Gleeson The Defender The Conclusion

Gleeson walks over to the orc standing in the middle of town. Gleeson lets a knife fall from his sleeve into his left hand, hiding it from the orc. “We can negotiate so that most of this town can survive and we can go back to how things were.”

“I want my father’s sword.”

“That won’t be an opti-” But the orc can’t finish. Gleeson slices his throat with a flash of his blade.

He grabs the tip of the knife in the same motion and sends it flying at the closest orc to him. It slams into the skull of the orc, sending it off the horse. Gleeson grabs the sword from the fallen orc in front of him. The orcs are all in shock at the audacity of the humans.

Gleeson sends the short sword in a flying arch over the orcs, finding its home in the chest of a shaman. Within seconds of the shaman falling to the ground a volley of arrows comes over the clan. Most of the shamans are able to get shields up before arrows take them but some fall dead from their horses.  

Once the shaman fall dead the spell on the trolls is released. The trolls shake their heads, the cloudiness of the spell fading away. The largest troll looks around and sees the chain leading to the orcs. “Kill the orcs.”

The few trolls that are freed from the shaman control attack the ranks of the orcs ripping out the throats with their teeth. Gleeson takes advantage of the stunned orcs and races down the street toward the orcs taking out his daggers.

He leaps in the air at two orcs on horses. His blades find their throats spilling more orc blood all over him. He lands as the two orcs fall of their horses behind him. A sword comes down at him. He blocks it with his knife and swings hard with his left knife taking the arm off at the elbow. The orc falls to the ground holding its upper arm trying to stop the bleeding.

Arrows scream by Gleeson’s head crashing into orcs. The town’s people charge the orcs with spears in hand. They collide with them in the middle of town. Jake is getting surrounded by the other groups of orcs coming in from the other parts of town. “To arms.” Jake commands all those that can fight in his group.

Gleeson and the trolls make short work of the small group in front of them with the help of the archers. “We’re in your debt.” The troll confronts Gleeson as the rest of the orcs are destroyed around them.

“We couldn’t have done it without you.” Gleeson offers his hand. The troll reaches out a clawed hand, they shake, grasping their forearms.

“The children.” Erik points from a distance. Gleeson follows seeing Jake and those under his command on the other side of town. Without hesitation, Gleeson moves to his father’s claymore. He pulls it from the sheath attached to the dead orc. He runs to help Jake, his claymore held high.

He slides to a halt behind the orcs, whipping his claymore at their necks taking off at least four heads and slicing open necks. He pushes the tip of the claymore in the back of an orc like a spear driving it forward impaling another. He pushes his way into the center where Jake is. He lets go of his claymore letting the momentum of the orcs crash to the ground.

Gleeson’s energy forces him to the ground but his agility allows him to pull his daggers from their sheaths as he rolls to his feet. “I was beginning to wonder if you forgot about us.” Jake looks around at the orcs closing in, their teeth bared.  

“I was already drinking, figured you had this under control.” Jake looks at Gleeson and rolls his eyes. “You have us surrounded.” Gleeson calls out to the orcs. “All I ask before you attack is one thing.” The lead orc holds up his hand halting them.

“The time to negotiate is over.”

“You’re mistaken, I plan on taking your head, along with several others, I was just curious on what you’re planning on doing with them?” He points with his knife behind the orcs.

The orcs turn just as several trolls jump into the middle of them. Chaos breaks out all around with blood flying everywhere. Jake and Gleeson hold the center with the rest of the town’s people defending those that can’t fight. To Gleeson’s surprise, Jake is doing quite well against several opponents, deflecting multiple attacks at once.

He can’t deflect all of them though, and his calf is sliced by a downward strike. He falls to the ground, still fighting them off. The blade comes from his blind side, going straight for his throat. “No.” Gleeson steps in front of the blade taking it in the belly.

He looks down, seeing the blade disappear inside him. He looks at the orc holding the hilt of the sword. He grabs the orcs wrist when it tries to pull it out but Gleeson holds tight. He pulls the orc closer, letting the tip come out his back.

He’s now face to face with the orc and gives him a bloody smile. He points the dagger at the orcs throat and pushes in slowly. The orcs eyes are wide as its blood drains from his throat. Gleeson falls to his knees looking down once again at the sword. He can’t see any of the blade, only the hilt. 

Gleeson looks around holding onto his blades still, seeing the carnage unfold in front of him. He tries to stand but is unable to do so. He looks around, his men fighting, but it’s not the town’s people he sees, it’s the Iron Brothers.  

He falls to the ground but is caught before he hits the dirt. Jake is there holding him in his arms. “Your promised has been kept.” Jake holds him so he can see the triumph the town is experiencing. The few orc survivors flee on horseback but are dropped quickly with a volley of arrows.

Gleeson smiles, blood is covering his teeth. “I’ll protect her in the afterlife so you can all be a family once again.”

“I’d appreciate that.” A tear runs down Jake’s face.

“This is your town now. They’ll look for you for guidance.”

“I don’t know where to start.”

“Rebuild.” Gleeson takes a deep breath. “Take my father’s sword.” Gleeson points weekly to his left. “It belongs to a leader.” Jake nods his head. Erik comes up to them, kneeling with Jake. “He’s going to need your help.” Gleeson looks at Erik.

“I know, and we’ll need his.”

“Remember what I taught you and this town will stay defended.” Gleeson closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. He opens his eyes and sees the old woman standing next to him looking down. He laughs, coughing up some blood. “Old woman, I need to know one thing.”

She looks at him with her head cocked to the side. “What could you possibly learn from me?”

“Your name.” He closes his eyes again, his chest no longer rising.

“It’s Annabelle.” She whispers. The town gathers around Gleeson, falling silent.

“Gather the wood, we all build his spire.” Jake stands up letting Gleeson down gently. “Tend to your families first.” He walks over to the two orcs spooning with his father’s claymore holding them together. He puts his foot on one and pulls out the sword letting them lie limp. He wipes their blood off the sword on their lifeless bodies.

He walks through the crowd holding onto the secondary hilt with the blade protruding behind him. He comes face to face with the trolls that are waiting on the outside of the crowd. “Your leader is dead?” Jake nods. “We shall forever be in his debt for freeing us.”

Gleeson The Defender Part 9

That night, they burn the bodies of the dead on mounds of lumber the town gathered in true Claville fashion. Each family member that’s able to work must spend time gathering and building the spire for the deceased to be burned upon so their spirit can join the afterlife.

Those without families help where they are needed, usually with families now with only one parent. Gleeson stares at Mary’s spire as Jake takes the torch around the bottom, lighting it in multiple places. He turns away as the flames dance around her lifeless body. The street glows as smoke bellows above their roofs. 

Gleeson walks behind Jake’s house towards the barn. He can feel the heat as he moves to the back of the house, his shadow flickering with the flames behind him. He opens the barn door and pauses, he turns around looking back at Jake and Adeline as they say goodbye to Mary. He turns back, closing the door behind him, blocking out the town singing the song of mourning. He sits on a stool with his claymore, sharpening it as tears roll off his face. He’s never cried for anyone before, not even when his father died.

Mary was different though. She was someone that he could see himself spending his life with but he knew it would never happen. She loved her family and there was no place for him. “What does it matter now?” He grinds the stone along the section of blade he’s sharpening. “She’s dead and you made a promise. Get your wits about you.” His anger helps dry away the tears.

The noise at the barn door takes him out of his sharpening trance. Erik walks into the barn and closes the door behind him, blocking out the singing again. “I can’t handle it out there.” He leans up against one of the posts.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“Why’s that?”

“I need you to send out some scouts for the night and some sentries at each end of town.”

“You think they’ll come back so soon?”

“I would if I were them. If it were my brothers getting slaughtered by some nobodies, I’d take them out as quickly as I could.”

“Why?”

“What are you, a child? What’s with all the questions?”

“I need to know the plan. Jake isn’t going to be much help and Mary’s-” Gleeson holds up a hand, stopping him in mid-sentence. He can’t bare hearing that she’s dead again, not right now.

“Well, it could show weakness. That isn’t good amongst the orc ranks. I would bring everything that I had to take out any threat that came my way.”

“You think the whole orc clan is coming tomorrow?”

“I do, and we must be prepared. If they don’t, then we march.” They sit in silence for a while listening to the stone sing off the steel as Gleeson slides it across his claymore. They hear the muffled singing come to an end drawing their attention.

“Should I gather everyone?” Gleeson nods at Erik and he slips through the barn door leaving it open behind him. Gleeson puts his sword down and walks to the door. He looks at the glowing town in front of him. The fire puts off heat that he can feel at the barn door.

            He can hear raised voices coming in front of Jake’s house. Curiosity gets the better of him so he moves to see where the voices are coming from. He rounds the corner to see several people confronting Erik, Jake is one of them.

“Is there a problem here?” Gleeson leans up against the porch.

“We need time to mourn.” Jake turns his attention to Gleeson.   

“And I gave you time. You gathered your wood, you built your spires and you sang your song.”

“We need more time than that.” The old woman from earlier shows her bravery once again.

“You need to train.”

“Look around you. We can’t take on the orcs like this.” Jake points behind him at all the fires. Gleeson humors him by following with his eyes.

“Well, events have been put into motion that can’t be undone. This discussion is over.” Gleeson looks over to Erik.

“Form up.” Erik walks into the street waiting for the others to form their lines.

“No.” Jake folds his arms at his chest.

“So this is how it’s going to be then?”

“It is.” Jake holds his ground.

“You did this to us.” The old woman steps between them. He realizes at this moment that he still doesn’t know her name.

“You asked me to. Now form up.” The anger rushes back to his face. Some of the men listen and move quickly to their line.

“My wife is dead. I’m not moving a muscle until I mourn her.” Others join in with Jake in their contempt of training.

“Your wife was dead when she got the cough. I can’t believe that you’ll be so selfish as to let your child die.” Gleeson’s words releases anger in Jake he’s never seen before. Jake is on him in a second. Gleeson wasn’t prepared for an attack like this.

Jake takes Gleeson off his feet and both land on the ground hard. Jake is on him with a knife drawn going for his throat. Gleeson grabs his hand holding inches away from certain death.

“This must be what she fell in love with.”

“I’m going to kill you, you son of bitch.”

“No you’re not. You want to know why?”

“Why?” Both men are grunting while they struggle with the knife.

“Because I made a promise to Mary, and I’ll keep at least half that promise but I don’t think you want Adeline to be an orphan, do you?”

“Daddy?” A small voice comes from the porch. “Why are you and Mr. Gleeson wrestling?” Adeline’s voice distracts Jake long enough for Gleeson to push him off. Jake gets up dropping the knife.

“He was just showing me something that I needed to know.”  Jake gets up to the porch, tears rolling down his face.

“What’s that daddy?”

“That what I still have is more than what I’ve lost.” Adeline bends down and gives Jake a kiss on his forehead.

“Don’t worry daddy. Mommy will watch over us.”

“She already has honey.” Jake looks over to Gleeson.  “Now run along and go to bed. I’ll be up when I can.” Jake gives her a kiss back and walks over to stand next to Erik. “You heard the man. Form up.” The people at the porch look at each other in confusion. “I said form up.”

They quickly move around to get in line. They train in the light of the fires. The spirits of the dead are drifting in the smoke about them as they train. They train until the fires are a dull glow before they go to bed with soot covered faces.

The morning comes faster than most wanted. They spend the morning getting ready to leave. Everyone that’s going after the orcs is preparing for war and those that aren’t get ready to flee if things go wrong.

Gleeson and Erik make the plans they need while Jake helps those that are to flee to only grab what they need. Jake is going to help those flee so he can stay with his daughter but only after a huge protest and argument with Gleeson.

The whole town is about to move in their desired directions when one of Erik’s riders gallops up. “They’re coming.” He jumps off his horse before his horse comes to a complete stop.

“How far?” Gleeson runs up.

“At the tree line. They’re coming to destroy us.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because sir, they captured me. They told me that they brought the whole clan and will destroy us all.”

“Mountain trolls are quiet.” Erik lets the scout know it’s not all his fault.

 “We aren’t ready for this.” Gleeson turns to address the town. “We need to run. We can’t take them without the element of surprise.”

“Gleeson.” The orc voice calls to him. Gleeson spins around to see the orc clan riding slowly into town. There are trolls chained in collars in front of them.

“Shaman.” Gleeson points to the staffs behind them. Erik locates the staffs high in the back. “That’s how they control the trolls.”

“They must be strong. Trolls have a huge immunity to magic.”

“That’s why we need to take them out first. Looks like two shaman per troll. I want your archers taking them out first.”

“I want to talk to you.” The orc clan leaders points to Gleeson.

“Then halt your clan and meet me in the middle.” The orc clan stops as Gleeson requests. The clan leader gets off his horse and walks to the middle of town with his hands held high. He sees a short sword on his side and his father’s claymore on his back. “Get the troops ready. We’ll hold them off so they can flee.”

As Gleeson points to the other side of town he sees the other group of orcs coming in on the other side of town and filling in between houses, the heads of the sentries and scouts with them. The town is surrounded by orcs.

Flashbacks of the ambush that took his men flash in front of him. Gleeson has a look of terror in his eyes. “What have I done?” Erik and Jake come up to see him.

“What are we going to do?” They see the look in his eyes. “Gleeson.” Jake slaps him in the face. “You made a promise.” Gleeson glares at him. “Now what are we going to do?”

“We do what Mary wanted us to do.” Gleeson smiles, anger coursing through him.

“What’s that?” Jake smiles with him.

“We kill them all.”

Gleeson The Defender Part 8

Gleeson snaps awake from his slumber. He sees Erik stirring the fire with a stick. “How long have I been out for?”

“Not long.”

“I don’t think I can sleep any longer in this place. Why don’t you get some sleep, I’ll stand guard.”

“Suit yourself. Don’t know if I can either, too many bad vibes here.” They both look over at Jake, who’s sleeping like a baby.

“We have a fight ahead of us. You should get some sleep.”

“I’d rather leave this place.”

“I would too, but the trolls.”

“You think we could use them to our advantage?”

“Depends, can you speak troll?”

Erik looks at Gleeson. His eyes are taking on a serious tone in the light of the fire. He grunts several times slamming his fists to his chest.

“What’s that mean?”

“I don’t fucking know. I was making shit up.” Erik laughs. Gleeson joins in. Jake stirs a little stretching out. They laugh even harder waking him up.

“What’s going on?” His groggy voice is barely audible above their laughter.

“Nothing.” Gleeson’s laughter fades. “Are you ready to get outta here?”

“Yeah.” Jake stands up stretching out his arms.

“I’ll go take a look around.” Erik walks off grabbing his bow. Gleeson kicks dirt on their little fire after they get their gear together. Jake and Gleeson each grab a shaft on the cart and lift.

It only takes a brief moment but they’re able to get it moving with its heavy load. They pull it through the abandoned battlefield at a steady pace.  Erik picks a way through the dense forest that’s easy for the cart.

The trees grow lighter as they move through them. It’s hard to tell what time of day it is because of the thick foliage above them. The sun only peeks through small gaps between the leaves.

They come upon the rock formation they hid behind when they saw the orcs and trolls. They take a short break here as Erik looks around the rocks. He cautiously makes his way to the road ahead, scouting their way.

Erik pauses behind a large tree and waves them forward. Gleeson and Jake pull on the cart moving it forward to their destination. Walking on the road makes pulling the cart easier. They’re no longer getting tangled on underbrush or having to go out of their way just to make it around a fallen tree.

They make good time heading down hill once they reach the switch back. They keep a quick pace even when they hit flat ground. The sooner they’re back to town the better.

“We should almost be back to town.” Jake huffs as he pulls the cart.

“Getting close, I can smell the stoves.” Erik walks backwards so he can talk to them.

“How much longer do you think we have?” Gleeson doesn’t take his eyes off the road.

“I don’t know, maybe-”

“It’s not the stoves.” Gleeson cuts Erik off. He stops pulling the cart and points down the road. The inferno rages in the town and can be seen flickering through the trees.

“Adeline.” Jake drops the shaft and runs down the road.

“Mary.” Gleeson follows pulling out his claymore from the cart. He chases after Jake, passing Erik. Erik readies an arrow and follows. Jake is halfway to town when Gleeson emerges from the trees. “Son of a bitch.”

Half the town is on fire. The orcs are murdering everyone they see. The carnage unfolding in front of them gives him flash backs. He stops shaking his head, clearing his mind. He runs down the road, he slows briefly as he comes upon his spear that he used as a cane so many moons ago. He carries his claymore in his left hand by the secondary hilt, the spear in his right hand. Both tips are pointing behind him. Jake is already fighting an orc when he gets close enough to launch the spear.

Without breaking stride, Gleeson unleashes the spear with all his might. It finds the orc Jake is fighting, releasing Jake to find his family. “Kill everyone and take the children.” A large orc calls to his soldiers.

            “Adeline!” Jake calls over the chaos. Dead men and women lay in the bloody streets. Jake keeps running to his house. Gleeson is close behind him slashing at orcs as they get close enough to his claymore.

Jake continues to run through the street, not caring what’s around him. Erik sends arrows racing past him, most of them finding their mark in the orcs. Gleeson is happy to see that his training hasn’t gone to waste. Many orcs have fallen to the town’s people.

Gleeson hesitates when he sees an orc comes busting out of Mary’s house. Under his arm, the orc carries a crying and screaming Adeline. “No!” Jake’s pace hastens. Mary comes limping out of the house, flames licking at her dress from the door.

She has a knife in her hand and is heading toward the orc. “Mary, no!” Gleeson tries stopping her from attacking the orc. He doesn’t know if she doesn’t hear him or is ignoring her. She jumps on the back of the orc stabbing him in the neck over and over. The blade is barely big enough to puncture the thick skin of the orc.

Blood flows freely from its neck as multiple wounds cover its side. He drops Adeline and flips Mary over his shoulders. She lands on her back, the wind being knocked out of her. 

Jake picks up Adeline from the dirt and darts behind his burning house. The orc’s attention is still on Mary. He stabs down, penetrating her lower abdomen. When he pulls the sword out, Gleeson can see the blood on her dress.

The orc turns back to where Adeline was lying. His anger ensues when he sees she’s no longer there. Gleeson slashes down on the orc, taking its head and shoulder off. An arrow races by Gleeson, taking out another orc.

Gleeson drops to his knees in front of Mary. She’s holding her belly, trying to stop the bleeding. Her face is turning pale as she meets Gleeson’s eyes. “Hey.” Gleeson puts some more pressure on her wound. “Erik, get a doctor.”

“It’s too late.” Mary coughs up some blood. “Is Adeline safe?” Tears run down her face.

“Jake got her.”

“You keep them alive. Promise me you’ll do this.”

“I promise.”

“One more thing.” She closes her eyes taking a long breath of air.

“What is it?”

“Don’t leave any survivors.” She reaches her hand past Gleeson. “Jake, my love.” Jake comes from behind the house. “Where’s Adeline?”

“She’s safe.” Jake kneels on the other side of her. He wipes the blood from her lips and gives her a kiss.

“Gleeson, you keep your promise.” Gleeson nods at her, fighting back tears. He stands up, leaving Mary to die in Jake’s arms. Orcs are killing everyone they come across. His men are defending the buildings they have left. The fire from Jake and Mary’s house burns behind him.

“What now?”

“No survivors!” Gleeson charges at a group of orcs. Erik follows him, sending arrows at them, dropping as many as he can before Gleeson reaches the group. Gleeson whips his claymore around his head, extending his arms out on the forward swing. He connects with three orcs.

 Two of their heads roll off with ease. The third one tries to dodge but the reach of the claymore is too great. The tip of the sword catches the orc in the throat splattering blood all over his comrades.

The group of orcs turns their attention to Gleeson standing there, covered once again in orc blood. They see the malicious smile spread across Gleeson’s face. The fear in the orcs eyes triggers the blood lust in Gleeson.

He strikes with a blinding speed. His claymore whips around as he spins and twists. He blocks the incoming attacks from the orcs without hindering his own assault. He twists around an attack and switches his grip to the secondary hilt.

He stabs an orc with a spear like thrust. The orc grabs his hands holding Gleeson captive. Gleeson doesn’t panic when he can’t move. He drives his head forward, smashing his forehead into the orc’s flat nose splashing blood all over.

The orc releases his grip on Gleeson. He grabs his custom knives slicing the orc in multiple places. The orc drops dead and Gleeson moves on to the next victim. He keeps his blades protecting his forearms while slicing throats as he makes his way through the group.

Erik’s arrows flash by him as he carves his way through the orcs. Slashing and slicing, the orcs fall around him. The orcs start to flee as the town regroups behind Gleeson and Erik.

The cart of children is left behind by the fleeing orcs. Erik’s arrows race to their targets, taking them from their horses. Erik reaches for another arrow as an orc jumps on a horse. He finds there are none left in his quiver.

Gleeson sees the orc trying to escape. He walks over to his claymore stuck in the orc. He plants his foot on the orc and pulls out the claymore. He turns his attention back to the rider.

He holds the claymore with both hands. “No survivors.” He puts it behind his back, the tip pointing to the ground. He takes a few steps and heaves it over his head. It flips end over end, arching through the air.

The claymore finds its mark in the middle of the orc’s back. The orc flies forward from the weight of the claymore. It flies over the head of the horse, taking the horse with it. The horse falls to the ground but gets up just as fast, trampling the orc.

Gleeson turns around seeing the town behind him. Everyone is covered in orc blood and ash. “We leave in the morning to find the orcs.” Tears of anger roll down his face, leaving clean tracks through the blackness of his face.