The group were standing on a narrow strip of barren land sandwiched in between a blackened landscape. It was approximately ten meters in width and extended to the left and right as far as the eye could see. Lazarus glanced at the Witch in chagrin, the group was now effectively trapped in the 'safe zone'.

Behind them, the grey mist continued to swirl beyond a twenty meter dash back to where they had emerged. In front was the same but the burnt horizon disappeared into a world of gloom. Going back was not an option. They could not jump up nor be certain of landing on the rocky ledge they had leapt down from earlier. Also, the way back was now crowded with drool dripping, ravenous, half burnt creatures.

The land beyond that could only be described as hell.

Wisps of smoke rose from patches of smouldering vegetation. The cracked dry ground was burnt black, soot scattered everywhere. The only light came from between the deep cracks in the ground where what seemed to be lava flowed and the glowing embers from smouldering vegetation. Piles of incinerated deadwood littered the place. It was gloomy and hot.

A sudden gust of hot air brought them a horrible stench making them gag.

"Ughh, what is that stink?" Constantine asked hastily covering his mouth and nose. "It smells like rotting eggs."

Valentine looked out at the bleak landscape and pointed, "Or rotting flesh. Look!!"

They now had the leisure of checking out the shapes looming out of the landscape. Out of the gloom, more and more dark shapes were slowly pushing themselves up from the ground and ambling towards them. The gathering at the boundary was growing larger by the minute.

The moaning slurping sounds became louder as all manner of creatures stared balefully at the small group. Many had been caught in the Field of Corpses. Some had matted fur and some peeled skin. Some stood on four legs and others on two. They did not seem to care or feel the open sores and wounds festering upon their bodies. Dried blood and puss stained rags, skin and fur. The emerging creatures lurched awkwardly as if they had trouble controlling their limbs. They limped and staggered forward staring menacingly ahead, using their sense of smell to orient on the trespasses. Several gaunt orcs were also among those gathered.

Several warriors swallowed hard. "The lost ones. We have found them."

"The things are only appearing behind us," Constantine said. He raised his glowing hands, ready to hurl spells at them. "We will have to get pass them if we want to go back."

"Who I mean ... what are those?" gulped the Thief.

"Lady?" Lazarus asked the Witch but his silver eyes were trained on the emerging dark shapes. He had automatically slipped back into battle mode, arrow nocked and ready to fly at the first signs of attack.

"Welcome to the Field of Corpssesss. Our presence has alerted the field dwellers. Do not worry, we are safe here. They can only roam the burnt lands."

"So we are in the first ring of the Bello's defences? And those are walking corpses, as in zombies?"

"Not zombiesss, they are ssstill alive for now but are cursssed by the land. All who sstay here too long become like that or if you are unfortunate enough to get bitten by them." She then looked pointedly at the group, "Do not get bitten."

Valentine rolled his eyes whilst Constantine snorted at the useless advice. Anya bared her teeth, her hackles rising. She did not like the Witch. Kalthu cracked his knuckles aggressively. Immediately, his Captain signalled the nervous warriors. Steady, stay alert and in position.

"Not a problem. We don't plan to stay here long," announced Kalthu. "Shall we go on? None have appeared there yet." He pointed at the gloom in front of them "Lazarus?"

"Sstepping onto the burnt landsss will alert the field dwellersss on that part and sstart the next phasse of your quest," the Witch cautioned the Assassin pointing at the clear boundary on the other side of their 'safe zone'. On one side was hard packed barren land and on the other burnt dead land.

"And what is the next phase?"

"The only way to get through is to remove the cursse from the field dwellersss."

"And how do we do that?"

"Sscalp the curssed orcs. Other creaturesss do not count."

"Scalp them? As in remove the skin and hair from their heads? Seriously?" Valentine asked in shocked disgust.

Kalthu and his warriors were bristling aggressively, antagonised by the Witch's words. Scalp their own? She must be mad! She wanted to start a war between clans!!

"Witch, you want us to mutilate our brethren?" growled the Warlord. "I would sooner skin you then scalp our kind!"

"You misstake my intentionsss great Warlord. They are curssed to walk these dessolate landsss forever, not quite dead but not quite alive either. They forage for whatever they can and exisst in a meaninglessss existence. They are trapped here forever in limbo. The only way they can esscape thisss misserable place isss for you to kill them or sscalp them." She paused. "Sscalping them will lift the curssse."

"What will happen to those we save?"

"They will dissappear and reappear at the sspot where they had ventured into the mistsss, whole but without their memoriesss of what happened in here."

The Warlord nodded satisfied, a hard determined expression crossing his face. He would save the lost ones. Kalthu turned to his warriors to give them new orders. Save as many of their brethren as possible.

"How does that work?" Valentine asked. "The curse is linked to their hair? That is so weird not to mention gross."

The Witch shrugged. "I don't know. I wasss not the one to cursse the land nor did I make the rules."

This was a Game, Lazarus reminded himself. Anything goes.

The Assassin drew himself up. "O'kay, we go forward. Scalp as many as we can," he glanced apologetically at Kalthu, "to save them. We will try to make it to the next ring."

Valentine spoke up, "In order to do that, I suggest we run in as fast and as far as possible. At least then we will not have to fight those things all the way through."

The Witch watched as Kalthu and Constantine nodded.

"Right. Shall we go?"

"Ready?"

Everyone steeled themselves for the nasty business of orc scalping. Sounds of steel and iron filled the air as everyone drew their various weapons.

Lazarus glanced around making sure everyone was ready. He could not help looking beyond his friends for a last look at the hungry creatures they would be facing. Nothing they could do for them now. Resolutely, the Assassin pulled up a scarf to protect his nose and mouth.

"GO!!"

The second the gatekeeper's feet touched the hot burnt lands, a message flashed across the dark sky.

LifeStone Group Quest Phase One activated: Field of Corpses

Gather ten orc scalps per Hero to proceed to the next stage. Total thirty orc scalps required.

Heroes remaining in the group Quest :

Constantine, Warlock, Level 90

Lazarus, Assassin, Level 87. Familiar, Anya, Wolf.

Valentine, Thief, Level 86

Only the three gatekeepers who could see the message looked up as they ran.

"Thirty!" Valentine mouthed at Lazarus whose face took on a determined expression. He was not giving up.

So many, thought Valentine miserably. The number was not the problem, he had faced worse odds before, scalping was. Ugh!! What kind of sick minded bespectacled gaming creator came up with this gross idea? So, that meant they were stuck in this wretched place until they got those gross scalps? Seriously!

"Remember!! Only the orcs count. The other creatures do not!" cautioned Lazarus. "Auto reload bow."

"Yeah, but we still have to kill them. They also attack and bite. I, for one, am not going to be the first zombified Hero in Orc Wars!!"

Constantine laughed at Valentine. "If you get bitten, I can kill you, yes?"

Before Valentine could retort, they heard Lazarus' voice. "Steady! Here they come!" he shouted as he nocked and let loose a volley of arrows. Those that were hit staggered back or tumbled down, only to get up again. The smaller shapes combusted on the spot.

"Gwar! Gawarr!"

"I don't see any orcs!"

The sluggish creatures moved stubbornly to the group but ignored the Witch. They could smell fresh meat. The stink of rotting flesh and festering wounds assaulted their nostrils as the creatures neared. More were climbing out of the soil.

"Kill them and put them out of their misery!"

"C'mon, move as you take them out. We need to get to the Bello's inner circle."

"Right!"

Kalthu signalled his warriors. His orcs fanned out surrounding the humans in a protective circle as they ran. His warriors were expandable. They all knew this was a suicide mission when they signed up to follow the Warlord. The Overlord would compensate their families accordingly and if by some miracle they survived, increased battle honours and benefits for their respective clans reflecting their courage and loyalty to their Overlord.

The hungry creatures were coming thick and fast now. Soon, the Heroes would be forced to stand and fight.

The Captain along with a few warriors slashed and hacked the way free of obstacles. The others killed anything that moved toward them from the sides. Kalthu took rear guard, brandishing his battle axe fiercely at the growing following they were attracting. The humans were doing their part too. From within the loose circle, Lazarus' arrows flew out hitting targets further away. Constantine's red lightning crackled, zooming onto the looming creatures. More exploded when hit by Valentine's thrown blades and shurikens.

"Orc!!"Constantine cried. "I saw one! Over there! Cover me, I'm going for it!"

"Be careful out there! Don't die on us!" Valentine shouted as he darted out to slash at a salivating open-mouth canine killing it. It was about to bite a warrior who was busy hacking at another field dweller.

"Who me? Never!" The Read Warlock laughed."Laz!! Cover me!"

Lazarus gave a thumbs-up, nocked another arrow and sighted Constantine's targeted orc. Then he checked the area near his friend's path to the cursed orc. He released an arrow instantly killing an orange eyed goat with horns. It bleated in pain and exploded lighting up the area. All clear, he signalled the Warlock.

The Red Warlock moved confidently toward his target. The dark orc's large head was shaved bald except for a thick greasy lock of hair which was tied up high on his head. The orc's big bones protruded from his shrunken body. He was dirty and soiled but his black feverish beady eyes were more than alert. Constantine could not tell what colour the orc was. The next moment, red lightning struck the poor malnourished hulk. He collapsed to the ground convulsing.

"GWARRR!! Aaarrrrrr!!"

"Sorry friend," Constantine said under his breath as he pulled out a sharp knife. The gatekeeper leapt to the orc and thought he saw relief in the orc's black eyes when he reached to grab his lock of hair. He was about to scalp the orc when it combusted. Automatically, Constantine let go of the burning hair, jumped back and covered his eyes.

"What the hell?!" Constantine yelled in bewilderment. "NO-ooooo!"

"What's wrong? Did you get it?" asked Valentine.

"No," came the disgruntled answer.

"What happened?"

"It died on me. I couldn't take his hair because it disappeared with him. That could have been our first!"

"What?! Then how are we supposed to get their hair?"

"I don't know."