Put to the Test

Amala fights for her life against Orcs

4.

Put to the Test

 

They were upon her like a flash of lightning; she reacted without thinking, her swords out with blazing speed.

 

One Orc swung a wicked looking axe at her; she rolled through his legs, slashing as she did.   The brute fell flat, but one of her swords had ended his life before he hit the ground.

 

An Orc swung overhead at her with a great sword.   She gracefully dodged to the right, opening the vein in his neck with a quick slash as he passed.   The Orc behind him tried to bash her with his wooden shield.   She spun as if dancing, one of her swords deflected from its path by the brute’s chainmail.   But her other sword was aimed lower and sent him tumbling over with his innards trailing from him.

 

The fourth Orc swung a long sword at her neck and she crossed her swords in a parry, pushing his sword up high.   He skillfully tried to convert the movement into an overhand slash but was far too slow, for both of her swords impaled him before he could even gain forward momentum for the blow.  

 

She heard a sound behind her and yanked the broadswords free, crouching down as she spun around with both swords flashing.   Her swing cut a leg out from her attacker and he fell over her onto his back.   A quick slash into his face ended his threat.  

 

The next two Orcs had enough time to witness her defense, but it was the glowing red eyes that peered sullenly at them that convinced them to withdraw.   The two turned and ran, yelling at the top of their lungs that a demon was upon them.  

 

Amala knew her appearance would not bluff them for long.   Quickly wiping the blood on the corpse of the nearest Orc, she ran the opposite direction, toward the side of the pass.    Pressing herself up against the rock, she sheathed her swords and threw her hood over her head, then wrapped her Elven cloak around her and waited.   

 

She didn’t have long to wait before -seemingly- a hundred Orcs ran onto the scene.

“Where is she?”   A large Orc captain asked one of the two who had raised the alarm.

“She was here!   Red eyes, I tell you!   A demon - she killed five of our men with a sword in each hand.”

 

The Captain snorted, “Demons don’t use swords, maggot!   She could be hiding among the dead, search them, but make it quick; that coach will reach Southgate soon and they’ll raise the alarm.   You know your orders; get those horsemen put in place and get your butts back to the village!   If they think Orcs did this, we’ll have hell to pay.”

 

“Remember, stab ‘em with the imperial swords and spears, not your own swords.   Hopefully there wasn’t anyone aboard that stagecoach other than the driver.  When you get everything in place, be sure you retrieve the bodies of our men or the whole thing will be exposed.”

         “She’s a demon, Captain, I tell you!   A demon!”

“Well find her and send her back to hell, then!”   The Orc roared, and with a grunt led most of the others off with him.

Reviews

[Elina]

"Quickly wiping the blood on the corpse of the nearest Orc..." I'm not sure if something is missing, here, but it seems like it. ? Is this referring to the blood on her swords?

[Eddie Davis]

Yes, perhaps I need to mention a sword.