Skirmish (Cormac): Hesitation

Skirmish (Cormac): Hesitation

Follow along each week for Skirmishes of characters of the Orcblood Legacy Series. These are real events that take place during the story’s timeline but are not detailed in the book.

His heart pounded in his chest, though time seemed to slow. The thundering stomps of the oncoming raiding party grew closer.

Cormac opened his mouth to call out to his son, but his voice caught in his throat. His eyes grew wide in fear as the orcs approached rapidly. Scream, scream! the dwarf scolded himself. But no matter how much he begged, his voice would not come.

“ORI, RUN!” shouted the boy’s mother. Her eyes wore the same terrified expression as her husband, but were twisted with confusion at the lack of his own exclamation.

The boy stared at his parents curiously and his playful smile turned to perplexion. For his mother now beckoned him frantically while his father stood erect as stone, frozen in fear. Leaping from the lowest branch, Ori landed on his feet with ease. It was not until then that he realized the commotion behind him.

Turning to regard the swift shifting of feet, the boy’s gaze met the orcs’. There was no time to flee. Nor even a moment for the crippling fear of what was to come to settle. By the time Ori had turned, he was met with the open maw of one of the raiders, roaring vigorously as his crude weapon swung.

“ORI!” The words that had been locked in Cormac’s throat finally broke free—too late. The guard watched as the sharpened iron blade cleaved through his son’s skull.

Ori’s mother screamed and charged forward for no other reason than instinct. She held no weapon, nor any means of defending herself. In truth, her task seemed pointless as her son’s life had already been claimed. Yet still she ran. Fists balled with naught but desperation and despair, fueled by anger at her husband’s lack of action.

Immobilized once more in his fear, knowing his cemented feet had made no attempt to protect his family, Cormac’s eyes filled with tears as his wife met the same fate as their beloved son.

In mere moments, the calm afternoon walk had turned to tragedy. And the dwarf had simply stood by in his dormancy as it all had transpired. A thousand curses aimed at himself, the self-loathing dwarf remained inactive even as the orcs made their way to him. Their roars fell deaf on his ears. Cormac’s eyes fell upon the blood staining their blades and the corpses of his loved ones.

Then, as if in irony, his mind finally decided to act. He shifted to a defensive stance, his father’s shields tight against his arms in preparation. One last glance found its way to Ori and his mother—a reminder of the result of Cormac’s hesitation.

Eyes still welled with tears, lip quivering in anguish, the dwarf waited. There would be no more hesitation.