-= The Battle of Wheelmark Quarry=-
Part II
Nako Watchfulwitches flitted from tree to tree, slender, even for a goblin he was able to find hiding places behind nearly anything that grew. Looseing arrow after arrow he watched as the fight before him unfolded. As his swordgoblins were pushed backwards he pulled a special arrow from his quiver, smiling to himself as he aimed at a small lump some distance away, he adjusted slightly to the side of it and let loose.
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Atu Orderstole lay in wait under a mat of dried grass, he and his lashers had snuck to their positions in the twilight hours of the morning, waiting for hours for this moment. The swordsgoblin's diversion seemed to be working as the dwarves exposed their flank to his position. The ferocity of the dwarven leader had driven the swordsgoblins onto their heels as the dwarves pressed the attack.
"Thwup!" A white fletched arrow suddenly appeared sticking out of the ground mere inches away from his face. He would have preferred the signal to have been given to him with a bit more room for error, but now was the time for battle, not goblin-squabbles. Atu thumbed his hammer and burst forth from his hiding spot, his Lashers close behind.
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Silu stood listening, eventually he heard what he was listening for, dwarves! Their shouts and the thumping of wooden shields banging against iron was a welcome sound. He started for the staircase, but paused, thinking better he wrested a pick from one of the still stunned mining slaves, and along with Ducim, barreled up the staircase.
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Mayor Tomescaled's spirits were lifted as the swordgoblins seemed to break rank, his wooden shield had proven surprisingly effective at turning the blades of the goblins, all of which were now quite bloodied from shield bashes. His recruits were proving themselves, and if anything his political position was being solidified by this military victory.
His elation was cut short from behind him a hammer swung upwards, catching the mayor under the ribs. The hammer was swung with such force by the goblin at the other end that it tore upwards through his body. His ribs broke in quick succession, and as the hammer caught his armpit he was thrown upwards into the air. Mayor Tomescaled was dead before he hit the ground.
His men halted in mid action, unable to quite realize what was happening. The hammergoblin, effectively disarmed, roared at the dwarves and stalked away as lashergoblins rushed forwards on either side. As their whips began to circle and crack the first of the recruits turned to flee.
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Silu's warcry rang out as he exploded from the quarry entrance, his pick a flurry as he assaulted the lashergoblins from behind. The recruits quickly rallied and began pushing back into the fray.
Ducim was close on Silu's heels when he heard a faint bow twang, he paused and turned to see a bowgoblin taking aim at Silu's back, Ducim dove forward as the arrow shaft sped towards his friend. In an instant he was laying on the ground at Silu's feet, the fletching of an arrow protruding from his chest.
Silu's face was bloodied from the goblin whips, but still he pressed on, pain seemed to scream out from his body where the whips had ripped bits and pieces of his flesh, but his firm resolve pushed him forward. His pick bit through the goblin armor as it sailed through the air. Both sides faltered as the evenly matched units piled wounds upon each other, but still the goblin whips cut and tore at him. He spun to face a goblin behind him, embedding his pick deep into the goblins belly. The goblin grabbed ahold of the pick handle, and a well placed lash landed directly across Silu's face.
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Nako Watchfulwitches withdrew from the fighting, they had accomplished what they had come here for. He quickly made off in the direction Atu Orderstole had left in, leaving the remaining goblins to fend for themselves.
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The battle swayed back and forth, wounded goblins and soldiers quitting the field until there remained only one dwarf. Silu stood amongst the piles of corpses, his pick still spinning about his body, no enemies remained, but still he did not quit.
When the dwarves ventured out to retrieve the wounded, and bury the dead they found Silu, exhausted but alive, his face covered in blood, his eye sockets torn to pulp by the goblin whip.
In all 6 dwarves died, the mayor and 2 recruits, and 3 of the slaves working the quarry, 2 dwarves were injured. Ducim lived, but languishes with a pierced lung and broken lower body.
4 goblins were killed, and most of them wounded, able to crawl away only due to the severe losses incurred to both sides.
edit:ugh stupid period instead of a comma...
[ May 13, 2008: Message edited by: Vactor ]
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Topic: "Steelfang" of the Everseeing Spear (Community (Read 9785 times)