Nostramos

Ares rode to the entrance of the golden forest; jumping off his newly owned horse he knelt to the ground and felt the cold ground. He could feel the faint outlines of small human footprints and large orc footprints leading into the forest.

Placing his ear to the ground he used his extra sensitive hearing, feeling the reverberation of the impacts of the horses and orcs feet and hooves thundering against the ground at a distance.

He knew they had gotten permission from the elves to cross the forest, Ares knew however that he would never get their permission no matter what he did, but with or without their permission he would chase them.

Jumping back on the saddle he slowly trotted into the forest, knowing full well the sentries were probably more alert thanks to Adonis’ visit. The horse was his eyes as he rode, ever since he’d gotten this horse they’d formed a special bond.

The trampling of the horses hooves resounded throughout the peaceful forest, Ares did not mind being blind for he had never liked to gold look to the forest, it always got on his nerves, too much good for his own taste.

A smiled flickered on the corner of his mouth, exposing a sharp tooth as two sentries came unto the path in front of him, he heard the swish of the swords drawn out of their scabbards. Ares stopped his horse as the lead guard spoke out, “ Ares, you were warned never to enter this forest again leave now or we shall imprison you.”

Ares nodded more to himself than to them, “ No, this is how things are going to roll. You two gents get out of my way and I ride peacefully through your forest or I will kill you both with your boots and keep them for myself.”

Both elves laughed with an overflowing confidence, seeing his desert hobo attire of old ragged pants with no shirt or weapons, and knowing he was blind as a bat by how he hadn’t even looked at them when he talked. The lead elf motioned for the other elf to get him and he waited, weapon back in it scabbard, arms crossed.

Ares did a backflip off his horse, landing behind the horse he motioned for the elves to come forward. The other elf looked back at the lead elf with a smile and walked forward, sword in scabbard not expecting much of a resistance.

Ares put his arms forward, as the elf grabbed his wrists Ares grabbed the elves wrists and placing strong pressure on them the elf frowned not having foreseen this happening. Ares smiled, flipping him over he pulled his boots off and smashed them into the elves’ temple, using so much force that they caved in on themselves, leading to immediate death.

As the elf fell to the ground like a marionette without cords the other elf went into action, drawing his sword he threw it at Ares hoping to catch him unawares, killing him. Ares however, heard the metal cutting threw the air coming in his direction. Lifting the elvish boot the sword dug into the boot, the momentum of the blade slowed down just enough for the blade to stop half an inch from his left eye.

Turning the boot around he grabbed the hilt and threw the sword using all his strength, using the sword like a spear. The elf looked shock, not knowing how this could possibly have happened but his questions left as the tip of the sword drove into his forehead, going through until it came out the other side of his head, boot still on the blade.

As the second elf fell to the hands of death he stood motionless, listening intently to make sure no one was going to sneak up on him. Certain he was secure he knelt down and took the lead elf’s boots, placing them on he placed both elf swords in the makeshift sword scabbards, no blade safeties but Ares didn’t need them.

The boots fit perfectly, not only being much more comfortable than his hobo boots but also having the advantage of producing no noise even when running, Ares hadn’t heard their footsteps, their heartbeats and breathing patterns and gentle scents had given up their positions.

Jumping back on the saddle he said, “ Thank you for the gifts and the hospitality gents, its a shame we’ll never talk ever again.” He caught the scent of all the stinking orcs and continued the hunt for Adonis.

************************************************************************

They had departed the majestic golden forest and had a day’s ride in, heading for the forbidden mines of Tura-Lina at a slow yet steady pace. It was a beautiful day, a gentle breeze in the air and the sun shining with a comfortable heat, there was no rush. In the mines they would find the hybrid dwarf, Gomlin.

No one dared getting in the way of the large combined army of orcs, outlaws and elves, most people not willing to needlessly sacrifice their lives although the population in the region was sparse, the odds of encountering anyone were slim to none.

The entire army had been re-armed with the finest elf weaponry and armour, forged by precious metals only found in the golden forest they were lighter and yet much stronger than the iron and steel all others used, they were the only one with such weaponry in the world.

Dominic rode ahead of the group, unlike the others he had not traded weapons as the others had, not willing to give up his scimitar made from the best dark elf blacksmith and his Emporial Conqueror armour, he hadn’t even polished his armour, it had kept him alive through thick and thin and was enchanted with a spell from the top shaman of Mount Kilopi.

The mines were quite a distance away, over 150 leagues away as the crow flies. But an aspect even more daunting than the distance itself was on Dominic’s mind, the fact they would be obliged to traverse through the badlands of Nostramos, a place of great peril for even the mightiest warrior.

A deadly land, consisting of large fire pits that spat deadly spirals of intense flames bent on harm. Toxic air filled the place, leaving in a permanent fog. Cyranos ran beside Dominic, his fat rocking back and forth like the hand of a grandfather clock.

Cyranos jumped on his horse, “ Does Dominic think he has a spell among all his mighty spells that might be able to turn little old moi, Cyranos back into my glorious elf form.”

Dominic sighed, replying with an annoyed tone without even turning, “ Of course I know a spell, but I sure as hell won’t be divulging such information to you. You were a funny elf but you broke the law established by the first Senate of elves.”

It was Cyranos’ turn to sight in annoyance, “ Dominic is talking about the first Senate of elves as though I had no part in it, it was not a simultaneous decision. I opposed and complained greatly against the non interference law. The Royal Kingdom was a dictatorship, the other elves were cowards and wanted to stay in the safety of the forest.”

“ I, however, knew that if they were not stopped they would spread and endanger us in turn, the Coronian Empire was a good thing. Anyway, I was next to the throne after all, I would have been King.”

Dominic stifled a laugh, “ And you wonder why you are still a gibbering cat, if you had changed your attitude in the least you might have had a slim chance of getting parole, of getting your old form back. But now your stuck as a royal elf stuck in the form of a cat dirtying a litter box while a human is going to save the world.”

Suddenly there was a familiar voice from in front of them, “ Valid point Dominic the dark elf, but your way off nonetheless.”

Looking ahead he seen Ares riding toward them from within the badlands they had just entered. He seemed very different from the last time they had met, Dominic had not detected his demon and still could not detect if with Ares right in front of him.

Tyronis met his brother half way, as surprised to meet him here as he was surprised to find out he was blind, “ What has happened brother! Why are you blind!”

Ares smiled, showing his sharp glistening teeth he answered, “ I no longer have a demon inside me, upon hearing my warnings of your angel warriors Krale took away my powers but he was unaware of my prior form, as were most people. I am neither dead or living, once the demon was removed my curse entered the second phase, making me blind but heightening my power and senses. Enemies ahead of us.”

Suddenly Dominic yelled, “ Avians! Draw your weapons soldiers! Avians are coming!” There was at least fifty of them, difficult to distinguish them from the green mist. They had small human bodies with feathers instead of skins and eagle like beaks, all topped off with feathery wings.

Dominic launched himself off his horse into the air landing on the nearest avion, he killed him and used it to cushion his fall. Slicing it in half he didn’t even wait a second and yelled, “ Incinirious” Suddenly all the jets of flames were under his control, as the avians came to attack a barrage of fire streams were hitting them.

The battle had officially begun, Dominic getting the first kill as usual. Fire launching and hitting the avians, the arrows from the archers soon joined the equation, some arrows incinterated by the flames but the ones who did reach their targets entered the avians’ heads, knocking them out of the sky followed by a stream of blood.

Adonis was barely defending himself as they came from everywhere, suddenly one of them grabbed him by the collar, making a high-pitched noise it drew a strangely shaped sword made of some sort of rock. Emitting a blood-curdling scream as a blade emerged out of its mouth.

As it fell Ares stood there, elvish sword in hand. Adonis had wanted to kill him for so long for what he had done to him, and yet now he had saved his life. Ares said, “ I need you alive, so stay alive for God’s sake!” He went into action, his swords weaving through the air majestically in intricate patterns as he cut through the avians, blood covering his corpse white torso.

The battle was raging ferociously, many orcs had died not accostumed to fighting such nimble fighters when a loud yell came, “ Stand aside avians!” All the avians moved to the side, in the middle of them appeared their leader, Nostramos the giant one-eyed ogre.

It stood an entire twelve feet tall, pure rippling muscles and malice was what best described this creature, Kulos yelled, “ Cease attacking!”

Both armies now faced each other, as Kulos stood two cave trolls came beside him. Even they seemed small compared to the one-eyed ogre, Nostramos said, “ I want to battle Ares, we have a score to settle. If he wins my avians might stop, if I win we will kill you all.”

Before anyone could respond Ares walked forward, two swords on his back, “ I got a better deal, either you move your avians and leave them alone or I will stab your eye out and kill you with your low intelligence”

Nostramos took out his giant club and hollered, “ Bring it on little demon! I can kill even you.” He jumped into action, pulling out his swords he took a fraction of a second to assess all his surroundings. He knew the ogre’s position by his strong reeking odour, hearing his powerful heart beat he could see the battlefield in his mind.

The flames spiralling in the air around them, the avians hovering above the ground emitting a very high pitched buzzing noise that the normal ear could not hear. He jumped into action, moving his swords in complex patterns he began his tricky tactics.

Hearing the swinging club swing in the air he rolled forward, dodging the oncoming attack by a fraction of an inch he jumped on his arm, stabbing one sword in deep as he ran along the arm until he reached his shoulder blade, forming a large gash.

The ogre reached for him with the other arm, Ares simply jumped off the shoulder, landing on the top of his hand. The ogre could not stop himself for the momentum was too strong and he hit himself.

Forced to regain his balance Ares stabbed to into the other arm, slicing his wrist deeply blood began to blurt out of the open wound. Ares showered in the ogre blood, drinking some of the orange blood he faced up and dived straight for his eye. The ogre raised his arm with the intent of slapping him away like one would a fly.

Ares was too fast however, swords pointing forward they dug straight into his eye. Now lodged in his eye, the ogre could not hit him in fear of hurting himself further and tried to shake him off, jerking around like a rabid wolf, but nothing but a powerful earthquake could have done that.

He separated the swords, slicing through the tender eye in a horizontal cut. The ogre howled in pain, Ares plunged the swords up to the hilts, his brain began to ooze out fluids as they punctured through the skin that protected it.

Acting as a corrosive acid the brain melted the blades and began to leak into the remaining of his body, burning his insides. The smell of burnt flesh overcame the sulphur and brimstone, Ares jumped off, sword hilts in hands and enjoyed his tactics paid off.

The ogre fell to his knees, his skin steaming, burning from the inside. As his thick bones began to turn rapidly into mush his legs gave in. The ogre was finally dead, everyone was in shock that Ares had won. There was a long pause, no one certain what to do now. Suddenly the avian nest was set ablaze.

All the avians turned and Ares yelled, “ Dominic! Incinerate the bastards!” Dominic raised his arms, the streams of flames joined together forming a giant vortex over the entire avian army. They never seen their deaths coming as the giant vortex of flames came down upon them in a beam of pure flames, burning them all in less than a second.

As the flames simmered away Cyranos stood in the middle of all the corpses, his magic shield smoking from the deadly barrage. All the soldiers cheered in triumph, all but Kulos and Ares. Many orcs had died in this battle, at least two hundred orcs and 3 cave trolls lay dead in the battle field amongst the avian corpses.

Dominic frowned in curiosity as Are pulled out a dozen empty vials from one of the pouches and filled them with ogre blood, he asked, “ What in the blazing infernos are you doing now?”

Without turning Ares replied, “ Ogre blood gives incredible power, if you have any empty barrels in those carriages I recommend you fill them with this blood, it will come in handy.”

Suddenly Aldan walked in behind him, Ares let him put the blade to the back of his neck and asked, “ You going to kill me now? I bet its what you would like to do right now, do it if you dare. Now that you challenged me you have to do it, if not I will have to do you in like I should have all those centuries ago.”

Ares smiled in response, still tasting the ogre blood in his mouth he raised his arms, “ Your move wedding crasher.” In response, Aldan stabbed Ares in the head. However he had not used enough force and the blade shattered upon impact, shards flying all over leaving him holding nothing but a hilt.

Ares took both sword hilts from his melted swords, “ Ogre blood makes one stronger and tougher against all weapons. Last thing you will ever learn.” He stabbed both hilts into his temples, puncturing his skull killing him; blood began to pool out of his head as he fell to the ground.

Celestria was appalled at this, she ran to face Ares, “ Revenge is not the way! I forgave him, and you should have as well. Or did you kill him because if the deception that led to your first death and to your curse?”

Ares smiled and replied smartly, “ No, don’t be absurd. My death was the best thing that ever happened to me, and the curse is even better. I killed him because he challenged me, I killed him because I could and therefore I did. And yes I did not forgive him, forgiveness is not in my vocabulary. Now you command the elite archers, your word can either save them or doom them.”

There was silence as the tension was at its highest peak, Ares walked to his horse and pulled out more vials and yelled, “ Now I don’t know about the rest of you, but how about you get some blood and lets get this show on the road.”