Here comes the fresh Chapter5 of the story [THE DARK WARLOCK] from Darth2018. Let’s see together what happens
“Jaul!” Linmaer cried. “Have our spears form a shield wall, with the swords behind. I’ll handle the archers.” The elf woman began positioning bowmen into three lines.
Ralnar watched his armored troopers jump at her command. The slender elf girl ordered his knights into formation but the fame of Linmaer was known across Nyria. No more ferocious hunter of orcs or monsters could be found in the Northlands. Ralnar considered himself lucky to have this elvish warrior’s service.
Across the ravine, a blood-freezing shriek tore at Ralnar’s ears and he, and all his troops, cringed at that dreadful scream. The monster ripping orcs apart turned at bay to a wall of shields as the dwarves advanced toward it. Ralnar had trouble discerning the creature for it seemed to shimmer and shift as it swung to face the new threat.
The body was sleek, forepaws and legs rippling powerfully as it gathered itself to fight. Long curved talons gouged deep into the grass. An elongated wedge-shaped skull swung alertly and Rohillion saw it had no fear of the heavy troops advancing at it. The muscles in its hindquarters bunched as the monster readied itself to spring.
“Archers!” He shouted. Instantly his troops lifted their bows. Linmaer looked back at him. He waved her forward. She turned and cried “Loose!”
Arrows darkened the sky, arching across the ravine to fall around the serpentine body. The creature hardly noticed the arrows as they struck it. The shafts bounced off the sleek skin without effect but it whirled to glare across the ravine at Ralnar’s troops, then it screamed defiance and leapt forward, soaring over the ravine to land heavily in front of Rohillion’s lines, howling as arrows winged in upon it.
The brute slammed into the thicket of spears, roaring as it strained to push through the spear-studded defense to reach the men shouting and cursing as they fought. Linmaer was stunned to see how strong it was!
“What is it made of?” she gasped even as she fired another arrow, aiming for the head.
“Ease back, men!” Ralnar shouted. “Keep the wall up! For your lives, don’t break!”
Steel whined as the raging creature’s talons slashed at the shield wall. The tip of one claw caught a shield edge and plucked a trooper out. The wedge-head lunged, fanged jaws snapping down on the hapless trooper as it gripped him in both talons, tearing the victim asunder in a spray of blood! It happened so quickly the man had no chance to scream.
The shield wall surged forward in a charge to push the beast back, the troopers enraged at the fate of their friend. Arrows flew thickly, striking along the edge of the spiked eyebrows. The monster jerked away, snarling.
At that moment, dwarf horns blasted right behind the creature as a solid wall of dwarf shields, crossing the ravine, crashed against the beast’s flanks. Long pikes stabbed forward, probing the sleek body for an opening. The monster howled in rage, lashing out at anything it could reach with fangs, claws and tail. Caught between both shield walls, it could hardly move but it fought savagely nonetheless. Men, elves and dwarves were crushed under its stamping legs as it struggled to break free.
“Closer!” Ralnar shouted, stabbing at the skull of the demon, enraged that he couldn’t wound it! “Press in! Hold it in!” A huge dwarf appeared opposite Ralnar, laughing and singing as he hacked at the spine of the creature with a double-bladed battle axe. Ralnar was so astounded at the sight, he also burst into laughter as he slashed and thrust.
Something soared over his head and Ralnar glanced up to see Rhinoch straddle the creature’s shoulders, a huge broadsword clenched in his massive hands. The giant smashed the pommel of the broadsword sharply into the top of the beast’s skull, staggering it. The head, partially protected by a horned frill, lowered and Rhinoch seized his chance, leapt to his feet and stabbed the point of the heavy weapon at the base of the skull, shouting with fury!
The garment at his waist fell away and Rhinoch stood naked as he attacked, the heavily muscled shoulders and chest bulging! The dwarf chopping away drew the demon’s attention and it bent around snapping at its tormentor. Rhinoch seized his chance, planted his foot on the frill’s underside and shoved powerfully, bending the head sharply down. Beneath the plate, he saw a pale band of near-white flesh at the juncture of the head and the neck. Striking instantly, he drove the sword down! The blade tugged through the flesh, then sank deeply into the neck, the wound spraying hot brownish blood!
“Hah!” Rhinoch shouted, his rage, fear and maltreatment by his orc captors, the fear hounding him during the long pursuit, now focused into the power of his thrust and he felt the sword grating its way through cordoned muscle and bone.
“Strike! Strike!” Ralnar cried, the memory of his savaged wife filling his heart with rage! The gathered warriors swarmed in, chopping, stabbing and hacking as the creature’s snarls turned to howls of anguish!
Linmaer saw Rhinoch set his feet and mightily wrench the broadsword edge back and forth in the beast’s neck! She leapt back when the beast leapt up, then crashed down and froze, shuddering and shaking crazily. Its mien changed, the attacking stopping abruptly as it froze stiff. Its eyes stared vacantly wide, a whimpering replacing defiant bellows now coming from its fang-studded jaws.
It was dying and it knew it. A moment later, the behemoth collapsed!
