NOVEL WEB Chapter 109: Conflicted Hearts
Aurion rode hard, the hooves of his horse pounding against the dirt as the castle of Himlad came into view. Celebrimbor slumped in his arms, his breathing shallow, his blood staining both their clothes. Aurion's heart raced with a storm of emotions—fear for his friend, anger at the orcs, and guilt that gnawed at the edges of his thoughts.
The gates of the castle swung open as Aurion shouted for help. A group of elves rushed to his side, their faces paling at the sight of Celebrimbor's bloodied form.
"Take him to the infirmary!" Aurion commanded, his voice sharp and unyielding. Two healers carefully lifted Celebrimbor from the horse, hurrying him away while Aurion dismounted and followed, his armor still splattered with the black blood of the orcs.
Curufin stormed into the infirmary not long after, his presence a whirlwind of fury and authority. His sharp eyes immediately found Aurion, who stood by the door, his face dark with a mixture of worry and exhaustion.
"What happened to my son?" Curufin demanded, his voice cold and cutting.
Aurion straightened, meeting the lord's gaze. "We encountered a raiding party of orcs—over a hundred of them. Celebrimbor suggested we return for reinforcements, but I judged that we could handle them ourselves."
Curufin's eyes flashed with anger. "And this is the result of your arrogance! My son, bleeding on a healer's table because you thought yourself invincible!"
Aurion clenched his fists, his guilt rising to the surface. "I didn't force him to fight. He chose to stand with me."
"Don't twist this, Aurion!" Curufin snapped, stepping closer. "You led him into a fight he didn't want, and now he pays the price!"
Before Aurion could respond, a new voice cut through the tension.
Celegorm, Curufin's brother, entered the room with a swagger, his golden hair catching the light. He glanced at his injured nephew and then at Aurion, his expression a mix of amusement and approval.
"Calm yourself, Curufin," Celegorm said, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "You're barking up the wrong tree. From what I hear, Aurion killed every last one of those orcs. Isn't that what we should be celebrating?"
Curufin shot him a glare, but Celegorm pressed on. "These creatures are a blight on the land. They don't deserve mercy, and they certainly don't deserve our pity. Aurion did the right thing, and I, for one, am proud of him."
Aurion blinked, surprised by the sudden praise. "But Celebrimbor—"
"Celebrimbor got himself hurt," Celegorm interrupted, his tone matter-of-fact. "If he'd been more ruthless, he wouldn't have been stabbed. That's not on you, Aurion. That's on him."
Curufin frowned, torn between anger and grudging agreement. "He is my son, Celegorm. I won't have you speaking of him like that."
"I'm not disrespecting him," Celegorm said with a shrug. "I'm just saying what's true. Mercy is a weakness, and weakness gets you killed. Aurion understands that, and he acted accordingly."
Aurion felt a strange sense of relief wash over him. Celegorm's words, blunt as they were, eased the burden of guilt that had been weighing him down. He straightened his shoulders, his confidence returning as he replayed the battle in his mind.
"I did what had to be done," Aurion said, his voice firmer now. "I didn't ask for mercy, and I didn't expect it. I fought to protect our people, and I won. If Celebrimbor was too merciful to see the fight through, that's his failing, not mine."
Curufin's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing, his thoughts clearly troubled. Celegorm clapped Aurion on the shoulder, a grin spreading across his face.
"Exactly. You've got the fire of Fëanor in you, Aurion. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
Aurion nodded, the doubt in his heart replaced by a burning conviction. He had done the right thing. The orcs were vermin, and they had paid for their crimes in blood.
As the healers worked on Celebrimbor in the background, Aurion turned and left the infirmary, Celegorm's words echoing in his mind. Mercy was a weakness—and he would not let it hold him back again.