Volume 5 Chapter 10 (1/2)
”Chwiiik!”
Orc army was approaching the fortress of Dark Elves.
And though their advance was hindered by occasional trees and rocks, tens of thousands of Orcs reached the walls simultaneously.
Elves responded without delay:
”Wall of Fire!”
”Ice Storm!”
”Chain Lightning!”
Fire covered the ground, ice shards and lightning bolts rained down on the approaching horde. Orcs were dying in hundreds, but continued to press on.
When Orcs came close enough to the fortress, Elves started to use their bows. They were using enchanted arrows, freezing or blinding Orcs on hit.
Multiple traps were scattered on their way, spiked pits were swallowing dozens of Orcs at once.
But however well prepared Elves were, nothing was able to stop Orcs' advance.
”Chwiik!”
”Orcs! Orcs! Orcs!”
Rage was filling Orc warriors. They came to take revenge for all the pain, misery and deaths, caused by Elves! And despite all the resistance and defences Orcs finally reached the walls
”Chwiik! Start shooting!”
”At once! Chwiik! Fire!”
Orcs started to shoot their arrows back at Elves. Those, who didn't have a bow were throwing prepared in advance stones. Attacking from below was very hard, Orcs' accuracy was greatly reduced, but still Elves started to suffer their first losses.
From somewhere in rear ranks Orcs dragged a huge log.
Several dozen Orcs lifted it and with their combined effort put one of its ends on the wall. Multiple warriors started to crawl up this log. Some of them fell off, but most of them successfully reached the top.
Fierce fights started to erupt on the walls.
This entire time Weed spent standing on a rock, watching with interest the battle unfold in front of him. Right before his eyes Elves summoned elemental spirits and sent them into the battle. Kasa's of fire, Undine's of water, Sylph's of wind and Noum's of earth. They were soaring in the sky and raining elemental spells on the ground below!
Everywhere he looked Orcs were fighting. Some Elves were even slipping out of the gates to employ guerilla tactics. Something was sparkling, flying, smoking, shouts were heard from every direction. Orcs were dying in thousands, Elves - in dozens.
”Chwiik!”
”Karichwi! I can't wait any more!”
”Yeah! Let's attack! Chwiik!”
Since the attack began, Weed and his tribe's army didn't move one step, and Orcs were starting to grow impatient.
”Chwichik! Still wait.”
Even though battle raged for a long time now, he still didn't lead his warriors into battle. Orcs didn't like it, but still obeyed his orders.
'It's ridiculous to be reckless in a battle.'
Weed sighed in frustration. Even though Dark Elves were greatly outnumbered, such a reckless attack on the fortress was incomprehensible for him. Orcs were pus.h.i.+ng ahead and climbing up walls under constant barrage of spells from the enemy!
Not to mention that many of them caught a cold and their vitality was reduced. Storming such a well-fortified fortress without any battle plan! What could be more foolish?!
Such serious battles require planning in advance. If only Weed was given some time, he'd think of something and Orcs would have already taken the fortress. But now the Orcs horde was dying because of their own stupidity, and if he doesn't do something soon, the battle will only continue growing more violent and unpredictable...
The scene, observed by Weed could not be compared to the Battle for Fort Odein in any way. The scale was very different and the specific races, involved in the conflict, spiced up the situation.
'The initiative is definitely on the Elves' side.'
Weed was calmly a.n.a.lyzing the battle.
At first glance it seemed like it'll be definetly won by Orcs. They had far greater numbers and were quickly reaching the walls and joining the battle.
But Dark Elves didn't give up.
They were defending a well-fortified fortress with plenty of arrows and correct troops arrangement, that allowed mages and archers to act with maximum efficiency. Besides despite the huge advantage in numbers, only 20 000 Orcs were able to partic.i.p.ate in the actual fight at a time.
That number wasn't nearly enough to overwhelm the Elves. Besides they couldn't do much harm while shooting from below, as elemental spells, like wind, were preventing most of their arrows from reaching the top of the wall.
With only small losses Dark Elves were able to successfully repel the Orcs' attacks.
”Stupid beasts!”
”Pigs! At our walls you'll meet your end!”
Feeling their advantage, Elves were ridiculing their opponents. Infuriated by their mocking, Orcs were pus.h.i.+ng even more viciously and dying in hundreds!
”Chwiik!”
”You! Coward! Once I get up there we'll see who meets what end! Chwiik!”
Orcs were trying to break the gates, get a foothold on the walls, do anything to breach the Elves' defences, but nothing succeeded.
In the first half of the battle the horde suffered great losses. More than 40 000 Orcs were dead.
Elves lost only a few hundred fighters. It was a good start for them, but it was still too early to celebrate the victory. There were still plenty of Orcs alive.
To secure their advantage even more a few hundred robed elves gathered on one of the towers. They waved their hands, whispered something, and finally simultaneously exclaimed:
”FLAME!”
A huge stream of fire shot from the tower. It was so strong, that even Weed, who was standing in the distance, felt the heat on his face! In a single moment flame engulfed and reduced to ash thousands of Orcs.
”Chwik?!”
”Chwiik! Chwik!”
Even after such a display of power Orcs didn't lose their fighting spirit. They were still pressing on their a.s.sault, though some of them had a frightened expression now.
Their confidence in quick victory disappeared.
At that moment Weed took a step forward.
'That's the moment I waited for.'
He turned around and looked at Orcs standing behind him.
”Chwichwiik! Now it's our turn!”
”Ka... Karichwi!”
”This is reckless, chwiik!”
Just a few moments ago they were eager to join the fight. But now Weed's suggestion seemed insane to them.
”No! Chwiik! Trust me!”
10 000 Orcs, led by Weed moved to the front lines. Other Orcs and their chieftains were making way for them. They quickly reached the fortress to join the fight, without getting hit by spells once! The Dark Elves ran out of mana and were now waiting for it to regenerate.
The Moment Weed was waiting for finally arrived.
”Go! Attack! Chwiiik!”
Weed's huge body easily shot up the log and in just a few steps he was on the wall, swinging his glaive.
Dark elves were famous for their sharp eyesight, bow mastery and swift movements. And many of them were able to use elemental magic. But their mana ran out, bows weren't of much use at such a distance and there wasn't much s.p.a.ce to move on the crowded wall.
Weed rushed into the crowd of Elves. His strikes were slaying one enemy after another. The Orcs, who followed him to the wall were covering his back.
In close combat Dark Elves were using short swords and rapiers, so they couldn't provide any decent resistance against Orcs, once they reached the top of the wall.
Over the next few minutes Weed and his warriors killed more Elves than all the other Orcs combined since the beginning of the a.s.sault.
It seemed that Orcs will finally be able to get a solid foothold on the top of the wall, but then Weed and his warriors suddenly jumped off the wall!
”Wall of Fire!”
The place where Weed was fighting just a moment ago got engulfed in flames.
”A-a-a-argh!”
”It burns! Chwi!..”
The spell, cast by elven mages, burned not only Orcs, but nearby Dark Elves as well. Unlike humans, elves were very rational and didn't hesitate if the sacrifice of few was able to save the many.
After waiting for the spell to end, Weed climbed back on the wall and dived into the fight. If he saw, that Orcs significantly lowered Elves' health somewhere, he was immediately rus.h.i.+ng there to finish them. He didn't mind using his fellow Orcs as a s.h.i.+eld as well, and often used them to escape deadly fire spells. At the same time he was always ordering warriors from his own army to retreat when required.
There was only one thought in Weed's head:
'I must use all the 400 000 Orcs to the fullest.'
His tactics was to strike the weak points and use Orcs to cover the retreat! While Dark Elves were killing other Orcs, he was gradually gaining experience. During his first hour of fighting he finished off more than a hundred of Elves, and with the kills of the Orcs from his party added, the final result was even better. And though he didn't have time to check, he was sure, that his reputation among Orcs raised significantly.
When the Orcs' losses reached 70 000, Dark Elves lost only a little over 3 000.
'It's time to end this...'
There were still about 7 000 Elves defending the fortress, though most of them wounded and weary. They were only holding because of the walls. But they were still great archers nonetheless.
If nothing changes, they might be able to hold because of their great archery skills and win in the end.
”Keep it up!”
”Crush the Elves! Chwiik!”
Orcs, who were waiting under the fortress walls waiting for their turn to climb the log, were screaming in excitement, cheering for their fellow warriors, fighting on top of the wall. And then an Orc stepped out of the fighting crowd and stood on the edge of the wall.
”Oh, it's him!”
”The ugliest one!”
Both Orcs and Dark Elves were looking at Weed. And he, instead of going back into fight, jumped down from the wall and headed to the gates!
The Orcs, gathered at the wall were respectfully stepping aside to let him pa.s.s.
On the way Weed took the glaive in his left hand and pulled out a small figurine. The Hare figurine - one of the five small Fine Pieces.
”Sculpture Destruction! Let it become my strength.”
The figurine in his hand shattered into pieces and Weed's body got shone brightly.
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You used Sculpture Destruction.
Pain and grief fills your heart after destroying one of your Fine Pieces!
You permanently lose 5 points of Art.
Your Fame is reduced by 100.
For a day your Art attribute will be added to your Strength at 1:4 rate.
Sculpture mastery raised by 0.1%.
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Over a thousand of his Art points got transformed into strength. And they were multiplied by 4 as well!
”A-a-a-a-ah!”
Weed yelled out and gripped the glaive with all his might. His huge arms were covered by bulging veins, his body filled with uncontrollable power. At that moment Weed didn't look anything like a person who could understand art of sculpture.
Weed approached the gate and slammed them with his glaive.
Klaaang!
The glaive got shattered into pieces and bounced out of his hand.
”Chwiik?!”
”Chwichwichwik!”
Surrounding Orcs were very excited.
Weed picked up the broken glaive and continued to smash the gates. With every hit more cracks appeared on the gates and around 10th they finally gave in and fell inside.
”Whoah!”
”The gates are broken, chwiik!”
Orcs started to shout excitedly.
Three of the nearby Elves immediately rushed to the breach.
”Don't let the Orcs pa.s.s!”
”Grow it! Grow the new wall!”
”Use magic! We'll hold him off!”
Three Elves attacked Weed with spears. They needed to get rid of the enemy as fast as possible to free s.p.a.ce for mages to create a new wall.
”Die!”
A sharp spear tip shot towards Weed, but he just slightly moved his hand and deflected his opponent's weapon to the side.
”At once! Attack!”
Three spear struck one spot simultaneously, but Weed wasn't there any more.
Even with his armor polished and clothes ironed, if he took those 3 strikes, his health would have dropped to a critical level. That's because his equipment was junk!
In his entire time as an Orc, Weed wasn't able to find or receive as a reward anything decent. And he didn't want to spend anything on buying or creating new gear. Besides because of his increased body size creating a fitting armor required more materials.
”Chwiiik!”
So all he had left was to dodge opponents' attacks. After using his overwhelming strength to deflect the next combined attack of Elves, Weed lunged forward.
The health of the Elf in the middle dropped by half, but Weed had to jump aside again to dodge the other 2 spears.
Weed was fighting on top of his ability, showing miraculous skill, moving bare inches from the opponents' spears. He was using everything he knew, both what he was taught and what he learned all by himself. His every move was full of strength and harmony.
As a result by the time firs Orcs reached the breach, Weed has already defeated all 3 elves and the gates were captured.
Weed smiled happily at his brethren and used Lion Roar:
”Orcs, chwichwiik, attack! Destroy! Loot! Kill!”
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You used Lion Roar.
Fighting Spirit of nearby friendly troops increased by 200%.
All confusion has been removed.
Leaders.h.i.+p increased by 195% for 5 minutes.
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The Orcs, who were suffering great losses since the beginning of the battle were back in high spirits!
”Chwiiik!”
”Fight, chwiriri!”