Suddenly, an arrow shot from the trees, bounced of Ty’s armor, and lodged itself into the ground nearby. He turned and spotted an orc patrol, hidden by the side of the road.
“Ambush!” he cried to the others, as he drew his sword from its sheath with an angry ring. Quickly, he jumped after the orcs, beheading the archer who had fired at him. He turned for the next orc, and saw a larger pack approaching. He dispatched the two remaining from the original patrol, and faced the rest.
At this moment, the others arrived. As they arrived, they saw the coming horde, and formed a defensive circle so that they would not be overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies. Ty saw Edwin’s eyes start to mist over with bloodrage, eager for battle. Ty appreciated the raw strength and rage of his friend, which had impressed him many times during their sparring matches at the academy, but he did not fight as chaotically. Before, he had simply reacted to the threat of the orc patrol, but now he was starting to feel the adrenalin rush, his fight-or-flight instincts flaring, his mind flashing between possibilities and probabilities. He closed his eyes, and took three deep, long breaths, pushing all thoughts from his mind and re-setting the rhythm of his body. As he snapped his eyes open, all extra thought and emotion had been purged; he was nothing now but a galvanized machine of battle, perfectly aware of his surroundings and perfectly aware of his enemy.
As the first orc approached, Ty moved into action with lightning speed. His mind did not process his actions, but instead let his body, conditioned by years of training, move itself to find the orc’s weakness. Without hesitation, his finely sharpened blade flashed to a chink in his enemy’s guard, and withdrew his blood-stained blade as the orc dropped to the ground. Coldly and efficiently, he moved to the next enemy, and the next, with ruthless speed and skill. His mind, detached from his actions, watched as his smooth, flowing movements cut down his foes, his blade moving through them frictionless, effortlessly.
As the last orc’s head hit the ground, Ty’s dance of death slowed to a stop. As he returned to his normal mental state, he reviewed in his mind his actions, and the aftermath, as if seeing the past of another person. The effects of the adrenalin returned, and he felt the ecstasy of battle touch his mind. Instead of embracing these thoughts, Ty was frightened, feeling his primal nature rising inside him. With three more deep breaths, he pushed these feelings down, calming his mind.
He turned to his companions, and saw Edwin’s own battle fury dying down as he wiped his blade on the moss and yelled insults at their retreating opponents. His body was covered with the gore of those who had fallen in his path, making him look like some god of war, fearsome and terrible. The knights had also fought well; Trocvis’ swords had beheaded many opponents, and Lance’s massive sword had crushed many under its power.
~~~~~~~~~
-By, Eternal Swordsman
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