OMG... I have been trying to get this chapter up for a good two hours but my internet is being absolutely crap!
So I haven't updated in what, a week or something? Maybe more? We travelled interstate for a sled dog race...was bloody cold.
Almost got killed by two kangaroos, and a cockatoo actually.
And i'm realising this is probably the most aussie blurb I've ever written hahahaha
Anyway, this is another one of those two chapters in one chapter, chapter... far out...
Just read it
xo
Thorin led the way as all the dwarves formed up behind him, smashing their way through the orc ranks, keen to seek their revenge on the orcs who had killed many of their kin already.
Valisilwen broke the neck of an orc with one swipe of a large paw before backing toward Rilien. "Draw your sword and get on my back," she growled as he continued to fire arrows.
"Why?" he asked in surprise, but continued to fire his arrows.
"Trust me, it will be a lot easier to dispatch them this way," she answered not looking at him. Rilien raised his eyebrows but did as she asked of him, carefully climbing upon her broad back before drawing his sword from its sheath. She lurched forward when she was sure he was ready, running through the orc packs.
She moved faster than any horse, her movements were fluid and smooth, and while Rilien slashed orc after orc as she sped through their ranks, she also managed to grab a few between her powerful jaws as she ran, Rilien hearing the crunch of their bones as she crushed rib cages and skulls.
Thorin continued to fight his way through orcs, releasing much of his pent up aggression and rage. "Dain!" he called to his cousin after defeating an orc.
"Thorin!" Dain returned his shout, after dispatching with his own orc. "Hold on! I'm coming!" The two dwarves fought their way toward each other, killing many an orc in the process. "Hey cousin, what took you so long?"
In a rare break in the onslaught of orcs, they were able to embrace each other in a quick hug.
"There's too many of these buggers, Thorin," Dain growled as he looked around them warily. He looked sideways at his cousin. "I hope you've got a plan."
Rilien and Valisilwen finally made their way closer to Dain and Thorin, Rilien dismounting Valisilwen, allowing her to fight off orcs more freely while he drew his bow and began shooting orcs again. He skewered three orcs with one arrow.
"Shot!" Dain cried, raising his hammer, unable to refrain from praising the excellent shot by the elf.
Thorin looked up and saw the hilltop where Azog's wooden machines and command were situated and shrouded in mist.
"Aye, we're going to take out their leader."
"Azog..." Dain breathed, also turning to look to the hill.
Thorin strode forward, but Valisilwen blocked his path, her head down and eyes glaringly bright, the look she always got in the midst of a battle. "Lady Ranger, I'm going to kill that piece of filth!"
Dwalin, Fili and Kili had since joined their group, and watched on uneasily as the wolf lowered her head, her eyes narrowing at the Dwarven king. Rilien worried for a moment, that perhaps the hunting had not been enough to prevent a state of bloodlust for the Ranger.
"Not without me, you're not..." she growled, even in her wolf form, Thorin could see the vengeful smirk. He grinned as she turned and crouched slightly. "Get on."
Thorin clambered onto her back, while Dwalin, Kili and Fili secured some of the battle goats that Dain had brought with his army.
"Valisilwen, wait..." Rilien began.
"Take care of Dain's men!" Valisilwen ordered the elf, her tone enough to stop any argument Rilien may have had in mind.
"Lead on!" Dwalin shouted.
Valisilwen turned and charged forward, the dwarves on their goats following their king, who slashed at orcs as the wolf ran through the throng, towards the hilltop.
oOOo
Legolas and Tauriel arrived in Dale together on horseback, charging through the streets and killing orcs in their way. They stopped before Gandalf, assisting him to kill some remaining orcs.
"Gandalf!" Legolas called his attention.
"Legolas!"Gandalf said, looking up as the young elf prince dismounted. "Legolas Greenleaf."
"There is a second army," Legolas warned, wasting no time with greetings. "Bolg leads a force of Gundabad orcs. They are almost upon us."
"Gundabad..." Gandalf murmured, looking thoughtful for a moment. "This was their plan all along. Azog engages our forces then Bolg seeps in from the north."
"Wha... the north... where is the north exactly?" Bilbo asked looking around in confusion.
"Ravenhill."
Gandalf turned and strode over to the parapets, looking towards the hill where Thorin and company went.
Bilbo gasped in horror, having just watched the company of dwarves and Ranger depart. "Ravenhill... Thorin is up there! And Fili, Kili and Valisilwen!"
At the mention of Kili and Valisilwen, both Legolas and Tauriel look alarmed. They all looked to Ravenhill, which was shrouded in mist, appearing more ominous as the battle ensued beneath it.
"Where is my father? He should know of this too," Legolas asked, looking back to Gandalf.
Gandalf scoffed in reply, it was Bilbo who answered. "He has called the withdraw. He will not fight anymore."
"What?" Tauriel exclaimed in exasperation. She looked at Legolas, her mouth slightly open in disbelief.
"We will find him and tell him, I am sure he can be reasoned with," Legolas said firmly, looking back to Gandalf. Gandalf pursed his lips slightly but nodded to Legolas, sending them on their way.
oOOo
Thorin and his small company arrived atop the hilltop, Thorin dismounting from Valisilwen's back, before battling only a small group of orcs on the opposite bank of the frozen river that flowed past the ruins.
Once dispatched of the orcs, the dwarves all looked across the river, at the ruins in which Azog was last seen, his wooden signalling machines were visible through the mist.
"Where is he?" Thorin muttered.
"Looks empty," Kili replied. "I think Azog has fled!"
"I don't think so," Valisilwen said, startling them slightly, appearing back in her normal form, black orc blood smeared across her face and clothing from her battles with orcs.
Thorin composed himself and looked back to the ruins. "Fili, take your brother. Scout out the towers. Keep low and out of sight. If you see something, report back, do not engage. Do you understand?"
There was scrambling and screaming behind the group. Dwalin turned. "We have company, Goblin mercenaries. No more than a hundred." They looked back the way they had come, to see indeed that a group of goblins were running over the ruins towards them.
"We'll take care of them. Go! Go!" Thorin ordered his nephews.
"Come on!" Dwalin shouted, charging towards the goblins. Fili and Kili ran toward the river while Thorin and Valisilwen turned to face the goblins.
oOOo
As Thranduil and his elves marched through the city, on the withdrawal and killing orcs as they recalled back to their camp, they were abruptly stopped by Tauriel blocking their path, a resolute look on her face.
"You will go no further," she hissed. "You will not turn away, not this time."
Thranduil glared at the former captain of the guard. "Get out of my way."
"The dwarves will be slaughtered!"
Thranduil looked dully at the she-elf, before beginning to slowly approach her. "Yes, they will die. Today, tomorrow, one year hence, a hundred years from now, what does it matter? They are mortal."
Tauriel whipped out her bow suddenly, knocking an arrow and pointing it at Thranduil. "You think your life is worth more than theirs, while there is no love in it? There is no love in you!"
Thranduil looked furious at the audacity of the elf before him. His own kind. He whipped out his sword and sliced Tauriel's beloved bow in half. She dropped it in shock as Thranduil lifted the point of his sword to her neck.
"What do you know of love?! Nothing! What you feel for the dwarf is not real! You think it love? Are you ready to die for it?"
Suddenly, another sword was laid atop Thranduil's. It was Orcrist, still in the hands of Legolas since he had confiscated it from Thorin. He pushed Thranduil's sword away from Tauriel.
"If you harm her, you will have to kill me." Thranduil stared at his son in shock and anger, as well as the slightest lingering feeling of betrayal. Legolas turned to Tauriel. "I will go with you."
They both turned and hurried away, leaving a shocked and furious Thranduil, behind them.
oOOo
Having defeated the goblins, Thorin looked across the frozen river anxiously, trying to see his nephews through the thick mists. Valisilwen soon joined him, although her sight proved useless through the mists. She raised her head slightly and began to sniff the air.
"Where is that orc filth?" Dwalin growled.
"Valisilwen, can you track his smell?" Thorin asked, noticing what the Ranger was doing.
She continued for a moment, but then shook her head. "This is a strange mist, it is affecting even my senses." She had barely said those words when a familiar, slightly dark aura approached them from behind. She whipped around to see what it was, to find Bilbo appear from the mists.
"Thorin..." he called out breathlessly.
Thorin turned around in surprise. "Bilbo!"
"You have to leave here! Now!" Bilbo warned. "Azog has another army attacking from the north. This watchtower will be completely surrounded. There'll be no way out."
"We are so close!" Dwalin argued desperately. "That orc scum is in there. I say we push on."
Thorin held his hand up to Dwalin before he could run in. "No! That's what he wants. He wants to draw us in." Suddenly, Thorin understood Azog's plan. "This is a trap."
"Fili and Kili," Valisilwen murmured, looking across to the ruins.
Thorin looked to the Ranger. "Find them! Call them back." Without waiting for another word, Valisilwen moved to cross the ice.
Dwalin looked at Thorin warily. "Are you sure about this?"
"Do it! We live to fight another day."
As they moved to hurry towards the ruins to find Fili and Kili, a drum was heard atop Ravenhill. They looked up as Azog appeared, dragging a bloodied Fili behind him.
"Fili!" Valisilwen shouted angrily, clenching a fist and sliding to a stop before she had even set foot onto the frozen river.
Azog grinned malevolently. "This one dies first," he said holding up Fili, who still continued to struggle in Azog's hand. "Then the brother. Then you, Oakenshield..." His eyes then moved to Valisilwen. "But you Princess, you will be the very last...and i will make sure you suffer as your parent's did."
"No!" Fili screamed angrily, trying to kick out at Azog. "Run!"
Thorin, Valisilwen, Dwalin and Bilbo looked on in shock as Azog lifted Fili by the neck before stabbing him through the chest with his arm-blade. Valisilwen looked to the ground, her fists clenched, fighting back tears for the poor, young, dwarven prince.
"Here ends your filthy bloodline!" Azog growled as he dropped Fili's lifeless body from the tower. His body fell past Kili who had been watching from a doorway below. Seeing his dead brother on the ground, Kili furiously turned and rushed up the tower steps toward Azog.
"Kili!" Thorin shouted warningly, running towards the frozen river, but Kili paid no heed to his uncle, continuing to charge at the orcs that now began to swarm towards him.
"Thorin!" Dwalin exclaimed. "Thorin...No."
Valisilwen pulled her bow and began firing at any orc she could see from her position, felling many, but more came. She shook her head, before replacing her bow and hurrying after Thorin.
As she began to catch up to Thorin who was now beginning to clamber up the ruins to his nephew, Azog rushed out and attacked him, throwing him to the snow below the ruin. "Thorin!"
"Get Kili!" he said, beginning to battle with Azog. Valisilwen was torn. While she really wanted to avenge her parents, Kili was on his own within the ruins. She huffed before turning and heading into the ruin with her swords drawn.
Bilbo, still standing on the other side of the river with Dwalin, turned as he heard a noise, ducking as were-bats flew out from the fog. He caught sight of his sword, Sting, glowing a soft blue hue. Looking up, he spotted Bolg and his forces climbing over the ruins behind them.
Seeing Bilbo had spotted them, Bolg and his forces charged towards him. Before they could reach him, however, Dwalin charged ahead and began to fight the orcs singlehandedly.
"Slay them all!" Bolg shouted.
oOOo
Tauriel and Legolas rode on horseback through the battlefields before Erebor. They came across Rilien, fighting alongside Dain.
"55, you pointy eared, princess! Actually, I take that back, that's insulting to princesses everywhere!" they heard the dwarf shout in Rilien's general direction.
"Just another 40 more and you will have caught up to me, master dwarf!" Rilien responded, before spotting Tauriel and Legolas coming towards him.
"Bolg's forces plan to ambush the company at Ravenhill!" Legolas said, slowing his steed enough to warn Rilien.
"Ravenhill? But Valisilwen is there!"
"We know, we must hurry!" Tauriel replied, whistling loudly. A horse that had been trailing, riderless, hurried towards them. Rilien caught the reins and swung into the saddle, before they charged towards the ruins.
"Oi! You can't leave yet, what about our competition?" Dain demanded, waving his hammer in exasperation, before turning and smashing another orc over the head.
They were soon clambering up the hill on foot, as it was too steep for the horses. They paused as they heard screeching overhead. Were-bats amassed above them.
"No..." Tauriel gasped. The were-bats flew down to the main battlefields, swooping through ranks of soldiers and causing mayhem. Legolas leapt and grabbed the leg of a passing Werebat, allowing it to carry him away.
Tauriel and Rilien looked to the ruins of Ravenhill and saw Kili fighting several orcs on the ruins. "Kili..." Tauriel whispered. She began to hurry toward the ruins, Rilien quick to follow.
oOOo
Azog and Thorin continued to fight on the banks of the river, Thorin managing to knock Azog to the ground and causing him to slide down the slope, Thorin quick to follow. Before he could reach Azog, more orcs appeared and he was forced to fight them off.
In the courtyard across the river, Dwalin continued to hold his own against a large pack of orcs. Bilbo offered the best help he could, throwing the largest rocks he could manage, hitting several in the head and knocking them out. Bolg spotted him and ran towards him, smacking him in the head with his mace, knocking him out cold.
Kili continued to climb the ruin, unaware that Azog was down on the frozen river with his uncle, while Valisilwen did her best to catch up to him, whilst also being hindered by orcs. Tauriel made her way into the ruin, looking for Kili and fighting off orcs as she did so, Rilien stood at the base of the ruins, shooting orcs that appeared from the ruined walls.
Meanwhile, the werebat still carried Legolas, who scanned the ruins with his sharp eyes, looking for the right opportunity. As it carried him over a stone tower a short diistance away from the main body of ruins, he shot an arrow through the werebat's neck, killing it and causing it to release him. He dropped gracefully on top of the tower, looking over the battles being fought on the ground below.
Azog was able to recover from being knocked down suddenly, charging at Thorin and knocking him onto the surface of the frozen river, causing him to slide clumsily along. "Go in for the kill!" he yelled to his orcs, many of which now ran from the ruins onto the frozen river in pursuit of the dwarven king. "Finish him."
He was now surrounded by orcs but fought on, as Legolas began to fire arrows towards the onslaught of orcs, as did Rilien from his spot in front of the ruins.
oOOo
Tauriel looked around her surroundings, having dispatched the last of the orcs attacking her. "Kili!"
Kili looked around in surprise at hearing the she-elf's voice, but was brought back to his senses as another orc attacked him.
"Kili!"
He dispatched of the orc and turned to look around the ruins. "Tauriel!"
Tauriel heard Kili's response and breathed a sigh of relief as Kili popped his head over the side of the ruin and spotted her. "Kili..." But her relief was short lived, as Bolg launched himself at her, kicking her into a protruding piece of the ruined wall. "No!"
Seeing her sent flying, Kili angrily defeated the orcs that now tried to attack him, before beginning to make his way back down the ruined stairs, killing an orc that had pinned Valisilwen against a wall.
"Kili, where-"
"I have to help Tauriel." He kept moving down the stairs. "Come on!"
She quickly followed the young dwarf.
Tauriel managed to slip out from Bolg's grasp and began to attack him with her knife. To her surprise, he managed to grab both her arms and twisted them, causing her to scream in pain, before smashing his fist down on her head, felling her.
Kili rushed desperately as he heard Tauriel's groans, ducking the swinging arms of charging orcs.
"Keep going, Kili, leave the orcs to me," Valisilwen called, fighting back those that the dwarf avoided before they could turn to try and pursue him, although he didn't hear her, too focused on getting to Tauriel.
Bolg grabbed Tauriel about the throat, lifting her to his face. She managed to kick him in the knee, causing him to fall and release her for a moment. She tried to strike him again, but he quickly grabbed her, throwing her body against a wall. As she lay stunned on the ground, he raised his mace for the kill, only to be tackled by the young dwarf.
They struggled with each other for a moment, before Kili managed to slash at him. It did nothing but anger him more. He grabbed Kili by the head and raised the pointed base of his mace, as if to stab him.
"No!" Tauriel screamed, before jumping on Bolg from behind. Bolg wrestled her from his back, throwing her hard to the ground, she struggled to get up again, but too winded to collect herself quickly. Bolg grinned down at her as she raised the young dwarf to the air again, lifting his mace once more. Kili's eyes met Tauriel's and he grimaced sadly.
"Nooo!" came a shout, as a black blur launched from a parapet high above Bolg. There was a slicing sound, followed by Kili falling to the ground, with a thud and groan. Valisilwen landed crouched between Kili, Tauriel and Bolg, her sword drawn and black from orc blood. Bolg looked down at this arm in surprise, at least, where his arm should have been. Kili gave a shout as he shook the severed arm from the back of his jerkin.
Valisilwen stood before Bolg, her eyes cold and resolute. Bolg still stared at his severed arm. "Look up, princess..." she sneered coldly.
Bolg looked at her furiously before charging at her. She braced for his attack, slashing him across his chest, as she spun out of his way. Tauriel grabbed Kili quickly, pulling him to the side away from Valisilwen and Bolg.
Bolg picked up the mace that he had dropped in his surprise previously, and attacked Valisilwen again. She ducked and weaved easily, not taking her mismatched eyes from the orc. He swiped at her again, she ducked and spun, pulling her second sword from its sheath, slashing across both his leg and chest, yet again.
She stood up from a crouch and stared murderously at the orc. "I will make sure you feel all the pain you inflicted on me, and my people."
"You will never be able to avenge your people, they are all gone!" Bolg growled. "And soon, so will you!" he charged at her again. She blocked him easily, and went to slash his good arm, but was caught off guard, as instead of going to strike her, he launched his entire body at her.
Unable to move in time, Bolg tackled her and they both went flying over the side.
"Valisilwen!" Kili and Tauriel cried out in alarm as they disappeared over the side.
Rilien heard Tauriel and Kili's shouts, turning his attention from helping Thorin to what was happening with the Lady Ranger. He hurriedly ran to the side of the main body of the ruin, where he saw Valisilwen fighting with Bolg. He pulled out his sword, ready to help her when he was attacked himself by a group of orcs. He tried to fight them off, while still trying to make his way to help Valisilwen.
He saw Valisilwen knocked to the ground by Bolg and his heart skipped a beat, but she was quick to strike out at him again and get herself out of harm's way once more. He continued to fight, unable to get away from the orcs that now surrounded him. At that moment, Dwalin the dwarf appeared, knocking down several orcs at once. "You look like you could do with some help, lad."
"Thank you, master dwarf," Rilien replied, backing towards the dwarf. The orcs lunged at them both again, and they continued to fend them off, back to back.
Rilien tried to keep an eye on Valisilwen, every time she was knocked down she was quick to return to her feet, but she couldn't seem to break through, the now armless, Bolg's defences. Finally, Rilien found a break in the attacking orcs and moved closer to Valisilwen just as Bolg hit her again, this time causing her to scream in pain as his mace connected with her ribs, sending her flying backwards. Bolg walked forward, smiling malevolently as he raised his mace again.
Rilien quickly jumped forward, bringing his sword down to block the impending final blow to Valisilwen.
"Rilien...?" Valisilwen gasped, trying to catch her breath. Rilien knocked Bolg's sword away, moving to stand in front of the Ranger. "What are you doing here?"
"Protecting you, like I said I would."
"Hehe, nothing can protect her kind. She will die as they did."
Rilien grit his teeth before launching in to attack the large orc. He brought his sword down, to have it blocked by Bolg's mace, Bolg shoved him backwards, before swinging his mace at Rilien. He easily avoided the wild swings, before going into attack again. The orc managed to block all of Rilien's attacking blows, before kicking out at him. He was flung backwards, but quickly righted himself.
Valisilwen struggled to regain her breath on the ground, holding her chest. Rilien knew her broken ribs would most likely be impeding her breathing, he needed to finish Bolg quickly so he could help her, but even without an arm, the orc was managing to hold its own.
Rilien rolled out of the way of another strike, trying to find a way to get under his guard. As he stood, Bolg threw out another kick, which Rilien jumped sideways to avoid, only to be collected in the head by Bolg's mace, smashing him to the ground.
His head was swimming as he tried to get up again, he tried to push himself to his knees, but felt a heavy force on his back. He strained to turn his head and saw Bolg standing on him with one foot, laughing mercilessly.
Rilien turned his head to see Valisilwen still holding her ribs and struggling to breathe, looking increasingly distressed on her knees. "Rilien! Get up!"
"I'm sorry, princess..." he groaned as Bolg pushed down harder onto him.
He turned back to see Bolg lifting his mace, the pointed end aimed for him. "I told you, she will die as her people did, and as the last to watch all those around her die first, including you!"
He watched as Bolg moved to thrust the pointed end of his mace down.
It' really annoying me that I had to combine two chapters to make it worth uploading, but thems the breaks.
Hopefully I can survive another week without nearly getting killed by Kangaroos or Cockatoos...
hahahahaha
xo
Krayzee