“How long have I been out?” I asked as pain hammered my brain.
“A couple hours I think,” Elynna responded. She had Landon’s head cradled on her lap. He was not looking well and by the paleness in his face, I could tell he had lost too much blood.
“Where’s Maya?” I sat up rubbing the back of my head. Dried blood caked my hair and I did my best to wipe it off my hands.
Elynna pointed past me and I turned to look. Maya was still bound in chains, prone and unable to move. Beside her was Vassar, Elynna’s moonstalker.
“And Zurok?”
“He’s been at his tent the whole time. He didn’t even bother putting away all our gear,” she replied. She pointed at his direction, “See? There they are, just strewn across his table. If only we could get out of this damn cage.”
“Landon can’t pick it?”
“He doesn’t have his tools.”
I nodded. I looked over the human rogue again. “How is he?” I asked Elynna.
“He needs a healer…soon.”
Landon coughed, some blood escaping his lips, “I can still manage and if I get my chance, you’ll see I can still put up a fight.”
“Landon, save your strength,” I pleaded.
A sly grin formed around Landon’s lips. “Eh, who would have thought that all of us would somehow be together like this one more time? In the Outlands of all places. But mark my words. I may die out here but I promise you, I’m gonna stick a knife in that orc ass before my last breath.”
“We’re not dead yet,” I said.
“But it’s hopeless,” Elynna replied.
“There’s always hope,” I said. “It’s a lesson I learned awhile back and something I will not forget.”
Suddenly, there was a sound of alarm as orcs all around us began to race frantically to their assigned positions.
“Alert! Alert!” some of the orcs yelled out.
“Incoming!”
I noticed one orc point to the sky and looked in the general direction.
“Gryphons!” I cried out. Elynna also looked up and even Landon managed to open his eyes.
They were bombers. I could tell by their flight masters and the heavy bombs that were strapped to their backs. This was a bombing raid. Immediately I wondered if the gryphons knew we were trapped in the cages.
An explosion rang out, blasting a few orcs from their positions. More explosions burst around us as chaos consumed the orc encampment. Dust and smoke filled the air and it was difficult to see. When I could clear my eyes, I did see a bomb falling towards us. Instinctively, I grabbed Elynna and Landon, doing my best to cover them with my body.
The bomb exploded near us, shattering the cage that held us prisoner. The shockwave of the blast knocked us clear out of our prison. As I was choking on the smoke and heat, I saw that the same explosion had knocked down Zurok’s tent as well.
I yelled to Elynna, who happened to land near me, “Free the cats! I’ll get our gear!” Elynna nodded and burst into action, sprinting to the cats, scooping up a heavy hammer next to a dead orc. I couldn’t see Landon and hoped he was still alive.
More bombs exploded around me and I tried to navigate myself around the smoke and debris until I reached the remains of Zurok’s tent. Pushing aside the broken wooden poles and leather tent, I found our weapons. Unfortunately, in my haste I was caught by surprise and Zurok landed a crushing fist into my gut, taking me down.
“Stupid elf,” he mocked. “Now you die for your stupidity.” He gripped his mighty axe and raised it to deliver a killing blow.
Zurok screamed in pain as he clutched his back. A dagger from the shadows had been thrusted into his shoulder blade.
“I told you, I was going to get him!” Landon yelled as he stood with a sword raised in defense.
The great orc yanked out the dagger, grimacing in pain. “It’ll take more than you two to bring me down.”
“How about three then?” Elynna stepped out from the smoke. She stepped towards me and gathered her weapons.
Four.
Maya’s voice rang in my ears.
A loud roar from Vassar signaled a fifth.
Zurok was surrounded but remained defiant. More disturbingly, he laughed. The smoke began to clear. Apparently the bombing raid was over and the gryphons were returning to base. That’s when I understood why Zurok was laughing. Behind the smoke were his orc guards, at least a dozen of them.
“Would you like to repeat your question again, elf bitch?” Zurok mocked.
Elynna’s eyes narrowed and her muscled tensed. She glanced over to me and sighed. Suddenly in one fluid motion she turned, nocked an arrow in her bow and fired it at one of the approaching guards, striking him dead through the neck.
“Bring it, asshole,” Elynna cried out. Both Maya and Vassar leaped into action.
“Kill them all,” Zurok commanded as he tightly gripped his axe.
