Sylvara clenched her teeth. Her torn dress hung in tatters, revealing the curve of her hips and the pale skin of her chest, where her heart was pounding wildly.
Gorzak leaned closer, his fangs gleaming in a cruel grin.
"Hrrr… You're finished, elf."
His calloused hand gripped her chin, forcing her face toward him.
Dren chuckled as he loosened the straps of his leather armor.
"Such a sweet little elf… We're going to have fun."
"Never…" Sylvara hissed. Her right hand remained clenched, her eyes shut tight as she tried to ignore the searing pain from her missing arm.
A faint breeze barely stirred the sand around her, pathetic against the raw strength of the orcs.
Gorzak let out a guttural laugh, his fingers squeezing her chin harder, nearly crushing her jaw.
"Your witch tricks are dead, elf!"
With a brutal motion, he tore another strip from her dress, completely exposing her breasts. The chill of the night bit into her bare skin, making her shiver. Dren stepped forward, his rough hands sliding up her thighs, moving upward with deliberate slowness.
"Mmm… Soft as silk."
Sylvara felt a white-hot rage rising in her, stronger than the pain.
Her lips whispered a desperate incantation. "Scindere!"
A swirl of wind burst forth, weak but razor-sharp, slicing through the air. The gust struck Dren full in the face, cutting his cheek.
"Aaargh!" He staggered back, clutching his face as blood trickled between his fingers.
Furious, Gorzak slammed his massive fist down on Sylvara's shoulder—right where her left arm had been severed.
"Raaaagh!" Pain exploded in her body, a blinding white flash stealing her breath. She collapsed halfway, sand clinging to her sweat- and blood-soaked skin.
"You still dare, huh?"
Gorzak grabbed a fistful of her black hair to yank her upright. His claws scraped her scalp, and she clenched her teeth to keep from screaming again.
The winds began to swirl around her again, stronger this time, kicking up clouds of sand that stung the orcs' eyes.
"Tem… Tempesta!"
A miniature storm erupted. Sand lashed out in furious bursts, striking Gorzak and Dren, forcing them to retreat with growls. The campfire flames flickered violently, threatening to go out.
Sylvara seized the moment. She rolled to the side, ignoring the agony radiating from her stump, and snatched a sharp shard of stone from the sand. With a quick motion, she drove it into Dren's thigh.
"Gaaah! You filthy bitch!"
The orc stumbled.
Sylvara rose, swaying, and conjured a gust aimed at Gorzak. But the orc chief, his aura glowing red more fiercely than ever, cut through the wind with his axe, scattering the magic as if it were smoke.
"Hrrrgh… You're stubborn, elf."
A cruel smile stretched across the orc's face. He stepped forward, axe raised.
Sylvara, drained of strength, felt her legs give way. She fell to her knees, vision blurring, fingers clawing at the sand in search of a weapon—anything.
But before Gorzak could strike, a piercing cry split the night. A shadow leapt from the cliffs, swift as an arrow. A lithe figure in a black cape landed between Sylvara and the orcs, brandishing a curved blade that gleamed under the moonlight.
"Back, beasts!" a sharp, clear female voice commanded.
The orcs hesitated, surprised.
Sylvara blinked, struggling to stay conscious.
The woman before her was human, her blonde hair tied in a tight bun, clad in light black armor.
A greatsword rested on her back, but she wielded the curved blade with both hands.
"A human now?" Gorzak roared.
He charged, his axe crashing down like a mountain. The woman sidestepped with fluid grace, her body pivoting like a dancer's. Her curved blade struck, slicing into Gorzak's side.
"Grrrgh!"
Dren, enraged, joined the attack, his fist crackling with energy aimed at the woman's head.
But the human warrior ducked under the blow, her blade sweeping in an arc that severed Dren's hand clean off.
"Aaaargh!"
He staggered back, clutching his bleeding stump. The woman gave him no quarter. She lunged, her blade sinking into the orc's chest. He collapsed with a choking groan.
Gorzak roared, his axe spinning in a deadly arc. The woman blocked with her sword, but the orc's raw strength forced her back, her boots skidding in the sand.
"You're strong, human, but not enough!"
Sylvara, still on her knees, weakly raised her remaining hand.
A faint breeze formed, just enough to distract Gorzak for an instant.
The woman seized the chance. She ducked under the orc's axe, her curved blade slashing at his legs. The blade cut deep into his knee, making him stumble.
"Raaagh!"
The orc countered with supernatural speed, his energy-charged fist slamming into the woman's shoulder.
"Nngh!"
Her armor cracked under the blow. She rolled through the sand, getting back up just in time to dodge an axe swing that shattered a nearby boulder.
Sylvara forced her body to move. She grabbed a spear abandoned by Dren, holding it clumsily in her right hand.
"Enhancer Armentus!"
A burst of wind propelled the spear like a missile. The point pierced Gorzak's back, just below his shoulder blade.
"Gaaah!"
The orc turned toward her, his yellow eyes blazing with fury.
The woman took advantage of the distraction. She leapt forward, her curved blade plunging into Gorzak's throat. The orc staggered and collapsed with a heavy thud, black blood soaking the sand.
Panting, the woman sheathed her blade and approached Sylvara.
"You alive, elf?"
Sylvara, barely conscious, gave a faint nod, her stump still bleeding. The woman knelt beside her, tearing a strip from her cape to fashion a makeshift tourniquet.
"Stay with me." Her nimble fingers tied the fabric tightly around Sylvara's shoulder.
"Aagh…" the elf groaned as pain surged through her again.
The woman scanned the cove, her blue eyes narrowing into the darkness. "It's strange enough to see orcs here… but what's an elf doing outside the sacred lands?" Her gaze fell on Sylvara's wound. "They didn't miss you."
Sylvara gritted her teeth, struggling to remain conscious. "Hnn… Damaris… Dragon…"
The woman froze, her eyes widening. "Dragon?"
She seized Sylvara by the shoulders, ignoring her pained gasp. "Where is it? Speak, elf!"
Sylvara weakly pointed toward the southern cliffs. Her vision dimmed, and she slumped, her head falling against the woman's shoulder. The human warrior cursed under her breath, supporting the unconscious elf. She lifted her gaze toward the cliffs.
"A dragon." Her fist tightened. "This night just got longer."
She hoisted Sylvara onto her shoulder, grimacing under the weight, and walked away from the orc camp, leaving the bodies behind, already half-buried by the sand.
But in the shadows of the cliffs, a figure watched. Amber eyes gleamed, and a predatory smile curled scaly lips.
Damaris.
"Interesting… A broken elf and a fearless human… This should be fun."