Stefano cursed his misfortune as he was caught in a middle of a reload When the orc leader reared his head. He considered sending out Drusilla to harass him. But it would be futile and he refused to endanger such a magnificent creature. Still his keen eyes studied the orc leader, he seemed like a fine strong specimen and would be a worthy kill.
"I'm sure there's a line," Stefano thought to himself.
"But I would love to have a head such as that adorning my mantle piece. Well if I still had a mantle." Stefano entertained his little daydream and then returned to the task of reloading his weapon.
The orcs had let out a predatory roar as more assembled into squads and set off charging at their formations. Stefano set the match and re-assed the battlefield again trying to pick out the ideal target.
"Damn!" He cursed in his head. His previous shot showed his bullets had no problem punching through an orc, and he was told if placed right he could but a bullet through even a plated soldiers chest and the other side. Yet that was a human he doubted he could claim an instant kill against these much stronger warriors. Still challenge, the possibility of faliure, the risk of death heavy on the air... was this not what gave life it's flavor?
Stefano gave a short high whistle, the command for his hounds to return to him, and studied his potential targets. His hounds wouldn't make it half way to him but this would set them at a charge when he reissued the heel command.
Of these new foes he considered the halberd weilder the most dangerous mark, the reach and versatility would keep Ludivico on his toes and endangered the twins shields. However the axe and shield orc would limit Ludi's vector of attack and slow down the spped of the fight as he looked for his opening. Considering this Stefano threw Drusilla towards him in hopes of forcing him to redirect his guard to the sky (this opening him up for attack from the militia or Ludi) or least slow him down. Next Stefano gave the heel whistle to his hounds who quickly turned and charged back into the fray bowling with furry. Agrippina and Incitatus bounded towards the spear orc while Livilla charged the halberd orc.
Stefano raised his wepon to eye level and squeezed one eye closed zoning in on his chosen mark. Once again he shrunk all he knew to gust him and his target. Thinking his weapon's armor piercing would be needed again soon he opted to fire at his quarry at a larger distance than the previous. He aimed lower ,however, this time at the orcs massive barrel like chest in hopes of a lower margin of error. There just a little below the run cage was were a solid piece of chest plate was connected by chainmail to a large iron gutplate. Here was were Stefano reckoned his for was weakest.
Stefano breathed deep in the blood and stench of combat and squeezed the trigger. An explosion, a flash, and the stench of gunpowder, Stefano's sweet heralds of Violence rang out as the bullet races across the field.
The orc was blasted back a few steps and dropped to his knees as the bullet found its mark. Stefano smiled knowing his shot had pushed through his mark and hopefully ripped through the orcs guys before coming through its body. Stefano's smile disappeared when he heard the bloodcurdling roar of pure hatred as the orc stumbled to its feet and charged like a frenzied bull strait towards Stefano's position.
"Shit! Shit! Shit! Calamity and misfortune and divine shit!" Stefano cursed in raid fire as he raced to load another shot. His enemy was well and truly frenzied and it would take truly devastating damage to stop him now.
Despite the guy shot and the tremendous amount of blood the orc was swiftly losing, the beast was making much swifter ground then it's two companions. Livilla intercepted the charging orc and at a leap sunk her teeth into the orcs upper thigh and held in with all her might. This did little to slow the orc, it's anger was so complete it was content to charge foreword with the blood hounds teeth embedded in it, dragging the dog with him.
As the orc reached the start of the flank the youth Stefano had bet with tried to stand in the way of its charge only to be slammed into with so much force he was sent airborne for a solid 3 seconds before slamming into the ground 10 feet away. Stefano was only packing new powder into the barrel as he silently prayed,
"No need for the parrots Ludi, things are definitely going wrong. I need you to work magic now!"@Skull