(no subject)
Four Karrnath Soldiers. The halted-rotting flesh is a trademark of the Undead troops.
I ready the buckler bound to my left arm as the haft of the heavy hammer almost groans between my fingers.
A Karrnathi leader must have lost control. This is a House Cannith Forgehold. Safe Ground.
No time for politics.
No need.
All four in standard equipment. Longswords, well crafted. Shields, light steel. Half-plate.
I nod to the two archers, thrusting my weapon forward. Both brothers nod. My eyes meet the axe-wielder besides me. Another nod.
Hefting my hammer to my shoulder, I rush forward. Familiar streaks push past my head. Both find their mark. The first Zombie pauses as the arrows weave between his metal plates. The moment is all I need. Pulling my entire torso back, I lunge my weight into the blow. Hammer crushes through the unarmored neck as I follow through. The weak flesh collapses.
Haft follows behind, same procedure.
Fails.
The Karrnath Zombie deflects the large axe against his shield. Another sets upon Haft, the longsword cleaving through his fibers. I step towards the attacker, leading the blow down against his arm. Must reroute the attention of the attacker from my comrade.
Sucess.
The Zombie turns and jabs, catching his blade hard against my plating. The mithral holds against the attack. Two more arrows lurch forth, one peircing the fourth zombie in the arm. The other shatters against the thick armor.
The second Karrnathi turns to me. I twist around the blade, yet the edge cuts deep into the exposed leather of my side. An alert raises inside me, echoing.
Pain?
I react, but too late. Haft raises with his blow, severing the undead in an even slash. Haft's fluids flow easily from the large wounds. He steadies himself after the quick blow.
A few moments too late.
The fourth Zombie finds its mark with a powerful, downward slash. His mithral plating tears and bends under stress of the longsword's stroke. Haft is disabled.
Two more arrows fall the fourth.
I shift my focus to the final. His weapon tightens in his lifeless grip. He brings the steel high and throws his arm down. I raise my buckler, and the sword pushes deep into the wood. The buckler splinters, making it obvious that another blow like that ends it.
Another blow ends it.
I pull back my arm as the small shield shatters under the blade. However, with the sudden splintering, the zombie leaves his side open. Shaking off the leather straps, I move to the left. My hammer rings hard against the breastplate. The blow sticks, but he hardly seems phased.
Two arrows pass. Neither find a mark.
Reeling back the hammer, I bring the end back down against the same dented armor.
Does he feel pain? Or is it a warning? Or is it anything?
Whatever he...it feels, the Zombie stumbles from it.
Not enough.
The longsword comes back down. Instinct takes over as I thrust my forearm forward.
No buckler catches the blow as the steel rends into my forearm. I can no longer...feel...the digits of my hand. He must be dispatched soon.
Two arrows fly by, one hitting the zombie in the soft eye, the other veering off.
I pull down on my left arm, throwing the Karrnathian off balance. Bringing him down, my body twists. The leather and wood creaks, splitting under the tear before finally severing. My voice knows no word, no sound, for this. And if it did, perhaps there would be time later. Right now, my opponent was on the ground, back turned. My sledge took full advantage.
Bones and steel crease, creak, groan and finally snap under the assult.
He did not get up.
Neither did Haft.
MAN! I don't like this. Maybe it was the first-person. Maybe it was the way I tried to stick to simple sentences. Warforged are HARD to get down.
PS: Anvil is a D&D character I play. A Warforged is a sentient robot, essentially. Designed and created for War. House Cannith is like an industerial company that works with creation, and which Anvil protects. During the Last War, the Houses were considered neutral. Karrnath is a country involved in the Last War, and used intellegent Undead as main troops. Yeah.
PPS: Maybe some angsty swordplay next update. Or maybe more Anvil.