Shane Porteous - The Battle of Ebulon - A Shared Anthology

“What just happened?” Wonder Wolf asked confused.

“In order to prevent an attack from Sampson, as I had expected,” Turtle began looking at DWW as she said that last part. “I used my magic to join with him so that I would be in him the entire time.”

“He should have been able to sense your magic then, shouldn’t he, or at least have known someone else was using his body?” Grizzly Girl asked.

“I was never using his body exactly,” Turtle said. “He never knew I was there because I allowed him complete freedom right up until that last moment, or last spell he performed. During that last spell I made it so that instead of using his magic, he was using mine which meant that the zombie Orcs would not be loyal to him…but to me.” Upon explaining this Turtle released the zombie Orcs from the spell and the Orcs resumed being dead.

“I should have known you would have a plan,” DWW said apologetically.

Turtle looked back at her thoughtfully, but didn’t say anything for a few moment. When she eventually did say something, it was to all the heroes. What she said was, “Now that all the enemies really are gone, let’s go celebrate!” And that’s exactly what they did.

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Teardon knelt and placed her hand on the ground to feel the beat of the war drums as she glanced towards the night sky. The voice that had called her here still seemed to echo in her mind. The war drums seemed to be the only thing other than the shadow of her beloved left in all the worlds that brought a true smile to her scarred face. She glanced towards the icy cave behind her that had led her to Ebulon and watched as the shadows that followed her grasped at the edges pulling themselves free. Darkness followed her as it always did as she stood up and made her way towards the Orc torches that shone through the trees in front of her.

It had been so long since this warrior had felt like this, the anticipation of battle and the smell of blood in the air made the long trip from Karpagne seem all the more worth it. Teardon was dressed in a dark purple hooded cape that was just a smidgen too big and had seen better days, her black iron handled claymore was sheathed across her back and was nearly as tall as her. She wore red clothe pants and shirt under her iron plated plain armour.

The torches drew closer as the shadows caught up to her taking on their own forms. A small shadow whirled around her and landed on her shoulder in the form of a gothic fairy. “Will we be spilling blood tonight?” the fairy spoke with multiple voices and an eerie eagerness. “Patience Aylen, soon” Teardon answered with a voice so quiet sometimes the wind could not hear her. The Darkness behind her had started taking its own form one of a wolf, one of a gargoyle and one of a hooded man that was dressed the same way Teardon was. The rest of the darkness took to the sky and whirled above them staying in shadow waiting to take its true form.

Aylen looked towards the hooded man “More souls Maliki,” Maliki nodded in acknowledgement.

“I have never tasted Orc blood before, do you think I will like it.” The wolf said in an angelic voice that seemed to have its own echo.

“I’m sure you will my dear Wynter, you will have your fill tonight,” Aylen answered the wolf as Teardon raised her hand bringing the party to a stop at the edge of a cliff that overlooked the Orc army.

The gargoyle through a sinister laugh said, “They will all die tonight, they… will… all… die”

“They shall Kastion, this will be fun,” Aylen said clapping her tiny hands.

As the party looked upon the Orc army they noticed that it was not just one breed of Orc that stood ready to march to battle but many. There were three distinct groups with about forty members which were large warrior type Orcs that had either a pig or a lizard face and had a sword or axe in one hand and a fire torch in the other. There were several groups of about twenty to a cluster of medium sized Orcs whose faces resembled a rotting corpse and who were waving daggers above their heads as they screeched. There were also about thirty smaller Orcs that had white faces with no features but a set of glowing red eyes who were wielding war axes and swords in a group in the middle of the horde. Scattered through the army mostly at the head of the horde were about fifty heavily armoured Orcs with horns on their helmets and wielding large two-handed war axes. Teardon had estimated this army at about three hundred warriors including the half breed Orcs that seemed to have no real formation playing the war drums all ready to march in the opposite direction to the cliff face. Teardon noticed that at the front of the horde was an Orc that was much taller than the rest whose armour appeared to be made of gold wielding a large claymore that also shone of gold against the torches held by his brethren. On this Orc’s head were two large horns, what appeared to be ratty shoulder length hair and a gold jewel encrusted crown.

Teardon looked towards the dark shadow that still had not taken its true form and said, “The Raygon is ready.”

Aylen clapped and giggled and started singing “how many will die tonight,” she then flew from Teardon’s shoulder and towards the Orc army. Aylen whirled around the rotting Orcs and as she went they let out ear piercing screams as their blood sprayed into the air. Aylen counted one, two… five still singing as she went. Kastion soon followed wearing a smile that was just as sinister as his laugh. His laugh was so evil that it caused some of the Orcs to weep and hold their ears as they buckled under the weight and fell to their knees. Kastion then descended upon a group of pig faced Orcs and quickly and efficiently tore body parts from them randomly and started to devour them. He ate it all arms, legs and even hearts all the while letting his laugh coat the battlefield.

Wynter was next bounding gracefully down the cliff face with her paws barely touching the ground. The Orcs had now become aware of an enemy and let out roars and screeches and frantically looked for an enemy they could run through. Wynter went straight for the lizard and pig faced Orcs knocking them over and tearing their throats out one by one. She bounded from one victim to another leaving a trail of bloody footprints as well as a line of blood that fell from her barred teeth. The bodies of the Orcs she had just slaughtered rose up shaking and contorting violently. Once the undead warriors had found their footing they then turned on their brethren clumsily but effectively.

Maliki looked to Teardon for approval to join the fray, she nodded. Maliki drew his long thin rectangle shaped sword also made of shadow from his left sleeve and flew towards the armies. Maliki majestically wielded the sword left to right and in a spinning motion cutting through any Orc unlucky enough to meet his blade.

The horned warriors at the front of the horde had come through the bulk cutting down all the walking corpses Wynter had left in her wake. These Orcs were clearly far superior warriors than the rest and were not easily overpowered. Wynter had been surrounded by them and she darted frantically for a way out. Aylen came from nowhere whirling around the warriors still counting and spraying blood, it was enough for Wynter to free herself and turn on her would be dispatchers.