III
The enemy host unfurled before the mercenaries. Row upon row of streaming pinions slowly crept forward, blazing a trail for innumerable ranks of shields and spears. Kordag began to laugh, first with a low chuckle, then crescendoing into a bestial roar. Tears began to leak from his small, sunken eyes from the sheer mirth of the scene.
His mercenary crew joined him, bashing steel on steel and stomping riotously. The rank-and-file rabble that surrounded them stared incredulously. It was more than one lieutenant could bear. He yelled in his nasal voice, "Shut up, you fool orks! There's no humor in this! The King's army will crush us!"
The words elicited another bout of furious joviality. Harbash actually lost his footing and began rolling on the ground in mirth. The men-at-arms around them began to visibly inch away in discomfort. Their lieutenant became even more angry and asked, "WHAT is so funny, you SHAVED gorillas?"
The laughter stopped. Kordag grabbed the lieutenant by the breastplate and lifted him off the ground. He growled, "What did you say?"
The man set his jaw and, though he was visibly trembling, said, "I asked you shaved gorillas what was so funny."
Kordag smiled. It was a vicious thing, filled with jagged teeth like rows of spears in a castle moat. He called to his men, "What's funny, orks?"
His hundred mercenaries cried in unison, "Wooden shields!" They punctuated it with a fresh bout of laughter. Kordag set the lieutenant on the ground and patted his shoulder. The hulking ork looked down at the human and said, "I like you, human. When we charge, stick next to me and I'll show you how war's done."
"O-okay..."
The order to charge came only moments later. The enemy column had advanced and placed their most veteran footmen directly across from the orks. They were resplendent in gold and polished steel. Their wooden tower shields were ornately painted with with King's insignia. They were the diametric opposite of the scruffy orks with their pitted weapons and hammered armor. It was clear who did more fighting between the groups.
As they began to jog, Kordag winked at the lieutenant and said, "Remember, stay close. Kordag'll make you a useful soldier."
Then came the nervous moment of silents just before the battle horns sound. The orks bellowed and swore at their opponents. The noise was contagious and spread along the ranks of both sides. Then, above the din, the horns echoed. Waves of men and orks surged forward. Harbash and a few others sprinted ahead, eager to gain the honor of drawing first blood. The enemy soldiers raised their shields, but Harbash's heel crashed through them like a stone through grass. No wood could stop an ork.
Kordag came to the line soon afterward. As General (for no leader of orks would call himself less than that), Kordag didn't need first blood. Though, like any self-respecting ork, he kept ahead of the humans. The lieutenant seemed to heed Kordag though, and remained just one step behind the mighty ork as they charged. When they were just a dozen steps from the glimmering steel of their adversaries, Kordag grabbed the brave lieutenant's arm. He flung the man into the enemy lines, bowling over at least three ranks of soldiers. Kordag leapt over the lieutenant's corpse and was already halfway through the enemy phalanx. He smiled as gouts of enemy blood washed over him. Soldiers as useful as the lieutenant were rare indeed.