Minas Eriol was a distraction. Yes, the Company was to retrieve the half of our caravan that had been stolen; but to me, it was a distraction. To draw my blade in aimless slaughter, to strike down any goblin stood in my path, that is what I needed.
It was the first time I saw how Altheric led as a commander. He led our vanguard; I knew there was another team of scouts to meet us on the western pass, but my concern was not with them. Altheric demanded respect in his command; not directly, but in the way he held himself and directed those beneath him. At one point I found myself slightly overwhelmed by the goblins swarming and the wargs snapping at my heels, and he showed up to help me fend them off.
“No last stands today,” he said.
Sergeant Kildwin was having, it seemed to me, the time of his life. With both of his axes in hand, he tore through the goblins like they were ribbons to be shedded. At one point, we split down different paths, but I could still hear his gleeful shouts in Khuzdul from where I was fighting alongside the bridge. (Not one to be outdone, I shouted in Sindarin as well. I do not think he appreciated it).
Ithilwe and I did not fight together until we met at the exit to the western pass; I had behest of him before we left to keep his distance with his bow. To my relief, he appeared to me unharmed.
Bellemy, a Hobbit who had just recently joined our company, defended herself well with her spears. I still plan to offer her ones with proper arrowheads rather than carved sticks.
Kildwin and I, upon clearing out one of the turrets in the ruins, spoke briefly of the disaster that fell upon it.
“Mannlings,” he had said in a gruff tone. “They don't build things to last.”
“Not everyone builds their home in preparation for war,” I had pointed out, before overlooking the ruins.
“You do if you're smart,” he replied.
I did not get a chance to counter his point; across a small bridge to the western turret, I noticed trouble. Altheric had taken arrows to the leg and was going down. Bellemy and Ithilwe reached him first; along with Aranoll, our guide. Kildwin and I caught up quickly.
“We have to move him out!” Aranoll urged us. He and I took up rear guard while Ithilwe and Kildwin assisted Altheric down the steep stairs to the entrance of the western pass.
There we met with Elthhelm and his scouts. I planned to remain behind until everyone else had cleared out to the pass. Daphnee and Furley were speaking to someone I did not recognize; I heard the term hill-man, and assumed him to be one of the Eglain whom roam these hills.
Aranoll and the other three were taking too long to clear the complex; goblins continued to flood out at us, and it took my threat of dragging them out by their collars before they finally exited to the pass. Ithilwe was treating the wounded nearby; just Gisuna as far as I could tell. I heard that Altheric had been moved to the Forsaken Inn. I stood guard by the entrance to Minas Eriol to keep clear the path of goblins.
Once I was certain no more were coming, I turned to see who remained. Catrena had remained behind, with Furley and Daphnee. There was also Ithilwe, Gisuna, and I. As we made to leave, however… Something did not feel right. Furley looked nervous. Daphnee held a rock in her hand, and as I made my way down the western pass, I saw someone else approach...
