9 The Raug

Survivor- Soldier's Journal

Mastes 13, 3904

It took a while for the screens of sand to clear.

A while for us to see what stood ready on the other side.

We knew the General was one of the greatest tacticians in our generation. That it would need an army many folds greater than what he had to truly challenge him.

But once the sand cleared, it was readily apparent that a miracle must take place for us to see the light of tomorrow.

To see our wives … our children … our family.

I, Helis Maltorn, gazed upon a vast ocean of Dark Orcs; reaching beyond the visible horizon. Ready to claim our lives. Their hunger and bloodthirst, we felt it even across the vast space separating us.

I prayed, on that day, like never before. I was not a religious man. No, I did not pray when my wife gave birth to my only child. I did not pray on the day they both died to the first Dark Orc raid thirteen years ago. I had lost my belief in the gods and their power, for they abandoned me in my darkest time before meeting my light; before meeting my wife.

But, on this day, when my hands shook with fear at the horde before us, I closed my eyes and raised my hands the heavens.

I begged for strength and perseverance against this tide of hate and misery. Our deaths were imminent, and so were the lives of our country folk. Hope had escaped me then…

Until I heard the generals booming voice; commanding us to stand strong. Gathering the hope that had fled us and forcing it back into our broken souls.

"Soldiers! We stand here together! Brothers, Fathers, and friends! We will stand here strong and persevere! We will make them BLEED! For every inch they take, we will kill thousands! For every life they kill, we will take thousands more! For every widow and orphan they make! WE WILL KILL THOUSANDS!" He screamed with vigor and absolute confidence that we will make it out today alive.

I looked back at the tide that prepared to charge, eyes hardened, muscles tensed, and mentally prepared to fight like never before.

Their drums began a rhythmic beating. Their feet pounding on the ground like a mystical song. They roared in triumph heard. They saw us as nothing but a tiny obstacle in their path to our people.

Yet, instead of fear, we showed courage. Instead of stepping back in cowardice, we stepped forward in bravery. Our lines tightened as we waited for the cavalry to charge the center of their wedged formation, so we can close the gap.

Closer and closer they got, as we waited for the lines first clash. We then heard the signal for the cavalry to charge, we prepared our shields, spears, and swords.

Once the barded horses hit their charging foes, they split and worked their way to the right and left as our ranged units released their prepared volleys.

Closing the gap in time to take the orcs head-on, we were forced back step by step as they tried their best to break our lines. But with fury in our eyes and incoherent screams escaping our mouths, we held strong as we killed them like the pests they are!

Thousands had died before they finally breached the first line only to be met with swinging swords and bashing shields to replace those that had died.

Each of us falling into a rhythm of death as we fought for an undeterminable amount of time. We fought with everything we had, yet my fellow soldiers fell one by one until there were only a few of us from the front still alive. Finding a moment to breathe I looked around only to find myself and others fighting alongside the general and his guards themselves!

And by the gods was he a menace to those that stood in front of him. A force of nature was what I thought at the time. The only other person fighting like him was what appeared to be a decrepit old man wielding a staff longer than he was. Having no more time to think, I parried a massive greatsword swung by a large Dark Orc with my shield only to riposte with my sword. Stabbing into the space between his breastplate and pauldron causing him to scream out in pain. Pulling out my sword from his shoulder with a grunt, blood spewed out spraying me. Knowing that he would die in a few moments from the loss of blood, I moved on to meet my next victim.

It had been hours before that miracle happened, many of us lost all hope in surviving. Our only motivation to keep going was to kill as many as possible before we died. But, no matter how many we killed they kept on coming without end.

We fought bravely, yet our bravery was not enough. For only a tenth of us are still alive…

Suddenly, we all felt fear's cold hands grip our hearts. Human and Dark Orc alike froze; trembling as the control of our own bodies escaped us. The only ones who had any resemblance of it were the General, the wizen old man, and the two Dark Orcs they faced. Yet even they can be seen trembling.

Multiple roars, that made the air around us shake, sounded out from far towards the northeast. As we stared for what seemed like the longest time ever, fifty-five bodies can be seen charging towards the Orcish rearguard. They turned to face the incoming threat; only to be run over as hundreds of stone spikes shot out of the ground; each finding a body to hit. Then fire came, a tornado that consumed anything that stood in its path; leaving only scorch marks behind there fury.

As their lines broke, all the orcs turned and charged at this new enemy. Only to be met with the enormous bodies of thirty Raug as they swung their massive weapons killing all who stand in their way. Spaced out to give themselves enough space to not hinder each other, they waded through the Orcish Horde. Making it obvious that such paltry efforts were not enough to break through.

Magic of all elements cast by the remaining Raug flew killing hundreds as they each landed. In a matter of minutes, the orcs were defeated, as their commander signaled a full retreat, sacrificing thousands to keep the Raug busy as they made their escape.

All the while we stood dumbfounded by what we saw, as none of us had ever seen such power. Only myths referring to the higher races had ever been this exaggerated. Yet here it was before us…

A cheer began by some of the surviving soldiers. Their hope had not been a lie. Their General had lived up to his words! They had faced an army many folds greater than themselves and survived! Yet to me, something felt wrong. Where were the Raug before the battle started? If they were so powerful why had they not killed enough to make this a fairer battle in the beginning? Why did they not intervene when thousands of us were dying? Looking back at the General, I noticed he wore an unreadable expression as he gathered his guard and his commanders. They moved towards the Raug and their master the 5th prince with a purpose that did not fit the scene of victory painted by blood.

POV Change – Mythes Laviths the 5th Prince

"That bastard! Son of a …" The 5th prince continued his tirade after the battle.

He had wanted the General to die on the battlefield for the insult he had given him.

He, a Middle Noble, dared not only to argue with a Prince! But shouted and disrespected him in front of thousands of soldiers as well! If he was not in the field of battle, he would have been executed for this!

After the news of thousands of orcs spewing from the pass came to him, he moved his camp towards the east and away from the rest of the army. Planning to watch as the General and his army were overrun and killed to the last man. Only returning to his father to tell him the sad news, of General Harold Winsten dying on the field of battle. Yet, somehow, he had survived after hours of battle. At the very end, it even looked as if he was going to win the battle forcing the 5th prince's hand in helping. Fearing he would be seen as a traitor by the soldiers and the General, he sent his Raug into battle so his father cannot blame him for the loss of thousands of peasants and commoners.

"Dishonorable, petty, and selfish. You are worthless in the eyes of the Raug." Called out a massive Raug. Named Vezesal, he was the leader of the battle slaves. Larger than the rest he sported hauberk that covered his torso and legs coming to his knees similar to a robe. Under that, he wore a dark leather armor and metal sabatons. With a multitude of scars and a broken tusk, he looked as scary as the myths depicted of his kind.

If it was not for his fathers warning of not mistreating them, lest they rip him apart, he would have whipped this one for the insult. Instead, he gulped then glared at the Raug.

As he turned back to his musing, he noticed the General and his Commanders moving towards him with dark faces. Knowing he would not survive the day if he did not find a lie or a political interest in his actions, he came up with his plan.

As they neared, the general shouted with all his being,

"Where have you been?! Thousands of good men died today because you did not battle. Your dishonor will be your demise, you filthy child!"

Taking the role of the aloof prince, he smirked. With as much arrogance as he could muster, he said,

"Watch your tongue and remember your place, General. A middle noble, no matter his accolades should never speak to royalty in such a way." Using the royal we to refer to himself he continues "We have our reasons for the actions we have taken. I suggest you control yourself lest you anger us." Tilting his head to the side to show that they were nothing to him, he noticed the fury the general exuded, he waited for the perfect moment to bring out his lie.

"Oh, pray tell, why the royal you would not show himself and his Raug until the end of the battle effectively killing tens of thousands of men." Sarcasm dripped from the general's voice like poison only to be met with the unchanging aloof smile the prince had.

"We have decided to put you in your place by my royal father's demand, General. To show you that no matter what you achieve or what accolade you gain, you will always be a middle noble and nothing more. You will always be under the mercy of the Royals and the High Nobles. What your united army from three different duchies achieved in hours of battle, we can do in minutes using only a tiny fraction of soldiers."

Getting up, the prince signals to his servants and the Raug as he turned around and walked away leaving a stunned general in their wake.