Once again, I would like to thank all of you taking the time to keep up with this little story of mine. You know the disclaimer drill.
The sun was not shining that next morning and Kalen still could not manage to settle her stomach. Rest had not found her the night before and she had kept a silent watch over the others, all the while wrestling with the demons that had invaded her thoughts like a horde of rampaging Wargs. Morning had brought with it no solution to Kalen's problem, and she had forced herself to think only of what waited for her hours from now.
If the Council's source had been a reliable one, she and Nevaria would be nearing the end of their journey in but a few hours. The thought that she would be on her way back to Taureliloomis by the end of the night brought a feeling of relief and comfort to Kalen, though it was short lived. Looking to Nevaria she smirked.
'We may be upon the door of Death, himself, yet she still hovers around him like a lovesick mortal'.
Kalen shook her head, but found that a smile had forced itself onto her lips. Perhaps it would harm nothing to let the scout have her moment with Legolas and she chided Jealousy for revealing herself at such an inopportune time. She did not care if Nevaria had the attention of the handsome elf, or did she? Damn this feeling for choosing this moment to attempt its takeover. Kalen looked up. According to the Sun's position in the sky, it was now the hour of departure. Thank the Valar for small favors.
And there she found herself, facing the moment that she had dreaded exceedingly more than the danger of the mission itself, the 'Goodbye, and discovering that her small favor had brought with it an enormous price. Gathering her things, she turned to the dwarf and his companion as they waited to hear her words of parting. She would need a deep breath to utter that dreaded word.
"Gimli, Legolas, I shall see you again in three short weeks. "Goodbye" appears to be so inappropriate. Shall we say "Farewell" until then"? She lowered her head in a bow and turned her back to them.
"Be safe".
"Farewell Gimli" Nevaria said and then suddenly lunged herself at Legolas, throwing her arms around his neck and planting a soft kiss on his cheek. "Farewell my sweet. I will have plans for you at our next meeting" she whispered to the dazed male.
"Be safe" Gimli chuckled as Nevaria giggled fervently and dashed after Kalen. They were but a few feet from him, yet he still felt the pangs of emptiness seeping into his heart. He would miss them both, but he would especially miss his time spent with Kalen. He shrugged inwardly, knowing that he would be with them, though it would only be at a distance.
Legolas and Gimli had decided that they would give Kalen and Nevaria a headstart of about half an hour, and then their waiting began.
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After several hours of travel, there had been no sign of anything that resembled the camp that they sought and Kalen began recalculating the directions of the Council. Either they had been misinformed, or the thieves had moved. Deciding it would be best to continue without rest, they moved on, traveling until the night had pulled her thick blanket of darkness across the sky.
It was when the moon had smiled down on them, and defeat threatened to take them, that they happened upon the camp. Fate was on their side, providing a ledge of large rocks that overlooked the camp, and Kalen and Nevaria quietly scrambled to take their cover. It was now that their skills of survival would be needed if they were to see the light of morning.
"Look there, do you see it"? Nevaria whispered and pointed her long finger toward the large group of Orcs, Uruks, and Goblins.
Kalen stared down and spied the Cup of Elements being raised into the air by an Orc with long, matted black hair. His nose was as long and pointed as his ears and a smile filled with rotted green and black teeth exposed as he laughed. Undoubtedly, they had been celebrating their victory since departing through the iron gates of Terrion.
"Yes, that vile creature holds the cup. Do you suppose that he knows how to use it"?
Nevaria scoffed at the question.
"I doubt it. He is little more than a servant to the Uruk's, and even they are all brawn and no brain. See there, they travel with Goblins. I must get in for a closer look".
"It is far too risky, Nevaria. Let us do exactly what we were sent to do and then let us return home".
Kalen's words would fall upon deaf ears, as the ambitious scout set her sights on a spot a few feet closer to the edge.
"If there are not many, perhaps we can recapture the cup by ourselves".
"Have you been possessed by madness? There are too many. We were not sent to recapture it".
Before Kalen could stop her, Nevaria had made her move. It would prove poor judgement, for Kalen had no sooner rolled her eyes and moved to cover Nevaria, than an arrow whizzed past her head. They had been spotted! The element of surprise was no longer in the favor of the elves, but instead the favor fell to the dark creatures.
Kalen jumped to her feet, dodging arrows as they flew past, causing a buzz in her ears and a breeze in her hair. She ran in Nevaria's direction, reaching her as a PHTUNK echoed, bringing the archer to her knees. A thick black arrow lodged in her arm and another protruded from her side.
"Nevaria"!
Pulling both swords from their sheaths, Kalen swung them straight out, bracing herself for the attack that she knew was only seconds away. It would be impossible to move Nevaria fast enough for any hope of an escape, and she would not leave her alone and at the mercy of the Orcs and Goblins. It was no secret how the Orcs treated Elves that they had captured. A captive could expect hours, days of excruciating pain and agony that ended with a plea for death. It was a plea that was granted with sheer delight, for the evil beasts relished death and destruction and had no greater pleasure than that of pain. Kalen knew that she would never be able to defeat them alone, but she would die bravely. It was a death that she had hoped to never endure, but now faced.
"Kalen, you must run. Report what you have seen to the council".
"I will not leave you behind. That is not what I vowed and it is not within a Captain's code of honor".
"Damn your honor, you fool! These arrows are poisoned. I can feel my body dying at this very moment and you know you will be captured".
Kalen shook her head in disagreement. Her honor was all that she had in that moment and had been all that she had ever possessed in the world. She would not discard it now, and, as Nevaria would have her, run.
"Oh Kalen, I am so sorry for disobeying your orders". Nevaria sobbed as she held the shaft of the arrow in her side, the rich red blood covering her hand.
"Do not talk of foolish things now. I will fight them as long as I can".
The sound of shuffling feet could be heard as several of the Goblin men ran up the hill towards the two elves, hissing with glee the whole of the way. Kalen had taken her stance by Nevaria as she lay helpless on the ground. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and swung her swords into the air, only her senses to guide her.
A clanging sound vibrated on the silver swords and she opened her eyes. It was a terrifying sound; the sound of steel against steel, but the glowing red eyes staring into her own held an even more terrifying grip on her heart. One of the Goblins lurched himself at her, his rusted knife aimed for her thigh, but with rapid speed she brought one of her swords down, blocking the blow. The intent to kill screamed with every slicing motion of the Goblins, but her skill had been beyond their expectation. She had countered every move, managing to behead one of her attackers, and disemboweling another shortly after. The head of the first coming to rest atop the spilling entrails of the second, its nose buried deep into a pile of blackened intestines.
Spatters of brownish, putrid blood flecked on her face and covered her tunic as she fought the remaining Goblins. Only five had reached the top of the hill, but she knew there would be more coming. She could hear them rushing around below, her elfin senses revealing that there were many more on their way. Two of the Goblins lay dead and another crawled on his belly, his black teeth foamed with saliva and blood and he gasped for air, the sound, comparable to a mixture of wheezing gurgles, coming from the slice in his neck rather than from his mouth.
"Give up, Elf and you shall live" one of the creatures spat at her and slithered from side to side like a serpent preparing to strike.
"I would die rather than submit to a disgusting creature like you, filthy liar".
Kalen continued to fight them, but soon the two were joined by many more of the fell beasts. The 'Leader' was an Uruk and his long black hair fell over the dark mutilated skin of his muscular shoulders. He was intimidating to say the least, and he bore his fangs with a snarl when he saw her.
"A female elf is giving you so much trouble? I will handle this, snaga" the Uruk-Hai growled and grabbed a sword from the hands of one of the smaller Orcs.
"Morgluk".
There was a sound of rally, the creatures chanting the name of their champion as he stepped towards Kalen. Even though she was tall and fairly muscular, the muscle mass of the Uruk was nearly triple that of her own. He grunted, swinging the sword at her with a force that could tear down three men. Struck by fear, it was only with a trembling hand and a will fueled by adrenaline that she was able to block his blows.
After a few moments of "play", the Uruk began to tire and raised his arm, swinging it forth and meeting the fist of his hand to the side of her face. The force sent her body sailing and she finally landed on the dusty ground with a muffled 'THUD'.
"Now take her and tie her to the horses, leave this one for whatever is searching for a meal" the Uruk screamed and kicked his heavy foot into Nevaria's gut, knocking what wind was left from her.
Another large Uruk rushed to comply with the orders of his superior, grabbing Kalen by her long midnight hair and dragging her to the camp. Blood had trailed down her nose and several scrapes were evident as she was tied to the long rope that fell from one of the saddles.
Unconscious sleep fell on her, but she was soon awakened by the searing pain of being dragged behind the running horse of the Uruk that had defeated her on the hill. The reality of what was in store for her had hit her as hard as the Uruk's blow and things could not look any worse. Chaos was running in her brain and pain filled her body, but still she managed to bring her thoughts to Gimli and Legolas. She would die, but she would not die alone. The knowledge that they would have been with her and given their lives to protect her, gave a calming peace that was enough to ease some of her fears and her pain, at least for the moment
