Ch 2 Flight to Rivendell

A loud noise was heard, and 4 of the black riders went into the city, bringing the wooden gate down with their horses. They entered the prancing pony, in search for their prey, Frodo. Entering a room, they stabbed the beds, only to realize that no-one was inside them. They let out their gut-piercing scream in anger, as their prey seemed to slip away.

In another hotel, everyone was gathered in a room, as Strider told them some information about the wring wraiths.

"What are they?" Frodo asked.

"They were once men. Great kinds of men. Sauron gave them the 9 rings of power. They were corrupted over time, and became slaves to his will. They are now the Nazgul. The ring-wraiths. Neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the prescence of the ring drawn to the power of the one. They will never stop hunting you." Strider said.

"Can we cripple them? I fought one hours ago and threw him into the sea." Lin said.

"Is that certain?" Strider asked, not believing Lin.

"It's true. We saw it with our own eyes." Sam said.

"It won't stop them. I doubt it stopped that Nagul you faced. Trust me. They are very hard, if not impossible to fight. It'd take a miracle to escape from them in a fight." Strider said.

As they slept, Lin gathered her thoughts. She wondered many things. For one thing, what about the ring. It made Frodo disappear. What other things could it do? And who was Sauron? It appeared the Nazgul were working for him. Looking out the window, Lin scanned the town one more time, then laid herself on a couch and fell asleep.

"Get up, we're leaving." Strider said, shaking Lin's shoulder.

"Where to?" Lin asked, getting up from the couch.

"I'll tell you later. Right now, we need to leave." Strider said.

Leaving Bree, they trudged thru the mud streets and into grassland.

"Where are you taking us?" Frodo asked.

"Into the wild." Strider answered.

Lin continued walking behind the group, and used her seismic sense to watch the lay of the land. For now, nothing was going on. It was just like the earth kingdom. And Lin had the gut feeling it would be a lot more dangerous than the earth kingdom. So far, she had seen Hobbits, a ring that made people disappear, and the undead/unalive Nazgul. It all seemed like fantasy, but here the chief of police was, seeing it with her own eyes.

"How do we know this Strider, and Lin, are friends of Gandalf?" Merry asked Frodo.

"Believe me. If I wanted to kill or capture you, I'd do so already." Lin said.

"And I believe you are sincere about that." Pippen said.

"What about Strider?" Merry asked.

"We have no choice but to trust him." Frodo said.

"But where is he taking us?" Merry asked.

"To Rivendell." Strider said, not looking back or breaking step.

The news shocked everyone.

"Did you hear that Frodo, we're going to see the Elves." Sam said.

Lin was taken back by the news. Elves did not exist. Just another thing to mark up in this weird planet.

"What's next?" She muttered. "Trolls, goblins, more foul creatures? Dwarves?"

The group continued walking, and Lin smelled the scent of something burning. Turning around, she saw the Hobbits cooking some food.

"Gentlemen, we do not stop until nightfall." Strider said.

"What about Breakfeast?" Pippen asked.

"You already had it." Strider said.

"Yes, but what about second breakfeast?" Pippen asked.

Strider gave the hobbits an odd look, and continued walking. Lin never heard of second breakfeast. Yeah, someone might have a snack or random foods, such as sweets in between the three main courses, but a second breakfeast?

"Strider, do Hobbits eat second breakfeasts?" Lin asked, walking next to him.

"Miss…" Strider asked.

"Lin Beifong."

"Lin, apparently so. I didn't believe it, but now it's true." Strider said.

"If they need something to eat, just take it from the wild." Lin said, grabbing a hanging pear with her metal cables and bringing it to her. Strider watched with surprise as Lin manipulated the metal cable with ease.

"There's more to you than meets the eye." Strider said.

"Same could be said for you." Lin replied.

"You're not from here, are you?" Strider asked.

"No. I'm not from here. The spirits had the brilliant idea to take me from my city, on another world, mind you, and drop me here. For the sole purpose of destroying that ring." Lin said.

"What did you do in your city? And what kind of armor are you wearing?" Strider asked.

"I was the chief of police of the city. Ran the entire police force in the city. Saw a lot of things happen." Lin said.

"Sounds interesting. Must know a lot of combat, stealth, etc. Could be useful right now." Strider said.

"I hope it is." Lin muttered.

"And what about the armor? I never seen anything like it."

"This armor is standard issued for the metal bending police force. We're comprised of a large group of people who can move the earth and metal according to our will." Lin said.

"Sounds normal. I've seen plenty of crazy shit in this world. That doesn't come close to what counts as crazy here." Strider said.

That night, as everyone slept, Strider sang a soft song in the Elven language. Frodo heard bits of it and came to him.

"What was that?" Frodo asked.

"Tis Lady of Luthien. She was an Elf, who gave her love to Beren, a mortal." Strider said, contemplating his own situation with Arewen.

"Get some rest, Frodo." Strider said.

Meanwhile in Isengard, Saruman was holding his hand over the Palantiri, communicating with his new master, Sauron.

"The power of Isengard is at your command, Sauron." Saruman telepathically said to Sauron.

"Build me an army, worth of Mordor. And make it fast." Sauron replied.

"Why the speed?" Saruman asked.

"There is a threat on the horizon. I've seen the women. She can command earth and metal at her will. She could be a great threat to our armies, given enough time. Make an army that can kill her." Sauron said.

"It will be done, my lord." Saruman said.

"This is the great watchtower of Amon Su. We shall rest here tonight." Strider said.

Sitting against a rock formation, Strider opened a leather cloth, holding 4 short swords.

"These are for you. Stay here. I'll look around." Strider said.

"Strider, I should go look around." Lin objected.

"Why?" Strider asked.

"I have seismic sense. I can sense everything in the ground. Even that ant that Pippen just crushed. I can see threat farther than any eyeball in the group. And I can move across earth faster than anyone here." Lin said.

"Which is why you should stay here. You are more qualified to protect the hobbits here than I am. If a threat is coming, take the hobbits and run. Run towards Rivendell. As fast as you can." Strider said.

"And where the hell is that?" Lin asked.

"Here's a map." Strider said, giving Lin the map. "Don't worry about me. I got it memorized."

Lin opened the map, and quickly put it away, not being able to see it in the dark. She took a good look at the landscape, and knew if it was pitch dark, she could see a fire for miles away. She only hoped the Hobbits were smart enough not to light a fire.

That night, she was proven wrong.

"PUT IT OUT YOU FOOLS! PUT IT OUT!" Frodo yelled, stomping and throwing dirt on the fire.

"That's just nice. Ashes on my tomatoes!" Pippen exclaimed.

Lin shot metal bands at the hobbits, shutting their mouths. Brandishing her metal knives, she crouched next to the hobbits, and dangerously glared at them.

"Shut the fuck up. And stay quiet." She growled.

And to their horror, a Nazgul scream was heard.

"Goddamn it." Lin growled.

Lin yanked the metal bands away on onto her armor, and ran deeper into the remains of Amon Su. They quickly arrive at the top, and look around. They were cornered and stuck. The 4 Nazgul approached them, brandishing their swords.

"BACK YOU DEVILS!" Sam yelled.

Sam charged a Nazgul but was quickly tossed aside. Mary and Pippen are also tossed aside. Suddenly, the Nazgul were imprisoned in earth.

"Not today, you bastards." Lin said.

BAM! The Nazgul easily broke thru the earth prisons, shocking Lin. One of them charged Lin, only for Lin to yank his sword out via metal bending. The Nazgul looked at Lin in shock, but continued the attack with another blade. Both combatants clashed with blades, and Lin was quickly tossed aside, but not before grabbing a Nazgul with her metal blades, and throwing him off the fortress.

"Agghhhh!" Frodo screamed, holding his shoulder in pain.

"Strider!" Sam yells, and Stride appears out of nowhere, wielding his sword and a flaming torch. As the wraiths turned to face Strider, Lin stood up and wrapped a cable around another Nazgul, and threw him as far as she was able to.

Strider wasted no time in dealing with the rest of the Nazgul, setting them aflame, and throwing the torch into the 'face' of the last Nazgul.

"Thanks for the save." Lin said.

"You helped take care of them." Strider countered.

"Strider, do something!" Sam said.

"He's been stabbed by a Morgul blade." Strider said, picking up the sword, as it disintegrates in front of him. "This is beyond my skill. He needs elvish medicine."

Strider picked up Frodo and started running, with Lin and the Hobbits running after him. The screams of the Nazgul were heard behind them, showing how close they were.

"We're six days from Rivendell! We'll never make it!" Sam yelled.

"Gandalf." Frodo muttered.

"Hang on, Frodo." Strider said, still running with the additional weight on him.

"Gandalf!" Frodo shouted, as the pain hit.

The group entered the forest and found a place to rest.

"Mr. Frodo." Sam said, placing a hand on Frodo's cheek. What he felt frightened him.

"He's getting cold!" Sam shouted.

"Is he going to die?" Pippen asks with worry.

"He's passing into the shadow world. He will soon be one of them." Strider said.

"Shit." Lin muttered, hoping they wouldn't have to kill him.

"Is there any medicine we can use?" Lin asked.

"There's Kingsfoil. Sam, you know it?" Stride asks.

"Yeah. It's a weed." Sam replied.

Sam and Strider hunted for the weed, while everyone else stayed behind. Lin fully relied on her seismic sense to keep guard. She went into a fighting position, as she sensed someone coming.

Instead of a Nazgul, Lin saw a women riding a white horse, while Sam and Strider walked after her. Lin calms down and watches as the women crouches near Frodo. She speaks in a strange language, something Lin can't understand.

"Frodo, I am Arwen. I have come to help you. Hear my voice. Come to the light."

"Who is she?" Merry asked.

"She's an elf." Sam replied.

As Strider gave Frodo the medicine, Arwen glanced at Lin, then did a double take. Lin held an arm in front of her chest, and shoved a sharp dagger from within her armband. Arwen quickly looked back at Strider.

"Who is she?" Arwen asked.

"A friend of ours. She helped take down the Nazgul. Stay with the Hobbits. I will send horses." Strider answered.

"I'm the faster rider. I'll take him." Arwen answered.

"What are they saying?" Pippen asked.

"Hell if I know." Lin grumbled.

"Frodo's dying. If I can get across the river, the power of my people will save him. I do not fear them." Arwen said.

Mounting her horse, she took Frodo into her arms, and spoke to the horse in the other language. The horse lurched forward, as if energized by the words.

"What are you doing?! Those wraiths are still out there!" Sam yelled.

Lin walked to Strider and asked him a question.

"Friend of yours?" Lin asked.

"Yes. A very… old friend." Strider said.

Lin pinched the bridge of her nose, and remembered something Strider said.

"You said the Nazgul were neither alive nor dead. Can they be killed?" Lin asked.

"No. No mortal weapon can kill them, let alone heavily wound them, unless it was by enchanted weapons." Strider said.

"And said weapons are extremely rare, if they exist at all." Lin added.

"Correct." Strider said.

"Fuck." Lin spat.

Arwen rode the horse as fast as possible. A Nazgul scream was heard, and Arwen made a quick look behind her. She saw all 9 Nazgul riders behind her, baying for her blood, and the capture of the ring. Arwen spurns her horse and crosses the river, stopping in the middle of it. Arwen's horse drinks the water, desperate for relief. The Nazgul horses stopped at the water edge, not wanting to go inside.

"Give us the halfling, She-elf." The lead rider demands.

"If you want him, come and claim him!" Arwen challenges, pulling out her sword.

The Nazgul pull out their swords and their horses enter the water.

"Waters of the misty mountains listen to the great word. Flow waters of Loudwater against the Ringwraiths" Arwen said in Elvish, causing the waters to roar. A flood is in course, and the Nazgul are tossed off the horses, their animals drowning. With the threat over, Arwen dismounts and lays Frodo on the ground.

Arwen looks at Frodo, and realizes what's happening to him. She pleads in Elvish for Frodo's life.

"What grace is given me, let it pass to him. Let him be spared. Let him live."