Chapter Nine
….
The battlefield calls us into its hall
where lines of spears and shields do fall
When the lines of the Hidden Rock stand tall and true
where the Elven King above flew.
...
It is supposed to be another day for Glutrok, Chief Guard of the Goblins. The weather is fine and the sun is hiding above the clouds today. Around him he can see the other members of his camp also starting to wake up from their slumber. Of course being a Chief, Glutrok is bigger and nastier than the rest of the small fry which he commands. This gives him certain privileges. Take for example today.
With a grunt, Glutrok kicks one of the smaller goblins at the back sending him sprawling on the mud. "Yous there, get me ze mutton from the storehouse!" he barks at the smaller one who whimpers at his words and treatment.
"But Chief, you've just finished off all the mutton yesterday chief," protests one of his retainers. Without ado, Glutrok spins, smacking him in the face with a meaty smack with his makeshift club making him yowl.
"Then get to the nearest farm and grab me zum mutton from the humans there," he snarls at him. The other goblin knows better than to question him as it hurriedly gets to all fours and ran barking three of its own commandeered henchmen to follow him.
Glutrok just frowns as he watches his subordinate go before turning his attention to the smoke fires around the center of the four streams where their underground lair is located. For the life of him, Glurok doesn't understand why the Big Boss down below doesn't simply finish off farmers around the four streams. He personally would have loved it. It is an opportunity for sport and for an all you can eat buffet after all. Alas he is not the Big Boss however and he knows that if he toes the line to much, the Big Boss would have no qualms squashing him flat and replacing him as chief.
No, Glutrok is not stupid enough to go against the Big Boss for now at least. Maybe later if the Big boss gains enough enemies then he, Glutrok can rally support to put him down and he will be the next Big Boss. For now he would content himself being chief and enjoy the spoils that comes on being second place.
"Chief, this is ze all that's left," the small goblin he kicked before finally returns bringing with him a wooden plate (that they stole from the farmers before) with a small piece of mutton meat on him.
With a growl Glutrok takes the plate before once more kicking the small goblin off. "This iz mine pipsqueak! Now gerroff!" he barks as the small one scurries off. Around him he can see the rest of the goblins of the camp looking greedily at the mutton meat. A snarl from him though puts them back in their place.
Sitting at the raised watch tower (which is basically twigs with a rocking chair they salvaged from an old woman's farm before),Glutrok brings the meat to his lips.
Unfortunately for him, he would never get to taste it for an Elven arrow strikes him face first. He is dead before he even knows it.
….
The Gondolinian cavalry bears down heavily on the small goblin encampment. They come from the North and the South of the large camp of nearly eighty goblins in full gallop. Years upon years of peace do not serve the Goblins well. Bullying hapless farmers who cannot put up enough of a resistance have completely dulled their edge when it comes to fighting. The guards are sloppy and sleepier with many not even wearing the makeshift armor of wood, stone, bronze and iron that Goblin warriors usually wear.
Compare them to the well-trained and blood-eager Elven riders, they are simply outmatched.
Like hot knife through butter, the Elves of Gondolin ride over them with many falling to death via trampling. The horse archers take great pains on knocking out any Goblin Archer that remains stupidly on the walls or any in the vicinity in fact. Their purpose after all is to cover the lacers who would get close and personal with the goblins. No "glory hunting" as their king so aptly push.
"You count your victories on the lives that you save. On the husbands that you return to their wives, of the fathers that you bring back to their families, of the sons that can go back home with stories to tell. Focus on keeping them alive. For no amount of deeds can compensate to one life you bring back home,"
Thus the archer specialists does their best to take out anyone that even resemble holding a ranged weapon.
For the Gondolinian Lancers, it is a golden opportunity. Now not having to worry about being shot off their saddles; their deadly lances get to work. Goblins shriek and cry as the sharp tipped blades cut through skin, flesh and bone as easy as a threshing scythe over wheat. Their powerful momentum with the combination of surprise gives them complete advantage over the battlefield.
In groups of five, they hammer through the goblin ranks like a sledgehammer. Before their momentum ends however they fall back before another group of five horsemen take their place in full tilt doing the charge. After that another group of five will repeat what is done by the first followed by being repeated by the next group, then the next.
It is a drill that their king, Maedhros, shared to them. A way to fully take the advantage of a cavalry unit. The danger of the cavalry after all to ground units is because of its full power charge that would be able to break formations and trample even the most heavily armored of soldiers. Once the charge of a cavalry becomes stalled and finished though, the riders would be stuck in a general melee which would then lead them to a disadvantage. They would be after all outflanked and stuck with being hemmed at all sides with little support due to being deep through enemy lines. Thus this new method devised of pulling out the cavalry before their momentum dissipates only to be replaced by a fresher line is a solution to that problem.
Now the goblins are facing face first how effective the new strategy is. Even with some of them doing their utmost to duck, cover and use the bodies of their own kin as shield against the spears and lances of the Gondolinian Lancers, their relief is short-lived as another line of horsemen would follow the first only with a few second interval repeating the hemming process once more.
This endless repeated assault of the Elven Cavalry only leads to one result, a total route. It starts with one goblin running, then another and soon the entire remaining horde is making tail as they turn east to the shallows of the fast stream where the horses would not be able to swim. Spitting and stumbling, some drown as they slip and fell with their fellows stepping over them.
There is no hope for salvation however. Maedhros simply has no wish for any of the blighted suckers to live past this day. There in the opposite bank standing row upon row of Elven spears and shields pointed at their direction. The Goblins pause as they soon realize that they are caught between the hammer and the anvil. Maedhros gives them no time to choose. With a simple nod of his head, the archer supports at the back of the elven rows unleash their deadly payload. Before the Goblins can comprehend what is going on, elven arrows are running all over. This only prompts them to do one thing, charge the Elven Lines out of desperation.
Spears push forward against the wild flailing of the goblins. Standing shield to shield, none of the goblins are able to find purchase against the complete solid defense of Elven infantry. On the other hand, the spears that meet them head on strike lethal and true with each thrust ending a life. In a matter of minutes, nearly forty Goblin corpses are lying still at the stream, their orange brackish blood staining the pure water.
The Elves simply stares astonished at the success of their handiwork and how outmatched their foe is. It starts with one cheer, then another and another. Soon the entire Elven Lines are cheering at the pure and clear victory against their enemies. Many of them are fresh and green on this campaign with an experience of zero. Now they taste and see what battle is like, or more importantly what victory tastes like.
As for Maedhros he just smiles at the cheering soldiers before gesturing at the captains to calm down the cheering army and start clearing off the dead bodies to be piled and burned. There's no point in letting their darkened carcasses stain the pure stream water after all.
"Your majesty!" the sound of the Commander of the First Expeditionary Group makes Maedhros turn from observing the army now breaking ranks as they begin the tedious work of hauling Goblin Corpses.
"Commander Auriel," Maedhros inclines his head at his subordinate who beams at the realization that her king knows who she is. Auriel like all Elleth is beautiful and extremely tall. She is one of the older daughters of one of the Council Members who joined the military and is recognized by her talent to command and control.
This is another thing that Maedhros turns around in a complete one eighty. Elleth or Elven Females are apparently heavily frowned upon (which is a polite word of saying prohibited) of joining the army, fighting or any kind of work that usually Ellon or Male Elves do. Even the Maedhros part of his soul, agrees to this kind of stereotype and Harry is simply not having it. Women are as much of a contributor to society as men. It reminds him in fact of the humans in the early medieval ages and the great divide between the two genders.
Well Maedhros is not having it. This would harm Gondolin in the long run and Maedhros might not be able to bring the science and wonder of the twenty-first century, but he sure as hell is bringing the values of the civilization that come with it; thus equality. If not for the Messianic way the people viewed him, it might have been impossible. Still, after five years of arguing against many traditionalists over it, he finally gets it passed that Elleth can apply for the same jobs as Ellon as long as they have the skills and the drive for it.
"I've brought the heads of the human farms your majesty,"Auriel says nodding with her head at the twenty old looking men who is looking nervously at the Elven warriors behind currently arguing how big the fire they would be lighting on the pile of goblin corpses. Seeing the king approaching them with his armor, they immediately fall to their knees with their faces at the ground.
"Rise," Maedhros gestures at them. While the Harry part of him is protesting about the kowtowing, the Elf Lord inside knows very much how important it is to build reputation and image.
"I am king Maedhros of Gondolin. I have come down here to take back these ancient lands of my people, as our birthright. Before you start pleading, I would like you all to know that I am not planning to kicking all of you out of my lands or stripping you off of your homes. All I ask is that you respect my people and the laws of my kingdom. In return you will have our protection, and trade. As a gesture of good faith, I have already rid the goblins that are looting your farmlands without any compensation whatsoever,"
Maedhros finishes with a smirk. He is totally caught off guard however when one of the men replies: "Forgive me my lord for saying this. You have not brought salvation on us by getting rid of these goblins but death,"
The sound of a sword being drawn is heard and in a split second, the man squeaks in fear as the sharp end of Auriel's blade is set upon the man's throat.
"You don't speak to our king that way, human!" hisses the Elven Commander, her sharp eyes gleaming at the cowering figure.
"Y-y-y-you d-don't understand Mistress E-elf. T-these are not all the g-goblins there are," the man now sweating profusely replies.
"Enough Auriel! Put down your sword!"
"But your majesty!" protests the female Elven commander only to balk at the glare sent her way.
"I said enough," barks Maedhros making the Elleth grudgingly put her weapon away. Now with the threat of human decapitation via elven blade is gone, Maedhros focuses his attention on the cowering man.
"Tell me, what is your name again?" he asks the man who raises his head.
He looks nothing special in particular, balding with a bushy unkept beard dressed in shabby and patched clothes. Now that he notices it, the rest of the human elders are the same, dressed in ratty outfits that are more rags than clothes. Compare them to the Elves of Gondolin with their ornate, and sparkly armor, it is a far cry in comparison. It is pretty damn hard for Maedhros to imagine that this extremely unkept, shaggy and totally uninspiring beings would be the inheritors of this world while his people sail back to Valinor. Even the Harry part of him fully agrees. Unlike back home, humanity is not the proud and strong creature that he is in this world. Now they are the ones that would be the custodians of Middle-Earth?
"Yeah right, no thanks," Maedhros sneers to himself. No need for the shabby man to know his thoughts though. Besides, he has more important stuff to focus about than wondering why shaggy baggy would be replacement for the First Born.
"What do you mean when you said that these are not all goblins there are good sir?" asks Maedhros kindly trying not to wrinkle at the smell of the man who looks like he hasn't taken a bath for a week-scratch that, maybe a month.
"And be quick about it human!" cuts off Auriel with a growl making Maedhros roll his eyes. His people really should put a lid on that overprotective attitude.
The man much to Maedhros' displeasure squeaks again in fear. "T-They're just guards y-your majesty. T-there's more of them u-underground w-where the rest of them live,"
"Underground? What do you mean underground? The Rangers have not found any sign of a cave or a-," Maedhros' questions soon answer itself as a rumble appears below followed by a small earthquake. Cracks appear at the clearing not far from the outpost they just ransacked.
"Oh that underground," the reincarnate murmurs to himself knowingly before gesturing to Auriel who wordlessly nods at the unspoken command.
Taking the silver horn at her waist, she blows it sending a ringing blast all over the area. Like clockwork the scattered Expeditionary group immediately regroups into ordered lines. Shield bearers at front with supporting spearmen at the back with archer units behind. At the flanks calming their horses, the cavalry position themselves. Maedhros silently admits that the training of his father is indeed impressive. Despite looking grim, none of the military arm of this expedition group break rank, none run away.
Unfortunately same cannot be said for the Elders of the humans that the Elves have picked up. The moment the shaking happen, one of them immediately shouted something akin to "We are all gonna die". That is the only straw before all of them immediately start to run away in blind panic. It is only the fast action of Auriel whose whip immediately snakes forward like a cobra, grabbing the neck of the stuttering man and pulling him back, his arms flailing as he lands on his back at the feet of Maedhros.
Drawing his own sword, Maedhros immediately places his blade at the neck of the choking and stuttering man even as the Earthquake continues.
"How many are there?"
"P-Please I need to get back t-to my family,"
"HOW MANY?!" this time Maedhros shouts loudly, his voice tinged with power making the sobbing man cry even more.
"T-t-t-t-t-thousands I-I-I'm not sure e-exactly h-how many," he stutters wildly now.
Maedhros piks him with his glare for a few minutes before putting his sword away. Immediately the man scrambles away like a flopping fish before running after his own kin shouting for them to wait for him.
"Coward," hisses Auriel at his side.
Maedhros simply glares at the escaping humans before focusing on the now large hole appearing on the clearing.
"Form up the ranks Commander, I believe we will have a bigger fight in our hands than we expected,"
"Yes your majesty,"
Dark clouds bloom overhead casting the entire world into shadow, a stark opposite to the bright sunny early morning a few hours before. The first telltale signs of a drizzle starts bathing the Elvish ranks who stand still like statues as the earthquake continues and finally the large hole remains gaping open only out of bow range. At this distance, no one can see past the darkness inside the tunnel, yet it is obvious that the human is right about the goblins. The darkness might cover their faces and numbers but Elven hearing can hear their snarls and growls inside.
The sound of Auriel's footsteps is the only audible sound other than the silent breathing of the Elves of Gondolin. The tall Elleth steps out of the battle line, humming a song softly. In the silence however of the land, it can be heard as clear as day.
"I ambar na- echor a mith, till i aran plural erain or erein comes a tul- ha all awaui,"
(The world is cold and grey, till the king comes and brings it all away)
She stops at the forefront, standing tall and proud before turning to the gathered Elven ranks.
"My brethren, today we fight true in our king's glorious name! I galad shines bo- all –o amen ad- (The light shines on all of us again)"
Turnign to the darkness awaiting in front, she puts on her helmet hiding her fair face and making her just another elf in the elvin ranks.
"Blessed be the light!"
"Yep! This is enough. I really need to show something for once," Maedhros thought to himself as the snarls and the roars inside the cave slowly intensify. Any other time and he might worry about showing his magic. Yet the Elves of Gondolin are completely aware of it already. That is the reason for their Messianic outlook towards him after all. Besides it is for a good cause and would probably even help his image in the long run.
"A simple application of magic to help us all out will not hurt,"
"Levicorpus," Maedhros whispers feeling the magic as usual of the land reacting to his magic like a live being noticing that it is not alone for the first time. Doing his best to ignore the attention, he allows the spell to wash over him making him fly above the Elven Lines. He can hear the astonished murmurs of the Elves below. Thankfully none of them are stupid enough to break their discipline despite the unusual sight of their king levitating above them.
Looking ahead where the dark tunnel is situated, Maedhros raises his hand, making sure that everyone can see what he is doing below.
"LUMOS…..MAXIMA!" with a bell-like sound that echoes all over, a massive wave off light expands from Maedhros' form illuminating the entire area like the brightest of afternoons. It expands and expands till it reaches the tunnels unveiling the horde of goblins milling inside who cover their eyes at the sudden emergence of the light.
"Aure entuluva!" (The dawn has come again!). The sudden cheers from the Elves below are heard as they react at the sudden retreat of the darkness. It is so loud that even Maedhros can hear it from his vantage point this high above.
While the elf-lord in him fully understands that such show of power is a perfect necessity to bolster morale, the wizard in him who has always abhorred by the spotlight cringes. If not for the cold logic of his experience being a lead Auror and an Elf-Lord commanding legions in both lives, then he would never have showboated.
As it is, the goblins apparently have enough of waiting around on trying and failing to do the intimidating tactic for without warning, they charge pell mell out of the tunnels, and heading straight to the five hundred or so Elves. With them are at least five cave trolls being led by chains through their necks roaring in anger. While Maedhros is confident that the lines will hold, he has no plans of having anyone of his people dead today.
"Now we just can't have that can't we?" with a wordless spell, two piercing hexes shots forward like a bolt of lightning hitting straight and true to two of the trolls. They are dead before they even know it as they crumble to the ground.
Meanwhile Elven Rangers with their massive longbows are purposefully doing anti-troll measures. Any regular archer might have fired on the charging troll and will have little to no effect. Elven Rangers of Gondolin however are purposefully handpicked due to their knowledge of the Wilds of Middle-Earth. In mere seconds, the handlers of the remaining three trolls are dying or dead as they resemble hedgehogs.
The result is immediate.
Seeing their chance for freedom, the three cave trolls turn against the goblins. Of course being so many, it is in inevitable that they will be overwhelmed. Still trolls are not the brightest, and all they see is the opportunity to crush and flatten those that have been maiming them for so long. Almost the entire charge there stalled as the three trolls wreak havoc leaving the ones in front without support.
"Blessed be the light!" Auriel's voice once more can be heard as the Goblins finally reach Gondolinian lines.
Many of the goblins would not even make contact with the wall of shields. Like the back of a porcupine, meter long steel spears tipped with silver meet the charge head on. Heads, bodies, limbs, there is no choosing where the spears hit. Like a rock on the ocean, it pushes back the tidal wave of bodies. It does not stop there however. Instead of remaining stationary, the spear units at the secondary lines pull back the spears before thrusting again repeating the process. The goblins are new to this warfare. Years of peace and being used to fights where they can fight on against single opponents only and overwhelm them via sheer numbers, they are unprepared to go against tactics such as this. For many of them all that they would see once they breach through their fellows is a wall of white and blue shields followed by a blur of grey, courtesy of a thrusting spear.
Behind the Infantry lines, the Gondolinian archer units also start unleashing steady volleys in speeds that Elves can only naturally do. The purpose of this is simple, to thin the Goblin charge. No matter how great your shield wall after all, there is only so much it can hold on to especially against a full on steady charge. One way or another it would snap. The continuous volley thus is to prevent the goblins from making a complete mass charge that would snap the Elven lines. Instead what the infantry units face instead of a single wall of bodies are instead pocket groups separated from one another as they slam against the shields.
Beside the Elven main line, the cavalry lancers and archers protect the flanks preventing the wiser goblins who realize that it is a death sentence to fight the shields and spears in the frontline. In the end it is a repetition as the Gondolinian Elves hold their lines and Goblins die by the hundreds every minute. In the span of three to four hours the entire field is littered by dead as the last of the Goblins try and fail to run away. The cavalry makes sure that none escape.
As for Maedhros, he is watching amusedly as Hedwig tear open the head off the carcass of the Goblin Chief he personally killed. Looking back, he turns to the First Expeditionary Group still standing tall and proud though all of them need a good wash to wipe off the bits and pieces of goblins off them.
"First Expeditionary Group of Gondolin!" Maedhros calls out in a loud voice making everyone stand in attenion once more despite their weariness. He simply looks each and every one of them in the eye. Yesterday almost all of them are fresh and green recruits who have no idea what it means to take a life. Yet they have entered a battle without hesitation and none of them broke rank and fled.
"You have done me proud," he simply says. No long speeches are needed, or congratulations. Each of them knows what they have done here today and the camaraderie and the success that comes with it. All that is needed from him simply is his recognition and confirmation that they all have done a good job.
"You have finished off the goblins! You have set us free!" it is clear from the tone of the voice and its lack of musical tone that it is the humans whom have run away before. Turning his head, Maedhros scowls as he espies at least almost a hundred of them with half of that bearing pitchforks, makeshift plows for weapons, scythes and even one has a rusty sword.
"With the goblins gone, we can finally claim this land as our own. No more threats, no more bribery finally for after so long," the man who is speaking is obviously the leader or the chief elder of the group based on his age and his balding head.
Maedhros can't help but scowl at these wretches. First they run away from a fight leaving them all behind with nary an information, Secondly they return only now when it is plenty obvious that they can bear arms when they need to. Where are they during the entirety of the battle when the Elven Expedition Group risk their lives facing off against thousands of the suckers? And finally, they have the gall to speak as if they have any right or entitlement on what his people fought and bled for.
He has been originally planning on at least interring the humans that they might find here to the new society that he is planning to build. It would be akin to the Elder Days where humans can establish communities on their own inside Elven territories under the rule of an Elven King and be their allies and trade partners. Now as he witnesses the opportunistic assholes, both the Auror and the Elf-Lord in him agree wholeheartedly that they can take his original plan and throw it as far as he can throw away.
"You have some gall claiming this land to be yours when my men and I are the ones who fight the goblins!" hisses Maedhros at the Elder who frowns at him. Whatever awe he has on Maedhros before apparently is now gone with said king covered in blood and goblin guts also.
"Excuse me sir Elf, but we are here first and we have endured the goblins more than you can ever know. This land is ours and ours alone and we are prepared to fight for it!" he puffs his chest angrily as if making himself look big is going to help. Behind him the other humans gestures angrily with their weapons.
They are forced a few steps back however as the totally exhausted and grime covered Elven soldiers pointed their spears at them in unison, instinctually preparing a shield line. Auriel on the other hand steps forward beside Maedhros drawing her own blade in defense of her liege.
As for Maedhros, he just laughs loudly for a few seconds before glaring hatefully at the gathered humans who now looked totally unsure in the face of professional well-armed soldiers. Stepping forwad, his tall frame looms over the Elder who gulps as the shadow of Maedhros covers him.
"Listen and listen well human. When I first arrived here, I welcomed you with open arms after dealing with the Goblins who are making you their personal food gatherer. Me and my people have gotten rid of them and I am totally prepared to give you a place in this ancient Elven lands of ours. Yet you have shown me your true quality now. When we fought against the Goblins, none of you helped and the only reason I have even information on the dead sods is because my Commander here has to threaten your man over there at sword point. Now you are here telling us that this land is yours when you didn't even lift a pinky to fight for it,"
"This is unfair! We are here first," squeaks out the man.
The smile of Maedhros at him is more wolf than elf. "Haven't you heard little man? Life is unfair. So suck it up. As far as I'm concerned, you have two days to tell all your people to pack up your filthy homes and get the hell out of our ancestral lands!"
"You can't do that, you have no right to-," he never gets to finish his words as Maedhros Sparta kicked him. With his full regalia and armor, the kick is obviously painful as the man has to be carried out by some of the younger members.
"You have two days!" Maedhros calls out at the humans riding the back of Hedwig as she opens her wings in intimidation. "Either you leave voluntarily out, or after two days we will burn you all out, now go!"
Thankfully all of them have the sense to run away back to their homes in fear.
….
Author's Note:
Okay so before I end this chapter. I want to point out that I've based the Infantry and the Elven Lancers and Archers armor and regalia to that of the Warhammer High Elves. You gotta love their outfits there. I love the lore there so much also.
As for Maedhros' outfit, it is more akin to that of the Phoenix King rather than that of a regular Elf-Lord of Middle-Earth.
Pish-posh with all that bling.
Thank you for the reviews.
