AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey there, I'm WriteFF13 and here it is! I know many of you have been waiting for this story, so here it is! In the second chapter (I'm updating this months after I published the first chapter), I added some runes next to the title. I'll add them here later, don't worry! I am well educated in both The Lord of the Rings and Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy XIII-2. I own all LotR books, and I will often use quotes from both the movies and books out of respect to J.R.R. Tolkien and Peter Jackson (Peter Jackson was the director. Tolkien was the master behind the books.)

Summary: Months after Isildur's heir fled from Bree with Frodo, Pippin, Merry, and Sam and traveled with the Fellowship through the Mines of Moria and Lothlorien, they have now arrived in Rohan, home of the horse-lords. A darkness had settled upon the land, and as Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas proceed to track the Uruk-hai, they are intercepted by Eomer, captain of the Rohirrim, who tells them they slew the Uruk-hai in the night. After discussion, Eomer lends the broken Fellowship two horses and a mysterious Ride cloathed in black, who seems to know Legolas...

The War of Middle Earth

Aragorn scurried behind a rocky outcrop and gestured to his other two companions silently. Gimli and Legolas crouched behind the Northern Ranger and peered around the grassland for any sign of Orcs. Then, a rumble resonated from the ground, and became louder and louder until vibrations rocked the earth. Suddenly, a herd of horses galloped past, all adorned with armor-clad Men. Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas watched the Men pass them unawares that there were three strangers in their land. The Elven cloaks of Lothlorien were more useful than that of Mythril armor. If you were not spotted, what is the use of battle armor?

Aragorn, son of Arathorn stepped forward and shouted, "Riders of Rohan! What news of the Mark?" Legolas and Gimli imitated Aragorn's move and stood back-to-back with the Ranger as the Riders abruptly began to circle the three friends. Gimli nervously hefted his axe and peered at the Riders. Legolas fingered the tail of an arrow, ready to let it fly if need be. The Riders of Rohan lowered their spears as they closed in around the three companions. Their spears were but an inch from piercing Aragorn's neck.

A Rider rode forward; evidently the captain of the group. His armor bore the mark of Edoras: a rearing white horse. "What business does a man, a dwarf, and an Elf have in Rohan?" he asked. None answered. "Speak quickly," the captain commanded sternly as his hazel eyes took in the nature of the people in front of him.

"I would tell you my name if you will speak of yours," said Gimli roughly. The captain stepped down from his horse and glared down at the proud Gimli.

"I would cut off your head, if it stood but a little higher from the ground," the man countered coldly. His words were then met with the unyielding aim of Legolas's arrow.

Legolas. "You would die before your stroke fell." All spears turned to him as the captain stepped back.

"We are friends of King Theoden of Rohan," Aragorn explained calmly.

The captain's eyes saddened as he glanced at his fellow Riders. "The King does not recognize friend from foe anymore," he muttered, and stripped his head of his headwear. "Not even his own kin. Those who remain loyal to Rohan have been banished from Edoras. I am Éomer, Theoden's nephew, and these are the men of the Rohirrim."

The Rohirrim raised their spears as a sign of truce as Aragorn spoke yet again. "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn." The Northern Ranger gestured to the stubborn dwarf. "This is Gimli, son of Gloin, and Legolas of the Woodland Realm.

"We have been tracking the Urak-hai for days. They have captured two of our friends," Aragorn answered, hopeful that the man would give them news of two living Hobbits.

The man shook his head and responded, "We slew them all at sundown yester eve." He pointed to a column of wispy smoke off on the horizon. "We burned the dead."

Gimli held up two fingers and asked frantically, "Two Hobbits! Did you see two Hobbits?"

Éomer's expression was blank as he turned to Aragorn for an explanation. "They would be small – only children to your eyes." Éomer remained confused. He and his men had rode into the Orcs' camp and bore down on them before the Orcs had known what was upon them. Éomer shook his head again as he looked on when Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli cast their saddened eyes to the ground.

"I am sorry," Éomer told them, and whistled to one of the Rohirrim. A peculiar Rider cloaked in dark colors and hooded led two horses, one chestnut and the other a roan horse. The hooded Rider had a cloak that fluttered down to the Rider's vibrant blue eyes that pierced the darkness inside the hood. The Rider was built of a smaller form than those of the others. The mysterious Rider handed the leather reins to Éomer, who then gave them to Aragorn. Legolas clutched the reins of the roan horse and stared at the hooded Rider that sat atop a black horse.

"To guarantee a safer journey, I will lend one of the Rohirrim. This Rider has killed many a Nazgûl, and it would be unwise to underestimate this Rider. May you fare better than the horse's previous masters," Éomer said gravely. "You may look for your friends, but do not trust a hope…it is forsaken in these lands. Farewell." And with that, Éomer and the remaining Rohirrim galloped away quickly, leaving behind the hooded one.

Gimli eyed the Rider suspiciously and said, "I have heard many tales that say no man can kill one of the Nazgûl."

"I am no man." And the Rider cast back her dark hood.

Her brilliant hair shone in the sun, and the crystal blue of her eyes was like the heavenly waters that surrounded the Grey Havens. Her armor was exquisite, crafted with only the most skillful Elven hands. Her slender hands gripped a shield with an odd symbol on it, and a mane of pearl-white feathers cascaded down her left leg, hanging loose and fluttering in the breeze.

Her bright eyes swept across the company until they snapped to Legolas' face. A fire within her fathomless eyes lit.

"Legolas," the Rider breathed. Her voice only reached the Elf's ears. "It's been far too long."

~`~TO BE CONTINUED~`~

I'm sure you can already tell who the mysterious Rider is, but you'll be very shocked at what role he/she plays in the story! Make sure to drop a review, or ask questions, blah, blah, blah!

Write on,

WriteFF13