*
Gaizka The Warped hobbled to the top of the hill and looked down on the village in the distance. Amador’s warhorse snorted impatiently to Gaizka’s side. The sorcerer glance at the leering skull helmed knight. He had the feeling the steed was echoing its master’s feelings. Amador didn’t look at Gaizka as his voice echoed from within his helm.
“Should I ready them, Lord?”
“Yes,” Gaizka answered. “I want prisoners. We shall let our master decide the fates of the Norscans.”
There was no reply from Amador but Gaizka felt he could hear disgust in the snort and shrieking whinny of the knight’s steed.
Within moments war horns were blaring and Amador’s knights rode to the crest of the hill and hurtled down it towards the village. Packs of hounds ran alongside them barking excitedly at the prospect of fresh meat.
Gaizka began the descent of the hill and within moments his warrior bodyguards were at his side marching silently towards the ringed palisades of the Norscan village.
Off to his right Gaizka heard the shouting of the mounted tribesmen just before he felt the tremors in the ground. He knew not where they had come from but two giants were hurtling towards his force bellowing war cries.
The hounds yapped hungrily and sped towards the giants unfazed and this seemed to refocus the horsemen who wheeled around the nearest of the giants. A horn sounded again as the knights began a thunderous charge towards the other giant, Amador riding with his sword held aloft and roaring a battle cry.
Gaizka’s warriors and the mob of tribesmen marched on foot following up behind the cavalry, spoiling for the fight to come.
The nearest giant was trying to swat a pack of hounds that were snapping ferociously at its heels. The brute had an extra arm that ended in a gnarled club like appendage and tusks jutted from its mouth. One of the hounds leapt onto the giant’s leg and bit into the flesh there bringing a roar of pain from the giant. The creature grabbed the hound in its massive hand and squeezed the life out of it before throwing the mangled corpse at the horsemen that had began to circle it, lashing at its legs with their hooked flails. The hound’s corpse hit one of the horses with such force that it knocked it from its feet and the horse following close behind had no time to move before it collided into and tangle of man and beast.
The other giant had a disfigured, cyclopsian face and two large horns sprouted from its head. It was swinging its massive tree trunk club at Amador and his knights were doing their best to move their heavily armoured horses aside whilst trying to make the most of any openings. Amador stabbed his sword into the giant’s left leg and the cut its arm as it tried to swat at him but missed. Angered further the giant swung the club in a wide arc and unhorsed three of the knights and their steeds bolted, shaken.
The growth on the back of Gaizka’s head was gabbling with anger as he watched the mess the giants were making but Gaizka remained unshaken. His warriors went with him to support Amador and the tribesmen went to aid their mounted kin against the other giant. The tribesmen quickly closed ground swinging their massive two handed axes into the beast’s feet. Meanwhile their mounted kinsfolk hooked and chained its legs. The beast toppled to the ground and as quickly as they’d moved for it to fall the war hounds leapt upon the beast and began to feast upon its flesh. The Marauder Horsemen quickly turned their mounts and raced towards the second giant their thirst for battle not yet sated.
As Gaizka and his bodyguard charge at the giant he saw Amador was knocked off of his horse by a swipe of the giant’s hand and landed a short distance away.
The warriors alongside Gaizka darted around the giant’s legs slashing with their blades and when the war hounds and horsemen entered the melee the beast was quickly brought down. As it fell one of Gaizka’s bodyguards shove him aside. The warrior was crushed under the weight of the giant’s shoulder and Gaizka hauled himself to his feet with his staff thankful for his follower’s timely sacrifice. The war hounds and tribesmen were quickly upon the beast ready to snuff out the last of its life.
“Stop!” roared Gaizka, the head on the back of his own joining in with a harsh shriek. Man and beast stopped motionless. “The creature might yet be of use. Bind his arms and legs!”
Amador stalked over to Gaizka. He seemed uninjured except for the wound to his pride.
“Who’s this?” his voice asked, tinny behind the helm. A horse was riding out from the village with a man astride it. As it drew nearer it became clear that the man was strapped to the horse and his head had been removed and strapped in front of him on the saddle. The corpse was dressed in an ornate suit of armour and wore a heavy fur cloak.
“That would be the village’s chieftain. It would seem they surrender,” Gaizka answered a smile creeping onto his face.
“Cowards,” spat Amador stalking away.
*
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