An Ancient Truth
Copyright© 2026 by Asa Strong
Chapter 6
Tag’ar’s prediction of the arrival of the orcs in the afternoon proved accurate. Early in the afternoon, we heard the first sounds of battle. We could also hear the pounding of drums. A staccato of an uneven tempo faintly heard from the canyon rim.
Far above us, the sounds of steel upon steel and the orc battle cries drifted down to where we were positioned. Not long thereafter, I saw the retreating dwarfs as they retreated down the one path we had a view of. The path was narrow, and the dwarf archers were inflicting a terrible toll on the advancing orcs. No matter how many they felled, there were more orcs that took their place. So great was the orc frenzy that in their quest to advance, many would slip on those fallen in front of them and plunge to their death on the valley floor below. Their advance, however, did not waver.
It seemed to take forever for the orcs to force the retreating dwarfs down the narrow path onto the valley floor below. In retrospect, it was maybe twenty minutes.
As the vanguard of the retreating dwarfs reached the valley floor, they, moving at an orderly pace, quickly made their way towards the first fortified position to the south. From where I sat astride my horse, I could only see the single path winding its way down the side of the canyon wall. The entire pathway was filled with maddened, screaming orcs. They roughly shoved the bodies of their fallen comrades and the few dwarfs that fell from the path as they advanced.
Further to the north, the two other paths were hidden from my view. I could only assume that the same act was playing out there as was unfolding in front of me.
The rearguard of the retreating dwarfs reached the bottom of the canyon pathway in front of me. At the same time, I could also see the lead elements of the dwarf army that had fortified the two paths to the north begin streaming down the valley towards us. Tag’ar was in the lead and spying the rear element taking position to try and hold the orcs near us. He sent a large group of those with him to assist.
It was a close race to see if they could get to the other group of dwarfs before the orcs overran them. Fortunately, the relief force arrived just as the middle of the defending dwarf line began to sag. They quickly threw themselves into the melee, and for the moment stopped the orc advance. It was a terrible sight to behold. The dwarfs would counterattack and press the orcs back, but always, they would regroup and surge forward. The ground where they fought was covered in blood; both orc and dwarf.
The dwarfs held the orcs at the foot of the path long enough for the retreating dwarfs from the north to pass. It was a close thing, but as the last of the dwarfs to the north came into view, those near us also started to retreat.
I glanced towards where Gait was sitting on his charger. It was clear; he was having a difficult time keeping himself from ordering a charge into the massed orcs who were pressing the dwarfs towards the stream in the center of the valley.
I glanced north, towards where Sin’dal was positioned with his mounted troops. They were, like us, hidden from view among the trees and the area in front of them was rapidly filling with the orc army.
As I watched, his cavalry burst from the tree line and rapidly advanced on the orc northern flank. The maneuver took the orcs by surprise and they were unable to form up to meet the charge.
The mounted dwarfs sliced through the orcs with the dwarf war hammers working their deadly dance of death. Sin’dal wheeled his troops after the first charge and formed up for another pass.
By this time, the black orc leaders had started to form up troops to meet the charge, but they were having great difficulty in doing so. It was apparent that the mass of orcs were not much more than a rabble; disorganized and undisciplined. Sin’dal’s second charge was met with little organization, but the sheer number of orcs now started to make its mark on the dwarfs. There were several empty saddles when Sin’dal’s group reached the stream to the west.
Meanwhile, Sin’dal had bought the time needed for the furthest group of dwarf infantry to retreat to the south. They joined up with the group defending the pathway closest to us and were able to conduct an orderly retreat to the south.
“Donta, we must charge. The dwarfs will be overrun if we don’t.”
I looked to my left, to see Gait sitting astride his charger. I had been so focused on the battle in front of me that I hadn’t heard him arrive next to my side.
I looked out over the battle scene in front of me before answering.
“No, I said,” and then pointing to where the stream made a great bend in the valley, said, “we must wait until the dwarfs start to cross the stream there. We can then charge from our position and cross the stream to the north of the dwarfs. That will leave Sin’dal in position to follow from the opposite side.”
Gait quickly glanced over towards the bend in the stream and then looked slightly to the right where Sin’dal was forming up his mounted troops. He nodded his head, and then shouted to the mounted elves behind us, “Make ready, we will charge after the dwarfs have passed. Form up on the other side of the stream after the charge.”
There was no reply from the elves, but I could see swords being unsheathed and the grim looks of determination on their faces.
As the first of the retreating dwarfs started crossing the stream, Gait gave the command to charge.