Chapter 55: Battle with Orcs

The orcs are ready with their maces. They show no fear though they are aware of being outnumbered. Is it bravery or just plain arrogance?
Cleo and Caspian strike with their swords at the orc in the middle. The other two orcs are busy attacking their other fairy companions.
The fight is more of a test of strength and not of magic. The fairies battle with the orcs using their weapons.
The orcs are very noisy as they fight with grunts and shouts, while the fairies remain compose and of sure footing.
The fight is quick to end. The three orcs lie unconscious. Cleo uses her magic to bind the orcs where they remain sprawled.
Their group continues their climb up. They don't need to interrogate the witless orcs. Caspian and the others know that Alirion would keep a few of these orcs close to him for protection. Also, the more orcs they encounter the closer they are to Alirion's location.
Surely, the Dark fairy would have brought the Princess at the peak of the tallest mountain. His ego would be that predictable.
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The Fire Lord and his fire fairies move quicker and with lesser difficulty. They are charged up with the fury that is still unquenched. They are like relentless soldiers who would stop at nothing and would not have second thoughts to harm anyone who hinders their approach. Each fire fairy nurtures an electric bolt on their fingertips, ready to fire.
As for the other fairies of the Air, Water and Earth realm, they follow behind the fire fairies ready with their weapons such as swords, daggers, bows, and others but also ready to conjure magic when necessary.
So far, their progress is uneventful. Caspian and his companions have done their job well. It might also be partly due to the threatening appearance of their numbers that keeps other creatures out of their way.
As they pass, there are obviously myriads of watching eyes from the trees but never dare approach or let their presence be known.
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"I sense the approach of my fairy kin. Spread out and do not let anyone through my magical barrier."
Alirion shouts at the more smart looking orcs yet a lot frightening in their appearance.
"Our numbers are plenty. They cannot win against us."
Surely this orc is more intelligible but over confident.
"Stop bragging to me. Just make sure you will not fail me!"
Alirion snaps back.
The orc left without another word.
Alirion starts to pace around a bit worried if he has really prepared this mountain peak well enough with as much dark spells and hideous creatures he has bent to his will to rid of some of the more valiant fairies who would try to penetrate his protection spell around this mountain peak.
He does not intend to be foiled once more, like what happened in the Orange Haven.
He checks the emerald locket on his robe pocket. He is positive that he might find this useful later on.
He then stares at the Princess slumped on the floor facing the wall. She appears calm rather than scared or panicked. Is she confident that she would be leaving this place alive?
"I admire your composure my Princess. I have not heard you even cry."
Alirion attempts to converse with this Princess who seems not too afraid of him despite his reputation.
"I am ready to die for the ones I love. I would rather be dead than let any of them get hurt."
The Princess replies calmly. She tries to sound defeated.
"You have such heart-warming words from a little girl who has been forgotten to be retrieved in the human world!"
Alirion tries to mock her.
"Surely a fairy like you could only see the bad side in everything."
Princess Aria states in monotone.
"Stop lecturing me again!"
The Dark fairy says, truly annoyed. He regrets starting this conversation.
The Princess does not dare to answer back. She is avoiding losing her control again. It caused her the locket.
Alirion decides to leave her alone. He has better things to do than listen to this too-forgiving Princess.
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Caspian and Cleo reach the foot of the tallest mountain. Their group is confident that this is where they would find the Dark fairy and the Princess as well.
As they are bracing for another climb, they are taken by surprise by a group of yet another set of orcs. This time they are the ones outnumbered.
The fight ensues. Each fairy tries to combine physical and magical tactics. The orcs seem to be coming from all directions as if they have waited for them.
Everything is a blur since one of their fairy companions conjures a fog to camouflage the battle. However, this becomes a disadvantage for them since the orcs attack randomly without caring if they hurt one of their own. Unlike them, the fairies try to limit their attack to avoid accidentally damaging an ally.
Suddenly, the fog starts to clear.
Caspian does not waste time, realizing that this means his fellow fairy who conjured the fog has fallen.
"Cleo, go inform the others."
He shouts.
Cleo is about to argue but when she sees that only the two of them remain standing, she understands Caspian immediately.
Cleo nods and quickly flees.
Caspian conjures a tornado to distract the orcs so Cleo would not be followed.
Sure enough, the orcs concentrate on evading the tornado.
Caspian wills the tornado to disappear when he is sure that Cleo got away safely without any of these orcs following.
"Okay, I give up."
He shouts at the dumbfounded orcs.
"Take me to my uncle."
He tells them with both his hands up in the air as a sign of surrender.
The orcs look at one another. Then the taller one hits his enormous knuckles on Caspian's face.
Caspian blacks out.
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Meanwhile, Cleo reaches the rest of her fairy kin advancing towards her direction. She does not recall how fast she sprinted to get to the other fairies.
It is the Fire Lord who sees her first.
"Where are the others?"
The Fire Lord demands.
"We got ambushed by more orcs. We were outnumbered. Only Caspian and I survived but Caspian told me to warn you all."
Cleo replies hurriedly.
"Where is Caspian now?"
King Merlion inquires with a worried tone.
"I am positive that he surrendered himself so he could get to the Princess."
Cleo replies with certainty.
"Well then, let us hurry. We shall bring the fight to those orcs and to Alirion."
Aldar says.
Their group continues their progress. They did not stop until they reach the foot of the tallest mountain where they saw their fallen kin.
Some of the fairies carry the bodies of the four fairies then place them carefully away in a covered site.
Then they continue on. This time, King Merlion and Fire Lord Hakan are both front liners with Aldar, Aramir and Princess Ava behind them. Their faces are full of determination to finish this battle.
Not long, they encounter a large number of orcs and three overgrown giants. However, these orcs seem to be disfigured with additional horns and bigger built. The three giants are flanked by these orcs ready for battle.
The battle with the orcs and giants begins.
King Merlion and Aldar fight back to back while Princess Ava and Aramir guards each other in a synchronized fighting stance. The Fire Lord engages on a one-on-one with one of the giants as he throws fireballs nonstop. Cleon, Ailsa, Cleo and Haco also occupied themselves in their battle with every orc they face.
The other two giant picks and crushes any random fairy they could get their hands on. Some of the other fairies perish for the giants are formidable.
Each fairy fights valiantly. The battle rages on creating a disturbance to these unexplored terrains.
By the looks of it, the victory could not be predicted.
Aldar and King Merlion has slain as many as they could. The Fire Lord is getting the upper hand as the giant he is fighting starts to get tired. In his impatience, the Fire Lord casts a burning spell that sets fire to the giant. The other two giant get distracted with the dilemma of aiding their fellow giant who is burning. Ailsa attempts to strike one of the two giants. The giant near her swat her like a fly. She goes flying in the air and hits a nearby rock. Ailsa dies instantly.
Princess Ava shouts in fury. She approaches the giant guilty of the act and conjures spiky ice spears that hit the giant instantly. It falls defeated and unconscious.
The other giant grunts furiously upon seeing both his companions hurt. He zooms in his attack towards Princess Ava. The Princess is ready to combat.
Aramir use this to their advantage by mentally instructing the Princess to combine their magic of water and earth to create a sinkhole so the other giant is sucked underground. It disappears completely without a trace.
Princess Ava runs to her second-in-command by the rock. She says a silent prayer. She appears distraught but immediately reigns in her emotions. The battle is not done. They have to get her niece back.
Haco and Cleon fight the remaining orcs while a few starts to flee from the scene.
It would seem that they are winning but the battle is not yet over. There is still Alirion to deal with.