ROGUE RAZOR

[Intermission]

"Stay quiet." Alice whispered.

Hadwyn crouched down in the tall grass. His camouflage flickered as he moved. He squinted.

A group of Orcs were screaming at the top of their lungs, chanting some sort of song. They were moving single-file, covered in various trophies. The one in the back was beating a drum. The one in the front wielded a staff with a human head on it. And the rest were equipped with weapons, like swords, shields, and bows.

There were ten.

Alice gripped the handle of her sword. Hadwyn tensed. He too gripped his sword. She tilted her head.

"Hadwyn, stay here and watch for other enemies." She addressed him.. That's your way of telling me to stay out of your way.

"Wait, those orcs are under an enhancement spell." He warned. "Let's wait for Mateo to catch up at least."

He gave him a we are not equals look, then she took off.

Hadwyn muttered a curse under his breath and drew his sword. He launched himself out of the brush. No way was he going to let Alice take all the experience.

The orcs immediately noticed the two and they screeched with glee. Their bodies shimmered.

One might wonder why orcs were out in broad daylight. It was because orcs and other humanoid creatures all worshiped similar gods. The day of worship for them was to spill the blood of all humans, humanoids, and other sentient beings as sacrifice. This was also the day of slumber for them. Which meant those who died on this day would come back the next reborn.

The orc with the head on the stick roared and shot the spear forward. Hadwyn slid under it and slashed the orcs' stomach open. His organs came out steaming, but he was not yet dead. He drew a machete from his back and slashed back at Hadwyn. Hadywn blocked the attack. His heart beat with fear and energy. He drove his blade forward and stabbed right through the neck of the orc. It gurgled blood and died. In this amount of time, Alice had slain two orcs.

I'm getting better. Hadwyn thought.

An arrow whizzed by his head. The orc with the drum had dropped it and had his bow drawn and primed. He was cut down by Alice, who appeared to Hadwyn only as a blur, not not before he pulled off another shot.

The arrow hit Hadwyn in the leg. He grimaced in pain. But for now his leg still worked as it should have. He sprinted towards another orc, who simultaneously charged at him as well. He weaved and slashed until the orc was nothing more than mutilated flesh. He had half-expected Alice to come and steal his kill, but she didn't. Perhaps she pitied him.

Hadwyn didn't want her pity, but he needed all he could get.

Sure enough. Alice had disemboweled the remaining orcs. Hadwyn had no doubt that she had done it even before he killed his. She nodded her head at him.

A horn blew in the distance. West.

Alice sheathed her sword. It disintegrated into sparkles.

"We gotta go back to Loyd." Hadwyn insisted. As much as he would rather fight alongside Alice, he didn't know how long they would last out in the open. Small groups made easy targets.

Hadwyn pulled out his golden scale. He took it out for good luck, then quickly put it back in his pockets.

Alice sighed, then turned to him. "I guess you're right... He's probably expecting us to return soon."

The clanging of swords rang out. Some sparks and explosions rocketed outward from the battleground. It was complete chaos, which made Hadwyn glad he tagged along with Alice instead of hanging back.