[Nerindel]

Amandur

Dark hair clung to his face, blood, filth covered his hands face, and clothes, his shirt and tunic ripped where orc blades had breached his defences, but none of his wounds were more than superficial and did nothing to slow his attack! Amanda hew down orc after orc, Stepping right out of the path of his current attacker, he thrust out his left hand burying his Elvish dagger deep into the creatures exposed left side, just under its raised arm. Then without waiting to see the creature fall, he pulled out the dagger and raised his sword arm to block the strike of the next orc. As he pushed the creature’s spiked mace upwards, he brought his dagger across and slit the orc’s throat. It stumbled back dropping its mace and grasping for its bleeding throat, its eyes wide with fear. Amandur thrust hard and drove his sword through the dying creature’s chest putting it out of its misery.

Finding a momentary reprieve, he climbed up onto a nearby ledge and looked around to assess the battle. As he had feared the orc’s having out numbering Fintár’s patrol were steadily pushing them back and still there was no sign of reinforcements. Searching the battle below he found Fintár pulling his elves back to a more defensible position, leaping from the ledge dagger and sword still in hand he ran towards the Elven captain’s position. Cutting down any orc’s that strayed into his path, he was just reaching the rocky bluff when a large ugly orc stepped in front of him blocking his path.

Amandur's eyes narrowed with contempt and his teeth gritted as he recognised the orc captain who had held aloft the head of his young friend. He raised his sword meeting the downward thrust of the creature’s scimitar and pulled his dagger across to strike. However, the orc chief anticipated and batted his left hand wide. Therefore, he stepped back and right pulling his sword from the orc’s pushing blade, coming behind the creature as its own force sent him stumbling forwards. Nevertheless, before he could strike the creature found his footing and met his blow with its scimitar the metal rang as the two blades repeatedly clashed with neither fighter scoring a hit. As Amandur parried another strike from the orc, he was glad of his vambrace’s as the scimitar glanced of his leather and plate wrist defences. As they clashed again Amandur pushed forward, the orc did likewise, their faces now mere inches from each other, the stench from the creatures warm breath was almost unbearable, but he continued to push.A grin came to his face as the orc’s sword arm began to waver. However, his grin was short lived with a growl the orc chief’s large balled fist smashed into his face sending him stumbling backwards. He rolled out of the path of the orcs fast descending blade and slashed his sword along the creature’s right leg as he rose. Ignoring the blood streaming from his broken nose, his dagger blocked the orc chief's enraged counter.

"I will squeeze the life from you like I did that other ranger!" the orc captain sneered thrusting his other hand out to grab for his neck, but Amandur switched, pushing back he brought up his sword to lock with his creatures jagged blade and thrust his dagger into the brutes side.

"I don't think so!" he gasped, kicking the brute back as it loosed it's iron grip to look down at the weapon still protruding from it's side. Then with a quick lunged he ran his sword through the creatures abdomen. However, the stubborn creature refused to give up and die, grabbing the hand that held the blade protruding from its stomach so it could not move. It growled raising its scimitar and swinging it level with the ranger’s neck. Amandur tried to pull his hand free, but seeing the raised blade he decided to try and dodge the blow, he pulled left and ducked the orcs blade missed it's mark, but with the dying orc still holding his sword and hand he lost his balance and fell backward pulling the large orc down atop him. He heard the crack as the force and weigh of the finally dead orc broke the arm still held fast to the hilt of his sword, he gasped as the hilt pressed on his chest under the orc immense weight.

Struggling he managed to push the brute off using his free hand. Then catching his breath he pushed himself up and grabbed for the dagger that still protruded from the orc side. standing he tested the weapon in his right hand, but the sharp pain told him that it was no use, so he sheathed the elven blade and went to retrieve his sword. Just then, another orc seeing that he was defenceless charged at him. Realising that he would never retrieve his sword in time, he awkwardly pulled out his dagger using his left hand. However, it was not need, as the advancing orc raised its axe to strike its eyes suddenly widened and it fell forwards, dead! It was then that he heard the whistling of arrows all around him and the panicked cries of the orc's as the tried to flee, but Fintar and his patrol leaped forwards from their defensive position hewing down those how still advanced. Kicking over the orc chief's corpse, he pulled free his sword and went to join the elven captain.

"Glad to see you are still alive!" Fintar called in greeting as he buried his elven sword deep into the side of a fleeing orc.

"And lucky to be so, your friends arrived just in the nick of time." he answered, slicing his own sword across the back of another orc, the pair fought back to back, till Amandur caught a instant glint out of the corner of his eye. Quickly finishing off the orc before him, he moved round so that Fintar now faced were he had seen the glint like light on metal and he now fought the elf’s orc.

"What do your elven eyes see back there in the trees?" he cried over the clash of weapons.

"A dark shadow, a fleeing orc perhaps" the elf replied peering into the darkness, Amandur sighed as he lunged at his attacker, for a moment he thought it was Nai…, "No! Wait, it's an elf, it’s hard to make out her outline, she must be dressed in black, but her weapon is defiantly elvish, no orc could weld such a weapon." Fintar called breaking his thoughts. Gritting his teeth, he swung his sword burying it deep in the orc's side and spun round to go after the elf woman, but Fintar stood in front of him blocking his way.

"Do you think you would win a fight with this elf the way you are?" the elven captain asked looking at the rangers bloodied nose and broken arm,

"But I just can't let her get away!" he protested.

"She is defeated her allies are retreating, let one of the elf patrols pick her up" Fintar continued calmly.

"And if they don't and she slips passed them as she has so many other pursuers, what then?" Amandur asked grimly.

"Then my friend at least your arm will be mended and you will be in a better position when you finally apprehend your fugitive." Fintar answered placing a reassuring hand on the mans shoulder. Amandur nodded conceding to the elven captain’s words, he was right to go after Naiore in his current state would be folly. His frustration showed as he kicked a nearby orc corpse.

"Come my friend, there is still fighting to be done before we can return home!" The elf captain grinned, pointing back towards the stairs, where a large group of orcs still stubbornly tried to push forwards. As they ran forwards towards the main battle, he saw horses, four, no five the fifth flanked by several elves.

"Friends of yours?" Fintar asked looking towards the riders.

Amandur strained to see, but as they got closer, still he saw the distinguishable scarred face of Kaldir, fighting off his attackers. The hobbit woman and the other woman must be the ones that both Léspheria and Dulrain had spoken of. In front of the woman brandishing a dagger, he was surprised to see Toby, but who is the other rider he thought.

"I know of them, the ranger also seeks Naiore, I must speak with him, he my have news of Rauthian and Dulrain who followed behind." Fintar nodded and the pair headed towards the rider hewing down any orc that crossed their path.