Smiley and the Demigorgon's Warband

Chapter 23: The Battle Begins

The battlefield roared with the sounds of battle, and the stench of blood and iron filled the air as Smiley and her crew carved their way toward the gates of the Orc King's castle. Behind them, the bodies of slain orcs littered the ground, but the fight was far from over. As they stood at the castle's entrance, Krag and his brother, Graash, faced off in a duel that had come to define both of their paths.

Krag held his weapon tightly, poised to strike the final blow. His brother, Graash, weakened and clutching his side, looked up at him, a flicker of doubt in his eyes.

"Krag," Graash rasped, his voice strained. "You should've never abandoned us. But... perhaps you were right."

Krag hesitated, lowering his weapon. He could see the spark of realization in his brother's eyes—the weight of the Orc King's corruption finally beginning to dawn on him.

"You don't have to die here, Graash," Krag said, his voice steady but pleading. "We can stop him together. There's still time."

For a brief, hopeful moment, Graash seemed to consider it. His grip on his battle axe slackened as he met Krag's gaze. There was a glimmer of something—remorse, perhaps? Redemption?

But before either could act, a whistle pierced the air. The unmistakable sound of a spear cutting through the chaos. Krag's eyes widened as he saw it—a jagged spear, thrown from one of the orc soldiers still in the fray.

It was too late.

The spear embedded itself into Graash's chest with a sickening thud. The massive orc staggered, his bloodshot eyes filled with shock and pain as his legs gave way beneath him. Krag caught his brother before he hit the ground, cradling Graash's dying form in his arms.

"No!" Krag's voice cracked as he held his brother, his heart torn between rage and grief.

Graash coughed, blood staining his lips, but his eyes, now clear of the Orc King's influence, softened as they met Krag's.

"I... I'm sorry, brother," Graash whispered, his voice barely audible. "I was blind..."

With one final breath, Graash's body went limp in Krag's arms.

### Krag's Rage

A silence seemed to fall over the battlefield for just a moment as Krag looked down at his brother's lifeless body. The grief in his heart was quickly swallowed by a tidal wave of rage, hotter than any flame, more furious than any storm.

Krag gently laid Graash down and stood, his eyes now burning with fury. He gripped his weapon tighter, the muscles in his arms trembling with raw emotion.

The orc soldier who had thrown the spear, still standing amid the chaos, grinned wickedly as though pleased with his kill.

Krag roared, his voice a primal, guttural sound that shook the battlefield. His once-reserved demeanor was now gone, replaced by the wrath of a brother betrayed. He charged toward the orc ranks, cutting through them with a ferocity that none of them could have anticipated. With each strike, he vented his anger, cleaving through the waves of enemies, buying precious time for Smiley and the others to reach the castle.

"Krag!" Smiley called from the castle entrance, her eyes filled with concern, but Krag waved her off.

"Go!" Krag shouted over the sounds of battle. "I'll hold them back! Finish this!"

Smiley hesitated for a moment, but she knew this was Krag's choice. She nodded, her heart heavy, and signaled to the rest of the group.

"Let's go! We have to stop the Orc King now!"

### The Final Confrontation

Smiley, D.G., Elendir, Vin, and Wesley charged through the castle gates. Behind them, Krag continued his relentless assault, holding off the horde of orcs that sought to stop them.

As they entered the throne room, the air grew thick with dark magic. The very walls seemed to pulse with malevolent energy, and at the far end of the room, seated on his throne of bones, was the Orc King himself. His hulking form cast a long shadow, his dark armor gleaming with ancient power, and in his hand, he held a massive warhammer that seemed to hum with dark energy.

The Orc King rose from his throne as Smiley and her group approached, his eyes burning with a mixture of contempt and amusement.

"So, the little hobbit and her band of misfits have come at last," the Orc King sneered, his voice deep and dripping with malice. "You've done well to make it this far, but this is where your journey ends."

Smiley stepped forward, her heart pounding but her resolve unshaken. She could feel the weight of every life lost, every battle fought, resting on her shoulders. She gripped her sword tighter and glared up at the towering figure of the Orc King.

"We're not leaving until you're defeated," Smiley said, her voice steady and filled with determination.

The Orc King chuckled darkly. "Then you will die here, all of you."

With a thunderous roar, the Orc King raised his warhammer and charged forward, his massive form barreling toward them with terrifying speed. The ground shook beneath his feet as he swung the warhammer down with enough force to shatter the stone floor.

Smiley and her group scattered, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike. D.G. unleashed her Gorgon powers, hurling stones and bolts of energy at the Orc King, but he shrugged them off as if they were nothing. Elendir fired arrows infused with elven magic, but the Orc King deflected them with ease.

"Stay focused!" Smiley shouted, dodging another massive swing from the Orc King's warhammer.

The fight raged on, with Smiley and her group desperately trying to find an opening. The Orc King fought with brutal strength and precision, each of his attacks capable of ending them in a single blow. But they were not without their own strength.

D.G., now fully in control of her Gorgon powers, launched a series of devastating strikes, creating small cracks in the Orc King's armor. Wesley used his traps and potions to slow the Orc King's movements, while Vin and Elendir pressed the attack from a distance.

But it was Smiley who saw the opportunity.

As the Orc King raised his warhammer for another strike, Smiley darted forward, her small but swift form slipping past his defenses. She struck at the cracks in his armor, her blade finding purchase.

The Orc King roared in pain, staggering backward, but he was far from defeated. This was only the beginning of the final battle, and Smiley knew they would need every ounce of their strength to bring him down.

The time had come to end this, once and for all.