Hummingbird Heartbeat

Chapter 44

Chapter 44

She picked up Orcrist and looked up the blade before glancing at Azog. He was leering at her and she cocked her head to one side.

"Now that it's just you and me, I feel it's my duty to tell you I have seen your death. I kill you, here and now," she said in Gundabad and Azog laughed.

"I would like to see that."

"You shall," she snapped and raised her sword. Azog charged her and she dashed out to meet him. She wouldn't let him anywhere near Thorin. The moment their swords met she gritted her teeth. He was so strong. How could she forget that? Blood dribbled from his arm to the ice and she quickly took flight so she didn't slip. From above she managed to harass him, landing a few blow, small cuts on his shoulders, but it was no good. She couldn't get past his swords. Then an arrow sprouted from his shoulder. He yowled and span.

Tauriel notched another and aimed carefully, Kili and Legolas at her side, each aiming arrows of their own. Azog blocked two, but the third stuck in his arm. He roared in rage and Maranda slashed at his neck. He blocked her and roared every time an arrow struck, but he did not stop fighting. Maranda slashed and hacked, but each blow was met with a clang of metal until there was a tearing of fabric and she cried out. She fell to the ice, her pant leg torn as she scrambled to her feet. But she slipped on a patch of blood and slumped to the ice, looking up into Azog's face.

He stabbed downward and Maranda braced for the impact. But there was none. Thorin shoved him back, a sword in his hands. Legolas cheered, now without a weapon, as Thorin helped Maranda up. Azog was pacing, watching them.

"Thorin I have to kill him," Maranda said firmly. "It was the price Mahal told me to pay for my return," she explained as Azog ran at them.

"Then you shall kill him," Thorin breathed and the two swung at the Orc. It was hard, learning how Thorin fought and trying to kill Azog all at once. Azog was an experienced warrior, and Maranda had only ever messed around with some toys and used her magic. Thorin was used to the sword, but there was little he could do against Azog. He seemed to sense them wherever they stood about him. Suddenly Orcrist scittered across the ice and Azog charged Maranda. She stumbled back and raised a fist, glowing blue.

"Mara, no!" Thorin shouted as her fist connected with the ice. She and the Orc fell into the water and Azog tried to crawl out, but his twin blades had no traction. Maranda shot out of the water, spewing droplets as she went, and fell beside Thorin, shivering and gasping for air. "Are you alright?"

"A-az-zog-g," she stuttered, teeth chattering.

"He is drowned," Thorin said.

"N-no. Not d-dead. I j-j-just b-bought us s-s-some time t-t-t-t-to think-k," she stammered rushing to grab Orcrist. There was a crashing of ice and Thorin cried out. Maranda span, ten feet from Thorin and Azog was bearing down on him, two scimitars that were his hands aimed at Thorin's chest and Thorin just barely holding them off with the old dwarf blade. "Hold on," Maranda shouted and started across the ice. She slipped and fell again, blood everywhere and as she looked up, time slowed down.

Thorin's eyes found her and they were sad, but resigned. No. He smiled faintly as he slid his sword out from under Azog. No. The twin blades drove into Thorin's chest and he shouted out, but grabbed the elbows of the beast, holding him. Maranda's heart stopped then roared and she shot across the ice. She brought her sword down sharply and Azog stumbled up and back, eyes wide. Maranda plunged her sword into his heart and shoved him towards the edge of the falls. She held him there until first his head and then his body slid from the weapon and down the falls.

There was the sound of fire crackling and a soft hand on her shoulder. Her debt was repaid. She would last now that Azog was dead. She gasped for air and shook with shock and pain. The battlefield stretched out before her as she stared and...it was almost done. It was dying down, people were slowing, milling, converging, ebbing and cheering. So why was she so dead inside? She looked at Orcrist in her hand and it clattered to the ice. Thorin.