Chapter Three

“Shush! Everyone stay alert, they can’t be far now.” warned Trilikz, keeping his voice to a minimum. “We can’t afford any mistakes, not if we don’t wanna get our arses kicked.”

“Ai, Ai chief.” saluted Org.

The others nodded in assent.

“Let’s tie up the horses and make the rest of the way on foot, it’ll be easier to surprise them that way.” instructed Trilikz.

Trilikz dismounted his horse and dropped to the floor, as did Molix, Nuzuki and Org, who made more of a thump than the rest, on account of his being so heavy and not having any legs and all.

The soldiers tied their horses to a nearby cluster of trees, leaving them to amuse themselves, before heading further into the forest.

There were a lot of trees, mushrooms and vegetation this far West of the great stone road of the South and any number of hiding places for an evil doer to make themselves scarce, as Trilikz and the others were all too well aware, their eyes skipping repeatedly from tree trunk to tree trunk, from shrub to shrub, up into the treetops, left to right, above and below, searching for anyone or anything that might mean to do them harm.

“Careful now guys, I can almost smell the rump humping rascals.” warned Trilikz.

“Nah, that’s just Org’s aftershave, it’s giving off a real pong.” joked Nuzuki.

“Hey! Don’t make me hurt you squirt.” muttered Org, shooting him a stern, good humoured glare.

“I thought we were being careful.” replied Molix.

“I know I was.” said Rollim.

“Just keep your eyes peeled okay.”

“Trilikz is right, you can’t be too careful where Deathcap’s minions are concerned.” warned Org.

“That’s true.” agreed Rollim, raising his eyebrows.

“Hey, shut up guys, I think I heard something.” snapped Nuzuki.

“Where? What is it?” said Molix, speaking in a half whisper.

“What did you hear?”

“Shush, I’m trying to listen.” hissed Nuzuki, glaring at some large bushes just ahead.

All was quiet. Trilikz, Org, Rollim, Molix and Nuzuki peered into the undergrowth, trying to weed out anything which vaguely resembled an enemy, but all to no avail.

The forest was silent, nobody moved, no one spoke. Only the odd tweeting of the birds or the faint movement of the leaves disturbed the stillness, as the breeze wound lightly amongst the trees.

Trilikz, Org, Molix and Nuzuki took firm hold of their weapons, fearing no one. Rollim stood poised and ready for battle, willing his enemies to step forth and do their worst. Scarcely was a breathe exhaled between them, as their eyes pierced the forest, searching out their foes.

Suddenly, as if from out of nowhere, a ghastly roar erupted from the bushes, nearly deafening the five soldiers with its ferocity and giving them all a fright. Dealbata leapt from his hiding place, axe in hand, holding it ominously over his goblin green head and with an awesome display of strength and a degree of agility quite surprising in one so anatomically like the hulk, sent it rocketing, full pelt, towards them, yelling “TAKE THIS YOU SUCKERS!!!” at the top of his lungs.

Everyone except for Rollim dived from the path of the flying axe, as it hurtled towards them, crashing into the undergrowth with a loud and frantic “AAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!” body slamming the dirt, in a desperate bid not to get cleaved in two.

Rollim stood frozen, hoofs bound, eyes bulging, pupils like two halved yellow plums, watching anxiously, as the axe hurtled ever closer towards his rhino shaped head. Rocketing homicidal somersaults towards his horn sprouting nut, as he remained inexplicably glued.

Rollim didn’t have time to gulp. The axe flew perilously close to his head, mere feet separating them now, as he closed his eyes and dropped quickly to the ground, burying his face in the dirt like a Jack in the box in reverse, having no wish to quarrel with an axe.

The axe passed quickly over his body, smack bang into the lower half of a sapling tree, approximately fifteen feet behind him. Smashing into its trunk and annihilating a sizeable portion of its lower half with a whack, and one hell of a resounding thud.

“Damn it!” yelled Dealbata, scowling like a snot faced lama on steroids. “First that stupid fly doesn't show up and now this little pip squeak doesn't wanna bury my axe in his head. Little twirp! Oh well onto stage two, I guess.” he grumbled, talking to himself.

Rollim opened his eyes, stood up and glared at his enemy with a face full of thunder, about to say something fitting, when he was disturbed by a loud crack, a groan, a series of snaps and the sound of something unbearably heavy toppling towards him.

He turned his head a fraction or so to one side. Just as Molix hollowed at the top of his lungs. “ROLLIM! LOOK OUT!!!” Feeling an almighty whack, as the axe ravaged tree collapsed on top of him with a CRUNCH and a cumbersome thump. Forcing him to the ground.

“HA, HA, HA, HA!!! Well, what would you know? I didn't miss him after all. HA, HA, HA, HA!!” laughed Dealbata, banging his big green hands together in an hysterical fit of laughter, pervading the forest with glee. Opening his mouth so wide, that if his jaw had detached itself and marched its way all the way to the dentist, no one would have been surprised.

“Flaming spores of..!” Molix winced, knitting his brow and rushing to Rollim’s aid.

“Damn it!” cursed Trilikz, darting out of the bushes, also racing to his comrades side.

“Ugghhh.” Rollim Gurgled.

“Is he dead?” inquired Molix.

“No he’s not dead.” said Trilikz. "This is Rollim we're talking about."

“I'm gonna pound that goblin faced, fart weasal to a pulp.” growled Nuzuki, glaring at Dealbata.

“Yeah. You and me both, we’d better sort Rollim out first though.” replied Trilikz.

“Yeah, lets get this thing off him.” said Org, catching Trilikz’s train of thought.

“Exactly.” said Trilikz.

“And then shove it down that scumbag’s throat.” added Org, his flaming yellow eyes glowering menacingly.

All four soldiers took hold of the trunk, grasping it tightly, as Dealbata continued laughing like a hyena.

“Okay on the count of three.” instructed Trilikz.

“Never mind that.” said Org, who was in a hurry to get things done and not in the mood to wait while Trilikz counted to three, wrenching the tree out of their hands, as high up as his chest, before with a mighty effort and a muscle pumping roar to boot dumping it back safely to the ground.

“Geese! You never do things by halves, do you Org?” said Molix, placing his hand on Rollim’s back, keeping a watchful eye on Dealbata, as he did.

Rollim parted his eyelids and peered groggily at his friends.

“Nope, you got that right, which is what I’m gonna give that axe wielding fiend a lesson in right now.” growled Org, taking firm hold of his sabre, his knuckles glaring white like bone.

The soldiers shot Dealbata a venomous glare, who could laugh for an eternity it seemed.

“You gonna be okay?” asked Trilikz, getting to his feet, eyes focussed elsewhere.

Nuzuki, nun chuc dangling, jaw clenched, temper about to flare, eyeballed Dealbata with a vengeance, itching to make mince meat out of him.

“Don’t worry about me,” groaned Rollim. “Just make sure that dung wad gets it.”

“YOU HEARD HIM GUYS!” boomed Org. “LETS WASTE THIS DUNGWAD!”

“No problem.” sneered Nuzuki, snapping his nun chuc’s taught. “This is gonna be a blast.”

Trilikz took the lead, gripping his staff tightly, fists chomping down like a hungry wolf, ready for a piece of the action.

“GET HIM!!!” he yelled, revving their butts into gear. “IT'S TIME WE TAUGHT THIS SCUM BAG A LESSON!”

“IT'S BUTT KICKING TIME!!!” cheered Molix.

There was a colossal roar and clenching of fists, as the soldiers erupted off the floor, stomping the ground with their feet and bounding over the Irth like mushroom capped chimps in a tizzy, racing like bullets and chasing their enemy down.

Org hammered the Irth like a tank, wielding his sabre over his ruby red cap like a mad Arab. His strong, sturdy tail bore him along. Its several red, white and yellow orbs pounding the undergrowth like a string of wrecking balls, attacking the dirt.

Dealbata's laughter came to an abrupt end, the Cheshire cat grin fell from his face, his brawny body gave an electrified jerk, his eyes widened, his jaw dropped. “Oh crap!” he uttered, turning swiftly on his leather clad heels and running as fast as his brawny, green legs would carry him, yelling out at his pursuers “CATCH ME IF YOU CAN SUCKERS!!!”