Chapter 6

The orcs advanced slowly, implacably. Every few seconds one of them would pause a moment to slap the ground and give a roaring bellow that froze the blood. Their black and red striped fur bristling outwards, they looked every inch the eight feet tall they were. With arms nearly as tall as a man they held huge weapons, shining brightly and well cared for, dripping with blood and gore.

With a squat and simian saunter they moved towards the frozen group. Tired, wounded and already having casualties from the goblins they stood there hopeless a moment. Out in front the chieftain with it's white stripes across it's shoulder and back paused a moment and shook it's arms furiously into the air as it roared.

Mind racing, Harper counted over all seven of them, so large they could only come down the ravine one on either side of the river. With the sudden realisation that the only way they could survive is by killing as many as possible before they got to them he looked back and forth for his crossbow. Seeing it at the edge of the ravine he rushed towards it, startling the others into reactions.

Grabbing it and starting to wind it, he glanced about at the others, the archer Nicole shooting quickly at the orcs but with her bow too weak to penetrate their hard skins. The remaining dwarf and Bull stood side by side one side of the river and Sir Fullway stood the other, his claymore looking tiny compared to the orc's weapons. Mikhail as the Chosen One had retreated to the rear and was huddling in fear, his leggings damp around the crotch.

Ginger and the wizard Jamieson stood together, concentrating before throwing a large fireball at one of the orcs. It hit and exploded, the orc stepping back in pain. Growling in anger while it's fur burned, it moved to the muddy area by the river and rolled. Almost immediately the chieftain did the same, before the other five followed it's example. While injured, the fireballed orc continued to advance, but slightly quicker this time.

Finally finished winding, Harper felt for a bolt before realising that he'd scattered most of them next to where he shot at the goblins. He only had two left. Shrugging and pulling one out, he put it in and aimed at the chieftain. Waiting for it to pause to roar he knelt down and steadied himself. Aiming carefully he breathed in and out slowly until it lowered it's head to roar. At that instant he aimed for it's eye and fired.

Watching frantically he winced as it started to raise its head. The bolt shot into its eye at an angle, shattering on the skull instead of into it's brain. It roared in pain as Harper started pedalling the winch again as fast as he could. He looked up to see the chieftain charging at him with blood running down it's face. Shocked and falling onto his back he scrabbled for the bolt and put it in, lifting the crossbow. Aiming it at the chest he pulled the trigger as it roared, wincing as it did so. Closing his eyes he waited to die, before hearing a gurgling noise and a thud.

Opening his eyes he saw that as he winced he'd pulled the crossbow up and hit the neck, and as it bled the orc had grabbed it's neck and dropped the sword. Unbelieving, he watched as it let go of it's neck and started moving towards Harper again. Dropping the crossbow and pushing himself back with his feet he turned around and ran backwards, looking for a weapon. Seeing the fallen dwarf surrounded by goblin bodies he picked up the dwarf's warhammer before turning around.

Ducking under the arm swung at his head, Harper dodged to the side and swung the hammer at the orc's knee as hard as he could. As it roared in pain and fell to one side he took a breath and swung at it's head. With a smash the orc's head jerked back as Harper's arms jolted in pain from the strike. Ignoring the pain he lifted the dwarven warhammer again and swung it again. The orc finally fell, unconscious.