[Mattius]

It was deeply dark now and deathly cold. Mattius, shivering, tightened his cloak. Slowly they had walked back west towards the point where they had split with the others.
"When will spring get here!" asked Faye.
"I am not sure," replied Mattius, "I would have thought it to be here by now. Its late." 'Very late' thought Radagast to himself as they continued.

The moon was overhead when they reached the point where they had last seen Calentoliel, Endereth and Rothalle. They stopped for a short rest and a drink but something disturbed them. As Mattius sat on a rock he thought he heard something far off. He noticed that Radagast and Faye had a similar look on their face.
"Something draws near, ready yourself!" said Radagast. As the three of them stood ready there was nothing but silence for a very long time. So long in fact that Mattius was about to sheath his sword but just as that thought began a great sound of marching feet began away westward. As it drew closer they could hear voices, after a few minutes it was clear to what the voices belonged.
"Orcs," whispered Mattius. Their chanting got closer and closer until it seemed the voices were almost upon them and then, silence. Total silence. The stars shone and the snow sparkled and there was no noise except for the breaths of the travellers. Suddenly there was a giant crash as something was hurled towards them. The three ducked as it landed close to their feet. At first they dared not approach it until they realised it was a dead body, the body of a dwarf. Mattius kneeled down and rolled it over to see the face. His chest was cut open and its insides were gone. Then Mattius saw its face, it was Borin Iceplate of the Blue Mountains. Faye and Radagast looked down at Mattius, not realising that it was the dwarf who had helped them.
"Its Borin," Mattius said solemnly.
"But what are orcs doing here, now?!" asked Faye to Radagast.
"Evil draws evil my dear," he replied. Mattius stood up, wiped his eyes and lifted his sword high.
"For the murder of the Hero of the Dwarves you shall all pay dear!" He shouted from the bottom of his lungs. A great laughter from around them shreiked and shook fear through them. But Mattius remained firm.
"For doing the business of the Beast you have signed your own lives away." Another howl of laughter came.
"We think not straw-haird elf," hissed a goblin from the distance, "we out number you three to one and all of you will die this night!" This was followed by a great number of torches being lit and it was clear that the orc was telling the truth, there were at least fifteen orcs, big orcs as well, armed to the teeth but luckly none with bows. Mattius nicked an arrow and shot it towards a flame and a great scream of pain followed. The orcs hissed and began their charge.

Mattius and Faye thought they were going to die but would fight on to the death. Radagast on the other hand did not see death for them, on this night at least. He percived something else behind the orcs, something more powerful than any goblin. Just as the first few orcs approached within a few feet of the three of them a beautiful sound filled the air with wonder. Without thinking about it Mattius smiled to himself. The orcs fell to the ground shreiking in pain and anguish. Mattius wondered what to do but his thought pattern was broken when someone put a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see Enderth.
"Lets get to work," she said to him. They both drew their blades and slashed and cut at the orcs as they were paralised. As Mattius slit the last throat the song stopped and Calentoliel fell unconcious. Rothalle caught her before she hit the ground and held her in her arms.
"Sleep now child, you have done well but you will have to do better when the real test comes. But for now sleep," Rothalle whispered and no-one else heard.

[ September 25, 2002: Message edited by: Mattius ]