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!"

"Naut ves'aph!" Irzen snapped as he dropped into a battle crouch looking for an opening.

"We have you now, monster!" Prince Birch snarled at Gruumasht, "There will be no escape for you this day!"

Translation:

"Not likely!" Irzen snapped as he dropped into a battle crouch looking for an opening.

Gruumasht bull rushed both Ash and Birch, his double-bladded battle axe swinging to and fro kicking up dirt, blood, bits of broken armor mixed with blood. "RRAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHH!!! DIE!!"

Prince Ash was joined with Mandur who also brought up his shield increasing their chances to deflect and hold their ground against the great orc bearing down on them.

Prince Birch took a defensive stance by his brother's side as Gruumasht bore down on them. He had his swords ready to parry the creature's blow.

When Gruumasht chose to ignore Irzen and charge both of the Princes, the Swordsman took this moment to side-step the Orc Warlord and gut him deeply along his flanks. Gruumasht exposed himself during his move-by maneuver and Irzen took full advantage of it.

The warlord lurched backward from the swordsman sneak attack letting go with one armored hand, he parried the second strike with a clang. With the other hand, he swept his double-bladed battle axe across both sword and shield staggering them all back a few feet. However, the open wound across its flank began to regenerate healing itself in full view of Irzen.

"Plynn tir ukt karliik!" Irzen yelled to the others as he closed to follow up his attack, "Uk shlubnaut o'goth ka uk uriu nau karliik!"

Translation: "Take off his head!" Irzen yelled to the others as he closed to follow up his attack, "He cannot heal if he has no head!"

"YOU TALK TOO MUCH, IRZEN! HERE LET ME SILENCE THAT TONGUE OF YOURS!" Gruumasht slammed one edge of his weapon across the swordsman's weapon and followed through with the other sweeping the drow's legs out from underneath him.

Gruumasht's sweeping attack sliced open Irzen's right leg as he fell backwards upon the carnage beneath him. The Swordsman cried out in pain as he dragged himself back and out of the way of the Orc Warlord.

Prince Ash called forth the aid of his goddess and a soft white light enveloped the group increasing their armor and summoned a Spiritual weapon in the form of long sword. The sword took an independent jab lodging itself between the armor plates.

Mandur brought up his warhammer with two hands and slammed down upon the ground. The Holy Thunderwave disintegrated all the remaining undead within a thirty foot radius effectively eliminating the chance the necromancer using his minions against them. The holy magic also weakened the armor that the warlord had on.

Prince Birch recovered his footing, lunged forward and with his full motion drove the Spiritual long sword that was already lodged between Gruumasht's armor plates deeper into the Orc Warlord up to the weapon's hilt.

"GAHHHHH!" Gruumasht swung his axe wide but the holy magic burned ever brighter and hotter than it did before. So he tore off the parts of the armor and threw it to the ground not that he cared for the added protection anyway. All that mattered was the total defeat of those who dared to stand against him.

Prince Birch went flying back along with the rest of Gruumasht's armor as he crashed hard upon the blood-soaked earth. Irzen did his best to try and stand but the best he could do was get to his knees.

"If you're going to do anything, Cleric!" Prince Ash declared boldly as he pressed his attack against the Orc Warlord, "Now would be a good time!"

The spiritual weapon Ash had summoned pulled out and struck again from behind, lodging itself between the armor plates that covered the back of the warlord.

"AAARRRRGGGGGHHHH!" Gruumasht wailed in pain throwing everyone off of him and leaving him completely exposed to the breath attack from
Deargerax.

To make sure Gruumasht could not escape; Irzen pulled out his boot dagger, drove the blade deep into the Orc Warlord's foot thus pinning him where he stood; and rolled away from Gruumasht getting clear enough for Deargerax to make her attack.

**********

Eilionwy scooped a claw full of living and undead in an attempt to pull a cheap shot towards the gold dragon and missed. The throw went wide and slammed against the magical barrier that protected the city. The ranger had a up close visual of the elven maiden now turned red dragon from his position on the wall. He had a clear line of sight of RED crystal upon the brow of the dragon's head.

"Strike now, Prince Willow! Sever the connection between the crown and the elf maiden!" Perthonexio seized the opportunity to hold Eilionwy long enough for the ranger hit his mark.

Without a moment's hesitation, Prince Willow nocked his arrow, took quick aim and cut loose with a single shaft that sliced through the air and found its mark shattering the red crystal upon the brow of the dragon.

The crystal shattered upon impact and the red dragon cried out in vain as its power over the elf maiden vanished and the form of Eilionwy now stood.

The looks of angry elves, dragonborn and one gold dragon bore into her very soul for all the chaos she had brought to the kingdom of Northaven. She tried to bolt and was caught by a silverdragon, "LET ME GO, YOU STUPID DRAGON!"

"You're awfully mouthy for a traitor, you really should be quiet," The silver dragonborn growled at her with contempt.

Perthonexio's form shrank back down to the elementalist as she walked over to the tiara and picked up the bits of crystal and reassembled them.

Eilionwy gasped, "WHAT?! YOU'RE THE ONE THE RED SPOKE OF? THAT WAS MINE! HOW DARE YOU!"

"The Helm of the Red Dragon is a piece of the Crimson Dragon armor, Eilionwy," Alyson paused briefly before placing the tiara upon her own head, "It was unfortunate that you found it, or that someone decided they could manipulate you with it but alas it didn't like you. You were just a means to an end. Your fate, however, is in the hands of King Sunrider now."

Willow stood completely aghast from the ramparts as he discovered that the She-Elf to whom he was to be betrothed in marriage was not only the red dragon that plagued his people but also a traitor to their kingdom.

The form of the elementalist began to shapeshift into the true red dragon blended with the gold now. Taking to the air nearly knocked everyone to the ground in her wake as she went skyward with only one thing on her mind-to take out that Orb of Dragonkind.

***SSHHRRAACCKKAADOOOMMM!!!***

The red dragon, Deargerax unleashed a powerful single breath attack part scorching fire part stunning breath. Between the primordial surge of fire and the concussive force on Gruumasht, the Orb of Dragonkind cracked, splintered, and was melted into slag. The magic that held any power over dragons was gone.

High above the group came a female dragon's voice, "And your welcome! He's all yours, boys!"

Mandur shook off the ringing in his ear and stood back up, "Alright, lads the warlord is stunned and his armor is gone."

Ash also noticed that one of Gruumasht's axe heads was cracked and pointed it out to Irzen and Birch.

The Bronze Man brought up his arms and Mass Healed the group. They all felt alive with purpose and hope anew.

Irzen quickly got to his feet and without a moment's hesitation charged forward and drove Evenflow deep into Gruumasht's back, "Ghil zhah vel'klar dos el, cretok xa'huuli!"

Translation: "Here is where you die, Orc trash!"