A Ruby's Shine (Thorin Oakenshield X OC)

123. The Battle Begins

I grinned as the repeated smacking sound of arrows hitting targets could be heard as the orc's entire front line collapsed, some of the orcs stumbling in shock, clearly not having expected that. I looked towards the elves and grinned so widely my face hurt as, with that distraction, the shield dwarves ahead gone through Thranduil's army and were now setting up a two shield high wall with heavy spears pointing outwards.

I still waited, we needed for Thranduil's elves to hop over the line and the dwarves to charge forward before we come out and attack from behind. I could hear the silent restlessness of the dwarves and elves below and raised a hand in the universal stop sign as I watched and waited, biting my bottom lip as the orcs grew closer to the front line.

Then Thranduil's elves vaulted over the tops of the shield wall, stabbing down into the surprised orcs that clearly didn't expect that as they moved forward, starting to clear out a few orcs. I watched as the dwarves dropped the shield wall and charged forward. I turned and looked behind me before nodding silently to Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur who all grimly nodded back as we raced down the steps and I turned to face the two halves of elf and dwarf armies waiting for my orders of all people.

I wasn't sure what to say, so I just chose my usual crass way of talking.

"Lets go kick some damn orcs into the bloody dirt like they deserve!" I called out as they released silent cheers as I turned, the three Firebeard brothers at my sides, and raced toward the closest gate where two men waited to open it for us. Upon seeing us moving forward, they pushed open the stone doors and we all raced out onto the bridge without any war cries or anything, the orcs all focused on what is in front of them.

Not what is behind.

I grinned as we raced across the bridge, a horn sounding quickly from somewhere but too late as I crashed into the first orc from behind, the two halves of the army behind me as I slashed out the orc's legs and sent it tumbling to the ground.

Instantly, it was like being in the eye of a hurricane. A deadly, bloody hurricane. I was soon surrounded on all sides by orcs, roaring, clashing, sounds of ringing out metal, stomping feet, and cries of pain or anger filled my ears until they were ringing from the sound. I couldn't hear much of anything other than the ringing in my ears. I couldn't see much of anything either, it was orc after orc with dwarves, elves, and even the occasional man spotted in the bedlam of swinging arms, flashing of blades, and movement of over a thousand feet.

I twisted under an orc blade, swinging my leg out and knocking that orc off of it's feet as I stabbed the other approaching orc in the gut. I could hardly spare a moment to stab the fallen orc before yet another was upon me. I lost sight of Bifur and Bombur but Bofur was somewhere nearby. War cries rang out from everywhere but I heard one distinctive thing above the noise so loud my ear were ringing.

A horn, but not the horrible sounding horn to signal the orcs, no, this was a different tune that reminded me a bit of those times dwarves played fiddles in pubs. It was the rallying sign for the dwarves that their king had joined in the battle.

I grinned as I slashed off the head of an orc with my sword in my right hand and stabbed another orc in the knee with my knife before driving my sword through it's heart as it fell. I could tell we were actually doing well at surrounding and cutting off the orcs because, when I got the chance to glace back, I couldn't see any more over the heads of the orcs we were fighting.

I continued to fight on though, my blades turning from shining iron to a dark blackish color in orc blood. I twisted and spun, hacking, stabbing, and slashing into orcs while all the while disoriented. I hardly knew where I was now, I couldn't see anything other than orcs, men, dwarves, and elves on all side fighting. I didn't know which way was to Dale or which way was to Erebor and that began to worry me. We were supposed to regroup but it seems like the number of orcs are growing.

I yelped as I felt a heavy hammer hit my side as I was blocking the blade of an orc, sending my flying to crash into wet dirt, my side only aching a little, surprising me because normally that impact would crush my ribs in and break bones. This armor is amazing if it can handle that. I grimaced as I pushed myself to my feet out of the wet dirt, quickly realising the dirt is not wet from melting snow but blood.

I felt my stomach roll unpleasantly at that as I stood to face the creature with the giant hammer. The large sized orc roared and raced forward as I raised my blade to attack, not sure of how to take this thing down when Fairfin shrieked out a high pitched note of rage and flew as a white blur at it's eyes and slashed out with his claws, slicing through it's left eye before stabbing his beak into it's right, rendering the orc blind. I growled as I noticed him reach up for Fairfin. I raced up to the orc's dropping hammer arm and kicked the giant hammer out of his hands as I stabbed him in the knee with my knife to vault myself up as I twisted in the air and stabbed the orc in the chest, the orc falling backwards with my momentum to the ground as I stood up on it's chest and pulled my sword free.

I glanced around, having a small break from orc's as I heard the distant calls, over the ringing of my ears, of 'To The King! To The King! We can win this! To The King!' As well as the distant roar of war cries from the dwarves as they finally regrouped, somewhere. I couldn't see where, even from my position atop the giant dead orc.

"Du Bekâr!" I heard a voice roar out, making me sigh with relief as I would recognize that voice anywhere. Thorin. He is still alive. I took a moment to catch my breath as the orcs in the surrounding area all seem preoccupied with dwarves, elves, or men. I touched my side, hissing as, even with the smallest shift of my armor, I can feel the nasty bruise that is developing there. This damn orc I am standing upon wacked me across the battlefield like a golf ball. I glanced around and noticed that I couldn't see Bifur, Bofur, or Bombur in that bedlam around me as Fairfin settled down on my shoulder and croaked worriedly, my ears barely picking him up over the ringing in my ears.

I felt bad for breaking one of my promises to Thorin of sticking close to Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur but we seem to have lost each other in the fighting. I used my position atop the orc to glance in the general direction of Dale and noticed something horrifying as my eyes widened.

More orcs were pouring through the tunnels the Were-worm's dug.

I glanced around as I cupped my hands to my face and shouted as loud as I could.

"More orcs come from the tunnels! Regroup with Thorin and Thranduil!" I yelled out as loud as I could, Fairfin suddenly puffing his chest afterwards and releasing a loud and high pitched shriek that made the ear he is closest to ring the loudest, to the point I can hardly hear out of it but I didn't stop, I jumped off the chest of the dead orc and ran towards the direction of Erebor, several dwarves and elves following me, having heard Fairfin's loud cry as we fought through orc upon orc to do our best to regroup.

We just cut through the back side of the orc legions, having caught up now with the rest of the dwarf and elf armies as we cut down the last few orcs of the first wave before all of us backed up and regrouped. As I glanced down the line I realized what a sight this must be. Dwarves and elves and men, all mixed in together. Dwarves had a few shield walls in place as elves with their larger shields filled in the gaps. Men stood in several places too, some in between elves with a spear sticking between their shields, some joining the dwarf shield wall and adding another spear. I vaulted myself over a dwarf shield wall and scrambled to catch my feet as I turned, breathing heavy to face the new waves of approaching enemies. Yet, even with out losses in the first wave, we still are standing strong.

We can win this!