[Eladain Moruviel]

It took the orcs several days to find out who was responsible for the two overseer’s deaths, so Gil continued to work in the army. Every day he would come back covered with cuts and scrapes. “I’ve got to get out of here. We’ve got to get out of here!” I kept on telling himself.

Then, on the ninth night, all of the able-bodied elves were called together for a council. “We have to get out; but we have to get out with as many as we can,” muttered Ceros. The Elves seated nodded silently.
“The best chance for escape must be during the day, the orcs don’t come out then. There are fewer guards and we will have more of a chance” Pointed out Dorienne.
“But how will we get out from this prison? It will be all very well if there are less guards but what is the use if we cannot escape?” Asked Ainemetion staring around the circle. A few mutters were heard around the cage but no one had anything to shed some light upon his question.
“A distraction maybe?” Suggested Reyn. “Yes, lure the one guard outside in here. Then we could attack it.” said Eruwen. “That is all well, but with what will we attack it with?” Asked Gilbereth.
Arië started, “He is right. The guard will have weapons and we are already too weak….” But she was cut off by Ceros. “The knife..” Ceros said blankly. “What knife?” Questioned Ihwesta. “Mine…” Replied Taurëwen holding close to her side so the others could see. It gleamed in the light and the Elves’ eyes lit up with a new hope. “So it shall be… Nodded Dorienne.

Gilbereth didn’t sleep that night, all he could think about was their plans of escape. “what if one of them was caught, or even killed?” he worried Then he heard the doors to the cage open, and half a dozen hands grabbed him in the darkness. He tried to struggle, but it was of no use.

The goblins led him to the great hall, and stood him before Rhtalk. “So, we’ve finally found our little trouble maker have we?” chuckled the half-orc. It was all Gil could do not to try and kill him right then and there. He knew it would be useless anyway, he would be dead before he could do anything. “the only thing to do with trouble makers, is to kill them” continued Rhtalk “Take him away!”

Gil was lead to a courtyard with a heavy wooden block in the middle, he could easily guess what this was for and it made him shudder. “I won’t go like this! I must help the others!” They bound him quickly and rather carelessly. Then they lead him up to the block. That’s when the idea struck him. He tested the ropes that bound him “the funny thing about having your hands tied” he chuckled to himself “is that you have to have hands” Just as he thought, he could slip the wrist of his left arm out of the ropes, and then he would be free.

“Wait!” He said as the executioner lifted his broadsword “I don’t want my hair to blunt the edge of your sword. Have one of the others hold my hair up while the sword falls on my neck.” The orc grinned and had one of his men wind Gil’s long hair around his filthy hands. The orc raised his sword. The sword swiftly swept through the air. At the last instant Gil jerked his head back sharply. He dragged down the arms of the orc holding his hair. Dragged them down into the path of the swinging sword. The orc cried out in pain as the steel severed his hand from his wrist. At that instant Gil freed his hand, and grabbed the sword from the shocked executioner.

In a few short moments he had killed both orcs. Running too the gate, he made sure it wasn’t guarded, and then
headed toward the cages were the others were being held. Before he reached them he ran across several other goblins. “just my luck” He grumbled “ If I’m not careful, one of them will sound the alarm”
He had caught them off guard, and killed them quickly; cutting the first one’s head from his shoulder and dealing similarly with the others. After going through what seemed like an eternity, he reached the cages where his companions were being held.

Charging into the first guard, he managed to get in several strokes, but this orc was stronger than the others and fought back viciously. Gil was struck several times before he finally dispatched of the beast. He fumbled throughthe orc’s pockets untill he found the key to the cages. He was starting towards the cage door when the other guard caught him from behind. Whirling around, Gil barely managed to block the first blow. The second was harmless as well, then he slipped on the blood of the first orc and hit the ground hard. Taking this opportunity, his opponent slashed down into his side, crushing the bone and ripping the flesh and muscle. He screamed out as pain lanced through his shattered chest. With one last effort he got to his feet “stupid little elf!” the orc roared “ doesn’t know when to die.” With that he started a barrage of blows at Gil, who managed to block most of them until he finally found an opening and thrust his sword home.

Tossing the key into the cage he said, “well, you wanted a diversion” and managed a week smile before he fell. As he lay there, images of his home and family flashed through his mind. His father, his mother, and his brother. “His brother! He had not been among the elves in the cages!” screamed through his mind “what had happened to him?”
Then darkness took him, never again would he wake. But he had found his brother, he was right there with him.

[ October 02, 2003: Message edited by: Eladain Moruviel ]