Attack Chapter

      Mr. and Mrs. Gwynor sat in the study with Rallos, Antwiera, and Ventora playing together. Leara sat in Eima’s lap, Kaliz and Sina stood next to their father, watching him tinker with a small mechanical device. He added pieces to the device, crafting it into a machine that stamps letters for his business, and marks barrels of brewed wine. It walked around on its legs until Mr. Gwynor placed a written notification in its path. The machine stopped and stamped the ceiled letter on the left hand corner. Niea and Kiella were nowhere to be found. Nauron stood in the doorway waiting for an opportunity he would not get. Chiecra, Arctice, and Esryl pushed their way past Nauron. Kaliz turned her head and spotted the four hunters in the doorway.

      “Hi, how did the hunt go?” she greeted them. The other children greeted their siblings and friends following Kaliz’s example. Antwiera, Rallos, and Ventoran climbed Chiecra like monkeys on a tree. Sina rushed over to Arctice and Esryl embracing both of them. The five Gwynor children surrounded Nauron, who stood stiff as a board with his arms folded across his chest. Mr. and Mrs. Gwynor smiled at the scene before them. Nauron did not seem as ill as he used to be.

       “So, how was the hunt?” Eima repeated the same question.

      “It went well.” Arctice, Chiecra, and Esryl said simultaneously.

      “Kill any Icklad hounds, and come across any orcs to deal with?” Leo asked. Mr. Gwynor looked enthusiastic about hearing their story and seeing if it was a successful hunt this time of year. Chiecra began their hunting story. “We did come across a pack of Icklad hounds.”

      “Which we thought were Mervac hounds.” Arctice butted in while shoving an elbow to the rib away. Esryl gave him a playful smile since she tried to stop him. Chiecra took the chance to continue hoping there would no more interruptions.

      “First we came across these soldiers who took us here and helped us gather the hides.” Nauron jumped in giving the rest of the story. “We went to the wrong tavern making Azdar search for us. We ran in the rain and hitched a ride with Vestrisian Soldiers and took the long way up to Kell Vinrad, and ran into some dwarves. Engaged a bunch of Orcs and almost got nothing in the hunt!”

      “Is that all the truth, Nauron?” Eima asked Nauron, who did not answer his mother.

      “He killed his first Orc.” Esryl replied.

      Eima stood up, and placed Leara on the floor. She walked up to Nauron then embraced her son. “Oh, my little Nauron is growing up, went on his first hunt and killed an Orc. There is a warrior in you after all.”

      Leo joined them and placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. He was proud of his younger son for his first kill. It was a tradition in the family to kill an orc and become a man. This was passed down from generation to the next since the surname Gwynor was given to their ancestors.

      “Well done Nauron you are on the path to manhood like your brother Chiecra.” He looked at Chiecra and Arctice who were attacked by three Gwynor rascals.

      “How many did you kill this year? How is Azdar doing? Is he still running the farm?” Mr. Gwynor asked Chiecra.

      “He’s doing great dad.” Chiecra answered the second question first. “He is still the same as ever, his farm is doing well under his management.”

      “We each killed two or three orcs including Nauron’s kill. The soldiers gave us twenty of the orc teeth they collected.” Arctice continued.

      “Where are these soldiers now?” Leo asked them with an angry look at the mention of the Vestrisian Soldiers. His father was never a fan of the Vestrisian Republic. Chiecra knows why his father despises this Vestrisian Union. It was because his brother Kouthra argued over joining them for years. This had everything to do with his father’s past in conflicts that occurred decades ago.

      “By now they’re at the frontlines. The Nazdar are pushing them out of Gontrella and further into the mountains.” Chiecra replied expecting a shell to hit the town any second. He did fear that would happen. His fear was mostly over his parents’ wrath over the Vestrisian Army enlisting young men to fight in a war that could leave Calorn in ruins. It was life his parents valued these days, unless it was creatures like the orcs who plundered and murdered families in the mountains.

      “How is Daark? Did you run into him?” Eima asked directing the conversation from the threat of invasion. His mother was not a fan of hearing anything about the war, Vestrisian Soldiers, or any Nazdar. She was more clear on why she despised the Vestrisians. They sent their troops as a defense force to protect their community. Yet as the war seemed to progress further it was clear they stayed as an occupation force. She was one of scores of citizens who did not favor the Vestrisians using this valley as a launching base for their campaign against the Gontrellan and Nazdar forces.

      “He was the first one to greet us at the gate. He mistook Esryl for the noble Kyshar family of Zedarkhaand.” Chiecra said smiling. His parents laughed, teasing Esryl who laughed with them.

      “I am glad you four enjoyed the hunt.” Eima said as she returned to her seat and placed Leara back in her lap.

      “How did you guys get up here before us?” Esryl asked. She looked confused about them arriving in the mountains sooner than they had. Chiecra also wanted to know how his family beat them to Azigero despite the young hunters riding with Vestrisian Soldiers.

      “An old colleague of ours from the Muskallan conflict built this flying carriage machine and flew us up to Kell Vinrad. It was not without navigational difficulties of course.”

      “Where are Kiella and Niea?” Chiecra asked, noticing two of his siblings were not at Azigero.

      “Your two sisters Kiella, and Niea stayed in town to attend to their own desires.” Eima explained watching Leara in her lap.

      “Did Ilitharah find you?” she asked. Eima looked directly at Chiecra, and expected him to answer. He was unable to speak since the words were caught in his throat. It was the way his mother glared at him that rendered him speechless.

      “She did.” Arctice answered for Chiecra.

      “Good! She’s always been helpful with our family. Ilitharah came to us as soon as the Muskallan conflict ended. She searched for work as did hundreds of mercenaries.” She said.

      “If I recall, there were thousands of them out of the job. Most mercenaries abandoned the trade for other lines of work, yet more went into the ranks of the V.A.V.R. That is a troublesome army if you ask me.” said Leo.

      “At least they’re cleaning up the streets and securing the countryside.” Eima said in defense of the Vestrisian Army. Leo nodded in agreement, but added his own judgment on things.

      “Yes it does seem like they do well in protecting us. It doesn’t matter any ways. They’re occupying this valley as though it’ll become part of their union.  Yes Ilitharah what is it?”

      Ilitharah stood in the doorway looking very tense and energetic. Azdar was behind her armed with a sword. Another elf stood next to him armed as well.

      “The town is under attack!” she cried in a worried voice.

      The Gwynors acted quickly, Eima ordered the younger children to the cellar. Leo picked up a hunting rifle and loaded it. Chiecra, Arctice, and Nauron joined Ilitharah.

      “Nauron you stay here and help me protect your siblings. Esryl will stay with us.” Leo pulled Nauron back into the study as the other warriors went out to arm themselves. He rushed the children down to the cellar where it was safe.

      Eima pulled out a blade from a drawer and unsheathed it. It was a thick and menacing blade that spelled death for any creature. His mother told him about this sword. She did not give it a name, since some thieves would come after it. It would be passed down from one generation to the next. He was wondering if he would ever inherit such a sword. There was no doubt she kept it in a drawer in Azigero. She then turned to the elven warriors.

      “Surn, assemble the other mercenaries and have somebody go call the Zhenrai for aid!” She commanded and the elf rushed out of Azigero. Chiecra, Arctice, Azdar and Ilitharah were prepared for a fight once they picked up their weapons from the hall where laid them down.

      “Ready?” Eima asked not expecting an answer.       

      “Then let’s go.” She suggested looking like a warrior mother. Five armed partisans ran out of Azigero to a scene none could believe possible in Balkmell. Orcs and goblins had swarmed the town, burning and destroying anything they could while many of them were cut down in the process. Arrows were fired in all directions from rooftops, walls, and towers. A dozen goblins charged Azigero to overrun the five defenders. Each goblin was cut down as it approached them. A few houses were burned, but none of the inhabitants were dead in the streets yet. More villagers left their homes to engage the attackers. Chiecra and his two friends took down a few more goblins and helped those in need of aid.

      “Where is the attack coming from?” Chiecra heard someone ask in a commanding voice.

      “They came from the tunnels my lady.” Roared Daark. The dwarf cleaved an orc’s hand off and struck him down with the second blow to the chest. He buried his axe in the orc’s chest then tore it from the corpse and hacked at the shield of another orc.

      The battle grew bloody as more defenders joined the fight. Chiecra gutted a goblin as his friends beheaded and slashed two others down. They continued killing another eight or so when three large orcs approached them. The brutes were armed with heavy axes and clad in armor. The trio faced the monsters ready to die young while defending the town of Kell Vinrad. Chiecra’s mother attacked from the flank with six others guarding her back. She slaughtered all three orcs, protecting her son and his friends. They watched Ilitharah charge into a crowd of attackers, cutting down many as she made her way through them.

      The others were shot down with bolts and arrows. Daark, Ilitharah and Eima barked out orders to rout the attackers. Kell Vinrad citizens and workers forced the band of orcs and goblins to retreat. Archers shot as many attackers as they could before the last of them disappeared into the mine.

      “Put those fires out quickly!” a voice hollered.

      Smoke emerged from the fires as townsmen put them out with pails of snow and water. Flames burned the roofs off of three houses. One store lay in ruins, nearly burnt to the ground. Its foundation was scorched and the walls had collapsed on the inside.

      “Check those houses and see if the inhabitants are still live!” Ilitharah ordered as elves, dwarves, and other citizens dug through the smoking rubble in search of survivors. They found four bodies in one of the houses. Two of the ash covered inhabitants sustained critical burns. One resident was found dead under the rubble, he had probably suffocated in the smoke. The fourth person stood up on their legs unharmed by the flames and collapsed roof. In one of the houses the inhabitants were discovered in the cellar. Not a single person was found underneath the rubble of the third one. It was presumed to be uninhabited at the time. Chiecra watched in awe and horror at the grim scene that displayed itself before his young eyes.

      “Chiecra get over here, Chiecra!” his mother called for him. Chiecra turned to where his mother was and saw the female warrior near the well. His friends were with her standing their ground. He joined them at the town square, which was halfway to the mining tunnels. Corpses lay strewn around the town, many of them orc, goblin and miner. Amongst the dead was Kell Vinrad’s mayor, Oris the Tong, impaled by four spears. It was a gruesome death for a respectable dwarf miner. He was the founder of the Kell Vinrad mine and was responsible for giving each inhabitant a job and a place to live.

      Those left in charge were Eima Gwynor, Ilitharah, Daark, and an Imani named Abrigis Oldwin. The defenders of Kell Vinrad consisted of one hundred and twenty seven dwarves, elves, Forsythans, and humans. Most of them were once mercenaries. Their four leaders laid out plans of a defense against another attack from the tunnels. Carts, wagons, and tables were laid out in a crescent formation facing the tunnels. Barricades were fixed in the narrow streets closest to the mines. Chiecra and his friends took positions in the eastern part of the town defenses where a guard tower stood to their right. He had a clear view of the tunnels being next to the tower.  From there he could see a dozen bodies of unfortunate miners in front of the mines.

      As soon as the defenders finished preparations a large wave of marauders attacked the town again. Their archers swiftly fired a small volley of arrows at the charging wave of orcs. Dozens went down with each volley the defenders continuously fired until the marauders got within a swords length. Swords, axes, and spears cut down many orcs and goblins as the defenders desperately fought to defend the town. The three young hunters worked together against the brutish looking orcs. As a group they slashed and stabbed each orc that came their way. Kell Vinrad’s defense proved too much for the second wave and inflicted numerous casualties on the attackers. The attacking orcs and goblins fell back to the tunnels. This allowed the defenders to advance and hook up around the tunnels. Chiecra saw the townspeople could fend for themselves, because many of them used to be warriors, soldiers and mercenaries. While the battle for Kell Vinrad raged on, another group of warriors arrived.

      “The Zhenrai knights are here, forward the attack!” someone yelled and the defenders moved up and gave everything they had against the attackers.

      Chiecra grew tired from parrying and striking as well as his friends did. Three teenaged boys, slowly parried and attacked as they each grew tired. He felt his muscles ache and his body grow weary of fighting. To his surprise twenty Zhenrai Knights launched themselves after the increased wave of attackers. The twenty fresh fighters relieved the worn out defenders.

      Kell Vinrad watched twenty Zhenrai Knights fair well against a band of Orcs and Goblins. Scores of orcs and goblins died by their hand before the monsters could regroup. As the vermin regrouped to launch another assault the Zhenrai stepped back to let one of their own step up. It was now one against two hundred, since more vermin poured out of the tunnels. Chiecra watched with great admiration as the Zhenrai raised his sword arm.

      A thick mist emerged from the ground as the single Zhenrai summoned forth a great source of power. He made the mist rise, lifting up hundreds of blades, wielded by the swarm of white grey smoke. Chiecra heard himself say. “Holy…” out loud, as he stood with his eyes fixed upon the weapons being lifted by misty looking figures. The assorted weapons attacked the orcs and goblins as they launched another wave. All the levitating weapons formed a semi-circle around the Zhenrai knight, killing everything that charged at him. Over a hundred vermin lay decapitated around the single Zhenrai knight. The rest of them fled into the mines, defeated by one enemy.

      The weapons dropped to the ground and the mist disappeared in the air. Citizens cheered for victory and praised the Zhenrai while others sighed in relief. The Zhenrai gathered in the center as the townspeople followed their lead. Chiecra, Azdar and Arctice shoved their way through the crowd. Five Zhenrai masters stood in the center of the crowd met by Eima, Ilitharah, Daark and Abrigis Oldwin. Each leader thanked the Zhenrai knights for their help. The leaders of both groups discussed what was to be done as a course of action. One of the leaders suggested leaving the war band alone. The rest disagreed with that idea, since the war band could still attack again in the future. The Zhenrai offered to send six Zhenrai into the mines and kill off as many orcs as they could find. When the agreement was made, the defenders of Kell Vinrad left the Zhenrai Knights to their business. No one knew Chiecra, Arctice, and Azdar hid amongst the Zhenrai as they entered the mines.