Rise of the Horde

Light was already spilling out from the horizon as the sun was starting its ascension and proclaiming that it's the king of the day once again, its bright rays created shadows upon the lands below, and its radiance gave light to the beginning of a new day. Far below the mighty king of the day that is on its way to the skies, a group of orcs was running away in sync as fast as their legs could carry them, and right behind them were thousand of humans.

Some of the humans were on foot and the others riding their mounts as they chased after their enemies who dared to attack them with so few numbers.

"Faster!"

"Chase after them!"

Shouts came one after another as the mounted humans passed by their comrades who were on foot and gain some distance from their fleeing enemies.

"Let's see if you monsters are faster than our steeds...Hyah!"

The commander of the cavalry muttered as he strike the sides of his steed with the whip on his hand while a mocking smile was etched on his face. He had his sharp gaze focused on the back of their retreating foes and he was feeling eager to slash their exposed backs with his blade which he had its hilt being clutched by his free arm as he prepared to draw it in an instant for an attack.

For almost half an hour the orcs sprinted away in full speed before the Ereian cavalry came threateningly close to them with only a distance of a few hundred meters behind them. Even if they had a huge lead and a very early start, they couldn't still outrun the steeds of their opponents which were adept at the sandy terrain of the place and four legs are faster than just two.

"Huff... Huff... Huff... We can't outrun their steeds. There is no way that we will last long if this goes on."

The smallest of the orcs in Kroth's squad said after taking a glance behind them. His chest was rising up and down quickly because of fatigue and he nearly tripped multiple times already.

"I know"

Kroth gave a short reply as he took a look at the tired faces of his squad members who are running alongside him. He too was already tired and their lack of proper sleep was also taking a toll on their bodies, his head was heating up and he feels slightly dizzy after forcing himself and not just him, even his comrades are also showing the same symptoms on their scrunched up faces.

He looked far ahead and saw nothing but just the vast expanse of the endless sands which would spell their demise since, in open ground, they stood no chance against the enemy cavalry despite their innate advantage against their foes, if it was just a hundred of them, he might have ordered for his squad to stand their ground but their e enemies are in the thousands.

"What do we do now!?"

Bakrah shouted beside him to ask after taking a glance at their foes who are getting closer and closer to their tails.

"I am thinking!"

Kroth quickly shouted back as he wasn't prepared for the enemy cavalry coming after them so quickly.

"You better think fast!"

Bakrah shouted back while hurling something behind him towards their foes. Kroth can't help but take a look behind them also and he witnessed one of the enemy lead riders falling from his steed and tripping his very own mount. The action of Bakrah caused a chain of enemy cavalry to fall down as they were tripped by the body and steed of their comrade who was unluckily killed by what Bakrah threw.

Kroth stared at his brother with a face asking if he meant to do that to which Bakrah just shrugged his shoulders in response while running. The captain withdrew his gaze from his brother then returned to trying to find a way to get rid of their pursuers.

Bakrah brought in front of him one of the leather bags that he was carrying and tore it open as he was in a hurry and didn't bother to untie the tight knot that sealed it. He reached inside it but then quickly withdrew out his hand as he felt something prick his fingers.

He took a quick glimpse inside of it and what he saw lying inside the bag was the new contraption that their chief equipped them with. It looked like a series of metal spikes mashed up together and its spikes were more than an inch or a few inches long.

A mischievous smile crept up to his lips as he suddenly stopped and turned around. His actions caught the attention of his brother who also stopped in his tracks a few meters away behind him.

"What are you doing!? Keep running, you fool!"

Kroth shouted to his brother as he quickly changed direction towards his brother, he had one thing going on in his mind and that was to drag his foolish brother to safety and knock some senses in his head.

"Let me give you some gifts from our chieftain!"

He shouted as he swung the bag in front of him and sent its contents flying away and scattering in the ground in front of him. Bakrah turned around and resumed running once again as he waved his hand towards his brother while a mischievous grin was on his lips.

Kroth witnessed the steeds of their enemies jerked in pain as they stepped over the contraptions scattered by his brother on the ground. The cry of pain of their steeds as they crashed down to the ground accompanied by the moans and groans of pain of their riders which was soon followed by screams of panic as the other riders trampled over them before being tripped and crashing to the ground.

The scene reminded Kroth of the new weapon that was added to their equipment by their chief but they never had the chance to actually use it in battle and if his foolish brother hadn't brought it out, he might have forgotten about its existence and the fact that they are carrying some with them.

"Squad to me!"

Kroth shouted as fast as he could as he brought forward his crossbow and started shooting at their enemies who were blocked by their comrades who were on the ground while groaning in pain. Bolts of iron flew haphazardly as Kroth didn't even bother to aim as he just shoot his weapon all over the place in the direction of their enemies.

Bakrah shifted his momentum and headed towards his brother as he brought forward his range weapon. Without wasting any seconds, he started shooting his weapon towards the general direction of their enemies all the while sliding on the ground on one knee.

The two brothers caused panic among their enemies as the storm of iron bolts came crashing towards them without mercy. Kroth and Bakrah continued suppressing their foes while waiting for their comrades to reach them.

"Scatter this too!"

Kroth shouted towards his brother who was on one knee while shooting his weapon a good five meters away from him. He grabbed the edge of his bag that carried the strange contraptions that their chieftain equipped them with and threw it towards his brother then resumed shooting at their enemies.

Bakrah dropped his weapon on the ground and picked up the bag that was hurled to him by his brother. He sprinted to their left and scattered the contents of the bag in front of him and lengthening the barrier that was between them and their foes.

Looking behind him, he saw all of the members of their squad beside their captain as they too joined in shooting their opponents and deterring them from moving forward as the corpses of the fallen riders in front of them blocked their way forward.

"Give Bakrah the new bag that you have!"

"Shoot those trying to go for the right!"

"No need to aim!"

"Just shoot!"

Kroth barked out commands rapidly as he reload his weapon then resumed shooting. Bags containing caltrops were thrown towards Bakrah which he happily received as he went around to establish a buffer zone to deny their enemies.

Kroth and his squad managed to eliminate hundreds of their enemies as they take advantage of the chaos created by Bakrah. The fight was leaning towards their favor until their foes split into two groups and went for their flanks which rendered the caltrops that were in front of them useless.

Their enemies were trying to circle around the caltrops that they have scattered all over the battlefield.

"It's time to withdraw!"

Kroth shouted as he led his squad away while shouting at his brother to join them in their retreat. Bakrah nodded his head in response to his command and headed towards where he left his weapon to pick it up then sprinted away as fast as he can as he chased after his comrades while dropping some caltrops behind him. He still had three bags of it on him as he sparingly dropped some of its contents while he run.