Stories > Kaldor part I
by Arduhn
“Fools” thought Kaldor as he looked out across his army at the huge force of Orcs and Goblins assembled. Kouran had given a portion of the Black Arc raiding force over to Kaldor, about one hundred Dark Elves which were mostly too old or too young to do much good-not exactly the cream of the crop but he would have to manage. Kaldor's unhappy task was to guard the retreat of the main force which was attacking some human village, which was about a days march inland, for slaves. All had gone well until this army of greenskins had arrived, they claimed that the land belonged to them or some such nonesense, Orcs would attack anyone they found for any excuse so Kaldor had not even bothered to listen to their useless drivel. The oposing army was about three times the size of Kaldor's and he had almost no hope of defeating it. Fortunately defeating the army was not what Kaldor had in mind.
Kaldor motioned to his standard bearer, one of the few useful men he had, and then gave the Elf some commands when he came close enough. The Elf prodded his Cold one forward and returned with four other Elves, assassins. Kaldor had no sooner told them all his orders when the assassins were among the army looking for the largest, strongest looking Elves, men only, in the army. Then they pulled off their cloaks and joined Kaldor with the others for an honor guard. Kaldor watched as they strode forward at a walking pace towards the opposite army. They met the Orclord and his guard halfway between either army.
“Our lord, the mighty Kaldor, wishes to extend a challenge, to single, barehanded combat with your mighty warlord,” decried the standard bearer as the assassins spread out through the scant trees and brush, “what say you?”
“I say,” boomed the warlord “I will be crushing his face into the dirt!” as he said this he balled his hands into fists and roared into the air, this was the moment the assassins had been waiting for, they fired their crossbows at the Orc. The weapons had been armed with tiny darts, dipped with poison.
Kaldor watched as his small guard returned and sure enough four Elves stepped up to him, each with the mark of Khaine tatooed on their faces, each nodded solemnly. Now it was time to carry out his plan. Using dark riders Kaldor sent out messengers to all the units in his force and then he motioned to his guard and prodded his cold one steed forth.
Again the two guards met in the middle of the field and Kaldor dismounted. To his dimay, Kaldor saw that the Orc general seemed perfecly healthy and as strong as ever. He pulled out his axe slowly, it was a very heavy axe - the largest available. Kaldor was large for an Elf but the Orclord was massive. Kaldor slowly stepped off his cold one and examined his axe, it had many runes and markings, a very ornimental executioner axe with some magical properties. The axe was not his regular weapon, he had taken it from one of the executioners in his force, so he took some time to examine it, hefting it and feeling its balence, he also took time to let the poisons do their magic on the Orclord.
The Orclord, Grimhorned, was readying himself as well, he pulled out his axe - which was only slightly larger than Kaldor's but which the Orc lifted easily in one hand. As he was adjusting his armour Grimhorned saw a small feathery thing protruding from his leather jerkin, he laughed to himself over the weakling pansies who thought they could kill him with arrows.
The two small guards of the Elf and Orc generals formed a rough circle and Kaldor,saying a silent prayer to Khaine, and the Grimhorned entered. They stared at each other, weapons hefted, each waiting for the other to act. The Orcs gibbered and taunted Kaldor, the Elves watched the two combatants in silent anticipation. Then Grimhorned lifted his axe and bellowed, rushing forward. Kaldor did not dodge the blow, he lifted his own axe and intercepted the attack. The impact sent a shudder through Kaldor's entire being, he stood still, trying not to sway, trying to remain poised because, for his plan to work, it was of utmost importance that he retain his composure.
Grimhorned was shocked, the pansy had taken his strongest blow and had barely moved an inch, it was impossible. Meanwhile Kaldor had regained enough strength to speak.
“Is that all you've got?” he asked cooly.
This so enraged the Orclord that he charged again but this time Kaldor dodged and used his momentum to swing the axe aroud, chopping into Grimhorned's back. This knocked the Orc to the ground but did not pierce the armour enough to draw blood. Grimhorn pushed himself up and turned around with rage in his eyes.
“Waagh” he cried rushing at Kaldor.
The Elflord dodged the onrush once more and swung once more, again knocking the Orc down but this time while on the ground, Grimhorned swung his axe and cought Kaldor in the leg, pulling him onto his back. Then the Orc stood up and hefted his axe high above his head and brought it down. Kaldor rolled away from the blow and quickly leapt to his feat, unfortunately in the rolling he let go of his axe, so he pulled out his sword. The Orc wasted no time and was again rushing at Kaldor. Kaldor moved to one side and thrust with his sword. The sword found its mark in Grimhorned's belly, piercing his armour it came through to his back. Kaldor was astounded to turn around and discover that the Orc was rushing at him once more, he leapt to one side and rolled over to his axe, hefting it as the Orclord stopped to retch the sword from his belly. This would prove fatal as blood came rushing out of the now exposed wounds, this combined with the poison working through his body slowed Grimhorned quite significantly. Seeing the black blood gushing out of his opponent, Kaldor knew that his plan would work, he lifted his axe and brought it down on Grimhorned's helmed head. This put a dent and a gash in the horned helm and put a new hole for blood to exit through in the Orc's head. As the axe drank blood, Kaldor could feel it getting lighter in his hands, either that or he was getting stronger which indeed he did feel. Kaldor saw his opponent sinking slowly to the ground and he rushed forward, he lopped off an arm, then swung again and again, smashing the Orc into the dust.
Kaldor looked down on his defeated foe and spit. He then looked up, his eyes hooded on the Orcen guards. The sight of this pale-skinned Elf's face spattered with black Orc blood was frightening but the Orcs held their ground, fingering their weapons. Simultaneously the assassins and other Dark Elves rushed at their Orcen counterparts and proceded to slaughter them in bloody combat. One Orc who stumbled to close to Kaldor lost his head to Kaldor's magic axe.
When the Orc guards were all slain, Kaldor and his guard, which was now down a few Elves, strode towards the Orc army. Actually the army consisted mainly of Goblins and had very few Orcs indeed.
“Are there any more who wish to die?” asked Kaldor with a sneer. There were none.
Kouran watched as the last inhabitant of the small village was chained to the line. He was pleased, everything that could have gone wrong did but he had prevailed.
Somehow the humans had learned about the raid and set up defenses against his army. After sieging the village for little over a day a rather large army, comprised mainly of young knights seeking honour, had arrived to save the place. Although large, the army was no more than half the size of the Dark Elf force and was dealt withfairly efficiently, not one single Elf was wasted as was Kouran's style. In the twenty years since becoming a general in the Dark Elf army, Kouran had never lost a battle and hopefully he never would for on that day, he would die. After the battle, all the dead, human and Elf, were gathered and burned to warm Kouran's bedside. The very next morning the Dark Elves broke the enemy defenses and ransacked the village. Anything of value was, of course, taken, but the thing which the Dark Elves valued the most and for which they had come to this place was slaves. They had gathered about four hundred people in all, the rest, which were about one hundred were sacrificed to Khaine. Kouran would be returning to Naggaroth with over twice the slaves he had been commissioned to collect and ahead of schedule, the witch king would be well pleased.
Kouran stepped into his saddle and prodded his cold one forth, issuing orders all the while. His army moved into action, driving the slaves forward, they were heading back to the black arc and then back to Naggaroth.
Kaldor was awoken by one of his scouts and told that the army was within an hours march. He sprang out of bed and began issuing orders to his Elves and new Gobblin lackeys. When Kouran met him, Kaldor informed him of the events and saw the mirth rise in Kouran's eyes, the tale of bloodshed and the dead Orc caused him to even smile. Kouran then related his tale to Kaldor and they had a laugh at the killing of many small children from the village.
“You shall be a great general some day,” Kouran confided in Kaldor, “correction, you are a great general, that is if I have my way.”
Kaldor thanked him for his words and then they parted to sleep what was left of the day until they would march the rest of the way to the black arc and load the slaves and lackeys to set sail.
The End of part one...
By Arduhn