Gorum knew that to retreat was death, so he simply did the thing that was least expected. He rushed forward to meet the attack. But he could not get his heavy sword up in time to cut down the leaping boarg so he punched the animal with the hand that was holding the sword. The boarg and Gorum’s powerful fist came together like an explosion, the boarg stopping instantly in the air, its lower jaw and teeth shattering on impact. Gorum felt his fist crumble, the many bones in his hand splintering under the terrible blow. They both staggered backwards in agony.
But Gorum did not feel the pain in his hand as he looked down at Lorna who was struggling against the strong beast that seemed to be playing with her. Its back legs rested on her thighs while the beast’s left hand was holding her neck. The boarg was running the claws of its right hand over her cheeks, opening up shallow cuts all over her face. Lorna was screaming and Gorum could see her scrambling to grab the knife that she dropped by her side.
Gorum switched grips, grabbing the heavy iron blade in his good hand. He gritted his teeth, swinging the blade with all his might, but his strength was leaving him and he knew that his left arm held little power. The blade sunk in a couple of inches into the boarg’s back.
The boarg roared defiantly, lashing its right arm out with astonishing speed and power, swiping its claws across Gorum’s chest and sending him sprawling to the floor with several more deep cuts and a few broken ribs.
Lorna took the brief distraction that Gorum had given her and looked for her knife. She spotted the blade, grabbing it with her right hand just as the boarg returned its attention to her. The boarg was done playing with her. Its left hand was still wrapped tightly around her throat and the beast begun to squeeze harder and lift her face to its open maw. Just as her face was inches from the boarg’s mouth, she used her right hand, slamming the razor sharp knife deep into its throat. The boarg howled as she ripped the knife through its flesh, severing the ropey vein that ran up its neck. Dark blood bathed them both but the boarg continued to squeeze her throat with the last remnants of its strength.
Gorum had landed hard, and as he struggled to get up he felt blood gushing from his wounds. As he got to his knees, a powerful weight struck him again, flattening him to his back and knocking the air from his lungs. The boarg with the broken jaw lay on top of him, its jaw crushed and hanging awkwardly to the side. Gorum tried to use the last of his strength to push the boarg off, but the beast was too strong and quick and fueled by pain and rage the beast furiously struck Gorum repeatedly, crushing his face and his throat. The pain was brief and then everything went black.
Lorna used her knife to stab at the fatally wounded boarg’s arm, its claws still clutched at her neck. The creature roared with fury and with one last burst of energy, dug its claws deep into her throat. The boarg fell away in death, Lorna’s blood covering its clawed hand. Lorna’s eyes went wide as she felt the warmth of her own blood pool around her. The boarg had sliced into her neck in several places and Lorna frantically brought her hands to her throat to try and stop the bleeding. But it was of no use, and within seconds she felt dizzy and lightheaded. There was little pain as her life blood gushed from the fatal wound and poured between her fingers. Her last thought was of Jonas as everything faded to black.
***
Fil was terrified. His family and friends were dying around him. He spotted Gorum the baker flee from the fight and head toward his home. He did not know where his family was and he did not want to die alone. Grabbing his spear he crawled out from behind the woodpile that was his hiding place and raced after Gorum. He was thirty paces from the baker’s home when he saw the two huge boargs smash their way through the baker’s door.
Fil stopped and looked around at the carnage. There were screams everywhere and men and boargs alike were dying all around him. It