Dizzy, nauseous and with a trembling left-hand, Duke Qwass faced the oncoming goblins, lacking the agility of younger soldiers.

    He made up for this weakness with his sheer determination and skill.

    Shling

    His blade sliced through the neck of a goblin. He then twisted and yanked the blade, using the force to send his blade to an incoming attack, sparks flying from their blades.

    "Attack. Follow me, I will lead you all."

    A young knight thrust at a hobgoblin with his spear, only for the monster to grasp the wooden shaft, pulling the knight off his feet. It''s muscular figure superior to a human. The knight refused to let go of his weapon, grabbing tight and trying to pull free.

    "Aaah....save me!"

    The disgusting stench of the hobgoblin''s body, its slimy, sticky drool oozing as it roared in the young knight''s face, causing him to gag, unable to stomach the stench.

    Duke Qwass, as the leader of the knights, and the most experienced, rushed to his aid. He sliced into the Hobgoblin''s exposed back, cutting through its spinal cord, struggling to deal with it in a single blow as another goblin stabbed his abdomen.

    His armour, a fine set of dwarven made plate, took most of the damage.

    However, the force caused him to stumble, losing his balance and nearly falling to the ground. He recovered, but a second goblin took advantage of his distraction. He turned his sword on it, stabbing it in the heart, yet the third goblin stabbed him again.

    "Orcs, coming from the right, we need to get out of here." One of the mature knights called out.

    A group of orcs climbed through the holes along with the goblins.

    It was rare for the two to work together so well.

    ''There''s a commander somewhere.'' Qwass thought to himself while enduring the dull pain of a blade piercing his armour, pushing the stunned young knight back to safety with his weaker left arm.

    "Retreat! Fall back!" He ordered, but his men had nowhere to flee, some still in the thick of it. If they abandoned them, then they would be overrun.

    "Retreat and form a second line, carry the wounded, leave the dead!" He yelled. The hobgoblins were already beginning to rip apart their dead, eating their flesh and drinking their blood.

    ''What madness, what can man do against such reckless hate?'' He questioned himself, the situation hopeless.

    They had failed to stop the enemy from breaking through the wall. Then he fell to the ground after the walls collapsed and now, with his knights, became the last line of defence before the outpost.

    The Goblins had already broken through, and now the orcs joined the fray.

    ''And that''s not including the troll.''

    He thought to himself as he watched a man being torn limb from limb, his screams drowned out by the sounds of war and bloodshed.

    "We MUST hold!"

    A golden light swirled around Duke Qwass, this light a one-time use that could save his life once, or if activated would bolster and empower up to fifty people around him.

    In that fine moment, as if time slowed down, and the world began preparing the Duke for death, a strange emotion filled his body, one of calm, peace.

    Then he saw something shining, in the distance, on the unbroken wall, silver armour, unmatched beauty.

    It was the empress of the elves, Ar''Sarina and her army holding huge elven bows, and all of them were shooting towards the evil that threatened their lives.

    ''To be saved by an elf...''

    "A sign I cannot die yet, haha." Qwass muttered to himself, rolling and pushing his aching body off the ground, crawling towards his sword once again.

    He was not dead yet. That was the message he received.

    Ar''Sarina, the empress of the elven race, watched as the humans battled for their lives. Her silver armour glowed in the moonlight as she stood tall, commanding her army with a regal grace.

    She watched with a steely gaze as the humans fought valiantly, their swords and shields clashing with the orc''s wicked blades.

    Sarina saw the Duke, a man who made her doubt his nature at first, but watching his heroic actions and how many times he saved a younger and inexperienced knight changed her mind.

    Then the troll which flung him across the ruins like a rag doll made her gasp.

    ''If I do not aid the humans, and forsake a few elves, we will lose everything.''

    "Archers, aim for the troll. Support the knights who fell and fight outside the walls." She ordered, her voice ringing out with a powerful, commanding authority. Her archers obeyed, their arrows flying towards the troll, striking him in the arm and shoulder. The troll roared in pain and anger, with its massive body shaking with fury.

    "Aim for his throat, the eyes or its crotch." She called out.

    Sarina watched as the other elves joined in, their arrows raining down upon the orcs and goblins, supporting the knights who fought so valiantly.

    Though, she turned to the inner wall, watching as her elven knights fought desperately against the enemy''s main force.

    ''With this I''ve repaid the human''s help, let us take steps forward as equal allies from now on.''

    "Half of you follow me, we will take the fight to these damned monsters! Avira I leave you to support the knights outside, they are stopping the enemies reinforcements with their blood."

    Sarina was unable to do more for Duke Qwass, who was using his sword to keep standing, now with a small group of twenty knights rallied around him.

    She turned her gaze to the true battle.

    "Elves, show them what we can do!" She yelled, and her golden hair flowed behind her as she ran, her voice echoing across the battlefield.

    Sarina charged into the fray, her sword shining brightly in her hand. The elves followed, their bows and arrows striking fear into the hearts of the enemy, as they rushed towards the walls.

    "Is that, the princess from Grigor?"

    Her eyes widened as a group of women who couldn''t be anything but the demoness who stepped out of the inner outpost shocked the empress. With thick horns, bloody vines growing from her fingertips, and eyes like gemstones, Liana Grigor stepped into the fray to help her people survive.

    "Foolish goblins, you will become the nourishment for my bloody rose~ kneel before me."