Disclaimer: I do not own J.R.R. Tolkien's Legendarium, Buffyverse or anything else you may recognize
Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.
Also, my Angel watch-it fic 'The path to redemption' got removed from this site over some BS song lyrics rule but I've reuploaded it without those. If you'd favorited or followed before, do so again, thanks a lot.
Guest: Thanks for the review. The one after this one.
Chapter 9- No longer safe
Glorfindel, Buffy, Spike and some Elves were out of Rivendell in a forested region for sparring practise, and so far, neither the Slayer or Vampire had come close to landing a hit on the great Elf-Lord.
Unlike most other Elves, who were more agile, experienced and had better reflexes, Glorfindel even seemed physically stronger than both of them, which was a shock too. Perhaps he was to Elves themselves what Buffy and Spike were to humans.
"Do not feel bad, no one has defeated Lord Glorfindel in sparring", one Elf said to Buffy after her latest defeat by the great Elf-Lord, who had gone off for a bit.
"I can see that", Buffy muttered, then asked Spike. "How powerful do you think he is?"
"Well, Tara did say he is more powerful than any other Elves she has met here", Spike reminded her. "Bloke is probably taking it easy on us, luv."
"Huh?" Buffy muttered, looking in his direction in surprise.
"Besides, we couldn't beat Aragorn in a sparring, don't have much of a chance against him", Spike muttered, then noted Buffy's look. "Thinking about the rest."
"Yeah", Buffy nodded, confessing as she looked into Spike's eyes. "It just feels…..wrong, you know. They are all out there, my sister, Willow, Tara, Faith, Angel, those Hobbits and everyone else, risking their lives to save this world and probably our own too, while I'm keeping myself safe here in Rivendell."
Spike suddenly sniffed something and said. "You might want to take the safety bit back."
The Elves were suddenly alert too at the same time Spike had spoken, while Glorfindel sprinted back to their direction, looking grim and serious.
"What's going on?" Buffy asked, noticing the Elves fluidly taking out their sabres simultaneously with a flourish.
"Goblins", Glorfindel revealed, looking ahead. "A good number of them. They have found Rivendell and are attacking it."
"Found? How? Wasn't it supposed to be safe?" Spike inquired.
"I do not know, but they are coming here, we must return to Rivendell and inform Lord Elrond while dealing with these", Glorfindel unsheathed his own sword with a flourish, his long golden hair fluttering in the air as he looked like a hero from a fairy tale.
Only, this was real life and the disgusting enemies were coming nearby.
Buffy held up Demonsbane as Spike too held up his sword.
"Let us go to battle", Glorfindel commanded and they all followed him. Buffy, who was used to giving orders, found it strange that she had to follow this time, but such was authority and power of the Elf-Lord that she decided following him was the best course of action this time.
They charged together, finding the Goblins moving towards them and Spike was disgusted. "Bloody hell, what do these wankers do to get this kind of look?"
"I think we're better off not knowing", Buffy confessed to him as Glorfindel reached the Goblins first, swinging his sword as he decapitated two of them swiftly, then sliced one down before spinning and chopping off another's hand, and sliced its throat too.
"Come on, let's take them", Buffy said as she leapt and kicked one Goblin hard, breaking its face before kicking another away, and stabbed another.
Spike cracked his neck and grabbed one, breaking its neck, having killed his first Goblin. "I expected better from you lot." As expected, that got the attention of some of them as they charged him with screeches and he sliced one's throat before punching another down, then took Vamp face as he stabbed one more and blocked another's blow.
While not as graceful as Glorfindel, both Buffy and Spike were opponents to be feared as well.
The other Elves then joined battle, spinning their sabres as the Goblins were caught up in their rapid movement and chopped apart with ease.
Their advantage was in numbers but against opponents this strong, skilled and coordinated, their slightly superior numbers did not help, and this group was taken out at last.
"There are more, aren't there?" Spike asked and got a nod from Glorfindel.
"The Goblins? It cannot be! They've never been so close to Rivendell!" One Elf spoke, clearly aghast.
"Well clearly they are, something must have happened", Buffy responded to him.
"Make haste", Glorfindel said as he rushed forwards, the others following.
"Coming, coming", Spike muttered as they all followed him, coming across some more Goblins fighting another detachment of Elves that had been sparring.
"Well, they clearly don't know who they're messing with", Buffy smirked as Glorfindel charged those Goblins from behind, effortlessly slicing five of them in quick succession, and then Buffy chopped off one's head while Spike stabbed one more, the remaining Elves joining the battle as well.
Now trapped between two groups, the Goblins had no way out and fell to the swords of Glorfindel, Spike, Buffy and the other Elves pretty quickly.
"You arrived just in time", one Elf from the other group said to their group gratefully.
"Don't think of it, mate", Spike assured as they went further.
"We must warn the others quickly!" One Elf spoke as they came across another group of Goblins.
The Elves took out their bows and fired swiftly, killing various Goblins, and then Glorfindel, Spike and Buffy attacked the remaining ones, easily killing all of them.
Glorfindel chopped off a head, Buffy stabbed one in the gut and Spike broke one's neck, these 3 being the last ones.
Some Goblin archers tried to fire at them from a distance but the three had fast reflexes, as Glorfindel and Buffy deflected those while Spike rolled away to avoid one, then charged the Goblins by himself.
They fired arrows and two of them struck him, but there was no wooden tip, and he was not hit in the heart. He took Vamp face again and leapt with a roar, bringing his sword down on one Goblin, then sliced another's throat before ripping out one arrow and stabbing one more through the mouth.
He then chopped off one's hand and ripping out the other arrow, stabbed it through the heart.
Buffy then sliced one Goblin archer at the feet, making it kneel as she stabbed it through the chin in an upwards motion, and Glorfindel effortlessly chopped a bow of a Goblin archer in two before chopping off his head as well.
They continued rushing towards Rivendell as Glorfindel noted. "The enemy is close."
The remaining detachment that was near the bridge to Rivendell's front gate was fighting another group of Goblins.
No one could fire arrows since there was the risk of hitting other Elves, so best to get close and fight. Buffy twirled her sword and threw it at one Goblin, and the sword went through it and one more next to it, killing both, as Glorfindel once more effortlessly killed some by himself, and Spike ripped out one's throat before head-butting another to the ground and crushing its throat.
Buffy pulled her sword out as the rest of the Elves joined the fight, and the three groups together killed all the Goblins without any issue.
"Darkness has spread across these lands", Glorfindel said sadly as they moved across the bridge now.
"Never been attacked near here before, right?" Spike asked, noting his sadness.
"Not for a long time", Glorfindel replied as they made it to the front gate that opened to accommodate them.
"Well, we made it in time", Buffy sighed in little relief, the three finding Elrond, Gloin, Cordelia, Wesley, Giles and Xander nearby, clearly discussing plans themselves.
Then the group noticed them as Gloin asked Glorfindel. "What brings you back so soon, Elf?"
"The Goblins have come down from the mountains! They are approaching from the South!" Glorfindel said in alarm.
"What? They're here? How?" Cordelia asked.
"We don't know", Buffy told her as she shook her head.
"So I believe this place is not as safe as before", Wesley realized.
"I sensed this day was coming", Elrond said, unsheathing Hadhafang, and then looked ahead. "Long has Rivendell been safe from the servants of darkness. Its sanctity must not be lost!"
"We're working on it", Giles said as he unsheathed his sword too, while Wesley unsheathed his sword he had named Rogue's Edge, and Cordelia too unsheathed hers, along with Xander.
"How many are there?" Xander then asked.
"The ugly gits are coming in groups", Spike informed him and the rest.
"Goblins eh? I'll take care of the filthy wretches", Gloin said firmly as he picked up his ax from where it was lying nearby.
"So, what's the plan?" Cordelia asked Elrond.
"Archers, up at the watchtowers of the front gate!" Elrond commanded as the archers nodded, the went to do as told.
"Think some of us could try to hold them at the gate too", Buffy said. "The stronger ones at least."
"I believe that is a good idea", Giles nodded.
"In that case I, Lord Glorfindel, Lord Gloin, and the two of you", he looked to Buffy and Spike, "are going out."
"Hey I'm coming too", Cordelia raised her hand.
Elrond started. "We thi-"
"My powers have grown from last time", Cordelia flashed a smirk.
"I believe I should go too", Wesley took out a gun. "I have one of these."
"I'm a decent shot too", Xander added as Wesley shrugged and gave him his other gun. "Thanks."
"I will warn the others", Giles decided and went further in.
"Come on, let's go", Spike said as they all walked together, out of the front gate, and had it shut behind them, then saw more Goblins coming at them.
The Elven archers fired from above, killing various of them, and as more came close, Cordelia raised her hand and there was a flash of light, blinding them as they screeched in pain.
"Go on!" She said and using the opportunity Glorfindel, Elrond, Buffy, Spike and Gloin charged, hacking and slashing at the blinded Goblins and killing that group before they could recover from Cordelia's attack.
"That's one more group down", Buffy said, all looking ahead as they walked back to stand near the front gate.
"We do not know yet how many more there are", Glorfindel warned the rest.
"No matter how many, my ax is ready for them all", Gloin said, raising his ax, and the Scoobies and Team Angel hoped his claims of his son being twice the warrior were true, considering how well he had just fought.
Of course Gloin spoke the truth about Gimli but the visitors hadn't seen it yet unfortunately.
Some more arrived as Wesley and Xander raised their guns and fired, killing some more of the Goblins, then Wesley stopped and lowered Xander's hand. "We need to converse bullets."
"Right", Xander nodded.
"Cordy", Buffy said.
"Yeah, yeah", Cordelia repeated her trick and the Goblins were blinded, this time archers from above managing to shoot them all down.
"Can we do this all day until they are gone?" Spike then asked.
"Unfortunately, we cannot", Elrond said grimly as more Goblins arrived, and this time it was a huge group. Cordelia repeated her trick but not all were blinded.
"Guess we have to do this the hard way", Cordelia sighed as they engaged the ones that had come close.
Spike crushed one's throat, Buffy chopped off a head, Cordelia managed to slice a throat as Wesley and Xander killed one each, and Elrond again fluidly swung his sword, killing three, and Gloin struck one's foot, making it fall, and then killed it with a strike to the head as Glorfindel killed five in quick succession, and Spike and Buffy too killed a few more.
The blinded ones recovered but before they could charge, an Elven horn was heard. A group of Rivendell Elves led by Arwen, all carrying lances, rode in from the opposite direction, effortlessly killing those Goblins too.
"Wow, she's badass", Buffy muttered as she looked at Arwen wielding her spear with skill and grace.
"Yeah, damn!" Cordelia said as those Goblins were killed.
Arwen and her group had gone to scout out enemy bases, and found one.
"What news, daughter?" Elrond inquired as they stopped nearby.
"There is a Goblin encampment to the South", Arwen revealed to all of them. "That is where these come from."
"I believe we will have to destroy it", Wesley noted just as the gates opened again and out came Elladan, Elrohir and Gunn, the former two in armor and having swords, and the latter having his hubcap ax and little armor himself.
"We are coming too", Elladan said as some empty horses arrived behind them.
"The rest?" Buffy asked Gunn.
"They're gonna stay, some Elf soldiers are with them, and Connor is with them", Gunn told Buffy, and she decided it was best that way, as Lorne and Fred were not fighters, and Giles while skilled, was ageing, and did not have his magic now. Jonathan had some magic but wasn't as skilled or experienced as the rest. Anya was experienced and skilled but not as much as the ones here outside, since while the oldest of them all, she had spent a lot more time granting wishes than getting into fights.
All of them at Rivendell could keep baby Connor safe though.
"Let us make haste", Elrond then said.
"Right you are, father", Elrohir agreed as he, Elladan, Elrond, Glorfindel, Buffy and Wesley got on a horse each.
Spike went behind Buffy and Cordelia behind Wesley, with Gunn going behind Elladan and Xander behind Elrohir, with Gloin sitting behind Glorfindel with a sigh.
"Do not worry, you will not fall", Glorfindel assured him.
"Protect Rivendell!" Elrond commanded the archers above and got nods that he could see due to Elven eyesight.
"Come, we will show you!" Arwen rode with her group as they followed on horseback, Spike taking a drink of pig's blood from his own waterskin with unlimited pig's blood that Elrond had given him after he had a little fight with Angel over his own.
Soon, they reached South and to the Goblin camp, which looked macabre, the way it was designed, in the shape of a skull.
As the Goblin sentries spotted them, they made to alert the others but 2 Elves shot them down in quick succession.
"Swift as shadow we must be", Glorfindel said as they rode towards the camp, knowing the Goblins would not expect it.
And then they rode inside, the Goblins screeching in shock at being discovered here as Cordelia raised her hand, blinding them all. "Use the opportunity."
And they all did, the Goblins falling to the blades of Glorfindel, Elrond, Spike, Cordelia, Buffy, Wesley, Xander, Gunn, Gloin, Arwen, Elladan, Elrohir and the other Elves, unable to put a fight due to the surprise attack as well as the superior skill of their opponents who had decent numbers too.
Within minutes, the camp was full of Goblin blood and body parts as Wesley said. "It appears we have defeated these attackers."
The Elves suddenly sensed something as Arwen said. "I am not so sure of that."
They felt the ground shake as it burst open, a massive worm, hundreds of feet long and dozens of feet thick broke through the rocks, its mouth basically being a drilling machine and strong enough to crush the toughest rocks in its jaw. The camp was ripped apart due to its height.
"Oh no! Not this again!" Buffy groaned, she, the other visitors except Spike and Gloin remembering seeing various of these in the Battle of the Five Armies.
"Blimey, what is that?" Spike asked.
"That is a Wyrn", Elrond said before commanding. "All move out of the way!"
They did, riding away as the Wyrn spewed flames from its mouth and Spike groaned. "Not a Dragon but the next worst thing."
"Anyone has a plan?" Xander asked from where he was.
"Can we try to blind it?" Cordelia asked.
"It does not stay that way for long, but we can do it together Lady Cordelia", Elrond spoke, all weaving away together to avoid another shot of flames.
"Okay, Wesley, ride me to Lord Elrond", Cordelia told Wesley.
"On it", Wesley said as he rode towards Elrond who rode towards them, the Wyrn spewing flames once more as they had to weave and dodge, then coming close, they aimed their hands at the Wyrn and there was a very bright flash of light due to their combined power, blinding the Wyrn as it screeched in pain and anger.
The Elf archers then fired their arrows, hitting it at various spots, including the temporarily blinded eyes, turning the blindness permanent now.
It roared and spewed flames randomly now as all had to avoid again.
"We have to kill it together", Glorfindel said, riding towards it from behind, and Spike saw Buffy's face.
"Buffy-"
"I can do this", Buffy muttered, then rode towards it herself from one side, and Arwen did the same from one more, with Elrond riding towards it from the last direction.
Buffy and Spike were directly in front of its mouth and as it fired, Buffy managed to barely avoid it, Spike gasping. "Whoa!"
"Come on guys", Gunn muttered, seeing they were getting close.
And then they all struck. Buffy and Spike leapt off their horse, stabbing it on both sides of the neck, as Elrond leapt and stabbed its chin, with Arwen leaping next and stabbing its back, and finally, Glorfindel leapt and stabbed it in the head.
The Wyrn screeched, trying to shake them all off, but the combined stabbings at its sensitive spots had done their job, as it staggered around, the five of them leaping away, and it crashed to the ground with a huge 'thud', shaking the ground as well.
The Elves cheered as Spike muttered. "Well, we did it finally."
"Yeah, we did", Buffy panted.
Elrond spoke loudly for all to hear. "Rivendell is no longer as safe as it once was. Our time runs out, we must join", he now looked directly at Gloin as the implications were now clear. Elves and Dwarves needed to come together properly. "And make war on them."
"How do you think they found out about this place?" Gunn asked Cordelia.
"No idea, but we need to find out and take them out", Cordelia told Gunn.
The Fellowship's journey had begun, but so had War in the North.
And there we go. I'm adapting the LOTR game titled 'The Lord of the Rings: Battle For Middle-earth II' so the other Scoobies and Team Angel members can do something too.
The game takes various liberties though, and they are unavoidable here, but I avoided some, like the inclusion of Eagles here.
It was a pain lining up the game's timeline with the Trilogy's events but my very good friends Stand with Ward and Queen and Bl4ckHunter helped massively with that, especially Stand, so thank you very much to you two. Couldn't have done it without you both.
For the changes from canon due to BFME II, let's blame the Senior Partners' alliance with the bad guys for that.
Anyway, now this plotline will be continued after Lothlorien. Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.