No Last Stand by elennalore

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Fanwork Notes

Written for the Dark Matter challenge. My prompts (that won't appear in the ficlet) are 1. Motifs and Tropes: last stand and 2. Words and Letters: commas.

Fanwork Information

Summary:

An Orc is writing to their loved one in the War of Wrath.

Major Characters: Original Character(s), Orcs

Major Relationships:

Genre: Drama, Experimental, Ficlet

Challenges: Dark Matter

Rating: Teens

Warnings: In-Universe Racism/Ethnocentrism, Violence (Mild)

Chapters: 1 Word Count: 295
Posted on 22 February 2025 Updated on 22 February 2025

This fanwork is complete.

No Last Stand

Read No Last Stand

To Kerûk at the command centre

I hope you are well. Excuse me for this hastily written letter. I took shelter from the great battle but it won’t be for long until bloodshed moves this way. The wrath of the Powers is immense. I have seen that they won’t show any mercy toward our kind.

I witnessed Ancalagon fall like a dark mountain from the sky. A piercing light like one of the Silmarils is moving around the battlefield. My troops were terrified of the light that can burn your skin off if you go near. We lost Asha that way.

I should not frighten you with my stories. I know you have a strong heart but this chaos would be too much for even you. I’m writing to you for only one reason. Please hear me now.

I have inside information: the Lieutenant is nowhere to be found. He should be here with us but he has vanished. I have only one explanation for this: it will be hopeless to continue fighting. I can’t leave the battlefield – but you can still escape. It will be the only hope.

Let me tell you: there will be no last stand. We are already defeated. They will kill everyone except those who are able to escape like our Lieutenant did. The hope of our people will lie in those who survive.

Please hear my words and act before it’s too late. I know this is much to ask. You are not raised to yield. But you must do this! Go as far from this place as possible. Seek the Lieutenant if you can. He will know what to do next. He always knows.

I’ll pray for you. My love.

Gimbu


Leave a Comment


Great title! And what an interesting idea! So much to think about here. 'I will pray for you' of course makes me wonder who Orcs pray to - I confess I hadn't thought about this before. I really enjoyed reading this. (And I've written a comma-free comment!)