Legolas Greenleaf, Agent of MESS, in
You Only Live Forever
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Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, which is why I am posting it on this site. Legolas and associated characters were created by JRR Tolkien. James Bond was created by Ian Fleming. Legolas' appearance belongs to Orlando Bloom in a wig.
Author's Notes: So, chapter the fourteenth, in which there is much arse kicking. Nearly there now, chaps. A little more to go then it'll be the end of this fic (sob). But never fear, the sequel (yes, another one!) is well on the way.
Review replies: theinklesspen: what makes you think Sauron's going to have time to deal with Saruman? Hmm, and if Saruman's quite sick, does that mean I'm sick for writing him like that? Oh dear. It's all Ian Fleming's fault.
Nemo Returning: what was a short cut? Gimli turning up like that? Hey, why waste time on waiting for him?
Idlewild: aha, the scar on Bond's hand was covered up by plastic surgery. It's discussed at the beginning of Live and Let Die, where it's mentioned that they got the skin from his forearm, which mean that the hairs will grow thicker, and crooked. I'm quite sad for remembering that so well. But I don't think they have plastic surgery in Middle-earth. I've been hunting for the book you suggested. Meh, the libraries round here have no taste. I'll have to dig it out when I go into town later this week. And yes, that was Greenleaf with his best Princess Leia impression. I'm very proud of that, though disappointed I couldn't get any Count Dooku lines in for Saruman.
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Chapter 14. Battle Royale
"You're not going after Sauron!"
Gimli's exclamation rang out in the narrow corridor. Luckily there was no one else around to hear.
"It's what I'm here for," said Greenleaf calmly, "plus, it'll mean that there won't be any surveillance looking for you." He folded his arms; as far as he was concerned the matter was closed.
"He'll kill you," Gimli said.
"I'm touched by your concern."
There was a long silence, finished only when Gimli sighed heavily, a frown on his face.
"I can't change your mind, can I?" he asked. Greenleaf shook his head. There was another pause, in which Gimli shuffled his feet and looked at the floor uncomfortably.
"Well," he said eventually, "I...I'm glad to have worked with you, Legolas." He coughed nervously. "I just wanted to say that."
Greenleaf said nothing for a moment, and then smiled wryly. "It's been a pleasure to work with you also, Gimli," he said, and was surprised to find how sincerely he meant it. He had found that he was thinking of Gimli less as a Dwarf and more as a colleague, or even a friend. "We need to get moving," he went on. "Where would you expect Sauron to be?"
Gimli stroked his beard. "On my way up here I heard some orcs saying that 'the boss' would be inspecting the machines soon," he said, "I'll take you there."
"You found Sauron's war machines?" asked Greenleaf.
"Yes," said Gimli, "and they're pretty horrible. They're down this way."
"Then let's go," said Greenleaf.
They hurried down the corridor; Gimli ahead and Greenleaf following behind. The Elf was involved in tying his cloak to his quiver, partly in an effort to prevent the leather from rubbing against his wounded back. The cloak itself would get in the way in a fight, and Greenleaf wanted no distractions. This tussle with Sauron would be hard enough as it was. He knew that it was probably a hugely foolish move to take on the Dark Lord head on, but he had to, he really did. This could be the one time that he didn't come out alive, but it had to be worth it. It was an utter cliché, but his life was unimportant compared with all the people Sauron would kill. He finished tying the cloak and rehung his quiver on his back.
"In here," whispered Gimli, stopping by an entranceway, "and he's in there all right."
Greenleaf peered into the cavern, noting the squatting shapes of the war machines and the few orcs gathered around. Sauron was examining one of the metal hulks some way from where the Elf and the Dwarf were. Greenleaf turned to Gimli, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Then here's where we part," he said. "Go and get it done. Blow this place sky high, my friend." He smiled.
"So this'll be goodbye," said Gimli gruffly, "if we never meet again, that is."
"Never say never again," Greenleaf told him, shoving him off, "now go on, get on with it. I've got a Dark Lord's arse to kick."
Gimli said nothing more, but went, soon lost to his companion's sight in the darkness. Greenleaf turned again to the cavern, taking careful stock of the situation before him. There were, as far as he could see, only seven orcs, but there could be more away down any of the tunnels in the sides. There were at least five exit or entry points into the cavern. Magma bubbled and glowed in one corner and most of the cavern was lit by torches, though where Greenleaf stood was mainly dark and in shadow. He crept along by the wall until he was behind one of the orcs. After first checking that none of the others were looking his way, he pulled the orc backwards into the shadow. He slit its throat quickly, not allowing a sound to escape it, and dragged the body as quietly as he could into the corner. He dumped it there, out of sight. That was one less orc to worry about at least. But he would have to be a lot more obvious to create a distraction.
He unslung his bow from his back and laid an arrow on it. Here goes, he thought. He loosed the arrow, sending it flying across the cavern. It hit one of the orcs on the other side, dropping it where it stood. No sooner had the one next to it looked around in surprise than it too fell, an arrow in its face. Greenleaf had killed three more before the remaining two raised the alarm. Sauron, who had been inside one of the war machines, came out and stared straight at Greenleaf. The Elf loosed an arrow at him, but it shattered against his armour. They faced each other for a moment at distance, and then Sauron came striding across the cavern. Greenleaf fired another arrow, but again had no effect.
"Foolish little Elf!" bellowed Sauron. He swept his arm around, throwing Greenleaf back and knocking the bow from his hands. The Elf impacted against the wall and almost passed out with the pain. Sauron gripped his arm, pulling him up off the ground, dangling him like a doll. He shook him roughly.
"What are you trying to achieve, little Elf?" Sauron asked. "Surely you've realised that you can't win."
"I'm not one to give up," said Greenleaf, wishing that his arm wasn't held so tightly.
"Hah! All you've managed to do here is kill a few orcs, and I've plenty of those." He threw the Elf to the floor. "Maybe I should just give you to them. What do you say to that?"
Greenleaf propped himself up slowly on his elbows, smiling despite the trail of blood coming from his mouth. "I would say that you didn't have the guts to do it yourself," he said calmly.
Sauron let out a sound a little like a growl. He unsheathed a long sword from his side and, holding it in both hands, brought it down on Greenleaf, or rather, where Greenleaf had been a moment previously. The Elf rolled to the side, pushing himself to his feet in the same move. He seized his knife, holding it in his right hand as he faced Sauron.
Well, I got a rise out of him, he thought. That bit was easy enough.
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That bit was easy enough, Gimli decided, no orcs anywhere.
He had reached the main chamber where the powder was and now stood rubbing his hands together. The blasting powder was in kegs, stacked against the walls. The kegs themselves were piled on top of each other, in stacks of three or more. Gimli eyed them all with glee. This lot would definitely make a big bang. But would it be big enough?
The best thing to do, he decided, would be to find the closest bit of magma. That would give the explosion its full effect; if he found some close enough. He wouldn't be able to carry all that powder any distance; he simply didn't have the time. He had left that crazy Elf to face Sauron on his own, and he would rather he still be alive to escape. Partly of course, because Gimli wouldn't ride that horse on his own. He would rather face Sauron's entire army before attempting that. He left the main chamber and stood just outside the doorway. The way to the left felt distinctly warmer, so he followed it.
The very next cavern held what he was looking for. At the far end from the doorway glowed a pool of molten rock. With a few quick calculations Gimli worked out that the left side of this cavern must be directly against the right hand side, which was perfect for what he was planning. He entered the cavern and examined the wall, occasionally making little "hmm" and "hah!" noises. The wall between the caverns was actually quite thin, and in places there were small holes, through which could be seen the dim outlines of the kegs in the other chamber. Gimli smiled, knowing exactly what he would do.
He went out into the corridor again, going past the main powder chamber and into a smaller chamber a little further on. This contained a smaller amount of blasting powder, all parcelled up into small bags. There was not as much as in the other chamber, but it was still a respectable pile. Gimli unfastened his cloak and set to work, filling the cloak with bags of powder then carrying them through to the cavern. The powder proved a heavy burden, but Gimli continued doggedly, moving it as fast as he could. Finally, he had a large heap of bags heaped up against the wall in the large cavern. He refastened his cloak, giving the heap a satisfied look before going back into the main powder chamber.
There were already many kegs by the wall where he wanted them, but not enough. He began the arduous task of pushing the barrels across the chamber, scraping them across the floor. He pressed his back against each keg, heaving it along. It took him a while, but finally there was a fair- sized pile. He looked at it, relieved, and bent to lay the powder trails.
He had almost done them all when he was bashed on the back of the head. Falling, he turned his head to see Saruman standing there, grinning. Oh bugger, he thought.
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Oh bugger, thought Greenleaf, this one's not going to turn out too well. He looked up at the dark form of Sauron above him, wielding a huge sword. They eyed each other only for an instant longer before Sauron attacked again. His sword swung across, aiming for Greenleaf's midsection. The Elf ducked below it, allowing the blade to pass a few inches above his head. He leapt out of the way again as Sauron turned his sword back, slicing through the air. Greenleaf dodged back, keeping on his toes.
"Getting slow?" he teased. An angry Dark Lord was potentially a Dark Lord who made mistakes, even though it was a dangerous tactic to employ.
"Not a chance of it," growled Sauron, "you're weak and will fall long before I get slow." He brought his sword down towards Greenleaf's head.
Greenleaf darted to the side a split second before the blade reached him, allowing it to bury into the floor. He jumped up, one foot on the sword hilt pushing him up. His knife cut a long slash across the front of Sauron's helmet, shearing off parts of it with a screech. Sauron roared, lifting his sword and heaving it out of the ground. Greenleaf flipped backwards, landing with a slight stagger beside one of the war machines. Sauron's sword clanged against the metal beside him and was raised again. It came down a second time, just missing Greenleaf's arm and actually piercing the metal hull. Greenleaf rushed forwards as Sauron pulled at the sword. He stabbed at Sauron's middle, feeling triumphant as he heard the Dark Lord voice his pain. Removing the knife from Sauron's flesh, he was gratified to see black blood on the blade.
Sauron let go of his sword hilt, leaving the weapon stuck through the side of the machine. He thrashed out with his hand and caught Greenleaf across the chest viciously. The Elf was flung some way through the air before crashing to the floor with an impact that knocked the breath out of him. He was almost back on his feet when Sauron reached him. The Dark Lord kicked him back onto the floor, the knife falling from his hand and spinning away to the side where he couldn't reach it. Sauron advanced on him, pushing him back.
With a sudden move, Greenleaf threw himself forward, bringing his feet up to hit Sauron's knees with all the force he could muster. Sauron staggered a little, and further attacks finally caused him to fall. Unfortunately, he fell on top of Greenleaf. The Elf skidded backwards, but didn't quite get out of Sauron's reach. The intense heat at his back stopped him before he plunged into the pool of lava behind him. He was trapped between liquid rock and an angry Dark Lord.
He scowled. What was that damn Dwarf doing that was taking so long?
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Gimli was reaching for his axe, intending to bury it in the wizard who was rapidly approaching. Saruman held a long black staff in his hands, with which he parried the Dwarf's axe swing. They pushed against each other for a moment before breaking apart and standing back again, circling. Gimli noticed fresh-looking bloodstains on the wizard's robe and realised where they were from with a sick, angry feeling.
"The Elf may not have succeeded in killing you," he said, gripping his axe tighter, "but I certainly will. You can count on that, wizard."
Saruman laughed. "What makes you think you'll be able to do it when he failed?" he asked. "You're just a Dwarf, after all."
"Maybe you need some education in what Dwarves can do," Gimli said, and flicked his axe out. Saruman dodged, but the axe blade still sliced through his sleeve. He swung his staff at Gimli, who caught the blow on his axe. Locked together, they both contrived to overpower the other, though with little success. Gimli would push Saruman back a few steps, which the wizard would then regain and so on. This state of affairs continued until Gimli manoeuvred Saruman back into some of the barrels.
With an impressive set of curses, the wizard stumbled into them. Their impasse was broken as he strove to remain on his feet. Gimli, capitalising on the opportunity, brought his axe down hard. It struck Saruman's staff, shattering it into tiny pieces. Saruman roared in anger, throwing himself at Gimli. The sharp nails of his right hand tore into Gimli's cheek, while his other hand pushed the axe away. They fell to the floor together, the fight suddenly becoming much more close quarter. Here, Saruman's long limbs became an advantage, enabling him to keep out of the range of Gimli's punches. He held the axe down to the side, keeping it against the floor despite the Dwarf trying to push it up. Saruman moved his right hand to grasp Gimli's neck, squeezing it tightly. Gimli fought against the hand at his throat but the wizard's grip was strong. He couldn't breathe, and he knew he would have to do something quickly.
He heaved his legs upwards, bending at the waist. They were just long enough, causing his heavy boots to connect with Saruman's groin. The wizard's eyes bulged and his hold on Gimli's neck loosened. Gimli took the advantage and pulled his axe from Saruman's grip, hitting him on the head with the flat of the blade. He stood and swung his axe round again. Saruman pulled back just in time, and Gimli's axe only sliced across the front of his robe. Saruman then lunged forward, hands outstretched.
He hadn't reckoned on Gimli's perseverance. The axe came round again, and chopped off Saruman's left hand. The wizard fell back, clutching the stump of his arm and screaming. He staggered backwards and tripped, cracking his head on one of the barrels. He slumped to the floor unconscious. Gimli raised his axe above the wizard, looking down at the helpless figure, intending to slaughter him where he lay. But he couldn't do it. He lowered his axe. To murder someone in cold blood just wasn't his style. He decided to leave him there among the blasting powder, to be blown to pieces when it exploded. It seemed less like murder somehow. Less up close and personal.
Gimli finished laying his trails. He lit the ones in the larger cavern first, and then the ones in the main chamber. That done, he ran, wondering how the Elf was doing.
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Greenleaf tried to dive for the side as Sauron went for him, but didn't move fast enough, exhaustion dragging at him. He ended up on his front with Sauron's knee on his back, pinning him down. The lava pit was directly below him, his body partway over the edge of the pit. Sauron's hand grabbed Greenleaf's hair, pushing his face towards the molten rock.
"Not so confident now, are you?" gloated Sauron. "Not so cocky when you're about to have your pretty face burnt off."
Greenleaf gave no answer, more concerned with the heat rising from just below his face. His hands were braced against the rocky floor, giving him only just enough leverage against the pressure on the back of his head. As Sauron pushed harder, Greenleaf's arms began to tremble, protesting their treatment. He knew they wouldn't hold up long. His face was getting ever closer to the burning lava, and sweat was beginning to drip down it. He blinked his eyelids, trying to clear his vision. It didn't work.
With a sudden move he arched his back, catching Sauron by surprise. He kicked his left leg back, knocking the Dark Lord off balance. Greenleaf followed through with a fast shove and rolled out of the way, leaving Sauron to crash to the floor beside him. He scrambled to his feet, ending up in a crouch. His knife was a few lengths away, lying on the ground. He sprang for it, but fell short as Sauron grabbed his ankle. He kicked furiously, anger fuelling him despite his exhaustion. Sauron's grip loosened momentarily and Greenleaf wrenched his foot away. He rushed the remaining distance and seized his knife, spinning to face his opponent. Sauron was just getting to his feet, slightly clumsy in his heavy armour.
Greenleaf rushed at him, knife held before him. He stabbed Sauron in the side, pressing him back as he did. Sauron shoved out with one hand, catching Greenleaf on the shoulder and throwing him back. Greenleaf fell to the floor, unable to stop a cry of pain as he did. But he was determined above all not to fail, and pushed himself to his feet again. Both he and Sauron stood at the edge of the lava pit, backlit by flame, facing each other. Only one would walk away from this.
Sauron lunged, and Greenleaf dodged. He took a step backwards as Sauron pressed forward, forcing the Elf into defensive tactics. Greenleaf begrudged every backward step, but couldn't prevent any of them. Sauron had a huge advantage in his height and strength. Greenleaf took another step and felt a horrible sickening feeling as the edge under his foot crumbled. He tumbled backwards, only just stopping himself from tipping right off by twisting to the side. He landed on his back, looking up to see Sauron very close and ready to push Greenleaf all the way down. The Elf braced his arms against the ground and struck out with his legs. Sauron's legs buckled and he staggered. Greenleaf kicked out again, as hard as possible.
Stumbling back, Sauron fell ever so slowly. Tipping over and towards the lava. His arms flailed but his balance was gone and there was no denying the inevitable pull of gravity. With a scream he hit the molten rock, sinking by slow degrees into it. He thrashed around frantically, spraying lava as he did, but all to no effect. Accompanied by a terrible smell of burning, he sank finally beneath the molten surface, his head the last thing to go. His gaze, as much as could be seen of it, never left Greenleaf's as he went.
The Elf had pulled himself away from the edge and knelt, a foot or so away, watching the Dark Lord disappearing. This death would change a lot, that he knew. All the scams and operations Sauron had been running –big and small- would be finished. There was no one else who could take it on. The entire scheme would disintegrate, and rightly too. But while this was the death of a crime organisation, it was also the death of an individual, no matter how twisted and evil that individual was. It was due to his respect of this that Greenleaf remained where he was, observing Sauron's remains slowly burning up. This was how he was when Gimli came running into the cavern, sprinting across to the kneeling figure.
"Legolas!" he yelled.
Greenleaf turned his head to look at the Dwarf. He didn't smile. Gimli looked down at the lava, seeing the few bits of metal still floating on top.
"Sauron?" he asked.
"Yes," answered Greenleaf simply.
"Well done," said Gimli. He was impressed, but then he suddenly remembered the urgency. "Come on! We've got to get out before it goes!"
He grabbed Greenleaf's arm and pulled him up and towards the exit.
"Just a moment," called Greenleaf, and he did a detour to collect his bow. "U would hate me to leave this behind."
They ran out of the cavern, glad to be leaving the hideous war machines behind for destruction. There were few orcs about, and those that were either fell quickly to knife or axe or did not see the fleeing pair. There were not many of the latter category, and a trail of dead orcs followed Elf and Dwarf, not that any of the others were fast or competent enough to trace it.
"That's ten, Gimli!" Greenleaf said, leaving another corpse in his wake. "What's your count?" He grinned, knowing that it was nowhere near his.
"Four," the Dwarf grunted, "but you've got longer legs than me; you reach them faster!"
"But I'm injured," protested Greenleaf with wide eyes. "Surely you...hang on." He darted into a small room, recognising it from earlier.
"What now?" Gimli asked. He huffed impatiently, and then swung his axe hurriedly to kill an orc that had been headed his way. "Hah! Five now!"
"Eleven," said Greenleaf, coming out of the room just in time to send an arrow through and orc behind Gimli. He hastily tucked some papers into his leggings. "Let's go!"
"That's what I was planning on!" the Dwarf yelled, running on. "Crazy Elf!"
Finally the exit was ahead of them, daylight shining brightly through it into the dark caves. But at that moment there was a huge explosion, rocking the entire mountain down to its roots and flinging Greenleaf and Gimli to the ground. They scrambled up again as rocks fell around them. Ahead, the exit was collapsing. Great lumps of stone crashed down, and the way would be blocked in moments. Greenleaf grasped Gimli's arm and they began a mad dash to their only way of escape.
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A/n: Nearly there. One more chapter, punters. And at this point I have to appreciate ClassicFM for putting on exactly the right bit of music as I typed this end bit. 'Oh Fortuna' from Carmina Burana, Carl Orff, just for the bit as they leg it out of the caves. Splendid.
You Only Live Forever
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Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, which is why I am posting it on this site. Legolas and associated characters were created by JRR Tolkien. James Bond was created by Ian Fleming. Legolas' appearance belongs to Orlando Bloom in a wig.
Author's Notes: So, chapter the fourteenth, in which there is much arse kicking. Nearly there now, chaps. A little more to go then it'll be the end of this fic (sob). But never fear, the sequel (yes, another one!) is well on the way.
Review replies: theinklesspen: what makes you think Sauron's going to have time to deal with Saruman? Hmm, and if Saruman's quite sick, does that mean I'm sick for writing him like that? Oh dear. It's all Ian Fleming's fault.
Nemo Returning: what was a short cut? Gimli turning up like that? Hey, why waste time on waiting for him?
Idlewild: aha, the scar on Bond's hand was covered up by plastic surgery. It's discussed at the beginning of Live and Let Die, where it's mentioned that they got the skin from his forearm, which mean that the hairs will grow thicker, and crooked. I'm quite sad for remembering that so well. But I don't think they have plastic surgery in Middle-earth. I've been hunting for the book you suggested. Meh, the libraries round here have no taste. I'll have to dig it out when I go into town later this week. And yes, that was Greenleaf with his best Princess Leia impression. I'm very proud of that, though disappointed I couldn't get any Count Dooku lines in for Saruman.
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Chapter 14. Battle Royale
"You're not going after Sauron!"
Gimli's exclamation rang out in the narrow corridor. Luckily there was no one else around to hear.
"It's what I'm here for," said Greenleaf calmly, "plus, it'll mean that there won't be any surveillance looking for you." He folded his arms; as far as he was concerned the matter was closed.
"He'll kill you," Gimli said.
"I'm touched by your concern."
There was a long silence, finished only when Gimli sighed heavily, a frown on his face.
"I can't change your mind, can I?" he asked. Greenleaf shook his head. There was another pause, in which Gimli shuffled his feet and looked at the floor uncomfortably.
"Well," he said eventually, "I...I'm glad to have worked with you, Legolas." He coughed nervously. "I just wanted to say that."
Greenleaf said nothing for a moment, and then smiled wryly. "It's been a pleasure to work with you also, Gimli," he said, and was surprised to find how sincerely he meant it. He had found that he was thinking of Gimli less as a Dwarf and more as a colleague, or even a friend. "We need to get moving," he went on. "Where would you expect Sauron to be?"
Gimli stroked his beard. "On my way up here I heard some orcs saying that 'the boss' would be inspecting the machines soon," he said, "I'll take you there."
"You found Sauron's war machines?" asked Greenleaf.
"Yes," said Gimli, "and they're pretty horrible. They're down this way."
"Then let's go," said Greenleaf.
They hurried down the corridor; Gimli ahead and Greenleaf following behind. The Elf was involved in tying his cloak to his quiver, partly in an effort to prevent the leather from rubbing against his wounded back. The cloak itself would get in the way in a fight, and Greenleaf wanted no distractions. This tussle with Sauron would be hard enough as it was. He knew that it was probably a hugely foolish move to take on the Dark Lord head on, but he had to, he really did. This could be the one time that he didn't come out alive, but it had to be worth it. It was an utter cliché, but his life was unimportant compared with all the people Sauron would kill. He finished tying the cloak and rehung his quiver on his back.
"In here," whispered Gimli, stopping by an entranceway, "and he's in there all right."
Greenleaf peered into the cavern, noting the squatting shapes of the war machines and the few orcs gathered around. Sauron was examining one of the metal hulks some way from where the Elf and the Dwarf were. Greenleaf turned to Gimli, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Then here's where we part," he said. "Go and get it done. Blow this place sky high, my friend." He smiled.
"So this'll be goodbye," said Gimli gruffly, "if we never meet again, that is."
"Never say never again," Greenleaf told him, shoving him off, "now go on, get on with it. I've got a Dark Lord's arse to kick."
Gimli said nothing more, but went, soon lost to his companion's sight in the darkness. Greenleaf turned again to the cavern, taking careful stock of the situation before him. There were, as far as he could see, only seven orcs, but there could be more away down any of the tunnels in the sides. There were at least five exit or entry points into the cavern. Magma bubbled and glowed in one corner and most of the cavern was lit by torches, though where Greenleaf stood was mainly dark and in shadow. He crept along by the wall until he was behind one of the orcs. After first checking that none of the others were looking his way, he pulled the orc backwards into the shadow. He slit its throat quickly, not allowing a sound to escape it, and dragged the body as quietly as he could into the corner. He dumped it there, out of sight. That was one less orc to worry about at least. But he would have to be a lot more obvious to create a distraction.
He unslung his bow from his back and laid an arrow on it. Here goes, he thought. He loosed the arrow, sending it flying across the cavern. It hit one of the orcs on the other side, dropping it where it stood. No sooner had the one next to it looked around in surprise than it too fell, an arrow in its face. Greenleaf had killed three more before the remaining two raised the alarm. Sauron, who had been inside one of the war machines, came out and stared straight at Greenleaf. The Elf loosed an arrow at him, but it shattered against his armour. They faced each other for a moment at distance, and then Sauron came striding across the cavern. Greenleaf fired another arrow, but again had no effect.
"Foolish little Elf!" bellowed Sauron. He swept his arm around, throwing Greenleaf back and knocking the bow from his hands. The Elf impacted against the wall and almost passed out with the pain. Sauron gripped his arm, pulling him up off the ground, dangling him like a doll. He shook him roughly.
"What are you trying to achieve, little Elf?" Sauron asked. "Surely you've realised that you can't win."
"I'm not one to give up," said Greenleaf, wishing that his arm wasn't held so tightly.
"Hah! All you've managed to do here is kill a few orcs, and I've plenty of those." He threw the Elf to the floor. "Maybe I should just give you to them. What do you say to that?"
Greenleaf propped himself up slowly on his elbows, smiling despite the trail of blood coming from his mouth. "I would say that you didn't have the guts to do it yourself," he said calmly.
Sauron let out a sound a little like a growl. He unsheathed a long sword from his side and, holding it in both hands, brought it down on Greenleaf, or rather, where Greenleaf had been a moment previously. The Elf rolled to the side, pushing himself to his feet in the same move. He seized his knife, holding it in his right hand as he faced Sauron.
Well, I got a rise out of him, he thought. That bit was easy enough.
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That bit was easy enough, Gimli decided, no orcs anywhere.
He had reached the main chamber where the powder was and now stood rubbing his hands together. The blasting powder was in kegs, stacked against the walls. The kegs themselves were piled on top of each other, in stacks of three or more. Gimli eyed them all with glee. This lot would definitely make a big bang. But would it be big enough?
The best thing to do, he decided, would be to find the closest bit of magma. That would give the explosion its full effect; if he found some close enough. He wouldn't be able to carry all that powder any distance; he simply didn't have the time. He had left that crazy Elf to face Sauron on his own, and he would rather he still be alive to escape. Partly of course, because Gimli wouldn't ride that horse on his own. He would rather face Sauron's entire army before attempting that. He left the main chamber and stood just outside the doorway. The way to the left felt distinctly warmer, so he followed it.
The very next cavern held what he was looking for. At the far end from the doorway glowed a pool of molten rock. With a few quick calculations Gimli worked out that the left side of this cavern must be directly against the right hand side, which was perfect for what he was planning. He entered the cavern and examined the wall, occasionally making little "hmm" and "hah!" noises. The wall between the caverns was actually quite thin, and in places there were small holes, through which could be seen the dim outlines of the kegs in the other chamber. Gimli smiled, knowing exactly what he would do.
He went out into the corridor again, going past the main powder chamber and into a smaller chamber a little further on. This contained a smaller amount of blasting powder, all parcelled up into small bags. There was not as much as in the other chamber, but it was still a respectable pile. Gimli unfastened his cloak and set to work, filling the cloak with bags of powder then carrying them through to the cavern. The powder proved a heavy burden, but Gimli continued doggedly, moving it as fast as he could. Finally, he had a large heap of bags heaped up against the wall in the large cavern. He refastened his cloak, giving the heap a satisfied look before going back into the main powder chamber.
There were already many kegs by the wall where he wanted them, but not enough. He began the arduous task of pushing the barrels across the chamber, scraping them across the floor. He pressed his back against each keg, heaving it along. It took him a while, but finally there was a fair- sized pile. He looked at it, relieved, and bent to lay the powder trails.
He had almost done them all when he was bashed on the back of the head. Falling, he turned his head to see Saruman standing there, grinning. Oh bugger, he thought.
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Oh bugger, thought Greenleaf, this one's not going to turn out too well. He looked up at the dark form of Sauron above him, wielding a huge sword. They eyed each other only for an instant longer before Sauron attacked again. His sword swung across, aiming for Greenleaf's midsection. The Elf ducked below it, allowing the blade to pass a few inches above his head. He leapt out of the way again as Sauron turned his sword back, slicing through the air. Greenleaf dodged back, keeping on his toes.
"Getting slow?" he teased. An angry Dark Lord was potentially a Dark Lord who made mistakes, even though it was a dangerous tactic to employ.
"Not a chance of it," growled Sauron, "you're weak and will fall long before I get slow." He brought his sword down towards Greenleaf's head.
Greenleaf darted to the side a split second before the blade reached him, allowing it to bury into the floor. He jumped up, one foot on the sword hilt pushing him up. His knife cut a long slash across the front of Sauron's helmet, shearing off parts of it with a screech. Sauron roared, lifting his sword and heaving it out of the ground. Greenleaf flipped backwards, landing with a slight stagger beside one of the war machines. Sauron's sword clanged against the metal beside him and was raised again. It came down a second time, just missing Greenleaf's arm and actually piercing the metal hull. Greenleaf rushed forwards as Sauron pulled at the sword. He stabbed at Sauron's middle, feeling triumphant as he heard the Dark Lord voice his pain. Removing the knife from Sauron's flesh, he was gratified to see black blood on the blade.
Sauron let go of his sword hilt, leaving the weapon stuck through the side of the machine. He thrashed out with his hand and caught Greenleaf across the chest viciously. The Elf was flung some way through the air before crashing to the floor with an impact that knocked the breath out of him. He was almost back on his feet when Sauron reached him. The Dark Lord kicked him back onto the floor, the knife falling from his hand and spinning away to the side where he couldn't reach it. Sauron advanced on him, pushing him back.
With a sudden move, Greenleaf threw himself forward, bringing his feet up to hit Sauron's knees with all the force he could muster. Sauron staggered a little, and further attacks finally caused him to fall. Unfortunately, he fell on top of Greenleaf. The Elf skidded backwards, but didn't quite get out of Sauron's reach. The intense heat at his back stopped him before he plunged into the pool of lava behind him. He was trapped between liquid rock and an angry Dark Lord.
He scowled. What was that damn Dwarf doing that was taking so long?
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Gimli was reaching for his axe, intending to bury it in the wizard who was rapidly approaching. Saruman held a long black staff in his hands, with which he parried the Dwarf's axe swing. They pushed against each other for a moment before breaking apart and standing back again, circling. Gimli noticed fresh-looking bloodstains on the wizard's robe and realised where they were from with a sick, angry feeling.
"The Elf may not have succeeded in killing you," he said, gripping his axe tighter, "but I certainly will. You can count on that, wizard."
Saruman laughed. "What makes you think you'll be able to do it when he failed?" he asked. "You're just a Dwarf, after all."
"Maybe you need some education in what Dwarves can do," Gimli said, and flicked his axe out. Saruman dodged, but the axe blade still sliced through his sleeve. He swung his staff at Gimli, who caught the blow on his axe. Locked together, they both contrived to overpower the other, though with little success. Gimli would push Saruman back a few steps, which the wizard would then regain and so on. This state of affairs continued until Gimli manoeuvred Saruman back into some of the barrels.
With an impressive set of curses, the wizard stumbled into them. Their impasse was broken as he strove to remain on his feet. Gimli, capitalising on the opportunity, brought his axe down hard. It struck Saruman's staff, shattering it into tiny pieces. Saruman roared in anger, throwing himself at Gimli. The sharp nails of his right hand tore into Gimli's cheek, while his other hand pushed the axe away. They fell to the floor together, the fight suddenly becoming much more close quarter. Here, Saruman's long limbs became an advantage, enabling him to keep out of the range of Gimli's punches. He held the axe down to the side, keeping it against the floor despite the Dwarf trying to push it up. Saruman moved his right hand to grasp Gimli's neck, squeezing it tightly. Gimli fought against the hand at his throat but the wizard's grip was strong. He couldn't breathe, and he knew he would have to do something quickly.
He heaved his legs upwards, bending at the waist. They were just long enough, causing his heavy boots to connect with Saruman's groin. The wizard's eyes bulged and his hold on Gimli's neck loosened. Gimli took the advantage and pulled his axe from Saruman's grip, hitting him on the head with the flat of the blade. He stood and swung his axe round again. Saruman pulled back just in time, and Gimli's axe only sliced across the front of his robe. Saruman then lunged forward, hands outstretched.
He hadn't reckoned on Gimli's perseverance. The axe came round again, and chopped off Saruman's left hand. The wizard fell back, clutching the stump of his arm and screaming. He staggered backwards and tripped, cracking his head on one of the barrels. He slumped to the floor unconscious. Gimli raised his axe above the wizard, looking down at the helpless figure, intending to slaughter him where he lay. But he couldn't do it. He lowered his axe. To murder someone in cold blood just wasn't his style. He decided to leave him there among the blasting powder, to be blown to pieces when it exploded. It seemed less like murder somehow. Less up close and personal.
Gimli finished laying his trails. He lit the ones in the larger cavern first, and then the ones in the main chamber. That done, he ran, wondering how the Elf was doing.
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Greenleaf tried to dive for the side as Sauron went for him, but didn't move fast enough, exhaustion dragging at him. He ended up on his front with Sauron's knee on his back, pinning him down. The lava pit was directly below him, his body partway over the edge of the pit. Sauron's hand grabbed Greenleaf's hair, pushing his face towards the molten rock.
"Not so confident now, are you?" gloated Sauron. "Not so cocky when you're about to have your pretty face burnt off."
Greenleaf gave no answer, more concerned with the heat rising from just below his face. His hands were braced against the rocky floor, giving him only just enough leverage against the pressure on the back of his head. As Sauron pushed harder, Greenleaf's arms began to tremble, protesting their treatment. He knew they wouldn't hold up long. His face was getting ever closer to the burning lava, and sweat was beginning to drip down it. He blinked his eyelids, trying to clear his vision. It didn't work.
With a sudden move he arched his back, catching Sauron by surprise. He kicked his left leg back, knocking the Dark Lord off balance. Greenleaf followed through with a fast shove and rolled out of the way, leaving Sauron to crash to the floor beside him. He scrambled to his feet, ending up in a crouch. His knife was a few lengths away, lying on the ground. He sprang for it, but fell short as Sauron grabbed his ankle. He kicked furiously, anger fuelling him despite his exhaustion. Sauron's grip loosened momentarily and Greenleaf wrenched his foot away. He rushed the remaining distance and seized his knife, spinning to face his opponent. Sauron was just getting to his feet, slightly clumsy in his heavy armour.
Greenleaf rushed at him, knife held before him. He stabbed Sauron in the side, pressing him back as he did. Sauron shoved out with one hand, catching Greenleaf on the shoulder and throwing him back. Greenleaf fell to the floor, unable to stop a cry of pain as he did. But he was determined above all not to fail, and pushed himself to his feet again. Both he and Sauron stood at the edge of the lava pit, backlit by flame, facing each other. Only one would walk away from this.
Sauron lunged, and Greenleaf dodged. He took a step backwards as Sauron pressed forward, forcing the Elf into defensive tactics. Greenleaf begrudged every backward step, but couldn't prevent any of them. Sauron had a huge advantage in his height and strength. Greenleaf took another step and felt a horrible sickening feeling as the edge under his foot crumbled. He tumbled backwards, only just stopping himself from tipping right off by twisting to the side. He landed on his back, looking up to see Sauron very close and ready to push Greenleaf all the way down. The Elf braced his arms against the ground and struck out with his legs. Sauron's legs buckled and he staggered. Greenleaf kicked out again, as hard as possible.
Stumbling back, Sauron fell ever so slowly. Tipping over and towards the lava. His arms flailed but his balance was gone and there was no denying the inevitable pull of gravity. With a scream he hit the molten rock, sinking by slow degrees into it. He thrashed around frantically, spraying lava as he did, but all to no effect. Accompanied by a terrible smell of burning, he sank finally beneath the molten surface, his head the last thing to go. His gaze, as much as could be seen of it, never left Greenleaf's as he went.
The Elf had pulled himself away from the edge and knelt, a foot or so away, watching the Dark Lord disappearing. This death would change a lot, that he knew. All the scams and operations Sauron had been running –big and small- would be finished. There was no one else who could take it on. The entire scheme would disintegrate, and rightly too. But while this was the death of a crime organisation, it was also the death of an individual, no matter how twisted and evil that individual was. It was due to his respect of this that Greenleaf remained where he was, observing Sauron's remains slowly burning up. This was how he was when Gimli came running into the cavern, sprinting across to the kneeling figure.
"Legolas!" he yelled.
Greenleaf turned his head to look at the Dwarf. He didn't smile. Gimli looked down at the lava, seeing the few bits of metal still floating on top.
"Sauron?" he asked.
"Yes," answered Greenleaf simply.
"Well done," said Gimli. He was impressed, but then he suddenly remembered the urgency. "Come on! We've got to get out before it goes!"
He grabbed Greenleaf's arm and pulled him up and towards the exit.
"Just a moment," called Greenleaf, and he did a detour to collect his bow. "U would hate me to leave this behind."
They ran out of the cavern, glad to be leaving the hideous war machines behind for destruction. There were few orcs about, and those that were either fell quickly to knife or axe or did not see the fleeing pair. There were not many of the latter category, and a trail of dead orcs followed Elf and Dwarf, not that any of the others were fast or competent enough to trace it.
"That's ten, Gimli!" Greenleaf said, leaving another corpse in his wake. "What's your count?" He grinned, knowing that it was nowhere near his.
"Four," the Dwarf grunted, "but you've got longer legs than me; you reach them faster!"
"But I'm injured," protested Greenleaf with wide eyes. "Surely you...hang on." He darted into a small room, recognising it from earlier.
"What now?" Gimli asked. He huffed impatiently, and then swung his axe hurriedly to kill an orc that had been headed his way. "Hah! Five now!"
"Eleven," said Greenleaf, coming out of the room just in time to send an arrow through and orc behind Gimli. He hastily tucked some papers into his leggings. "Let's go!"
"That's what I was planning on!" the Dwarf yelled, running on. "Crazy Elf!"
Finally the exit was ahead of them, daylight shining brightly through it into the dark caves. But at that moment there was a huge explosion, rocking the entire mountain down to its roots and flinging Greenleaf and Gimli to the ground. They scrambled up again as rocks fell around them. Ahead, the exit was collapsing. Great lumps of stone crashed down, and the way would be blocked in moments. Greenleaf grasped Gimli's arm and they began a mad dash to their only way of escape.
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A/n: Nearly there. One more chapter, punters. And at this point I have to appreciate ClassicFM for putting on exactly the right bit of music as I typed this end bit. 'Oh Fortuna' from Carmina Burana, Carl Orff, just for the bit as they leg it out of the caves. Splendid.