"How long does it take for a man to start losing touch with the world?"
The two footmen were laying beside one another, just another day in the life.
The one speaking was a medic, his armor riddled with marks to show his role, the man beside him was just an infantryman.
Richard Mithas and Jamie Ramirez.
"I don't know Richard."
"Jamie, I have had to tell over two hundred men.... They will make it. When every part of me knows the poor bastard is dying."
"I'm just a soldier Richard."
"Yeah... What is it you always say Jamie?"
"At least we made it..."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operation Foehammer, Draenor, Hellfire Penninsula
Jamie and Richard were shoulder to shoulder, with hundreds of others. And only a few feet away were Horde soldiers, also looking forward.
There it was, the first chapter of war between men and orcs... The Dark Portal.
Jamie was shaking slightly, his shield was up against his chest, right arm hiding behind it, hand clattering on his longsword's hilt. Richard bumped up against Jamie's shoulder, "Deep breaths. Deep breaths..."
The young man was hardly paying attention to the supposed morale boost the commander was yelling over the soldiers. He was nervous enough to be standing in the company of the Horde, but to be heading to a different world, to possibly die so far from home. An orc looked past Richard and saw the scared little human, with a chuckle, "He will piss himself before he sees a fight."
Then the horn was blared, and the men started moving forward. Line after line hit the swirling green and were consumed by its magic. Jamie was practically being pushed towards the portal, Richard, not having a shield, his left hand grasping Jamie's right arm; pulling him along. They pushed into the portal, Jamie's stomach turned over as they were spat out into Draenor. He nearly puked in his helmet, no time - a volley of fireballs were landing on the steps of the portal. Men were tripping, sliding, screaming and dying on the steps. Demons fired upon them from the bottom of the step. Richard was pulling men up to their feet, "Do not die! Not here! Come on! Move!"
Felguard were advancing up the steps, felhounds in droves before them. The Horde and Alliance forces were hit just then by the swarm of dogs. The orcish weapons were useful at bringing down the beasts, but it was the footman's armor that kept him moving after being battered and beaten down. The brawl was getting out of hand, the felguard began to snap into a blood frenzy, orcs and men were dying alongside one another right there on the steps of the portal.
Lines of dwarves, trolls, tauren and elves came in, intermixed with the main lines. Jamie was on his knees, holding his shield with both hands as a felguard beat down on it with a massive sword. The shield sheared and dented with each stroke. At that moment the orc from before flanked the demon, hacking into its knee with his axe, "Get up and kill this thing!"
Jamie fumbled for his sword, the felguard turned to face the orc slightly. He took it with uncertainty and pushed forward, shield up, sword pointed at the demon, "Aaaahhhh!!!!"
The blade sank into the felguard's rib cage, the orc took the moment to knock aside the demon's sword and sink his axe into its chest. Jamie pulled off of the thing, and was immediately assailed by a felhound. It tackled him to the ground, mouth gaping and wrapping around his helmet. Jamie hardly had time to think, instead he started screaming, stabbing the hound over and over again. It let go of him, his helmet was cracked.
Richard was a few meters away, trying to stop a blood elf from bleeding out. The orc was near them, with some others holding the line. Jamie rolled to his knees, reaching for his shield. Time slowed down, the balls of fire flying about, soldiers clamoring to positions. Then there was a scream over the battle, amplified by magic, "Inferrrnnnaaalll!!!"
Jamie looked upward, only to have his eyes widen and heart stop. A series of giant fel stones were raining upon the step.
"Richard. We did good didn't we?"
Mithas sighed, "We did what we had to."
Ramirez looked to his side, his sword and shield were propped against a stone, "Well, just because we had to doesn't mean we did well."
"Jamie, we all did the damn best we could. We are just men."
-----------------------------------------------
Operation Foehammer, Draenor, Hellfire Penninsula
Jamie was crawling on all fours, head ringing, eyes blurred by blood and smoke. He hardly had a moment, as the area was pelted with more fire, and the mass of the infernal picked its self up behind him. He felt a hand on his arm, an orcish woman was pulling him up and away from the demon construct. She gave him a longsword, with panic in her eyes. She couldn't of been any older than nineteen.
Looking up at the infernal was... Disheartening. Then to notice there were dozens of them... Terrifying. The soldiers were still pouring through the portal, more felguard were preparing for a second push. Jamie's hands grasped his sword with all the strength he could muster, and other soldiers rushed to try and bring the infernal down. He moved forward, clipping his blade against the thing's rock-like body. The fire burned against his armor, tabard singed. He started screaming, hacking at the thing as it picked up another man, crushing him.
Before he could think though, a mortar shell hit the infernal square in the chest, shattering it. Sending Jamie down to his back again, coughing out a strained yell, "Mithas!?"
He crawled back to his feet, the demons were advancing; he turned slightly, feeling his left leg finally give out a bit. He buckled to one knee, yelping in agony. Soldiers rushed past Ramirez, down the steps to meet the demons further from the portal. He limped to the overlook, finally taking in all of what was before him... Draenor.
"Ramirez!"
He turned to see his commander waving for him, "Ramirez press forward!"
Then he saw Mithas carrying the same orcish girl from before, she was unconscious. Ramirez turned back to his commander with a quick salute, "Sir! Yes! Sir!"
Ramirez was sitting against the stone stairs of the Dark Portal, helmet cracked open. Eyes blank... He was holding his sword and shield between his legs as he sat there. Mithas dropped down next to him with a groan, "Hey... Just taking a breather. We need to move the dead."
The orc girl from before sat down on the other side of Ramirez, she brushed her hair out of the way, punching Ramirez's shoulder with a half smile, "Good job you two... And. Thank you."
Ramirez still was staring down the stair at the dead soldiers. He slowly groaned, trying to stand. Mithas nodded to the orc, "Doesn't matter who you are, I don't wish death on anyone miss. I'm glad I could help."
They both watched Ramirez walk down the stairs slowly, she looked to Mithas slightly concerned, "Your friend is troubled."
Mithas sighed, "Lets get back to work - Hey! Jamie! Wait up!"
"Dad... I was wondering. Is the Light really protecting us? Or is it just magic? Some other kids were saying it was just magic."
The young kul'tiran boy was looking up at his father as they stood in the dining room.
--------
Jamie and Richard hefted a screaming man onto a table, Richard yelling out, "Priest! I need a priest! He is losing too much blood!"
Richard pointed to a table, Jamie took the bandages and started working on the man's leg. Jamie looked to Richard for anything, just any response.
"Keep him stable Jamie. I need to grab something."
-------
The father got on his knees to look his son in the eyes, "The Light guards those who believe in its power Jamie."
"So, it can only help if I believe father?"
"Believing is the first step to acting, acting is the first step to succeeding. The Light does not let us down."
------
Jamie's eyes were on the soldier's, he spoke up, "We got you man. Don't worry."
The soldier tensed up reaching under his tabard to his heart, pulling out a leather booklet, opening it slowly to remove a picture held within. The man couldn't of been older than twenty-two. Jamie was shocked as the man dropped the booklet and simply stared at the photo.
Richard came around the tables holding something hot in his gloves.
------
"Dad, should I pray?"
"When you feel you must, always. Pray for everything. Pray for good."
Jamie blinked a bit, "Jenny is sick, so I should pray for her then. Then she will get better."
The father sighed.
-----
Richard walked to the man's leg, holding a searing hot piece of metal. "No time for magic."
The soldier was tense but stared at the photo.
Jamie held the man's leg still as another medic came near. Richard applied the metal to the wound.
-----
"My son. Prayer doesn't work like that, it is for the spirit. Something I hope you will understand when you get older."
"So it will help her spirit? Does that make her feel better?"
"Just, go sit with her. She would want to see you."
"But sitting doesn't make her better dad."
"Making her happy is what you can do, she will get better soon. Just, go tell her some jokes."
Jamie slowly nodded, "I think I get it."
-----
The man's lip was bleeding, he bit through it from the pain of the cauterization. Richard groaned, the medic across the table shared his grim look. Jamie was confused, but kept focused on the soldier, who was still locked on the photo.
He could out stare a whole army with that focus. He was locked in thought.
Richard turned to Jamie, "Grab the jumper." He looked to the other medic, "Get his breastplate off.
Jamie realized the man was passing, his arms wavering from their vigil. Eyes staring still straight at the photo.
----
"Happiness. It is one of the things the Light is about, being happy."
"Yes it is. Happiness is important. Most important to those who are in pain."
"Dad, would it be better to die happy?"
The father seemed conflicted, having a hard time answering, "Yes Jamie. It is important to die happy."
-----
After a minute, Richard removed the soldier's medallion, it was inscribed as -Private Frederick Allenson-
Jamie walked to the man's head, shutting his eyes. Then picking the photo from the ground, it had a young brunette printed on it. With a signature, "His name will be Eric. Like you wanted."
Jamie simply took the photo and slid it back into the leather booklet, "Richard... I will take the medallion."
Richard saw Jamie's face, which was obviously torn with grief, "We did what we could Jamie."
"He hadn't even seen his son yet Richard."
Jamie walked with the booklet and medallion in his hands, leaving Richard to bury the father.
"Richard. Do remember the first time we met Elendriel?"
"I remember that you couldn't stop staring at her."
Jamie punched Richard's shoulder as they sat their, backs against the hillside. Smiling, "Do you remember that day?"
"It was Hellfire."
-----
Operation Foehammer, Hellfire Peninsula
Jamie and Richard had large bags on their backs and were pressed still in a hard march. Honor Hold was just ahead of them. They had seen a few skirmishes in the past week, bruised in more ways than one, the 32nd Detachment of the Elwynn Brigade was the fourth force of Alliance troops that made it to Honor Hold that day. It was far from quiet, in the distance siege weapons fired constantly, men were running about frantically. They entered the Hold's main courtyard, medical tents sprawled about everywhere. Forces were licking their wounds all about, every building was busy. From the the several smithies to the very taverns run by the morale officers.
Jamie and Richard were quickly barked at, "Both of you, take a moment to rest. We head out tomorrow."
They took a moment to stretch and take off at least a few pieces of their armor. Quickly Private Tillman ruffled their hair, "Guys, lets get a drink. Over there." Tillman pointed at a building which was being shared between several Alliance forces, races of all kinds.
((Tavern Music))
When they entered, the first thing Jamie saw was a gnome on a table, shirtless, roaring like some animal. He was surrounded by a group of soldiers all laughing, seemingly trying to keep their minds off what was just outside the scarred walls of Honor Hold. Jamie was dragged to the bar, and somewhat pushed as a dwarven rifleman shouldered his back, "Eh, laddie. You need yourself a good drink!"
Thump, thump, thump. All slammed into the bar, chuckling as the men on the other side slammed mugs down. The man serving their little group smiled, his face had been hit a few too many times and was missing his right eye. He quickly starting cleaning cups, "So you Elwynn Brigade? And dwarf, you Silvertoe Guard?"
They all nodded, drinking, the dwarf quickly punched Ramirez in the arm, "Eh, I saw ye out there a few times. We just walked in behind ya! You are green as a goblin's willy. But you are doin damn fine boy."
Jamie winced, the punch was a little harder than he'd expect, "Yeah... I'm happy we made it this far."
A few cat calls went out just after than from some men, Jamie looked to the door and watched a group of Night Elven Sentinels enter the room. The cat calls stopped abruptly when ducking through the door then onto the other side was a massive Night Elven man, a bear paw tattooed on his chest. Jamie looked to Richard, "Night Elves."
The dwarf flicked Jamie's ear, "Watch out boyo, they headin' this way. Don't embarrass yourself too much."
Jamie was on the outside of the four of them, then against his left side, the Elven women came up to the bar, two taking drinks immediately while the others talked in Darnassian. Jamie looked over slowly, there directly to his left was a sentinel with her ghost white hair being loosed from a ponytail to hang freely to her shoulders. He took a sip from his mug, watching a little too long, she turned and caught him staring. One eye brow raised, those bright eyes staring directly into his. She waited a moment as if trying to get him to focus on her, then bit at the air in front of his face, canines flashing. Jamie lurched back into the dwarf, and laughing broke out from several that noticed the action. The woman stifled a laugh for a few seconds, then broke out into tearful laughter, "Ohh goddess! You... Ohhh haaha! Wow. You made that too easy."
Jaime straightened up as the dwarf pushed him off, but he fell forward towards her, stumbling, face nearly into her chest. She clutched his cheeks, picking his face up to hers, "You have something you want to say?"
He shrugged slightly, "I'm sorry ma'am. I didn't -"
She bit at his face again and pushed his face away right after, "Just talk. I didn't come in a human tavern to not socialize."
The bartender winked at Ramirez with the one eye he had. Jamie then took a breath, "When did you come into Honor Hold?"
"About an two hours ago, but our commander thought it would be a good idea to try to show some humans how to shoot a bow."
The dwarf laughed, "Bow? Pshh a breach-rifle with a magnifier any day before a bow."
She looked past Ramirez to the dwarf sitting at the bar, "A friend of yours?"
Jaime nearly spoke, but the dwarf cut him off, "Yes actually. Baenvar Flintsplitter. Marksman, Silvertoe Guard. Me and the boys here just got here, thought time to finally socialize after fighting alongside one another the past week."
She put an arm across Ramirez's chest, to get a better view at the dwarf, stepping forward while pushing him, "Marksman? I'd love to see a dwarf hit something when he isn't drunk off his ass."
Richard looked to Jaime with a smile, just shrugging, Baenvar actually got up on his stool to meet the elf eye to eye, "I'd pay a ram's weight in silver to see an elf shoot something while drunk off her ass."
They both were almost nose to nose, both growling, "Deal."
Then she turned, "Drinks. Now."
The dwarf turned, "Water. Now."
Ramirez, Mithas and Tillman all looked between each other, then Tillman held ten silver in his palm out to Mithas, "I bet my money on the dwarf."
Jamie and Richard were still sitting there against the grassy hillside. Helmets and gear to their sides. Watching the countryside as the sun slowly worked its way across the sky. Richard laughed a bit, "What was it? A week later?"
Jamie smiled, "Oh yeah. It was a rough day wasn't it?"
They both bowed their heads a bit, chuckling. Jamie put a hand on his abdomen, "Just a little rough."
Richard nodded slowly, "After that stunt? I'm surprised they didn't scoop you into the 7th."
"I wasn't trying to be a hero Richard."
"Heroes don't try, they do."
-------
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy4iQvJo24U[/youtube]
Operation Foehammer, The Ramparts.
Thump.
A man fell while charging, just in front of Jamie. He had to leap over the fallen man, all the soldiers were holding their shields over their faces; bolts of fel magic and fire, arrows and other projectiles rained on them as they advanced across a killing field towards Hellfire Citadel's outer most lines.
"AAahhgh!!!"
Another man fell on Ramirez's left.
"Light save us!"
A man screamed in the back, falling into a retreat.
Ramirez kept running, so many men kept running...
So many men kept dying...
The fel orcs were obviously enjoying the show, screaming obscene things in orcish. They were laughing with sick cruelty as the humans closed on them, one even standing in Ramirez's view, mostly naked except for a simple loincloth. The creature roared a few words, holding up some wounded man by the collar. Then proceeding to bite into his face, a pack of shorter fel orcs leaped from their defenses, arms covered in bandages, with bladed gauntlets strapped on. They wore skin cloaks over their faces screaming "Lok'narash!"
Ramirez and the men charged still, Ramirez screaming out as loud as he could as the orcs made contact; waving his shield out smashing the tusks straight off the beast. A bolt of fire glancing off his right shoulder. He shielded himself again and kept moving, at least four hundred men were pushing to take that position. Ramirez was right in the front of the charge, thoughts blurred as adrenaline pumped hard through every vein it could reach.
Then as they nearly made contact, one man shouted near Ramirez as his radio buzzed, cracked and whirred.
"Airstr-!!!!"
A series of thunderclaps echoed through all their ears, boom! Then again, boom! Bolts of white lightning punched holes in the fel orc lines, leaving beasts lit on fire, charred and even obliterated where they stood. Gryphon's screamed above their heads as Wildhammer dwarves screamed loud dwarven war cries. Ramirez and the others pushed onto the ramparts, the fel orcs slinging their cruel weapons to bear. A banner man that was charging, shield in his left, flag in the right screaming, "For Lothar!"
Steel clashed, flesh tore and sinew popped as the forces mixed. The melee was brutal, men had their guts strewn out before them by the fiends. Men lopped off hands, even drove their blades straight through still moving enemies, confusion taking hold.
"What are they!?"
"Demonspawn!"
"Ahgagahhg!"
"For the King!"
"Get it off me! afagfgfgF!"
Ramirez finished off one orc, then before he knew it a fel orc leaped on his back, clawed gauntlets digging into his armor. The creature's mouth opened, pouring blood and saliva, it bit into his right shoulder. Armor bending and cracking as the unnatural tusks and teeth pushed into it. He dropped his sword, reaching up to the orc's face, punching it a few times then throwing it over onto a wooden stake. It still moved for moments after being impaled, but he had no time to focus on that one, another orc charged him straight into a pile of supply crates. Jamie hardly had time to think, the orc raising a wicked axe up with one hand, left hand holding Jamie's neck and pinning him with its weight. Mithas drove a spear through the orc's back and threw it off of Jamie.
"Jamie! We need to get on the wall! Now!"
The world was spinning, Jamie had blood all over, his armor was hardly holding up. He had punctures and dents in it all about that he hadn't even noticed. The footmen took up to the top of the wall, and in a blink of an eye, fire engulfed the top of the wall as nether drakes closed on them. Mithas motioned for Jamie to get down, but for some damn reason he didn't. Lifting his shield as the drakes closed, a large set of talons wrapped around the shield and picked Jamie up. He yelped, not expecting the sudden change in footing.
The fel orc riding the beast hadn't noticed his passenger, but the drake hadn't yet released Ramirez. The boy did what he could, unstrapping from the shield but still holding it, he swung his weight to catch the side of the drake's saddle. The fel orc tried to turn, hefting a large glaive to jab at Jamie. The blade glanced across his helmet, Jamie tugged the weapon to remove it from the orc as he pulled himself up further.
Crack!
A bolt of lightning hit the drake square in the side, gryphon rider coming up close on its right flank. Jamie got all the way up, the dwarf then noticed the boy wrestling with the orc. With a quick word to his gryphon the rider descended just below the drake. Jamie and the orc battered on one another, he clutched the orc's face, gauntlets digging into the nose, eyes and even mouth. Snap! A tusk came loose, then it became an improvised dagger, Ramirez stuck it into the orc's right eye.
Boom!
A bolt of lightning hit the drake's right wing and then it began to fall. The dwarf and his gryphon were nearby, wildhammer yelling as loud as he could, "Jump to me! Now!"
Ramirez hardly was there, hardly thinking, he stood as best he could and leaped for the dwarf's hands. Not even a minute later the dwarf circled around to the wall again and dropped Ramirez off. The poor boy stumbling in shock of what happened, but already a spear was being tossed to him by Private Tillman.
"Here they come! Seems they want their wall back!"
The men all readied themselves, fel orcs rushing down the wall from the citadel... Many had weapons for hands. These footmen had no captain with them. A hundred mere men, just holding the line. A few prayed, but one sang out.
"Imagine the stories they said!"
"Imagine the adventures!"
"Come on guys! Lets f**k these black bloods up!"
They all started resounding,
"Hooah! Hooah!"
Out back of the inn in Honor Hold; a crowd was gathered to watch the shenanigans about to unfold. Ramirez, Mithas and Tillman stood directly behind Baenvar; who was dour, trying his best to focus as he downed another glass of water as his rifle was handed to him. A few feet to the right was the young sentinel, one of the other sentinels was holding her bow for her while she shook off finishing a mug of ale. The crowd was cheering them on as targets were set up across from them. Tillman poked Ramirez, "Who is your money on?"
Ramirez blinked, looking between Baenvar and the sentinel, "I don't bet on things."
The sentinel took her bow, slightly rocking on her heels as her friends snickered at her. She stumbled back slightly, the massive night elven man pushed her forward back to her position. Baenvar ruffled his hair, looking at the target grumbling to himself. The elf and dwarf lined up their shots with the crowd piping with anticipation, Baenvar only just then as he tugged the trigger back seemed to come to a realization. The sentinel released her arrow. His shot didn't even connect, the sentinel's was wide, but still hit the target and the crowd roared louder than Baenvar could scream, "Nooo!!! The sights! They were not calibrated for ale-less eyes!!!"
Mithas smiled, putting an open palm out to Tillman, who defeatedly dropped ten small coins into Mithas' hand. The sentinel cheered, kicking up with a jump and tossing her bow to the other elves. She span about and pointed at Baenvar, "That! Thats - Thats how... I win! Yes!"
She hiccuped and stumbled back into the large druid again, who straightened her back for her and pushed her back to standing again. Baenvar fell to his knees, raising his hands to the sky as another dwarf went to comfort him on his loss to the elven woman. The sentinel stepped up to Ramirez, looking down at him as she smiled, "Sorry about - Sorry about humiliating your friend."
Ramirez shrugged, "It is fine. I never caught your name - "
"Elendriel Starseeker! And your name?"
"Jamie, Jamie Ramirez."
Elendriel chuckled slightly, "Don't die while we are out here."
Ramirez blinked at her, trying to smile, "I will make sure to do my best Miss Starseeker."
Jamie and Richard were laughing, Richard almost crying, "Jamie, I mean - Baen was rustled after that wasn't he?"
Jamie smiled, "And Elendriel, she was brilliant."
Richard looked to Jamie, "You know, you two after that kind of clicked."
"Even if she was keeping me alive half the time."
Richard patted Jamie's shoulder, "Hey, you did the same for her."
------
Operation Foehammer, The Push
---
All round Hellfire Citadel the Horde and Alliance forces not only assaulted the Fel Orc front - but they were pushing past it. Ramirez and his comrades were assigned to press through the southern Fel Orc flanks. Mithas and Ramirez were on their asses, backs against a trench wall; Tillman ran around the bend and slid to sit next to Mithas, "Okay... Okay... Orders are, hold here till the reinforcements arrive to break the enemy line."
Ramirez blinked, "Wait, wait - We need to hold out?"
Mithas sighed, looking at his broken sword, "Well. I am pretty sure we can make. I still have half a sword."
Baenvar flopped down next to Tillman sipping a flask, "Hey boys! Plenty of pot shots to be had!"
Ramirez picked up a crossbow from across the ditch and tossed it to Mithas, "You are a better shot than Tillman. Tillman, we are moving up to the second trench - the orcs are moving in on the third trench. Baen, Rich, please.... Light please, don't miss."
Ramirez hopped over the top of the rock and dirt wall - Tillman following suit on his left. As they began, they already were being waylaid with flaming arrows; the footmen had their shields up and were in full sprint as shots flew past them from their trench towards the fel orc marksmen. Tillman and Ramirez broke into sliding motions as they fell into the second trench, Tillman landed it; and Ramirez fell forward, being caught by someone. That cleavage was familiar, he was lifted up and made to look right at her, there was Elendriel. She was blinking at him, "Jamie? This is your battalion?"
Then Jamie noticed what was wrong, the trench had men falling back into it; wounded and some maimed. The sentinels just were arriving as well, Elendriel shook him a bit, "Do you know when the reinforcements arrive?!"
Jamie shouted back at her slightly, "No! Alright, I just heard we need to hold the line till they get here!"
Elendriel snarled slightly, pushing Jamie back into the wall before turning to look over the top of the ditch, "So, any idea how we are suppossed to do that? Isn't it going, how your people say?"
Tillman piped up, "It is going to shit, ma'am."
A few of the sentinels were firing their bows over the top of the ditch and then ducking back down, Elendriel sighed, "Yes... That is it. Now - Jamie, no dying."
Ramirez grabbed Tillman and then shouted across to other footmen, "What is the order!?"
Then a sergeant pointed his sword at the fel orc line who was swelling in preparation to leave the third trench and come their way, "We are meeting them in the open. The orcish marksmen will stop firing upon us when the melee starts - gives us a moment to push the line back to the third trench!"
Elendriel looked to the side at Ramirez and Tillman, "Bad idea."
Ramirez rolled his shoulders with a sigh, "Ma'am with all due respect. Being a member of the infantry is a bad idea."
Then he and Tillman vaulted up and over the edge of the ditch as the other footmen did. The fel orcs roared with excitement, charging as well; Ramirez's breathing slowed as the few seconds passed before impact. An arrow flicked past Ramirez's head and into the fel orc that was going straight for him, the beast's neck exploded with dark blood. Ramirez pushed the body aside as it fell towards him and then he slammed his shield across another orc's face, smashing bits of tusk off and the nose crumpled.
Privates Harris, Barrows and Tillman all joined close to Ramirez as they kept the orcs at sword's length. There was one after another, serrated orcish swords and axes bouncing off shields and shearing metal off pauldrons. Elven arrows slipped through impossible places, even one between Ramirez's legs kneecapped an orc who was grinding his axe against Ramirez's sword.
Seconds felt like hours, humans and orcs alike were run through and gutted. The melee was grinding slowly, then there was a suprised yelp from Tillman. Elendriel leaped, had one hand on Tillman's helmet as her other hand took her moonglaive in hand. Tillman stumbled slightly as she soared over the soldiers and then over Ramirez into a jaw shattering kick to an orc's face. Ramirez leaned past her and drove his sword through an orc's sword arm as he went for the elf. She turned quickly, moonglaive severing a hand from a Shattered Hand orc who was swinging for Ramirez. Then both turned about and parried off an orc each. Elendriel lodged her moonglaive into the orc's skull, she reached to her side and tugged out a scimitar that she had on her hip to parry off another incoming blade then slit the throat of the orc.
She turned suddenly as the melee seemed to die down, in fact every saw Ramirez sort of wrestling with a fel orc, his longsword pushed down through the collar and into the chest cavity of the beast. The orc was flailing madly, Ramirez finally let go of the sword and let the thing fall onto its back to bleed out. He was smothered in orc blood, he turned to the others and all he got in response was Private Harris screaming, "We did it!!!!"
Elendriel gave him a small smile, "You didn't die."
I've enjoyed this read so far! Keep it coming
Richard grunted, looking up at the sky again, "You know Jamie. That is one fight I will never forget."
Jamie coughs out a chuckle as he pats the lush grass idly, "Oh that? That wasn't that bad."
"It was intense, there we were -"
-----
Operation Foehammer, The Citadel
---
"Move! Move! Move!"
The sergeant motioned with his hand three times as soldiers ran past him along the slabs of stone. The ramparts all around Hellfire Citadel were starting to churn like a massive meat grinder. Horde and Alliance alike aimed equipment and bombarded the walls, grunts and footmen pushed on the flanks to seize the ground from the fel orcs.
Ramirez and Harris were gunny running as fast as they could through some wreckage of a few steam tanks. Not even a moment after that, there was a new dwarven tank rolling right over the remains of the one they just ran around. The tank fired off a shell into a fel orc ballista emplacement, the following second an infernal stone was called down by who knows which fel orc warlock down right through the center of the tank. Harris screamed through his helmet, "Holy f**king light!"
The blast sent them rolling and before they could react, Baenvar was already running past them firing his rifle at a fel orc who was mid leap for the two downed footmen, "Not the time fer layin' down lads!"
Boom!
Another shell hit the wall near them from some artillery emplacement, Ramirez picked Harris up and tossed a shield back into his hands. Ramirez tugged Harris' tabard, pointing where Baenvar was sprinting, "Looks like the battle is already right above the chasm... You are not afraid of heights right?"
As they ran, Harris yelped as they scrambled up the stairs only to look down at a broken bridge at a fifty foot fall into a bridge full of fel orcs firing weapons across the war zone.
Boom!
The bridge down below cracked in half as an orcish demolisher ball exploded on the central support. Ramirez pulled Harris after him around another way, ducking under his shield as random bursts of fire sprayed over the ramparts. As they met back up with the other Alliance troops, the Sergeant was throwing out orders like mad, then pointed at Ramirez.
"RAMIREZ! Left side, take that f**king ballista out!, we are holding here! Move! Move!"
Ramirez gave a single nod, taking in the order no matter how stupid it sounded, he sprinted as fast as he could up around the staircase, past two men watching the stairs. On his heels though was Mithas and Harris as they came up around to a fortified tower built into the rampart. Ramirez yelled, "This thing has no bolts! How do we hit the other one!?"
They all looked between their tower and a tower across from them literally raining bolt fire down on the Alliance position. Harris suddenly yelped, "I can fix it! But you won't like it!"
Harris sprang into action, he took a broken spike, tied a rope to it which he had on his back. Then linked it into the ballista before tying off the other end on the top end of their position. Ramirez blinked, "What the actual Harris!?"
Harris pointed, "Their position is lower than ours, we can slide down the rope, straight into the tower and take the heat off the others!"
Mithas already was picking the leather straps of a dead fel orc's armor off and tossed one to Ramirez, "Sean, shoot the line across, Jamie, I will be right behind you."
Harris aimed the spike and fired it at the other tower, the line went taut between the structures. Ramirez ran and lept, swinging the leather over and catching the other side. Mithas did the same right behind him, they both were hurtling towards the other tower when a fel orc manning the weapon looked up in confusion, "Flying pink skins!"
Ramirez flew through the side of the tower, falling off the rope with all his momentum into a shoulder plate aimed at the fel orc's face. The other fel orc quickly turned from the weapon to pick up a spear and go to run Ramirez through! But just then Mithas tackled it to the ground as he flew in!
They both wrestled with the fel orcs, Ramirez's eyes were wide as the tusks of the red beast clanged against his visor. Mithas and his foe rolled around and actually pushed Ramirez and his new friend down the ladder hole to the top of the tower. Ramirez and the fel orc hit the next floor with a loud crash, both hardly able to move for a moment. Ramirez stood only to feel a fist wrap around the plume of his helmet and swing him into a pillar. He dizzily span around to catch the orc's arms, then headbutted the orc straight in the face - a tusk not only snapping but being pushed into the fel orc's eye. The beast roared in pain picking Jamie up and getting ready to throw him. Jamie reacted with a heavy swing of his fist at the tusk, embedding the bone through and into the orc's brain.
Mithas peeked over the edge and yelled, "Secure?!"
Ramirez yelled up, giving a thumbs up, "Secure!"
Jaime and Richard looked up to the blue sky, Richard smiled with a slight sigh. Jaime looked to Richard, "More thoughts?"
Richard chuckled, "Yeah, a few. We met a lot of great soldiers in our lives haven't we?"
Jaime gave a nod, "Yeah.... Yeah we have."
-----
Operation Foehammer, Brothers and Sisters all
-----
It was a hot day in Hellfire. The battles were in full swing, and the good old boys of the Alliance were sweating up a storm in their armor. Richard and Jaime had their backs to a large rock, it hadn't been but a few seconds before Private Sean Harris crashed into the rock, denting his shoulder plating slightly as he panted heavily.
"Ramirez! Mithas! Whew... I thought you guys were dea-"
A fel orc came around the corner behind Sean, Jaime and Richard in tandem pushed past Sean, swords going into the orc's chest and quickly they stepped back as another orc came from the other side. Jaime cut into the orc's neck with his sword, then proceeded to maul it into the ground with his shield.
Sean whimpered, "Oh... Light... I nearly..."
Richard grunted, "But you didn't. None of us did."
Calling to them from a few boulders away was Private Tillman and Barrows, "Over here! Sergeant Laurent is calling for a regroup!"
The three men moved to the other two, as they arrived the area started o get shelled with flaming containers which exploded into rolling blasts of fire. The men huddled close to the rock formation, seeing a man caught in the open go up in flames. Private Barrows was breathing heavily, sharp in and outs as he tried to keep calm.
Richard spoke up, "Tillman, where is Laurent?"
"Watch out!"
Boom! The blast went off and sent the men sprawling to their backs. Fire clung to Jaime's armor, he rolled about yelping, "Fire! Fire! Help!"
Another man rushed up to the group, a lightly armored man in some padded gear, he had a long coat and headband, it was Private Harold Gethly, he was a mage. He whipped his hands out over Jaime, the fire peeling off of the soldier and harmlessly falling to the ground nearby. Harold smiled, pulling the footman to his feet, "Come on then, no dying here boys!"
They all started jumping to their feet and began running behind Private Tillman as he lead the way. As they went, Jaime took a young footman's hand and picked her up off the ground, Private Kenna Fenwick. She was crying, armor had some blood on it from her own injury.
The dwarven rifleman Baenvar Flintsplitter popped up from a foxhole throwing out a small gnome which was certainly Derry Spinwhistle, Derry yelping, "Wait for us!"
Baenvar jogged past Derry, picking him up under his left arm, "Too short to be a sprinter laddy!"
Jaime stayed close to the lead, shield up to block an arrow which fell towards him. Barrows was still running, breathing erratically as he went, an arrow stuck in his helmet like some sort of ornament now. Richard was busy trying to calm Kenna, "Nothing important was hit, you can make it Kenna, trust me!"
"But it hurts!"
"Trust me! I'm a doctor!"
They weaved through the rock formations, Elendriel rolled out from a formation of rocks, shooting her bow into an oncoming fel orc charging the group, "Oh! You all are alive!"
A bear fell off a rock ahead of them onto a pair of fel orcs, crushing them, the druid shifted out quickly and nodded to them as they came. It was Deverion Ironoak, the druid that entered the inn the first time Jaime met Elendriel, he called to them, "Sergeant Laurent is holding up just beyond!"
Tillman screamed as he ran, "Okay! Alright! Coming!"
Derry was still being carried by Baenvar, he exclaimed, "By now even an incompetent siege smith would of reloaded and fired those demolishers -"
Boom! Boom!
More canisters of flame slammed into the ground around them as they ran.
Baenvar roared as he ran through a blast of flame, Derry patting the flame out on the dwarf's beard as they went. Jaime was thrown from his feet and fell on his belly, Elendriel and Private Gethly picked him up and threw him to his feet again. Richard by now was carrying Kenna, "She fainted!"
They all made it around the bend and Sergeant Laurent was there with twenty others, they were fighting off the last of a few fel orcs. Laurent called as they came about, "Ramirez!"
"Good to have you all here in one piece!"
All the soldiers were panting, some falling to their knees. Sean yelped, "But the artillery!"
Derry snickered, "Don't worry, demolishers couldn't hope to hit us this far out."
Kenna woke up, She was already on a mat with Richard tending to her injury. She muttered through her helmet, "Oh... Why did I join the army?"
Jaime patted his hands together, "Some days were not so certain were they?"
Richard nodded, looking down at the grass for a moment, "Not all days will ever be certain... And eventually things get dark. We learned that back then really fast didn't we Jaime?"
"I can still feel every battle, every time a sword or claw has rended - every time fire and frost has bathed me - When death was so close."
-----
Operation Foehammer, Of Fire and Flames
-----
It was dark, Hellfire had a strange day to night cycle; but when it became dark it was exceedingly so. Things were quiet, but any footman knows. When the air is more quiet than your breath, you are not alone.
The men were suiting up, Sergeant Laurent muttered to them all, "Boys, sorry to tell you all. But we need to stay on our toes, I don't think the captain has his head on straight. We are exposed out here, over a hundred men in a camp... Less than half ready for a fight if it happens?"
Private Harris, Private Barrows, Private Tillman, Private Fenwick, Private Gethly, Private Mithas, and Private Ramirez. Their armor donned, they hardly had a moment to stand as they put their helmets on, a scream rang through the camp.
"DEMONS!!! AAUGGHHH!"
Laurent motioned to them all, "Stick together! Come on!"
They all took their weapons from the benches and ran from the tent. It was like all the stories Jaime heard about, but with less glory. This wasn't a great legend, this was a bloody toil. Jaime glanced to Richard, Richard offering him a nod as they stuck behind the Sergeant. The camp was being assaulted by a demonic host, no clear battle lines. A ripping pop sounded as a void walker ripped its way out of thin air in the center of the group. It quickly assailed them, as Kenna went to swing at it, black tendrils of shadow seemed to phase through her helmet, she cried like a child and dropped her sword.
Sergeant Laurent turned, taking his sword in two hands as he dropped his shield. He drove it into the glossy blackness of the void walker's back. The creature didn't even turn, it sort of mutated, so its face was towards Laurent, arms rotating about as it proceeded to maul him into the ground with its fists. Jaime, Eric and Sean went to battering the creature with their swords. Michael and Richard were busy trying to keep Kenna still so she didn't run off into the fray in fear and get killed.
The beast after a few solid hits retreated with a hissing tear back into the void from whence it came. Laurent was helped up by Sean, the Sergeant speaking to the Private, "Harris. You and Jaime find the captain! We need to press the assault back!"
Jaime and Sean in unison, "Yessir!"
They both began to run, it was but maybe fifty feet before they could hear from above a burning flame. Several calls were made over the camp, "INFERNALLL!!!"
The two men were stopped dead in their tracks, a felguard swung wide, cutting into Harris' shoulder plating with a loud roar. Jaime slammed his shield into its ribs, "Sean! Find the Captain! I got this!"
Sean yelped, running under another wide swing as Jaime ducked. The felguard turned his weapon about and slammed the halberd down towards Jaime. The young man barely sidestepping the blow as then he went to uppercut the thing with his shield's edge. The shield split the Felguard's skin on his jaw, the demon gave a toothy grin and wrapped a gauntlet around the shield and picked Jaime up.
Jaime released his shield strap and fell back down with a loud clank. He quickly took his longsword in both hands and made a wide cut across the Felguard's chest. Another footman drove a spear through the demon's back. Jaime already as moving as the other man confirmed the kill with another jab. Ramirez hopelessly searched for Sean, it was maybe thirty seconds though that passed. He came about to a loud series of yells and screams. A man was on the ground, an infernal stepping on him.
Luckily the sounds of battle drowned out the splattering noise.
Sean was parrying hopelessly against a felguard. It was but a few swings and then demon clutched a gauntlet around Sean's helmet and squeezed. The helmet dented inward, some blood leaked from the metal and Sean fell over to his knees screaming in pain. The felguard raised its wicked cleaver, aimed to finish the footman off. A lance of ice nearly blasted the demon's head into giblets though, saving Sean from certain death.
The infernal was fighting against the captain and three others. Fighting? Rather it was winning, it had killed or maimed seven men already. It's fel fire burning cloth it touched, and scorching metal. Swords clanged against its stoney body. With a back swing it threw a man twenty feet and onto his back. With its other hand it took another by his arm and threw him like a rag doll straight into the air. Jaime ran forward, the Captain and the other man dodging a crushing blow by the beast. Jaime's breathing slowed, he leaped forward, rolling under the infernal's body and between its legs. He popped out the other side and ran to a dwarven mortar crate. He quickly pulled a shell out of the crate and picked up the mortar under one arm. He loaded it and held the mortar against his shoulder so he could better aim it.
Fwum!
The sound of the shell exiting the barrel ended in a blasting sound as it hit the infernal in the back of the torso. The blast took most of its body apart, it began to fall to pieces. Jaime then realized something.
His left shoulder was numb, the plating dented in from the mortar's recoil. He successfully dislocated his shoulder it seemed. He looked over to Sean, who had his helmet off and was holding his head wound on the ground. The battle was dying down.
Jaime hit the ground like a sack of bricks.
-----
There they all were, sitting around a camp fire. Kenna smiled as Jaime sat down with them, "Is your shoulder alright?"
Jaime nodded, "Yeah... Richard pushed it back into place and gave me some bad tasting draught to numb it out."
Richard piped up, "Hey now, I am making sure you stay in one piece."
Michael was mid way chewing through some jerky, "Hey Rich. How'd you get so good with the medicine stuff?"
Richard sighed, "I am an apothecary's son. My family have been doctors and alchemists for awhile. I came to the military with Jaime because I wanted to help everyone, make sure some of us can go back home."
Sean rubbed at the wrapping around his head, groaning, "And why are you here Michael?"
Michael chewed like a horse, "My ma an' pop still have a farm back in Westfall with my two lil brothers and three lil sisters... Suppose I wanted to make a name fer myself. Try and, get into the army, read more books. Leave the farm y'know?"
Kenna tugged on Sean's arm, "You next!"
Sean winced a bit, "Okay... Okay. My father is a judge back in Stormwind, lower nobility. I didn't want to just study and become some posh pillowy book boy. I wanted adventure and to show our family was more than pencil pushers."
Kenna piped up, "I joined because my momma was sick and dad couldn't take care of her. So I joined, my money goes back home to them and my little brothers. I mean... They need it, because we lost a lot back in Red Ridge, Lakeshire isn't home to us. I miss our winery up in the hills, but the orcs took it away."
Eric took a sip from a waterskin, "Me next. See, I wanted to be like one of those heroes you hear so much about. Turalyon, Danath, Uther - You know, the big shots. I want to be remembered as someone who helped change the world, who fought for the Alliance and all the families back home... Man, that would be great. To have people tell stories about you for years to come."
Harold smiled, "Yeah... I was a hedge mage. Couldn't afford real schooling, so I tried as best I could. After awhile I realized if I joined the army I could learn magic better and still help people. I think my gift should be used to make a better world for the families back home who cannot defend themselves."
There was a short silence, Richard motioned to Jaime, "Hey, Jaime. Your turn."
Jaime sighed, "I... I don't know why I did really. I just thought, maybe I could - Could do something bigger than just be a bartender. Not really a hero or anything, just, maybe if I could do something important before I die - Maybe then I would've done enough?"
Everyone watched Jaime for a moment, Kenna piping up, "You already have done so much more than most of us... I mean, I can hardly keep up."
Richard smiled, "Jaime, you are a natural soldier."
Jaime shrugged slightly, "I don't know if that is a good thing."
It was odd, the fact it could rain here in Outland. It was quiet, Ramirez pushed the top of a coffin into place. The water pattering on his armor as he fit the soldier's amulet into the socket on the front of the wooden container.
Elendriel watched Ramirez from across the area, she spoke out softly, "Jaime. Is that the last one?"
Jaime wiped the rain water off the amulet, "Corporal Ken Mathers. I saw an arrow stick into his neck, the blood sprayed on Kenna."
"And she yet lives."
Jaime shook his helmed head, "I don't want to put her in a box and send her home."
Elendriel sighed, walking out into the rain towards him, she was wearing leathers; the rain soaking her hair, "You care so much."
"I don't want anyone to die Elendriel. And - And Richard is falling apart too! He held Sergeant Amy Tethlen in his arms as she died! As her eyes rolled back she could just mutter her little boy's name!"
Elendriel pursed her lips and furrowed her brow, staring Jaime down.
"Everyone is risking their lives Jaime... Some of my sisters have died, and some of Flintsplitter's friends too. It is a war Jaime."
Jaime turned to look at her, he was shaking slightly, "How much longer until I am being hefted into a box?"
Elendriel stepped up closer to him, putting her face up to his visor and growling, "Then fight harder. I told you not to die. So you won't right? If you don't want to die, then don't let it happen."
Jaime barked back, "I don't plan on dying!"
Elendriel yelled back, "Then keep going! We are not done yet!"
They both stared each other down in the rain, Richard and Kenna were off to the side. They watched from under a canopy, Richard sighed. He tried to step forward, but Kenna caught his wrist and shook her head, pointing at Jaime and Elendriel. The two were still staring at each other, Jaime bowed his head slightly though, and muttered to the elven woman, "I am going to see my family again... I will make it."
She placed her hands on his shoulders and patted twice, "Good. Now, please, lets step out of the rain before you get sick."
Jaime looked up to her for a moment, nodding. They both walked off to another canopy across from Richard and Kenna. Kenna looked to Richard, "Lets go get something to drink, something warm. How this rain is so cold in a land so barren is crazy."
Jaime and Elendriel sat down on a bench, looking out over the coffins. Elendriel let out a soft breath, "Now, you are a strong man. Your friends look up to you."
Ramirez removed his helmet, "Light... They couldn't choose someone better to admire?"
Elendriel let out an airy laugh, "Ah, yes they could. But, they chose you, probably because you are so good at doing the job and making it out alive? They want to be there with you at the end."
"And you Miss Starseeker?"
"Perhaps... It would be nice to see the end of the war, and see you still alive at the end."
She smiled, closing her eyes. Jaime looked her over, the rain water still rolling down from her white hair over her skin, something about her was reassuring.
Jaime looked back down to the lush grass the two men were sitting on, "Richard. How many times did you think I was gone?"
"Jaime. I have come to accept one of two things."
Jaime raised an eyebrow, peering to Richard as Richard spoke, "You either refuse to die because you are stubborn... Or you are set on not letting Elendriel down."
Jaime smiled slightly, "Equal parts both I'd guess."
---
Operation Gryphon's Beak, Zangarmarsh.
---
-I am Kul'Tirasian.-
Gug.
Blub.
-I will not drown.-
Blub.
Guuggg.
Jaime burst from the shoulder high water, he had a naga myrmidon wrapped around his body. The naga hissed loudly, punching Jaime in the visor twice and then taking him by the neck and pushing him back into the water. Bubbles sputtered from Jaime's lips, he looked through the murky water at the naga as it pushed him back down into the water.
Jaime grabbed the creature's wrists and head butted the snake headed thing in the snout. Its lower body lessened its grip on his body, allowing him to kick himself up and flip over. His head popped from the water and he took a deep breath before heading back down. He punched the naga square in the jaw, it drew a wicked knife. The blade was sank into the side of his body, it slipped into his chain mail and cut into his ribs.
Jaime could make out in the water a few other footmen struggling with naga in the murky shallows. A man about ten feet away had sank down to the silt, blood freely clouding from the limp body. Jaime focused back on the naga and punched it in the face again before it flipped the two of them over and pushed Jaime's back into the the silt.
The naga flipped the blade around and tried to bring it down on Jaime's visor, but the man was able to move his head aside before it came down. The naga opened its mouth, roaring there under water silently. Jaime grabbed ahold of the tendrils hanging from the sides of the beast's head and flipped the grapple over. He placed the tendrils in his left hand and began to punch snake man in the face furiously with his right gauntlet.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Richard hammered on Jaime's chest one last time; water spurted from Jaime's mouth and he wretched, turning over to dry heave. He saw Elendriel and Richard sitting over him, Richard smiled to Elendriel, "See! Alive!"
Elendriel smacked Richard in the face before looking back down to Jaime, smiling slightly.