Chapter 1 Part 2

The warriors flooded out. Behind them two more groups were forming. Archers were gathering ready to follow behind the warriors and mages were heading for the town walls. The archers were not as strong as the warriors, they were unable to don the heavy metal armours. Nor did they have the strength or stamina to wield heavy weapons. Instead they were clad in studded leather. This offered some lesser protection, but importantly, it also allowed dexterous moves, something the archers relied on. Being an archer was not an advantage within the town. The different clans always preferred the strength and muscle of a warrior over the dexterity and skill of an archer. Besides you could bring a sword down on an enemy as many times as you could lift it again but a bow could only be let fire as many times as you had arrows for it. Blake was an archer, he was also in the Destroyers clan. He always wanted to be a warrior but never had the size and mass a human needed to muster the strength to crash down mighty weapons on enemies. Blake had been lucky to be accepted by the Destroyers as they were not known for accepting weaker members. The truth was though, that every clan needed archers even if they didn’t want to admit it. The ability to bring down or incapacitate a target at range was a very valuable asset. Blake quickly whipped off his quiver and checked his supply of arrows - they all seemed to be there. He threw it back on and looking round at the other archers, he held his modest bow high above his head and shouted “Come on!” indicating that the other archers should run towards the Volkar and take position as the second tier of defence behind the warriors. And still, the Volkar was heading straight for the gates.

The mages were the third tier defence. The art of magic was difficult to learn and not every student was able to master the science. This was not the time for division, there was a Volkar approaching the gates and everyone knew that regardless of their clan, regardless of their abilities, everyone had to pull together to down this monstrous enemy or the whole town would fall. The apprentice magicians wearing dark green cloth mingled with the wizards dressed in light blue robes. Among them, also running to the walls were the sorcerers donned in red spell-weaved materials. Every mage carried a staff or wand. Some appeared to be simple twisted sticks while others were much more ornate and bore rune sometimes encrusted with gems. The different mages and the different staffs could all exercise different magic but today, right now and right here, all the magic had to reconcile and protect the town from the incoming doom that was lurching and loping forward. The Volkar was still coming.

Fox reached the Volkar first. The monstrous creatures was about 120 yards out from the gates just a little further away from where the other Volkars had fallen and stained the stony ground. As Fox thrust his spear forward the Volkar lashed out with a giant green arm. Fox was stood too far away from the Volkar for the giant arm to hit him. That was one of the advantages of wielding a long spear. Missing Fox, the giant green arm caught the spear and knocked it away from Fox. This problem was a distinct disadvantage as now the spear wielder needed time to recover his ground, time which he may not have. Fox was not alone though, almost every warrior from Solis had now reached the giant green killing machine and, encircling the Volkar, the melee had now begun.

The Volkar tried to lurch forward thrashing out with its huge arms but the circle of warriors made it difficult lashing back with swords, axes, spears and some other weapons resembling halberds. The weapons were having little effect. The skin of the Volkar was very tough, like heavy leather, really very tough heavy leather, so tough that even the strongest of men could not pierce it with a single stroke. Every man and woman in the town of Solis knew this. Every man and woman knew this fight was not going to be easy. They knew the fight would not be short and that killing the Volkar was by no means certain. Sword blows lashed down on the creature. Mighty two handed axes crashed down on the creature. Spears were thrust at the green monster. Still, it lurched forward towards the gates flailing its arms at anything and everything it could reach.

Blake had been the first archer to arrive, he didn’t need to tell the other archers what to do, they already knew. The Volkar was much taller than the warriors of Solis and certainly taller than the archers. Its twenty foot bulk towered over the circle of warriors with its fat, wolf-filled stomach pushing the warriors nearer to the gates of the town. Without any delay, the archers formed short lines in front of the approaching encircled Volkar. The first volley of arrows began their flight towards the chest and head of the green loping creature. The torn rags around the Volkars chest were hit by a hail of arrows but the heavy leathery skin of the creature remained solid and each arrow failed and dropped to the floor. Rags were wrapped around the Volkars head too but, again, it was the toughened skin behind the rags that caused the arrows to fall, failing in their one duty. Another volley of arrows took flight within only a second or so of the first. This time one of the arrows caught the neck of the massive creature and lodged to the under left side of its disfigured chin. It was Blake’s arrow. The Volkar let out a wail. That was when the fight took a turn for the worse It always did and everyone knew exactly what was about to happen next.
PM Reply Quote
[quote="STORYTELLER"][b]Chapter 1 Part 2[/b] The warriors flooded out. Behind them two more groups were forming. Archers were gathering ready to follow behind the warriors and mages were heading for the town walls. The archers were not as strong as the warriors, they were unable to don the heavy metal armours. Nor did they have the strength or stamina to wield heavy weapons. Instead they were clad in studded leather. This offered some lesser protection, but importantly, it also allowed dexterous moves, something the archers relied on. Being an archer was not an advantage within the town. The different clans always preferred the strength and muscle of a warrior over the dexterity and skill of an archer. Besides you could bring a sword down on an enemy as many times as you could lift it again but a bow could only be let fire as many times as you had arrows for it. Blake was an archer, he was also in the Destroyers clan. He always wanted to be a warrior but never had the size and mass a human needed to muster the strength to crash down mighty weapons on enemies. Blake had been lucky to be accepted by the Destroyers as they were not known for accepting weaker members. The truth was though, that every clan needed archers even if they didn’t want to admit it. The ability to bring down or incapacitate a target at range was a very valuable asset. Blake quickly whipped off his quiver and checked his supply of arrows - they all seemed to be there. He threw it back on and looking round at the other archers, he held his modest bow high above his head and shouted “Come on!” indicating that the other archers should run towards the Volkar and take position as the second tier of defence behind the warriors. And still, the Volkar was heading straight for the gates. The mages were the third tier defence. The art of magic was difficult to learn and not every student was able to master the science. This was not the time for division, there was a Volkar approaching the gates and everyone knew that regardless of their clan, regardless of their abilities, everyone had to pull together to down this monstrous enemy or the whole town would fall. The apprentice magicians wearing dark green cloth mingled with the wizards dressed in light blue robes. Among them, also running to the walls were the sorcerers donned in red spell-weaved materials. Every mage carried a staff or wand. Some appeared to be simple twisted sticks while others were much more ornate and bore rune sometimes encrusted with gems. The different mages and the different staffs could all exercise different magic but today, right now and right here, all the magic had to reconcile and protect the town from the incoming doom that was lurching and loping forward. The Volkar was still coming. Fox reached the Volkar first. The monstrous creatures was about 120 yards out from the gates just a little further away from where the other Volkars had fallen and stained the stony ground. As Fox thrust his spear forward the Volkar lashed out with a giant green arm. Fox was stood too far away from the Volkar for the giant arm to hit him. That was one of the advantages of wielding a long spear. Missing Fox, the giant green arm caught the spear and knocked it away from Fox. This problem was a distinct disadvantage as now the spear wielder needed time to recover his ground, time which he may not have. Fox was not alone though, almost every warrior from Solis had now reached the giant green killing machine and, encircling the Volkar, the melee had now begun. The Volkar tried to lurch forward thrashing out with its huge arms but the circle of warriors made it difficult lashing back with swords, axes, spears and some other weapons resembling halberds. The weapons were having little effect. The skin of the Volkar was very tough, like heavy leather, really very tough heavy leather, so tough that even the strongest of men could not pierce it with a single stroke. Every man and woman in the town of Solis knew this. Every man and woman knew this fight was not going to be easy. They knew the fight would not be short and that killing the Volkar was by no means certain. Sword blows lashed down on the creature. Mighty two handed axes crashed down on the creature. Spears were thrust at the green monster. Still, it lurched forward towards the gates flailing its arms at anything and everything it could reach. Blake had been the first archer to arrive, he didn’t need to tell the other archers what to do, they already knew. The Volkar was much taller than the warriors of Solis and certainly taller than the archers. Its twenty foot bulk towered over the circle of warriors with its fat, wolf-filled stomach pushing the warriors nearer to the gates of the town. Without any delay, the archers formed short lines in front of the approaching encircled Volkar. The first volley of arrows began their flight towards the chest and head of the green loping creature. The torn rags around the Volkars chest were hit by a hail of arrows but the heavy leathery skin of the creature remained solid and each arrow failed and dropped to the floor. Rags were wrapped around the Volkars head too but, again, it was the toughened skin behind the rags that caused the arrows to fall, failing in their one duty. Another volley of arrows took flight within only a second or so of the first. This time one of the arrows caught the neck of the massive creature and lodged to the under left side of its disfigured chin. It was Blake’s arrow. The Volkar let out a wail. That was when the fight took a turn for the worse It always did and everyone knew exactly what was about to happen next. [/quote]