Honors and Arthas: A Short Tale
A short story I wrote for Big Bear Butt's "Arthas: Rise of the Lich King " contest. I don't think I'll win, but it was fun to write. The assignment was to write a 5 minute encoutner between your character and Arthas. It also gave me a chance to look into Honors past a little bit, which is something I've wanted to do. Enjoy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hey, you in there, Honors?" The Draenei asked.
Honors blinked twice and looked at his friend. He still wasn't quite sure what to make of these strangers from another world, but this Draenei and Honors had been through too much together to consider him anything but a close friend.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Blue."
Honors stroked his blonde beard that was beginning to show a stray gray hair or two in it now. He again looked over the Siege Engine at the Expedition Base Camp.
"I cut my teeth in the Second War driving one of these bad boys. Though I started out like most Drivers did, on a Mortar Team..." Honors trailed off again, lost in his memories of far away and long ago.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The two dwarves talking stopped abruptly as an arrow embedded itself in tree just a few inches above the blonde hair topknot of the dwarf who was leaning against it.
"Skeles!! 'bout a dozen of 'em " The speaker was the other dwarf whose hair was so red it was almost orange. He pointed to the south.
"and Archers ta boot!!" His partner responded.
The two looked at each other and yelled in unison "MORTAR COMBAT!!"
Within seconds, the two transformed from a casual, friendly chat to the shouts of commands.
Their mortar was assembled in a flash. They quickly fired off a round that went sailing over the heads of their Undead attackers. The orange haired dwarf was able to accurately and quickly determine corrections to the direction, elevation and the amount of explosive charge used to zero in on the stationary target, a group of about a dozen skeletons, armed with simple, yet lethal, bows and arrows. He barked orders to his partner.
"Theo, set elevation to 1400 mils!" the first Dwarf said.
"1400, aye. Elevation set, round is loaded!” Theo responded.
"FIRE IN THE HOLE!! 3,2,1, FIREEEEE!!"
With an earth-shattering thump and the smell and site of expelled smoke, the team sent another round down range and on target hoping their calculations were correct. The ground beneath the Skeletons exploded sending bones, and dirt flying in all directions. The two dwarves breathed a quick sigh of relief. Their respite was only momentary as they heard footsteps behind them, coming up the road.
"Look, Tames, they're friendlies." Theo said as he pointed the group, which was lead by a human. He was tall with broad shoulders, blonde hair and penetrating blue eyes. His face bore a hard edge of determination. This was clearly a man who had seen many a battle in his day. A massive mace hung from his belt. His armor and shield were emblazoned with the Royal Seal of Lordaeron.
There was only one man this could be.
Theo dropped to one knee. "Prince Arthas!"
"What the hell are you men shooting at?" Arthas demanded.
The orange haired dwarf, Tames, had remained standing. "We're blasting those damned skeletons, sir. This whole flaming village is crawling with them." Theo like Tames, but his friend was known for a short temper, even for a Dwarf. They called him Firebeard for a reason.
Arthas' face seemed to soften a bit, apparently pleased by the two Dwarves.
"Well, I could use your help. We've got a warehouse to destroy at the end of town."
"As you command, Prince Arthas." The two dwarves quickly disassembled their mortar and slung the pieces over their shoulders. They fell in behind the footmen and riflemen Arthas was leading through the small village near Andorhal.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honors was brought back to reality by the shout of his team leader, a Night Elf Death Knight.
"Saddle 'em up, Heroes. We've got a job to do."
One by one, the engines of the Demolishers, Choppers, and Sieges roared to life, and slowly headed down the ramp and into waiting arms of the Iron Dwarf army.
THE END
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hey, you in there, Honors?" The Draenei asked.
Honors blinked twice and looked at his friend. He still wasn't quite sure what to make of these strangers from another world, but this Draenei and Honors had been through too much together to consider him anything but a close friend.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Blue."
Honors stroked his blonde beard that was beginning to show a stray gray hair or two in it now. He again looked over the Siege Engine at the Expedition Base Camp.
"I cut my teeth in the Second War driving one of these bad boys. Though I started out like most Drivers did, on a Mortar Team..." Honors trailed off again, lost in his memories of far away and long ago.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The two dwarves talking stopped abruptly as an arrow embedded itself in tree just a few inches above the blonde hair topknot of the dwarf who was leaning against it.
"Skeles!! 'bout a dozen of 'em " The speaker was the other dwarf whose hair was so red it was almost orange. He pointed to the south.
"and Archers ta boot!!" His partner responded.
The two looked at each other and yelled in unison "MORTAR COMBAT!!"
Within seconds, the two transformed from a casual, friendly chat to the shouts of commands.
Their mortar was assembled in a flash. They quickly fired off a round that went sailing over the heads of their Undead attackers. The orange haired dwarf was able to accurately and quickly determine corrections to the direction, elevation and the amount of explosive charge used to zero in on the stationary target, a group of about a dozen skeletons, armed with simple, yet lethal, bows and arrows. He barked orders to his partner.
"Theo, set elevation to 1400 mils!" the first Dwarf said.
"1400, aye. Elevation set, round is loaded!” Theo responded.
"FIRE IN THE HOLE!! 3,2,1, FIREEEEE!!"
With an earth-shattering thump and the smell and site of expelled smoke, the team sent another round down range and on target hoping their calculations were correct. The ground beneath the Skeletons exploded sending bones, and dirt flying in all directions. The two dwarves breathed a quick sigh of relief. Their respite was only momentary as they heard footsteps behind them, coming up the road.
"Look, Tames, they're friendlies." Theo said as he pointed the group, which was lead by a human. He was tall with broad shoulders, blonde hair and penetrating blue eyes. His face bore a hard edge of determination. This was clearly a man who had seen many a battle in his day. A massive mace hung from his belt. His armor and shield were emblazoned with the Royal Seal of Lordaeron.
There was only one man this could be.
Theo dropped to one knee. "Prince Arthas!"
"What the hell are you men shooting at?" Arthas demanded.
The orange haired dwarf, Tames, had remained standing. "We're blasting those damned skeletons, sir. This whole flaming village is crawling with them." Theo like Tames, but his friend was known for a short temper, even for a Dwarf. They called him Firebeard for a reason.
Arthas' face seemed to soften a bit, apparently pleased by the two Dwarves.
"Well, I could use your help. We've got a warehouse to destroy at the end of town."
"As you command, Prince Arthas." The two dwarves quickly disassembled their mortar and slung the pieces over their shoulders. They fell in behind the footmen and riflemen Arthas was leading through the small village near Andorhal.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honors was brought back to reality by the shout of his team leader, a Night Elf Death Knight.
"Saddle 'em up, Heroes. We've got a job to do."
One by one, the engines of the Demolishers, Choppers, and Sieges roared to life, and slowly headed down the ramp and into waiting arms of the Iron Dwarf army.
THE END
Comments