Page 11 of The Demon God's Desire

After several more hours, my vision grows hazy. I know that the desert is famous for her mirages.

Some of the other elves must think so too, because they start slowing down.

Soon we realize that it is not a mirage, although we do not know exactly what it is.

I turn to Vythor.

“Send some men ahead to check it out.”

We have no warning when the orcs burst out of the desert. They come at us within seconds.

My men jump into action quickly and admirably as the orcs barrel towards us. I pull my sword, but decide to use my absorption abilities instead.

Adrenaline and rage surge through me in equal amounts.

We have been ambushed.

I almost laugh out loud. Do these orcs honestly think they will get away with this?

Three orcs head directly for me. Around me, the skirmish has kicked up a dust storm, and some of my men are overwhelmed with coughing.

I cannot help but roll my eyes, as my body bulks up and my skin becomes thick. I am absorbing the physique of the orcs.

Extra strength flows through me, and as the orcs come towards me, I grab two of them by their necks.

I dig my new, thicker, fingers into their thick throats. With a twist of my wrist, I rip their throats out.

Blood spurts from their throats, and oozes from their eyes and mouths.

The third orc howls with rage but I dance away from his advances, before kicking out at him.

I kick him squarely in the center of his chest and I hear his ribs breaking from where I stand.

He staggers backwards, his eyes widening, becoming glassy.

I watch him die with grim satisfaction, but do not realize that another orc has come up behind me.

The orc claws at me from behind and I scream with rage and pain.

A wave of dizziness washes over me, and I stumble. My back burns and I can feel blood blooming from the wounds.

I give myself time to heal before whirling around and disposing of the orc that injured me.

Two more come for me, and they manage to injure me, but I kill them quickly and efficiently.

Soon I am covered in blood.

Some of it is the orcs’, but more of it is mine. Nausea and sudden, inexplicable exhaustion crashes into me.

When I look around, I realize that I am alone.

Where are my men?I think to myself.Surely not all of them could have been captured by orcs.

My pack is lying a few paces away from me, and I bend with some difficulty to grab it.

When I turn around, I have been completely deserted. And I am in the middle of the scorching desert, injured and alone.

I want to howl with rage. I got so caught up in the battle that I have been separated from the dark elves that I am supposed to be commanding.