Orcs Attack In Aurham [3]

"Don't celebrate too soon, Denis. They're coming."

"Right." Denis focused on the upcoming four Orcs. 

Growling with anger over the loss of their comrade, the four remaining Orcs charged towards the defenders. Two of them relied solely on their brute strength, while Denis kept a keen eye on the other two wielding clubs.

"Wait! Hold your ground!" Denis commanded, his voice ringing out above the chaos.

Nervously, everyone obeyed, their eyes locked on the approaching Orcs.

A bead of sweat trickled down Denis's forehead as he gripped his sword tightly. "NOW!! GILES!!" he shouted.

"Got it!" Giles nodded, preparing another, thicker lance. With a strong pull, he released the lance, muttering a spell under his breath. "Second Star Tier Spell! Fire!"

As Giles spoke, flames engulfed the tip of the lance, propelling it forward with incredible speed, embedding it firmly into the ground in the path of the oncoming Orcs.

The Orcs halted abruptly, glancing down at the lance with mocking laughter, assuming Giles had missed his mark.

But their laughter turned to shock as they noticed the confident smiles on the faces of the humans.

"Giles never misses, you fools!" Alan laughed triumphantly.

-CRACK!

"W-What?!" The Orcs' eyes widened in disbelief as they felt the ground beneath them begin to fracture rapidly around the lance.

"Don't move—" one of the smarter Orcs began to warn his comrades, but it was too late.

As another Orc took a step backward, the ground gave way beneath his weight, sending him tumbling into the depths below.

-Splash!

As the Orc plummeted into the pit, he landed on something sticky with a sickly green hue. Realization dawned on him as he looked up to see the fiery lance descending towards him.

"GRAAA—" he began to roar before a deafening explosion engulfed him in flames, causing the ground above to crack even further.

"H-HELP!!" Another Orc's desperate cry echoed as he lost his footing and tumbled into the pit.

Meanwhile, the two remaining Orcs showed no intention of aiding their fallen comrades, instead leaping away to safety.

"At least we got two of them," Alan said grimly, raising his sword.

"The remaining two are the strongest, though," Denis observed with a smirk.

"I can take one myself. You take the other with the rest of the group," Alan suggested confidently before lunging towards one of the Orcs, sword at the ready.

The Orc responded with a vicious swing of his club, which Alan managed to parry, though the force of the impact sent him stumbling backward.

"Puny human," the Orc grunted as he advanced menacingly towards Alan.

Alan smiled nervously, feeling the numbness in his hands from the shock of the blow. "This might be a little tougher than I thought."

"Giles, and five men, assist Alan! The rest of us will deal with the other one!" Denis commanded.

"YEAH!!!" The men split into two groups, ready to confront the remaining Orcs head-on.

Denis tightened his grip on his sword, his eyes locked in a fierce stare with the Orc before him.

The Orc's smirk widened as he raised his club high, preparing to strike down upon Denis with brute force.

Denis remained composed, focusing his attention on his sword. "Activate First Rune. Heightened Strength!"

-BOOM!

The clash between the two weapons erupted, but contrary to the Orc's expectations, Denis stood firm, expertly parrying the blow with his own blade. A rune on Denis's sword glowed brightly, granting him enhanced strength.

"Activate Second Rune! Sharpness!" Denis said, his voice ringing out. The second rune on his blade lit up as he gritted his teeth and swung his sword at the Orc's arm.

-Spurt!

"GRAAAH!" The Orc howled in agony as Denis's blade sliced through his thick arm, blood spurting from the wound.

"You did it, Denis!" His comrades cheered, but Denis remained focused, feeling the strain of using two runes simultaneously after the spells he had already cast for the trap.

The injured Orc sneered, sending a shiver down Denis's spine.

"GRAAAAH!" With a deafening roar, the Orc unleashed a powerful cry that echoed through the air, causing discomfort to everyone's ears.

"D-Denis!" One of his men cried out, pointing towards the entrance.

Amidst the clamor, the sound of heavy footsteps reverberated as a larger Orc charged towards them with alarming speed.

-BAM!

With a swift leap, the Orc evaded the pit, leaping over it and landing behind Denis with intimidating force.

"Denis!!"

But the towering Orc paid no heed to Denis, grunting as it charged straight into the heart of the village.

"NOOO!!" Denis cried out, attempting to intercept the massive creature, but his efforts were met with a brutal swing of a club. Denis managed to block the blow with his sword, but the force sent him tumbling to the ground, blood oozing from his lips.

"You're finished. This village is finished," the other Orc taunted, a cruel smirk twisting its features.

"Alan! We have to stop that Orc!" Denis called out urgently, his voice strained with pain.

"I-I know!" Alan replied, already exerting all his energy in a battle with the Orc before him.

***

 "How much farther do we have to go?" Marek's voice carried a hint of impatience as he asked.

"Just a hundred meters!" Colette reassured him, her words barely keeping pace with their hurried steps.

Yet, inwardly, Marek couldn't shake the sinking feeling that they wouldn't reach their destination in time. His senses tingled with the approaching threat of an Orc, barreling towards them with menacing speed.

"Ana, can you push yourself a little more?" Marek turned his attention to Anastasia, who clung to his back.

"Yes," Anastasia nodded.

Bringing their sprint to a halt, Marek gently lowered Anastasia to the ground. Colette's puzzled expression mirrored her confusion as she glanced back at them.

"Arthur...?" Colette faltered, her eyes darting between Marek and the looming danger.

"Can you take Anastasia to the safety house?" Marek asked.

Confusion etched Colette's features as she protested, "But you should come too! There's enough room for everyone!"

"This isn't about space," Marek muttered.

The ground quaked beneath them as a nearby house crumbled, revealing the menacing form of an Orc.

"An Orc!" Colette's voice trembled with fear as she instinctively gathered Agnes and Rufus closer to her.

"I'll draw its attention away. Take Anastasia," Marek directed, offering Anastasia's arm to Agnes.

Colette shook her head. "But it's too dangerous! You should come with us—"

"No," Marek's interruption was firm. "Please, just ensure Anastasia's safety."

"W-Wait! Where are you going?" Anastasia's grip tightened on Marek's arm, desperation lacing her words.

Marek offered her a reassuring smile, his hand gently patting her hair. "I'll divert its attention elsewhere. Trust me, I'm fast."

"N-No! Arthur!" Anastasia's panic escalated as she watched Marek's figure disappear into the distance.

Her heart raced with fear, each beat showing her growing anxiety as Marek vanished from sight.

"B-Brother…!!!" Her anguished cry echoed through the chaos, but Marek was already out of earshot.

"Come, Anastasia!" Agnes pulled the distraught girl along.

…

…

…

"HEY!!" Marek shouted once in front of the Orc.

The Orc's gaze fell upon the diminutive figure before him, a cruel smirk twisting his lips as he reached out a massive hand. But Marek didn't hesitate; he bolted away.

"You want to play?" The Orc's voice rumbled with malicious amusement as he gave chase, the ground trembling beneath his thunderous footsteps.

For what felt like an eternity, Marek weaved through the streets, a game of cat and mouse played out between the buildings. Only when he was certain he had led the Orc far from the safety house and others' attention did Marek finally come to a halt.

"It should be enough." With a calculated pause, Marek stopped his steps, knowing that he was now alone with the enemy.

"YOU ABANDONED? AHAHA!" The Orc's laughter echoed through the deserted alleyway, his towering form casting a menacing shadow over Marek.

"Third Rank Spell, raise strength, raise agility."

The air crackled with energy as Marek's form blurred with newfound speed, catching the Orc off guard.

-BAM!

In a swift, calculated motion, Marek's knee collided with the Orc's massive nose, the sickening sound of bone crunching echoing in the aftermath.

-CRACK!

The Orc staggered back, reeling from the force of the blow, crashing into a nearby house with a resounding thud.

"Second Rank Spell," Marek whispered, his voice barely audible above the Orc's agonized howls. "Burn."

With a flick of his wrist, Marek unleashed his fiery spell, his dagger slicing through the air with deadly precision, finding its mark in the Orc's vulnerable eye.

"KRAAAAAAA!!" The Orc's roar reverberated through the air, in pain and fury as he clutched at his wounded eye.

Instinctive fear flickered in the Orc's gaze as he beheld Marek's figure advancing.

With abnormal agility, Marek blurred into motion once more as he closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye. With grace, he landed upon the Orc's face, retrieving his dagger with a swift motion.

"HIIII!!" 

"Shut up." Marek's voice cut through the air.

-BAM!!

With a movement, he delivered a powerful kick to the back of the Orc's head, sending him hurtling through the air once more.

In a seamless display of agility and strength, Marek launched himself into the air, his movements fluid and precise. With unerring accuracy, he delivered a punishing front kick directly to the Orc's stomach.

-BAAM!!!

The force of the blow was staggering, the Orc's massive frame contorting into a grotesque angle as he was sent hurtling through the air. Like a ragdoll, he crashed above the walls of the village, his trajectory carrying him deep into the dense foliage of the surrounding forest, knocking out several trees.

As Marek landed on the ground, a grim expression settled upon his features. Blood trickled from his nose, because of the immense strain he had put his body under, channeling spells from another world not fitting his body.

"Tell Raizel to burn the body to ashes."

[Yes, Milord.]