Blood stained Qalo’s tusks, the metallic scent filling the air as blood gushed from the orc’s mouth. With a sinister twist of his blade, the gnoll plunged it deep into the orc's abdomen, causing him to double over in pain. With a final kick, the gnoll sent the helpless orc crashing to the ground with a deafening thud.
Talax stood frozen in the shadows, his heart pounding against his chest as he watched the brutal scene unfold before him. Franny's voice broke through the silence, his words laced with hysteria and desperation. The young noble sprinted towards the gnoll, his sword drawn and ready to stop the gnoll who was standing over Qalo, ready to finish off their friend.
With a shout, he lunged, and his sword clashed with the downward arc of his opponent’s blade. The metallic clash reverberated through the forest, echoing off the trees as if the forest itself was cheering on the fight. He saw Franny gritting his teeth as the two swords met, but this time he didn't make the same mistake as before. Instead of parrying, he used his opponent’s strength to his advantage, the clash of metal ringing in his ears.
He let his sword be dragged and at the last moment, he repositioned himself, his body moving with the fluid grace of a practiced swordsman. The strike landed harmlessly to the side, the gnoll's blade narrowly missing his face.
Next, he did something unexpected. Something Talax hadn’t seen him do before. He used his magic. Talax had almost forgotten that Franny was a light mage, since he had only seen him use spells a couple of times and usually out of combat. He raised his left hand, and with a single gesture, a bright spark of light flew out of his finger and zapped towards the gnoll’s face. The gnoll, who was accustomed to the dark of the forest, yelped in surprise as the spark landed on his beaded eyes, temporarily blinding him.
A moment of inattentiveness was all that Franny needed. When the gnoll dropped his guard, fearful of the magelight, Franny took his chance and with two quick steps positioned himself in front of the gnoll and with a decisive strike he stabbed forward. His sword found its mark, and Talax saw the blade puncture the gnoll’s neck and exit the other side, sending a spray of blood that glinted in the moonlight.
A gurgling moan was all that the gnoll managed to do before it fell lifeless to the ground. Seeing their packmate’s death, the other two gnolls that seemed equally absorbed at the melee as Talax, roared in fury. Their usual yapping was replaced with a deep and terrifying growl that made the hairs on Talax’s neck stand on end.
Talax cursed himself for being distracted for so long and decided to act. He started chanting again, this time his spell Bubble of Confusion, the words rolling off his tongue like a rapid river. The two gnolls, furious over their loss, had eyes only for the human who dared kill their brethren and ignored Talax, who was shrouded in shadows. Although he realized that in their fury, they hadn’t even noticed him since his stealth was still activated even though he was casting his spell.
The two gnolls cursed and promised vile acts of retribution in their deranged speech, their breaths were heavy and hot, steaming up the air. But Franny didn’t seem to care as he knelt over Qalo and threw potion after potion into the half-orc's bloodied mouth. The sound of liquid gurgling down Qalo’s throat was like a lifeline, a hopeful note in the midst of the chaos.
As the other two gnolls roared in fury, their growls echoing through the trees, Talax's heart pounded in his chest. He could feel his palms sweating as he frantically cast his spell, his mind racing as he tried to think of a way to even the odds with their strongest fighter down.
Before the gnolls could reach his friends, Talax finished his spell, and a sphere of raging water encased the uninjured gnoll’s head. The gnoll snarled and thrashed about, its fur soaked and matted by the raging torrent, but unable to do much else.
Meanwhile, the other gnoll, still sporting the two arrows in its body, charged towards Franny and Qalo. Its jaws snapped hungrily as it closed in, its eyes gleaming with a feral hunger.
Talax decided to try his only earth spell, Stone Spike, for the first time. He hoped his new spell would be enough to buy Franny enough time to defend himself.
With a wave of his hand, a small spear of stone, no more than thirty centimeters, was hurled towards the gnoll that still sported his two arrows. The target was quite far, and the spike crushed harmlessly into the gnoll's breastplate without dealing any serious damage.
Still, the gnoll was distracted for a moment, as its beady eyes scanned the area frantically. But thankfully, Talax managed to stay hidden in the shadows, his breaths coming in short gasps as he tried to calm his racing heart. The small distraction helped Franny regain his composure and stand up, his sword at the ready to fight.
Talax wiped the sweat off his forehead as he checked his mana pool. He saw that two-thirds of his mana had disappeared after the nonstop spellcasting, leaving him feeling drained and exhausted. However, he noticed that the mana expenditure for Stone Spikewas negligible. With a quick flick of his wrist, he conjured two more spikes that had similar unimpressive results.
Despite their lack of power, the spikes were a great help to Franny, who grasped the opportunity and attacked the distracted gnoll with renewed vigor. With a fierce cry, Franny charged forward, his sword glinting in the dim light. Meanwhile, Talax grabbed his bow and set his eyes on the remaining gnoll, whose head was still encased in water. He didn't want to kill him, but he needed to severely wound him to prevent him from causing any more harm. He used his bow's zoomability for a fraction of a second to make sure his hit would be successful and let his arrow fly.
The arrow whizzed through the air, slicing through the wind with a sharp whistling sound. His eyes tracked the arrow's trajectory, and he smiled as he saw his arrow pierce the gnoll's knee with an explosion of blood and chips of bones, almost severing the limb.
He felt a level up but didn’t let it distract him. He didn't let up and shot another arrow. This one missed at the last second as the injured gnoll swayed due to his injured leg.
Talax's mind filtered out the sounds of melee, the constant clashing of swords, as his friend fought for his life. He remained focused and resolute, his fingers trembling for a second as he felt the bowstring grow taut. With a deep breath, he let both the arrow and his anxiety go. The arrow flew true and found its target once again. Triumph coursed through his blood as the arrow impacted the other knee, and the gnoll's feet folded like paper, toppling the creature with a loud thud, sending dirt and debris flying everywhere.
As soon as his enemy fell, his spell expired. The water soaked the dry earth and splashed harmlessly on the writhing gnoll. Talax breathed deeply, trying to calm his racing heart. He felt as if he had run a marathon, but he knew there was still a long way to go before this was over.
His eyes turned to Franny and Qalo. Qalo lay motionless on the ground, his stomach bleeding profusely, and Talax feared the worst. But he couldn't let that distract him. He turned his attention to Franny, who was still locked in a fierce battle against the injured gnoll.
Despite sustaining fresh wounds, Franny fought with ferocity, determined to come out on top. Not able to contend against the gnoll’s superior strength, he chose a game of cat and mouse.
Instead of trying to block or parry the gnoll's deadly attacks that could easily end his life, Franny expertly maneuvered around him with swift movements, like a dancer on a stage. He jumped, sidestepped, and dodged with a fluidity that it was impossible to predict his next move. The gnoll howled in frustration every time his attack missed, unable to pin down his opponent.
Franny's cunning tactics were further aided by the gnoll's inability to remove the two arrows lodged in his flesh. The pain from the arrows appeared to cloud the gnoll's judgment and slow him down significally, giving Franny an opening to strike.
However, the deadly dance could end in a second. He watched Franny, who was panting heavily and covered in sweat. His face was ashen, and he could see the strain etched on his features. He knew that he wouldn't be able to keep up this pace for much longer, but he also knew that he couldn't afford to let his guard down.
The two combatants had begun a battle of endurance, each wounded and tired, and ready to keel over at the slightest hit. Talax knew that if Franny made the slightest mistake, if he was a second too late or chose the wrong moment to attack, the gnoll would end him with a single powerful hit.
Talax's eyes darted to his own opponent, the gnoll was lying on the ground, writhing in pain. Its legs were ruined, and it was yapping in agitation. But Talax wasn't reassured. He knew that the gnoll was still dangerous, and he couldn't let his guard down. With narrowed eyes, he picked up another arrow, his fingers trembling slightly with fatigue. To his surprise, he realized that his quiver was almost empty. Panic gripped him for a moment as he realized that the arrows, he had looted from the bandit camp were almost gone, with less than ten still in his possession. He cursed his bad fortune, but he knew that he had enough arrows for this battle, at least he hoped so... With a sigh, he decided to use the bow's zoom ability, wanting to make the most of his dwindling supply.
His mana pool was almost empty as well, and he could feel the strain of using his abilities taking its toll on his body. He calculated the mana needed for each hit and he realized he could only use the zoom ability on two arrows. He felt like he was running on fumes, his mana pool, his arrows, his concentration, and his willpower all on a breaking point.
With a determined expression, Talax aimed his arrow and released it. The arrow whistled through the air, its trajectory enhanced by the bow's zoom ability, and struck the gnoll's neck with deadly accuracy. The gnoll let out a gurgled yelp and fell back with a violent spasm, its lifeless body hitting the ground with a dull thud.
Talax watched the gnoll with a mixture of relief and regret. He had planned to strike the gnoll below the neck, just where his breastplate ended, but his aim was off after all, and his arrow flew dead center on the gnoll's neck. He had hoped to use it as an informant, but that was no longer an option. He shook off the feeling and turned his attention to Franny, who was still locked in battle with the last standing gnoll.
Talax knew he had to act fast. He holstered his bow and drew his sword, ready to help Franny. He sprinted towards the unconscious gnoll, wanting to see if it was actually dead. With a quick move, he kicked the sword from the gnoll's hand and knelt down to check if it was breathing. He felt a glimmer of hope when he noticed the shallow breathing, knowing that the fallen gnoll could still be of use later.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
But there was no time to waste. Talax turned his attention back to the fight and took advantage of the gnoll's distraction. With a fierce cry, he lunged forward, his sword extended like a deadly extension of his arm. His muscles tensed as he poured all his anger, frustration, and pain into the attack. The blade sliced through the gnoll's unprotected leg like butter, causing massive damage.
Talax leaped to the side as the gnoll turned to face him, its eyes blazing with fury. He felt a thrill of excitement as he dodged the gnoll's attack with ease, feeling invigorated by the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Franny seized the opportunity and landed a powerful blow, causing the gnoll to roar again in agony. It raised its hand to retaliate, but Franny was already out of reach, leaving the gnoll to thrash in frustration.
Both Talax and Franny jumped in unison, as if they had rehearsed the move a million times and slashed with their swords. As the two blades connected with the gnoll's flesh, the sound of steel clashing against bone echoed through the forest.
Talax's sword sliced through the air and landed with a sickening thud, opening another wound on the gnoll's already injured leg. Meanwhile, Franny's hand glowed with an ethereal golden light as he brought his sword down in a powerful overhead chop, cleaving the gnoll's hand from its arm.
The gnoll stood there, stunned and speechless, as both sword and hand fell to the cold ground. For a moment, the only sound that could be heard was the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze. It was as if time itself had stopped.
Suddenly, the gnoll let out a deafening roar of rage, its eyes blazing with fury. It lunged at Franny, clawing and biting in a frenzy of vengeance. Franny, caught off guard, stumbled backward, his sword falling from his hand.
Talax's eyes widened in horror as he watched the gnoll go for Franny's head. Franny didn’t wear any protection since his helmet was destroyed. That left him vulnerable to attacks, and Talax knew that this could end badly. Talax was sure that the vain noble had another helmet in his satchel but chose not to wear it since it didn’t match his gleaming armor.
He felt a surge of anger coursing through him, his void magic responding to his emotions like a wild beast, as if wanting to remind him that it was there for him to use, to help him vanquish his foe. He resisted the urge, knowing that even in the best of situations, he wouldn’t be able to wield such powerful magic. His mana pool was still too small to meet the requirements of the powerful magic.
The gnoll's claws met flesh, creating a hair-raising sound that made Talax's blood run cold. With wicked claws, it left deep bloody grooves on the noble's beautiful features, causing him to scream in agony.
Franny's face contorted in pain as the gnoll's claws left bloody tears on his flesh, leaving him disoriented and swaying. Talax's anger boiled over, his teeth clenched so tightly that he thought they might crack.
Instead, with cold anger and sure steps, he moved forward with the intent to finish this battle that had taken far too long and had shed far too much blood. With cold determination, he slashed downward, intending to strike at the same spot he had already wounded the gnoll's leg. The blade hit true, almost sinking fully into the meat of the thigh.
Talax gritted his teeth as the sword stopped, still embedded in the gnoll's leg, and he used both his hands, trying to sever the limb all the way. His eyes darted, and he saw the gnoll's furious gaze, promising retribution. Talax bared his teeth in an unconscious move, and he yanked the blade free, stained red with blood. The gnoll howled, and its leg buckled. It tried to stay upright, but Talax had other plans.
Using both his hands, he summoned all the strength he had left and gave one last swing. The sword met bone, and this time, it managed to break through, and the limb flew in a geyser of blood, leaving the gnoll weak and defeated.
Talax stood there, his chest heaving with exhaustion. His sword hung limp at his side, the blade dripping with blood. He looked at the gnoll lying on the ground, its eyes unfocused and unseeing after the severe trauma, and he felt hungry... hungry for more.
He regarded his sword for a few moments, turning it over and over. The dull blade coated in gnoll blood, the simple pommel, just a lump of metal really, and he decided that the gnoll hadn’t suffered enough.
He had hurt his friends...
He had killed Qalo. No... He had hurt him a little... The big half-orc wasn’t easy to kill after all.
He had wounded Franny... He had disfigured his elegant face...
And worst of all... He had made him feel afraid... Afraid and powerless...
His vision seemed to tunnel, and all he saw was the gnoll’s disturbing face. The black, beady eyes looked focused again, and they looked at him with uncertainty and fear.
Talax gave the gnoll a cold smile as he approached. His eyes never left the gnoll, that seemed to become more terrified by his every step, as he flipped his sword. He caught the sword by the edge of the blade, his hands filled with blood, not that he really noticed, he felt the weight of the pommel and nodded satisfied.
The gnoll watched him with cautious eyes, not daring to move an inch. It didn’t even move when Talax stood in front of its face, looking down on it.
“You know, I was planning on keeping you two alive. But I guess your friend there will do.” He said pointing at the downed gnoll a few meters away.
His voice was unrecognizable even to his own ears, a hollowness permitted his every word, as if the void had taken residence to his very soul. The apathy he projected though seemed to terrify the gnoll more than any promises of pain he could have made.
What Talax hadn’t realized was that when he spoke, he didn’t use the common tongue, the language he had used since his first day, but he spoke in the guttural and disturbing speech of the gnolls. The gnoll eyes had rounded in surprise in the revelation that the human standing above him like a wraith of fury from the tales the young pups whispered in the dim light of the pack’s campfire, could speak gnollish.
Its surprise though turned to terror when it realized what the human had said. The hollowness and power of the man’s voice made the gnoll’s mind go blank, as if the weak human possessed power even the Gods would envy.
All thoughts left the gnoll’s mind as the sword came down with bruising force, smashing its skull.
Talax kept hitting the gnoll with single-minded fury. The cold edge of the blade, that with every hit bite a little deeper into his skin, was his only string to sanity. He didn’t know how long he had been at it when a voice finally penetrated the fog that had obstructed any other thought other than the desire to make the gnoll suffer.
“... lax! Talax! TALAX!” The sword was left suspended, the pommel filled with bits of flesh and sticky blood that rained down in gooey strands. Talax looked around with unseeing eyes until a figure registered in his brain.
“Damn it Talax! Snap out of it! I need your help!” Ferdinand shouted, and Talax realized that while he was letting out his frustrations by beating the gnoll half to death Franny was trying to save their friend.
Immediately he felt guilt wreak him. He discarded his bloodied sword with distaste and ran to help. Franny was trying to turn Qalo so that he could have access to his back. He saw the large wound on his stomach was already dressed in bandages, already red with blood.
"I don't understand. You gave him health potions. I saw you giving them. Why isn't he healed?" Talax asked, his voice laced with confusion and worry. He could feel the sweat dripping down his forehead, as he strained to turn Qalo's weight.
Franny's satchel lay open on the ground, its contents spilling of its bottomless depths in a colorful array of vials, jars, and dried herbs. The fragrant aroma of fresh herbs filled the air, a heady mix of lavender, chamomile, and mint that stirred his senses.
Franny's hands were a blur as he checked the labels on the bottles with shaking fingers, his eyes darting from one to the other. The weak sunlight of the sunrise filtering through the canopy of trees cast a dappled pattern of light and shadow on the ground, illuminating the chaos that lay before them.
Talax grunted as he heaved the big half-orc onto his belly, his muscles bulging with the effort. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. "Thank the Gods he's unconscious," he muttered as Franny finally seemed to decide what to use and shoved him out of the way to do his work.
"All I have left are minor health potions," Franny said, his voice laced with worry. "They're effective, but I suspect Qalo is suffering from a bleeding effect, siphoning away his remaining health points. Until the status condition goes away, he won't be able to heal."
Talax watched with bated breath as Franny uncapped a small jar with a green paste inside it that emitted a comforting smell that made him think of sunny meadows and verdant valleys, a stark contrast to the violence and bloodshed that lay all around them.
"Bring me my bag," Franny ordered, and Talax went to oblige. Franny took the bag, and a roll of bandages leapt out as if of their own accord. "Damn, I need one of those," he muttered with envy.
After dressing the wound, they rolled the orc once more, and Franny gave him another potion. Exhausted and beaten, Franny lay next to Qalo, his heavy breathing the only sound in the small clearing. Talax observed the young noble and realized that the man hadn't even bothered to take a health potion for himself. The claw marks had left behind deep furrows on his aristocratic features, disfiguring the proud noble.
Talax stood up and went to the vials that stood in a disorderly mess on the ground. He picked up a health potion and gave it to Franny.
"Here, take it." The young man opened his eyes and looked at him, an unidentified emotion swimming in their depths. He took the potion and downed it in one gulp, he closed his eyes again and remained silent for long seconds.
"Sorry," he whispered, so low that Talax thought he had imagined it.
"About what?" He inquired. He knew, though. Still, Franny had to get it off of his chest, or else the guilt would eat him alive, and maybe the next time, he would make a mistake that a health potion wouldn't be able to fix.
"I froze... it's me... It's my fault Qalo almost died..." Talax sat down and gave a big sigh. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what Franny wanted to hear. Did he want to tell him that it's okay? That everyone makes mistakes, and it won't happen again? He couldn't tell him that.
"Yes, you messed up," he said plainly and without sugarcoating. Franny's eyes flew open, as if surprised by Talax's response.
"The plan went to shit pretty early, and for the rest of the fight, we were trying to keep our asses from getting burned."
"Could you not be so crude at a time like this?" Franny asked, with a half-smile teasing on his lips. The gashes on his face were already closing, leaving behind pink, healthy skin.
"Nope. I'll tell it how I see it. Early on, you messed up, but then you more than made up for it. You distracted the stinking gnolls, giving me time to finish my casting. But more importantly, you saved Qalo. He was a goner for sure if you hadn't stepped in to attack the gnoll." He let his words sink in for a second before continuing. He saw Franny ready to protest and raised his hand to silence him.
"You know, I lack skills and techniques. That has become abundantly clear." Franny went to interrupt, but he shushed him again.
"You, my friend, lack something else. Life experience. You have become too reliant on your family's power and protection. So, it was natural, once on your own, to make a big stink. You shat yourself when you saw the big, bad gnolls. Big deal. Now, wipe your ass and help me tie those freaks.”
Franny was silent as they tied up the two gnolls. Thankfully, the gnoll he had beaten half to death was still alive. Franny told him that it was a matter of minutes before the maimed gnoll kicked the bucket, so Talax had to pry the disgusting mouth open, feeling his flesh melt from the revolting stench, to give him a health potion. He hoped it would keep the gnoll alive long enough to be useful. If not, he wasted a precious health potion for nothing.
When they had finished their task, Franny went to check on Qalo, and Talax went to pick up whatever arrows were still usable. With his lack of arrows, he would have to rely on his sword. He wasn't looking forward to going up against gnolls with only his sword as his weapon. He had his spells, but they were more suitable for setting up the battlefield than actual combat.
He had skills and abilities to check, but he wanted the unpleasant business over with before doing anything else. He walked over to Franny and pointed. "Hand me one of those." The man looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"Why do you want a health potion?" Talax smiled, showing his teeth. "I thought I'd offer my friend there a drink before I start poking. Besides, he looks parched, don't you agree?" Franny shook his head without commenting and gave him the potion.
Talax palmed his dagger. For a moment, his fingers twitched. He didn't let doubt and self-incrimination cloud his judgment, though. Besides, any reservations he had before the fight had evaporated like mist on a sunny day after witnessing his friends get battered and bloody by the vicious creatures. He was almost giddy at getting another chance to unleash his frustration on those beasts.
With a light step and a nasty smile, he bent over his old friend and slapped him for all he was worth.