Hey, everyone. Back with another chapter.
Let's get to it.
Chapter 25- Struggle for the Mountain
The battle for the Lonely Mountain had begun, and it was not going well for the defenders. Despite the effort of the three Avengers and the bravery of the warriors of the Free Peoples, the forces of Dol Guldur had begun to gain the upper hand. Combat in the valley had devolved into a massive free for all. The Dwarves and Elves had by now mostly been sundered. T'Challa had stuck with the Dwarves, while Steve continued to aid the Elves. However, their aid had not been enough. The Dwarves were being forced towards the Mountain while the Elves were trapped were being forced towards Ravenhill and the western spur of the mountain.
However, Schmidt's next attack is already beginning. A series of massive trolls with catapults mounted on their backs positon themselves along a ridge close to the ruins of Dale. The Orcs manning the catapults quickly winch the catapults back before releasing their payloads, sending a volley of massive stones towards the city, destroying a number of buildings.
Across the battlefield, Bucky is still sprinting towards Dale as fast as he can go. Bard has by now gotten ahead of him on his horse, but Bucky's enhancements from Zola's experiments help him maintain his speed across the valley.
Glancing eastward, Bucky feels a chill as he sees a troll wearing some kind of massive stone helmet charging towards the wall. Bucky feels certain that this troll is meant to breach the walls. Sure enough, the troll charges and slams headfirst into the weakened wall of Dale, busting a large hole almost 20 feet wide in the wall. The troll collapses unconscious from the impact, but hundreds of Orcs race over and around it and through the gap into the city.
Orcs swarm into the streets, going through crumbling buildings and running down side streets as they advance into the city. Every human in their path, no matter their age or circumstance, is slaughtered remorselessly. Some of the militia who are still in Dale try to put up a fight, but they are disorganized, and many fall before the Orcs.
Bard gets into the city first, riding his horse up to a small courtyard before dismounting, amidst civilians of Lake-Town running for their lives. Looking around frantically for his children, he shouts out, "My children?! Where are my children?"
"I saw them! They were down in the old market!" an older woman responds to Bard's shouts before starting to run for the Great Hall.
"The market, where are they now?" Bard asks. He starts moving through the courtyard, calling out for his children.
Right then, Percy comes running up with a column of the militia. "Bard! Orcs are storming over the causeway!" he shouts.
Right then, Bucky comes sprinting past all of them, drawing Anguirel as he goes, the pitch black blade almost shining against its surroundings. He shouts a war cry as he disappears around a corner a second later.
Everyone just stares after Bucky for a moment before Bard orders, "Percy, take the bowmen to the eastern parapet. Hold them off for as long as you can. The rest of you, come with me and follow Mr. Barnes' example!"
Percy breaks away with the archers to head for the eastern parapet. The rest of the men heft their weapons and shield and follow Bard after Bucky.
Even as this is happening, Bucky has found the enemy. Hundreds of Orcs are charging up the wide street towards him. With a fierce war cry, Bucky steps onto a fallen piece of masonry and springs off of it, flying up almost six feet before coming down. He swings Anguirel downwards towards an Orc, who tries to block with a metal arm shield, but so fierce is Bucky's blow that Anguirel cuts right through the metal and shears the Orc in two.
As soon as his feet hit the ground, Bucky does a combat roll to soften the impact, slashing off the legs of two Orcs as he does so before popping back to his feet. He then carves open the chest of another Orc before stabbing another through the heart. Drawing Anguirel out, he slashes it out before him, decapitating three Orcs.
As Bucky blocks the blow from an Orc's axe, he hears shouting behind him as Bard and his men reach him and crash into the Orcs, slashing and hacking at every Orc in their path. The Orcs fight back fiercely, but the Men of Dale fight back with everything they can, determined to defend their lives and their loved ones. Gandalf and Bilbo join the fight, slashing with their swords at every Orc around them, with Gandalf also using his staff as a bludgeoning weapon.
Bucky ducks under an axe blow from an Orc before driving his sword through its stomach. Another Orc then tries to slash at his head with its sword, but Bucky raises his metal arm into its path, the sword deflecting harmlessly off the vibranium. Bucky then cuts through the Orc's stomach with a sideways slash. As the Orc falls, Bucky grabs its body by the arm and slings it into the ranks of the Orcs charging at him, bowling over about ten Orcs. Bucky then lunges forward, slashing away with Anguirel.
As the breeze picks up slightly over Ravenhill, Azog is fuming at Schmidt. Though the battle is technically going in favor of their forces, Dol Guldur's legions are making very slow progress. The three Avengers are a major reason why. Though they can't really see Bucky fighting in Dale, they can see the effect that Steve and T'Challa are having on the battle in the valley. However, Schmidt has not done anything to try and counter them.
"Do you intend to let these so-called Avengers turn the battle against us, Lord Schmidt?" Azog finally demands sarcastically.
"Not at all. In fact, I was just thinking it's time for us to deploy our new Orc friends," Schmidt says.
Azog rolls his eyes a bit, then shouts, "Send the signal!"
The horn is blown again as the signal post is once again re-arranged to signal the armies. Then, from inside one of the tunnels dug by the wereworms, bellowing and marching can be heard. Then, the next force of Sauron's army emerges above ground.
As believed by those who knew that Schmidt was here in Middle-Earth and serving Sauron, Schmidt had in fact used his genius for inventing and crafting to make deadly new additions to Sauron's forces. And this was not limited to improving the weapons used by Sauron's forces.
Schmidt had spent a long time since his arrival in Middle-Earth trying to learn if it was possible to replicate the effects of the Super Soldier Serum using sorcery and resources of Middle-Earth. While he had not been entirely successful, he had been able to create a formula that increased an orc's size, strength, and stamina. While the improvements were not terribly large, it made them much more dangerous in combat. Now, hundreds of these super Orcs are pouring onto the battlefield from the tunnels.
Steve, who is still fighting alongside the Elves, is the first to notice this new force. He gets chills running down his body before he shouts, "They've unleashed super Orcs! I want a full volley of arrows unleashed on them right now, and prepare a shield wall!"
Throughout the battle so far, the Elves, including Thranduil, had been amazed by Steve's skills in combat and has knowledge of battle tactics. Prior to the battle, they had considered Men of a much lower skill in battle than themselves. However, after what they've seen of Steve, they feel no shame in fighting alongside him or even taking orders from him, nor does Thranduil necessarily mind Steve trying to command his forces.
The Elves react quickly to Steve's commands as the super Orcs charge towards the Elves. About two hundred Elves not currently engaged in melee combat fire their bows in the direction of the charging super Orcs. As the volley of arrows fly right for the Orcs, the Orcs see them coming and raise their shields. Many arrows bounce off their shields, but about 80 successfully found their mark and kill a super Orc. However, to the shock of the Elves, some of the Orcs actually catch the arrows out of the air and throw them aside.
The Elves cut down the normal orcs currently facing them and hurry to try and form a shield wall in the path of the charging super Orcs. However, the normal Orcs continue pressing their attack against the Elves, leaving only a few hundred Elves able to dedicate themselves to forming the shield wall against the super Orcs.
Wanting to try and buy the Elves another advantage, Steve sprints ahead of the Elven line and charges right into the super Orcs. He lunges right into them, punching right through the chests of the first two super Orcs. He then blocks a slash from a third Orc and bashes its face in.
The super Orcs take little notice of Steve's attack, only the super Orcs directly around him trying to fight him while all the others continue their charge on the Elves.
The super Orcs crash into the Elves, hacking away at them with swords and axes or jabbing their spears at them. The Elves hold their shield wall and slash back with their own swords. However, to their shock, the Orcs are slowly beginning to overpower some of them. The Elves are shocked at the strength possessed by the super orcs, moreso than any Orc they've ever fought before. Slowly, some of the Elves begin to fall under the swords, axes, and spears of the super Orcs. The Elves feel a shock as one super Orc loses his sword, but instead grabs an Elf by the head and breaks his neck. The Elves begin to shy back from the super Orcs, trying to tighten their defense.
However, as the Elves continue trying to hold off the super Orcs, Steve proves to be their saving grace. None of the Orcs can hope to match Steve's speed and strength. Schmidt's formula is still nothing compared to Erskine's formula. Steve dashes among the super Orcs, striking them with his gauntlets at full strength, the vibranium points easily puncturing the super Orc's armor, killing a super Orc with almost every blow.
Even as Steve is trying to hold off the super Orcs, the monsters are still wreaking havoc among the Elves. Despite the experience of all of the Elves, they find themselves caught off guard by the strength and ferocity of the super Orcs, and they are falling victim to that underestimation.
Thranduil finally provides relief. The Elven king rides through the super Orcs on his elk, the elk bowling Orcs over as Thranduil slashes his sword through their ranks, killing and knocking over dozens. A company of Elves then unleash a volley of arrows, killing almost a hundred super Orcs. Steve takes advantage of this and attacks the front lines of the super Orcs, killing a super Orc with almost every blow.
Although strengthened by Schmidt's formula, the super Orcs are unable to stand for too long against an Avenger and the Woodland Elves. Although they cost the Elves hundreds of their warriors, the super Orcs are eventually annihilated.
Seeing much of the Orcs and Sauron's forces are moving towards Dale, Thranduil decides to lead the bulk of his forces towards the ruined city. However, Steve remains on the battlefield with the small number of Elves staying behind.
Atop Ravenhill, Schmidt frowns slightly as he watches the last of his super Orcs fall against Steve and the Elves. He had expected the super Orcs to cause at least a few more casualties, but is pleased they at least fared much better in battle than the regular Orcs.
"Alright. Time for the next phase," Schmidt says to himself before he raises his voice and orders, "Send in the artillery!"
Schmidt had not just tried to enhance Sauron's forces during his time in Dol Guldur. He had also worked on new weapons for Sauron. One of his efforts to create a better form of artillery for Sauron's army than just simple catapults. To his delight, Middle Earth contained the right materials to create a version of gunpowder. After managing to develop his version of gunpowder, Schmidt was able to create small howitzers in a more simple version of some of the designs used by the German Army in WWII.
At a sound from the signal horn, a series of trolls emerge from the tunnels, carrying the artillery on their backs, accompanied by hundreds of Orcs meant to operate the artillery.
The trolls set up on a ridge where the catapult trolls had earlier set up. The Orcs begin setting up the artillery, taking their time so they don't accidentally set anything off.
Among the Elves, Steve quickly notices this from a distance, and his eyes widen as he sees the Orcs setting up small howitzers. He knows that if the Orcs can unleash that kind of firepower, Dale and its defenders will be shattered quickly.
"Keep up the fight! I will return!" Steve shouts to the Elves fighting around him. Seeing a number of the Elves nodding in response, Steve breaks out of the fight and starts sprinting across the battlefield towards the ridge where the artillery is being set up. Glancing across the battlefield, Steve feels a bit of relief as he sees T'Challa sprinting in the same direction, having clearly seen the artillery as well.
Sprinting at top speed, it takes only a few minutes to reach the ridge, with both Avengers reaching the ridge at the same time. The Orcs and trolls see them approaching, and a handful of Orcs and a troll charge at them.
Steve lunges into the orcs, crushing several Orcs' heads with his punches. T'Challa vaults off a dead Orcs' body right at the charging troll. Slinging himself around the troll's neck, he slashes open the troll's throat. T'Challa kicks off of the troll's body as it collapses.
Right then, they hear a series of loud bangs. Steve and T;Challa looks towards the assembled artillery and see smoke coming from the barrels. Looking in the direction of Dale, they feels chills as they see a series of explosions tear through ruined buildings of the city. The explosions themselves kill a number of civilians, and several more are killed by rubble from collapsing buildings.
"We have to take out that artillery or they're going to level the city!" Steve shouts as he kills another Orc with a powerful blow to the face.
"I'll handle the artillery! You take care of the Orcs and trolls," T'Challa says.
Steve nods, and the two move quickly. Steve sprints ahead of T'Challa into a group of Orcs, throwing punches aimed at their heads or the center of their chests, killing an Orc with every blow, while easily blocking the few blows aimed at him.
As Steve engages the Orcs around the first artillery piece, T'Challa leaps over him and lunges right at the loading chamber. With a fierce war cry, T'Challa slices open the metal , cutting an opening into the loading chamber. He then reaches inside and tears open the inside of the artillery piece with his claws. The artillery piece falls into two pieces as the delicate internal mechanisms are torn up.
T'Challa moves towards the next two artillery pieces. Steve holds off the two trolls that had carried the pieces, but the protecting Orcs charge at him.
Getting an idea, T'Challa swipes at one of the Orc, but intentionally misses. The Orc knocks T'Challa over with a blow from its axe, and the Orcs set about hammering away at T'Challa with their swords and axes. Of course, the weapons fail to penetrate the suit, and T'Challa just lies there, as if dazed, while allowing the Orcs to build up more and more kinetic energy in his suit.
Finally, T'Challa, looking at his suit, sees that the energy has built up enough. Grabbing a sword from one of the Orcs as it takes a swing at him, T'Challa rips the sword out of the Orc's grasp and proceeds to cut four of the Orcs in half. T'Challa then springs out of the circle, leaps off of one of the artillery pieces, and then slams his fist down as he comes down. The kinetic energy bursts out of the suit, blasting the two artillery pieces into pieces and killing two Orcs within a few feet of him, so powerful is the blast.
T'Challa looks towards the next piece, and sees the Orcs attending it preparing tom fire. Thinking quickly, T'Challa throws himself in front of the barrel, clinging to the end. The Orcs fire the piece, but the shell explodes against T'Challa's suit as it is about to exit the barrel. The blast throws T"Challa back, but absolutely wrecks the barrel, leaving the artillery piece useless.
However, the other three artillery pieces successfully fire their second volley. The three shells cause more casualties among the Lake-Town militia and destroy several buildings. Even Bucky has to dive for cover as a building almost collapses on top of him.
T'Challa, thinking quickly, charges at one of the three remaining artillery pieces. The attending troll turns to attack him, but T'Challa leaps up and kicks it in the face, causing it to fall back onto the artillery piece, crushing the loading chamber and firing mechanisms under its massive body.
T'Challa then heads for the next one. Orcs charge at him, but Steve sprints out of nowhere and attacks them, killing two with blows to the head before killing the other two with a stolen sword.
T'Challa sprints past Steve and lunges at the artillery piece, slamming his fist against it. His suit has built up some more kinetic energy, and it bursts out, knocking the delicate internal mechanisms out of line and loosening the rivets, rendering the piece useless.
T'Challa faces the last artillery piece, and sees the Orcs attending it loading a shell, trying to get one more shot out before they are killed or their artillery destroyed. T'Challa charges towards the howitzer, and right as the Orcs fire the howitzer, T'Challa slashes open the side of the loading chamber. The blast of the howitzer blows open the side of the piece, wrecking it completely and killing half of the attending Orcs. T'Challa quickly cuts down the last few Orcs with a few swipes of his claws.
T'Challa hears a roar and whips around to see a troll charging at him. However, before he can even reach it, Steve charges in from the side and slams his fists into the troll's chest, knocking it down. He then leaps onto its chests and slams his gauntlets into its face a few times to kill it.
Steve turns to face T'Challa before the two look out over the battlefield. Things are turning against the defenders. Orcs are continually pouring into Dale, causing heavy casualties among the militia and among the Elves who have followed Thranduil into Dale. The Elves still on the battlefield are cornered and facing serious pressure. At the same time, the Dwarves are in chaos. Dain's pig has been killed and he's now on foot, but his warriors are starting to get a bit worn down and the Orcs are taking advantage over their disorganization.
"They're faltering. They need a miracle at this point," Steve says.
"Agreed," T'Challa says.
The two Avengers turn to each other. After a moment, Steve says, "I'm going to go hold the bridge into the city. YOu, get into Erebor. We need THorin. I know he's absolutely losing it, but we need him to rally the dwarves if we want any chance of winning this thing."
"You already know Thorin and I aren't exactly on good terms," T'Challa responds.
"Yes, but you've both struggled under the dragon sickness. You're both kings. And before this, you were friends. T'Challa, you have to," Steve persists.
T'Challa is quiet for a moment, then sighs before nodding. He then turns and starts sprinting across the battlefield, straight towards the Gates of Erebor. Steve smiles a bit before he turns and starts sprinting towards the bridge leading into Dale.
Steve reaches the bridge quickly, where he kills several Orcs about to start crossing the bridge. He then jumps up and kills a troll charging at him before pushing its body as it falls so that it partially blocks off the entrance to the bridge, leaving him with a smaller gap to defend.
"Hopefully I do even better at this than Horatius did," Steve whispers to himself before shouting a war cry and killing a charging Orc with a blow to the head. He raises his fists, gauntlets at the ready, and readies himself to face the charging Orcs.
Inside the city, Bucky is still fighting tooth and nail alongside the militia of Lake Town. A few archers are trying desperately to assist him as Bucky determination to keep the Orcs at bay have now gotten him almost completely surrounded.
Bucky ducks under a blow from an Orc and kills it with a thrust through the heart. He then ducks under a spear before swinging Anguirel in a wide circle above his head, killing five Orcs. He then rolls out of the way of an axe before cutting the legs off another Orc, killing it with a dagger in the throat.
Another Orc charges at Bucky, but Bucky kicks it in the crotch. As it stumbles back, Bucky leaps to its feet and cleaves its head open. He then slashes open two more Orcs' chests.
An ogre then lumbers onto the scene. It snarls as it notices Bucky and moves towards him. Bucky glares at it as it approaches. The ogre then raises its club and swings it down towards Bucky. Bucky catches the club in his palm with his vbiranium arm, then cuts the club in two with a slash of Anguirel. He then stabs Anguirel through it's heart, the blade penetrating rather easily thanks to Bucky's enhanced strength.
Without hesitation, Bucky draws Anguirel out of the ogre's corpse and whips around, cutting two Orcs in half. He starts backing towards the archers trying to support him, still holding off the orcs around him, and muttering to himself, "We need some serious help if we want to survive this."
And, I'll end the chapter there. Hope you liked this one.
So, you've now seen Schmidt's genius at work for Sauron. Both of his inventions we've seen so far will be seen in the sequel covering Lord of the Rings, and the super Orcs will directly influence the creation of the Uruk Hai.
Next chapter will begin with T'Challa trying to get Thorin back to his senses and their reconciliation. I'm not sure if next chapter will be the last one or not. We'll see depending on how long the rest of the battle ends up being.
Next chapter will be up soon. Until then, please leave a review, and stay tuned!