Written by Phoenix and Sunni
Cantering up the causeway to the main gate of the keep the gates are opened and the horse trots into the courtyard proudly, coming to a halt before a crowd of shocked people of Edoras. Weakly sliding off the horse one of the others takes the horse to where the rest are being kept when Aragorn hears Gimli coming. The dwarf, shocked to see him is elated but all greetings must be kept short for he has to tell the King of the army marching for the keep. Breaking away from Gimli he heads into the main hall where he almost runs into Legolas.
"Le abdollen," {You're late.} he says, a small grin set upon his face when he begins to look his friend over, "You look terrible."
A grin forms upon Aragorn's face at the elf's response and then puts his hand on Legolas' shoulder when he opens his palm to reveal the jewel he'd taken from the Uruk-hai rider. Looking upon the jewel for a moment before he reaches to pick it up. Looking the elven prince he says, "Hannon le." {Thank you.} and goes off in search of the King of Rohan to tell him of the massive army on the move and begins to prepare for battle.
As nightfall comes the group from Sunnydale stands upon the upper wall looking into the darkness. The army was still a good distance away but they were coming and coming fast. Every man and strong boy who could fight were gathered and given armor and swords as Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas looked at them, knowing that things at that moment looked grim.
"Farmers, stable boys, farriers. These are no soldiers." Aragorn says quietly looking at the array of men and boys around them.
"Most have seen too many winters," Gimli replied.
"Or too few." Legolas adds looking into the eyes of some of those who would be fighting that night, "Look at them. They're frightened, I can see it in their eyes." Turning his back to his friends he continues on, "And they should be. Boe a hyn neled herain dan caer menig." {Three hundred against ten thousand.}
Aragorn turns to look at him and says, "Si, berithar hyn ammaeg naned Edoras." {They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras.}
Legolas realizes the future of this battle looks slim and says, "Aragorn, nedin dagor hen û-erir ortheri. Natha daged dhaer!" {They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!"
Striding towards the elf he replies angrily, "Then I shall die as one of them!", the two of them staring each other down as the rest of the room grows silent, then turning to leave Aragorn goes to seek peace outdoors along the wall before the battle begins.
Later on as the time of the battle draws near, Aragorn began to prepare for what was to come. Donning chain mail and other battle gear that he would need. Reaching for his sword to fasten around his waist it wasn't there upon the table where he'd put it. He turned to see Legolas holding it towards him and as he said, "We have trusted you this far. You have not led us astray. Forgive me. I was wrong to despair."
Shaking his head slightly, Aragorn looked at Legolas and then to the group standing behind him and said, "Ú-moe edaved, Legolas." {There's nothing to forgive Legolas.}
As they stood below, inside the keep a piercing sound rang through the air. Turning in the direction of the sound Legolas said, "That is no Orc horn." Turning and quickly racing up the stone stairs with Aragorn not too far behind him, and the rest of the group following out of curiosity. Willow looked at Buffy as they headed out to where the noise had come from and asked, "Do you have a clue what's going on?"
"Right now I'm as lost as you are. Whoever sounded that horn couldn't be the enemy because of they way they took off. But we will find out that's for sure." Buffy said in return as they stood at the landing to the main hall of the keep.
The guards at the gate gazed out over the plain to see a great host of elven archers cloaked in royal blue marching up the stone causeway towards the gates. One guard went to fetch the King as the gates were opened at the archers began to file into the fortress four abreast in a line taking up formation as they waited for orders from their captain.
King Théoden descended the stairs of the main hall and stood before the elven captain as the archers continued to file in when their leader began to speak, "I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between elves and men. Long ago we fought and died together." Aragorn and Legolas reached the landing and were very much surprised to see who stood below them and as their captain looked up to the two concluded by saying, "We have come to honor that allegiance."
Aragorn and Legolas descend the stairs, Aragorn saying to the elven commander, "Mae govannen Haldir." {Welcome Haldir}, "You are most welcome." Legolas and Haldir place their hands upon each others shoulder and the large formation of archer's turns to face them sharply in a single fluid motion and stand at ease. With Legolas standing with his elven kin and Aragorn alongside Théoden, Haldir says, "We are proud to fight alongside men once more."
Elves and men alike stand along the walls of Helm's Deep, awaiting the arrival of the enemy forces. From afar the glow of torches illuminates the ground like a wild fire as it moved closer to the stone walls of the keep. Lightening tears through the sky and thunder echo through the mountains as rain begins to fall as the Uruk-hai army takes up positions in front of the fortress. The Uruk-hai commander stands atop a tall piece of rock as the great sea of soldiers parade past into line. Walking along the top wall with elven archers behind him and Legolas standing with his bow in hand waiting for the signal, Aragorn begins to speak, "A Eruchîn, ú- dano i faelas a hyn an uben tanatha le faelas!" {Show them no mercy, for you shall receive none!"
Growls and snarls rise up from the Uruk-hai horde surrounding the wall of the keep, their breath visible in the cold rain coming from under their helmets. Looking upon the sea of Uruk-hai, Aragorn stares them down from above as they begin to bang the butt of their spears against the ground causing a horrendous racket. Drawing his sword and looking out from the wall the Uruk-hai captain gives a long mighty roar as men load arrows into their bows and await the inevitable battle that had come. The ever-growing noise made one of the soldiers of Edoras nervous and accidentally fires one of his arrows at one of the Uruk-hai on the front line. The elves seeing the shot fired are almost ready to begin to fire when Aragorn raises his left hand and commands, "Dartho!" {Hold!}.
A great howl escapes the struck Uruk-hai soldier as it falls to the ground. Another massive roar erupts from the captain of Sarumans army as his troops charge towards the wall. Readying the elven archer's Aragorn calls out, "Tangado a chadad!" {Prepare to fire!} At this command the elven archer's load their bows and stand ready to fire upon the charging enemy. Looking at the enemy fast approaching Legolas says to his kindred and to Aragorn, "Faeg i-varv dîn na lanc a nu ranc." {Their armor is weak at the neck... and beneath the arm.} Raising his sword into the air, Aragorn gives them the command to fire, "Hado i philinn!" {Release arrows!}
Théoden and the Edorian men volley after the elves and release a string of arrows into the air. Uruk-hai fall to the ground in great numbers as arrows rain from the sky but not to long after they too begin to retaliate with cross bows. Spike, Buffy and Willow stood in the lower level with another set of elf archers only they are awaiting the opportunity to fight hand to hand there were no extra bows in the fortress so that left them fighting with swords. The arrows fired by the Uruk-hai bring down archers of both the men and the elves and upon reaching the wall the vast horde begin to raise ladders to breach the wall. Seeing what was coming Aragorn cried out, "Pendraith!" {Ladders!}
As the long spears the warriors carried pushed the ladders up Aragorn commanded the elven archers to switch from bow to swords. As the first few breached the wall hand to hand combat ensued. To the right a battalion of Uruk-hai, five abreast march up the causeway towards the gate. The front five positioning their shields in front of them to block the arrows fired upon them and those behind carried their shields over their heads, leaving only their right and left sides exposed. Seeing the group advancing, Aragorn has archers on the sides of the keep to fire their arrows at their exposed points. More arrows rip through the air and hit their targets causing many to fall from the causeway but not enough damage was being done to the advancing group since they had to be hiding something under their shields.
From below at the base of the wall where the drain was located, the warriors began to fill the space with the metal spheres while they had a break from the fire of arrows. Three large spheres was enough to fill the space and instantly the host of Uruk-hai part and another comes running up the center with a sparking torch in his left hand. The light of the torch caught Aragorn's attention and calls to Legolas urgently, "Togo hon dad, Legolas! Dagon hon!" {Bring him down, Legolas! Kill him!}
Two arrows were not enough to bring down the torch bearer as he leapt into the space where the spheres were, setting off a cataclysmic explosion which took out one giant section of the main wall of the fortress. A host of Uruk- hai storm through the large gap as water floods out and King Théoden looks on in shock at what has just happened. The group along the causeway reaches the gate and unveils a battering ram concealed beneath the shields and sets into motion the process of bringing down the main gate. The group from Sunnydale is knocked back from the force of the blast and Aragorn who had been standing on one portion of the top wall was knocked to the lower level by the force of the blast. The archers and Buffy and Spike begin to face off with the warriors as they storm the lower level and Willow stands back unleashing fireballs and whatever else she can cook up to use on them. Gimli sees Aragorn lying still, not fully recovered from having the wind knocked out of him at the impact after the explosion and dives from where he is at into a large pool of water below right into the path of the oncoming Uruk-hai. Proceeding to fight off those coming until Aragorn is back on his feet. One final volley of arrows is unleashed by the archers remaining back as the rest fight with swords and Aragorn, now up commands the next move.
"Herio!" {Charge!}
He and the other elven archer's charge into the host of invaders raining down wicked blows upon them as the two groups clash with a great impact. Legolas grabs the shield of an Uruk warrior and uses it to slide down a flight of stairs to the lower level of the fortress. Unleashing a continuous stream of arrows from his bow in rapid succession and at the bottom brings out his two-elven blades and joins in the fight below. After having taken out quite a good number of enemy forces that were storming the courtyard, Spike changes modes and yells aloud, "Is that all you've bloody got! Why don't you try this on for size!"
A large group of Uruk-hai warriors were charging towards him when he roared, " That's right, Big Bad's back! And lookin' for a little action!" and instantly changed into his vampire self.
Spike felt his features change, marking him with the face of a demon and bringing forth all of his demonic strength and speed to the forefront. Which caused the once charging Uruk-hai to stop in their tracks and not move forward at all towards where he stood. The archers remaining back took advantage of the break and fired another volley into the shell shocked invading soldiers. Legolas reached where Aragorn, Buffy and Willow were at a complete loss for words at what was happening.
"He changed didn't he?" Willow asked Buffy over the clashing of metal from above.
"I think he did that's why they are scared shitless." Buffy said in response.
Moving back to where everyone else was, Spike stepped backwards away from the motionless but falling Uruk-hai that were being bombarded by arrows and by Willow's fireballs. As Legolas sees why the Uruk-hai had stopped attacking he jumped back and took aim at him with his bow crying aloud, "Agaryulnaer!" {Blood-sucker.}
Buffy and Willow jump in between Spike and the elf to keep him from firing at Spike. If the arrow hit him in the heart chances are he would go up in dust, but they didn't know how much these people knew about vampires.
"Please stop, he's not a threat to us, just them!" Buffy called out, looking towards the dumbfounded warriors.
"Ro mori!" {He is evil!} the elven prince yelled as Aragorn stepped next to him and said, "Tul Legolas. Ro aa' na'ksh, nan ta moot a' dagon i' goth!" {Come Legolas. He may be evil, but it's working to kill the enemy!}
Théoden begins to call for both elves and men to fall back to after having had the wall breached by the Uruk-hai and their explosives. After defusing the situation between Legolas and the three foreigners to their lands, Aragorn calls for everyone to fall back.
"Nan barad!" {To the keep!} he calls out to the elven warriors as he makes his way towards the tower.
Seeing Haldir on one of the remaining portions of the wall he calls out once more, "Haldir! Nan barad!" {Haldir! To the keep!}
Commanding his kin to fall back, Haldir is attacked by an Uruk-hai soldier that charges suddenly at him. Quickly parrying the blows that are being delivered he kills the enemy by piercing the weak armor with his sword in the chest. Quickly following his kindred he is attacked once more but this one catches him off guard and slashes down his left arm with his sword. Stepping back the elf doesn't see the other warrior charging at him and comes up behind him, thrusting its sword into his back. Aragorn calls out to him and races up a set of stairs that leads towards the wall, fighting off Uruk-hai as he goes when he sees Haldir fall to his knees. Looking at his fallen soldiers, both those elf-kind and human, he is caught by Aragorn as he begins to fall to the ground in what ended up being his final battle.
A cry of rage left him as he charges at a small band of Uruk-hai heading towards them, raining down heavy revengeful blows upon them as he shouts loudly, "Lle dag!" {You shall die!} as he knocks down several of the ladders positioned upon the wall and sending them back to the ground taking out more of the enemy soldiers in the large sea below.
The force of repeated blows now breaks the main gate and those who can, make for the gate to keep it from falling. Aragorn and Gimli head through a secret door and around the side of the fortress undetected till they are standing near the causeway a gap separating them from the enemy and the people of Edoras who are beginning to barricade the gate.
Tossing Gimli first onto the causeway and then leaping the distance himself, the two begin to give the people time to get the gate braced by holding off the enemy attack while the repairs are underway. A catapult towards the uppermost portion of the wall launches giant grappling hooks with ropes threaded through them. Once the hooks were in place, the ladders that were large enough to reach the upper levels of the wall began to be raised with masses of Uruk-hai clinging to them as they rose. Legolas snaps one of the ropes being used with an arrow and sends it and those clinging to it plummeting to the ground. As the gate is repaired, Théoden tells Aragorn to get out of there and Legolas tosses down a rope to them. Grabbing a hold of the dwarf and the rope, they are hauled upwards by the elves above. More grappling hooks roar past them and ladders raised as the climb higher and higher till the reach the uppermost wall. Realizing the fortress is over run, the King orders everyone to fall back once more.
As the sun rises, the Uruk-hai go to work on the next gate to the innermost part of the fortress. Those upon the other side begin to brace the gate as best they could when Théoden says; "The fortress is taken. It's over."
Aragorn moves from the door to where the King was standing at and said with defiance, "You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it. They still defend it. They've died defending it!"
Buffy, Willow, Spike, Legolas and other men of Edoras continue to work on reinforcing the door as Aragorn paces to and fro asking, "Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?"
Getting no answer he asks again, "Is there no other way?"
"There is one passage. It leads into the mountains but they will not get far, the Uruk-hai are too many." One of the guards said at last.
Aragorn quickly responds, "Tell the women and children to make for the mountain pass and barricade the entrance!"
Stopping briefly, Buffy says to Willow, "Go get Anya and Xander and have them join us up here.", getting a quick nod of acknowledgement from her friend as she departs, then swiftly returning with their friends.
Almost in a stupor Théoden says, "So much death... What can men do against such reckless hate?"
Quickly thinking, Aragorn replied, "Ride out with me and meet them."
Turning to look at the ranger the King replies "For death and glory!"
"For Rohan. For your people." Aragorn says back to the King.
It is then when the first rays of sunlight spill through the window and Aragorn begins to remember the words of Gandalf in the stables of Edoras. {Look to my coming at the first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east.}
The King now prepares for one last battle and says, "The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep... one last time." Then crossing the room to where Aragorn stood he said, "Let this be the hour when we draw swords together."
Gimli races towards the giant spiral horn atop the tower and began to blow into the mouthpiece as a menacing sound echoed through the fortress and across the mountains. As they prepare to mount up, Théoden continues to speak and says, "Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath... Now for ruin and a red dawn!"
As the gate his broken down and the Uruk-hai begin to pour into the room, the King yells, "Forth Eorlingas!" and the group begins to charge at the oncoming warriors upon horseback. The horn still sounded as the horses charge through taking out numerous amounts of Uruk-hai with them and the riders downing even more with their swords. Going down the causeway the horses ride two abreast clearing a path and trampling any in their way.
To the east, atop a gravel like hill stood a white horse and rider looking down upon the valley below. A piercing neigh echoes off the mountains as the horse cuts the air with its front hooves. "Théoden King stands alone," Gandalf said looking upon the battlefield as Éomer, captain of the Rohirrim rides to his right side looking down below at what was going on.
"Not alone," he replies as he draws his sword.
As the two stand atop the hill, Éomer calls to the Rohirrim and they ride up and fall into line behind him and Gandalf. The King looks up to see his nephew as the Rohirrim thunders down the hill as Éomer shouts, "To the King!"
The great host of horses was lead by Éomer and his steel gray mount and amongst them was the same shadowy figure charging into battle as he had against the wargs. The Uruk-hai began to take up positions at the bottom of the hill; spears aimed at the charging mass of hooves and swords. As they neared the bottom a blinding white light filled the valley and weakens the Uruk-hai's vision, causing theirs spears to falter as a great sea of horses that had charged down the hill leapt into the vast horde of warriors as they headed towards their King. The fight soon shifted sides, the favor now turning to those from Rohan as they dealt devastating blows to the enemy. When the Uruk-hai began to flee the Rohirrim rode in behind them, herding them away from the fortress and drove them to the border of Fangorn Forest.
Buffy rode up beside the unknown individual who was cloaked in forest green, only his eyes were visible. But those eyes, she knew them all to well. Those deep expressive brown eyes that one could get lost in for an eternity. As the individual cast back his hood, revealing his identity to those around him, the shock of who sat beside her was almost too much. Willow rode up beside Buffy and saw the look of a thousand different emotions etched into her friends features when she looked at the rider next to her seeing a familiar face from home. His soft features and expressive eyes he was a carbon copy of someone they all were dear to, the only difference being that he now had long brown hair instead of the short cut look they'd seen him with before. Still in shock Willow gasped and said aloud, "Oh my god! Angel?!"
Cantering up the causeway to the main gate of the keep the gates are opened and the horse trots into the courtyard proudly, coming to a halt before a crowd of shocked people of Edoras. Weakly sliding off the horse one of the others takes the horse to where the rest are being kept when Aragorn hears Gimli coming. The dwarf, shocked to see him is elated but all greetings must be kept short for he has to tell the King of the army marching for the keep. Breaking away from Gimli he heads into the main hall where he almost runs into Legolas.
"Le abdollen," {You're late.} he says, a small grin set upon his face when he begins to look his friend over, "You look terrible."
A grin forms upon Aragorn's face at the elf's response and then puts his hand on Legolas' shoulder when he opens his palm to reveal the jewel he'd taken from the Uruk-hai rider. Looking upon the jewel for a moment before he reaches to pick it up. Looking the elven prince he says, "Hannon le." {Thank you.} and goes off in search of the King of Rohan to tell him of the massive army on the move and begins to prepare for battle.
As nightfall comes the group from Sunnydale stands upon the upper wall looking into the darkness. The army was still a good distance away but they were coming and coming fast. Every man and strong boy who could fight were gathered and given armor and swords as Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas looked at them, knowing that things at that moment looked grim.
"Farmers, stable boys, farriers. These are no soldiers." Aragorn says quietly looking at the array of men and boys around them.
"Most have seen too many winters," Gimli replied.
"Or too few." Legolas adds looking into the eyes of some of those who would be fighting that night, "Look at them. They're frightened, I can see it in their eyes." Turning his back to his friends he continues on, "And they should be. Boe a hyn neled herain dan caer menig." {Three hundred against ten thousand.}
Aragorn turns to look at him and says, "Si, berithar hyn ammaeg naned Edoras." {They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras.}
Legolas realizes the future of this battle looks slim and says, "Aragorn, nedin dagor hen û-erir ortheri. Natha daged dhaer!" {They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!"
Striding towards the elf he replies angrily, "Then I shall die as one of them!", the two of them staring each other down as the rest of the room grows silent, then turning to leave Aragorn goes to seek peace outdoors along the wall before the battle begins.
Later on as the time of the battle draws near, Aragorn began to prepare for what was to come. Donning chain mail and other battle gear that he would need. Reaching for his sword to fasten around his waist it wasn't there upon the table where he'd put it. He turned to see Legolas holding it towards him and as he said, "We have trusted you this far. You have not led us astray. Forgive me. I was wrong to despair."
Shaking his head slightly, Aragorn looked at Legolas and then to the group standing behind him and said, "Ú-moe edaved, Legolas." {There's nothing to forgive Legolas.}
As they stood below, inside the keep a piercing sound rang through the air. Turning in the direction of the sound Legolas said, "That is no Orc horn." Turning and quickly racing up the stone stairs with Aragorn not too far behind him, and the rest of the group following out of curiosity. Willow looked at Buffy as they headed out to where the noise had come from and asked, "Do you have a clue what's going on?"
"Right now I'm as lost as you are. Whoever sounded that horn couldn't be the enemy because of they way they took off. But we will find out that's for sure." Buffy said in return as they stood at the landing to the main hall of the keep.
The guards at the gate gazed out over the plain to see a great host of elven archers cloaked in royal blue marching up the stone causeway towards the gates. One guard went to fetch the King as the gates were opened at the archers began to file into the fortress four abreast in a line taking up formation as they waited for orders from their captain.
King Théoden descended the stairs of the main hall and stood before the elven captain as the archers continued to file in when their leader began to speak, "I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between elves and men. Long ago we fought and died together." Aragorn and Legolas reached the landing and were very much surprised to see who stood below them and as their captain looked up to the two concluded by saying, "We have come to honor that allegiance."
Aragorn and Legolas descend the stairs, Aragorn saying to the elven commander, "Mae govannen Haldir." {Welcome Haldir}, "You are most welcome." Legolas and Haldir place their hands upon each others shoulder and the large formation of archer's turns to face them sharply in a single fluid motion and stand at ease. With Legolas standing with his elven kin and Aragorn alongside Théoden, Haldir says, "We are proud to fight alongside men once more."
Elves and men alike stand along the walls of Helm's Deep, awaiting the arrival of the enemy forces. From afar the glow of torches illuminates the ground like a wild fire as it moved closer to the stone walls of the keep. Lightening tears through the sky and thunder echo through the mountains as rain begins to fall as the Uruk-hai army takes up positions in front of the fortress. The Uruk-hai commander stands atop a tall piece of rock as the great sea of soldiers parade past into line. Walking along the top wall with elven archers behind him and Legolas standing with his bow in hand waiting for the signal, Aragorn begins to speak, "A Eruchîn, ú- dano i faelas a hyn an uben tanatha le faelas!" {Show them no mercy, for you shall receive none!"
Growls and snarls rise up from the Uruk-hai horde surrounding the wall of the keep, their breath visible in the cold rain coming from under their helmets. Looking upon the sea of Uruk-hai, Aragorn stares them down from above as they begin to bang the butt of their spears against the ground causing a horrendous racket. Drawing his sword and looking out from the wall the Uruk-hai captain gives a long mighty roar as men load arrows into their bows and await the inevitable battle that had come. The ever-growing noise made one of the soldiers of Edoras nervous and accidentally fires one of his arrows at one of the Uruk-hai on the front line. The elves seeing the shot fired are almost ready to begin to fire when Aragorn raises his left hand and commands, "Dartho!" {Hold!}.
A great howl escapes the struck Uruk-hai soldier as it falls to the ground. Another massive roar erupts from the captain of Sarumans army as his troops charge towards the wall. Readying the elven archer's Aragorn calls out, "Tangado a chadad!" {Prepare to fire!} At this command the elven archer's load their bows and stand ready to fire upon the charging enemy. Looking at the enemy fast approaching Legolas says to his kindred and to Aragorn, "Faeg i-varv dîn na lanc a nu ranc." {Their armor is weak at the neck... and beneath the arm.} Raising his sword into the air, Aragorn gives them the command to fire, "Hado i philinn!" {Release arrows!}
Théoden and the Edorian men volley after the elves and release a string of arrows into the air. Uruk-hai fall to the ground in great numbers as arrows rain from the sky but not to long after they too begin to retaliate with cross bows. Spike, Buffy and Willow stood in the lower level with another set of elf archers only they are awaiting the opportunity to fight hand to hand there were no extra bows in the fortress so that left them fighting with swords. The arrows fired by the Uruk-hai bring down archers of both the men and the elves and upon reaching the wall the vast horde begin to raise ladders to breach the wall. Seeing what was coming Aragorn cried out, "Pendraith!" {Ladders!}
As the long spears the warriors carried pushed the ladders up Aragorn commanded the elven archers to switch from bow to swords. As the first few breached the wall hand to hand combat ensued. To the right a battalion of Uruk-hai, five abreast march up the causeway towards the gate. The front five positioning their shields in front of them to block the arrows fired upon them and those behind carried their shields over their heads, leaving only their right and left sides exposed. Seeing the group advancing, Aragorn has archers on the sides of the keep to fire their arrows at their exposed points. More arrows rip through the air and hit their targets causing many to fall from the causeway but not enough damage was being done to the advancing group since they had to be hiding something under their shields.
From below at the base of the wall where the drain was located, the warriors began to fill the space with the metal spheres while they had a break from the fire of arrows. Three large spheres was enough to fill the space and instantly the host of Uruk-hai part and another comes running up the center with a sparking torch in his left hand. The light of the torch caught Aragorn's attention and calls to Legolas urgently, "Togo hon dad, Legolas! Dagon hon!" {Bring him down, Legolas! Kill him!}
Two arrows were not enough to bring down the torch bearer as he leapt into the space where the spheres were, setting off a cataclysmic explosion which took out one giant section of the main wall of the fortress. A host of Uruk- hai storm through the large gap as water floods out and King Théoden looks on in shock at what has just happened. The group along the causeway reaches the gate and unveils a battering ram concealed beneath the shields and sets into motion the process of bringing down the main gate. The group from Sunnydale is knocked back from the force of the blast and Aragorn who had been standing on one portion of the top wall was knocked to the lower level by the force of the blast. The archers and Buffy and Spike begin to face off with the warriors as they storm the lower level and Willow stands back unleashing fireballs and whatever else she can cook up to use on them. Gimli sees Aragorn lying still, not fully recovered from having the wind knocked out of him at the impact after the explosion and dives from where he is at into a large pool of water below right into the path of the oncoming Uruk-hai. Proceeding to fight off those coming until Aragorn is back on his feet. One final volley of arrows is unleashed by the archers remaining back as the rest fight with swords and Aragorn, now up commands the next move.
"Herio!" {Charge!}
He and the other elven archer's charge into the host of invaders raining down wicked blows upon them as the two groups clash with a great impact. Legolas grabs the shield of an Uruk warrior and uses it to slide down a flight of stairs to the lower level of the fortress. Unleashing a continuous stream of arrows from his bow in rapid succession and at the bottom brings out his two-elven blades and joins in the fight below. After having taken out quite a good number of enemy forces that were storming the courtyard, Spike changes modes and yells aloud, "Is that all you've bloody got! Why don't you try this on for size!"
A large group of Uruk-hai warriors were charging towards him when he roared, " That's right, Big Bad's back! And lookin' for a little action!" and instantly changed into his vampire self.
Spike felt his features change, marking him with the face of a demon and bringing forth all of his demonic strength and speed to the forefront. Which caused the once charging Uruk-hai to stop in their tracks and not move forward at all towards where he stood. The archers remaining back took advantage of the break and fired another volley into the shell shocked invading soldiers. Legolas reached where Aragorn, Buffy and Willow were at a complete loss for words at what was happening.
"He changed didn't he?" Willow asked Buffy over the clashing of metal from above.
"I think he did that's why they are scared shitless." Buffy said in response.
Moving back to where everyone else was, Spike stepped backwards away from the motionless but falling Uruk-hai that were being bombarded by arrows and by Willow's fireballs. As Legolas sees why the Uruk-hai had stopped attacking he jumped back and took aim at him with his bow crying aloud, "Agaryulnaer!" {Blood-sucker.}
Buffy and Willow jump in between Spike and the elf to keep him from firing at Spike. If the arrow hit him in the heart chances are he would go up in dust, but they didn't know how much these people knew about vampires.
"Please stop, he's not a threat to us, just them!" Buffy called out, looking towards the dumbfounded warriors.
"Ro mori!" {He is evil!} the elven prince yelled as Aragorn stepped next to him and said, "Tul Legolas. Ro aa' na'ksh, nan ta moot a' dagon i' goth!" {Come Legolas. He may be evil, but it's working to kill the enemy!}
Théoden begins to call for both elves and men to fall back to after having had the wall breached by the Uruk-hai and their explosives. After defusing the situation between Legolas and the three foreigners to their lands, Aragorn calls for everyone to fall back.
"Nan barad!" {To the keep!} he calls out to the elven warriors as he makes his way towards the tower.
Seeing Haldir on one of the remaining portions of the wall he calls out once more, "Haldir! Nan barad!" {Haldir! To the keep!}
Commanding his kin to fall back, Haldir is attacked by an Uruk-hai soldier that charges suddenly at him. Quickly parrying the blows that are being delivered he kills the enemy by piercing the weak armor with his sword in the chest. Quickly following his kindred he is attacked once more but this one catches him off guard and slashes down his left arm with his sword. Stepping back the elf doesn't see the other warrior charging at him and comes up behind him, thrusting its sword into his back. Aragorn calls out to him and races up a set of stairs that leads towards the wall, fighting off Uruk-hai as he goes when he sees Haldir fall to his knees. Looking at his fallen soldiers, both those elf-kind and human, he is caught by Aragorn as he begins to fall to the ground in what ended up being his final battle.
A cry of rage left him as he charges at a small band of Uruk-hai heading towards them, raining down heavy revengeful blows upon them as he shouts loudly, "Lle dag!" {You shall die!} as he knocks down several of the ladders positioned upon the wall and sending them back to the ground taking out more of the enemy soldiers in the large sea below.
The force of repeated blows now breaks the main gate and those who can, make for the gate to keep it from falling. Aragorn and Gimli head through a secret door and around the side of the fortress undetected till they are standing near the causeway a gap separating them from the enemy and the people of Edoras who are beginning to barricade the gate.
Tossing Gimli first onto the causeway and then leaping the distance himself, the two begin to give the people time to get the gate braced by holding off the enemy attack while the repairs are underway. A catapult towards the uppermost portion of the wall launches giant grappling hooks with ropes threaded through them. Once the hooks were in place, the ladders that were large enough to reach the upper levels of the wall began to be raised with masses of Uruk-hai clinging to them as they rose. Legolas snaps one of the ropes being used with an arrow and sends it and those clinging to it plummeting to the ground. As the gate is repaired, Théoden tells Aragorn to get out of there and Legolas tosses down a rope to them. Grabbing a hold of the dwarf and the rope, they are hauled upwards by the elves above. More grappling hooks roar past them and ladders raised as the climb higher and higher till the reach the uppermost wall. Realizing the fortress is over run, the King orders everyone to fall back once more.
As the sun rises, the Uruk-hai go to work on the next gate to the innermost part of the fortress. Those upon the other side begin to brace the gate as best they could when Théoden says; "The fortress is taken. It's over."
Aragorn moves from the door to where the King was standing at and said with defiance, "You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it. They still defend it. They've died defending it!"
Buffy, Willow, Spike, Legolas and other men of Edoras continue to work on reinforcing the door as Aragorn paces to and fro asking, "Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?"
Getting no answer he asks again, "Is there no other way?"
"There is one passage. It leads into the mountains but they will not get far, the Uruk-hai are too many." One of the guards said at last.
Aragorn quickly responds, "Tell the women and children to make for the mountain pass and barricade the entrance!"
Stopping briefly, Buffy says to Willow, "Go get Anya and Xander and have them join us up here.", getting a quick nod of acknowledgement from her friend as she departs, then swiftly returning with their friends.
Almost in a stupor Théoden says, "So much death... What can men do against such reckless hate?"
Quickly thinking, Aragorn replied, "Ride out with me and meet them."
Turning to look at the ranger the King replies "For death and glory!"
"For Rohan. For your people." Aragorn says back to the King.
It is then when the first rays of sunlight spill through the window and Aragorn begins to remember the words of Gandalf in the stables of Edoras. {Look to my coming at the first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east.}
The King now prepares for one last battle and says, "The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep... one last time." Then crossing the room to where Aragorn stood he said, "Let this be the hour when we draw swords together."
Gimli races towards the giant spiral horn atop the tower and began to blow into the mouthpiece as a menacing sound echoed through the fortress and across the mountains. As they prepare to mount up, Théoden continues to speak and says, "Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath... Now for ruin and a red dawn!"
As the gate his broken down and the Uruk-hai begin to pour into the room, the King yells, "Forth Eorlingas!" and the group begins to charge at the oncoming warriors upon horseback. The horn still sounded as the horses charge through taking out numerous amounts of Uruk-hai with them and the riders downing even more with their swords. Going down the causeway the horses ride two abreast clearing a path and trampling any in their way.
To the east, atop a gravel like hill stood a white horse and rider looking down upon the valley below. A piercing neigh echoes off the mountains as the horse cuts the air with its front hooves. "Théoden King stands alone," Gandalf said looking upon the battlefield as Éomer, captain of the Rohirrim rides to his right side looking down below at what was going on.
"Not alone," he replies as he draws his sword.
As the two stand atop the hill, Éomer calls to the Rohirrim and they ride up and fall into line behind him and Gandalf. The King looks up to see his nephew as the Rohirrim thunders down the hill as Éomer shouts, "To the King!"
The great host of horses was lead by Éomer and his steel gray mount and amongst them was the same shadowy figure charging into battle as he had against the wargs. The Uruk-hai began to take up positions at the bottom of the hill; spears aimed at the charging mass of hooves and swords. As they neared the bottom a blinding white light filled the valley and weakens the Uruk-hai's vision, causing theirs spears to falter as a great sea of horses that had charged down the hill leapt into the vast horde of warriors as they headed towards their King. The fight soon shifted sides, the favor now turning to those from Rohan as they dealt devastating blows to the enemy. When the Uruk-hai began to flee the Rohirrim rode in behind them, herding them away from the fortress and drove them to the border of Fangorn Forest.
Buffy rode up beside the unknown individual who was cloaked in forest green, only his eyes were visible. But those eyes, she knew them all to well. Those deep expressive brown eyes that one could get lost in for an eternity. As the individual cast back his hood, revealing his identity to those around him, the shock of who sat beside her was almost too much. Willow rode up beside Buffy and saw the look of a thousand different emotions etched into her friends features when she looked at the rider next to her seeing a familiar face from home. His soft features and expressive eyes he was a carbon copy of someone they all were dear to, the only difference being that he now had long brown hair instead of the short cut look they'd seen him with before. Still in shock Willow gasped and said aloud, "Oh my god! Angel?!"