To Whatever End: Chapter Seven
-Erin-
My mind was reeling as I strode through the halls of the citadel later that evening, the peace and silence welcome as I grappled with my thoughts. Not a single sound shattered the stillness of the air, my footsteps light and soft as I aimed for the room I'd been shown to by a servant shortly after our initial meeting with Denethor. My body ached due to the hard ride from Edoras, and I probably should've taken a nap or a decent bath by now, but I'd been too distracted to relax. So I'd thrown all my stuff onto the nearest bed, shed my cloak, and then immediately taken off to wander the citadel undisturbed. I had no clue how long I'd been gone, but I didn't care. I needed time alone. I needed to think, particularly about the hostile interaction I'd had with Denethor earlier.
For awhile now, I'd been fixated on our conversation - brief though it had (thankfully) been. Although I can't say I'd expected him to be especially nice to me, I'd left the hall feeling... shaken. As I turned a corner, my expression fell into a frown of worry and fear. Even now, I could hear his words ringing in the back of my mind, taunting and accusing. For a moment, I closed my eyes, but all I could see was blood pooling on the stones beneath my feet, and they flew open again a second later. I would never be rid of that memory, I knew.
Truthfully, though, what had thrown me off more was the second half of the conversation between Denethor and I. My frown deepened as I remembered his snide, mocking words, and a shudder ran through me. You are not so well concealed as you believe. I swallowed, loathe to admit how much he'd managed to terrify me with just one sentence. But I'd be a liar if I tried to deny the tension wound through every inch of my body, or the way I could still feel my heart hammering in my chest. Because Denethor knew. I had no idea how, but he knew. He knew who I really was, and where I was really from. Somehow, he'd found out.
But how? How could he possibly have known? I couldn't wrap my mind around it - I'd never been this far south once in my life, and none of the people that knew my true origins would have been in contact with him to somehow let it slip. So how did he know? And if he knew about me, did he know about Kaia and Kathryn as well? Or did he even know the full extent of the truth at all? Maybe he'd been bluffing and just made a scarily accurate shot in the dark. But even as I thought it, I knew that wasn't true. I'd seen the dark glint in his eye and heard the chilling mirth in his tone. How would Denethor have known my alias was a lady of Fornost unless he knew it was only a coverup? He's never seen me before, he's never met me before... and yet he knows. How does he know?! If someone was going around whispering the truth about us Earth women, they had to be stopped. But who could it possibly be? I had no idea. I didn't know a single person in this city besides Gandalf and Pippin, and even Pip didn't know about all the Earth stuff. So it couldn't have been him, and it sure as hell wouldn't have been Gandalf. Which left me with exactly zero suspects left to pinpoint.
As I reached the door to the room I shared with the wizard and hobbit, I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm as I stepped inside. Thankfully, neither of my two roommates were currently present - likely at dinner, judging by the low light of the coming dusk creeping across the skies. I kicked off my boots and tossed them aside, feeling no pull whatsoever to go join them. Instead, I flopped down onto my bed, running my hands over my face as I stretched out on my back, legs dangling over the edge. I was absolutely exhausted. Since our arrival in Minas Tirith, everything had shifted, as if I'd been sucked out of my old world and thrown into a new one for a second time. New setting, new atmosphere, new players with strategies and agendas I knew practically nothing of. It was all so unnerving and uncomfortable, and at the moment all I wanted was to run to the stables, grab my horse, and head straight back to Edoras. I hadn't even spent a full day in Minas Tirith yet, and already wanted to leave.
But I couldn't. I knew I couldn't. I'd already made my decision and promised myself I was going to help save these people from destruction... somehow. I sighed, the impossible task settling over me like a heavy cloak as I started to realize how truly out of my depth I was. What can I even do, though? I can't prevent this battle from happening, and I'm not some superhuman warrior who could single-handedly drive back Sauron's forces when they attack. I have no influence or status here that could help drive Denethor out of power. I have nothing. I don't even have an idea of where to begin. Despair began to creep into my heart, cold and unshakeable. After a moment, I pushed myself upright, sitting on the bed and facing the open balcony which gave us a view of the south, an endless expanse stretching onwards into the night. At this point, I almost don't know what's worse. The threat of Sauron ready to tear this place apart, or the threat of Denethor ready to run Minas Tirith into the ground all on his own. My heart sank as I thought of Boromir again, and how heartbroken he would've been to see this city as it was now. I wondered if he'd known of his father's madness, or if he'd left for Rivendell with only memories of a strong willed man with a good heart and sharp mind.
As I stared out past my balcony at the darkening horizon, my thoughts drifted to my own father, far off in a completely different world somewhere. If only he could be here to see all this. He'd lose his mind if he knew Middle-Earth was real. I smiled to myself as I thought of him sitting at his desk in his trademark flip-flops and shorts, blasting Bob Marley through the house as he worked. So much of me was found in him. But as the image lingered in my mind, my smile wavered, and then faded, a pang of sadness piercing my chest. "...I miss you, Dad," I whispered to the silent air, wishing for an answer but receiving none. For a moment, I closed my eyes, the painful sting from what I'd seen in the palantír still fresh and new. I thought I'd moved on from my life back on Earth, but ever since that night, there'd been a constant, unrelenting ache in my chest reminding me of what I'd lost. What I'd never get back. The home I'd known for all my life that was just... gone. Even after six years, I'd hadn't found anything like it in Middle-Earth, and by now I wondered if I ever would at all. I had no family, no place to call my own... nothing. And despite everything I'd been through, I felt incomplete. This world had given me great friends and some of the craziest experiences of my life. I'd gotten to travel the world and see some of the most beautiful sights known to man. I'd done things most people only dreamed about, and had lived to be a part of this world's history. Middle-Earth had given me everything it had to offer... but it still felt empty. It would always feel empty.
I opened my eyes and looked down at my hand, the birthstone ring from my mom still resting on my finger. My eyes lingered on the small blue gem, and I felt a lump rise in my throat. I'm not at home here. I'm in the middle of a war threatening to rip this world apart, with no idea what to do or how to survive it. I keep fucking up. I'm split from my friends, we're all in danger, and an entire city faces destruction that I want to prevent, but can't. I can't do it. I can't save this many people on my own. I can't do any of this on my own. The harsh reality of it all hit me hard and fast, and before I knew it, I was crying, wiping tears from my eyes as I sat there alone. Alone. That's what I am here. No matter what I do, I'll always be out of place. I love this world, but I don't fit in it, and I keep doing things wrong when all I want is to keep it safe and secure but I can't. I shuddered as a cold breeze blew through the room, and I looked up in desperation. "You've always been smarter than me, Dad," I whispered. "I need your answers. Tell me how to fix this!" Tears stung my eyes again, blurring my vision. "I know you'd know how to fix this. You always know what to do. Tell me what to do!" My voice cracked. "Tell me how to make everything okay..." I drew my knees up to my chest as I wept, feeling hope start to slip through my fingers like sand. "...Please..."
–
-Kathryn-
"Kaia!" My shout echoed off the walls as I rushed across the throne room, making a beeline for my dark-haired friend. "There you are! I've been looking all over for you!"
She jumped as I came up behind her and clapped a hand on her shoulder. "Jesus, Kathryn!" she exclaimed, twisting around. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"Sorry," I answered through a grin. "Gimli said I'd find you in here."
She turned away completely from whatever she'd been scribbling on a piece of paper, relaxing and letting out a breath. "Well, here I am. Is there anything else you wanted to do besides scare the shit out of me?"
At that, my face fell in disbelief. "...Seriously?"
Kaia stared up at me blankly, blinking once. "What?"
"Oh my God," I groaned. "Kaia, you were supposed to meet me in the stables two hours ago. We were going to hang out, remember?"
As soon as I said it, her eyes bulged, and she cringed, drawing back so far I thought she might sink right through the table. "Oh... Stables. Right." She looked away sheepishly for a moment. "You know, I was coming - I was actually just about to head down there, but then..." Kaia trailed off, then stopped, noticing my skeptical stare. Finally, she sighed, looking up at me in defeat. "You know I was never good at being on time for anything."
"Yeah, okay," I said, shaking my head. "Best friend of the year, right here, ladies and gentlemen. She forgets about me when all I want to do is have an innocent afternoon of good, pure camaraderie."
"Okay, okay," Kaia grumbled, rising from her seat at the table. "I'm coming; I'm up. What are we doing?"
I turned, leading the way as we headed out of Meduseld and down towards the stables. "You said you've never been horseback riding, right? I thought we'd fix that today. We are in Rohan, after all."
"I've never really been... in charge of one," Kaia replied, a hint of unease in her voice. "I'm not really that good with horses."
I waved it off. "Oh, come on. They're not that difficult. If I can handle it, I'm sure you can figure it out."
"Okay, but I also don't own a horse," she pointed out as we approached the familiar, ornate building. "So I don't know how you're planning on teaching me to ride one."
"I already asked Éomer; he said you can borrow his." I glanced back at her as we walked up to the entrance. "How the hell have you managed to get anywhere in Middle-Earth without a horse?"
I didn't catch my mistake until Kaia raised an eyebrow, a smug smirk appearing on her face. "This crazy thing called 'walking.' You know, where you, like... move your feet? And go places?!" She mimed a shocked gasp.
I squinted back at her. "Shut up." Turning my back on her teasing laughter, I headed into the royal stables, quickly passing several stalls until I reached the one housing my beloved mare, Deor. As I entered and approached, she let out a soft whinny, and I smiled, petting her nose. "Hey girl," I cooed. "You want to get out there and taste the wind today?"
Kaia stood a few feet back, glancing up at her nervously. "She's... pretty," she tried.
I turned back to her, chuckling. "Thanks. Yours is over there; his name's Firefoot."
Kaia turned, following my nod to the stall directly across from Deor's, where Éomer's grey and white speckled horse was kept. The stallion was just as proud and stubborn as his master, so it took a lot of convincing to get him to come out and accept Kaia as his rider. After multiple carrots and several minutes of coaxing both the horse and the woman, Kaia sat in the saddle atop Firefoot's back, stable, but less than thrilled about the scenario.
"You'd better be a good boy and not throw her off," I whispered to the horse, patting his side as I stepped back. Firefoot let out an indignant snort in response.
Kaia adjusted herself in the saddle, looking down warily as she found her balance. "I'm so uncomfortable. God, why did I let you talk me into this?"
"You'll be fine, I promise." I led Firefoot a few feet forward until he stood next to Deor outside of his stall. Turning to my own horse, I quickly swung up into the saddle and looked back at Kaia. "Just don't fall off."
She rolled her eyes. "Thanks." Glancing back down at the horse beneath her, she frowned. "So... how do you make it go?"
I smiled. "You kick him gently in the side with your heels," I said, "like this." I showed her how to nudge her horse into action as I pushed Deor into a walk, stopping at the doorway to the stables. "Got it?"
Kaia looked at me and nodded, though still seeming unsure of herself. "Got it. Okay, here goes nothing." She took a deep breath, determined to succeed as she gripped the reins tightly, and dug her heels into Firefoot's sides. Instead of moving into a slow walk, however, the horse suddenly let out a loud whinny at her actions and took off into a full-on gallop. Kaia screamed as they whipped past Deor and I in less than a second, flying right out of the stables and barreling down the main road. "HOLY SHIT! JESUS CHRIST, SLOW DOWN!" I heard her yell. It didn't work. Firefoot just kept going.
I gasped, but it quickly dissolved into laughter as I spurred Deor forward as well, trying to catch up to them. I was able to follow behind Firefoot pretty easily, but could only laugh harder at the scene in front of me as I went. Kaia was going absolutely insane, still screaming profanities at the horse, arms flailing wildly in the air. It was a miracle in itself she managed to stay balanced and in the saddle. This, of course, did nothing to calm Firefoot down, and he continued tearing through the streets at top speed, eventually heading straight through the main gates of Edoras and out onto the open plains.
Kaia was still trying and horrendously failing to gain control of the situation. "YOU BASTARD HORSE! I SAID SLOW THE FUCK DOWN!" A moment later, Firefoot made a sharp turn, and she screamed again, leaning dangerously to the right. "NO! Not change direction! STOP MOVING!" I dug my heels into Deor's sides and willed her to go faster as Firefoot pressed on and Kaia's screaming continued. "OH MY GOD!"
Try as she might, Firefoot wasn't having it - if anything, I think Kaia somehow managed to get him to go even faster in the midst of her panic. Several minutes went by before I finally managed to pull up beside my best friend, laughing so hard I was nearly in tears as our horses galloped wildly onward. "Kaia!"
She looked over at me, eyes wide with terror. By this point, she'd stopped flailing her arms all over the place, but now was laying forward flat on her stomach, arms wrapped tightly around Firefoot's neck in a death grip as she clung to him for dear life. "Help me!"
I only laughed harder. "Just pull on the reins and say 'woah!'"
"NO! I'm not letting go of this damn animal!"
"Kaia, come on!"
"No way! I'm not about to fall off a horse and die!"
I shrugged. "Then I guess he'll just keep running!"
Kaia glared at me, but said nothing. It took her a minute, but eventually she slowly managed to grab hold of the reins again, clutching them in her fists and yanking hard. "HEY, ASSHOLE! STOP RUNNING!"
Surprisingly, it worked. Firefoot let out a loud whinny of protest (as Kaia was pulling way too hard), but obeyed, sliding to a stop with his hooves tearing up grass and dirt as they dug into the ground. I also drew Deor to a halt not far off, watching as Kaia calmed down and then let got of her hold on the poor stallion, sitting upright once again. "You did it!" I cried, beaming from ear to ear.
She turned her head while keeping a hand on Firefoot's neck to steady herself, dark eyes settling on me in a murderous glare. "Never... speak of this... to anyone," she growled between gasping breaths.
But I only laughed, shooting her a wink as I looped around her in a u-turn, ready to head back to the Golden Hall. "No promises." And then, just as Kaia started to turn Firefoot around and follow after me, I grinned, glancing back to her as an idea struck. "Race you back to the gate." And a second later, I was off again, laughing as Deor bounded over the plains at breakneck speed. An angry shout came from not far behind, and although I knew she'd make me suffer for it later, it was entirely worth it to look back and see the utter horror on Kaia's face as Firefoot took off once more.
"KATHRYN, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" I heard her shout.
My grin only widened. "NOT UNLESS YOU CATCH ME FIRST!"
–
Needless to say, I won the race back to Edoras. After both horses had been properly rewarded and returned to the stables (and Kaia swore she'd never sit on a horse by herself ever again), we decided we'd had enough adventure for one day and returned to the Golden Hall. The rest of the afternoon was pretty quiet from there. Kaia chose to head down to the training grounds to get some practice sparring in, and I sought out Éowyn to browse the shops in the downtown market with me for awhile. It wasn't until dusk that Kaia and I met up again for dinner on the terrace with the remaining members of the Fellowship, the five of us setting up a miniature picnic outside under the fading sun. Everyone brought food to share, and Éowyn had helped me pick out the best wine Edoras had to offer, so we ate and drank together for hours, isolated behind the hall as we laughed and talked and recalled all kinds of stories from earlier days of the quest. For once, things were... oddly peaceful. And as a warm August night descended on Edoras in that moment, we were happy. Content and enjoying each others' company; all thoughts of impending war, the Ring, and the troubles of the world distant and far from our minds.
"I still can't believe you made it all the way to Ithilien and back without getting yourself killed somehow," Kaia said, laughing and shaking her head at me as she refilled her glass.
"Hey, watch yourself," I replied, pointing an accusing finger her way. "I'll have you know I've become an excellent traveler over the past few months."
"I would hope your skills have improved since our departure from Rivendell," Aragorn cut in, smirking as Kaia passed him the wine. "Have you forgotten the time you nearly burned our camp to the ground?"
I narrowed my eyes at the dark-haired ranger, frowning. "I did not burn our camp to the ground, you ass. The fire just got a little out of control."
From my left, Legolas scoffed. "That's putting it rather mildly."
"Wow, fuck you!" I snapped, smacking the elf in the arm. "I thought we were on the same team here!"
"Wait, wait, wait," Kaia stopped us, glancing around the circle expectantly. "What did Kathryn do?"
"We made the mistake of giving her the task of starting a fire for us one night, early on in our journey," Aragorn explained.
"Which I did!" I pointed out, taking a sip of my own wine. "It was a good fire!"
Gimli chuckled. "Aye, lass, it was! Until ya caught a nearby bush in the blaze as well!"
"And the surrounding grass," said Aragorn.
"And very nearly a few of the trees as well, if I remember correctly," added Legolas.
All of them were laughing, Kaia most of all. "Oh my God, Kathryn. You did all this - wait, when was this?"
"Was it a week after we left Rivendell?" Aragorn asked, glancing to the elf and dwarf.
"No more than that, surely!" Gimli answered.
Kaia laughed again. "A week?! You lasted a whole week out in the wilderness before almost starting a damn forest fire?"
"In my defense, we put it out fast enough before it became a real problem," I said, raising my hands.
"No thanks to you," Legolas chuckled. "You screamed and panicked through most of it."
"No one asked you, Lego," I drawled, laughing as his face immediately scrunched into a disapproving frown.
Aragorn raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two of us in confusion. "Lego?"
"It's on the list of nicknames Erin and I made up for Legolas," I said, grinning as the elf in question closed his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. "We've got a bunch. I think we're up to fifteen now, between the two of us." I cast another snide smirk in the blond's direction. "My personal favorite so far is 'Legsie.'"
At that, Gimli burst into uproarious laughter, and Legolas shot him a glare which would've been withering if I couldn't see him smirking behind his goblet. "Well that's certainly got a nice ring to it! I won't be forgetting that one anytime soon!" He looked at me, beaming through his bushy red beard. "Remind me to thank Erin for that one later, will ya?"
I laughed, leaning back on my hands and lifting my head to look up at the stars scattered across the night sky. "Of course, Gimli."
–
-Erin-
I frowned, pulling at a stray thread on the cuff of my sleeves as I glanced out to the blackened, clouded sky. Gandalf, Pippin and I had all returned to our room a few hours ago with the intention of retiring for the night, but none of us had actually gone to sleep. The wise old wizard was standing out on the stone balcony, still as a statue as he gazed out toward the horizon in silence, smoking his pipe. He'd been like that for at least forty-five minutes by now, and it made an uncomfortable feeling coil in my gut as I sat at the foot of my bed. Pippin was currently examining the contents of a large bundle that had been delivered to him just a few minutes ago - a black sleeveless tunic emblazoned with the White Tree, chainmail, a blue leather jerkin, and assortment of weapons, all spread out on his bed. A gift from Denethor, since Pippin had now declared his allegiance to him.
The hobbit picked up a small sword and unsheathed it, eying it up. "So I imagine this is just a... ceremonial possession," he chirped, setting it back down as his gaze swept over the rest of his new finery. "I mean, they don't actually expect me to do any fighting..." He scoffed at first, but then stopped, suddenly looking up to meet my gaze as his smirk fell. "...Do they?" I said nothing, only giving the young redhead a knowing look before my gaze drifted to the smooth stone floor.
"You're in the service of the Steward now," Gandalf coughed, choking on his own smoke slightly. "You're going to have to do as you're told, Peregrin Took!" He coughed again, an awkward silence passing over the room as Pippin moved to pour him a cup of water and take it out to him. "Guard of the Citadel!" He said it like it was the most unbelievable thing he'd ever heard, though still coughing, and I almost laughed as he quickly accepted the water from Pippin. And that, dear friends, is why I refuse to ever put a pipe in my mouth.
A low rumble of thunder from off in the distance drew my attention, and my eyes flicked to the jagged mountains of Mordor stretching across the horizon. I let out a breath, my anxieties still high about our grim future. The city would be under siege soon. Very soon. Which meant I was running out of time. We'd been in Minas Tirith for over a week now, and yet I still had no idea what I could do to help prepare for what was coming. Gandalf and I had discussed the armies of the Easterlings and Haradrim a few days ago. I'd told him as much as I could about their strategies of attack, but it still wasn't enough. We had nowhere to gain extra soldiers from for our own armies, and it certainly wasn't easy to come up with ways to take down over a dozen Oliphaunts. Everywhere I turned, I felt like I kept coming up empty. And of course, on top of everything else, I still worried constantly for everyone back in Rohan. As far as I was concerned, Kaia and Kathryn were still in just as much danger because of Saruman's prophecy. And by this point, I was wondering if I'd made a mistake in leaving them behind where I couldn't protect them. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. I hate this. I hate just sitting here, waiting for the inevitable. This is going to be disastrous.
Just then, Pippin's small voice shook me from my thoughts. "...There's no more stars."
I blinked, turning and looking out to the skies again. He was right. There wasn't so much as a pinprick of light to be seen amidst the inky darkness, thick black clouds obscuring what had once been. A grim expression settled on my face as I rose, walking out to join them on the balcony as the hobbit looked to Gandalf in quiet worry. "Is it time?"
"Yes," he replied.
My eyes drifted along the mountain range, knowing what would soon come. "This whole city feels cloaked in fear," I muttered.
"Their courage still remains," Gandalf said, though it hardly sounded reassuring. "The people of Minas Tirith will fight to defend this city until the bitter end."
That's exactly what I'm afraid of. I didn't speak the words aloud, but the thought itself couldn't be shaken. I glanced to Gandalf briefly, knowing he feared what would befall the men of Gondor just as much as I did.
There was another long stretch of silence as the three of us stared out at the horizon. My fingers curled around the edge of the parapet as I felt the tension begin to build in my chest, just... waiting. Pippin spoke up again a moment later, his voice soft as if he was almost afraid to shatter the stillness of the atmosphere. "...It's so quiet."
"It's the deep breath before the plunge," came Gandalf's reply.
Pippin let out a breath, now leaning up against the balcony wall. "I don't want to be in a battle," he admitted. "But waiting on the edge of one I can't escape is even worse." He looked up at the wizard again, thoughts now turning elsewhere. "Is there any hope, Gandalf? For Frodo and Sam?" At the mention of the two, my gaze shifted slightly, now fixed on a particular spot along the base of the mountain range where I knew Minas Morgul stood. In my mind, I could see them now, crouched and hidden mere feet from the entrance to the dark place - no doubt even more terrified than I was. For a moment, I felt slightly guilty. They had way more cause to be afraid than I did.
"There never was much hope," Gandalf answered, offering a wry smile. "Just a fool's hope."
Despite myself, I smiled. "No cause is lost, if there is but one fool left to fight for it."
Pippin also glanced back to me with a smile, but it soon faded as Gandalf began to speak again. "...Our enemy is ready. His full strength's gathered. Not only Orcs, but men as well; legions of Haradrim from the south, mercenaries from the coast... all who answer Mordor's call. This will be the end of Gondor as we know it. Here the hammerstroke will fall hardest." My gaze shifted to the faint outline of Osgiliath I could see in the distance along the edge of the Anduin. "If the river is taken; if the garrison at Osgiliath falls, the last defense of this city will be gone."
"But we have the White Wizard," Pippin grinned. "That's got to count for something." But then he stopped, his face falling as the Istari only looked at him gravely for a second before turning away. "...Gandalf?"
Again, the wizard's gaze was fixed on the mountains before us, his voice low and foreboding. "Sauron has yet to reveal his deadliest servant, the one who will lead Mordor's armies in war. The one they say no living man can kill." There was a pause. "The Witch-King of Angmar." My eyes were rooted to Minas Morgul, dread settling in my gut like a stone. "You've met him before, Pippin. He stabbed Frodo on Weathertop." There was a flash of recognition across Pippin's face as the memory came back to him. I swallowed hard. "He is the Lord of the Nazgûl; the greatest of the Nine. Minas Morgul is his lair."
"And he's coming here?" the hobbit whispered, now sounding more fearful than before.
I took a deep breath through my nose, fists clenched. "Yes," I answered. And I hope I don't have to confront him face to face when he does.
–
-Kaia-
I smiled, shaking my head as I finished off the last of my wine. "You all are idiots. I don't even know how I convinced myself to join this stupid quest of yours in the first place." Quiet laughter rippled throughout our circle at my teasing joke, but suddenly, Legolas fell silent beside me, and I frowned as I noticed him go still. "You okay?" I asked, setting my glass aside. He didn't answer immediately, and now the others were shooting the elf strange looks, too. "Legolas!"
He blinked, as if snapping out of a trance, and when he looked at me I was almost taken aback by the fear in his eyes. "...Something is wrong," he said lowly. "I feel a great darkness stirring in the south."
Any lighthearted mood we'd previously had was extinguished in a second, and my frown deepened as all five of us turned to follow his gaze. Kathryn caught my attention for half a second, and I knew we were thinking the exact same thing. Erin? I turned to look in the direction of Minas Tirith, my stomach twisting into knots for reasons I didn't understand.
–
-Erin-
"Are we going to be all right, Erin?"
I looked down at the hobbit, wishing more than anything I could confidently say yes. "...I hope so, Pip." I reached down to place a comforting hand on his shoulder, trying as best as I could to at least feign optimism for his sake. But it felt so horribly transparent as my gaze returned to that one particular spot in the mountains, every muscle in my body coiled tight like a snake. I stared straight at it, knowing what was coming, waiting, waiting...
And then a tremor ripped through the earth, so strong I swear I could feel the stone beneath my own feet shudder as thunder boomed across the sky. There was a great flash like lightning, and a rumbling as if the world itself had been split, and from a pass between the mountains a ghostly green light shot upwards, piercing the sky like a needle. Pippin flinched, and Gandalf drew back slightly, but I could only stare at it in horror, speechless as I witnessed the signal from Minas Morgul split the clouds overhead.
–
-Kaia-
I felt my heart drop as a spike of green suddenly cut through the night sky, just barely visible on the horizon to us as it peaked past the mountaintops. Gimli gave a shout, and Aragorn and Legolas were on their feet instantly, but I went absolutely rigid, staring at the distant light with a fear deeper than anything I'd ever known shaking me to the core. ...No... That can't be what I think it is.
"What is that?!" Gimli roared, taking a battle stance as if he expected enemies to jump out and attack us that very instant. "What is this sorcery?"
My mouth went dry, and I swallowed hard. "...It's a signal..." I whispered, unable to look away. My own voice sounded foreign to me, and I felt like I could throw up. "The armies of Mordor are on the move."
Aragorn turned, frowning in confusion. "You know this?"
I barely even heard him. No... it can't be this soon. Oh my God. It can't... I'm...
"Kaia?" Now I heard Kathryn's voice, and when I turned, I saw her looking right at me with deep concern in her eyes. I stared at her for a second, a dozen horrific images flashing across my mind, and something deep within was begging me, screaming at me to tell her - JUST TELL HER - but no words would come. I could barely even breathe. She opened her mouth to say something, reaching out to touch me, but I jerked back, scrambling to my feet as my eyes jumped back to the signal. Utter terror held me in a vice grip, and I turned, ignoring Kathryn and Aragorn's shouts as I fled. The world felt like it was spinning, and I was gasping for air as if I was drowning, and I couldn't erase the image of green piercing the sky as a single thought rang in my mind over and over.
Time is running out.
–
-Kathryn-
I turned to Aragorn, confused and scared as Kaia completely ignored us both, taking off and running back to the Golden Hall like she was being chased by Sauron himself. "What the hell was that about?" Aragorn only shook his head, just as disturbed as I was as he cast a worried glance at the back door. After a moment, he also turned, going after Kaia before I could say anything to stop him. I watched him go, then turned back to the signal in fear, my pulse quickening as I prayed Erin and the others were still safe from harm.
–
-Erin-
I could hear shouts of alarm from the levels below as others within Minas Tirith saw the signal continue to light up the sky, casting a luminescent glow across the White City as it flashed and flickered. All I could think about were the armies that were now marching out from Minas Morgul's doorstep - hundreds of thousands of Orcs, Men, and even the Nazgûl themselves bearing down on us with the intent of destroying everything and everyone within this city. Including me.
One of you will not survive this war.
My jaw clenched, the reality of what I was about to face finally starting to set in as I realized my chances of survival were shrinking more and more with each passing day. "...That's it," I said, my words fragile and full of fear. "They're coming for us."
"We come to it at last," Gandalf spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "The great battle of our time... The board is set. The pieces are moving."
A/N: Wow. Um. I really don't have any sort of reason why this chapter took so long for me to finish. Life, I guess? I don't know. Anyway, here's an update. Hope you guys enjoyed it, and a big thank you to those of you who've been faving and following this book/series! I love y'all!
