Ultimate Assassin Saga: Tundra

With Acheron's approval, the Barbarian moved into the furrow and he crouched down by the front of it on one side. This would completely hide him from any unseeing eyes, but when they walked past, if they happened to look back they would see them there. However, they would have no reason to look back so he didn't think that was going to happen.

The Demon crouched down just a little to the side of him and he noted that even crouched down the man was huge. His muscles bulged under his short sleeve black shirt with the black leather breastplate over the top of it, the shoulder guards of the armor stretching to accommodate his massive shoulders. Also, the broadsword he held was more like a greatsword because of how huge it was and he wasn't sure just how the man could even lift it. Basically, the man was huge and he looked very deadly, especially with that sword in his hand.

Darville gripped the hilt of the bastardsword that he'd been given and he waited for the force. Several minutes passed with nothing happening and he began to wonder if the force had gone another way. Just as he was about to suggest that to the Demon at his side, he heard them. Foot steps heading their way and a general grumbling about the Tundra's harsh climate.

"I hate this fucking snow." an angry male voice said from just a few feet away from them. They listened to their boot steps and even Darville was worried. Would they be discovered before their ambush? If so, what would happen? Would they win the fight or would they die? There was no telling since none of them were people that they knew, but there was one thing that was glaringly obvious: they weren't natives of the Tundra. "Why this place is on his agenda I have no idea. It means nothing and its not like anything can really live here in this damned freezing cold."

The complaining voice was growing closer as it spoke, and as they listened, the first of the force stepped out in front of them. He could see the leader of the group was Human, but what drew his attention was the force that he was leading. He counted more than thirty Orcs who were all dressed in black leathers and carrying well cared for weaponry that wasn't broken or chipped like the normal Orc bands. No, the Orcs walking with this Human were well organized and maybe even better skilled than your average Orc.

However, he was concerned. From what the Human man had been grumbling about, it sounded like some sovereign nation wanted the Tundra for themselves, though why he didn't know. The Tundra was just a land of snow and ice with no real resources to be found. The only reason anyone lived in the Tundra was because it was the last place that they could come or it was the only place that they knew and they didn't know how to survive anywhere else.

Darville's knowledge of Kingdoms that surrounded the Wilds was limited, but he did know of a few. To the west, past the Whispering Woods, lie the border of the Manatheran Empire. However, he knew that this couldn't be a force of Manathera because Manathera was a Human Empire and they would never allow Orcs to serve, not even as slaves.

To the east was the Demon Empire of Dalkia of course, and while that was more likely, he doubted it. The Human seemed like a commander of sorts and Dalkia wasn't well known for their Human commanders. It was true that Humans did live among Demons in Dalkia, but they were rarely respected enough to be leaders. Then, there was the nation of Shadir to the north which directly bordered with the Tundra.

Just as that thought entered his mind, he saw Acheron looked over at him. He cut his gaze to his friend and comrade to see what he wanted to do. Acheron nodded his head towards the force and hefted his broadsword, signalling what he wanted to do. He wanted to fight and slay these beings right here and right now. He echoed the sentiment so he nodded back and he gripped the hilt of his bastard sword.

Without a word, the two men rose to their feet, and after a second of hesitation, they darted across the snow covered ground. Darville ran fast and hard, but he was no match for the Demon's speed. He ran far ahead of him and he knew that the Demon would be the one to reach the battle first, but he wasn't all that worried about that. He would get his kills of that he was sure.

The Orcs turned just as Acheron was upon them, his huge broadsword sweeping through the air and slicing through their skulls. Green black blood flew through the air as Acheron sliced his way through the Orcs towards the Human commander. However, the Orcs were putting up a fight and it wasn't going to be easy for him to do it by himself. Even the greatest were subject to the weakness of numbers.

Darville smiled as he reached the battle himself, his bastard sword held high overhead and he swung it down, severing the arm of the Orc. The creature cried out in pain just in time to meet the blade of Darville in the throat as he slashed the creature's throat. He turned just in time to block the attack of one Orc's blade and he pushed it back before lunging forward, plunging his sword into the creature's stomach.

Blade still embedded in the stomach of the dead Orc, he saw another coming up behind him and he cursed. He didn't have the time to draw his sword from the dead Orc and raise it to block the attack. So, he did the only thing he could do. He raised one leg and kicked the attacking Orc in the stomach, driving it back a couple of steps. That saved him enough time so that he could drawn his bastard sword free of the Orc corpse and he turned, blade gleaming in the snow as it slashed through the air, splitting the Orc's skull from crown to eyeballs.

Invigorated by the battle, he moved a lot faster than usual, his arms easily hefting the bastard sword and turning to face down the next enemy. If there was one thing that he loved the most, it was battle with many enemies and this was the perfect situation for him to take out his frustrations with being exiled.

The Exile blocked the sword strike of another Orc, knocking its blade off to the side. Then, he brought his own sword to bare and he slashed deeply into the Orc's chest. The creature fell back, its green black blood spraying in the air like a fountain, making an obscene mess of the pure white snow. He missed that sight however as he moved on, driving deeper into the group of Orcs, his blade singing with battle.

Darville noted that more than half of them were already dead, but what was left was coming right for him. He saw Acheron up ahead, battling with the Human and he seemed to be toying with the man, but maybe not. Maybe the Human was just that good, but he doubted it. What Human could possibly match the skill and strength of a Demon who was sure to be over one hundred years old?

Darville turned, blocking the attack of another Orc sword and he punched the Orc in the face with the hilt. The Orc stumbled back a couple of steps, but he didn't allow it to recuperate. He brought his blade to bare once more and he slashed the thing's stomach, the blade biting deep into its stomach, spilling its contents. It was a truly grisly sight as it attempted to grab at its innards, but he knew that this creature wouldn't live any longer so he turned to find the next enemy.

He noticed that two Orcs were moving in a flanking position together, obviously intending to skewer him together. He smirked at that. They didn't stand a chance against him and they should know that by now, but then again, they were just dumb beasts so maybe they didn't. He knew the perfect way to counter their flanking move anyway.

As they stepped closer, the Barbarian lunged forward into the path between both of them. He cut his eyes quickly from side to side and he noted that they were reacting just how he thought they would. Both turn to face him from both sides and they lunged forward, intending to impale him on their swords.

The Barbarian ducked and dove forward out of the way of both Orcs. He heard their screams of pain, and when he rolled up to his knees, he turned to look at them. Both Orcs had impaled one another on the others sword and their wounds were grievous. However, he wasn't going to allow them to get the kills. No, those kills belonged to him.

Quickly pushing to his feet, the Exile leaped forward and slashed his bastard sword at the two Orcs. They only hand time to turn their heads to look at him as the blade bit through the neck of one and decapitated him. The head rolled on the snow and it slumped lifeless. Then, he turned his head to the other with a wide grin and he could see the fear in its blood red eyes. Without a word, he brought his sword to bare once more and he plunged the blade through the creature's skull.

The Orc didn't even make a sound as it fell to the ground with its headless brother at its side. Both Orcs had swords sticking out of their stomachs and it created a perplexing sight, but he didn't care. What he cared about was the fact that the last of the Orcs was dead and all that was left was their Human commander who Acheron was doing battle with.

Just as Darville looked up, the Demon parried a strike from the Human commander and struck out, slamming the hilt of his broadsword into the man's face. He saw crimson blood erupt from his nose as he fell backwards onto the ground with his sword arm stretched out. He must've come to because he moved to sit up, but the Demon pressed his large booted foot against his chest, baring him to the ground.

The Human made to lift his sword, but with his other foot, he kicked the man's wrist, sending the blade flying several feet away. Then, the Demon pushed harder on the man's chest, making him lay back in the snow. The Human commander fought to get up, but his movements were quickly stilled when Acheron brought his sword to bare and placed the tip at his neck.

The Barbarian made his way over to the two of them, his blade held down by his side. The green black blood dripped off of the blade and stained the pristine white snow. He stepped up next to the Demon, but the Demon didn't take his eyes off of the Human commander. He stared down into the man's face, and while he saw defiance in his eyes, he also saw fear. Fear was the predominant emotion in his eyes and face.

"What force are you of?" Acheron asked in a calm and collected voice. Amazingly, he wasn't even winded and he breathed evenly despite the battle. The Barbarian couldn't say the same for himself and was in fact breathing hard, but he was doing his best to hide it.

The man beneath Acheron's foot sneered and spat, baring up his neck more to the sword. "I will tell you nothing." the Human said in an angry and defiant voice. "Go ahead and kill me. It will mean nothing in the grander scheme of things."

At that time, he fully expected the Demon to push the blade through the man's neck and end his life. However, he did no such thing. He kept his sword steady and still at the throat of the man, calm and collected despite the defiance the man showed.

"I can make your death long and painful if you do not speak and answer my question." Acheron replied evenly, not bothered by the man's defiance at all. His emerald green eyes were clear and filled with conviction, but there was no anger there. It was obvious that he felt nothing for this man or his survival, not even hatred or anger towards him.

"You bluff." the Human commander spat and a smile grew on his face. Then, he raised his neck a little more, pressing it firmly against the tip of the broadsword. The Barbarian saw crimson blood begin to trickle from the small puncture at the man's neck. "You will not torture the information out of me. You are of the goodly people and torture would be wrong."

The Human's voice dripped with his rancor and hatred for the goodly races. It was obvious that this Human didn't think of his people as goodly. Either that or he hated even his own race for what he perceived as weakness. What could make a man hate his own people so much and want to see them destroyed? He knew not, but he knew that he wouldn't learn that from the man. In fact, he found that he really didn't care.

All he cared about was finding out where he had come from and why they were in the Tundra.

He heard the Demon sigh and he looked over at him. He watched as the Demon pulled his broadsword back from his neck and removed his booted foot from his chest. He gaped at the man. Was he just gonna let him go just like that? Just as that thought entered his mind though, the Demon brought his sword to bare once more and he slashed down, slicing through the Human commander's leg at the knee.

The Barbarian felt like his ears were gonna burst the man screamed so loudly with his pain. He looked down and saw that Acheron had removed the man's leg. However, he wasn't done. Acheron bent down, and with his free hand glowing a strange orange color, he grabbed the stump of the man's leg, making the Human commander cry out once more in pain.

The Exile watched as the Demon pulled his hand away, and to his amazement, the once bleeding stump of a severed leg was no longer bleeding. The wound had been cauterized to prevent the man from bleeding to death. He raised his eyes to the Demon's and he saw that still he had no emotion in his eyes. He didn't look affected at all at the fact that he'd just severed the man's leg and cauterized it. It became quite obvious to the Exile right then and there what kind of man the Demon was: he would do anything to get the information that he wanted, even things that other people might've thought of as ghastly or unnecessary.

Darville wasn't one of those people though. He knew that they needed the information and that they should definitely do anything that they could to get a straight answer out of the man. He didn't think that he himself could have performed such an act and without a sign of caring on his face, but he didn't condemn his friend for it either.

He looked down into the face of the Human commander and he saw that his face was filled with pain. Tears were streaking freely down his face and he looked ready to pass out, but something was preventing him from doing so. What that was, he didn't know, but it was useful. After all, they needed the man conscious to get the information that they needed.

"Now, you will answer my questions." Acheron said in a stern and sure voice as he stood over the weeping Human. While he spoke, he brought his sword up one more time, but instead of pressing it against the Human's neck, he pressed it against his crotch area. "If you don't, you will lose something that is far more important to you than your leg."

The surety of the way that he said that made the Barbarian believe what he said. He had no doubt that he would slice the Human's manhood away from his body if he still refused to answer his questions. He winced at the thought of such an act being performed and he unconsciously grabbed at his own manhood through his pants with his free hand.

It also had the desired effect on the Human commander.

His eyes widened and his face paled as he stared up at the man, his leg obviously forgotten. It was obvious from the look in the man's dark eyes that he believed the Demon would do it. Why wouldn't he when the Demon had so callously sliced off his leg?

"I'll tell you anything you want to know! Just please, please don't cut off my manhood! Please!" the Human commander begged, his former bravado disappearing like a mist under sunlight. Tears were pouring from his eyes once more, this time out of fear and they were much heavier than they had been before.

"Good." Acheron replied calmly as if he wasn't holding the tip of his sword to another man's manhood. He pressed the tip more firmly against the other man's crotch and he heard the frightened shriek from him, but the man didn't move. "Now, what country do you hail from?"

"We came from Shadir." the Human commander answered immediately, obviously frightened out of his mind. The Exile couldn't really blame him. If someone had a sword pressed against his own cock threatening to cut it off, he would probably answer any question they wanted me to answer too. He was just glad that the Demon was his friend. "Our King sent us here as an expeditionary force to judge the strength of the people's of the Tundra. He was trying to discover whether or not it would be beneficial to take the Tundra and expand the borders of Shadir to include the Tundra."

Darville gasped, startled by the man's admission. A Kingdom was coming to take the Tundra for themselves? And Shadir at that? He knew of the reputation of Shadir and he didn't like it. They were a powerful army of the Dark Races and their King, a Human by the name of Kane or something along those lines, was a cruel ruler who killed anyone he wanted without a second thought. Even his most loyal followers could find themselves in their graves for slightly annoying the King of Shadir.

"Thank you for answering our questions." Acheron said suddenly, breaking the Barbarian from his reverie. He looked at his friend and he frowned, wondering what he was going to do with him now. They couldn't allow him to leave this place and return to Shadir after all. Before he could even ask the question, Acheron raised his blade to the man's throat and he plunged it through the man's throat into the snow below.

The Human commander's eyes widened in surprise and pain as the blade pushed through his neck. He made a startled, gargled moan of pain. Then, his eyes glassed over with death, and once that came about, the Demon pulled his sword from the man's throat. He quickly cleaned the blade and sheathed it at his hip. Then, he turned to look into the Barbarian's eyes and his emerald green eyes showed just how concerned he was over this.

"This isn't good." Acheron said in a concerned voice and the worry showed on his face. The fact that he was showing his own worry on his face worried him and made him feel even worse. However, he didn't back down and stared back into Acheron's emerald green eyes. "This has become a lot more than just getting you back to your throne and killing the Demon there. Now, it has become a race to unite the tribes to defend the Tundra from the might of Shadir. If we can show the King of Shadir that the races of the Tundra are powerful and that they will put up a considerable amount of fight, then maybe he'll be driven back and will decide against trying to take the Tundra."

What he said made sense to the Exile, but it didn't put his fears at ease. They could very well be facing the full might of Shadir and he wasn't sure that they could stand up to that. After all, they could simply summon more of the Dark Races from the depths of the Abyss and continue to replenish their numbers while they lost men and women to the war that could come. It was a bleak thought, but a realistic one.

Suddenly, he raised his head and set his face into a grim expression as he looked upon his friend.

"We have to hurry. The more time we waste, the closer they grow and we will need every minute." Darville replied finally in a sure voice filled with his convictions. He saw the other man nod and he nodded back. He cleaned his own blade and sheathed it at his hip.

Then, as one, the two men turned and they made their way north.

Gage walked through the Tundra with a huge force at his back and a smile on his face. The order of King Darcine was one that had been widely accepted and a few had even said that they were glad to see that the Elk tribe was finally regaining its sense of power. Many people had grown disgruntled under King Darr's rule because he did all he could to avoid war and that was out of character for the Barbarians of the Elk. Barbarians were a people of warmongers and warriors so to take away war or battle from them would be like taking away milk from a starving baby.