Chapter 32
Signs of thirty two
A small scout group found the reavers, or more accurately found some of the reavers. There were three reavers rushing back to the south. Luuk looked at the reavers through the eyes of the scouts and the reavers looked like they were in bad shape. The scouts pressed the reavers. They moved sluggishly the scouts got right up to the reavers before the reavers struck at them.
The undead scouts slammed into the reavers. The reavers however, even when injured were still many times more powerful than the undead humans. The reavers tossed the undead about eventually destroying the entire scout group. The reavers continued to advance on the main undead force. Luuk sent another group to meet them. The second group killed all but one of the reavers but was destroyed itself.
The lone reaver appeared infront of the main force. It was limping badly and had the use of only one arm. The reaver still crashed the front line of the undead with all the force it could muster. It took out a couple of the undead before it was dragged down.
Luuk went and examined the creature It suffered far greater damage than Luuk would have thought possible. Great chucks of flesh were missing from the upper arms. Deep gouges were cut into its chest. Part of the fact was missing where one of the undead had grabbed the monster. Luuk reached down and touched the monster. The armor like skin was still intact in many spots. Luuk was shocked. With just his had he left a deep scratch in the armor like skin. He would have expected a very sharp weapon do do that kind of damage.
He bent down to examine the wounds on the beast. The deep cuts were obviously the work of the undead army hands and teeth. The undead should not be able to do such damage to the massive beast. If they could why had the beast been able to fight the undead for so long without taking serious wounds. Unless the number of reavers in the area was much larger than he had thought.
As his master started to urge him to greater speed Luuk got the undead moving again. He again sent out scouts to find the fest of the reavers. If his count was accurate there would be more than thirty reavers left form the group that attacked earlier.
Luuk waited for the reaver attack. He did not have to wait long. Less than an hours after the three injured ravers attacked the scouts and then the main group the main group the reavers again came into sight. They were arayed for atack and had obtained bodies form some where.
The ravers screamed as they hurled body after body into the massed undead. Luuk considered getting the undead to hurl bodies back but he had learned earlier that the range of reavers was far greater than anything his undead could attain. The bodies smashed in to the front lines of the undead. The revers yelled out again and again as they launched the bodies into the air.
Luuk learned a lot about the limitations of the undead, there lack of speed and agility against a more powerful and mobile foe. The undead did massive damage to the reavers when they could catch them but the problem was catching the reavers in the first place. The undeads biggest advantage was numbers and Luuk planned to use it from now on.
The undead continued to advance on the reavers. When the undead were near the reavers they charged into the massed undead. Luuk was prepared for it though and he had the undead open up and allow the reavers into undead ranks minimal contact. Some of the reavers were so surprised they were quickly swarmed. They smaxhed undead to the ground but it was moments until they were dragged off their feet and killed.
Other reavers were not as surprised and continued to charge until they hit something. Luuk looked at the results. The reavers were all surrounded by the undead. They fought like they knew they were going to die. This was a suicide mission Luuk realized. The reavers smashed undead out of their path. They smashed as many undead as they could and when they were overcome they tried to maim as many of the undead army as they could reach.
The massive reavers were difficult to kill. The undead seemed to be able to cut into the creatures like they held sharp blades. This fascinated Luuk but he did not dwell on it. He concentrated on taking the last of the reavers down. The reavers took down five or ten of the undead before they died. The massive creatures moved through the massed undead. The sounds of the crushing of bones reached Luuk as the last of the reavers neared his position.
They seemed to know that they were about to die but they continued to fight. Luuk forced himself to draw a breath in and he could smell them. The blood that flowed freely from their many wounds was detectable to Luuk. He was amazed at the damage they continued to inflict.
There was only one reaver left he fought on. Luuk watched as the massive form blasted through another of his undead units. Luuk closed his eyes and watched through the eyes of his minions.
He watched through anothers eyes and saw the reaver as it fought just in front of the undead. When the reaver struck the undead a wave of power carried the undead farther than the attack would have gone naturally.
Magic! Damn, Magic. The reavers were enhanced. No wonder they had destroyed so many of Luuks forces. The reavers were able to do far more damage then they would have normally. Luuk returned to his own site and thought back to the battles with the reavers earlier. It was not until the earthen giant had attacked that the reavers were able to do such massive damage to the undead.
Luuk commanded all his forces to converge on this last reaver. The reaver fought well. Luuk locked eyes with it for a moment as it tore a man in half and used the remaining parts to beat back more of the advancing undead. Luuk saw Adams leap onto the back of the reaver and claw deep into he beasts eyes. The reaver reached up and flung Adams form his back into the crowded undead.
That spelled the end for the reaver. It continued to fight but robbed of its sight it could no longer defend itself. The undead would strike from the rear tearing and gouging at the massive legs of the beast. As the reaver lost its mobility it was at an even wore disadvantage. The undead moved in then and after a final scream of terror and pain the reaver was gone.
There was now nothing between Luuk and returning to his master. The undead had been very badly hurt. Luuk looked over his legion and saw that he had started with nearly two thousand. He now had just over four hundred.
Luuk got the undead formed up to march. The carnage they marched through was impressive. Luuk stopped to look at the damage that was done to the undead as well as the damage they inflicted on the massive beasts. The reavers were able to tear the undead to bits, they had used the bodies of the undead as shields, as missiles, and as clubs. Luuk wondered if the undead would encounter any other reavers as they marched north. He wished he had some way to tell the magically endowed reavers from the others. Without it he would have to assume they were all enhanced.
The undead marched silently.
To Luuk the biggest loss was the loss of the other like him. He was the last of the dead that could talk. When Adams had been crushed by the reaver Luuk realized that the last piece of his humanity crushed with it. Luuk would have to make due without humanity. He wold have to make due simply being dead.
A small scout group found the reavers, or more accurately found some of the reavers. There were three reavers rushing back to the south. Luuk looked at the reavers through the eyes of the scouts and the reavers looked like they were in bad shape. The scouts pressed the reavers. They moved sluggishly the scouts got right up to the reavers before the reavers struck at them.
The undead scouts slammed into the reavers. The reavers however, even when injured were still many times more powerful than the undead humans. The reavers tossed the undead about eventually destroying the entire scout group. The reavers continued to advance on the main undead force. Luuk sent another group to meet them. The second group killed all but one of the reavers but was destroyed itself.
The lone reaver appeared infront of the main force. It was limping badly and had the use of only one arm. The reaver still crashed the front line of the undead with all the force it could muster. It took out a couple of the undead before it was dragged down.
Luuk went and examined the creature It suffered far greater damage than Luuk would have thought possible. Great chucks of flesh were missing from the upper arms. Deep gouges were cut into its chest. Part of the fact was missing where one of the undead had grabbed the monster. Luuk reached down and touched the monster. The armor like skin was still intact in many spots. Luuk was shocked. With just his had he left a deep scratch in the armor like skin. He would have expected a very sharp weapon do do that kind of damage.
He bent down to examine the wounds on the beast. The deep cuts were obviously the work of the undead army hands and teeth. The undead should not be able to do such damage to the massive beast. If they could why had the beast been able to fight the undead for so long without taking serious wounds. Unless the number of reavers in the area was much larger than he had thought.
As his master started to urge him to greater speed Luuk got the undead moving again. He again sent out scouts to find the fest of the reavers. If his count was accurate there would be more than thirty reavers left form the group that attacked earlier.
Luuk waited for the reaver attack. He did not have to wait long. Less than an hours after the three injured ravers attacked the scouts and then the main group the main group the reavers again came into sight. They were arayed for atack and had obtained bodies form some where.
The ravers screamed as they hurled body after body into the massed undead. Luuk considered getting the undead to hurl bodies back but he had learned earlier that the range of reavers was far greater than anything his undead could attain. The bodies smashed in to the front lines of the undead. The revers yelled out again and again as they launched the bodies into the air.
Luuk learned a lot about the limitations of the undead, there lack of speed and agility against a more powerful and mobile foe. The undead did massive damage to the reavers when they could catch them but the problem was catching the reavers in the first place. The undeads biggest advantage was numbers and Luuk planned to use it from now on.
The undead continued to advance on the reavers. When the undead were near the reavers they charged into the massed undead. Luuk was prepared for it though and he had the undead open up and allow the reavers into undead ranks minimal contact. Some of the reavers were so surprised they were quickly swarmed. They smaxhed undead to the ground but it was moments until they were dragged off their feet and killed.
Other reavers were not as surprised and continued to charge until they hit something. Luuk looked at the results. The reavers were all surrounded by the undead. They fought like they knew they were going to die. This was a suicide mission Luuk realized. The reavers smashed undead out of their path. They smashed as many undead as they could and when they were overcome they tried to maim as many of the undead army as they could reach.
The massive reavers were difficult to kill. The undead seemed to be able to cut into the creatures like they held sharp blades. This fascinated Luuk but he did not dwell on it. He concentrated on taking the last of the reavers down. The reavers took down five or ten of the undead before they died. The massive creatures moved through the massed undead. The sounds of the crushing of bones reached Luuk as the last of the reavers neared his position.
They seemed to know that they were about to die but they continued to fight. Luuk forced himself to draw a breath in and he could smell them. The blood that flowed freely from their many wounds was detectable to Luuk. He was amazed at the damage they continued to inflict.
There was only one reaver left he fought on. Luuk watched as the massive form blasted through another of his undead units. Luuk closed his eyes and watched through the eyes of his minions.
He watched through anothers eyes and saw the reaver as it fought just in front of the undead. When the reaver struck the undead a wave of power carried the undead farther than the attack would have gone naturally.
Magic! Damn, Magic. The reavers were enhanced. No wonder they had destroyed so many of Luuks forces. The reavers were able to do far more damage then they would have normally. Luuk returned to his own site and thought back to the battles with the reavers earlier. It was not until the earthen giant had attacked that the reavers were able to do such massive damage to the undead.
Luuk commanded all his forces to converge on this last reaver. The reaver fought well. Luuk locked eyes with it for a moment as it tore a man in half and used the remaining parts to beat back more of the advancing undead. Luuk saw Adams leap onto the back of the reaver and claw deep into he beasts eyes. The reaver reached up and flung Adams form his back into the crowded undead.
That spelled the end for the reaver. It continued to fight but robbed of its sight it could no longer defend itself. The undead would strike from the rear tearing and gouging at the massive legs of the beast. As the reaver lost its mobility it was at an even wore disadvantage. The undead moved in then and after a final scream of terror and pain the reaver was gone.
There was now nothing between Luuk and returning to his master. The undead had been very badly hurt. Luuk looked over his legion and saw that he had started with nearly two thousand. He now had just over four hundred.
Luuk got the undead formed up to march. The carnage they marched through was impressive. Luuk stopped to look at the damage that was done to the undead as well as the damage they inflicted on the massive beasts. The reavers were able to tear the undead to bits, they had used the bodies of the undead as shields, as missiles, and as clubs. Luuk wondered if the undead would encounter any other reavers as they marched north. He wished he had some way to tell the magically endowed reavers from the others. Without it he would have to assume they were all enhanced.
The undead marched silently.
To Luuk the biggest loss was the loss of the other like him. He was the last of the dead that could talk. When Adams had been crushed by the reaver Luuk realized that the last piece of his humanity crushed with it. Luuk would have to make due without humanity. He wold have to make due simply being dead.
posted by shaneknysh at 00:04
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