Baldur the fowl. part 2

"…Albeom" my name echoed behind me as I held mom tight unwilling to let go.

Some time had passed after the priest and granddad had tended to her and she was okay, healed and safely asleep but others weren't so fortunate.

Auntie Ryss had been uncontrollable when we learnt of the fate of her husband Killian. He and Feuges had sacrificed themselves to save Mom. They'd engaged the wild orc shaman Baldur, catching his attention so that Rase could escape with Mom.

"let's give mom space to rest" Dad said as he gently peeled me off of her and took me to join the others.

"Baldur the Fowl. A name I never wanted to hear again" granddad gripped his staff tight. His face grim.

"I've never had the displeasure of meeting him myself but I've heard of him. One of the dark overlords" said sir. Dordis. "I thought they were all killed during the purge?"

"No, not all of them. Baldur is a cockroach, a damnable one for sure but skilled also. I was so young during the purge, only Nineteen years old when the remnants of the old world threatened to destroy us. All I could do back then was provide support. It was so frustrating knowing how weak I was." recounted granddad.

"If Baldur is active again then he's regained his strength. There's no time to waste" he added.

"I know what Rase said but what about Killian and Feuges. Are we to abandon them" asked Dad, joining the conversation.

"Andros-Mikel. I know both Killian and Feuges, fine men they were but surely you're not suggesting-" said sir Dordis as he was interrupted by Dad

"we have to save them. Like Grandine said, there's no time to waste"

"Their sacrifice was noble and honorable. They wouldn't want to send more people to their death"

"We don't know that they're dead yet"

"We have to make our stand here, where we hold the advantage. Sending more people to the forest is not strategically wise"

"Enough, the both of you. Andros, I understand what you mean and sir Dordis, we know the threat we face but if I know Baldur, he will have a use for them. He's fowl that way. That is why we have to do as sir Dordis says. This is our home, our stronghold. We will make our stand and defend ourselves and save our people, Killian, Feuges and the villagers. That is the plan" declared granddad providing common ground for everyone.

Dad and sir Dordis went to work immediately, evacuating the non combatants to the church while the combatants prepared for the coming battle.

"This is a defensive battle men" sir Dordis shouted as people ran across the village preparing defensively for the wild orcs.

"Archers on the wall"

The archers equipped with their bow and arrows and crossbows climbed the wall, hidden and ready.

"How long do you think the barrier will hold"

"Strangely, I am stronger now, my barrier shouldn't easily be broken but the wild orcs are cunning and under the leadership of Baldur, I can't safely predict what will happen"

"so prepare for every eventuality then"

"yes but we mustn't lose. We can't" granddad chewed his teeth.

Preparations continued, the village gripped with tension and abuzz with activities as everyone diligently went about their role awaiting the coming battle but there was no sign of the wild orcs.

The day was ending, the sun casting it dying lights on the world and giving way to night when we were suddenly called away. Mom was waking up.

"STOP" she woke up screaming as we reached home. Her hands reaching out to the air.

"Gwen darling" Dad grabbed her.

"Andros"

"what. The shaman. Feuges. Killian" her speech was scattered.

"It's okay, honey. You're okay"

"You're here. In the village. You're home"

Only then did she look around the room and saw us that she calmed down.

"A-Albeom" her voice, soft and in pain reached my ears and Dad handed me to her.

She embraced me in a hug as tears rolled down her face. Her heartbeat singing of lamentation and grieve.

After a while her breathing changed and she spoke up again.

"I assume you know what happened in the forest. Then I am not mistaken to presume there is a plan in motion seeing as sir Dordis is here and armored up for a fight. Tell me about it" she gave sir Dordis a nod and sat up on the bed.

Her aura was completely changed from a moment ago and I felt at ease seeing her like this.

"A defensive battle. From the findings of your scouting we know there is a village of wild orcs led by the orc shaman Baldur the fowl." Sir Dordis explained, returning the nod and stepping forward.

"Baldur the fowl" mom coldly repeated, her aura sharp like a blade.

"We know what happened Gwen. It's okay if you don't want to-"

"That name. I know it. Now that my head is clear I recognize the name. One of the dark overlords right"

"Yes Gwen and not any run of the mill shaman. He's a cockroach, one that I saw in action once and that terror almost broke me. You're in no shape to fight him again so you just stay in bed" Granddad said as he stepped into the room. He was behind us on our way here.

"No-"

"Don't be stubborn with me child. He almost killed you. Almost took you away from me. Just rest and recover and leave this to us. We'll make sure to rid him and his village of wild orcs from the earth"

"Hey old man, who do you think you're talking to. Have you forgotten your daughter already or have you gone senile?"

"…"

"I am Gwen of the knight order. I bear the moniker Lily of the valley of death and I have slayed many legendary beasts and monsters. Do you think you can keep me from this fight even if you tried" her voice settled with a definite silence and no one said another word.

Looking at everyone's faces she rose from the bed and gave me back to Dad.

To the west wall of the room she went and with one knock on it, a hidden compartment opened up.

In it was a wooden box.

"Killian, Feuges and Rase, everything is coming back to me. I failed them. I am ashamed to admit it but I was stressed, unfocused and under duress, left confused by the sequence of events that led to this. I make no escape but this failure is my responsibility"

She unlocked the box and opened it.

"But now, my mind is clear and I am rested."

A silvery armor, with the emblem of the kingdom carved into it laid neatly folded up in the wooden box.

She picked it up, held it with both hands with a deep gaze in her eyes and said.

"Let me rectify this error"

Proceeding her words, a tremor ran through the ground and shouts echoed from the outside.

"Wild orcs. The wild orcs are here"

_

Our circumstances were bad, our village beset with disaster and despite a miraculous outcome with fewer casualties than should have been we faced a potential threat of horrifying death at the hands of wild orcs and yet I couldn't care less. After all, I was deep in the throes of passion.

"Gu-Gusts aah" The soft moan coming out of Ellie's sweet lips as she desired me awakened something feral in me and my body acted before my mind could process it.

With my right hand, I grabbed her hair, pulled her head back and squeezed her plump breasts with my left while I devoured her from behind.

"aah, ahh, aahr, gu-gusts ahhhhh"

Overcome with sensual pleasure I gave to her everything in me.

And as the flames of passion burnt within us, we were entangled as I desired to be one with her.

I released. Soaring into heights beyond utterances and then I let myself fall back into the bed, breathing heavily as I was overcome with the sensation.

"Sensational" Even in battle I never lose my breath like this.

"Gu-Gust haha, you know how to make me just happy" Ellie said to me with the sweetest giggle as she was sprawled out on the bed.

The sight of her was enough to energize me again for another round but I had to stop here.

I was only supposed to be gone a few minutes, not hours.

Rase, Feuges, Killian and I were selected by Gwen to investigate the trail of the wild orcs and scout out their intention with regards to our settlement. The entire northern region was struck with disaster so everything was out of balance and in chaos. Our survival depended on us being vigilant and sufficiently prepared for any sudden events. Right as we began our investigation, Gwen atop a tree, saw some soldiers that looked to be hurrying in the direction of the village.

She had said they were friends and should relay their sighting to the chief and so off I went back to the village but I was worried about my girl Ellie. She lost the only family she had left, her brother after losing her dad last year. She wasn't doing well and so in order to save time, I asked Draeu to deliver the message to the chief while I paid a visit to Ellie to make sure she was okay. In the end I spent hours consumed with love making that I'd almost forgotten about the mission.

As I forced myself to leave which any sane man who'd see the bright skin tone woman, with serpentine physique and beautiful brown black hair sprawled out on the bed wouldn't do, I bit my tongue and cursed my ill luck.

"You're leaving Gust. I don't want you to go. Don't leave me too" she said sitting up, her legs turned opposite each other and revealing herself to me.

"I don't want to be alone" she added with tears in the corner of her eyes.

It took all my strength to not to stay with her.

Eventually I managed to convince her to let me go after a lengthy talk which almost resulted in a quickie.

I hightailed out of there for fear of not wanting to leave but the moment I stepped out of her house, I saw Rase, covered in blood with Gwen in his hands.

My heart paused and I struggled to breathe.

"What happened?" I wanted to ask but I was far away.

After that initial shock, I couldn't move, my heart felt heavy with guilt and I was overcome with shame.

I was chosen as part of the scouting team. Entrusted with responsibility and I selfishly abandoned them.

I couldn't bring myself to face them, Rase, Gwen and the village.

I bit my lips and kept my head down, staying out of sight and in hiding.

Killian and Feuges weren't with them and I saw that look of horror on Rase's face. Something terrible must have happened and maybe if I was with them, it wouldn't have happened. This was my fault.

I left behind Ellie's house and run away. I couldn't bring myself to go back to her. She was already going through a lot and she didn't need to blame herself for this too.

It was my decision to come to here instead of do what Gwen asked me to do.

This was my shame.

Several hours passed by and I continued hiding. Ease dropping in on conversations to keep informed of what was happening.

Rase was recovering and so too was Gwen, they were okay and will be okay with more rest.

Because of me, they were outnumbered and Killian and Feuges were forced to sacrifice themselves for Gwen.

And what did I do. I was here, selfishly betraying and condemning them to a horrible fate.

'I am sorry' I wanted to tell someone.

Soon the chief and Knight who came with the soldiers came out of the house, issuing orders and making the village ready for battle.

And that was when I decided I couldn't hide forever.

I have dishonored myself and the only way for redemption is to put my life on the line and fight for us, for Whitehold.

I took up arms, equipping myself with my favored weapon, a great sword and a crossbow and then I climbed the wall. Ready to fight.

The villagers, upon seeing me didn't resent me, they welcomed me. Glad to have my company and strength in the coming battle and I assumed it was because they didn't yet know what I'd done.

I promised there and then to protect them.

We waited on the wall, making light conversation as the day turned to night. That was when I saw a fog sweeping in from the forest.

"Is that fog?" I asked.

"That can't be normal" a villager said alarmed.

"That. What is that. Something is moving in the fog"

"O-orc"

"Don't be afraid. We are safe in the barrier" I shouted quelling the panic before it crippled us.

But I was worried too. I thought I saw fire in the fog, a torch.

"This is the moment we've been waiting for" I took command of the wall.

["These are not the usual wild orcs so don't let your guard down"] I remembered the knight telling us earlier.

"Aim" I gave out the order while paying attention to the movement within the fog.

"Fire" the instant I confirmed movement I gave out the order and I instantly regretted doing so.

The fog quickly disappeared, revealing Killian and Feuges, naked and holding torches in the cold.

"Noooo…" I cried out but it was too late. The arrows struck in their position and they fell to the ground.

"K-Killian, Feuges"

'it's not too late. If we get to them we can help them'

"what do we do?" I was asked.

"We save them" I replied jumping down from the wall.

"But the barrier" I heard them say behind me as I run to the gate.

I opened the gates and run straight for them.

They were bloody and cold. Their pulse weak.

"Hold on guys. Hold on for me" I carried each of them on my soldier and headed back to the village but others came to my aid soon and we quickly carried them away.

As soon we crossed the barrier, Killian slowly became conscious.

"N-no" his strained voice, barely a whisper said "Feuges" and I answered.

"Don't worry, He's here. We have him"

"N-no, n-not Feuges. S-shaman" His words sent a chill down my spine and before I could act, I was blown away.

Thud.

I struggled and opened one eye, bearing witness to the figure of Feuges as it morphed into a dark green skin 8 feet orc.

"Thank you for getting me in human, that barrier was stronger than I expected" said the orc manifesting a red staff as his body gave off steam.

"It's here. I can feel it. The origin point" He smiled grimly.