The Waterdancer

Chapter 33

With a quick motion, I yanked Orcrist out of the fork of Azog's sword. I never felt the blade touch my skin. I looked up and saw a stream of water shooting up Azog's nose. The stream became more powerful, and the Pale Orc loosened his grip. With his distraction, I instantly pulled the rest of my blade out of his and drove it mercilessly through his chest.

Gaining the upper hand, I flipped Azog over so that I was now on top. I pushed down on Orcrist as hard as I could, and I didn't stop until I felt the blade pierce through the ice. The Pale Orc gasped and widened his eyes in defeat. I only glared and leaned even closer, waiting for the filth to breathe his last. And within seconds, he did. It was over. Azog the Defiler was dead.

Breathing out a sigh of relief, I picked myself up, taking in the fact that I did it. He couldn't hurt any of us anymore. I looked above me and I saw more Eagles flying over the battlefield. I took a couple of steps to look over the scene. We'd done it. The Orcs were retreating. The victory was ours.

Exhausted from the battle, I turned around and I took in my surroundings. There was blood everywhere. The ice glistened with both black and red gore. I could feel my stomach churning at the scene. What seemed to unsettle me the most was the amount of red running across the surface. Had I really been wounded that badly? I followed the river of crimson plasma to see that I was never anywhere near the places where it was located. The trail of it led straight to...

"No!" I screamed, and a whole new shot of adrenaline ran through me as I ran towards the stone wall. There she was. My little Elf, laying in a pool of her own blood. Then I remembered. That scream. I never saw the force that had knocked Nemirien to the ground. That Orc...it...it st-...it stabbed her in the back.

I fell to my knees and I gently gathered her body into my lap. I could immediately feel how broken she was. The force of Azog's throw...I could feel her broken spine as I brought her closer to me. I could see how her blood had stained her hair red. I cupped Nemirien's cheek and turned her face towards me. There was a small stream of blood trickling out of her mouth. No. No, no, no, no. Please. Not her. Not like this. Her eyes fluttered open and she gasped.

"You're alright." she whispered. I shook my head and felt a sting in my eyes.

"Why didn't you say anything?" I asked.

"What could you have done? We were surrounded." she reminded me. "I just wasn't quick enough." I didn't respond, and Nemirien actually gave a slight smile. "I never thought that...in my dying moment, I would want nothing more than to live." she breathed.

I inhaled sharply. "No. You're not going to die."

Nemirien shook her head. "You can't promise me that." She swallowed a sob. "They broke me, Thorin. I can't feel my legs. I've lost so much blood I feel colder than the ice. I can barely even see you now." She broke at that last sentence.

I held Nemirien as close to my body as I could, and I took her hand in mine and squeezed it. I could hardly feel her squeeze back. "Nemirien...what can I do? There must be something I can do!" I pressed. Though I knew that she would never walk again, there had to be something that could be done for her stab wound. There had to. Nemirien let out several tears before she met my eyes.

"You could stay with me until I fall asleep."

I squeezed my eyes shut and I pressed my forehead against hers. "No." I whimpered. "Don't say that." I begged.

"I wish I had more time...if I had known, I never would have...treated you the way I did." she said, her voice becoming shaky from the pain. I backed away to look at her with wide eyes.

"What are you talking about?"

"I pushed you away...when you were only trying...to protect me. I'm sorry." she sobbed, pressing her cheek against my chest.