What is despair?
Omnipresent darkness, terrifying screams, endless enemies from all directions, or extinguished light?
Perhaps these are enough to make people afraid, but they are still insufficient to define despair, because people still have the strength to fight. Even if light no longer appears, they might not necessarily fail.
At this moment, those feeling despair should be the orcs still attacking outside the city.
Wilderness, plains, cavalry against infantry, surprise attack.
This was the current situation.
In the darkness, vaguely flickering silver torrents directly pierced through the great army of tens of thousands of orcs from the center, drowning out screams with thundering hoofbeats.
Even those three sickly green light clusters faded under this offensive. The three quickly retreated to avoid being caught in this torrent.
But sometimes, when facing certain beings, retreat was obviously useless.
"Bard, reform the ranks, charge again!"
Leaving behind an order, the frontmost figure broke away from the formation, charging straight toward those three conspicuous black shadows emanating eerie light.
In some situations, displaying one's presence could bring fear to enemies.
But in other situations, doing so would attract greater terror to oneself.
Swoosh!
All three Nazgûl mounted their terrifying black skeletal horses, unanimously choosing decisive retreat, especially getting far away from that pursuing person.
The overall situation was decided. No need to struggle further.
"Reform the ranks!"
On the other side, after one charge, the cavalry wheeled around, once again pointing their weapons toward the battlefield.
Bard widened his eyes, distinguishing positions of his own forces and the orcs.
It was really too dark here. Even Bard, called a marksman with eagle-sharp eyes, could only see outlines of things before him.
Fortunately, the territory's standard armor colors were relatively bright, or falling in this environment would be getting off easy.
"Charge!"
Ranks quickly arranged, the second wave of assault headed toward the battlefield center.
As for the orcs, they seemed still in a daze with no one giving orders.
The first surprise attack by the cavalry corps was without warning or advance notice. There was no time even to turn around, let alone organize appropriate formations to respond to the impact. Almost at the first moment of contact, the orc army immediately scattered.
Now that cavalry army was reforming ranks again. Facing the incoming second charge, it seemed if they responded promptly, they could reduce losses slightly and manipulate the situation somewhat.
Unfortunately...
The Nazgûl was being chased by someone.
As for commanding the orcs, this newly appointed leader, like other orcs, simply did not know what he should do now, his heart filled only with confusion and fear.
"Charge!"
So they were submerged in the torrent amid battle cries.
"Counterattack, counterattack!"
Seemingly finally knowing what to do, the orc leader frantically shouted the few orders he knew, but it was all useless. This army could no longer organize; at least the orcs were powerless to fight back.
Only a small number of trolls with skin so hard that cutting them would dull blades or even strike sparks possessed some resistance. Standing there, they could stop charging horses' momentum, even overturning both horse and rider.
The few remaining giant beasts followed this trend, but most had been lost in the siege battle, with not many left, posing no great threat.
Seeing several more people knocked flying and falling to the ground with their horses, barely alive, Bard turned, accelerated, raised his extremely sharp spear, and charged toward a giant beast.
"Roar!"
The giant beast raised its arm, thicker than a tree, planning to give this reckless human a bone-deep painful lesson.
At the critical moment when both sides were about to clash, Bard held his breath and suddenly hurled his spear forward!
Thud.
A cold light flashed in the air, instantly crossing dozens of meters to pierce straight into the giant beast's chest.
Whoosh!
Bard quickly lay flat on his horse as the massive approaching arm brought a gust of wind, blowing his hair wildly.
The giant beast staggered and fell in the direction of its arm.
That strike had obviously hit its vital point.
"Well done."
On the walls, Falodan could not help applauding.
"His aim has always been good."
Gandalf agreed.
"You know him?"
"Of course I know him. That is Bard, administrator of the Dale region. I am more surprised you do not know him?"
Gandalf seemed quite amazed.
"He attended Roadside Keep's banquet last time. Did you not see him then?"
"I was watching stars then."
"Uh, you two."
Balin interrupted their conversation: "Never mind about stars. Should we not go out and help now?"
"You are right."
Rumble!
The stones blocking the gate were knocked away as soldiers roared and charged out, their excitement and thunderous shouts making blood boil.
Obviously, after seeing their lord's return and the cavalry corps' charge, these lads were thoroughly restless.
Defense was never Roadside Keep residents' strength. They would prove this point to the enemy.
"Come back, you!"
Swoosh!
A firework sounded as Levi switched to elytra and rushed forward, directly blocking the Nazgûl's path. The moment he landed, he immediately switched back to netherite armor to avoid disaster.
Neigh!
Three black horses whinnied, instinctively fearing the human before them.
Levi pointed his sword forward: "Who is first, or all together?"
Cannot escape.
The Nazgûl silently exchanged glances.
Die once and be done with it. The mission was completed anyway...
They dismounted and drew their weapons.
"Seems you are preparing to come together."
Hiss!
Three different screams intertwined. Levi's runic shield lit up, blocking the impact outside, though he was still inflicted with a poison effect.
No gap to drink honey or milk. Three Nazgûl had already rushed to his front from different directions, swinging their poisoned blades. Two even activated phase abilities, trying to bypass armor and strike flesh directly.
Only the ring-wearing Nazgûl did not do this. Obviously he had experience, knowing that before that runic shield, all magical attacks were futile.
Thud!
Amber light blocked everything outside as Levi quickly swung a sword, but was dodged by the familiar unnamed Nazgûl before him.
He materialized a hammer-axe, seemingly wanting to force Levi into blade combat to create attack opportunities for teammates. Levi unsurprisingly swung his longsword, seemingly really planning to fight him while withstanding the other two Nazgûl's attacks.
Just as sword and axe were about to meet...
Levi canceled this sword swing.
He switched inventory slots on the spot as a shield suddenly appeared in his hand.
Thud!
The shield entered cooldown while the unnamed Nazgûl swinging the hammer-axe was shocked to find his prepared combo had been interrupted, his hand uncontrollably knocked aside slightly.
In that brief moment, Levi had switched back to his longsword, taking advantage to thrust forward.
Boom!
Flames rose as the Nazgûl screamed and fell to the ground, voice full of pain.
As for the other two...
Just as Levi planned to handle the remaining Nazgûl, an eagle's cry suddenly rang in the air.
He looked up to find a great eagle had appeared in the distant sky at some point, and below it, a golden figure on horseback was galloping toward this place.
He stopped on the hill where Levi had previously stood, shouting:
"Ally, I come to aid you!"
Then he raised his sword and charged downward.
As his charge proceeded, dazzling radiance burst from his body. In everyone's vision, his form seemed suddenly much taller, at least appearing larger than before.
Wherever his steps went, the dark clouds and illusions in the sky were forced back by the light from his body.
"This guy is really a beacon. Wherever he goes, he steals the spotlight." Levi was somewhat helpless.
When that person appeared, the Nazgûl also seemed to have their courage shattered. They immediately tried to flee into shadow and escape the battlefield.
But obviously, the person beside them would not allow this.
"Who gave you the courage to be distracted when facing me?"
A longsword pierced through armor, igniting the Nazgûl trying to turn and flee.
When mortals fought Nazgûl, the latter could make many mistakes, but landing just one hit could make mortals suffer unbearably and lose combat ability.
Replace the words in that sentence to describe the current situation. It was the same.
When Nazgûl fought Levi, Levi could make many mistakes, but landing just one hit could ignite flames on the Nazgûl, temporarily removing their combat ability.
And if there were no other accomplices to help, temporarily losing combat ability before Levi basically meant returning to Mordor as a soul.
When that figure radiating dazzling light approached, the Nazgûl had been completely annihilated, leaving only scattered, burned, broken armor on the ground.
"Have I arrived in time?"
"Perfect timing."
Looking at the elegant, golden-haired elf still emanating faint radiance before him, Levi was speechless.
"Glorfindel, how did you follow here?"
Yes, this was precisely that powerful First Age elf lord who had bathed in the light of the Two Trees, with combat power equivalent to a Balrog, and had been living in seclusion in Rivendell since returning to Middle-earth.
In pure combat ability, he was roughly at the same level as current Levi.
When this valiant elf crossed the entire battlefield to reach Levi's side, the dark clouds above also dissipated.
Borrowing the reappearing light of stars and moon, warriors' gazes could thus survey the entire battlefield. Their efficiency in slaughtering orcs increased, and their actions became more unrestricted.
"And what about the great eagle? When did it arrive?"
The warriors' vision was clear, but Levi was completely confused.
"Right behind you. The great eagle arrived not long after you left with the soldiers, bringing some news."
Glorfindel dismounted: "But you rode far too swiftly - I could only follow behind. You know not all horses can match that pace."
Even Rivendell elves' selected fine horses were slightly inferior to Roadside Keep's full-speed horses.
"News?"
Levi caught the key point.
"Elaborate."
The occurrence of all this predated this war's outbreak.