[Saurreg]

Belegorn got up just in time to see his valiant savior crumple and collapse onto the ground. “Erenor!” he cried as he reached down and retrieved his sword. The troll that would have been his executor stood between him and the unconscious female elf. It was blinded by the sharp thrusts of elven blade but it breathed still; thrashing about and bellowing in terrible anger and pain. Fire overtook the Dunedain and he launched himself towards the handicapped beast with a shout of fury and reckless disregard. Reaching out, he planted an outstretched palm on the troll’s sternum and with his sword arm; he plunged the three feet long blade upwards through the beast’s neck and severed the base vertebrate. Like a marionette with its strings cut, the troll instantly turned limp and Belegorn shoved its bulk away from himself.

He ran towards Erenor, knelt and reached out to her lifeless body. With the most deliberate of care, he turned the unconscious elf around slowly and pulled her towards his chest. He was mildly surprised at how light the slender body was despite its height and sinewy musculature when he inspected his safekeeping for signs of bodily injury – there were none that could be seen. Cradling Erenor close to his own body, he could feel her warmth and the silent but steady breathing. She was still alive and he had to get her out of harm’s way.

The din of battle around them was deafening and with the nearest torch yards away from the combatants, it was too dark for Belegorn to make out the shape of men amidst the immense silhouette of the rampaging trolls. Over the sonorous cries of the torogs, the helpless Dunedain could make out the cries and yells of Carthor and his men, but the acoustics of the corridor merged actual emissions with echoes and thus there was no way he could pinpoint the exact position of his comrade.

A strong hand reached out and grabbed Belegorn by the shoulder. With Erenor in his arms, Belegorn was defenseless and he anticipated the worst. But a familiar face came into view and brought a sense of relief to Belegorn’s heart.

“What happened?” Inquired Carthor with great concern etched on his face.

“She fell trying to save me,” Replied Belegorn looking at the very attractive face of his charge

“Carthor, Listen! We must get away from here. This fight is beyond us!”

“But my wife and her friend are still back there!” gestured Carthor towards the direction of the trolls in exasperation, “I can’t leave her!”

Carthor’s revelation made Belegorn’s heart sunk. Had all the Dunedain been fighters, there might have been a chance for the party to fight their way back up the corridor but the inclusion of non-combatants made it impossible.

There was nothing left to do but despair…

A troll caught hold of a Dunedain by the neck and lifted the man high above the ground. It gave a roar of victory and poised to swing its hapless opponent towards the cave wall, intending to dash the latter. Primal fear filled the luckless soldier as the troll grabbed him and it was too much to bear. The Dunedain lost all control of his mental faculty and started to scream in uncontrollable fear the moment his feet left the ground. His cries were bloodcurdling and they pierced the hearts of those who heard them and sent chills down their spine. Even as the troll swung his victim towards the wall in a terrible display of uncanny strength, the man continued to scream uncontrollably until the very end when his neck was crushed and the back of his head smashed. Unmistakably feminine screams of terror followed.

“Derigorm… Lissi!” Exclaimed Carthor aloud as he recognized the voices.

The outburst alerted one of the trolls and it started is lumbering gait towards the trio.

“BARUK KHAZÂD! KHAZÂD AIMÊNU!”

The dwarves had come.