Ralph and the Pixie - Page 504/574

Caught in a vicious crossfire, many of the Goblins tried in vain to climb the steep walls of the ravine to safety. At the last, drawing together what remained of his decimated army, Cir called for a final desperate charge in an attempt to break through the Thane’s ranks.

Immediately, the Thane began shouting orders to his soldiers, and the Goblins found themselves facing an impenetrable wall of shields and spears.

Halwin’s soldiers very nearly succeeded in preventing Cir and the few survivors from escaping. But in the end, they plunged themselves into the deep ravine, were carried away by the Mirrow’s rushing waters, and then they were gone.

The Thane did not stop to exchange any conversation with Mirrindale’s defenders, but went down river in search of Cir.

Satu watched the fleeing Goblins crawling from the river from a safe distance. Having been unhorsed, Prince Cir led them on foot, gnashing his teeth in anger. The waters of the Mirrow were choked with dead.

The Thane’s Elves tracked Cir for some time before losing his trail. Either sensing that he had escaped, or perhaps wary of following him too far, the Thane halted his army’s advance, sent the refugees on a journey out of the Elf Kingdom, and made plans to begin combing the countryside for scattered civilians and soldiers, before a fresh army could arrive from the North to slay the remaining survivors and stragglers that wandered the countryside.