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Middle-earth Adventure Journal! - 28
🕑 Added 2025-09-27 12:36:49 +0000 UTCChapter 28: Decapitation
The orc army had split into three parts. Two battlefields on the left and right were extremely close. Dense masses of Snaga shrieked as they fought with tall, sturdy Rangers.
Twenty against four hundred! The numerical disparity could reach a terrifying twenty to one!
But the Dúnedain were not falling behind at all. Using dense trees and individual combat abilities far exceeding their opponents, they temporarily blocked the Snaga assault.
At this moment their fighting spirit was intense. Sword edges danced, spear points were sharp—orcs continuously bled under their attacks.
Thunder flashed brightly. Suddenly one person's forehead blazed with light, brilliant crimson red, far exceeding the previous weak white glow, raging and intense like flames. As if that thunder had greatly increased its power.
The Snaga illuminated by this radiance trembled, no longer daring to fight. After throwing down weapons, they retreated, rolling and crawling. The Dúnedain Rangers took advantage to pursue and kill. After some slicing and dicing, the two groups actually managed to converge successfully.
Surrounding Snaga were all intimidated by that crimson radiance, cowering and only daring to surround at a distance, not daring to advance. The converged Rangers, after simple formation, launched a fierce charge.
At this time, the red light quietly retreated. Without intimidation, the Snaga surrounded them again. Both sides once more began intense combat.
The serried ranks of black orcs pressed forward directly. Spears and sword-shields coordinated to push the Dúnedain back into denser forest depths.
At another battlefield, Elrohir dodged sideways from a black curved blade's strike, then twisted his waist in a flying kick, sending a great orc attempting ambush flying over two meters.
Then he leaped up, drawing his war bow while avoiding two short spear attacks. The arrow tore through the black night, tracing half a silver arc in the air before penetrating a Black Beast's chest.
With its vital strength sapped, the fearless beast faltered. Elladan seized the moment, his silvery-white axe sweeping wide in a terrible arc that cleaved through three approaching great orcs, sundering both flesh and crude iron alike. Swift as a hunting cat, he slid backward, the whistling black club splitting only empty air.
Both legs slid across wet grass while both arms tensed, gathering power before swinging out violently, splitting the arrow-wounded Black Beast in half at the waist. After the kill, he used the slashing force to spin and straighten his legs, continuing forward without stopping.
"Stop him!" Over ten great orcs surged forward, blocking Elladan's path.
They all wore thick iron armor with face-covering helmets, heavy footsteps, gripping black spears over two meters long. Even under rain washing, they reeked of foul odors. As if filthy things had penetrated into the steel itself.
"Swish, swish, swish"—three arrows broke through air, cutting through rain curtains, successively drilling into armor gaps, tearing open a breach in the great orcs' encirclement.
Luna, having shot three arrows in succession, did not pause at all. Her arm swung violently, using her war bow to knock down two great orcs attempting to attack her. Then she ran wildly without stopping, shaking off black shadows trying to surround her.
Before fleeing, she also pulled out two arrows stuck in corpses' legs. The arrows she had brought were long exhausted. Arrowheads hitting heads and chests would likely be damaged by bones. Only arrows hitting legs and abdomen could be reused.
More flesh indeed did not damage arrowheads, but was also difficult to pull out!
With Luna's help, Elladan did not hesitate. Running wildly, his long axe blocked left and chopped right, leaving two corpses with split armor as he charged through the gap Luna had opened. But was then blocked by three Black Beasts.
Three heavy wooden clubs swept across, almost sealing all his forward paths.
"Blast!" Elladan spat unluckily, completely lacking any elven noble son image. His feet moved repeatedly, avoiding club attacks. With a clear whistle, he turned his head and changed direction.
Before those great orcs behind could completely surround him, he shook off enemies. Preparing to again seek opportunity for attack.
The target was naturally that Black Beast in heavy protection. Or rather, the big head behind it!
This was not their first cooperation, but they failed each time. Enemy numbers were indeed decreasing every moment, but their stamina was also rapidly consumed in fierce battle.
In this knife-edge dancing combat, no one knew how long they could persist. Even the distant Dúnedain Rangers restraining several hundred Snaga were the same! They needed to accelerate, or they would be exhausted to death.
At this time, Aedric advanced step by step along dense undergrowth, trying to keep himself in shadows. Both hands gripped Mithreleth tightly, brows furrowed, eyes determined. Deadly focused on that big head continuously giving orders.
That should be Ghost Brain!
Sweat and rainwater mixed together. After sliding into his mouth, it carried a slightly salty taste. Aedric dared not wipe it away, even removing his hood, worried that strange sounds from rainwater dripping would attract enemy attention.
He was too nervous, not thinking carefully. Those "pat pat pat" sounds could actually only be heard by himself. Heavy rain fell, making the entire forest rustle. Subtle noise was already absorbed into the storm.
Fifty meters. Forty meters. Thirty meters. Twenty meters.
Continuing forward, close enough to hear the other's roars.
"Waste, stop that elf; do not let him come over."
"Fool, raise spears to block the road—you cannot hit elves anyway!"
"Garbage maggots! Go chase that female elf quickly. If you do not want to be shot dead, move your lazy legs faster!"
"Chase quickly, chase quickly!"
Ghost Brain continuously gave orders. His eyebrows, eyes, and nose squeezed together, his expression as ugly as possible. Clearly in an extremely foul mood.
Ghost Brain had not known elves existed nearby. If he had known, he would never have launched this attack. He would have obediently listened to the dark sorcerer's suggestion, taking his younglings to change nests and hide.
With his current strength, he could not provoke elves!
Ghost Brain's imagined enemies had always been those humans wandering the wilderness. And not too many in number.
When wilderness Rangers guarded the Shire, he had also sent people to collect everything about Rangers. Just entrusting Barbara and Bakus at the inn. Humans monitoring humans was naturally easier.
He had indeed obtained some intelligence. The Golden Wheat Sheaf Inn had once received guests—a group of tall humans who looked travel-worn but determined. They warned Old Wheat Sheaf that nearby shadows grew increasingly serious; it was better to move to the village residence.
Those shadows actually referred to Ghost Brain. He had always been causing trouble, testing. Then this group went north.
Ghost Brain felt opportunity had come. With Barbara's cooperation, he successfully infiltrated the Shire, preparing to establish his own tribe, his own power, and even his own orc kingdom in this vicinity.
With enough food, his younglings would reproduce quickly, very quickly. And food—naturally rob those weak Hobbits! Simply the easiest, fattest, and most tender granary.
Results showed attacking the first village was not smooth. Having humans intercept him was acceptable. But even elves actually appeared!
Now he knew how his two Black Beasts died. If he could have figured it out then, it would not have been too late—he would definitely have turned and run, then found ways to leave the Shire!
However, thinking about this now was too late. Both sides had already clashed, and those three elves' target had always been himself. Running was impossible. In forests, no one could outrun elves. This was common knowledge.
Ghost Brain could only try to eliminate them, then continue attacking while maintaining momentum, seizing enough food before quickly leaving this area! Elves were creatures where if you killed one, soon a group would appear to hunt you. Each stronger than the last, always able to find you!
Watching another Black Beast cut in half by an elf's battle axe, Ghost Brain wailed inwardly: "My hard-earned possessions!"
He shouted loudly: "Kill him, kill that axe-wielding elf!"
But completely failed to notice an enemy had also come from behind.
Aedric's expression showed some hesitation. This small distance, under normal circumstances, would take less than three seconds to run. But now, a group of armored great orcs blocked the middle. Eyes faintly gleaming in darkness watched alertly in all directions.
They had darkvision—approaching silently was impossible.
Should he try throwing again? Aedric's eyes trembled slightly. Using his slowest possible speed, he stood up, slowly drawing the dwarf dagger from his waist bit by bit. His body leaned back, slowly gathering power, preparing to throw it like a javelin.
He did not particularly like throwing, but every use had miraculous effects. Strangled Gray-skin, the Barrow-wight bound by vines—these were naked proof.
Just then, a wet thing suddenly crawled up from the ground. Black long hair clung wetly to its body, looking like a strange creature built from bone framework. Blood-red eyes glanced over, then suddenly raised its head toward Aedric's direction, barking "woof, woof, woof."
"Discovered?" Aedric's brain buzzed as hot blood surged from his heart. Exploding throughout his body!
He violently threw the dagger. "Smack"—it was blocked by a raised shield.
"Blast!" Aedric swore, gripping Mithreleth with both hands. Running while his arms accumulated strength, Mithreleth hung low, sharp blade scraping through grass.
His boots struck earth and he surged ahead. Seven meters became nothing in a single bound, and the silvery-white steel traced a fan of light through the rain as the great orcs barely began to raise their weapons.
Leather armor was no match for Mithreleth. Interlocked iron rings were also torn apart. Hastily raised crude wooden shields were cut in half. Fragile necks were similarly split in two.
The helmeted head flew backwards, rolling to Ghost Brain's feet!
One strike left four or five great orcs fallen—dead and wounded. Black foul blood slowly seeped into the earth under the washing rain. Instantly dyeing green grass gray and dark.
Dark power would pollute Yavanna's creations, making them wither and decay unto death.
"Kill him!" Ghost Brain looked at the head on the ground, then raised his head to see that heart-stopping long sword. His voice became shrill like a boiling teapot—extremely piercing!
Most orcs surrounding Ghost Brain moved, leaving only the final two guard layers. Two Black Beasts also turned around, striding back with heavy steps.
"Get out of the way!" Aedric roared, flying a kick into a shield-bearing Snaga charging up.
Great force sent the opponent flying two or three meters, rolling on the ground, tripping two great orcs wanting to charge quickly, then tripping several more who could not brake. Instantly chaotic.
At this time, he was only eight meters from the big head!
Aedric did not hesitate, charging directly in while shouting: "Die!"
Mithreleth swept up and left, knocking away the curved blade while thrusting forward, the blade penetrating armor gaps through the heart. Withdrawing brought out a spray of foul blood.
Seven meters away!
A Snaga charged with shield raised. Aedric charged head-on, both arms raised with wrists turned down. Using his height advantage, he delivered a fierce chop.
Sword edge from top to bottom, splitting the shield and that ugly head. Not stopping, he stepped over the corpse to advance again.
Two war spears thrust but were a step slow, barely scraping Aedric's cloak edges, leaving two tears.
Six meters away!
Aedric thrust once, stabbing dead the Snaga, both arms forcefully flinging it aside. Then his right shoulder sank.
A curved blade cut through the cloak with "ripping" sounds, sliding down gray chainmail. Leaving deep marks on iron rings.
Advance preparation finally played its role. After being attacked, Aedric's form staggered slightly, then suddenly vanished before everyone's eyes.
At this time, five meters still remained!
In an instant, the previously lively battlefield quieted. Surrounding orcs looked at each other. Two Black Beasts raised wooden clubs but did not know where to strike! They even took time to scratch their heads!
"There, there!" "Fool! There, there!"
Ghost Brain, lying on the Black Beast's back, saw clearly, pointing at the figure revealed by rainwater and roaring loudly. In desperation, he even drew a dagger from his breast, throwing it violently.
Simultaneously urging his servant carrying him: "Quick, retreat quickly, take me somewhere safe!"
He had a similar experience, personally witnessing black-robed Nazgûl vanish instantly before his eyes! Terrifying!
However, the invisibility ring was not the One Ring. It could only make people disappear from ordinary sight, not enter another world.
Initially, it would certainly startle surrounding people, but after being reminded, Aedric's rain-revealed form became very conspicuous. Orcs all had darkvision, and his build was very tall—impossible to hide.
Aedric had not thought of hiding either. He wanted exactly this moment of orc surprise.
He dodged the dagger, suddenly stepping forward two steps, avoiding the Black Beast's whistling club, then raising his knee to knock down the Snaga blocking him, then using his thumb to remove the ring from his middle finger.
He needed a less slippery footing. Moreover, wearing the invisibility ring in rain allowed countless points of light to fly before his eyes. Even without trypophobia, that was torture!
"Ha!" Aedric shouted loudly, heavily stepping on the fallen Snaga's body. One foot exerted force, using all his strength to leap up, breaking through rain curtains, jumping over those two layers of guards heavily surrounding the leader.
Mithreleth raised overhead struck fiercely at the terrified big head.
Just then, the guarding great orcs finally reacted, hastily raising spears toward Aedric's back!
"Go quickly! Go quickly!" Ghost Brain frantically urged, only wanting to get farther from that long sword, forgetting the front was also a battlefield. The Black Beast stepped forward, shields swaying, revealing some gaps.
Instantly, a green-white arrow broke through the air, "smack"—penetrating deep into its eye. The Black Beast stopped.
"Move!" "Protect me!" Ghost Brain still screamed heart-rendingly but saw sword light like lightning striking toward himself.
Then he knew nothing more.
