Chapter 54: Orclands (Part 2)

(Hero POV)

Hero: "Ganz."

Ganz: "Grumpfff!!! Hrump!!!'

Hero: "Ganz."

Ganz: "Fweooh! Done."

Hero: "GANZ!"

Ganz: "Yes, why?"

Hero: "God... Stop that. You're not the one going on the first offensive."

Ganz: "What!?"

Hero: "You are tasked with guard duty."

Ganz: "WHAT!??"

Ganz was packing up a siege weapon and was about to carry it himself.

Ganz: "Come on! I want to fight! These orcs are the best, you know!"

Hero: "You just fought yesterday. Oren will take care of the first offensive."

Ganz: "That weakling!? You can't be serious! He uses a bow for god's sake!"

Oren the only ranged weapon user in the Circle of Light. He's also a Paladin Lord.

Hero: "Stay here."

Ganz: "But-"

I already left him. I need to command Oren as soon as possible. The orcs might send scouts our way. If they're expecting reports from the beach guards, then we might be exposed.

Hero: "Oren."

Oren: "Yes, Hero?"

Hero: "You will lead a group of 500 paladins to attack the village of Der'ka. It's the first village from the beach. Just follow the road."

Oren: "I understand."

Oren gathered his 500 men within the hour.

Oren: "We are ready."

Hero: "Good. Go while it's still dark. Orcs don't have night vision like goblins do."

Oren: "May the gods protect us."

Oren salutes one last time and begins their march. His group is lightly armored paladins specialized in covert missions.

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(Oren POV)

Two hours into the march towards Der'Ka...

That Ganz keeps underestimating me. Just because my tactics are hit and run, but that doesn't mean I can't fight properly.

Just you wait. I'll show you that I'm worthy of being called a Paladin Lord.

Paladin Captain: "Sir, no enemies spotted within one kilometer."

Oren: "I see."

I expected to encounter a patrol at least. Things have been way too quiet.

Oren: "Send someone back to the beach and tell the-"

Savage Orc: "WAGHHHH!!!"

Savage Orc 2: "GET EM, BOYS!"

Orcs came out from the underground.

Some were jumping from the bushes. They hid!

Oren: "To battle!"

I can't believe that our scouts weren't able to detect them with their spells.

Paladin Archer: "Guhaaa!!!"

Paladin Archer 2: "Noo-"

My men were lightly armored, so a lot of them were taken down with one swing.

Oren: "Move! Let's get ourselves to high ground!"

We already lost around 50. We can't stay in the middle of the road. We forcefully climbed a hill nearby while shooting back arrows and spells on our pursuers.

Oren: "Everyone! Release your spells!"

! !

Around 100 rays obliterated the orcs climbing to chase us.

Oren: "Hahh... I think we got all of them."

Or that's what I thought.

DUMMM!!! DUMMM!!! DUMMDUMMDUMMM!!! DUMMMDUMMDUMMDUMMM!!!

War drum sounds were coming from somewhere deep in the forest.

They were so loud that I could not stand it without covering my ears.

Orcs: "GAHHHHH!!!"

Swishhhh, swiishhhhh,

Sounds of arrows, hundreds of them were nearing to our position.

Oren: "Take cover!"

Paladin Archer: "Guhuuu!!!"

Paladin: "Agghhhhk"

Paladin 2: "Ackkk!!!"

The arrows hit a lot of us. Some were caught in the neck, killing them instantly.

Oren: "We need to fall back, everyone, gather for !"

This group teleportation spell would save as much as 300 men. We just need to stick together.

Paladin 1: "Got it- Guhaaa..."

Paladin 2: "Lord!!!!! HELP US!!!"

Paladin Archer: "GUWAHHHHH!!!"

Paladin 3: "No... NO!!!! BROTHER HELP ME!"

Sounds of my allies being battered with blunt weapons are resounding in the forest.

A minute later, throwing axes were falling down on us, spears too.

It was very dark, and we couldn't see them. If we try to make some light with our spells, it will expose us even more.

Oren: "How can they shoot us even in the dark?"

Didn't Hero tell me that they didn't have night vision? Was this a plot to remove me from the council?

Paladin: "Hahh... Lord Oren..."

A paladin near me dies. We need to get out. Now.

Oren: "GUHHHH!!!"

It throws me a couple of meters away from my position. Someone smashed me with a club or something similar.

Oren: "Agh..."

Some bones were broken.

Oren: "What...the hell are you!?"

The orc was carrying a bone. A huge bone club, the orc's eyes were glowing red.

Oren: "Stay back!"

!

I used a skill which allows me to shoot hundreds of arrows with my bow.

Oren: "Take that! and that!"

Orcs: "..."

These arrows were enchanted with the holy element. It will go through their armor and bodies like it was nothing!

Orc: "Guhahhh...."

After being planted with hundreds of arrows, the red eyes of the orc was gone.

Oren: "Whoo... Hah. I guess I have to leave on my own."

There's no way that I could get everyone now. I was separated from them, and I don't know if they're still alive.

A pair of red eyes appear in front of me.

Oren: "Wha-"

Then two, then three after a few seconds around a hundred red eyes were surrounding me.

I ran really fast.

Oren: "Stay away, you beasts!"

I tried jumping from one tree to another. The red-eyed orcs still followed me like they were possessed.

Oren: "Damn it!"

!

I shot them from above the tree. I was able to take down around ten until the orcs hit the tree I was on.

Oren: "Shit... SHIT!!!"

Jumping from one tree to another was exhausting. Suddenly when I landed on a tree. An orc was waiting for me there.

Savage Orc: "Hehehe..."

He struck me with his bone club.

Oren: "GAAAAHHHAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!"

Oren's scream was heard across the forest as he was hit with bone clubs again and again until he died.

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(Orcs POV)

Savage Orc Captain: "Our first ambush did well."

Savage Orc: "They tried to sneak past us, using the cover of night."

Savage Orc: "Our Savage Orc group had learned to see in the dark because they lived in caves most of the time before we recruited them to our clan. The scout's report was a lifesaver. Because of this event, we were able to kill around 400 paladins and burn their bodies."

Savage Orc: "The scouts said that they resurrect their allies. Bringing the dead back to life? That's impossible."

Savage Orc Captain: "We should still burn them. There are creatures like them. Undead and similar races."

Savage Orc: "These humans are troublesome no matter what creature they turn into."

Our Savage Orc squad will guard the forest at night and return to their caves in the morning.

Let's see how well they fare against these tactics. The Warchief is also sending some of the elite Black Orcs to our camp to help us.

We should not disappoint the Warchief and bring back their heads as trophies!

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(Hero POV)

Hero: "Oren died."

Yuon: "Hmmm?"

Yuon was cleaning his blade. He said he could not sleep because of a dream.

Hero: "I believe your dream was right. The orcs ambushed them in the forest."

Yuon: "I see."

Hero: "Bring back Oren's body. We need him."

Yuon: "Understood."

Even though he's a young Paladin Lord, his stats are still well above the standard paladin. We can't lose his body.

If it's still intact but damaged, we might be able to use it into one of our new experiments.

A Crusade Avenger...