Captain Andaerean rode through the thickest part of the enemy straight for the necromancer, the lances smashed through the bone shield fairly quickly to find the half orc was not among his fellows. "Spread out and watch your flanks!"

Irzen kept Gruumasht focused upon him as he saw Mandur approaching the Orc commander from the rear.

Mandur charged in to assist the drow swordsman sliding in from behind, and slamming his war hammer into the Achilles heel of the warlord.

Gruumasht staggered sideways but still kept his footing in the blood soaked earth.

When Gruumasht staggered, Irzen saw his opening and took it. The Swordsman charged forward and did a move-by attack slicing the Orc Commander's right flank wide open exposing some of his internal organs to the open air.

"Gi, lor, Usstan kluth ulu inbal harventh dos. Vel'bol natha suldaim!" Irzen sneered as he turned towards Gruumasht still on his guard.

Translation: "Oh, look, I seem to have cut you. What a shame!" Irzen sneered as he turned towards Gruumasht still on his guard.

The orc warlord cracked his head side to side taking both battle axes and locked them together into a double-bladed battle axe with a click. He started laughing now as the blood of the fallen on both sides snaked their way and wrapped around Gruumasht completely healing him. The deep slash in the gut from Irzen and the smashed Achilles heel looked completely unfazed.

"YOU'VE ALREADY LOST, IRZEN! NOW I WILL DRINK THE BLOOD OF THE FALLEN AND TAKE ANOTHER KINGDOM FOR VENGER!" Gruumasht bellowed loud enough for all to hear him.

"VENGER?!" Irzen laughed at the Orc Warlord, "Dos phuul k'jakr xundin whol Zhuanth Horned Karliik?! Wow! Gruumasht, dos z'klaen tlu tangis' waeler taga Usstan ssiggrin dos zhahen ka dos phuul k'jakr shizering lu'sniveling ulu l'Olath Senger saph uss d'ukt v'utirs. Tu! Tu! Tu!"

Translation:

"VENGER?!" Irzen laughed at the Orc Warlord, "You're still working for Old Horned Head?! Wow! Gruumasht, you must be even stupider than I thought you were if you're still grovelling and snivelling to the Dark Lord like one of his mongrels. Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Without uttering a word, the warlord bull-rushed the swordsman like a bullet train into the ground. Even though the drow was agile and could easily dodge him, it seemed that Gruumasht had the advantage even though the odds were stacked against him.

Irzen brought his sword up to parry and block Grummasht's attack as the Orc delivered blow after blow in an attempt to breach his defense.

The warlord pounded the drow again and again steadily driving him deeper into the blood soaked earth.

Mandur roared slamming his war hammer on the ground with thunderous boom, "Lare ein tul dyuroz here, pig Ur othok! by da Khrum Ka'az, moradin, Tha var smite othok!"

< No one is dying here, pig but you! By the all father, MORADIN, I will smite you!>

The vibration forced the warlord off and away from the battered swordsman lying on the ground. The radiant power ate away at the fell armor that gave Gruumasht an unfair advantage.

Irzen did his best to scramble to his feet with his sword at the ready, "Bwael xund, Mandur, udos inbal ukta ditronw vel'klar udos ssinssrin ukta!"

Translation: Irzen did his best to scramble to his feet with his sword at the ready, "Good work, Mandur, we have him right where we want him!"

******

The Bronze Man steadily made his way past Princes Ash and Birch towards the true enemy now engaged with Mandur and Irzen. He paused for a moment looking back to them, "Prince Ash, Prince Birch, what will you do now that the tide of battle has swung in your favor? Will remain to defend, or take the initiative and make your way to the warlord on the far side of the field of battle?"

"What say you, brother? Should we go and help our allies and end this blight upon our land once and for all?" Ash took a deep breath.

"We shall finish what we started, Noble Dragon!" Birch turned towards Ash, "And we shall end this blight upon our land, dear brother!"

Brandishing his sword high over his head, Prince Birch roared at the top of his lungs, "FOR KING! FOR COUNTRY! FOR NORTHAVEN! CHAAARRRGGGGEEEE!!!"

Prince Birch half-raced, half-danced his way into the villainous throng they faced to lead one last final charge that would break the will and backs of their enemies.

The Bronze Man slowed time around him as the hordes forces seemed to crawl as both Princes Ash and Birch made their way with haste, "Go to the aid of Irzen and Mandur with HASTE! I will be right behind you!"

Both Elven Princes looked around them in pure disbelief as they saw the world slow around them. However, The Bronze Man's words jolted them back to reality as they made their way forward to join Irzen and Mandur in their battle against Gruumasht.

Prince Ash felt the burst of speed and charged across the battle field with sword and shield towards the warlord. His keen elven sight caught hold of the terrible form of the great orc in full plate armor wielding his two-handed battle axe facing Irzen and Mandur.

The bronze man kept up with ease but veiled his form from the warlord on purpose. He knows all too well, if Gruumasht sees him, he will be the first target instead of the warriors blocking his path. Hearing the orc boast his allegiance to Venger was no surprise since the Force of Evil often allowed the generals in his legions to go on campaigns to further the control of the Realm. What bothered him now was how the warlord came to know of Northaven.

*****

Captain Andaerean and his remaining company steadily drove the horde back down the valley, while the dragonborn allies of Prince Ash turned their efforts to collecting the wounded back to a runic circle set up by the spell casters among them. Soon groups of five to ten were being teleported inside the city walls.

Prince Ash and Prince Birch finally joined the battle with Mandur and Irzen increasing their odds of against Gruumasht.

The warlord licked the blood off of one of the blades with a sickly grin, "OOOO! TWO MORE FOR THE SLAUGHTER? MORE TROPHIES TO ADD TO MY COLLECTION! HAARHAARHARRHH!"