"So, I suggest that we set off and encamp around close to their location and wait for nightfall before closing in on them. They probably won't think another attack would be launched on a second night."
Kadin lent his voice at this ti.
"I think we should set off now, there's a good chance that we will get there pretty early, so we can rest up before nightfall."
The cohesiveness of this group was part of what made them extrely dangerous. So, with one mind, they set off back to the den of the orcs.
Halfway to their destination, after about three hours of trekking, with the full midday sun hanging over the trees of the forest, and the group trudging through the woods, Kadin broke the silence with his opening address to Xzavier:
"There is sothing you must know about the chief of the orcs…"
Xzavier tensed. He had been wondering when the old man would finally let hum in on the secret information he had been concealing regarding the chief orc. Xzavier hid his enthusiasm.
"Well, spit it out you old fox!"
No answer ca, Xzavier turned around abruptly to look at Kadin. He thought the old magician was simply toying with his emotions, but as h looked in his direction, he saw that the old man had a troubled expression on his face. It was as if the words were heavy in his mouth to say. Xzavier waited patiently for the bad news. He already knew it was bad news.
The older man finally replied the younger one in a solemn tone. Xzavier held his breath in anticipation of the bad news.
"There were rumors flying about back in my day about a certain young orc who had gained a terrifying ability. The best hunters of the ti who had gone toe to toe with other orcs challenged each other on who would handle this nace…"
Xzavier listened closely as the old man recounted his tale from the past;
"But much to everyone's chagrin, every hunter who set out never ca back. Back then, it was still the golden age of heroes when n were n and challenged the most ferocious beasts, bringing glory to the profession."
"One by one, the best of the best were wiped out single handedly by this devious orc. So, a group of hunters bounded themselves together to take out this mysterious orc."
Kadin paused for a minute. This wasn't just so fairytale to him, this was a recollection of actual events with actual people. Many of whom were long dead and many of whom had been visited by death in the most unconventional way.
"I can still rember back then how the rest of us waited anxiously for the seven hunters to co back. But only one ca back, he ca back physically, but he left his mind behind. He was the one who told us the terrifying tale of the orc who could swell to the size of a large oak tree, and swung an axe five tis the size of a man!"
Xzavier said not a word. He listened with rapt attention.
"We all thought he was mad you see, he had burst through the doors of the bar that stormy night, all battered and bloodied, spewing unspeakable things…"
Then the information which Xzavier had been waiting for finally ca.
"…but I never forgot one of the many things he said that night," he assud an even more serious tone as he fixed his gaze on Xzavier;
"When the orc is in his gigantic form, every single part of his body is as hard as a rock…"
Xzavier was horrified. This wasn't what he had been expecting, he listened closely, hoping desperately that sothing aningful would co out of this. And it did.
"…but there is sothing else, while every other part of his body is practically invulnerable at the ti, only the back of his head remains normal."
He paused as the implication of this news rested on Xzavier. This was the best news yet, but Xzavier wasn't quick to rejoice. As he looked at the old man, a silent understanding passed between them; launching an all-out attack on the head of the chief orc would prove to be a real herculean task. The orc would definitely be on guard, knowing fully well that the back of his head was his weak point. A solid plan was needed. Sothing that would cause the orc to be distracted long enough for them to blow off his head.
As Xzavier and the others journeyed towards the valley of the orcs, Xzavier put his body on auto pilot as he worked on his plan for hours on end. After running several simulations in his head about the best and worst possible outcos, Xzavier finally lifted up his head to ask Kadin a very important question;
"Riddle this old man, do you think it would be possible to trap the orc leader's hands just for a brief second?"
Kadin thought for a minute. Clearly Xzavier was on to sothing, so he had to give an objectively sound answer of risk dooming them all. Kadin replied him after a few monts of serious deliberation;
"In my opinion, it is very much possible to trap him. But this can only be done at close range."
Kadin charged him seriously as he dropped the most important part of his assessnt;
"But this would be a oneti thing Xzavier. Don't get it twisted, if you choose to do this, you only get one shot!"
"We." Xzavier answered.
"What?"
"You said 'you only get one shot,' this isn't just . We all have a part to play in this."
The old man tensed, he knew what Xzavier was getting at. He wasn't a coward, not by a long shot. He was worried about his ward. The battleground was no place for a woman.
Xzavier on the other hand locked out everyone and everything in his imdiate surroundings as focused once again on perfecting the plan that was already taking shape in his head. As he ran simulations in the abstract construct that was his mind, Xzavier strategically placed the appropriate traps around the orc leader. He ran it all over again and again from the top, making sure there were no glitches in his plans.
Finally, the group arrived at the clearing before the orc valley just a few hours before dawn. It was the sa spot which he and Adalia had crouched just a little while ago.
A wave of nostalgia hit Xzavier violently as he took in the entire scene once again. Back then, he had been brimming with confidence, relishing the fact that he had been chosen as an instrunt to bring divine retribution on the orcs for their atrocities.
Xzavier had very nearly succeeded if not for the unknown variable which he had failed to account for. Xzavier pushed back the failures of the previous day behind him and focused on what lay ahead. This ti, he was well prepared. This ti he had a target and a definite plan. This ti, he wasn't going to miss.
Ti crawled past like a snail on a marathon race. Xzavier was aware of every painful minute. To Xzavier, in those painful monts, the whole of ti seed to be frozen, torturing him with a very slow teaser.
Soon, but not enough, like a vulture spreading its wings over the dead body of a carcass, covering it with a literal and figurative darkness, the sun completely retreated to the horizon and the moon majestically took its ti before ascending to its rightful place.
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