A soft cry raced across Laitheryns' lips as he gazed down at the severed branch that had blocked the spear from its intended target, the world seemingly freezing in place and time stopping. The tree screamed in pain as one of its limbs began to die and bled out over the shell shocked elf that it had just saved by sacrificing a large section of itself. The tree would live past this experience, but it would forever be marred by the memory and the pain of losing one of its limbs. Laitheryn could hear it weeping and its agony in his mind, and wondered if it was not his own grief and pain that he was feeling.
He had never seen something so brave in his life; the tree immediately responding to his need over its own personal safety, and had chosen to protect him at any cost. Laitheryn had never heard something as sad as the trees' cries in agony at its sacrifice. Other trees began to moan with the first, feeling their own pain for what was lost, but they never blamed him for the choice his tree had made and despite its great pain Laitheryn realized that the tree rejoiced that he was not injured.
He had never seen nature abused as it was, so callously and coldly. He had always valued the trees, and would never forget this ones' kindness to him. If he survived this he would always sing this trees' praises until the day he sailed, and even past that in Valinor. But he would not lay still and let this brave tree of Greenwood forest die to save him.
The world returned to normal a second later and time seemed to start once more. Laitheryn rolled from his safe perch, standing upright on the branch he had laid on to hide. His hand leaving his side and flickering back to the Lorien style quiver he wore on his back an arrow found his hand and he notched it to his bow. Laitheryn was angry, more angry than he could ever recall being. And these beings would realize that nature was not to be trifled with, especially if a woodelf was around to see it.
It was with that thought that he let the arrow go, singing through the air and protruding from one of members of the small groups' chest. The Orc stared in shock, its sunken eyes not comprehending what had just occurred, not realizing that Laitheryn had just ended its life. It turned its dark eyes downwards and back to the protruding arrow, watching in stunned amazement as its lifeblood flowed out of the gaping would.
Laitheryn notched another arrow as quickly as the first and jumped backwards, ending up in a tree to his left. He let the bow sing once more as that arrow was released. This one followed the course of the first and embedded in the leaders' throat, cutting off his cry of rage that one of his comrades had died at the hands of an elf; cutting off his cry for assistance from the main party. Black blood sprouted up from the silencing arrow, following the course it had flown just before it had hit its target. That orc fell to his knees, clawing desperately at the wound in his neck, as it fought urgently to get the air into its depraved lungs, dark red foam beginning to form on his lips as he fought to live. The orc would die in a moment.
He jumped once more, switching his perch and drew another arrow out of his quiver.
"There it is! Get it!" One of them yelled, seemingly having noticed where he had landed.
The others in the group seemed to look around frantically, looking for where their comrade pointed without actually seeing him. It would only be moments until they did and Laitheryn could not take the chance of being discovered to soon. Without pause he shot his third arrow at the beast which had spotted him. There was no pause as the arrow struck and the third dead gave a horrible cry out, which made the other two start and turn back to their companion. Their rage echoed through the small valley at a third member of their party shot down by a hidden enemy.
"I'll get it! I'll kill it!"
More were arriving on the scene, being driven forth by the angered cries of their kin. Where he had killed three, it seemed that four more materialized where they had fallen. This would not end well for him, Laitheryn already knew that. But all he knew now was the pain of nature, and its sorrow. His head was too full of the calls of nature, of its grief; to even feel anything for his own safety. The trees called for him to flee, but he would not.
He turned his attention to the one that had called, also spotting his present location. To avoid their eyes he jumped once more, ending up further left of where they were searching for him. He noticed as he moved that a few turned immediately to the new tree he had landed in, they now knew where he was, evil grins already beginning to form on their faces.
"It's only one!" Another yelled. "Let's kills it."
"No…We gets more pay, the more we bring." One to the left of the first one answered. "Its only one…we can take it! Easy catch!"
Laitheryn made a promise to himself that he would not be so easily taken and they would bleed before they would have him as their captive. He would revenge the fell act that had befallen the tree, and would allow no more to be injured in his place.
Laitheryn locked his gaze onto the one that was closest to his tree, sensing a threat coming from that brutish orc. He watched as it drew forth another spear, and aimed it at him where he stood on his perch. He would not be responsible for more injuries caused to the gentle trees, never again. He released the forth arrow, watching its course as it shimmered in the sun, heading once more towards one of his enemy. It struck the one that wished had just him dead, cutting through his mid section and severing several organs that lay in its path. More blood came from this wound and Laitheryn found himself wondering how much blood would be spent on this ground today.
The elf moved his hand to the twin small blades that sat locked behind his quiver. Laitheryn instinctively knew there would be no more time for arrows; the orcs were too close for his favourite weapon to be successful. His elven blades would be more effective in this desperate situation, and he drew them forth with a flicker of his wrists. As the long daggers flew into his hands Laitheryn leapt forward from where he had landed at his last bound. He landed on a tree just in front of the orc that aimed its cruel spear at him and almost charged straight down the trunk of the tree, using his quick balance and his skill to ensure he would not fall.
The orc in obvious shock at a young elf actually charging him was slow to release the spear and stumbled backwards in surprise at his attack. Awkwardly it moved to block his charge, shifting the spear downwards from its original location aimed at the tree, towards where he was now. The orcs surrounding his target were also slow to respond to his sudden arrival, seemingly shocked that an elf would appear in such a manner when it was obvious they had the greater number and advantage, with more arriving soon.
Laitheryn did not give it a chance, evading the first swipe of the large weapon with practiced ease and the grace that all elves were born with. He spun forward, twisted around the dangerous spear, slowly following his body, but missing his intent. The spear moved once more, too slow to avoid his attack and a deep cut appeared on the orcs' chest. It gazed down in shock as its blood, following his blade moments later, spewed forth from its wound. Some of the blood splattered on Laitheryn, but he was too incensed to care.
Spinning around he dodged the quick attack of the second orc to recover from its shock and barely avoided the thick sword blade that thirsted for his blood. He dodged the descent of another sword and lunged forward, following the wake of the swing back to its owner. Before the creature could swing again Laitheryn kicked out its knee and if fell to the ground howling in rage and pain. Without waiting Laitheryn brought the twin daggers across the monsters' throat, spewing more of the black blood, drenching him with its sickly spray.
He had just pulled his blades free of its neck, letting the large orc fall to the ground in death, watching for a second as it continued to bleed out onto the earth. He did not watch any more and turned back to the approaching army.
They were like hornets, if you killed one of their members the nest would stir and more would come to the aid of the fallen companion; Laitheryn decided. He had killed more than one of the Orcs, and that had angered the rest as a result.
There was no time for him to think and no time for him to reconsider his actions. Laitheryn was too involved with this battle; in too deep to pull back now, escape was not possible. They would give him chase and bring him down quickly. He just placed his trust in himself and gave the orcs a taste of elven training, using every ounce of weapons mastery he had received during his stay in Lorien.
Spinning away from another dead body he found himself cornered by three orcs, each choosing to surround him on different angles, a third of a circle apart.
"Give it up; Elf…weain't gonna hurt you."
Not answering his defiance he leapt forward and tried to attack the one that spoke, only to have to parry the second and thirds joint attack. He dodged once more, just missing the blade that had descended on his turned back. Where it would have sliced deeply it just broke through his protective clothes and gave him a long cut instead. Laitheryn could feel his blood draining from where the orcish blade had touched his skin, as well as the clamminess of his blood.
They laughed, seeing that one had injured the elf. But their laughter died as he recovered too quickly for their shallow eyes to follow and returned to the battle. They went to attack again, with their thick swords flashing dully in the sunlight as they descended towards him. The two orcs more to his right forced him towards the third by him having to evade their thick blades, which whistled through the air as they just missed his body. He had side stepped one but then was forced to duck as the second swung for his head.
Jumping up from the position he had found himself in, Laitheryn found himself too close to the third orc. It smirked at him, showing broken teeth in a callous mouth and before he could dodge back its thick blade sliced evenly up his left arm, sending flashes of pain coursing through the young elf's' mind.
There was no way out, but Laitheryn did not believe he would escape this. The ones that were arriving were beginning to press close to the circle that surrounded him, all wanting to avenge the deaths of their companions upon him. They cheered their companions on, as they circled around him; each looking for a weakness they could use to bring him down. Laitheryn was determined they would find none.
He barely escaped the second descent of the third orcs blade, catching it with one of his own; his left arm was weakened due to the callous cut which marred his skin. But the strength of his arm held, and his small blade stayed the descent of the much larger orcish blade. In comparison his daggers looked slender and vulnerable, appearing to be quite useless against the larger weapons. But with the magic that ran the length of their course, and his skill, they would be quite effective in an attack.
It was then that Laitheryn found himself in the dead center of the circle once more; with more and more orcish faces staring down his own, and laughing openly at his wounded form. He was back where he had started, in the direct center of a circle of three orcs with no way out, and he was now injured. Laitheryn took a breath, drawing up what strength he had and trying to dull the pain that throbbed from his back as well as his arm. They laughed at him once more.
Bringing his two arms up close to him he spun shifting his direction and just missing the answering thrust of the sword of the orc that had wounded him first. He paused for just a moment, giving the orc an opening it could use to injure him once more. The sword in answer shifted course with the flat section of the blade facing upwards and reflecting the suns' light into his eyes. The dangerous rapier spun and turned in a circle towards his location. Just as it came within reach Laitheryn reacted to its intent and jumped onto the surface of the broadsword, knocking it from the orcs hand by his weight alone. The orc screamed in rage as its weapon was lost from its hand and screamed once more as Laitheyn charged forward from where he had landed now intent on causing his own harm.
Two other swords answered from his sides, forcing Laitheryn off the course he had sat, one that would have ended in the death of one of his three attackers. Evading the swing of one weapon he barely managed to sink his dagger into the arm of the orc that had lost its sword. The Orc bellowed in pain and he withdrew, spinning around to confront other. Laitheryn watched as the one he had injured clutched his arm and cursed him in a language so dark and horrible that it sent shivers down his spine. That wound would not kill that Orc, only break its concentration.
In that moment he was confronted with one sword, chopping upwards from the ground, a strike so powerful that would it have hit, it would have cleaved him in half. The sword descended a second later, and Laitheryn could feel the displaced air whistling as the weapon descended.
'Beware!' A voice echoed from above him, a call from the tree.
Laitheryn barely heard the warning, almost missing its call over the shouts and hisses of the Orcs and the singing of their dangerous weapons. In his distraction the second Orc of the group had made a move for the sword that had been discarded on the ground and the third was recovering from its injury. Laitheryn was so pressed by the anger of the second orc that he could do nothing to desist either.
'Beware, Child of the Forest!' The shout came again.
Laitheryn found no time to respond to its distressed calls. He was pressed back by the last of the three orcs, towards the one that now had two swords in hand. He fainted to the left, keeping his damaged arm low to avoid more injury, ignoring the flare of pain that lanced across his back at his move. The injured orc made its move, and he was forced to avoid its curved dagger instead. He was running out of options, save one.
'Rally to my side.' He called to the trees behind him.
Their branches waved, gaining strength and beginning to answer his summons. As the trees danced in the gathering winds and their branches reaching forward over the orcs surrounding him, so did he dance to avoid the weapons that would rift him of his life. He would only have one chance at this, one surprise attack. They did not recognize him to be a woodelf and assumed he would have no magic of that realm. The orcs did not realize he could call for the trees and rally them to his assistance. If they had known that, they would have surely forced the fight away from the trees behind him.
The swords flickered in the growing shadows, as the branches reached slowly out over the battle. He evaded the dagger catching it with the one he held in his right hand, while kicking the approaching orc backwards and into one of his companions, creating valuable distance between himself and their rapiers. He heard two snorts of anger, one from the beast he had kicked and the other from the one that had been behind. The orcs were so focused on their fight that they did not notice the coming darkness, and the trees response to his call.
It was then the attack came from above, as if a hailstorm had spun from the skies and overcame the group with its painful shots. But this was not ice being thrown from dark and threatening clouds, able to hit anyone that found themselves under the storm. Rather it was the trees, answering his call for aid. This hailstorm was in the form of nuts and acorns, hurled at the orcs heads, especially the ones that were closer to him.
He ducked quickly, knowing that the trees had little arsenal to offer and that he would only have moments until their strength failed. The orcs bellowed in anger at the trees and the thrown objects, tried to track his movements but screamed as the trees threw more of their hail to confuse them. Their aim was true, hitting the orcs that stood closest to him and keeping their attention off of him.
Swiftly he lunged for the orc closest to him, the one with one large broadsword that stood directly in his path. Escape was not possible, not with the number that still surrounded him, but defiance was. He charged through the prickly hail and the orc raised his sword in answer. Until a large nut hit him squarely on the back of its large head and it bellowed once more in pain.
Laitheryn did not miss his chance, dodging the confused sword that came to the orcs aid too late, and missing its chance to defend its owner. He let the sword swing past him harmlessly towards the ground. He sheathed the dagger from his right hand in the belt loop at his waist as he dodged the second distracted swing of the orcish sword. This clumsy and distracted manoeuvre missed him completely that there had been little need for him to dodge that attack at all.
The orcs were not fairing well under as more acorns launched themselves at them, keeping them all distracted, especially the one he was facing off against. The orc was struck again, and half turned to yell in anger at the trees when Laitheryns' free hand caught the orcs extended arm and forced it towards the ground, overbalancing the orc in the process. Laitheryn let go just as quickly but the damage had already been done, the subtle move had accomplished exactly what Laitheryn had intended it too. The orc stumbled forward, trying unsuccessfully to keep its footing secure on the ground, but failing just a second later. The creature fell; its own body weight strengthened the thrust of the dagger held in Laitheryn injured hand. It was with a sickening crunch that the dagger embedded directly between the monsters' eyes and despite his elven strength Laitheryn could not remove his weapon from its tomb.
It was at that moment that the power of the trees faded and Laitheryn found himself facing off against the angered orcs once more.
Well; it's the end of another chapter. Fight scenes are so easy to visualize but so difficult to write down without themlosing something in translation. Please leave a review and tell me what you think. Thanks.