Chapter 2
Slaughter
AN 1213 (AZ 1450) - Late Summer
Thermodas Forest, Notos
Seven times the moon waxed and waned since Urgill's war-band set foot on this land. The great forest was now their home. Shil-Lanrunliga, the Firebringer Forest, they called it. The depths of the forest were untouched by the humans, but Urgill kept her war-band no more than half a day from the edge of the forest, waiting for the day she would receive the order from Rowland to lead her war-band in battle for honor and glory.
Then the day finally came. It was a simple task, meant to test them. To the south was a small village. They were to attack it. Any man or beast was theirs for the taking save those that took refuge in the huts. If any of Urgill's war-band broke this condition, blood would pay for blood.
The war-band waited at the edge of the forest until the sun set and once the dark of night was upon them, they set out. It was the night the Silver Face hid herself, so the dark was all the stronger. They were all the stronger.
After a couple hours, they caught the first scent of the human village, well before it came within view. The thrall-beasts and their masters formed the first line, followed by Urgill and her riders, the Trollim, and then the Ogrim in the rear.
A human caught sight of them as they were drawing near. Even amid the growls and rumblings of the thrall-beasts, Urgill could hear a human voice raise the alarm. It was just as well. Those who were forbidden would take refuge and those who were prey given into their hands would come out to fight. Until the fear took them and their hearts melted within them, that is.
The humans began to gather against them. There were more of them than Urgill was expecting, but if she did not falter, they would fall before her. At times her war-band preyed on the humans near the outskirts of the forest, which lessened her fear and wonderment of the humans. Some were great, like gods come down to the earth, as her Captain was, but most were feeble and cowardly. Such creatures could not stand against her mighty warriors and their fierce thrall-beasts.
With screeches, howls and roars, they broke into a charge. Urgill expected to see the humans lose heart and flee, but instead they raised a great warcry themselves. One human, on the steed they call a horse, came forth with burning torch and flashing blade. He cut down one of the great two-headed hellhounds and set its beast-master alight with his torch. A Trolwer rushed ahead to claim the glory of the kill, but the human fought him back and soon he was joined by the other humans, who met the war-band's charge with a rush of their own.
The two sides clashed, but Urgill was sure the humans' courage would fail them. How could it not? But then one of Ogrim was brought down by many spears and the sight of one of their mightiest fall was too much for them. The thrall-beasts began to flee and their masters with them.
"No!" Urgill cried out in vain. "Stay and fight! Fight!"
Her war-dog collapsed under her with an arrow in its neck. She took up a throwing spear threw it into the mass of humans, unable to see if it made its mark. She then took the ax from her belt. Her gods would protect her and she would make a great slaughter of these humans, no matter how many they were, even if all of her war-band forsook her.
Before she could claim even one kill, though, the large hand of a Trolwer seized her by the collar, plucked her ground and carried her off. She kicked and thrashed and howled curses, but the Trolwer paid her no heed. They were well on their way back to the forest when he finally set her down.
Though their ranks were still broken, some of her riders and a few others began to gather around her.
"Cowards!" she seethed. "Why did you flee!?"
None had the courage to answer her but Marah Sidhe.
"They enemy came out in strength," she said. "We did not have the numbers to meet them."
"We had the strength!" Urgill snapped back. "The gods were with us!"
"The gods of death and misfortune, perhaps," the Trolwif replied. "The stars did not favor us, or somesuch."
"It was him," Urgill growled, balling her fists in anger, so much that her claws dug into the meat of her palms. "The man of the flashing blade. He set a curse on us. Were it not for him, we would have prevailed."
"Perhaps so," Marah Sidhe said, not sounding particularly convinced. "Now come, Ukhromgin, the war-band is scattered and we must bring them back together before dawn is upon us."
Urgill looked down at her bloody hands. By that blood, she would avenge herself. This she swore by all the gods and would not know peace until it was accomplished.