Aeonian [Legolas]

36

The series of tunnels and caves within created a maze. Viridis didn't give himself even a second to guess which way would take him where as his steps trailed silently up a carved set of stairs narrow in width and small in numbers.

The Orcs themselves were not hard to locate. Viridis had been tracking them for years before Gandalf had come to him with the proposition of joining Thorin's company. Their scent paired with grumbles of murdered whispers and orders were followed and Viridis turned right, hand trailing across the cold stone as he did so, some small part of him telling him that he would not like what he would see at the end.

It was light there— at the end. The stubborn sun rays peaked through the break of stone but even then shadows blocked its color. Many figures— all Orcs— were gloating. And before them, feet standing dangerously close to the cliff of the opening, Fili.

"This one dies first. Then the brother." The leader Orc, Azog growled out. Viridis pressed his back to the stone wall and masked his presence with silence and shadow. His hands snakes upward on their own accord, elbow bending as he held a breath and flexed his fingers until he felt the telltale touch of an arrow shaft behind.

The other Orcs standing guard behind and beside gloated, their stances strong and presence even stronger as Viridis tempted all that was good in life and flexed his fingers, feeling them close around three arrows. He pursed his lips as he tempted all the gods above and drew the small spears from their shaft, latching them and drawing back the drawstring. He let out a breath as his arm shook when he leveled the arrows toward their targets.

"Then you, Thorin Oakenshielf." The Orc went on. "You will die last."

"Go." Kili said. Viridis could hear the Dwarf pleading and he didn't need eyes to know that Thorin would be standing his grown, that stoic frown wavering at the sides. "Run!" He cried out again as Azog drew his blade up and arced it down in a defined sweep intended for more than just maiming.

Viridis didn't let himself see the end of the blade's course before he felt the breath tugged from his lungs and his clasped fingers release their hold on his bow's string.

All three latched arrows in quick succession sprung off, streaking through the air within the cave and embedding themselves in the backs and sides of the spectator Orcs where they howled, those that hadn't been hit in the heart or neck growling as they wavered, snapping the shaft from its confines within flesh and turning toward Viridiis with a new thirst for blood. Elf blood.

However, when they turned it was to see Viridis meeting them head-on, bow already stashed behind him and Mori Twins, one in each hand, lashing out as he darted forward, steps silent and quick as he pushed forward faster than any of them could register.

Azog, it seemed, was anticipating such an attack from the Elf and stepped to the side, blade raised though he made no attempts to raise it, one of the other Orcs stepping into his place at the mouth of the cave to deal with the Elf instead.

The Mori Twins were merciless in their endeavors as Viridis barely had time to blink before he felt his arm stiffen in anticipation and jaw set as he dug the blade deep into the groove between two armored plates fashioned for protection and held strong even as the Orc growled out and thrashed, trying to deliver its own hit.

Stopping now was useless and Viridis let his own momentum carry him forward, the blade latched into the being of its host holding strong as the stone beneath his feet gave way to open air and he was falling, dragging the orc who stood in his way down with him.

He fell freely, air rushing up out of his lungs in a sudden haste as the ground beneath rose to meet him abruptly. His landing, however, was cushioned as Viridis absorbed the impact, shifting his blade and using its downward momentum to shift the Orc beneath him, using the beats as a landing pad and killing it before it had the chance to retaliate.