Ok, this is my first original story on Fictionpress. It’s actually just a prequal/spinnoff kind of thing of a trilogy I’m currently writing.

Linken and the Orcs

A barbed arrow hissed through the air and embedded itself in Linken’s shield. Linken ducked through the trees of the forest, searching for cover. He crouched behind a boulder, and drew his sword from a scabbard on his back. Sweat beaded his forehead behind his long gray hair. His blue eyes looked stressed and worried.

Another arrow narrowly missed his leg. He picked it up and fired it from his own bow. There was a strangled yelp and a figure fell from the trees. Linken ran to examine it. It was an Orc, one of the creatures who were laying siege to his home of Elvendrena, land of the Elves. It had sickly green skin, small beady eyes, was short, and was dressed in little more than scraps of chainmail and rags. It had horns, one on each side of its head, and a short sword on its belt.

Linken walked away, surveying the land. Elvendrena was a large forest, and it was being attacked by the Orcs. The Elves were doing their best to resist them, but there were the women and children to think of. They could not be caught up in this.

Linken put his bow back across his back, and sheathed his sword. His green tunic was covered in the mud, blood, and sweat of war. Being an Elf himself, Linken had pointed ears and excelled in Magic.

There was a rustling in the trees and out stepped another Elf. He was clad in iron chainmail, and had long brown hair.

“Halt, Artanis! It is I, Linken,” said Linken to the Elf. “How goes the fight?”

“It hasn’t changed. The Orcs still hold the Temple of Oni. Let’s just hope they don’t find the item concealed in it,” replied Artanis.

Just then, about a score of Orcs leapt out of the trees, brandishing clubs and swords. Linken and Artanis drew their bows in an effort to pick off some before they got too close. The Orcs hadn’t seen them yet.

There were only ten of the beasts left after a minute, but by then the Orcs had noticed something.

“They know we’re here,” said Artanis.

“Yeah,” agreed Linken. “We’d better be quieter.”