CHAPTER 9
Descending the hill, Kelroar could make out the remnants of the camp. There were numerous dead bodies strewn across the ground. Crows picked at the eyes of the dead. A group of orcs scavenged through the belongings of the elves before tearing at their flesh with jagged teeth.
Kelroar ran back up the ridge. He reached the wagon and shook the guardrails hard, awakening Xavian.
"I need you to stand guard here."
"Why?"
"Just do what I say. If you see anyone but me come out from beyond that ridge, you snap the reins and get the hell out of here as fast as you can. You got it?”
"Okay," Xavian said.
"What's going on?" Zinna asked, coming in from the field with Jamben.
"Get back in the wagon," Kelroar said.
Kelroar stormed backed down the slope and headed straight for the orcs. The one nearest to him had a large bald head rimmed with hair around his ears. He gnawed away at the arm of an elf. The sounds of the bones crunching deafened him to Kelroar's stealthful steps.
But the beast did see the shadow of the barbarian's sword rise above him.
Kelroar cut his victim's scream short with one slice but it alerted the other orcs. One of them bolted straight toward Kelroar. The barbarian pivoted around the charging beast and dropped his blade down like a guillotine.
The orc's head rolled down the hill.
Kelroar rushed toward the other orcs. One of them picked up a large stone and threw it with expert precision at the barbarian's head.
The impact knocked Kelroar back on his heels. The orc then charged in as Kelroar played possum. Wobbling as if his equilibrium short-circuited, he waited until the orc came within range and sliced down with his blade.
Another head rolled down the hill.
Witnessing the beheadings, the two remaining orcs ran for their lives.
Kelroar gave chase. One of the orcs got winded after a few yards. His fat belly shaking, he stopped and growled at the barbarian. Morsels of elf meat spat out of his mouth.
Kelroar drew back his sword but the orc ducked and rolled. The beast had a level of dexterity that the barbarian didn't expect. He sprang up with a rock in his hand and smashed it against Kelroar's head.
The barbarian went down in a heap. The orc leaped in for the kill. Kelroar rolled out of the way then flipped to his feet. He swung his blade back at the beast.
The orc ducked and tackled him down. Kelroar fell hard on his back, losing the grip on his sword. The beast bit down and chewed on Kelroar's shoulder.
The barbarian smacked the orc's head with his left palm, knocking him to the side. Rolling over, he picked up his sword and lunged at the fat beast.
The orc remained one step ahead of him. He slapped Kelroar, the force of his blow staggering him backwards.
Kelroar sniffed and feinted another big swing of his blade. The orc fell for it, ducking down and charging toward the barbarian.
Kelroar twirled his wrist, bringing the sword all the way around across the orc's neck.
Catching his breath, Kelroar's eyes darted around the landscape, looking for the last remaining orc.
Zinna led the way as Xavian and Jamben jogged down the ridge. The growls of the orcs had echoed throughout the valley. Looking for Kelroar, they feared the worst.
The wild eyed orc came running toward them like a crazed bull.
"Run!" Xavian screamed.
The boy reversed course and began sprinting for his life. The orc bypassed both Jamben and Zinna as he gave chase.
Xavian looked over his shoulder and saw the orc gaining on him. He pumped his legs as fast as he could, gaining little traction on the soft sand.
Jamben joined the chase. His taut muscles rippling as he took long strides, he gained on the pair as they neared a clearing.
Xavian panted hard. He could hear the heavy footsteps of the orc coming closer. Up ahead, he gasped as he approached a cliff.
Coming to the jagged edge, he felt dizzy looking down at the steep drop. Turning around, he screamed in terror as the orc sprinted toward him with a threatening howl.
The jaws of Jamben caught the orc by the ankle. Xavian jumped high as the two beasts rolled underneath him to the edge of the cliff.
“Jamben!” Zinna yelled for her wolf.
The wolf stopped his roll short as he dug his paws into the dirt. The orc continued to flip over, his momentum taking him over the edge.
The shriek of the orc echoed throughout the canyon until a sick thud cut it short.
"Hey!” Kelroar screamed “I told you guys to stay in the wagon!”
“And miss all the fun?” Zinna said.
"Those dead elves," Xavian said pointing back toward the ridge. "Who were they?"
"They are from Graceonna," said Kelroar, his face solemn. “The missionaries.”
The trio looked through the charred remains of the deceased. Most were eaten and burned beyond recognition.
Zinna noticed Jamben nuzzling one of the dead bodies.
"His name was Trarry," she said, recognizing the elf. "He was a good friend of my father."
"This boy's name was Yenward." Xavian knelt down, closing the eyes of a dead boy. "We played gameball together. He was a good elf."
"I don't see anyone resembling Carella," Kelroar said as he surveyed the rest of the bodies. "So perhaps this is the first group that went missing."
"Are we going to give them a proper burial?" Xavian said. "If we don't, the orcs will come and eat them. The crows will peck out their eyes. They are elves, like us. They deserve some respect."
Movement could be heard from their left hand side. All three reacted to the sound at the same time.
“Stay back,” Kelroar said, walking toward the noise.
Neither Zinna or Xavian obeyed his command as they followed behind him.
A Killtooth crawled through the burned dead like a black worm writhing in hot dirt. He had gaping wounds on both of his legs and a severed foot.
Kelroar used his boot to roll him over on his back.
"Who sent you here?" Kelroar said.
"I'm not an assassin for hire like you," the demon said. "I kill for fun.”
Zinna stepped in front of Kelroar and shoved her dagger into the arm of the Killtooth. The vampire squealed in pain then laughed.
Zinna's sudden attack surprised the barbarian. He glared at her, wanting an explanation.
"These creatures," she said. "They killed my Dad."
Zinna looked down at the demon. The Killtooth spat up at the girl.
"I've been cut three times already," the demon said pointing at his legs. "You are too stupid to know that you have to go for the head."
Okay, fine. Zinna began stabbing him in the throat repeatedly. The sick chucking sound of her dagger going into the demon's neck made Xavian wince. Zinna screamed with each strike, her emotions becoming more unhinged with each blow.
Seeing enough, Xavian pushed Zinna off the Killtooth. Her dagger remained in his throat.
"He's dead," he said. "And so is your father. That pain is eating you up inside, Zinna! You want to carry that hate with you the rest of your life? You have to get over it!"
"Get over it?" Zinna said, her voice oddly distant. "Are you kidding? I can't get over it anymore than a cripple can get over losing a limb. Once something leaves, it is gone. And what do you know about pain?"
Zinna pushed Xavian so hard that he fell backward into the dirt. He looked up at her, his face a picture of shock and hurt.
"What do you know about anything?” she continued. “Whenever there is danger you run away so fast it makes my head spin.”
"Stop," Kelroar said.
Zinna grabbed her dagger and stormed back to the field of dead elves. She knelt down in front of the body of Trarry and began to weep. Jamben followed and rubbed his mane against her for comfort.
Kelroar dug the mass grave by himself. Xavian and Zinna gathered the bodies, dragging them by their feet t
o the edge of the grave.
Zinna carried some of the bodies into the mammoth hole.
"No use being gentle," Kelroar said.
"It seems disrespectful to just toss them in," she said.
Kelroar took a deep breath and followed suit, gently laying the bodies into their final resting place.
The more bodies they carried in, the more Zinna wept. She carried some children into the grave and couldn't bear to look at their faces, turning her head as she placed them in.
"Maybe you shouldn't do this," Xavian said.
"Help me with this one.” She took another child and lowered him in.
Xavian took another run around the camp to make sure that there weren't any deceased elves remaining. Then he kicked the Killtooth's dead body just to know what it felt like.
“We'll leave the orcs and the Killtooth for whatever scavengers come along,” he said.
“I don't mind coming back and burning them,” Zinna said.
Kelroar shoveled dirt over the dead elves. Zinna and Xavian watched in silence as the sound of the sand hitting the bodies etched into their minds forever.
Sweat drenched Kelroar's tunic as he patted down the fresh grave with the back end of the shovel. He looked out into the horizon and stretched his back.
"Anyone want to say anything?" the barbarian asked.
"I'm not religious," Zinna said, turning her head away. "I don't believe in that Pegasin stuff about life after death."
Jamben looked up at her and whimpered.
Xavian pursed his lips for a moment. He tilted his head as if deep in thought and then stood up on his feet.
"We mark this grave," he said. "To show that the great elves who perished here lived lives that mattered. They were all important to someone, somewhere and will forever be in our hearts. I knew only one of them. Yenward. I was a year older than him. He was always happy to see me. I was lonely before he came to the orphanage. We used to run and race through the fields. Swim in the ponds of Graceonna on summer days. And we would fish and camp out.”
Xavian fought back a tear forming in his eye, remembering his dreams of youth.
"He was my friend" he said. “And we had fun.”
Looking at Zinna, he could read the apology in her face.