Horrace: A Leap Forward

There is much to be said on the field of battle, for calculation and reasoning. Strategy can be the sharpest sword, or the strongest shield when wielded in the right hands. But there is also much to be said, in the proper situation, for reckless abandon.

Horrace took one look at the thrashing giant centipede, and bound over the ledge without a second though, bringing the heavy blade of his axe overhead so as to bring it down with as much force as possible. With sight that penetrated darkness, he saw the ground below. It looked far away. Perhaps a bit too far...

The chasm in the base of the copper mine was called “bottomless.” No one had ever proven this theory, but there were few brave enough to put fact against rumor. What they did know is that even the heaviest stone, when dropped, returned no sound of landfall, despite the massive potential for echoes.

Borrdax stood staring into the depth that seemed to never end. In one hand, his hook hammer. In the other, a squalling babe wrapped in dirty linens. In the front of his mind, the task at hand. In the back of his mind, a heavy chain of doubt and guilt seemed to stay his arm.

“Ye can'n't be down here.” He spoke softly. His voice carried like a bell to the stout dwarven woman approaching. “No wom'n are 'lowed this far down t' mine. Ye stupid slag.” There was no anger in his voice.

“Borrdax! How could'ja be thinkin' of doin' such a dark and ter'ble thing?” She spoke as a woman staring death in the face. Borrdax was, until 2 weeks ago, her husband. The love of her life. When the babe was born, things changed.

“We're dwarves woman. Dark and ter'ble is in our blood. This wee beastie is'a'no dwarf. He is but a wretch'd little curse. A curse on the likes'a wee fer havin' quicken'd him to this world. It is a punishment.” His thick arm held the bundle outward, with a lose grip. The shrieking wails of the twisted child seemed to leave cracks in the emptiness around them. He hung by thin strands over the dark endless chasm.

“He'is our son! Yer son!”

There was a long silence. Even the babe made not a peep, as if aware of his fate.

He turned on her. He stormed up to her until they were face to face. The heat and rage from his sleepless eyes seemed to dry up the tears in hers. He stood there glaring at her. Daring her to speak again. Veins in his neck and on his brow pulsing.

“If ye want to be the matron o' dis abomination, ye can have yer mindless wish.”

He dropped the babe to the ground with a thud.

Horrace landed on both feet with a loud thud.

Twenty feet is a good fall for any man, but for a 4ft dwarf, it is quite a distance indeed. The impact shook his bones, and made him bite off a tiny piece of his tongue. His crooked spine and hips ached at the jostling. But not stopping for a moment, he used the momentum of the fall to push forward, and channeled the force through his weapon. He spat out a bloody hunk of tongue and brought the axe down on the thick chitin of the beast.

Wood splintered as the statue broke in half.

Horrace stood over the carving of the god Irori, now sundered before him. In his young hands he held a wood chopping axe. Gathered around him were four other young students at the temple. It was a place for children without homes. A place for children to learn what is right, and how to be pure in the eyes of Irori. Horrace hated it.

“You broke it! The gods will curse you now, foolish freak!” The eldest child cried at his back.

Horrace turned to face him, axe still in hand. “Yev not ghat the slightesht idea hwhat it meansh to be curshed by the godsh.” He sneered and spat at the boy. “Thish is no true god. A god who prashesh perfection and beauteh. I shpit on yer holier th'n thow bullssshit.”

Another boy moved up to Horrace, with anger in his eyes. “You take that back. Irori is the one true light, and will save those who have no home. Perfection of mind and body are his gifts. You've simply been denied these truths because you have a dark soul. It twists you and corrupts you into the little monster you are.” The boy stood a good two heads taller than Horrace. There was a swift and loud kthack. The boy then stood only one head taller than Horrace, as his body fell to the ground.

Just then the temple doors burst open.

The thick hide burst open under the force of his blow. Tiny legs and bits of bright insect juices splattered against his face. The beast shrieked and thrashed, and brought down it's two massive whip-like appendages across his body in retaliation.

The force of the blow knocked him aside. He landed on what felt like a broken rib. Gashes had torn his skin open. Horrace could hear the others behind him moving up to help. Taking the edge with more caution. Perhaps a good plan considering the strength of this creature. But to Horrace it was just another challenge. Another force that seems impossible to overcome, that others would avoid or even flee from. Just another wall to break down the only way he knew how.

With a whisper of thanks to Pharasma for this glorious battle, Horrace got to his feet, smiling, and brought his terrible axe overhead once again.