The orcs were almost upon them.
"Quick, take the last cart and meet me downhill!"
Nimlith shook her head.
"I'm staying."
"You can't! They will be here any second now!"
The elf looked calm, but prepared.
"I am staying. There are still people here."
"And there are people who need our help down there!"
"Then go and aid them. I am staying."
The man shook his head, then grabbed the bridle of the pack animal and pulled it away harshly. The rocky hill-road was trenched deeply already from countless carts of the evacuation going past, but it held.
Suddenly, a small child jumped off the cart. No older than three or four, it tried to run up the road towards the village. "Mother! Father!"
Nimlith dashed after the boy, picking him up bodily. With a few quick and secure steps, she caught up to the cart and thrust the child into the outstretched arms of a woman. "Take him!"
Whispering a blessing to the mule pulling the chart - may you find sure footing - Nimlith turned back to join the defenders of the little village on the hill. A few men, unversed in battle, wielding farming tools and the swords of long forgotten forefathers' battles. Still, her warning had got most of them out, had it not? Now their duty was to slow down the orcs enough for the refugees to reach the gates of the nearest town. Maybe with luck, they would be safe there for a while...
Suddenly, a small child jumped off the cart. No older than three or four, it tried to run up the road towards the village. "Mother! Father!"
Nimlith dashed after the boy, picking him up bodily. With a few quick and secure steps, she caught up to the cart and thrust the child into the outstretched arms of a woman. "Take him!"
Whispering a blessing to the mule pulling the chart - may you find sure footing - Nimlith turned back to join the defenders of the little village on the hill. A few men, unversed in battle, wielding farming tools and the swords of long forgotten forefathers' battles. Still, her warning had got most of them out, had it not? Now their duty was to slow down the orcs enough for the refugees to reach the gates of the nearest town. Maybe with luck, they would be safe there for a while...The arrows fell with a rain of fire. Within seconds, the straw roofs of the little village were ablaze.
"They are not here to loot," the Elf thought. "They are here to spread fear and chaos."
The grim faces of the men beside her reflected the sentiment. None of them had much hope left.
Nimlith stepped out to meet the force of the orcs as they approached.
"Halt. This village is protected. Do not advance."
The Orc captain stared at the Elf in surprise. Then, a slow grin spread on his face. He tossed his head back and roared with laughter.
Nimlith prepared herself, drawing a charm in the air with her left hand.
The orc growled a command to his subordinates, pointing to Nimlith. "Go!"
She could counter one blow, several. But the orcs were not interested in the humans, breaking their defenses as easily as one swats away a fly. Five huge orcs bore down on the Elf, grabbing her arms and pulling her off the ground.
One had a spear. Unable to defend herself in the grip of the orcs, Nimlith could only focus on it as it bore down and pierced her flesh...
Nimlith stepped out to meet the force of the orcs as they approached.
"Halt. This village is protected. Do not advance."
The Orc captain stared at the Elf in surprise. Then, a slow grin spread on his face. He tossed his head back and roared with laughter.
Nimlith prepared herself, drawing a charm in the air with her left hand.
The orc growled a command to his subordinates, pointing to Nimlith. "Go!"
She could counter one blow, several. But the orcs were not interested in the humans, breaking their defenses as easily as one swats away a fly. Five huge orcs bore down on the Elf, grabbing her arms and pulling her off the ground.
One had a spear. Unable to defend herself in the grip of the orcs, Nimlith could only focus on it as it bore down and pierced her flesh...
