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Chapter 17 - The Day of Defeat

25th Day of Nova

128 I.E.

The air carried with it the strong, acrid smell of fire riding along with the stench of death. Olaraa was burning, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.

The Shadow Legion had arrived.

The outlying settlements between the harbor at Mithril Port were wiped out before the could be evacuated completely. The ground rumbled beneath the weight of war machines and under the feet of the Legion's most deadly shock troops: the ogres and giants from the Rhavik continent. Their effectiveness was aided by the ruthlessness of the enemy's commanders. The Shadow Legion attacked Olaraa during the night, and pelted the city with their catapults. Walls crumbled, buildings collapsed, and people were crushed beneath the rain of molten stone.

Bart sat perched on the flat rooftop of a nobles house. He poked his head up over the ledge slowly, taking care to keep his ears flat to reduce the size of his silhouette. His crossbow rested on the edge of the roof, pointed down the street at a minotaur soldier. He loosed the bolt and pegged the lone warrior in the chest and six seconds later, he followed up with a second shot that felled the beastman.

Bart let go of the breath he'd been holding and took a moment to survey their surroundings. There was no immediate threat, but he was unnerved by what he saw. A city that had once been the thriving capital of the dwarven republic was in ruins. In the distance he could see the conical rooftop of the Lightweaver's chapel, or rather, what remained of it. A boulder fired from a catapult had wrecked it beyond all recognition and the amethyst encrusted stone littered the ground, their brilliance lost from the smoke that choked out the sun.

Reloading his crossbow, Bart sat back down and waited. He stared at Commander Seocan, hoping that he would finally have some new orders for them other than to hold position, but the dwarf didn't return the look. He gazed uneasily through a gnomish spyglass, his brow matted with sweat as he concentrated.

The ursar exhaled audibly, feeling exhausted as Seocan looked from the last four days. The skirmishing had been far more brutal than he had anticipated. All their preparations had been in vain.

Olaraa had tried to prevent a protracted siege by creating large, deep trenches that they tore into the earth with the use of their magic, but it had been for naught. The Legion deployed giants against the city, and their titanic strength had made short work of the dwarves' defenses during the opening battle. A single giant took the combined might of several mages, Arion, and Bart himself to bring down.

Bart let out an aggravated sigh when Seocan continued to watch the ground below through his spyglass. "I'm tired of this spot," he complained. They'd spent days looking at the same city scape over and over again. Nothing was changing. The front lines had held, for the time being.

"Would you rather be down on the streets?" asked Brozuk. He scratched at a still healing would under his hardened leather jerkin.

"I'd rather be in a spot where I have a better shot," Bart retorted.

Brozuk laughed at him. "Ten years in the military and you're still just a private who passably uses a crossbow, and the only thing on your mind is getting kills."

Another dwarf, named Ceana, chucked a skin of water to Brozuk while wiping away the bit of moisture that had missed her mouth. "We're in a war zone, bear. Can your simple mind even comprehend what that means?"

"Like I give a shit," Bart snapped. He swiped the water from Brozuk, eliciting a vain protest from the dwarf, and squeezed the remainder of it into his mouth. There was barely more than a few drops, but it was better than nothing. "What good is a soldier that's afraid to fight?"

"What good is a soldier who's dead?" Ceana shot back, nabbing the skin from Bart and stuffing it in her pouch. "We're not here for glory and we're not here to fight. We're here to protect, simple as that."

"You might be here for that, but this dolt isn't," Brozuk sneered. "The only thing he cares about is fighting and killing. You haven't been with the unit long enough Ceana, but this convict doesn't care about any of your ideals."

The squad had grown more bold with each passing day, even since before the war. Few people cared to tolerate Bart's outbursts, and they were quickly learning he had more bark than bite. The truth was that the only thing staying Bart's hand was the fact that any of his officers could have him put down at any point if he acted out, and thus he was forced to try and intimidate them as best he could, and lately, even that had been failing to accomplish anything.

The ursar snarled and was about to give a retort when their commander said, "Enough, all of you." He collapsed the spy glass and dropped back down. "We've got incoming."

The squad shifted their weight and crawled forward along the flat rooftop, peering over the rim to look down at the streets below them. A group of two armored orcs and a gnoll in lighter leather clothing moved towards their position, sweeping from side to side to check for ambushes from the dwarven defense forces.

Brozuk shoved Bart's head down, and the ursar repressed his snarl to keep from making any noise. The gnolls had proven themselves capable hunters during the previous war, and their large ears would likely pick up the sound at a greater distance than even Bart himself could do. He swatted the dwarf's sweaty hand away and shot a glare at him that he hoped conveyed the message that he was not to be touched. Ever.

Pain in the ass, he thought, reaching for his crossbow. He needed to be ready incase Commander Seocan gave the order to fire. The field-tested veteran was watching the Legion soldiers' movements intently, his eyes squinting so he could see better.

Bart tried to peer over the rim again, and caught the gnoll sniffing around an alleyway. Brozuk stiffly shoved his head down and mouthed the words, "Keep down!"

Ceana poked him in the side and slid over to him, making sure to keep her head down. "You're too big, they'll notice you at once. Or did you forget your scout's training?" Her whispers were barely audible and were little more than a quiet hiss that could only be understood to Bart's superior hearing. He frowned at her, but resigned to his fate as he waited for Seocan's orders.

They were slightly upwind of the soldiers coming towards them, rendering the gnoll's sense of smell almost useless as far as their position went. Though the air was filled with smoke and ash, beneath that, Bart could still smell the enemies' presence. Nothing could mask the unwashed stink of orcs, or of the mangy, wet dog smell that seemed to permeate every gnoll he'd encountered thus far.

The commander's lips moved as he seemed to be mouthing something. Bart could barely make out what they were, but he caught a few numbers. He was counting the distance between their position and the soldiers, and judging by the worried look on his face, they were getting closer.

Just give the order to take the shot! Bart waited impatiently for the order, and when it was finally given, he was so intent on waiting for it that he missed it completely as the others opened fire from their perch.

Bart scrambled to bring his crossbow to bear, but before he could even let off a shot, the three Legion troops below were already dead, their bodies punctured by ordinance and laying in a growing pool of their own blood.

"Nice shooting, bear." Brozuk smirked triumphantly at him.

"Get down!" Ceana shouted as she shoved the other dwarf over.

Her attempt to save her comrade was futile as the twang of a bowstring filled the air. Bart ducked behind the small rim the roof had just before a arrow struck the stone where he'd been peeking over not a moment ago. His eyes felt like sandpaper when he blinked, not realizing he'd kept his eyes open for so long, and he looked at the other two dwarves. Ceana had an arrow stuck in her throat, and Brozuk was on the ground, clutching at ordinance that had struck him in the shoulder.

The ground shook and Bart's eyes darted left and right, searching for the source. It wasn't from an explosion. It was too deep and too constant. A loud guttural roar forced him and his fellow soldiers to cover their ears. The hail of arrows stopped hammering their position, and when Bart looked back up, he saw the face of a giant staring back at him.

Bart had faced several of the beings on the battlefield, but always with a large compliment of soldiers between him and the front lines. But from where he sat, with the giant's face coming up to the height of the three story building and staring directly at him, he felt like he was going to soil himself from the fear the image instilled. He tried to reach for his crossbow, but his shaking hand wouldn't move. All he could do was stare and meet the giant's gaze head on as his reflection was caught and devoured by the black pools that were his pupils.

He noticed the being's yellowed teeth and unkempt beard. He could see the hand, covered in many small scars and rippling with corded muscle, being lifted up into the air. But he couldn't take his eyes off the giant's face. It made Bart freeze in place as he was absorbed by the look in the giant's eyes, and the sense of ferocity that he saw in them. The giant would not stop until they were all dead.

Seconds felt like minutes before Bart was able to speak or do anything, and the words that escaped his mouth mimicked the sentiments of his companions. "Oh shi-"

An explosion of rubble, dust, and stone flew up into the air as the giant's hand smashed the building they were perched on. His fingers, easily as long as a dwarf was tall, tore through the structure like a child smashing a sand castle at the beach. Bart could feel himself falling several feet before he landed hard on a wooden floor below. The faint bit of light that made its way through the smoke was blotted out by a chunk of rubble, and the ursar had to dart to the side to keep from being crushed by the roof that he'd just fallen through.

"Fall back! Get out of here!" His commander shouted. The air was filled with the incessant buzz of crossbows being loosed. The giant bellowed a second time and Bart ran for the stairs as he covered one ear to futilely try to block out the sound.

As Bart thundered through the once extravagant home of some rich dwarf, his foot broke through the already weakened wood and he stumbled as he fell several feet into the stairs. He managed to catch himself using a combination of his arms and legs, and he struggled to pull his leg free.

The building shook as the giant slammed into it again, no doubt trying to swat at the soldiers above them. A beam of wood supporting the roof came down towards him, but got stuck in the plaster wall on its way down. Bart stared at it in wide-eyed horror as it loomed above him. His struggle intensified, and he managed to get his leg free, though not without some injuries. He retrieved his crossbow and was able to make it to the door, but he feared to go any further.

He could see through the broken window of the door that there was a troop of orcs just down the street, standing a safe distance away from the rampaging giant. There was no possible way he could go out the front. Either the giant would stomp on him or the orcs would take him out. Bart rushed to the back of the house, staggering every time the giant crushed more of the supports holding the building up. Without a squad of mages, they had no hope of standing up to the titans the Legion sent at them.

Bart bolted through the house and to the kitchen in the back room. The window there was small; too small for someone of his girth to fit through. He didn't feel like braving the stairs and trying a window up there.

Come on, where else can I get out of here? he thought, looking for another way through the crumbling death trap he'd gotten stuck in. He saw the entrance to a cellar below the house, and he all but leaped down the steps to get down there.

Shelves were lined with glass jars filled with all manner of pickled and preserved foods, though many of them had fallen off due to the giant's rampage and the mixed stench of pickles, beets, and other foods wafted up into Bart's nostrils, making him cringe. There were no windows, but after allowing his eyes to adjust to the dim light, he could make out another staircase across from him. It led up towards a trap door, likely into the garden at the back of the house.

Bart bolted for the door, and found it locked. Not detered by the thin piece of wood, considering how weak dwarven construction could be to someone his size, he slammed a fist up into it. Several focused strikes allowed him to punch his way through. His forearm was cut and bleeding down into his face as he worked the boards apart, but the fear of the giant above and behind him spurred him onwards as adrenaline surged through his veins. He was determined to make it out, and thinking on what Arion had said previously about ursar empathy, he latched onto that feeling, just like the monk had told him, and focused.

Strength and resolve were renewed, and he no longer felt as terrified. His next strike worked the latch loose and he was able to open the hatch and slip out.

Yes, I'm free! He thought, and tried to drown out the dissenting voice that criticized him for relying on Arion's advice to get through a situation.

His minor victory was short lived though. An explosion of force knocked Bart off his feet and he heard the creaking and snapping of the wooden supports holding the house together before he felt something topple on top of him. The plaster broke easily enough on his back, but he could feel his left shoulder being pushed down by something. A plume of dust rushed past him, obscuring his vision and filling his lungs with smoke. He coughed as he tried to clear his throat, and fought to stand back up before the giant noticed him. His eyes were squeezed shut to keep them clear, but he couldn't see what he was doing. Bart blinked away the dust and disorientation as he pushed hismelf off, knocking aside the boards and plaster that had fallen on him. Bart was grateful nothing had sliced him too badly or that he wasn't out right crushed by the collapse.

Guess I got lucky. The ursar rose from the dust and fumbled around for his crosbow. His quiver was over half-empty, and he saw bolts strewn about the ground. The giant's roar reminded him that he didn't have a lot of time, and he was forced to abandon his missing and broken equipment. He patted himself down, making sure that he still had his knife attached to his hip and to check to injuries. Everything seemed fine.

"Hurry up, Private!"

He saw Seocan a short distance away, rushing ahead and waving him over. Where did the rest of their squad go?

Bart ran to catch up to his CO and loaded his crossbow as he did. "What's the plan now?" he asked.

"We need to begin falling back before we're overrun!" Seocan told him.

"You won't hear me arguing," Bart said, panting as they ran. He looked behind him, and the giant seemed to be walking away. He prayed that it didn't notice them.

An orc came screaming down the street towards them, brandishing a battleaxe. Bart drew a bead on the orc before he pulled the trigger. The bolt lodged itself in the orc's head before he toppled over with a thud.

Bart reloaded his crossbow as he spoke. "Now this we can handle!" he said, elated now that the giant was gone and he was fighting something on par with himself.

"We don't have time for this! Get your fuzzy ass moving! We're meeting up at the rendezvous point at the North Gate." Seocan struck a gnoll down with a shot of his own. "Now!"

Growling, Bart let another bolt fly before he began to run away from the battlefield with his commander. He hated running. What did it solve? Nothing good ever came of it. Bart believed it was better to face things head on.

"What good will running do if the Legion is on our tails? Those giants could overtake us in seconds!"

"Let command worry about that. Now move!"

The two soldiers ran as fast as they could, and the ursar soon overtook the dwarf and sped on ahead. What were they hoping to do about the army behind them? They had far superior numbers and could likely keep the chase up as long as they wanted. What was going to stop them to let the defense force retreat and regroup? Bart didn't get much of a chance to think further on the matter, as when he rounded a corner he nearly spilled head first into an enemy scouting unit.

They were outnumbered three to one.

"Pantheon help us!" Seocan shouted as he loosed a bolt at the nearest enemy.

"What? This is finally getting good!" Bart picked off an orc that came running at them, felling him with ease. Before he could reload, another orc came charging at the ursar.

"The Shadow Legion will be victorious!" the orc shouted as she raised her sword to strike.

Bart sidestepped one attack then swung upwards with the butt of his crossbow, smashing his attackers nose. Before the orc could recover, he quickly drew the dagger from its sheath on his hip and sliced the being's exposed throat. He slid the dagger back into its sheath as something struck him in the arm. Bart grunted and winced as an arrow punctured his skin and became stuck in his arm. He whirled around to face the gnoll that had shot him, and roared as he ran at the enemy archer, ignoring the others around him. As he bolted after the gnoll, he ripped the arrow out of his arm and jammed it in the eye of a minotaur that tried to intercept him. When he saw the terrified look on the gnoll's face and saw him turn to run, Bart grinned.

"Ye won't git away from me, dog!" he taunted in the common tongue. Within seconds, the furious ursar caught the gnoll by the quiver on his back and yanked him down to the ground. Bart slammed a foot down on the beastman's chest, hearing him scream and feeling his rib cage crack. Bart laughed as he pressed the crossbow right against the bridge of the gnoll's nose and pulled the trigger. He fed off the gnoll's fear, feeling invigorated by the emotion, just as he always had.

Looking up, Bart peered at the two remaining Legion soldiers as he readied another bolt. He licked his lips and said, "Who's next? Which one o' ye is man enough ta take me on?" Neither of the enemy soldiers took him up on the offer. Instead, they dropped their weapons and fled. Bart took the opportunity to work on his aim against moving targets, and picked them off as they ran. He knew that if they were smart and had ganged up on him, they likely would have beaten him or left him badly wounded if they didn't. He was grateful that his display was enough to chase them off. Once he had a moment's respite, Bart sighed. The adrenaline from the battle was wearing off though, and his arm wound began to throb painfully.

Not good, that'll put me at a disadvantage if anything else comes my way. Where's Seocan? Bart looked around for the dwarf, and ended up finding his body laying face down in the street with large cuts open on his back.

"A fitting end for a coward," Bart said to himself with a bemused smirk on his face. Though he was only with the officer for a couple days, it was clear the dwarf was always looking for an out to get away from the battlefield. The giant attack had given him reason enough to call for a full on retreat. A war cry from somewhere nearby pulled Bart out of his thoughts. "Guess I'd best get moving."

The fall back point was relatively calm, considering the state the rest of the city was in. Great plumes of smoke rose up into the sky from the south, and the dull thunder of magic could be heard in the distance as the dwarves fought to hold the enemy back. The streets were filled with the cries and wailing of both dwarf and ursar alike. Children shrieked as they were pulled along by their parents while the elderly whined about wanting to die in their homes rather than on the run.

Soldiers were rushing to get the few remaining civilians out of the north gate, to follow the escort to Sanctuary towards the north. It was one of the most heavily defended cities near Olaraa, and would be the safest place to retreat to. Though it had been over three hundred years since the orcs had ruled over the continent with an iron-grip, the continued civil wars between Olaraa's various factions and the slow expansion into the hinterlands meant only their capital, the republic's seat of power, was well defended. If the capital city couldn't handle the Legion's invasion, no other settlement in the country could defend them, let alone house the soldiers necessary to mount a defense. They needed the aid of the rest of the Freedom Coaltion, the alliance that Olaraa belonged to.

Bart came running in as they were about to finish pulling out. He had met no further resistance on his run, and he was grateful for that fact. His wound hadn't quite sealed yet and the loss of blood was beginning to make him feel a bit dizzy.

"Bartholomew!" someone shouted. The ursar was caught by surprise by the sound of the woman's voice. He hadn't heard it in over ten years. "Where's your commanding officer? Where's your unit?"

The dwarf flipped the mask of her helm up to reveal Hilfa's soft face. She frowned at him, and loose curls of her red hair clung to her brow from sweat. She hadn't looked like she'd aged more than a day since they'd last seen each other. What was she doing in Olaraa? This was the last place that Bart expected to see her again.

"I asked you a question, Private."

Jumping with a start at the fierceness of her command, Bart saluted her and stuttered a response. "I l-lost my unit somewhere, uh, out there in the streets. My CO fell in battle." His heart fluttered seeing her again, and he thought that he was falling in love all over again despite the troubled past they had.

"Then you're under my command. Go see a healer and get your ass moving. We're pulling out now!"

"What's going to stop them from catching us?"

"Highlord Glowinglight's troops and those ursar friends of yours volunteered to hold the enemy at bay. We don't have time to discuss details!"

That stupid monk will get himself killed... self-righteous bastard! Bart wasn't sure why he cared about Arion, but the thought that the monk would get to fight and he wouldn't made him jealous. Fleeing certainly didn't help his mood any, either.

"If there's no other questions, I have other things to deal with than you. You have your orders." The plate-clad dwarf ran off to go tend to her other duties as quickly as possible.

"HilFA: " Bart called after her.

"That's General to you!" she shot back, and kept on running.

When did she become general? Bart wondered. His big round ears drooped at the way she addressed him. The cold, detached way of speaking that she was using made the pangs of rejection resurface once again, like worms coming out of the dirt on a rainy day. The only thing that prevented him from wallowing in the feeling was the impending sense of doom that loomed over their heads as the battle raged within the city.

No, I don't have time for this! She's gone, she's done with me. I don't need her anymore! He tried to give himself the resolve necessary to move on from Hilfa, but the more he tried, the more prominent she became in his mind until she became the only thing he could think of even as the other soldiers worked to protect the convoy from Legion insurgents.

A medic quickly tended to Bart's wound, wrapping it in bandages and using magic to speed the healing process. Bart fell in line near the rear of the convoy with the remaining archers.

After marching non-stop for the rest of the day and for a large portion of the night, the convoy finally came to a stop at the edge of the Evergloom Forest. So far there had been no sign of the enemy, but there was also no word from the Olaraan forces that had stayed behind. They were on their own as far as they knew.