The Guardian
Chapter 8: Decisions
I warned my champion to regroup with the others. He was outnumbered where he was currently positioned. I watched him cut a path through the Orc horde, I was pleasantly surprised the larger Orc let him go. The larger Orc simply watched him leave.
I started focusing my attention to all the other gates in the town. I frowned when I noticed most of the soldiers were being pushed back by the Orcs. The Orcs were simply superior when it came to combat, but the Humes had something the Orcs didn't have, and it was the Priests. Any injured soldier was healed and they returned to fighting, but as more time passed by, the Priest started healing less and less, and more casualties began building up. The outer region of the town was controlled by the Orcs. The inner region was still relatively safe.
The eastern gate was the only area that wasn't taken over by the Orcs. My champion playing a massive part in the defences with the help of the soldiers.
- -
“O mighty being, lend me your power! Minor Heal!”
Amelia chanted the words, and a light enveloped the man in front of her. The wounds stopped bleeding but many bruises remained. The soldier picked up his sword and returned to the front line after he thanked her. Amelia started chanting again to heal the next soldier waiting to be healed.
She let her eyes wander to the streets. She could see the houses that was torn down, and many planks being used to obstruct the Orcs from swarming them. She could see many bodies on the ground that was killed, both Humes and Orc kind, and there was the scent of blood that overwhelmed her. But her eyes constantly returned to the man that was holding many Orcs at bay. He held so much strength, most of the regular Orc-kind was no much for him. Who was he? How did he obtain so much power? Why was there so much of the source in him? Her mind was burning with curiosity, but she knew her priorities. Healing the injured was her first duty.
Amelia sighed when her mana ran out. She walked up the group of Priests that came after she and Furer arrived here. The Priest with the most mana recovered stopped mediating and replaced Amelia as healer. She could see everybody was curious who this man was. Most of the priest constantly looking at him.
“Furer, do you know whose that?” Amelia interrupted the mediating Furer.
Furer sighed. He was also curious about him.
“There was man called Trisdan who came to me injured, and it seems like he knew him. He mention his name was Goodwyn,” Furer noted that the man Trisdan sounded completely surprised.
“Goodwyn?” Amelia turned her gaze to the man fighting the Orcs.
He let out a battlecry, and the surrounding soldiers glowed a pale light. To her it looked like a minor shield spell but the minor shield spell could only affect a single target, and she even heard the stronger shield could only target a single individual as well, but it seems his shield could affect the soldiers surrounding him.
All this time the man was at the front lines, and never once retreated to the back to receive a healing spell. The man wasn't a priest, Amelia knew that right away. All priest couldn't fight with a sword and shield, most priest needed their hands free to direct their spells at the target, and some preferred carrying maces or staved but was used as a last resort. She never heard of a priest by lifting up his sword the effect of his magic could spread around him.
- -
Goodwyn parried the sword aiming at him with his shield. He countered immediately by slashing the Orc with his own short sword. He took a step back when another Orc replaced the drying Orc. This repeated constantly. His eyes wandered to the destroyed eastern gate, and he could see the Orc known as WarBane. It hasn't joined the battle yet but Goodwyn could see it was barking out orders.
Sweat formed on his palms.
His cowardly nature was telling him to run. He wasn't meant to be chosen. The essence flowed through him and this steeled his resolve. He couldn't leave, not when his fellow comrades needed him. He turned his head and watched the soldiers battling the orcs around him. He shouted a battlecry and he felt his mana building up within him. A pale light surrounded the men around him. The spell he used was a minor boost to defence, and increased movements slightly.
“Sir Goodwyn! We have orders to retreat into the Inner Region,” a nameless soldier yelled at him.
Goodwyn frowned. This meant all of the outer region was controlled by the orcs and this position was under threat of a pincer attack. Goodwyn nodded, and they retreated deeper into the city. The Orcs stopped attacking that moment.
- -
I watched the Orcs stopped attacking when they gained complete control of the outer region of the town. I wondered what they were planning now. The soldiers in the inner region used this time to regroup and build up proper barricades.
Most of my attention was on the invasion in WhiteCurrent. Since it was night the Humes in other region was either sleeping, or spending time at the taverns. Sunchaser was the most active. There was many tiny skirmishes happening within various parts of the city. The city was completed divided in two, but I needed them to stop and see the situation within WhiteCurrent. I had warn the priests within the churches, and let the Reverent feel my warnings. The self-proclaimed king wasn't close enough to me that I couldn't let him feel what I wanted.
The Orcs' break gave time for the people of WhiteCurrent to form a plan, I could feel everybody's unease and tension. Most of the civilians gathered within the town hall but it wasn't big enough to hold everybody, so they had to use the surrounding buildings as makeshift housing units until a proper plan could be planned.
Within the town hall upper floor, a meeting was being held by the Reverent, Nobles, government officials and the higher members of the Union in the Rain. My champion was also invited to this meeting as well.
“Why is this person here!” I could feel the noble's outburst filled with anger. Most of the nobles murmured confused at an unknown person would be invited to such an important meeting.
“That person is someone who has touched the source,” the head priest replied.
“Bah! This meeting is to discuss the Orc's invasion! Not to discuss your religious ideas!” The noble replied.
“Enough! This person here has distinguished himself in battle. It is his right to be invited to this meeting!” The Reverent said. The nobles quiet down.
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“We have send diplomats to speak with the Orcs but the Orcs only sent the heads back. It seems like we can't discuss this peacefully,” the Reverent frowned.
“This is first contact with an intelligent species! Is war the only way out?!”
“You know how powerful their armies are! They pushed our soldiers all the way into the inner region!”
“We're trapped! We need to escape!”
“We should send word to Sunchaser! Or Cradle!”
“We keep fighting! That's the only thing we can do now!”
“Have you seen how powerful their armies are? They even control large armoured trolls!”
“We have to do something!”
Everybody in the room started yelling and shouting. I could feel their panic settling deep within them. My champion was frowning. I could feel he was tired and exhausted from his earlier skirmish as well. I soothed him, and whispered something to him.
“Hold on...” My champion muttered. His words stopped all the arguments within the meeting.
“What do you mean hold on!” Some noble yelled at him.
“The only thing we can do is brave the storms, hold on to what we have! And send word for reinforcements at Sunchaser!” My champion yelled back.
“We are trapped within the town and have no chance of escaping in a large group, but we can send an elite force to break through the siege and send them to Sunchaser!”
I felt proud at my champion, I could only told him to hold on, but he knew what I wanted. I have already warned Sunchaser, but they needed actually words for reinforcements to be sent. The question was, would Sunchaser actually sent reinforcements when its in civil war.
“Will you be a part of this elite group sir Goodwyn Hielbright?” The Reverent questioned.
“You are our strongest hope in bypassing the Orc's Forces.” The Head Priest agreed.
“I agree, and we must do it right away. The fastest we send out word the faster reinforcements would arrive.” The nobles started agreeing as well.
My champion clenched his fists.
“I will join the elite squad, your Excellency,” my champion bowed at the Reverent.
“We will form the elite squad right away, go prepare while we discuss defences,” the Reverent dismissed him.
- -
Goodwyn sighed. He left the meeting room, and was sent into the armoury to prepare himself. He grabbed a longer sword this time as his short sword was too small in the fights against the Orcs. He looked at his worn out shield. He couldn't believed that he actually fought and helped his fellow soldiers. Would Michael be happy for him?
“So its true. War does change a man. What happened to the coward Goodwyn?” A teasing voice said. Goodwyn turned around and smiled.
“Trisdan, I was hoping I would be seeing you. I'm being-”
“Sent out?” Trisdan cut him off. “I was also invited to join the Elite Squad as well. And I heard that you'll be taking command of this squad. The other members are coming even as we speak.”
Goodwyn nodded, and stared at his shield. “I wanted to be the one to inform the town hall that we were being under attacked...”
He closed his eyes. Trisdan watched him.
“I wanted to hide, I was so frightened when I saw Michael die. His eyes begging me to help.”
Goodwyn could clearly see Michael get pasteurized by the troll's club.
“I wanted to run away so many times when I was fighting the Orcs. To save only myself...”
Trisdan continued to watch.
“But I was saved. It gave me power to become stronger. To help those around me.”
Goodwyn opened his eyes and clenched his fists. He picked up a larger iron shield, and put away the worn out shield he was using before.
“I am the Champion Paladin now Trisdan. I will light the way for those people that are scared or helpless. I will bring hope to the people of WhiteCurrent.”
Goodwyn replaced his leather armour with iron armour. This armour had better protection than his previous one. Most people couldn't even afford it. It was the strongest armour currently in existence since the creation of the chain mail. Trisdan preferred chain mail for more mobility, and he grabbed two daggers to replace the short sword he was carrying.
Three other people entered the room at this moment. Goodwyn noticed them immediately. Two priests and a warrior he realized.
“Hey! Your that guy! I saw you at the eastern gate!” Amelia placed her hands on her hips.
“You were so powerful! How did you do that!” Amelia pestered Goodwyn with questions.
Furer sighed. “Don't mind her sir Goodwyn. She's excited she recently received a level up to her priest skills.”
“I'm Amelia! And that guy there's Furer! We'll be your priests on this journey!”
The warrior introduced himself as well. “I'm the warrior Heterio, ranked A adventurer,”
“Hello I'm Trisdan and this is Goodwyn, if you didn't know already. We'll be leaving shortly. This is an extreme urgent quest. I'm sure you were informed about what we'll be doing right?” Trisdan asked.
The three nodded.
“OK Good. Goodwyn and Heterio will take lead at first through the Orc forces, the priest will be in the center and I will be in the back. Then once we're out in the plains I would replace with Heterio and take lead point. I'll be performing as your scout when on the plains, got it?”
"Exactly as Trisdan said. That will be our plan."
Goodwyn smiled. Trisdan had always been a natural leader. Everybody nodded and started preparing themselves. The soldiers had helped prepare them, and gave each member of the Elite Squad a horse to ride on.
- -
Amelia was happy she got to meet the hero of the eastern gate. Without him the Orc forces would have pushed them back, and many soldiers would have lost their lives. He was a hero born from great tragedy. Now she was the same team that decided the outcome of WhiteCurrent and her people. Now wasn't the time to bother him with question. She had an important job to do. She was happy she had received a power up to her skills, without those skills she bet would wouldn't have been considered for the Elite Squad position.
They prepared themselves. From on top her horse she could see the Orc forces to the gates that led to the plains. This was the hardest part, but they had a plan. When the fighting resumed they would use back alleys and side roads until they reached the main gate to the west; where it held the least number of Orc warriors, and break through to the outside.
The sun's horizon was beautiful she realized. As if this was any other day. The sunlight hit her face, and she closed her eyes. The Orcs and the armoured troll roared into the skies and they started charging at the makeshift barricades. The Invasion had resumed.
“Let's go!” Goodwyn yelled. His horse underneath him neighing.