washout and around the turn in the path. The prisoners were stopped, measuring the prospect of crossing the washout while in legirons. One orc was screaming at them to move. Bjorn was behind them, in the midst of the seven orcs who followed the prisoners - what he thought of as his 'rearguard.'Eladkot took one look over his shoulder, saw the orcs whirling and looking for battle, and pushed. Bunched up and bound as they were, the six prisoners tumbled head over foot down the shale incline. Once at the bottom, some 40 feet from the orcs, they lay there a moment, trying to feel if anything was broken.The young girl, Lala, had taken a nasty knock on the head and was unconscious. The Dwarf quickly determined that she was not seriously injured, at least not yet; not compared to what awaited her if this battle went poorly.For battle it was, suddenly. Another rain of arrows came from the treeline, and another orc fell. The remaining orcs were hurriedly readying their weapons, shouting for help and screaming instructions at each other. Two attempted to fire blindly into the trees; three others pulled greataxes out and began moving toward the trees, dodging and weaving.The shouting had gained the attention of the orcs who had crossed the washout, Eladkot could see, but returning hurriedly cost them. One fell, tumbling down the incline. Suddenly Eladkot realized he wasn't as unarmed as he thought - his hands were free, as were all the prisoners'."Rocks!" he shouted. "Use the rocks!"*-*-*For Wyn, it was all happening too quickly. All the time spent training hadn't prepared her for the rush of blood she felt as the orcs began screaming instructions and charging at her position. She couldn't think; she couldn't move; she couldn't speak.She could shoot, though.After the second volley, Laucion and Cassa leapt out of hiding, drawing their swords and rushing up to meet the axe-wielders. Those crossbowmen will pick them apart, she thought fearfully, and then realized that the human with the orcs - the one who was not bound - was gesturing and speaking, although she could not hear the words. She did see him covered briefly in a reddish glow.Mother, I love you flitted through her mind before she could shrug off the thought. She wouldn't think about dying. No. Not now. Not yet. Instead, she drew her bow and took aim at the human on the hill, waiting to see if he would try to flee or stay to fight.He did neither, instead opting to speak and gesture again - the last mistake he ever made. Wyn's arrow hit him in the side, and he staggered back against the cliff-face, his dark robes suddenly darker with his blood. T'lyl put one in his thigh, and Wyn's next found the man's throat. He clutched at the shaft, blood pouring between his fingers, took one small step forward, and then collapsed onto the path, dying.*-*-*Serves you right, you craven b------, the Dwarf thought. Die and get your pay, slaver.But he had little time for revenge. Surviving would be enough. Ridiculously, another orc had fallen trying to hurry past the washout, and now those two orcs were closing in on the slaves, battleaxes drawn. They mean to kill us just for fun now, the Dwarf thought.The prisoners' rock-throwing was causing the pair some grief, true - both were bleeding from wounds to the head - but for a moment the Dwarf wondered about the wisdom of Eladkot's leadership. Maybe if we'd just laid still, they wouldn't have...The Dwarf's moment of secret cowardice was interrupted by a scream near the trees.*-*-*Laucion's battle-cry was a fearsome thing, and he plunged into melee with abandon. He parried the first axe-blow aimed at him easily and answered with a whirling, two-handed riposte that cut just below the orc's ribs. The orc made an oddly gentle sound of surprise - "Oh ..." - and fell immediately.The second orc arrived a moment later. The ground, suddenly slick with blood, gave Laucion no aid, and as he struck a killing blow, the orc's final axe-strike took him in the shoulder. He screamed in shock and pain, his right hand still holding the sword which was buried hilt-deep in the second orc. The two enemies fell to the ground, their blood mingling, their bodies tangled and languid as lovers on a hot afternoon."No!" shouted Wyn and T'lyl in unison.*-*-*Whistling rock after rock at the advancing orcs, Eladkot felt a sort of fierce joy surge through him. The first was almost upon him, and he had an idea. All we've got are rocks and chains, he thought. So let's use 'em.The closest orc tried to grab at the coffle, apparently intending to drag the chain of slaves away from the fight. Eladkot used that moment to push the man in front of him into the orc, then pile forward. The orc seemed surprised to be resisted, oddly, and the three set to grappling.Just as the second orc arrived at the slaves, the fierce elf - the one whose battle-cry had briefly shamed the Dwarf - was cut down. The Dwarf and the women reacted violently - tugging the small girl a couple of feet, they snatched at the orc, surrounding him. As he aimed an axe-blow at one of the women - who dodged it - the Dwarf kicked his legs out from under him.The human women had suffered much at the hands of these orcs. Now, one of the orcs was injured, disarmed and prone in front of them. After a few seconds, The Dwarf had to look away, even while holding the slaver pinned. Screaming wordlessly in their rage, the women pounded down, rocks in hand. Blood began to rise into the air like mist.*-*-*A few orcs from the vanguard saw the human women howling and killing, saw the elves shooting and slaying, and decided that there was no one left to report them if they simply ran away. So they did.*-*-*"Ho there," the serious-looking elf girl said, eyeing the corpses of the orcs. Her voice was accented with the sing-song cadence of native Elvish. Eladkot made his way down the line, unlocking his fellow slaves, while the Dwarf tended briefly to the little girl. "We ... we have lost one. Or perhaps not. Do any of you have healing magics? I'm afraid he cannot swallow.""I can," the Dwarf said. "Much as I hate to touch an elf, I think he's earned it." Can't have them thinking I was scared, of course. There's the image to uphold, he thought. He rapidly made his way to the fierce elf, who lie very near death. A few prayers and the blessing of Moradin coursed through him, though; within minutes he was up, moving painfully, thanking them."I'm Laucion. This here's Cassa, and T'lyl, and Wyn," he said, coughing and wincing slightly."Eladkot at your service, sir. And thank you for the help. Don't know what we'd have done without you.""You'd have been sold at market in the Pomarj. Shipped off somewhere. That's what would've happened.""Ah. Well then. Thanks are ..."The elf girl Wyn stepped up and interrupted, and Laucion seemed thankful to get to sit down. "Enough, human. I know you are thankful. Now let's get ready to go. We've got a few days' travel to Enstad.""Enstad? Our destination is north of here, not south. And we-""You're coming with us. What happens after that is up to you. I can't leave people who can't take care of themselves-""We can-"" -- out here with these orcs looking for slaves. So let's go." The other victims seemed to feel the idea was acceptable. After a rest, the group set out south, skirting the hills, using hidden paths that the elves pointed out. It was slow travel, and quiet.As dusk crept in, the group set up camp, and Laucion came to his healer. "Master dwarf. I understand I owe you thanks, and so I give it. Might I have your name?"In for iron, out for gold, thought the Dwarf. "Tankar, acolyte of Moradin. Uh, at your service."Nodding, Laucion gestured at his shoulder. "I thank you for your name, Tankar of Moradin. And your faith." Smiling teasingly, he said, "I am glad you consented to touch me."Next: We meet a gnome with a lot on his mind, and wonder what in the world we've done.</blockquote>

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