Chapter 40

For the next few days, the Yohan First Battalion kept getting attacked by huge numbers of goblins. Fatigue began to build up among the orc warriors as they have been fighting constantly without sufficient rest.

"Rawrgh! Take this and this and this!"

An orc warrior belonging to the Azure Dragon group kept pouring out all his frustrations as he dismembered the poor goblin to small pieces.

"Keep it together warrior! We have more enemies to kill...Save your energy... You'll need all that you can muster!"

Xiao Chen approached the frustrated orc and gently tugged him by the shoulder to express his understanding of the warrior's frustration.

"Ugh... Forgive me chief...I was just getting incensed by the goblin's continuous attacks"

The orc warrior apologized to the chieftain and bowed his head before returning to where his peers were at. Nodding towards the obviously tired warriors of his, he went forward towards where the battle was still heated.

"Galum'nor smash! Smash! and Smash some more!"

Galum'nor bellowed as he crashed the little goblins with his two huge fists, his weapon already wrecked after suffering many heavy recoils from the huge orc's attacks. Grabbing, punching and throwing the goblins, the huge orc went on a rampage as he thrashed the unlucky goblins that came within his range.

Blackwind howled towards the sky as he lunged at every goblin that came too close to Sakh'arran, clawing and biting them, shredding them apart ferociously. Her furs were now covered with plenty of goblin blood and bits and pieces of goblin flesh.

"Many thanks partner!"

Sakh'arran patted Blackwind's snout as the fierce warg continued to guard his rear while he battled the goblins charging at him. He was already panting heavily but he persevered to inspire the warriors around him to keep on fighting and don't let up.

"This is getting ridiculous! Their numbers are endless!"

Trot'thar complained as he tossed anything that he can get his hands on at the goblins.

"You're right! This isn't a normal goblin swarm anymore"

Gur'kan commented by the side as he slammed a goblin right in the face with his shield before stabbing it multiple times to ensure that it won't get up ever again.

"Rawrgh! Come! My axe thirsts for more blood!"

Aro'shanna shouted towards at the goblins, taunting them to come towards her more. Blood red haze starting to appear on her eyes but much more subtle than what Xiao Chen had experienced.

Like a storm, Aro'shanna massacred the goblins that dared to attack her or just unknowingly got within her range. She was like a demon, merciless and cruel on her slaughter, bathe with goblin blood and goblin flesh, she wreaks havoc among the goblin swarm.

Inspired by their commanders' actions, the warriors of Yohan attack with more vigor as they pushed back the goblins after being driven back by the sheer number of the goblins that assaulted them.

"For Honor! For Glory! For the Horde!"

Xiao Chen rallied his troops raising his spear up on the air. He impaled a goblin with it before raising his weapon up again with the goblin corpse and flinging it away.

"For the Chief! For Yohan!"

The warriors of Yohan enthusiastically replied to Xiao Chen's rallying cry as they banged their shields with their weapons while advancing towards the goblins.

*****

The warriors of Yohan cheered as they have yet won again another battle against the goblins. They shouted their lungs out, letting out all their emotions, their frustrations and fatigue.

"How many brave warriors fell this time?"

Xiao Chen questioned with an angry look on his face, he wasn't angry with his warriors' performance but with the goblins and himself. Almost two hundred of his soldiers had already fallen victim to the goblin's ploys, like traps and sudden ambushes from unsuspecting places.

"Uhm...we haven't finished checking the numbers yet, chief but it is estimated to be close to a hundred"

Gur'kan didn't know how to respond properly as he was also dismayed by the numbers of comrades that they had lost. Those he had trained and suffered with, he witnessed their demise as goblins piled up on them before going silent and motionless.

He still remembered their smiles of satisfaction as they savored the unique taste of their chieftain's gifts, the tasty prime beef meat. Their painful grunts as they suffered through the early days of their physical training, their voice of complaints, their dissatisfied faces and the words of encouragement that they have spoken.

"Gather the corpses of the fallen! We'll give them the proper honor of a brave warrior"

Xiao Chen said with a tint of sadness upon his voice before going away somewhere that he can be alone at. His chest tightened with pain, his feet were heavy as he slowly walks, his shoulders stoop low unbecoming of the grand posture of a warrior that he had taught his men to, his eyes starting to moist up and hands tightly clenched into a fist.

Sitting down on a big rock, he started reflecting on the things that happened, his emotions in turmoil. He knew, sacrifices needed to be made but still, it pains him to lose warriors under his command.

He felt like their deaths were his doing since it was his decision that caused it. The lives of his warriors were deeply relying on his right decisions.

Xiao Chen was blaming himself as always, every warrior that had fallen, he remembered them. He had kept a close eye on them when they trained, when they suffered under his command. All the pain that they went through, he was familiar with it since he had also undergone such suffering but much more.

Behind a tree, someone was watching the chieftain in deep thoughts. She was worried that the chieftain will do something harmful to himself and also to guard against any sneak attacks by the goblins while the chieftain was lost in his own deep thoughts.

She watched in silence as tears started to slid down the chieftain's cheeks, his sadness she felt it. The silent yet emotional break down of the chief, she witnessed it. Dutifully she just kept watch despite her emotions were also starting to get shaken up as she watched him broke down. Gone was the prestigious, well respected, tough, strong and perfect facade of the chieftain, what was left was that of a normal warrior who grieved for the passing of his brothers.

Xiao Chen looked up to the skies with tears smearing his cheeks, silently he kept mumbling within his mind 'What have I done wrong?' The clouds just sailed through the sky without giving him any answer as the passing wind caressed his cheeks and made his long hair flutter.