10 Chapter 10 - Hidden Danger

“Forward!” Said Hoshiro, after collecting his things and making sure the party was ready.

The four of them rode on horses and they trodded onward in a steady pace. Hoshiro lead the team, followed by Merllion, Lance, and last but not least Larael.

“So Thangdrium. What sort of place is it?” Asked Hoshiro.

“It’s one of the four major strongholds of the enemy. I have only heard of the place, but never been there myself.” Said Merillion.

“Thangdrium is ruled by one of the four kings of darkness. If I remember correctly, her name is Histarah.” Said Lance. “She is supposed to be very powerful and resourceful. We must be vigilant.”

“For sure.” Said Hoshiro.

As the group forged onward, they overcame a large hill. Then after reaching the summit of the hill, they spotted an army of advancing trolls. Some 50 of them moved together, towards the party’s position.

“Trolls!” Shouted Larael, as she instinctly rose a barrier wall around the company.

“Hastaga Arcanus.” Said Merillion, as she quickened the team’s agility and response time.

Lance took out his sword and imbued it with enchanted fire. Hoshiro took out Cecil and with haste being already cast, he rushed out of the barrier and charged into the enemy head-on.

“Wait!” Said Merillion, concerned for the safety of Hoshiro. “Come back!”

“It’s ok. I got this.” Said Hoshiro as he rushed into the trolls.

The enemy army had large wooden clubs and if it made contact with anyone, surely it would be their demise. Yet Hoshiro proved to be very agile, because of haste and he was able to move around the battlefield quickly as to receive no damage from the trolls. All the while, his plasma pistol did not stop its incessant firing.

The trolls focused their attack not on the barrier, but towards Hoshiro as they thought he would be an easy target. Little did they know that his gun would make short work of anyone who approaches.

Hoshiro shot.

With each shot, one Troll would be immobilized, pacified or drop dead.

Hoshiro aimed for headshots, but found that he would miss sometimes as his aim with a gun was amateur at best. He thus shot towards the bodies of the trolls, as they were a larger target.

It took about two to three shots to execute an enemy and as the number of trolls dwindled, the other party members also helped in the clean up effort. Merillion shot arrows straight and true to the troll’s heads. Larael used fire magic to burn and incapacitate the few trolls. Lance charged forward with his fleet footwork and haste and rended trolls on their sides with his enchanted blade.

All told ,in less than 5 minutes, the army of trolls were either slaughtered or pacified.

“Good work, team! I like it!” Said Hoshiro as he sheathed his gun, deeming that the immediate threat was diminished.

“What was that that you carry?” Asked Larael.

“That was a plasma pistol?” Replied Hoshiro.

“Plasma… what?! How can it easily defeat trolls like that? I thought we were in BIG trouble because there were so many trolls. Your weapons…. It’s a legendary item, yes?”

“I wouldn’t called it legendary, but it’s a weapon beyond this world for sure.”

“I wish I had a weapon like that too!” Said Larael.

“Hmmm. I can probably craft the team some new weapons.” Pondered Hoshiro.

“Wuu…. What do you have in mind?” Said Merillion.

“I’ll have to think about it for a bit. Because you guys all use magic, whereas the weapons I’m going to forge are not dependant on the abilities of magic from its users.”

“Hmmm. I see. But it would be nice to have upgraded weapons. That’s for sure.”

As the members continued to discuss at length, about the intricacies of newly forged weapons, they were altogether ignorant of the fact that on another hill, laying down in ambush, was a party of orcs lead by their leader. They surveyed the land and watched as they saw Hoshiro’s entourage take on the 50 trolls.

Turumka, the captain of this band of orcs, turned to his soldiers and said.

“We make preparations tonight to ambush these humans. They will not see us coming. Come let us away.”

Turumka commanded some 150 orcs, who upon receiving the order, scuttled into the forest ahead and hid behind trees and plants to give them cover.

The hero’s company will in time come across the forest during the night. And there, the orcs prepared to ambush them.

***

Hoshiro yawned as he looked at the bonfire. He bit into the elven bread provided by Larael’s homeland and found the taste savoury and aromatic. He yawned again and laid down to sleep. He gave his regards to the team and then before he closed his eyes, he checked on his HUD glasses that their levels had gotten higher yet again. He checked his own level and found it to be level 26 already. This was due to the fact that they had obliterated the troll army. Satisfied that his level has been constantly improved, he wiggled his body to a more comfortable position, and then he fell asleep.

It was after the fire was put out that the orcs started to move.

They came unexpectedly. Fast were their movements and cruel were their intentions. They quickly bound and tied up the limbs of the heroes and disarmed their weapons.

Turumka went to see Hoshiro’s weapon, but upon holding the plasma gun, he could not do anything with it as it was tied to Hoshiro’s personal fingerprints. Urked and frustrated, Turumka threw the gun onto the ground and stepped on it, hoping that would make it less threatening.

Then the orcs carried the now awake entourage into their cave of maliciousness.