Ch13: ‘Meeting’ Some Orcs

The only way to really find out if they are friendly or not is to approach them. If they attack, then they attack. No big deal. And so –

Due to your Not So Cunning Linguist trait you are [1%] of the way towards learning Eastern Khel.

Krvavy pauses, her heart freezing as she hears the female Orc shout out in a guttural language. Was she spotted? Already?

“Novsh! Buu!”

No. The Orcs are... fighting amongst themselves? Or more specifically, the two males are... roughing up the female one...? What? They looked like they were getting along just fine moments ago...

The bigger Orc barks at the other male, seemingly giving an order on just how the female should be pinned down and restrained. At least judging by what they’re doing and the gestures he is making.

“Zogsokh! Zogs! Guiya! Akh!” The female Orc’s voice grows more panicked and frantic, struggling in vain as some sort of herbal paste is smeared onto her face, on and around her mouth. “Akh! Zogs!”

A grim expression settles onto Krvavy’s face as she realizes, at least in part, what is happening.

“HEY!” She loudly shouts, her temper flaring as she steps out of cover.

Default language set to Drakuljazyk, the native tongue of the Draklings of the Northern Wastes. All spoken words will be in your default language unless specifically intended to be in another known language.

Krvavy narrows her eyes at that notification. “What, just telling me that now? Fucks sake...”

All three Orcs quickly jerk their heads up and stare towards Krvavy, both males stopping partway through pulling the clothes off of the female. Her tunic is visibly torn, ripped open at the front.

Almost immediately, the large one grabs his hammer and jumps to his feet, yelling as he does so. The other male releases the female, who seems frozen in shock, and grabs up his bow to begin stringing it.

Krvavy’s fingers tighten around the femur haft of her axe, holding it tightly with both hands as she breaks out into a sprint.

The large Orc with a hammer runs to meet her head on, and as soon as he is close enough Krvavy swings her axe down at him. He seems to have expected that though – she may have telegraphed it a bit too much – and he is able to just narrowly dodge her strike.

He quickly takes advantage of Krvavy’s miss having left her open, swinging his war-hammer directly into her midsection.

-42.92 Health-28.62 Stamina

The hit forces the air from Krvavy’s lungs and stings painfully, but only causes her to slightly stagger. A cold rage builds up within her as she meets her foes gaze.

The hammer-wielding Orc seems caught off guard by how little his attack had affected her, despite the damage it dealt. That moment of surprise distracts him enough that he doesn’t notice Krvavy’s elbow flying towards his face, at least not until it is too late.

Critical Hit! 23.12 Damage dealt to [Orc Male]

A wet crunch punctuates that collision.

Clutching at his now broken nose, the hammer-wielding Orc staggers back, opening himself up even more to Krvavy. She immediately capitalizes on that by striking out at his head with the base of her bone-handled axe, knocking him back and off his feet before using the freed up space to bring the head of her axe down on him.

37.6 Damage dealt to [Orc Male]Critical Hit! 358.54 Damage dealt to [Orc Male]

As the crude bladed edge of Krvavy’s axe digs into his chest, the female Orc loudly shrieks out. Without thinking, her gaze snaps towards that shaken woman. The female Orc is convulsing violently, pulling fistfuls of grass out of the ground as she tries to crawl away from the fight in a panic. Her torn top slips, reveali–

-30.4 Health

A sharp pain shoots out from Krvavy’s thigh. Jerking her head down she sees that the hammer-wielding Orc took advantage of the distraction to stab her with a thin knife.

-5.72 HealthYou have been inflicted with a Minor Wound: Light Bleeding. You will lose 0.25 Health per minute as long as the bleeding continues.

The Orc on the ground beneath Krvavy twists the blade in her leg, which causes an angry growl to force its way through her lips and a haze of utter rage to descend over her mind. As the Orc yells out at the others Krvavy grabs the knife and tears it from her leg, tossing it aside before lifting her leg up and stomping down onto the back of her axe, which remains lodged in that large Orc’s chest. Even more so now.

Critical Hit! 438.46 Damage dealt to [Orc Male]

[Orc Male] has been slain!+500 Experience

An arrow whizzes past Krvavy’s face, just narrowly missing as she rips her axe free from the corpse beneath her. With a feral look in her eyes, Krvavy focuses on the Orc archer, watching him draw back another arrow on his bow as if in slow motion.

Without a thought in her rage-filled mind, Krvavy charges down the hill towards the two remaining Orcs. The archer shouts as he looses his arrow. Anger and... fear... fills his voice.

-22.89 HealthYou have been inflicted with a Minor Wound: Light Bleeding. You will lose 0.25 Health per minute as long as the bleeding continues.

The arrow slams into Krvavy’s left shoulder, though it doesn’t slow her down in the slightest as she barrels towards the two remaining Orcs. With practiced skill, the archer hastily nocks another arrow, draws it back, and looses it towards the feral Drakling. Perhaps too hastily.

-5.73 Health

That second arrow grazes past Krvavy’s arm, lightly cutting her but ultimately missing its mark as she violently swings her axe through the air. Its crude metal head crashes into the bow. Splintered debris scatter as all the tension in the string is suddenly released when one of its wooden limb is shattered.

The male Orc throws himself backwards, narrowly dodging that savage strike. His foot kicks out as he falls onto his back, knocking a leathery pouch into the campfire. His new prone position isn’t ideal, but it isn’t all bad either, as within arms reach is the female Orc’s spear. He grabs it, bringing the sturdy weapon up and –

Krvavy’s axe swings downwards, crashing straight through the spears solid shaft and continuing towards the Orc’s armoured torso, slowed but not stopped.

43.8 damage dealt to [Orc Archer]

The hit causes the Orc to gasp out in pain, keeping him flattened on the ground. But despite his breathless state, he doesn’t give up. The male Orc frantically grasps at his tunic, looking for a weapon to fight with. All while Krvavy raises her axe up and brings it back down again and again. Rapidly, frenzied, sacrificing strength for a flurry of blows

44.24 damage dealt to [Orc Archer]45.12 damage dealt to [Orc Archer]46.48 damage dealt to [Orc Archer]

A plume of acrid smoke billows out of the campfire, swirling around the near-feral Drakling. Her eyes water and her vision blurs as all thoughts leave her mind. All thoughts beyond her rage, her hate, and her pain.

Her muscles throb. A knot forms in her mind and in her core. A heat burns and burns and burns inside of her.

She doesn’t stop, she doesn’t slow down. Krvavy continues to slam her crude axe into the armoured Orc, digging a bit deeper with each hit. His armour withstands it far better than that of the other Orc.

48.34 damage dealt to [Orc Archer]50.76 damage dealt to [Orc Archer]

In a desperate move, the Orc archer rolls to the side, briefly exposing his back to Krvavy. But before she can take advantage of that, he throws himself onto his feet and clumsily lunges towards Krvavy, getting between her and the head of her axe. He grabs onto the arrow lodged into her shoulder and tears it free before stabbing it back down into her side.

-6.87 HealthYou have been inflicted with a Minor Wound: Light Bleeding. You will lose 0.25 Health per minute as long as the bleeding continues.-11.44 HealthYou have been inflicted with a Minor Wound: Light Bleeding. You will lose 0.25 Health per minute as long as the bleeding continues.-4.58 Health

Krvavy bashes her fist into the Orc archer, pushing him away as he tears the arrow out of her body one last time. Rather than fight back, he turns his head to the Orc female and shouts at the fleeing woman. The frenzied Drakling is in no state to recognize the emotions in his voice. She just sees an opening. Krvavy raises her crude axe high above her head and swings down with the weight of her entire body behind it.

Critical Hit! 467.65 damage dealt to [Orc Archer]

[Orc Archer] has been slain!+450 Experience

Whatever words the archer was yelling out come to a sudden gurgling stop as Krvavy’s axe crunches its way through his collarbone and rib cage. He almost crumples inwards, his armour holding up enough to remain... partially intact.

The female Orc makes the mistake of screaming in terror, drawing Krvavy’s attention. Jerking her head towards the scream, Krvavy catches sight of the Orc scrambling up the hill as she feebly tries running away.

Krvavy’s mind is still clouded by the haze, unable to think straight, but her anger begins to fade away as she watches the Orc female trip over herself trying to flee. This last Orc isn’t a threat to Krvavy. She isn’t a foe to fight. She is nothing more than prey. The acrid smoke, quickly burning out and fading away, encourages that thought.

The backs of her eyes pulse. The heat in her core swirls like a storm.

Excitement and anticipation for the hunt fill her instinct-driven mind. Dropping her axe, letting it fall to the ground with the corpse of the Orc archer, Krvavy takes off after her fleeing prey.