I'm Here Now

Everything around him was chaos.

Dwarves, elves, men and orcs were dropping like flies. He blocked some metal with his own just as he had slightly turned his head to see an orc blade inches from his face. Sweat and blood dripped from his brow. His teeth gritted fiercely to muster all the strength he had left to fight off the creature. Forcing the orc blade downward, his own dwarvish iron swiftly pierced the beast through the gut and down the filth went.

Out of breath and beginning to panic, Fili's piercing blue eyes scanned the carnage.

He had lost Kili.

They had been separated for hours. Trampling over bodies and weapons Fili lifted the fallen, turned them over to get a glimpse of their face. Another orc sprang out of nowhere and Fili was forced to defend himself. This time he used his hand; grabbing the orc by the neck and strangling him till his has breath. A fierce look in his eyes as he watched death claim its victim.

Fili stood, weakened and tired from the fighting and panicking because he couldn't find his brother. Dread corrupted him. His short breaths caused mists of frost to form in front of him. It was getting colder and night was falling.

"Kili!"

"Kili!" he shouted; his voice hoarse but to no avail. The screams of the dying, the grunts and yells of the warriors still fighting and the cries for mothers rang throughout the battlefield. Fili walked further; taking each step carefully in case he came across his brother. Over a small hill he climbed and a hopeless dread drenched him when the reality of what was happening ached his heart.

And there he was. Fili's skilled sight locked on his fallen brother.

"Kili!"

"Kili?" Thunder roared throughout the mountain as Fili poked his head into his younger brothers chamber. He heard a small muffled cry and he smirked softly as he entered further in.

"Kili what are you doing under the bed?"

Fili knelt down and peered under to see a small figure curled up in a ball at the far end. Little doe like eyes filled with tears peered up from small arms.

"I- I don't like thunder."

Another roar of rage boomed and echoed throughout the mountain causing Kili to hide his face in his arms again. Fili smiled and reached his hand to his brother.

"It's okay Kili, I'm here now."

"Kili! Kili!" Running down the small hill as fast as he could Fili had found his brother. But his heart sank and it felt like the world around him was fading. Kili was on his back and not moving.

"No! No, no, no, no!"

Fili fell on his knees beside Kili with his hands hovering over his wounded body as though if he were to touch him be would shatter. Fearing that though Fili smoothed Kili's hair from his face so gently an elf would have been surprised at the carefulness of such hands.

"Kili" Fili whispered; tears spilling from his eyes.

Kili's eyes fluttered open but just barely.

With a weakened voice, cracking with pain, Kili spoke with a small smile moving in his lips, "Fili."

"You're going to be okay, I'm here now" Fili tried to smile but he knew the pain and heartbreak in his eyes would speak louder than any word or gesture.

Fili stressed as he looked at the two arrows embedded in his brother's chest with blood streaming from the wounds and pressed hard on them to try and slow the blood flow. Kili jerked in pain, his eyes closing tight then opened them to looked at his brother.

"We made it Fili, we're home" he whispered quietly. Too quietly.

"And- and we're going to explore every nook and cranny when you get better" Fili said as he lifted Kili so that he was resting comfortably in his arms, "Remember? It was your idea."

Kili swallowed and closed his eyes, "Wishful thinking" he laughed but as he did blood choked him and poured from his mouth and ran down his neck. Fili sobbed into the dark wavy hair.

"You know, death is going to be a lot better with you here holding me."

"Don't say that Kili" Fili sobbed again, harder this time. He grabbed onto Kili's hand and held on as though his own life depended on it.

They lay there, still and quiet, just holding each other creating a moment of peace in this madness. In this massacre.

"I'm feeling heavy."

Fili stiffened at those words. He scrunched his face as if trying to push those words away. He buried his face in his brother neck. No words came to him, there was nothing he could do or say to change what was happening.

"Help will come. Just hold on a little longer Kili. Remember the eagles? We thought we would die but they came, help came when we thought all was lost" Fili said desperately as he lifted his head to look around for help, as though it was coming just over that little hill.

"Not this time Fili."

Kili's head lowered a little. Fili shifted so that he could see his face. He was white, his lips were going blue. Tears fell more quickly from Fili's eyes as the pain ripped through his heart.

Kili looked at him, "You'll be okay, you'll be-"

"Not without you!" Fili cried and sobbed, "We have never parted."

Night had fallen and the battlefield became quiet.

All was quiet.

"I'm going Fili, I can feel it."

Panic rose through Fili like wildfire, "No, no please, please don't leave me Kili! Remember your promise? Remember?"

Tears ran down Kili's cheeks leaving his deep brown eyes just like the life within him was leaving.

His hand then fell to the rocks, his chest lay still and his eyes became glassy and there he took his last breath as his last tear fell.

Fili stared at him in shock daring not to believe he was dead. His own breathing became sharper and it felt like daggers were stabbing his chest constantly.

"Kili! Kili! Wake up! Please wake up! Kili!" he pleaded but nothing he could do or say would help. With one deep breath Fili wailed in agony and buried his face in his brothers chest.

His little brother was gone.