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Old 08-17-2005, 08:00 PM   #85
Firefoot
Illusionary Holbytla
 
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Join Date: Dec 2003
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Firefoot has been trapped in the Barrow!
Within minutes of the Dwarves’ attack, the advantage had shifted unexpectedly and completely. Faced with foes on both sides, the dismayed Orcs were forced into a retreat. Grimkul fell back only reluctantly; fighting was the one thing he excelled at, and in the furies of the fight he was a fearsome figure. At Ulwakh’s urging, however, he fell back with the main company. Ulwakh, being neither large nor strong, disliked battle on principle. His work was self-preservation, and battle utterly defied this goal.

As they neared the slopes which they had only just charged down, Lushurd reversed the orders: “Stand and fight, you cowards! Or you’ll catch it hot back at camp!”

Grimkul returned eagerly to the fight, Ulwakh less happily following along nearby. Somewhere along the way Grimkul had replaced his scimitar with a heavy wooden club, which he swung at any Elf or Dwarf unfortunate enough to stray near. Though less handy for killing, the club was an excellent tool for rendering its victims disabled or unconscious.

But on occasion, Grimkul had a clear shot to bash in the head of his opponent. One of these opportunities came along when he, Ulwakh, and a third orc who had hooked up with them found a badly wounded Dwarf in the midst of the battle. Another Dwarf took out the third Orc with his bow, though neither Grimkul nor Ulwakh gave their fallen fellow a second look. With cruel sneers on their faces, they bore down upon the wounded Dwarf mercilessly. Grimkul raised his club for the killing stroke when he was struck in the chest by a flying axe. He fell back, winded and bruised more than anything else, for his chain mail had turned the blade by some kindly trick of fate.

As Grimkul recovered, Ulwakh darted in, wielding his scimitar with expert precision that Grimkul could never hope to achieve. He caught the pair of Dwarves off guard, causing them to dive to the ground under his scimitar, one of them apparently unconscious or near so. The other Dwarf fought valiantly to counter his attacks but was too distracted by Ulwakh to notice that Grimkul had sufficiently recovered and was charging at the Dwarf who had robbed him of his kill. With a mighty swing, the club struck the Dwarf in his left side. The Dwarf fell to the ground and did not get up, but Grimkul did not have time to pursue the kill because at this point the force of Dwarves seemed to swarm upon them, forcing Grimkul and Ulwakh back.

Their retreat was not quick enough for Ulwakh, however; as he parried the blow of one Dwarf, another’s axe found its mark in his lower leg. Black blood spurted from the deep wound, and Ulwakh howled in pain, reeling upon the offender. Grimkul had not the resources to defend his comrade as he was busy fighting off Dwarves on his own.

It was the same way across the battlefield. Despite being outnumbered, the Elves and Dwarves had rallied phenomenally, and the fierce battle cries of the Dwarves echoing in the hills instilled slivers of fear into even the staunchest Orcs. Lushurd’s orders to stand and fight turned into pleads as the Orcs ignored him and retreated once more. It was now the Orcs who were outnumbered, and they had no cause to fight for. Grimkul took an arrow in his shoulder as they reached the slopes; Ulwakh was limping badly and it took near all his effort just to keep up with the much reduced company. They had only to reach the little pass… hopefully they would not be pursued. Even Grimkul was downtrodden; he delighted in killing not being massacred.

Lushurd seemed to realize his was a lost cause. “Retreat! Retreat!” he cried. Though the main body of the Orcs already had. Upon reaching the sheltered pass, most of them turned and fled back towards camp, Grimkul and Ulwakh among them. Neither knew nor cared whether those stragglers who were behind the main force lived or died; it was everyone for himself now, and none of them fought a losing battle.

Last edited by Firefoot; 08-18-2005 at 06:07 PM.
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