Blue swords|| Legolas

29

Luin was just beheading another orc when a shout made him look up. Bilbo came running down the street towards him. Luin let the dead orc fall at his feet and jogged over to meet him. The hobbit was covered in blood and grime. He looked panicked and shaken. "Azog", Bilbo panted. Luin felt a spark of dread at the name. "The elven Prince bares news. Azog is in the tower above. Thorin and the others have gone to kill him, there's another army coming round back. It's a trap".

"We shall have to warn them", Luin finished. His ignored how his heart pulsed at the through of Legolas being here. But they had no time, no time to meet. Their friends were in danger. Taking a deep breath, he channelled his spiritual energy. There wasn't much left. Most of it was still keeping the shield up. But there was enough. "Get on", he gestured as he dropped his sword. It floated in the air at their feet. Luin hopped on and Bilbo scrambled up behind him. Together the two of them rose up above the city of Dale and flew towards the castle ruins on mountain above.

A mist was descending over the cliff, blocking parts of the castle from sight. Luin had to slow down as they glided above it. He lowered the sword carefully down onto the remains of a balcony the cliff bellow. Bilbo hopped off and began scampering down the stone steps. Luin following behind him. He had to take a minute as he stumbled slightly. The flight has sapped more Qi than he realised. Luin gritted his teeth against a sudden dizziness before pushing himself forwards.

They found Thorin and Dwalin in a small stone square surrounded by the half decimated towers. The mist was blurring the surroundings, coating everything with a grey tinge. Luin peered over the edge as they passed a destroyed balcony. Half of it had fallen off the cliff, the floor dropping off with abruptly. He couldn't see the ground below. Just empty white space stretching out below them. Thorin turned as they came running up. Luin was relieved to see that his gaze was clear.

"Bilbo", he said in happy surprise. "Luin. What are you doing here?"

"Thorin. There is another army coming. Azog has a army coming around the back. The tower will soon be completely overrun", Bilbo panted, not wasting time.

"Then we shall have to kill the pale bastard quickly", Dwalin grunted. He went to storm off in to the towers, battle axe in hand. Thorin put an arm out to stop him and caught him by the shoulder.

"No. That is what he wants. He wants to draw us in. Call Kili and Fili back", he ordered, eyeing the misty towers. "This is a trap". Luin felt a smile of pride stretch his lips. Thorin was finally himself.

"Thorin are you sure about this?"

"Do it! We'll live to fight another day". Dwalin begrudgingly moved towards the towers, presumably to fetch the twins. A deep booming thrum of a brum beat stopped him. The sound echoed around them with a disorienting suddenness. Lights began appearing in the surrounding towers as the drums grew louder. Everyone turned to face the largest tower as a pale figure emerged from the mists. Azog, in his hulking white form strode over to the edge of the stone and gazed down at them in the courtyard with a sadistic grin. One of his hands was pulling Fili along by his long blonde hair. The dwarf was bloodied and unkempt. Bruises dotted his face and his weapons were missing. He obviously did not go down without a fight.

Luin gasped and mindlessly stepped forwards. He did not have a plan, panic just making him move instinctively. "Luin!" Thorin muttered. "Can you do anything?" Luin shook his head wordlessly. He was too low on Qi to attempt any flying or spells. His powers reduced to a normal human's as all available Qi was channelling the shield down in Dale. Luin was the only thing stopping those people from getting slaughtered. Pain filled him as the situation sunk in. Either he dropped the shield and let those people die to save Fili, or he let Fili die. Tears pricked his eyes. He didn't want to make that choice.

Fili seemed to get what Thorin was thinking. His blue eyes met Luin's and he subtly shook his head. The dwarf had seen Luin low on power before. He recognised the signs. The exhaustion in his eyes and the paleness of his skin, his ethereal glow dim. He didn't want Luin to risk it.

"This one dies first!" Azog growled in orcish. He hefted Fili up into the air so that his boots dangled over the cobbled courtyard below. "Then the brother, then you Thorin Oakenshield. You will die last".

In the orc's grip, Fili struggled. "No!" He rasped. It was unclear wether he was saying no to his own death, or no to the orc killing his family. Luin pressed his knuckles to his teeth in panic, tears dripping down his cheeks as he watched the orc heft Fili up higher. He could taste salt and iron as he pressed his knuckles harder against his mouth. Maybe he had split his lip? He couldn't remember.

"Run!" Fili screamed in warning as Azog plunged his bladed arm into his back. The dwarf jerked and seized as for a moment before falling still. Blue eyes lifeless and staring unblinkingly at nothing. Luin let out a broken noise before he could stop himself.

"Here ends your filthy bloodline!" Azog dropped Fili. The blonde dwarf fell, dead body hitting the stone with a sickening crack. Thorin gasped as if it was he himself who had been struck. Azog grinned down at them with sadistic glee. All around them, more drums sounded as orcs closed in.

Somewhere, down below came a little pulse of energy. Luin recognised the signature. It was the same type as his swords, smaller and fainter but a comfort that he needed. Legolas was coming, hopefully with more reinforcements. Gritting his teeth, Luin dropped his hand and fell into a fighting stance. Both of his swords held tightly in his fists, blades pointed out for battle. The four of them were surrounded, there was no way out. Around him, he could see Thorin, Dwalin and Bilbo do the same. If they were going down, they were going down fighting.

"For Fili!" Luin stated. His voice cold and quiet with rage. The grey mist surrounded them like a cloak and Luin's inky hair whipped around him as taken up by a gale. His inky hair which both Fili and Kili had braided beautifully for him two weeks before. Strands now wild and dirty with blood and sweat. His hands tightened their grips on the sword hilt until his knuckles were white.

"For Fili!" Thorin shouted as they charged into the keep. Somewhere within the ruins Luin heard another voice echoing off the stone. Kili adding his own war cry to the call.

They collided with the orcs like water onto fire, slashing as many of them down as they could. Luin kept his focus on his blades, dancing through the bloodshed. Around them, orcs fell. The creatures not expecting their sudden fury. At some point he lost them all. Straying down separate corridors within the ruined castle. Luin kept moving blindly. He lost count of how many he had slain. Exhaustion was pulling at his limbs like dead weights but fury and sadness kept him moving. Body thrumming on pure adrenaline. A small part of his mind knew that this was the first sign of Qi deprivation. Exhaustion, then volatile emotions, then loss of control, madness and bleeding from the eyes before death. Luin bared it with gritted teeth. He could not die yet. Legolas was coming and he had a friend to avenge.

AN: We're getting close to the end guys. Are you emotionally stable? (I'm not)
Excited? (Personally I'm scared. I'm going to cry writing this). Enjoy.