Fates were with him this day, his quest could continue, the blade sank in but not enough, the orcs blade met his own and it even had the audacity to try to swing a fist at him from its pitiful position. Far be it from Sasha to deny its due stupidity. The powerful arms wrenched from their coils, twisting the longsword out of its hand, driving the blade like a screw through meat down to the bone. He had reach on the orc even with its longsword, now with only a fist it did nothing more than wretch itself free of the roots in a frantic escape.
The sword went wide into the chaos as the blacksmith worked his wrist about like he had the whole way through the forest, muscle memory becoming stronger now as he brought the polearm to bear against the unarmed orc. The blade went around once to build the momentum before he brought a heavy cleaving swipe across chest from east to west, hoping to put a deep enough dent in the thing to make it collapse if not kill it outright.
Sadly, plans never go as well as one hopes. These orcs were more than most and to be given the full respect of their training. The orc stepped in with its left foot and caught the polearm just past the blade into the haft. There was a resounding crack like a broken branch as ribs were shattered but it pressed on with its right hand reached across onto the glaive to keep it in place, it turned for momentum as it drew a sickle from its belt and brought it to bear on the boy.
Sasha saw silver for a moment as the reaping tool ran itself down his arm north to south. Had it been side to side the limb might be ruined, but for now it was a bad gash he could still fall back on. Against all odds, Sasha let go of his weapon, letting the orc bear a blade easily heavier than any greatsword it ever held to throw it off balance as he met its step in with his only good arm and took the hand that the orc carried the sickle in with a bone popping grip.
Each with one arm to their name, the two struggled for control of the blade as its dripping tip thirsted for a throat. As mighty as orcs are, their strength is a natural development, but what is raw talent compared to the dedication of one who builds their body? Both were about to find out.
Oso
