Part VIII: Take it to the Bridge

“Ow, ow and ow!” said Short-arse as the arrows struck home against her Heavy Armour. “I don’t know why I bother sometimes,” she muttered as she strode onto the bridge to face the massive Orc.

“Not my fault,” squeaked the Wizard, “he’s got a magic thingummy!”

“So have I,” said Trogdar with a grin, “but now’s not the time to use it. Jandyr, can you..?”

“Way ahead of you,” replied Jandyr, taking aim and loosing a pair of arrows towards the Orc archers, which clanged from their armour and fell into the fiery chasm below.

“It would seem I cannot,” said Jandyr with consternation, dodging another volley which came his way.

“We need to get across there then,” Trogdar announced.

“I’m trying my bloody best!” shouted Short-arse, grappling with the hulking Skullbasha. The Orc brought its head down low, breathing noxious vapour into the struggling Dwarf's face.

“I’m gonna enjoy killin’ yoo stunty!” it growled. “Just like we killed da wuns ‘oo used ta live ‘ere.”

Short-arse looked up at the Orc, a momentary look of shock upon her face, before her features contorted into a snarl of rage. She let out a howl of fury before shoving the Orc backwards, chopping at him wildly with her axe. The Orc fought back, ignoring the many wounds the Dwarf was inflicting and biting deep into her side with axe and sword.

“He’s gonna kill her!” exclaimed Trogdar fearfully.

“They’re going to kill each other…” replied Jandyr, firing another arrow which missed his target.

“I’ve got to help her,” said Trogdar, rising from his crouched position and starting to run across the bridge. The flimsy construction began to rock from side to side as the heavy footfalls of the Barbarian landed.

“Stop it you idiot!” shouted Short-arse, her furious axe swings beginning to miss her target as the momentum of the bridge began to make her lose her balance. She reached out for Skullbasha and yanked him over the edge of the bridge, tumbling over with him.

“SHORT-ARSE!” yelled Trogdar as he watched the two of them fall, losing sight of them as they disappeared into the steaming vapours.

"NO!" yelled Trogdar, sinking to his knees, oblivious to the rain of arrows thunking into the wooden slats.

"No, not quite," came a voice from the side of the bridge.

Trogdar crawled over to the side as fast he could to see Short-arse dangling from a rope. "You're alright!" he said with genuine happiness.

"Not for long," replied Short-arse, "Could you maybe see your way to helping me back up?"

Trogdar reached down and began to yank eagerly on the rope.

"Gently you flaming idiot!" yelled Short-arse.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's just we thought, well, I thought we'd lost you," said Trogdar.

"If you'd run any further you would've done," rumbled Short-arse. "Managed to get myself a souvenir though."

As she was pulled back on to the bridge she held aloft the Sword Skullbasha had used.

"Right, where's that Wizard?"