The Orc raid had started well; coming down from the hills they had attacked the small hamlet and received little resistance from the farmers. Now the prisoners were bound together in a line, taking the prisoners alive would keep the meat fresher. Then, just as they had begun to set light to the houses and barns, on the crest of the hill a figure on a horseback had appeared. As he was mounted he would be able to easily outdistance the Orcs who were on foot so the Orcs had no real interest in pursuing him. But instead of riding away the figure dismounted and walked towards the Orcs. At first this unnerved the Orcs but a barked command from their leader was quickly obeyed and the Orcs advanced on the foolish human.
As they drew close and surrounded the man they could make out more of his appearance. Beneath his long black cloak he wore intricately decorated black armour. He was tall and slender but his facial features were obscured by the shadows cast by his hood. Then they caught the scent of not man but of Elf. Snarling the Orcs drew their weapons, the Orcs hated the Elves more than any other race and they would take great pleasure in teaching this arrogant fool a lesson. Behind the Elf a large club was raised and swung in a great arc towards his head. A split second before it connected the Elf ducked, there was a movement from beneath the cloak and the attacking Orcs helmet and the greater portion of his skull sailed into the air as the Orc slowly fell to the ground. The rest of the Orcs stood gazing at the corpse of their comrade then as one they launched themselves at their foe. The first two Orcs were felled together as the Elf swung his weapon in a great arc around his head, the third Orc managed to raise his shield in time but the blow shattered both the shield and the arm carrying it and the Orc was hurled back by the impact.
The Orcs once again stopped; this was not something they had prepared for. The Elf brought his weapon back around in a slow movement and the Orcs could see that it was a large two-handed warhammer. It was cast in dark steal and upon the head it was engraved with a flame motif. The Orcs advanced more cautiously this time, shields raised they circled their foe looking for an opening. Then the Elf took the initiative, he lunged forward and using the haft of the hammer he lifted the nearest Orcs legs from beneath him and then brought the head of the weapon down on its skull in one fluid movement. With the element of surprise the Elf continued to strike out at the slow-witted Orcs felling them with precise blows. Whenever an Orc blade was swung it hit empty air but the Elven strikes found their mark with ease. A circle of Orc bodies was beginning to form and some of the Orcs to the rear of the group decided they would rather face the wrath of their leader than that of the Elf, one by one they turned and fled into the night. The leader bellowed with rage and hurled insults and curses after the deserters, and then realising he was left standing amongst nothing but dead or dying Orcs he screamed with rage at the Elf and followed the rest of his band off into the Hills.
The Elf strode over to the group of humans who had managed to crawl behind an overturned cart and taking out a knife he cut the ropes and freed them. As freed captives picked themselves up the Elf’s steed who had remained up on the hill rejoined its master. As the Elf remounted the farmers knelt before him and thanked him for his kindness. The Elf did not reply, only bowed his head politely and manoeuvred the horse in the direction the Orcs had taken. They had a head start but that only made the hunt all the more fun.
