The Ogre Hunt

Serith shifted in her saddle as she waited for the Barbarian envoy. They had requested over one thousand men, but the Grand Cleric refused to send more than one hundred. Serith was more than confident with their chances against the Ogres. Her long blonde hair blew in the wintry winds. She brushed it behind her face and slid off her warhorse. A figure approached in the distance. The figure stood at least seven feet tall and his shoulders were nearly four feet wide. The Crusader pulled out her sword and readied her shield. Her troops slid off their horses and unsheathed their swords, but she yelled for them to stop. As the figure closed in, she could tell it was an Ogre. It began running toward the small contingent of Holy Order forces. Serith sprinted forward to meet it on the field of battle. She thrust her shield into the beast’s face, knocking it backward. That was when she spotted two more Ogres not far behind the first. She used the falling Ogre as a springboard and launched herself toward one of the other Ogres. Her sword slid into the beast’s sternum and the end protruded out of its back.

 

She pulled the sword out and sliced the other Ogre’s leg. It started to fall backward and she rolled under it, leaving her sword to skewer it. The first Ogre was just getting up as she turned to face it. She moved her shield in front of herself and charged at it. It swung wildly at her and she was able to duck the blow with relative ease. She modified her charge so that the shield took the creature square in the left knee. The resounding crack was enough to tell her she had broken its kneecap. She tilted her shield up and then brought the pointed bottom into the knee. The beast let out a loud groan and dropped onto its knees. She pulled back a few feet before lunging forward and slamming the shield into the Ogre’s face. Blood exploded out of its nose as it crashed backward. The Crusader pulled out her knife and dug it into the creature’s throat, ending its miserable life.

 

“Many of my people were wondering if this alliance was worth our time. It seems you have proven them wrong,” A battered looking man said as he approached the scene of battle.

 

“I assume you are the envoy?” Serith asked.

 

“You would be correct. I have not the skill to take on three Ogres. Though it pains me to admit it, I was hiding until they passed. It seems that I had no need for hiding.”

 

“There is no shame in knowing your limits, nor is there shame in pressing them.”

 

“If all of your soldiers have a battle prowess equal to yours, this will be a short hunt.”

 

“Unfortunately, Serith is a much better fighter than the average member of the Holy Order. She is one of the few that has attained the level of Crusader. One day she might lead the order as Grand Crusader. Are we to assume that your men are more skilled than an envoy like yourself?” A man standing behind Serith asked.

 

“It is true, as an envoy I am not as skilled in combat. We Barbarians pride ourselves in being warriors, but I am as close as we have to a diplomat. You may call me Arthos,” the man extended his massive hand.

 

“A pleasure, Arthos. I am an envoy myself, so I understand. You may call me Hanith.” Hanith shook Arthos’ hand.

 

“Come, let us dally no longer,” Serith said as she collected her sword.

 

Arthos and Hanith nodded as they fell in behind Serith. Though unfamiliar with the area, she had already picked up the trail of more Ogres. She pointed out the tracks in the snow. To the untrained eye, it might have looked like a large recess in the snow, but she knew that it was a large group of something. Seeing as how they were in the wintry northlands, Ogres and Barbarians were the only choice. Arthos’ silence solidified her assumption that it was the former. The envoys fell behind as the rest of the group rushed after Serith. They had an important treaty to discuss. It was not a question of whether the Ogres would be exterminated, but rather when they would be exterminated. Hanith grabbed Arthos arm and the two stopped.

 

“Why are you accepting our help?” He asked.

 

“Why are you willing to give it?” The Barbarian asked.

 

“Our enemies have always been something we could bring to justice. Now, we are not so certain. Wizards and dragons are what we face. It may seem a strange union, but we know the Barbarians have no love for either of our enemies.”

 

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I had thought it would be something more complex than that. Perhaps we are more alike than either of our people care to admit. To answer your inquiry, our people need to be shown their roots. We have lost our identity as warriors. There was even some question of whether we should pursue peace with the Ogres. Our ancestors would have fought to the death. Your people are willing to fight to the death. My Chieftain and I hoped that fighting alongside your order would stir up the old blood.”

 

“A worthy cause. I think we can work something out. In the meantime, we should catch up to the others. Let us put aside our place as envoys and take up weapons together!”

 

Arthos nodded and the two sprinted to catch up with the column of Holy Order soldiers. They arrived just in time to see Serith engaging the enemy with her troops closely behind. She bashed one Ogre with her shield and sliced into the gut of another with her sword. Hanith grabbed the spear and shield off his back and crouched as he approached the closest Ogre. It swung at him with a massive club. He used his shield to absorb the blow before jabbing the beast with the tip of his spear. As the deadly dance continued, Hanith’s shield felt heavier and heavier with each blow. His opponent slowed with each prick of the spear. The white snow was drizzled with the creature’s crimson blood. Not far off, Arthos swung his battle-axes wildly about, keeping the Ogres at a distance. His assault was less precise than Hanith, but it still resulted in several injured Ogres. As the battle intensified, the two began to work in conjunction.

 

Hanith used his spear to keep the Ogres off-balance, allowing Arthos to jump in and deliver the killing blow before retreating back behind the safety of the spear and shield. The two continued their assault on the Ogres, doing their best not to be overwhelmed. Meanwhile, Serith was cutting a swath into the midst of the enemy army. Her speed was too much for even groups of Ogres to overcome. At times, she appeared lost in the sea of Ogres and mailed knights, but never for very long. The Ogres mounted a fierce charge and began to push back the Holy Order’s army. Hanith and Arthos slowly made their way to Serith, hoping that together they could hold back the enemy’s surge. A cry went up behind the Ogres. The Barbarians had arrived with a small army of their own. They engaged the rearguard of the Ogres, throwing the beasts into chaos. What the Barbarians lacked in equipment, they made up for with size and ferocity. Though not quite as large as the Ogres, the Barbarians were much more fit.

 

The Holy Order used their heavy arms and armor as an advantage against the Ogres, while the Barbarians used their superior speed. Both armies fought ferociously as they continued to crush the beasts between them. Hanith and Arthos became more aggressive with their tactics as Serith darted back and forth from behind the shield. For every Ogre that the pair slew, it seemed as though she slew two or three. The three pushed forward until they reached the Barbarian forces. Neither army seemed excited to have squashed their mutual enemy. There was a tension between both groups that was impossible to ignore. Though the two groups seldom fought in real wars, but they had many run-ins throughout their long history. Arthos and Hanith separated their squads and come together to discuss the next course of action.

 

“The Ogres were far less formidable than I expected. It comes as a surprise that you needed our assistance with them. Is there a much larger group that needs extermination?” Hanith asked.

 

“It shames us to admit it, but the Ogres are not our real problem. In an attempt to keep our honor, we have kept our true enemies a secret. Our lands are plagued by the Ice Giants, whom most think are a myth,” Arthos replied.

 

“Most thought the Dragons were a myth as well, but they have returned. If we must face these Ice Giants, then we shall do so. Your people value their honor as much as we do. Let us use that to create a bond between us.”

 

“You have proven your honor to us. This battle shall be the first of many that our people use to forge a future friendship. I realize that there many differences between us, but strange times are upon us. We are indebted to you and the Holy Order. Your continued help will assure that we will join you when you seek to take war to the Dragons.”