Everyone stood still.

  All weapons were drawn forward along the light, snow covered path. Skivvy was off his horse staring forward with both scimitars drawn forward as he stood ahead of everyone. His skin was changing between blue, green, and yellow as his breathing intensified. He was staring anxiously ahead as if he saw something or knew something was wrong. Kale notched an arrow back waiting nervously for what was to come. Ator stood to the side as he took in many deep breaths. Aurora was off on the left side gripping her spear tightly. Audra’s left hand produced fire as her right hand held the repeating crossbow. Nikolai threw up, but was able to stand firm as he drew his gladius and shield. Keely drew her gun and slowly cocked it as she sat next to Audra. The horses were pacing nervously and were wanting to turn around. Everyone besides those in the wagon were off their horses.

  Desmond knelt down as Light Wielder glowed. Aurora whispered over to him, “What does he see up ahead?”

  “I don’t know… He said he smells something nearby and it’s alarming.”

  “That last wood-elf village did warn us of ‘wild ape men’ out here… I thought they were just legend?”

  “Who knows,” Desmond replied as he stood firm in the middle. Keely asked Audra, “Do you think it’s just a fake feeling from Skivs? I hope it is.”

  “I don’t know and that’s what scaring me,” Audra said as she lowered her visor. The horses were whining to turn around, but the squad was doing everything to keep them still. Kale, Ator, and Nikolai took turns quickly tying the horses to the trees or wagon.

  Desmond slowly crept up to Skivvy who was glued forward unmoving. Desmond quietly asked, “What do you sense?”

  “I smell them. There’s a group just ahead and I feel like I’m staring directly at someone right now… If I move first, then we’ll be in a world of hurt,” Skivvy replied shakily.

  Kale walked up next to them and asked, “LT? Permission to fire a warning shot?”

  “No,” Desmond said. “Just wait a bit.”

  Skivvy made a low grunt as his skin turned slightly blue and red. Kale pointed ahead and noticed movement. There was a faint, far off sound of erratic slushing and trudging through the snow and dirt. It was getting closer and louder and more erratic; almost desperate sounding. Everyone tensed in anticipation. Keely attached a small scope to her rifle to get a better view. Desmond called back to her, “Kee! You see it?”

  “I see a silhouette moving closer! Can’t identify yet,” she yelled back.

  She quickly positioned herself on the wagon behind Audra.

  Desmond told everyone, “Spread out! Defensive formation! Kale, to the side!”

  Everyone moved and hunkered down. Ator’s breathing slowed as he kept readjusting his grip on his great axe. Nikolai was amping himself up unable to sit still. Audra’s hand glowed brighter as her brow hardened in fear. Desmond was planted firmly in the center with Kale, Skivvy, and Aurora flanking him on both sides.

  Keely yelled out, “It’s a man! Looks like a northern footman!”

  Everyone was confused. The man was about 50 yards away running and tripping in a panic. He was covered in blood and snow. His helmet was gone and his breast plate was torn off him. His padded undershirt was ripped to shreds and bloodied. He was holding his stomach as his left arm was covered in blood.

  He cried out, “HELP! They’re coming!”

  “What is it trooper,” Desmond yelled back. “What is it!”

  “Just get me out of here! They’re – AGGHHHH!”

  The man was instantly grabbed by a fast moving and large, gray haired ape man as it bit into his head and carried him off the side of the pathway. Everyone collectively yelled out, “What the fuck?”

  “Shit! Over there,” Keely yelled.

  “What,” Desmond asked nervously, “Where?”

  “Down,” Keely yelled.

  Keely then opened fire at one ape man peeking out of a bush just 20 yards to the left of the pathway. She missed. Upon doing that, a group of 6 ape men jumped from the trees and onto the squad causing immediate chaos. 3 more ran down the pathway at Desmond, Skivvy, and Kale as Kale desperately opened fire on them killing one after it absorbed three arrows to the chest and neck. He then stood there frozen in fear for a good bit.

  Skivvy yelled at him, “Private! We need you! Move!”

  Kale snapped out of his funk and quickly tried firring as many arrows as he could. Some spears landed near him as he fired into the trees wounding 2 ape men above. However there seemed to be more in the trees and bushes throwing spears in all directions from above.

  1 ape man tossed Nikolai to the side as it was holding an obsidian knife. It decided to kill the horses instead of Nikolai. Nikolai instinctively decided to attack and stab the ape men’s’ feet as Ator came by and finished off the attacker whilst picking up Nikolai. Ator swung around with his axe into a charging ape men from behind and proceeded to hack at it as it cried and roared at him. All that was heard were the harsh and blood curdling sounds of the ape men screaming and roaring as they moved in on the squad. Ator then rolled away from a handful of spears nearly hitting him. Nikolai hid behind a dead horse as it absorbed two spears.

  They were as big if not bigger than Ator or any orc for that matter. Nasty creatures that smelled of sulfur and other unpleasant smells in nature. The small timber village that the Cursed Devils recently passed through warned them of the ape men. Relatively intelligent, but mysterious creatures overall. Primitive, but ultra-violent. They have roamed the northern lands for hundreds of years. With civilization nearing their territories, the ape men fought all who came near; human, orc, elf, did not matter. The northern Empire and Elvan lands were a harsh place to say the least. The old seer woman warned that they would have to clear out a cave of them in order to peacefully make it to the Tree of Life. Desmond initially dismissed it along with the majority of the squad. Ator, Keely, and Audra however were concerned and rightfully so.

  Aurora got her spear broken in half after she gutted one of the attacking ape men from the trees. She jumped back and slashed at an attacking ape man as he blocked her attacks with his club. She quickly parried and was able to gut the ape man with both her swords. She quickly jumped back as two spears landed in front of her. Desmond sliced one charging ape man in half easily as another jumped at him striking down with a club. Skivvy shoved both his scimitars into the jumping ape man’s torso as it failed to kill Desmond. Desmond was knocked onto the ground, but was alright. He did, however, have to dodge one spear landing next to his head as he quickly squirmed and rolled to his right. Skivvy proceed to use his claws and teeth to take out another charging ape man who jumped down from a tree.

  Keely blew the head off of one of the ape man next to the wagon and resorted to her knives as she was pulled from the wagon from behind. She sliced off a few fingers and threw two knives into an ape man’s face as it screamed in pain. She then proceeded to stab it multiple times with her short sword for good measure cursing in Elvish. Audra set 2 of them on fire and she hopped in the air flipping over an obsidian tipped spear that was thrown at her. She tried to force the rest away from the wagon, but to no avail. The crossbow bolts and fire did not deter the ape men’s determination. The two horses pulling the wagon were quickly hacked and stabbed. The back wheels of the wagon were damaged badly as well. Once all the horses were killed, the remaining ape men ran away by climbing into the trees and sprinting off. All in the matter of less than a minute it was over. Silence once again. Eleven dead ape men from an attacking force of thirty.

  Everyone was covered in blood, slush, and snow to some degree. Skivvy stood up cleaning his hands as he cursed to himself for being messy.

  Nikolai sat up cursing, “Why am I always shoved into the ground first? The fuck just happened! I thought they were legend? The old woman was right? What the actual fucking fuck! Fuck! Sigh… That was tactically sound by them though. I have to admit.”

  Ator shrugged in response, but was breathing heavily as he was struggling to rip his axe out of the skull of a dead ape man. He grew more angry with every pull on the axe. Nikolai went over to help and both were flung backwards into the bloody slush as the axe finally freed itself. Ator cursed under his breath and picked up Nikolai once again.

  Ator said to him, “Fuck these things.”

  “Agreed.”

  Kale stood on guard, but was in shock at what just happened. Keely sat up and quickly kicked the chopped off fingers of the ape man attacker away from her disgusted by the feeling of them. She then proceeded to quickly wipe her face and arms to get the blood off of her.

  Audra was still in her defensive stance after landing on the ground with both her hands glowing red with fire nearly melting the handle of the repeating crossbow. She was nervously scanning the tree line for more. Skivvy lightly tapped her on the arm and her hands stopped glowing red and the fire disappeared. She proceeded to collapse to the ground breathing heavily out of shock. She began to have a panic attack. Skivvy stayed by her for a few moments.

  Aurora sat by her dying, white horse calmly singing an Elvish song to it. Skivvy proceeded to stand ahead on the pathway 10 feet from the squad breathing heavily as he stared forward nervously waiting for more. Desmond slowly sat up and looked back at the carnage.

  “Shit,” he murmured to himself.

  All the horses were dead or dying. About seven dead ape men left on the ground along with multiple blood trails and a few dragged off bodies. Three were slumped in the trees. The fourth was face down next to a tree with multiple arrows in its head. Desmond looked back at his dead horse and said to himself, “Shallot, I’m sorry.”

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  His horse had two spears in its head. He lifted his visor up and placed his hand on the horse. He prayed over the horse for a bit.

  Desmond walked over to Aurora who was holding her bowie knife tensely as she had a tear stream down her cheek smearing the blue painted line on her face. Her horse was slowly breathing as there was a large spear stuck in its abdomen along with one sliced off front leg. Desmond knelt down next to her and petted the horse’s neck.

  Skivvy relaxed sensing nothing and walked over to Kale asking, “Mate? You can relax… All good?”

  “Yeah… Yeah… All… That was… Fucking incredible.”

  “Take a seat, man,” Skivvy said whilst patting Kale on the shoulder.

  Keely noticed Kale and quickly ran over to him to calm him down. She told Skivvy, “Thank you, Sarge. I got him. Check on Audra, mate.”

  Audra was still nervously looking around whilst having a panic attack. Skivvy walked up to her. She jumped for a second and said frantically, “Holy shit! How the hell… How many more are there? They came from nowhere! They just charged in with reckless abandoned and had strategy and… And… And…”

  “Audra,” Skivvy said calmly as he gently reached for her hands.

  He sheathed both his scimitars. He held her hands not saying a word. Audra had a few tears stream down, but the gentleness of Skivvy calmed her down as she crumpled to the ground as she held his hands. Skivvy squatted down with her. He looked at her and rested his forehead against hers after he took her helmet off. He said softly, “We’re all still here and alive. That’s all that matters.”

  “Thank – Thank you, Skivs. I’m sorry for breaking down like this. I don’t mean to look like a scared bitch is all.”

  “It happens,” Skivvy replied gently.

  They both sat there eyes closed with their foreheads resting on each other as Skivvy and Audra were simultaneously taking slow breaths. Audra then collapsed into a hug muffling her cries into his left shoulder. He hugged her back and lightly patted her, but stopped once he realized he was smearing blood on her hair and armor from his hands.

  Keely sat Kale down on the side of the pathway and gave him water. He took very long sips as he was still trying to catch his breath. “Fucking adrenaline won’t leave, sis.”

  “I know.”

  “The fawk was that,” he asked aloud.

  No one responded.

  Ator and Nikolai went around checking on the horses and putting two out their misery. Ator put them out of their misery in actuality. Nikolai could not bring himself to do it. Both of them walked behind Aurora and Desmond.

  Ator asked meekly, “Lieutenant? I can if you want.”

  Desmond raised his hand to tell them no. Both understood. Aurora looked down at her horse as she gently pet the face of it.

  Desmond asked her, “Aurora… You have to… I’m sorry. You okay to do this?”

  She nodded and quickly shoved the knife into the horse’s head finally putting it out of its misery. She quickly turned around and sat down pinching her eyes. She did not want to look at anyone or anything at the moment. The blue painted line across her eyes began to smear down her cheeks. She pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her face removing the line and tears from her eyes.

  Desmond sat up and walked over towards the wagon. He sighed and asked Skivvy, “How much farther until we reach the fort?”

  “Five miles give or take.”

  “Okay… Save to assume that the fort was attacked by them as well… We’ll see… We’ll rest for a good bit before moving out… How is she,” he said looking at Audra wiping her eyes as she kicked her helmet on the ground.

  Skivvy looked back at him with hurt in his eyes. Desmond nodded. He turned around to look at Ator and Nikolai. Ator was giving his water to Aurora who was grateful, but was holding it together overall. She wanted to look away from everyone though. Nikolai was adjusting his goggles looking deflated. He asked Nikolai, “Know anything about these ape men?”

  “Yes… Sorry sir one sec. Damn goggles got blood and dirt on them… Violent bunch that roam these lands. Rovadiriam as they are classified in the textbooks. Dying breed overall. Ultra-protective and tribal. Honestly thought they died off a few hundred years ago. They were purged from these lands supposedly by the elves. I guess a pocket of them survived in the nearby mountains and how harsh the land is.”

  “Interesting,” Desmond said flatly. “Nicky… You…”

  “Shit sir! That old seer in the last village was right! We should’ve taken the goat path instead of this one! We need to start trusting the people more because these stories aren’t all fiction to scare kids… Damnit! We’re smarter than that!”

  “Maybe so… It was the only pathway that the wagon could fit in. At least we’re all still standing. All things considered. Wish we still had the horses.”

  “Yeah… I just wished they didn’t smell so bad. Smells like rancid cheese and garlic.”

  “Yeah,” Desmond said looking at Kale and Keely with concern.

  Keely looked back at Desmond and gave a reassuring thumbs up with her patented forced smile of exuberance. He smiled softly in return and gave an okay sign. He knew that this was a lie from her, but he only cared that everyone was alright overall. He sheathed Light Wielder and began to unload the wagon. Ator and Aurora joined in as well.

  An hour passed and Desmond asked Audra once he finished his can of beans, “Still have the maps and books in the bag of holding?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “What’s left of the medical as well?”

  “Yep.”

  “The tents and bedding too?”

  “Yes sir… All but the food provisions is all here, sir. Everyone has their issued haversacks as well… We’re fine, sir.”

  “Okay,” Desmond said calmly.

  He was put off slightly by her now cold demeanor. Skivvy gave him a reassuring nod about it. Desmond looked over at the squad who were still shaken up by the attack. The burning corpses of the ape men pile filled the cold air as the wind blew it into the sky. Everyone relaxed for a bite to eat and mental recouperation.

  Desmond stood ahead and slightly away from the squad. Audra sat back down by Skivvy resting herself into his left side. Ator was praying and chanting whilst holding some prayer beads and gripping his axe tightly. Nikolai sat next to Ator writing notes down in his journal. Kale and Keely were off to the other side as Keely was making sure Kale was alright overall.

  Aurora walked up to Desmond looking ahead. She asked plainly, “What’s the plan?”

  “We keep moving forward. Until we hit the fort… May have to kill more of those ape fucks.”

  “Hmm.”

  “You okay?”

  “Angered overall by them… Since when did they start using ambush tactics that aggressively and efficiently? They’re supposed to be dumb, right?”

  “They’re evolving I guess.”

  “Need to kill off as many as we could before we can move onward… The old lady said so. They apparently live in the caves north of here.”

  “Hmm… Just us against god knows how many. So many road blocks and hiccups this journey… How the fuck did the original task force make it this far?”

  “I don’t know, Dez… I don’t know…We have to try at least. Kill them, I mean.”

  “You want revenge?”

  “No.”

  “What is it then?”

  “I want them to die,” she said with harsh retribution. “I raised that horse from when I was a teenager… I want them to die. Okay?”

  “Okay love,” Desmond said understandingly.

  Kale said to Keely as she was wrapping his left arm with gauze, “How the fuck did I freeze right there? I’ve encountered much scarier orcs and I’ve never frozen before… What happened?”

  “We were surprised is all… Everyone here who says they weren’t thrown off is a liar.”

  “You? You sound rather calm. Not your usual cheekiness.”

  “Fawking petrified, but like you said all those years ago… ‘We have to keep fighting no matter how scary the world is.’ Remember?”

  “Yeah,” Kale replied happily and feeling reassured. Keely’s foot was rapidly tapping the ground.

  Skivvy slowly walked up to Aurora and Desmond and said, “We’re ready to move once you are, sirs. Also… I suggest keeping an eye on Audra… She’s… Bothered at the moment. I’ve seen this before and… Well, you know what happened and why she ended up at her rank.”

  “Okay thank you, Skivs. I’ll talk with her,” Aurora said looking at Audra who was flicking her finger to be fire at will as if she was playing with a zippo lighter.

  Aurora understood her feelings at the moment. Reminded Aurora of her first time killing in combat. All the emotions and fears spurted out at once. It’s always difficult to compartmentalize. Aurora sat next Audra and gave her some Elvan bread. Audra said nothing, but ate the bread.

  Aurora looked at the tree line and said softly, “I know that feeling you have… We can talk about it later. For now though… Sigh. Control that anger and wait to unleash it at the right time. We will get them back… I swear it.” Audra nodded unemotionally. She lightly patted Aurora’s hand.

  Audra asked, “Does it always feel this numbing?”

  “Yes… Sadly.”

  “Why am I afraid now, when I wasn’t before? All the penal raids and Vorstock did not scare me, but now… I’m afraid and angered. I just had a panic attack out of nowhere.”

  “I don’t know what to say… I remember being shaken up after I killed for the first time… It took me a week to get over it… I was a wreck in all honesty.”

  “You? The prettiest damn woman I ever met a wreck?”

  “Ha! Thanks, but yeah. It happens. What do you feel now?”

  “I just… I just haven’t felt like this since I was de – I was punished for freezing up. Last thing I remembered before blacking out was… It wasn’t pretty is what I’m trying to say,” Audra said looking at the ground.

  Aurora curiously perked up and looked at her the way a concerned teacher would with a troubled student. Aurora took off her sapphire necklace and held it. She thought of her father at the time and how he was a fading memory. She briefly thought about what her father said of the necklace. She nudged Audra to look at it.

  Aurora softly explained, “My father gave me this… I was very little. He said that it was a good luck charm that would protect and give whoever where’s it happiness.”

  She handed it to Audra. Audra was a little perplexed, but was impressed at how pretty the sapphire was underneath the leather string. Her hand glowed a light blue as the ethereal flames from her hand danced around the sapphire. Her eyes glowed blue for a brief moment. She smiled and handed it back to Aurora thankful for looking at it.

  Audra replied with a soft smile, “It’s a good thing you have it. Thank you.”

  “Better? Even if it means it doesn’t work?”

  “Better.”

  Desmond lowered his visor once more and yelled out, “Okay… Everyone! Follow me! Stay on alert. We’re five miles away from the fort. Once there, we re-supply what we can and we will head into the caves and kill them off! Understood! There should also be a group Elvan border rangers near as well. Let’s hope they are at the fort. Let’s move!”

  Everyone stood tall with vengeance and fear. Everyone nodded in agreement. “Kill” was the only thing on everyone’s mind at the moment. All wanted vengeance and all wanted to return the favor.