The Tenacity of Lizards

[DurinRustbeard]

Thain entered the Four Lanterns late into the evening to see Three fellow cleavers enjoying their respite with some drinks. After a while he cut in and asked if any wanted to go bite some lizzards with their Skullcleavers (Their axes). All gave a hearty agreement and after preparing some they set out to sestra to earn the Militia of Sestra's respect. They marched, all four proudly clad in their Skullcleaver armor though the moonlit town of Sestra and made way to the imfamous caves.

They stood outside the caves for a time discussing strategens and the like all the while Kilinar traced lines in his spellbook looking for his most powerful wards so as to prepare the Skullcleavers Champions.

Their strategy prepared Kilinar warded the two warriors Axbreaker and Ironforge in the most powerful magics he could muster, augmenting thier strength and warding them from blows.

Thain lead in first shouldered by Ironforge the two proud defenders placing shield by shield as the first wave of lizard men brandished axes and charged the dwarven band.

[DurinRustbeard]

In well trained unison they thrust forward with their tower shields each blocking thoroughly their side of the narrow tunnel. Deli and Kilinar watched the melee with anticipation, but also knowing that the defenders were far more schooled in battle themselves and should something get past them it would take all they had to fend off the fierceness of the lizard men.

****
The progress was agonizingly slow, but the two defenders progressed forward like a flesh and steel wall slowly devouring whatever ran into it. The two casters continued to watch from the rear as their comrades slowly wore down. Each time a group would come against the dwarven wall the number of cuts grew and blood sept from most of the defender's plate armor. Deli offered some restorative magic that slowly set to closing the minor wounds and with pure dwarven tenacity they pushed on.

****

The group finally began to make some good headway, and more than ten of the lizard men lay dead in their wake. The two defenders entered a large cavern and set quickly off to the nearby pair of warriors. Kilinar and Deli continued to slowly follow, keeping a better distance since both of their magics had become expended in the fighting up until this point. Axe in hand Kilinar grinned wickedly as he watched the pair of defenders down one of the duo they had faced off against when to his rear he heard a howl of pain. He was quick to turn around to see that one of the lizard fiends had encircled the group and had drawn a deep gash along Deli's back releasing a stout stream of blood. Kilinar charged into battle his axe held steady at his side when he was taken from his feet sent crashing into the nearby cave wall. He rolled to the side just as the lizards axe slammed into the cave wall where he had landed only a moment before. He saw Deli spin on his own attacker only to leave an opening in his defense that cost him a powerful stroke across his muscled chest leaving a trail of crimson flowing from his now exposed flesh.

Kilinar having regained his footing called upon the magic of his cloak and scrambled to Deli's aid. Placing a hand on his wounded shoulder Kilinar said the word of power for his garmant and Deli appeared almost ethral. The frenzied lizard attacker swung desperately at him but his blows failed to land. Kilinar spared a grin and quickly downed a potion of invisibility. He felt the sensation course through his body and as he blinked out of sight an explosion of pain erupted in his back. The lizards axe bit deeply breaking rib and tearing lung and all went black for the dwarven wizzard.

Deli, was severely injured and somewhat disoriented by the concealment spell Kilinar had spared him before taking the deadly blow from his assailant. The lizzard continued to hack furiously, but luck was with him as the blows consistantly seemed to strike just a foot ahead of him. His eyes lit with hope as he saw the two battered defenders round back into the room at a full charge. Ironforge drove the lizard over Kilinar into the nearby wall with his shield and hacked furiously at the pinned creature. Its claws scratched deep furrows into his skin but still he hacked relentlessly having seen his kin laying prone at the hand of his target. The creature stopped its squirming as it succumbed to its wounds. And Ironforge ran to aid Kilinar.

****

Thain took his axe up over his head and drove down with all of his force a sickening Crack resounded in the cave around them as the axe cleaved with fiery might into the frenzied attacker of Deli. The lizard slashed at Deli in that instant, but all of its strength seemed to have completely drained as its swing fell short and it fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. Thain grunted as he yanked his axe free from the beasts skull, the wound was cauterized from the enchanted flames, but the lizard had no need to worry about bleeding out with its skull nearly split in two. Thain had a grim look on his face and spit on the dead lizard. As he turned his features softened until he saw Kilinar's bloody form and Ironforge desperately trying to stop the bleeding.

"Bah thar's No Time! Far that!" He exclaimed quickly stoing his axe he scooped up Kilinar in his arms and with heavy metal footfalls he and the other two of the band set a quick pace for the exit. The hiss of angry the tenacious lizards chased them all the way from the cave.

[Gerenuk]

Deli's Reflections of the Lizard Nightmare

Deli rested, crouched against the cold stone wall of the ogre's cave. He tried to maintain focus on the ogre enemies ahead, but images of the terrible lizards tormented him...

Flashes of the giant reptilian creatures leaping from the darkness gave him chills. He could still hear them clashing against dwarven steel and armor. The sound of primal shrieks and dwarven grunts and growls seemed to echo through the caves.

The force of the battle was more than he'd ever seen. The strength and quickness of the lizards and the power and skill of the veteran dwarven warriors. He couldn't shake the overwhelming feeling of helplessness.

The heavy thumps of ogre feet jerked his mind to the present. He silently rose to his feet and sang the incantation of stone. With the crack and crumble of earth his skin hardened just as the huge thug appeared from behind a boulder.

"Aye my friend," he spoke to the ogre in his gentle tone, "Lets begin this dance."

With a flash of fire he clashed into the ogre...

As he fought, he thought of Axebreaker and Ironforge... Their form, their footwork, the quickness of their axe strokes... Their fierce faces as they stood against the violent, relentless onslaught of lizards. If Deli was to ever fight aside skullcleavers again, he would not be helpless...

With a downward stroke of his axe, he could hear the splinter of bone as the warm spray of blood covered his face and the massive ogre collapsed. He stood over the creature, the smell of fire and flesh filled his nostrils.

"Well fought lad." He whispered, ...

As he relived the fight in his mind, things seemed different... He began to see things from a different perspective. The actions of his clansmen from the day before suddenly made more sense to him. Everything seemed to come into alignment. He felt the touch of Thard Harr on his shoulders.

"Aye lads, I won't be so helpless next time."