image [https://i.imgur.com/yFu9mOD.png]

VI

Orc Ambush

Ambushes were funny. As both Empress and head commander of my armies, I’d been in my fair share. If there was one thing new commanders often got wrong, it was thinking the ambush itself immediately lead to victory. Not so. Surprise could rattle even seasoned warriors—and that was often all the advantage you needed.

I pulled my blade off my hip. ‘Charge forward!’

My yell startled Levi but Caster dragged him off his feet and ran. The guard captain was already in motion together with my undead. That left me in the rear with the soldier that had an axe stuck in his buckler.

‘Levi, cast a barrier behind us!’ I screamed.

My long legs ate the distance as quick as they could. I hadn’t taken three steps when the hairs on my neck trembled. I pivoted, swinging my blade purely on instinct. The axe head caught on the edge of my sword, saving my skull from getting crushed. Spinning with the force, I threw the axe to the side.

I was now facing the rear, eyes going wide as I watched three orcs leap from the rooftops in a great arc that would land them in our midst. The fourth, still on the roof, threw his axe.

Light warped and twisted in front of me, forming into an oval barrier. The jagged cleaver bounced off. And then the three orcs were in our middle.

The frozen ground broke upon impact, sending gravel and ice flying. One swung for Levi’s head but caster threw him to safety and took the hit on the shoulder. The second charged me, while the third, who was barehanded, let loose a bellowing war cry before jumping after Levi.

My guard captain saw the events happen same as I. His heel dug into the ground as he prepared to turn—

‘Hold the front!’ I yelled, locking eyes with him for an instant.

—he continued to charge ahead with my soldier.

Caster’s hands shot out. The power wafting from his palm was no longer red, but an icy blue. The frostbolt slammed the orc trying to dislodge his axe from Caster’s flesh in the head, and the green skin crashed to the floor.

Caster summoned a second bolt, aiming for the orc rushing me and my soldier. I redirected his focus with a thought. The bolt veered in midair, striking the greenskin mid-leap just as it lunged at Levi, blasting it to the ground. I then ordered Caster to support our vanguard.

Steel rang on steel as my soldier met the orc’s charge. The undead staggered, its bones already unstable because of the previous strike, and the orc grinned. The great green beast leaned forward, tusks gleaming in the firelight and victory within its eyes—that light vanished when he noticed my blade.

The frost-blade swallowed the whistle of wind as it pierced the air, the point going through the eye socket of the undead soldier to lodge itself deep in the orc’s throat.

The two fell forward.

Dislodging my weapon would take too long so I dashed towards Levi. As I charged, I spotted the cleaver from the earlier deflection, half-buried in the snow. Grabbing it on the run, I turned to the orc struggling to his feet. Frost clung to his flesh where Caster’s bolt had struck him in the side and slowed his movement. That was good for me; I drove the cleaver into the back of his skull to end his troubles.

Two down. But there was no time to rejoice.

‘Watch out!’ Levi screamed.

I rolled to the side just quick enough to avoid a similar fate as my most recent victim, rushed to my feet, and blocked an overhead swing on the shaft of my axe.

A foul animal smell assaulted my nose as I got locked in a battle of strength with the greenskin.

I glanced to the side. My soldier was trying to untangle itself from throat-punctured orc, but despite the fatal injury, he clung onto my undead for dear life, not allowing it to get up. Back in front of me, the orc unlocked his jaw. I immediately let up the pressure and pivoted, dodging his bite and making him stumble in the process. I raised my axe to finish him—

But was forced to lean backwards after catching a glint in the corner of my sight. The weapon sailed past me, not even close to hitting.

I turned to find the orc Caster had headblasted. His face was a mess and frost clung to his flesh but that didn’t stop him from charging me barehanded, albeit clumsily. I swung to keep the brute at bay, and as he jumped back to dodge, the throat-punctured orc finally choked to death, allowing my undead to free itself by yanking its head through the hilt of the sword. It ran to get to Levi’s side.

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The other orc had gotten to his feet by the time my soldier arrived. That put Levi and my undead opposite me, the now-standing orc on my right, and the barehanded greenskin on my left.

The orcs eyed us, unsure who to charge.

A huff of breath blew a strand of hair out of my eyes. ‘Pick wisely.’ I grinned. ‘It’ll be the last decision you make.’

Could the orcs understand me? Because a lump went down their throats. They stepped back, lowering their centre of gravity, preparing to put it all on the line for a final gambit.

My breath frosted and curled upwards as my muscles tensed—

An indecipherable yell echoed from the other group. I whipped around. My heart skipped as I feared they had lost that side of the battle. When I looked, I saw the black orc throw the guard captain off him, who caught his balance instantly.

Then, the orc ran.

The orcs at my side turned and ran as well.

‘Chase them!’ I yelled. Letting them escape wasn’t an option as it would only invite more attacks.

The black orc’s group had lost a member, making the retreating orcs number four. Caster’s bolt connected with one’s legs and sent him sprawling. My lvl. 1 undead soldier was on him in an instant.

That left three barrelling down the street, jumping over toppled and abandoned wagons and bodies left to freeze or be consumed by the flames.

Miasma drained out of me as Caster requested more energy.

Miasma =

150/895

Caster missed. He requested even more energy but I refused.

‘Levi, any attack spells?!’ I asked.

‘No!’

I bit my lip. We were running as hard as we could yet the gap was widening.

The black orc turned its head and grinned. ‘No more magic?!’ he laughed while running. ‘Slow humans!’

That may be, I scowled. But how long could they keep this pace, and where were they going?

Fate answered after we burst onto the farm fields. The black orc reached for his belt and removed something out of a pouch which he threw ahead of him in an arc. It popped after landing.

What I could only describe as a gate parted the air like a curtain. It was small enough the first orc had to dip his head to get through. The second orc was right behind him, his figure disappearing behind the red light of the gate, leaving the black orc at the rear.

He turned and threw his hands in the air. ‘Human! Good fight!’ He laughed. ‘We be back—’

This time when caster requested miasma, I gave it to him. The bolt struck the black orc in the face. He would’ve fallen back into the portal if it wasn’t for a barrier from Levi. The black orc rebounded off the light screen and staggered forwards, landing face-first in the dirt. He tried to get up but my guard captain arrived in a run and kicked him in the face.

My party arrived, completely out of breath.

‘Quick thinking, Levi,’ I praised my brother, patting him on the shoulder.

His eyes went wide. ‘Thank you…’

I strode towards the black orc, slapped my guard captain on the shoulder as well, and planted my heel on the orc’s chest. ‘Amateur. Never a good idea to monologue right before escaping.’

He squirmed on the floor. The frostbolt had left a layer of frost over his mouth, keeping him from speaking. He tried to slam his shield against my leg in a last ditch effort but my undead threw himself on top of the orc.

One undead, I frowned. I glanced back, which was when I noticed the other one was not with us yet. He was getting closer but was incredibly slow in doing so. Had the orc broken his leg?

No matter. He’d done his job. That, and there were more waiting to replace him.

‘Caster,’ I said. ‘Inspect the gate—’

But the red light vanished as the portal collapsed right in front of us.

‘Too bad,’ I said.

I turned to my party. Levi and the captain were ready to fall apart. Caster was out of miasma, and I heard my soldier’s bones creak as he kept down the black orc.

‘Well fought, everyone,’ I said. ‘I would like to offer a warm bath but the fighting may not be over. We need to do a final sweep of the town.’

Begrudging faces at the remark but they saw the truth of it. A horn blast kept me from issuing another order.

Shadows on horseback approached on the horizon. We waited patiently for them to arrive since we weren’t outrunning them if they were enemies.

‘Hail!’ the guard captain yelled.

‘Hail!’ a man answered.

The horses quit their gallop and came to a standstill. A group of five men stood before us, all wearing the frost-blue cloak of the frostguard. My eyes latched onto one in the back.

‘Drake, is that you?’ I called. ‘What a day for me to be happy to see your face.’

His features scrunched up. ‘Gud’ Evening…Warden.’

The frostguards descended their horses and saluted. One of them took the lead, a young man with a stubble beard.

‘Warden! Lord Blackwater sent us immediately after we freed up the castle. We were to run ahead of the party and scout the area.’ His eyes fell on the orc at my feet, then on the fires which still raged in the distance. ‘How many are in the town?’

‘We killed four,’ I said. ‘We chased this one—’ I kicked the orc ‘—onto the field. He tried to leave through a portal. How many men are you sending?’

‘Ten, Warden,’ he answered.

‘Ten only?’ Levi said askance.

The frostguard lowered his eyes. ‘We were hit pretty heavily, Sir.’

So the orcs attacked more than just this town. I clicked my tongue. They caught us off-guard.

‘Help us tie this orc down,’ I said. ‘Strip him of his gear. He conjured the portal from an item in his pouch.’ I turned to Drake. ‘Drake, give me your horse.’

‘…Yes, Warden.’ He got off while chewing his lip.

Luckily for me, the beast didn’t try to throw me off after I ascended. I looked down on the delegation. ‘We’ll make a round through the village. Should all threats be dealt with, retrieve the dead orcs and bring them to the manor house. They’ll be down the road ahead.’

Some confused looks at the order but they all yelled: ‘Yes, Warden!’

I turned to my guard captain. ‘Bring the black orc to the manor house as well. We have questions for him. Take Caster and the soldier with you.’

Levi told one of the other frostguards to dismount and took his horse. ‘I’m almost out of mana but I’ll heal any injured we find on the way.’

‘Good. All of you have your orders. Good luck.’

We rode with the remaining frostguards. The tension in my shoulders had vanished, though. While I told them we were making a final round, a message in front of my face told me the battle was over.

[Quest Completed: Push Back Snowspire's Invasion]

{Skill points awarded: 1}