Page 48 of Shared By Two Orcs

“Beat their asses! Make them suffer!”

They’re not the ones vastly outnumbered,I think in my frustration, trying to tune out their yelling as our attackers advance.

Three come our way. One of them lunges for me as Yamarz takes on the other two. I catch the orc, wrestling him to the ground before he throws me off of him. He quickly rises, coming toward me. He is far larger than I am, so I have no choice but to play dirty.

He raises his arms, aiming them for my throat. I kick him in his balls, winding him as he falls to his knees. I wrap a hand around his throat before delivering the knockout blow. Once he’s dealt with, I rush to Yamarz’ aid. He holds his own against his smaller opponents but I’m not about to let him take a hit.

I’m not going to stand by and watch you get hurt!

The thought of Yamarz getting hurt damages me more than anyone else’s punches could. I tackle one of his assailants, knocking him to the ground where I unleash a fury of punches on him. Even when he’s knocked out I don’t stop, feeling nothing but rage at the fact he wanted to inflict pain on my closest friend.

Just then, the larger orc from moments ago grabs me from behind, having regained consciousness quicker than I expected. Given his build, his arms are larger than any other orc’s I’ve ever seen. He wraps them around my throat and squeezes with all his strength. I squirm and throw blind punches, fighting for my life when I hear my name called out.

“Get off of Duma, you bastard!” yells Yamarz.

My protector barges into him so hard that he’s sent flying through the air. He lands on some of the onlookers, sending a flurry of painful yelps ringing through the air. Yamarz pulls me back on my feet.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“Yeah,” I gasp, taking deep breaths to regain my strength. “What about you?”

“I’m fine, stick with me!”

“I think we’re only getting started…” I groan as two more orcs approach us.

We take a few steps back as I try to think of a defense. I get an idea, allowing them to come just a few meters closer before I kick my foot up. It sprays a wave of sand and dirt in their eyes, causing them to yell in pain. They start swinging wildly.

“Nice!” Yamarz grunts before advancing on them. He dodges their punches with ease. His thick hands grasp them both by the necks, lifting them high into the air then slamming down with brute force.

“Okay, let’s get out of here before-”

An assailant immediately grabs me from behind. Yamarz turns around in surprise, reaching his hand out.

“Let him go!”

He takes a step forward but three more orcs pounce on him, catching him off his guard as they topple him to the ground.

“No!” I yell.

Two orcs hold him down by the neck and legs while the other kicks him in the ribs. The sight of him being beaten awakens within me a fury I’ve never felt before. Every vein and artery in my body throbs with adrenaline, giving me the strength I need to escape from my attacker’s grip.

I whip my head back, headbutting the orc in the face. It’s enough to knock him to the ground. Like an arrow from a bow, I spring forward, spearing the orc holding Yamarz by the neck. I rain down punches like thunder bolts from the sky. His face becomes a canvas as I paint it with his blood.

The assailant who had just held me in his grip wraps his hands around my feet, pulling me to the ground with him. I turn to him with such speed that he has no time to react, becoming victim to my punches. With those two taken care of, I turn my attention back to Yamarz.

He’s back on his feet as though he had never taken a hit in the first place. He dodges a punch from one of the orcs then throws him my way. I grab him by the collar of his shirt, tearing a rip in the fabric with the intensity of my grip. I punch him dead center in the face, sending an audible crack ringing through the air. Loosening my grip, he falls to the ground.

Behind me, Yamarz pushes the final attacker to the dirt. I leap on him like a crazed animal, sending splashes of red everywhere as my fists become coated with more blood. Once the orc is dealt with, I rise to my feet, panting as I look toward my partner.

In the heat of the moment, I recall just how long it took for Yamarz to warm up to me. Getting him to open up was a big move for him, and no one was going to inflict violence on him for that. Just then, his eyes widen with panic.

“Behind you!” he yells.

I turn too late to register Yaghed’s fist flying toward me, the first that hits me during this battle. It sends me to the ground, causing me to become dizzy. The world around me is a blur, seeing a faint outline of Yamarz tackle him to the ground as I desperately clamber back to my feet. Snarling, I stomp towards Yaghed just as he pushes Yamarz off of him.

“Hey dickhead!”

He turns, meeting my fist. The bridge of his nose shatters, letting loose a stream of blood from his nose. His eyes roll back in his head, slowly falling onto his back like a crumbling tower. I finally satisfy the craving I’ve had all along to put him in his place.

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