Chapter 12
Pierce hurtled through the iridescent rift, a swirling vortex of blue and white light. For a fleeting moment, he glimpsed the other side, a distorted reflection as if peering through the tranquil surface of a pond. A vague, indistinct form shimmered beneath the surface, tantalizingly out of reach. A jolt of disorienting energy coursed through his body, a sensation akin to falling asleep and being abruptly awakened. His mind was a fog, a consequence of the tumultuous journey through the dimensional breach. As the haze cleared, he found himself back in a familiar state of mind.
Without hesitation, he mentally commanded his party to attack. "Kill them all!" he declared, his voice a silent whisper in the minds of his allies. "Hopefully, this portal will seal itself, preventing further incursions into our world."
The party sprang into action, their weapons drawn and spells at the ready. The air crackled with magical energy as they confronted the otherworldly creatures on this side of the rift.
The dim, flickering light of torches illuminated the cavernous barn, casting eerie shadows across the stone walls. A cacophony of roars, grunts, and panicked animal cries filled the air as creatures of all shapes and sizes were herded into crudely constructed pens. Pierce, his senses heightened, quickly assessed the situation. They had been transported to a dark, foreboding place, a sinister operation designed to capture and confine beings from other worlds.
As he moved through the chaos, casting healing spells upon his wounded companions, he couldn't help but marvel at the absurdity of their predicament. "Where the hell did they find a peacock?" Flint exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief as he landed a powerful punch.
Grok, the fearsome orc warrior, chuckled. "Large bird feed many orc, is peacock delicious?" She asked, her tone casual as he commanded her loyal tiger mounts to attack.
Evolon, ever the jokester, offered a more enlightened perspective. "No, peacock is a beautiful bird, highly revered on Earth with whole religions based around its beauty," she explained, her arrow finding its mark.
"We're clear!" Ignus shouted, extinguishing the flames that had engulfed a hulking orc warrior.
"That one is Heavy Guard, those two are Wizards to keep the portal open," Grok explained. "If we remain for more than five minutes without a wizard casting a spell, the portal will close. Very hard to reopen, many resources needed."
Pierce quickly devised a battle plan. "Sounds good to me," he said. "I see two doors. Let's park the tigers hidden by one, Flint by the other, Grok and Bromli to the rafters, Evolon head to the middle of one of the walls without a door, Ignis to the other. I will stay in the middle."
"Stay away from the cages," Ignis warned, just as Evolon yelped after being nipped by an angry chihuahua.
"Good news is communication now stop," Grok explained. "Orcs on this side get no new news from Earth, eventually come to see what wrong, but usually no news is good news."
With their positions secured, the group settled into a tense vigil. The silence was punctuated only by the occasional growl of a caged beast. As the minutes ticked by, they waited, ready to strike at the first sign of trouble.
A hush fell over the group as a small orc, pushing a metal cart of empty cages, entered the room. Before the creature could react, Flint sprang into action, a swift blow from his hammer silencing the orc forever.
"I feel bad about that one," Flint muttered, dragging the body to the side. "Not sporting to sneak up on ya like that, but a job's a job."
Pierce, moved the empty cages into a corner, clearing the line of sight.
A few moments later, two more orcs emerged from the same door. Flint, with practiced efficiency, dispatched one, while Ignis and Evolon combined their efforts to eliminate the other.
"You know, it would be nice to get some help dragging these bastards around," Flint grumbled, adding the two bodies to the growing pile, after looting their weapons and armor of course.
"So far, it seems fresh troops come from Flint's side, and incoming captives head out the door by the tigers," Evolon observed, pointing out the stark contrast between the empty cages on one side and the full on the other.
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"After the portal dissipates, I have an idea," Pierce announced. "Get ready to open all the cages and herd the animals out both doors. We will head out the door by Flint, where they won't expect us."
"Grok, you have six more slots to control beasts," Ignis suggested. "How about some of those big nasties over there?" He pointed to a group of large, aggressive dogs, each confined to its own cage, yet still snarling and snapping at the next.
"They are no tiger," Grok grumbled, "but I guess they will do." With a muttered incantation, she cast a powerful spell, dominating the minds of the six largest dogs. Instantly, the cacophony of barking and snarling subsided, replaced by a tense silence.
Evolon, with ease, swung open the cage doors. One by one, the massive dogs emerged, their demeanor transformed. They walked with a newfound purpose, a sense of calm authority. Without hesitation, they approached the tigers, their bodies relaxing as they settled into the warm embrace of the feline creatures. A collective sigh escaped the group as the once chaotic barn fell silent.
Evolon then turned her attention to the beasts, casting a potent enchantment to enhance their natural abilities.
"Six killer dogs, three tigers, and a drake walk into a barn, tell me if you've heard this one before," Flint quipped, a wry smile playing on his lips.
Just as he finished his joke, a group of five orcs and two wizards march into the barn. Flint, ever the opportunist, leaped from his hiding spot, a swift blow from his hammer silencing one of the wizards. The tigers and dogs, unleashed and empowered, surged forward, a whirlwind of claws and teeth. Evolon and Ignis, their skills honed by countless battles, quickly dispatched the remaining wizard, leaving the remaining orcs to be overwhelmed by the ferocious creatures.
As the final orc met a grisly end, the portal began to shrink, within seconds, it had dwindled to a mere pinprick, then vanished without a trace.
"Okay, Operation Jailbreak, GO, GO, GO, GO!" Pierce shouted, the urgency in his voice palpable. The group sprang into action, releasing the captive animals from their cages. A chaotic stampede ensued as dogs, cats, birds, pigs, cows, and even a few bewildered emus poured out of the barn.
The group followed the panicked animals through a labyrinth of underground tunnels, their path illuminated by sporadic torches. At each intersection, Grok, with her keen instincts, guided them along the correct path. Eventually, they emerged into a vast warehouse, filled with crates labeled in an alien script.
"We take cover here," Grok declared, "I send dogs to map and find way out."
"We need to find the invasion portal," Pierce said, his eyes scanning the warehouse. "Think you can do that, Grok?"
As the group fortified their position behind a makeshift barricade of crates, they awaited the return of the canine scouts.
"Yes, now hush while Grok make map," Grok muttered, pulling out a leather-bound book and a peculiar red pencil. As she began to sketch, the six dogs, her loyal scouts, dispersed, each taking a different path through the labyrinthine tunnels.
"Two orc here, four orc here, exit here with sky above, many orc here dog killed by many orc, must be portal room," Grok reported, her finger tracing the map.
"You are freaking awesome, Grok!" Flint exclaimed, slapping her on the back. "I can smash people in the head with a hammer, and you can just casually map an enemy base in minutes with disposable minions. I think I got the wrong end of the magic stick!"
A mischievous grin spread across Pierce's face. "Slight change of plans," he announced, producing a stack of wizard robes identical to those worn by the orc wizards they had encountered. He distributed the robes among the group, a spark of mischief in his eyes. “We're going to pull off an inside man!”
"Sweet, I looted the other four but really don't think the splash of red blood went with the bright blue and silver look they got going on, wait, inside man is that the one where we hide inside a dead pig at a luau?" Ignis remarked, donning the wizard's robe and pulling the hood over his head.
“No, its the one where Pierce seduces a man and hides the package inside… nevermind” Evolon says with a laugh.
“No you morons, its where we dress up like the bad guys, get close, and kill the bad guys we dressed up as. We have only done it like fifty times in D&D!” Pierce growls.
The group, now cloaked in the guise of wizardly deception, marched down the corridor, their canine and feline companions trailing behind. As they entered the cavern, a breathtaking sight unfolded before them. A vast, cavernous space, dwarfing any human-made structure, stretched out into the distance. Countless orcs, like ants in a colony, moved in a ceaseless procession. Some received weapons, others armor, and all, without question, submitted to the inspection of a towering orc overlord. Once deemed fit, they vanished into a large portal, a gateway their home world.
A scowl creased Pierce's brow as he fell into line behind Grok. He peered through the watery portal, the stark contrast between the sunlit world and the dimly lit cavern a stark reminder of the world they plan to leave behind if successful.
The group approached the five orc wizards, each member positioning themselves behind a target. With a silent, telepathic countdown, they struck. Pierce, with a swift and decisive motion, plunged his ice pick into the back of the nearest wizard's skull. In a blur of motion, he looted the fallen wizard's body, a grim efficiency realizing this is the first time he has actually used the weapon.
Chaos erupted as the remaining orcs scrambled to react. The once orderly procession descended into a frenzied battle. The tigers and dogs, unleashed, tore into the unsuspecting orcs, while the human heroes, cloaked in their stolen robes, unleashed their own brand of mayhem.