ShoutOuts ~

Guest: Cute? Okay, thanks haha, I think I like the way you think!

LucyXHeartifiliaXFan: So glad you liked it! Hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

DragonOwl: I definitely love writing Madi's character development. In this story, she's just getting better and better for me. This is who I think I've always wanted her to be. And thank you! Fight scenes are such a joy for me to write as well, I actually learned from watching Lord of the Rings.

Random Person 94: Yeah, I'm really sorry, life has just really gotten in the way for me. At the end of this story I will explain myself, promise. I'm trying to update as fast as I can. As for your questions: Legolas shouted to the other elves about the weak points of Uruk armor, then told Madi a thing we will find out later in the story. As for whether Madi goes berserk or not, we'll just have to see. And Théoden always says something douche-like, so the questions is would we be surprised if he did? As for the Gimli-toss and Merry and Pippin, you will just have to see! I swear I'm not trying to cause this necessary suspense, but everything will be answered in good time.

~ THEMESONGS ~

Panic Station ~ Muse

Rata Tat Tat ~ Fall Out Boy

.M.I.W.

36. Not Today

A high pitched ringing in my ears, so delicate and deafening, drowned out every other sound.

I widened my eyes, as if that would help expand my hearing, and drew up to my knees. My body felt like it was made of rock, crumbling and cracking as I shifted.

I gasped for air, couldn't hear my breath, and scanned the ground for my blades. There they lay, off to the side, in the midst of clashing Uruk-hai and Elves and humans. I lunged for them, probably looking drunken and lost and all the other things I shouldn't be in battle.

As I picked them up, I staggered to my feet, and took in the damage.

That gap of safety I'd been so obsessed with when I first came to Helm's Deep had been dwarfed by a gaping hole, a giant pathway created for hundreds of Uruk-hai to storm into without any resistance.

The first thing I began to feel was a sharp pain against the side of my head, then another deeper but just as fierce pain at my hip. I reached up to touch the side of my head, my fingers revealing crimson as I pulled them away. I could feel blood, my blood, ooze down the side of my face. Terror gripped me, and I looked down at my side, thankfully seeing no open wound, but knew a bruise would definitely present itself tomorrow. One side of my jet black gear was now covered in a fine powder of rubble, quickly melting away under the downpour. A chunk of hair had fallen out of Legolas's intricate braid and stuck right into my face, I reached up with shaky blood soaked fingers to slick it back in place.

Slowly, my hearing returned. I heard the deep thumping of the Uruk-hai as they stomped into the Keep. Then the shouts of struggling soldiers from both sides evolved from that noise. Then the clanging of weapons and armor. Then a familiar voice shouting out a familiar name.

"Aragorn!" I found Gimli leaning precariously over the edge of the wall, leaping over and into a mess of spears and monsters.

My swords lit at the sight, and I pushed off my stiff legs toward the edge –

Until strong, lithe arms encircled my waist, yanking me right out of my run. "Stow your blades!" Legolas shouted, and I did just before he pulled me into his chest, dragging me toward the stairs along with a large Uruk shield.

"You've got to be kidding me –" I choked out just before Legolas threw it down on the ground and jumped on, pushing me in front of him. The shield tipped forward and down the narrow, slippery stone steps.

I screamed for a split-second as we flew down the steps, not feeling any type of control over the situation, watching helplessly as Legolas singlehandedly invented skateboarding – or pretty much any boarding sport – and yanked out my Elivsh dagger as I heard him shoot at the Uruk-hai surrounding the keep on both sides.

The bottom of the stairs couldn't come fast enough, and I leapt off to take out an Uruk while Legolas chucked our shield-board into another. I lurched forward, grabbing the chest-plate of my target, stabbing the dagger deep into its vulnerable neck. Its blood bubbled up from the gaping wound, coating my hands with black goo. Once I stabbed the initial shock out of my system, I whirled around to take out the rest of my fury out on the elf.

"Don't you ever do that again!" I spat, but Legolas laughed giddily at my reaction. I growled, thrust my dagger back into its holster, pulled out my swords, then threw myself back into the warfare.

I cut another Uruk down as it tried to run past me, my blades gleaming victoriously at their chance to dish out more bloodshed. Another Uruk tried to swipe me down with its crude blade, and I met his blade in kind with my own. I staggered under the weight, then angled myself to the right to allow the Uruk to finish its blow through, except I wouldn't be caught underneath it. I pulled away, watching the beast make a beeline straight for me. I shot inward as well with both swords in an angled 'x.' Sandalphon took the brunt of the blow, scraping across the Uruk's blade. Painful, jagged vibrations sent a million jolts through my body, but I gritted my teeth and pushed forward, shoving Metatron's edge right into the creature's neck, and cutting hard.

I kneed the Uruk in the stomach, watching its yellow eyes drop down to my level, its rancid breath curling out into steam in the cold night air as it released its last breath. I ducked aside again, letting it fall, leapt over its body and after whatever dared to challenge me next.

I dove through the melee, past elves and men straight for the front lines, following the thunderous bellows of a certain dwarf as he crowed in victory over his own mini-massacre. I found him amongst corpses of Uruk-hai, and my adrenaline picked up into overtime when one Uruk tried to catch him unawares.

"Gimli!" I barked, flying right into the beast. I sent us down into the freezing mud, but before either I or the Uruk could attack, the silver blade of one of Gimli's axes severed the Uruk's head clean from its body.

I shot up and twisted around the dwarf, throwing my swords into an 'x' as another Uruk's blade threatened our lives. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gimli come back around and bury his ax into the monster's side, bringing it down, allowing me to shove its blade aside, giving Gimli plenty of access to decapitate it.

Another Uruk came straight at him, but Gimli was too quick. He blocked the creature's blow, giving me more than enough of a chance to deliver the killing blow. I did so with ease, both of my swords latching into a chink of its armor and tearing across its abdomen.

"Hell yes!" I shouted, shifting my swords into one hand so I could make a fist. I held it out to the dwarf, watching his eyes gleam in pride.

"Indeed!" He exclaimed. He quickly curled his free hand into a fist, and drove it right into mine in a knuckle shattering fist-bump. Inwardly, I felt myself collapse into myself at the ridiculous amount of pain surging through my hand, but I sucked in a sharp breath and attempted to save face. He still hadn't quite learned you didn't have to actually punch someone's fist to do a proper fist-bump.

Before I could attempt to correct him on it, my attention was brought to another section of the battle as I found Legolas wrestling a few Uruk-hai of his own. He'd long run out of arrows and had begun using his long knives. They glinted as he spun them around and around, never ceasing in his movements as he hacked and sliced through his enemies.

Awe swept through me as I watched his graceful form slip past falling Uruk-hai. Corpses lay in his wake, his eyes were electric, there was hardly a scratch on his perfect visage. It was like he was just another knife. Terrifying and perfect.

I charged toward him, hacking down an Uruk standing in my way. Legolas turned around at its dying sounds, giving me a quizzical look. I shrugged.

Another Uruk came hurtling toward us, and we both ran toward it. The beast didn't know which one of us to hit, but decided to strike after me first. I feinted right and shot behind Legolas, allowing him to cut the Uruk down as I launched myself at another. It didn't seem to see me coming – I took it down with ease and ran after Legolas to keep pace with him as we hacked, sliced, and stabbed through the massive mob. I finally found my rhythm, my kill-count shooting way up into the double-digits, oddly enough brightening my mood.

"Aragorn!" A deep voice rolled over the higher walls of the Keep. "Fall back to the Keep! Get your men out of there!"

I cut down another Uruk and stopped dead in my tracks at the order. I spun around, attempting to find Aragorn amidst the hundreds of bodies. I could hear his voice, loud, gruff, and clear above all other noise as he shouted Elvish phrases I didn't understand. Another Uruk came after me, and I brawled with it until it was sliced into submission, letting its head roll off into the chaos without even a second glance, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

I finally found Aragorn, a disheveled muddy mess from this whole affair, wildly waving his sword as he directed the elves under his command back toward the Keep. "Haldir!" He shouted back up the stairs Legolas and I had slid down. "Na Barad!"

I followed his gaze, finding the silver haired Elf taking out three Uruk-hai at once with his powerful long sword. I tightened the grip of my swords, which in turn caused them to brighten in challenge –

"Madi!" I heard Legolas shout from behind me, fighting to get to me. "Madi, we must fall back! To the Keep –"

"I'll catch up!" I yelled back at him, heading toward the stairs.

An Uruk came bumbling down the stairs at the sight of me, waving a giant ax over its head. I barreled straight for him, stabbing my blades into his unprotected stomach, and shoved past him, letting the beast tumble down the rest of the steps. My heart was racing, the freezing rain stung my eyes and made my face numb, I felt my gear sag uncomfortably around me as it became waterlogged. But I couldn't fall back. Not when I knew I had the power to save someone's life, and I would be damned if I failed again!

Just as I climbed the last step, I saw Haldir follow through with one of his blows to take out an Uruk, too consumed on making sure his current target was taken down that he wouldn't have noticed the other one idling up too close behind him.

I shot forward, fumbling across the slippery stone and my own exhaustion. My legs were screaming in agony, my whole body finally taking note of whatever battering it went through during that explosion. But my adrenaline was quickly overpowering it, my mind only chanting a singular phrase: I got this, I got this, I got this, I got this! as I plowed onward.

I threw my swords into their usual defensive 'x' as I came upon the beast just as it started to swing.

CRASH! CLAANG!

I growled under the full force of the Uruk, my swords rapidly slipping under the blade. Even with all the strength I had, I could hardly slow the blow, much less properly block it. The Uruk's snarl came out twisted and metallic through the narrow slit of its hood as it re-angled its blade to have its edge fixed to my throat, inching closer and closer to its mark.

The desperation to fight it off became even greater, as my life was now at stake. But I was trapped. I was going to die at the blade of this Uruk, I could feel the tickle of the blade as it grazed my neck, my pulse raced as if to meet it. My legs quivered beneath me, my arms shook violently. The blade finally met my neck, slicing my skin. I felt my own blood, steaming hot against the rain, run down my neck. There was only one way to get out of this.

I dropped my swords, ducking low to the earth, feeling the chill of the iron blade on me –

CRACK!

I looked up in surprise, finding the blow cut short by another long sword, made much more artistically than the Uruk's. I looked toward the wielder, finding Haldir, bruised and bloodied but going strong, protecting me from what could have been a horrible injury.

Quickly taking my cue, knowing the elf wouldn't be able to hold off the beast forever, I juked around it and scrambled up to my feet. I stabbed deep into the Uruk's side with both of my swords, jerking hard down past its waist. I pulled back, then stabbed hard behind its exposed knees, forcing the creature to fall.

I leapt up onto the ledge of the wall, looming over the beast. Lightning shot over the horizon. Thunder boomed above the Deep. Rain pelted my gear and slid down my hood as I looked down at the Uruk. I allowed a primal darkness from the depths of my soul and into my chest. I let it blossom and take over my being, fueling me with rage and exhilaration. Kill, kill, kill! my soul sang, and it was music to my ears. Another tinny growl snaked up the Uruk's throat and through its clenched teeth, yellow eyes wary as it tried to calculate me. Haldir had kicked its blade away, and it was absolutely helpless, staring death in the face.

I flipped my swords, rainwater flying off of the blades, perfectly in synch with my body as I brought them downward, meeting in that familiar 'x' shaped embrace on either side of the Uruk's neck. And pull.

Metatron and Sandalphon ripped the Uruk's head from its body, the attack just as vicious and clean as the others.

I had come alive.

This. The chaos, the bloodshed, the terror, the ruthlessness. This was my home.

My breathing came out heavy and fast, creating giant clouds in the freezing air at my sudden realization. Ferocity fueled my lungs, and I sent Haldir my most electric grin before flinging myself off the ledge and into the next Uruk.

I swept hard and fast with both blades, finding sick unimaginably twisted pleasure as I cut my blades through its leathery skin. I struck into the Uruk, going hilt-deep into the ribcage and twisted. I jerked my sword out, spinning around and right into the blow of another Uruk. It slammed into my side, and I tensed up at the fear of hearing a telltale crack of my ribs, but somehow they held fast.

I stumbled backward, then shot forward again, running Sandalphon straight through the slit of the Uruk's helmet, driving through the skull. More blood streamed down my blades.

The faces were coming at me all at once, surges and surges of Uruk-hai met the ends of my swords. It all became almost like a montage, I could hardly keep track of it all. The blades gleamed across hooded faces, exposing beady yellow eyes and crude fangs and black blood pouring from their mouths as I killed. My kill count was now exponential, in the back of my mind I could hear bells go off as I reached triple digit status.

Dodging the blow of a mace made me leap backward into someone's armor – the metallic thunk my spine made on contact told me that much. I craned my neck around, finding myself nose-to-nose with Haldir as he had also turned to look down at me.

"Hi," I panted, glancing back at my mace-wielding adversary. "Duck!"

I reached back and grasped one of Haldir's shoulderplates, forcing the elf down with me as the end of a mace swung over our heads. I surged forward, cutting right to the inside, straightening up, stabbing my blades hilt-deep into its chest. I pulled out and stabbed through the neck with Metatron for good measure.

I spun around again, seeking Haldir, finding the marchwarden finishing another kill. I ran toward him, swiping out with Sandalphon in a wide arc to slit the throat of another Uruk. "We have to make it to the Keep!" I shouted at him. "There are too many of them!"

He nodded, doing a quick scan of the wall we fought on to see if any of his men were still fighting. When he realized it was only us, I ran down the stairs, skipping the final four steps. We shoved and ripped through the masses of Uruk-hai, finding refuge with a couple of other elf soldiers who covered us as we made our way toward the Keep.

Once Haldir, his two straggler elves, and I were safely through one of the many narrow entrances that led into the fortress, I slammed the door shut and bolted it in place. I could still hear the sounds of battle raging outside, though it was muffled through the thick wood. I glanced around the dim corridor, finding much of the wounded sitting slumped against the walls as they were tended to by less injured soldiers. I sheathed my swords and looked back at the two elves, noting their quivers were still half full and they had a sparkle of bravery in their eyes.

"Join the other archers," I told them, my voice low and gravely, worn. They gave me uneasy looks, and glanced back at Haldir, who had just turned around from speaking to one of his wounded soldiers.

"Do as she says," he ordered, and the elves took off, running down the corridor toward the upper levels of the Keep to join the rest of the ranks.

I looked back at Haldir, pride and exultation flowing through me, warm as honey as I saw how alive he was and how alive I kept him. I didn't dare say any of that out loud, though, things like that were probably better if I kept them to myself. But man, I was good.

Because I was in my element, I felt like I could finally breathe. This was what I came here for.

"Can you fight?" I demanded, cockily, not even able to keep a smirk off my face.

Haldir nodded, and we took off down the corridor to find a certain unwilling king for our next orders.

.M.I.W.

BOOM!

I skidded to a stop in the main courtyard, Haldir having left my side to join the rest of his people on the archer's mount – wherever the hell that place even was – to see if he was needed there. I looked on for a split second as men scrambled around me, trying to defend the giant gaping hole in their front gates.

I ran towards it, yanking out my seraph blades that already started to glow without needing to hear their names. Just as I was about to shove past the first throngs of knights, someone shouting my name made me stop short.

I perked up, finding Aragorn running toward me with Gimli at his side. I already knew what they were going to do, and I needed to be a part of it. After all, I was on cloud nine, I saved Haldir's life, I was in triple-Uruk-kill-digits, I was on a roll!

"We need your help," Aragorn said.

"Then you don't have to ask twice!" I said, grinning. "As long as it involves killing some of these losers, I'm so down."

Aragorn nodded, and led Gimli and I through a secret passageway that opened up to a door leading outside the keep, just next to the causeway. Light, freezing rain caught us just as we opened the door. We crept down the narrow pathway leading us closer to the causeway, and the three of us dared to look around the corner at the masses of Uruk-hai piling up against the now rickety wooden doors. We pulled back before they could see us.

"We can take 'em!" Gimli growled, and I quickly nodded in agreement.

"It's a long way," Aragorn explained, and I frowned.

Gimli glanced around the corner again, judging the distance, then made an annoyed sound. "Well," he said, resigned, "you'll just have to… toss me then."

"What?" Aragorn asked, partly in disbelief and partly because the dwarf had faded off to a mumble.

"I cannot jump the distance!" Gimli snapped. "You'll have to toss me!"

Slowly, Aragorn nodded. We shifted about until Gimli was in the middle of our group and I took up the rear. The ranger stowed his sword to get a better grip of the dwarf's shoulders, and drew him in in order to shove him into the mob of Uruk-hai. Just before he did, though, Gimli shook off his hands and wagged a finger at him.

"Do not tell the Elf," he instructed, looking at both of us. "Or it'll be you this ax strikes next."

"Not a word," Aragorn vowed and I nodded quickly in agreement. I took a step back partly to give Aragorn more room to toss the dwarf and partly due to the threat.

And then Aragorn grappled the dwarf's shoulders, and threw him across the giant gap between the pathway and the front gates. With a mighty yell, Gimli disappeared amidst our enemies. Aragorn quickly turned to me. "Can you jump it?" He asked.

Was he serious? I had superhuman reflexes! I was awesome! How could I not jump it, would be the appropriate question.

"Please," I scoffed, and took off into the mob.

As I leapt across the gap, there was a sickening moment of zero-gravity and a question of what if? before I landed right on top of an Uruk on the other side. I stabbed through its neck with both of my swords as we went crashing down. I rolled off the carcass and into a crouching position, slicing at another Uruk's knees and bringing him down.

I fought upwards as it crashed down, slicing its neck, yanking my swords away and stabbing them into the back of another and drawing myself up until I was on my feet. Aragorn also joined the crowd, landing next to me. We fought back to back, taking down Uruk after Uruk until we cleared the space in front of the door. The three of us stood side by side, taking out the procession of Uruk-hai lining up to try and storm the Keep. Try being the operative word here, folks.

As I fought, I glanced long enough down at the Uruk-side of the battle to see them loading up giant crossbows and firing giant cables up to the top of the Keep. Two monstrous ladders were also hoisted, and I wished I could be in two places at once – protecting the entrance of the Keep with Aragorn and Gimli, and protecting what had to be the archer's mount.

Suddenly, just as a ladder was about to hit the wall, it stopped in mid-hoist, teetered, and lost balance, falling right into the Uruk-hai side of the battle. I smirked.

"I take it Legolas is up there!" I shouted to Aragorn.

The ranger gave a short laugh, and we were back to the grind. Slaughtering, stabbing, slicing, tearing, killing in the only ways we knew how.

"Gimli! Aragorn! Verdantia!" I glanced around to see Théoden leaning through the rapidly dwindling hole in the gate. "Get out of there now!"

Aragorn nodded, and I quickly took out an Uruk getting too close to him for my comfort. I swung and attacked, listening to the hole in the front entrance finally close and nail shut. We were now isolated on the causeway, and I found myself wondering how the hell we were supposed to get out of this one. What happened when I last saw this movie? Didn't Legolas –

"Aragorn!"

And cue our blond crusader.

I paused in the fighting to look high up along the walls of the Keep just as the end of a rope dropping down to us. I frowned, spinning around to take out another Uruk.

"Madi! The rope!" Aragorn ordered, both he and Gimli charging past me for it. I started to run for it as well, until a massive club slammed against my shoulder, knocking me the opposite way. That was definitely dislocated.

"Madi!" Aragorn roared.

I rolled across the ground, scrambling to get up and grab my swords as three Uruk-hai advanced on me. I rolled onto my back, thrust all my weight onto my shoulders and pulled a weak-ass kid up that got me on my feet, but didn't end as balanced as I'd like. I flipped my swords as I lurched upright, and swept into action.

I kept my blades spinning as I swiped at the three Uruk-hai, constantly moving as I jabbed and sliced and parried, managing to take them out with a slice to the throat, a lethal stab to the stomach, and a decapitation.

I stuffed my blades in my scabbards, not even bothering to admire my handiwork as I raced toward the gap between the causeway and that secret pathway. I could feel my heart beating in my ears as I leapt, my shoulder giving out on me in protest, my hands desperately reaching for any purchase of the miniature cliff, relief hitting me as soon as I grappled the rough surface. My hands scrabbled to pull me higher, the rough rockface cutting my palms and fingers and tearing my nails –

FWWA-PHCH!

I cried out in surprise (and a tiny, tiny bit of fear) as the end of a crude spear splintered against the rock just next to my head. I felt one of the wooden shards nick the side of my face, and I gasped. I jerked myself up, hoisting myself the rest of the way, gasping in relief as my arms stretched out across flat surface. Once I got to my feet, I spun around to face the Uruk-hai. I laughed mirthlessly, grabbed the sides of my hood and flicked them out and shuffled backwards.

"Not today, fuckers!" I goaded. "Not! Today!"

Before they could find another spear to throw at me, I ran back through the secret-entrance-thing. I had a battle to win.

.M.I.W.

Just as I made it to the Keep's courtyard, I heard the men shouting orders for the others to fall back.

Soldiers were scrambling to collect weapons and the wounded, ushering themselves into the Keep. They tried to move past me and around me, but it was inevitable one of them would collide with my injured shoulder.

Pain shot across my shoulders, and I pulled my upper arm closer to my side with my free hand. I searched through the crowd, hoping against hope I would find Aragorn or Gimli or Legolas. I didn't want to be away from them, I couldn't protect them if I wasn't there!

"Lady Verdantia!" A gruff voice shouted at me. I turned around, finding a man pushing through the crowd toward me. He was battered by battle, his face covered in mud and grime. I frowned, knowing I'd seen him somewhere before, but not quite remembering.

"We must make for the Keep!" He said as he reached my side.

"Hama…" I said in recognition. I looked around the masses of men still swarming around us, cradling my wounded arm closer to my chest. "What's going on?"

"The Uruk-hai are too many!" He explained over the chaos. "If we do not fall back soon, we will all be slaughtered. King Théoden will want you in the main hall!"

Um, if Théoden wanted me – specifically – in a certain place, my automatic reaction would be to go the opposite direction. "Where are Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli?" I demanded.

"They will meet us there!" Hama said. "Lady Verdantia, please –"

He reached out to grab my uninjured arm, I recoiled. There was also no way one of Théoden's closest knights was going to lay a hand on me, no matter what the circumstances were. Slowly, I took a step around him. "Fine," I said shortly, and made my own way toward the Keep.

I pushed through the doors with the rest of the soldiers, finding Théoden and a couple of his other head knights near the throne, barking out orders to groups of knights as they directed them on which places of the fortress to guard. I stood where I was, lost amongst the crowd, unwilling to budge until I saw a more familiar face.

Finally, I saw them push against the current of soldiers and into the main hall. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and Haldir. Relief surged through me, and I half-jogged toward them. "Aragorn!" I shouted.

The dark haired man perked up at the sound of his name, and his eyes widened. "Madi," he responded, quickly crossing the space that separated us. He reached out to greet me, cupping the side of my face with one hand and smoothed my hair back against my head. His smile widened. "We thought you'd died."

I gripped his forearm and smirked. "Yeah right, you can't get rid of me that easy."

His gaze flickered over me, and his smile fell into a frown. "Your arm."

"Yeah," I said. "Dislocated shoulder. Can you pop it back in place?"

He nodded and pushed my hand away from my injured arm. He then gripped my shoulder just outside of the joint. The pain already started reverberating down my arm, I gritted my teeth and tried to put myself in a happier state of mind. If that were possible –

Snap!

"Jesus!" I growled, pushing myself away from the man. I gripped my arm with new vigor, but I already felt my joint able to work with more momentum. It just hurt like a bitch.

"Rest," Aragorn ordered. "We are going to barricade the doors."

I nodded, watching Haldir, Aragorn, and Gimli already make their way toward the bulky furniture adorning the room and shoving it in front of the doors. Legolas hung back, regarding me from afar. Finally, he closed the space between us. "It is good to see you alive, Madi," he said.

I shrugged. "Like I said, a couple of Uruk-hai aren't going to stop me."

He nodded, resting a hand on my uninjured shoulder. "Of course not," he agreed, before going to assist Aragorn. A couple of other soldiers began to help as well, piling furniture against the door. Outside, the Uruk-hai raged on, still fighting to get into the fortress.

"The fortress is taken," Théoden said, stopping the men. I turned around, finding the king standing near his throne, his gaze weary and grim. "It is over."

"You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it!" Aragorn argued, helping Legolas lift a table and brace it against the doors. "They still defend it! They have died defending it! Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?"

No one answered. Théoden was uncharacteristically quiet.

"Is there no other way?" Aragorn demanded.

"There is… one passage," one of Théoden's men said. Hama. "It leads to the mountains. But they will not get far. The Uruk-hai are too many."

"Then send word for them to make to the mountain pass," Aragorn decided. "And to barricade the entrance."

The sounds of the Uruk-hai banging down the doors, the walls, once muffled before, seemed so much louder now. Louder because we knew there would be no stopping them once they came in. Louder because we were still breathing because they were not in yet, but would be soon.

"So much death," Théoden said, his voice raspy and aged. "What can men do against such reckless hate?"

"Not sit here like losers and wait for death to greet them, that's what," I decided. "Surely we didn't come all this way just to give up now. We can't contemplate life while we still have it! We have to keep going –"

"Until what end, Miss Verdantia?" Théoden demanded. "Until death takes us? As if that will change anything?"

I glared at him.

"Perhaps you do not take the value of other people's lives into account," the man continued. "Many of them are worth much more than whatever you think yours is. Or maybe you don't understand these people aren't paid to die like you are –"

"I have not been paid to die!" I yelled. "I haven't been paid. Period! I came here of my own free will! Because I don't fight for death or glory or whatever paycheck you think I get. I fight for people, to give them a chance when there is none left! I'm here to answer to every single Uruk, Orc, goblin, Sarumon himself, and any other jackass who dares question the safety of Rohan – no, any freak who dares question the safety of Middle Earth – that, yes, it. Is. Protected! By me. Madison Verdantia, slayer of anything that even thinks of fucking with me, trusted protector of one of the most powerful wizards in the world, and warrior to one of the most divine orders only just underneath that of the angels!"

I sauntered right up into Théoden's face, even though he was a head or so taller than me. I settled for getting right into his personal space and glowering him down. "And I do not, will not, or will I ever have to prove any of that to anyone who I think is unworthy of my protection. Your Majesty, I came all this way to protect this world because I believe it has life and courage yet. You ask what men can do against this reckless hate? Well I say it's the same thing they've always done. Gone out and meet it, head on, and beat it into submission."

"The sun is rising," Gimli noted, looking out at one of the narrow windows as it let in a weak shaft of light.

"Ride with us," Aragorn pleaded. "Ride with us and meet them."

I backed away. Watching Théoden nod, slowly at first, then with more energy. "Yes," he agreed. "Yes! The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep one last time!"

"Yes!" Gimli roared, and ran out of the room and down one of the dark corridors, presumably off to find this weird horn thing.

"Collect the horses!" Théoden ordered.

.M.I.W.

The second part of our three-part battle scene. Geez, this is a long one. What a time to be alive and a writer!