What's new

Wolves of Blood: The Raid


Sinfulwolf

H-Section Moderator
H-Section Moderator
Joined
Nov 28, 2008
Messages
6,983
Reputation score
434
Author's Note: Quick one shot that I decided to write on a whim. Wrote it in only two hours, and inspired by the picture I'm posting here. Enjoy.

Wolves of Blood: The Raid

Image by Raymond Swanson

“Ready?” came the silken smooth voice of Nienna Seregon from beneath the thick woolen hood of her cloak, silvery eyes peering outwards at the group of Imperial soldiers strutting about their ramshackle camp.

“Always,” grunted the much larger form of Krothu beside her. Though not much taller than his Elven partner, the Orc was certainly broader, and the corded muscles of his arms tensed as he slowly pulled the thick bladed sword from the sash tied firmly around his thick waist.

Sliding the cloak off her lithe figure, and drawing an arrow from the quiver along the back of her hips, Nienna looked over to his companion, her light silvery blonde hair flowing in the breeze that gusted through the trees they hid in. With a grunt, Krothu gave his companion a slow nod, noting the dark tattoos that crawled over her pale skin.

Turning back to face the camp, Nienna spotted one of the soldiers, in full armour, standing near a ramshackle cage of rusted iron bars, loaded onto the back of a cart, ready to be shipped back to the capital. Two elves within, nearly naked save for scraps of rags, their skin caked with dirt, looked hopelessly out into the forest. They were scarcely into their teens, and had been taken from their homes while their parents burned alive within, now on their way back to the capital to be sold as slaves on the thriving market.

Nienna was not going to let that happen. She drew the string of her bow back with practised ease, the fletching brushing her ear as she aimed it towards the soldier who prodded at one of the now sobbing slaves to be with a metal rod, laughing at the poor girl while her brother tried to hide. The arrow pierced his neck, going clean through his throat and sending a spurt of blood out from around the wooden shaft. Standing for a moment, gurgling, he eventually collapsed, his life essence pooling around him.

“Attack from the woods!” someone shouted, and the entire camp became a flurry of rushed activity as helmets were pulled on and weapons were grasped. Krothu took this opportunity to make his way around the encampment, getting reading to find a spot for his own assault.

Nienna let out a few more arrows as the soldiers staggered about, trying to determine where the attack was coming from. She managed to get the officer, three feathered shafts now protruding from his chest as he fell back to the ground. The soldiers shouted over each other, trying to get order, as another fell to his knee, grasping at the arrow embedded in the joint, scraping against bone as he screamed in agony, opening line to the eye of the man behind him.

A familiar burn ran through the curving muscles of Nienna’s arm as the hail of arrows continued, before the soldiers finally discovered the source of the attack. The raised their square shields, and began to march forward as a unit, the Elf warrior’s arrows bouncing uselessly off and to the ground. They were getting closer, closer, and Nienna was running out of arrows.

A small axe came flying out from the trees, and cleaved clean through a steel helmet and into the side of a man’s head, splitting his skull and spilling brains and blood across his shoulder before he fell, the gore gushing out around his still form.

“Flank!” one of the soldiers yelled, as the massive Orc warrior burst out from the trees, shouting in his native tongue, his large two handed claymore held above his head, the ragged edges glinting in the faint sunlight that broke through the tree tops.

The soldiers stumbled to quickly turn, one man even falling on his face as the Orc slammed into their position, his sword swinging heavily through the air, cutting the first soldier nearly in half, his entrails spilling out onto the dirt in greasy loops. The sword’s follow through smashed against the edge of another’s shield, wrenching his arm out to the side, his face a mask of pain as the shoulder was dislodged from its socket.

Nienna took this opportunity to slip out from the forest, and silently ran towards the group of soldiers, sliding the curved Elven short swords from their scabbards. One man saw her coming and crouched, his own sword glinting at the ready, shield raised. Nienna leapt up, one foot catching the top of the man’s shield, the other crashing against his face as she curled through the air over him, landing atop one of his comrades, sinking a sword down through his shoulder. Hot blood sprayed across her face as she pulled the weapon free and moved forward.

The Imperial soldiers had no idea what was upon them, and they fell to bloody heaps before the onslaught of Orc and Elf. In almost no time at all, the two warriors, drenched in enemy blood, stood above the corpses of their enemies, crimson dripping from their blades.

“Let’s get the prisoners free, and continue on our way,” Krothu grunted, pulling a string of guts from his shoulder pauldron.

Nienna wasted no time moving over to the cage, and quickly ran her hands through the pockets and pouches of the soldier dead before it. His glassy eyes stared up at the heavens, blood streaming from neck and mouth, the arrow snapped by his fall, but Nienna ignored him, finally finding the key to the cage in one of his pouches.

Rising to her feet, and quickly unlocking the gate, she ushered to the two Elves within.

“You’re free now, get out of here,” Nienna said, trying to sound comforting to the terrified children.

They simply stared at her, unsure of how to act, what to do now that their abuse had been suddenly and violently severed. After a few moments they crawled out, a few fearful glances tossed towards both the towering Orc and beautiful Elf, before they took off running down the road.

“You think they’ll make it?” Nienna said as she gathered her cloak from the forest, and pulled the still usable arrows from the corpses of the soldiers.

“I hope so, but time is not on our side. Let’s go,” Krothu grunted in his harsh gravelly voice, sheathing the massive blade across his back.

With that, the two warriors started their journey once more, towards the heart of the Empire that had taken so much from their people. Vengeance would be theirs amidst seas of blood.
 
Last edited:
Top