Chapter 152: This Is Fucking Amazing

-PoV: Edwin-

"EVERYONE TAKE DEFENSIVE POSITIONS!"

Erik’s voice carries across the settlement.

I look up.

"Guards! Apprentices! Get your armor and weapons! Everyone else get away from the north side!"

Finally.

I run for my tent.

People rush around me as I grab my padded clothing and start pulling on my steel armor.

I don’t know what’s happening yet.

Don’t really care.

Erik wants every guard and apprentice armed. That means we’re fighting something.

I grin.

I finish fastening my armor and grab my greataxe.

Cassian finds me outside. "Ready?"

"Yeah."

"NORTH SIDE! MOVE!" Erik shouts.

We run.

I pull my helmet on before we reach the others. The slit cuts away most of my vision, but I’ve gotten used to it during the journey.

We reach the northern side.

"Everyone with a shield form a wall with polearms behind them! Dual wielders on the flanks, drive them into the shield wall! Archers in the back on the wagons!"

Cassian heads toward one side.

I follow.

No shield.

No packed line.

Plenty of room to swing. Perfect.

Oliver and Khorvath take positions near us. Oliver already has his greatsword in both hands.

I look at him. "I bet I kill more than you. I’ll show you who the stronger lion-kin really is, brother."

"Adopted brother or not, I’m not letting you beat me," Oliver said.

I laugh. "You’re on."

Birds explode from the northern trees.

Branches snap.

Hundreds of feet pound toward us.

Then the first brown-skinned orc appears.

More follow.

Then dozens.

The entire tree line fills with them.

I tighten both hands around my greataxe.

"Oh, this is going to be fun." I grinned.

The archers loose.

Again.

Again.

Orcs fall.

The rest charge.

I spread my feet and raise my axe.

"Come on." I roared.

The horde hits.

The first orc reaches me with a sword raised.

I step sideways and swing. My greataxe tears through its arm above the elbow. The arm spins away with the sword still in its hand.

The orc screams.

I bring the axe back around. Its head leaves its shoulders.

I laugh. "One!"

"Mine too!" Oliver shouts.

"Bullshit!" I shout back.

Another orc charges. I step forward and bring my axe straight down. The blade hits the top of its head. It keeps going. The skull splits apart. The axe tears through its neck and buries itself halfway down its torso.

"HAHAHA!"

I plant my boot against the body and rip the axe free. Blood sprays across my armor.

Cassian looks over.

I can’t stop laughing. "This is fucking amazing!"

"I noticed!" he shouts.

Several orcs try spreading around the outside of our wing.

Right.

We’re supposed to be pushing them in. I rush toward them. The first thrusts a spear. I knock the shaft aside with the haft of my greataxe and swing horizontally. The blade tears through its stomach. The orc folds and collapses.

Something wet spills across the ground.

I look down.

Entrails.

I start laughing even harder.

I turn my helmet toward Oliver.

"Did you see that shit? That was awesome!"

Oliver looks over. "Not bad!"

"Not bad? Beat that!" I replied.

"Watch me!" He laughed.

He steps into his next swing. His greatsword flashes horizontally through an orc’s neck. The blade keeps moving and cuts deep into the shoulder of the one beside it. The first head flies away. The second orc drops screaming.

Oliver looks at me. "Beat that!"

"Oh, that’s fucking good!" I laughed.

I charge another. My axe sweeps upward and tears through its shoulder. Its arm flies behind it.

I kick the screaming bastard toward the center.

"Does that count?"

"It’s still alive!"

"That’s not what I asked!"

"Kill it yourself!"

I laugh and swing at the next one.

Head. Gone.

Another comes in. I cut through its leg and let it collapse beneath the orcs being forced inward.

The ones behind stumble over it. Even better.

The wing keeps pressing. Cassian and Khorvath keep us angled toward the center while Oliver and I tear apart anything trying to spread outward.

The journey here had plenty of fights.

But this? This is different.

There is always another target. I don’t have to find them. They come to me.

An orc swings a club. I duck and bury my axe in its ribs. Another lunges before I even pull it free.

I wrench the greataxe out and reverse the swing. The blade takes the second orc beneath the jaw. Blood sprays across the one behind it.

I laugh.

"Five!"

"Six!" Oliver shouts.

"Fuck you!"

"Too slow!"

I advance. An orc tries to retreat toward the outside.

I cut it off. "Nope. Wrong way."

I swing. The blade catches it across the chest and sends it stumbling inward. Another orc takes its place. I bring the axe down through its shoulder. It drops. Oliver laughs somewhere beside me.

I turn just in time to see him drive his greatsword diagonally through an orc’s torso. The blade tears out through its side. Blood pours down the front of his armor.

He looks toward me.

"Still think you’re winning?"

"Yes!"

"Then count better!"

I laugh so hard I nearly miss the next swing. Nearly. My axe takes the orc’s hand off. It stares at the stump. I swing again and take its head. The ground is turning slick. Blood covers my axe. My armor is splattered with it. My arms are starting to ache. I don’t give a shit. This is the most fun I’ve had since we left Emerald City.

Another orc charges.

Then another.

Then another.

I keep swinging.

Every time one drops, another takes its place.

Every time they try moving outward, we push them back toward the center.

Movement behind the wing catches my eye.

I turn my helmet. A few orcs made it through.

Erik is already there. One charges him. Erik punches it straight in the face. Its head fucking explodes. Brains, blood, and pieces of skull spray through the air as the headless body drops.

I burst out laughing.

"Damn, that was awesome!"

Another orc charges me. I turn back and swing.

My greataxe takes its head off. Then a deeper roar rises over the battle. The orcs ahead of us shift. Something much larger forces its way between them.

Orc Warrior. It’s bigger. Heavier. Its weapon is bigger too.

My grin gets wider. "Oh, fuck yes."

Oliver laughs. "Finally!"

The Warrior charges me. I step forward. My greataxe comes down diagonally. The blade buries itself deep in the Warrior’s shoulder. It roars.

I yank. Nothing. I pull again. Still nothing. My axe is stuck. The Warrior raises its weapon.

I start laughing. "HAHAHA!"

I twist the haft with both hands. The embedded axe forces the Warrior to turn with it. I turn the bastard toward Oliver.

"Hey, look at this shit!" I shouted.

Oliver looks over while fighting another orc.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"Showing you my new friend!" I laughed.

The Warrior roars and tries to swing at me.

I wrench the haft again and pull it off balance.

"He’s a little pissed off!" I grinned.

Oliver starts laughing.

"EDWIN!" Cassian roars.

I turn my helmet toward him.

"STOP PLAYING AROUND!"

"Fine!" I muttered.

I plant my boot against the Warrior’s side and yank the greataxe with both hands. The blade tears free in a spray of blood. The Warrior staggers.

"Sorry, friend. Playtime’s over." I swing again.

The greataxe tears through its forearm. Its weapon drops with the severed hand still wrapped around it. The Warrior roars. I laugh in its face. Then I raise my greataxe overhead.

It tries to move. Too late. The blade crashes into the side of its neck. It sinks deep. I rip it free and swing again. The second blow finishes the job.

The Warrior’s head drops to the ground.

I look toward Oliver. "Top that!"

He points behind me. "Maybe later!"

I turn. Another Orc Warrior is coming. Then another pushes through farther down the wing.

More deep roars come from the horde. I tighten my grip. My arms are tired. My armor is covered in blood. My greataxe looks like I dipped the blade in a bucket of it. And now they’re finally sending me something tougher.

I start laughing again.

Oliver raises his bloody greatsword.

"You’re fucking insane!" He said.

"I’m winning!" I laughed.

"You are not!" He shook his head.

Another Warrior charges. I raise my axe.

"Then keep up!" I yelled.

I step forward to meet it. The Warrior swings. I move aside and bring my greataxe around in a wide arc. The blade buries itself in its side. The Warrior screams. I laugh even harder. The battle keeps feeding us targets. Oliver is still trying to beat me. Cassian is still yelling whenever I get too carried away. And there are finally Orc Warriors mixed in with the rest. I couldn’t ask for anything better. I wrench my axe free and raise it again.

"Come on! Who’s next?" I roared.