Dawn (A Hobbit Fanfic)

Chapter 29 - Math with high stakes.

We sped down the frozen river like there was not going to be a tomorrow until we reached a stone bridge. Thorin was riding over it. He pointed his sword to Ravenhill. "Onwards!"
"Lead on!" Dwalin shouted from a short way's ahead of me. We clambered onto the bank and followed Thorin.
There were still more Orcs. It honestly was a miracle that they didn't rule Middle Earth yet, what with their sheer numbers and 'mighty' leaders like my father or the Stewards of Gondor who can't give a rat's arse about what happens outside their borders.
Then again, it wasn't that much of a miracle, because we cut and battered through them like butter. At this rate, I dare say I cut through butter like I cut through Orc.

We finally reached the top of the hill. Jumping gracefully, sort of, down our goats with our weapons drawn, ready for battle.
Whatever I'd expected, it was not this. The hilltop lay abandoned. The crumbling tower of stone didn't look much more lively. If it wasn't for the flattened snow and the stench of Orc, I'd say that no one had been here in a century. I knew better of course.
"Where is he?" Thorin asked no one in particular.
Kili inspected the entrance to the tower. "Looks empty, I think Azog has fled!" he concluded.
"He's made it very clear that he wants to kill the three of you, with his last breath if he must. It seems highly unlikely that he would flee now that you're pretty much gift-wrapped on his doorstep," I reasoned.
"Agreed. Fili, take your brother. Scout out the towers. If you see something, report back. Do not engage, do you understand?" Thorin ordered.
Kili looked annoyed that Thorin had mistaken him for his brother, but didn't mention it as he made for the tower followed by Fili. They went inside.
"We've got company! Goblin mercenaries," yelled Dwalin while unsheathing his sword. "No more than a hundred," he estimated without the slightest hint of urgency or worry.
Thorin gave me his quiver, which was still brimming with arrows, without a word. I took it and cast my own, empty quiver aside. He nodded and turned to the Goblins.
"Piece of cake," I said with a bit more concern. I still wanted to show off a little, swinging my sword in my hand and a dagger in the other.
I didn't charge at the Goblins like Thorin and Dwalin. I waited until they came to me. Then I slashed and spun circles for no more than five minutes before they were all dead.
We stood there with dead Goblins laying around our feet, looking around wildly for any late-comers.
Even though it was for only a few minutes, it was intense, and I had already been fighting pretty much non-stop for hours, so I was heaving for breath and leaning on my sword.
"Where is that piece of filth?" asked Dwalin angrily as he looked around.

Suddenly, Bilbo appeared out of thin air. "Thorin..."
"Bilbo!" Thorin was relieved that Bilbo was still alive. So was I.
"You have to leave here! Now! Azog has another army attacking from the North. This watchtower will be completely surrounded. There'll be no way out!" Bilbo explained rapid fire.
"We are so close. That Orc scum is in there! I say we push on," argued Dwalin.
It was then that something clicked in my head. I hit myself in the face with the palm of my hand. "Oh, stupid! I should have realised sooner!" I exclaimed.
The guys looked puzzled. Well, all except Bilbo. "Well? Don't leave us hanging," asked Thorin, confusion and concern thick in his voice.
"The suddenly abandoned hill, the Goblins attacking when we split up, It's a trap!"
Thorin's eyes widened in realisation. "Find Fili and Kili! Call them back! We live to fight another day!"
We hadn't finished, or drums sounded from the tower. As we turned to look at the top, Azog dragged a bloodied Fili and held him up by the throat for us to see.
When he spoke, he did in a guttural version of the common tongue, which he clearly wasn't used to speaking. He wanted us to know what he said.
"This one dies first, then the brother, then you, Oakenshield. You will die last." He lifted Fili higher in the air and sneered at him. "Here ends your filthy bloodline," he said while raising the sword he had for a hand.

I quickly looked from the top of the tower to the ground and back, running all sorts of calculations in my head. The distance wasn't enough to kill Fili, were he to be dropped now. Severely wounded, yes, but not dead. Near death I could save, death itself was beyond my powers.
I quickly drew my bow. "Not if you die first!" I pretended to shoot Azog's arm. He was expecting me to, as he used Fili as a shield. What he was not expecting however, is that I wouldn't aim to kill, opting for his knee instead, which lay unprotected by Fili's weakening body.
In surprise more than pain, Azog dropped Fili, who had the sense to try and slow his fall down by clawing at the wall. He still landed with a sickening thud though.
I rushed to help him, already singing healing charms. When I reached him, I saw that my hasty calculation had been correct, he was near death, but not quite there yet.
I put both of my hands on his cheeks and sang the healing songs again, louder and more determined this time. I heard Thorin and Dwalin skidding to a halt behind me. I wanted to scream at them that they should either kill Azog while he's still in the tower, or find Kili, who hadn't shown up yet. But doing either thing would cost Fili's life, so I didn't even shoot them an urgent glance while I continued chanting, alternating between spells and charms that seemed to have no effect.
I refused to pause to catch my breath for even just a second. Fili's breathing was alternating between short, shallow gasps to deep pained moans. But at least he was breathing.
Eventually his breathing levelled, and I sat back and a sigh of relief escaped me.

"KILI!!"

Thorin's voice was drenched in fear. He looked up at a hole in the wall where Kili must have just disappeared.
I dashed for the tower, chasing after him. Thorin called after me, but I ignored him.
Following Kili wasn't hard. Simply follow the trail of dead Orcs up the stairs. I didn't shout for Kili's name because by the sheer number of fresh corpses, I could tell that he needed to spend his undivided attention to getting upstairs alive, I just hoped to catch up to him before he reached Azog, talk him out of it, or even drag him down stairs and convince him that his brother was alive. Not well, but alive.
I heard someone else that did call out to Kili, Tauriel. I quickened my pace. If anyone was going to distract Kili and get him killed, it was her. She couldn't know, of course, but I couldn't help feeling a bit of frustration toward her bubble up in stomach.
I quickly rounded the corner to see Kili jumping out of a hole in the wall to Tauriel, who was fighting what looked like Azog's second in command, just as strongly built and just as ugly.

I groaned and stamped my foot to the ground before running after him again.
Tauriel lay stunned against a wall and Kili had jumped on the big Orc's back and began slashing him with his knife.
I was within throwing distance when the Orc grabbed Kili by the head. Knowing he couldn't escape and that Tauriel couldn't help, he began to drag out his killing of Kili.
What he didn't notice was my dagger flying straight to his heart until it had sunken up to the hilt. He dropped Kili in shock and I halted behind the Orc, who was now on his knees.
I angrily twisted the knife more times than was necessary before I pulled it out and let the brute fall over, dead.
Kili jumped up and ran to me to thank me. I stopped him by putting my hand in his face and pointed at Tauriel, who was looking worse for wear. Not wounded per se, but in extreme pain. Something I could do nothing about.
Kili nodded and went to her side, cradling her in his arms. I looked at them before I remembered that there was a third Durin. One whom I shouldn't have forgotten at all.

Thorin.