Skraal knelt before the great angel looking down on the cathedral hall. Before him stood the finely sculpted lectern made of marble with the carvings of the almighty lord's angels of Valhalla. The hilt oh his sword pressed into his bowed forehead as the blade stood firm on the stone tablet of the cold floor. Skraal's hair was long and ran halfway down his back. He'd been knelt for some time he could feel the ache in his knee joints but refused to move deep in thought.

It had been three years since the death of Adoela his wife who carried his unborn child and his three sons. The Orcs under the rule of Snag Rod the arsonist had slain them in a most foul manner. He felt for them as he'd watched from a distance while they suffered. Even now the thought shook him to the very core of anger.

He had made a Blood Oath with the Blackthorne Captain Warryn Carde who over the three years had bonded in a friendship of brotherhood. Carde had kept his word and followed Skraal back into Kronas were they followed the Orcs to the border of Elwood. Many had been slain but the General had evaded them. On occasion they would ride together and pursue any leads on Snag Rod the arsonist. It had been three years now. Skraal himself had left the royal guard of the Lord Regent Logan Lion Khan voluntarily.

Skraal remained deep in thought feeling the pressure from his Swords hilt as it pushed in his forehead. The light from outside shone through the Mosaic windows of Angels down onto the long wooden benches and the stone tablets of the floor. The hall was long and wide while the arched ceiling raised high up leaving an echo of any sound within the great hall. This was the main Cathedral of Kalmar home to the royal fortress of the Lord Regent. The sound of approaching feet from the rear forced Skraal's closed eyes open the sound came from the large doors behind which were now open wide letting in the sunlight from outside. Six large pillars stood firm made from marble reaching to the high ceiling. Each pillar was carved perfectly with the shape of an angel embedded in each three stood firm on each side of the hall.

"Skraal is it not time you stopped grieving." The approaching priest said his words soft yet echoed through the hall.

Skraal made no sign to move remaining in his posture crouched on one knee both hands around the hilt of his sword while his forehead rested firmly in place.

"The Lord Regent hopes you will return to his royal guard. He values you as a friend and guard."

Skraal rose to his feet feeling the aching of his bones as he moved from his long stance. He swivelled his sword in his right hand then sheathed it back to his scabbard on his back.

"As I value the Lord Regent." Skraal replied his voice gruff and his lips dry.

"Then maybe it is time you return to his side." The high Priest Connaught said.

"No not until I have taken Snag Rod's life." Skraal snapped back.

"And will that deed let you grieve the loss of them Skraal." A third voice said from the open doors.

Skraal watched as Lord General Sahaal entered.

The General wore silver and gold armour a long black cloak dropped from his back to the ground in a trail. His face smooth and his hair long and neatly brushed down to the middle of his back tied back only at the top keeping the long strands from his eyes.

Skraal bowed his head.

"It would make my vengeance complete my Lord General." Skraal replied raising his head top meet Sahaal's blue eyes.

"Good. Because we have had a report that the foul General Snag Rod the arsonist has entered Cavelerus with a large war band."

Skraal looked to the east as the light of the sun flickered from the fluttering wings of an eagle flying past the Cathedral.

"Arcadius has sent a force to hunt Snag Rod down. And the Lion has pledged we will aide this course." Sahaal said.

"And let us be honest with each other brother this hunt would not be right missing you from our ranks aye." Came a forth voice. Skraal's eyes lightened as he watched Carde Warryn enter the great hall.

Both men gripped each other in an arm lock before they hugged.

"It's been a while friend." Carde said.

"Ride well Skraal." Sahaal said.

"I bloody will Lord General."

"And don't come back until the buggers dead. The Lion doesn't want you're brooding to upset Lady Regent Iona." Sahaal said finishing with a laugh.

The three warriors stepped out from the two arched doors from the main hall and left through the cathedral's smaller chambers and outside. The sky was blue and the sun high the view from the peak of the cathedral was breath taking looking down the mountain side they could see the city of Kalmer the capital of Kronas. In the distance was the large fortress of the Lion himself.

"Well it is a long walk down." Sahaal said placing his hands on both Carde's and Skraal's shoulders.

The three men looked down the steps to the very bottom of the mountain, and then began their journey down.

Three days had passed since Skraal had left the Capital of Kronas with Carde Warryn they had rode through Kronas to the border of Cavelerus were Captain Isabelle waited for them with a band of Blackthorne's rangers.

"The night is young my friend we should rest and begin the rest of our journey come early dawn." Carde explained dismounting from his white horse.

Skraal agreed and dismounted.

"This is Captain Isabel of the Kings guard she is eager to see Snag Rod brought down and I thought she would be of good use to us."

Skraal looked into the women's eyes she was beautiful her armour curved with her body her hair was platted from the top of her head and tied back tightly. Skraal found himself mesmerised that a Captain could be so beautiful. And then remember Tarja Tunney who herself was of beauty.

Carde threw a slab of cut meat in a pan and hovered it over the fire that had already been lit by the others. 15 warriors of Blackthorne in total. After a while Carde took out his book and sat by the trunk of a tree reading it. Skraal sat with Isabelle while carving his short blade.

"I hear you're a skilled swordsman Kronasian." Isabelle asked.

"I've dabbled with the blade." He replied.

"Dabbled. We are to fight the Orcs in the morning and you're telling me now you've merely dabbled."

"Take no head Isabelle Skraal can fight well as well as any here." Carde said speaking above the chatter of the others.

"Then we will see aye fair warrior of kronas." Isabelle taunted.

Dawn came early as the sun rose with a gentle mist covering the ground. Isabelle opened her eyes to see Skraal in the distance deep in prayer crouched on one knee his swords blade tipped on the ground while his long hair hung from his head as the hilt rested on his forehead.

"He seems troubled Carde." She said as she heard Carde approach.

The other knelt at her side.

"More than you could imagine. He watched his family brutally slaughter along with his village."

Isabelle stood and grabbed the reigns of her horse as she watched the others wake. All wore the silver armour of Blackthorne and carried crossbows on their backs. Each mounted their horses one by one. Isabelle took to the lead as the fifteen warriors followed. Carde placed his hand on Skraal's shoulder.

"It's time we went." Carde said.

"That book what was it."

"What."

"Last night you were reading what was the book."

"Ah my book of poetry."

"Poetry are you a peacock." Skraal said a smile graced his face.

"Aye you know me better now Kronasian. The poems are peaceful for me." Carde retorted.

"Aye appen they are Carde." Skraal said raising from the ground and turning to mount his horse. Both men trotted off after the others.

After a few hours the group rode deep into Cavelerus headed for the borders of Elwood were Snag Rod had last been sighted. Cobin the sergeant at arms had spotted Orcs in the distance.

Skraal Carde and Isabelle crept on chests between the bushes to see for themselves.

"Orc's alright." Carde said.

"Red war paint. Their Snag Rods alright." Skraal snarled.

Isabelle signalled her men who all took their crossbows in hand. Isabelle pointed to the small camp the Orcs occupied.

"Surround them once in position fire those arrows. Any left standing charge in and cut the skin from the brutes." Isabelle turned back to Carde and Skraal.

The Sergeant at arms Cobin pulled the string of his crossbow back placing an arrow in place he licked his dry lips and then took a careful aim resting on knee by Skraal who stood with his long dagger in one hand and his sword in the other. Carde took hold of his Sword in a two handed grip as did Captain Isabelle. Once the others had surrounded the camp site Isabelle looked to Cobin then.

"FIRE." She screamed.

The Orc's looked up to see the sight of fifteen warriors armed with Crossbows emerge from the bushes and then the sound of thump thump. Splats of pure red blood splashed down across the grass as the arrows flew into their targets skulls hearts necks. The Orcs dropped to the ground with large thuds. Once the arrows had been fired those Orcs that remained took their axes in firm grips and charged into the soldiers.

Swords clashed as soldier greeted Orc the Orcs fought well using the brute weight and strength they had to attack. The soldiers met their adversaries with a disciplined attack ducking and diving and stabbing. An Orc fell with a sword embedded in his mouth blood vomiting past his lips. Another Orc cut the chest armour of a soldier in two making a kill. Isabelle charged in swing her long blade side to side she made one kill then found herself fighting an Orc wielding two axes madly in an attempt to sway her from her stance. Carde joined her ploughing his sword into the Orcs face cracking the skull with the sound of cracking bone. The brute fell to his knees red blood dripping down his cut face.

Skraal pounced violently into the camp moving swiftly his dagger high and his sword low he took one Orc by the knees another in the eye a third lost his head to the severe attack. Skraal was like a wild beast lost in the lust for blood as he moved accurately through the Orc's cutting into them. Two more soldiers fell to the attack from the Orc's and a large Orc emerged from his hut. This beast held a spiked ball on a chain and a large meat cleaver. He looked upon the crazed Skraal and swung his spiked ball slamming it into the side of Skraal's face knocking the warrior to the ground. Blood flew through the air almost as though in slow motion.

Isabelle moved ducking past a flying rock to intercept this Orc who was clearly a captain of the group. She greeted her sword with the large meat cleaver he parried at her. She backed off feeling the strength from his arm. Carde joined her trying to stab the brute. The Orc gave a side glance at Carde and back handed him across the face knocking him back into the bushes.

Isabelle ducked as he swung his meat cleaver down at her. She felt her skin grazed as she back into a set of bushes. The warrior swung down again knocking her back further. She tried hard to keep up her stance but felt he was winning. Cobin came out at the beast his sword greeting the chain as the spiked ball wrapped around his sword. The Orc head butted him as he was pulled closer. Blood spread from his now broken nose as he stumbled dazed. The brute sliced his skull into two half's with his meat cleaver. Cobin felt the bite of the rusted blade grace his flesh then fell to his death with the split of his skull.

Isabelle charged into the beast from the rear sticking her sword into his leg breaking the hard skin. The Orc side swiped her with his wrist knocking her to the ground. The blow so powerful she blacked out from the pain.

Skraal leapt from the ground at the rear of the Orc his dagger cutting into the pointed ear of the Orc Captain cutting it clean off as he passed.
The Orc screamed with pain and swung the spiked ball at Skraal who ducked and stabbed the beast in the shoulder with his sword using the advantage Skraal ploughed his dagger into the inner side of the Orcs leg. Blood trickled out as the Orc suddenly dazed staggered back. With drawing speedily Skraal made a second lunged at the beast reaching up to his face Skraal ploughed his dagger into the Orc's eye the Orc staggered with Skraal still on top of him. The meat cleaver fell to the ground as did the chained spiked ball the Orc slammed his fist into Skraal's side knocking him off. Yet Skraal felt nothing but the lust for the kill swiped his blade to the left cutting the left hand clean from the Orcs wrists. Blood squirted across the dried grass.

The Orc Captain fell back landing hard into a rock. Skraal placed his blade at the green skins throat. Carde now at his side as the soldiers had finished the fight leaving eleven of them after losing three to the skirmish.

"Tell me bastard were is Snag Rod." Skraal growled.

The Orc clenched his eye wanting to hold his severed hand yet looking with his good eye at Skraal.

"Da Boss Nut ere." It replied with a disgruntled growl.

Skraal began to cut its throat forcing the skin to break and a run of blood.

"Last chance beast." Skraal snarled.

Carde watched as the Orc blinked pain stricken then considered his fate.

"Da Boss gonna be in Dramakor godda Meet Da One Tooth." It said.

"Where beast?" Carde asked.

"Da Borrda Of Ultakor."

Skraal cut his neck open letting the blood spill down like a fountain. Then stepped back watching as the large one handed and half blinded Orc try to hold its neck while gurgling blood.

"Good enough." Skraal growled.

Carde felt this crude but said nothing Skraal had earned the right to slay the beast how he saw fit, yet Skraal saw the look in his friend's eyes and cut the beasts head off with one quick swipe.

Isabelle stepped up rubbing her head and looking at the blood stained flak armour of Skraal his face and arms were covered in Orc blood and he'd grazed his left cheek. She wondered what beast had given him the three scars that ran in a diagonal from his forehead to his cheek.

"We'll have to go to Ultakor." Skraal said sheathing his sword.

"I would need permission from the king first Kronasian warrior." Captain Isabelle said sheathing her own blade.

Skraal tilted his head to the side and looked at her.

"The King may not allow his soldiers to cross Dramakor in scale for the rivalry between the Dwarfs." She said.

"I care not. I do not need the men of Blackthorne to follow me. But I will have my vengeance of the Orc General Snag Rod."

"I will as always ride with you Skraal." Carde said wiping the dried grass from his armoured chest.

Skraal placed his hand on Carde's shoulder and looked into the older man's face.

"You have remained true to our Oath for three years Blackthornian. But I cannot ask this of you. Those boys will need a father to guide them in life. And to teach them. I cannot ask of you to follow me to Dramakor and onto Ultakor." Skraal said his voice soft.

"My boys are old enough now to understand the word of an Oath especially one made in blood. Skraal it is my honour to ride at your side. Though I fear we may need others. But others or not I will die at your side if need be." Carde turned to Isabelle.

"I will not be returning with you Captain." He said.

Carde walked back to his Horse as the others followed and took a package from his saddle. It was his wedding ring. He didn't want to lose it in battle so kept it from his fingers.

"Isabelle take this to my wife Meya and give it to her." He said sombre with his voice and tone.

"Carde would you rather not return it yourself." She said.

"I fear I may not get that chance. And would want her to have it back. If I fall she will always have this and If I know Meya she will grieve anyway."

Isabelle took the ring and looked to Skraal who mounted up on his Horse.

"Take care warrior. I hope you find your vengeance." She said then signalled her men to gather the fallen bodies of the three killed placed them on their horses and rode off leaving the Two alone.

"What now friend." Carde asked.

"We head for the border of Dramakor." Skraal replied.

Skraal and Carde yanked the reigns of their horses and headed off for the border of Dramakor.

 

 

~Raven