Legolas stared in disbelief at the dark elf. Amarth met his gaze and smirked.
"I did not expect to see you so soon again Legolas. It's funny how fate works isn't it?"
Legolas gripped his bow tighter. His other hand ready to grab an arrow.
"Do not worry. I am not here for you Legolas. I'm looking for someone else. Perhaps you know who it is?"
Legolas tensed. He knew perfectly well.
Amarth turned towards Aragorn.
"This is Isildur's heir if I am not mistaken?"
Aragorn gripped Anduril tighter. He glanced over at Legolas who didn't take his eyes off of Amarth.
"I have orders to bring you to Sauron. If you choose to come willingly, I will not harm your two friends here. But if you refuse, I will kill you all. Either way you are going to Mordor Aragorn."
Amarth took out a black dagger. Aragorn gazed at it warily while Legolas resisted the urge to flinch.
Amarth grinned at Legolas. The dark knife in his hand still had traces of blood.
Without another thought Legolas loaded his bow and fired an arrow straight at Amarth's heart.
Just before it struck Amarth's hand shot out and caught the arrow.
Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli's eyes widened in shock.
Amarth studied the arrow.
"A very nice shot." he glared at Legolas, "But you could have been faster."
Amarth snapped the arrow and shouted at the orcs.
"Kill them!"
The orcs ran at them with roars of fury.
Legolas fired arrows at them but quickly had to switch to his knives.
He stabbed one orc in the throat and sliced the head off another. He dodged one of the orc's swords and another one's club.
He spun around and killed them both. There was no time for him to see how the others were fairing.
He caught a quick glimpse of Gimli, the dwarf had just finished off one orc and had just took another one's arm off.
Legolas went back to concentrating on his fighting. He caught another glance of Gimli again. The dwarf was managing to hold his own but Legolas saw no sign of Aragorn.
Or Amarth.
He quickly searched for either of them. His eyes fell on a dark figure.
Amarth.
Legolas began pushing and fighting his way through the orcs. Amarth was walking slowly towards something. No, someone.
Legolas's eyes caught the movement of a sword. He heard an orc roar in pain and saw the swinging of a blade.
Aragorn!
Legolas fought desperately to get past the orcs. Every time he saw Amarth he continued to move closer and closer to Aragorn.
By the time Legolas finally broke through Aragorn had just finished off another orc, and Amarth was just a few steps behind him with two long swords in his hands.
"Aragorn!"
The man swung around and had just enough time to parry the blow from Amarth's swords.
Amarth barely stumbled. He brought his swords down again, this time knocking Aragorn off his feet.
Amarth stood over him, he held his long swords over Aragorn, ready to deal the killing blow.
Just before he could bring them down Legolas flew at him with his knives.
Amarth blocked them with one sword, leaving the other one inches from Aragorn's heart.
Legolas stumbled backwards. Shocked at Amarth's strength.
Amarth looked at him dangerously.
"Do not try that again."
Amarth prepared himself to strike Aragorn but Legolas was already running towards him.
Amarth sighed and swung both of his swords, one knocked one of Legolas's knives out of his hand while the other one tripped him.
Aragorn wasted no time in getting back to his feet. He grabbed Anduril and swung at Amarth. The elf dodged the blow and shoved the man back.
Legolas recovered his knife and charged at Amarth again. Aragorn ran at the same time.
Legolas brought his knives down and Amarth blocked them once again with his sword. At the same time Aragorn swung his sword but was also blocked.
Amarth spun around and attempted to strike Aragorn.
Aragorn moved just in time but received a cut on his arm.
Legolas moved in to attack again but quickly had to fall back when Amarth attempted to stab him in the chest.
Aragorn tried again to land a blow on the elf, but he effortlessly moved out of the way.
Now he was fighting Legolas and Aragorn on both sides. He used one sword to hold off Legolas and the other to fight Aragorn.
Both Legolas and Aragorn's strength was failing. They couldn't keep up with Amarth for much longer.
Finally, Amarth decided that he was done with this.
Without warning he took his attention off of Aragorn and thrust both swords at Legolas.
Both swords hit their intended mark.
One sliced across Legolas' chest leaving a thin line of scarlet. The other tripped him and caused him to fall onto his back.
Legolas dropped his knives in shock.
Before he could move Amarth lifted his sword over him and stabbed him through the shoulder, pinning him.
Legolas screamed in pain, desperately triying to remove the sword.
Amarth grinned and turned to Aragorn, whose face was filled with fury.
Aragorn ran at him while Amarth raised his sword. Their blades clashed with a terrible noise.
Both fought fiercely but Amarth was too strong. He quickly disarmed Aragorn and forced him to the ground.
Aragorn stared up at Amarth, his blue eyes blazing with fire. This was no elf...
Amarth raised his sword under Aragorn's neck. Legolas cried out and struggled to remove the sword.
Aragorn looked at his friend horror. Blood covered his right shoulder and more was flowing from his chest. His grey eyes were filled with fear.
Amarth looked over at the elf in disgust.
"You would give your own life for the sake of a mortal? Even this worthless being who cannot protect those he loves?"
Aragorn felt a pain inside of him. The names of all those he had failed ran through his mind.
Amarth looked down at Aragorn and hissed.
"After I kill you, I will break him, until there is nothing left." Amarth pressed the blade deeper into his neck. "Nothing."
A blow from behind made Amarth cry out in pain. The blade was removed from under Aragorn's neck.
Amarth spun around and glared at Gimli, he moved to strike the dwarf but was attacked from behind by Aragorn.
Amarth turned around to face Aragorn while Gimli continued to attack him.
Amarth managed to hold them off but couldn't land a blow on either of them without his other sword.
Just as he dodged another swing from Gimli's axe he came face to face with Legolas.
His shoulder was wet with blood, and his chest was stained red, but he stood in front of him defiantly.
Amarth glared at the three of them. All wounded and bleeding, but standing strong and dauntless in front of him with their weapons drawn.
"You three are pathetic." he spat.
Amarth shouted at the orcs in the black speech and they ran forward, ready to kill.
Suddenly an orc fell dead. The others stopped.
An arrow stuck out of the back of it's head.
An orc gave a cry of alarm but it was too late. Hundreds more arrows flew at the orcs. Each one hitting their target.
At the same time strange men clad in green and wearing hoods over their heads emerged from the treetops. Some fired bows while others threw knives at the orcs.
When they reached the ground they drew swords and attacked the creatures.
Amarth turned to the remaining orcs and shouted, "Retreat!"
The orcs took off running and Amarth followed cursing under his breath.
Meanwhile Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli watched in stunned silence as the strange warriors finished off the last of the orcs.
Once they had killed the orcs they surrounded the three friends with loaded bows aimed at them.
Aragorn quickly lowered his sword while Gimli did the same with his axe.
Legolas dropped his knives and almost collapsed. Aragorn quickly moved to help him.
"Who are you?" one of the archers demanded.
Aragorn had no time to explain. Legolas was loosing a lot of blood, Gimli had a nasty gash on his head, and Aragorn's arm was bleeding heavily.
"Please! You have to help us, he's dying." Aragorn pleaded desperately.
One of the hooded figures came forward. He studied them and then gasped in shock.
"Aragorn?"
Aragorn looked at him suspiciously.
"How do you know my name?"
The figure removed his hood and revealed long blonde hair and a familiar face.
Aragorn couldn't believe his eyes.
"Haldir?"