There's a pretty graphic death in this chapter so skip the italicized part if you're not good with gore (no worries, it's not a major death and not super important to the main plot)

Chapter 10: Cut Your Losses

Holly bit her tongue and wondered if she should have said anything at all. Léonere and Alistair wore twin expressions of shock, Víriel had her brow furrowed as though in deep thought, and the dwarves were inscrutable as usual. And Bilbo...Holly locked eyes with him and felt her heart sink. His surprise seemed to go deeper, into the realm of looking threatened.

The next best thing for her to do would be to provide the reasoning behind her statement. Perhaps that would make it a bit easier to swallow, so to speak.

"Sauron was not only the most powerful dark sorcerer of the Second Age but the most powerful necromancer as well. That explains why the dead become animated. And whatever caused it must have been something we carried with us, something that could be easily hidden and just as easily activated. A ring fits both of those categories. And, of course, everyone knows that Sauron had a ring that augmented his power, one that was lost at the end of the Second Age. How it ended up in Bilbo's possession, I'm not entirely sure, but seeing as he found it somewhere in the Misty Mountains, it makes sense that it must have been hidden in a secluded area for all these years." She looked around the group, studying everyone's faces once more. "I assume you all follow."

"There should be a way to know for sure," Léonere said. "If what you claim is true, most magical objects of that level of power have some sort of magical signature, if you will, if provided the right type of—"

"Yes, I know about that," she said. "I believe it's heat for this one. I read Isildur's account of his possession of the One Ring, back in the library at Gondor."

"All right." Léonere held out one hand and a small flame leapt to life in his palm. He turned to Bilbo. "Give it to me and we can make sure that what Holly says is true."

Bilbo glared in response. "I'm not giving it to you."

Thorin cut in before things could escalate. "Let's assume for the moment that Bilbo really is carrying the One Ring. What now?"

"Well, we should get rid of it, I suppose," Holly said.

"It can only be destroyed by the fires from which it was forged," Léonere said.

"And where would that be?" Bilbo asked.

"The volcano in Mordor," Víriel said. "That area is right next to Ithilien. I'd be able to lead us there."

"Hold on, we're going to Mordor, now?" Bilbo asked. He turned to Thorin. "Don't we have a more pressing issue?"

"I'd say possession of a magical object full of evil energy is rather high on our list of priorities," Holly said.

Thorin nodded in agreement. "Should it fall into the wrong hands, such an item could endanger all of Middle Earth."

"And what about the reason we came out here in the first place?" Bilbo shot back. "I've held onto it for two years, I can hold onto it for a bit longer. It's not as if anyone else knows about it." Even as he said it, his gaze flickered nervously to where Léonere and Alistair were standing.

"Why did you all need the chalice, anyway?" Léonere asked. "If one of you is sick, I can try to heal—"

"No, you can't, and it's none of your business," Holly said.

He gave her a small frown, but continued. She had to commend him for trying. "It's my fault the chalice was destroyed," he said to Bilbo. "Let me help you."

"We don't need your help," Thorin said. "Our time working together is done, now."

Bilbo shook his head. "Then how else are we supposed to find a cure? Léonere has the resources we need to find something else—"

"Do you?" Holly asked the mage. "If you're so keen on helping us, then what's your brilliant idea?"

"That can wait," Thorin said before Léonere could respond. He turned to Holly. "If what you say is true, this ring has been causing the dead to rise, and could cause more damage if it falls into the wrong hands. We need to destroy it before that happens."

"Then why don't we just split up?" Nori said. "We have two different groups with two different priorities, and if one can't convince the other, then there's no use in arguing."

"We can't split up," Holly said. When Léonere began to say something else, she raised her voice to add, "That's how we all end up dead."

This apparently gave everyone else cause to speak up, all trying to talk over one another.

"Enough!" Thorin's voice rose above the rest, and everyone quieted. "We're not going to split up," he continued. "But Nori's right. We cannot reach a consensus now. We camp here for tonight, and resolve this issue tomorrow. I'll take first watch."

With that, he adjusted his grip on his sword and marched towards the rubble of the tomb, probably to check for any remnants of the dead. After a moment, Bilbo moved to follow him.

Holly watched him go, wiping some dirt from the bridge of her nose. It was because of her that they were in this situation, that they'd all been nearly buried alive in a tomb full of false promise. And now she was the reason they'd be marching down to Mordor, if Bilbo agreed to destroy the ring first.

Even if no one else knew about it, their journey would be a dangerous one. They would run into more dead, or a pack of orcs, or something else bent on killing them. The strange foreboding in the pit of her stomach led her to believe that, if nothing else. She'd had the same feeling the day before the battle at Erebor—the heaviness in the air like that before a storm, coupled with a sharpness that was reminiscent of blood.

Holly ran her fingers over the scar on her left hand. She'd see to it that her friends made it back home alive and safe. It was the least she could do after ruining their lives for the second time in two years.

Léonere pushed open a set of double doors and stepped out into the sunlight, striding down a cloister made of white marble. To his left, below the citadel, he could see the coastline. The docks were lined with warships, all of them nearly ready to set sail.

He allowed himself a small smirk. After years of scheming, everything was coming together.

Footsteps sounded ahead, and Léonere turned his head to see a guard turn the corner. He locked eyes with the him and felt his smirk grow wider.

"Ah, Baranor. Have you come to wish me farewell?"

"I've had enough of your words, you lying snake," Baranor said, drawing his sword. His dark beard made the angles of his face even more intimidating, but could not hide the lines of age around his eyes and mouth. "The king may have fallen for your tricks, but I've known you were nothing but a liar and a traitor since the day you set foot inside this palace."

"You've come to kill me, then," Léonere said, eyeing the blade as Baranor leveled it at his chest. "Punish me for crimes I've yet to commit."

"I'm going to stop you, before you destroy us all."

"Not from here, you won't. Let me help." Léonere stepped forward, so the tip of Baranor's sword was inches from the fabric of his robe. "Go on then, Captain. Stop me."

He could see the glimmer of doubt in Baranor's eyes, but then it disappeared as his gaze hardened. Baranor thrust his sword upward, aiming to pierce under the ribcage and into his heart.

Léonere willed a field of energy around him, the sheer force shattering the blade and leaving him unharmed. He locked eyes with Baranor once more as the metal shards hit the marble at their feet. Baranor stared back, fear and confusion widening his eyes.

"What are you?"

"A liar and a traitor, according to you." He reached forward, the energy around his hand denting the metal of Baranor's breastplate, then tearing it open entirely. The fabric, flesh, and muscle beneath it followed suit. Baranor's scream of pain was cut off by a rush of blood as Léonere pulled removed the heart from his chest. He held it at eye level, so they could both watch it convulse once, then lie still.

"But I think we both know more I'm more than that," Léonere continued. He let the organ fall to the ground. Baranor held his gaze, hatred and anger fighting through a haze of pain as the life drained from his eyes. "See you in the Undying Lands."

Léonere sat up, gasping for air. He held up one hand, checking it for blood. It was clean, but the memory of the guard's murder remained fresh in his mind. He pushed himself up from his bedroll and stumbled out of the clearing. He'd only made it a few yards before he fell to his hands and knees and retched, trying to rid the nausea rolling through his stomach.

The brush behind him rustled, and in a moment Alistair was kneeling at his side.

"Léonere? What happened?"

He pushed himself into a sitting position and wiped his mouth with one shaking hand. "I-I was—" He took a deep, shuddering breath. "It was a nightmare. More realistic than anything I've experienced before."

Alistair gripped his shoulder and squeezed. "About what happened in the tomb?"

Léonere shook his head. "I was in a place I'd never been before. I wasn't in control of what I said or did. I-I didn't want to, but I killed someone." And a part of me enjoyed it, he added silently.

"What does that mean, a dream like that? Is it magic?"

"I don't know." He used both hands to wipe the cold sweat from his face. "Magic and dreams...it's never been extensively studied before."

Alistair moved his hand up to the back of Léonere's neck. "Are you going to be able to sleep?"

"I don't know," he replied, reaching up to grasp Alistair's forearm. "It's what happens when I am asleep that scares me, really."

The sky was pitch black when Holly woke for second watch. She settled against a tree, facing the tomb, and scratched at her scalp. There was still quite a lot of dirt in her hair and clothes from when the tomb had collapsed.

She undid her braid and began combing through her hair with her fingers, hoping to get some of the dirt out while she could. There was no telling when would be the next time she'd be able to wash herself.

Soft footsteps interrupted her thoughts and Holly looked up to see Nori offering her his comb.

"Thank you." She accepted it and began working through her hair once more. "Trouble sleeping?"

"A little," Nori said, taking a seat next to her. "And I thought you could use some company."

"Why? Do I look lonely?"

"You look like you don't know how to use that comb."

Holly rolled her eyes. "Then it's good that I'll only be managing my hair into one braid instead of twenty."

"You mean Víriel will. Do you even know how to braid your own hair?" His eyebrows shot up when she didn't respond. "Really? I always wondered why you used to keep your hair down."

"My sister used to do my hair for me," Holly admitted.

"I promise, I'm trying very hard to imagine that."

"We weren't always mortal enemies. Anyway," she tried to change the subject, "there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"Ask away. Don't think I'm done with the braid thing, though."

"You suggested earlier that we should all split up. But you never said which side you would choose."

Nori withdrew one of his knives and began to sharpen it. "So what's your question?"

Holly punched him in the arm.

"All right, all right. I agree with you. I think we've got to get this ring destroyed first." He set his knife down and turned to her. "I wouldn't worry about the others. One of us will convince Bilbo, and the other two can fuck right off."

She allowed herself a small smile. She'd come to a similar conclusion, but it was nice to hear someone say it out loud. "We don't need to split up. I want to keep everyone together."

"And that's something I've been meaning to talk to you about." Nori raised his knife and began sharpening it again. "Back in the tomb, I saw you slip past those boulders, even though Thorin told you to stay with the group."

Holly frowned. "Bilbo was still there. I couldn't leave him behind."

"Just listen for a moment. Look, back in the Blue Mountains, I used to be a miner before I realized regular jobs were stupid. We had rules about cave-ins. If someone got stuck, we had to get the people who were able to escape out first. If we were able, we would go back for the ones left behind, but not before getting as many people out as possible."

She shook her head and repeated, "I couldn't leave him behind."

Nori sighed. "I know. But the point I'm trying to make is that you're not going to be able to save everyone. If everyone rushed back to help a straggler, the number of casualties would double. I don't mean to sound cold when I say this, but sometimes you've got to cut your losses."

Holly handed the comb back to him. "I know what you mean. But I can't think of it the same way you do. If it comes to saving one person or ten, I'm going to choose whoever keeps me sane."

Nori didn't respond immediately, and she looked up to see Thorin approaching them.

"We leave for Erebor today," Thorin said as he knelt down in front of them. "No matter which course of action we decide to take, we'll need more supplies. Balin will expect to hear from us soon."

"What about the others?" Holly asked.

"We leave them. As I said, we don't need their help anymore."

Holly glanced at the sleeping forms of the rest of the group. She wasn't too bothered by leaving the two men, but she was disappointed at the thought of having to part ways with Víriel. Perhaps she could find a way to see her again, and continue their friendship.

She turned back to Thorin, refocusing herself. "Whatever happens, I promise I will find another way to help your sickness. Even if I have to—"

The rest of her sentence was cut off by a sharp, inhuman shrieking noise that startled her so badly she would have dropped the comb had she still been holding it. The three of them stood up as the rest of the group woke and scrambled to their feet. All eyes turned to the east, where the sound had originated.

"What was that?" Nori asked.

Víriel had slipped her boots on and was securing her quiver and sheath as she climbed the pile of rubble. She stood silently for a moment, surveying the forest, then leaped back down.

"Horsemen, at least five of them. Moving fast in this direction."

Dwalin turned to Thorin. "What do we do?"

"We run. The trees will slow them down."

Holly grabbed her pack from where it lay at her feet and turned to go. She gasped as she bumped into someone coming from the trees, but it was only Bilbo.

"What happened? What was that noise?" he asked.

She realized he had not been sleeping with the others. "Where have you been?" Another thought occurred to her and she grabbed his arm. "You didn't touch the ring again, did you? Never mind, we don't have time for this. We have to go." She pulled him with her, breaking into a sprint as another unearthly shriek sounded.

Holly could see the others running beside her. They were close enough to stay within sight for now, but any break in the terrain could separate them.

"What are they?" Bilbo glanced over his shoulder.

"I'm not sure, but something tells me it wouldn't be wise to stop and ask them," Holly replied.

They ducked under a fallen tree trunk and entered a relatively clear part of the forest. She spared a quick glance around, to affirm that the others were still in sight, but the trees on either side remained motionless and empty.

"Holly, I saw one of them," Bilbo said. "They're gaining on us."

"Obviously. They have horses." Holly looked back and cursed. One of the horsemen, cloaked in black and riding a horse of the same color, was nearly upon them. She skidded to a halt and turned to face the rider.

A major disadvantage of riding a horse was that one was essentially at the mercy of the horse's movements, something that even the most experienced rider couldn't always control. She wasn't certain she'd be able to dismount the rider, but the horse would be a much easier target.

She held her hands out, shoulder-width apart, and took a deep breath. "Naur perien rammas forven."

A wall of fire leapt up from the underbrush, right in front of the rider. The horse neighed and reared back on its hind legs. Holly caught a glimpse of metal gauntlets as the horseman gripped the reins and struggled to keep his balance.

"Come on." She and Bilbo turned and ran. The spell had sapped some of her energy, but it was easier to create a catalyst in an environment like a forest, where the brush would do most of the work of spreading the fire, rather than having to maintain the energy of the spell like what she'd done in the tombs of Erebor.

Holly thought back to the metal gauntlets. Whoever these riders were, they were clearly hostile and, more likely than not, after the ring. But how could they have known where to find it? Perhaps Léonere or Alistair had alerted them. Or perhaps the ring could send a magical signal to more than just the dead.

It wasn't long before the two of them broke through the cover of the trees and ran out into the vast fields. Bilbo pulled on her sleeve and motioned to their right, where Thorin and Víriel were signalling them. They ran to rejoin them.

"Are you all right?" Thorin asked them.

They both nodded, trying to catch their breath. Holly turned back to the forest. Alistair and Léonere had emerged from the forest as well. Smoke was rising from the trees in thick clouds. For a moment, Holly wondered if they had halted the riders for good.

Though of course it couldn't be that easy. Four of them burst through the trees a few moments after the two men. Thorin signalled for them to start running again, but Holly hesitated, feeling the familiar gathering of energy before a spell. She couldn't hear Léonere's incantation, but she saw him spread his arms, and a wall of fire, longer and higher than the one she had created, sprang up on the field. All four riders stopped and were soon obscured by smoke.

She couldn't help but feel unnerved at the difference between her magical skills and Léonere's. If she were to duel him, she would lose.

They only stopped to rest once they'd reached a group of hills a few miles away from the forest. Holly sat on the side of one hill, panting. Bilbo followed suit next to her.

Víriel stood at the top, watching as the two men finally caught up to them. For a minute, they waited in silence, trying to catch their breath.

Holly stood up and surveyed the group, then turned to look out over the fields. Smoke billowed over the dry grass, highlighted by the red glow of the fire. There was no way the horsemen had made it out alive. She turned and counted the members of their group again, and felt a cold spike of fear shoot through her.

"Where's Dwalin and Nori?"

Thorin's head shot up, and he looked around the group, then climbed up the hill. Holly watched him survey the field and come to the same conclusion as her.

"No. We have to go back. We can't leave them," Holly said, feeling her breathlessness return. She shouldn't have started the fire.

"We can't. We'd never be able to find them," Thorin said, eyes still riveted on the burning plain.

She turned away, pain lodging itself in the back of her throat. Nori had spoken to her about this not even an hour ago. Would she be willing to abandon him and Dwalin, if it meant the rest of her friends could live?

A soft voice wrenched her out of her thoughts as Léonere said, "There's something you should see."

The remnants of their group followed him to the base of the hill. In the dim light of the crescent moon, Holly could see boulders and trees scattered throughout the hills. Léonere led them to a spot in the ground that she recognized as a campfire. Ashes had been scattered over the barely-glowing coals.

"Someone was camped here," Léonere said.

"Multiple someones," Holly said. "Look how big the fire is, and how much of the grass around it is flattened. And they covered it up in a hurry not too long ago."

"Which means they're still nearby," Thorin said, drawing his sword.

The barest hiss of sinew and wood sounded to her left, and Holly turned just in time to see Víriel fire an arrow at something approaching between two of the hills. Even in the dark she could recognize the shoddy leather armor.

"Orcs!"

They came pouring out from between the hills in all directions, nearly a hundred of them. Holly's first thought was that they must have seen them from afar and hidden their camp so they could take them by surprise. Her second thought came in the form of an acute awareness of her lack of weapon as the rest of the group drew their swords and Víriel nocked another arrow.

She wouldn't use magic unless she had to, so she could save her energy. As Thorin felled one of the orcs near her, she grabbed its weapon. The blade was unbalanced, and heavier than what she was used to, but it would have to do for now.

Holly slashed at the legs of one of the approaching orcs, then sliced off its head as it fell. The next one that came at her was able to block her hit, but she dodged its counterattack and pierced its abdomen. It seemed their leather armor was useful to protect against glancing blows and scrapes but did little against direct strikes.

The impact of a body hitting the ground behind her caught her attention, and Holly turned to see Víriel standing over a dead orc, her short sword slick with black blood.

"Come on," Víriel gestured for her to follow. "We're outnumbered here."

"But the others—" Holly glanced back as Víriel pulled her away, and realized Bilbo, Thorin, and the two men were nowhere in sight.

They crouched behind a boulder a little ways away from the skirmish. Holly turned and glared at Víriel. "We can't leave them to fend for themselves, dammit! We have to go—"

"Holly, listen," Víriel put both hands on either side of her face, holding her gaze. "We're not going to abandon them. But I work better from a distance, where I can get a good scope of the situation. I'm going to get a good vantage point where I can defend everyone. And you—shut up, I'm still talking," she said when Holly opened her mouth. "You have to find somewhere safe to hide until this is over."

"I can fight. I'll help you." Holly pushed her hands away.

"With what? A sword you can barely use? I get that you've been training with it, but a few weeks of experience won't save your life in a real fight. And if you use your magic, you'll light up the whole area and get swarmed." Víriel pushed the short sword into her hands. "I know you're smart. And if you want yourself and everyone else to get out of this alive, you'll do as I ask."

Dammit. She was right. Holly gripped the sword and stood up. "Fine. We don't have time to argue anyway."

Víriel stood up and nodded. "Good woman. Be safe." She sprinted away, nocking another arrow.

Holly watched her go, then turned and ran in the opposite direction. Even if she couldn't directly fight the orcs, perhaps she could use her magic to provide a distraction somewhere, and thin out their numbers.

She skirted around the hills, checking behind herself occasionally. Once she was far away enough she turned back and surveyed her surroundings. The sounds of fighting were still audible from where she stood. Perhaps it would be better to cast a spell at the top of the hill, so the orcs would actually see it.

A flash of movement caught her eye and Holly turned just in time to catch an orc's strike on her sword. It shoved hard with its blade, pushing her off balance and onto her back. She rolled away just as the sword came down where her head used to be.

The orc pulled its sword from the ground and growled at her. Its muscular stature and swaggering posture hinted at a higher rank in whatever hierarchy the orcs had devised. That, and the string of severed ears tied around its neck. Most orcs didn't keep trophies.

As Holly stood up, the orc struck again, and she barely managed to dodge it's blow. This was nothing like training with Dwalin. If she made one mistake, it could end her life.

When she thrust her sword forward to stab at its chest, the orc did something she did not expect. It dropped its weapon and grabbed the wrist of her sword arm with one hand, then used the other to deliver a hard punch to her ribs. Holly grunted in pain, doubling over as it punched her again. Her sword slipped out of her grasp.

It let out a guttural laugh and shoved her onto her back once more. This time, she could not stand fast enough and the orc pinned her wrist down with one foot.

The dark figure looming above her warped, and Holly realized what was happening. No, no, nonono—

"Now where was I?" Damon asked. "You know, it's a bit rude when you interrupt me like that, pretending that you're sane and the like." He leaned down and gripped her chin, pressing the tip of the orc's sword to her cheek.

"Go fuck yourself," Holly said, and earned another blow to the ribs. She groaned in pain, trying to wriggle away, but then he pinned her other wrist with one hand.

"Well, as I was saying earlier, you can't win this. You can't even get me out of your own head."

She blinked back tears of frustration and locked eyes with Damon, no, the orc. She raised her free hand and held it against his chest. "Galthel perien rammas forven."

Nothing happened.

The orc—Damon—the orc grinned and hit her again and again and again and again. With her other hand pinned now, Holly could do nothing but choke against the pain and struggle uselessly. She didn't realize she had screamed until she stopped for breath and realized her throat was raw.

Without warning, the pressure disappeared from both her wrists and Holly sat up, blinking tears from her eyes. Damon stood back and watched her, head tilted slightly to the side.

"What use is that ring anyway, when you can just bring people back from the dead in your own mind?" Damon asked, twirling the orc's sword. "And just as I was in life, no less. None of that rotting nonsense."

Despite the trembling in her limbs, Holly breathed a sigh of relief. "You're not actually here. You're just in my head. I could get rid of you again, if I wanted to."

Damon laughed and shook his head. "No, you can't."

"I can." If she could just focus, rid her mind of the illusion.

But it was all too real as he stepped forward and drove his foot into her ribs. "You think you're so clever, because you can memorize fifty different types of tobacco ash? Because your mind works so much faster than everyone else? That means nothing to me. I am your weakness!" He kicked her once more. "I keep you down!" She had curled in on her bruised ribs, and his next blow hit her back. "Whenever you stumble, whenever you fail, when you're weak, I am there."

"Stop."

"No, don't try and fight it. Just lie back and lose."

Holly lifted her head to look at him. Every breath sent a blaze of pain through her chest.

Damon lifted the sword once more. "I think this orc's had enough of you. It's going to kill you now."

Her breaths were coming fast and shallow, intermittent with sobs that only increased the agony in her ribs. If she wanted to cast the spell, defend herself, she needed to find her calm. But it was like trying to hit a target on a galloping horse, panicked as she was.

"It's a shame you're going out this way," Damon said. "On your back, like a coward. But I didn't expect anything less, really. Goodbye, Holly."

Pretty cheap cliffhanger since we all know I wouldn't kill off a main character (or would I?) Next chapter one of the actual relevant characters will die. Any guesses?