Orc Guardians: Prologue

“Away, you ugly beasts!” The frail, white-haired man shouted while pointing a sword towards me just a few feet away. He was backed up by four other men, each around the same age and wearing thin metal

armor. Elderly humans, usually used as a last resort, if at all.

“We’re passing through. Move out of our way or we’ll use force,” I replied directly, trying my best to hold back a snarl. My two brothers were standing behind me on both sides. Orcs, same as me.

“Filthy lies!” The panicking man yelled out once more, taking a step towards us. I feel the eyes of these human men watching me and my reactions intensely. It makes sense, being the largest and

closest to their position. However, my brother Gashmuk is good at taking advantage of situations like this. When the opponent is distracted, occupied or drowned in fear, he acts without hesitation.

A sling, made up of a satchel filled with three heavy rocks is flung from my right side and I feel the rush of cold wind flowing over the side of my arm. The rocks inside spread out and the clang of

rock pounding metal armor on two men can be heard, immediately followed by gasps of air. Two men felled, air knocked out of them as they drop onto the patch of dead grass.

“Nicely done, brother!” I praise Gashmuuk, peering over my shoulder to see the satisfied smile on my smaller brother’s face. He doesn’t look much shorter than Ogrul, our other brother, even though Gashmuuk shares only half of our blood.

Ogrul grimaces and raises his blunted silver Maul over his head, posing as though he’s about to throw it to the men off to the left. They prepare themselves

and I charge forward with my light hammers in hand. A strike with the curved head of my hammer smashes into the gut of the lead man. He goes to swing with his blade on his fall, scraping my chest plating before his sword snaps. Either a blade turned brittle by too many battles or poor craftsmanship.

“Thin metal all around!” I warn Ogrul as he stops the momentum of his mighty hammer and sighs. The last two standing men were approaching hesitantly, wanting to seize the opportunity to attack.My second hand isn’t fast enough and the strike the man took lands on my arm plate. I clumsily drop the other light hammer but Ogrul takes his metallic brick-like weapon and with a single hand, swings it to the side of my assailant. Even though the attack was dulled, the crackling crunch of armor and possibly bone could be heard.