"Rise and ready your weapons" Aedrik did not like giving speeches, his voice carried on amplified by magic, he was standing in front of the army at the heart of the makeshift pass the orc shamans had done “The Storm’s Fury tribe has come, it is their actions and schemes that have spill blood at the warring hills. We came, set out to look for them, instead they come to us, because they think they can hurt us, thinking they can break us, but we will show them how mistaken they are. Today they will learn that no one who dares harm us, will be left unscathed”

He was repeating his words, he spoke in common and then orcish, he hoped the enemy was listening to them. He could hear the noises coming from the army forming behind him, he truly hoped they were listening to him. They Storm’s Fury tribe had taken their time before finally deciding to enter the natural ‘corridor’ made by the mountains foot and ruins spread among the mines.

The Fire Eater shamans under Raz command had made a terrific job with the landscape, they had crumbled an old tower and sunken a large part of terrain, to create a large pit that in turn made the pass, where the army was now standing. The mountain rocks and a couple of palisades made it a bit narrower, the army mages and archers were spread along high ground, they had vantage points, but if the enemy overwhelmed their line, they had nowhere to fall, that was the bait, that line had to hold the enemy.

“It does not matter if you are from the empire, Loire or one of the tribes, you all have been wronged by those who have come to meet us here, they believe they can instill fear in you, but they do not know what is withing your hearts, but I do” He was raising his voice, his own heartbeat increasing. He had to reach them, and he only had a chance for it, he wanted to touch the ring on his hand, later he would.

“You are all here, not because you want fame, money, or glory. Not because you care for land or riches, NO. You are here because there is something burning inside your chest. You are here because you will not allow for anyone to hurt those you love. There is fire inside your hearts, I know it, because it is burning inside mine as well”

He saw Luka, staring at him from the high ground, they had spread the forces. General Bretik cavalry detachment was looking down at the pass, the Storm’s Fury tribe was still considering how to act in response to the knights waiting on a hill.

The rest of the cavalry waiting, Percy and Sir Remy were going to lead the charge, Pan and a couple of mages were there as well. The Storm’s Fury tribe did not seem to have noticed anything strange from the collapse tunnel a few meters from where they were forming. His speech needed to grab the enemy attention as well.

“That fire is born because each one of you have something important, something worth fighting for. Your family, friends, neighbors, tribe, country, your loved ones. You came here because you will not let anyone hurt them, you are here because there is fire in your hearths. Today, those who have come for us will know, NO ONE, MAY HURT THE THINGS WE LOVE. SHOW THEM YOUR FIRE, SHOW THEM DEATH, BURN THEM ALL”

“BURN, BURN, BURN” the word was cried by every man and orc, it steadied them. An objective, a line, in the face of danger, the heart ignited. He gave a quick glance at the army, the shamans were spread along the front line, Raz should be moving behind the lines to aid where it was needed.

He spotted Kirn with the group of elite hunters, they would focus on any elites, or shamans, and they will try to take down any commanding officers they can spot. General Svein was at the second line, he would carry on his commands to the rest of the army and reinforced where it was needed. Erkal and the rest of the Ruin Builders had taken a place at the front line.

The makeshift pass would be decisive, they needed to hold it, bleed the Storm’s Fury tribe enough, just enough room, then the cavalry will march on them. If the line was broken, the strategy would fall apart. He saw the units of men and orcs who had spread along the front line, the center made of men of the empire, his place was with them, he turned to face his enemies.

The orcs almost matched their numbers, their assault line was made entirely of armored soldiers. He noticed a faint glow from them, their shamans were already working, they were being fueled by their magic. They had started entering the corridor, forming, preparing for their assault. He spotted an orc with grey hair, carrying two axes giving orders from them center of the army, he was probably their commander.

The Storm’s Fury tribe orcs were screaming, hitting their weapons, trying to drown his words, and the chant with their noise, but it was not enough. He checked his gear; he was wearing several artifacts this time. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, he felt the ring on his hand, a gentle beat, that was enough for him.

“RISE YOUR SHIELDS AND WEAPONS, LET THEM BURN”

“BUUUUUUUUURN”

He permitted a grin on his face as he turned and took his place along the first line, the vanguard. The air felt electric, faint glows and color mist appeared as the shamans and mages prepared their magics.

It was just past dawn, but the day was hot already, he felt his tunic sticked to his skin by sweat, beneath his chest plate. The Storm’s Fury had started forming in assault position as they entered the pass. A large group of orc lancers was staying behind, waiting on the cavalry detachment from general Bretik, the orcs howls and shouts were taking over.

“Sound the drums and horns of war” he felt the pull inside his chest as the first strike hit a drum. The Storm’s Fury tribe was surprised by the overwhelming sound of the drums and horns. The pressure increased, six drums and four horns, that was his limit. From this moment he could not hesitate, he could not falter, his hearth linked to the instruments, resolve, determination, focus. If he faltered, the drums would carry on the feeling, his hands tensed, the grip on his sword tightened.

Kirn had been on the other side of the field last time, the drums and horns had left a mark, now, each beat increased the pressure inside. Like a pyre, it started slowly, but It was flooding everything, Kirn skin itched, they were ready.

Across the pass, the Storm’s Fury orcs had almost stopped as the drums and horns started, their commander roared and screamed, and their assault carried on, the first line was accelerating, they were ready for the collision of steel.

Kirn saw the prince, Aedrik back at his place, the center of the formation, the heart of the vanguard. He was carrying the same large greatsword he had wielded when he defeated Urkin. He wore the same plate armor, reinforced gauntlets and vambraces, a large pauldron on his left side, a chest plate a no helmet. This time however, he had a curios belt, and some other artifacts.

The prince was just a step-in front of the formation, just enough for everyone at the first line to be able to see. His sword resting on the right shoulder, a simple stance. He was surrounded by northern men, they had different weapons, but they all carried big, rounded shields. Kirn had heard them being called Icebreakers, the prince’s elite warriors.

Kirn steadied the javelin, it was a relic of the Book Reader tribe, it was paired to a bracelet, the javelin would return to the hand off the wielder of the bracelet. There was also an enchanted and poisoned axe at the ready. The mark of the Book Reader hunting leader.

The enemy orcs were gaining momentum as the charge, a mass of iron was going to hit the front line in moments. The enemy roars, however, were drowned by the deafening sound of drums and horns. The charging orcs suddenly started growing, their movement faster, Kirn felt the chanting of the enemy shamans, they were powering the assault line, Kirn saw the middle-aged man, the mage commander advance to the front, next to the prince, parchment in hand, a spell scroll.

Some shamans must have felt the scroll because a couple of orcs tried to break from the rest, heading directly for the mage commander. Spears and javelins were also thrown at the mage commander, but he had not only a couple of magical barriers, but the prince also blocked everything coming the mage commander way. The scroll vanished from the mage commander hands, a wave of tremor swept at the charging orcs, it made them trip and fell, a simple spell, yet, effective. Many orcs from the assault line fell by the tremor wave, the rest tripped with the orcs who had fell before. The charge had been stopped, the orcs were recuperating quickly, but the momentum had been lost. Arrows rained upon the Storm’s Fury orcs, but they broke or were swatted by a wind barrier, Kirn saw the orc commander shouting orders to his shamans, who had started chanting.

The Storm’s Fury orcs were trying to reform their assault line to renew their charge, but before they could, prince Aedrik’s sword came down on them. His sword cut through steel, skin, blood, and bone, Kirn saw the unbridled strength of a thunder contained inside a man, the prince’s sword passed through an orc, cutting him in half. Another one tried to jump on the prince, yet, he had already moved, his sword falling on the orc cutting off its leg, the prince did not stop, he turned and swung again, a dance of death, the icebreakers moved with him, they finished whatever the prince left behind, always guarding his flanks.

"BURNNNNNNNNN” the prince’s roar had every soldier move, the front line advanced, they would not wait for the enemy charge. Kirn’s javelin flew straight for a charging orc, it pierced his chest and before the orc hit the ground, the javelin was back on Kirn’s hand.

The air was filled with screams, clashing metal and the deafening sound of the drums and horns. Kirn saw the mages started their barrage on their enemies, fireballs, orbs of acid, lighting bolts and light arrows, the spells lit up the battlefield, but the shamans’ barriers reacted, most spells broken or dispelled.

The archers’ volleys rained behind the spells, still the enemy shamans protected their own. “Don’t stop attacking, use simple spells, but flood them, shaman barriers are powerful, but they take too much magic to sustain, keep pressuring them” Kirn remembered the prince’s words, an so, air was filled with magic and projectiles.

Kirn saw an enemy shaman getting hit by an arrow that pierced straight through his barrier, it had been coated with an electric blue fire, lord Luka, the man from Loire was the one responsible, he had been asked to hunt enemy shamans, his magic specialized in bypassing through barriers. Kirn spotted him moving along the high ground, looking for his next target.

The enemy responded, shamans, archers and hunters did their part, lord Luka had too keep moving as he drew the attention from them, yet the army mages were looking out for him, and his arrows continued to rain upon them. Kirn and the hunters did likewise, targeting those who were attacking the human lord. Spears, arrows and even some spells were thrown to where the human lord had been, the few projectiles accurately aimed at the human, were stopped by a magic barriers. Kirn saw the man stopping only to take another shot.

Kirn dodged a spear, and retaliated with the javelin, the front lines were turning into a killing zone. Each side was trying to take down dangerous targets with different levels of success, they had the advantage of diversity, shamans, and mages.

The units the prince had trained, had orc muscle at their center, they were spread out along the front line, and they were managing to keep the Storm’s Fury orcs at bay. Kirn kept moving behind the front line, the mages were doing a fine job keeping the enemy shamans occupied, they were searching for any elites pushing the line. Their front line had managed to stop the enemy orcs, the humans naturally collapsed on their few orc companions on their units, they closed the spaces, and covered them with the long spears, everyone understood the line had to hold.

Closer to the collapsed tunnel was Erkal and his group of Ruin Builder orcs, Kirn saw them holding the advance of the enemy where they were. The front line was a bloodbath, Kirn saw the prince had managed to break the enemy line, he and the icebreakers were pushing to the sides forcing the enemy to focus on them, easing the pressure on other sides. Spells and arrows thrown at them, but it was dangerous, since they were inside the enemy lines, they risked friendly fire.

Kirn noticed Raz and the samans from the Fire Eater tribe behind the lines, they were also using barriers to stop spells and projectiles, but they traded spells from time to time, but theirs were not being stopped “Use your magic wisely, cast spells than wont trigger the barriers”, as the prince said, Raz finished a spell chant and made the ground beneath some enemy orcs sunk, since it was not a direct attack the spell did not meet a barrier but it placed the enemy orcs at a disadvantage, their soldiers spears ran through the orcs, no one wasted the opportunity.

The fight carried on in the same way for a time, the line had not moved, it meant they were winning, but Kirn knew there was something off. The Storm’s Fury tribe had relied on their numbers and shamans, but they had placed their best in reserve, probably looking for a spot to do the most damage.

Just as the javelin returned, Kirn heard a loud and wild roar, a few meters away. A mix of bear and orc, jumped to the group of Ruin Builders, its fangs and claws tore iron and flesh as it descended on the orcs. Erkal reorganized his companions, and prepared to face the mighty shapeshifting orc druid, his maul at the ready and two more warriors trying to surround their enemy.

Erkal brought his maul down on the druid, but it was not enough to stop the druid charge, its claws grabbed Erkal, piercing his armor, his companions were intercepted by some of the druid companions, keeping them away. The druid lifted Erkal with is claws but the orc kept hitting the massive orc-bear with his maul to the head.

The druid released Erkal, after his eye and part of his face had been gored by the orc’s maul. Erkal fell to the floor and reached for a potion at his belt, he broke it over his side, it barely managed the stop the bleeding made by the claws, but before he could compose himself, the druid claws when on him again. Erkal dodged and retaliated with his mace to the shoulder, but the orc-bear fur was too thick, the attack did not stop the druid charge, sending Erkal a few meters away.

Kirn was looking for a chance to help Erkal, but the druid companions would not let that happen, they surrounded the two-orc fighting, leaving no space for a shot. Erkal and the druid continued trading blows, the Ruin Builder orc was bleeding again, the druid would overpower Erkal soon.

Kirn moved about desperately looking for a shot, but the druid companions were aware of it, suddenly a group of icebreakers jumped un the druid’s companions, making space for Kirn. The javelin flew at great speed, it pierced through the thick fur of the druid, a loud roar was the response from the orc-bear as the javelin passed through its chest. The icebreakers pushed to reach Erkal, Kirn saw they wanted to retrieve him from the front line.

Next to Erkal the druid laid on the floor with the whole on his chest, its body slowly turning to back to its original form, Erkal was in a pool of his blood, after a quick glance, Kirn saw the orc had no more potions and was about to offer one, but saw a pair of the icebreakers who had come and were taking Erkal from the front line, were taking a potion to take care of him.

Kirn saw the line failing at several places, the Storm’s Fury tribe had finally come, they had enchanted weapons and jumped where their line was faltering.

"GIVE THEM NOTHING, FORM THE LINE" Aedrik's voice roared, and the soldiers responded, closing ranks, the Storm’s Fury elites were cutting some, but another man or orc, took their place in a moment. The prince was well inside the enemy formation, the icebreakers around him, spreading the gab, forcing the enemy to them.

Kirn was moving where the prince was fighting, there was a group of elites coming his way, but then a lightning bolt exploded a few meters away, a couple of soldiers were fried on the spot. Kirn saw and orc shaman cursing as he moved guarded by some orcs. Their archers reacted and tried to get the shaman, but he was too close to the front line, a missed shot would hurt their own. Kirn started moving, looking for a shot, there was a space a few meters away, when another flash of blue light exploded in front of Kirn.

As Kirn eyes opened after the blue flash, Aedrik was standing in front, smoke raised from his armor, and Kirn saw one of the gems on his belt break. The shaman was dumbstruck at seeing the prince take on his spell without flinching. The shaman started gathering magic again, the shaman would clearly try to jump on Aedrik this time, that moment was enough for Kirn, the javelin went through the shaman’s throat.

"FORM THE LINE, CAREFUL WITH THE SHAMANS, GET THE WOUNDED BEHIND” the prince roared as he pushed to a side, relieving a unit struggling to keep the line. As their line reformed, Kirn was nervous, they had endured the initial assault, the Storm’s Fury had to push again, otherwise they would lose. As if being called, Kirn spotted the orc commander, moving at the front lines, he was pointing at the prince, and to some of their elite, Kirn included.

The orc commander was surrounded by several orcs, from what Kirn could see, they all had enchanted armor and weapons, they were also accompanied by a group of shamans. The orc commander carried a pair of orcish war axes, he roared orders and made adjustments as he moved along, from time to time he and his elites would advance kill and orc or men, and then returned behind the front line

The defensive line was being disrupted by the orc commander, it took a moment for Kirn to realize that the orc commander was not only looking for an opportunity to break through, he was baiting the prince into responding to his actions, but the prince started deploying the icebreakers, closing the ranks once more, returning the battlefield to a stalemate, at the front line at least.

The fight continued, the prince was trying to get near the orc commander, Kirn likewise searched for a clear shot, but the commander elites covered him quickly. The prince saw a little opportunity and moved, he break through the front line and advanced on the orc commander, the prince cleaved an orc in two as he rushed in, Kirn’s hair stand on end, as the orc commander elites surrounded the prince.

The prince moved impossibly fast, he turned on his right and hit an orc, the enchanted armor was not cut but the orc was sent a few meters away by the force of the impact. With a deft movement the prince kicked another of the elites, and charged another, opening a path for the icebreakers to follow him.

The prince’s sword blocked the attack of two orcs, whose enchanted weapons matched and dented the greatsword, Kirn javelin pierced one of them, the other was hit by the prince by a back swing.

The orc commander advanced with his elites, the icebreakers were desperately moving to cover the prince’s sides. The enemy elites pounced on the prince and the icebreakers, a savage fight broke loose, the prince sword cut, pushed, and parried, his movements were precise, the elites were losing, but they had numbers. A sword from an enemy orc was about to hit the prince, but he parried the weapon hitting the fuller with his gauntlet, and in a fast swing the greatsword got the orc below the arm, the enchanted armor bent, and blood spurted from the orc.

Kirn javelin, kept flying, it had taken down four orcs surrounding the prince. The orc commander followed the prince but kept a distance from him, he was targeting the icebreakers, if the prince moved a little from one of them, the orc commander took the opportunity, his two axes fell one the soldier, one was stopped by a shield, the second, cut through the chain mail soiling the man’s guts, with a point uncovered the commander moved on the prince.

Kirn tossed the javelin to the commander, who was trying to take the prince unaware. The magical javelin crossed the distance in seconds and just as it was about to hit the orc commander, one of his elite’s grabbed midair, and the commander jumped on the prince.

The axes fell on the greatsword, the prince managed to react in time, but they clearly cut through part of the sword’s edge, the prince dodged a second attack to avoid having the sword broken. The orc commander grinned, he was almost 2.3 m, just above average for an orc, but he moved alarmingly fast. The elites and the icebreakers were fighting around the commander and the prince, no one dared intervened, a fast exchange of faints, dodges and parries, the commander trying to cut through the damaged sword, but the prince endured.

Kirn moved around desperately looking for a shot, but there was none. The commander fell like a rain of madness, and yet the prince side stepped, blocked and dodged, the commander kept grinning, a few more hits and the sword would break. The commander somehow accelerated, the prince dodged with a short turn, and the two axes fell again, the prince needed to block the attack, but there was no impact. The prince had let go of his sword and caught the commander forearms.

“Nowhere to run now” the prince spoke in orcish, the commander felt his forearms being crushed, his grin turned to panic and despair. The commander could not headbutt the shorter human as he had was covered by his hands, the commander tried to push or pull, but he could not move the man, his armguards were edging themselves into the orcs skin as they were pressed by the man. The commander lost the grip on his axes and roared in pain and anger as he felt the bones break.

The prince forced the commander to crouch and stomped on the orc’s right knee, smashing it, and as the orc screamed kicked the left one, the knee went backwards, as the orc lose his stand, the prince threw him over in circle and smashed the orc in the ground behind him, the commander lost its breath as he felt some ribs broke by the impact.

The orc tried to turn, but his arms were gone, the prince picked his sword and cut two of the commander elites who tried to intervene. Kirn saw the prince say something to a couple of icebreakers, who nodded and moved to drag the enemy commander behind their lines. The commander understood he was going to be taken prisoner, he bit his tongue off, and started choking on his blood. As he was being pulled behind their line, Kirn saw one of the icebreakers pouring a potion down the commander’s mouth.

“BREAK THE ILLUSION PAN, CHARGE THEM PERCY, THEY HAVE LOST COMMAND” the prince’s voice roared as he and his icebreakers regrouped. The collapsed entrance exploded, as stone and dust flew, the inside corridor was revealed. The cavalry rode on the unprotected flank of the enemy formation.

“RIDE KNIGHTS OF LOIRE, SONS OF THE BEAMOUNTS” lord Percy’s voice boomed as he led the charge “RIDE THROUGH THEM, ON ME, GET THEIR ARCHERS AND THE SHAMANS” the Storm’s Fury tribe was in disarray, they had lost their commander, and before anyone else took charge or they regroup they were run over by fury and steel.