Rage boiled in the heart of every orc, swelling until it burst like a dam giving way.
"Roooooar!"
The hall thundered with their cries as the horde surged forward like a flood from the depths of Mordor itself. Their roars were deafening, their frenzy terrifying.
No one could endure such an insult, least of all creatures as violent and bloodthirsty as orcs. They howled and bellowed, waving their jagged weapons in spasms of fury, hacking at the air as if even empty space deserved to be punished.
Their armor was black as pitch and bristled with spikes. Their axes and blades dripped with venom and old rust. Their faces were twisted masks of greed and malice. It was a sight meant to freeze a man's blood.
Eric chewed calmly on a golden apple, swallowed a mouthful of potion, and drew his sword.
"Quite a dramatic entrance," he muttered. "Shame they lack manners."
In the vast shadowed hall, with only stone pillars holding up its dark majesty, Eric charged forward alone against the raging tide of orcs.
His black armor seemed darker than the darkness itself, swallowing what little light remained. Yet the gleam of his sword was like a sudden bolt of lightning, so blinding that orcs near him faltered as if waking from a fever dream. But it was far too late.
The lone warrior collided with the horde.
Crack!
Several orcs were hurled aside, burning as they flew, crashing into stone or slamming into their own kin before hitting the ground with a crunch. For a heartbeat the hall was lit by those flames, like meteors streaking through a long night.
Eric stood firm, as unyielding as a boulder in a torrent. The flood of bodies broke against him, spray flying high but never moving him from his ground.
"Out of the way!"
A thunderous voice shook the hall. From behind the orc ranks came a lumbering troll, gripping an iron ball the size of a wagon, chained to a handle thick as a tree trunk. As it charged forward, unlucky orcs were crushed underfoot or clipped by the weapon, their broken bodies becoming food for their fellows.
The troll swung the massive spiked ball high, blotting out Eric's view entirely.
Boom!
Stone cracked and dust billowed. The giant weapon slammed down with enough force to flatten a house. Orcs screeched in triumph, convinced the man in black armor had been smashed to paste.
But before they could celebrate, a blinding golden light burst from beneath the iron ball.
Two enchanted rings shone on Eric's fingers, runes crawling across his armor like living fire. With a roar he shoved the ball aside, sparks exploding as steel shrieked.
"Rings! He has rings!"
The orc leader at the rear, a grim figure with cold eyes, widened in shock.
"Our master will love those trophies…" he snarled. "Cut him down and bring me his fingers!"
The horde bellowed in approval.
The troll swung again, its spiked ball whistling through the air. Eric raised his sword, braced, and caught the strike head-on.
Clang!
The impact shuddered through the hall, forcing Eric back a step, boots grinding against stone. But the blow had been stopped.
He used the moment to lunge forward, slicing an orc in two, then whipped his blade upward in a fierce arc.
The troll never expected such strength. Its massive body lifted from the ground, an impossible sight, and Eric leapt with it. Mid-air, he brought his sword down in a thunderous strike.
Flames erupted along the troll's hide, searing flesh and blasting nearby orcs off their feet. The troll bellowed in agony, stumbling wildly and smashing its weapon around in desperation.
"Nice try, big guy," Eric muttered, landing lightly. "But flailing never solves your problems."
With a flick of his wrist, he hurled an Ender Pearl. It struck a pillar high above, scattering violet sparks. In an instant he was gone, reappearing on a narrow ledge. He quickly slapped a glowing block into place beneath his boots, giving him a foothold.
Orcs roared in frustration, scrambling up the pillars to reach him. Archers loosed arrows. Shafts rattled harmlessly against his armor, save for one shot from afar that carried surprising strength. Eric followed its line and spotted the cold-eyed orc leader, standing calm amidst the chaos.
"Found you," Eric said with a grin.
He hurled a line of TNT blocks, each flashing red as they fell. The orcs froze, watching the glowing cubes tumble. At that moment Eric vanished again in a shimmer of violet, reappearing closer to his target.
The TNT erupted in a deafening chain of blasts, shattering stone and throwing orcs like rag dolls. The leader cursed and barked orders.
"Fall back! Send in the trolls!"
But when he looked back to the ruined pillar, the human was no longer there.
"Where did he—"
A blazing orc corpse crashed at his feet, aflame.
"Here."
The voice came from behind him. The leader spun, slashing wildly, only to be blinded by golden light.
The runed shield flared. Eric's sword punched clean through the orc's chest. Fire burst from the wound as the leader shrieked. One clean sweep, and his head rolled across the floor, severed as if it had always been meant to come off.
Eric stood tall, the execution complete.
His battle pattern was becoming clear. Charge into the horde. Unleash power. Find the leader. Cut off the head. Leave fear in its place.
He seized a torch, lifted the severed head, and shouted to the orcs, "Behold your mighty leader!"
He expected fear, or perhaps retreat. Instead, the only reply was a thunderous roar.
A massive club smashed down where he had stood, pulverizing the fallen body and its armor. A troll, its eyes red with rage, bellowed in fury. Behind it, the tide of orcs surged again, ignoring their leader's death as if he had never mattered.
Eric barely dodged the blow, dust flying as the ground split apart.
"Well," he sighed, readying his sword again. "So much for dramatic speeches."
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