Fate's Hand (13 page)

Grumek scrutinized the cliff edge above and saw no other threat, so he urged the party forward. The three orcs were satisfied with their kill, and stood over the creature, breathing heavily. Grumek halted the party when the creature snatched one of his slavers, the large hand tearing into the orc's calf. The other two orcs brought their weapons down again in a fury. Rylan rose up with the orc's leg in his mouth and a large rock in his hand. He grabbed a second orc by the skull and smashed it in with the rock as he opened his mouth to dropped his first victim, then wrenched the spear from his shoulder and thrust it into the fallen beast's chest. He brought his hand around to strike the last orc across the chest. He slowly moved over and grabbed another rock. He slammed the disoriented orc in the head with the rock, then turned around to face the group. Blood dripped from Rylan’s mouth and down his chest.

Grumek barked an order and goblins hurriedly attended to the two slaver brothers Zuk and Rend, removing their metal belts. Orcs came to stand guard around the slaves, using their spears to keep the ragged humans in huddles. Rend and Zuk came forward as they unslung their weapons of choice. A massive double-headed axe for Rend, and for Zuk, a mace with spikes as long as a man’s hand. Zuk and Rend sized up the creature standing in the path and began wading into the pass. They walked out to opposite sides and closed in. Rylan kept his eyes on the axe-wielding Rend. As the half-ogre came to stand to his left, Rylan turned completely, putting his back to Zuk. The half ogre took the opening, surging forward and cracking the mace across the man’s back.

Rylan howled but withstood the pain and started forward at Rend with his claw outstretched. Rend met the advance with a slash of his axe at the man’s chest. Rylan went to one knee, but immediately bolted up, thrusting one hand into Rend’s mouth and using the other to gouge at the half-ogre’s eyes, digging his thick finger nails into the sockets. Rend's bellowing rattled the rings on his belt and the axe tumbled out of his hands. Zuk tugged on the mace, but its spikes were stuck fast in Rylan’s back.

Rylan went with the mace's pull and with Rend's clambered push, throwing himself backward. The mace lodged into his back and caught Zuk in the chest as they crashed into the valley wall. Rylan heaved backward, pressing and slamming Zuk against the rocks and enduring the spikes in his flesh. Both shouted in dolorous exertion and and clattered to the ground. Grumek looked on, mouth hanging open at the sight of Rend on his hands and knees, gushing blood from both eyes and whimpering through a shattered jaw.

The orc leader took stock of his party of orcs and slaves and began to administer orders when an arrow came down, striking the top of his collar bone and sinking deep in his chest. He grasped at the arrow and sunk to his knees. The remaining orcs searched for the archer, frantically pointing arrowhead and spearpoint at each dark crevice. Goblin slaves in the back began to flee and the orcs shot arrows into their backs. The human slaves began to scream and drew the party's attention to the pass ahead. Rylan had rolled over and freed the mace from his back. Blood poured out from his numerous wounds, pattering the rocks below as he stepped over the bodies toward the group. With a vicious swing of the massive weapon, Rylan smashed the massive weapon across the back of Rend’s head, caving it in. He pulled the weapon up and kicked away Zuk's weak fumbling at his ankles.

Val threw his blanket off and jumped into the pass as the group began retreating. An orc charged Val with a spear and was quickly slashed across his chest. The orc fell and rolled across the loose stones, lifeless. The others looked at Val in fear. Another arrow came down and sunk into an orc's back. Then everything went to chaos.

Several orcs ran forward, abandoning the slaves to run around the large, slow creature ahead of them, but Rylan chucked the mace and stuck the first orc in the face. Rylan leaped forward and grabbed the next orc, biting into him as it hacked at Rylan’s body with a short sword. Asher came to the edge of the pass, firing down on the slavers while the chaos ensued.

Two orcs charged Val simultaneously.

His red hand jerked the sword from his grip, throwing it into the chest of one of the orcs with a resounding thud, catching the attention of the second orc. He skidded to a halt and gave Val the opportunity to attack. With no weapon, he charged the orc, praying his hand would take the lead. The orc saw him coming and braced the spear before him. Val's red hand slapped the spearhead away. Meanwhile, he rolled with the motion of his arm and brought it around with the spin to slam the orc across the cheek. He cringed as the orc's jaw shattered under the blow. Val used his free hand to grab the spear from the orc as the creature fell back, holding its face. An arrow came down into the stunned creature’s chest and finished him off. Val looked up to the cliff face to thank Asher, but the man was already on the move again, sending more arrows into the pass.

Val observed the fighting in the pass and felt a twinge of panic. Bodies in the front went flying as Rylan used his massive arms to throw the attacking orcs around. Val scanned the ground and huddles of slaves for Daria, but couldn’t find her. He saw several orcs using the slaves as shields. He caught Daria’s terrified eyes as an orc held her hair like the grip on his human shield.

Val’s vision blurred as he focused on his sister and bit back his rage. He ripped his sword from the chest of the dead orc and began wading through the bodies in pure focus. Arrows and weapons flew on all sides but never hit him. The orc holding Daria was shouting orders to the survivors when he spotted Val. He gripped Daria harder and directed her between himself and the man. Daria’s eyes went wide, and she tried to yell out his name, but could only scream out in pain and grab at the orc’s hand.

A goblin tried to run past Val, who struck out with his sword and cut the creature down. A large orc with several arrows protruding from his back threw aside a pair of slaves and bull rushed Val with a two-handed axe. Val switched weapons between his hands, spun around and threw the spear, at the coming orc, stopping the huge creature in mid-stride. Val continued his advance on the orc holding his sister. The orc began to panic and finally Daria was able to let loose a word.

“Val!”

The orc holding her looked from Daria to Val, then back to Daria. He gave a black-tooth grin as he released his grip slightly, only to roll his wrist, twisting his fingers deeper into her hair for a stronger hold. Val never changed his face or stride, but tears began to form at the edge of his eyes. The orc took a few menacing steps at Val, trying to shake the man up. Val edged closer and brought his sword up, with his left hand, to make a slash across the orc’s face. The orc held Daria out in the sword's direction to prevent the strike. Val took one long step and began to jump up into the air, his sword reaching high behind him by his left hand. Val released the handle of the sword and let it drop behind his back. The young man began rotating his shoulder and pulled his arm as if to strike the orc with a powerful downward slam. His right hand reached out in amazing speed and caught the sword from behind Val and spun the blade around as the man came down with his feign attack. The orc looked on with confusion as his high block was left untouched and the man's sword pierced into his chest.

Val released the sword and shouldered the dying orc out of the way. He immediately whirled around to face Daria and secure her.

Val sobbed and brought her in close, clutching onto her tightly. The tears that had been held back finally fell free and he laughed as he held her. The scrape of metal and a dying cry brought him back to reality. Val turned and pushed his sister back as he dodged the weak attack of an injured orc. Val kicked at the creature’s knee, then snatched its sword away. Before the orc’s knee could touch down, Val slashed cross-wise and took him in the throat. Val turned to his sister, tears still in his eyes, and gave direction in a cold, serious tone.

“Hide with the others.”

Daria squeezed at his arm and began to protest, but Val ripped away from her grip. “You’re safe now, but we have yet to make it out of here alive.”

He rejoined the fight.

Rylan was down again as several orcs ganged up on him. One berserk orc was hacking away and Val saw the arm Rylan was using to guard against the onslaught finally sever. Val bounded through the chaos in the pass to help. The orc screamed out and raised his weapon up to attack Rylan’s now exposed chest, but an arrow came down between his shoulder blades. He dropped the axe behind his back and fell to his knees. Val used his shoulder to knock the orc off Rylan and battered away an attack from his flank until an another arrow came from above to end it.

Val seized the dying orc, shoving him into the last orc attacking Rylan. As the attacker became pinned against the rocks by his dying comrade, Val impaled both orcs with the same thrust. Val planted his boot into the corpse's back and pulled his sword free to stand guard over his bloodied friend. A hand firmly grabbed at Val’s leg and dug into his skin with its nails. Val yelped and slapped his sword down, knocking the hand away. He watched as Rylan’s arm rolled across the ground. Amazed, he watched as the wrist bent and fingers extended like legs to crawl across the ground.

“
Sorry,” Rylan said in a low, gargled tone.

“
Are you okay?” Val asked, wide-eyed.

“
I’ll be fine. Let’s finish this.”

Rylan grabbed a nearby spear to help him to his feet. A short sword came flying across the valley, and Val ducked as it spun past him and into Rylan’s leg. The large man gritted his teeth and let out a hissing sigh. He released the spear and took hold of the sword, pulling it from his leg. Across the valley, three orcs made their last stand.

“Val…” Rylan dropped to the earth. “You’ve got this kid.”

On the cliff face, his brother ran along the edge, firing arrows at the returned scout party.

“Alone,” he said as he held out the blood-covered sword. “But first, please give me that bottle.” Rylan pointed out to the bottle laying in the rocks.

Val eyed the three orcs, who were unwilling to give up their slaves, then hustled over to retrieve Rylan’s bottle, brought it back, and uncapped it.

“Just a little on the shoulder, please.”

Val poured the blood across Rylan’s already bloodied body.
             

“
Now, go finish it. I’ll be fine.” Rylan laid back and closed his eyes.

Val watched, almost sure Rylan was going to stop breathing at any moment. When he didn’t, Val finally picked up the second sword to face the three orcs. As soon as he turned, another weapon left laying among the dead was spinning in his direction. He deflected the weapon and sent it flying past him.

The surviving orcs looked like they were no stranger to battle. One stepped out before the other two, stone axe in hand. Val kept his left-handed sword before him, and his right hand hanging beside him. The challenger raised the stone axe only steps away from the man and charged. Val brought his left sword up in a block, but at the last moment, the orc slashed down his weapon early and shifted to the side. The others came in low behind him with daggers and tried to undermine Val’s high guard.

Val’s right hand came out and connected with the oncoming daggers, sending them to his side. Val’s left hand went wide in the deflection and the axe-wielding orc came down with the sharp stone, gashing Val's upper arm. He dropped the sword and pulled his arm in. His right hand twirled the sword he held around his fingers and thrust it into the exposed neck of one orc and across the wrist of the second one, all in one fluid motion. The monster grabbed his neck wound, but still managed to slash back with his dagger and sink it into Val’s right forearm. Val felt the pain shoot down his fingers and up into his shoulder. His hand lost its grip and his sword fell.

The young man stumbled back, holding both injured arms close to his body. The first orc held his neck wound and lost his footing. The second orc was binding his wrist in cloth, flashing a victorious smile. The third orc stood tall and proud, axe in hand. He looked past Val at Rylan still laying on the ground, then up to the edge. Asher was nowhere in sight. Val could hear what sounded like orcs yelling out orders above. The orc with the stone axe smiled and strolled over to Val. Val tripped on a dead goblin and fell, putting his injured arms out to catch his weight. He ground his teeth in pain, and blood poured from his wounds. He felt something under his right hand. He searched with his fingers and wrapped them around the handle of a weapon as the orc got closer.

Val felt the texture of the leather handle and began to raise the weapon up when it hit him: he could feel the handle. Actually feel the leather, soaked in fresh blood. He looked down at his hand and the sword in it. It was several times longer and thicker than any weapon he had ever picked up, yet he held it with ease. The blade was a dull grey and had several nicks across the edge. The orc slowed down at the sight of the greatsword pointed his way. Val looked past the blade and narrowed his eyes. He rolled his legs underneath his body and stood up without using an arm. Val stretched his arm out to his right. The orc slowly turned his head to look down Val’s arm, then to the end of the sword.