Choice 1. Take on the giant?

With one way as good as any other to get himself killed, Gregor let out a dry snort of amusement, before his cold gaze rested on the grey-furred monster behind them, and replied, "we'd stand a better chance against the giant."

Although judging by the nervous shuffle of feet, Morakan and a few of the others disagreed, but those fools could die for all Gregor cared. His only concern was getting back to Lytan and Sara, and getting them to safety.

Steel green eyes meeting his own, Guiram nodded his head in agreement, and for once in his miserable life, Gregor fought for something else besides his own survival. Although the gods help him if he died here, and snarled, "For the Legion!"

Longsword flourished in the air as he pounded back up the street, Gregor felt the ground tremble beneath him, saw houses rocked back and forth, when stone pavements flew through the air, and looked up to see the giant scooping up remains to fling towards them.

Left cheek gashed open by an errant femur, he tried to shield himself with his arms, while all around him legionaries raised their steel kites. With no such protection of his own, he looked to the surrounding buildings for cover, and wondered about a detour.

-1 HP.

(Press ahead.)

But with such a gap between them, Gregor feared he had to close the distance first, and raced forward, his longsword deflecting what he could from the air, when a hail of bones shredded his left arm. Warm blood trickling down his side, he wanted to howl in pain, but instead bit down on his tongue, his mind blinded by fury. He would make it bleed!

But as if to add insult to his injury the grey-skinned monster casually sat up in the marketplace, and in a sudden spurt of speed plucked Haddwel up from the ground. The dwarf's screams of terror cut short as his body was tossed into its gaping maw, and teeth crunched through metal, spurting out blood.

Heart beating loudly, Gregor stood there in stunned silence, when rain began to pour down from the sky. The huge grey furred giant, spitting something metallic onto the ground, and grinning like a wolf, it's blue eyes gleaming with malice as it stood up, shaking the entire world.

-3 HP.

(Order them to fall back.)

He knew he had no right to give commands, but as it was all these fools were going to die if he didn't do something, and bellowed, "get out of here!"

Gregor's voice almost drowned out by the crash of thunder in the sky, when Guiram his face still awash with horror, held up his arms. "Fall back!"

His desperate cry reaching Selese who wheeled on her feet and fired her bow, only to see Morakan frozen by fear crushed to death, along with the nameless minotaurs with them.

The whole moment so surreal and ghastly, Gregor had barely enough time to cry out again, hoping Selese would hear him, and dashed into a nearby alleyway. The giant's mocking laughter following him like an echo of his guilt.

(Press forward.)

Fingers stiff around the hilt of his longsword, Gregor knew he could not stop, and felt the quivering rush of adrenaline as thunder boomed, and warriors died. When just as suddenly, he was all alone, racing through rain swept streets, cheeks frozen in a rictus of a snarl as the giant turned on him, and lashed out with feet and arms. The legionaries that had surrounded him, crushed to bloody red paste, when in a spurt of speed, Gregor saw burning blue eyes then nothing.

Death

Shaking from the cold and tremors that would not stop, he tried to think clearly. But all he could hear was Haddwel's keening screams, and knew he couldn't go back, and no matter how hard he tried to move, he couldn't go forward either. It was like the battle of Galdretch all over again with everyone dying all around him, but as always he lived!

(Less than 30 Morale needed.)

Gregor however had had enough of it, and felt his knees sink into the cold wet stone, and lay there on the ground. Gods he was so tired.

Death

(More than 30 Morale needed.)

It was enough to make him want to scream with frustration, when he was reminded of a distant memory.

...Tears falling down scarred cheeks to touch his burnt flesh, Gregor lay there dying outside some mage's castle, and thought he saw Kira beside him. Her face crumpled up with sadness, and tears streaming down her cheeks from silver eyes as she begged, "I don't want you to die, Gregor."

And in that brief moment he had promised he would never leave her. Promised that he would always be there for her.

The bitterness of such a memory, forcing Gregor to beat his fists against the stone pavement, before he stood back up and ran. His clothing drenched from head to toe as he raced through side streets that cut across each other, each turn bringing him closer to that booming laughter, when at last he made a final turn.

Chest constricted with white hot fury as he saw the big hairy beast bent over something in the marketplace, he clenched his jaws shut to stop himself from growling like a maddened wolf, before he sprang past knocked over stalls. His feet taking him past the squished remains of Morakon, and what had to be the crumpled up armour of Haddwel, the bloodsoaked ground awash with innards and bones, when the creature turned and smiled, and Gregor roared. Live or die, he meant to make this bastard bleed, when arms swept down towards him.

(Stop.)

And he forced himself to halt, only to be hit hard by a swinging right hook that sent him careening through the air. His mind filled with unbridled fury as he crashed against the wall, leapt back up with a groan, and kept running forward.

-5 HP.

(Stop and roll forward.)

His sudden halt clearing the first arm swing, before he rolled forward under a right hook, and kept running forward.

(Roll forward.)

And quickly rolled forward, only to be struck in quick succession by both arms, and felt his lifeforce squeezed right out of him.

Death

Any moment now, he could feel death waiting to come get him, when the giant slammed it's foot down, and shockwaves rolled towards him.

Gregor with no time to react bowled off his feet with a solid thump that should have been the end of him, when arrows struck the giant's left eye. Blood coursed down it's closed eyelid, and with a madness that seemed focused towards destruction, it smashed apart homes with fists and legs.

While Gregor, seeing an opportunity to make his move, launched himself bodily through the air, and threw himself onto it's left leg. The sickening stench of rancid meat filling his lungs as he clung on for dear life, its fetid stink of sweat and unwashed body, certain to have never seen a river in years as Gregor climbed up using its straw like fur. Which actually left him with a lot of time to think.

Mind wandering to unexpected thoughts of Caroline, he wondered if he would ever see her again? Hoped he would in some ways, even after all the times she had tried to kill him, when he reached the giant's back, and latched onto it's long grey hair.

Stringy and wet, the damp stuff ran all the way down its spine, and somehow got into Gregor's mouth, when the monster began to sway, and lumber into a run.

(Keep moving.)

World thundering with noise, Gregor knew he could not stop, and gripped its hair as though his life depended on it. His head dizzied by the spinning ground, and tried to reach an arm up to press on, and found nothing but air.

Eyes widened in shock, he felt his other hand begin to slip, and tried to grab on again, only to be suddenly falling through the air. The faint echo of a voice that cracked at the back of his mind, full of disgust. "I had hoped more from you."

Then he was plummeting down, the streets speeding towards him, and finally sweet darkness.

Death

(Stay still.)

World thundering with noise and reverberations, he gripped the hair for all his life depended on it, head dizzied by the spinning ground, and waited for the land to stop shaking.

Arm muscles strained to the point of exhaustion, he feared he couldn't hold on much longer, when finally the land stopped moving. The town's stone walls almost back in view as Gregor strained for every inch of ground, his back on fire and body soaked in sweat, when fireballs flew up from below.

Biting back a snarl as the giant began to sway, Gregor wanted to scream, his joints burning with agony, until finally he clambered up the last few meters onto its scalp, and took in his whole surroundings. A part of him envious at the incredible view of the mountains to the north, and villages and farms sprawled out in all directions as well as the King's road that cut through sparkling blue rivers and lush green valleys. The distant glint of metal below, revealing hundreds of steel plated legionaries in the streets, their armoured ranks formed into lines as longbows were drawn back to cheeks.

-1 HP.

(Wait for them to release.)

Head quickly ducked to avoid the hail of arrows that whipped through the air, a part of Gregor was shocked at the range, before he choked down his surprise and searched for the weak point. Appearing like soft pink tissue among the gnarled grey flesh of the giant, he thrust home the longsword, and immediately heard a deafening roar as everything crumbled around him. The giant's voice turned to a rumbling whimper of pain as a huge hand flew back.

Heart lurched into his throat as he lost his footing, Gregor desperately fumbled to grab onto something, anything to stop his fall, when he fell through the sky. His hair whistling through the pelting rain as the town flashed up towards him, the streets drawing closer each moment as the words, "not yet," echoed in his mind, and he crashed through the gaping hole of someone's home, and was stopped by something soft and hard. The blue billows of smoke that poured out of his skin, keeping him afloat in the air, before he collapsed in a heap, and his eyes wearily snapped shut…

-5 HP.

+3 Morale

Move onto the next Scenario.

(Slay the giant.)

Arrows whipping through the air, Gregor rushed to find the weak point that appeared like pink flesh, and thrust home his longsword, when an arrow struck him in the arm.

His own deafening roar of agony, quickly overwhelmed by the giant's scream as everything crumbled around him, it's voice turned to a rumbling whimper of pain as a huge hand flew back.

Heart lurched into his throat as he lost his footing, Gregor desperately fumbled to grab onto something, anything to stop his fall, when he fell through the sky. His hair whistling through the pelting rain as the town flashed up towards him, the streets drawing closer each moment as the words, "not yet," echoed in his mind, and he crashed through the gaping hole of someone's home, and was stopped by something soft and hard. The blue billows of smoke that poured out of his skin, keeping him afloat in the air, before he collapsed in a heap, and his eyes wearily snapped shut…

-8 HP.

+1 Morale

Move onto the next Scenario.

(Use the side streets.)

Before he bellowed, "get into cover!" Gregor's voice almost drowned out by the crash of thunder in the sky, when Guiram signalled his warriors into the side street. The legionaries who understood the danger they were in, quickly dashing in after Gregor, where Morakon stood shaking in the alleyway, his eyes twitching nervously to the sound of booming laughter that followed, while Selese watched the streets behind.

The blood flecked droplets that dripped into Gregor's eyes, feeding the fiery rage as he gazed around at the faces of the legionaries, and knew they had to move. Only judging by the glazed look in most of their eyes, he doubted if any of them were willing to head back out there. Soft, weak-hearted, mudsaps, they had no idea what true battle was, and yet they were all he had. A troubling thought that should have made him laugh, but instead caused him to grimace.

(Be blunt.)

Gaze stiffened as he measured each one of them, it should have been Guiram that said something, anything to break the fear, but the fool elf kept staring up towards the clouds, his emerald coloured eyes unblinking as the rain struck his upturned cheeks. So it seemed up to Gregor.

Head shaking as he scowled at no one in particular, he growled, "you want to live? You come with me," and with that he spun on his heels.

+1 Morale.

(Attack their pride.)

Gaze stiffened as he measured each one of them, it should have been Guiram that said something, anything to break the fear, but the fool elf kept staring up towards the clouds, his emerald coloured eyes unblinking as the rain struck his upturned cheeks. So it seemed up to Gregor.

Head shaking as he scowled at no one in particular, he said, "Thoradar tells me the King's Legion is more than a bunch of hired swords, but I look around, and all I see is cowards. Cowards too afraid to fight. But if I am wrong, then show me," and with that he spun on his heels.

+2 Morale.

The clatter of footsteps close on his tail the only thing to tell him that he was being followed as Gregor raced back through rainswept streets, his clothing gusted by the freezing cold as each turn brought him closer to that booming laughter. His one glance behind him, revealing hard eyed warriors in dirt-stained armor that smiled grim smiles, when he made a final turn. The opening between the rows of oddly shaped round houses, exposing the big hairy beast in the middle of the marketplace.

Muttering an oath underneath his breath about fools and glory, he snapped, "keep the beast distracted!" and spurred himself onward, his teeth clenched tight as he ran past knocked over stalls, mounds of bones the size of houses, and shredded up corpses.

The muffled sound of his booted feet covered up by the rain that continued to thunder from the clouds, when the creature turned and smiled, and Gregor roared. Live or die, he meant to make this bastard bleed, when arms swept down towards him.

(Stop.)

And he forced himself to halt, only to be hit hard by a swinging right hook that sent him careening through the air. His mind filled with unbridled fury as he crashed against the wall, leapt back up with a groan, and kept running forward.

-5 HP.

(Stop and roll forward.)

His sudden halt clearing the first arm swing, before he rolled forward under a right hook, and kept running forward.

(Roll forward.)

And quickly rolled forward, only to be struck in quick succession by both arms, and felt his lifeforce squeezed right out of him.

Death

Any moment now, he could feel death waiting to come get him, when the giant slammed it's foot down, and shockwaves rolled towards him.

Gregor with no time to react bowled off his feet with a solid thump that should have been the end of him, when arrows struck the giant's left eye. Blood coursed down it's closed eyelid, and with a madness that seemed focused towards destruction, it smashed apart homes with fists and legs.

While Gregor, seeing an opportunity to make his move, launched himself bodily through the air, and threw himself onto it's left leg. The sickening stench of rancid meat filling his lungs as he clung on for dear life, its fetid stink of sweat and unwashed body, certain to have never seen a river in years as Gregor climbed up using its straw like fur. Which actually left him with a lot of time to think.

Mind wandering to unexpected thoughts of Caroline, he wondered if he would ever see her again? Hoped he would in some ways, even after all the times she had tried to kill him, when he reached the giant's back, and latched onto it's long grey hair.

Stringy and wet, the damp stuff ran all the way down its spine, and somehow got into Gregor's mouth, when the monster began to sway, and lumber into a run.

(Keep moving.)

World thundering with noise, Gregor knew he could not stop, and gripped its hair as though his life depended on it. His head dizzied by the spinning ground, and tried to reach an arm up to press on, and found nothing but air.

Eyes widened in shock, he felt his other hand begin to slip, and tried to grab on again, only to be suddenly falling through the air. The faint echo of a voice that cracked at the back of his mind, full of disgust. "I had hoped more from you."

Then he was plummeting down, the streets speeding towards him, and finally sweet darkness.

Death

(Stay still.)

World thundering with noise and reverberations, he gripped the hair for all his life depended on it, head dizzied by the spinning ground, and waited for the land to stop shaking.

Arm muscles strained to the point of exhaustion, he feared he couldn't hold on much longer, when finally the land stopped moving. The town's stone walls almost back in view as Gregor strained for every inch of ground, his back on fire and body soaked in sweat, when fireballs flew up from below.

Biting back a snarl as the giant began to sway, Gregor wanted to scream, his joints burning with agony, until finally he clambered up the last few meters onto its scalp, and took in his whole surroundings. A part of him envious at the incredible view of the mountains to the north, and villages and farms sprawled out in all directions as well as the King's road that cut through sparkling blue rivers and lush green valleys. The distant glint of metal below, revealing hundreds of steel plated legionaries in the streets, their armoured ranks formed into lines as longbows were drawn back to cheeks.

-1 HP.

(Wait for them to release.)

Head quickly ducked to avoid the hail of arrows that whipped through the air, a part of Gregor was shocked at the range, before he choked down his surprise and searched for the weak point. Appearing like soft pink tissue among the gnarled grey flesh of the giant, he thrust home the longsword, and immediately heard a deafening roar as everything crumbled around him. The giant's voice turned to a rumbling whimper of pain as a huge hand flew back.

Heart lurched into his throat as he lost his footing, Gregor desperately fumbled to grab onto something, anything to stop his fall, when he fell through the sky. His hair whistling through the pelting rain as the town flashed up towards him, the streets drawing closer each moment as the words, "not yet," echoed in his mind, and he crashed through the gaping hole of someone's home, and was stopped by something soft and hard. The blue billows of smoke that poured out of his skin, keeping him afloat in the air, before he collapsed in a heap, and his eyes wearily snapped shut…

-5 HP.

+3 Morale

Move onto the next Scenario.

(Slay the giant.)

Arrows whipping through the air, Gregor rushed to find the weak point that appeared like pink flesh, and thrust home his longsword, when an arrow struck him in the arm.

His own deafening roar of agony, quickly overwhelmed by the giant's scream as everything crumbled around him, it's voice turned to a rumbling whimper of pain as a huge hand flew back.

Heart lurched into his throat as he lost his footing, Gregor desperately fumbled to grab onto something, anything to stop his fall, when he fell through the sky. His hair whistling through the pelting rain as the town flashed up towards him, the streets drawing closer each moment as the words, "not yet," echoed in his mind, and he crashed through the gaping hole of someone's home, and was stopped by something soft and hard. The blue billows of smoke that poured out of his skin, keeping him afloat in the air, before he collapsed in a heap, and his eyes wearily snapped shut…

-8 HP.

+1 Morale

Move onto the next Scenario.