The Blood of Orcs: Knights of Airygon, #1

By April Nia Rain & Trevor Jones

The orcs of Kinthur have been conspiring to circumvent the long-standing Gods' Covenant. They plot to bring their evil god, Old One-Eye, back to rule Kinthur and dominate or destroy the other races. Ellwyn, a young elven ranger, and her companions stumble upon an ancient prophesy that foretells this event. With only the help of her companions, she must unravel the mystery before it's too late. They are set on a course that will lead to high magic, monsters, treasures, and possible death. Can they stop the orcs in time and at what terrible cost?

• Language: English
• Publisher: April Nia Rain & Trevor Jones
• Release date: May 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201547486

Book preview

Chapter 1

The Prophecy

My arrow was pulled tight against the bowstring. I held my breath and sighted down on the orc chieftain. The tallest orc I had ever seen by far, his green-grey skin helped him blend with the terrain. His long tusks protruded upwards, adorned with steel bands. They pointed towards small eyes, the color of urine. He wielded an enormous broadsword carried in one hand, and his armor was made of pieced-together platemail, fastened with leather straps. The armor was unusually substantial for an orc and smacked of a higher level of intelligence than their common warrior. He was shouting in one of the common tribal dialects, waving his hands and giving orders. We had taken them by surprise. There were only the three of us and we knew we couldn’t take them all at once. It had to be a ‘hit hard and fast’ attack.

Do your work Acantha, I whispered. As I let my breath out, the arrow flew and burst into flames, hitting the orc chieftain square in the chest. He went down with a thud, flames licking up into his face. I smiled, brushed back an unruly copper curl and nocked another arrow. A second orc ran out of a tent. He wore fur skin robes and held a staff with a humanoid skull atop it. The orc began chanting over the chieftain. The flames went out and the fallen orc began to rise, pulling the arrow from his chest. Ah, their healer, I thought to myself. I let the next arrow fly from my bow in his direction, sinking it into his face. Heal that! I thought, as my grin grew wider.

I nocked my next arrow when I caught sight of movement out of the corner of my eye. I saw the halfling sneaking amongst the tents. By the goddess, he never listens or follows a plan, I thought. Corbin was going to get himself killed. The rogue was only supposed to cause a distraction by pulling some of the orcs away from the encampment.

I motioned to Shavalia and pointed to Corbin. She shook her head in annoyance. We trained our bows on the closest orcs to the rogue, and with swift precision, we took them down. I looked back to where I last saw the chieftain and he was gone. Damn it to the seventh level of hell! I thought. Corbin has cost me my quarry.

I climbed further up in the tree and sent my hawk up to scout for me. I couldn’t see the chieftain. Tents were bursting into flames and orcs were scattering. Shavalia swiftly picked off many of the fleeing orcs, sending them sprawling to the ground. I saw Corbin pulling burning branches from the center fire and throwing them into the tents. I sighted my bow on an orc heading in the halfling’s direction. My flaming arrow sent him spinning and burning into a nearby tent. Corbin looked in my direction and I signaled him to get out of there. Then I turned my attention back to the mayhem. I spotted the chieftain and took aim again. I held my breath and as the arrow left my bow, he disappeared in a flash of magical, blue light.

Anger, rage, and hatred poured over me. I begin volleying arrows into the orc encampment. I killed several but many fled into the woods beyond. I wanted to chase them down, to hunt them like they hunted my people. I was stayed by Shavalia’s hand on my arm. I wanted to pummel Corbin, to scream my rage for having lost the chieftain. All the memories of how orcs had killed and eaten my elven brethren washed over me. They’ve destroyed villages and enslaved people. They are evil and I must rid Kinthur of them. I hate them!

I was shaken from my rage when I heard a call from Horus. I held up my arm for the hawk to land. His comforting weight centered me. My faithful friend could always bring me back to myself and remind me of my connection to nature and the goddess.

You have done well this day, my friend. I made sure the healing potions were secured in his leg holsters, and gave him a piece of dried meat from my pouch. Your work is not yet finished. I need you to keep an eye out for any orcs that may backtrack into the camp. With a hand gesture and the scout command, I sent him back into the air. I slung my bow onto my back and we climbed down.

Let us find that rascal Corbin, I said. He has probably already pocketed most of the valuables. She smiled and rolled her eyes.

It no problem, I just turn him upside down and give him good shake, she said. She too slung her bow onto her back and took up her glaive. Together, we made our way down the ridge to the smoky encampment.

Shavalia was tall, even for a human woman, towering over my elven frame. Her almost-black hair fell down her back in braids, adorned with beads and feathers. It was a stark contrast to my copper-red curls. She had many metal rings in both ears and her nose. Silver armbands wrapped both of her muscular upper arms. She was beautiful in an exotic, but primitive, sort of way. My burnt-umber eyes looked plain next to her shocking blues. Her eyes always seemed to show the twinkle of mischief in them, but you knew she was deadly. Although skilled in many different kinds of weapons, the glaive was her passion, much as the bow was mine.

The orc encampment was now ablaze. It was hard to see with all the smoke. I pulled my dagger, just in case I came across a stray orc. We stalked over the slain enemies, our arrows having hit their deadly marks. Their blood soaked the ground and painted the smoldering tents’ sides. A few of the orcs were still alive, but Shavalia dispatched them quickly, her glaive’s blade easily separating their heads from their necks.

I spotted Corbin digging through the chieftain’s tent. He looked up and smiled.

Was that a good distraction, Ellwyn? he asked. I glared at him.

You could have gotten yourself killed! The plan was that you made a distraction to get some of the orcs to leave the camp. I reprimanded.

Oh, piffle! You always want to send me away from the action. I might be small but I’m wiry. He waggled an eyebrow at me, making me frown.

You can’t keep doing whatever you wish. You have to stick with the plan, Corbin. I chided. You made me lose the chieftain. He looked surprised.

You lost the chieftain? He looked around warily.

Yes, he disappeared in a blue flash, I said exasperated.

Oh, so he has magic? he asked.

Or there was a magic user here as well, I said.

Well, that may explain l what I found. Corbin held up a small chest full of eyeballs.

Those real eyes? Shavalia asked.

No, they’re fake, said Corbin, as he tossed one up in the air and caught it again.

Why orcs have fake eyes? asked Shavalia.

I may know the answer to this, I said. Their god, Old One-Eye. When the priests pledge themselves to their god, they have to take one of their own eyes to show their loyalty. Perhaps these are to fill in the holes? Maybe they use them in ceremony? I shrugged.

There wasn't much else of value around here, Corbin said. I mean they’re orcs after all. He shrugged. Shavalia suddenly snatched Corbin up, flipped him over and shook him by one ankle. Corbin protested with words and gestures that neither of us had ever seen nor heard before. Three rings, a dozen gold coins, a pouch of gems, and a scroll case fell to the ground.

Not anything of value, huh? Shavalia questioned. She dropped the halfling to the ground. Corbin jumped up and straightened his clothes.

You think just because you’re bigger than me you can just toss me around like a doll? I will have you know, you could have had my dagger in your gut. He gave her his best intimidating look. When it didn’t work, his shoulders slumped. Besides, I was holding it all for safekeeping, he pouted.

I picked up the scroll case and examined it. The leather case was well oiled and sealed on one end, the other had a wooden plug with a strange symbol on it. I carefully removed the stopper and shook out the parchment. It was written in the common trade tongue. I read it over twice and realized it was a prophecy, in verse. I read it out loud to the group.

"In the heavens of Immortal Dwelling, there wages a war.

Betwixt a God of Magic and a God of Conquest, since the first light of a star shone.

Upon the shining Seven point star, the war did come,

But the lands were denied them.

And so it came to pass, that their progeny were set loose,

To continue the conflict of old.

To the God of magic, the Elf did give fealty,

To the God of conquest did the Orc bow.

Each child race sought allies among the World of Seven.

The Elf did bond with fey and fairy.

The Orc did side with goblin and fiend,

And both found an ally in human form.

And so it shall come to pass, that the children of orc and man shall be born as sisters.

One shall be touched by the stars, bright and burning.

One shall be lost to the dead and found again.

With skin of sage and heart of ice, one shall know power of the hand.

With charm of eel and vitality of blood, one shall know power of voice.

Two paths ahead, two journeys made - the fate of the two worlds entwined.

And so it shall come to pass, that the children of elf and man shall be born as brothers.

One shall be touched by evil incarnate, primordial and ancient,

One shall be lost to the dead and found again.

With skin of crimson and a heart of fire one shall know power of mind,

With wisdom of serpent and brawn of oak one shall know the power of the body,

Two paths ahead, two journeys made- the fate of two worlds entwined.

And so the children of children of children are born,

And so the lives of many are torn,

Until the One that he seeks is adorn,

With the Mark of Old One Eye

And we all shall mourn,

For this means the end of the mortal way,

And the One Eyed God is here to stay.

I LOOK UP TO THEIR slack-jawed faces. Then slowly, a smile crept over each. They looked at each other and spoke in unison. Adventure!

Chapter 2

Ellwyn of Erdyllian

It was a beautiful , crisp, autumn morning. The trees were adorned in their vibrant fall colors. I was in the woods before dawn, as I was most mornings, looking for wild mushrooms for our breakfast. My mother would love to have them to mix with the eggs. I practiced moving silently through the woods, although the mushrooms didn’t have ears, it was still good practice and I might get to see some wildlife.

I came upon some foxes playing in a meadow. I sat and watched them for a long time as they chased, wrestled and pounced on each other. I smiled and giggled to myself as I watched their antics. Slowly, I drew closer to them, to see how near I could get before they got skittish. One of the kits noticed me and, to my surprise, instead of running away, came closer. I held very still and made a few clicking noises that I heard them make earlier. It drew even closer and sniffed all around me, even my face. The other kit made an alarm cry and they darted off into the woods.

The long hours spent in these woods with my father, learning the different plants to be used for food and medicine, had honed my skills in plant lore. I learned to hunt and track by the age of 85, and by 95, I was spending days at a time in the woods, living completely off the land and practicing my bow every day.

I continued looking for mushrooms. On the other side of the meadow, I spotted my prey, dozens of golden chanterelles. Picking the nicest ones, I left those that were too small or too old behind so the patch would keep producing. I put them in my pouch and headed back home.

Erdyllian was a beautiful elven village. All the homes were built among the trees, being as much a part of our homes as our kin. Elven magic and our communion with nature shaped the trees that became our dwellings. It was breathtakingly beautiful. I could smell that my mother had already started the cooking fire.

Look Mother, I brought you mushrooms for our breakfast. I opened the pouch to show her and her eyes lit up with excitement.

Oh Ellwyn, golden chanterelles, my favorite. She tousled my red curls and pulled a twig from my mop of hair. We need to brush and braid this today, she said with a frown. Can you go fetch some water to make the tea?

I thought Ariene was supposed to get water this morning, I whined.

I sent your sister out an hour ago to fetch water and she hasn’t returned, you know how she gets distracted. Now go, and I will give you an extra sticky bun with breakfast, she smiled, knowing my weakness for sweet breads. I picked up the bucket and headed down the vine ladder to the forest floor.

Ariene was 30 years younger than me, still immature and never doing as she was told. She was impetuous and Mother spoiled her. I was always having to pick up her slack, always being the responsible one. I found her trail and tracked her out of the village to a field of wildflowers. She was sitting in the middle of a meadow, playing with two daisies like they were dolls. I got close to the ground to crawl towards her and began a low growl. She froze and turned her head, looking around. I inched closer and growled louder. Her breathing sped up and her eyes grew wide. She suddenly stood up and at the same time I jumped up at her.

AAAAAAAH! she screamed and then recognition crossed her face. ELLWYN! She howled. That was mean. Why would you scare me like that?

Mother sent you to get water ages ago. She is waiting for it to start breakfast. Now get your buckets and let's get some water. I demanded. She picked up her buckets, and with a stomp of her feet, began following me to the river.

As we approached the water, I heard voices. They were guttural, thick and definitely not elven. I motioned for Ariene to stop and we crouched down.

Stay here, I whispered. She nodded. I quietly climbed up a tree and spotted six figures standing by the river’s edge. They were huge, easily a head taller than an adult elf. Their skin was green like moss, and their black hair was thick and matted. When I caught sight of their face, my eyes went wide and my breath caught in my throat. They had tusks. A thick, upwards pointing pair of teeth, reaching towards their eyes. Their strong jaws and loud voices made me afraid to imagine what they could do with a bite. I watched them filling their water skins.

Silently, I climbed back down and whispered to her, Orcs. Her eyes grew big and I put my finger to my lips. Shhh. I continued listening and after a few minutes, I could hear them moving down the river. I climbed back up the tree to make sure it was safe. They were gone. Quickly, we filled our buckets and headed back to our village in silence. When we got home, I relayed the story of the orcs by the river.

Oh, Ellwyn, thank the gods and goddesses that you weren't spotted, Mother exclaimed. Just then, my father came in. Dywel, did you hear how close the orcs were to our village? she asked him.

Yes, Seren, it is troubling that they were that close. I will tell the village council. Then he turned his attention to us. For now, let us not get the water from the river. Go east, to the lake instead.

But Father, that is so much further than the river, Ariene complained.

Yes, Ariene, but it is safer. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you, and we cannot risk the village being discovered by orcs, he sounded very concerned. Now, I must go tell the council. Father left and mother continued to make breakfast. At least I got my extra sticky bun that morning.

Four times did the blue and red moons cycle in the sky with no more signs of the orcs. The council had placed a watch, mostly of archers, on the high bridges and we were not to get water from the river any longer. I spent most of my days in the woods, east of the village.

Around that time, Edmynd, one of the fighters from the village, began training me on the sword. I spent hours on my own practicing the stances and moves he taught me. I also continued practicing my hunting and tracking skills. It was on one of these days, when I was near the lake, that I heard the terrifying alarm horn of the village. I looked west and saw black smoke. I took off running as fast as I could, but I had been tracking a deer far away.

When the tree line came into view, I saw my village had been attacked. The archers had fended them off the best they could, but there were so many of them. Orc and elven bodies alike were strewn all over the ground, their blood mixing in the dirt. The orcs had set fire to the trees that the dwellings were in. I couldn’t see my family anywhere. Our house was ablaze, the smoke burning my eyes. My heart was in my throat, panic began to set in and I had to calm myself. Ellwyn, that won’t help your family, I told myself. Better forward than falling, as father says.

I made my way around the back of the village to a path I knew was hidden by thick trees and brush. I went to see if any of the villagers made it out. I knew a safe place that I could help them get to and hide. That’s when I saw them, my family, lined up against a tree, their throats opened up by an orc’s blade. Blood sheeted and stained their throats and clothes. Their eyes, blankly staring in horror, looked back at me. My father's right leg had been hacked off at the hip and was missing, leaving a stump of raw meat. I had been taught that orcs liked to eat elves and they had probably taken it for tonight's supper. I bent over, silently crying, and pushed down a wave of nausea. I closed my eyes and squeezed back the tears. I regained my composure and with a trembling hand closed my parents’ sightless eyes.

I found my Aunt Syrah, sitting on the ground, stroking my sister’s dark hair, rocking back and forth, crying. I looked around, but there were no orcs in sight. I quietly moved towards her and called softly.

Aunt Syrah, we need to go. She looked at me blankly. I gently took her hand from my sister’s hair and helped her rise. She stood a bit unsteady, my sister’s body laying limply on the ground. Blood still ran from her throat. I took my aunt by the waist and led her swiftly back down the path to the tree line. I looked back at the burning village to see if there were any other survivors, but I saw none. I urged Aunt Syrah down the path to the meadow where I hoped we would be safe.

My aunt numbly told me that my sister had gone to fetch water but went to the river instead of the lake. The orcs saw her there, followed her back and attacked. The memory of the horror crossed her face.

There must have been fifty or more, she sobbed. I know some of our people escaped, but I’m not sure how many. Then, she looked at me and pulled me into her. Oh you poor child, our family is gone. I gently pushed her away, shaking my head. It wasn’t time to cry, it was time for anger, and action, to make sure this never happened again. My hatred for the orc race was born in that moment of blood and pain. I vowed then, to wipe such hateful creatures from the face of Kinthur.

Chapter 3

The Job

C orbin, what are you trying to get us into now? I demanded. He looked at me with a smirk.

"It