The wild howls of the orcs and the terrified cries of elves filled the air. From a small crack in the defenses they had erected behind the door, Caledorn could see that the entire city was aflame. Orcs lumbered past as they raided and killed up and down the streets. So far they hadn't bothered to check the tower that Caledorn and his companions were barricaded in, but it was only a matter of time.

Little Gelmir sat next to the dark clad elf, his wide eyes darting back and forth between Caledorn and his parents.

"Are the crooked elves gonna kill us?" He asked suddenly, tugging on Caledorn's cloak.

By crooked elves Caledorn assumed that the boy was talking about the orcs. The comparison made him flinch.

"No, child. So long as we're in here we shall remain safe." He ran a finger absently on his bowstring, knowing just how untrue his words were.

"And bird man's beard will keep them away!" Lithiel, who was on the other side of the room with Flicker, laughed. The ranger's mouth turned up on one side in a grin.

"Aye, lass. You're all safe here." Flicker was repairing an arrow as he spoke, and Lithiel curiously pointed at it.

"What're you doing?" She asked.

Flicker beckoned her closer and showed her the arrow. "Sometimes when you use arrows too much they lose their usefulness. I'm making sure that I'll be able to use this one."

"I wanna learn!" The elf lass exclaimed.

"I suppose you do!" Flicker replied with a laugh. "Elves love their bows and arrows. Here, take this brush. It's for fixing the feathers on the end."

"What do I do?" Lithiel asked, holding the brush and looking at it in confusion.

"See how the feather is frayed? Run the brush against it."

The young girl began brushing it, but she quickly grew frustrated when it remained uneven.

"Help?" She asked, looking at Flicker and batting her big blue eyes at him. The ranger laughed and took her little hand, guiding it along the feathers.

"Now you try," He said encouragingly, releasing her hand to let her try it herself.

She began again, this time repeating what Flicker had shown her, and when the feather went back into place she smiled and raised a fist triumphantly.

"I did it!" She exclaimed.

"Aye, that you did lass! You're better at it than most of my ranger friends, too!" With that he gave her a wink, and handed her several more arrows. "Want to fix these too?"

"Yes," She replied, grabbing the arrows greedily.

"Remember what you say," her mother reprimanded.

Lithiel gave Flicker a sly smile. "Thank you."

"You're welcome lass." He went back to work on his bow, but Lithiel leapt up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Will you be my uncle?" She asked.

Flicker burst out laughing, and gently pulled her off of his neck. "Definitely! I've never had an elf niece before!"

Lithiel giggled and ran off to work on her arrows. Flicker shook his head in amusement and began to restring his bow.

"She's an energetic lass," he said, giving her mother a grin. "Must be a handful."

"That she is," the mother, named Elwin, replied with a nervous smile. She was clearly frightened by their predicament, but was trying to keep distracted by looking over the bookshelf that sat in the room.

"Try that one," The ranger said as he pointed to a leather-bound book with golden lettering. "The Legend of Berenthor the Strong. One of my favorites as a boy."

Elwin carefully pulled it from the shelf and flipped through the pages.

"It sounds exciting," she said.

"Aye, that it is. Berenthor's quite the character!" Flicker leaned back in his seat as he recalled the story. His favorite part had always been when Berenthor fought a dire warg all by himself, unarmed, and won because he tricked the warg into leaping off a cliff. He smiled at the memory of his father reading it to him as a child, his voice turning deep and raspy when the warg spoke and loud and brave when Berenthor spoke.

Elwin sat down and began to read it, and for the moment she seemed to be distracted from the current situation. Flicker stood and walked over to Gelon, the father, and pulled him aside.

"We need to talk," He told him as he led the elf upstairs.

"What are we going to do?" The father, whom Flicker had discovered was named Gelon, asked once they had reached the uppermost chamber.

"We have to stay here in the tower until there's an opening," Flicker replied. "But if the orcs come before then, take your family through this window." He pointed to a closed window that was near the top of the tower. "I saw path from there that will lead you away from here into the harbor district."

"What about you and Caledorn?" Gelon asked worriedly.

"Don't worry about us." Flicker flashed a confident smile at the elf. "Just make sure your family gets to safety."

Gelon smiled at the ranger in thanks before returning down the stairs to his family. Flicker walked slowly to the window and gripped the sill as he stared out at the destruction. Buildings collapsed as the flames consumed them, and the streets ran with the blood of the Eldar. The ranger's normally carefree spirit sunk as he saw what lie before him, for he knew now that there was little hope of victory.

"Do you think there's any hope?" He asked aloud, more to himself than anyone else.

"If there is, it is faint," Caledorn replied. He had come up the stairs silently and was now standing beside the ranger.

"Faint or not, we have to try," Flicker said. "Gelon and his family are counting on us."

Caledorn nodded and leaned against the windowsill, his eyes cast toward the sky.

"There's stars up there. We can't see them now but they're always there. Even when this world is at its darkest, they shine bright."

"Sort of like elves, eh?" Flicker said with a faint smile. "Always there. They never have to worry about their light being quenched."

"Elves do though," Caledorn replied. "We die just like men in battle."

"Aye, but your people could just flee this wretched place. You could live forever in peace somewhere, anywhere else. Why don't you?"

"Because as long as this land has hope, we shall stay," Caledorn said. "And as for me... I still have faith in Men, whether they deserve it or not."

Flicker smiled slightly, but did not respond. The two stood, watching in silence for several calm moments.

But their momentary peace was disrupted when a loud thump sounded from downstairs. Caledorn and Flicker looked at each other and quickly leapt down the stairs, drawing their weapons as they did. When they reached the bottom, Gelon was standing protectively in front of his family, who were huddled in the corner of the room. Someone, or something, was banging on the door loudly.

"Take this," Flicker said. He drew his dagger and handed it to Gelon, who looked at it uncertainly before brandishing it in front of himself.

Flicker stood in front of the door, his sword held high. Caledorn had his bow drawn and was standing just behind him and to the right.

The thumps grew louder, and it was clear now that it was no orc that was attacking the door.

"A troll," Flicker murmured. "I saw one on the street earlier. When he breaks through we won't have time to flee."

"Then we shall die fighting," Caledorn asserted.

Flicker turned and looked the elf warrior in the eye. "No. They won't make it alone." He pointed to Gelon and his family. "You need to go with them."

Caledorn's eyes widened. "You cannot fight a troll alone and prevail, you'll need help!"

"I don't plan on prevailing," The ranger replied. "I just plan on giving you enough time to get them out of here."

Lithiel ran to the ranger, tears streaming down her full face. "You have to come with us! You need to teach me more about bows and arrows!"

"Don't worry lass, I'll be with you again soon," Flicker replied with a smile. It seemed to satisfy the girl and she ran back to her mother. Flicker watched her go, his expression sad yet at the same time determined.

Caledorn put a hand on the ranger's shoulder. "I could stay instead."

"No. My life is fleeting, yours is eternal. It is worth far more than that of a simple ranger. Live it to the fullest my friend." Flicker's eyes began to well up with unshed tears, but he remained resolute.

"You have much to live for too!" Caledorn replied. "Flee with us, we may yet make it!"

"If nobody stays to stop them, they will overtake the rest." Flicker embraced his elven friend. "Keep them safe. They don't deserve to fall here. My ancestors await me, and I will meet them soon without humiliation; I have played my part here in this life."

Caledorn could think of no more to say, and even if he had had the words to speak the lump in his throat wouldn't have allowed for it. He returned the embrace and looked the ranger in the eye. What he saw there was not fear, nor sadness... But peace. As if he had already accepted his fate and was ready for it.

"Go, now!" Flicker exclaimed as the door began to buckle. "Don't look back!"

Caledorn quickly came to his senses and rushed the family up the stairs. As he mounted the first step he heard the door crash open and fall to the ground.  He turned one last time and saw Flicker raise his sword and charge headlong into the flames. The dark shape of a troll and many orcs could be seen, but the ranger showed no fear as he rushed forward. He quickly cut down two orcs who attempted to rush through the door and sliced at the troll's stomach. He let out a cry of pain as an orc slashed into his back from behind, but he quickly spun around and beheaded the creature with a powerful slice. He was soon surrounded and overwhelmed by the enemy, but as he fell under the blows of two dozen foes he still continued to fight, a final battle cry on his lips:

"Defend the North!"

Note: The song attached to this chapter is what I consider Flicker's theme. It fits his personality well and conveys his kind, yet rugged nature. And ultimately, it fits his selflessness, which is what cost him his life but saved the lives of many others.