Through Thick and Thin | Benimaru

Chapter 6: The Orc Lord Part I

The blue-haired ogre quickly glanced at her surrounding, evading an attack from a giant red ant monster who had attacked her, hoping to bring her dead corpse back to the nest for food. An ogre was one of the strongest, if not the strongest, species in the entire Great Forest of Jura, but this particular ogre was alone and tired from fighting and constant traveling as she sought out her companions. She would be a perfect monster to pick off and bring home for the ant.

Quickly, the ogre dispatched the ant, her single white horn gleaming brightly as she used the claymore and tore into the ant. Once it died, she didn't linger long, heading slightly west in hopes of running across a creek or pond. She had the ability to draw water from thin air and produce it, but her water was always stronger and easier to draw upon when she didn't have to rely solely on her magicules. She would need it if the ants were to catch up to her. They should be on their way already, and their dead companion would only anger them more.

She cursed her luck as not a single body of water was in sight by the time the ants had caught up to her. It seemed that the death of the first giant ant had angered just about the whole nest and they had all come out to take care of the blue-haired ogre that they deemed a pest.

Running a few more paces, she changed directions, using her momentum to launch straight at the nearest ant. The gigantic red insect reared back on its back two legs, screeching and waving its antennae as it loomed over the ogre. Within milliseconds, the girl had drawn her claymore, the sword gripped tightly in both her hands as she brought it down and sliced through the giant red ant. Without skipping a beat, she turned the sword and decapitated another ant that had crawled over. The rest of them screeched, but dithered behind the fallen monsters.

Both sides stood at standstill, the ants faltering at their dead comrades and the girl not wanting to fight. Eventually, she slowly lowered her sword, the tip just touching the ground. When the ants still hadn't moved, she turned away, starting to head towards what she hoped was a river. The ants skittered around behind, but made no move as she kept her eye on them as she backed away. Once she was far enough, she turned fully, taking her attention off the ants. It was then that they finally surged forward, their mandibles snapping threateningly.

Without looking back, the blue-haired ogre summoned a wall of watery blades, the tips hardening slightly so that it could pierce through the ant's body. The fastest ant had caught up to her and its shadow loomed over. She sighed turning around and stabbing the ant from below its head while simultaneously releasing the ice-tipped arrows at a high speed despite the small distance. The skittering of the ants' legs stopped, leaving only silence in the forest as all the ants received a dagger or two to straight through their head.

The ant that had been stabbed above the blue-haired ogre slumped down slightly onto the sword as it died, allowing more blood to escape the wound and run down the sword. Disgusted, the blue-haired ogre quickly withdrew her claymore, knocking the dead carcass to the side. However, as she did so, the blood that sprayed out from the ant splashed her, painting her blue clothes and hair red. She made a face as she wiped off the blood from her face. She really should find that river now.

~~~

"You're saying the Orcs attacked the Ogres? That can't be!" Kaijin, a dwarf that had joined the goblin village, exclaimed in shock. The red-haired young master had been explaining their predicament to the Goblin King, Rigurd, his son, Rigur, and the dwarf Kaijin. Rigur was the goblin with the red cloth tied on his head that the purple-haired ogre had fought. Despite being one of the ones that ended up injured for a moment, the goblin was kindhearted and easily forgave them since the goblins had been in the wrong as well. Behind him sat the old white-haired ogre and not far in the treeline was the blue-haired one. The two girls had gone off to mingle with the villagers while the larger black-haired ogre was wolfing down meat skewers, eating them at the same rate they were being grilled.