[color=ed1c24][h2]Fleuri Jodeau[/h2][/color]

With this troll down, Fleuri took another moment to look across the battlefield while he pulled his sword free.  He could not spot the captain nor Tyaethe, but he did see several more trolls in the distance.  Unable to keep up with Klaus on foot, he opted to head for that direction as he hefted his blood-stained sword over his shoulder.

He did not get far, unfortunately; a pair of orcs spotted and charged him, letting out inhuman warcries.  When the closer one drew near, Fleuri skewered it on the end of his zweihander with all of his strength before the greenskin could get close enough to strike the knight with its own weapon.  The momentum with which the orc charged forced Fleuri back several paces, but he regained control and tossed the his wounded foe to the side, freeing it from his blade just as the second orc closed in.

He swung his sword in an arc at the second one as it came within range, but the orc stopped just shy of the tip, narrowly evading injury, then charged forward before the knight could bring his massive sword back in the greenskin's direction.  Fortunately, Fleuri was all too familiar with this window of vulnerability when swinging his zweihander, and had devised techniques to adapt to and deal with foes who sought to exploit it.  In addition, his fixation on the recent sparring match with Tyaethe had brought these now rarely used techniques to the forefront of his mind.  He sprung backwards with surprising agility, just narrowly avoiding his foe's crude cleaver-like weapon, and swiftly drew his dagger from its scabbard with his left hand.  When the orc pressed its attack and swung again at the knight, Fleuri parried its blow, giving him the opportunity needed to decapitate his foe with his zweihander.

[i]One mistake is all it takes,[/i] he mused as he slew his foe.  One mistake, pressing a perceived opportunity a bit too far in the heat of the moment, was all it took for even a clever warrior to fail.  It was something the knight knew all too well.

Just as he delivered the fatal counter-blow, something further into the battlefield lit up like lightning, and in the corner of his eye, he saw the strange beam flying at an unseen target.  He had only enough time to notice the beam change direction and disintegrate a troll.  [i]What was that?[/i]  he wondered.  [i]Was it one of ours?  No, the mages were instructed to stay behind[/i].  Besides, he had never seen any of his fellow knights cast such a spell before- this had to be a third party.  It had struck one of the trolls, but only after changing direction- if they had meant to hit one of those massive beasts, there would've been no need to pull off a trick shot.  Then what was it's intended target?  "Oh no," Fleuri muttered, as he came to a realization.  If it was aimed at one of the Iron Roses, he reasoned, it must have been meant for either Fanilly or Tyaethe.

If this hypothesis was correct, than he could find at least one them further ahead where the beam had been.  Once again, however, he found his way blocked by another orc raider.  [i]At this rate, I'm not going anywhere quickly[/i], Fleuri lamented as he tightened his grip on his weapon.