Fili peered around the corner, searching for any sign of the orcs that had been there only moments before. If they could take Ravenhill and destroy the orc's signal banners, the battle would automatically turn in their favor. But in the crumbled buildings where the orc leaders had been standing, there were now only empty, silent ruins. Fili slowly moved forward, one hand on the wall, trying to keep his feet from crunching on the rocky ground. The stench of decay and orc hung in the air, and old dust and mortar came loose under his hand. There was a soft clink off to his left. Fili froze. He crouched and pulled one of his few remaining daggers from his belt, careful not to scrape it on his armor. Even the smallest sound could alert a foe to his presence. He listened once more. There it was again. It almost sounded like someone in armor shifting their weight. It was either Kili, or it was an orc, he couldn't tell. Could Kili have already gotten up this way? "Kili" he whispered, barely loud enough to be heard. Silence.
Suddenly, a fire blazed up in front of him. Fili staggered back, the sudden heat singeing his clothes. He had made a huge mistake. Two orcs shot out from behind corners he swore he had already checked. Fili yanked a short sword out of its sheath, swinging it in a wide arc to push the orcs backwards. They retreated, and Fili stabbed the larger one through a gap in its armor. The orc roared in pain, jerking away before slicing at Fili. Fili quickly blocked the stroke, and ducked as the second orc aimed a vicious strike at his head. The orcish scimitar clanged against the stone, sparking, as the orc growled at Fili.
Fili turned towards the fire. It was the only way out now. Where was Kili? Were the orcs his way too? "Kili?" he shouted, trying to locate his little brother. If he could get through the fire, he could get to him. "Fili!" he heard a call, and the clang of weapons below. Panic bubbled up inside him. "I'm coming!" he yelled, jumping the flames. He couldn't let anything happen to Kili, their mother would never forgive him.
An orc lashed out as Fili turned the corner. Fili swiped his sword, cutting a deep gash that sent the orc howling. Another orc attacked, nearly taking Kili's arm off, and then another. Where were they coming from? Another orc lunged. Fili sunk his dagger into its side, pivoting to decapitate a different foe. But for every orc he killed, two more seemed to take its place. "Kili!" He needed help. He and Kili always fought better together. The pommel of a sword slammed into Fili's back. He stumbled, managing to draw a dagger. He whirled to face his enemy, only to have the dagger knocked from his hands. A pale hand slammed Fili into a wall so hard that his vision blacked for a moment.
As the darkness faded from his sight, he felt the cold press of a sword against his throat. Fili slowly looked up. The face of Azog the Defiler towered above him, his face split in a cruel smile. The blade he was using was in place of his hand. It looked like it had simply been shoved through the stump of the orc's arm. Fili's heart stopped in his chest. Azog had killed his grandfather. He had almost killed Thorin just weeks ago. And now he'd kill him too, wouldn't he? Fili started to struggle, as best he could with the sword at his neck. He had to escape, he had to get back to Kili. He had to get back to his Uncle Thorin, he had to get back to his mother. Mahal, what would his mother do if he didn't come back? What would happen to her, what would happen to Kili? Fear flooded him, turning his veins to ice. He had to get back, he had to get back, he had to- "Stop wriggling, scum!" Azog snarled, before grabbing Fili's collar and his kicking legs out from under him. Fili choked as his collar constricted around his throat. He scrambled to get his legs back under him. Mahal, how was he going to get out of this one? Where was Kili?
They had always gotten each other out of trouble. Usually it was Fili who helped Kili, but sometimes it was the other way around, like that time when they stole Balin's glasses and hid them in an inkwell, or the time they tied all of Dwalin's shoe laces together in near-impossible knots. Kili would smile as they ran breathlessly from the anger of their mother or uncle or, on one occasion, Ori, and Fili would grin back. They'd gotten away with something, and it was fun, and they had each other. Even when Father died, and Thorin obsessed over the mountain, and mother spent some nights crying outside where she thought they couldn't hear her, they had each other. And now, and now what did he have? Who would get him out of trouble this time?
Fili saw the edge of a cliff approaching. His eyes widened and he redoubled his struggling, finally getting some purchase on the rocky soil. Down below, he saw Thorin approaching, with Bilbo and Dwalin close behind. Even from high above, Fili could see Thorin's worried face, stretching to fear as he spotted Fili. Could they see all the other orcs from where they were? He had to warn them, the orcs had them surrounded! Azog roared something, but the words were just noise to Fili. "Thorin!" he yelled. His uncle didn't know it was a trap, that there were orcs in every shadow. "Go!" Thorin had to get away, he had to destroy the banners, remake their home beneath the mountains. But Thorin stayed locked in place. He shook his head, refused to abandon him. Couldn't Thorin see he was going to die if he stayed? Fili was shoved closer to the edge. His heart beat wildly, fighting its way out of his chest. Suddenly, he could see Kili, just underneath a ledge. He was still as stone, face frozen in horror. Mahal, Kili, just go, just go-"KILI!" he screamed, desperate to make someone, anyone understand. They were going to die, they were all going to-
Azog's sword went right through Fili's back and into his chest.
The pain was excruciating, and Fili screamed, screamed except he didn't because blood was filling his mouth and he choked and Mahal he twisted it Azog twisted the sword and he shuddered, choking, blood burning into his lungs and Mahal please mother please I'm sorry we failed I'm sorry I ever left I'm sorry please stop it make it stop please please pleas e
The world jerked and tilted and Fili fell. It could have been seconds or hours, the pain took the rest of his senses away. The ground rose up to hit him, knocking any remaining semblance of breath out of him. Kili stood just right of him, still frozen, looking like his world had just broken in two because it had. I'm sorry, brother, I love you, sorry Fili tried to say, but nothing happened. He had failed, failed in his quest and his promise to return. It had been hopeless to try, just like it was hopeless to keep the dark from quickly covering his vision. Hopeless, hopeless, hopeless.