Dayel 04 07 06 III

Dayel looked closer, and noticed that at the far end of the chamber what had appeared to be filthy piles of rags were actually a small group of orcs in their ragged armour. They spied the martial artist as she wandered into the middle of the chamber, and with angry snarls they charged at her. “Looks like meats back on the menu boys!” cried one of the beasts. “Oh GREAT!” the martial artist fumed, “Just brilliant. Not even an original war cry. Typical!”

With that she placed her lantern to one side and stood ready to meet the charge of the creatures. Dayel could now discern that there were 5 of the orcs, and as they got closer to the martial artist, they stopped and formed a ring around her. “Why don’t they all charge her?” he wondered, loosening his swort to be ready to assist. “Der, she is a martial artist,” came the blade’s voice, and as he watched, the first of the orcs lunged in with a rusty sword. The martial artist spun around, ducking under the sword that was swung at her head, and kicked out taking the orc in the throat. It reeled back theatrically. A second orc immediately charged at her, and following through her previous move the martial artist continued to spin. She avoided the spear thrust at her, taking it in one hand and wrenching it from the grasp of the surprised monster. As it lurched forward, out of control, she kicked it so that it stumbled into one of its fellows, sending them both crashing to the ground.

Next, the two remaining orcs exchanged glances and then charged her together. She used the spear to block one then the other, their attempts to reach her with their swords met every time with one of the ends of the spear, which moved in a blur. Eventually she stopped toying with them, and spinning the spear above her head connected with one then the other temple, sending both sprawling unconscious. One of the orcs that had been sent flying before got up and started charging at her from the direction of the second doorway. Her back was to it, and Dayel took a breath to cry a warning.

Suddenly two things happened – with her back still turned, she thrust the spear backwards in the path of the charging orc. As it impaled itself, an axe flew from the doorway behind it, burying itself in the creatures back as the spear ran through its stomach. Fingers the dwarf rolled through the opening on his contraption. “God you are lucky I was here,” he yelled, slowing as he neared the carnage. Leaning down to pick up his axe from the dead orc, he looked the martial artist in the eye and said matter of factly “you would have been stuffed if I wasn’t here. Better give me half of whatever they got.” And with that he began searching the bodies.

The martial artist had turned bright red, looking ready to explode. “Fingers you bastard, just leave me ALONE!” she screamed. “OK, suit yourself Chesty,” he replied. “Some people are so ungrateful,” and with that he dropped a few coins in he pocket and trundled away again. Dayel saw the look on the martial artist’s face, and decided it was not a good time to reveal his presence. He backed away, leaving her to collect her meagre winnings.