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Back to Empire on the HPe3000
... and ...
The hunchbacked giant stepped into the fray. He swung his axe and
chopped an orc in half from skull to groin, the blade sparked against the
stone. The blade went up against his shoulder and then swept down, it
skimmed off the top of one orcs skull, greygreen brains sloshed out, then
split a second orc from shoulder to waist across its chest, the swing
brought it down low almost scraping the floor on its descending arc
before rising up to the giants other shoulder.
As the giant prepared a backhand stroke Derue screamed out a
challenge and rushed in, a group of orcs ran at the giant as well. Derue's
blazing sword smacked against the giants chest and snapped a line of steel
rings on the monstrous shirt. The burning tip set the giants greasy beard
aflame, its backhand stroke went wild, the flat of the blade stove in
an orcs head just the same and sent the body flailing across the ground.
The flames danced about its face and burned off the thick fringe of hair
around its bald pate as well. The axe fell to the ground while the giant
used both hands to try and smother its burning beard.
Derue left deep gashes in across both the giants arms, then
stabbed it deeply in the gut, the giant gulped, one vast hand flashed out
and grabbed the blade as Derue drew it free, the blade cut too the bone
and as Derue yanked it to the side cut off the giants thumb.
The orcs had not stood idle while the fight went on, those who
fought the apes matched fury with fury, but paid a fearful toll in life
and blood and broken bones. The apes fell at last and lay dead amidst a
pile of orcs slain by their naked hands. As the battle raged a handful of
bugbears, no more than a dozen, came roaring into the room with two ogres
pushing them on from behind.
And while Derue slashed away at the hunched giant, five orcs
attacked its legs. One died beneath the giants feet, the giant unaware it
had stepped on the skinny beast. The bites and scratches from the unarmed
orcs were ignored while it beat out its burning hair, and when Derue stuck
it deep with the white hot blade the pain was overwhelming. The giant
gasped for breath, its eyes bulged and slowly it fell to its knees. An
orc ran up its back and sunk its teeth into the burnt and blistered neck,
Derue used two hands and cracked its skull, but the bone was thick and
the blade wedged tight, the hilt resting on its nose. He had to place his
foot against the giants face and waggle the blade back and forth to get it
free.
Across the room the bugbears had cut a swath through the orcs,
fresh, uninjured, armed and armored, they killed a dozen with as many
strokes. The ogres seeing the bugbears carnage laughed and brushed their
lackeys aside. The orcs drew back and as the ogres stepped forward, Derue
stepped from the crowded midst of orcs, his sword still burning in his
hand.
"Not another one." an ogre with a scorched face called out.
"Edouard!" Derue screamed. "Where is my brother!" he charged them
and laid open the wounded ogres stomach with his first stroke. Long ropey
intestines burst forth, like the coils of a red-purple snake or monstrous
worms, the ogre screamed and tried to hold itself together with its hands.
The orcs began to hoot and cheer, the other ogre growled and swung a
massive fist that passed harmlessly just a hairsbreadth above Derue's
head. Derue lashed back and cut open the ogres arm from shoulder to elbow
and then the orcs charged.
The wounded ogre was pulled apart, the bugbears turned and ran,
the last ogre broke an orcs back with its wounded arm then had seven
blades cut it from back and sides. Derue found himself surrounded by the
victorious orcish mob, both ogres dead, their bodies hacked apart and
strewn across the floor.
* * *
(To Be Continued)