Of Monsters and Men

Chapter 27 Escape from Goblin Town

"Bones will be shattered,

necks will be wrung,

You'll be beaten and battered,

from racks you'll be hung."

The great goblin king sang at the top of his lungs. That is, if you could call it a song. His voice sounded like feral cats being dragged down an iron post, and the banging of crude instruments only made it worse.

"You will die down here,

and never be found,

down in the deep of

Goblin-Town!"

The goblin king sang as his subjects began toying with us. They found immense pleasure in aggravating me and my companions. It seemed as though, for the first time, I was content with being mistaken for a boy. I shuddered to think of what could be done if I were to reveal myself. I stayed mostly in front of Ori, forming a protective barrier around him.

I could have used my magic any time I wished, but I didn't have enough energy replenished to fight them all at once. If I acted now – killing as many goblins as I could – I'd put my companions in danger and expose myself. Witches were not well known throughout Middle-Earth, and if one was exposed, they were killed or enslaved. I didn't want to die down here, and I most certainly didn't want to stay down here either. The thought made me sick.

There was a screech, coming from the small goblin who threw a sword away from him as if he were afraid of it. The sword clattered to the ground and I recognized it to be Thorin's. The curved handle shone in the torchlight, and everyone turned to see what had terrified the goblin so.

"I know that sword!" The goblin king howled; leaping back up onto his chair and cowered; gaping at the sword. "It is the Goblin-Cleaver! The Biter! The blade that sliced a thousand necks!" As soon as these words were spoken the goblins rallied around us, taking chains, and swinging them about, beating my companions.

"Watch it!" I exclaimed as I dodged a slash from a chain myself, but a second wrapped itself around my arm and pulled me to the side. I fell to the ground and rolled. I tried to get up, but goblins were on me like flies on a mule. I could do nothing against their razor nails or whips of chains. I was forced to lay there as my body was struck repeatedly. I could no longer feel anything but the buzz of anger and heat inside me. It roared up in my body.

"Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all!" the goblin king shrieked as loud as he possibly could, "Cut off his head!" that is what scared me most. Not the fact that I was being beat to death by goblins, but the fact that one of my companions – one of my friends – was about to be hewn into pieces.

I opened my mouth to scream, but a wave of energy shot through the air. I rolled across the ground with a dozen goblins, shocked and dazed at the sudden impact. I hit my temple against the wood and my vision swam with stars. If I didn't have severe head trauma after this journey, I would be surprised.

I opened my eyes to see a pale light washing over the platform and illuminating the scene of dazed dwarves and goblins around me. I looked towards the source of the soft light and made out a familiar figure. I traced the lines of the pointed hat, the curved staff and glimmering sword. As the light faded, I saw our rescuer.

"Gandalf." I breathed.

"Take up arms." Gandalf spoke, "Fight." I felt my head clear and I turned my head to the pile of weapons, seeing the hilts of mine at the bottom of the pile. "Fight!"