Brothers In Arms: A Middle Earth Story

Chapter 10: A Twisted Countenance

"Captain, no disrespect intended," Uirion countered. "But nowhere is safe. Mordor is launching the largest attack of our age, and I highly doubt it's just against the servants of the White Tree. Even Rohan was beset by enemies."

"You're right," I said after a moment of silence. The sheer enormity of the evil we were facing was almost too much to comprehend, but Uirion was a fighter and a survivor. If any of us were to survive, it would be him. 

"Then I suppose that this is where we part ways." Though I felt a slight hint of disappointment at losing yet another companion, it quickly went away. Uirion, at least, had a decent chance of making it out of this alive. The others we had lost were not so fortunate. 

"I suppose it is," the grizzled veteran said. 

"I know we didn't always see eye-to-eye," I replied. "But I truly hope that if this evil passes, our paths cross again." 

Uirion let out a sniff, running a hand across his nose. "As do I, Captain."

"Miriel," I continued, turning to the young woman. Looking at her now, she was little more than a child, but I saw a resolve in her eyes that even those decades her senior rarely possessed. "We spent little time together, I know. But you, and people like your children, are the future of this world. As long as folk like you walk it, there is still hope." 

She gave a grim smile in return. "Thank you for keeping us safe. I know you are all descending into dark and dreadful places that I can scarce imagine, but please, keep yourselves safe as well. Folk like me need defenders like you."

As they turned to leave, a thought entered my mind. "Wait!"

They both turned back. "The infant. What's his name?"

"Ohtar." Miriel replied simply, and with a smile they continued on down the path, away to what I hoped was safety and peace.

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The sun rose with the morning, though none of us could see it. Hidden behind a curtain of thick fog, it cast what little light filtered through upon the surrounding landscape, a pale, lifeless light without warmth or hope. 

The trees began to thin out as we traveled further, indicating that we were nearing our destination. Small ponds and pools of stagnant water dispersed the dying plants nearby, painting a dismal and dreary scene. Further, there were signs of a struggle here; The damp ground was torn up by hooves in places, and the grass was thoroughly trampled. Further into the marsh, the signs were even more obvious: A rusted sword here, the torn fabric of a black banner waving in the slight breeze there. Several bloated bodies lay strewn across the ground, so far into a state of decay that I couldn't tell if they were man or orc. Large black flies buzzed around them lazily, and as we drew closer the sickly sweet smell of rotting flesh mingled with the stench of stagnant water and coppery blood. Soon, it grew so strong that I was forced to cover my face with my scarf. 

Aerel drew near to one of the bodies, kneeling near it while covering her face with a scarf of her own. "Gondorian," she said, pulling at the cloth that still clung to the rotting flesh.  "A ranger too, from the looks of it. Must've been one of Faramir's men." 

Eradan inspected another corpse, scrunching his nose in disgust. "This one's an Easterling. Looks like his horse is just over there," he pointed to a grassy spot in the distance where a dark mass lay. "All of the signs suggest that this was an ambush."

I shrugged. "You'd know better than I. We'd best remain wary then, there might be more nearby."

As if on cue, a massive figure leapt from the underbrush. Shivers went down my spine as I recognized the newcomer as the tall shape I had seen in the sewer the day before. Clad in spiked armor, he was a massive orc with an imposing frame and two curved swords at his hips. Something about him was unsettlingly human; Perhaps it was his icy blue eyes, or the upright way in which he walked, or the shock of long black hair that hung down the right side of his face and trailed down his back. Whatever the reason, this creature was far more evil in manner than others of his foul race; A twisted countenance of both man and monster.