That night, a sizable orc war-band set out from the Misty Mountains, bypassed Rivendell, and crossed through the Trollshaws, charging toward the desolate wilderness beyond.
Wherever they passed, birds scattered and beasts fled in terror.
At that time, Garrett was still in Rivendell. Due to the cover of the forest, the elven scouts watching the borders only noticed that another war-band had been dispatched from the mountains. But once that force entered the Trollshaws, their exact movements became a mystery.
No one knew what they were planning or where they intended to strike.
Every year, countless orc war-bands emerged from the Misty Mountains; this one appeared to be just another among many and did not attract particular attention from the elves. Besides, they didn't seem to be headed for Rivendell, in fact, their route looked more like a deliberate detour around the valley.
Still, even though they slipped past the elves unnoticed, when they brazenly entered the wild lands, they immediately drew the attention of certain watchful figures.
Out in the wilderness, a Ranger observed the distant shadows, suspicion growing in his mind.
Perhaps something significant was about to unfold.
---
After traveling day and night for several days, the orcs reached a region dotted with forests, plains, and lakes. That day, the orc war-chief leaped onto a massive boulder and peered into the distance.
There stood a stronghold at the far edge of his vision, surrounded by high stone walls, with no view of what lay within.
"We've arrived at last. Enter the forest, construct siege ladders, and launch the assault tonight."
The war-chief issued his commands.
Inside the stronghold walls, animals wandered about peacefully, unaware of the approaching danger. Only the two horses purchased from Bree in the stables seemed to sense something amiss, neighing and snorting nervously, pacing about in obvious distress. But their agitation was destined to go unheeded.
There was no one there to notice.
Only a group of silent iron golems stood motionless, their glowing eyes fixed on the two restless creatures with expressionless faces.
They tilted their heads in mechanical curiosity.
That same morning, Garrett had departed from Rivendell. Thinking of the newly unlocked crafting capabilities, he was eager to return home, traveling without pause, anxious to experiment with his enhanced abilities upon arrival.
Thud!
A siege ladder slammed against the stronghold wall and locked firmly into place.
One by one, the orcs shouted war cries and eagerly scrambled up the rungs.
The first orc to reach the top of the wall noticed that all the surrounding watchtowers stood empty. He let out a guttural laugh and headed toward the gate mechanisms, grasping a lever.
Creak.
An iron portcullis rotated ninety degrees, opening a passage into the courtyard.
Orcs poured through, squeezing in one by one.
Though the gate wasn't particularly wide, it was tall enough to accommodate both wargs and their riders. Entry was somewhat slow, but eventually, the entire war-band could fit through.
The pigs, chickens, cattle, and horses in the pasture regarded the invaders with apparent intelligence, making ambiguous sounds of confusion.
The first orcs and wargs to enter spotted the large number of livestock nearby and couldn't resist, they raised their crude blades, ready to charge in for a slaughter. Saliva dripped from their fangs at the prospect of fresh meat. But the moment they showed intent to attack, their fate was sealed.
RUMBLE... RUMBLE...
The ground trembled, as if some massive creature was approaching.
Before the butcher's blade could fall, a sudden sensation of weightlessness overtook them.
The lead orc felt only a sharp impact to his midsection, and suddenly his vision soared skyward. Turning his head, he saw his warg flying up alongside him.
Thud.
The unfortunate orc rider and his mount were hurled outside the walls, crashing hard onto the rocky ground. His eyes rolled back, he lay motionless.
The sudden appearance of the iron golem instantly caught the attention of the entire orc war-band. Watching their comrade launched into the air, the surrounding orcs were shocked into momentary hesitation.
"Fight back! There's only one of the cursed things!"
The first to recover was the orc war-chief. Seeing the enemy, he immediately roared in fury.
A large group of orc riders bared their fangs and charged, swinging scimitars and snapping jaws in unison. The iron golem, though formidable, was soon surrounded by sheer numbers.
Even though each time the golem raised its massive arm it could send an orc and warg flying through the air, it could only engage one enemy at a time.
Under the relentless assault, cracks soon appeared on its iron frame. Seeing that the creature wasn't invincible after all, the orc war-chief felt relief. Judging by their losses, the situation was still manageable.
Once they destroyed this strange guardian, the stronghold would be theirs.
But in the next moment...
BOOM! BOOM!
An even greater tremor shook the earth. From the corners of the courtyard, the sides of buildings, and various positions they had previously overlooked, towering figures began emerging from all directions.
One by one, massive golems appeared, swinging long, solid iron limbs, sweeping entire groups of orcs through the air. Blood sprayed across the stones, painting the ground crimson.
In the blink of an eye, the war-band of nearly a hundred orcs was scattered like chaff in a hurricane. A full twenty iron golems charged through their ranks, utterly annihilating them. The entire force collapsed on first contact.
One had been a nightmare, now there was an entire army of them?!
The orcs were thunderstruck. Their momentum faltered, then crumbled entirely.
A one-sided massacre had begun. Several riders panicked immediately, jamming the gate in their desperate attempt to escape. In their scramble to be first out, they began fighting each other, cursing and striking with reckless abandon.
Now the narrow iron gate that had once served as their entry point had become an obstacle to their survival.
Soon, one of the orcs was kicked down and collapsed at the threshold. The other fled on his warg without a backward glance.
He cared nothing that his selfish action had now completely blocked the only exit.
Inside the walls, the orc war-chief surveyed the chaotic battlefield, his expression finally turning to pure terror. He roared, trying to rally his troops and mount a counterattack, but it was futile. The sudden arrival of the golem army had plunged the orcs into panic and despair, they were beyond any semblance of command.
Sorcery. This must be some kind of powerful magical construct. With just our numbers, victory is impossible!
The war-chief quickly assessed their dire situation. Realizing that the wisest course was to retreat and report back to the Great Goblin, he shoved aside the orcs around him and fought his way toward the only exit.
"Out of my way, you maggots!"
By now, several orcs were piled up at the narrow doorway, none able to squeeze through the bottleneck.
Behind him, his warriors were being systematically slaughtered, and his own turn was rapidly approaching. Desperate, the war-chief drove his warg forward, trampling through the crowd and scattering his own soldiers.
"AAAGH!"
Screams echoed around him. When the war-chief finally fought his way to the gate, he saw the cause of the congestion.
"Worthless scum! Clear him out of the way!"
CRASH.
Another group of orcs was sent flying through the air by iron fists.
At this point, the war-chief could no longer afford to hesitate. He leaped from his warg and, squeezing through a narrow gap beside the fallen orc, escaped into the night.
Under the dying glare of his loyal warg, the orc war-chief became one of only two survivors.
He would carry the news back to the Great Goblin. Along with it, he would bring the terror that now gripped his very soul.
---
Meanwhile, Garrett was still traveling homeward, riding steadily through the night.
He had no idea what had transpired at his stronghold.
That evening, a series of notifications suddenly appeared in his vision.
[Dúnedain Reputation +50]
[Rivendell Reputation +50]
[Bree Reputation +30]
[Your deeds spread swiftly among the Free Peoples.]
Huh?
The sudden flurry of reputation increases left him utterly confused.
What just happened?