October 24th
Third Age. (Exact year is still unknown)
Encampment south-west of Goblin-Town.
A war in the freezing colds from the mountains of mist had started. Rangers, Elves and a small company of Dwarves laid siege upon the Goblin-encampment.
“Goblins to the left!” A man screamed before his skull was pierced by a goblin arrow.
A group of rangers in company of Galodin and two Dwarves named Dronbur and Gimlioin had entered the great tunnels and halls of the Goblin town.
“Healer up front, quickly we’re being ambushed!” Galodin ran as fast as he could, while evading rains of arrows, to the wounded ranger. “He is hit in the chest.. again.” Said Dronbur on his always cynic and grim tone. “Hold him down you reckless Dwarf” said another while Galodin stared at the wounded man. His chest was pierced by a Goblin arrow, blood was pouring out of his flesh and the arrow buried himself deeply into the man his ribs. He surely has been lucky that his heart was not penetrated by the rusty iron arrow-tip. “Just.. pull it out, Elf!” shouted the man at Galodin while the singing of arrows was still going on. “Take out their archers so the others can press on!” Commanded Rugard, leader of the Rangers. And so the Rangers started to fire their arrows at the Goblins, who were screaming in excitement. But the arrows hit their targets correctly and with precision as the Goblins were shot down, to death.
A moment of silence fell as the only sound you could heard, was that from the ground. As when you set your feet in the slurry of blood, puke, piss and the entrails of Goblins and friends alike, you could just hear it suck up your feet.
“Any casualties?” Asked Rugard to the group while peering down at the many Goblin bodies. Some were still moving, others had died on the impact of the swords, arrows and as well the glorious axes from the two Dwarves. “As you can see, they have more dead than we do!” laughed Gimlioin while he sat down on a rock, wiping the blood from his axe with a piece of bandage. “Hey, Dwarf.. that bandage is not for cleaning weapons!” said a ranger slightly annoyed. He was stuttering a lot for this was clearly one of his first battles. “Rugard, is that lad a recruit of yours?” Asked Gimlioin to the Ranger while pointing at the Ranger.
“Yes, master Dwarf. This may be the first battle for him. Introduce yourself to him will you?”
Gimlioin stood up while holding his axe in one hand. He moved over to the recruit and inspected him closely before speaking. “Well, I am Gimlioin, lad… What may your name be?” The recruit peered down at the rather large Dwarf and said “I am Valdor, sir” Gimlioin nodded at him and then turned to Galodin, who was standing away from the group, looting some dead and as well alive but nearly dead bodies. Before the Dwarf had a moment to speak Galodin turned around and looked at the Dwarf from under his hood. He had a mysterious smile on his face yet the Dwarf did not notice it and started to speak “Galodin, when do we press on?” he asked the Elf. Galodin turned his back to the dwarf again and did a few steps further, deeper into the tunnel. “Gather the group, tell them we leave now. Wounded will come with us for we cannot return” Galodin spoke. And he disappeared into the darkness.
The company pressed on through the tunnels, not speaking any word. Sometimes a little whisper but that was all. Galodin was on front, walking with his staff like an old man. Behind him were the two Dwarves and at the end there was the group of rangers and their leader.
“Hey, Gim” whispered Dronbur. Gimlioin turned his head at the other Dwarf and Dronbur spoke again. “You know, I don’t trust those bloody Goblins. I suspect an ambush.” Gimlioin smiled and said “Really, you don’t trust Goblins? I always thought it as such a fair and honest folk.”
Dronbur muttered something slightly annoyed as Gimlioin chuckled lowely to himself.
Not more than a second later a voice from the front shouted “Ambush!”
Galodin ran towards the group with his staff in his hand and his blade in his other hand. The Dwarves both drew their axes at the same time and the Rangers set an arrow on their bows, ready to fire at any movement that will come out of the tunnel. The sound of drums and the screaming of Goblin voices echoed through the tunnels. “Prepare yourselves, whatever comes out of that darkness.. you will hold your ground” So said Rugard on a low tone. Valdor shivered in fear at the screams. Unlike the two Dwarves, they stood calmly with their axes in their hands. Waiting for more goblins they could undo from their body parts. “What are they waiting for?” Asked Dronbur.
No one said a word after that for a group of Goblins stormed out of the darkness charging the company. Galodin knocked down an oil-lamp that was hanging at the wall and as the oil poured on the ground, a massive fire wall spread through the group of Goblins as they screamed in pain while burning. “I tell you that Elf is a wizard!” shouted Dronbur while fighting side by side with Gimlioin.
“Tricks, that’s all!” Gimlioin shouted back at him while he slammed his axe on a Goblin shoulder. Arrows were flying accurately at the angered creatures. The Rangers were doing their job in a very good way as many Goblins fell under their rain of arrows. All of a sudden Valdor left the formation and ran towards the Goblins with his sword raised above his head. “Recruit, get back in formation!” commanded Rugard yet the young man did not listen and within seconds a Goblin had jumped him.
Valdor tried to kick the Goblin off him but the beast was slamming his mace on the man his body and once he was hit in the head more than once, he did not move anymore. “Fool of a man!” Galodin shouted as he decapitated the Goblin swiftly. Another silence fell and the company seemed to have repulsed the ambush successfully. All eyes were fixed upon the body of Valdor when Galodin kneeled down at him. The man his face was beaten heavily under the weight of the Goblin weapon. This eye sockets were shattered as some pieces of bone were visible at places where the skin was simply ripped open. His eyeballs were staring at Galodin but the man was clearly dead. Galodin raised slowly to his feet and let out a deep sigh of frustration and pity. “He is dead..” Galodin muttered. Rugard walked down to him to put a cloth on the dead body to cover it in respect. He stood up again and turned to Galodin who was looking at him. “Some of us don’t seem to die after many years of battle. And some of us are simply not made to fight, and die once they faced their first and last battle.” So Rugard spoke and Galodin turned around, peering at another pile of dead Goblin bodies. Most of them had arrows in them or were missing an arm, leg or even their head. Another few had their faces and torso melted by the burning oil from the lamp. The flesh on their faces was simply melted, some skin was dripping into their opened mouths. Their eyeballs were melted to white and yellow fluids that were pouring down their burned faces, all the way down to their chins. One of the Rangers couldn’t resist but to vomit on the ground by the sight. Even the Dwarves seemed to look away. Only Galodin peered at the melted Goblin faces, yet with a form of disgust.
“We set up camp here. I will take the first watch.” The Elf said. And the company camped there in the rather large curve from one of the many tunnels. This was only the beginning from their long and troublesome journey...
