Several orcs saw Achilles! They pointed with their weapons and shouted in their strange, guttural language!
Achilles turned and sprinted off the path. The orcs’ torch light had taken away some of his night vision, so he stumbled over rocks and branches as he ran.
He clutched his father’s sword to his chest, grateful that it was chained so tightly shut that it couldn’t clank, but wishing desperately that he could draw it.
came a voice from very close by.
Achilles almost soiled himself and ran faster in terror.
said the voice again.
Achilles stumbled and spun around, looking for who was talking to him.
He could see nobody. There were no orcs close by, nor even any humans.
And the voice that spoke wasn’t one he recognized. It wasn’t even the voice of the man who warned them about the
