Victoria in Middle Earth

Chapter Twenty Two

Thorin growls as he runs with his sword up and his oaken branch shield held in front of him. Azog crouches, then roars as his Warg leaps at Thorin. Thorin tries to swing his sword, but the Warg hits him in the chest with its forepaw, smashing Thorin to the ground. 

The other Dwarves in the tree look on in shock. Dori struggles to hold on to Gandalf's staff. "Help!"yells Ori. As Thorin gets back on his feet, panting, Azog and his White Warg wheel around; they charge at Thorin again. 

Azog swings his mace and smashes Thorin in the face before Thorin can react. Thorin is brutally flung to the ground by the impact. "Nooo!" yells Balin and Victoria. Azog roars in excitement. Bilbo manages to stand up on the tree. 

The White Warg clamps its jaws around Thorin and Thorin yells in pain. Dwalin tries to get off the tree to assist Thorin, but the tree branches he is holding on to break, swinging him precariously over the edge and preventing him from reaching Thorin. 

"Thorin! Nooo!" yells Dwalin. As the White Warg holds Thorin in it's mouth, Thorin manages to hit its head with the pommel of his sword. Roaring, the White Warg throws Thorin several feet away onto a flat rock nearby. Thorin lands heavily, his sword falling out of his hand. He is almost unconscious. "Bring me the Dwarf's head." said Azog in Black speech. 

One of Azog's Warg Riders jumps off his Warg and approaches Thorin. Bilbo, seeing this, pull out his own sword, which glows blue. The Orc approaches Thorin and places it's sword against his neck, raising the sword, the rider prepares to decapitate Thorin. 

As he swings his sword down, Bilbo throws himself at the Orc and knocks him over. As they fight, Bilbo manages to stab and kill the Orc. As Azog growls in anger, Thorin goes unconscious. Pulling his sword out of the dead Orc's body, Bilbo stands in front of the unconscious Thorin and protects his body. He waves his sword wildly at Azog and the other Wargs. 

Azog smiles in hatred, "Kill him." said Azog in Black speech. A couple of Wargs and Riders approach Bilbo, snarling. Suddenly, Fili, Kili, Victoria, and Dwalin, who have managed to get off the tree, plow into the Wargs from the side and start fighting them. In the confusion, Bilbo yells and leaps forward, wounding a Warg. 

The White Warg hits Bilbo with his head and sends him flying, however. As the fighting around them continues, Azog and his White Warg approach Bibo to kill him. 

Fili, Kili, Victoria and Dwalin have been surrounded by Wargs, and Bilbo is at Azog's mecry. Dori slips from the end of Gandalf's staff, and Dori and Ori fall toward the ground far below. 

An Eagle swoops out of nowhere and catches them on its back, they yell in fear as they are carried swiftly away. Several more Eagles appear and join the fray. 

Some grab Wargs and Orcs and toss them over the cliff. Others knock down trees, which crush the Wargs below them. Another Eagle fans the flames with its wings, causing an inferno which burns the Wargs. Azog snarls in frustration. 

One Eagle gently grabs Thorin and his sword in its talons and flies away. As Thorin is lifted off the ground, his oaken branch shield slips off his arm and lands on the ground. 

Azog roars and jumps back as an Eagle flies by him, the Eagle heads straight for an alarmed Bilbo and snatches him off the ground. It then throws Bilbo, and he screams as he falls toward the ground, only to land on the back of another Eagle. 

The rest of the Eagles proceed to snatch the Dwarves out of the tree and fly away. When only Gandalf is left in the tree, the roots give way and the tree falls off the edge of the cliff. Gandalf leaps clear of it and is caught by an Eagle. 

As the Eagles fly away with all the Company, Azog and the few Warg Riders left growl in anger and frustration.