Azure Steppes

The easiest way of travel was to ride through savannah, but without one, it would become exhausting to journey through on foot in the sun. Luckily there is a small ammount of shade under each Acacia tree if one needed to take a rest. Other creatures like Wallaroos or scar beasts sometimes came to the shade trees when the day is at its hottest point. 

There were also patches of brush and tall grass all sorts of things could be sneaking around in them, waiting patiently.

Walking along with Medus, Durgash said nothing aside from the occasional murmured scoffs regarding the heat and the bright sun, which was blinding his orc eyes. At some point, he couldn't resist and burst in a shout: "How can human survive in stupid bright land! Durgash not have metal, but so hot and blinding Durgash!"

Keeping up with his companion as best he could, every time there was a tree nearby he would jog hurriedly over to shield himself from the sun he was not used to in such a degree. Aside from this, he held his arm over his brow so as to prevent himself from being dazzled by the sun.

"Argh! Stupid yellow ball! Angry Durgash!" he glanced over to Medus . "How fight yellow ball? If Durgash come yellow ball, Durgash shatter with axe!" Durgash grunted.

As Durgash didn't understand the common language very well, he pondered on what the goblin said for a while, ignoring the words he wasn't familiar with and interpreting the rest in his own way. After a handful of seconds, he finally grasped what was happening. Instead of charging the robbers immediately in a fit of rage, a light grin formed on his face. "Heheheheh. Little GOBLIN WANTS DURGASH THINGS?!?!" He taunted the goblin. Raising his eyebrows slightly, he slided his hand into his bag, rummaging through the items inside. "Maybe goblin want fresh, HARD BOAR MEAT?!" Durgash asked, licking his lips and jerking the pork before the goblin's eyes. Retreating the meat into his bag again, he murmured "Or, strong, shiny mighty..." as he presented an adamantium ingot given to him by Tuska Blade-Arm recently. After putting it back inside of the bag, he pointed towards his left ear, which was pierced by a copper ring. "Or maybe... Durgash give circle?" but quickly reconsidered, "No, no no... Cannot give circle. Very... importanty."

Scratching his head for a moment, he hastily said "But Durgash know what little lizard want. Durgash see puny lizard with friends. Puny friends and lizard have weapon. Durgash GIVE ALL WEAPON!" Without allowing them the time to think, he immediately pulled out the battleaxe which was positioned on his back the entire time, charging into the party without remorse. From his time as a grunt in the Bloody Hands clan, he had his share of goblin slaughter; this bunch shouldn't prove a challenge as goblins and gnolls were rather frail creatures. Durgash, on the other hand, was an especially strong orc. Few humans could achieve this strength, let alone exceed it. Goblins? Not so much. Because Durgash was surrounded at the moment, it would be rather wise to prevent the opponents from attacking all at once, but he wasn't the cleverest fellow. He didn't bother with strategies, he enjoyed chaos and the thrill of battle, so he simply swung his battleaxe wildly at the enemies around him constantly in wide arcs and diagonal cuts, feeling more and more agitated rather than weary from the effort.

Durgash’s words and rambling meant little to the bandits, they stood surrounding him, hopefully waiting for the part where he’d give them the money. That part never came. Durgash charged at the goblin in front of him and the female kobold and the gnoll, all three would back up and try to jump out of the way. The gnoll side stepped, the goblin had actually tripped backwards and stumbled away, while the shielded kobold used her offhand to take the heavy impact of the axe, staggering a bit backwards. However, as the orc finished his burst of wild swinging, the female gnoll in the tree already had an arrow trained on his back.
She let the arrow loose towards Durgash’s back. Since Durgash was distracted and un-shielded, the arrow would easily strike him in the shoulder from the back. However, the bow and arrow she was packing was not a very impressive weapon, but it would be plenty to pierce his armor and skin. Whether this would hinder the orc or just enrage him, was yet to be seen.
The male kobold that was behind Durgash took a step towards the massive figure of Medus and raised his spear to him. His words would mean nothing until that orc stopped attacking them, but the pouch of gold he was carrying and his yell did seem to make him a target.

Medus draws closer, bringing his full weight to bear as he brushes aside the swords, spears and arrows of the bandits. He ignores them totally, charging at Durgash. He attempts to wrap the orc in his huge arms, shielding him from attack with his body. At the same time, he works to restrain the Orc, preventing him from continuing his assault. His voice is much more quiet now, though still laced with a harsh, screeching undertone of metal tearing.

"Stop this. Pointless."

Durgash watched with satisfaction the pain of the bandits, grinning at his own work as he returned to his normal self from the frenzied trance. He prepared his axe to finish them off one by one, end their lives once and for all. That is, until Medus rushed into the frey. The orc was glad at first that his ally finally came to his aid; but instead of crushing the kobold behind him, Medus attempted to shield the hulking body of Durgash with his own, enormous armored figure. Durgash wasn't delighted by this at all.

"Stop this. Pointless." Medus' quiet words sounded in the orc's ear. That only made Durgash even more infuriated. "What human doing?! Kill them!" He shouted in response. Now, Medus attempted to restrain the orc, trying to prevent him from killing his aggressors.

First Medus was Durgash's companion, now this? What is this treachery?! Whose side was Medus truly on? Maybe he was but a bandit in disguise! The idea flared up in his mind, and the remnants of Durgash's rage awakened once again to turn the blood in his veins into fire that blinded the thought and sharpened the strength. Durgash concentrated his brawn on an elbow strike to stagger Medus and stop his attempt at curbing his wrath.

Dazed by his anger, he quickly brought forth his axe again and launched it directly at Medus' face, which subsided his hatred somewhat after he did. As the axe was about to hit his false ally, Durgash wondered if he was right to react so violently. He was worried that the strike may kill the human, however, he quickly remembered all he heard about the quality of human armors. In the worst case, his blow would knock Medus unconscious, or so he hoped. After all, it was not in his intent to kill new recruits of the guild he was now part of, but if Medus was neutralized, he'd bring him back to the Guildhouse to tell of this treacherous act.

It appears Medus is very strong for a human; a strength to rival Durgash's own. No wonder he is able to wear the armor of such sturdiness and weight without any apparent trouble. Indeed, the helmet of Medus proved to be sturdy enough to absorb the strike of his axe; it didn't even seem to dent. The orc abruptly breaks free from Medus' hold, urging his body backwards, leaving only his sweat on Medus' armor.

He would normally attack Medus again, but he's a little tired from the recent fight, in which Medus didn't even participate. He listens to Medus' words carefully, then answers: "Orc heroes! Orc heroes kill!" Glancing at the unconscious bodies of the remaining bandits, he adds: "Human is traitor. Human tried stop Durgash. Human help lizard who try kill Durgash!!!"
"Because human, one puny run. Human want join Heroes? Human want join clan? Human better bandit, human likes bandit!" He shouts, a scowl on his face. Sighting, he states, finally: "Durgash not kill puny bandit, but Durgash not help human. Durgash now take bandit to guildhouse, and say what human did." Saying this, he gives a final scorning look directed at Medus with his feiry, red eyes, before moving towards the bandits, whether to detain them or kill them is not clear; his axe is sheathed now, however.

The first male kobold who tried running has disappeared into the plains, unable to be seen or followed further.
The female gnoll with the busted leg sees the Metal man and the Orc stop fighting and now approaching them, and decides she better start trying to get away. With one hand around her limb, she starts to try and hobble away into the field, grunting with every step on the bad leg.
The three trapped bandits are either unconscious or pinned to where they cannot react or move at this point, so they all remain under the tree as they are tied up. The female kobold tried to scurry away, but was locked in place by the now steel rope. The metal bar was now over Medus' shoulder, having the two unconscious bandits dangling from the solid rope, and the third trying to pry the restraints apart in vain.

With the bandits now detained, Medus continues on his path, heading for their original destination.