[VanimaEdhel]

Navru ran into battle. He drew his sword and fought the man that faced him. The man next to him screamed and fell. Navru looked at the man in surprise. He had not intended anyone to get killed. He hoped it would be just another mission that would be completed without danger. This was obviously different.

Another man screamed and fell, dead upon hitting the ground. The archers continued to fire. The company seemed to be avoiding the arrows, though. Navru thought he saw a man from the other party go down. He hoped that the man was dead. The man, it was an Elf, in fact, rose again. Navru began to panic. This was not going well. They had to get the tree. If nothing, else, they needed the tree.

Navru heard a scream from behind him. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the archers begin to fall. A group had found the archers. This was not going well at all.

"Get the tree!" he yelled, "Get the tree and then run!"

Navru ran with the men towards the tree, attempting to fight those around them. Navru saw the injured Elf. He had to kill the Elf. If nothing else, he had to kill at least one member of the party. He did not know what other members had fallen, but the Elf would satisfy if all others were left unscathed.

Navru met blades with the Elf. The Elf was strong and met Navru's blade defiantly, if not a bit frantically. Navru tried again to no avail. He felt himself driven back. His panic began to increase as he could not get his footing back.

Sharp pain. Navru gasped. He could not take a breath in. He tried to inhale again to no avail. He rolled his eyes a little in pain and looked down. He felt the steel slide from his stomach. Air flowed into his lungs a little, but it did not seem to help. The yells of the men seemed more distant.

He saw Ataman. He had been one of the few who married for love. She was so beautiful. What was she doing now? She was probably doing the laundry with Bosha and Goman around her heels. Bosha was getting so pretty. She was only five, but she already looked as beautiful as her mother.

He felt the steel again. No, he did not feel, but he knew it was there. He felt sleepy. He closed he eyes. Navru knew his body hit the ground, but he did not care. Everything faded as sleep overtook Navru. As the pleasant darkness finally closed over his eyes, he saw Ataman beckon to him. He smiled and entered her arms and the darkness beyond.

***********************************************

Kalir saw LinGalad fighting an Easterling. The Easterling fell at the blade of his injured comrade. The Man had an odd look in his eye. Kalir shivered. It was almost as though the man was happy to die. He came to his senses and blocked the blows of another Easterling. He ran towards LinGalad.

"Come! You should not fight!" Kalir shouted above the roar of the rest of the fighting. He half-dragged LinGalad back. Adrenaline obviously flowed through LinGalad's veins, and he proved a formidable opponent to rope down.

Kalir and LinGalad reached the Entwife and stood with the others, attempting to ward off the Easterlings that ran at them, heedless of their fate.