Chapter XII: War Makes Corpses of Us All

A/N: Battle part 2. Not the easiest chapter I've written but not the hardest either. Russian is the stand in for Black Speech. Recognized dialogue belongs to the Professor or Peter Jackson. This will be where canon diverges. Enjoy the chapter, SSD!

What have I done?

The days and hours flashed through Thorin's mind: Nearly murdering Bilbo, doubting his kin, thinking that the gold was more important than anything else, and ignoring that Dain and his soldiers needed reinforcements and quickly.

First he had to apologize to his kin that were still in the mountain. Then find some way to turn the tide of the battle. After all that, provided he was still alive, he needed to find Bilbo and Ashara and apologize to them for his despicable behavior. The she-elf had made some rather good guesses as to what he'd said to her. What he'd said to her was inexcusable.

There was barely time to catch their breath. As Gandalf, Soren, Ashara, and he paused for a moment. They soon heard a deep horn blowing.

It was coming from... "Thorin" Bilbo murmured.

There was a ruin of a parapet that gave the four an excellent view of the battlefield.

"The dwarves, they're rallying," he said.

"They're rallying to their king," Gandalf replied with a smile.

Bilbo chanced a glance at the other two. Both had scary smiles on their faces, though Ashara's was scarier.

"How do you plan to fight your way single handedly to Ravenhill" Dain asked, looking at him like he was still mad.

Thorin glanced back as he saw Balin, Dwalin, Fili, and Kili ride up on a war chariot.

"You know it's been a while since I've done this," Balin groused.

"TO RAVENHILL!" Thorin shouted.

"Hold tight lads" Balin instructed.

As he rode off, Thorin heard Dain say, "You're all mad bastards! I like it!"

Things finally seemed to be going our way or at least better, Ashara thought.

As Lightbringer shed more and more orc blood, she noticed that it seemed to glow brighter and brighter.

"Do you know why you're sword is doing that? It's drawing more orcs towards us," Soren shouted as they fought their way back towards Gandalf and Bilbo.

"I have no idea," she replied.

Once they came level with the Istar, Legolas and Tauriel arrived. A flurry of orcs fell to the ground.

The elf prince said to the wizard, "There is a second army. Bolg leads a force of Gundabad orcs. They are almost upon us!"

"Gundabad…" Gandalf mused before snarling, "This was their plan all along. Azog engages our forces and Bolg sweeps in from the North."

As much as Ashara loathed Azog, she had to admit that it was a sound plan.

"Where is the North?" Bilbo spluttered.

"Ravenhill" the Istar replied.

"Ravenhill? Thorin is up there!" the hobbit blurted.

"What in Morgoth's name is he doing up there!?" Ashara couldn't help but snarl.

"As Gandalf put it, he's cutting off the head of the snake. Fili, Kili, and Dwalin are with him," Bilbo replied.

She cast a sidelong glance at Soren who groaned, "The things I do for you selar nín. I know that look."

"Where are you going Ashara?" Bilbo asked.

"To Ravenhill. Stay close to Gandalf if possible.

Before leaving for where Soren and her had stashed the horses she asked, "Legolas, Orcrist isn't working for you is it?"

"How- What makes you think that?"

"I have Lightbringer."

It was quiet on Ravenhill. Too quiet.

"Where is he?" Kili asked.

Thorin glanced upwards. Azog's command post was seemingly abandoned.

"It looks abandoned, I think Azog has fled," his younger nephew said.

"I don't think so," Thorin muttered before saying "Fili take your brother. Scout out the towers. Keep low and out of sight. If you see something, report back. DO. NOT. ENGAGE. Do you understand?"

Dwalin cut in with "We have company". The goblins were approaching and fast.

"No more than 100. We'll take care of them. Go!" Thorin ordered his nephews.

After cutting their way through entirely too many orcs, Ashara and Soren barely managed to get north of Ravenhill unseen. Once they got to a good vantage point, they dismounted their horses and hid them.

"So what now?" Soren asked.

"We wait for an opportune moment," Ashara replied as she looked out over the ice growling "Rhaich!"

Her ranger friend took a look at what she'd seen before replying, "Well that is a potential cluster for your dwarf king."

"Think you could make the shot?" Ashara queried.

Soren's only reply was to give her the bird before drawing an arrow from his quiver. He'd found a nearly full one off an elf corpse. It wasn't like the soldier was going to need it.

He could not do anything but watch as Fili was held captive by Azog right in front of him.

"Tak zakanchivayetsya liniya Durina."

Dis, I am so sorry.

Before Azog could do anything, an arrow hit him in the shoulder, giving Fili a short window to get free of the Pale Orc's clutches. Which his oldest nephew made good use of.

"Liniya Dyurina nakhoditsya pod moyey zashchitoy!" A very familiar voice snarled across the ice.

While the person still had a helmet on, there was no mistaking the blazing white glow of the sword.

It was Ashara. Someone else had to be with her, probably that Man from earlier.

All hell broke loose a short time later.

With the unexpected but very welcome arrival of Legolas, Soren and he were able to set up a gauntlet of arrows picking of orcs or driving them towards the swords of those that were on the ice.

This is almost too easy now, Soren thought. I hope Ashara doesn't do anything stupid.

Goblin corpses were everywhere. Many had come right at Ashara with Lightbringer in her hand. Others fell over the side of the cliff trying to get away from her.

Once she finished with the last of them, panic rose in her mind as when she saw Thorin without a sword and an orc bearing down on him.

Before she could do anything, Orcrist had been thrown into the orc's chest. As Thorin got ahold of it, Lightbringer gave a slight hum.

Brushing it off, she gave Thorin a nod. There was but one orc left on the ice.

And they would deal with Azog together.

Ignoring the horns of the approaching orc army, Thorin was pleased that he had a fellow master of the blade at this side.

Any further thoughts were cast aside as they both ducked Azog's flail, with Ashara managing to slice Azog in the side. He managed his own hit a short time later when the orc overextended himself with the flail.

They both had to be careful. Every time Azog missed them and hit the ice, which despite its thickness in some areas, was starting to crack.

With a few more hits to the ice, she and Thorin were barely keeping their balance on the ice, Ashara skidded over to the other side to keep Thorin and herself above water.

Dodging Azog's rock was getting harder and harder. Especially since she wanted to stay dry and Thorin likely did as well.

She should have realized that her luck would run out eventually today. She'd been pushing it.

Thorin had been knocked off his feet by Azog with a low swing and had caught both of her legs despite trying to avoid it.

With a yank and a flick, the pale orc flung her through the air. Dazed, Ashara couldn't move in time to avoid the column that Azog had managed to knock free and it landed on her legs. It rolled off her, but the damage had been done. The blinding pain told Ashara that her legs were broken.

The pain made her black out, despite her best efforts.

While the flail could cause significant damage, it was quite the unwieldy weapon.

Thorin was pleased to use that fact against Azog, as he tossed the rock into the orc's chest, and stepped off the slab of ice, unbalancing it. Roaring, Azog fell into the water.

He couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief. But then Thorin noticed Azog's body floating in his direction under the ice. The relief proved to be premature when the damned orc stabbed him in the foot, then popped up out of the ice with only Orcrist between Azog's blade and his chest.

There was only one thing for him to do. Especially if he wanted to rid the world of Azog the Defiler once and for all. Letting the orc stab him in the chest caused the now gleeful orc to drop his guard long enough for Thorin to return the favor. This time he watched the orcs eyes closely as the beast breathed his last.

Somehow he staggered to his feet. A wave of weakness overcame him, which reminded Thorin that he was badly wounded, not the least of which was a gaping chest wound.

With a cough, Ashara felt the world come back with ringing in her ears and light too bright for her eyes on top of the near blackout pain from her broken legs.

Lightbringer was thankfully within reach and with no small difficulty she got it into the scabbard.

Looking around from her limited field of vision, she saw Orcrist's hilt sitting above Azog's chest and Bilbo talking to who she suspected was Thorin who was on his back.

That doesn't look good.

Turning herself onto her stomach, Ashara used her forearms to scoot herself across the ice, nearly sliding under the ice several times.

She managed to get to Bilbo and Thorin. "You got him him," she said to Thorin with a grin that likely looked more like a grimace.

Before the dwarf could say anything, Bilbo exclaimed, "Ashara you're alive!"

"For the moment. Don't look at my legs."

Of course Bilbo looked and had to turn to retch.

"I did... Warn you not... to look Bilbo," her thoughts were becoming sluggish.

"Ashara… I am sorry, Thorin whispered.

"It hurt but you weren't yourself. I'll deal with you later when we're both back on our feet," she replied.

Thorin closed his eyes, Ashara shouted, "Hey! You don't get to die. You don't have my permission!"

"And you can thwart the grasp of Mandos?" Thorin asked.

"There is one thing I can do..."

It's the only way, Ashara thought.

She could smell Soren coming. Rallying some strength she called out to her friend "Soren take cover with Bilbo."

"Why?"

She ignored Soren's query, grabbed Thorin's wrist and shouted "Aulë hlarni: Anda cuita en Aran!"

"ASHARA NO!"

Meanwhile in Valinor…

Aulë smirked. It seemed he had chosen well for Thorin Oakenshield. Not that either Thorin or Ashara was aware of that fact just yet.

Yavanna turned to him and said, "If you want this plan of yours to work, you need to answer her plea and fast."

He nodded and began funneling power into the she-elf.

"Those two will not be yours today Mandos my friend."

Ashara could feel it power coursing through her veins, proving to her that what she'd done had worked. It very nearly had not.

She thought she heard familiar voices, as darkness covered her vision.

Erudan?

A/N 2: Just *what* did Ashara do? Looking forward to seeing what you all think! SSD

Black Speech Translations:

Tak zakanchivayetsya liniya Durina- So ends the line of Durin

Liniya Dyurina nakhoditsya pod moyey zashchitoy!- The line of Durin is under my protection!

Sindarin Translations:

selar nín- Sister mine.

Rhaich- Curses.

Aulë hlarni: Anda cuita en Aran!- Aulë hear me: Long Live the King!