The Escape
We spent two more days in the mountains without building a fire.
Despite keeping our distance, we were too close to the orcs’ territory. Lighting a fire would draw attention, so we held back.
Nighttime glow is to be expected, but we could dig a pit in the ground and hide the flames there.
Placing twigs over the smoke exit to deflect the trail helped a little.
Still, getting rid of the scent was tough.
There were ways to minimize it, but the process was too complicated for the effort.
Biscuits are made from flour and water, baked to a very low moisture content—perfect for a night watch.
A dry, bland lump of baked flour. But add chopped dried meat and water, boil it, and it becomes a decent gruel.
Unfortunately, right now I had to hide under a tree and slowly melt a piece of dry biscuit in my mouth.
“This stuff tastes like garbage. We’re eating this, but only that guy gets the royal treatment?”
Under a nearby tree, Ferdi was melting biscuits like me while Lotte gnawed on a bone. He spoke up.
Ferdi was right. The sack we brought from Yan had a huge share of those bones.
“He can’t eat flour, so there’s no choice.”
“Haha, lucky you. You look confident bringing a wolf into battle.”
“Well, he does his share. No need to worry.”
“Haha, got it.”
Ferdi’s attitude had been sour since our duel. Judging by it, he seemed to have little experience beyond his years.
After losing on skill, I thought he’d calm down, but he’s the opposite type.
I’d fix him if I had time, but we were entering the orc village tomorrow. For now, I’d just watch.
I hoped he’d fight the orcs as viciously as he fought me—bad temper and all.
When I offered no reply, Ferdi fell silent.
Senior Knight Stipe gave his orders.
“Enter the orc settlement at noon once their forces have cleared out. Conserve your strength.”
I stroked Lotte’s bone-chewing head and closed my eyes.
·
·
·
By noon the next day, we moved out.
Dragging our horses, we stayed silent until we reached the clearing between the trees and tied the mounts there.
I gave Lotte his orders.
“Stay here and guard until we return.”
Knowing we had to stay quiet, Lotte didn’t bark but perked his ears and scanned the surroundings.
Ferdi let out a short laugh at the sight.
“Whoa, that wolf’s guarding the horses…”
“Quiet now. Let’s go.”
I said it and walked past.
Leading the way through the forest path, Stipe left Ferdi fuming in my wake.
After a while a strange, rotten stench filled the air.
Animal bones and entrails hung from the trees.
“The orcs are marking their territory. The village is right up ahead.”
Stipe explained, drawing his sword quietly. The rest of us followed suit, unsheathing without a sound.
I had participated in the orc village raid before my regression.
We hung the entrails on the outer perimeter to mask our own scent and buried the orcs’ smell beneath.
Humans would just find the stench unpleasant. Small animals, however, avoided anything carrying that smell.
Soon we saw orc tents roofed with branches and animal hides atop wooden logs.
If they were holding hostages, they’d be in prisons or pens, not these tents.
Because their strength was nearly gone, no orcs appeared at first.
Still, we slipped into the outer underbrush without revealing ourselves and circled the village.
Then Stipe stopped and pointed with his finger.
In a cage meant to contain beasts, a man in dirt-caked armor bowed his head. O r c guards stood watch nearby.
Green-skinned, 2 meters tall, with broad shoulders and thick chests. Overdeveloped muscles twitched under his skin. Not as refined as humans, yet the one-handed axe and thick sword he carried looked savage. These were truly fierce, terrifying warriors.
Six of them surrounded the cage.
If we attacked, more would pour out. We had to rescue the hostages and leave fast.
With five knights, we could strike quickly.
Stipe leaped to his feet.
“Let’s go!”
The others rose at once and spread wide, charging forward.
“…!”
The orcs saw us in armor and jumped. Their eyes widened in shock.
“Kyiik! Humans! Humans are attacking—!”
The orcs tried to shout something else but raised their axes in time to block Ion’s thrust.
Clang!
Ion held back the axe’s force.
“Kyiik…?”
p>The orc looked startled. Ion spun his sword into the orc’s torso.
The orc swung his axe sideways.
Clang! The metal met metal again. Ion worried the axe might snap, but we stayed clear.
He slashed quickly.
The blunt axe couldn’t keep up with the speed.
Wounds sliced across the orc’s limbs in an instant.
“Kyuuk!”
Even orcs feel pain when flesh is cut and blood flows. Their minds falter.
Minor cuts were inevitable, but the axe’s movements slowed at vital points.
Ion drove his blade deep.
Crack! The sword sank between chest and shoulder.
“Kuek!”
The orc’s left hand lost all strength.
Ion immediately slashed both inner thighs, dropping him, then stabbed the base of his tail.
“Kyiik…!”
Goblins make a keuk sound by spitting once, but orcs roar with their protruding fangs.
The orc fell with a kyiik.
As the orc’s throat snapped, power flooded Ion’s limbs.
It felt like extra strength in the muscles.
He dashed to Stipe fighting two orcs and swung at one’s leg.
“Kwoh!”
The wounded orc staggered sideways. Stipe’s sword took the startled orc beside him.
Ion stabbed the fallen orc’s tail again to end it. Stipe drove his blade into the remaining orc’s chest.
“Help the other knights! I’ll open the gate!”
Following Stipe’s order, Ion turned.
The remaining three orcs each faced a knight.
Two fought well, dodging attacks.
One didn’t—Ferdi was foolishly slamming into his foe with raw strength.
Without Ion’s blessing of extra power, human strength couldn’t match orcs. Ferdi was relying on brute force because his skill was lacking.
Ion moved beside Ferdi and blocked the swinging axe.
Clang!
“Get our hostages!”
“W-what…?”
“Hurry!”
“Y-yes!”
Ferdi stepped back. Ion faced the orc.
The axe was different but heavy. The downward swing carried immense force.
Ion, however, possessed rare strength.
He shattered the orc’s descending axe and drove his sword into the open chest.
Joining the others, he finished the last orcs.
Meanwhile Stipe rescued Martin and lifted the uselessly strong Ferdi to carry him.
Oh! At least he’s useful.
Stipe ordered Ferdi to carry Martin first.
“Come on! Let’s escape!”
He sent Stipe ahead, then ran back to defend the approaching orcs. The group broke from the village.
We ran through the forest when belated shouts rang out.
“Kyiik! Ambush!”
“They took the hostages!”
“Chase them!”
***
Ka-gaang!
Ion blocked an orc’s swinging axe that burst from the trees.
Once Ion stopped the axe, the knights drove their blades into the orc’s body.
Fair one-on-one duels belong on the field of honor, not in a desperate flight like now.
At the front, Stipe cleared the path. Behind him, Ferdi carried Martin and sprinted with sweat pouring.
The remaining three blocked the pursuing orcs.
If Ion held the center, Emil and Hadwin would attack from the sides and push them back.
We didn’t need to kill them.
In battle, wounded pursuers can be more hindrance than help.
“Kuuuuk!”
Orcs lay bleeding on the ground. Others who burst from the underbrush ignored the wounded.
That’s the orcs’ nature—neither caring for comrades nor their own wounds. It allowed them to become a powerful fighting race.
“Kyiik! Die!”
Ion and the two knights blocked the fresh orc’s attack.
If Ion held the front, Emil and Hadwin would deflect and counter.
The orc pushed harder on Ion’s sword with his axe, but Ion held firm.
“Kyiik! Humans! Why so strong?!”
“I’m just like this!”
“Kuuuu!”
The green-skinned orc strained until his face flushed red.
Ion strained until veins bulged on his arms.
Grit! Grit!
The axe and blade scraped with a horrible screech.
When force wasn’t enough, the orc eased slightly, then swung again.
Ion scratched the axe’s side and slashed the hand gripping the handle.
Swish!
Fingers flew. The orc dropped his axe in shock.
“Ooh…?”
Ion’s sword pierced the surprised orc’s throat as he stared at his own severed fingers and the fallen axe.
“An orc appeared ahead!”
Stipe shouted.
Ion felt the throat snap and extra power flow into his limbs. He yanked the sword free and charged forward.
Stipe blocked three orcs’ swords and retreated.
Ion checked the map in his eyes and leaped ahead, slashing downward.
Stipe’s axe-wielding arm was severed by Ion’s blade.
“Kyaaaa!”
Ion left the severed arm and stabbed the orc facing Stipe in the belly.
He swept sideways, slicing the neighboring orc.
In an instant Stipe had neutralized the three orcs and ended their lives one by one. Power surged through him.
Each orc defeated added a bit more strength. The stronger he grew, the easier the remaining orcs became.
“Huff! Huff!”
Martin, still dazed, and Ferdi, exhausted from carrying him, panted.
Seeing Ferdi, Stipe offered his back.
“Hand Martin over to me.”
“Y-yes, of course.”
Ferdi, drenched in sweat, handed Martin over and sat heavily.
“Ion, take care of Ferdi for me.”
Stipe entrusted the seated Ferdi to the knights, then summoned Emil and Hadwin to guard him.
“We’re leaving first. Hurry and follow!”
Stipe didn’t wait for an answer and rode off with the two knights.
I watched Ferdi gulp water desperately.
“You’re tired, but we must leave now. If we lag, you’ll be left behind.”
“Y-yes.”
Slung over my shoulder, Ferdi stood on wobbly legs.
I sighed and steadied him.
“Let’s hurry!”
“S-sorry.”
Ferdi had seen Ion fight while carrying Martin. The skill gap hit him, softening his pride.
Still, we had to move fast.
Stipe didn’t seem the type to wait if we delayed.
We might truly be left behind.
·
·
·
We reached the clearing where we had tied the horses. Stipe and the two knights arrived.
Stipe helped Martin onto his horse and mounted in front. He bound Martin securely with cloth so he wouldn’t fall.
“Everyone on your horse! We depart immediately!”
Hardwin asked.
“Shouldn’t we wait for Ion and Ferdi?”
“Hostage rescue comes first.”
“Still, waiting and going together would…”
“The two of them will catch up on their own. You saw us fighting.”
“But…”
Stipe cut Hardwin off before he finished.
“If you can’t catch up, there’s nothing we can do. Better to give us time to escape than die in vain. If you truly want to wait, stay here, Hardwin.”
“No, I can’t.”
Forced to obey the cold Stipe, Hardwin had no choice.
“Then let’s go.”
The three rode the forest clearing and into the narrow forest path.
In the clearing, Ferdi’s horse and Yan’s were still tied. Even as Stipe’s group galloped past, Lotte watched the trail Ion had taken and waited.
***
“Kung! Kung! Kung!”
Carrying Ferdi and running, I heard Lotte barking.
“We’ll reach the clearing soon! Hold on a little longer.”
“Y-yes…”
We had fought pursuing orcs on the way here.
While Ion battled, Ferdi was too exhausted to move, so recovery time was short. His recovery had slowed even more.
Still, we barely reached the clearing while carrying him.
“Kung-kung!”
Lotte wagged his tail and barked happily.
Only two horses remained.
“W-we left them…”
Ferdi was stunned at the empty clearing.
“The hostage rescue comes first, apparently. Let’s go quickly. Mount up.”
“Y-yes.”
Ferdi tried to climb when—
Slash!
An axe flew and
Thud!
Buried itself in the neck of the horse Ferdi was mounting.
“Hiiing!”