The Demigod in Azeroth

The Battle of Stonewatch Keep part II

PERCY POV

I finally found an opportunity to escape when the old, grizzled orc had finally fallen asleep. I started to creep my way to the door when a loud FWOOOM! could be heard, and a violent rumble shook the building I was in. The orc jumped up with haste and I didn't stand around to see if he had spotted me. The inside of this building was crawling with orcs, I think I counted at least ten from my position at the top of the stairs. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, calming my mind, then splashed some vanishing powder on the ground beneath me. As I opened my eyes, I saw my hands were translucent. I didn't know where I was in this building, but from the looks of my surroundings, I guessed I was inside the walls of the keep, but I couldn't tell the way out. As I was running through the dilapidated halls, I saw a doorway with light shining on a staircase. "A way out?" I whispered to myself, moving towards it swiftly and quietly as to not trying to get anyone's attention. Making past the doorway and looking up the rickety stairwell, I heard the pounding of footsteps behind. I pressed myself against the edge of the doorway and peered around the corner seeing a group of six orcs running through another door about ten feet down the way from me. I took the chance to go up the stairs, the dry rotted wood straining under my weight.

The stairs brought me outside but to the roof, not the exit I wanted. I walked on the roof and peered over the edge looking at the courtyard and it was nothing but chaos. The forces of lakeshire, the Nightwatch and my guildies were in an absolute skirmish. I didn't see Zoe anywhere I looked, but then I noticed down by the now blown up gate to the Stonewatch, next to destruction, was Ein Badshroud with an ear splitting grin on his face and a bunch of soot covering his arms, face and hair, and I'm pretty sure his eyebrows were on fire, with what looked to be Elrias in cat form beside him, biting into the neck of orc and killing it. "Well I'm glad that part of the plan worked... kinda went overkill with the explosives though didn't he?"

I scanned the rest of the courtyard and near the stone steps of the building I was standing saw Frogolir, Aurelius, and Laurelie in a line trying to keep the group of orcs I had seen earlier from getting to the courtyard.

I noticed something though and it started to worry me, where is Gath'ilzogg, The Sunderer and why wouldn't he be down there. I looked down at my hands and my vanishing powder was starting to wear off, my arms fading in and out of translucence. 'Shit!' I thought.' I have to find a way out of here!' As I went to turn around, I nearly jumped out of my own tunic. There he was, the old, grizzled orc from earlier. His face, torso and arms had scars strewn about from battles long ago, his bottom left tusk broken off and a permanent grimace on his face like he was in constant agony, or constantly pissed. He let out a loud guttural roar, and raised the two handed battle ax that was in his right hand. Then I noticed what was in his left hand, two short swords, one with a seashell tied to the hilt with twine. Those were MY short swords! He looked at me with a death stare, and I met in kind with my own wolf stare, but the old orc didn't even seem to notice. In an effortless action he threw my swords to where they landed at my feet. I looked back up at the old orc, as he pointed at my blades, shouting something in orc. I had no Idea what this guy was trying to say, so I bent down and picked up the blades. A cold grin crossed the orcs face, as he began to grip his ax with both hands.

He could've easily killed me while my back was turned or when I was faking sleeping earlier but then it hit me. I remembered what Dom said when we were at Dun Algaz. "For orcs fighting is everything, honor and glory, victory or death. He wanted a fight, one that was fair because if it wasn't then it meant nothing, killing me when I wasn't expecting it. He wanted to see if I was strong or if I was weak. He wasn't going to let me get away, but he also wasn't going to let me live without fighting. I picked my swords up and I nodded to him.

We stood there for a minute, sizing each other up, waiting to see who would attack first. I glared at the orc only for him to smile back at me. I let out a deep sigh and charged at him as fast as i could meeting him head on. I've fought bigger monsters, monsters who could break through concrete with a single blow, but this felt different. I went to do a downward slash with my blades but he intercepted it with the shaft of his ax, a gruesome grin running across his face. I felt the blood leave my face as he threw a knee into my chest so hard I thought he cracked my sternum. I doubled over in pain gasping for air, the sounds of battle around me slowly becoming harder to hear. I could somewhat make out the sound of laughter from the direction of the old orc. I finally managed to better control my breathing and heard him say something in Orcish " AKILADJ!!!" he picked me up by my shoulder while i was on one my knee i took the opportunity and stabbed my sword into his thigh and he laughed at me, and he squeezed my shoulder with his free hand "AAGHHHHHHHHH!" I could feel my shoulder blade creaking under the stress and then a thunderous SNAP! I blinked tears out of my eyes as I stifled a scream, hearing my remaining sword drop to the ground, but before I could do anything else, he grabbed my head with his massive hand and threw me with all his might. I crashed and skidded across the roof, tumbling to the side but managed to grasp the ledge with my good arm, hanging over the front steps of the building. It took all my strength to be able to hold on, my body growing increasingly warmer from the shock. I looked down to see Aurelius below me, and the only thought that came to mind was 'Fuck it.' I let go of the ledge before the orc could make it to me, the only thing I managed to say was "Aurelius look-" THUD!