The Battle of Cracked Tusk Keep (2)

[ A/N: Guys, check out my new Novel. It is called 'Relife System: The Unholy Mage'. It only has chapter 0 and 1 so make sure to leave some encouraging comments there. I'll leave a link for you lazy ones at the end of the chapter.

Enjoy ~❤ ]

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[Jon's POV]

"WATCH OUT!"

"RUN!"

*KABoOoOoM!*

The 'Meteor' spell fell!

This was not just an ordinary spell. It is my one of my original Flame Magic Expert Level spells.

An 'Area Of Effect' spell with a devastating damage yet a bit of a short range so it is preferred to be casted from a higher grounds like this.

Unlike an overcharged 'Fireball' spell, this spell was designed to make a massive and wide blast damage alongside the magical damage with a large diameter and unstoppable momentum.

My target was the gate of the fort at the moment when the two forces of the bandits and the Orcs start clashing with each other.

Just as the 'Meteor' landed, a strong explosion sounded followed by a cloud of dust that covered all the scenery.

I was watching from my vantage points how the scene unfolded.

It was a mess! A bloody mess!

I nearly killed one-third of the bandits and all the orcs that were guarding the gate along with blowing off the gate.

Those who survived were staggering and wailing!

The scene was too horrific, to be frank. I never would have imagined people would be so fragile like that.

But it is for everyone's best interest to kill bandits. Bandits are already less than humans in my opinion and I should not be merciful with that kind of lowlives.

"Jull, to the south! Arrows!"

Jull who was holding the staff of conjuration gave the order to the fifty bonemen to shout arrows to the direction I pointed.

*swoosh* *swoosh* *swoosh* *swoosh* *swoosh*

A volley of arrows cut the air towards those who survived the meteor and another bloodbath occurred.

"Get them!" One of the werewolves shouted and howled at us, the howl was not like last night and Jull was standing her ground with ease.

The arrows cover was great and gave the enemies the illusion of a small force stationed nearby.

The thirty archer of Sinding group tried to give some cover fire to the werewolves by shooting at us yet that was too miserable to be called a try.

The four werewolves started heading towards the direction of the undead, soon after they could see the fifty undead that were shooting arrows. They maneuvered and dodged the arrows then smashed into the bonemen.

I was already moving to the battleground while giving new commands to the mistmen and the warthmen over there.

The plan was to lure the werewolves to the undead and make them buy time, either the werewolf or the undead win, it was not my problem now.

As I got down to the area where my 'Meteor' spell fell, I saw that all the bandits and the Orcs have gone into an all-out chaotic melee fight.

This is great, I would love to test my metal this way.

I looked around and saw a Dane Axe lying beside its dead owner, it is in a good condition and not damaged. I took the axe that can be said a 1.7 meters tall thing and gave it a few swings to get the hang of it.

Sure it was a good one.

[A/N: The Dane Axe is the Viking Long Axe that 'For Honor' raiders use.]

This will be fun.

I carried the axe with two hands and couldn't wait to test my combat ability in an open fight once again.

My last open fight like this was one the ship of Captain Geldof when we got attacked by Argonian pirates and I couldn't put my sword into action as my body was not as strong as those pirates. But now, I am a giant among men, I will use this axe to put all of that size to good use.

"Now! Now! Ehem… SOVNGARDE!" I shouted my 'Battle Cry' and rushed at the enemies.

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[Sinding's POV]

"... SOVNGARDE!"

What was that?

What is that voice?

The men are throwing their weapons from and screaming just from hearing it.

I am frozen by it too.

Something is wrong. Who is that?

Wait! Isn't that supposed to be the Mage? Why is he holding an axe and swinging it at us?

He is killing us and the Orcs at the same time.

One swing of his axe can take three lives just like that?

Who is… What in Oblivion is going on?

I can't see this! This is madness! We are all going to die on his hand.

*HOOOOWL!*

Who is... That is another werewolf! Not one of ours. Probably an Orc. So they decided to join the battle too.

That means the ring is on one of those werewolves.

There is a total of three of them. Two of them is assisting the rest of the Orcs, one of them is heading towards the Mage.

Good! I hope they take each other to Oblivion.

I need to deal with this mess somehow!

The four werewolves on our side went to deal with the enemy that was shooting arrows at us but it seems they will take time.

*Painful Howl*

What is that?

The Mage is… He is beating the werewolf with the blunt side of the axe. He is breaking its limbs?

Crazy! Too crazy?

Can anyone actually be able to do that?

The werewolf is suffering a lot of injuries and its power is fading. At this rate, he will turn back into his Orc form in no time.

Just as I thought of that, it actually happened.

Gods! How strong!

The Mage raised the axe high then chopped down.

One chop to each arm.

The Orc lost it arms and started screaming for help.

The Mage didn't bother and chopped the head of the Orc the third time.

It was brutal! Those who are around him are trying to run away from him. It is as if 'Shor' himself has descended upon that mage.

The mage checked the arms of the werewolf Orc he killed and it seemed he hasn't found what he was looking for.

So it is true! He is after the ring!

I can't! I mustn't allow him to have it!

The ring is probably with the other two werewolves. Where are the…

Yes! They saw what happened to their friend and are looking with hostility at the Mage!

Two of them this time and probably the ring holder is one of them, He won't survive it this time.

I need to take the opportunity and make sure of that.

Best way to do it is to wait for a chance and shoot him with an arrow.

I tried to take a shelter behind some of the men and nocked an arrow into the bow.

He now is facing the two werewolves and giving them his full attention.

The moment one of the werewolves swings its arm at him, the mage used the blunt end of the axe to push the werewolf away and continued with a slash towards the other.

He is not going to retreat in front of two werewolves?

I thought he may be pushed back but he is the one taking the advantage alone?

Incredible! What a fighter!

He is using wide swings to push the werewolves back then a fast attack to cause damage, even when they tried to attack him from the front and the back, he swung the axe in a whirling manner.

Some Orcs tried to attack him from behind but they were always shot by an arrow to the head. Someone is covering his back!

I tried to look for such a person and found him on the northwestern slope. To think someone can attack accurately from that distance!

What are we up against? Monsters?

The werewolves are being pushed down and got their limbs chopped. The mage started checking their arms.

I can't let him have it?

As I focused my arrow towards the Mage's head, I took a deep breath then let loose.

*swoosh*

The arrow flew to the Mage full speed, it is my…

"WHAT!"

Impossible!

Absurd!

How? Just how could he do that?

I thought his action of checking down the arms of the werewolves with the hood on his head would make him unaware of my presence, but to think…

To think he can catch an arrow flying towards him!

What is that monster?

No, I can't!

I need to get away.

But, but the ring!

The beast inside me can't be controlled if I don't have the ring.

I won't be able to live in civilization ever again this way.

No!

I must get it somehow.

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[Jon's POV]

DAAAAMN!

That almost took me by surprise.

I caught an arrow with my hand!

Actually, this is too cool. I never knew adrenaline could help me do that.

Anyway, I killed the Orc werewolves but I was about to get hit by an arrow.

Lucky me, I guess!

Oh! By the way, I found an ivory ring with a beast's head on one of the last two werewolves I killed and took it.

Now I put it on my finger to confirm its properties, I was in contact with the Augur and asked him to scan the ring by his 'Astral Extension' (AKA the System).

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<Hircine's Ring>

If the holder possesses one of the beast forms created by Hircine, the holder will be able to freely switch between its original form and the beast form without restrictions.

Holder: Jon Dare.

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Wow! The appraisal power is amazing.

Also, the ring is the real deal and I am the holder.

I can't really use it as I am not a were-creature but the roles are still applied. Once it's stolen, it is cursed.

I looked around as the Bandits were still fighting with the Orcs away from me.

I assumed it was okay then put the ring back on the corpse I took it from. Now it only needs to get stolen.

Anyway, where is Jull now?

I looked at the vantage point and waved at her.

She waved back to me meaning she got the signal.

I pointed to the undead location.

She gestured with her hand as the undead were still fighting there werewolves.

Hmmm! This is all I can get from her by this way of communication.

I made another gesture which she understood.

She then aimed her bow at me and notched something on it.

She raised her bow a little to correct her trajectory then shot it at me.

The projectile was too big and slow to be called an arrow. It was the staff that I left with her.

Just like that, I caught the staff when it was flying away by 'Grab' spell and held it in my hand.

I now have control over the undead again.

While being in a battle, I shouldn't really lose focus so I took myself to the side while swinging the axe at the enemies in my way.

Just as it was safe, I let my Magicka seep into the staff and got to see through the eyes of my undead.

Their number was reduced from ten to seven warthmen, twenty to eleven mistmen, and fifty to thirteen bonemen. The original plan was to hide the powerful warthmen and mistmen between the weak bonemen and when a powerful enemy attacks, they get decimated by the hidden powerful undead. The sharp decrease in number was due to the werewolves' charge but the warthmen took care of everything now.

From what I could see, three werewolves were already down and one was desperately fighting.

Hmmm!

Good! I still need that one so I am calling the undead here.

I will make them cover the eastern area to prevent anyone from escaping. I also started to summon some more wrathmen to add to the power.

The last werewolf was confused when the undead stopped their attacks when they were about to hit him and moved away.

Anyway, there is no time for that. Now, I need a werewolf to steal the ring.

The only two available are Sinding and that other werewolf.

After checking around for a while, I hid myself to get a better look at the battle. More than half of the enemies were already dead. Some started to run away but my undead were onto them.

It was a desperate fight for a while until the last werewolf returned. He looked around then spotted the dead werewolves I killed.

Just as he saw them, he ran on all fours and pushed the evaded the enemies on the way. He then started checking the corpses of the werewolves and found the ring.

I could already see how it was excited when he saw the ring but he didn't dare to put it on.

Boring!

He seems to be knowledgeable about the curse.

I went out of my hiding and charged at him.

He saw me coming and tried to prepare but I casted a 'Fireball' at him that pushed him by its blast then I chopped down at his head taking his life.

Sinding was not nearby as he was dealing with the undead that attacked from behind.

Hmmm!

I'll call them off.

I headed to the fort's direction and signaled for Jull to come.

She went down and ran to me.

"See that Sinding. Make sure he gets the ring!"

"Yes!"

She was determined as I am.

After that, I started to cast 'Banish' on my undead to send them away. That would make Sinding more willing to come back for the ring.

But I still have another task in mind.

I need to finish off all the Orcs in the fort and chase the bandits away.