03 - Call to Arms by Mitchel Scanlon - (ebook by Undead) Page A

Dieter raised his shield as well.
Wary of the fact that he had not yet drilled with the Scarlets, he was careful
to leave some space between himself and the others—standing close enough so he
could cover their flank, but not so close he might get in their way and endanger
them all.
    The monsters were orcs. Dieter had never seen them in the flesh before, but
one look at the creatures’ jutting jaws and slab-browed, bestial features was
enough for him to identify them from the descriptions of Helmut Schau.
    Each of the orcs was armed with a shield and a heavy sword with a huge,
cleaver-like blade. Where their human opponents were quick to adopt battle
formation, the orcs fought without regard for any such tactical subtlety.
Bellowing with rage, they charged forward, red eyes shining at the lure of
bloodshed.
    One of them made for Dieter. Stepping forward to meet its charge, Dieter
reminded himself of the lessons learned fighting beastmen the day before. When
the orc lashed out at him with its sword, Dieter was careful not to meet the
blade directly with his shield for fear the orc’s attack would smash right
through it. Instead, he feinted with the shield as though he was going to parry
with it, before sidestepping the attack at the last moment.
    As the orc’s blade slashed through empty air, Dieter thrust his sword at the
gap created in the creature’s guard. The blade struck home, stabbing deep
through the monster’s hide and into its chest. Pulling the sword free as the orc
grunted in pain, Dieter resumed a high guard position, confident his enemy was
about to fall.
    He was wrong. Turning to face him once more, the orc spat out a mouthful of
dark blood and showed its teeth in a snarl.
    Dieter was sure he had stabbed the creature in the heart, but incredibly the
orc seemed hardly fazed by the wound. Redoubling its efforts to kill him, the
orc charged forward once more, swinging its sword as it uttered a roaring cry of
defiance.
    Trying a variation on his previous tactic, Dieter dodged the blow and tried
to slash at the back of its legs, aiming to hamstring the orc for an easy kill.
    This time, the orc was ready for him. Catching him with the edge of its
shield, it swatted Dieter like a fly, hitting him with a force that sent him
reeling. Barely managing to keep his feet, Dieter took a more open stance as the
orc turned to face him again, hoping to tempt his enemy into making another
charge.
    He did not have to wait long. With a roar, the orc lumbered forward. Making
another feint, Dieter jinked as though he was going right, before he suddenly
rushed to the left. The movement exposed the orc’s right side as it lifted its
sword to strike. Dieter thrust his own sword forward with all his might, the
blade stabbing between the monster’s ribs and digging deep. Pulling the weapon
free with a twist, Dieter stabbed at his target a second time before the orc
could react. Disengaging swiftly, he took a step backward, moving to a safe
position beyond the orc’s reach.
    Again, the orc snarled in defiance. But, this time, the damage done was more
than it could shrug off. It moved a step forward. Then, another step, its sword
falling from a dying hand even as it tried to shuffle onward to revenge itself
on its enemy. Before Dieter’s eyes, the orc collapsed to its knees and slumped
forward as its lifeless body fell to the ground.
    Breathing an uneasy sigh of relief, Dieter looked about him, checking on his
companions. Krug and Febel had defeated their opponents, but Dieter felt a brief
sliver of pride as he noticed the orc he had killed was larger than either of
theirs.
    In the course of the fight, with his mind focused on his duel with the orc,
he had been only dimly aware of the sounds around him. Now, Dieter realised he
could hear the noises of a nearby battle.
    Without a word between them, he pushed on into the mists with Krug and Febel
beside him, seeking its source.
    After another few