Questlander

Chapter 5: Storm and Steel

It was under the storm laden night that the enemy approached the cave. They had moved slowly through the underbrush for the trails were too slick with mud. They came quietly, their carefree footfalls hidden by thunder claps  and the patter of rain. But worse of all, they approached with wicked hearts, intending to do wicked deeds. 

For the party of orcs were angry and wanted vengeance. Two of their kin had been slain, when they should have been the ones to butcher. They had been humiliated and chased off. They all wanted revenge and the umbrauz seized upon these emotions.

The umbrauz, the pale and colorless imitation of an elf whose eyes were dark pits, sought out the orcs, sensing their emotions of spite and hate. It used these emotions to ensnare their minds. An insidious magic that forced the orcs to focus solely on vengeance.

 As the storm began, the shadow stalker led its party towards the cave. It had planned to come quietly, up the hill side and take Kael and Yarlin in surprise. But the sudden exposure of light, mixed with the intense rage of the orcs put its schemes to sunder. For the orcs upon being seen and seeing Yarlin charged in a frenzy of seething madness. Those that carried short bows dropped them, and all eight of the fiends dawned their crooked blades.

It was all together fortunate that this occurred. For otherwise, if the orcs had maintained a clear head and came at their own bidding, they would have surely shot Kael and Yarlin with arrows. The pair would have been skewered and their tale ended. Instead the orcs came rushing into the cave erratically; each arriving by their own pace. Two of the orcs, slipped in the mud falling back the way they came. One other slid on the slick smooth stone outside the cave, crashing into two of its companions. Only three of the eight came barreling into the crevasse, the fastest a few feet ahead of its companions.

It came right after Yarlin, who sprang to his feet grasping his black dagger. The orc swung its steel, but Yarlin parried the attack. He stepped to the side as the orc came crashing by in an uncontrolled manner. With a quick thrust between the shoulders, the dagger penetrated the orc from behind and finished it.

Kael by this time had begun to engage to the two orcs by the cave's entrance. The first of the two charged straight towards Yarlin, its eyes affixed only to him.  Kael took the opportunity and landed a heavy blow towards this orc, dropping it at once. The other orc pivoted towards Kael and thrusted its blade right at Kael's chest. However, Kael was much more agile and danced back away from the blow. The blade only managed to graze his arm. The orc came in from another swipe, but its movements were too rigid. Kael blocked the strike and thrusted his elven blade ending the orc in front of him.

 Yarlin, now with the accompany of his spear, joined beside Kael. Three more orcs stood firm at the entrance, holding their ground in a proper fighting formation. The last two orcs had recovered  from their fall and were at the moment making their way to join their comrades. The umbrauz walked up, nonchalantly drawing its own foul weapon. It was a black blade with a starlight background. As the blade moved so did the stars that paints its surface. It pointed its blade right at Kael and moved forth to meet him.

"I'll dispatch these orcs!" cried Yarlin. His right arm extended, and his spear point aimed at the head of an orc. The orcs together, blocked the thrust and stepped closer chanting in their fowl tongues.

"On it!" Kael cried back. His eleven steel met the shadow's steel as the two thrusted their swords at each other. Their blades clattered against each other spraying water from the cut raindrops. The duel became a dance, each combatant moving wildly with their feet and matching rhythms with their strikes. 

Yarlin moved forth with his spear, striking the orc on the left. The other two moved in for their attacks. One was blocked by Yarlin's dagger, and the other struck Yarlin's side. It was not a deep cut, as most of the blade was hampered by Yarlin's studded armor but the blade did come away with blood.