A/N: I'm almost done, just one or two more chapters to go.
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or anything.
Chapter 9:
The Ents go to War
After the Ents had finished talking again, Treebeard went over to Carl and Beckham, who had been asleep until recently. "The Ents cannot hold back this storm." said Treebeard "We must weather such things as we have always done." Carl's face fell as he said "How can that be your decision?" "This is not our war." said Treebeard. Carl turned to address the group of Ents as he said "But you're part of this world! Aren't you? Please! You must help!" Treebeard sighed and said "You are young and brave Carl, but your part in this tale is over. Go back to your home." Carl sighed dejectedly as he put on his jacket, preparing to go. "Maybe Treebeard's right." said Beckham "We don't belong here, Carl. It's too big for us...no pun intended. What can we do in the end? We've got the Shire. Maybe we should go home." Carl turned to Beckham and said "The fires of Isengard will spread, and the woods of Tookborough and Buckland will burn, and everything green and good in this world will be gone. There won't be a Shire, Beckham." After he said that, Beckham's smile disappeared as he said "Well, aren't you just a ray of sunshine."
As the Orcs cascaded through the hole in the wall, the soldiers were having a hard time holding them back. As Jeragorn was stabbing as many Orcs as possible, he heard Théoden shout "Jeragorn! Fall back to the keep! Get your men out of there!" Jeragorn nodded as he shouted "To the keep! To the keep! Fall back!" The soldiers began to get out of there, and two of them had to pick up Bufli and carry him out of there. "Come on!" complained Bufli "Let me at 'em, I can take 'em!" As the soldiers began to fall back, the Orcs at the gate of the keep had almost succeeded at breaking through. "Brace the gate!" people shouted. As the people began to press objects against the gate to make it harder to break, Jeragorn appeared and Théoden said "Hold them!" "How long do you need?" asked Jeragorn. "As long as you can give me." said Théoden. Jeragorn nodded and grabbed Bufli, who was stabbing at Orcs through the small hole in the gate. They both went through a door that led outside to a small ledge that stood about 6 feet from the causeway. "Oh, come on, let's take 'em." said Bufli. Jeragorn looked at him and said "It's a long way." Bufli looked at the gap in between the ledge and the causeway, sighed in defeat, and said "Toss me." Jeragorn gave him a look of confusion, so Bufli said "I can't jump the distance, you'll have to toss me." Jeragorn nodded and was about to pick him up when Bufli said "Oh, and...don't tell the nerd." Jeragorn grinned and said "Not a word." Jeragorn picked up Bufli and tossed him across the gap and onto the causeway. Jeragorn jumped over too, and they both started attacking any Orc that approached the gate. Then, the Orcs that were attacking the inside wall fired giant crossbows at the top of the wall. They hooked on and started pulling up massive ladders which hooked on and caused Orcs to spill out onto the wall. Baljolas shot his bow at one of the ropes pulling up a ladder, snapping it, and causing the ladder to fall backwards, crushing several Orcs. While Jeragorn and Bufli were fighting off the Orcs at the causeway, Théoden shouted "Jeragorn! Bufli! Get out of there!" Baljolas tossed them a rope, which they hastily climbed. Théoden shouted "Pull them back! Get everyone out of here!" just as the Orcs broke through the gate. A voice shouted "The castle is breached! Retreat! Retreat!" the remaining soldiers in the keep began running to the throne room, hoping that it would provide them enough cover for a few moments, before the Orcs would overrun Helm's Deep.
In Fangorn forest, Carl and Beckham were once again riding on top of Treebeard, only this time, they were headed home. "I will leave you at the western boarders of the forest." said Treebeard "You can make your way north to your homeland from there." Carl and Beckham were both sitting in silence, utterly disappointed that their plan hadn't worked out. Suddenly, Beckham perked his head up as he got an idea. "Wait! Stop!" he said "Turn around. Take us south." "South?" said Treebeard in confusion "But that would...lead you past Isengard." "Yes," said Beckham "if we go south, we can slip past Doofenman unnoticed. The closer we are to danger, the further we are from harm. It's the last thing he'll expect." Treebeard thought for a moment and said "That doesn't make sense to me. But, then again, you are very small. Perhaps you're right." So, he turned around and started heading south. "Are you mad?" Carl whispered frantically. "We'll be caught!" "No we won't." said Beckham, a smile forming on his face "Not this time."
Meanwhile, Phindo, Ferb, Krrlum, Albamir and his soldiers reached Osgiliath. It was smoking, and sounds of battle could be heard even from their distance. "Mordor has come." whispered Albamir to himself. Phindo turned to Albamir and said "The ring will not save Gondor, it only has the power to destroy. Please, let me go." Albamir ignored his comment and said "Hurry!", motioning for them to move. Phindo struggled against his restraints as he said "Albamir! You must let me go!"
At the southern border of Fangorn forest, Treebeard had arrived with Carl and Beckham. He had been talking about a particularly nice Pine tree when suddenly, he saw what was at the edge of the forest and gasped. Laid out in front of them was a large field of blackened and charred tree stumps left over from when Doofenman pulled out all the trees surrounding Isengard. After a moment of stunned silence, Treebeard said "Many of these trees were my friends. Creatures I had known from seed and acorn." Beckham decided to say "I'm sorry, Treebeard." "They had voices of their own." said Treebeard. Then, he turned to face the tower of Isengard, with smoke rising from the distance. "Doofenman." said Treebeard with menace in his voice "A wizard should know better." Suddenly, Treebeard let out a loud call that echoed across all of Fangorn forest. "There is no curse in Elvish, Entish, or the tongues of men for this treachery." said Treebeard "My business is with Isengard tonight, with a rock and stone." Then, Carl and Beckham could hear hundreds of other Ents coming out of the forest. The two hobbits smiled; Beckham's plan was working! "Come my friends, the Ents are going to war." said Treebeard "It is likely that we go to our doom. Last march of the Ents." Then, the Ents all started to march towards Isengard, each one of them determined to bring it to the ground.
At Osgiliath, Phindo, Ferb, and Krrlum were being led through the nearly ruined city. As Gondorian soldiers launched attacks at their enemy, they launched back more powerful attacks. A soldier ran up to Albamir and said "Albamir, Orcs have taken the eastern shore. Their numbers are too great, by nightfall we will be overrun." As they were talking, Phindo started becoming weary and weak. Ferb rushed over to him as he said "It's calling to him, Ferb. His eye is almost on me." "Don't worry, Mr. Phindo, everything's gonna be alright." Then, Ferb's voice was blocked out by Phindo, along with every other noise except for the ring whispering to him. "Take them to my father." said Albamir, pointing at the two hobbits "Tell him, Albamir sends a mighty gift. A weapon that will change our fortunes in this war." As the men began to drag Phindo off, Ferb shouted to Albamir "You wanna know what happened to Irvinmir? You wanna know why your brother died?" This caused Albamir to stop and turn around. "He tried to take the ring from Phindo." Ferb continued "After swearing an oath to protect him, he tried to kill him! The ring drove your brother mad!" Albamir was about to say something to retort, but a large boulder crashed into the tower above them, causing everyone underneath to run for cover. After the debris had landed, Phindo began to go into a trance-like state. He turned to Ferb and said "They're here. They've come." Suddenly a loud screech filled the air. "Nazgûl!" shouted Albamir. Then, a winged Nazgûl flew over the city. The men scattered, Krrlum shrieked and went to hide, and Albamir grabbed Phindo and hid him from view of the Nazgûl. "Stay here, keep out of sight." he said, as he ordered his men to get out. But, Phindo was losing control of his will as the ring heard the Nazgûl's cry.
I have a feeling I should be able to wrap things up in one more chapter.
Please R&R!
