War Is Hell

MWalton

Experienced
Joined
May 30, 2013
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57
The, man lurched along the street trailing blood. All the shutters were closed despite the summer heat. He pounded on each door begging for mercy. None was offered. He was a tall figure wearing little more than a leather kilt and holding a broken sword. His muscular body was covered in dirt and grime and a four day grow was on his firm jaw. His dark eyes pleaded with the silent houses without an answer. His hair was cropped short, revealing a nasty bleeding gash on his head.

War between the dwarves and the humans had raged on for ten years nowand the man could hardly blame those in the houses. Bands of awol soldiers had been treating the countryside apart looking for resources to survive and the real soldiers were hardly better, requisitioning more than could be spared.

The dwarves had destroyed ten human villages and the City of Hrun. Their warbands razzed the earth as they passed, rape the women and killed the children. A bloody soldier could be running from such a force and represented a real danger to simple villagers.

The man stumbled along until a door was finally opened to him. His cracked lips formed a thank you, even as he collapsed to the ground and poised out.
 
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Leah had no family, all slaughtered by the dwarves when she was younger at the beginning f the war. She made a living a a healer, which earned much respect in the village. During times like this, a healer was always needed. There were rumors about a warband coming from the north, so many had left and others had locked and barricaded the doors, getting ready for a fight.

She was very young, only nineteen years old, and very beautiful. She had long balck hair, bright blue eyes, and pale skin, unlike most of the tan golden haired humans of th region. She left her home without defenses, knowing people needed in and out fast during an emergency. It wasa risk she was willing to take.

She heard cries for help and a knocking at her door and immediately ran, taing him inside just as he collapsed. Strugglig and dragging him, she finally got him in her bed and set to work, cleaning his wounds and trying to reduce the pain. Her gentle hands worked over his body as he began to stir.
 
The man awoke to his body being gently worked on. For a long few moments he forgot who he was and why he had been injured, and simply lay still and enjoyed the way the hands took away his pain. Suddenly he remembered though.

With a start he tried to sit up. "I must..." Pain shot through his head and he collapsed backward on the bed. The pain was so intense that he almost passed out. Instead he opened his eyes and glance about.

He found himself inside a small cottage, laying back on a soft bed. Over him was a beautiful woman with concerned eyes. "I must... It is important." His normal baritone voice sounded gruff to his ears.
 
Leah moved her hands away a he tried to sit up, surprised by how sudden it was. "I must..." She sighed, helping him lie back down. Men. Always hurting themselves when they were trying to recover, refusing to rest. "Shhhhhhhhh..." she quieted him, staring down at him concerned.

"I must... It is important."

She sighed, working on his head wound, being very gentle since she knew how painful it was. "Don't be an idiot. You aren't going anywhere riight now. I don't care what you think is so important. You won't make it t the dor. Now rest, or I will tie you down myself."
 
The man sighed and almost nodded before thinking better of it. "Thank you good woman, but know that I must be able to move as soon as possible. It is of the utmost importance." He found himself watching her hands as she tended his wounds. She had surprising skill, almost like those physicians who followed the army around.

He lay back and allowed her to minister to his wounded body. As she did, she washed him, removing the grime and blood. He closed his eyes and left her to her work. There seemed to be a sort of magic in her fingers, for where ever she touched he could feel the pain abating. After a time, he found himself at peace again, and drifted off into a light slumber.
 
She smiled as he shut his eyes, falling back asleep. He was dedicated and determined, and she decided to do something she saved only for emergencies. She knew magic was frowned upon, but she could tell he had somthing very important that needed to be done quickly. She kissed his forehead and concentrated, using her magic to heal him completely and relieve all pain.

She left him a note, telling him she'd gone out for food and would soon return. As she locked the door and went into the woods, the dwarf warband began to make ts way to the village. Leah had no idea of what was about to happen. She simply went to gather herbs, berries, nd check her traps. When she retrned, everything was chaos.

Immediately, she thought of the soldier. She needed to get him out of here and to safety. Rther than running away, she ran into the middle of the attack to her home. She unlocked the door, running towards the bedroom when someone grabbed her and threw her into the wall making her scream. Three dwarves stood over her and tore at her clothes, pushing her down to the floor. She hoped the man heard the screams so he could escape.


She struggled as they began to molest her, crying and struggling to get free. They held her down, occasionaly hitting her in an effort to subdue her.
 
"Where is he? Where is thesoldier? We know he came here, so tell us!"

"I don't know what you mean. No one else is here. I live alone." She cried ou as one backhanded her. "Wrong answer bitch. Tell us, and we won't hurt you more than we have to." She glared up at them, tears running down her cheeks. "No one else i here."
 
The man woke up to the sound of screaming. He sat up quickly and looked about the room. The woman who had helped him was on the floor, with her clothing in shambles, as three dwarfs stood over her yelling. The chief of the dwarfs seemed to be the one with curly red hair.

The man rose naked from the pallet and looked for his sword, but it wasn't to be seen. Without a second thought, he grabbed a burning brand from the fire and fell onto the back of the leader, wrapping the burning brand around the dwarf's thick neck. His muscles strained in the firelight as he struggled with the powerful leader.

The leader screamed and clutched at his throat, but the man held on. Within seconds the leader was dead and the man had his battle axe. The other two dwarfs attacked him without mercy, screaming their battle cries. He ducked their sword blows and retaliated with a back handed swing from the battle axe, which cut through the right wrist of one of the dwarfs, sending his hand across the room.
 
The chief kicked her in stomach, making her scream again, sobbing on the floor. She was bruised from the puches and kicks, but nothing she couldn't heal. Bt she feared what they wanted to do with her. She was a virgin, and knew how painful it would be when they raped her.

And then he ran in, naked and completely healed, attacking with a hot brand. The dwarves turned from her, ready for a fight as she lay on the ground, watching. He needed to leave, ignore her and get out. They wanted him for some reason, and he was clearly important. Who knew how many lives depended on what he had to do?

She was amazed by his skill and how qickly he took out the leader and sliced off a hand of another dwarf, making him scream. But the third was smart and knew he couldn't fight the man. Instad, he pulled her off of the floor by her hair and put his sword to her throat. "It's your job to protect civilians. Put the weapon down, kneel, and put your hands on her head. If you don't I'll slit her throat. I don't really care. She'll b a good fuck ead or alive."

Althea flinched at his words, staring straight at the soldier, pleading him with her eyes to leave her and escape. She mouthed the word go as the dwarf waited.
 
The man knew that there was little choice but to attack, if the girl was to have any chance to live. Already he could hear the screams from the other villagers, being raped, killed and worse. There was no way that this dwarf would spare the woman if he dropped his axe.

The soldier did not stop to think, but simply lifted the large axe over his head with both hands, and threw it at the last dwarf. It flew through the air, missing the woman by an inch, and planted into the dwarf's face. He screamed as he felt back, leaving a small ribbon of blood on the woman's white throat.

The soldier cast about. "Quickly! My sword! I must have it!" Hidden in the handle of his broken sword was the secret message which he was willing to die to see delivered.
 
Leah closed her eyes, crying silently. She was going to be rapred, killed, or both, and she was terrified. She was only a healer, not a threat to anyone. And now her life would end or become nothing but torment. When she opened her eyes, the soldier was still there, despite her pleas for him to run.

The axe as thrown and she stood still, shocked for a moment as she wiped the blood from her throat. He was more skilled than the average soldier. Of that she was sure. She ran to get him his sword, brokenand not of much use, along with one belonging to one of the dwarves so he could defend himself.

She knelt on the ground, gathering the food (rabbits, fish, birds, and a squirrel) along with the herbs and put it in a bag. Then she brought him his clothes. She went to put clothes on quickly before returning, ready to leave. He was still there. "What are you doing? Take the food and go now! I didn't save your ass just so you could get killed. They're here for you, and you need to go before they find you."
 
He quickly put on his saddles and kilt and belted the broken sword at his waist. He grabbed the woman by the hand and muttered. "You saved me and healed me. Do you think that I could leave you here to die? I'm Brock, by the way, soldier of his majesty's forces. Keeping a tight grip on her hand he pulled her toward the door and kicked it open.

"Run for the woods!" He took off running, dragging the woman with him.
 
Leah looked up at him as he grabbd her small hand, covering it completely. She didn't want to slow him down, but fightng him and tryng to tell him it would be faster without her would only cost him more time he didn't have.

"You saved me and healed me. Do you think that I could leave you here to die? I'm Brock, by the way, soldier of his majesty's forces."

"Leah," she said as he kciked open the door.

"Run for the woods!" She was short and had trouble keeping up, but managed to run by his side, away from the destruction of the only home she'd known. She never slowed and never stopped.
 
Brock knew that the village had no hope. The men were off to war and the boys to young to fight. He refused to think of his own dear village destroyed in much the same manner or of his little Jenny who lost her life in the attack. He still cursed the dwarfs for her loss.

Before reaching the waiting trees, they were confronted by two dwarven warriors. One has a fat fellow with long braids and the other was bald. Both brandished nasty curved swords.
 
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Leah stepped back when she saw the warriors, looking up at Brock. She wished she could help, but she was no warrior. Plus, she had no weapon to fight with. Steppin out of the way was probably the best option. She didn't want him to have to worry about her during the fight.
 
He shoved the woman behind him and swung side handed at the first dwarf. Their sword meet with a clank. He twisted his sword around and stabbed into the dwarf's face. The second dwarf swung at his legs, barely missing them. Jumping back he swung at the second dwarf's stomach. In the woman was knocked over.
 
Althea watched, still amazed by his skill and strength. She didn't argue as he pushed her behind him, attacking the dwarves as a clearly well trained warrior. But she wasn't fast enough as the falling dwarf knocked her to the ground. She cried out as the metal helmet hit her head, causing a sharp pain as she fell to the ground, unconcious.
 
Brock managed to down the other dwarf with a hamstringing chop to the back of his legs. He reached around for the woman and realized she had fallen. Fearing she was dead he bent over her and felt her pulse. When he realize she was alive, he threw her over his shoulder and ran the rest of the way to the woods.

Amongst the trees he continued to run, dodging branches and undergrowth. A twenty minutes he sank to the ground in exhaustion. He arranged the woman in a comfortable position and started to check her over for injuries.
 
Althea had a concussion, but she would be fine. It would just hurt for a while until she healed it. She whimpered softly on the ground, her small body looking very innocent and almost fragile, though she was strnger than she looked and coul take care of herself. Slowly, she blinked, squinting until her eyes adjusted to the light. She sat up suddenly before crying out in pain. She took his hand and squeezed it ently before speaking. "Thank you for saving me."
 
Brock craddled the woman in his arms for a moment. "You scared me." He had thought she was dead back in the village. He barely knew her but owed her so much. "Can you sit up?" He knew that they were not yet out of danger. The dwarfs would be searching the forest for survivors. He was desperate to move on but gee he was not willing to abandon her.
 
Leah tensed as he held her in his arms, but relaxed against his chest after a moment. Twelve years without any family left her completely alone in the world. She was in a foreign kingdom, a refugee from a land to the east. "You scared me." For the first time in years, somene had worried about her. Someone had wanted to keep her safe. "Can you sit up?" She tried to sit, pushing herself up before groaning as her hand touched her head. She wasn't going to be abl to walk and that would slow him down.

"There's something important you have to do and I'm guessing lives depend on it. I can't walk, and if you try to carry me, they might catch you. Don't save me and put more people in danger." Her hair she normally kept pinned to hide her heritage slippedto reveal a pointed ear, the ear of an elf. They were stories of legend in the minds of humans, but their race had been nearly destroyed by the dwarves, two years before the campaign against men. She was completely alone in that village.
 
Brock frowned. She was right dammit, but he could not do it. Right then he decided his mission was secondary to seeing her to safety. He was startled by her pointed ear, but tried not to show it.

"Unacceptable. Can't you heal yourself, the way you healed me?" He also found himself aware of her beauty and strength. She was a danger, to be sure. His list sweetheart had been such a danger as well and he still missed her.
 
Leah bit her lip, unsure how he was going to react to what he was about to say. Humans didn't typically trust magic, associating it with corruption and the black arts, but elves had very good control over their power and were not as vulnerable to corruption. She laid there in his arms for a few moments, gathering the courage to tell him.

"I used magic to heal you. I'm sorry, but you said you needed to leave and it would have taken a weak to heal. You were badly hurt. It was a major wound and it took a lot of power to heal you. If I use too much magic, it becomes too much and it can kill me or at least put me into a coma. I don't have enough power to heal myself."

She looked awy, handing him her supplies. "Like I said, you need to go. I'm not worth it. I have no one who will miss me when I'm gone. My home is gone and..." she couldn't finish the sentence, tears forming in her eyes. For all she knew, she was the only one left. She swallowed, refusing to look at him, not wanting him to see her crying.

"For the last time, get out of here now. These dwarves will kill everyone in this kingdom. They won't stop until you're all dead. Some will flee to other kingdoms, and then they'll follow and start all over again. Let me die so your people can live." When he didn't move, she pushed him away, tears rolling down her cheeks. "LEAVE!"
 
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He had already realized that she had used magic to heal him. It was the only explanation. While it was true that villagers feared magic, he had seen much since his days in his village. Brock's grandmother had been a hedge witch, working simple spells to heal, to ease pain in child birth and other common matters. The villagers had tolerated her as she lived on the outskirts of town.

This woman was willing to sacrifice herself, but he was not. He hugged her tightly for a moment and then lifted her into his arms. With his heavy burden he walked deeper into the first, looking for the deepest, thickest places. Dwarfs hated the forest, at the best of times and he wanted to make it as difficult as possible for them to follow.

Finally they reached a clearing in the first, with a stream running through it. He set the woman down by the stream and bent over to drink deeply from its crystal clear water.
 
Leah looked up at him as he hugged her close, slowly accepting the embrace. She couldn't even remember the last time someone hugged her, and it felt strange at first, but she finally curled up against his chest, trembling as he lifted her small figure. She knew she was lightweight compared to most, but a hundred pounds was still a heavy load.

As he set her down, she drank rom the cool stream, looking over at him. She didn't understand why he refused to let her go. In her mind it made little sense. After her family died, she focused on logic rather than emotions. Emotion brought pain, and that was something she did not need more of. "Why?" she said quietly, staring at the ground. "You should be worried about your own people. I'm not one of you. I don't belong here. I don't understand."
 
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