Like bees with their hive struck, the army rushed to prepare, scurrying about grabbing shields and swords. Meanwhile, rows of orcs scurried over the hills. Tarlak stopped estimating after the second thousand. More and more rushed over, and with a ferocious cry they charged, the hill increasing the speed of their assault. Tarlak wanted to give them an old-fashioned wizardly greeting, preferably with fire, but couldn’t as twelve more stones shot over the hill, the catapults just barely visible even with his enhanced eyesight.
“One caterpillar, two caterpillar, three caterpillar, four,” Tarlak said as he flung more chunks of earth. “Come on, you can do better than that!”
The exclamation was to himself as he watched three make it past his defenses. The orcs slammed into the hastily prepared line, numbering at least five thousand, and Tarlak watched another volley of twelve boulders soar into the air. His mind focused, he hurled more chunks of earth, the area around him looking like a great carved groove. All twelve he shoved aside, killing their momentum or shattering them entirely. He let out a cry, wishing he could see the faces of the orcs as they watched their ambush falter.
And then another twenty catapults rolled over the hillside on creaking wooden wheels.
Tarlak scratched at his goatee.
“Shit.”
Over thirty stones hurled into the air, and Tarlak found himself glad that they couldn’t see his face. His arms were a blur, curling and throwing, the movements helping to focus his mind. Giving up on using real earth, he started hurling great balls of ice from his palms. Conjuring matter out of nothing was a greater tax on his strength, but he couldn’t afford to delay. In a great barrage they flew every which way, some missing, some connecting. Ice shards fell upon the army as the stones slammed through tents and snapped bones, bouncing and rolling as to make a mockery of Antonil’s growing lines of soldiers.
“Get up the damn hill!” Tarlak screamed, using magic to increase the volume of his voice. Antonil’s soldiers were swarming toward the front, and despite the casualties and lack of preparation, they still outnumbered the orcs nearly five to one. They surged ahead, trying to push through to the hill beyond, where they could attack the catapults. Tarlak let out a whoop, then took in a deep breath as another volley unleashed. Whoever commanded the orcs, Tarlak knew the man had them working double-time loading and releasing those enormous stones.
As boulders and rocks fell from the sky, he wished he could see himself from afar. It had to be impressive. He laughed as the stones shattered, laughed as he felt himself slowing with every spell, the catapulted stones landing all around him, only a few missing due to so many men packed into such a small area.
That’s enough, Tarlak thought as Antonil’s army gave chase up the hill, nearing the halfway mark. In the short reprieve between attacks he cast a spell, gathering power above the hillcrest. Great blasts of lightning tore through the orcs working there, splintering three of the catapults. Tarlak let out a gasp afterward, and deep in his forehead he felt a throbbing.
“Could really use you here, Harruq,” Tarlak said, thinking of the last time they’d had to deal with orc catapults. With a wind spell he’d sent Harruq and Haern over a great chasm, letting the two expert fighters slaughter the defenseless orcs. What he’d give to have either of them with him now.
More heavy stones. Tarlak tried to predict which were the most accurate, and therefore do the most damage. Flexing his fingers, he gripped the stones in his mind and crushed them to powder. It was a far slower process, but a more certain way to counter. He was only able to stop six that time, the rest crashing down all throughout the emptying camp.
Tarlak watched the fight, hoping Antonil’s men would reach the catapults before another volley. That hope died when the orcs in flight suddenly turned and charged. Joining them were several thousand more that appeared over the hill, obviously kept in reserve for such an occasion. As Tarlak’s eyes widened he saw groups of a thousand coming around the far left and right flanks, the orcs running as fast as their bulky legs could carry them. The distance was such that it’d take a couple minutes to reach the fight, but they’d slam into both sides of the vanguard, which was currently lacking even the slightest defensive formations. Meanwhile, orcs continued to swarm over the hillside, using their weight and the height of the hill to fling themselves into the human lines.
Trapped in the middle of all those orcs, there was little Antonil could do, and nowhere for his men to go. Another volley of catapults released, and it took immense willpower for Tarlak to continue his defense. A flawlessly executed ambush, and even though he guessed Antonil to have twice the number of men compared to the orcs, they’d still take devastating casualties. What had happened? Who in the world was this orcish commander?
Tarlak let the next volley hit, knowing those deaths wouldn’t matter if the greater bulk of their forces upon the hills were destroyed. Opening a portal, he stepped through and appeared at the base of the hill, where the soldiers were still trying to force their way up.
“Left and right flanks!” Tarlak screamed, pointing toward the distant orc forces. “We need lines, shields at the front. Move!”
He heard commanders relaying his orders, and he turned his attention away from them to the fight up top. The last volley of stones had smashed through the remnants of their camp, taking few casualties with so many making their way to the hill. Praying the next volley was as foolishly aimed, he summoned the last of his magic. Fire burst around his hands, and with a dark grin he began to hurl balls of flame toward the orcs along the top of the hill. Over a dozen slammed into the hillside before detonating. The fire spread in all directions, leaving enormous gaps in the orc assault. The men, once they reached the crest, found their enemy thinned and without reinforcements, and with such an advantage they quickly chopped them down.
When the last of his fireballs burned out, Tarlak fell to one knee and vomited. He glanced to either side, saw the conflict had begun in earnest. The outnumbered orcs fought with ferocity, but Antonil’s men were well trained, and despite all that had happened, they still had numbers on their side. Upon the hill, the thousands of men pushed on, with Antonil at their forefront, his golden armor shining. Antonil wished him the best of luck.
With his enhanced eyes, he scanned the hill, searching for the commander. As another volley released, he caught sight of a man in red armor, with black wings curled around his sides. Tarlak’s blood ran cold.
A war demon, leading an orc army?
The catapults had not pulled back as far, and the stones rained down upon the hill. Their speed was less, but it didn’t matter, not with such weight. Tarlak clenched a fist, trying to force out one more spell. At the nearest projectile he hurled a bolt of red lightning that struck the boulder’s center. Instead of halting it, it exploded into heavy chunks which rained down upon the men.
Tarlak caught sight of one such piece heading toward him. He raised his hands, summoning a shield to protect himself, only to find his well of magic empty. The rock continued unslowed past his hands, striking him across the head. His body spun, the world shifting at sickening speed.
His body struck ground. All around him he saw feet rushing ahead, continuing to join the fight.
Then darkness.
23
They propped Jessilynn by the exit of the ravine so all would see her as they marched. Jessilynn endured it best she could, her mind clouded by whatever herbs the shaman had placed upon her wounded face. Two wolf-men guarded her, with explicit orders to kill her should anyone attempt a rescue.