Book 1: Come Home [Thorin Oakenshield]

Chapter 14

"Run!"

None hesitated to follow after the Wizard. There were creatures on all sides of them as they spilled onto the path and chased after the company. Some climbed the creaking structures, only to be kicked over the side by their boots when they emerged. Others descended from the rock face above. The Dwarves were handy with whatever they could grab in their path to bat away the enemy to make it easier for them to maneuver.

Pulling her blade free from a Goblin skull, Poppy found herself pressed back to back with the prince as he moved from a swinging blade. They sliced into their enemies without a second thought and watched each other's blind spots. However, they were becoming overrun and separated from the others as they continued to move forward.

"Duck!" Thorin shouted.

The Half-breed didn't question him. She fell to her knees as a blade swung overhead in a wide arch multiple times clearing their path. Poppy cried out from the force behind her attack as she stabbed a Goblin through the chest when it was still moving on the ground.

"This way, the both of yah!" Dwalin shouted ahead. Poppy stood and followed after the warrior with Thorin close at her heels.

That was when she noticed the Goblins that swung from the ramps parallel to theirs across the wide gap. She shouted in warning, "Watch out!"

"Cut the ropes!" Thorin ordered.

Instantly the company hacked away at the structure that surrounded them as it fell to the right. It caught the airborne Goblins and halted their advance instantly. The Wizard led them to the end of their path, seeing the continuation perched on the other side of the chasm. It was too far to jump it. Their weight on top of the structure caused it to shift and sway away from the advancing horde and to the other side.

"Jump!" Gandalf shouted.

Only a handful managed to as they swung back the way they came. Shifting towards the other end of the wood the Goblins swarmed the other side in an attack, causing them to sway back and leap to safety. Poppy watched as Dwalin cut the rope and it fell into the darkness with the creatures.

There was blood everywhere. It smelled terrible as it coated the Half-breed's skin when a creature dropped on top of her. The Dwarf blade in her grasp impaled its chest without hesitation and killed it instantly. She was nearly sick from the hot liquid pouring down her neck and arms. But there was no time to focus on that as the Half-breed followed at the back of the pack. She could barely even see as a boulder that had been dislodged from the ceiling rolled in front of them. It crushed the enemy in their path and cleared it with ease before the company turned a corner.

There wasn't a Goblin in sight ahead of them. The group crossed the wooden bridge in haste when the path groaned in front of them seconds before the Goblin King came crashing through. The Dwarves ran into each other to stop abruptly. Gandalf the one to hold them back before getting too close. It was no use doubling back when the creatures surrounded them once more. They were trapped.

"You thought you could escape me," the Goblin King's voice boomed. "What are you going to do now, Wizard?"

He swung his staff at the man and caused Gandalf to stumble back. Righting himself the Wizard lunged forward. The staff in hand stuck the king in the eye and caused him to howl in plain and drop the bone scepter. Defenseless, Gandalf's drawn sword sliced open its stomach to drop the enemy to his knees and looked the creature in the eye.

"That'll do it..."

Again the blade cut into the horrid skin around the throat causing his dead weight to fall against the structure. The bridge began to shift under their feet before it gave way from the weight. Some Dwarves clung to each other, the rest frantically gripping at the flimsy wood for dear life as they fell into the deep chasm. They couldn't even see the bottom. All were shouting, most in their language. Poppy would have laughed if the situation had been different and clung to a terrified Ori, who in turn held Dori in a death grip. The space narrowed the further they went. Both sides of the bridge caught two ends of the rocks and slowed their fall. Enough so that when the ground came up to meet them the impact was not as great. As the dust began to clear they were coughing. All attempted to gather their surroundings and pull themselves from the wreckage.

"Well that could've been worse," Bofur stated.

The body of the dead Goblin King fell on top of them. The weight crushed the structure further around the company and caused them to groan and shout out in surprise and anger.

"You've got to be joking!" Dwalin grunted.

Poppy gasped. The breath had been stolen from her lungs as she attempted to crawl free.

"Gandalf!" Kíli shouted. Their eyes turned towards the source of his panic. The massive horde of Goblins were charging down the rocks to their right.

"There's too many!" Dwalin exclaimed. "We can't fight them!"

"Only one thing can save us!" Gandalf stated. "Daylight! Come on! On your feet!"

The Dwarves began to help one another swiftly to pull themselves from the wreckage. Dwalin gripped Poppy's arm tightly

"Come on, lass!"

She yelped when he pulled too hard, "I'm stuck!"

Thorin rushed to their side when he noticed their hesitation.

The prince shouted to assist, "Move!"

The warrior shifted over as the leader gripped the section of wood above the Half-breed. "Lift the wood!" Dwalin stated.

The king's body had fallen just above her. The structure was the only thing that kept the young woman from becoming completely crushed. The two lifted together and shouted from the strain. Finally, Poppy managed to wiggle her arm and leg free only to tumble out.

The horde was right on top of them. "Run!" Thorin ordered.

Each took an arm to haul the Half-breed forward until she caught her footing to run alongside them. The path narrowed, much like the one that led into Rivendell and they saw a light farther ahead. It was a relief when the sunlight hit them, finally free of the darkness. Even if it took them a few moments to regain their proper sight from the harsh rays. Some stumbled over the uneven ground. But they didn't stop running down the mountainside through the scattered trees. The cave full of Goblins left far behind them.