Goldenhold
Chapter 27: Drop By Drop
They had lost that defensive position. Many had died on both sides, the never ending goblin horde pouring up the body ramps. The Captain of the Guard had survived, and even had to order a “regrouping” which was just a code word for “Retreat”. The survivors had faces that were exhausted, most having been awake for the previous hour of chaos. They had sprinted behind the next gate, which was made of a foot of adamantine.
It was the second defense between the remaining troops and the horde of goblins, and the human army who had broke through.
The battlements were torn, pillars of gold collapsed, bringing down bits and pieces of the roof on top of the fighters. Bodies were pilled into ramps, the gate was totally wrecked, goblins pouring through. Fires burned, setting mounds of corpses on fire, the bodies burning and giving off a stink so wretched that even a goblin had to curl their nose. The area was filled with ichor from trolls, blood from goblins, and guts of dwarves into a syncretic liquid that was a foot deep. If someone had taken a pace in there, they might have stepped onto a sword or dagger that had gone flying during the fight, fall into the blood, and drown.
Many bodies were filled with bolts or arrows, some even with spears that had been thrown out of desperation. All were losing shape in the fire though, the wooden shafts burning and leaving only the heads inside the corpses they were stabbed into. All of this was leading to the hallway that the dwarvern guard was hiding behind. The gate was the second line of protection for them.
The first was Karakzon. Everything on him was stained red, including his normally pale skin. The armor shown in the light, drops of blood from the armor gleaming in the torchlight or the fires from the combat, showing off a brilliant hue as they fell into the pool, only making it deeper.
Drop by Drop.
He heard screams to charge once again. Once again, they would attempt to take him down. This was their fifth time attacking him, each one incurring more losses than the last. But besides the brief rests between the fights, they still seemed never ending.
He must have misheard. Only one goblin walked forward and into the battle. Blood was on him, falling down.
Drop by Drop.
“I am Amud Ikled! I will spill your blood for Armok! You have fought well, but I will fight better!” The goblin laughed, his voice echoing through the halls.
Karakzon looked around, expecting a trap. But there was none. This goblin was honest, and on his own. “So your done hiding behind your troops like a coward, and want to face me like a man?”
The goblin only sneered at him. “Are the dwarves done hiding in their petty mountains to avoid facing the judgement of the gods?”
“I’m not hiding.”
“Neither am I.”
And they charged at eachother, red blades gleaming in the air as a ruby streak followed the weapons.
Drop by Drop.
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Topic: The Age of Myth: Goldenhold (A DF Novel Length Story) (Read 110766 times)